Herald of Shalia

by Tamryn Tamer

  “Right,” Jasmine looked back at the room. “Madam Gardenia! We need new bedding and sheets! Because Iris came like a dozen times when she fucked the herald!”

  “Discretion!” Madam Gardenia yelled furiously.

  “I fucked the herald too!” Zinnia yelled.

  “Do you idiots understand what discretion means!” Madam Garden screamed. “Somebody bring those idiots some new bedding!”

  “And some spare sets!” Frost yelled loudly as Brynn laughed.

  “I can’t believe I’m marrying you,” Brynn sighed.

  CHAPTER 26

  Frost woke up to the unmistakable sound of soldier’s boots stomping through the building beneath them. He could hear some arguing and a moment later a few footsteps coming up the stairs. After a brief delay there was a polite knock at the door.

  “Come in,” Frost said as the door opened. He assumed if they were there to kill or capture him, they wouldn’t have knocked. “It’s open.”

  “Frost?” Brynn rubbed her eyes as she woke up. She tried to move but found herself immobilized by the three randomly sprawled out beast girls. She hiked the blanket to cover her naked chest as Baron Slade came wandering in. “Slade? Get out!”

  “I’d love nothing more than to leave,” Slade sighed while gesturing at the door. A young blonde woman with long blonde perfectly spiraling hair walked in. She was wearing an extravagant red dress and long white gloves as she looked around the room in disgust. “I present Princess Fiora Leaucault.”

  “Brynn Hilde,” Fiora scowled as she stared at the bed. She turned to Slade. “Should demihumans be sleeping in my presence?”

  “No,” Slade rolled his eyes. “But I suggest you be merciful. The herald seems to have left them exhausted.”

  “You seem different Slade,” Frost grinned. “You sound so much more refined.”

  “What does he mean Baron Slade?” Fiora scowled at the irritated ninja. “Have you been speaking indecently again? How long will it be before you start acting like a noble instead of a criminal?”

  “I have no idea what they’re talking about my lady,” Slade said politely while glaring at Frost. “I’ve been nothing but dignified. Regardless, I politely ask we allow the women to sleep.”

  “Oh?” Fiora glanced at Frost. “Does this dog-fucker scare you Slade?”

  “This dog-fucker terrifies me my lady,” Slade answered without reservations. “Additionally, I couldn’t fight him while protecting you and Princess Isabelle sent me to…”

  “You don’t need to remind me,” Fiora grumbled. “I’m not an idiot like Erik.”

  “That’s fantastic news,” Frost said as he carefully slid out from under the sleeping women. He climbed out of the bed and stood up as both Slade and Fiora’s eyes shifted toward his cock. “So, why are you here?”

  “I heard you were in my city and decided to save myself a trip to that nest of elves you call home,” Fiora held up a scroll. “The bill of sale and proper recognition as your own sovereign territory.”

  “Couldn’t you have just sent Baron Slade with it?” Frost smirked. “You wanted to meet me, didn’t you?” Frost held out his hands and did a turn so she could admire him in all his naked glory. “What do you think?”

  “How far you’ve fallen,” Fiora looked disdainfully at Brynn as Frost started getting dressed. “You used to be one of father’s favorites. Then you killed your brothers and vanished for years only to come back as what? Some dog-fucker’s whore?”

  “I didn’t kill my brothers,” Brynn growled.

  “You know,” Frost feigned indignation. “It hurts when you call me a dog-fucker.”

  “Oh,” Fiora said condescendingly. “Does it now? Maybe you shouldn’t fuck dogs then.”

  “That’s not what I mean,” Frost chuckled and gestured at the women beneath the blankets. “I mean I’m not just a dog-fucker. I’m also an elf-fucker, a cat-fucker, and a rabbit-fucker. When you call me dog-fucker, I just feel like you’re really not giving me as much credit as I deserve.”

  “You’re disgusting,” Fiora scowled. “And I want you out of my city immediately.”

  “We’ll leave in a couple days,” Frost said smugly. “Also, while we’re in town we should have a proper sit down.”

  “Why would we do that?” Fiora asked contemptuously. “You will be treated as a separate territory. You and your people will stay in your territory and we’ll leave you alone. That was the agreement.”

