Dumont's Harem Castle Adventure

by Alexis Ward

  A fistful of grapes and one pomegranate later, Yenette returned and shut the door behind her. “Sorry about that. Security is apparently tighter than when I left. Seasonal tensions with the orc tribes in the northern mountains. Anyway, father agreed to send a small force south. Enough to keep Hightower from causing trouble by keeping him penned in his keep, but probably not enough to take it by force. Hightower will eventually be forced to come out and negotiate as food dwindles. He’ll have to negotiate terms with me and a brigadier general, which should be the easy part. I will place myself in Doubel and handle the day to day business of Hightower’s holdings till such a time as he does surrender.” Yenette said.

  “It’s not the fast and brutal solution that Sasha had in mind, but it sounds doable. So it’s happening? Just like that?” I said.

  “Well, the troops won’t be fully mustered for travel for about a week, then even presuming they’re all on horseback, that will take another couple weeks, assuming the snow doesn’t get worse. I’m just parroting what his military adviser said about the matter when I posed the same question. Also, father saw fit to give you a gift from the realm.” from the pocket of her shirt Yenette produced a square of metal and handed it to me. It was fashioned polished metal, with silver inlay around the edges. On closer examination, it was fashioned like a locket, but larger, with a single hinge and a clasp on the opposite edge. Inside it was the same symbol which Yenette wore, engraved into the metal and some words in a language I couldn’t read. “The family crest. Simply show that at any town in the realm, and you will be treated as a noble guest. Though he did not write you a grant of title. So… consider yourself officially a Friend of the Royal Family for the moment.” Yenette grinned at me. I closed it and carefully tucked it into a pocket of my coat.

  “Thanks. I’ll cherish this. When can we head back the way we came?” I asked.

  “Tomorrow, if you insist. Though I insist that we take the journey on horseback, and father insists that I have a few men along as extra guards.” Yenette said. The matter settled, we were taken to guest rooms elsewhere in the castle. Feera and I were given adjacent rooms, while Yenette went to wherever her usual quarters were. Feera didn’t stay in her own room for very long, and ended up slipping into my room as the sun went down. The bed was uncomfortably large, and could probably have easily held five people. Which was something I’d have to keep in mind for the future. I drifted off to pleasant dreams involving multiple girls and a single oversized canopy bed.

  Chapter 20 - Sometimes it Ends with a Whisper

  The next morning we set out on horses provided by the Kingdom, along with Andrew and one other man, who introduced himself as Dave. Feera was not terribly comfortable with the idea of riding a horse, so instead she rode double with me and we brought her horse along, switching to it occasionally to prevent from taxing either animal too much. The journey home was uneventful, and passed much the same way as the travel to the Capital. Yenette promised me that she would properly introduce me to her father and take me sightseeing after this unsightly business with Hightower was concluded.

  After about ten days of relatively easy riding, we arrived back at Castle Trevarthan. The first thing I noticed was that the gate had gained a proper portcullis, and that to one side of it, three human heads had been posted up on pikes, their necks wrapped with red and green cloth. As before, I could see goblins atop the wall, and they noticed us as we approached. “By the gods. Goblins have taken over the castle. We should flee.” Andrew said nervously.

  I scratched my chin. “Not so much. They actually work for the Viscountess. I… convinced their leader to be our ally. It was more expedient than trying to clear them out of the castle.” I said. Andrew and Dave looked at me like I was insane, but said nothing else on the matter after that.

  In every corner of the castle, we were greeted pleasantly. Stella reported that there had been a small party of Hightower’s men snooping around, and that she’d let the goblins handle it, which explained the gruesome head-on-a-stick treatment they’d received. I didn’t pry for further details. It took Andrew and Dave a few days to adjust, and they spent most of their time trading off following Princess Yenette around. Beyond that, time passed peacefully. After a few weeks, the army arrived and beelined for Hightower’s estate, while Yenette transferred into her position as Princess Baroness In-Absentia once Hightower was penned in within his castle. It was practical, slow and efficient and some part of me was glad that no heroics on my part were necessary.

  Chapter 21 - Epilogue

  Sasha and I sat on top of the wall of the castle, enjoying a quiet lunch as the snow around us melted in the spring sun. She had given up dressing like a hunter, in favor of unadorned gowns and dresses more befitting of her station. A circlet of silver sat loosely atop her head, and her hair was bound up in a loose ponytail that trailed down her back, twisting in the warm gentle breeze. “Well, Friend of the Court isn’t exactly a Barony, but I think once Hightower sees the hard math of it as his supplies dwindle over the next three to six months, he’ll come around to seeing it our way.” Sasha said.

  “True.” I absentmindedly touched the pocket where the Royal Family crest was tucked away. “All in all I’m not too upset about it. Spending most of my days with you girls has been pleasant enough. I could see myself just goofing off here until I died of old age.” I said.

  A shout from outside the wall caused Sasha and I to stand up and peer over, trying to see it’s source. Approaching the castle from the forest was a long line of short, stocky bearded men leading donkeys laden with bags and boxes of supplies. “Ooooi! Castle! It is I, Duriet! Returned with a fine haul!” Duriet shouted from the head of the little caravan of dwarves. A few minutes later we had got the gate open and Duriet and his company stood in the inner courtyard with Sasha and I.

  “Glad to see you back. Though that took a lot longer than expected. What held you up?” I asked.

  Duriet scoffed. “Pah! Snowstorms. The passes were closed, and there is no direct underground route from the mountain home to these lands. The good news is my cousin was able to repair your combat contraption.” Duriet turned and dug around in a box strapped to a donkey, and withdrew my rifle, looking almost as good as new, except for a patch of shiny chrome like metal that covered the area which had been broken. A portion of the stock had also been replaced with what looked like stone, though as Duriet handed it to me, it felt lighter, not heavier. “He made no modifications other than to repair it with what we had on hand, and give it a few test shots with his limited ah… rounds, I think he called them.” Duriet explained.

  I slung the rifle back over my shoulder. “Well, it’s good to have it back, though I’m hoping I won’t need to use it again for a long time.” I said.

  That night we threw a large dinner with all of Duriet’s travelling cohorts. They introduced us to dwarven music, which was the most complicated method of clacking rocks together in rhythm that I had ever heard. Eerily pleasant, but foreign enough that I couldn’t see myself wanting an encore. After the more social festivities, I did manage to convince Sasha, Tabitha, and Marybeth to join me in a large canopy bed…

  Back of the Book Matters and Thank You

  Thank you dear reader for enjoying the entirety of my second novel, I hope you got some pleasure and enjoyment out of it. If you’re looking for more, please check out my other fantasy harem novel, The Guildmaster’s Harem, available through the following link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07Z2RNHG6

  Beyond that, please follow me on Amazon and keep your eyes peeled for my next book!

  Author page here: https://www.amazon.com/Alexis-Ward/e/B07Z2YX5NB/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

 

 

 
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