by Eric Vall
“I can’t believe Pindor’s going to have all of this one day,” Cayla muttered under her breath. “It’s so beautiful.”
“It’s huge,” Aurora chuckled.
“I want it,” I admitted. “It’s perfect.”
“We could do this,” Shoshanne said with a shrug.
I sent her a pointed look. “We?”
“You,” the healer giggled.
“That’s right,” I chuckled, “and work like this takes a lot more than just a wave of the hand.”
“But you could do it,” Deya said with a sweet smile. “Don’t you think our babies would love to have a home like this?”
“Babies?” I asked and cocked an eyebrow at her belly. “How many have you got in there?”
“One … so far,” the beautiful elf pouted. “You’ll give me many more, though, won’t you? Please? I already want to get pregnant again. I love when you get me pregnant.”
My women giggled as a few Defenders glanced over, but when they smirked and headed to get their bags, Aurora nudged Deya in the side.
“Wait your turn,” the half-elf scolded. “Mason still needs to get all of us pregnant, too.”
“And Nulena,” Cayla added.
My women sent me huge grins, but I stubbornly kept my eyes on the workings of Lord Allen’s estate.
“I hope she’s doing alright,” I said after a minute. “I thought she’d find us by now.”
“Oh, she did!” Deya gasped as she smacked her hand to her forehead. “I knew I forgot to tell you something.”
“What? When?” I asked, and I finally took my eyes off the earl’s grounds.
“I’m sorry, I was so caught up in all the excitement and your nice people with their presents,” Deya sighed. “But she’s been leaving little tufts of shadow on my pillow for me! Whenever I wake up to puke in the middle of the night, there’s a little shadow by my nose.”
“Aww,” Aurora moaned. “Nulena’s so sweet. That means not only does she know where we are, but she knows when you puke.”
“That is sweet,” I chuckled. “I’m glad she’s not confused, but I wonder why she hasn’t stayed over at all. I hope we didn’t hurt her feelings by leaving town so suddenly. She usually comes by at night, even when she’s busy.”
“You know Nulena,” Cayla muttered. “She’s most likely caught up with orchestrating some elaborate miscommunication that will get ten lords killed and end up being blamed on some random elf who will lash out at the next elf and--”
“That’s so something she’d do,” Shoshanne laughed.
“It is,” I allowed. “You’re probably right. Nulena’s busy causing trouble, and why would she tag along on a mission to protect Illaria?”
“Ew, she wouldn’t,” Deya said as she wrinkled her nose. “Way too helpful. Way too kind.”
I nodded in agreement, but Aurora had a silly smirk on her lips when I caught her eye.
“You miss her,” the half-elf teased. “It’s only been a couple days, and you miss her already.”
“Of course, I miss her,” I chuckled. “She’s sweet and scary, has the body of a goddess, and can’t say ‘I love you’ without choking on the words. Plus, she hasn’t tried to kill me even though she seems to want to kill everyone else. Makes me feel special.”
My women burst out laughing as I cracked a cocky grin.
“I’m telling her you said that,” Cayla giggled.
Deya whimpered as her brow crinkled. “Gods, I miss her so much I could cry.”
“Nope, no crying today,” I decided. “Just this beautiful sunset with not a parade or band in sight. Now, Aurora and I have to get the Defenders in order, but why don’t the rest of you enjoy the grounds for a bit? I’m sure Lord Allen wouldn’t mind.”
“Mmm, a lazy stroll before bed sounds lovely,” Shoshanne sighed. “Tonight, I insist we actually sleep for more than a few hours, though. Deya needs her rest, and we’ve done nothing but have sex with you lately.”
“Yes ma’am,” I chuckled. “Day sex tomorrow?”
“Obviously,” the healer purred.
“I’m bringing Stan and Solana along for our walk,” Cayla decided. “This is the perfect place for the little dragon to unwind and stretch her wings.”
“And I am wearing my pink fur because it makes me feel like a bunny,” Deya said with a nod.
