by Gerard Bond
“I hope your journey will be a pleasant one that will find you back here in good spirits my friend.” Wollfen smiled a little.
“Thank you my lord, may I also thank you for your kind gift of the armor, it is greatly appreciated.” The King waved at him dismissively.
“Think nothing of it, for what you are about to do will prove very dangerous. You will need your wits about you and every bit of protection you can get you will need.” The King turned and looked at Madeira, “May I also thank you for keeping an open mind while being here this past week. I am sure that our customs have been alien to you and you have probably been tested by them.” Madeira was a little taken aback by the King being so observant.
“It is nothing your highness and thank you for acknowledging my time here.”
King Elyssur bowed his head and smiled. Both Wollfen and Madeira bowed and left. He was looking forward to seeing his beloved and Madeira was looking forward to seeing the girls again. She was still vowing to keep away from alcohol though.
In Port Volarus they materialized near Nightwing as she was standing at a rampart on the defensive wall on the bay. She turned, saw Wollfen and gave him a big grin. They all hugged and kissed before Night pushed Wollfen back.
“So how is it in the enchanted lands?” She asked as she tapped on Wollfen’s chest with her knuckles. She had felt the armor under his shirt.
“Quiet and blissful, you could die and they wouldn’t know for a week.”
Madeira let out a loud laugh and then put her hand over her mouth while looking around.
“Where is Loranda?”
“Oh her and Dark went for a ride along the cliff wall inland. I expect they shall be back later this afternoon. Dark is looking a whole lot better.” Wollfen was pleased to hear that.
“I’m glad. I have been looking forward to seeing her.” Night looked at him with consideration.
“You know she misses you badly. I didn’t think a person could be that in love.”
“I miss her too, it’s a pity she isn’t close by I would go to her now. Anyway, what is happening here? Are you a foreman now?” Night smiled.
“Oh yes didn’t you know I’m an expert engineer too? This whole wall was my design.” Wollfen looked about pretending to know what he was looking at.
“Not sure about the color.” Night gave him a smack on the arm.
“Get lost you big lummox, go catch up with Lord Raz, he will be pleased to see you.” He nodded and looked at Madeira.
“Are you going to come or stay with Night?” She nodded towards Night and Wollfen gave her a quick hug. “I’ll see you later then,” he waved as he walked off. Night turned to Madeira.
“So tell me all about the enchanted lands, what is it really like?”
“I can tell you it's amazing to see. The entire city is perched up high in the trees and get this, all women walk around barefoot even in the winter.”
“Oh, how do you stop getting frostbite?” That didn’t seem reasonable at all.
“That’s just it, it isn’t cold at all. The ground is very nice to walk on and everything is controlled by magic. It really is a wondrous place, though I can’t say it was perfect.” Night was intrigued.
“Oh really? Tell me more.”
“Mm well the elves are a funny bunch. I mean they really do have a more cultured society, but after a week I couldn’t stand their superior air about them. They really do act like their shit doesn’t stink. It made me feel quite negative towards them. Their King though was quite gracious with me.”
“You got to meet the King of the elves?”
“Oh yes and their Queen too. She is very beautiful. I really think that Wollfen is personal friends with them eh? It wasn’t in anything they said or did, it was just a feeling.”
“Yes, I have known Wollfen for a couple of years now and I have to admit he keeps coming up with more and more surprises.”
In town Wollfen made his way to the hall. He was sure Raz would be bellyaching at some subordinate there. He walked in and announced his presence and was immediately ushered in. The attendants knew anytime Wollfen was about he was given free reign to enter when he chose. He walked up to Raz’s desk and looked down. Raz was busy writing something and he looked up.
“Wollfen! You are back, it's good to see you,” smiled Raz.
“It's good to see you again too Raz. How does the Port city of Volarus travel?”
“It is going better than can be expected. In fact, we now have a population of some twenty one thousand people here. A lot of them are refugees from Port Cholandra. Mind you a lot of people keep arriving from the east too. There is much talk of orcs.”
