Chapter 5

Unedited Needs proof reading and editing still, might be a rough read - you are warned

“Boss! Boss!” A guard ran in breathing hard.

I was leading the harem plus three guards in some advanced training.

“Boss, we got trouble!”

That had everyone’s attention. I looked around, “Back to work!”

I pulled the guard aside, and was getting ready to ask when I noticed one of the harem girls paying close attention.

I turned and looked at her. “If you don’t want to train, go fill up the water skins.”

Dutifully scolded, she grabbed the water skins and left.

I looked at the guard. “Well?”

“Bunch guys on horses headed here.” He stood up straight, proud, message delivered.

“How many is a bunch?”

Now the guard looked nervous. “I don’t know numbers sir. Sorry sir.”

I looked at him. “Make sure you find someone to teach you numbers and writing in your off time, I don’t like my people being dumb.”

“Yes sir”

“Tell whoever is at the barrier, that I said for them to keep the horses between the barriers. And invite the people inside, up here.” waiting a few seconds, “Repeat the message back to me.”

“Tell whoever is at the barrier to keep the horses between the barriers, and invite them inside.”

“Good. Go.”

He took off at a run.

I got the group’s attention. “Clean up a little bit, but don’t go far. I want you here and sitting around relaxing, when our guests arrive. Harem, I want you looking like a harem. You three guards I want standing at the back there. Go! Hurry up!”

I dare not call the man a tailor, maybe leather worker is good. Anyway, the man did a good job with my outfit, and I had him do ones for my shadow as well. You could tell they were meant to be multicolored, and not shirts and pants made with scraps, because all the patterns were the same. It wasn’t the greatest camouflage pattern, but it was damn good for what he had to work with. I mentioned to him that I would like the patrols to start wearing similar, but that it was up to them. I hoped them seeing me wear it, they would want to emulate me.

I was sitting on my throne looking at the different harem girls, they may have gone too far. A couple of them were eye fucking me while playing with their pussies, and I was starting to get hard. I was about to admonish them, really I was, when our guest arrived. A quick scowl at them would have to do.

Six men walked around the corner into the room, escorted by two guards. My normal two guards moved in the room, either side of the door and went to parade rest, while the escort left. I recognized Will, from the meeting with the spies. They all had weapons in their belts, but weren’t carrying anything large. They were paying close attention to my harem sitting around. A quick glance told me they had at least covered up some and stopped masturbating, but their sweaty bodies from working out, left them shiny and attractive.

I waited at my throne for them to make their way to the middle. I interrupted their ogling. “Will! I didn’t expect to see you so soon. Has it been a little over a month?”

Will looked uncomfortable. “Ben, glad you are well.” He gestured to his left at one of the men still checking out the girls. “This is Thomas. He speaks for our chief.”

Thomas was a younger man, a good build and a charming smile as he looked at the girls. His clothes had no salt stains on them, like Will and the other four.

When he looked away from my girls, his demeanor changed, all business. He looked at Will. “This him?”

Will nodded, “Let me introd-”

Thomas cut him off. “I heard you, the slave’s name is Ben, and I assume” He looked at me “he thinks he is now Chief of Flo’rence.”

My three guards started moving forward, but I held up a hand holding them back. Thomas smiled watching me.

I smiled, and pointed at the girl he had been looking at. “Harriet, come here sweetie.”

Thomas smiled again, closely watching her approach.

“Harriet, kill this man slowly, I want to hear him beg for mercy.”

Thomas laughed out loud, a big laugh. Will took a few steps back, directing the others to do so as well.

Harriet just smiled and did a curtsy and bow mixture thing, that had me looking at her tits.

She turned and kicked him in the balls, which brought his head down to shoulder height for her. She just started wailing on the side of his head with open palm strikes, so many it was a blur. His legs went out and he collapsed.

I got her attention. “Harriet, he can’t beg if he is unconscious.”

Harriet looked torn. “Sorry sir” she replied in her sweet feminine voice.

Thomas was recovering and managed to stand, he looked pissed. He pulled his knife and started forward.

