by Lee Abrey
I felt like a ghost from the future, drifting through their memories. I doubted my own existence most of the time so didn’t have time to wonder about gods. Was I going to die? Could I change my future?
Of course you can change the future, said Cree, sounding matter-of-fact, anyone can. The future is supremely mutable. Imagine it like many strands that interconnect. He made a weaving motion with his hands. Connected noodles.
“Like a never-ending thread in a tapestry?” I said. To my horror, I said it aloud. I tried to pretend I hadn’t. Ross passed me the pipe.
“He’s talking to his ghost again,” he said. I pretended to laugh while wondering again how many times I’d spoken aloud to Cree within their earshot.
“He heard you talking about him,” I said, “so came to see why.” Ross looked round and past me. I pointed to Cree. His hands out, Ross moved closer and then right through him. “He’s right there,” I said, but nobody saw. Cree looked amused then faded away. “He’s gone,” I said.
“Come on then,” said Archie, “enough ghosts, time for music and drinking. And women.”
Everyone was happy. The idea that they didn’t have to go into the army on Monday was cheering them all immensely. One can really enjoy the weekend when Monday marks the beginning of holidays.
None of them had ever joined the ranks. Even my peasant father had the sense to enter as an officer through the guild.
“That’s an idea,” I said to Archie, pretending to be a normal person, “women, drinking, a band. Where’s good?”
We asked the maitre-de and he recommended the Black Pig Inn, a short walk away. We followed the sounds of music, laughter, shouting and the occasional squeal. People kept stumbling out of doorways. It wasn’t that late, around nine, but the party started early in Redhampton.
“Now I remember,” Archie said, “some of the sailors said they’ll be at the Black Pig Inn. There’s a band, the singer’s some hot woman.”
“A hot woman,” said Ross, smiling, “do we need another reason?”
****
The Black Pig Inn served fried and roasted salty snacks that went well with drink, mine being a lemonade-and-ale shandy served with pretzels, while I watched the singer belt out a song. She was indeed hot, and good. So were the band, and the dance floor was heaving. Most of my companions were soon up dancing. I wondered how they powered all those fans and their sound system, which was as good as the ones in the ballrooms at home.
“Whole town’s on hydro-electricity, hooked up to the river,” said Fenric when I spoke my thoughts, “like the citadel, there’s power day or night.” We hadn’t found the sailors from the Lady of Starshore, but to my surprise, there was quite a crowd of women.
“Are they all floozies?” I said to Fenric, as one led Archie off to dance. “They look like ordinary girls.” Thanks to my rather broad sexual education I knew floozies.
“Scabbard-humpers, most of ‘em,” said Fenric, legs stretched out and gesturing carefully with his drink. “Every lass for miles around who fancies the steady income of the army without the bother of a husband who’s around much.” I laughed and made the noise of a cat meowing, he laughed too.
“Catty, aye,” he said, “but don’t they remind you of Azrael’s Wood Bees back in Peterhaven?” I nodded. The Wood Bees were the girls who would be queen. The brittle avarice shone in their eyes. I had my own coterie at Court, the Wood Ducks, the women who would be Duchess of Starshore. While learning to recognise the type, I didn’t like to judge. Until the king made me a duke I was nearly the male equivalent, a man looking for a wife to keep him.
The ubiquitous ceiling fans were going flat out but everyone was sweating, the glasses too, everything stuck to everything else or sliding off it. Every so often, there was a rumbling of thunder we could hear over the band. I hoped to get used to the weather quickly, it seemed so hot for the time of night. Fenric and I refused several requests to dance. I felt like watching and Fenric said he was enjoying not doing anything until dinner went down a bit more.
“I’m going for a smoke,” I said to Fenric, just as a lass caught his eye from a nearby table.
“Think I’m going for a dance after all,” he said, and headed for the woman. Feeling the need for air, I went out into the back courtyard. It was so much cooler compared to the bar. Maybe that was how to deal with the heat, go into hot places so the outside felt pleasant.
