“Then Lúta serves me in the palace, or I take your guard instead!” Her demand sounded fair. Of course they would want to stay together, they were stolen together.
Vidar licked his lips, “I will afford her a role in the laundry. I will not risk you two conspiring against me, but she will be paid well.”
“The kitchen or you get nothing.” Her hot box had him lost for words as he felt it pressing against his bare shaft. With the thought of Diek coming in and finding him enjoying himself, or worse, taking the feisty critter for his own pleasure he needed to answer and quickly. Surely she would make some strong headed cubs, she was beyond fit for queen.
He bit his lips and buried his cock in her, “As you wish, my love!”
She made quick work of the disgusting beast and could not get off of his lap quick enough. She righted her skirts and before she could finish, Diek was in the Lysthus locking the door behind himself. Vidar was fixing his pants while Diek assessed what was happening. “You could not wait for my shift to finish?” He sneered, “At least you picked the right one, the other is barren.”
The warrior could not wait to bed the puny woman. She would be sure to take care in how she behaved after this. Lúta backed up panicked and, she nearly tripped on a chair, while Genie had to think quickly. She turned back to Vidar, “She is mine, you will not let her bed another in front of me.”
Both warriors took pause. Women rarely displayed affection for one another in front of a male. This would be an interesting evening indeed. Vidar stood straightening himself, almost hesitant to issue an order but the curiosity about where his new bride would take him was over whelming, “Very well, she is yours tonight. But she goes home with her husband in the morning.”
Lúta’s mind raced as she tried to assess what Genie was up to. Genie handed her the goblet with the Sour root. She swooped up her friend in her arms and coaxed the cup to her lips, whispering into her ear, “It’s me Lúta, would you prefer him?”
She was so scared. The thought of spending her nights with that monster, were overwhelming, but most certainly he would show off with an audience. Especially after her resistance in the palace. Lúta took a drink and snuggled into her best friend’s embrace, cringing as she saw Diek bend the king over the table to take his pleasure. Their horrid nightmare only seemed to be beginning, and Genie cupped Lúta’s face in her hands again whispering, “I saw Mavis’s brother as we were leaving the palace. I will be safe if I am queen, I will bargain for you to be sold to Avarr, I swear. He has always been loyal to Mavis he will see you cared for.”
Lúta bit back her tears, and fear as the drink started working its magic. Her best friend’s touch was so soothing. A simple kiss to coax Lúta into playing along, quickly turned into comfort they both needed so badly. She forgot about the horrid couple on the table and let her worries disappear with the caressing from her friend.
Vidar was so involved in what was happening on the other side of the Lysthus that he had all but lost interest in what Diek was doing. The dominant Joutone woman was a perfect match for him, and he could not wait to submit to her again. Even watching her with her puny female mate was exiting and Diek grew jealous of the display, shoving off of his lover and taking Lúta from Genie’s grip. He planted a possessive kiss on Lúta’s lips, effectively sealing their marriage, and shoved her towards the door. “I will leave the two of you to get further acquainted.” He paused at the door, “She delivers us a cub or I kill this one.”
As soon as Diek left Genie whipped around, livid. “You will stand for that?”
He put up one hand backing away from the now dangerously angry woman, “I am king by name only. It is Diek that rules. He has for a long time.”
“He does no more! If you wed me I will have him killed. You make your choice and you make it now! I am your queen or he is!” Her rage showed straight through to her color, her mouth and chin both firm with anger. The king slinked along the edge of the table, truly willing to serve her if she was capable of delivering the head of Diek.
“And how would you manage that, exactly?”
To let on her relationship to the palace guard would be dangerous. She needed to survive this to get Jocelyn back and to let on too much information would put her in a disadvantage. She had to be sure he would submit to her entirely. He was close enough to wet his lips and prepare for hers, half hoping he could still taste her lover on hers. The kiss was short. A simple necessity to bind their relationship. As soon as their lips made contact, Genie shoved his head back, “You get more from me when my lover is secure.”
As soon as they left the tower the guards whisked her back to the palace. Vidar followed closely behind to ensure no one hurt her and when she was in the family wing he scurried in behind the guards. He paced the floor momentarily, trying to think out loud. “This is temporary as you know. I swear I am yours my queen. I just have to be sure you are loyal to me as I am to you.”
On realization he was about to lock the door she flew into a rage and hurled a vase at him. One of the guards slapped it out of the air to the ground. She yelled past the warrior, “You cannot keep your word a single night! How do you expect me to believe you will keep it at all?”
“You will see, my queen, I promise.” With that he bowed out.
As soon as the door locked Genie melted to her knees. Her rage, and fear and disgust over bedding that filthy creature boiling over all at once. There was no way of knowing if Lúta was safe or if that monster was hurting her in other ways. She cried into the night. Come morning the doors opened and two guards and three chambermaids were let in.
Before they finished cleaning the suite the elder that had accompanied Diek last night marched in her head high. She issued a few orders to her young charges and in a flurry of activity the women finished the last of their duties and poured out of the room. Quietly she nodded to one of the guards and he left momentarily to return with Lúta.
