As the house rose leaving their audience chamber with a new addition for Qetch and his wives, as they would be staying to monitor the guilds' progress with their assigned tasks, Cade hoped he could win the stubborn dwarf to his side.
His hopes weren't unfounded as he set their course towards the northern kingdom of the dwarves, the captain and his whole contingent of honor guards had been drooling over Poppy after they had bivouacked in the garage.
Beth had been a lifesaver pulling Cade into a long and informative presentation of Poppy's capabilities. Cade's clear concern for his niece's safety and the myriad of precautions that had gone into its creation had melted the dwarf captain's icy countenance somewhat.
He had been surprised as Arnol had asked if there were any drinks to be had for their long trip as he clapped Cade jovially on his arm after the presentation.
Beth's smile mirrored by his other wives as Promena created a large table and Mina, Sabine, and she had brought out massive kegs of what Cade found out was ale.
As He and Arnol began to imbibe the hoppy drinks, Cade found out to his slight dismay he couldn't get drunk, even after drinking down a keg as tall as him and as wide around as his shoulders.
That fact didn't keep him from pissing out the drink though, as after he had broken the seal he made at least twenty trips to the little boy's room to his in-law's mirth.
A few hours later and a few barrels of ale later Cade grumbled as he felt the need to relieve himself once again.
Looking at the very inebriated dwarf sitting across from him that was trying and failing to bring his mithril flagon to his lips for another swallow of the drink Cade was growing to hate, he was contemplating giving himself a catheter as he moved to get up and go once again to the bathroom before he was interrupted by a mental call from Qetch.
"What can I help you with uncle," Cade asked with a little relief as he made his way once more, and hopefully for the last time, to relieve himself.
"I thought you sailors loved to drink," Qetch replied with a laugh as he felt Cade's irritation as he cast a scathing glance at the empty kegs as he passed them.
"Drinking is ok but the drunken fun is the goal. Not going to get to enjoy that anymore unless my goddess teaches me her little trick, but what did you need."
Qetch's laugh as Cade groaned in relief as the ale was put in its proper place was followed by his reason for the call.
"There is an Andaria here to see you, she says she is the representative from the thieves guild you requested."
"Is she trustworthy?" Cade asked as he shook off the last few drops of used ale and cleaned himself with a small bit of tissue.
"As much as she can be considering her profession. She has been very persistent in her request for her orders. So what orders do you have for the thieves guild, my lord?"
Cade gave the sarcastic naga a mental glare before he gave his orders for the guild.
"I want them to clean out the nobles that support Havrai and Graft, anything they can steal, kill, or destroy that will make life difficult for them is theirs for the taking. Also, give Andaria the keys to the vault I created under the audience chamber for them to store any hot items in. I am putting a kill order out for any slavers or slavers pretending to be guards, 100 procs for each dead one, and 200 for any bodies that are damaged minimally. Have the guild members who bring them in place them in the freezer next to their cooldown box. Have her select a few of their more combat-proficient members and have them set on standby for me, please. That is all for you uncle, if you could patch her directly to me for a second I will let you get back to your relaxation."
Smiling at the mirthless chuckle he felt from Qetch, Cade slipped into his mind as he sat his physical body down on the little sofa in their bathroom.
A tall cloaked and leather armor-clad lizard woman stood outside of his mental shield as Cade stepped onto his front porch.
Waving her in he opened a small hole in his shield to allow the woman to pass through.
As she approached his eyes almost popped out of his head as his neck craned up to look the woman in her shadow-covered face.
As she walked towards him he cocked his head trying to see into the black depths of her cloak and hood.
"I am Andaria you wanted to speak to me my lord," the lizard woman said as she introduced herself.
"I did, I have spoken to your guild master and I believe my wife made a few things very clear. I want you to understand that I don't want to hurt you or yours but the success of my plan directly affects the safety of my family. I would and can burn this world to the ground if it would keep them safe. Your loyalty and the trustworthiness of your men and women could mean the difference between prosperity for all and death and destruction this world has never known. I hope our relationship will bear great fruit. Do you have any questions for me?"
"No my lord your wife was very... persuasive. My father made sure to impress on our guild the fact that we would either make a fortune on this deal or be undead minions for the dragon. Though there were a few dissenters they were taken care of for the greater good of our guild, I must tell you that a few escaped to Krumash. I will make it my personal goal to bring them back alive so they can answer to you for their treachery."
Cade was a little suspicious of the voice that came from the tall woman, her slightly drawn-out tones reminded him of Russian and the high pitch of her voice didn't match her size either.
Seizing the woman in his power he found a powerful enchantment linked to the hood and cloak back in the physical world.
