by Eric Vall
“Okay, you two need to focus,” Cienna chuckled. “Fiona is not only about sex. She is actually an incredibly powerful magician, which I know you saw some of. I’m going to summon her now, so try to stay calm.”
The princesses made their way off the bed and sat down on a sofa, and I watched Cienna whisper her magic words to herself again and prepared myself for the cloud of hot pink smoke that announced her godmother’s arrival. Although I’d seen it a couple of times now, it was still pretty impressive. I thought back to the way her orgasm had also generated the puff of smoke, and I snickered to myself.
Once the haze had cleared, I caught my first glimpse of Fiona again. She’d already settled herself onto a sofa, and the way she crossed her long legs made the wispy skirt slide up her smooth thighs. Strawberry blonde curls fell down over her shoulders, and I couldn’t help but watch as she brushed a strand away from one of her mysterious golden eyes.
“Ahem,” Cienna cleared her throat. “We have important business to discuss here, so let’s all try to pay attention.”
Heat rushed into my cheeks, but I noticed Jessamine was blushing at Cienna’s words, too, so I felt a little better.
“So, Cienna, Jessamine, hero,” Fiona began with a smirk. “How is everyone feeling today?”
“Well, we visited Lady Fontaine, if that tells you anything,” Cienna told her, and her cute nose wrinkled upward. “The house was as disgusting as ever, and my family was even more disgusting, if that’s possible.”
“What’s going on, sweetie?” Fiona replied, more serious now. “You sound more upset than usual.”
“My stepmother seemed to know I’d been captured and almost raped in the tent,” Cienna muttered as she crossed her arms. “Joe thinks they might be traitors, but I’m not sure.”
“Ahhh,” Fiona said as she nodded at me. “The struggles of the family are complicated.”
“Cienna asked me not to butcher them,” I sighed. “I guess we didn’t exactly have proof, but they were really pissing me off. The way they talked to Cienna… well… I don’t want anyone to talk to my wives like that.”
“I agree,” Fiona said. “I’m glad you are standing up for Cienna. Her last husband didn’t. He was absolutely spineless whenever he met with her stepmother.”
“Also, we got this letter while we were there,” Cienna said as she passed the envelope to her fairy godmother.
“Ahhh,” the strawberry blonde said as she took the parchment and began to read.
“Do you think it’s real?” Jessamine asked as she leaned forward on her knees in anticipation.
“Well, I do know Princess Rachel is a real person,” Fiona said, and then she sniffed the letter. “I do think it’s a little strange that it would still smell so strongly of perfume if it actually came from her kingdom, but the story isn’t entirely unbelievable.”
“Chernabog is trying to take over the whole world, right?” I asked the fairy godmother. “If that’s the case, it wouldn’t be surprising if they were having trouble there as well.
“Yes,” Fiona replied. “I’m sorry to say Chernabog’s powers only seem to be growing, although Jamar's defeat at your hands probably upset his plans. Do you know the entirety of the hero’s legend?”
“Not exactly,” Jessamine admitted. “The books in my kingdom were never quite specific enough.”
“I don’t, either,” I added. “I’d love to hear more, though.”
“I can’t get into the whole of it right now, because parts of it have to be revealed to you as you complete the journey,” Fiona said with a furrowed brow. “But you do need to know that you will, eventually, meet all of the princesses. Their power, combined with yours, Joe, will ultimately be enough to destroy the evil that threatens Fairyland. That’s what we are all hoping, anyway.”
“Which means,” Cienna replied with a thoughtful expression, “we are going to have to make it to Rachel’s kingdom sooner or later regardless.”
“Yes, that may be a good reason to go,” Jessamine agreed. “I know I’m eager for Joe to complete the ritual with other princesses. I-I mean, to increase their powers, of course.”
“Of course, Jessamine,” Fiona said as she looked at the dark-haired princess with a wink. “I know what you mean. You’re just lucky the ritual happens to be fun--”
“In any case,” Cienna groaned and wrung her hands, “I’m still so worried about my kingdom. The battle with Jamar happened so close to my castle that I guess I’m still a little shaky about it, and poor General Grigsby. And now this extra business with Lady Fontaine on top of everything… everyone else seems to be acting normally, but you just never know.”
