by Logan Jacobs
“A few of us know how to operate the chariots, Great One,” Riondale murmured from behind me.
“Alright.” I turned to scan the ranks of my crew. They were all craning their necks to see down the street past the chariots, and I could tell they were excited about the parade. “Whoever knows how to steer one of these things should go relieve one of the king’s men, the rest of you grab a chariot and hold on.”
I got a small laugh out of Corvis and Kylor, but everyone else was too excited to respond. Everyone eyed the chariots eagerly, and a short while later, we were divided into groups of three. Riondale would drive the chariot with Eva and Elissa, Jorgen steered one with Thanor and Ian inside, Corvis teamed up with Kylor and Bryn, and Mahini rode with the twins. Her jet-black hair perfectly matched the horses pulling the carts, and it contrasted nicely with the wheat-blond of the two men on either side of her.
I made a new save point as we all gathered around the chariots.
When we were ready to head out, the king and I climbed aboard the final chariot, and the soldier who held the reins clicked his tongue to urge the horse forward. The wheels lurched, and I struggled to maintain my balance for a moment, but then I grasped the side rail and steadied myself.
The king chuckled beside me, but he gripped the other side with a white-knuckled fist.
I didn’t have time to respond, though, since we turned a corner and entered a street lined with people, but I wasn’t happy with stumbling in front of the king, so I reset to my save point.
Chime.
I got into the chariot for a second time, and when the wheels lurched, I was ready for it. I kept my balance with a regal expression, and the king eyed me enviously as he gripped the rim with a white knuckled fist. Then we rounded the corner, and the cheering noise was deafening as the people waved flags and banners and watched our approach. The chariots rolled slowly down the street, and I did my best impression of a royal wave as we passed.
I grinned over my shoulder at my crew, and I found them all with broad smiles across their faces. They waved to the citizens of Vallenwood with enthusiasm, and the people practically screamed when our chariots drew closer to them.
As we drove through the circular, winding streets of Vallenwood, I was struck by the density of the population. Bullard and Port Kilwick had both been larger towns, but they paled in comparison to the number of people living in the king’s city. If the crowds lining the streets were any indication, the capital of Sorreyal was roughly the size of Chicago.
After we’d driven past crowds for maybe half an hour, more people joined the parade behind us. Fire breathers fell into pace at the back of the line, and they tossed out huge gusts of flame from their mouths above the heads of the people. Aah’s and ooh’s erupted from the citizens, and then the rest of the performers were added to the mix. I saw jugglers, acrobats, and women dancing. Young ladies walked behind us with baskets of flowers, and they threw the buds into the crowd as we went by, but it seemed like the streets were never-ending.
It took us another hour to tour the rest of the city, and by the time the chariots pulled back in front of the palace, I was famished. The citizens of Vallenwood had followed us, and they all crowded around the parade expectantly.
The king stepped forward and cleared his throat, and a silence fell over the waiting crowd.
“Good people of Vallenwood,” King Frederick began in a booming voice. “You have suffered much recently, and I know times have been hard, but hope still remains! While our fair city was attacked by a monster of unfathomable power, we have an ally with even greater strength than the beast. It is my honor to present to you my champion, Sir Sebastian, the God of Time.”
He stepped back with a flourish of his hands, and I waved as I took his spot. I made a new savepoint just in case I messed up my speech, but I wasn’t too worried about the outcome. At this point, I was ready to get the shindig over with so I could eat.
“Hey, hey, Vallenwood!” I greeted the crowd in a loud, friendly voice. I could have heard crickets chirping, it was so quiet, so I swallowed down the lump in my throat and continued. “We haven’t known each other for very long, but I am already a fan of this wonderful city. It was my honor to fight the dragon who terrorized your streets, and I promise to return with the beast’s head in my hands!”
Cheers erupted from the gathered people, and everyone rushed forward to crowd around me. The king’s soldiers pushed them back, and they made a barrier with their spears, but the citizens reached their arms through the gaps in an attempt to reach me.
