Chapter 43: If You Want to Make Illuminar Laugh...

I now have an editor, so you all shouldn’t need to put up with my typos and poor/dyslexic editing skills anymore. :)

“Interesting.” Ethan mused as he considered what he’d just heard from Lord Kalus of Timarou, the man who had helped him against the orcs earlier that day.

He was sitting at the table in the house that Lord Kalus and his wives were using after having eaten a meal with them. He was still at the table, while his wives and Kalus’s wives had moved to another room to discuss decidedly less martial concerns. It sounded like they were mostly talking about children, since all of Lyra’s children and the rest of Shara’s children had been left under the care of someone named Titus back in Timarou. Kalus’s son Taiven was sitting at the table with them, not speaking but hanging on every word.

He looked at his host. “So you’re saying you actually encircled a larger enemy force with your smaller force and defeated them that way? Wow, impressive.”

Kalus shrugged. “It was the only option left, it seemed imprudent not to take it.”

“I can’t imagine that happens very often.”

“No.” The lord replied. “But much work had been done to make them think our force was larger than it actually was, which partially accounts for the battle’s success.”

Ethan noticed that Lord Kalus didn’t use the word “I” much when talking about his achievements. He told the story, but he wasn’t the star; merely another player in the events. He found that quite interesting and rather liked it about the man. He was extremely confident, but there didn’t seem to be an ounce of arrogance in him.

“It sounds like you’ve seen a lifetime of battles.” Ethan said. “I’ve only seen a few, and none involving armies.”

“You are fortunate then.” Lord Kalus replied. “Soldiers suffer in war, but the civilians usually suffer more; doubly so when the military is willing to sacrifice them for an objective.”

“It sounds like you have a specific instance in mind.” Ethan noted.

“Not one I was involved in, but there is an excellent example involving Lord Delmar.”

“Oh?” Ethan perked up, suddenly even more interested.

“Many years ago, before he was a lord, he was a commander in the Narlotten Military.” Kalus said. “His military intercepted a communication from an enemy force and learned two things. First, the enemy was going to attack a village on Narlotten’s outskirts in five days. Second, the enemy was going to leave only enough troops to maintain the appearance of strength at one point in their lines in ten days.”

“So if he saved the village, the enemy would know he intercepted the communications and wouldn’t weaken their lines.” Ethan replied. “But if he didn’t save the village, he could break their lines and score a major victory.”

“Precisely.”

“How many people in the village died?” He asked, not sure he actually wanted to know.

“In this case none, but not because of Lord Delmar’s intervention.” Lord Kalus replied. “The enemy apparently stumbled upon a dragon not far from the village. The sounds of battle, dragon’s breath, and dragon’s roars caused everyone to flee the village, leaving it empty when the enemy did arrive. Still, the villagers lost everything except their lives, which would not have happened if Lord Delmar had intervened.”

Ethan nodded, not sure what to make of the story. To be sure it was cold hearted for Lord Delmar to leave the village exposed, but what if he had been the dragon? Was that him trying to have his cake and eat it too by warning them as a dragon? Even if it was, it was still cold to allow their entire village to be captured so the villagers lost everything. Brilliant, calculating, and ruthless, but not entirely devoid of compassion.

Hmm.

Interesting.

“How’d you hear of this?” Ethan asked.

“Every lord has spies in every other lord’s court.” Lord Kalus replied.

“Fair.” Ethan nodded, thinking that politics in the Ten Kingdoms was probably just as cutthroat as on Earth, and ‘cutthroat’ might be more literal here.

“Mr. Ejder sir.” Taiven spoke up during this slight lull in conversation. “If you would be willing, I would very much like to show you something before you leave.”

“Oh? What’s that?”

Lord Kalus got a smile on his face that was both proud and amused.

Okay, this should be interesting. Kendra thought to everyone while suppressing a smile. She wanted to laugh out loud, but was trying to be sensitive.

Yes, Rachel’s son-in-law was very insistent. Ethan replied with a grin.

Guys... The redhead shook her head.

“Are you watching Mr. Ejder sir? I promise you won’t regret it.” Taiven said. He had set up several small targets at the end of a blind alley in the mining town, and was standing with a sling ready and several smooth stones in a small pouch on his belt. He had insisted on showing Ethan how skilled he was, and Kendra was pretty sure this had a lot to do with him wanting to wed Ethan and Rachel’s future daughter.