To one side was a small kitchen garden, hedged off from the throughway to the stables and back entrance of the inn. I went into the garden and settled on a bench among the plants. With my night vision and the half-moon I could see that someone had planted pretty flowers among the herbs, vegetables and fruit. Night-blooming jasmine, clematis and jessamine swarmed up trelliswork, filling the night with scent.
The band stopped. In the sudden quiet I heard strange animals calling outside the town. Or were they Sriamans?
****
Chapter 21 – A Lucky Man
I sipped another shandy, smoking, looking up at the stars winking in a thousand icy colours so far above the heat of the night. Every so often someone would walk out the back but nobody came into the garden. The band started up again and I listened to the music. Then there were footsteps, a woman it sounded like. She walked into the garden, so I cleared my throat and took a long pull on my pipe to make it glow, let her know there was someone in the shrubbery.
“That smells good,” she said. I caught a waft of scent. Vanilla, roses, and her hair just-washed. Need, pure and simple, surfaced in me. I smiled in the dark. I gestured with the pipe,
“Tastes good too, want some?” I wasn’t sure how well she could see me but I could see her fine, and fine she was.
“Not ‘til we’ve been introduced,” she said, “I’m Belinda.” She offered her hand. I stood and shook it solemnly, careful not to tower over her too much. Her hand was small and warm. I bowed a little and gestured to the seat.
“I’m Polo. Nice to meet you, Belinda. Care to share my bench?”
“Oh,” she said, as if making a decision, “yes, thank you I would. So, Polo, what are you doing here?” Intriguingly she didn’t seem to be either a floozy or a scabbard-humper.
“I have to report at the army base on Monday morning,” I said.
“I’m going downriver tomorrow afternoon,” she said.
“Sounds like a recipe for an interesting night,” I said. She laughed and I liked the sound of her laugh.
“It does, doesn’t it?” she said.
“Smoke, milady?” I said, and lit it for her. She took a good look at me in the light of the flame. Her hands touched mine, just that moment longer than required. She was at least interested. I was happy to take it nice and slow. Anticipation is such a wonderful and integral part of seduction.
“I’m not a milady,” she said, “are you a milord?”
“A milord? I am Blood, aye,” I said. “My father’s a peasant,” I added, in my own defence, “from Redditch.” I didn’t want her to know who I was. Let her like me for me, not my title or fame. Besides, technically I wasn’t a milord but a Your Grace.
“I’m from Redditch,” she said. Turned out she knew Father’s family. It was the way it was when I grew up, everyone always knew everyone or at least their relations. “This mindweed is lovely,” she said, “hit me again, milord.”
“It’s strong,” I said, “you sure?”
“Oh aye,” she said, “completely sure.” Mindweed makes most people at least relaxed and happy. Half my work was done.
“So you’ve left someone?” I said. She laughed.
“Does it show so badly?” I smiled, shaking my head.
“I guessed. You don’t seem like most of the women round here.” She sniffed.
“Not a scabbard-humper, you mean. Or a floozy. I’m a teacher. Johnny joined the army long after we were engaged. Swine.” I thought she was going to spit. Whoever Johnny was, he’d made her very angry.
“Pfft,” I said, finding my shandy and thanking
Johnny’s idiocy for what I was about to receive. “Drink, milady?” I was being smarmy, but angry women like manners. She took a sip.
“Shandy? You’re a surprise, soldier.”
“Good,” I said, “I don’t like being predictable.” I saw the flash of her teeth as she smiled in the darkness.
“Neither do I.” Suddenly she leaned and kissed me quickly. I wasn’t expecting it at all. Her lips tasted of beer and lemonade. I barely had time to feel their velvet softness.
“Do that again?” I said, smiling. She did, longer this time. I touched her then, put my arms around her and returned the kiss passionately until both of us were gasping. We settled back on the seat, breathing heavy.
“Mmm,” I said, “I’m so glad you did that.”
“You are?” she said.
“Course,” I said, “makes it easy. I know you’re interested.” She laughed.