“Guess they’re fans of me, too,” I chuckled as I shook as many hands through the soldier barrier as I could.
“Alright, everyone, please stand back!” The king’s voice boomed over the crowd, and silence fell. “The Great One is hungry, so please, allow me to feed him.”
Murmurs of dissent scattered through the gathered people, but they obliged the king and took a few steps backward.
“Thank you, Your Highness,” I said as I waved goodbye to the people and returned to his side. “I’ve been waiting for dinner all day.”
“Well, let’s satiate your appetite, shall we?” King Frederick smiled, and we walked up the steps to the palace entrance.
The rest of my crew followed along behind us, but their steps were brisk and eager for food. We took a right turn from the sculpture of the king, and then we walked down a long hallway until we entered a huge dome ceilinged dining hall.
A long table probably twice the length of my entire house back in Bastianville filled the center of the room, and a stage occupied one corner. It was empty at that moment, but the instruments were set up and ready to play at any time.
Chandeliers hung from impossibly long chains lit up the space, and the light reflected off the fine glass serving wares placed along the table. Smells of roasted meat and stewed vegetables lingered in the air, and I wet my lips as my mouth watered.
“You shall have the seat of honor tonight, Great One,” the king said as he led me to the head of the table.
My crew filed in behind me, and they filled the empty seats along one side of the table. Eva sat to my right, the king to my left, and then some more people entered the room. Judging from the quality of their clothes, I took them to be court nobles, and they all bowed or curtsied before they approached us.
The king introduced them one by one, and soon my brain was swimming with names of lesser nobles. There was Count Gregory and his wife Patricia, the Duke of Elderberg, who was an impossibly old man, and the Duchess of Mistvale, as well as a handful of others.
I decided I needed to already know their names, though, so I reset back to my save point.
Chime.
I ran through the speech again, but this time I led the king to the dining hall. He was surprised by my knowledge of the palace, though, so it was worth having to redo my entire speech again.
Then I greeted the nobles individually as they entered the dining hall, and they all gasped in shock and awe when I revealed my knowledge of them.
That was more like it.
After that, I settled in to enjoy the feast. Servants carted out trays laden with heavenly delicacies from wild boar, varieties of fish, roasted duck, and a juicy turkey leg. Accompanying the vast amount of meat were loaves of fresh bread, candied fruits, and more pastries and cakes than I’d ever seen all in one place before.
We washed down the delicious food with beer, wine, and ale, and it seemed like my cup could never be emptied. I attempted several times, but when I would glance down, it would be full again. I was sure I had some doting servant to thank for my constant hydration, but I quickly got a buzz of euphoric bliss.
After the meal was finished, servants cleared away the dishes, and the bards finally emerged to play their instruments. They plucked the strings in a lively manner that begged for dancing, and after a few moments, some of the nobles got to their feet.
Suddenly, an older woman’s intensely floral perfume attacked my nostrils, and the
gray-haired duchess leaned over my shoulder to whisper in my ear.
“Oh, Great One,” the Duchess of Mistvale gushed, “I would love a token of some kind, something I could take as a protection totem from you.”
“Give him some space, Clara,” King Frederick commanded the older woman in a stern voice.
“My apologies, Your Highness, Great One,” the older woman said as she stepped back a pace. “I felt compelled.”
“It’s alright,” I assured her in a kind voice. “I don’t have any token to give you at the moment, though. Perhaps you could give me one, something to bring me good fortune on my travels.”
“Oh, yes, my handkerchief!” the duchess giggled like a young girl, and she pulled a small square of fabric from between her breasts. She flourished it in her hand like she was waving a flag, and then she handed it to me with a dramatic air. “Take this token, Great One, and may the road be kind to you.”
“Thank you, Clara,” I said with a soft smile. Then I gave her a pointed look, but she quickly caught on and backed away.
