by Randi Darren
Ten
Steve had spent the night in his own bed with Nikki, Misty, and Shelly, but only after he made sure each one got some time with him. From there they’d had dinner, and then the four of them had had one big slumber party. It had been a sweaty mass of arms and legs, all wrapped up in each other.
Nothing had happened on a sexual level, they’d just all slept together.
It’d been far too warm, sticky, and a little uncomfortable for Steve.
But he was apparently the only one who felt that way.
The girls seemed quite happy with the arrangement and had all remarked over breakfast on how they’d have to do that more often.
After saying goodbye to everyone and spending a little more time with Nia, he’d set off. There was work to be done, and he needed to be there to do it.
With his tools in hand, he worked at following the water way all the way back to the outpost.
“You’ve done quite a bit of work,” Lucia said, walking along beside him. She’d decided to come with him.
Her argument was rather simple. She could do her work anywhere, but she could only help protect Steve from wherever he was.
Nikki didn’t even consider arguing with that logic; it was far too clean and clear.
“Trying,” Steve said. Up ahead he could see the outpost cabin and the farm. “Nikki wants this land for our children. So I’m going to get it.”
It didn’t take more than a glance into the trench to realize it was filling well. It was already at hip depth. The lake behind the cabin had not dipped at all in depth, nor had the waterway heading to Filch.
The modification to the watering can seemed to have been what they’d needed.
Which means I really need to get on that water tower. As soon as I can.
I could always put one on the outpost, too.
“Oh? You’re so certain I’ll take to child-bearing so quickly?” Lucia said with a teasing tone. “Your accuracy isn’t very high, my sweet lovable brute.”
I’ll show you accuracy. Knock you up in the first go-round just to make a point out of you.
“I’m sure with such a beautiful Fae and her most assuredly impressive womb, I’d succeed on the first time,” Steve growled.
“Most likely,” Lucia said, tossing her hair back over her shoulder. “It’s a royal womb and deserving of its significance. Any child born unto me is royalty. Even with your low accuracy, I have no doubt I would be successful.”
Prideful thing. Always prideful.
“And as my man—a most deserving man, and I’ll take no arguments from you—a man whom… whom I truly do care for… I expect your seed itself is quite special.” Lucia’s fingertips touched his arm for a split second.
And yet… quite determined to make me feel worthy of her.
“Whenever you’re ready, Princess Lucia,” Steve said with a chuckle. He might even do exactly that and put a kid in her.
“Soon. Very soon,” said the Fae. “Ah, is that the Wight?”
Turning his head slightly, Steve found Nancy standing at the corner of the cabin. She was very clearly waiting for him, her hands held behind her back.
“Yep. Nancy. My mistress,” Steve said.
“Good. All men of your caliber should have mistresses,” Lucia said. “I’ll be sure to begin her instruction today. She’ll need to learn how to serve in all the ways befitting your eventual station.”
“My eventual station?” Steve asked.
“As my husband. Your station is that of my husband. And I’ll make sure you receive all the proper trappings for such a thing,” Lucia promised. “Don’t worry, I’ve dealt with species like her previously. You won’t even notice a change in her demeanor.”
Steve wasn’t really sold on that, but he wasn’t about to argue with Lucia. She’d nearly died for him. Battled for his safety at the cost of her own. To the point of having been bitten to pieces.
Her attitude, her personality, her entire being was beyond reproach in Steve’s eyes. Lucia was on her own pedestal and had earned it. If she told him she wanted a pregnancy, he’d give her one.
“I love you, Lucia,” Steve said suddenly. “Realized it when I carried you out of that horde we were in.”
“Oh. I… I see,” Lucia murmured. “I’m flattered to know it.”
Steve smirked at that. He wasn’t sure Lucia would ever be able to talk about her feelings.
Nancy had begun walking toward them now, a small smile on her face.
“Welcome back,” she said, stopping directly in front of Steve. Then she turned her head toward Lucia.
“This is Lucia,” Steve explained. “She’s my Fae, bowyer, and fletcher.”
“Ah,” Nancy said. “I’m Nancy, his taken mistress.”
Taken?
Lucia cleared her throat and smiled at Nancy.
“Steve spoke of you,” Lucia said.
“I’m glad to hear that,” Nancy commented, turning back to Steve. “What can I do to help you today? Do you need food? Water? Company?”
“Uh, no. I’m fine,” Steve said.
“I understand. The plan then? Kassandra, Jaina, Ina, and I have prepared for the assault on that village. We’ve also made plans to collect all the other villages and towns.”
“You did?” Steve asked.
“Of course,” Nancy said, smiling widely at him. “As your taken mistress, it’s my absolute duty to ensure everything you desire is taken care of to the utmost of my ability.”
There’s that taken thing again.
“I mean… actually, no. I don’t need to hear the plan. Kass thinks it’ll work?” Steve asked.
“She does indeed. We can accomplish the first attack tonight and move from there,” Nancy elaborated. “Shall I prepare and then initiate it?”
“Ah… in a little bit. I want to settle for a moment and see what’s going on,” Steve said.
