by Logan Jacobs
“How… how did you know about Abi?” he whispered. “I’ve never told a damn soul about it here. I’ve been too embarrassed.”
“There is no need to feel shame,” I said as I put my arm on his shoulder. “You are a good man who provided a wonderful life for her. There is nothing wrong with you. She was a weak woman tempted by a charlatan. Not all women are like that, and you should hear what the rest of the town thinks about you.”
“Thinks about me?” he gasped, and then his face frowned as his eyes grew angry.
“They love you, Stryker. The barkeep is the most important part of the town. You aren’t the mayor, but you help guide the community. You aren’t a priest, but you soothe people’s fears. You aren’t a matchmaker, but I’m sure you’ve helped set up plenty of marriages here.”
“Yahhh, I have,” Stryker chuckled and then glanced down at his beer. “They… they really love me here?”
“Yep.” I nodded. “We need you here, and I promise you things are just going to get better. I envision a healthy town that turns into a city. I see your tavern being at the heart of it all, twice the size, with white washed walls, a large bar, singing, and dancing. I see you with a wonderful woman at your side. A woman who loves how hard you work to give back to your community. I see a woman with a beauty that is only surpassed by her work ethic and her devotion to you. I see a woman who will love you because of how much you love and protect this town.”
“You see all that?” He blinked his eyes at me.
“Yes.” I nodded. “I’m not asking you to worship me. I’m just asking for you to give me a chance. I’m just asking you to continue doing what you’ve been doing. Especially when I’m visiting the duke. I need men I can trust here taking care of everyone.”
“I… I… guess I could keep doing that.” He cleared his throat.
“Good,” I said as I patted him on the back. “During my travels, if I hear of this other false god, I’ll be sure to deal with him for you.”
“You have killed many men,” Stryker allowed in a thoughtful voice. “You would really add my revenge to your conscience?”
“I would rather carry the burden of darkness than have my people suffer through the pain of it.” I nodded my head slowly the way I’d seen some priests do. “It’s the least I can do for someone who has sacrificed so much for this town. I want you to understand how much I appreciate you.”
It did the trick. Stryker’s eyes lit up with renewed hope, and he clasped my hands in his.
“I do not know how you can see into my heart so clearly,” the barkeep rumbled. “But this favor brings a new reason to live. I will do as you say. I will continue to be the steward of this town, and if you ever get thirsty, my taps are always open to you.”
“That is not necessary,” I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. “I am just happy I could help you find peace.”
I laid my hand on his shoulder again, and I received a warm smile in return. It was such a complete contrast to the rage he’d directed at me a short while before, and I made sure to save my progress so I didn’t have to deal with an angry Stryker anymore.
I felt invincible as I made my way out of the tavern and back to my house. It had been a long day, and tomorrow would be even longer, since the majority of our preparations would be completed within the next twenty-four hours. I wanted to leave at dawn the morning of the full moon, that way I could track our progress more efficiently. I had one more day in Bastianville, and I wanted to make it count.
I scampered home and joined my sleeping women in our bed. It was a little cramped with the three of us, but that just forced us to cuddle, so I wasn’t going to complain. In the future, though, it would be nice to get a huge California king-sized mattress, but I didn’t even know if they made those in this world.
The two girls were already out of bed by the time I woke up in the morning, but that wasn’t surprising considering how much later I’d stayed up to talk to Stryker. I was glad I’d put that conflict behind me, though, and I was once again confident everyone in Bastianville was on my side.
I dressed quickly and put on my belt with the scabbard for the sorcerer’s dagger pressed comfortingly against my leg. Then I went about my tasks for the day.
My first stop would be the general store, since I hadn’t gotten a chance to speak with Caelia about what she’d need me to return with yet. The bell on the door dinged when I entered, and I was greeted with a warm smile from the beautiful dark-skinned woman.
“Oh, Great One, what a pleasant surprise!” The owner of the general store stood behind the counter, and she wore a modest blue dress that made her skin look even darker and a white apron over the front that brought out her innocence.
I longed for the chance to get to know the beautiful young woman more, but that would have to wait until I returned from my journey.
“Good morning, Caelia,” I said, and I gave her my best smile.
I was rewarded with a pretty blush, and I created another save point just in case I decided to flirt with her a bit.
“What can I do for you, Great One?” Caelia asked in a low, demure voice. She was obviously overwhelmed with my presence, and her nervousness amused me.
“It’s more about what I can do for you,” I countered with a wink, and I got another blush for my efforts.
“Wh-What do you mean?”
“What does the general store need to be fully stocked?” I grinned. “I plan on bringing back lots of things to add to these empty shelves.”
“Oh, my, that’s wonderful news!” Caelia smiled with pure sunshine, and my heart warmed at the sight of her joyful expression.
I loved bringing light into people’s eyes. It had to be my favorite part of being a god.
Then the dark-skinned beauty fetched some paper and a charcoal pencil, and the two of us cruised through the aisles to jot down things needed for the store. She was in dire need of more food, seeds, and livestock grain, but she also recommended I find more mules, carts, and workers for the mines.
