by Eric Vall
The feast went on for hours, and I watched with amusement as a band began to play. Carmedy was the first to jump to her feet and start dancing. The feline pulled Morrigan out after her, and at first, the elf refused but gave in shortly and joined Carmedy in her dance. After a few minutes of watching the elf and feline, Rana and Annalise rose to their feet and joined them. My companions moved and twirled before me and all of the city, and each time I lay my eyes on them, they were looking at me, dancing only for me.
I was entranced with them, the women who had captured my heart and if I could, I would lay each of them down and bed them this very moment in front of the whole town. They were stunning, each of them glorious in their own special way and all of the city watched them enrapt. My women would never belong to any other man but me, and I could see it plainly as they danced seductively in front of my eyes. For a second, it felt like I was the only one there, and I knew all of the men in the crowd felt the same way too, but they would never have them. Each of my women’s hearts beat solely to please and pleasure their Master, and no one else.
When the song ended, my minions bowed to me, and I smiled and clapped loudly along with the rest of the crowd. My women returned to me, each of them out of breath and red-faced from exertion. They looked stunning, each of them with light sheens of sweat across their foreheads, and I took them into my arms. I pressed passionate kisses to their lips, and I could feel their hearts hammer harder at my touch. They wanted me just as much as I wanted them, and I would show each of them separately or together how much I needed them in my life.
Though I enjoyed my time and the presences of my minions at the feast, I was anxious to start the journey to Tintagal. Instead of taking a passenger ship like before, this time we were being picked up by a Tamarisch warship. My minions and I had been in contact with Annalise’s brothers, Amos, and Adam, who were aboard the ship. They were headed straight for the frontlines of battle, and we would join them there to teach those Tintagal bastards who they were dealing with. I knew Annalise was ready to be reunited with her brothers even if it was only two of them.
Ansel had stayed back in Tamarisch to protect the mainland in case the Tintagal soldiers decided to invade again. Ansel was the eldest and most reliable of the Decathmor brothers and was a high-ranking general in the army already. I had liked him the best out of all the brothers, though I would never admit it aloud. He was strong-willed and level-headed just like my wife, and the more time I spent with him, the more I saw how much his personality had molded Annalise into the woman she was.
Once the feast had finished, and everything cleared away, my minions and I headed back to the Purple Conch. We fell into bed with full bellies and soon, their warmth encased me from all angles. I moved my hands over each of them and whispered sweet words into their ears as they drifted off to sleep. We would board the warship tomorrow and move on to Tintagal. We would take the land of Tintagal, then we would take Baudouin's soul, and I couldn’t wait to watch the life leave his eyes.
Chapter Two
“I wonder what types of food Tintagal has.” Carmedy smiled as she rocked back and forth on the heels of her boots. “I hope they have pies and cupcakes.”
My minions and I stood by the docks outside of Eifersucht with all our belongings in the packs on our backs. The petite feline was excited like she always was when we set off for a new adventure, but when I looked to my warrior wife, her face was solemn and firm. I could tell something was bothering her, and when she caught my eye, I lifted my eyebrows and urged her to speak what was on her mind.
“I don’t think we’ll be able to enjoy the wonders of Tintagal until we finish with Baudouin,” The High Queen told us with a severe expression, and I watched as her hands twiddled with the end of her chestnut braid. “The war between Tamarisch and Tintagal is just starting, and when we arrive, we will be stepping directly into the frontlines of battle.”
“Well,” Rana started as she led over our Bantams by the reigns, “we can kick some Tintagal ass then reward ourselves with some pie, right, pussycat?”
“I’m just worried,” my first wife murmured as she pulled out a letter she had received from her eldest brother earlier in the morning. “Ansel says that Baudouin is taking another wife. If he is the person killing women and creating the Rusalka, then we won’t have much time…”
“We must move with haste,” Morrigan uttered as she came forward, Fea and Macha firmly planted on her thin shoulders. “I would personally like to be the one who rips his wrenched soul from its confines.”