“You knew I was interested when I stopped and shared a pipe.” I shrugged, then realised she could barely see me and was still waiting for a response.
“True,” I said. “And when I lit your pipe. But I’m an idiot, I could have messed up.”
“My fiance cheated on me,” she said.
“He was a real idiot,” I said, and she laughed. “I would say I’m sorry about your engagement,” I added, and squeezed her thigh a little, “but that would be a lie.”
She giggled. I was a happy man. A drink, a pretty girl by my side, plenty of smoke and the pretty girl suddenly astride my lap, kissing me.
****
Belinda and I were getting to know each other nicely when Ross and Fenric wandered out for a smoke. Their voices almost next to us were the first we knew of our visitors.
“Bless him,” said Ross, “letting her go first. Always a gent, Polo is.”
“Is she going off already?” said Fenric. “I thought she was just breathing heavy. Though that was a pretty moan.” Belinda wasn’t as used to bodyguards as I was, and they sniggered as she nearly broke my nose trying to sit up. I reminded myself never to hire veteran scouts if being sneaked up on bothered me. Ross made tutting noises but I could see him smiling.
Even in the moonlight I could also see Belinda was flushing scarlet. I put my arm around her, my body between her and the others, as she settled her clothes and I wiped my mouth.
“It’s only Ross and Fenric being idiots,” I said, not sure how to explain them. “They’re with me.” Would they go or should Belinda and I go find a bed? I didn’t mind which. There was a drink still under the bench, going a little flat, and I shared it with Belinda while they kept on teasing us. She said she was alright, and seemed so, smiling at me and squeezing my thigh.
“You’ve baulked her, Fenric,” said Ross, the two of them very pleased with their joke.
“Maybe she’s done already,” said Fenric, “I remember those twins back in Malion, the ones who yodelled. They went off before he was expecting it.” He and Ross guffawed with laughter.
I apologised for their rudeness but it didn’t matter. Belinda thought they were funny and had a bad case of the giggles. Fenric grinned. “Now that really is artistry, twins. True ambidexterity.”
“Yodelled?” Belinda said, her voice quivering with amusement. “Really yodelled?” Fenric nodded, looking solemn. I sighed.
“We were in the next room,” said Fenric. He’d been playing cards with Ross and my guards. “I suppose if you didn’t know it was human, you might have thought it was vixens calling.”
“When the twin first turned up,” I said, “I thought I was seeing double.” I gestured to Ross. “He let her walk in.”
“Didn’t even warn you?” said Belinda, laughing.
“Didn’t think his life was in danger,” said Ross. “The lass was stark naked when she went into the bedroom.” He looked thoughtful. “I suppose if we thought she meant him ill we might have searched her, but the sister already told us she was coming.” He snickered at the pun and so did Belinda.
“I try not to think about the incident,” I said. I really didn’t. It was one of those tumbles where at some point during the night you realise it’s an awful mistake. “The yodelling was very off-putting.”
“Come on, Polo,” said Fenric, “tell the story. What happened after they started yodelling was even funnier.”
“Oh aye,” said Belinda, laughing openly now, “do tell, Polo.”
“Oh,” I said, “no, I don’t think-” Ross interrupted me,
“It all went horribly wrong when he tried to quiet them,” he said, “they went off in unison, some twin-thing. As the howling began, Polo put his hands over their mouths, because it was full volume. I’ve really never heard anything like it. We peered round the door to see.” He laughed. “They both bit him, but that didn’t stop the noise. He screamed too at that point. They kept going, the noise was unbelievable. Thinking to be gentler, young idiot tried to muffle them with pillows. They thought he was trying to kill them and then his life really was in danger. Pair of them turned on him. Fortunately we took his cries for help seriously. Though I admit, it was funny once we rescued him.”
“And before,” said Fenric.
“It’s a wonder you survived,” Belinda said to me, laughing. She turned to Ross. “Does he always get into trouble?”
“Can’t leave him alone for a minute,” said Ross, ignoring me and bowing as he passed Belinda a pipe. “He told us he was going for a smoke about an hour ago so we thought we better find him.” He lit the pipe for her.