“Orcs you say? That’s curious even this far south?” Raz nodded in agreement.
“Yes, I am happy for this city to grow but the numbers are growing a little too fast. We need more of everything to keep up.”
“I have a few hours. Dark is off riding and I have been told not to expect her back soon. Shall we sit down and see if there is anything I can do?” Raz motioned him to a chair near him.
“Certainly, by all means, I welcome any offers of help right now.”
Raz spent the next ten minutes giving Wollfen an outline of what was happening in the city and his supply problems. Wollfen asked for a map of the southern area and they looked at it together.
Nothing to the east and nothing further south apart from some small towns and villages so far away they couldn’t help in the short term. North was a no go with the Isogorreans entrenched in Port Cholandra. To the far northwest two months sail away lay Svalbard, which was always historically at odds with the Kingdom. Looking southwest Wollfen pointed out the multitude of islands laying a couple of days sail away.
“What lies here in these islands?”
“Oh they are unoccupied except for supply dumps I have established. Captain Koberg is there at present with a couple of squadrons of ships giving the Isogorrean shipping a headache. They still haven’t been able to attack and take on Koberg in seven months of raids. The islands are a perfect getaway spot and if you don’t know your way around them you will wreck your ship for sure.” Wollfen kept looking even further south and spotted an island on its own in the middle of nowhere.
“Is there anything here?” Raz nodded.
“Yes, but you don’t want to go there.” That peaked Wollfen's curiosity and he looked at Raz.
“Why not?” Raz leaned towards him.
“This I will tell you in complete confidence, do not let this out to anyone or it will be my head.” Wollfen agreed. “The island is the remains of a volcano and has a bay in its middle unseen from the open ocean. It has treacherous reefs surrounding the entire island and it only has one way in and one way out. It is the home base of the southern pirate raiders, the Red Vampyres.”
Raz looked to Wollfen to see how impressed he was. He was disappointed that he got no reaction and sighed.
“You don’t know too much of naval affairs do you?” Wollfen shook his head.
“I’m sorry, the Isogorrean adventure was my first big voyage.” Raz looked disappointed. It was like telling the biggest secret of the ages only for people to go, ‘So?’
“Okay, I’ll fill you in. The Red Vampyres are a pirate outfit that has been operating for hundreds of years. The Svalbardians, the Kingdom navy and even the Isogorreans have been looking for them for almost that entire time. But to date none of them have had an inkling of where they are based. I do know that each of them have even had a look at their island too but never been able to set foot there because of the coral reefs. Now you would think that a shadowing navy would simply wait them out and see if anyone pops their head out. But after all these years and who knows how many generations of pirates have lived and died, they have always been one step ahead and always known when danger was near.” Wollfen found the story to be a bit too incredible.
“Somehow I can’t see that happening. Someone over the years would slip up. Either get caught or spill the beans for
money.”
“You would think so wouldn’t you? But the leader, whoever he is has always managed to rule with an iron grip and with each new leader through the ages too. You think the Isogorreans treat each other badly? These guys are worse, all of them pathological killers, rapists, thieves of the lowest kind. I mean it, they scare me.”
“They scare you Raz?” Raz looked a bit sad at that.
“They killed my woman and I have never been back to sea since. Yes, they not only scare me but they also took away my passion for the sea. It died with her.”
Wollfen now understood he was listening to the truth, this was no wives' tale told to scare people.
“I am sorry Raz, I didn’t know.” Raz shook his head.
“That’s okay, the world is filled with stories of all kinds. We spend a fair amount of time sifting the bullshit from the truth.”
Wollfen thought for a bit before asking the next question that came to mind. It would be hard for Raz to contemplate it he was sure.
“I am going to have to ask.” Wollfen looked to Raz and gave him a serious look. “Do you think that the Red Vampyres services could be bought?”
