While taking the steps down the cliff, Meeka went over what happened these weeks in the silence of her mind.
Five other homes were made from trees when certain families finally decided where they chose to live. After learning what it was like to live in a tree home compared to a drafty teepee, the Utala all wanted such homes, but knew the Chief had many objectives and his time was most valuable of all. Only one house beside’s Hammit’s was grown away from the collective Utala. That family chose to be the sole protectors of the livestock when they are brought in after the trade. The four remaining homes were standing prominently before the island’s pillars. One belonged to the elders and was also used as a meeting area. The others were for the older members of the tribe. The young needed to wait their turn to get a home. One home was designed with separate areas for children to sleep when their families wanted alone time. One side was for young boys and the other housed the girls.
Each week, for five days in the morning, Cage gave lessons on combat. The children thrived when he worked with them and the adults refined their own skills. As a whole, even without the threat of other warring tribes, the Utala became more dangerous. And Cage himself seemed to show more of his true skills, even if in small amounts.
Meeka touched her orange warrior’s bead as she continued walking side by side with Brooke. She noticed her own knife wielding skills were now greater than the average Utala warrior thanks to private lessons. She wasn’t good with a bow or lance like others were, but she could hold her own with nearly everyone. Cage still stood at the top of the tribe in all weapons, but none could face him unarmed, which is how he most often fought. Brooke retained the second deadliest with her shiny tomahawks as she danced to a deadly rhythm only Cage could defeat. Still, Meeka could see her arms and thighs grow in muscle, but it seemed to make her more attractive, but not so much she looked in any way manly.
Six times over the last month he needed to truly fight and only Daku was up for the challenge. Each time it looked like they would kill each other in front of the entire tribe, but their maniacal laughter at tearing and breaking each other always left blood and bits of flesh all over the area. The warlock and griffin always enjoyed the challenge and Daku’s experience is all that gave an edge to their fights, but it gave Cage something worth fighting for and the drive for it made the warlock become even more of a danger.
Twice Cage was honorably approached for challenge to be chieftain. The men wanted to see how much they’d improved over the weeks of hard work. Cage, as usual, remained unarmed, but he was beyond lethal. Neither challenge lasted more than five seconds and was observed by the tribe. Both opponents wound up face down in the ground and pinned. The speed the chief displayed never failed to surprise and humble the tribe. None dared even suspect he might be using magic for they all saw how much work he put in and the body had limits, which Cage pushed on a daily basis. He was too honorable in search of a good fight to lower himself by using magic to win a challenge. The Utala could see he lived for greater and greater challenges.
But Cage was more than a man consumed for challenges. He was a man with great intellect and strived for understanding. He’d spend a few hours each night speaking with Megdline or stare at the dwindling number of crystals he kept in his study. One night at dinner Rena had asked why he sits and thinks in his study and his answer was simple. He wanted to figure things out or create things that came to mind. Most of the recent days though were spent creating the new island just off the west coast. Sometimes Meeka and others would come and watch him and Megdline move tons of dirt and stone with little more than their minds.
Cage seemed to relax several nights ago and explained that the island’s security is nearly impenetrable. He’d said that the experiments were working well. He’d exchanged the two control crystals with one large and set crystals not only all around the island’s reef, but in the island itself to use the abundant plant and animal life for magical fuel. Cage seemed so pleased that he didn’t even go into the study that night. Instead, he helped prepare for the upcoming trade.
Reaching the bottom of the stone stairs, Meeka and the others walked the paths around the dying flowers of the lake and waterfall. They would all miss the colors, but knew they would return in Spring. A new path through the forest had also been created which led nearly directly to the eastern shore where the tribe established a permanent residence and guarded the sea pass. No plants were killed in its creation and the path cut three hours of hiking through the untamed forest. Instead of taking a half of a day, they would reach the beach well before noon.