Genie gasped in horror at her friend’s face. Diek had taken a rage on her last night and she silently swore his death would be cruel. It was Diek’s mother who stood admiring the jaw dropping work her son had done. His little wife was so obedient and humbled now. The old woman addressed her new queen, “Vidar says she is to work in the palace. I think a peasant girl would be far more fitting in the laundry.”
Genie snapped back, “She is wed to a general, she should be on my staff. But if she is to labor it will be in the kitchen.”
“The kitchen it is. I will not have her prancing around the court like she deserves to be there. You know very well she is only here because of you. Diek will not tolerate that for long. You deliver them a cub or I replace you with someone who will.”
“How dare you talk to your queen this way?”
The old woman laughed her way out of the room, “You are the third one since summer. I suggest you produce, or there will be a fourth.” The door shut and locked behind her sealing their fates.
Chapter 19
Ben washed the blood from his hands and packed his medical bag. The battle that happened last night must have been extensively vicious as most of the injuries he saw were either fatal or crippling. The work he endured lasted most of the day and even then, there weren’t many victims he could save.
As evening approached, he was finally being escorted back to his cottage by two guards. Something caught his eye however as he passed through the square. There were a few carts with some of the warriors from Freyr’s village that had been captured, laying bound on them.
It was clear that some of them were dead already and some of them were merely awaiting their fates at the hands of their captors. One of the warriors definitely caught his attention. Mâvis lay bound tightly face down. His fingers were bloody as his claws had been cut off and there was an arrow protruding from his shoulder.
Ben did not attempt to pause and look longer. Ormr was right there gloating over the capture. Ben just continued on to his hut along with his two guards in tow. As night fell, a rather drunk do
ctor found himself climbing out of the window in the back. He chuckled to himself as he passed the two guards lying asleep against his door.
He approached the cart clumsily and noticed a glimmer in the warrior’s eyes, “My goodness you are alive, I can see why ‘his majesty’ was so happy now. After discovering for myself what a charming and delightful gentleman you are I can only imagine what has these men wanting to ki’ kill you so badly.” His speech was heavily slurred.
Ben pulled out a very well sharpened hunting knife and jammed it into the wood in front of Mâvis’s eyes and using it to steady himself a bit. The doctor watched intently to see if he would even blink. Not seeing the slightest reaction he continued talking, “Now let’s see, since I arrived in this wretched world you have tried to kill me no less than three times and actually left me for dead at least once. Looks like you rode the karma wagon all the way here didn’t you buddy? Quite literally too.” He haphazardly slapped his hand on the cart to emphasize his pun.
Next Ben opened his knapsack and pulled out an alcohol jug and some tools. He plucked the knife off the wagon and started shaving hair around the arrow in Mâvis’s shoulder. “Also since I arrived here I have been to no less than three of these God forsaken villages and in each and every one I hear of the great and mighty Mâvis and of his loyalty and invincibility. Yet here you are betrayed and tied like a gift just waiting for one of your enemies to open up.” He picked up the jug of vodka and bit the stopper out of it with his teeth before pouring it over the wound and then stopping to take a swig of the liquor himself.
The burn drew a grunt from Mâvis and Ben stopped for a second to enjoy the reflection of pain in his eyes, “Oh that hurts doesn’t it? I wish I had something to numb the pain, that way I could set it right here for you to admire while I operate, cause I sure as hell wouldn’t waste a drop of it on you, you son of a bitch.” He opened his switchblade, “You know there was once a very famous war general who was quoted as saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer. This is why a man like Freyr would keep a lumbering ogre like yourself under his employ. To know where you are and what you are up to. The noble king you so loyally defend sold you out quite literally. He served your wife up as bait and told Ormr you would be by to collect her. Although I have to admit it took you long enough, the women left weeks ago.”
Taking another swig off the jug, he put it down and started carving into Mâvis’s shoulder. He took a little pride seeing the beast draw in and hold his breath. “I’m sorry, does that hurt? Oh, yes back to our discussion. You see Freyr is what humans like to call a pussy. He is not strong enough to fight his own battles, so he hires thugs and missionaries to handle his bidding for him. That is exactly what you are Mâvis, a hired thug. I have dealt with many a thug in my life and it is always a matter of time before they are served the same meal they dish out.”
Ben leaned over the shoulder to get try and get a closer look. With the moon as his only source of light, he gave up quickly and opted to poke around in the hole a bit until he found what he was looking for as Mâvis cringed and grunted in pain. Finally Ben cheered, “AH! There it is! I knew it! Just a hair off a very important bloodline, sir. Had you just ripped this out we would not be even having this lovely reunion right now.” The arrow was tossed on the cart in front of Mâvis.
“Now tell me, Mâvis, why do you think I would be out here risking my life to save your worthless ass? I mean you must know for sure that you don’t deserve me wasting a single breath on you. You certainly didn’t waste one on me as you yanked that arrow from my back. Do you think it is because I’m nuts? Or perhaps drunk?”