“Yeah, go ahead.” Ethan replied, then thought to the group. I’m really not expecting much. I mean, how good could a seven year old...

He trailed off as the boy started slinging.

He was good.

Very good.

Taiven had set up ten targets on top of pieces of pottery. The targets were only about two inches in diameter, and they were at least a dozen yards away. He hit every single one without a single miss, and quickly too. He would load the sling, and then while his right hand gave it exactly one full rotation and released, his left hand drew a new stone from the pouch. After the release, he had catching the free end and re-loading down to nearly an art form.

The boy was seven years old.

“Wow.” Ethan said when Taiven had finished.

“Yeah.” Kendra nodded, thinking that there weren’t many children so skilled with a sling even among the Aldmiri.

“I will be able to take good care of your daughter if you let me marry her Mr. Ejder sir.” Taiven said with a small bow. “And father says I’m ready to move up from practicing with wooden swords to training with blunt steel ones. I will be an expert swordsman by the time she comes of age.”

“I’m sure you will be.” Ethan nodded, the edge of a chuckle in his voice.

“He’s very dedicated.” Kendra observed to the boy’s mother, who along with her fellow wife and husband had watched the whole thing as well.

“He is.” Shara replied, and no one could miss the note of motherly pride in her voice.

“That’s my son.” Lord Kalus said, and he sounded even more proud than the boy’s mother did.

“He seems a fine young man.” Alana said, nudging Rachel with her elbow. “Good husband material for someone’s daughter...”

The redhead shot her a look, but the edge of a smile was on her face anyway.

“Thank you so much for dinner.” Ethan said to their host and his wives.

“It was our pleasure.” Lord Kalus’ second wife Lyra replied, then she added in a playful, mock-annoyed tone. “I’d say we should do it again, but my husband seems intent on making sure the miners don’t die lately, so he isn’t around much.” She made a dramatic exaggerated sigh.

Ethan chuckled.

“At least we get him for services.” Shara said, looking fondly at her husband.

“Speaking of, we should be going.” Ethan said. “Services at dawn don’t leave a lot of time for sleep. Thanks again”

“It was my pleasure.” Lord Kalus said, extending his hand to Ethan.

“And mine as well.” He replied, shaking his hand.

There were other goodbyes among the wives, then the Argo’s crew set out to return to their airship. The rain all day had reduced almost everything to a sopping wet mess, but thanks to her wonderful new self-cleaning dress, Kendra didn’t mind much. The air had that fresh and clean ‘after a rain’ smell to it, and her stomach was full of better food than they usually had on the Argo.

Overhead, the moon was shining down, casting a nice glow to the area and providing plenty of light to see. Unless Kendra missed her guess, Alana and Rachel were walking a little closer to each other than normal. She wondered if the slightly romantic glow from the moon had anything to do with it.

“That was some story.” Kendra said once they were out of earshot. “How Lord Kalus ended up meeting and marrying Shara and Lyra I mean.”

“It was.” Ethan nodded. “It makes what happen with us seem a bit ... tame.”

“Still, I’m glad everything worked out for everyone.” She smiled at him, and he smiled back at her, then he stopped in his tracks.

“What?” She asked.

He looked at her with an impish grin. “Have I kissed you yet today?”

“Just this morning.” She replied, feeling confused. “In fact, it was the first time we kissed without compulsion and--”

She never got to finish her sentence, because he stepped right up to her and kissed her full on the lips. She sighed slightly and relaxed in her husband’s arms. Her stomach didn’t even bother protesting. It waved a white flag and walked off the field of battle, and the dragon huntress was sure she’d never see it again.

Good riddance.

“Please don’t ever stop doing that.” She whispered when the kiss broke.

“Never.” He promised. “I’ll always be happy to kiss my good girl.”

She sighed.

“Come on.” He nodded his head towards the Argo, took her hand, and they started walking again.

She sighed again. How had she gotten so lucky? How had she been so blessed?

They walked until they were in sight of the Argo, at which point Selene spoke up. “Hey, I think I’m going to take a walk; clear my head.”

“Of your thoughts or someone else’s?” Ethan winked at her.

