Chapter 18

The next morning, Peter’s party rose early to enjoy a private breakfast of eggs, bacon, and plum tarts in Henri’s private quarters. Bemi split her time talking with her mother and surprisingly Stren who’d walked over from the smithy before dawn just to say goodbye to the two women who’d helped him reach manhood.

Later, in the courtyard, as they stood waiting to board the carriage, the young lad had given both Bemi and Taylor a long hug followed by a kiss. Peter was impressed at the maturity of the young man as he acknowledged both women equally. He said as much to the lad when it was his turn to say goodbye to the boy.

“Thank you for arranging my apprenticeship, Lord Bent,” Stren told him as they shook hands. “I know you will continue to watch out for my parents and sister. Will you also see that my dad does not overwork himself without me being there the help?”

“Of course I will, Stren,” Peter replied. “The new man, Reed, will be there to help your mom and dad for the time being.”

Stren nodded and then pulled out a folded scrap of parchment.

“I’ve written a letter to my parents,” Stren said, handing Peter the note.

Peter saw that it was sealed with candle wax. There was a stylized “S” embedded in the wax.

“Your work?” he asked, pointing at the seal.

“Yes. Master Loral let me borrow an engraving chisel.”

He then gestured to the note. “I should have written a letter to Jaciee but did not have enough parchment. Can you tell her that I will miss her?”

“I will certainly do that,” Peter replied. “I also plan on talking to your parents about allowing Jaciee to come here to the Inn for a few months during the busy season. I’m sure she would enjoy it and with Bemi gone, Henri could use the help. It would allow you and your sister to see each other occasionally.”

“She would love that,” Stren agreed.

“And you would have to promise not to be too much of a big brother to her if she does come,” Peter added. “She deserves a chance to spread her wings like you’ve done.”

Stren scowled but nodded, “I’ll remember, sir.”

The young man then knuckled his forehead in salute before turning to jog off. Peter watched him for a moment and felt envy at how easily Stren climbed the low rise between Master Loral’s compound and the inn. He went back to the carriage and helped Taylor climb aboard. Bemi had already taken a seat on the driver’s bench. She was taking Stren’s place for the ride home and would be learning to drive a team just as he had.

The ride to Priam’s Cove went without incident. The carriage made it to the junction quickly but after that, their progress was slowed by the heavy wagon traffic on the busier Metal Highway. He and Taylor remained silent until they passed the Junction, simply enjoying the beautiful morning scenery of the lesser-traveled Pass Road. After the junction, Taylor noticed Peter watching her.

“I suppose it’s time to discuss my fate, Lord Bent?”

Peter nodded, again impressed at the quick-witted woman.

“I am going to recommend two choices,” he began. “Although there are other options available to you which we can discuss if you do not favor either of them.”

“Go on.”

“The first option is that you remain here on Kreven and live on my island as a member of the manor’s staff.”

“What would I do?” Taylor asked.

“You would work under Miranda and Belle doing housekeeping, laundry, cooking, and some gardening. It would be like a live-in job as you would receive wages. I would also see that you have free time for yourself. This would include letting you have an occasional weekend on your own in Priam’s Cove so you can relax and socialize.”

“Would I have to sleep with you?” she asked bravely.

“Have to? Normally no,” he replied, “But, you’ve seen and heard enough to know that here on Kreven, sex can be important to magic and power. Would you be raped? No, but you may be expected to do your part if there is a need.”

“Thank you for being honest, Lord Bent,” she said before hesitating. “Understand that I am not repelled by the idea. You are a gifted lover and I remember living as a whore back when I was addicted...”

Taylor trailed off, now looking awkward.

“I will also say that I generally won’t turn down willing partners,” Peter interjected with a smile. “Especially an attractive, young beauty like you.”

Taylor blushed and raised her hand to her face. She was just becoming used to having a clear complexion and perfect teeth again.

“And your other recommended option?” she asked, almost to divert the topic.

“I would take you back to Earth,” he replied.

“You would let me go back there? Knowing what I now know about you and this world?”

“Yes, but there would certainly be some restrictions and precautions,” he replied.

“Like what?”

“Well, you would still work for me on Earth,” he explained. “First, you would go to college to get a degree in a field that would be suitable for employment in one of my many businesses. I have enough that you should be able to find an interesting subject or subjects.”

“Would I be paid?” Taylor asked. She was neither smiling nor frowning but Peter caught her hidden interest.

“Yes. And you would have an ownership stake at whatever company you settled into.”

“You’ve done this with other... plant bearer women you’ve returned to Earth?”

