by Marcus Sloss
“Lots of progress here Gryff, I recommend utilizing the underground to build up your bison production,” Zack said.
“I was wanting to maybe use the extra space under for yeti and ice cat breeding,” I replied.
Bella chimed in. “I agree with Zack on this one. If you mix prey with predator you may run into issues. Also, there is so much underground space available in Fernlan now that it expanded. If you use the northern fields to build a large ice cavern with water magic you can keep a closer eye on the development. Oh… You hired Count Conway, who is now Earl Conway. The promotion got him to come to oversee Phen and livestock production. He is rapidly ramping up production and brought some very good hires. His son now runs the Lakeland livestock market. A lot fo the key people stayed to help him transition. Father was sad to see him go but is happy he is helping us.”
Dina asked if I wanted another circle around Streb and I said to carry on with taking us to Lakeland. We soared over the trees in quiet for a few minutes when Bella placed a hand over mine. “Zack, you may not know it, but getting alone time with Gryff is next to impossible. A lady must make the best of what she has. I am going to speak about private things with my husband. I trust you not to disclose our conversation. I see that look husband, it is not about that topic, but one near to my heart.” Bella said as her blonde hair was flung back by the speed of Dina. Her blue eyes bored into mine. Her features softened and her eyes widened. She put on her pleading face. “I was voted down on a sixth wife. I never thought in all my years I would ask for a real sister of mine to be a sister wife. I did though. You are an Emperor, a fine man, and a devoted husband. Also, there is more to you than I ever dreamed possible. I am wanting to add a concubine. I know… me wanting a female play toy.
“Except I don’t. My title as first wife has been bypassed by both Amber and Addilyn. Those two are like sisters. Then you have Pipi and Velia who are lovers and act like sisters. That leaves me alone a lot. I do not fault you for being gone so much and I work to improve my relationships with my sister wives… I don’t have the same type of connections they do. Recently I received a letter from my sister Trish. Do you remember Trish, you met her on our wedding night?”
“I am sorry you feel left out, and I try to devote time to all of you. This is the exact reason I do not like the idea of polygamy. The jealousy and lack of attentive care. A harem was never on my goals list. A wife and children sure. I am sorry… I do not recall Trish. Keep going though and I promise to listen intently,” I said it and I meant it. Bella was being sincere and it was the least I could do. Zack had retrieved a book to read while we flew. I knew he liked Bella even before we married and would honor her word to keep quiet.
“Trish is plump, sweet, and we grew up as best friends. She is also one of Una’s blood sisters. She was born a year before me and has rejected a few suitors. Well, she is going to be traveling soon. The Duke has ordered her to find a husband. She wrote to me asking to be added to our family as a first choice. I jumped in joy at her decision only to hit a wall with our family. I get it. They voted no not to spite me, but to please you. You are not wanting more wives. I do ask you to approve my concubine. She will be my only one allowed and I thought about it hard. This would be my soulmate when you are away. She also is only into men, but I don’t think she ever saw women like Amber and Pipi naked. They even make me drool sometimes. I do know I will never view Trish that way. There is a bonus here. She also is gifted with magic. Her mother has none, but Lady Rain’s father had air magic. Which is what Trish has.” Bella reached into here bust from her signature yellow dress and handed me the paperwork. A pen tucked between her growing breasts was handed my way. “Please.”
I bent the paper to my will and ensured it was correct then signed it. Of course, Bella did not make paperwork mistakes. This was her one wish, to find a person to share time with while I was away. I could rationalize this and respect it. I was going to grow very old, and I accepted I was not going to do so alone. If Bella was going to be immortal with me than this scorn could haunt our marriage and I did not want that.
Bella retrieved the paperwork and stuffed it in her bust. She stuffed the pen back in between her tits and I ogled her breasts. It had been a while since we had gotten to snuggle naked. Tonight for certain. I told myself I would try to wait until tomorrow to meet with Rakmar. Never knew how that would go and taking the time to spend the night with Bella sounded lovely. She thanked me profusely and we held hands until we approached the walls of Lakeland.