  “There’s also the matter of the payment for the other giants,” Frost reminded. “I killed their leader for the territory, I was supposed to get paid for the others.”

  “Fine,” Fiora said smugly. “Slade, make sure he receives his payment. Is that all?”

  “No,” Frost shook his head. “That deal was made before Zira tried to have me assassinated.”

  “Zira did not try to have you assassinated,” Fiora corrected. “Prince Erik did. And you took his head for that.”

  “No,” Brynn interjected. “Frost was acting as my agent when he took Prince Erik’s head. It was revenge for having my brothers killed. Technically, Frost hasn’t been compensated for the attempted assassination.”

  “The dog-fucker’s been given a princess of Zira as payment,” Fiora gestured Brynn. “That should be plenty of compensation.”

  “Nice try,” Brynn smirked. “But technically it’s the other way around. I own the dog-fucker so I’m the one that gained a herald, he did not gain a princess.”

  “I’d say it’s more mutually beneficial,” Frost smiled. “And you should rotate the insults a little. Start mixing in some cat-fucker, elf-fucker, rabbit-fucker. Really mix it up.”

  “So,” Brynn smiled while ignoring Frost. “The assassination matter is not resolved. If you give us a time, we can come to the keep to discuss…”

  “Let’s just do it now,” Fiora clenched her teeth as she turned to Frost. “Obviously you want something. What do you have in mind?”

  “We want open travel and trade between my territory and Blackwater,” Frost interjected. “That’s all.”

  “That’s all?” Fiora stomped while holding up the scroll. “The entire purpose of this agreement was to keep you and your cursed followers out of Blackwater! I don’t need plagues, famines, or wars throughout my territory. And if it gets around that I’m dealing with a cursed territory my marriage proposals are going to dry up faster than a sandworm’s corpse!”

  “Huh?” Jasmine yawned and rubbed her eyes. “What’s all the yelling about?”

  “Jasmine,” Iris moaned as she started to climb up. “I had the nicest dream. I had a house full of babies running around and…were we expecting visitors?”

  “Visitors?” Zinnia said excitedly as her tail smacked the bed.

  All three women covered themselves with the bedding as they stared at Fiora and Slade. Their eyes darted back and forth as they tried to make sense of what was happening.

  “It’s my step-sister Princess Fiora,” Brynn said covering herself as she climbed out of bed.

  “You look and it’ll be the last thing you see,” Frost said to Slade as the ninja turned his head toward the door. Brynn climbed out and slipped into her dress. “Okay, it’s fine now.”

  “P-princess?” Jasmine looked around for something to wear then looked at Frost for some guidance. “My lord?”

  “Stay,” Frost said while gesturing to keep themselves covered. He smiled politely at Princess Fiora. “I hope that’s alright.”

  “Hmm,” Fiora smirked malevolently. “It would set a bad precedent. I suppose I could forgive them not showing me the proper respect if you were to take their place and kneel before me.”

  “My lord,” Jasmine said as the others looked down. “We’re courtesans, we are fine being seen naked, there’s no need for you to…”

  “Nah,” Frost smiled at the three embarrassed women and took a knee in front of the princess. “Your highness. We’re honored.”

  “My lord,” Jasmine blushed and buried
her face in the blanket.

  “Not entirely unexpected,” Slade sighed. “The man clearly has no dignity.”

  “You’d kneel so easily for the sake of some demihuman whores?” Fiora scoffed and turned to Brynn. “This is the man you wish to marry? He’s so weak willed.”

  “Really?” Brynn said while standing next to him. “I find the fact he cares for those around him to be one of my handsome fiancé’s most endearing traits. Anyway, I assume the demihumans are fine then?”

  “They’ll be permitted to remained covered,” Fiora smiled delightedly. “I believe we are finished then?”

  “No, but nice try,” Brynn said as Frost rose to his feet. “You’re trying to avoid resolving assassination attempt.”

