“No. Her wings had been the golden brown that they show at the root,” Helga said.
“Hmm...” Sean murmured. “Maybe the Soul Bond? Odd that it’d be delayed.”
Aria flapped her wings and her eyes widened more. “Sean, they’re easier to move… they’re lighter.”
“Think you can fly faster now?” Sean asked.
“Maybe,” Aria nodded.
“Let’s find out,” Sean grinned. “Race to Schin’s?”
Aria’s smile bloomed and she shot away. Sean laughed and took off after her, while Helga followed them both.
~*~*~
Sean landed first, Aria a second behind him, and Helga a few seconds after that. “That was fun.”
Aria shook her head. “I was faster, but you’re impossible.”
“He flies faster than any I have known,” Helga said. “He is not as agile, but if he trained, he might be able to match you.”
Sean let his wings fade as a cuon came running toward them. “Hey, there. How’re you?”
A happy woof greeted him as the cuon went prancing around him.
“Happy? Good. Is Schin here?”
Another woof and the cuon started to walk away.
Sean followed the hound, the other two trailing him.
They reached the same barn structure Sean had been to every time he’d been there. “Schin?”
“Hmm? Oh, MacDougal. Sorry, I’ve been working with this one, but he’s not well off. I’d have put him down before, but I can help him now, if slowly.”
“Can I?” Sean asked, going over to where Schin was kneeling next to a whimpering cuon.
“Please?”
The cuon who greeted them went over and nuzzled the whimpering cuon, then sat down and watched Sean. Sean reached out, touching the injured hound, and inhaled slowly. Seconds ticked by and the hound went to sleep.
“Who?” Sean asked with leashed anger.
“The guards,” Schin said. “Bear was one of Babbitt’s favorites.”
“Lomar...” Sean exhaled. “Fucker will pay for this. Okay, I’ll get him up. Does Babbitt know?”
“I sent him a message asking him to come out,” Schin said. “I had hoped to heal Bear and hand him over to Babbitt.”
“Done,” Sean said as he pushed healing through Bear.
Aria watched him with Mage Sight, seeing Sean’s energy slowly work through the cuon. “What was it?”
“Poison, at least, but I think they fed him other things to make his system shut down,” Sean hissed. “Hurting a dog is like hurting a child... Lomar just climbed a few places on my list.”
Helga stood by stoically, also watching with Mage Sight. The care Sean showed the hound moved her. She’d only known of one deity who cared for an animal so much.
Sean exhaled as he finished and woke Bear up. “Okay, boy, time to get up.”
Bear whimpered, then stopped. After a second, he shifted, then stood. With a happy bark, he knocked Sean over and began to lick him. Sean laughed as he fended off the large, slobbery tongue.
Aria laughed and Schin chuckled as they watched Sean. Helga hesitated— she’d gone to help Sean, but seeing the other two laughing, she settled back.
“Okay, okay, enough,” Sean laughed, pushing Bear away. “Get her,” he said, pointing to the female cuon who’d greeted them.
The female cuon barked and raced away, and more happy barks answered her. Bear barked last as he chased her out of the building.
Schin exhaled happily. “Thank you.”
“Glad to help them,” Sean said. “I had a request. Can you bring the ones we buy from you to my manor?”
“I could.”
Seeing his curiosity, Sean explained his trouble with the guards.
“Lomar’s a slimy bull’s ass,” Schin spat to the side.
“Agreed,” Babbitt said from the doorway, “but he’s the commander currently. MacDougal, what brings you out here?”
“Helping with the hounds,” Sean said. “Bear!” he called loudly.
Distant barks answered him, but Sean knew they were coming.
“Bear?” Babbitt asked, his eyes widening slightly before they went cold. “What about him?”
“Lomar poisoned him,” Schin said. “I called you out here so you could see him and maybe take him home.”
“Is he okay?” Babbitt asked.
“Healthy, now,” Sean said, “and he’ll be here in a second.”
Babbitt looked out the door, then whistled. A single bark answered him.
“Oh, he’s happy now,” Sean laughed.
A minute later, Bear and three other cuons were there. Bear slammed into Babbitt, knocking the older man into the side of the barn. Babbitt thumped Bear’s side happily, speaking softly.
“I take it the female is yours?” Sean asked.
“Jackie? Yeah, named after my daughter,” Schin smiled sadly. “The other two there were the ones I had for you.”
“Babbitt, are you going to take Bear home?” Sean asked.
“Of course,” Babbitt said. “He’s always been a good boy.”
“Can I ask you to bring the other two to my manor?” Sean asked.
“Me bringing three cuons in might get a few eyes, but I doubt I’d be as harassed as you would be. The east gate has a few friends on it,” Babbitt said. “I can do that. My thanks for healing him.”