The cold air did one thing noticeable to the city. It reduced the wafting stench of the slums. Thank the creator. I was not looking forward to being assaulted by that smell again. The next thing I observed was that we were expected. Seven hells.
When Dina approached trumpets blared and dual banners with my new emblem were unfurled by two female griffin riders from atop the roost. The only thing missing was fireworks… Boom, boom. Nevermind. Duke Riza had pulled out all the flare. Dina sent me a message about not letting it go to my head as we landed. Our names were heralded out by the announcer as we drifted into the roost to land.
The moment we touched down my wife scurried out of the saddle to embrace her father in a hug. I let Zack exit next and was the last to dismount. When my feet touched the ground Dina lifted off to rest in the roost. Bella dragged her dad over and we clasped forearms. His left nub tapped my shoulder with love. I missed Riza, he was a good man and I enjoyed my time with him.
“Come. A private dinner has been planned. Not a court affair but a suttle dining experience. It will be dark soon after.” Duke Riza said and went to led me into his estate. I paused him though.
“I am here on a sensitive and urgent matter I need a guestroom for earth mage, Zack. Then I can attend dinner. If that is amenable, then I will surely follow you into your home.” I informed my father in law.
“Of course, think nothing of it. Come with us Zack, no more books to swindle to your lords' daughters now that you are a master mage instructor.” The Duke smirked at the man he still knew as a merchant. “May I be privy to this endeavor?”
“After the fact, sure. I need to keep my side of the contract first. How are things in Lakeland? And thank you for sending Earl Conway my way. We are expanding fiercely up at Fernlan.” I said as we walked along the cobbled path with the lush bushes I remembered smelling in the late summer. Now it was early fall and the flowering was gone. The green bushes were quiet with the season.
“Murders are up… I think it is a lack of wars. Who knows though. I did see an uptick in slum upgrades after your catch the rat initiative. Which please extend. The city has never been cleaner. The slums wanted to cut down on wild food to catch the rats at key points. Your wives stopped buying our rats last month and the slums are getting stinky again. Hell, I may buy them and bury them, we need the boost. It has been too long, when are we going to Malvia again. I want to vole hunt. That was a blast!” The Duke said with enthusiasm. I hadn’t thought about it, but I would need to go. After my ice adventures for sure. “Ah, here we are let me show you two to a private meeting room. We will be in my courtroom when you finish. It has been reorganized for our private dinner. Family only thought, no offense Zack.”
“None taken. It was nice to see you again my Duke.” Zack said as the door was closed. I bolted it locked. “What have you got Gryff?”
The room was a square table with a dozen chairs around it. The walls were decorated with paintings and a torch hung by the door for light. Besides that, the room was pretty sparse and very brown. I tossed my bag onto the table. I opened its clasps and fished out the bible.
“I need a hundred and fifty of these,” I said handing him the bible. I then pulled a second bag out of my first sack for when he finished. “Exact copies, do you have all the supplies?”
Zack nodded that he did as he unpacked his own bag. Three large jars of crushed tree bark were placed onto the desk. The mage then thumbed the bible and pulled out a fourth jar. He cleared a spot on t
he table and started a quick chant that was muttered as he weaved his spell. I saw the tendrils of brown magic leave his center as the catalyst was pulled into the spell. I was not sure if he would do them all partially at once, or one at a time. In this case, it was a slow build of a hundred and fifty replicas all being created simultaneously. Five minutes went by and with a finality, Zack released a breath he had been holding.
“That was the hard part. Creating that much from scratch is intense. Luckily I am not a novice and have years experience doing this. Even produced thousands of spines, covers, and pages at once before. The actual text is much easier. I simply need this,” Zack said as he uncorked a vial of green tree worm blood and poured it onto the table not far from the books. “And then a spell and were done.”
