Tribe Master 3: A Fantasy Harem Adventure

by Noah Layton

  ***

  We headed back to the land early the next day and unloaded the horses. I made the rounds, headed with Alorion to the trading post in order to unload the latest haul of crops, then made the decision that had been sitting in the back of my mind ever since we had left the forest west of Grayholde.

  Today was the day, and we were going to a dinner party.

  With the increased numbers at the land, as well as the improved quality of defenses that we had put in place with the harpoon guns and the armed guards upon each tower, I took some comfort in the fact that it would be well-defended without I, my wives or Alorion there.

  Even so, I had to take extra precautions. Alorion and I worked quickly to place the additional bombs around the perimeter line of the land.

  I ensured that the entire tribe was informed, too; if traps or bombs were placed within our land and a tribe member happened to walk over them, they wouldn’t be set off.

  Beyond the land that I controlled, though? Anybody was fair game to be blown up, and everyone had to be aware of where the traps were.

  With my duties completed and my group ready, we were good to go.

  So, a little after midday, we set off in the carriage to their tribal lands, a place farther than I had ever travelled before.

  A few miles from the tribal land of the Sun-Elves of Morelia, Elera poked her head through the opening of the wagon just behind me.

  ‘Can we stop for a moment?’ She asked.

  ‘Bathroom break?’ I replied.

  ‘No – we have to get changed.’

  ‘Changed into what?’

  ‘What did you think we were buying at Ichabod’s Cove?’ Ariadne asked, sticking her head through the gap alongside Elera. ‘You did not really think that we would be arriving at a celebration with another tribe dressed in our work clothes, did you?’

  ‘I hadn’t actually thought about it.’

  ‘You do not think about a lot of things, do you, Tall-man?’

  ‘I’m usually thinking about how to make sure everyone stays alive. Forgive me if I occasionally forget to buy a new tie.’

  ‘What is tie?’

  ‘Forget it. Let’s stop for a minute.’

  I brought the wagon to a stop in a secluded area between some trees. My wives exited onto the forest floor, Ariadne last, who was carrying a pile of folded clothes that she laid down carefully on the edge of the wagon.

  ‘I shall allow you some privacy,’ Alorion said, waving to us while he tended to the horses at the front of the cart.

  ‘So what have you got?’ I asked, looking between them.

  ‘Some things for us,’ Lara said. ‘And something for you.’

  ‘For me?’

  ‘We picked it together. The wives of a tribe master must ensure that he looks the part, after all.’

  For all their attitude and sass, my wives sure did take care of me too.

  They were all pretty damn excited about trying on what they had purchased. All I could do was hold my breath.

  We all stripped down by the back of the wagon, and Ariadne handed out the carefully-folded dresses from the back that the girls had spent so much time deciding on at the cove.

  I had been impatient at the time about how long it had taken them to buy these mystery items, but as Ariadne handed them out and they began to change into them, I suddenly didn’t feel so bad about having to wait a while for them to decide.

  Lara pulled on a long, black number that pushed up her large breasts and hugged her slender body right up until it reached her hips. From there it covered her legs on one side, but made way for an opening on the other that left a large slit sliding down to her ankle. Whenever she made a move it made the material flutter, teasingly revealing her leg right up to her hip – just an inch more and I would have seen her underwear beneath it.

  Elera adorned herself with a startling orange dress that covered her body loosely, contrasting her blue skin sharply. As she knotted the ties behind her back with ease, the dress didn’t tighten all that much, but at least it secured to her body – she never liked wearing clothes because of how restrictive they felt.

  Santana wore a graceful red dress that reflected a darker shade of the colour of her hair. It was a summer dress, similar in style to those that she often wore back at the land, but made from finer material, with two straps that gripped her shoulders, ending with a perfect combination of grace and sex appeal just above her knees.

  Ariadne, my foxgirl, wore a brown leather dress that wrapped around her breasts, left a patch of her navel exposed, then stretched down to her thighs, just above her knees. The colour matched her ears perfectly, and ignited her eyes like they were on fire.