Peter went on to explain about the dozens of other women he’d returned and helped in this manner. Some ran hotels, motels, or other, longer-lease properties. Others were now lawyers or bankers. One was even a high-end escort who used her skills to gather industrial and business secrets. Peter and she split the profits from whatever secrets she learned.

“You’d want me to be a prostitute?” she asked, finally showing a scowl.

“Never,” he replied. “But I would support you if you wanted to be an escort and if it promoted one of my endeavors. But you would need to do whatever interests you the most. Of course, if you picked something that was beyond your talents, or beyond what you could master with more training, we’d have to find something else.”

“Where would I go to school and where would I live?” she asked next.

That was another very insightful question. Taylor was frowning again and Peter suspected he knew why.

“Again, that would be mostly up to you. Though I would recommend that you avoid the area and courses which caused you to stumble before.”

“How would you ensure that I kept my mouth shut?” she asked.

“Well, first of all, few would believe your story if you did talk,” he replied with a smile. “And of those that would, nobody would believe them. Second, I would cut off all support but not before releasing evidence that tied you to your former pimp ... your now-missing and presumed dead former pimp. And, while I’m sure that you would be treated with leniency for killing a known drug dealer and sex trafficker, your mental state would forever be in doubt.”

That statement made her scowl again but Peter knew that Taylor understood that what he was telling her was a credible threat.

“And finally,” he concluded. “I would ensure that you did not know where the portal is located on Earth. Without that key point of evidence, no one would believe you. Also, on the very rare chance that someone who was aware of Kreven heard your story, you would have nothing to offer them as your only value would be in revealing the functional doorway.”

At her confused look, he continued, “They would either already have their own means of entry into Kreven, or they would have been banished for some reason and now stuck on the Earth.”

She still looked upset. “You said I had options other than these two?”

“Well, there are really only two others,” Peter explained matter-of-factly. “First, you could go your own way here on Kreven. You could go to one of the villages and find work, likely as a prostitute as you would not be skilled in non-technological skills. You might be able to exploit your Earthly skills to possibly set yourself apart from local competition, although, understand that things function differently here than they do on Earth. No technology, guns, or electricity. But you are pretty and there are always possibilities for pretty women.”

“What else?” she asked.

“I would wipe most of your memories using plant venom and release you back on Earth,” he explained. “You would be free from me forever as I would not have to worry about you ever revealing secrets. Authorities would eventually discover who you were and see that your remaining family was contacted.”

“But I would not remember them?” she replied. “And they would not want anything to do...” she continued before pausing and leaving the rest unsaid.

“True,” he admitted, ignoring her unintentional slip about her troubled relationship with her brother and his wife. “But, as you saw with Reed, I should be able to erase enough while still leaving you with the ability to understand speech. Maybe you’d be able to talk but it’s doubtful.”

“Your first two recommendations seem the best,” she said. “I still want to think about them for a while.”

“Take your time,” he replied. “It will be at least a day before we can travel back to Earth if that is your choice. Even longer if I have to erase more of your memories first.”

They were silent the rest of the ride to Priam’s Cove. Taylor mostly avoided looking at Peter while he gave her space by reading the new spell book again. Once they reached Berg’s livery, Peter thanked Torl for the journey and went in to settle his accounts with the liveryman. Both Berg and Torl were very pleased with the hazard bonus Peter offered each of them. Torl at least tried to refuse the small bag of gems once before grudgingly accepting. Berg never even pretended.

Since there was still an hour and a half before Hamm’s expected arrival at the docks, Peter took Bemi and Taylor into the adjacent Black Hammer for an early lunch. The girls each had fresh fish while Peter had pan-fried chicken in a mushroom sauce. While they ate, Peter was amused to overhear that the gossip from the bar was about a recent cryo-dragon sighting. Apparently, one had been spotted flying over the western fringes of the village just a few days ago.

The Order had put out a decree just that morning that it had driven off the beast for good. Peter suspected that the source of the decree had been the Mohennial Sala, or some other high Order official, who was seeking to bury the truth of the dragon’s slaying and therefore, prevent mobs of treasure seekers from searching for the battle site. Or, maybe it could have just been the local Order authority acting to quell panic. Either way, Peter remained silent on the subject preferring to maintain his low profile.

After lunch, they strolled over the Twin Tower Bridge. Thankfully, the disrespectful guard from their crossing nearly a week ago kept any new comments to himself. Peter did catch the man looking Taylor over with a puzzled expression. He would probably surmise that the woman had given birth and had since been forced to give it up.

At the entertainers guild, Peter relayed the message from Henri that the Stoney Brook was now seeking to host traveling entertainers at least two nights a week. He also inquired about training for his new apprentice and found they would be happy to train her either at the guild or send a tutor to Cursed Island.