I couldn’t see Harriet’s face, but I could hear it in her voice. She did something with her top, showing her tits I assume. She spoke in a sweet sexy voice. “You wouldn’t stab me would you?” Her arms were continuing to move, maybe playing with her tits? “I like it a little rough sure, but you wouldn’t hurt me right?”

Thomas’ face went from angry to blank as he stared at her tits.

When she got close enough walking up to him, she kicked out at his knife hand disarming him, that snapped him out of it. He grabbed her with the other hand, she took the grab, locked up his arm, hip threw him over her, but maintained the arm, it was twisted pretty good. She stepped over his arm with one leg and sat down, hyper-extending his elbow. Thomas screamed.

“You shouldn’t grab a woman unless she invites you to, that is what you get.” Harriet was topless, but talking like a mother to a child. She walked towards his legs and started crossing them. She stepped into them, and with a shift of her hips, he was on his back screaming again. She was using his own leg to hyper-extend his other leg. She looked at me and nodded.

I walked over looking down at Thomas. His head was beet red from strain and pain, and one side had a more pinkish tone where he had gotten hit so many times. I squatted down over his head. He would scream every time Harriet moved or applied a little pressure.

I didn’t see it, but there was a brief scuffle and a thump behind me. I turned to see Blossom standing over an obviously dead man.

Looking at Thomas, “Thomas? Can you hear me?”

His eyes popped open, filled with rage. He went to grab me with his one working hand and arm, so I put it in a wrist lock, and broke his first finger. After his screaming died down, I broke the next one.

“Thomas? All you have to do is beg for mercy, and I will stop.” I broke another finger.

He started crying, balling really. “Please stop. Please, please stop.”

“Thomas, use my name when you beg. Thomas? Use my name.” I broke his last finger on that hand, and grabbed his thumb.

Still crying. “Please Ben, please Ben, please stop Ben.”

I looked at Harriet and nodded, she released him, and so did I, standing up.

He curled up on his side continuing to cry like a baby.

“Thomas, you stay there until the grown men are done talking. You hear me?”

I heard a blubbery yes, between sobs.

I looked at the door guards and called one over. “If he tries to get up, stick your spear through his neck.”

He was white as a ghost, but he nodded.

I sighed. Turned and walked back to my throne, sitting down. I looked at Will. “Will, talk to me.” I added a tone of warning. “When we last spoke, I thought we had an understanding.”

Will was calm, and stepped closer within easy speaking range. His remaining guards didn’t move. “I am sorry Ben. I tried to warn them, but they didn’t listen. I told them you had a good head, and your people were the toughest I ever seen, but they didn’t listen. I-”

“Just a second Will.” I looked at Harriet. “Harriet? You did a wonderful job.” She smiled. “You are very beautiful Harriet.” She smiled bigger and started to blush as everyone turned her way. “Harriet, please put your top back on? You are very distracting.” That got a few laughs.

I looked at Will. “What was he talking about, what don’t I know?”

He looked conflicted, and was looking down organizing his thoughts. When he looked up I could tell he had made a decision. “We had an agreement with the previous chief here. He was to provide slaves to us twice a year, and in return, we would let him rule. Our chief sent us here to make the same deal with you, or bring back twenty slaves.”

Interesting. “By telling me this, I assume you don’t want your men to die?”

He nodded. “Yes”

“Will, you are in a dilemma then. If your Chief won’t listen to you, what makes you think he will listen to me? If you go back without slaves, are you going to tell him you made a deal?”

“Then it is possible I can go back with slaves?”

“No, the question is if you go back without slaves, or you don’t go back.”

He looked defeated. “I don’t know then.”

I sat thinking for a few minutes. I don’t really want a war to both my north and south. It seems like it is unavoidable though. I will have to deal with Cincinnati first.

“Will, I have to admit, I am tempted to take fifty of my men and just go wipe you out.” One of his guards started to react, but I held up my hand. “But I am willing to give your Chief one more chance to be cordial with me. If you want to live through the next year, you and your families, I recommend you act like Thomas, and beg him crying on the floor, until he listens.”