“All in due time, my loves,” I said firmly as I reached out and stroked Annalise’s braid, and some relief spread over her face. “We will deal with Baudouin, but first, we must take his country. A man without his land and soldiers is powerless, and we must take those foremost.”
“Of course, Master, you know best.” The feline smiled as she snuggled up to me, and I wrapped an armor-clad arm around her.
We watched the horizon for the ship we knew was coming, and soon, the iron giant came into view as it cut through the choppy water of the Riese. It was a massive ship, bigger than any I had ever seen. We knew that only half of the Tamarisch army was on board, the rest of them left on the mainland if the Tintagal army decided to come back and challenge them on their home front. As the warship docked, we saw two familiar faces rush down the gangplank. One of the men had short cropped hair that had grown out but not much since the last time we saw him. The two men’s faces were identical except for the hair, and I remembered the striking family resemblance between the sister and her brothers. Both of the men were smiling widely as their heavy boots slammed against the plank, and they rushed towards Annalise. The High Queen met them halfway, and she was swallowed up in a huge hug by both men.
“Anna!” Amos shouted as he swung her around, and my wife laughed loudly as she rubbed at his short hair.
“I see that your hair hasn’t grown much since I was gone or have you shaved it again?” My swordswoman laughed, and Amos let go of her with a sour expression.
“Give it a few years, and it’ll be back to the glorious length that it once was!” Amos grumbled as he crossed his arms, and Adam gave his twin a hard push on the shoulder.
“What if it never grows back?” he chuckled as he gave Annalise a rib-breaking hug which elicited a groan from her. “I’ve heard of that happening, what if you’re bald for the rest of your life? That would be a laugh.”
“I’m not going to be bald for the rest of my life!” Amos grumbled as he ran a meaty hand over his prickly shaved head. “It’s growing back! I swear it is!”
“I can make you a tonic if it doesn’t.” Carmedy smiled widely as she took in the twins as they fussed over their younger sister. “All you need is some coconut oil, aloe vera, ginseng, and onion juice. Massage into the scalp twice daily, and boom, hair back!”
“My savior!” Amos shouted as he threw himself at the small feline’s feet and mock-praised her. My alchemist giggled softly and bent down with her paw outstretched to help the man to his feet.
“Everyone ready?” Adam asked as he looked around to all of my minions. “Got all of your stuff packed and ready to go kick some Tintagal ass?”
“Ay ay, let’s show those bastards who they’re messing with!” Annalise shouted as she raised a fist into the air. Amos joined her in the chant as he hooked an arm around her waist and skipped up the gangplank.
I followed after them with the more serious twin in tow, and he regarded me with the very same brown eyes that matched my wife’s. I enjoyed all of the Decathmor’s company but, unlike Rana and Carmedy, enjoyed the more serious brother’s presence more. Adam was the second oldest child though only a few minutes older than Amos, but it seemed that those minutes gave him a myriad of knowledge that Amos didn’t possess.
As we settled in for the three-day journey it would take to reach the shores of Tintagal, Amos and Adam became more than just my brothers-in-law but also my dedicated followers just as Ansel was. I was
an all-powerful god, and they had witnessed it in the small fight against the rogue Tintagal soldiers back at their encampment. I had earned their respect, and I was eager to show them what I could do on the battlefield.
The warship was huge, larger than any other we had been on and made entirely from metal. The ships we had taken before were for transporting goods or people over small expanses of water, but this warship was built specifically for armies. The men that moved about the deck were all clad in the beautifully made Tamarisch armor, either wearing the helmets shaped into a roaring bear’s head or carrying them leisurely at their sides. Annalise and I were the only two people who wore different armor, and though it made us look out of place, our armor was made more masterfully than the Tamarischian sets.