Traveling through the golden leaved forest, Meeka felt her cheeks heat as she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about her sex life and how great it is. She felt nearly fulfilled as she no longer hurt after each orgasmic night. She believed her body doesn’t hurt anymore is because she’d finally adjusted to her man’s enormous lance of pleasure he used on her nearly every night for hours and hours. Brooke too shared the same feeling for they could walk without stumbling afterwards and feel the pain through the morning hours. Now all she felt was true pleasure without the pain each time she took him into her flower, time and time again. And Brooke’s tender touch still put a fire in Meeka. She felt the luckiest woman alive since she got what she so longed for. A gorgeous woman and ruggedly handsome man.
“Your cheeks are red, My Love… what are you thinking of?” Brooke asked by her side.
“Just how happy you make me.” She bantered and got a quick, but tender kiss for the heartfelt words.
“As am I.” Brooke’s eyes shone in the early light while the children walked several steps ahead on the dirt path. “I have never felt the love I get to share with you and our man. Our babies are growing quickly because of it. I feared I’d never find real love and knew it would only make Rena resent men. I‘m glad you and Cage became my mates, if for no other reason than her. The other day I caught her flirting with one of the boys Sean’s age. She will likely take after me and hit puberty early. I’m happy she flirted for she only had interest in other girls, likely from watching me and trying to make me happy. Now that she sees me happy with Cage… I think she is learning the value of men beyond their usefulness to make babies.
“I knew men were good, but the last chief truly hurt me and his treatment never really left till the two of you came in my life. Men are driven to protect their mates and guide the young, but Rena never held long conversations with anyone with a limb between their legs. Look at her now talking with Sean. She never would do that to any boy. She’d give commands and they’d obey, unless they were adults.” Brooke fondly looked between her children and smiled. “She has grown so much since we left the plains I hardly recognize her. The love we share is truly wonderful.”
“Sean too has changed.” Meeka noticed while taking Brooke’s hand in her own. “I know he was a thief, but he is more talkative and excited to do things when asked. Remember how hard it was to get him to be like the other boys?”
The priestess chuckled and shook her head. “I sure do. Now he is comfortable being naked as the great spirits made us. Before we left I heard him mumble about how odd it felt to put on clothes again.”
“I felt the same way.” Meeka laughed.
Brooke’s heated gaze lowered to Meeka’s clothed breasts and the front lacing string keeping them from spilling out. “And I miss seeing you naked all the time. It fills me with pride that I’m the only woman who can take you whenever I get the opportunity.”
“It is the other way around.” Meeka seductively said. “It is I who likes to see you naked and gets to have you.” She shook her braded rope of blonde hair. “I still cannot believe how badly I want to take you all hours of the day after all we do and still want more. You might not have any kind of scent, but I cannot get enough of your taste or touch. It makes me feel on fire just holding your hand like this.”
Brooke grinned. “I kind of asked Daku why that is…”
“Why what is?”
�
��Why we three are so sexually addicted, is how Daku phased it.” Brooke said in a lower voice. “I’ve had much sex with women, but with you I cannot stop once I start. It is the same with Cage. I usually cried out three times a night when I felt the need, but our first night together, I had twelve orgasms. Never had a woman done such to me, especially when you never before had any kind of intimate encounter. And Cage, he lasts many hours inside us. Most men cannot keep a stiff lance more than an hour and will need many minutes before they are ready again.
“Daku told me, in private, more about spirit mates and it didn’t make sense till I remembered something. He told me that we can expect to keep having the powerful feelings until you or I get pregnant.” Meeka went to open her mouth, but Brooke said “Let me finish first. Yes, Cage had great stamina, but you and I cannot keep up with him yet when we are making love the two of us cannot seem to stop. He said unbreakable spirit mates will continue to mate forever until at least one female gets pregnant. But even after having a baby, sex between mates will be almost feverish for the rest of their days. He said we will need to expect this… which” She grinned brightly. “isn’t a problem for me. I like how good it feels just to see the two of you… Remember how Megdline said she spent months with her husband before finally leaving the room, likely what she didn’t say was she was pregnant with her first baby. If she wasn’t, we might never have met her because they’d likely still be busy.
