Resolution

by Douglas E Roff

  “Who are you?”

  “Come, little one. Let us join our minds and I will share all that I can, all that is permitted by my Master to share; all my powers and how I use them. Then in a day or so, you will forget this knowledge and only remember that I mean neither you nor my Master any harm. Will you join with me?”

  “Let’s go.”

  ***

  They separated three hours later. It took fifteen minutes of mind fusion to share knowledge; the balance of the time was spent in sexual union enjoying and sharing what each knew and had learned about coitus. They particularly enjoyed sharing notes on Adam and visiting his unions with his other wives, mates and lovers.

  “I shall be more adventuresome with my Master and see I have no need or ability to guide maidens in pursuit of his physical pleasures. I might need to be counseled myself though, as I fear my skills may have diminished over time.”

  Kendra said, “Not from my perspective. I invite you to couple with me at any time, night or day. You are always welcome in my physical and mental places.”

  “And my Master, will he not be angered? Is it not forbidden?”

  “No, it is definitely not forbidden. Adam encourages all his wives and mates to enjoy other females; only joining with other males is forbidden.”

  “Can you and I join again soon?”

  “Of course. When would you like?”

  “Now.”

  ***

  Paulo’s men arrived at the prison mere hours after the entire group from Paraiso left the Oasis for the City of Light. They radioed in to Paulo what they found but were told to search the surrounding villages. The report back wasn’t joyful. Paulo’s fury was uncontrollable, and he punished many without cause brutally for the failure of his servants and staff to assure success in a simple mission of locate and kill.

  Now the planning to capture Rod and kill was unnecessary, but he would do so anyway as punishment for Adam. He would kill Rod, Cindy and the cousin’s family, and anyone else who was with them. Long after any gainful information would be obtained, Paulo would personally torture those survivors he hated the most.

  He set his plan in motion, and nothing Enzo could say could alter his brother’s fury or thirst for vengeance.

  Paulo said to Enzo one morning, “I have set the date for our family reunion as July 8, Rod’s birthday. I have obtained tickets for Cirque for July 6, and that gives whoever is coming sufficient time to get to Boston from wherever they are. I have made reservations at various restaurants at various times not far from the event center and picked out the subway stops that the brothers are to take to rescue little Cindy’s cousin. I doubt Cindy will be there, but we can always hope.”

  “So, the plan is to plant C-4 at the entrance to several of the subway stops we tell the men to take, then blow up the whole fucking thing up once they start down the stairs of the best site. Then let someone like ISIS claim responsibility while we go back to the safe house and dispose of the bodies one by one. Seems simple enough.”

  “Agreed. I may have been overthinking this whole ‘kill Adam’ thing from the start. Wanted some style associated with it for the history books.”

  “Live and learn, brother,” said Enzo.

  “And Enzo?”

  “Yes?”

  “You may take as much time as you want to play with the other toys after the brothers are dead. I’ll video if you’d like.”

  “Deal!”

  ***

  The notables plus Niona all gathered in the conference room of the Ops Center along with a whole pile of interested parties. They were all interested in the feral wild child, so attached and devoted now to Adam. Behind his back, she still called him Master and obeyed even a suggestion quickly and without question. She was still learning his sense of humor and that not everything he said was a “command.” She had no guile; she genuinely took every whim of Adam’s as a serious demand. The multiple advances by men, and women during family walks, and in passing conversations, were rebuffed in very curt and sometimes uncivil ways. Adam asked her to work on that. She was beautiful, gorgeous he said, and others in the City would naturally be interested in her.

  “It’s a compliment, you know. They find you as attractive and desirable as I do. And the little one. She adores you.”

  “And I her. We sometimes couple with Beata, another of the women in waiting who can’t get enough vitamin A.”

  “Yes, you’re correct to remind me that nuptials with Beata, Verna and Lia need to be consummated soon.”

  “You are referring to consummating the ceremony because the three have already told me that they enjoy ‘consummating’ with you physically and mentally whenever they get the chance. Beata is pregnant, so something was consummated already.”

  Adam smiled. “Nothing gets by you, does it?”

  “Very little. Master, I have a question. Do you have a moment before we join the group in the conference room?”

  “Of course. And you shouldn’t call me ‘Master’ anymore; I know you still do when I am absent.”

  “Spank me later. I enjoy your light touch. I’ve had worse. I appreciate your explanation that the attention is a compliment, but I tire of it. If we were wed, would the attention cease?”

  “Well, I’m pretty sure it would. But do you wish to wed with me. I mean you may wish to consider other options. Other men or women. You shouldn’t rush into this too soon.”

  “I don’t want anyone other than you, male or female as my mate. I understand from the little one that I may pleasure any of your wives, mates and female lovers. Is this so?”

  “Yes. It is our way.”

  “Is the King in attendance tonight? I understand he performs such ceremonies.”

  “Yes, I believe he is here.”

  “Good, then call him, Beata and her two girlfriends, and we will settle this now.”

  Adam appeared in the conference room, and asked for the King, Beata and her two friends to join him immediately.

