Second Skin Omnibus

by M Damon Baker

  “That’s why you’re here, Líann,” I prompted her as I threw a leather chest piece at her. “To learn.”

  She recoiled from the armor I flung at her as if it were on fire, before completely rejecting my idea.

  “I have guards to protect me,” she scoffed. “I don’t need to learn anything.”

  “You won’t always have guards, Líann,” I replied as I picked the armor up of the floor. “Put it on.”

  “This is stupid,” she protested.

  “You’re my Táriel,” I finally told her. “You are not only my greatest strength but also my greatest vulnerability. That is not something we can count on staying a secret forever, and when my enemies learn of it, they may very well come for you. When that day comes, you may be forced to fight for your own life, Líann. And I intend to do everything I can to ensure that you win that battle.”

  “And, if that’s not enough for you,” I finished as I glared at her. “I won’t give you any V’Ríel except the darkness that you need until I’m satisfied with your progress.”

  “Show me how to put this on,” Líann replied as she took the armor from my hand and finally embraced the challenge.

  I helped her dress in a full suit of leather armor before we began training. It wasn’t exactly practical, but I had her wear the pair of practice daggers she used strapped to her thighs, where they would be when she wore them concealed beneath one of her gowns, just to get her accustomed to the feel of them.

  At first, the lessons did not go well—Líann simply tried to lunge at me desperately and more often than not, fell to the floor when she overextended herself. So, for a time, I only focused on her footwork and balance. Líann was a natural with that, her years of training had included countless dancing lessons, although she’d rarely actually danced with anyone other than her instructors. But those efforts finally paid off for her, and she quickly learned to apply them to her blade work. I would have extended the session a bit longer, but Líann was still not fully recovered, so I cut our time short rather than strain her too much.

  “We will be meeting here three times a week,” I told her as she peeled off her armor. “I’m going to teach you daggers first, then some other bladed weapons. I hope that you’ll embrace this training and maybe even seek out more as well. I can’t teach you the magic I know, but you would be even safer still if you had some of your own. I have no idea what dangers we’ll face in the future, Líann, but we’ll both need to be prepared for them when they come for us.”

  “I’ll do as you command, Empress,” Líann replied, turning her training into yet another game of dominance.

  If that’s what worked for her, I didn’t care. As long as my Táriel was safe, that’s all that mattered to me. We then went our separate ways after our first training session; I returned to my quarters and Líann’s guards escorted her back to her suite.

  Broda sent out her envoys to the seven Kingdoms the next day. The distance each had to travel varied, and we didn’t expect to hear back from the last of them for as long as possibly two months. It would take longer to reach Laska, the most distant Realm from us, than our trip to Zonnia had, so the conference was scheduled accordingly—six months from the day we sent our envoys out. That was how long I had to wait before I’d know just how successful our efforts would be.

  During those long months, Líann and I continued our sparring. Not only in the training room, where she began to truly take to her lessons, but in her chambers as well. Líann’s strength returned quickly once she received the darkness she needed, and even increased as our combat developed her muscles. She fought me with a reckless abandon in both arenas and although Líann gave her best, she also seemed to relish her defeat every time.

  Despite her losses, Líann’s abilities steadily improved, and she became more than competent not only with all three blades I was able to teach her, but with the bow as well. Líann even came to enjoy wearing her Khelduin daggers, a pair I had Georl make for her, concealed beneath her fancy gowns. I think she got a slight thrill just knowing that she had them hidden there. And I have to admit it was damn enticing to see them strapped to her thighs when she undressed for me.

  It was during those sparring sessions that I discovered that the Essence Blade had grown again. The blade was no longer just fine steel, but had strengthened into Dwarven Steel, and the thin gold inlays were even more intricate than before. The only milestone I’d passed was reaching level 40, and I attributed the changes in the Blade to that fact.

  Tási was well aware of Líann’s training regimen. As head of my security, it would hardly pass her notice that my guards took me to spar with Líann so frequently. We didn’t discuss the matter much, just like everything else Líann related. But Tási did inform me that Líann had actually sought her out to inquire about training with magic. While Tási was quite powerful, she wasn’t yet up to that level, but had referred Líann to one of the halfling Evokers who might be able to help. I was glad to know that, despite their rivalry, the two of them could actually talk and even help one another, and I made sure that Tási felt the fullness of my appreciation later that evening.

  The Realms under my control also sent the replacements for the soldiers we’d lost, including Broda’s uncle. I’d thought he might be furious at the losses, but it turned out to be a point of pride for him instead. Broda explained that he was flattered by the trust I’d placed in his people, putting them on our front line and relying on their strength so heavily. To him, and the dwarven people, there was no higher honor than to be so heavily relied on in battle. The losses that necessarily followed such trust were a matter of pride, not resentment.

  Not only were our ranks replenished, but they were bolstered as well. Both Hygan and Zonnia fulfilled their military commitments earlier than we expected, although the cavalry they sent were not the heavy knights those Realms typically employed in their own defense. Instead, the two Realms sent us the lighter, more mobile forces they employed in their hit-and-run strikes. Evans was delighted with that fact, since it gave us a capability we lacked before. One thousand soldiers on horseback striking like lightning at an enemy’s flanks or disrupting their supply lines was a powerful weapon, and he immediately incorporated them into his schemes.