All eyes were on my beautiful minions when we first stepped onto the deck, but once I placed myself in front of them, all the men looking turned and looked away hastily. Adam’s chocolatey brown eyes stayed heavily on Rana, and I knew for sure that the feelings he had for her from before had not yet subsided. I stepped to her, snaked an arm around her, and brought the fox-woman close to my chest as I gave Adam a meaningful look. Men could lust after my women, but that was all they were allowed to do. They were mine, and no one would ever have them.
Adam turned his back to us as he quickly moved away to talk with one of his comrades and Rana smirked wickedly. The red and white tail behind her back swished with satisfaction, and the fur whispered up and tickled my neck pleasantly. My fox-woman had no interest in Adam but from her actions, I could see she enjoyed the jealousy painted on his face.
I reached up and stroked her unruly hair, and she leaned her head against my chest affectionately. Some of the soldiers were men that I had seen and met once before, and we made idle talk while we waited for the warship to pull away from the dock. A few of them had been to battle before and from scars on their faces and bodies, I could tell they fought valiantly, but some of them were fresh-faced and had never seen action yet. I wondered how they would fair out on the battlefield but knowing the trials it took to serve in the Tamarisch army, I knew they would do just fine, especially with an Underdark deity on their side. The Tamarischian men wouldn’t even have to lift their swords before I was done slaughtering the Tintagal men.
The journey across the Riese took longer than we expected and lasted for five days instead of three because a storm blew in over the water. The warship was prepared for the ice like the breaker we had taken across to Machstein, but the ice was thick and nearly impassable for two days of the journey. It was then that my minions and I noticed something strange happening in the belly of the warship.
On the morning of the fifth day when we were nearing the shores of Tintagal, a thick fog like before blew in, but instead of the Rusalka appearing out of the mist, strange sounds erupted from below our feet. I stood at the mast and watched as shapes formed themselves in the hazy surroundings. I couldn’t make them out as we moved past them, but the ship slowed itself nearly to a crawl, and I was able to make out masts and rotting sails floating in the water below. I could hear the clanking and creak of wet wood and the water lapping against the sides of multiple objects in the water. I turned towards Amos who stood beside me, but the usually lively man was deadly silent as he watched the shadows move in the mist.
“What are they?” I asked softly.
“Shipwrecks,” Amos whispered back with his eyes locked straight ahead. “This part of the water is known for being treacherous. No one knows why but the sailors go mad and tear their ships to shreds.”
“They do not go mad,” Morrigan said calmly as she appeared out of the fog. Her sudden appearance made Amos jumped as Macha cawed ominously into the hazy air. “It’s the Rusalka.”
“They’re back?” I asked as I leaned over the railing and looked down into the rough water for the pale spirit women.
“Yes, they’re here with us, but they will not attack,” Morrigan whispered as she looked over the edge for the Rusalka. “They are afraid.”
“Why are they afraid?” I asked as I tilted my head to her, and the white-haired woman’s dark eyes jabbed towards Amos.
“Why don’t you ask him?” the High Elf murmured to me. “There is something on this boat that shouldn’t be. I do not know what it is, but it is down there, wild, untamable, and seething with rage. Rana and Carmedy haven’t come out of our room all morning. They are also afraid. They keep saying strange noises are coming up from below. Annalise and I cannot hear them, but I trust my sisters when they say something is happening.”
I nodded to my elven lover and faced off with Amos. The younger twin looked at me nervously but stood his ground as I spoke, “What is on this ship? What have you brought with us?”
“Well…” Amos started as he shuffled his feet nervously, but a voice behind me answered, and I turned towards the newcomer.
“It is a new weapon,” Adam said gravely as he strode out of the fog, and I lowered my brows at him.
“Weapons don’t make noises like wild animals,” Carmedy cried as she and Rana scurried into view, arms clasped around each other. The feline’s face was hard and her emerald eyes sliced through Adam.
“What are you hiding from us, brother?” my warrior queen asked as she followed the others out of the mist and placed her fists on her hips.