I couldn’t help smiling as I watched her strut back to the car with her nose up in the air, and the others followed after while they giggled at the beautiful elf.
“Ready?” I asked as I turned to Aurora.
“Yes, and I’ve already calculated how long it will take each crew to reach their posts,” the half-elf replied. “If we can get them out within the hour, they’ll be stationed before moonrise, but we better hope Dragir’s shipment of magazines finds us first thing tomorrow, because we’re sending out our last twelve crates tonight.”
“You’re so sexy when you’re calculating things,” I informed her as we headed down the platform.
Aurora slapped my arm. “Professional?”
“Sorry,” I muttered. “I meant you’re so sexy when you’re calculating things, Defender Solana.”
“I am, Defender Flynt,” the half-elf replied. “How professional of you to notice.”
The two of us were laughing when we joined Kurna, Haragh, Taru, and Urn down the tracks, and I could tell by how relaxed their smiles were that they’d been enjoying the view as much as us.
“Not bad, right?” Kurna asked while he stretched his arms out wide. “I could get used to a place like this. What do you think? Next upgrade for Falmount?”
“Pindor would flip,” Aurora snickered.
“Why?” Haragh snorted.
“Because Pindor loves copper roofs,” I lied. “Ask him. Copper roofs everywhere just makes him feel at home.”
“Huh,” Urn mused. “Never knew that.”
I grinned. “Where are we at with the crews?”
“Well, Lord Allen’s knights can supplement our own efforts, so we’ve arranged for only thirty Defenders to cover all of Rainard,” Kurna said, “and another fifteen will head south to Holn. That leaves twenty for Burnish in the east, and since Jera is only about a mile across with nothing around for fifteen miles, I figure seven Defenders should be enough.”
“How many stops tomorrow?” Aurora asked.
“Just three,” the brawny mage replied.
“But it’s the longer haul because we’re turning north,” Urn told the half-elf. “An hour between here and Rajeen, another hour from there to Millia, and a full two hours to reach Garioch in the far north, if the winds don’t ice the tracks too much.”
“That sounds like a lot of unguarded land,” I pointed out.
“Not if you consider Falmount’s placement,” Haragh said with a shrug. “We’ve got a large store of mages there, and we’re halfway between Garioch and Millia, just a bit to the east is all.”
“True,” I agreed. “Well, let’s get started, then. We’ll get the mages for Burnish sent out first since they have the longest ride, but Haragh and Urn, if you wanna double team the crews for Jera and Holn, I can set up the Defenders here while you guys go to dinner.”
“Sounds good,” Haragh agreed.
“Taru, the girls are going for a walk around the grounds,” Aurora said as she turned to the ogre woman. “If you don’t want to wait around for us to finish up, you could go with them. I know Deya has made you a flower crown.”
Haragh smiled from ear to ear, and Taru let out a soft purring sound as she kissed his cheek. Then the ogre woman and I bumped fists before she headed down the platform, and the generals split off while Kurna, Aurora, and I made our way to the Defenders.
The mages were already watering the horses and getting them fed, and the last crates of magazines were stacked and waiting to be loaded up. We spent ten minutes going over the directions to Burnish while Haragh did the same for the Holn and Jera mages, and then Aurora spoke with the whole troop as Kurna and I b
egan hauling the crates onto the horses’ backs.
Once everything was strapped down, we got their provisions loaded in the Defenders’ saddlebags while Aurora touched base with the generals who were shipping out, and I addressed a few mages’ last-minute concerns about their 1911s. Within forty minutes, the Burnish crew was mounted and ready to move out, and only ten minutes later, the Defenders for Holn and Jera rode off in opposite directions to reach their posts.
Then I dismissed the generals since they’d been working their asses off lately, and Aurora and I set to work organizing the thirty Defenders who would be staying in Rainard. We’d just started going over their protocol when I heard my name from the platform, and I recognized the genial timber of Lord Allen’s voice before I turned around.