“I know how you feel,” Jessamine consoled her. “It was really hard for me to leave my kingdom, too, and we were right in the middle of a war. But Joe convinced me the right thing to do would be to go find more troops to help support us, so I had to make a difficult decision.”
“Yes.” Cienna nodded. “I hope the soldiers I have sent to the desert will be of great assistance to you. And I do see your point, because sometimes we have to do what’s difficult for the best of the world as a whole. I, too, would like to meet Rachel and see what she can add to our party. I just want to make sure my kingdom is safe while we do it. Which is part of the reason why I called you here today, Fiona.”
“What is it, Cienna?” her fairy godmother asked as she gazed at her with a warm expression. “I’d always like to try to help, if I’m able.”
“This is a big favor, I know that, but… do you think there’s anything you can do to keep an eye on things for me if we go?” Cienna looked up at Fiona hopefully. “In fact… I’d like to put you in command for the entirety of our absence. The soldiers will go on as normal, protecting the borders and taking care of small problems, but you’d really be the one in charge.”
“Hmmm, like I said, I always want to help someone I care so much about,” Fiona replied as she leaned back in her chair and gazed up at the ceiling for a moment. “And I have been working on trying to remove the curse from General Grigsby already. That being said, I have a lot of work to do around the kingdom as a whole, and ruler is a big job…”
“But isn’t uniting all the princesses what’s most important right now?” I interjected. “If you can do this for Cienna, it’s ultimately going to help all of Fairyland.”
“That is a good point, hero,” Fiona mused. “But I’m still not sure I have time. Maybe if I ran through the logistics…”
“I, for one, was wondering how the soldiers would react to having you in charge,” Jessamine said as she tapped her fingers against each other. “How could you work that out?”
“Well, to be fair, the soldiers don’t even know of my existence,” the fairy godmother informed us. “Plus, my powers of illusion could come in handy. I could even turn myself into General Grigsby and lead the troops if needed. Then no one will even notice he’s gone.”
“It sounds like you’re talking yourself into it,” I chuckled. “Plus, couldn’t you even turn yourself into Cienna if it came down to it? Fiona, I know you know how important it is for us to meet the other princesses, and there’s no one Cienna trusts as much as you to help us on our mission.”
“This one’s smart, Cienna,” Fiona said, and then she winked at me. “I like him more and more all the time. Joe, you just might have convinced me. I’m sure I can come up with a way to work this out for the good of all, and, of course, help my dearest Cienna.”
“Thank you, Fiona,” Cienna sighed. “You are one of the wisest people I have ever met, and there’s no one else I would trust in my place. If you are willing to protect the kingdom in our absence, then I know going to meet Princess Rachel is the right thing to do.”
“Yes, it is.” Fiona nodded. “Never fear, there is nothing the great Fiona can’t handle. And, to make you feel even better, based on what I’ve seen and heard, your kingdom is actually pretty safe. I think General Grigsby is an outlier, and unless Chernabog becomes able to possess an e
ntire army of human men, I don’t think you’re going to be invaded by another kingdom right now. Princess Rachel’s letter only confirms what I already believed to be true: that kingdoms across Fairyland are having the same type of troubles we are. I’m not sure anyone has time for the usual types of military activity anymore.”
“I think you’re right,” Jessamine agreed. “We had been fighting Jamar’s undead for many years, but it has been even longer since we were met with an army from another kingdom trying to conquer us.”
“So, is it settled, Cienna?” I asked. “If things are relatively stable here, and Fiona seems to have everything under control, then I think it will best help Fairyland to continue traveling and help more people.”
It wasn’t just because I wanted to meet another hot princess, though that definitely wasn’t hurting my opinion of the situation.
“Alright,” Cienna stated, and she straightened up and lifted her chin up with a regal air. “Joe, Jessamine, I think we should do this. I’m so grateful for you, Fiona. It means so much that you’re willing to take the time to help me out.”