“Why, yours of course.” She quipped back playfully.

He chuckled. “Enjoy; you know where to find us.”

She gave him a thumbs up and peeled away from the group. The rest of them boarded the Argo.

Once aboard, Beth turned to Ethan. “Dominus, I need your help.”

“Oh?” He raised his eyebrow. “With what?”

“Well...” She began coyly. “When you kissed Kendra a few minutes ago, I got a bit jealous. I know that’s a bad thing for a wife, and I think I need to be corrected so I don’t feel that way again.” She finished with something between a playful grin and a smoldering expression.

“That is indeed serious.” He said, obviously catching on. “I will have to discipline you severely for it.”

“Oh, thank you Dominus.” She said, blushing furiously.

“Into the bedroom young lady.” Ethan said in a mock-stern expression. “You know what to do.”

“Yes Dominus!” She beamed, then practically ran there with him following behind with a Cheshire grin.

“What’s she supposed to do?” Kendra asked her fellow wives.

Alana blushed scarlet and whispered the response. “Um, bend over the bed and lift her dress so he can spank her.”

Kendra stared.

“Uh-huh.” Rachel nodded, her cheeks approaching the color of her roots.

“You’re kidding.” The dragon huntress said after several seconds.

“They aren’t.” Taloni said, her cheeks a bit pink.

“That girl is...” The dragon huntress frowned. “ ... weird. Lovely, but weird.”

Her fellow wives all nodded.

“Kendra, why don’t you want the rest of us to see your scars?” Taloni asked after a moment and completely out of the blue.

The dragon huntress froze slightly.

“Rachel and I are going to take a walk.” Alana announced abruptly.

“We are?” The redhead look surprised for a moment, looked at Taloni and Kendra and then nodded. “We are.”

The couple walked off towards the front of the Argo, leaving Kendra with Taloni.

“You don’t think that your scars bother us, do you?” The Fey teen asked.

If anyone else had asked, Kendra wouldn’t have wanted to answer. But the way Taloni asked was so genuine, honest, and caring that she didn’t mind answering. Well, she did mind a little since didn’t really want to discuss it, but she answered anyway.

“It’s...” She frowned. “It’s silly.”

“Of course it’s not.” Taloni smiled. “Nothing that bothers you this much could possibly be silly.”

Kendra smiled, then took a deep breath and spoke in a low voice to the one person on the Argo to whom she could admit this. “I’m not very pretty.”

Taloni opened her mouth, probably to disagree, but the raven haired woman didn’t give her a chance. “It’s true, and you know that if someone looked at all of Ethan’s wives in any objective way, I’m definitely the least attractive, and it’s not even close.”

The Fey scrutinized her for several long seconds. “I think you’re beautiful, but...” She frowned. “I suppose I could see why you think you aren’t. You are though.”

“And not only am I Ethan’s least attractive wife, but I also have all these scars.” She sighed, then looked down at the decking. “I know Ethan loves me, and is attracted to me, and I don’t think he cares about my scars. I’m not sure why, but I don’t think he does. But I care.”

That was about the moment that Kendra heard the faint ‘smack’ sound of-- she felt her cheeks grow warm as she realized it was Ethan spanking Beth at her request.

That sound was followed by the blonde’s voice coming faintly from the captain’s cabin. “Thank you Dominus, may I please have another?”

The dragon huntress shook her head as her cheeks warmed.

“Bee is really nice, but really strange sometimes.” Taloni shook her head as her wings fluttered, then looked at Kendra again. “You were saying.”

“I care about my scars. I care that I’m not as pretty as the rest of you all. I want to be, but I’m not. I can’t do anything to change my face to be more attractive. I just wish my body wasn’t so marred and disfigured. If I had a good body, then maybe...” She trailed off, not sure how she was going to finish that sentence.

“I don’t know what to say Kendra.” Taloni said after several seconds. “I like you just the way you are, for who you are. But I do understand about not feeling pretty. For the longest time, I felt like the best I could be was ‘cute’. It wasn’t until I met Master that I felt beautiful.”

Kendra let out a wistful sigh and gave her an apologetic smile. “I wish I felt beautiful. I just feel like I owe Ethan so much, and wish I at least had a better body to give him for everything he’s done for me.”