Of course, they would be happy as the fees were exorbitant for either option. Still, the training would be good for developing Bemi’s magic and Peter kept his grumbles to himself as he paid the retainer to reserve the guild’s services for some future time yet to be determined. At least if he hired a tutor to come to the island, his villeins and staff would get an evening’s-worth of free entertainment.

Nearby the guild was a confectioner’s store. Peter remembered his promise to bring home treats for Jaciee and Bella and led the girls inside. Shortly later, they emerged with Peter carrying a sack of sweets for the four women back on the island and Taylor and Bemi with small sacks of their own.

They arrived at the dockyard and discovered Hamm, who was about to enter a chandler shop for provisions. After greeting his lord, Hamm explained to Peter that he had another four shops to visit before they could depart. Peter left Taylor and Bemi with Hamm to act as his porters and headed to the dock where his karakoa was berthed. With the bay winds calm and the warm sun now high in the sky, an after-lunch nap sounded like a perfect way to pass the time.

Klup was sitting in her guard position but was already dozing when Peter climbed aboard the karakoa. The pregnant she-troll came awake to see who was disturbing the boat and only snorted a brief greeting before dipping her head to resume her nap. Peter found a cushion in the small cabin below deck and rejoined the troll above. He did not pay any mind to the passers-by on the quay who stopped to stare at the site of the human and troll lounging near each other on what was clearly a private yacht.

Only Miranda and Jaciee were waiting on the stone pier when Hamm backed the karakoa into its berth at his island. During their approach into his cove, he’d used a far-sight spell to survey the island and had noted Reed busy chopping firewood by the workshop. Tevi’s absence was explained by her normal practice of sleeping during the day and Peter was not surprised that Bella had remained up at the manor as he suspected the woman would take her son’s absence on the arriving boat poorly.

Peter remained at his seat near the nervous Taylor waiting until the boat was properly secured. Bemi refused to wait and nimbly hopped across the outrigger supports, leaping the final two meters to the dock where she waited by the cleats for Hamm to toss her the ropes. Under his tutelage, she quickly secured each side of the stern tightly to the dock before turning to let Hamm inspect her work.

“Good job lass,” he said approvingly, finally rising and climbing onto the dock.

Hamm then turned with his arms spread to greet his daughter. To his surprise, Jaciee just stood there beside Miranda ignoring him and instead staring at Bemi. The young blond teen’s mouth was open, clearly transfixed by the unexpected arrival of the older, more-curvaceous blond with Peter’s party.

“Jaciee?” Hamm called out with clear annoyance.

The girl came out of her momentary stupor and stepped forward to hug her father. Peter looked at Bemi who looked back at him with a superior smirk. He noted that Bemi had nearly instantly deduced why the younger girl was upset. As he tightened his mouth in disapproval, Bemi instantly wiped her expression clean and attempted an innocent look.

Peter then looked to his executive officer to see if she had caught the rapid byplay. Miranda had, and while her face remained almost expressionless, he noted the slight tension around her eyes that betrayed that his assistant was also concerned about the unexpected new member of his party. He realized that he should have added news that he was returning with Henri’s daughter to the note he’d sent yesterday explaining that Stren would not be returning.

Hamm delegated the luggage chores to Taylor and the teens and soon all three were carrying trunks up the trail leading towards the manner. He overheard Taylor introducing Bemi to Jaciee. Hopefully, the two teenagers would quickly reach an understanding without him having to address the issue. He stepped forward to Miranda who stood still waiting to report.

“XO,” he said simply.

“Welcome back, milord,” she replied flatly. “All is well on your island with nothing urgent needing your attention at this moment.”

“Good,” Peter said while reaching forward to give the woman an unexpected hug.

She stood stiffly for a moment before relaxing and returning the embrace. Peter bent and breathed in the familiar scent of her as he nuzzled her exposed neck.

“I’ve missed you, Miranda,” he whispered. He spoke truly, surprised at his sudden need and the unexpected emotions he’d felt when embracing his longtime companion.

“I have also missed you, milord,” she replied, pulling back to gaze at his face.

Her eyes were shining and Peter bent again, this time kissing her passionately. Miranda was again surprised but this time reacted more quickly, returning the kiss and putting her arms around her lord. They remained like that for a long moment until Peter heard Klup chuffing behind them. They broke apart and he turned to see the she-troll grinning at him.

“Housekeeper taste good?” the troll asked with a puzzled toothy grin.

“Like onions!” he replied, making a sour face. He knew that all trolls hated the taste of onions.

Miranda poked him hard in the side causing Peter to cry out. Klup chuffed out her strange laugh even harder, pitching back and almost tipping out of the boat. Hamm, who had been busy tidying up the boat for storage had noticed enough of the incident to also start laughing.