Raz rocked back, he wasn’t expecting such a question. It wasn’t something he would have contemplated ever thinking. He sat there staring at Wollfen for a bit and Wollfen patiently waited to see how Raz would finally react.
Raz thought about it a lot and he knew why Wollfen had asked it too. He wanted to know if Raz could lay aside his personal feelings for the good of the state.
“They will work for whoever pays them. They care not for who or why as long as they get paid.”
Raz didn’t like the question one bit but he answered for the good of his city. Wollfen felt compelled to explain his reasoning.
“I know that it was a very difficult question for you to answer Raz and I thank you for doing so. But I can tell you I have good reason. As you have already mentioned, orcs have become active in the east and the peoples of those outlying lands are starting to trickle through to here. My point is this. I happen to know that this is no temporary, isolated occurrence. It is happening up and down the length of the entire country. You do know what this means don’t you?” Raz didn’t have to think too hard at all.
“That means a lot more people moving to the coast and our resources pushed to the breaking point.”
“Yes, but I can say this. I don’t think it is a very serious situation yet and probably won’t become one for a few years. But if we prepare now, we will be in a much better position to handle it when it does happen.” Raz understood the rationale of Wollfen's thinking.
“Do not worry my good friend. Now that you have made me aware of the orc situation I will do what is necessary for the good of the people.”
Wollfen got up.
“I think I’ll go and see if I can find Dark. She must be close, shall we have dinner together tonight?”
“Yes that would be good. Let it be my treat if you would, that can be my part in it.” Wollfen agreed.
“I never knock back a free meal,” he winked. “An hour after dusk falls? Good then it’s settled. Both Dark and I shall be here.”
Wollfen then turned and walked out hoping that maybe Dark and Loranda had come back early. He walked to the woman's quarters but it was empty. He let himself in and stoked the fire, kicked off his boots and lay across the bed width ways. Before he knew it he had dozed off.
Loranda leaned close to Wollfen's face and blew in his ear. He waved at whatever annoyance was there and continued sleeping. Loranda blew again and got the same response. She looked up at Dark and gave her a mischievous grin and Dark egged her on. Loranda was a lot of fun. Now she lay a hand softly across Wollfen’s eyes and began kissing him softly on the lips. Just enough to disturb him and arouse him from his sleep and as he did, thinking it was Dark kissed back. Dark who was sitting on the side of the bed couldn’t help but giggle and gave the game away. Wollfen lifted Loranda’s hand off his eyes and reacted. Lifting Loranda up bodily, he placed her beside him and gave her a hard look, but both the girls were laughing out loud now. Grumbling he gave a short comment.
“I don’t know who should be punished, you Loranda for misleading me or you Dark for letting her.”
Then they both giggled again. He leaned back towards Dark and grabbed her pulling her to him then gave her a passionate kiss and pulled away a bit.
“Now don’t you wish you were here doing that?” Dark winked.
“But I am my love.” She grabbed his hair and pulled him close again, they kissed some more. Wollfen lay back and Dark straddled him kissing and nibbling at his lips, he was having trouble trying to speak.
“Do you.. arhh.”
Wollfen stopped fighting his passionate mate and joined in, so much for saying hello, this was definitely better. Dark continued kissing and drifted down his neck and he turned his head to accommodate her. She was certainly being dominant this evening.
Wollfen opened his eyes and looked straight into Loranda’s face, she was lying on her belly next to him smiling back and staring. He frowned a little, reached across and pinched her nose shut. When she opened her mouth to breathe Wollfen stuck his free pinky finger into it.
“Ack!” Loranda pulled away and slapped him on his upper arm.
“You bastard not fair.” Dark put her five cents in.
“Hey leave her be, she didn’t do anything, you aren’t being nice.” Wollfen was indignant.
“Me?”
Now he picked Dark up and turned her over and kissed her up and down her face giving her deep kisses. Loranda got off the bed then.
“Well you two are starting to get hot and heavy. I’ll leave you to it.” And she walked out closing the door behind her. Dark looked to Wollfen.
