The Unexpected Demon

by Simon Waldock

  "Tower, move my things into this room. I am the Wizard of the Tower, and this is now my room." I looked at Harmon's staff that was standing by his bed. It was made of some kind of rich brown wood that I didn't recognise. The metal fittings were made of a reddish-gold metal that I wondered might be the fabled orichalcum. The crystal at the staff's head was dull and white, like quartz, but I had seen it glow brightly with different colours in Harmon's hand when spellcasting. I picked up the staff and spoke once again. "You belong to the Wizard of the Tower, staff. I am the Wizard of the Tower, so you belong to me."

  The staff felt more comfortable in my hand, as though it did belong there, and I thought I saw, just out of the corner of my eye Harmon, looking as he did when I had finally solved a puzzle that I found difficult and he found very easy.

  oOo

  I returned to the library to find Chessina just finishing the letter. She looked up when I entered and I saw her pleased expression become one of surprise.

  "Master," she said, "You look different, is everything alright?"

  "Different?" I queried, "In what way?"

  "It's difficult to describe, master. You look like you, but somehow . . .more," she said.

  Hmm. Just as clear as mud then, I thought.

  "I realised a few things Chessina," I said, "I've not been wanting to really come to terms with the fact that Harmon is dead. I realise that I've picked up a slew of enemies recently, and I also realise that the Tower, is not just our home, but a powerful magical fortress and artefact, that many would like to posess. I realise that the only thing standing between the Tower and them is me. I am the Wizard of the Tower, I will protect it, and I will protect you."

  Chapter 5

  "How are you going to get the letter to the Duke if you don't have a horse, master?" Said Chessina. "I'm not really sure how else humans send messages."

  "I won't be using a horse Chessina, as I need to get the letter to the Duke before his son's letter can get there," I replied, "And he is quite capable of ordering horses ridden to death in order to get his letter to his father. This event concerns the thing dearest to Pennover's heart, his own vanity."

  I continued, "The tower has a servant for sending messages, and yes the tower has a plethora of servants. From what I can gather, these have been installed in the tower over the centuries by various tower wizards. The only structure that I know of in the entire region, let alone kingdom, that is older than the tower is the Circle of Stones nearby. It is in the keeping of Madam Oakheart. No other structure I know of even approaches them in antiquity."

  "Do you think that having two such structures near to each other in an area of potent magic is a coincidence, master?" asked Chessina.

  "No I don't Chessina," I said. "Master Harmon told me some things about the tower, but he left me to figure out a lot for myself. He said it was important for me to do so. I must continue to study it. Although it looks like an ordinary wizard's tower, it really isn't. For example, what looks like the joints between courses of stone are just shallow grooves. The entire tower is actually a single piece."

  "That must have taken very powerful magic, master," said Chessina. "I don't know of any demon made towers that are like it."

  "That's interesting Chessina," I said. "I'm going to send the letter to the Duke now. Come along and see how it works, you won't learn any younger."

  We climbed up to the conjuring chamber on the top floor where Chessina had first appeared. Gods! Was that only yesterday, so much had happened since then.

  "The conjuring chamber takes up most of the top floor Chessina," I said. I pointed to some stairs. "Those lead up to the roof."

  I went into the conjuring chamber gesturing for Chessina to follow. I waved my hand expansively around the room at the arches that stood, open to the air around the circumference of the room.

  "As you can see, the view is magnificent," I said, "You can see for miles in every direction. The tower prevents rain, sleet, snow and other things from getting into the chamber and allows only moderate winds in. It doesn't stop anything inside that wants to get out. Very useful when something turns up that you didn't want."

  I smiled and winked at Chessina to show I meant to be humorous, then gestured at the floor.

  "Although this is called the conjuring chamber, master Harmon and I would cast all kinds of spells here." I explained. "There are various magical circles laid out on the floor, inlaid with magical alloys. They provide better protection than one that is merely drawn on the ground. Each circle has to be activated each time it is used though."

  "Here's how the messenger works," I said, placing the letter on the floor. "Tower, take this letter to the residence of Duke Brandell in the capital, then return."

  The letter fluttered for a moment, lifted into the air and then shot through one of the arches at great speed.

  "How fast does the messenger go?" asked Chessina

  "Faster than a pigeon," I said "Much faster, but it can only carry a light weight. If you give it something too heavy then it just won't move."

  "What shall we do now, master?" asked Chessina, eagerly.

  "I was going to take you into the village and introduce you to the locals," I said. "But I'd like to give Pennover a chance to vent his spleen first by hacking some trees, throwing stones at rabbits and berating passing clouds. Of course, the little creep might just go home and beat some servants."

  "Where does he live master?" Chessina asked.

  "He has a house on the other side of the village from the tower," I said. "It's one of the larger houses around here, but not really very big."

  "Why is Pennover living here, master?" Chessina asked, "he doesn't seem to like the village much."