I’d only met him once at the meeting about the tariffs in Serin, so I was surprised to see him so underdressed. He looked like any of his workers on the grounds, in a simple shirt with rolled up sleeves and mud-splattered working boots. His sandy hair was haphazardly combed just enough to keep it out of his eyes, and he had a broad grin under his wiry moustache as he came toward us.
“You’re doing this one,” Aurora immediately decided.
“What?” I snorted.
“He’s the richest earl in Illaria,” the half-elf whimpered.
“So what? You’re a head of the Order.”
Aurora ignored the statement as she abruptly turned away, and I didn’t have time to grab her before the earl extended his hand to me.
“Lord Allen,” I said as he gave me a two-handed shake. “It’s good to see you again.”
“Same to you, Baron Flynt,” Lord Allen chortled. “I’m sorry I haven’t prepared an official welcome for your troops, but Pindor wouldn’t have any of it. He said to let you do your job and not embarrass him by putting on any ghastly displays.”
I grinned. “Yeah, the kid knows me well. Your estate is impressive enough as it is.”
“Feel free to look around all you like!” the man boomed. “My residents come and go as they please to enjoy the grounds, but this must be the other head of the Order I’ve heard so much about?”
Aurora acted like she was too busy to notice anyone talking about her, so I dragged her over, and the half-elf was stiff as a rail when she came face to face with Lord Allen.
“Defender Solana,” Aurora said as she offered her hand, and her voice shook a little from her nerves.
Then Lord Allen bowed to kiss her hand rather than shake it, and the half-elf’s eyes went wide.
“Pindor’s had much to say on your behalf, young lady,” the earl informed her. “I hear your leadership of the Ignis Mages in Orebane was essential in holding off those ice giants, and he says you’ve been training several of the mages up there in Falmount as well. Doing a damned good job of it, too.”
Aurora blushed, and I couldn’t tell if she was more freaked out about talking to an earl, or if it was the fact the richest noble in Illaria just bowed and kissed her hand.
“Oh, it’s … M-Mason was really the one--”
“She gave ‘em hell in Orebane,” I assured the man as I dropped my arm around the half-elf’s shoulders. “Trust me, everything you’ve heard is probably an understatement when it comes to Aurora. The Order of the Elementa will be improved tenfold under her leadership.”
“And Mason’s leadership,” Aurora blurted. “H-He’s the other one. The mage. The other head mage, I mean.”
Lord Allen chuckled heartily as Aurora blushed even more, and she fumbled to stay on track.
“So, I-I um, we’re … Defenders are here,” the half-elf stammered. “Th-the Defenders who, um …”
Finally, Aurora just looked up at me to save her, and I grinned.
“We have thirty Defenders for the post here in Rainard,” I told the earl. “If you wanna point us in the right direction, I can get them all situated.”
“Excellent!” Lord Allen boomed. “I’ll trade you thirty Defenders for all those crates that arrived this morning. Came in from Falmount along with a telegram from a man named Raynor, I believe.”
“Perfect timing. Aurora just informed me we’ve run out of ammo for our troops, and those crates are our next supply.”
“Ahh, so she’s the one keeping everything in order?” Lord Allen mused, and he nodded in approval at Aurora.
“N-Not really, I just … Mason does the … the guns are um--”
“I’d be lost without her,” I assured the earl.
“I don’t doubt it,” Lord Allen chuckled. “Come with me, I’ll show you to the shipment. Our barracks are only a short way off from the trainyard.”
I nodded as Lord Allen passed to lead the way along the tracks, and Aurora sent me a very blushy glare while we followed.
“What?” I chuckled.
“Stop making me the center of attention,” the half-elf hissed.
“But you’re so sexy when you’re the--”
Aurora punched me in the arm, and I tried not to laugh too loudly while one of Lord Allen’s farm managers fell into step with him to discuss the soil condition in a new field they just broke ground on.
“Come on, it’s just Pindor’s uncle,” I muttered, “and you’re gonna have to get used to talking with nobility for this job. You’re helping lead the defenses for all of Illaria. Doesn’t that position make it easier to address them?”