“It also reminded me of how Moril and Chala were when I was little. I wondered why those two always were together, more so than normal sister-mates. They were said to be inseparable since childhood, but when they were honorably beaten by challenge by their man, they seemed to relax from their nightly sex when Chala and Moril both found themselves round with child.
“Until you decide to get pregnant, the three of us will be forever like we are now.”
“But you’ve already had Rena.” Meeka pointed out.
“Yes, but that happened long before the two of you came into my life. Daku said as much. I don’t remember exactly how he said it, but until Cage’s spirit feels we carry a child of his, we will not be able to easily resist having him inside us and keeping his seed, even if it cannot give us what we desire. It is why we find it so good when he fills us and we don’t want him to leave our thighs empty.”
Meeka considered the words before saying “Right now, I don’t want to lose or have these yearnings lessened in the slightest and I know you won’t bare the child of another man other than Cage, but if our desires become destructive, I promise to find a proper man to have a baby.”
“Love, I will never ask you to feel obligated to have a baby. If you want one, have one. Cage will also feel the same in this. Promise me you won’t get pregnant because you feel it to be a duty rather than a desire.” Brooke looked directly in her eyes.
“I promise. But right now I like things as they are. Maybe I might change my mind when Rena gets a mate of her own and leaves the house.” Brooke smiled, liking that idea.
“Mothers! Come on!” Sean impatiently said up ahead.
“Whoops, we don’t want to be left behind.” Brooke said and the two picked up their speed to catch up to the children.
“Chief, it is easy to use!” Rin shouted from beside the steering rudder.
“You’re the captain now and the word is navigate!” Cage shouted up from the new dock he grew out three hundred feet from the shore. “Furl the sail and drop anchor!” a half dozen men and women moved quickly and stopped the large boat grown from a single tree and reinforced just as he did in his house which resisted not only fire, but now seawater. The large, magically crafted two mast sailboat slowed. Unfortunately since it was the first of two maiden voyages the tribe has yet to learn everything there is on how to operate the water craft.
It came in too fast and close to the dock so Cage flung out his arms and manipulated the water to gently broadside the starboard face while thickening the water to slow it. Daku assisted by gripping the boat while standing on the dock to steady it. “Sorry, Chief! Would you like us to try it again? It’s fast on the water!”
“Yes, do it again! This time lock two oars outside to slow yourself!”
The boat turned safely out and went to attempt docking again. Cage watched closely as the Viking style sailboat he created moved off. He’d always like their simple and effective design and ability to row or sail on the wind depending on the situation while allowing plenty of room to walk around. Clearly the best part of the boat is that it is still very much alive. The underside has tendril roots which feed the ship the nutrients it needs. The sail is actually a supersized leaf with the infinity symbol fully displayed for all to see. The head of the ship has the head of a griffin, much to Daku’s pleasure. The boats also have a few more modern ideas for the bow and aft have a razor sharp blade and quite literally cut through the water faster than other ships their size. The reinforcement within the wood would even allow it to ram any other boat with minimal damage. It was tricky finding the right plant able to survive the ocean’s saltwater, but mangrove trees proved to accept the physical alteration and work greatly on the open water.
Cage noticed Rin and a few others fully embraced the sea with a vigor only those who could hear the water’s call couldn’t resist or love. The plains were nice, but quite static compared to the ever changing sea. Rin, after he healed up and recovered from his sickness, was out in the water soon after and rarely left it. The warrior became the captain of the first boat and Quitte took the second, nearly identical boat. Rin named his boat the Dagger and Quitte chose Spear. Cage was all too happy to carve the words boldly on the light brown sides.