“I understand,” Nancy said, her stoic face neutral other than her smile. “The walls are being extended accordingly. I’ve seen to guiding Jaina and Ina in the rock wall placement. We’re putting up towers and the section facing the villages and towns first.
“I had a very large cellar dug out, and much of the produce is being stored there in containers. I spent some logs to have those made, but I felt they were worthwhile.”
She’s been busy.
“Good work, Nancy. I appreciate all that,” Steve said.
“Of course. I also had layouts made for large bunkhouses,” Nancy said, holding up a hand and gesturing to the far side of the cabin. “They’re merely dirt-mounded outlines at the moment, but once you approve them, I’ll have work begin immediately.
“Last, but not least, I must report we had twenty women make an escape attempt. Twelve of them perished when they crossed the line. I had the other eight executed to make a point of the situation.”
“So many,” Steve murmured, moving in the indicated direction.
“They clearly didn’t understand your magnanimous gesture,” Nancy countered. “They’re all worthy of a death sentence, and you’ve commuted it with the possibility of living and being provided for. We’re better off without them.
“I can report that since the executions, morale has been high and everyone is working together quite well.”
“That seems backward,” Lucia said.
“And yet, it’s true,” Nancy said, leading Steve and Lucia around to the front of the cabin. “I speak with them often, as I was once one of them. I also have informants who report back to me what they know. All is as it should be. The prisoners are calm and cared for.”
And that’s what this is. A prison labor camp. Everyone here is under a death sentence and would be executed for their bounty alone.
“It doesn’t hurt that the Creep hasn’t been seen in a long while. Everyone is expecting things to start moving back towards how they used to be,” Nancy said. “Their only chance to survive the government coming back is to make themselves essential somewhere.
�
��A farm that provides food would definitely be essential. Considering that most of them became murderers because there was no food. Every farm I know of failed after the Creep came. You’re the only one able to grow anything, anywhere.”
“Good,” Lucia said, folding her hands together in front of her. “My husband is a man of worth, and they’d all do well to lower their heads to him.”
“Agreed,” Nancy said. “They’re learning.”
Steve felt weird about all this. A strange feeling kept circling around him, and he wasn’t sure how to deal with it.
It felt like there were those in his group who wanted to push him up, and then there were those who simply wanted to be safe.
Lucia, Kassandra, Jaina, Shelly, Xivin, and Nancy all were pushing hard for him to keep becoming stronger. To take ground, build defenses, train up more fighters, and empower himself.
Nikki, Misty, Ferrah, Gwendolin, and Ina liked the idea of being safe and secure. Their viewpoint was that if this could be accomplished, it would be all they needed.
And Steve was somewhere in the middle. He didn’t think he’d feel safe and secure unless he moved up, took more, and made it so others couldn’t push him around.
As they walked into the fields, prisoners on every side bowed their heads to Steve, bending at the waist to him in the middle of their work.
Steve said nothing about it and let Nancy show him the changes.
***
“You trust her too readily,” Lucia murmured, squatting low in the brush next to Steve.
“I have my reasons,” Steve replied. He wasn’t about to explain everything to Lucia.
Nancy was his creature and his alone. There was no reason to reveal her to anyone else as anything other than his mistress.
In the short time he’d had her, she’d been extremely useful.
Loving my henchwoman. Loving her lots.
“Hmph. I’m sure I can perform her duties and tasks just as easily,” Lucia grumped.
“I’m sure you could, too. But you’re already busy with your own work,” Steve said. “So the simple reality is, I needed another person to assist me. Nancy is that.”
“I don’t disagree with you, but you just trust her too much,” Lucia repeated.
“She’s not so bad,” Kassandra said from behind the two of them. “We had a good conversation and I understand her much better.”
“Me too, me too,” Jaina said.
Ina and half the prisoners had remained on the farm. The other half were all here with Steve.
Waiting.
They would be the ones to load everyone up and carry them back to the farm. Then the half on the farm would switch out and go loot the town, or continue picking people up.
“She wants what’s best for Steve,” Kassandra said. “While I disagree with her methods and her actions, I think working with her will be fine.”
“Really?” Lucia asked, turning her head towards the other two women.
“Yes, yes. She knows that Steve must go higher. He must be a master of many, to make a large pack,” Jaina said.
Lucia frowned, looking thoughtful but annoyed as well.
Everyone fell silent as they sat there, waiting. Steve had dug the hole and then retreated, leaving it to Nancy. There wasn’t anything for him to do until she gave a signal, came back, or died.
Time crept by like a slug on a path littered with salt.
“Someone’s coming,” Jaina said very softly.
“It’s her,” Kassandra replied several seconds later.
A minute later, Nancy stumbled out of the woods. She was white faced, sweating, and panting hard.
“I put the poison in two hours ago. Should be happening any moment.” She stopped in front of Steve. “It’s done, Steve. Though I think I got a little on my hands. I’m feeling rather weak and tired.”
“Hard to work with poison,” Kassandra said, setting a hand on Nancy’s back. “Come lie down. Your part is done.”
“Yes, yes, go lie down,” Jaina agreed, pawing at the ground nervously.
“Alright, our turn then,” Steve said, then looked at Lucia and Jaina. They would be going with him to watch the village. They’d be the ones to signal the attack when it was time, and Kassandra would lead it.