I didn’t know where I would find all the things now decorating my list, but I was confident I’d figure it out somehow. Even if it took me a lifetime.
“Carleone is about half a day’s ride from Bastianville,” Caelia informed me. “They also have a copper mine, but last I heard it was starting to run dry. I bet some of the miners are out of work by now, and they’d be happy to relocate to such a young mine.”
“That’s wonderful advice,” I replied, and I gave her another one of my dazzling smiles.
Caelia let out a girlish giggle, and my body responded to her overwhelming femininity. She was super cute.
“How are you going to travel?” Caelia asked, and she pulled me out of my dirty thoughts.
“I figured we’d take turns riding Lucian’s old horse,” I said with a shrug. I hadn’t actually given it much thought, but there would be three of us traveling together.
“I bet Gerulf would part with a couple of his steeds,” Caelia suggested.
“Someone mentioned that before,” I said thoughtfully. “It’s worth the ask. I’d be bringing them back with me, after all.”
“It’s that or a wagon,” the general store owner declared.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized she was right. It would be unfair to ask my women to walk while I rode, even if we were taking turns. I’d just have to make sure everyone had a mount, or get a wagon.
My next stop was Gerulf’s farm, and I checked in on the repairs to his barn first. The roof was sealed, and the door was fixed, so it was in much better shape. The farmer joined me at the barn, and he shook my hand firmly.
“Thanks for having the workers fix up my house and barn,” Gerulf said with a grateful smile. “I am in your debt.”
“You may be able to fix that,” I said with a grin. “If you’re up for it.”
“Name it, Great One,” Gerulf said with an enthusiastic nod. “Your wish is my command.”
“I’ll need a couple of horses
if you can spare them.” I turned my gaze to his field where his three steeds were munching on the dried grasses. “Why does that one look different?”
I’d pointed to one of the horses with great big floppy ears sticking straight up from its head. The odd-looking horse was shorter than the rest, and his coat was scruffier, but he looked sturdy.
Gerulf chuckled. “Because that one’s a mule. I actually only have one horse. The other one with his head down is a mule, too.”
“I see.” I frowned. I’d heard about mules, but mostly from jokes, so I didn’t know if one of my girls would be willing to ride on it. I supposed if they raised a fuss we could just scrounge up a wagon of some kind.
“I’ll take it.” I grinned. “And the horse, too.”
“Very well, Great One,” Gerulf said as he bobbed his head in agreement. “I’ll have them both taken to the stable where your horse Cotinus is at.”
“Yeah, I’m thinking about changing the name,” I said with a frown. I didn’t like the idea of keeping the same name as Loser Lord, plus Cotinus was just lame sounding. I wanted my warhorse to sound intimidating.
“That is your choice, Great One,” Gerulf laughed.
I said goodbye to the farmer and headed back to my house for some food, but I ran into Jax on the way there. The blacksmith had his arms full of my gear and weapons, so I lightened his load some before we continued on to my dwelling.
“Keep yer blades sharp and yer armor repaired,” Jax grunted in an ominous tone. “Once yer away from my forge, I won’t be able to help ya.”
“I’ll come back in one piece, don’t worry,” I laughed.
Jax clapped me on the shoulder and let out a booming laugh that shook the walls of my house. “You better. This town needs you still.”
“You’ll start training the guards and make sure the wall construction gets going soon?” I asked as worry for the town’s safety in my absence rushed through me.
I was definitely going to miss Bastianville, but I was also excited to see what laid ahead. I felt like I’d mastered this area, and I was ready for a new challenge.
“I’ll take care of everything,” Jax assured me. “You just focus on enjoying yer trip.”
“Oh, he will enjoy it alright,” Mahini chirped as she and Elissa strode into the house behind me. “I’ll make sure of it.”
“That’s a good woman, right there,” Jax laughed. “Take care of each other, and come back in one piece.”
“I promise,” Mahini and I both said simultaneously.
“I missed you this morning,” I said as Jax headed out the door, and I could now give my women my full attention. “Where did you go?”
“I took Mahini to the inn for one last luxurious bath,” Elissa informed me with a devilish wink. “We wanted to be as clean as possible for you.”
“You smell amazing,” I said as I inhaled her soft floral scent.
Their hair was damp, but while Mahini’s locks hung limply around her face, Elissa’s seemed even more full of life, and droplets slung across the room as she spun in a circle. The whole combination was intoxicating, but I didn’t have time to enjoy it fully.
I wanted to make sure all the preparations were in order, and then I’d make slow sweet love to my women before we left.
“I was thinking about renaming Cotinus to something cooler,” I informed the two women in a hopeful voice. I knew they wouldn’t argue with me, but programming from my old life still made me nervous occasionally.
“Oh, something like ice?” Elissa asked with a grin. “Ice is cool, right?”
“I was thinking something more intimidating,” I explained. “Like Thunder, or Tiny, or Goliath… Yeah, Goliath. That horse is big enough to have earned a good, strong name.”
“It’s settled, then!” Mahini clapped her hands together. “The horse’s name is now Goliath, whatever that means.”
“It’s from an old story,” I informed her with a smirk. “Goliath was a giant, and he was defeated by a small boy who threw stones at him.”