“The hero made some good points,” her fairy godmother said with a smile. “I believe in you, Cienna, and Joe, Jessamine, I believe in you, too. Especially since I enhanced Joe’s sword…”
“Yeah…” I cleared my throat. “That was quite fun…”
“I’m actually kind of excited,” Jessamine giggled. “You said across the sea, right? I’ve never been on a boat like that before. There wasn’t much water near my kingdom.”
“You’re so great, Jessamine,” Cienna chuckled. “You always see the adventure in everything. Maybe a boat trip would be nice.”
“So, we’re going to do this.” Fiona nodded firmly. “I’m proud of you, Cienna, and of you, too, Jessamine, because you princesses are very brave. And of course, you always have Joe, your fearless leader.”
“Yep, you know I’m in,” I agreed.
“Alright,” the fairy godmother declared. “I’m going to go work on removing General Grigsby’s possession. Never you worry, Cienna. Your kingdom will be safe in my hands.”
I was a little disappointed we weren’t going to be able to reenact last night’s events, but with a puff of pink smoke, the fairy was gone.
“Well, I guess this is it,” Cienna said, and I could tell she was nervous. “I can’t believe we’re actually going to leave my kingdom, but I completely trust Fiona. Still, we’re going to have to leave Starlight…”
“Aw, Cienna, it will be okay,” Jessamine reassured her. “Fiona’s going to take care of your baby, too. She would never let anything happen to Starlight.”
“I know,” Cienna sniffled. “I’m just going to miss her.”
I went to sit next to Cienna to put a comforting arm around her. I was pretty excited about the boat trip myself, but I still understood her concerns about leaving.
“So, I suppose we pack tomorrow,” Jessamine said with a wink. “I don’t have much left to bring, but I’ll certainly help find things to wear from your closet.”
“Are we going to pack lighter this time, Jessamine?” I asked her. I remembered the way she’d packed for our original magic carpet journey, although many items had, in fact, turned out to be useful along the way.
“Oh, Joe, you’re teasing me,” the dark-haired princess replied and lowered her eyelashes. “Then again, you didn’t seem to mind when I had pockets full of jewels to spend.”
“Touché,” I responded with a laugh.
“Let’s turn in early tonight,” Cienna yawned. “I’m ready for some food and sleep.”
After what we’d experienced at Lady Fontaine’s house, I was more than ready for a meal prepared in the castle’s kitchen. Tonight, succulent lamb chops were on the menu, and I stripped every last bit of perfectly-seasoned meat from the bone. A side of rich, buttery potatoes accompanied the meat, and I was more than happy after the day’s events to drink down a pint of heavy ale.
When we were done eating, we laid down on the huge feather bed in our usual position, with me in the middle and a princess on either side of me. We all snuggled up together under a gigantic blanket, and I wondered again how I’d gotten so lucky.
When I woke up the next morning and managed to drag myself out from under the covers, Cienna started to pull out belongings for the trip with the assistance of one of her maids. Just like when Jessamine had packed, I could tell we were going to need to bring huge crates on the boat with us. Then again, I figured a ship could handle more than a magic carpet.
Jessamine emerged from the bath and smelled so fresh and clean I had to pull her in for a kiss. I didn’t know what the palace’s servants thought about our strange relationship, but the only place Cienna ever seemed to care was when we first visited her family.
“Good morning, hero,” my dark-haired wife giggled after I let go of her. “It’s nice to see you today. Are you feeling ready for our trip?”
“More than ever,” I replied.
Cienna, who had overheard us, came over to join our conversation.
“Don’t worry, you two,” she told us. “I need you to know I like to travel in style. Whatever we were doing before we got to my kingdom, with the magic carpet and all that, that’s not really my thing. You’ll see, my ship is nice.”
“Sounds good to me.” Jessamine grinned. “It’s been nice to return to luxury after all this time. I don’t really like to sleep outdoors, either, though Joe makes it fun.”
“Hey, I’ve never even been on a cruise,” I told them. “Is there a buffet on this thing?”