The Spear came in for her sixth attempt and succeeded docking without issue. Quitte wanted to make sure it wasn’t a fluke and she peeled off to try again. The Dagger needed help again before it crashed, but Quitte’s prowess proved she and her family could dock twice without incident.
“That’s enough practice for now!” Cage decided and helped dock the Spear. “Load ‘em up!” he shouted to those waiting on the beach. Led by the elders, most of the tribe walked down the sturdy pier with laden bags being carried by four dozen horses. Daku and Cage assisted helping boarding the boats.
It took nearly an hour to get everyone aboard and secure.
“Dad! We’re here!” Sean shouted when he noticed most of the tribe was gone from the beach area. He and Rena ran down the dock as fast as their little legs would allow with their mothers jogging behind.
“Right on time!” Daku said aloud.
“Sorry, we’re late, Cage Love.” Brooke said.
“Come on in!” he waved them up on the Dagger. They then pulled in the long ramp. “All set, Captain Rin!”
Rin smiled like a child on a sugar rush as he commanded the sails lowered. The pulley system allowed the boat to be sailed by no less than three people. The flexible vine ropes were sturdy and easy to pull and tie down. Wind snapped the sails fully, allowing the Dagger to pull away from the dock, dragging six of the boats that first brought them to the island. They passed between the pillars with the Spear following a safe distance behind.
The tribe had the well trained horses sit after having them unloaded of burden. Daku flew in and lay on Cage’s lap to fall asleep. “Dad, is Daku alright?” Sean whispered while watching his dad stroking the cat size Familiar.
“Yes, he’s fine. Neither of us got much sleep last night. He helped keep the boats still so I could add the final touches. Since the celebration begins tomorrow, we worked all night.”
“Then you are in needs of rest too.” Sean said.
Cage was about to say ‘I’m fine’, but a wide yawn escaped. There was no way he’d win a fight after doing that. “Fine. If there’s any problems, tell me.”
“Leave it to me, Dad.” Sean said and watched as his dad twisted and leaned back against the port side. The moment those black eyes closed, Cage’s head dropped and was asleep instantly.
“Oars out!” Cage heard next
and snapped his head up. All around him stood the tribe and looking to the dropping sun behind showed he’d been asleep for four hours though to him it was more like five minutes. Daku stirred to feel similarly. Cage gently sat his Familiar on his shoulder before standing up. Half those aboard pulled out lightweight yet sturdy oars, sat them in one of the recesses while others furled the sails. He moved when an oar nearly knocked him senseless to find Rena and Sean working together to set out one of the forty arms. They smiled and moved when three adults sat down on a bench to hold the paddle in the water with others. Cage quickly moved to the open center and walked down the path as many sat. He approached the rudder. Rin acknowledged the chief with a curt nod and focused on the approaching beach. The newest seafaring man pulled and pushed the arm to control the rudder. He was far from being confident in his skills, but Rin took it as a challenge.
“We made better time than I imagined. Any problems?” Cage asked.
“Chief, the Dagger is great. We made great time with several hours of light remaining. I did as you said, but I do not know if this is the right place… the one you spoke of.” The new captain said directly.
Cage turned to study the approaching landmass, but could barely discern one part of the rugged forest from another. He knew where he wanted to go and let the magic flow, allowing it to search for what he desired. He lifted an upturned palm and from the center rose a wormlike white string about a foot in length. It moved to and fro until it suddenly snapped straight. “Rin, turn the ship to the port until the bow and my seeker thread line up.”
“Which way is port again?” The luminous thread pointed the way. “Oh… left.” Rin smiled before turning the boat accordingly.
The Spear followed the Dagger’s lead to a spot where a river bled into the ocean. Rin called for everyone to hold on as he beached the boat and came to an abrupt halt. A few were unprepared and stumbled from the jerking stop and the horses whinnied indignantly from the treatment. Still, none were hurt as the oars were drawn in. Beside them, the sister ship landed much the same way.
Laugh of Destruction (Book 3 of the Death Incarnate Saga) Page 32
