by Tamryn Tamer
“Good morning Herald Frost!” Cassia said in a sing-song voice. “It’s time to wake up! We have very important work to do!”
“Huh?” Olivia opened her eyes and after glancing around she quickly buried her head beneath the covers. “Th-this is my room…you c-can’t enter without p-p-permission!”
“Oh?” Ka asked while shoving her head beneath the covers. “But my partner is here. I am permitted to be where my partner is, yes.”
“P-partner?” Olivia mumbled from beneath the blanket.
“Cassia,” Frost groaned as he climbed out of bed. Ka quickly followed him, smiling happily as she wrapped her wings around him possessively. “You can’t just do what you want. You need to announce yourself. Olivia isn’t as comfortable around people as you are.”
“Fine, fine,” Cassia sighed. “I apologize. But we have pressing business. What do you remember of last night?”
“Last night?” Olivia poked her head out from beneath the covers. “Wh-what do you mean?”
“Nothing to do with you my dear,” Cassia said while smiling at the woman. “I’m well aware that nothing happened to the two of you. Things were far too quiet for that. And the room is far too clean. I’m talking about while the Herald was sleeping.”
“Right,” Frost said as various images popped back in his head. “Riliandra gave us a job.”
“Riliandra?” Olivia asked while staring at him. “Why would Riliandra be giving the Herald of Shalia a job?”
“Riliandra and Ziralia give me jobs,” Frost answered. “It’s part of an agreement with Shalia. The three have decided on a temporary truce of sorts. Anyway, what exactly was the job Cassia?”
“We need to recover the Prophet of Riliandra!” Cassia said excitedly. “She is a Florenne named Amaya and she’s currently on her way to Nir so we need to be ready to leave as soon as possible. We only have two weeks. I’ll fill you in on all of the details once you’re up and dressed.”
“If you can do jobs for Riliandra and Ziralia then you can also do jobs for Twi, yes!” Ka announced. “Twi has a great many jobs to do, yes!”
“Maybe later,” Frost said, patting the white-feathered harpy’s head as he grabbed his clothing off the floor. “Cassia, catch me up on everything first. Then I’ll decide where to go from there.”
“Wonderful!” Cassia said while grabbing his arm. The violet-eyed elf grabbed his shirts from him and placed a hand against his abdomen. “Let’s find you some fresh clothing. No need to wear yesterday’s sweaty garments.”
“I’m fine…”
“I must insist,” Cassia said while tossing his clothing in a far corner. “There will be plenty of time to get dressed after I catch you up.”
“Yes, very good idea, yes,” Ka said while patting Frost’s body with her wings. “He is much better this way, yes.”
“Excuse me,” Olivia whispered from beneath the covers. “H-how long are you going to be in here?”
“Sorry,” Frost said while glancing back. “We’ll leave in a second. Anyway, there are more important things to deal with. Cassia, catch me up on what I talked about last night!”
“Right,” Cassia said while pulling him toward the door. “We should give Lady Olivia some privacy.”
“Yes, privacy,” Ka nodded as she followed Frost out. “Thank you for letting me spend the night as well!”
“What?” Olivia asked while staring at the harpy. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Frost said. “Sorry about this. I’ll talk to them about this and hopefully it won’t happen again.” Frost turned to Cassia. “And un-paralyze her handmaidens.”
“It’s their own fault,” Cassia said as she spun her finger in the air.
“You bitch,” Ginetta said as the paralysis faded from her. The handmaiden slowly climbed to her feet as several other recently un-paralyzed handmaidens rushed to her aid.
“It’s that attitude that got you paralyzed in the first place,” Cassia said smugly as they walked past the women. She smiled at Herald Frost. “So, last night…”
CHAPTER 17
After Cassia caught Frost up on everything that transpired, he invited his wives along with a few others to the temple conference room to discuss his options. He needed to figure out not only how to enter and exit the country undetected but also make sure things operated smoothly while he was gone.