Growling his frustration at his stupidity at letting a trained assassin and thief into his mind without checking her over he severed the connection and watched the seven-foot woman lose a foot of height and a hundred pounds of mass.
Cade dissolved the enchanted cloak with a thought and glared at the woman in his mental grasp who would have been attractive if she wasn't giving Cade a death glare of her own.
"What was your goal here other than to put your life in my hands?"
As he asked his question in a voice that brooked no argument or misdirection Cade noticed the lizard woman was only a few inches shorter than him and her eyes that he could now see were a dull orange.
"Mmmy father sent me to kill you if I could and if I failed and survived to find every opportunity to sabotage your take over of the city."
Cade grimaced in distaste as the woman spilled her guts after a few moments of sullen silence was broken as he squeezed her reply out of her, breaking a few ribs if the snapping in her leather armor-covered chest was any indication.
"And how we're you supposed to accomplish that with me miles away, my home being gone isn't something one would miss..."
Cade's question was ended by a mental attack that he assumed was supposed to incapacitate him with fear and open him up for the woman to finish him off.
"Mind mage huh. Well, that didn't work with Ria you got anything else you want to try?"
A panicked expression answered his question as the mind mages attack on his sanity failed to pierce his mental shield.
"You are going to work for me, I don't have the time or the interest in going back to Opect and rooting out the dissenters. I do have an idea how we can get that loyalty and trust we were talking about though."
Following the thief in his grasps mind back to its source he hoped his little idea would work.
As he pulled a small orb of mithril from the wall he slammed it into Andaria's chest mercilessly.
His grimace stayed firmly in place as he molded the metal into the back of her sternum as the woman screamed in pain.
Trying the grenade's "pin" enchantment in a loose slip knot, Cade healed her trembling body before he returned his attention to his mind.
"That is a very very big bomb in your chest Ria, if I sense you are trying to deceive me or sabotage my attempts to keep my family safe it will explode and kill you and anyone that isn't mine. Now go back to your guild and let them know my orders. You should know th
at your father is going to die for his betrayal, so congratulations on your promotion to guild leader."
Tossing the shaking woman out of his mind Cade contacted a surprised Qetch.
"Get Trant over there as soon as possible, please. He is going to be Laurith's first zombie, if there is nothing else uncle I have a drunken dwarf captain to entertain."
"I think that is all nephew, I can force the idiot over here if he won't come by himself. She wasn't lying about the dissenters in Krumash though, they will need to be dealt with."
Qetch's response was spoken with not an insignificant amount of disgust in his voice that Cade found curious.
"That works, another dragon date with Laurith sounds great. Thank you for the help uncle, talk to you later," a wane smile and a small amount of mirth he knew the ancient naga could feel grew on his face before he disconnected their call.
His sour mood was lifted somewhat as he heard Qetch mumble "damn woman shit herself, ASDITH!! I HAVE A JOB FOR YOU!!".
Chuckling to himself at the outburst from the naga as the call finally ended Cade's foul mood returned as he sat on the bathroom couch.
He was contemplating giving his dragon free reign on the city before his goddess interrupted his thoughts of genocide as she dropped the kids off at the pool, loudly.
A laugh escaped him as she exited the toilet room with a breath of relief.
"Don't go in there for a while my love," she said with a smile on her beautiful face that lifted his mood out of the dumps.
"I didn't think we were at that stage in the relationship yet my goddess," Cade said with a chuckle as Promena straddled his waist and sat with a thump in his lap.
He smashed his face between his goddess's heavenly assets with an aggrieved sigh that changed to a happy moan as he breathed in her scent, its unique smell all hers and only for him.
"Am I going too far love, I don't want to kill people or order others' deaths but I can lose any of you... I can't go through that again."
As his wife took a few moments to respond Cade pulled her closer, burrowing into the safety and certainty that was his Promena.
His goddess placed a kiss on the crown of his bald head and began tracing patterns on her husband's broad back as she answered his question.
"This world isn't your old one my love, there will be those who will try to stop you from accomplishing your goal. Sometimes the only way to end the threat they pose is to eliminate. You are a bit more bloodthirsty than before you came here but I hope with your good sense and our direction will keep you from becoming the despot you fear you are becoming."
Finishing her speech with a kiss on his lips as he looked up from his spot in her bosom Promena gave him her most brilliant smile as her husband's grey eyes found succor in her silver eyes and supportive words.
A smile creased his face before Cade sighed contently and captured his love's lips before he locked the bathroom door with the amazing powers his goddess had given him.
Disappearing their clothes and slipping into his Promena's silky depths Cade made love to his goddess, reminding himself of one of the first things he had told himself after he had come to this world.