  "According to gossip from various sources, which may or may not be accurate," I replied, "the little creep Pennover, might be the apple of his mother's eye, but he's nothing but an embarrassment to his father. As Pennover is the third son his father doesn’t need him to breed, which is just as well, as no female of the nobility or gentry would have him. Apparently his father tried to arrange a marriage alliance with a rich merchant's daughter, but fortunately for the poor girl involved, Pennover threw a temper tantrum and refused point blank to marry one of the lower classes. Actually stamped his feet and screamed at his father. This was the final straw and his father the Duke packed him off down here to enrich all our lives."

  "Might he ever become Duke, master?" asked Chessina

  "Unlikely. After his father, there are two brothers ahead of him in line of succession, by his first wife and I believe they have offspring of their own. If Pennover even started to get close, I could see the entirety of the capital's population, down to and including the beggars, getting together to hire an assassin to prevent that dreadful occurrence. However, we are going to dismiss the creep from our minds, and go down to the library where I shall present you with your apprentice notebook, journal and spellbook and give you your first formal lesson in magic as my apprentice."

  Chessina's girlish squeal of approval was starting to grow on me.

  oOo

  "Chessina, you have worked hard, all evening and I'm very pleased with you." I said, "But I'm tired and I must go to bed. You can continue to study on your own, if you wish, reading ahead in this book." I indicated one of the books on the table, "using my own first notebook and journal if you wish." I indicated two others. "Goodnight Chessina."

  "Master," said Chessina, looking at me with a determined expression on her face, "You are not looking after me correctly. I thought that masters were supposed to see to their apprentice’s well-being."

  "That they most certainly are Chessina." I said. "How have I neglected you? That certainly was never my intention."

  "You know that demons don’t need to eat, don't you master." Chessina said in a rather lecturing tone. Do I sound like that? I have a dreadful feeling that I do.

  "Yes, I know that Chessina," I confirmed.

  "We take in magical energy that is found in various for
ms in the Abyss." Chessina continued.

  "Yes, I know that," I said, wondering where this was going.

  "I need sexual energy, master," Chessina said firmly, "I need you to have sex with me. I know that you don’t find me unattractive and I'm completely healed. So I ask you once again, shall I come to your chamber or will you come to mine?"

  "Ah, which would you prefer?" I asked, feeling stunned, a little trapped and excited simultaneously.

  "Then please come to my chamber, master." Chessina said, holding my hand and leading my firmly towards her door. I followed glancing down at her tail which swayed seductively, like the rest of her.

  oOo

  I awoke later than I usually do, judging by the light. I wonder why. I now had the leisure to look at Chessina's room which I didn't have last night. When this had been Krissilla's room it was cosily panelled to keep out drafts. In place of the restrained linen fold panelling of the previous occupant, the panels were now covered in grotesques that were gilded to a degree that I thought tasteless. Still, it wasn't my room, although I would doubtless be spending much time here. I'd get used to it. Much less of the panelling was visible than before as the room seemed to have suffered a positive explosion of drapes, coloured rose-pink which set off Chessina so well. The drapes were caught by a profusion of gold ropes and supported near the ceiling not by putti, which were for some unknown reason fashionable currently, but what I can only describe as carved wooden demonlings. The sheets that I was lying between were rose-pink too and made of some shiny material that it was a pleasure to touch.

  Although that was the most wonderful and pleasurable night I have ever spent, and I realised, likely only the first of many such, I did recall a rather worrying conversation we had while resting between exertions.

  "It is said that those who willingly couple with a demon, can never again take pleasure in the arms of a mortal. Do you know if this is true Chessina?" I said. I didn't know the answer, but I wanted to know how she would put her response.

  "I don't know, master," said Chessina, frowning slightly. "I've never had sex with a mortal and I don't know anyone who has, well not often enough to answer your question. It's mostly the succubi who have sex with mortals and they think that they are above demons like me so I don't really know. I know that succubi suck life energy from those mortals they have sex with so they die fairly quickly so in that case the question is moot."

  "Can you suck life energy?" I asked as casually as I could manage.

  "No master, and don't worry, I wouldn't suck energy from you, even if I could. I swore not to harm you on my Name," Chessina replied earnestly."

  "Would you suck energy from another if you could?" I'm not sure if I was as casual in my question this time.

  "Well, of course, if they were stupid enough to let me," Chessina stated. "If it would make me more powerful, why wouldn't I?"

  Fond as I was of Chessina, and getting fonder, I mustn't forget that she is a demon.

  As I was dressing in my room, and how convenient that it was next door, I wondered idly if the tales of being unable to take pleasure from mortals might be due not to some magical curse, but merely that those demons who had sex, and I had gathered from Chessina that not all did, not possessing the requisite organs, just got rather good at it, after having sex night after night for hundreds if not thousands of years. And having once sampled the delights of an expert, other less skilled performers were just not appealing.

  I was learning a great deal about demons, most of it uncomfortable to know.

  oOo

  I walked into the dining room to be greeted by Chessina who gave me a cheeky grin and said,

  "Good morning, master. Did you sleep well?"

  "You wretch," I replied, smiling to take the sting out of my words, "I slept very well, when I had the chance to which wasn't often."