  “Before Niona goes out to speak to the crowd, she has a suggestion. She wishes for the King to marry us all right now, this instant. She has her reasons and thinks I have been to slow in fulfilling my vows to you.”

  Beata said, “But we won’t have our big wedding the way we planned. Everyone wants to attend a real human wedding. All the Gens are excited.”

  Niona said, “That’s easy to fix. We will all wed now secretly, but only announce my mating to the people. You will have your big wedding even though we will already be married. That’s what Adam and Misti did? Think of it, two weddings instead of just one!”

  The girls squealed with delight. “Then yes,” said all three.

  Four ladies stood before the King with Adam in the center, Niona and Verna to one side, Beata and Lia to his other.

  “Do you, Adam Stephen St. James take these four women, Beata, Niona, Lia and Verna as your lawful wives under the laws of Nabataea forever until death.”

  “I do.”

  “And do each of you Beata, Niona, Lia and Verna take Adam St. James as your husband under the laws of Nabataea forever until death?”

  Each said yes.

  “Congratulations, you are all now officially married and may now plan your wedding night. Or nights.”

  “Night,” said Beata. “We shall all join with our husband tonight.”

  Adam said, “I shall announce my nuptials to Niona tonight, and the wedding to my other three wives in one week’s time. You have until then to prepare. Niona, you shall now be known as the Lady Niona. I command it.”

  Adam looked around. “Abdullah, please leave by the side entrance, then you three girls follow him, unless you wish to go directly to my quarters.”

  “Your quarters,” they all said.

  “That leaves you and I, Niona. Let’s not keep the masses waiting.”

  Chapter 52

  Lady Niona, and Adam came out on the stage of the conference room to warm applause and, after quieting the crowd gently, began speaking right away. “
First we have an announcement. Then I will introduce the Lady Niona who will tell her story and explain her powers. Please be polite; you know how she gets when she’s cranky.”

  Everyone laughed, but most already knew it was true. Politeness and Niona were not always connected in the same sentence; Niona’s ire could be raised instantly. The only beings to escape her somewhat nasty behavior were Adam, his family and wives and his close friends, to whom she gave great deference, but not great respect.

  Socialization for Niona would be a learned behavior, not instinctive. Instinctive to Niona was the protection of Adam, only Adam. Kill first, ask questions later. Trust no one; accept only complete obedience and proven loyalty. She doted on Kendra but didn’t trust his other wives who she found insolent and impertinent. Had she had her way, they would have received daily beatings until acquiescence was second nature, and to serve with honor and a compliant attitude more deeply ingrained.

  Niona cared only about Adam; everyone else in the room mattered only to the extent that they mattered to him and could help him achieve whatever goals were his to carry out for the Creator. Like the wives and servants of the Pharaohs of Egypt, when Adam passed into whatever fate awaited him, she would accompany him too. There was no way to classify her; she was a unique being, a chimera, with immense yet undemonstrated powers. She would use her powers for Adam, and no other.

  Paulo and Enzo had captured and imprisoned her decades ago, with the help of Immortals, hoping that cruelty and confinement would make her pliable. It did not, and when Paulo finally recognized that Niona would only be faithful to the Chosen One, yet unidentified, he kept her imprisoned for decades. Then, only recently, he dispatched a death squad to finalize her departure from this Earth while it was still possible to do so.

  But they arrived late. Too late. Niona had already dispatched her long list of tormentors, adult, and child alike, before catching up with her Master at the Oasis. Then she was gone. Paulo was furious with all those around him, but it was he who bore the brunt of blame. Another miscalculation.

  Niona was, while chained, a mortal figure with no powers. Unchained, she was something else. Formidable and deadly, she was now free to join the Chosen of Chosen in his quest to set the world on its intended path.

  Paulo once again flew into an uncontrolled rage. His rage and ill temper, however changed nothing. Everything Paulo attempted to do to Adam either failed or never happened. There was a point at which even Enzo would flee; the point at which Paulo believed everyone had let him down, and nothing was his fault.

  ***

  Adam began, “I apologize in advance to all the single men in the room who wished for a date with the Lady Niona, and to spend time with her. She had expressed a desire to me in private to be left alone in peace and quiet, so I have asked her to marry me to save our male population from physical harm. You hate me now, but you’ll thank me later.”

  Everyone laughed, this time happy that some level of danger for being around the Lady Niona was over.

  Niona interrupted, “My husband is amazing in every way possible, but in matters of the heart he is both dense and delusional. I asked him to marry me tonight because I was tired of waiting for him to decide the right time, day, month, and year. I wanted him now, so I encouraged him to say yes when I asked about our nuptials.”

  She paused.

  “The King was present, and I asked Beata, Verna and Lia of the Gens Germania to witness. They agreed, then slipped out to prepare our wedding bed. I know this is a huge surprise, especially to my fellow wives and mates, but I ask you to be happy for us; I will sit down with you tomorrow at breakfast to explain my hurried actions. Again, I apologize for the suddenness, but I could wait no longer.”