“That does not sound like a powerful warrior,” Mahini said in a doubtful voice.
“Well, he wasn’t expecting-- never mind, I still like it.” I grinned.
“Then Goliath it is,” Elissa announced. “But what of the other horses Gerulf took to the stables? Torya said you got them for us?”
Word certainly traveled fast around this little town.
“I took one of his mules and the mare with the white dot on her forehead,” I told my beautiful red-haired wife. “You two can name them.”
“Oh, I’ve ridden the mare before!” Elissa flashed a brilliant smile my way, and her freckles danced with joy. “I always called her Star because of the marking on her face.”
“Star it is,” I laughed. “And you, Mahini? What would you like to name the mule?”
“I would want my steed to be sturdy and steadfast,” the desert goddess said in a thoughtful voice, and she tapped her fingers against her soft lips. Then her blue eyes lit up, and she lifted her chin. “Warrior.”
“Very well, now all our horses and our mule have new names,” I said with a dramatic flourish of my hands. “It is official!”
“You’re silly,” Elissa giggled.
“It is very amusing,” Mahini allowed.
Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door, and the three of us swiveled to look in the direction of the entrance.
Elissa crossed the distance to the door in a few quick steps, and she pulled it open to reveal Elrin standing on the threshold. The town leader grinned wide when he saw the three of us, and his daughter beckoned him inside.
“I was hoping I could catch you while you weren’t busy,” Elrin began, and he pulled out several sheets of folded up paper. “I brought the maps you requested.”
“Excellent.” I rubbed my hands together and then held them out for the maps. “Thank you so much.”
“Merely what any father would do to ensure his daughter takes the safest path possible,” Elrin said in a warm voice.
“Thank you, Daddy.” Elissa hugged him and gave him one of her to-die-for smiles. “It means a lot to me that you are okay with me leaving town.”
“I do not seem to be able to stop you anymore,” Elrin chuckled, and he rubbed his ample belly absently before he jerked his chin toward the maps in my hand. “Are you going to look at them?”
“Of course,” I laughed, and then I led everyone into the kitchen so I could use the table to spread out the papers on. One was a map just of the town, another was the road to the east, and it showed the Duke’s castle as well as several other small towns. I saw two possible paths to take, but one avoided the majority of the villages, so I pointed to the more roundabout way. “I think we will be taking this road.”
“That would be wise,” Elrin agreed. “Bandits often wait in ambush on the more heavily trafficked routes, so a more roundabout direction would be safer.”
“I can handle a few bandits, but I want to establish trade routes as well. We need to get commerce flowing through here as soon as possible.” I stared down at the road I’d soon be travelling on, and excitement coursed through my veins.
I was beyond ready to see what the rest of this world had to offer.
I took my charcoal pencil I’d gotten from Caelia, and I marked the path I wanted to take on the map.
Elrin nodded his approval and pointed to the next town over. “This is Carleone, an older town than Bastianville, but similar in size and purpose. At least, we used to be similar in size, before the attacks.”
“I spoke to Caelia about Carleone, and I already plan on scavenging any out of work miners for our own copper mine.” I grinned as Elrin sputtered.
“That is wise, Great One,” he finally said once he’d regained his composure. “You know best, after all.”
Damn straight, I knew best. I grinned at the leader of Bastianville, and then I folded up the maps he’d given me.
“Thank you for the maps, Elrin. They will come in handy.” I
placed a hand on his shoulder and looked into his eyes. “I promise I will keep your daughter safe. Not a single hair on her head will come to harm. You have my word.”
Elrin nodded solemnly. “Thank you, Great One.”
Then the leader of Bastianville hugged his daughter tightly, waved goodbye, and headed out of my dwelling to the streets beyond. I stood with an arm wrapped around each of my women as I watched him go, and then I closed the door and turned them toward the bedroom.
“Now, it’s our turn to enjoy a little rest and relaxation before we leave,” I informed them in a kingly voice.
Elissa giggled and scampered toward the bedroom, and her tight little ass jiggled with her every step. Mahini swayed her hips as she sauntered ahead of me, and by the time I reached the bedroom, both women had begun to undress.
It was good to be the God of Time.
I made a new save point so time was meaningless, and I lost myself in their bodies until the sun came up. Then, after I was satisfied with how many climaxes I’d given each of them, I finished deep inside each of their accepting bodies and finally passed out into a deep, dreamless sleep.
The sun rose bright and early, but the three of us were already awake by the time the first rays peeked over the horizon. I dressed in my full armor and strapped my weapons to my side, and then I gathered up our bags and followed my two women out the door.
I turned to give one last look at my new dwelling. It had been nice to have my own place, but we’d likely be doing a lot of staying at inns or camping along the way from here on out.
Gerulf met us at the stables, and the early rising farmer was more chipper than I felt so close to dawn. He helped us to saddle our horses and strap on our packs, and then the three of us mounted up.
We aimed our horses toward the outskirts of town and rode into the sunlight. A whole new world of possibilities was opening up before us, and I quickened the pace to a trot as my excitement got the better of me.