Several more people came up to me shortly after that, probably inspired by the duchess’ daring, and I was occupied with talking to the nobles for almost an hour. One man wanted to ask me about other gods, and I quickly changed the subject. Another wanted to talk about weapons with me, but I learned after a moment that he was talking about ancient weapons no longer in existence. The nobles were all crazy in their own ways, and I wondered how the kindly king handled it for very long.
I couldn’t wait to get back to Bastianville and the people I considered friends as well as followers. At least I had the company of three beautiful women and a handful of good men.
Suddenly, Elissa appeared at my elbow, and she swished her dress around her legs invitingly.
“Care to dance with me, husband?” my wife asked with a wink.
“I thought you’d never ask,” I replied as I quickly rose from my seat and took her hand. “It’s one of my favorite things to do.”
I twirled Elissa around in a spin as we made our way to the dance floor, and her beautiful emerald dress glimmered in the candlelight. Her fiery mane hung loose over her shoulders, and her eyes twinkled with joy as I led her toward the band.
We danced in swirling spirals in time to the lively music, and even more people joined us on the dance floor. I saw the king dancing with Evangeline, and I wondered whose idea that was. The duke’s daughter had a charming way of knowing exactly what was needed in most social situations, but I supposed that came from her noble upbringing.
“You certainly look dashing tonight, husband,” Elissa complimented me with a flutter of her eyelashes. “I’m a lucky woman.”
“And I’m a lucky man,” I countered with a wink. “I mean, look at you.”
I twirled her beneath my arm to emphasize my point, and my wife giggled as her skirt fluttered outward in a circle.
“You know how you and I got some alone time the other night?” my wife asked once she was tightly against my chest once more.
“Yeah, that was nice,” I murmured as I swayed us in time to the music.
“Well, now it’s Mahini’s turn,” Elissa giggled. “We decided. I hope that’s okay?”
“More than okay.” I grinned down at the tiny goddess in my arms. “You know I’m crazy in love with both of you.”
My wife stood up onto her tiptoes, and she brushed her lips softly against mine, but that only fueled my longing, so I wrapped her tightly in my arms and brought her up to my head level. Then I seized her mouth in a passionate kiss, and her lips parted to allow my roving tongue to enter her. Our tongues danced while I swirled us around the dance floor, and I wished I could freeze time to hold onto that moment forever.
“My apologies for the intrusion,” Eva interjected softly as she tapped me on the shoulder.
I pulled my lips free from Elissa’s, and my wife greedily inhaled oxygen as her red face returned to its normal hue.
“What is it?” I asked the duke’s daughter as I gently set Elissa back on her feet.
“Mind if I take the next dance?” Eva said with a soft smile, and hope twinkled in her smoky-gray eyes.
I gave Elissa a questioning glance, and my wife nodded.
“Oh, yessss,” Elissa purred as she gave the duke’s daughter a toothy grin. “I need to catch my breath anyway.”
I exchanged Elissa for Evangeline, and then it was back to the dance. Eva was a graceful partner, and she knew the steps well, probably better than I did. We glided across the floor like we’d been doing this for ages, and my partner’s face was lit up with enjoyment as we moved.
I absorbed the sensation of Eva’s muscles as they bunched beneath her clothes, and the scent of vanilla wafted through the air every time she moved. She whipped her head from side to side when we turned at the edge of the dancing space, and I dipped her until her short, jagged hair nearly touched the floor. When the bards switched to a slow, romantic tune, I held her close against me and enjoyed the sensation of her tight body pressed against mine.
“How are you enjoying the evening so far?” I asked during the lull.
“Oh, I’m having the time of my life, Great One,” Eva breathed in a pleased tone. “I’ve never had so much fun before.”
“Depending on your definition of fun,” I chuckled. “There’s plenty more to come.”
“It will be fun to end the terror of the dragon once and for all,” Eva said thoughtfully. “I cannot wait to stand by your side when you bring the beast down.”
“I cannot wait to get to know you completely,” I murmured in a husky voice as I inhaled her sweet smell. “I want to explore you, mind, body, and soul.”
