“I think you need to sit down” Melody said as she faced her fiancé. “We need to have a talk and I don’t think you will like it”.
“I found out today I am going to be King, nothing can ruin that” Jemson replied.
“No you are not” Melody said and watched the man scrunch up his face in shock. “Your sole job is to provide an heir, you won't rule over anything. You will be named the royal consort and you will come to my bed chamber at night and leave once you are finished”.
“We will be man and wife, shouldn’t we be sleeping together?” Jemson asked.
“Of course not, why would I want you in my bed, just look at you, you are practically a cripple” Melody said with a laugh. “Your job is to fuck me and only me. When we are married you are not to leave the palace without my permission and I control who you spend your time with. I will have concubines, you will not. If for some reason you decide to sneak around I will chain you up and get at least two children then cut it off and cast you out. Do you have any questions?”
“Why would I go along with something like this?” Jemson replied. “I may be a cripple but that hasn’t stopped plenty of women from opening up their legs for me. Sometimes husbands even pay me to pleasure myself with their wives, everyone wants a mage child. I think I am withdrawing from being your suitor”.
“You are not going anywhere” Melody replied. “I call the shots here and I say you will be the royal consort, run away and you are dead. I am glad we cleared that up, I am going to leave my two guards with you in case you decide to do something stupid, wherever you go, they go. Malins you better not let him out of your site and keep my conversation private”.
“Of course Your Highness” the gruff guard replied.
“Good” Melody said as she turned around. “We are to be married in a year, during this time you will stay here and get acclimatized. If you are nice maybe I’ll let you meet one of my concubines, at least you will have someone other than the guards and the servants I provide to talk to”.
Melody watched the mage walk away stunned, she bet he never had a dressing down before like that. She had known the mage made money on the side laying down desperate women but from what she was told he had nothing to brag about, his manhood was as small and shriveled as the rest of him. She would find out eventually but she had another guest to deal with. The Gaea she would dress down the same way she did her future husband, he knew what she was capable of so she wouldn’t have to worry about if he believed her or not.
“Hello Ray, get back on your knees you know I hate looking up at you and this won't take long” Melody said as she entered the room and looked the big Gaea over. “I want you to start growing and making some of the things that were taken from your home, do that and I’ll leave you alone most of the time. I want you to focus more on staves than anything else but you can fill the dead time working your magic. If you don’t do this I will make sure to show you some attention you may not want, behind the palace I have a little area set out for you but I am not sure what you need. If it is not sufficient let me know and we can work together”.
Melody saw him nod but really wanted to punish him a bit. He looked even more beautiful than when she first saw him and was amazed he hadn’t wanted to sleep with Marabelle who was a great beauty. He needed to be broken and she would be the one to do it.
CHAPTER 9
Six Months Later
“You have no idea how relaxing that was now wipe your face off before that idiot fiancé of mine smells pussy on your lips” Melody said as she reclined on a chair.
Ray wiped his mouth and turned to leave, he had been feeding the woman something to lower her libido but realized she just liked to dominate. The war with Largen had just started and that was where the majority of his staves went. He was paid handsomely for them but could not really leave the palace. The only good thing was that Melody would be leaving soon to go to the front line as an envoy of her mother. One faction of the former kingdom of Largen was ready to surrender as they could not hold out much longer and wanted to sue for peace. Ray would have some free time then, he had already thought about escape and figured it was a good time to do so. His mother had become close with an old but powerful merchant and Teresa was getting famous in Brownlee so getting rid of her would be hard. The guards Melody sent with him were a joke although they tried their best to be menacing and kept their swords out whenever they went. Ray was no longer embarrassed by the little show Melody put on for the guards, she would be gone soon and that would be that.
“I am traveling to the front lines of the war for an official surrender” Melody said as she sat up in her recliner. “It is either you or my future husband will be going with me, I am giving you first pick to serve as my personal servant”.
“Why not leave us both here” Ray replied.
“Because you would be at each other’s throats” Melody sighed. “I have seen the way you look at each other the few times you have seen one another and I can't afford one of you killing the other. Now is it going to be you or him?”
“He can go” Ray replied.
“I think I will take you instead” Melody replied. “You are a bit more fun and I haven’t let him touch me yet. The fresh air will do you good, and I can show you off to the ladies. I don’t trust you here, I have seen the way some of the servant girls look at you and I think you are starting to like my attention despite your sour face. Maybe you will decide to go all the way with one of them, that wouldn’t end well. Besides the mages on the front line would like to meet the man who is behind the new staves they have been given. You should grab your things and I want you to wear the suit of armor I had made for you. I like the way you look in it, all menacing and scary. And put on some of that red glowing paint stuff you have my guards slathering over their body. Already people have been talking about my guards, calling them the Queen’s Slayers. What was that paint stuff for again?”
“It allows them to see in the dark without holding a torch” Ray replied. “The glow they give off is enough light to see by, even in complete darkness”.
“Well I want you in that paint and in the armor” Melody replied. “And don’t bother Jemson on your way out of here. He has been waiting patiently by the door while you finished me off”.