“You can’t enter Nir from Rilia,” Desdemona said while pointing at the border that the two countries shared. “These forests are extremely thick and filled with monsters. Geomancers also transformed the ground to swamplands on the Nir side of the forest and the swamplands are filled with guard towers. If they see anybody exiting the forest they’ll signal to the other towers and they’ll signal to the nearby cities that’ll send their soldiers. The old king of Rilia made Dari try to break through the forest for years and he never got through.”
“I planned on going by sea,” Frost said tracing a line along the coast. “I can set sail from Kald and then I don’t have to worry about the land.”
“Won’t fucking work you dumb cunt,” Slade groaned.
“What he means is that Nir’s coastal defenses are even more fortified than their northern border. Dari never even tried invading them by sea because he knew the casualties would be far worse,” Desdemona said.
“Only way you could even smuggle piss into that fucking city is if you drank a gallon of it before you arrived,” Slade said. “And the moment you whipped out your cock to empty it a port inspector would be there waiting to tax you on it. The only smugglers that come and go from Nir are smugglers that are from Nir.”
“Herald Frost isn’t planning on invading Nir or being smuggled in,” Lysandra said while looking over the map. “He’d be going as a visitor or ambassador. Maybe Herald Frost could propose a diplomatic meeting of some sort?”
“It’s a good idea but it wouldn’t work,” Brynn said while leaning back in her chair. “My father doesn’t even have an embassy in Nir. For starters, you’d need a ship that’s licensed to dock there in order to even approach and after that you’d need somebody influential to vouch for you if you expect to disembark. Assuming you get that far you need to convince them that a diplomatic relationship is beneficial to them which normally means literally millions in bribes. My father spent over twenty million rel attempting to negotiate with them before giving up.”
“That’s because he was negotiating with the nobility,” Slade said. “The cunt should have been negotiating with the merchants. They hold most of the power in that fucking country. But even then, you’re looking at millions of rel just for a fucking meeting. And I can fucking assure you that they aren’t going to meet with the bird-fucker here.”
“I could fly him in, yes,” Ka said cheerfully. The harpy insisted on joining the meeting but mostly sat quietly sipping her drink through a straw. “I have flown further distances, yes.”
“Right,” Brynn laughed at the harpy priestess. “You think you can fly those distances while carrying big sexy there?”
“I’m liking that nickname,” Frost chuckled while rubbing Brynn’s head.
“I hadn’t thought of that,” Ka frowned. “None of the others are capable of long distances like that. I suppose we could take wagons to the border and fly him from there, yes.”
“That’s not a bad idea,” Frost said pensively. “We’d arrive a little later than Amaya but we would be able to look around for her. And getting her out wouldn’t be an issue.”
“Or we could stop being fucking idiots and just talk to some of the smugglers that deal in Blackwater,” Slade offered. “At least a few of them are getting their shipments from Nir. Pirate cunts from that country are all over Zira since they can’t sell trade with Rilia.”
“Do you have some in mind?” Frost asked.
“Not my job dog-fucker,” Slade said while pounding a drink. “Bad enough you have me watching fucking children and taking your fucking demis on hunting trips.”
S
lade had a generally restless personality and frequently found himself looking for things to do. His most lucrative jobs involved joining Frost on trips through Zira to handle business for Xavier. But those jobs were few and far between and Hestia disliked it when Slade left on long trips. So, outside of joining Frost on the occasional trip to Zira, Slade made himself useful by teaching classes at the academy and chaperoning some of the hunting parties to make sure they didn’t get in over their heads.
“From what I’ve heard you’ve been enjoying the trips,” Brynn said, grinning wickedly as she glared at him. “Slade the Snuggler.”
Slade choked on his drink and shot Brynn a murderous look.
“Excuse me?” Frost asked. “What’s this?”
“Don’t say a fucking word!” Slade snapped threateningly. “Those fucking cunts are lucky I haven’t ripped their tongues from their throats.”
“On one of the hunting trips Hestia was bragging to the elves about how good at snuggling Slade is,” Brynn cheerfully. “Apparently, he’s just the absolute best at it!”