Taloni raised her eyebrow. “I’m pretty sure Master wouldn’t like it if he knew you thought that way.”

“He wouldn’t.” She conceded. “I just feel like he’s given me so much and I want to give something back, even though he explicitly said I shouldn’t think that way. I just can’t help it, I just owe him so much. I really want him to be happy with me.”

“If that kiss earlier was any indication, he’s very happy with you.” The Fey teen pointed out.

“I know, but did you ever feel like you owe someone so much that you’ll never be able to pay him back?”

She nodded. “Master.”

“I’m not even good in bed and--” She stopped as she heard Beth getting another good smack, though the yelp of pleasure seemed to indicate she was happy about that. “I just feel like I’ll never be able to pay him back.”

“He wouldn’t want you to.” The Fey teen said. “He loves you just the way you are. Just be yourself and I’m sure that’s all Master would want.”

“You’re right.” Kendra conceded, but it didn’t change how she felt.

Selene looked up at the moon, marveling at how similar and yet how different it looked from Earth’s moon. It had a similar shade and tone, but the topography looked completely different. It cast a similar light, but on closer inspection it was nothing like home. She smiled as she realized that applied to so many things in the Ten Kingdoms.

She was somewhat aimlessly wandering through Dotmier, the mining town having completely wound down around dark. The ground was still a sloshy, muddy mess with all the rain earlier that day, but the dress Anthiel had lent her made that less of a concern.

As she walked, she thought about Ethan, his wives, and her future.

They were a lovely family and she couldn’t deny it, even if they offended her modern 21st century American sensibilities. Living with them day-in and day-out for weeks was making her reassess her priorities a bit. Did she want to get married? Have kids? Have a successful career? Try to have all three?

The more she thought about it, two different paths were emerging in her mind. She wanted to help people, and that meant devoting time to a career which would help people. On the other hand, she wanted to be there for her kids if she got married and became a mom.

Maybe she could do some charity work on the side as a mom, but that wasn’t really ‘her’. Charity, helping the poor, and other such things were wonderful and she greatly respected those who did them, but that wasn’t her. She wanted to be fighting the bad guys and stopping them from hurting people. She didn’t see a way to do that while having a husband and kids. At least, not a way that would allow her to have as much time with the kids she wanted to have.

Hmm.

It was a pickle.

The more she thought about it, the more she was thinking that she wasn’t really a maternal person. She seemed to have missed the ‘Ooo, Babies!’ gene that all the other girls she knew had. Or maybe she’d just been too distracted by becoming an FBI agent.

At the back of her mind, and idea occurred to her than maybe this ‘Illuminar’ wanted her to become one of Ethan’s wives and help people that way, while bearing his children.

She shook her head.

She looked up at the moon and thought out loud. “Yeah, sorry; not going to happen. I’m just not the nurturing or maternal type. I never have been, and I don’t plan to be.” She shook her head as she kept walking, certain that she just wasn’t wired that way.

Moments later, she heard a strange sound.

She stopped.

She frowned, then cocked her head to the side to listen again. She didn’t hear it. She shook her head and was about to keep going when she heard it again. It was a strange, almost squeaking sound. But there was something about it which sounded strained too, like whatever was making it was struggling to make the sound.

She looked around, trying to see what made it in the semi-dark dirt streets lit only by the moon. She stood there for a couple of minutes, each time she heard the sound helping her hone in on it a little more. Finally, she saw the source of the sound and felt her heart just absolutely melt.

It was a kitten.

A tiny little kitten laying soaking wet in the mud. A board had fallen on one of the kitten’s rear legs, pinning it to the ground. Worse, it was pinned at the edge of a puddle, and it looked like the kitten was straining to keep itself out of the water.

It was tiny too.

It could’ve curled up in the palm of her hand. Instantly she rushed over and lifted the board, which wasn’t actually that large, but almost anything would do it when you’re a kitten under two pounds. The kitten struggled free and stood up, favoring the leg slightly. It was so covered in mud that Selene couldn’t even tell what its coloring was.

Then she noticed that it was shivering.

Selene reached out and picked it up. It was cold. It was cold, and wet, and shivering. It took only a moment for her training on first aid and hypothermia to kick in. She needed to get the kitten warm, and fast.