Ray nodded and left the room, Jemson Jennings her soon to be husband had a sour look on his face but Ray could not be angry with him. Jemson had a life in a gilded cage, he couldn’t go anywhere or talk to anyone other than the people who guarded him or Sarah the maid who liked to blab too much and gave both Ray and Jemson gossip on the other.
“Wipe your mouth whore” Jemson said as he leaned on a cane instead of his usual walking stick. “I can still see her on the corner of your mouth”.
“Poor little cripple man” Ray replied. “Go to your soon to be wife and tell her your insults. I have things to do”.
“At least I know what the inside of a woman feels like” Jemson said and stuck his head up. “And I will know what the inside of that one feels like as well one day. Maybe she will have you clean up after me, you would love that wouldn’t you?”
Ray smiled as he acknowledged Jemson won that round, Jemson took the victory and turned away. They often bantered like this but had a mutual respect, Ray hoped Jemson would be able to free himself one day. Ray made his way back to his room and ignored the fancy clothes Melody had given him, they were good material but was made to show off the body instead of keep warm. It was almost summer but the nights were still cool so he would pack one of the outfits he arrived in. Ray finished packing and went over his plan, if he could get to Largen then he could disappear to the forest or maybe one of the other kingdoms depending on if the Gaea were accepted or not.
The trip to Largen went by easily, Melody bothered him every now and again but she was content on riding in the carriage by herself and Ray liked the supply wagon anyway. He was watched by three armored guards now, they had their weapons out and had gotten comfortable. Tomorrow the Free Na
tion of Largen would formally surrender on the grounds that Holyan would help them out in solving their birth problem. Ray waited for Melody’s carriage to stop and figured she would stay in the large building they were in front of. Ray waited for her to get out and go into the building, as soon as she walked inside one of his captors, a guard called Harrison began to talk.
“Alright Gaea you know the drill” Harrison said as he gestured with his sword towards the door of the building. “The little princess wants you to shake your sweet little ass for her right after you clean up, so let’s move”.
Ray was about to make his move when a man came flying out of the side of the building and into the road. A big hole was made in the side of the structure as Melody came stepping out holding a staff. Chaos erupted as the Largen came streaming out of nearby buildings, it was easy for Ray to tell these were soldiers complemented by mages as Melody’s force formed up along with whatever Holyan forces were in the area. The fight was intense and fierce as archers appeared on a rooftop and started raining down arrows, Melody was taken by surprise and took one in the shoulder before fire erupted from her staff turned the archer into ash. His guards sprang into action, Melody could not take out the archers that were now appearing from every rooftop and fight the men on the ground. Ray sprang from the wagon as an enemy force started bearing down on them.
“I thought this place was under our control” Melody screamed as Ray watched from under the wagon.
“I thought it was, we were tricked” an older man said in a military uniform. “We have to fall back, the main force is only a mile or two away”.
Ray watched Melody take to the air then fly towards the west as men started jumping on horses to flee before they were overwhelmed. Ray sprang from the wagon as someone jumped in the driver’s seat and turned it around to flee. Ray looked around and could see the enemy was on him now, they were mostly soldiers but had three or four mages he could spot by their robes and weapons”.
“Give up Holyans or you’re dead” said a mage riding on a horse.
“What assurances do we have?” a Holyan soldier replied.
“You don’t have any other than you won’t die here” the mage replied. “Those of you that can serve will serve, those that can’t will die”.
“I can serve” Ray said as he stood up.
“I knew Holyan was sick but they done went out and made a super Gaea” the mage said as he walked his horse over. “You and the rest of these men will all serve, now all of you drop your weapons and move on down the road before your back up arrives, any man moving to slow will get a sword in the back”.
Ray lined up with the rest and the people of Largen had them running at a good pace to get away from the town, several times men had fallen behind and the enemy made good on their word to kill them where they stood. The Largen army was not too far away, maybe four miles Ray thought and they were far from the downtrodden troops he had heard about, these people looked fresh. The prisoners were thrown into a tent then men were taken out one by one for interrogation. Soon it was Ray’s turn and he could see he made the enemy nervous since they sent a mage to escort him.
“Time to move” the female mage said as a Largen soldier held a sword on him.
“I don’t want any trouble” Ray said as he climbed to his feet.
“You better not or I can give it to you Gaea” the soldier said as he led Ray over to a smaller tent that he could hear screams coming from.
Ray entered the tent and could see soldiers tied to chairs being tortured, some had various blades sticking out of them but their method of choice seemed to be tying someone to a post and giving them lashes. There was blood everywhere and two men seemed to be running the show.
“This is a Gaea?” a man holding a dagger said as he bent over and stared at Ray. “Where did you find him?”
“Same place Your Grace” the soldier that brought Ray in complied.
“What were you doing with the Holyan Gaea” the man Ray assumed was a Duke asked. “Lie and I’ll string your big ass up”.
“All Gaea boys were taken from the forest to help combat the cull” Ray replied.
“Who was in your convoy on the way up here?” the duke asked.
“Melody, princess of Holyan and heir to the throne” Ray replied.
“Do you know where she is hiding?” the Duke asked.
“No but I can take a guess” Ray replied and the Duke motioned for him to go on. “She is a mage, she flew towards her troops”.