  I had been so distracted by watching them get dressed that I had fallen behind in putting my own clothes on.

  I had not yet attended a black-tie function in Agraria, but my wives had ensured that I would look the part.

  Earth’s high-profile events were attended by folks clad in tuxedos and Gucci outfits that would be worn once before being thrown to the back of a closet for all time, but I had a feeling that this was much different.

  For one, we weren’t in an air-conditioned high-rise apartment being served entrees by penguin-waiters.

  We were in the outdoors, walking upon dried ground matted with crunching leaves and twigs. Our footwear only served to reflect that fact, as we all opted for boots, the girls a little smaller and more modest than my own.

  My own outfit consisted of a pair of slim-fitted, darkened leather pants that fit my lean, muscular legs but were loose enough that they didn’t cause me any discomfort. A black leather belt with a smoothed steel buckle wrapped around them, tucked into which was a thick white shirt beneath a brown jacket.

  I loved the whole thing, but it was the jacket that I took the most pride in. These kinds of items might have been mass-produced back on Earth, but in this land it would have likely taken a hundred man-hours to create. As well as that, the girls were right; I had to project an image of prosperity in some sense.

  It was part of the reason that we had waited until we were half a mile clear of the meeting-point to start screaming with joy and rubbing gold over our bodies like it was an aphrodisiac. I didn’t want it to come across that the 18,000GP was such a massive number to us, or Artrix would have me and the tribe by our collective, metaphorical balls.

  Suddenly I realized why people at those high-society parties I mentioned sucked up to the rich so much.

  And yeah, if you’re wondering, I felt like a gigantic sell-out. But it had to be done.

  ‘One more thing,’ Ariadne purred, returning to the back of the wagon. ‘It is not customary to draw weapons during tribal meetings. Such a motion is seen as an act of violence before a sword is even swept or an arrow fired. But there is no need to stow your weapon away within your inventory. It is better that it be sheathed and out in the open, to demonstrate a willingness to fight if need be. So… Here.’

  From the back of the wagon Ariadne produced a new sheath for my long sword. It was made from fine, tough bronze, although it looked like it had been used.

  ‘Did you buy this second-hand?’ I asked. ‘I mean, it’s wonderful, don’t get me wrong, but won’t it make us come across as, I don’t know… Cheap?’

  Elera scoffed and slapped me on the shoulder.

  ‘I will have you know, Tall-man, that we had the blacksmith strike it with blades… Although I confess that I forget why. Why did we do this again?’

  ‘The bronze is of a high quality,’ Lara answered, ‘but it cannot look as if it has never been used. A weapon and a sheath with no marks is a clear sign that they has never been used, which would suggest that its user is not a fighter. You are, husband, and your appearance should reflect that.’

  I took the sheath from her and admired it, then clipped it to my belt and equipped my sword. It fit perfectly.

  ‘What the hell would I do without you girls?’ I smiled.

  ‘Be murdered by an enemy trib
e?’ Elera said in earnest.

  ‘In all likelihood,’ Ariadne laughed.

  ‘But,’ Lara continued. ‘Even with your sword out in the open, we have decided to not do the same. We are taking a more… Covert approach, should I say?’

  Before I could ask what she meant, Lara raised her leg and steadied her foot on the back of the wagon. The slit in the side caused her black dress to fall from her leg, revealing a hint of the black underwear at her hips.

  I had seen her naked a hundred times, but that slight move still sent a wave of excitement through me.

  I didn’t have time to dwell on it though. In a swift movement Lara pulled two items out of her inventory – a large hunting knife and a sheath connected to a strap.

  ‘So…’ I said slowly. ‘You know that whole thing about not trying to kill anybody? Are we still sticking with that?’

  ‘This is just for protection, Jack. Everybody knows the movement for opening an inventory, and if it looks like anybody is going for a weapon I’ve no doubt that Artrix’s guards will be all over us. If things go awry, we want to be prepared.’