I stood up. “Listen up! My borders are now closed to you, and I will be watching. Any that come over, as soon as they step off that bridge they will die. Any I have to kill, I am going to send my sneak squad over and kill that many again. So if you send ten men, I am going to kill those men, then sneak across, and kill ten more. Do you understand that my borders are closed?”

Will swallowed, but nodded.

I continued. “If one of you wants to speak to me, come halfway across the bridge and wait half a day. My people will approach, and bring me back a message. I will do the same. You have any questions for me?”

Will shook his head. “No Ben. I think you are being reasonable and fair.”

“Good, because I want two horses. I think my people will have a small feast tonight.” I said in a warning tone.

Will just nodded.

“Will, have your men take care of the trash, and then walk with me.”

He nodded again, then turned giving orders. Once they left with Thomas and the dead guard, he turned to me.

I just looked around. “Alright, no more slacking off, get back to work!” I grabbed Will and headed out.

Once outside the door, I started. “Will, I like you, you have integrity. You told me the truth, knowing what it could mean. I would never ask you to betray your people, but I will be honest. I think you have a better head than your Chief, and if you want the job, I will help you get it. My sneak squad is very good. I only have one stipulation for my help.” I stopped and waited for him to stop. “If I help you become Chief, and you ever have a problem with me, you promise to come talk to me before doing anything violent. Can you live with that?”

“Ben I can live with that, but I will never want to be Chief.”

I nodded. “You say that now, but wait until your Chief does something stupid, like come after me. He will put your family, and your men at risk, for no good reason.”

I walked out with Will, and grabbed a cook when I went by the dining hall. Out by the barrier there was a small concentration of guards, just watching what was going on. Will’s people were a little nervous, but mine were very calm, mostly because they were clueless. Two of the horses were separated from the others, and I just grabbed their reins and handed them to the cook. The rest of his men lead their horses outside the outer barrier, mounted up and left.

The cook was looking at me like I was crazy.

I looked back at him and smiled. “Tell Marv we are having a feast tonight, fresh horse.” I turned and walked away.

Jimmy caught up with me, with a questioning look. “Get the leaders in my office, and I will tell you all at once.” He just nodded and left.

The meeting didn’t take long. We needed to close down one LPOP and move it closer to a bridge, then add another. I also wanted local patrols to find and remove any scouts, and keep patrolling until the LPOP’s were set up. I also wanted a patrol from Hector to go east along the river, and keep track of how many bridges were still up.

That night laying in bed, I turned to Blossom. “What you did today was perfect, exactly what I wanted.” She just squeezed me in the dark. “Sometimes when you kill a person, later you feel guilty about it. That feeling will never really go away, but you learn to rationalize it better as time goes on.” I put my arm around her and pulled her tight. “You protected me, and you saved the lives of all those men, you should be proud of yourself.” I let it drop, this is something she will probably have to figure out on her own, just like I did. No amount of training can prepare you for it.

The next week was pretty boring, well not exciting I should say. My only real respite was my three days a week training. I could really lose myself training, and a whole day would go by in moments it seemed.

Sitting at dinner one night, I had a bit of a shocker. Well two shockers, not really, just one. Edna and Paul sat next to me like they do most nights. Edna is shy when you first meet her, but once she gets comfortable around you, she opens up. By opening up, I mean she doesn’t stop talking. I had to actually watch her one night, because I didn’t believe she actually ate at dinner, she talked that much. I had learned her speech patterns well enough, that I didn’t actually need to listen anymore. I could tell by the pattern of speech and inflections she used, when and what I needed to say to keep her happy. So I could go about my night eating in peace, just saying the appropriate “yeah” or “unbelievable” and she stayed happy. Paul noticed what I was doing, and was very impressed. He told me later, that he tried it at home once, and got the snot knocked out of him for it. So she might just let me do it, because I am the Boss-man.

I was sitting there ignoring her like usual, when she grabbed my arm. She usually doesn’t touch me, even Paul noticed. I looked at her.

“Ben, I said Merdy and Jeffrey are getting along really well.”