  "Thank you Chessina, for the most pleasurable night of my life." I said more seriously.

  "Oh, that was nothing, master," said Chessina. "I don't have any of the enhancements that I had back, no not home, back when I was working for Langoralia. That wasn't home, I didn't really understand home then, this is home, here with you, master. But I need to get enhancements, and a mirror."

  "Chessina, I don't want any enhancements, you are quite enough." I said, fervently. "I think you with enhancements, whatever they are, might be fatal. I will get you a mirror, though it might take a little while."

  "After breakfast and my spell review," I continued, "I thought I would take you into the village and introduce you to the people there as my apprentice. Chessina, I want you to remember that the village in on my lands, and I consider its inhabitants to be in some way my guests. You are not to harm them, unless it is to defend yourself or another. If you need to use force you are to use only proportionate force."

  "I understand, master," Chessina said.

  "I know, but will you obey?" I said.

  "Yes, master," Chessina said, giving a me a grin.

  oOo

  The village, still called Fair Pastures after all these years, was a few miles away from the tower. The weather was pleasant for walking in at the moment, although there might be rain later. If it rained, we could stay in the village, take shelter elsewhere, or I could just keep it off.

  We came to the first fields while the top of the tower was still just visible over the trees. The locals were busy ploughing and only acknowledged me with a quick wave. I rested on my staff, and yes that was now going everywhere with me, and gave a slight grave bow in reply. Chessina waved happily at them. I quickly checked that she had remembered to absorb her horns and tail and, good girl, she was wearing her new knife.

  Chessina was interested in everything, so different from what she was used to and I explained as much to her as I could. I'm not a farmer, my father was a plumber. I'm not sure if I would have made a good plumber, but Harmon saw me and took me as his apprentice.

  Time thus passed pleasantly and we reached the village almost unexpectedly. Everybody in the village seemed hard at work, even the elders at their doors were busy on some household chore that could be done seated. Everybody save one. She stood in the village square in her simple robe and red hair, leaning on a staff with her barn owl familiar perched on her shoulder. Priestess Oakheart.

  However, if the priestess was around, I knew that Lord Pennover wouldn't be. He was more frightened of her than I was. Mind you, she liked him less than I did. I think multiple impregnated village girls was part of it.

  The priestess looked at me and then noticed my staff. Her expression changed and she looked at me now with something approaching respect.

  "I mourned Harmon over long," I said, replying to the priestess' unvoiced question. "The wheel of life keeps turning."

  "I am glad you have remembered that, Towermaster," Priestess Oakheart said.

  This mutual admiration and obscure pontification society was rudely interrupted when Oakheart's owl familiar clattered its beak at Chessina and opened its wings in a threat display, while hissing like a teakettle.

  The Priestess looked at her familiar in surprise.

  "Why are you doing that, little one?" she asked it.

  "Maybe something in Chessina's ancestry," I said moving rapidly in the general direction of away. "I'm not very knowledgeable about owls," I continued. "In any case, I need to introduce her to the village so people know she is my apprentice. Good day Priestess."

  "Good day Towermaster," she replied. I bowed and Chessina did her elegant little gesture, but the priestess was too busy trying to calm her owl to respond.

  oOo

  I spent the rest of the morning introducing Chessina to various villagers while making sundry purchases. I made sure however that the first person I introduced Chessina to was Goody Matille, the village wise woman. She was the wife of the village headman Garrzlan Catchpole who theoretically ran the village. However, Harmon and I knew who really ruled the village. Matille's gentle and loving rule of her husband, whom she called Garr, e
xtended to the rest of the village. If it hadn't been for his armed bravos, I'm sure she would have dealt with Pennover. I had been neglecting my responsibilities, it was time to . . . do something about Pennover.

  Chapter 6

  The decision of how to deal with Pennover came most unexpectedly. Later that night, much later actually. I was sitting up in bed taking a breather, and looking at Chessina.

  Chessina had everything a man could want, but she didn't have too much of anything. Her lips were full, but not extremely so, her mouth was wider than many standards of beauty, but it was very kissable and oh, so talented. Her tongue wasn't visible at the moment, but it was forked and it was talented too. Her breasts were perky and rounded but not large and tipped with delightfully pink nipples. Her buttocks were round, tight, pert without an inch of flab and though they had a slight overhang, somehow it wasn't too much. Her legs were long and shapely and could move, I knew, with extreme athleticism.

  "Master?" Chessina spoke.

  "Yes," I replied.

  "I was thinking that when I ran from Fishface, I had to leave all my instruments behind and I do miss having some around to play." Chessina said a little plaintively. "I'd be able to play and sing for you too master, when you were er resting."

  "I don't play an instrument, and nor did Harmon. There may well be some musical instruments knocking about the tower. What instruments do you play?" I asked.

  "I'm not sure our instruments are quite the same as yours but I can play lots," she said, with real animation. "I mostly know stringed and keyboard instruments so that I can sing while I play. Langoralia sometimes even allowed me to play her pain-organ, and she only let a few of us demons play it at all."