“Me?” Sean grinned. “Why not Schin?”
“Schin can’t heal. You can.”
“Fair,” Sean said, not correcting Babbitt. “Thank you. Schin, that frees you up.”
“I would have done it, but Babbitt can manage it,” Schin said, shaking Sean’s hand. “Thank you again, for everything.”
“If you run into another tough case, just send word. Aria or another of us can come help.”
“I will.”
Sean turned to the cuons. “Babbitt is going to bring you to my home. Caleb is the alpha there. Respect him. We’ll get you settled in when you get there. If they smell like me, treat them with respect and listen to them, understand?”
Both cuons sat and woofed.
“Good.”
“Where are you going?” Babbitt asked.
“Home, but not via the gates,” Sean said as he stepped outside and summoned his wings. “I’d like to avoid the guards.”
Babbitt just stared at Sean. “Aria, I didn’t think your bloodline Talent could be shared.”
“It can’t, but Sean can do almost anything,” Aria laughed as her own wings appeared.
Babbitt’s jaw dropped as he stared at her new wings. His eyes grew larger when Helga’s wings appeared, as well. “All of you?”
“Keep it to yourself, please,” Sean said.
“To myself?” Babbitt laughed. “Everyone will see you.”
“Doubtful,” Sean grinned as he took off, vanishing as he flew.
Babbitt watched them all fly off at speed, being little more than a blur that then vanished. “What else can you do, MacDougal?”
Chapter Nine
Sean exhaled as he stepped back from the bench. Myna’s old blades were done, and he’d just put the finishing touches on Helga’s armor.
“Master, it’s almost time to spar,” Myna said, coming into his workshop.
Sean looked over his shoulder. “Huh... didn’t think it took me that long.”
“What have you been doing?” Myna asked, going to his side.
“I finished your old blades and enchanted Helga’s armor.”
“She’ll need it when going with you tonight,” Myna said. “Might I have you tonight, Master?” The question was asked throatily and Myna pushed against his side.
“Kitty needs some love?” Sean murmured.
“Please, Master?”
“Yes, you can have me as long as no one else asked first.”
“No one has yet,” Myna purred. “Maybe we can add Felora?”
Sean’s eyebrow went up, then he chuckled. “You just want to be able to taunt me that I accept the
title of master from others.”
Myna giggled and kissed his cheek. “I see you like the idea.”
Shaking his head, his cheeks took on a light pink hue. “Mind of its own.”
“I like its mind,” Myna murmured, her hand brushing against his rising problem.
“Not now, Myna,” Sean said tightly, his breath hitching.
Myna pouted at him. “But I came to get you early.”
Sean exhaled, giving her a soft smile. “Okay, but only a little bit, then.”
“Good. Kitty needs her cream,” Myna said as she slid to her knees.
Sean’s eye twitched, as he was sure Felora had taught her that line.
~*~*~
“I was just coming to get you,” Fiona said when Sean and Myna left the shop.
“Someone got me earlier,” Sean told her. “Sparring now?”
“Yes,” Fiona said with a smirk on her lips. “Myna pouted, did she?”
Sean blinked. “How—?”
Fiona laughed. “Because she said she was going to get you and that was a while ago.”
The staff all started assembling, and Fiona took Helga’s breastplate from Sean. He let her take it, as he still had more pieces in his arms.
Helga thanked them and went to put it on. “What did you do to it?”
“Finish suiting up,” Sean grinned.
Once Helga was done, Sean had her pick up her shield. “Do you believe in me, Helga?”
“Yes, sir.”
“You need to believe deeply,” Sean said. “Do you?”
“Yes, sir!”
“Imagine it sinking into your gauntlet.”
Helga nodded and looked at her shield-bearing arm. A moment later, her shield vanished into the gauntlet. “Oh…”
“Now call it out,” Sean said.
The shield sprang from her gauntlet, her arm in the straps as it should be. “That is amazing, sir!” Helga said with a grin.
“That little bit helped me make the breakthrough I needed,” Sean grinned wider. “Now put it back.” He waited for her to do so, then continued, “A few book series I read before talked about armor doing what yours can now.”
Everyone in the yard stared at Sean, waiting for him to go on.
“Okay, okay,” Sean chuckled. “Close your eyes.”
Helga’s eyes snapped shut.
“Now, believe in me more. Imagine your armor melting away from you,” Sean said. “It’s becoming a necklace, a pair of bracelets, a set of anklets, and a braided belt.”
Helga heard his words— her belief in him that he could manage what he said was a bedrock so solid that the planet itself was putty in comparison. The gasps from the others made her eyes snap open. The armor was gone, and a set of mithril jewelry had taken its place.