“Did you hear, we are getting hot and heavy eh?” Wollfen looked about and then slipped a hand down the front of Dark’s pants,
“Oh I think she may be right.” She gave a giggle then whispered into his ear.
“That’s what I want baby, keep going. I’ve missed you so.”
Night and Madeira arrived back at the quarters to find Loranda sitting by herself in front of the fire as they entered, she looked up and smiled.
“Hi guys.” Night looked around.
“Where are the others?” Loranda stuck her thumb towards the bedroom over her shoulder.
“They are saying hello to each other.”
“Oh.”
Night understood immediately, but Madeira gave a quizzical look and Loranda explained by holding one hand in a circle and poking a finger in and out. Still Madeira was slow to catch on and finally Loranda held a finger to her lips and said quietly.
“Listen.”
Then Madeira heard it, a repetitive knocking sound and the occasional moan, finally it clicked. Realizing how naive she must seem she could only roll her eyes crossly at herself. Loranda got up.
“C’mon, we will leave these two love birds to finish. Let’s go get a drink.” Madeira shook her head.
“Oh no, I couldn’t, I swore never again.” Loranda grabbed her arm as Night smiled leading them out the door.
“You don’t have to drink that much again you know. Just be responsible about it.” The evening proved interesting for all of them.
The next morning saw Wollfen packing a bag on the back of a horse with Dark helping.
“That was a nice dinner Raz put on last night wasn’t it?” Wollfen agreed.
“Yes and I can tell you the entré was especially good.” Dark giggled and gave him a playful spank on the ass.
“After dinner, dessert was just as good.” She winked.
They both had happy smiles that morning. Wollfen had set aside his thoughts on the troubles in the world and Dark was just very happy to have him back. It had only been a week and it had felt like the six-month trip he had been away for before. The last eight months had been very hard on both of them and right now this little break before the storm was a necessary one.
Wol
lfen walked back into the quarters and quietly went into the bedroom. On the other large bed three entangled girls lay in a deep sleep. Dark came up beside him and looked too. She whispered to him,
“I thought Madeira wasn’t going to drink anymore.” Wollfen shook his head.
“Who knows what those two got her to do this time. Madeira still hasn’t learned how to take care of herself in this type of environment.” Dark looked them up and down,
“Do you suppose Madeira is becoming like them sexually?” Wollfen shook his head.
“I doubt it. If anything did happen, she was probably too drunk to know what she was doing. You can smell them from here, they are rank. Let’s leave them be. We can leave them a note. Might be a good idea to let Night know she isn’t to do this to Madeira when we get back. I need her to return to Isogorr clear headed and focused.”
Dark went off to write a note for them and after she was finished she left it on the table for them and they exited quietly to let them sleep.
They pulled themselves up on their horses and Dark looked to Wollfen.
“So where are we off to my love? You still haven’t told me?” Wollfen smiled.
“Raz put me onto a log cabin down south that we can travel to in just under a day. It sits halfway up a mountain. He tells me it has spectacular views and is empty at present. I’m thinking it would be nice to stay there for the week with you.” Dark smiled back hearing that.
“Are you serious? You mean it will be just you and me all alone for a week? I don’t believe it!” Wollfen gave her a look and leaned across in his saddle.
“Give me a kiss and I’ll prove it to you.” She leaned towards him and he gave her the softest, most tender kiss she had felt in a long while.
“Mm, I’m convinced, let’s go.”
Back in the enchanted lands Luthein came across a shocking discovery. It was a very old elven text buried within another book and there were only a few pages. What was of particular importance was it spoke of a prophecy and it was like nothing he had ever read before but the circumstances sounded so familiar.
He must have spent a good hour reading it over and over again trying to consider every permutation it could mean, but he kept coming back to the same one, the most obvious. He simply couldn’t believe what he was reading. Finally he decided it was time to go to King Elyssur and seek his counsel. It would take more than one head to mull over this new development and decide what to do with it.