  While our military grew even larger, I had to reconsider the task I had assigned Ridge. The encampment outside our walls was simply growing too large, and we needed something more permanent for our standing army. Evans came up with a basic outline for a fortress that would not only house our soldiers, but also compliment the Garrison’s defensive barrier, and I set Ridge to begin its construction. I even dared to summon a third elemental, a partner to aid Ridge in the construction, and although the effort was difficult, I managed to subdue the Earth spirit and provide Ridge with some much-needed help.

  We also continued to receive more and more new citizens, seemingly on an almost daily basis—not only did they settle in the valley, but small communities also began cropping up in the areas beyond the walls. The surrounding forest had been pacified for quite some time, and as the population grew, people were beginning to take advantage of its bounty.

  Finally, the time drew near for us to depart for Oróna, but this would be no simple caravan that accompanied me. Evans and my entire Cabinet insisted that I travel with the whole of the Imperial Army as my escort. Not only did they think it would make an impression on the Realms who might be hesitant to join, but they also knew my intentions: any Realm who refused me must ultimately be conquered. We could begin that process much more quickly if my Army was already in Oróna when we discovered just which Kingdoms needed to be taken by force.

  When I met with Líann for our last weekly breakfast before our departure, I brought her a pair of special gifts for the road. I wasn’t sure that she’d appreciate the significance of them, but regardless of that, I wanted her to have them.

  Líann greeted me as she usually did at the time, already seated at the table and wearing the forest green robe that had come to
hold so many memories for us. But when I approached her, I didn’t take the seat across from Líann as I typically did; instead, I spoke to her as I stood beside the table.

  “We’ll be leaving soon,” I began, suddenly feeling a bit emotional about what I was about to do. “This will be our first trip together, and your first journey as an adventurer of sorts. I’ve already given you a pair of daggers, and you’ve told me that you have your own armor, but I want you to have something more. These served me well and might still be doing so had the Gods themselves not replaced them for me. I would be honored if you’d see fit to take them from me.”

  With that, I placed both the Bow of Impact and the Never Ending Quiver of Arrows on the table before Líann. The two items had saved my life more times than I could remember, and I hoped Líann would never find herself in such dire need of them as I had on so many occasions, but that was likely a wish in vain. My future and hers, now that she was tied to me so strongly, was one of conflict and strife. Sooner or later, my Tári would become the targets of one of my enemies, and all of them needed to be able to protect themselves when that moment came—Líann even more so than the others.

  “You have never shown me these before,” she said with a sense of reverence as she picked up the Bow. “But I have heard enough stories to recognize what they are. These are your own weapons, the ones you used to found your Realm and make yourself Empress. I… I’m not sure that I should accept, but I cannot bring myself to refuse your gift.”

  “I had intended to give you your next V’Ríel after breakfast,” I taunted her with the one thing she’d been craving for months. “But if you don’t accept…”

  “Thank you for your most generous gifts, Empress,” Líann responded quickly once I let the implications of her refusal dangle in from of her.

  Remarkably, her appetite vanished immediately after that, and she waited impatiently for me to finish as I took a few nibbles and slowly sipped my tea, intentionally making her wait for me to finish. Finally, when I’d drawn it out long enough, I relented and Líann practically shoved me into her bed.

  The only V’Ríel Líann had ever felt besides her own darkness was passion. That was easily enough combined with darkness, as I had already done. But the last two she needed to learn were much, much different. The subtle, grounded nature of Ella’s native V’Ríel would be a challenge for her, and I had no idea how I was going to get Líann to accept Venna’s gentle and nearly completely passive V’Ríel. Laying still and simply basking in the subtle pleasure of my tendrils was not in Líann’s highly provocative nature.

  “This will not be easy,” I tried to explain. “My remaining V’Ríel are much softer things than you’re used to. To truly experience them, we will have to be much gentler than usual. They are not about struggle, but acceptance. One of them to an even greater degree than the other. And my tendrils this time will be much less powerful than you’re used to.”

  “Are you ready to try?” I asked Líann after giving her a moment to take in what I’d said.

  “Yes,” She hesitated just a little. “But this sounds like it may be… frustrating.”

  “It will be,” I told her as I pulled her towards me. “But I promise, if you can do this, it will be worth the effort.”

  I kissed her and let my hands play across her body, but as Líann tried to mimic my actions, she couldn’t seem to help herself, and almost reflexively tried to hold me down. I slipped free from her grasp and send her soft tendrils to remind her of our purpose, and surprisingly, she responded to them immediately.

  Líann’s urgent kiss turned gentle, and I felt her leaning into me rather than struggling against me. We’d never been together just physically—my threads and tendrils had always fueled most of our interactions, and for a while, Líann seemed lost for what she should do. But my own movements guided her, and before long, we were caught in the throes of passion together, needing no help at all from my powers.