“As I said before, it is a new weapon, something we have never tried before.” Adam told us, and I narrowed my eyes on his face as he went on to explain. “Something the likes of Tintagal’s army has never seen. Swords and weapons can only do so much when enemy soldiers overrun you.”
“They’re scaring our Bantams!” the petite alchemist shouted as she stomped forward. “Can’t you hear them squawking and crying down there?”
Even though Adam was my family, he was not my blood, and he was supposed to be my follower, and I would not tolerate this insolence for a moment longer. I took one menacing step forward, and his expression broke as the blood drained from his face. He had seen what I could do out on the battlefield and the many ways I could kill a man with minimal effort. Adam held up his hands, and I stopped my approach as I stared him down.
“Bánwolves,” Adam admitted, and from behind him, my first wife’s eyes widened. She grabbed her older brother by the shoulder and turned him to face her so that she could stare into his eyes.
“Adam…” the warrior queen whispered in disbelief. “You didn’t…”
“They will give an edge, Anna!” Adam forcefully assured her, but my wife gasped as she shuffled backward. “Tintagal won’t know what hit them!”
“They’re dangerous!” the swordswoman yelled at her brother, and Adam’s mouth snapped shut. “You know for yourself how dangerous they are! How are you going to control them once you release them onto the battlefield? They have never known a master or an owner! They will not obey you or your men and will destroy anything in their path, enemy or not!”
“We need everything on our side that can help us take over Tintagal, and it was the one thing that came to mind,” Adam countered. “Bánwolves are only native to Tamarisch because the Riese separates the two territories. The Tintagal men won’t know what to do when we bring them out!”
“These Bánwolves… are only native to Tamarisch?” Morrigan spoke up with raised eyebrows, and Amos nodded to her in confirmation. “What are you going to do when you release them into Tintagal? Are you going to take them back home or leave them there?”
“We hadn’t… thought about that…” Amos admitted, and the elven woman turned her attention towards Adam since he was the decision maker in this situation.
“These are animals not native to Tintagal,” the pale elf snarled, and the twins drew back from her in fear. “They are scared and far from home. They will react violently when released, which I can see now that is what you wanted, but it is clear you haven’t thought through the repercussions of your actions after. For every action, there is a reaction.”
Morrigan gestured to the High Queen. “An
nalise has told us that these animals are the highest on the food chain in the wilds of Tamarisch. These animals will enter into Tintagal and will wreak havoc and destroy the already developed ecosystem. They may even hunt some species to extinction and lead to entirely unintended devastation of the country. Have you thought any of that through? No, because you were foolish enough to believe that you would be able to control these beasts then load them back up and take them home like a pack of hunting dogs.”
“We didn’t have any other choice!” Adam protested. “We needed a weapon that would destroy all of the enemy soldiers without putting our own in danger!”
With a flourish, Rana stepped out and gestured to me dramatically. “Uh, excuse me? We have a bonafide god in our presence, are you blind? Ultimate weapon? Literally standing right here, or did you forget about him?”
Silence reigned between the twins, and I watched them curiously. It seemed that the thought of me protecting their men hadn’t occurred to them. It was something I would do without question as the land of Tamarisch was mine now as the High King, and I would protect it with every fiber of my being. If they didn’t believe me, then I would prove it to them just as I had before at the Tamarisch encampment.
“All animals can learn to be controlled,” I said firmly as I stood tall in front of the twins, and they gazed upon me with wonder. “As long as they have a willful master to handle them. I will control your beasts, and they will heel at my command.”
“How are you so sure…?” Adam started, but Amos stepped hard on his twin’s boot to shut him up.
“When we're finished with the Tintagal army, and the war won, you will take the Bánwolves back to Tamarisch and release them where they belong,” I instructed them, and the two men nodded curtly. “Also, please move our Bantams to a different level of the ship. It is unnecessary to place them in the same area and frighten the birds.”