A new mumbling chant started. The blood splashed onto the original bible and I panicked for a brief moment. The green goo drained through the book and out of the bottom leaving no stain or marks. The green bloop then lifted all the textless books from the bottom into the air and crept through the pages and up to the cover. The blood then added the title and the books settled. They were exact replicas. Fifty more than I needed. And if I guessed right they were worth more than Vin itself. I bagged them all and turned to Zack.
“Thank you, Zack, speak of this to no one. If you do the magic may kill you. Sorry, it is that important.” I said as I clutched the bag to my chest. I slung my other bag over my shoulder and left the room for the second floor. I walked down a few hallways until I found the decorative staircase I remembered from before. I stepped up to the second floor and walked down the fancy hallway towards the Duke’s courtroom. Six guards let me pass and I was announced.
Inside the room was the Duke and his family. Including all the children at their own table. I was given the head seat. That was nice of him. Which, of course, I couldn’t accept. As greetings were given at my approach I circled behind Riza who cast a side eye at me.
“I insist,” was all I said as I easily lifted the two hundred pound man and his chair. I placed him at the head of the table and took my spot beside Bella.
“You are too kind my Emperor. You do my household proud. I hear you will be stealing another daughter away. Bella has said little else,” the Duke said and I blushed. I looked around the table trying to figure out who Trish was and came up empty. “She is not here, she insisted on spending extra time getting ready. While I am soured she will not be a wife, it was thoroughly explained to me and I also am not one to question a man's love life. This, from my understanding, is not a slight but a boon to me and my Bella. As well as Lady Rain who is also missing. For now, let us enjoy our meal. I heard you like bacon, so we are having breakfast for dinner!”
I gasped when my plate was uncovered by a servant. It was eggs with runtlet. A common dish and one of my favorites. Yes! “This is perfect, my… I guess dad works. Not to be corny, but you’re the closest thing I got to one. No crying at the table Bella.” When I said this Riza and his wives burst into laughter.
“She has always been a crier, we have scolded her exactly the same way for years. It warms our hearts to see her glow with child and happiness.” Lady Ona said.
The dinner progressed quickly because we were having such a good time. I was sitting on my bag of bibles nervous about them. Desserts came which were strawberry tarts. They were delicious and I was on my third helping when the announcer banged a gavel to the floor.
Lady Rain and her daughter Lady Trish were announced. I looked up to see the women enter the room. Bella mumbled to me that I needed to greet them and bring them to the table. I left my seat and stuffed my bag into the Duke's arm and nub with a warning. “You die before you lose this bag, it is worth more than you can ever fathom. I will be back for it in a moment. Actually, Dina secure the perimeter, no one else allowed in,” I said and he saw the seriousness in my eyes. He did not countermand my orders and gulped at the indication of my words.
I let myself flow from him to the two awaiting ladies. I stretched my arms out in a grand gesture and placed a happy grin on my face. Lady Rain was stern but held together. She was sad, yet happy. I was just glad she didn’t want to shout at me about Una.
Trish was in a long elegant dress. When Bella had said plump I was thinking overweight. She instead had extra curves and larger breasts. Her sandy brown hair went to her chin and she had brown eyes. Trish blushed with dimpled cheeks at my approach. There was no bust on display or revealing legs. The dress was a mix of white, yellow, and blue. My guess her fancy dress was custom created for this very moment.
I told both women they looked wonderful and asked if I could escort them to the table. They allowed it and I politely pulled chairs out for them both. The Duke handed me my bag back and I sat on it again. Talk resumed with Trish sitting to the right of Bella who sat to the right of me. Those two gabbed for an hour while I ate more breakfast for dinner and more desert. A band came out and we did a few twirls with either me holding the bag or the Duke. When the night slowed down I came to a decision. I did not want to risk the bibles overnight.
I excused myself and thanked the entire family at least twice. The Duke escorted me down to the back of the estate where Dina waited for me. I scurried up her back and I waved goodbye to Bella, Trish, and the family as I left. Bella got in a tissy when she heard I was going. I watched as the Duke calmed her. Sometimes matters of the Empire exceeded love. I assured her this was one of them.