Jaina darted in close to him, bit him roughly on the neck, and licked the spot several times. Then she kissed his jaw and moved away several steps.
Getting more and more bitey and licky. More so now that Gwendolin caught a pregnancy.
Without waiting, Jaina turned and bounded off into the woods, vanishing into the foliage.
“She’s just excited,” Lucia explained. “With a widow being pregnant, it isn’t a hope anymore, or a problem. Her chances are guaranteed with enough effort.
“Kobolds are very physical creatures with their expression of affection. She just loves you very much and can’t hold it in.”
“Oh? Are Fae?” Steve said, getting to his feet and following after the Kobold.
“We can be. Want me to give you a Fae love bite?” Lucia asked.
“Kinda. Wanna give it a go right now?”
“Bend down here and I’ll show you, just don’t regret the invitation,” Lucia said.
Steve contemplated doing that, but decided against it. He needed to get moving. For whatever reason, he really enjoyed flirting with Lucia. It was a game of give and take with her. She won more often than not, but now and again he got her to back down.
Moving after the Kobold, Lucia seemed to be able to follow her without too much of an issue. Which was a good thing since Steve was more or less blind in the woods.
I really kinda hate being Human. Would love to trade some of this strength for some other abilities.
“Stop,” Lucia commanded, a hand pressing into Steve’s chest.
Just ahead of them, he swore he could see something. And he could hear someone now that he was trying to listen.
He couldn’t quite identify it, but he was fairly certain someone was there.
There was a sudden grunt, followed by a whoosh of air.
The hand on his chest pulled him forward suddenly, then stopped him after ten steps forward.
Laid out in front of him were Jaina and another woman.
Jaina’s mouth was wrapped around the woman’s throat. Her hands pushed down on the woman’s head and stomach, keeping her pinned.
“Keep her down,” Lucia whispered as she got down on one knee. Pulling the woman’s rope belt out of her pants, Lucia rapidly tied the woman up with her hands behind her back. “Done.”
Jaina released the woman’s throat and then spat several times.
“Be silent, or be dead,” Lucia said, pointing a hand at the woman. “Understand?”
“Yes, I understand,” said the woman. Steve had no idea what she looked like, let alone what she was wearing. Everything was mostly shadows and blurry images to him.
“Tear her throat out of if she makes a noise louder than breathing,” Lucia said. “Why were you out here?”
“Spying,” said the woman. “Spying on this village.”
“Oh?” Lucia mused. “Wonderful. Come on.”
Lucia started pulling on Steve again, dragging him onward for another ten or so steps. Then they stopped, and she pulled him down into a bush.
They were looking out at the walled village.
Steve couldn’t see a thing, though. The torches were out, there was no light coming from inside the village, and as far as he could tell, everyone was asleep.
“I think… it already happened,” Lucia said. “Maybe even sooner than Nancy thought. There’s no guards. No one on the walls. Nothing.”
Standing up and feeling frustrated, Steve marched out of the bush.
“Steve!” Lucia hissed.
He kept walking without bothering to respond. Straight up to the gatehouse. There was no moat, just a wooden wall and gatehouse.
Lifting his axe off his shoulder, Steve brought it around in a wild swing.
W
ith a shower of splinters and shattered wood, the entryway was blasted to nothing. There was a creaking noise as part of the gatehouse shifted ominously, then went sideways. With a boom and a rattle, everything was cleared away.
Staring into the village from where he was, Steve saw a number of people lying in the street, some off to the sides, some even sitting upright.
Everyone was unconscious and unmoving.
They looked dead.
Steve marched into the village up to the first person and reached down. He pushed his hand against the woman’s chest and held it there. Slowly, he felt her chest rise and then fall.
Good.
Standing up, he turned around and looked back the way he’d come.
“Send ’em up! We’re all ready up here for pick up!” he shouted back toward Lucia.
Eleven
Watching the efficiency of his prisoners, Steve couldn’t really fault them. They were earning their keep.
Within minutes of arriving, they’d formed a human conveyor belt of hands passing unconscious people backward toward the outpost. Then it became items and possessions.
Then furniture.
Finally, even the walls and parts of the buildings themselves were being torn down and handed backward.
His people looked exhausted, but they were still working despite having been moving for almost an entire day.
“Remind me to give them two days of rest after this,” Steve muttered. “The new people can work their shifts.”
“I’ll do so. Do I get two days off as well?” Nancy asked.
“No. I’m going to work you till you beg me to work you till your body gives out,” Steve said. He knew what she wanted.
Knew what she wanted to hear, too.
“Thank you. I look forward to it. Do be sure to take me to bed and use me thoroughly each night for your own pleasure and leisure. Maybe risk a pregnancy on me one night,” Nancy added, standing next to Steve. “Maybe a slap or two? I deserve to have my needs tended to. I did very well in this task you gave me.”
Kassandra, Jaina, and Lucia were overseeing the human chain, as well as the village that was being taken apart.
Nancy never left his side unless he ordered it. She wouldn’t use the restroom unless he did. Nor would she eat or drink unless he did.