“Finally!” Frost laughed so hard he nearly fell out of his chair. “It’s about time! You’ve gotten off way too easy on the nicknames!”
Slade cracked his knuckles while glaring at Frost.
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of!” Lysandra said supportively. The lovely elf smiled at the silver-haired ninja. “Being good at snuggling is a very desirable trait! Herald Frost is very good at snuggling himself, isn’t that right my love?”
“Fantastic at it,” Frost chuckled. “Maybe not fantastic enough to earn a nickname though…”
“I’m going to kill that big-mouthed green-haired little cunt,” Slade growled under his breath.
“Anyway,” Frost said. “Snuggling…I mean smuggling our way in might work.”
“I don’t think that will,” Brynn said. “The smugglers aren’t really smugglers. They’re only smugglers in Zira because they avoid the port authorities.”
“What does that mean?” Frost asked.
“They are licensed traders,” Brynn answered. “Nir is an enemy of Rilia so Zira can’t openly trade with them. They also trade with Seera so it’s not as though we can openly trade with somebody trading with one of our enemies. But the merchants and nobles benefit from the trading so they allow it to continue but at a higher price. So, all of those smugglers are actually members of merchant companies in Nir and smuggling somebody into Nir would get their company in deep trouble.”
“I got it,” Frost said. “House Moray is into trading. Do you think Olivia would have connections with one of those merchant companies?”
“House Moray does not,” Brynn answered. “They used to but there was a falling out between the main family and one of the larger companies. It was bad enough that most companies in Nir won’t do business with House Moray. They’ve been trying to get another foothold in the country for years with no luck.”
“Fuck,” Frost groaned. “So far, flying me there is the best option and it’s not great.”
“I have an idea, yes!” Ka said excitedly as she hopped from her seat. “I could fly you if you used your wings, yes!”
“Your wings?” Desdemona asked as the entire room looked at Frost. “You have wings?”
“They’re something I’m working on,” Frost said pensively. “And not a bad idea. But that would still be a long flight and I’d have to be awake the entire time. I suppose I could just rig some balloons and some ropes actually. That might actually work.”
“Herald Frost,” Iris said quietly as the entire room turned to face the curvy bunny-eared woman.
Frost had entirely forgotten that she was there. The white-haired Florenne brought food and drinks from the kitchen for everybody and apparently never left.
“Sure,” Frost answered. “If you have an idea.”
“Well,” Iris fiddled with her fingers and glanced around the room. “I can tell you but I’m not sure if I can tell everybody here.”
“I mean,” Frost looked around but ended up focusing on the white-harpy priestess eating vegetables from Lysandra’s hand. Harpies were notorious gossips, eavesdroppers, and voyeurs. “Can everybody here keep a secret?”
“I am very good with secrets, yes!” Ka said as she noticed everybody’s eyes on her. She quickly pointed her wing at Brynn. “I am more trustworthy than that one, yes!”
“You just arrived!” Brynn said while smacking the table. “How the hell do you already know about my business?”
“I am the High Priestess of Twi,” Ka answered proudly. “I know many things, yes!”
“If there’s one thing I can do it’s keep a secret,” Brynn said defensively. “But everybody knows that harpies are notorious gossips.”
“The others are gossips but I am good with secrets, yes!” Ka insisted. “I haven’t told anybody about how Vee licked Herald Frost’s manhood after he inserted it inside of me even though lots of people would be interested in that! And nobody knows about how Sha was made to clean my womanhood filled with my partner’s love! And I haven’t told anybody about…”
“We get it,” Frost interrupted as the women at the table glared at him. “It’s not as though I’m the best at keeping secrets anyway so if you’re going to tell me it’s probably fine to tell everybody here. Except for maybe Slade,” Frost joked.
“Fuck off chicken-fucker,” Slade answered while gesturing at Ka.
“How dare you compare me to a lowly chicken!” Ka said, flapping her wings angrily and knocking down several glasses. “I am nothing like a chicken! I am elegant and beautiful, yes!”