Dina landed right on the portal and the magic of my contract to Rakmar swirled to life. It did not take long for an orange eyed shaman to spawn through a portal. I watched him as he approached uncertain of why he was summoned.
“Shaman accept my white,” I said and sent him a contract for peaceful talks.
This caused the shaman to gasp, never before seeing a human casting yellow magic. “I accept,” the shaman said and we both were covered in a white layer. “Unforina would be most displeased to learn you humans know her magic. Oh, you have a business contract with Rakmar, I can take those.”
“Nope, my contract is direct to Rakmar. Your tricks are best saved for your drooling orcs.” I replied and motioned him to summon a portal. I watched the black magic leak out of his body through Maurta as the portal opened. That was a first. “I will go first.”
I entered the portal and then there was blackness.
CHAPTER 15
That shaman cast a wonky portal, I had the headspins from his lack of precision. I already missed Virtue. We were in cyclops headquarters in what I would best term as a landing room. The portal sizzled to nothing as the shaman stepped in with me. He was disoriented too. The bastard even apologized saying he was a new initiate. Like I cared.
I was led past the titty bar with the ugly triple titty dancers and scornful looks of the patrons. I also did not care for both of them. A few human women were on display but I avoided directly looking at them to keep my anger down. We passed into the backroom and I found Rakmar seated at the exact same table as last time we meet. It was just him, the shaman, and me this time. I scooted in beside him in the large booth and handed him my bag.
The contract magic completed our transaction and it vanished from our souls. Perfect.
“This asshole tried to steal your bibles I duplicated for…” I never got more into my sentence. My ban on talking about what I was doing for Rakmar was over. He seethed with rage and clawed the poor shamans face. The caster tried to defend himself but there was no chance. He died a violent awful death and laughed the whole time. By the time he perished half his face and most of his neck was gone. Rakmar was drenched in blood. A towel was on the table ready and used to clean off the mess. The crafty cyclops knew he was going to kill the shaman. Probably why he sent a new initiate.
“I am starting to like you Gryff. I know you may think I regret killing that idiot. I have had to use his portals. They give me headaches. I needed an excuse. Thank you for that. Woah…” Rakmar peeked into the bag with the bibles. “I cannot accept all this. You over deliv
ered, which never happens in my deals. What is the catch? No more barriers without quotas. That got me. I couldn’t believe we let that part slip by. Oh well, since we learned of you on Vin your production numbers have been steady with no misses. Hard to complain about that.”
I smiled and nodded in a smirk. That stupid shaman had it coming. “The contract was for a hundred, take out your share and hand me back the extra fifty. I only had one bag… Sorry.”
This got a laugh out of Rakmar. “I know your game human, again… What is it you want?”
“I need to go slave shopping, I have seven empty cities and a population I had to reduce to dominate my rule. Is this possible, and can you convert the extra bibles into a trading currency?” I said with a pause. Rakmar slammed his hand into the table. He glared at me for a good while with that single eye. “What?”
“Let me find a new shaman. Virtue disappeared without a word, I sent him with a hundred shamans. Poof gone, do you know what happened to him?” Rakmar asked.
I had a few ways I could play this. Honesty was probably my best option. “He sacrificed your shamans for a slight you did to him. Something about a stripper eating his report.” I said.
Rakmar was not giggling this time. “I figured as much, thank you for being truthful. I never say that to lower life forms. There are rules Gryff, you need a hundred slaves to enter the market. Get those, then ring the portal.” Rakmar said as he ejected a hundred books from the bag. Before he handed me the bag back, he took one book out. “This will cover the cost of the shaman I am assigning to you. Don’t get him or her killed, please. Surviving Unforina’s initiation is hard for the shamans. Use these extra books to buy your slaves. When I have a deal for you next, I will send it to the shaman. Now excuse me, you force me to actually do work.”