  ‘I shall try not to freeze anything,’ Elera said. ‘But what is useful about my abilities is that they cannot be seen until they are used.’

  ‘Fair point,’ I admitted, looking over at Ariadne and Santana sceptically. ‘Should I ask what you two are hiding?’

  Ariadne shot me a sly smile, her ears twitching slightly.

  ‘Hiding a scimitar in this dress?’ She remarked. ‘How many spare spaces do you think I have?’

  My foxgirl hiked up the hem of her dress and removed a similar strap to Lara’s from her inventory, but instead of one sheath there were six, equally spaced along the length of the leather.

  In every one she placed a small, sharp throwing knife.

  ‘Last time I checked you only had two hands,’ I said.

  ‘And the last time I checked, picking up throwing knives was something only afforded when our enemies are small in numbers.’

  ‘I have nothing upon my person,’ Santana said, holding up her hands. ‘I am only proficient with a crossbow. Are… Are we really expecting a fight to break out?’

  ‘That’s the last thing that I want to happen,’ I said firmly. ‘We’re in their territory. They’re wealthy, they’ve probably got a lot of citizens and just as many guards. We’re here to build connections, not get ourselves killed. No weapons, no fighting – that is the absolute last resort. Unless we’re backed into a corner, I don’t even want to see a weapon, apart from the one round my waist, which will be kept firmly in its sheath.’

  My wives all nodded in agreement and finished hiding their weapons away, all save for Santana. After what I had said she looked a little more comfortable, but there was still a hint of reluctance on her face.

  ‘Hey,’ I said, taking her aside, ‘we’re going to be all right.’

  ‘I know…’ She said. ‘I am fine, really. This is just… Another new experience, shall we say?’

  ‘Yeah. I’ve been having a lot of those lately, actually.’

  ‘Well,’ she smiled, ‘let us hope that it continues.’

  With our outfits on and our weapons equipped, we remounted the wagon and continued through the untamed wilderness.

  After another mile had passed by, it became apparent that we were heading in the right direction.

  The signs were subtle at first – pleasant scents on the air, strange markings upon the trees which I surmised to be letters from a language I had never heard of.

  Then came the models.

  At first I thought they were bird’s nests composed by a sophisticated creature, but more and more began to appear, hanging from tree branches. Each was more elaborate than the last, tied to strings and turning steadily in the breeze; stick figures, elaborately-organised twigs in patterns, all hanging by thin pieces of rope from the branches of the trees around us.

  Each was different from the last, save for the same symbol that kept appearing over and over again, carved into trees.

  It was crude, but all were roughly identical; a tree, sounded by arrows and swords that were all pointing inwards towards it.

  I felt like I was stumbling upon an ancient civilisation, uncontacted by the outside world.

  ‘Wait…’ Alorion muttered from the seat next to me. He clambered up to sit atop the wagon and looked ahead. ‘Yes, I see it.’

  A few seconds later the perimeter fence of the sun-elf tribe’s land came into view.

  It was similar to my own, standing eight-feet tall and grounded firmly into the earth below, but its surrounding elements bore several differences. Standing before the fence were hundreds of beams facing outwards, with ends so severely sharpened their tips would cause a cut at the touch.

  It was a sharp contrast to the decorative features in the thick, red-barked trees that filled the forest in the surrounding area, the same colour of which could be seen in the guard towers that stood inside the perimeter fence, similar to my own, towering over our place as their elven occupants judged us from above.

  There were far more watchtowers than back at my own land. The closer I got the more I could see the curvature of the perimeter line, informing me that the land covered a much larger space than my own. There would be at least twenty covering the whole perimeter, and that was a conservative estimate.

  We approached the gates, where an image of a sun was carved into the wood, slowing the horses to a crawling pace just twenty yards away.

  An elven guard stood either side of them, wearing the same armor that those at the meeting had been wearing. Spears were clasped in their hands, the sharpened ends pointing to the sky.

  I pulled our wagon to a stop at the gate and looked between the two guards. They didn’t acknowledge me in the slightest, but it didn’t seem like a good idea to go knocking on the door like I was delivering a package.