“T-T-That sounds fun,” Eva stammered, and her cheeks flushed a bright red, but she maintained eye contact with me, so that was progress.
“Mahini and Elissa want to get to know you, too,” I teased with a wink, and I was rewarded with a darker blush as she caught my deeper meaning.
“I-I… I don’t even know what to say,” Eva gasped, and she tried to pull away from my arms, but I held her tightly and grinned down at her embarrassment.
“Looks like someone needs to be rescued,” Mahini chuckled as she appeared as if by magic at my left arm. “Mind if I cut in?”
“My pleasure,” Eva murmured with a grateful smile.
“Had enough for now?” I laughed.
“Until later,” Eva whispered, and then she stepped to the side to allow Mahini to take her place.
“You look beautiful tonight,” I whispered in Mahini’s ear as I pulled her close to me.
“So do you,” she replied, and then she blushed. “I mean, you look handsome.”
“I’ll take either one,” I chuckled.
Then I twirled her around the dance floor much like I had Elissa and Eva, but the desert goddess was more awkward dancing on her feet than the two noble ladies, and it entertained me to watch her trying to keep up with the pace I’d set. It was around the third time she tripped over her own feet that the bards changed the music to a slow song again, and I was able to give her a reprieve from the fast-paced dancing.
“Did Elissa talk to you about tonight?” Mahini asked tentatively.
“She did.” I nodded, and then I winked at the beautiful woman in my arms. “Are you excited to get me alone?”
“It will be like our first time all over again,” the desert goddess murmured as heat rose to her cheeks. Her lips parted slightly, and she looked up at me with desire in her piercing blue gaze.
“I’d like that,” I whispered, and I leaned forward to nibble on Mahini’s bottom lip, which sent a shiver through her.
“When can we… begin?” She was ready to go, if the look of need in her eyes was any indication.
“Let me say goodnight to the king,” I requested with a grin.
“Very well,” she replied with a nod. “But please hurry.”
“As you wish,” I chuckled, and then I walked her back to the long table where the king, my
crew, and the other nobles were seated. “It is time for me to retire with one of my wives. Thank you for the decadent feast, my stomach is happy.”
“You are a lucky man.” the king said as he inclined his head toward the woman at my side. “Enjoy your slumber, but I’m glad you are pleased with the meager dinner spread I was able to throw together.”
“You don’t even know the half of it,” I countered. “I’m the luckiest man in the world, and I’m not ashamed to say it. Have a peaceful night, Your Highness.”
Elissa shot me a wink, and Eva avoided my gaze, but the other men grinned at me as Mahini and I left the dining hall. I waved over my shoulder as I led the desert goddess back to the west wing, but as soon as we exited the room, I picked up the pace. My woman wanted me, and I was not one to deny a lady in need.
Mahini walked briskly by my side, and I could tell she was excited by the short panting breaths she was already taking.
I pulled her into my arms, and I crushed my lips against hers as soon as the door to the west wing shut behind us, and we kissed the entire time we walked down the hallway to my bedroom. Mahini tore at my shirt, and when I ripped it off over my head, she raked her nails down the flesh of my torso until goosebumps erupted in her wake.
“Ravish me,” she growled as her piercing blue eyes drove into mine with a fierce hunger I’d never seen there before. She wanted me bad, and I was more than willing to give her exactly what she asked for.
“Take off your clothes,” I commanded in a husky voice as I unfastened my pants and kicked off my boots simultaneously.
Mahini obeyed me willingly, and she pulled her dress off her body with seductive slowness. When she finally stood before me completely naked, her skin prickled beneath my hot gaze.
I slid an arm around her lower back, and I pulled her chest to my mouth so I could suckle on one of her perfect breasts.
“Ohhh!” Mahini gasped and shuddered in my arms as I clamped my teeth down on the hard nub.
“You like that?” I growled against the skin of her chest, and the desert goddess nodded submissively. “Say it. Tell me you like it.”