In a flash, she wrapped the kitten in her dress to help dry it off, then pulled the front of her dress down just enough that she could set the wet, muddy kitten against her chest. She set it between her breasts to get the most contact possible, and then tried what Rachel had been teaching her about moving heat around. She wasn’t very good at it, nor very fast, but she was able to pull some heat from her core and move it to the kitten.

It stopped shivering.

Moments later, it seemed to snuggle up to her chest and then it started purring. Selene swallowed hard and could feel her eyes get watery as the tiny kitten nestled itself closer to her and closed its eyes.

It looked exhausted.

It was warm and out of danger, but still muddy and wet. She needed to clean it up before she let it go again. Her eyes got even wetter at that thought, but she couldn’t keep it ... right? That just wouldn’t work ... right?

She decided that was a problem for ‘future Selene’ and turned towards the Argo, knowing that she could find everything she needed to help this adorable, near helpless kitten on the airship.

“This is nice.” Alana said as she walked next to Rachel in the moonlight. They had strolled to the front of the Argo, then started making a slow circuit around the front of the deck between the mast and the prow. It wasn’t quite a romantic walk, but it was with Rachel and it was in the moonlight. Despite what she knew was happening in the captain’s cabin right now, she was happy right where she was.

“It is.” The redhead gave her an embarrassed grin. “Isn’t it?”

“Yeah.” The wood elf grinned at her. There was a good six inch difference in their height, and that allowed the wood elf to lean her head over and touch it gently to Rachel’s shoulder for a moment before straightening up again.

They walked a bit more, stopping at the front of the Argo where the two railings met.

The view was gorgeous.

The moon gave the most incredible lighting on the mountains, the meadow below them, and the large stream which ran through it. Her wood-elven eyes could see for a long way in the darkness, and she loved the way the grass reflected the moonlight in gently rippling waves across the peaceful meadow. It was so serene and tranquil.

She sighed.

“The view?” Rachel asked, looking at her.

“Mmm hmm.” She nodded. “The company is wonderful too.”

“It is.” Rachel said, then stiffened slightly.

Alana smiled at her best friend, recognizing her trademark ‘mouth ran ahead of her brain’ honesty. She liked that about her.

The brunette looked directly at Rachel. “Yes, she is wonderful.”

Rachel blushed furiously, but smiled. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?”

“Just say how you feel? How can you feel safe enough to do that?”

“I don’t know.” The wood elf shrugged. “I guess I know that you would never hurt me, and that makes me feel free to open up.”

“Oh.” Rachel looked down. “I know you wouldn’t hurt me either, but opening up...” She frowned. “That never went well growing up.”

“I’m sorry.”

“That’s life.” The redhead replied. “I just keep wondering...”

“Wondering ... what?” She prompted.

“Can I...” She swallowed. “Can I ‘open up’ about what I’ve really been thinking and you not think I’m crazy?”

“I already think you’re crazy, but the good kind.” Alana winked.

Rachel chuckled nervously.

“I meant that as a compliment.” The brunette explained. “You went one-on-one against a necromancer, which takes guts and a few straps loose.”

“Oh.” The redhead looked relieved and smiled. “I’ve been thinking...” She took another deep breath. “I’ve been thinking: what if my father isn’t as bad as we’ve been thinking he is?”

“Um, what about...” Alana pointed to the black mark on the redhead’s finger where the will-breaker ring had rested.

“Okay, so set aside that and the gold cube for a moment.” Rachel countered.

“Those are the two worst things he’s done, both involving demons, but okay. Go ahead.”

“I’ve been thinking about my childhood a lot and trying to reassess things objectively.” Rachel said. “While doing that, I got to thinking about Ethan and Lord Delmar. No matter how good our husband is, he was brought here by a death shaman; a necromancer. I don’t know if you know this, but my father abhors necromancers.”

“Really? I didn’t know that.”

“He does.” The redhead said. “I’ve heard many theories on why, but no one really knows for sure. I once heard a rumor that a necromancer was suspected of having a hand in the pox outbreak that killed my mother, but I doubt that. Regardless, he relentlessly hunts necromancers who enter Narlotten, often even after they’ve left.”

“Oh.” The wood elf cocked her head to one side. “You think your father is hunting Ethan because of how he came here; because it involved necromancy?”