“Calm down Ka,” Frost said as he watched Lysandra wrap her arms around the winged-woman, escorting her back to her seat. He turned his attention back to Iris. “Iris, is this something that would potentially interest Princess Fiora?”
“Maybe,” Iris said nervously.
“Slade,” Frost glanced at the silver-haired ninja sitting with his drink. “Do I have to worry about you running your mouth?”
“The royal cunt is currently on a need to know basis on the shit going on in your territory until she solves my fucking issues in Zira,” Slade answered. “And you having business with Nir isn’t something that she needs to fucking know.”
“You’re fine to speak Iris,” Frost said. “I don’t think anybody in this room is going to run their mouths. Right Ka?”
“Do not look at me like that!” Ka said defensively. “I haven’t told your other partners how voraciously you dined on my womanhood or about the many compliments you gave me! I have not told your pregnant wife how you ogled my flat soft tummy either! I have also not told anybody about how your tongue slithered along every inch of my most delicate spots while singing my praises! I am very good with secrets, yes!”
“Fucking hell,” Frost groaned as he slouched into his seat, avoiding eye contact with Lysandra. “Iris, can we get on with this.”
“Okay,” Iris said. “Well, Madam Gardenia can probably get you into Nir. I got the impression that she was very important when she purchased me and she even had her own boat.”
“Purchased you?” Frost asked. “You mean like a slave?”
“Oh, no!” Iris said, shaking her head furiously in disagreement. “Well, yes. But no. I mean, yes, I was a slave but I had a slave contract. It’s not like other countries that enslave people that don’t deserve it. If you are caught committing a crime or unable to pay your debt you are required to work it off. I agreed to become a slave. I took on my family’s debt and was sold for thirty thousand hours of labor or until I paid off a hundred and fifty thousand rel. Madam Gardenia purchased my contract along with several others. Most of the girls at the club have contracts with her.”
“But Madam Gardenia owns you until you pay it back?” Frost asked.
“No, no, no!” Iris answered. “She’s really a wonderful person! Madam Gardenia freed us the moment we arrived in Zira. We were allowed to purchase our contracts from her as soon as we arrived in Zira for very
good prices! If we are unable to afford to purchase our contracts, she offers to loan us the rel. I do still owe her twenty-thousand rel but she doesn’t charge interest and allows me to pay when I can!”
“I don’t know how I feel about this,” Frost said, unsure of what to think of the arrangement. It seemed to him that Madam Gardenia was basically purchasing the women, freeing them, but simultaneously putting them significantly in debt to her. “It’s really just slavery with extra steps.”
“It really isn’t,” Iris said nervously. “And she cares for us a great deal!”
“If she’s purchasing slave contracts then she’s a member of a trading company,” Brynn said. “But I wonder if she can risk membership for you. If she’s using her connections to bring girls to Zira and free them, I’m not sure if she would be up for risking that.”
“That’s not the only problem,” Desdemona said timidly. “I didn’t want to say this before but you said you needed to go to Goldsail. The Herald of Niri resides in Goldsail and she’s a very dangerous woman. Dari has killed her seven times and she’s still alive.”
“I’ve heard those rumors as well,” Cassia chimed in, the prophet had been mostly quiet as she sipped her tea but finally decided to join the conversation. “The trick is obvious if you know how it’s done.”
“It wasn’t a trick,” Desdemona argued. “Darius cut off her head!”
“No,” Cassia said, shaking her head in disagreement. “He cut off the head of a double. There are plenty of spells or…”
“That’s what he thought at first too!” Desdemona interrupted. “So, the second time he captured her first before killing her and interrogated her to make sure! He dispelled her magic and everything before killing her! The third time he captured her and tried to imprison her, she bashed her head on a wall to kill herself and the fourth time she must have known exactly how she died as well as everything that transpired because she cast a spell to ensure she died before she was captured. Whenever she dies, she comes back to life with all of her previous knowledge. Herald Lucinda Sortilega just doesn’t stay dead!”