  “There’s nothing to resolve. That had nothing to do with Zira,” Fiora insisted. “It was Prince Erik alone who…”

  “Prince Erik was assigned to the position by the king of Zira,” Brynn looked larger than life as she stood before Fiora. Even in her plain dress, it was obvious who the more regal of the two was. “The giants were disposed of and hundreds of Ziran citizens were saved. Then, an agent of the king attempted to assassinate an ally of Zira and execute his people. My handsome fiancé sounds willing to overlook it for free travel and trade. Do we have a deal or not?”

  “Do I even have a choice?” Fiora scowled at Brynn.

  “There’s always a choice,” Brynn said cheerfully while grabbing Frost’s arm. “But a trade and travel agreement between our territory and Blackwater would be mutually beneficial.”

  “You say mutually beneficial,” Fiora said. “I’m not seeing how being able to sell goods to impoverished demihumans benefits us.”

  “Baron Slade,” Brynn clapped her hands to get the handsome ninja’s attention. “Have you explained to Fiora the current condition of the Blackwater military? Or don’t you know? I mean, I know the state of the military because I’ve been trying to get at Erik for so long, but do you?”

  “What’s she talking about?” Fiora asked while clenching her fist. “You said the military was functioning fine.”

  “It is functioning fine,” Slade nodded apprehensively. “The chain of command has not been heavily impacted and day to day operations are continuing as normal.”

  “Slade, I arrived this morning,” Fiora glared. “I wasn’t born this morning. What aren’t you telling me?”

  “I’m working on a solution with Sir Isaac and Sir Adamus,” Slade scowled at Brynn for ratting him out. “But we didn’t want to concern you before we had a solution. Everything is functioning, but dealing with sporadic monster attacks could be difficult without the eight slayers.”

  “You see Fiora,” Brynn said haughtily. “In the event giants come down from the mountains or a chimera decides to make his home in a village, you have nobody to deal with the problem. The few dozen soldiers in a village aren’t equipped to handle a chimera or even a griffin really. And if you think the followers of Shalia bring famine, wait until a flame wyvern starts burning crops. The eight slayers were normally dispatched to deal with those problems since normal soldiers couldn’t.”

  “What about the monster elimination force?” Fiora asked Slade. “Or the holy knights. Surely…”

  “Oh, the eight slayers were the monster elimination force. And the holy knights are trained to fight soldiers,” Brynn interrupted. “If you send them up against monsters, they’ll win but not without casualties. And then you’ll have fewer holy knights for the next monster leading to an accelerated rate of casualties. And then what will you do? Start sending peacekeeping forces? Then who would protect the citizens from, well, the citizens?”

  “Slade?” Fiora growled.

  “Lady Isabelle suggested…”

  “I don’t care what my overbearing sister suggested,” Fiora said furiously. “You will either give me accurate reports or I’ll chop out your tongue and you won’t be reporting to anybody. Am I clear?”

  “As the summer sky,” Slade scowled.

  “So,” Fiora turned to Brynn. “Your suggestion is free travel and trade and in exchange your cursed herald will assist us in the dispatching of monsters?”

  “I’m saying that if we’re on good terms he’s much more likely to hear your requests,” Brynn corrected. “Not to mention pretty soon my sexy fiancé will be your brother-in-law dear sister.”

  “Disgusting,” Fiora sneered. “Fine, open trade and travel. Slade, the costs of hiring the cursed herald will be absorbed by the military.”

  “Excuse me?” Slade chuckled. “You’re joking. I’m barely managing to…”

  “I don’t care,” Fiora said coldly. “It’s expected that a military maintain a monster elimination force. Ultimately, they decided to rely on the eight slayers rather than establish a proper force. Now that I think about it, I want a full accounting of all military expenditures for the last five years. I’ve noticed that several officers assigned to my brother recently found wives in noble families. In fact, let’s go back ten years.”

  “You don’t intend to…” Slade glanced at the demihumans. “Let’s discuss this later.”

  Frost smiled at Fiora. He’d underestimated her because she came off as spoiled and bratty, but she was also savvy. In an instant she realized that the money earmarked for a monster elimination was going somewhere and deduced several likely suspects. Although he wondered if she knew enough to look through purchase orders, businesses hired, and even material outsourcers. There was a reason that forensic accountants existed in his world.