I played back her monologue in my head, and that sounded familiar. I just nodded. “That’s good Edna.” I went back to eating.

She still had my arm, but now she squeezed it and pulled it towards her. “Ben pay attention to me for once.”

I stopped eating, and turned my body towards her. “Is something wrong Edna?”

“No. Nothing is wrong Ben, listen to me. Merdy and Jeffrey are really getting along. All during sign class today they stuck together sneaking smiles at one another.”

I nodded and smiled. “That is good Edna, I would rather them get along than not.” I went back to my food.

“Ben!” She hit me! All the tables near us went silent.

I stopped eating again, and turned towards her. “Edna?”

She was blushing big time, since she had half the room looking at her. “I’m sorry, but you need to listen to me.”

I forced a smile. “I’m all ears Edna, what would you like to tell me.”

She leaned real close and whispered, “Merdy and Jeffrey are really really really getting along together.”

I grabbed Edna’s head and kissed her on the forehead. “Edna, I am happy for them. Can I finish eating now?”

“But! What if they...” Her blush actually got darker.

“Have sex Edna?”

“Shhh, Yes!” she whispered.

I smiled, and leaned in real close, and whispered. “Then I hope he does a good job!”

I laughed as she punched my arm. I could see her thinking about it, then she hit me again.

I had started eating again, when she pulled my arm again. “Ben, what if she gets pregnant.”

That was it. That was the shocker that ruined my night. I didn’t care if Merdy got pregnant, didn’t care in the least, but what she said, turned my brain back on, and it was a shock. I looked around, and sure enough, there were two pregnant women in the room with us. It had completely slipped my mind. We have had birth control since before I was born, then pills became super popular in the 80s. The pills only improved, then they had the yearly things. Then my wife went through menopause, and it never touched my brain again. How many women have I blown my load in since I got here? How many times have I blown a load in one of my shadow.

Edna must have seen some of the emotions that crossed my face, because she looked like she wished she hadn’t told me. I patted her leg and told her, “I am sure their children will be healthy and beautiful Edna, will you excuse me?” I got up and left.

In my room, I sat on the bed, and pointed at the floor in front of me. All three of them went to their knees, sitting on their haunches. Just RIP the band-aid off! “Are any of you pregnant?” I asked and held my breath.

The three of them looked at each other and then at me, they all shook their heads.

“Are any of the harem pregnant?”

They shook their heads again.

I exhaled. Wait, none of them? Am I shooting blanks now? That doesn’t make sense, unless ... I have never gotten a girl pregnant to my knowledge. What if I have always shot blanks? Why did this never cross my mind before now? I collapsed backwards onto the bed. What a mind fuck!

I lifted my head up and looked at the girls. “Get up here and make me feel loved.”

They wore me out, making me forget my problems. In fact I almost felt used, which made me smile. Then Buttercup had to go and ruin it.

She had cuddled up to me, and was drawing doodles on my chest I think. “Do you want us to get pregnant?”

I think I could feel three sets of eyes boring into me at that moment. “I don’t know. I have been alive over sixty years, and I have never had a kid of my blood.” Which made me think of something else. “Are you girls doing anything to stop yourselves from getting pregnant?”

Three no’s was my answer.

“In that case, I am not sure I can have kids. If it happens, it happens. I can’t stop it anyway, unless I stop fucking you three, and that aint happening.”

Bubbles spoke up. “I hope you make me pregnant, I want to carry your child.”

“Bubbles, if you still want a kid after ten years, I will make sure you get pregnant. If not by me, then I will find you a good man to be a father. Now lets get some sleep.”

I have no idea why, but all three of them were extra randy the next day.

Our smithy was up and running, well sorta. No one came forward with knowledge how to work with metal. The only thing I really know is that different metals require different amounts of heat. We had three come forward wanting to learn, and two of those quit on the first day after dealing with the heat. The last guy I sat down and gave him every bit of knowledge I thought might be helpful. Then I gave him some tasks, goals really, and let him go play. Making charcoal for it was nearly a full time job, so I gave him the deadline of the first snow to make something useful. The first week or so he played, he would come to me asking for clarification on this or that, usually I didn’t have a clue what he was talking about. Eventually he stopped asking, thank god.