“And all the time he had a girl,” said Fenric, quite sorrowful. “A pretty one.”
“Don’t you have girls?” said Belinda, sounding amused.
“Poor Ross,” said Ross, “no girl.” Then he dropped the depressed act for a new one. He sat on one side of her. “Hello, I’m Ross.” He offered his hand. She shook.
“Nice to meet you, Ross. I’m Belinda.”
“This is Fenric.” Fenric offered his hand too. I sighed. The night was already out of control.
“Poor Fenric,” said Fenric, holding her hand lightly. “No girl either. Especially not one so pretty.” I made a gagging noise.
“Sorry,” I said to Belinda, “they’re doing this deliberately.” I turned to the others. What had they done with the scabbard-humpers they’d been dancing with? “Go away,” I said, “go find your own girl.” Belinda laughed.
“Aw,” she said. I thought she was going to offer some friends but I’d underestimated Belinda. “If Polo doesn’t mind sharing,” she said, “I don’t.” She looked at me.
“I’m fine,” I said quickly. Possibly too quickly, but there’s no point in being shy, especially when the question is, “Would you like a foursome?” And the answer is a simple “Yes!”
“I have a room here,” said Belinda, suddenly in charge of us all, “the bed’s big enough.”
We decided that was a fine idea, lady’s choice. It wasn’t a new experience for the bodyguards and me. Belinda wasn’t the first woman I’d been with who saw my guards or Azrael’s, big fellas with military bearing, and decided two or more men in the bed were better than one. Belinda said she had a large box of condoms.
Once again I thanked Johnny for being an idiot and breaking up with a woman expecting a sexy weekend. I went to order some champagne. Alcohol in quantity destroyed my night vision but it didn’t matter, I was staying indoors. Besides, I was planning to shut my eyes a lot while I focused on other senses. It was possibly my last weekend of life, of freedom at least. I was going to fill it with drugs, sex, alcohol and good food.
****
Chapter 22 - Naked
Armed with extra condoms and lubrication, I headed for Belinda’s room. The fixings for champagne cocktails were about to come up the stairs behind me. On order was a selection of food treats. The others were sitting around talking. Belinda on a small chair, her back to a little desk, Ross with his boots off on the bed, and Fenric in the one armchair.
In the light Belinda could see us all properly for the fir
st time. I already knew she had sun-kissed light brown curls, pale grey eyes, soft curves and nipples you could hang your coat on. She was wearing the prettiest pink shift dress with a delicate lace trim. Her grey eyes might make a person think that somewhere she had some Dragon blood but I could tell she was a peasant. I could smell it. That sounds dreadful but the scent wasn’t unpleasant, just different. Different species, different scent, it made sense.
The male in me responded to the female in her and that was all that mattered. Someone once told me Dragon could smell their cousins. It was true. It had taken me a while but I could tell the difference between the peasants who were mostly pure human and Dragon or Dragon’s descendants. The delicious Belinda still smelled of vanilla, roses, and desire.
“Galaia preserve me,” she said, looking closely at me. “How old did you say you were?” We hadn’t mentioned age. I tried to look mature as I realised she was about late twenties, possibly older.
“Eighteen,” I said. I hoped she wasn’t too shocked. I was tempted to lie, but with how the others were behaving, they’d out me. She raised her eyebrows, turned to look at Ross and Fenric.
“Well,” she said, “that’s alright. I thought Polo was older in the dark, but you two are more my age.”
“They can’t be your age,” I said, “they’re both over twenty-five.” Belinda laughed.
“You’re so smooth, Polo. I’m a bit older than that.” Even in the dark, I could find older women.
Haka herself couldn’t make me say that aloud, which heartened me. Maybe I wasn’t the complete idiot that everyone, including me, thought I was. Instead I told Belinda I refused to believe it. As drinks arrived I played waiter, halving strawberries into flute glasses, pouring shots of peach schnapps over the top, topping up with champagne.