As her satiny sex rippled around his invading length Cade reminded himself once more "no underestimating anyone or anything" before he returned his attention to his goddesses bliss as he chased his own.
Meeting the folks
Arriving over the dwarven capital of Borgant in the northern kingdom of Havroth in the dead of night, Cade turned the heat in their home up another few degrees as the chilly wind high in the air soaked up the heat from their flying home.
As the metal wall of his home warmed Cade looked up from their late-night repast to the dwarven captain who would be his uncle in a few days, barring any mishaps.
"Right next to that guardhouse should do my nephew, close enough to visit our estate but far away from the capital that we should have a few moments warning."
The smile that had bloomed on Cade's face was shared around the table as his wife's enjoyed the familial term along with him, Beth's brilliant smile directed at him surpassed them all though.
Cade was glad the few days of drinking the drink that shall not be mentioned ever again had made the dwarf warm up to the idea of Cade joining his family. The promise to outfit his men with transports similar to Poppy hadn't hurt either.
"Expecting trouble uncle?" He asked as the good cheer in the room left, blown away like the snow that was swirling past the window in the kitchen.
"I believe you know our family's disgrace," a glum look directed and shared by a now similarly glum Beth crossed Arnol's face before he continued.
"We have weathered that storm but I fear your union with Beth will cause the council to take drastic measures to keep it from coming to fruition."
His shocking news delivered Arnol sat back in his chair with a scowl on his bearded face.
"Not the worst we have dealt with, a few precautions and a council of idiots given a clear idea of who they are messing with and it will almost be a nice place to vacation during the winter."
As he finished his light-hearted statement his resolve to keep his family safe hardened before he sat up straight in his chair and handed out his directions for his family.
"Alright, starting tomorrow Eve, and Nat when you aren't on driving duty you two will be on guard duty, stay sharp. Promena if you could keep an eye in the sky going it would be appreciated, my love. Sabine collect a few chests of procs in case we can solve a few problems by throwing money at it. My Mina you are in charge of our two guards when you aren't dealing with any issues Qetch comes up against back in Opect. Beth let's go meet your folks."
Finishing his assignments Cade collected a few kisses from his assembled wives and with a thank you to Xandia for the meal he followed Arnol to the garage with Beth on his arm.
Setting them down on the snow-packed earth Cade drove a few meter long mithril spikes into the frozen ground to prevent their house from slipping and more importantly any earth mages from moving the house.
As Beth and Cade joined the dwarves in Poppy as the short men loaded the last of their gear into the back his anxiety over the unknown situation they were about to step into grew.
Cade had just stood up to a trained assassin and thief and made the woman soil her britches, the nerves he felt at the idea of meeting Beth's parents shouldn't have existed but here he was flying to his next challenge shivering in his boots.
As Beth directed him to an impressively large but rundown-looking building Cade hoped his new family would give him a chance to wed their daughter.
Landing in front of the torch-lit stone building Cade felt a shiver go through him caused by the cold air surrounding them.
He added energy to the air surrounding him warming the frigid air to a more comfortable temperature before he helped his wife out of the passenger seat as she blushed at the intimate look he was giving her.
Cade's nerves got the better of him for a moment as he lifted his short wife in his arms and kissed her soundly, if this all went to shit he wasn't sure he would survive without his little firebrand and her witty charm.
Beth's breathless question of "where did that come from" was drowned out by a shouted "KILL HIM" from the front door of Beth's parents' home.
Cade's shock at the sound lasted as long as it took for the woman in his arms to say "daddy" in a confused tone.
The crunch of booted feet running through snow reached him as he set a smiling Beth on her feet.
As they made their way closer Cade was knocked off of his feet by a red-haired dwarf as Beth was snatched away by another similarly red-topped assailant.
As a few blows rained down on his head followed by Beth's scream of "don't hurt them" Cade heard his attacker's scream of "I won't".
Smacking the dwarf astride his chest away with an arm Cade heard the man's "oof" as he landed a few feet away.
Rising and running toward a struggling Beth, he almost caved in the man's red-to
pped head before his wife screamed "STOP!!" at the top of her powerful lungs.
Stumbling as he tried to pull the punch that he had intended to use to end the red-headed dwarf's life Cade's first knuckle still creased the man's brow splitting the skin down to the bone.
Confusion was the word of the hour as Beth shrieked at the top of her voice and fell onto the ground next to the unconscious man.
Her scream of "HEAL HIM!!!" directed at him bewildered him even more as he watched her cradle the still man in her arms.
"Huh," Cade replied, his mind still jacked up on adrenaline and the excitement of the past few minutes overwhelming his mind.
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