“Maybe?” She said, a note of hope in her tone. “What if Lord Delmar is hunting Ethan because of that, and not some other reason?”

“Hmm.” Alana frowned. “I mean, that would make some sense. Well, except for the will-breaker ring and the curse on the gold cube. If I remember right, that takes not only dark magic, but also a demon’s involvement.”

“Yeah, that’s the one thing I can’t figure out.” The redhead conceded. “However, it just doesn’t make sense. My father’s people love him. I mean, really love him. Like, almost fanatically love him. It doesn’t make sense that he’s secretly making deals with demons and employing necromancers if he’s such a well-loved lord.”

“Fair, but one could say the same thing about him being a dragon.”

“Oh.” Rachel shoulders slumped a bit. “Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

“Besides, there’s the will-breaker ring and curse on the gold cube. Plus, Lady Ekthros sure as Saidow’s lair isn’t mistaken about Ethan; she’s just plain evil and his right-hand man from what I understand.”

“Yeah, also true.” Rachel conceded with a sigh.

“Plus, Lord Borden told Ethan and me that your father has a tendency to attack people close to his enemies to weaken them.” The wood elf continued. “He attacks innocent people simply because they are close to his enemies; that’s not something a good man does.”

“I’ve never heard that.” Rachel’s face fell further and her shoulders slumped more. “It’s just ... I spent almost every moment of my childhood trying so hard to please my father. I did everything he wanted me to do and poured my heart and soul into trying to make him proud of me. I think a part of me isn’t ready to let go of that dream.”

“Of your father being proud of you?”

Rachel swallowed hard. Her eyes got a bit watery and she bit her lip, then she closed her eyes and then slowly nodded. “It’s just, it seemed like the more I tried to make him happy, the more unhappy he was with me. I tried so hard for years and he never...” She blinked a few times and then closed her eyes.

“I’m sorry.” Alana stepped in to give her a hug, and the redhead hugged her back fiercely.

“I know I’m not your father, but I’m proud of you.” The wood elf said, giving her a little extra squeeze in the hug

Rachel made a sound halfway between a sob and chuckle. “Thank you.”

“Any time.”

The redhead pulled back slightly, wiping the corners of her eyes as she did so. “I just don’t want to believe that my father is...” She took a deep breath. “I realized that I never actually saw my father doing any of the horrible things that I’d heard that he did. Like, do you remember me telling you about my pet rabbit, Theodore?”

The wood elf nodded. “Yeah, you and your father found him in the woods, nursed him back to health, but then a guard accidentally killed him one day and your father had him thrown in the stocks, then drawn and quartered.”

“Right, but did he?” The redhead asked. “I never saw any of that. None of it. I only heard about it from one of my handmaidens, and in hindsight, I think she might’ve become one of my handmaidens because of Lady Ekthros.”

“Oh.” The brunette grimaced. “You’re thinking that she ... Hmm.”

“I don’t know, maybe?” Rachel raised her hands in the air, palms up. “We’re back to the same problem I told you about the day I learned that my father is a dragon: I don’t know. I don’t know what really happened, and I don’t know what to believe. I mostly heard the worst things about my father from that handmaiden. But did she tell me because she was the only person with the courage to tell me about my father, or was she the only one because the stories weren’t true, or maybe they were exaggerated all out of proportion?”

“I don’t know.”

“That’s exactly the problem; I don’t know either.” Rachel made a sound halfway between a groan and a sigh. “I just don’t want to think of my father as a horrible person if he’s not.”

“I understand that.” Alana nodded. “I spent most of my life not knowing what my parents were like until I met them. But I go back to the will-breaker ring and the curse on the gold cube. I don’t see how someone could be involved with the demonic forces necessary to create those items and still be a good person.”

“You’re not wrong.”

Alana then remembered something else, and it must’ve showed on her face because Rachel cocked her head to one side and spoke.

“What?”

“Well, I just remembered that both Ethan and Kendra had dreams where your father was fighting Ethan and trying to kill him.” She put her hand over her womb. “And Kendra’s dream had Gabriella telling her to protect Ruth from your father.”

“Oh, I forgot about...” Rachel’s shoulders slumped and she sighed. “Is it awful that I don’t want my father to be the bad guy, even with all that?”