  Experiencing those strong physical sensations with Líann was so new and exciting for me that I almost forgot to add the thin tendrils of V’Ríel until it was too late. Somehow, I managed to catch myself in time and sent their subtle threads into her just as Líann’s hips began to pulse slowly in time with her release.

  Absorbing the new V’Ríel for the first time while still trying to finish me as well was too much for Líann—she lost herself in the combined ecstasies, and my own needs went unmet as I focused on drawing hers out even longer. It was something of a disappointment, but feeling Líann’s body react to my touch and the threads that I gingerly sent her was its own reward.

  Her gentle, rocking motions were punctuated by sudden spasms of release that Líann still managed to make graceful, even in their intensity. I cupped her breast in my hand as Líann shuddered and urged her on by tracing my tongue over her nipple, smiling with satisfaction as she quivered in reaction to my touch.

  I kept the soft tendrils flowing into her as she slowly wound down, and let her finish completely before asking her how it felt to receive her newest V’Ríel. Since we hadn’t shared the experience that time, I was curious if it had been the same for her as before.

  “It was very… different,” she flushed as she explained. “Not just what we did, but the threads you sent me were almost odd at first. But then, once I began taking them in, they… changed me?”

  Líann stopped and thought about what she’d said for a second before continuing.

  “That’s it. They changed me,” she repeated, just to confirm for herself that it was true. “Those emotions weren’t part of who I was before, but they are now. I can’t say that they’re my favorite thing, but they’re not quite as foreign to me as they once were.”

  I was afraid that the fact that we hadn’t actually finished together might have somehow prevented her from taking in my V’Ríel, but that wasn’t the case. Líann had managed to do that on her own, which reassured me that she’d be able to handle the next one as well, if she could stay still long enough. The passivity required for that was still going to be a challenge for her, but that would have to wait a while. I had no idea how long I should wait before trying another one, but I was going to give it a while, just to be safe.

  “When can we do the last one?” Líann inquired eagerly just as I was concluding my own thoughts on the matter.

  I explained my hesitation to her, and although I had no firm reason for the delay, she didn’t press me on it. Instead, Líann resumed right where she’d left off when absorbing the V’Ríel had distracted her. She didn’t initiate any sort of struggle, she only began to finish what she’d started, and for the first time, sought only to please me.

  We’d enjoyed the physical aspects of our intimacy, but had always relied on my tendrils to finish things. Opening up this new V’Ríel had changed Líann, just as she’d said, and with her own pleasure already satisfied, she explored my body with abandon, lacing soft kisses along my stomach, before drifting even lower. The sensation of Líann’s lips brushing against me shot through my body like fire, and I’d barely recovered from the rush when she slipped her tongue inside me. Líann drove me to a frenzy as she traced slow, languid circles around within me, and I felt my hips rising up to press against her soft mouth.

  I’d been so close before, and the profound intimacy of the tantalizingly slow and seductive pattern she weaved inside me overwhelmed me in seconds. Líann didn’t let up as I began to shudder, and her silky tongue quickly drove me to a second, even more intense release. She took obvious delight in her accomplishment, and Líann’s soft moans of pleasure competed with my own more urgent ones as she guided me down slowly.

  The last lingering traces of what she’d done still hadn’t faded away when I felt Líann wrap her arms around my waist and rest her head on my stomach. Her soft lips pressed an even softer kiss against my skin, and she spoke to me in a gentle purr.

  “I think I may have found something I like about this new V’Ríel.”

  “Me too,” I replied in a bare
whisper; it was all I could manage at the time.

  We lay together like that for a while, and I gently ran my fingers through Líann’s hair as she rested on me. She’d begun to enjoy sharing moments of affection with me ever since she’d absorbed her first new V’Ríel, and that fact had only brought us even closer together. Previously, our relationship had an almost one-dimensional quality to it. Líann really only wanted and needed one thing from me: darkness. In that regard, she was no different than my other Tári, although their native V’Ríel had much more readily concealed their limitations.

  But now that Líann had become Táriel and begun to open herself up to each of my other needs, she’d become so much more—she was becoming the only person I could ever express the entire range of my emotions with. The only one who could take both my darkness and my light, so to speak. None of the others could tolerate my shadows, and although I still loved each of them, I knew that when I was with them, I was constrained.

  That knowledge might have been a hinderance to me, but with Líann to provide an outlet for my emotions, it had only served to bring me closer to all of them. Instead of resenting their limitations, I embraced them, choosing to bask in their strengths rather than wallow in their weaknesses. I threw myself into Tási’s passion, relished Venna’s delight as she absorbed my gentle threads, and gloried in the warmth of Ella’s love.

  I’d feared that my deep connection with my Táriel might cause me to practically abandon the others, but as Líann grew, I found that the opposite was actually occurring. The bonds that we formed only made me realize just how much I loved and needed them all, each for their own separate reasons.

  I could have laid there with Líann all day, and on occasion I had, but with our departure imminent, there was too much to attend to, and I had to pry myself away much sooner than I would have liked—we’d also come to accept that as well. Líann and I had untold centuries yet to share, and no matter how pleasant a particular moment might be, we knew there were countless more of them still to be had. That knowledge didn’t make things any easier, but at least it took some of the edge off.