“No,” Aurora groaned. “I’m not good at it. Can’t you keep handling all the rich people, and I’ll keep practicing with the troops?”
“No way,” I snorted. “That sounds like no fun.”
“Please?” Aurora begged. “I’ll do anything.”
I raised my eyebrows as I checked to make sure Lord Allen was preoccupied with his farm manager, and then I lowered my voice.
“Alright,” I agreed. “Remember that thing you did after you burned your dress off last night?”
Aurora’s lips curled into a grin as she nodded.
“If you’re willing to make that a regular occurrence at our house, I’ll talk to every noble we deal with for this job.”
“That seems like a very professional way to handle this,” the half-elf decided. “I accept your terms, Defender Flynt.”
“Fuuuck, yes,” I sighed. “I love being a head of the Order with you.”
Aurora giggled in agreement as she tucked herself under my arm, and when Lord Allen came to a stop beside a stack of metal crates, she was much less blushy.
“Well, here they are,” the Earl said, and he waved his arm toward the crates. “The telegram’s attached to the top crate for you, and do you see the stone edifice on the other side of the mill?”
I craned my neck. “The one with the four copper spires?”
“Yes, sir,” Lord Allen replied. “That’s my army’s barracks. Your troops will be staying there, and their private stables are just next door. Three meals a day are to be served in the Great Hall of the west wing, and they’re welcome to utilize the training area out back as well.”
“Damn,” I chuckled. “That’ll do nicely.”
“I’m glad to hear it,” the earl said with a nod. “Let your leading general know they can find me at any time if the Defenders are in need of anything, and I’ll have my own general fill them in on the--oh, pardon me for a moment.”
Lord Allen turned to speak with a mill worker about the grind they’d be using on his next shipment of wheat, and I casually pulled Aurora closer so I could murmur into her ear.
“If you want to get our Defenders over to the barracks, I’ll handle all the technicalities with Lord Allen.”
“Yes, my lord,” Aurora purred. Then the half-elf flashed me a filthy grin, and she shifted her red velvet to show off her cleavage a bit as she strolled past.
“Godsdamnit, I love this job,” I muttered.
“What was that?” Lord Allen asked as he turned back to me.
“Nothing,” I chuckled. “I just love my job.”
“Hah!” the earl chortled. “Long hours with a
woman that beautiful around … sounds like a dream.”
“You have no idea,” I assured him. “What was it you were saying about your general?”
“I’ll have him touch base with the Defenders over dinner this evening,” Lord Allen replied. “I’ve already heard tell of the magical means of travel this Master has been utilizing, and my men have been dispersing throughout my land each night to stand watch. So far, no attacks have occurred, but I’m relieved to have more adequately armed soldiers about. My general will be able to fill them all in on the proper routes of travel around here, as well as the distribution of my residents. There are seven small villages throughout Rainard, but the majority are within half a mile of one another.”
I nodded. “My troops should be able to handle anything the Master sends this way.”
“And my army is yours when the time comes,” Lord Allen informed me. “The knights of Rainard have been serving the crown for the past two hundred years, and they number ninety men these days. They’re highly skilled in all manner of combat, and thanks to your efforts against the tariffs, they’re fully armed with dwarven swords, maces, and battle axes. Get word to me, and I’ll send them up north within the hour.”
“I appreciate that,” I said in earnest. “We could use all the help we can get.”
“How are your plans going with regards to the hidden fortress in the east?”
“How did you … ” I began, but the earl tapped his nose as he sent me a sly look.
“I have an acquaintance who makes it her business to know everything,” Lord Allen said, and I smirked as Nulena came to mind. “She’s certainly an expensive acquaintance, but I find staying ahead of the curve in times of war always pays off in the long run.”
“I agree,” I chuckled. “We’re still at an impasse with the hidden fortress, but I’ve kept half my troops in the north so we’re prepared as soon as we get an opening and can launch an offensive attack. Pindor will likely be leading his own troops for the siege, since he’s a Defender now.”