  Even with the violence of this world, being polite and formal was the best approach when dealing with a stranger.

  ‘Uhh…’ I muttered quietly, looking at Alorion with a raised eyebrow, and then back at the guards, ‘I believe I received an invitation to a celebration tonight. I request entry to the land of the sun-elves of Morelia.’

  Not a single mutter or gesture. Neither of the guards at the gate looked my way, nor did those in the watchtowers.

  ‘What is happening out there?’ Elera whispered through to us.

  ‘We’re looking into it,’ I whispered back to her.

  Alorion and I exchanged another look.

  ‘Perhaps we knock on the door?’ My imp said to me in a hushed tone. ‘These guards do not seem responsive…’

  I was seriously considering it when a loud clunk sounded on the other side of the gate.

  I knew that sound. It was the bar being removed from the gates that blocked any unwanted visitors from gaining access.

  As they slowly swung wide, I wondered whether or not we fitted into that category.

  The first thing I saw was the two guards pulling the gates open. They quickly gave way onto the majestic lands within, which sprawled out as I prompted the horses forwards and I brought our small group onto the foreign land.

  In the sunset glow of the evening the land of the sun elves had taken on an orange and purple sheen, bathing the myriad houses that filled the land in carefully organised sections.

  The tribe was an exercise in grace and efficiency, and as we made our way through I could only take mental notes of its layout – not just the closest exits in the event that we had to make a break for it, but how well-organised everything was.

  Overshadowing it all was the tree that stood at the centre of every tribal land. In contrast to my own, its trunk was a lighter colour, and the abundant leaves clinging to its branches had taken on a beautiful, light orange shade.

  Artrix was standing before the tree, with several other sun-elves standing to his sides. He had swapped his armor for an intricately-patterned gown that fell to the ground below and covered his hands lik
e the cloak of a wizard.

  I pulled the horses to a stop and jumped down with Alorion by my side. My wives exited the wagon, hopping out and moving to my side, Lara and Santana on my left and Elera and Ariadne on my right.

  I tried to cast away the thought of the sheer number of weapons stashed on our persons, and that didn’t even include my power stones and the Dagger of Concealment that could land in my hand with the utterance of a single word.

  Backstab.

  I moved forwards to stand before Artrix and his companions with my wives either side of me, while Alorion waited with the wagon.

  The leader of the sun-elves surveyed my group for a moment before smiling and heading down the steps with his own group in-tow.

  ‘I would thank the gods that you made the decision to come on this delightful evening,’ he started, ‘but I would conclude that you made this decision of your own volition.’

  ‘I’d like to think that all of my choices are my own,’ I smiled, shaking hands with him. ‘That being said, the decision was that of my wives.’

  ‘As are many,’ he smiled. ‘For what is a tribe master without the guidance of the women at his side?’

  The girls all introduced themselves in the most charming way possible. I had had reservations about Elera and whether she would have trouble in a situation like this, but she was in her element; my nymph had spent most of her life seducing men, and she knew how to play the part of a charming woman.

  ‘A pleasure to make your acquaintances,’ he smiled to all of them, bearing a gentlemanly charm of his own. ‘Please, meet my people.’

  Artrix gestured to his companions, who all moved forward to his sides.

  Two women appeared first, one moving to either side of Artrix. They both stood six-feet tall, sporting golden hair and beautiful faces matched by their golden gowns.

  ‘My wives, Carenia and Hesia,’ Artrix introduced, and they both nodded to us with a comforting smile. It was a far cry from Werger’s tweaked-out, drug-addled wives. ‘And these are my dear kin…’

  To the left side, by Carenia, a male sun-elf appeared. Magical beings in Agraria aged differently to me, that much I knew, so it was impossible for me to tell how old this sun-elf really was, but physically he looked just a few years younger than myself, putting him around 24 or 25. His outfit was a combination of battle-wear and attire more appropriate for the evening, the latter of which was causing him to look slightly uncomfortable.