  “I believe we’re finished. Your territory, your payment for the giants, open trade and travel,” Fiora said as she reluctantly held out her hand. “Agreed, Herald Frost?”

  “My lady,” Slade leaned over. “You don’t know where those lips have been.”

  “Agreed,” Frost said politely kissing her hand.

  “I plan on burning the glove,” Fiora smirked at Brynn. “It’s been interesting. We’ll draft up the paperwork on the trade and travel agreement for you to review before you leave.”

  “Sister,” Brynn bowed politely.

  “Sister,” Fiora returned the polite bow.

  “My lady,” Slade bowed to Brynn and turned to Frost. “Dog-fucker.”

  “Still not an insult,” Frost shrugged as the two left the room. He turned to Brynn. “So, did that go well?”

  “Very,” Brynn said. “It seems Fiora is taking this seriously, at least for her. The fact she wants to look through the military’s budgets means she intends to weed out corruption.”

  “Or find leverage to compel obedience,” Frost offered as an alternative insight.

  “Ah,” Brynn nodded. “Yeah, that’s more likely. It’s good that you’re not underestimating her. Fiora might be pompous and selfish but she’s not stupid.”

  “Um,” Jasmine stared at the two of them as the other two hid their heads beneath the blanket. “Did she call you sister?”

  “Huh?” Brynn laughed and clapped her hands together. “Right, I don’t suppose I ever formally introduced myself. I’m Princess Brynn Hilde Leaucault. But I prefer Brynn if it’s all the same.”

  “Your majesty,” Jasmine pressed her head against the mattress. “Please forgive us! We’ve been…”

  “You’re fine,” Frost laughed while adjusting his clothing in the mirror. “Right Brynn?”

  “Right,” Brynn said while shuffling through the bag of clothing they purchased for an alternate outfit. “Are you going to wear the same thing you wore yesterday?”

  “I wore it for like an hour,” Frost said smelling the outfit. “It’s still clean.”

  “Fine,” Brynn laughed as she slipped into a black flowing dress that fell to her calves. She pulled out a pair of thigh-high white tights and matching white panties and slipped them on beneath the skirt. She twirled while looking in the mirror as if making sure nothing would show. “This should work.”

  “You look beautiful my lady!” Jasmine said jumping out of bed with the other two women
and rushing around gathering up brushes and makeup. Zinnia set a chair in front of the mirror and Jasmine forced Brynn on it as Iris instantly began brushing her hair. The naked Myrran rushed off. “I’ll be back in a moment.”

  “Hm,” Brynn smiled as Iris brushed her messy short hair. The naked bunny-girl grabbed some wax from a small case she’d pulled from a dresser and slid it across Brynn’s hair allowing her to style it further. “It’s been a while since I’ve been waited on. It’s kind of nice.”

  “Back!” Jasmine said rushing in with a bucket of soapy water and several white clothes. She rushed over to Brynn and began scrubbing and drying her arms, neck, and face. After everything had dried Zinnia offered her a selection of perfume.

  “I always put on the perfect amount,” Zinnia said as she lightly dabbed perfume in a few key regions. “I’m sorry if it’s not too your liking.”

  “It’s fine,” Brynn smiled politely as Zinnia’s massive naked breasts hung in front of her face. “It’s really wonderful, thank you all.”

  “Your welcome your highness,” Iris said while trying to decide whether to slick Brynn’s hair back or to the side. In the end, she decided to slick it back making Brynn look like some malevolent lord. “Is this okay?”

  “A little different from what I’m used to,” Brynn said questioning it. “Frost?”

  “I think you look beautiful,” Frost answered as she stared suspiciously at him. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m being honest.”

  “Okay,” Brynn said as she stood up. The black dress fit her small chest perfectly and the way the white stockings contrasted the dress drew his gaze to her athletic legs. “So, we have two days before we go back to the village. What do you want to do?”

  “Breakfast and then I want to look around,” Frost said as the three courtesans smiled politely. “Don’t suppose Madam Gardenia would let you three show us around?”

  “Really?” Zinnia said excitedly as her tail wagged.

  “Can we, can we, can we, can we, can we, can we?” Iris rapidly hopped in place while tapping Jasmin’s shoulder.