  Whatever it was, there was general agreement that the best course to take was always the one chosen by Adam. His wives were suspicious but could guess the reason. It mattered not, as Niona wanted congress with Adam; as her “Master”, he decided all such matters. Niona was obedient and seemed to hold no grudges against any of the other wives. In fact, she didn’t, and enjoyed the comradery and warmth of her co-mates. She felt they were all good choices and enhanced his success in the ways he required.

  “Now as to what I do, it is hard to explain, so I will be brief and simply ask you to believe me when I say it is true. I am not of your species but am one of many of my own. I can absorb all knowledge and experience of any being simply by touch and know everything that can be known. I can change the composition of my body, but only when my limbs are not constrained. If I am, I can be virtually powerless. I speak all languages, live life as a female, and am bonded to only one Master at a time. In this case the lucky mortal is my Mas…, uhhhh, husband, the Manti. I am a destroyer of great power, a healer of immense ability, and creator of all things possible except life itself. I cannot create other beings.”

  Niona paused again, looking over the quiet crowd.

  “I am here to help this country, this City and my Master. There I said it. He hates that I use the term, but he is my Master and I am proud to be his wife. I will protect everyone here with my life, and do everything in my power to bring joy, and happiness to our community. I know I act an ogre sometimes, and am short of temper, but know I would never harm anyone here who doesn’t intend harm to any of us in this community, especially my Master. I hope you will all feel comfortable in approaching me, so I may know each of you and do what is in my power to help. But service to my Master always comes first, just, so we all understand our priorities. I know you have a million questions, and we will get to them all in time. Just not tonight as I have a pressing engagement with my new husband. All his meetings are hereby cancelled until further notice. It may be a few days, but I promise to return him in good condition, and with a smile on his beautiful face.”

  The crowd broke out in cheers; even Kendra and the wives were happy for the appearance of Niona, the new Lady Niona in their lives. Breakfast tomorrow would be interesting.

  The Lady Cia and Lady Eene approached the couple accepting congratulations. “We hope you haven’t forgotten us, even in this time of joy.”

  Niona said, “We have not, I assure you, but what we wish for you is something different, something memorable when the two of you are prepared to accept Adam in matrimony. And I will plan something for Beata, Verna and Lia that they desire greatly. We may have your ceremonies whenever you wish. This I promise. Just give us a few days, during which I will finalize beautiful arrangements.”

  “Do you know our desires?”

  “Of course. I have touched both your minds and know your deepest dreams for the wedding you both wish to have. You think it not possible now, but I assure you it is. Two days after we emerge from our alone time you will have your dream wedding. One week later, Beata, Verna and Lia will have theirs.

  Please believe that everything you wish to come true, will come to pass. I have been sent to assure that your wishes become a reality.”

  “And Adam’s date with Hecate and the Creator?”

  “Give me time, and as it is said, all things are possible. Even the salvation of the man we love.”

  ***

  The next morning all the wives, even Beata, Verna and Lia were in attendance with Niona. The dining area was sealed, and staff dismissed.

  “Now ladies, what do you wish to know. Beata, Verna and Lia are here because they wed last night at the same time as I, but it’s a secret because their wedding ceremony hasn’t yet taken place. I do wish to make clear, before we begin, that there are a few things that I do not know, and therefore, cannot answer.

  “I have served other Master’s over many years until I was captured and imprisoned by Paulo Fortizi over sixty years ago with the help of other renegade Immortals. By “Master” is not meant “master and slave”, but faithful service to a master of things beautiful under my Immortal Lord’s watchful eye. I learn by touching beings and can know the very soul of their existence. I can destroy, but I am not a creator.

  “I hav
e no family, save one, a sister, at least that I am aware of, and do not know my origin. While I am usually alone in the RealVerse, I am never lonely. Source, whatever that is, has given me inner peace. I wish to be a part of your family here, as I feel the love and warmth, not just from my Master, but from all of you who I have touched. Only the little one, who I will now call my little one, has shown no fear or apprehension.

  “As for the rest of the wives and family, apprehension is normal. It is I who must prove myself to you, not the other way around. I have achieved union with my Master and he expresses a profound love for all of you, a love I hope to one day feel too.”

  Adam walked in, got a cup of coffee and began to leave. “You may trust her as you would me. Niona is a gift, she’s without pretense and hatred, and wants only to protect me and all who reside in Paraiso. And she’s normal in every way except two matters.”

  They all waited an answer.

  “First she loves my French toast and pancakes. And second, she is horny at all times of the day and night, insatiable in her lust, and curious to learn and be taught. She prefers neither men nor women and is perfect for our family. Just thought I’d mention a few items, now please, carry on.”

  The women roared with laughter.

  Niona said, “He may have exaggerated the bit about the French toast and pancakes, but I do enjoy them because he makes them for me. For me. Then he takes me on long walks and holds my hand and, every once in a while, we stop near a fountain, sit down and just talk. Then he holds me and kisses me tenderly as if we had never been apart. I feel him. I feel him deep in my soul as if we have always been connected. Love him? There is not a word that exists that expresses the depth of what I feel for him. When we are together, I feel as though I am the only woman in the world. I am helpless in his arms and know that I am safe in his heart and in mine. It is as if nothing bad could ever happen to me or to him while we are together.