“A… buffet?” Cienna repeated with a puzzled look on her face.
“Never mind,” I laughed. “It’s just lots and lots of food that they serve on big boats back home.”
“Well, I don’t know if the food will be like that, but the quarters are very nice,” the blonde assured me.
“Don’t worry about it.” I waved her off. “Everything will be perfect as long as I’m with the two of you.”
After we had all dressed and eaten, it was time to make our way down to the docks. It was a short distance, so we decided to walk while Cienna took one last ride on Starlight.
When I saw the sea, I felt like I was back home again. It was the first time I’d been near a large body of water since I’d left LA, and the salty air felt cool and refreshing on my skin. Seagulls squawked in the air, and the water itself gleamed bright blue in the sunshine.
I was no expert on boats, but Cienna’s was pretty impressive. Three masts with huge, white sails rose from the deck, and the entire vessel had to be hundreds of feet long. In place of a woman, an ornate carving of a horse served as the figurehead.
Jessamine stood next to me on the road next to the dock and gripped my hand tightly.
“Oh, Joe, this is so beautiful,” she exclaimed. “It’s different from anything I’ve ever seen before. I know I didn’t want to leave my kingdom, but this makes it worth it.”
“It is pretty nice,” I admitted. “And did you see the ship? What do you call her, Cienna?”
“It’s the Lady Starlight, of course,” she replied from horseback, and as if to punctuate her words, she leaned down and kissed her giant white horse on the mane. “See, Starlight, I’ll never forget you while I’m gone. Oh, look, it’s the captain.”
A short, ruddy-faced man came striding forward toward us, and he was dressed in what I assumed was naval regalia and wore a large, black captain’s hat.
“Hello,” I held out a friendly hand to him as he approached.
“Captain Barnes,” he announced with a bow, and he gripped my hand in both of his own. “Princess Cienna, I am at your service, as always.”
“Captain, it is wonderful to see you,” the blonde princess responded and dismounted from Starlight. “I always trust your guidance when we are out on the open seas. This is Joe, and please pay your respects to Princess Jessamine, as well.”
“Charmed, Your Highness,” the captain said as he nodded and bowed to
Jessamine.
I stared out at the water and caught a glimpse of the crew and some of Cienna’s soldiers boarding the ship in preparation for the voyage. It looked like we would be traveling with at least thirty other men, and as I watched them walk up the gangplank, I was getting more and more excited to set sail.
It seemed like all that was left was Cienna and Starlight’s tearful goodbye.
“We’ll be back soon, I promise.” Cienna threw her arms around the giant mare’s neck and gave her another kiss.
“At least you have us,” Jessamine said to Cienna and kissed her on the cheek.
“I know, I’m so thankful,” Cienna sighed and wiped her cheeks. “Well, I guess this is it. Shall we board? Do you want a tour of the ship?”
“I do!” I announced. “I’m ready to sail, baby.”
The captain turned and started to walk back to the dock, and Jessamine and Cienna each clasped one of my hands as we started to follow him.
My heart started to pound faster as we walked up the gangplank. There had been no shortage of exciting travel since I’d gotten to Fairyland, but I was in an especially good mood today. There seemed to be some sort of trouble wherever we went, but it had been a relaxing few days, and I felt optimistic.
I had two beautiful women at my sides, Genie’s Wrath on my belt, and a cruise to take. So, life was pretty awesome right about now.
Once we reached the main deck, we took a moment to stand at the ship’s railing and gaze out at the sea. Aside from some small waves that crashed on the rocks next to the dock, the water was almost totally smooth, and I felt at peace. I looked over at Cienna and Jessamine with their long hair whipping around in the breeze, and I couldn’t believe how beautiful they were.
As if she could read my thoughts, Jessamine looked up at me with her huge brown eyes.
“I’m excited to see Cienna’s quarters,” she said, and she blushed. “Have you ever made love on a ship before, Joe?”
I could immediately feel the blood running hotter in my veins.
“Uh, no… not yet.” I grinned at her, and she smiled back.