“Were you one of her guards?” the Duke asked.
“I am a businessman who specializes in crafting mage staves” Ray replied.
“And you did this for the Holyan army?” the Duke asked.
“I did” Ray replied.
“Why would a princess travel with a Gaea merchant?” the Duke asked as he twirled his dagger around.
“I was a concubine, it is the reason I am not armed” Ray replied.
“I can ransom you off then” the Duke replied. “Maybe get some of my men back in return”.
“That would be a complete waste Your Grace” Ray began. “Mage staves are notoriously difficult to make and I am telling you I am among the top three in Holyan. More than that, I am a farmer who specializes in growing crops in tough terrain. People speak and if what Holyan believes is correct, then the Free State of Largen will not be able to hold out much longer”.
“What else do they say?” the Duke asked.
“I don’t know many details, only that the kingdom has been split into three and this slice is ripe for the taking” Ray began. “They didn’t even press men into action, you are facing the regular army”.
“So you want me to let a spy into Holyan?” the Duke asked.
“Not much spying can be done as a merchant or crafter” Ray replied. “Of course you can always drop me off in the great forest but I doubt that will happen”.
“I am Duke Treadwell, brother of King David, the leader of the Kingdom of Largen” the Duke replied. “We are taking back this wayward province and by now your leaders recognize they have ran into a trap. You will be passed along further inside of our country to use as we see fit”.
Ray got up and was ushered out of the tent and back into the one he first started in. Throughout the day other men were taken out for questioning, some made it back unscathed so Ray figured they must have told everything they knew while others did not come back at all. As soon as it had gotten dark Three caged wagons were brought in and Ray was tossed inside one of them. Ray could see inside the other cages and could see in addition to soldiers that cooks, blacksmiths, carriage drivers and others were captured who served the army. Their trip took nine days before they were halted, everyone in the cages stunk horribly and by the time they were shown to a small pond Ray practically jumped in it. Ray looked around at the plant life surrounding the pond and sighed, there was nothing there that could be used to clean so instead he crushed the small purple flowers and rubbed them all over his clothes. He thought it was stupid some men took time to get naked, wash their bodies then put back on nasty clothes but said nothing. They were then brought into a city, people jeered and threw excrement and rotten fruit at them as the wagons were eventually led into what looked like a keep, complete with high stone walls and towers for the archers.
“Alright out of there” said a woman of about twenty-five. Her brown hair was tied back in a pony’s tail and behind her there were other women holding clothing. Ray could tell it was burlap, the material was itchy but cheap to grow and easy to make. The outfit was a one piece and looked like a long potato sack with room for a neck and arms cut out of it that hung just past the knees. Ray climbed out of the cage as the women protected by archers in the tower went by and started handing out the shoddy outfits.
“Alright take off everything you have including your boots, this will be your only clothing from now on” the woman began. “You will be put to hard labor as punishment for your part in this war and receive one meal a day provided you are
not a bother. None of you have anything I haven’t seen before so hurry up”.
“Excuse me miss” Ray replied.
“What is it?” the angry lady snapped.
“You don’t have anything that can fit me” Ray replied. “What do you want me to wear?”
“Stand put until I can get you clothed” the lady replied. “The rest of you file in one by one until I can get you settled”.
Ray stood in the courtyard of the keep for about an hour as the others were taken away until his clothes were brought out. It looked like someone had sewn two of the outfits together and sewn shut the unwanted holes.
“What are all those tattoos?” the woman said as Ray was getting dressed. “Do the Holyan have a new kind of mark that let's them know if a man can produce? That is overkill if they do, we just mark the left hand”.
Ray ignored her until he finished putting on his clothes, he was naked when she asked and felt a little uncomfortable. “My real mother put them on to remind me of where I came from”.
“That’s right, I heard Holyan stole Gaea from the forest” the woman stated. “So were you some kind of guard or something big man? You won't find that kind of work here, not as a prisoner”.
“I grow things” Ray replied. “I specialize in out of season crops and those that are difficult to grow”.
“Well then you can help out the garden” the woman replied. “All of our prisoners are required to grow or catch their own food”.
CHAPTER 10
Prison Blues
It had been three months since Ray had been captured and the Largen had proven tougher than the Holyan thought and they had an excellent plan put together for long term survival but it was harsh. First the two dukes worked together and they became one country again and threw everything they had at the Holyan, the part that used to call itself the Free Nation of Largen had been claimed by the Holyan and Largen couldn’t get it back and now both sides were in a stalemate. Second, only men from Largen who couldn’t produce were pressed into war, and any prisoners of war were separated in a fashion by the ability to reproduce. Ray could still remember when the Largen came into one of the prisons the Holyan soldiers were housed at and killed any who couldn’t reproduce. While they didn’t force anyone to do anything against their morals, work was long and hard for most prisoners. The guards were mostly female who were not shy and rotated in and out of the prison. Ray had gotten lucky in the prison he was in, he had gotten to be garden master so he spent most of his days improving the soil and growing things. The fruits and vegetables he grew were noticed by the prison overseers who demanded a portion each day and were surprised that the produce inside the garden was better than those outside.
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