“Same thing, but don’t close your eyes,” Sean said, locking eyes with her. “Call your armor to you, Chooser.”
Helga’s blood sang with her belief in her god. The bands that encompassed her limbs and the belt surged out to encompass her, taking only a few seconds. Helga’s eyes glowed with black-white fire. “I am yours to command, sire.”
Sean grinned. “I thought it would work. I did my best to infuse the armor, but it didn’t fit me, so I wasn’t positive that the enchantment took.”
Helga’s eyes flared brighter and she went to one knee. “I am your Chooser, named by you and bound in your service. You have shown me what a god should be: kind, caring, and willing to do all he can for those he treasures. I have spoken to your wives and your other servants— there is no other god like you. To give me armor that even Odin would be envious of... I shall do my very best to be worthy of you.”
Sean blinked at her, not having expected what just happened. His eyes darted to Fiona, who was watching Helga, then at Felora, silently pleading for help.
“Chooser,” Felora said, “rise.”
Helga was on her feet in a single fluid motion. “Yes, mistress?”
“Look at Sean.”
Helga’s eyes went to Sean, seeing his worried expression.
“He might be our god, but he’s also the same, kind man he always was. Praise him, worship him, but not like this. He’s not like the others you once knew, as you should well know by now.”
Helga lowered her gaze. “I apologize. I was caught in the moment, sir.”
“Uh... y-yeah. It’s fine,” Sean stammered. “I’m just me. I don’t do well with the god stuff.”
“And yet we all venerate you,” Felora said simply. “We do our best to make sure you aren’t discomfited by it, but we still venerate you.”
“I want a set,” Myna said.
“I do, too,” Ryann added.
Sean smiled softly at his wives. “I’ll get them made for you. You’ll all have them. I don’t want to lose my family again.”
“And the staff, too,” Fiona said softly. “They’re family.”
Sean glanced at the staff, who looked at Fiona with surprise. “Of course, dear. The trick will be making suits for Ven and the others. Ven, I’ll need your help with that.”
“Gladly, sir,” Ven said, landing on his shoulder.
“Okay,” Sean exhaled. “Sparring now, right?”
Fiona giggled. “Yes, husband.”
~*~*~
Sean relaxed under the hot water as the sound of happy voices floated around him. They were all eager tonight... I think the armor got them riled up. Hmm, will it work to fit them in any shape? If I believe it will, it should.
“Husband, are you done yet?” Fiona asked.
“Sorry,” Sean said, stepping out of the water and wiping his eyes. “I was thinking.”
“I figured, as you’ve been under the water for a few minutes,” Fiona laughed from the tub. “Helga needs her back scrubbed.”
Sean blinked. The Valkyrie was standing beside him with the water cascading over her. “Oh, okay.” He picked up the soap and lathered up his hands. He waited for Helga to step out of the water and, as she did, Sean’s eyes went to the scars that dotted her body.
“Sean?” Helga asked.
“Going to get your back,” Sean said, showing her his soapy hands. “But... do you want to keep those scars?”
Helga looked down at her body. “Keep them?”
“I can remove them, if you want,” Sean said as he went to get behind her.
“Please, My Lord? Those were wounds from my old service, and I would rather be made anew in yours.”
“Stop it with the ‘my lord’ please,” Sean said tightly, his hands working the soap into her back. “Now brace yourself.”
Helga widened her stance and waited.
“Done,” Sean said a few minutes later as he went to rinse his hands off.
“You are done?” Helga blinked. She glanced down to see her body was now flawless. “Why did I brace?”
“Because it distracted you.”
Stepping back into the water, Helga felt her faith in Sean spike higher. He named her, shod her in blessed armor, removed her old wounds, and trusted her to guard him and his wives. She was in a daze when she went to the tub. Andrea guided her over to sit between her and Felora.
Sean finished rinsing off and finally joined the others in the tub. More of an oversized jacuzzi without the chlorine now. Thank you, water purifying rune.
“Oh!” Aria said, suddenly standing up. “I forgot, because of Helga’s armor.” Her wings appeared behind her. “My wings have changed.”
Everyone stared at them, clearly shocked over the difference.
“When did they change?” Fiona asked.
“Today,” Aria said. “They’re easier to use now, too, and I can fly faster.”
Myna was on her feet in an instant and the wings she’d just been able to start using appeared behind her. Sean stared at them— hers looked exactly like Helga’s. Myna was looking at them questioningly, as well.
“Easy,” Fiona said as Andrea, Ida, Ryann, and Felora all stood up. “We can’t all have them out at once. Myna?”
Noble Solutions Page 8