He chuckled to himself, “Well, you would be correct on the latter. But no, sir, the reason I am out here getting myself killed is because I have a soft spot for humans. It just so happens that I saved one not that long ago from even seeing this God awful, wretched place. When my captors dragged me back to Freyr’s village where I was forced to assess both your wife and mine for sale. I found her tucked away in a cabinet. I snuck her out in my medical bag and brought her to an elderly woman’s home just behind yours. I wish I knew her name but unfortunately I didn’t even have time to ask.”
The doctor picked up a sewing needle and thread and set about closing up the wound, “I would like to say that I know where the women went. However, I saw them only the one night. I went back to check on them in the morning they were sold already. I do know it was to a king I have not met before and that he is not from either island, as I overheard it took them a full day or so to get here by boat.”
Ben went for the hunting knife again, “Here is where I find myself conflicted with my better judgment of self-preservation versus my mushy heart in caring for humans.” He climbed onto the cart, straddled the back of Mâvis’s legs and started cutting at the tightly bound ropes. “If that little girl is to survive she will need you. I certainly can do nothing to help her in this world.” The last of the ropes gave way and Mâvis’s gigantic arms flopped to his side. Ben climbed down and packed his belongings to leave.
“Listen, if you find the women please tell Lúta I loved her.” With that, he turned and started walking back to his hut. He made it all of a few steps before he was knocked out cold.
Mâvis scooped up Ben’s limp body and hurried out of the village. Having grown up on this island, he knew the cliffs well and spent much of his youth climbing them with his brother and his friends. He made quick work of descending the walls. Going back and forth between the trail and jagged cliffs as best he could with his wounded shoulder and a human in tow.
He made it to the rocky shore and found a small boat to steal. A few hours later he hit Freyr’s shore and hauled the human out before flipping and sinking the vessel, to leave no trace of his landing there.
When Ben finally woke, he was bound and gagged on a table, “Dear God!” He thought to himself, he must be on one of those horrible racks. Then he became more lucid and realized he was inside some place.
Mâvis sat on a chair inches from Ben’s face braiding some fabric together and testing its strength a few times before continuing with the work. He growled out, “Oh good, you are awake.” Ben wondered how he knew that, because Mâvis never even looked at him. “I was starting to wonder if I may have hit you a little too hard.”
He took the hunting knife Ben had used on him the night before and sliced through the fabric he was working on, then tied it off in a knot. Mâvis then crammed the knife into the table in front of Ben’s eyes just as Ben had done the night before. Suddenly the memory of the evening’s events flooded back and he could hear his own heart pounding in his ears.
“Jocelyn, come eat. We are leaving soon.” The warrior said as he watched his daughter.
The cheery three year old darted over to him and accepted a bite from strip of dry meat, chewing it as she eyed Ben cautiously. “Papa,” She pointed at the creature on the table, “Is human? Papa?”
Mâvis started packing a small assortment of supplies, “Yes, love, he is human. Now let him be.” He finished his work and took out a strip of the jerky for himself. Before turning towards the table, pulling the knife out and running his finger up and down the blade, “So human, that was quite the conversation we had last night. Should we pick up where we left off?” He reached up and cut the gag from Ben’s mouth. Then waited for an answer while eyeing him intensely.
Ben chuckled nervously, “I may have been a bit inebriated last night I don’t quite recall where we left off.”
“How are you alive?” The growl that followed sent chills down Ben’s spine.
“Could be a bit of Irish luck in my gene pool somewhere I’m sure. I do hope you wouldn’t kill me in front of your daughter.”
Mâvis reached up and grabbed a fist full of Ben’s hair pulling back until he was sure there was just enough pain to bring fear into the man. Then he laid the knife on the table and fixated his gaze into Ben’s eyes as if to search for something, “Someone must show her how to do it. Now, you said you did
not know the man who bought my wife. Is that true?”
Ben responded through gritted teeth, “I wish I could say that I knew him. But had I met him before I would remember. He, he bought my wife as well.”
“Do you serve Ormr willingly?” Mâvis unconsciously tightened his grip with his own words drawing rage from him. Seeing Ben cringe from the pain, he then loosened up a bit and searched the man’s face for his answer.
“Never.” Ben grunted against the pain. “I serve no one willingly.”
“No one? Really?” Mâvis thought on what Ben had just said. The creature had just saved his life, and saved his daughter’s life already. He couldn’t leave him on Ormr’s island to face death. Releasing him would just lead to Freyr or King William capturing him and using him for his powers. That is even if he didn’t fall victim to the island’s many other dangers. Enslaving the human was the only way to keep him alive at this point, but getting him through the islands with no title would be a challenge all on its own. Mâvis released Ben and picked up the knife again, “Do you love your wife, human? Do you ever want to see her again?” He cast his sights back on the blade, as if not to even care how this question was answered.
“Yes, yes, of course I do.” Ben struggled in his ropes in fear of where this was leading.
“That is good. I do believe King William owes you a favor.” Mâvis used the knife to drive Ben’s chin up, “I do not have time to waste on frivolous attempts to escape. If I let you live, then you serve me willingly. Is that understood?” Mâvis watched carefully for any indication Ben would respond in false.
Instead, the human surprised him, “Well if I’ve learned one thing since I’ve arrived here it is that I make an excellent servant, why should I give up the profession now?”
The comment drew a scowl from Mâvis, “Do you mock me?”
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