The next week I was getting cabin fever again, and decided it was time to go check on the LPOPs. I also wanted to go look at the airport, Hector said there wasn’t much useful there, I found that hard to believe. The girls kept mentioning Merdy, for this and that, and I kept shutting them down. In my mind I was doing enough for her, and didn’t need to do more. That was all the way up until we were getting ready to walk out the barrier, and Merdy was there in tears. Why couldn’t I have been my normal hardass that one time, I will never know.

I gave the leaders my usual spiel before heading out, with contingencies and battle plans. Larz had made a turn around in the asshole department, and a few of the guards transferred to the prison on a regular basis, one of which could read and write. Larz was dragging his feet for a couple weeks after our heart to heart, so I brought him up on an advanced training day to just watch, I think it made all the difference.

We started out south first on our trek, mostly because I was more worried about Lextown than anything. I had a general idea where the LPOPs were, but had never been there. I wanted to check on them, but I also didn’t want to give their position away in case anyone was around. I guess we’ll just have to see how hidden they are.

Since I liked to travel slow and stealthy, it took us almost two days to even get to the right area for the first one. We found it early the next day, because we happened to spot one of the guards go take a shit. The hide itself was pretty well hidden, and we probably wouldn’t have spotted it otherwise. I watched them for a few more hours, then started towards the next one.

I was always pretty good at land navigation, but even pretty good, without a map and compass, it is easy to get turned around. Pretty sure I had found the right landmarks, I started doing concentric circles, just to be sure. I found the second southern LPOP not because it wasn’t hidden well, but because they were screaming at each other.

“ ... are a couple faggots!”

“That isn’t our job! We don’t take prisoners!”

“I don’t give a fuck, no one will know!”

“I will know! How many times I got to tell you, it ain’t going to happen!”

“Fuck you, how many times I got to tell YOU, that you aint in charge!”

I was able to sneak close enough to be able to tell who was saying what. I had a good feeling that the dickhead here, was our fourth rapist guard that hasn’t left yet.

“I am too! I am the team lead!”

“You are a team faggot if you don’t want pussy!”

I almost wanted to send one of my girls down and back up to see if she would get caught. Who would get caught though, these two screaming at each other. I was literally sitting on top of the LPOP when the one that kept his mouth shut, left the hole. He saw me and froze, while the other two just continued to yell. I just motioned him over, and told him to head back to the village at a run, I wanted a new team here now. When he was gone, I dropped into the hole.

The team lead just stared at me, while the pussy hound just kept screaming. Eventually he noticed he wasn’t being argued with, then noticed the team lead was stock still and staring behind him. When he finally turned to see me, he jumped away from me putting his back against the wall.

I pointed at the team lead. “You know how you fucked up right?”

“He wouldn’t do what I told him too!”

I held up my hand. “First, lower you goddamn voice.” I looked at him hard. “The first thing you did wrong, was not send your runner back for another team the first time he didn’t do as you told. The second thing you did wrong is argue with him, you should have beat his ass. The last thing you did wrong, is raise your voice.”

I looked at the other guy. “You are a dumbass, and need your balls cut off so you don’t have any kids.”

Looking back at the team lead again. “The way I see it, you are either stupid, a coward, or both. I want you to think long and hard on that. When I get back to the village, I want to hear your answer. Now get out of my LPOP and make your way back to the village.”

Once he was gone, it was just me and dumbass. “You still want to go take a woman prisoner, so you can get you some pussy? Because I have four with me.”

He scowled at me. “No, that was just talk. He had been pestering me since we came out here, and I was just talking to get him riled.”

I nodded. “Sure. You will be coming with me and my group, once the new team gets here. We will be heading mostly north, towards the bridges that cross the big river. You follow instructions, and when we get back to Florence, you will have another chance to prove yourself not an idiot. We clear?”

He nodded. “That was just talk, I didn’t really -”

“Save it, I really don’t care. Besides, I am more upset about how loud you talked than what you said.” I turned and walked out. I looked at Buttercup and Blossom, and nodded towards the hole, then kept walking.

About 300 meters from the hole, and into the woods, I found Bubbles and Merdy talking up a storm. Strangely the signing abruptly stopped as I neared. I told Merdy this was a bad man, and to kill him if he touched her. She got a scowl and looked at dumbass, he wasn’t oblivious.

“Hey, what did you tell her?” he asked in a whining tone.

I looked at him. “I told her you were coming with us, so she won’t be able to traipse around naked anymore.” I shrugged.

He got concerned “I don’t mind-”

I held up my hand and pointed at the ground near a tree. After he sat down I squatted in front of him. “Listen to me closely. When we move out tomorrow, we move silently. That means no talking, no stepping on sticks, no dragging your feet through leaves. We communicate with each other with signs, like how I just did with her. You won’t be able to understand until you pick it up. If I think you need to know something, either myself or one of the girls will come to you and whisper it to you. It isn’t up for discussion, or argument. You do as you are told. You understand me so far?”

He nodded.

“Good, you are learning. Now I want you to take this to heart, because it is very important. If you give away our position, knowingly or unknowingly, and get someone killed, you will die next. So if I was you, I would be extremely careful to open your mouth. We will take breaks often to rest and eat, so don’t worry about falling behind. The key is silence, not speed. Am I being clear with you?”

He nodded again.

“Relax around here, stay in the tree line if you need to move around. It will be at least a day until the new team gets here.”

It took almost two days before the new team showed up. In that time dumbass tried to talk to all of my girls. I didn’t really care, if they were receptive to him, then they weren’t mine to begin with.

Two of my shadow rotated out duties in the LPOP, while the rest of us stayed out of site in the tree line. I was bored out of my mind, climbed a few trees, did some short patrols trying to find something interesting to stalk. Blossom spent a fair amount of time trying to teach dumbass how to walk, we will see how successful she was.

My plans for him weren’t set, I had mixed feelings. I kinda wanted him to fuckup, so I would have an excuse to be done with him. I didn’t want to kill him straight out, as technically he hadn’t broken any rules. At the same time though, in this day and age, I didn’t need an excuse to kill him. He could have been telling the truth, talking shit just to rile up his team lead, but I just didn’t believe it. I wish I had sent one of my girls like I had planned, to see what he did.

We set out in the late afternoon, heading east. My plan was to go east and find the Licking river, then follow that north. Without very many landmarks, I was confident I would get lost. If I just stuck to my two general directions though, worst case scenario I would find my way back in less than two weeks. The only real problem is there are a ton of small streams and creeks, and a few larger streams this direction. Being able to discern which one was the Licking river, could be difficult. If I can’t figure it out in two days, we might have to back track.

Now that nature had taken back over the cities, the untouched woods didn’t have the same pull it used too. It was still nice, and gorgeous in a few spots, to the natives though it probably just looked like a slow death. I led us around the worst of it, but we did have to cross a few streams. I found a natural fish trap, with a few big old catfish eating everything washed downstream, they were tasty. Dumbass got an eye full that day, as the girls decided it was time to bath. Since the shadow had told me about Merdy’s desires, it was obvious to see her blatant display of charms. If she caught me at just the right time, in the heat of passion with my girls, I would fuck her silly. I wasn’t going to pursue it clear headed though, just didn’t seem right.

Food on our treks was mostly gathered as we walked. I knew a few things we could eat, but they knew many more than I did. We would take a critter, or add some fish to the diet every couple days, but mostly we ate roots, berries, and the occasional nuts.

So long as you aren’t alone, you don’t really have to worry about predators, they are smart enough to look for an easier kill. Sick animals, and mothers, should be steered clear of, they didn’t act rationally. A few animals are territorial, I mean if you get too close, they get aggressive. If you paid attention though, they are easy to go around, as they are generally not being quiet. The biggest worry out here has to be packs of dogs or wolves, they get ballsy when they are together and on the hunt. Kill a few though, and they will usually wisen up. I would love to get a good dog, I might have to track a pack down and take a few pups.