by Aaron Crash
That image made Charibda roll her eyes...a mermaid living in a lighthouse waiting for her lovers? It felt like something out of a story. And yet, it was her life.
In reality, there was no place for Charibda anymore, and she spent hours swimming through strange waters, swimming to atolls, and walking out of the ocean and onto the sand. She’d try to breathe the air. She couldn’t. And every defeat crushed her.
The troubles with the Aquaterrebian families across the Weeping Sea had resolved themselves, and Beryl Delphino was wondering if she could find a sorcerer on Ethra who might be able to restore the land breath to her daughter. Ethra had their own grand universities, like Khambatta University on the Praachi Archipelago.
Charibda wasn’t holding her breath, which was a bad joke, but the mermaid made it all the time. And her mother would roll her black eyes and go swimming off, leaving behind a trail of bubbles.
Charibda found herself, most days, rising to the surface, keeping under the water so she could breathe, and fantasizing about all the sex she’d be having with Ymir and his sharreb on the StormLight island. She would turn human, spread her legs, and masturbate as she floated on the surface.
Sometimes she would dream of being found by a ship full of the Myrran, elven pirates who didn’t wear cuffs but rejoiced in their horny bodies. She was taken by these Myrran pirates, stripped, tied down, and fucked mercilessly, one after another. In her fantasies, sometimes it was a shipful of men, sometimes a shipful of women, but always she’d be able to breathe the thin air and shriek out her pleasure.
She would then let herself sink down into the depths as she orgasmed. At first, the chitub felt wonderful. But then the longing would return. She wanted real sex with real people. Fantasy was fine, but it could never replace Gatha’s strong hands on her, or Jennybelle’s tits in her face, or Lillee spanking her as she arched her back to show the horny elf her slender ass. Then, of course, there was Tori and her freckled boobs and her hairy red roony, wet and wonderful. And she called it her Inconvenience. How precious was that?
Charibda and her mother had talked, and it was decided that Charibda would make the swim every month or so, but even after a week, the mermaid princess couldn’t stop herself. She went streaking through the waters. She wouldn’t make contact with Ymir and his women, but she would just go and see them. Just to see them...it would make her feel better, she knew, but it would also make her feel worse.
She didn’t care. She didn’t want to intrude, and she didn’t want them to see her, or else they might think she was desperate. She was, but Charibda didn’t feel comfortable asking for their attention. And going a week after her exile might make her seem weak.
She chided herself. Had she learned nothing that summer?
She had, but she still wanted to stay back, and watch and wait until there could be a time for them to be together.
A week after their sex knot, Charibda climbed out of the water and again walked on land, breathing the air and feeling her feet on stone. She let out a happy yell, dancing and remembering the night of fire.
While Damnation Sue wasn’t easy to get along with, she had been sweet, helping Charibda get the spot ready for her first time with Ymir and his sharreb. The bitribib had been so wonderful. And they’d all been so surprised when she used the gathered pleasure spell on them. Gatha, especially, had enjoyed the connected orgasms because it took her so long to come.
Charibda saw the fire on the beach across the way, on the cliffs below the Sea Stair Alley. She padded across the rock path, past the lighthouse itself, and down to the dock there.
She sat, naked, on the wood, and watched as the figures danced, as the fire flickered, and tiny figures walked hand in hand in the crashing surf. Ymir would be there. He might be holding Tori’s hand, or kissing Lillee, or laughing with Jenny. He and the she-orc might be looking into each other’s eyes, the Farrg Panng.
Charibda felt a deep peace fill her. She’d come a long way since being that spoiled, despised girl who wanted nothing more than war with the dirt worms. Now? She was a respected warrior, both on the land and in the sea. And she knew her destiny wasn’t over.
They would find a way to return land breath to her body.
And then, once again, she could hold those closest to her, and love them, with all her heart, and, yes, gather pleasure for them as they connected themselves to one another, forever.
She smiled sweetly even as tears fell down her cheeks. She repeated aloud the words she’d said in the arena. “The sea is forever, silly barbarian, and in forever I’ll find my home.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
THE FIRE THREW SPARKS into the early morning darkness, while the surf crashed, racing up the beach, then retreating. Ymir drank good, thick, heavy beer, sitting in the cold sand. The sky was bluing to the east. They’d been at their spot on the beach all night.
After midnight, Jennybelle suggested they leave the Long Light Festival and go to the beach. Everyone had loved the idea, but it wasn’t just Ymir and his harem. Other students had come as well, though they all had taken boats from the hidden docks. Ymir wanted to keep the broken grate lock at the end of the Sea Stair Alley a secret.
So Kacky and Gluck were there, the two she-orcs, along with their dwarf friend, Buck Minefinder, who seemed to be dating both the foul-mouthed Gruul women. Old residents from the Zoo showed up as well, but the biggest surprise was Ziziva and Zorynda, who had buzzed in to sit next to Ymir, until Zorynda got too tired and fluttered off.
The orc, Erigg Bloogg, was there, sitting with his human girlfriend, Fryla Walker, but soon the couple went off to screw on the beach. Drippy from the library also showed, dabbing at her nose with a handkerchief. She danced with Aquaterreb scholars that Ymir didn’t know.
Seeing them, Ymir thought of Ribby. He felt the pinch in his heart, but it was soon soothed by the festivities. A little after two in the morning, a few of the Ohlyrran musicians came walking across the beach from their boat on the sand. The band started up the drums, the violin, and the flute, and music rose along with the sparks from the fire.
Tori told them all she was taking the night off from serving food, so she sat down next to Ymir and dozed off, resting herself against him. Lillee sat between Jennybelle’s legs, and the swamp woman held her close.
Gatha sat in a chair, half buried in the sand, and she looked out at the surf, drinking some Gruul wine from a bottle. Ymir had tried it, and it tasted like rotten fruit and the cleaner he used on the toilets back when he had to do work study to afford school.
Gatha had chuckled at him. “You can’t rule the orcs if you can’t drink the ippa-pagg-ippa.”
“It looks like you like it, so you should rule the orcs,” Ymir shot back.
“Don’t think I haven’t thought about it. Gatha Virtorg sounds so much better than Ymir Virtorg.”
Ymir laughed. “The Princept said something similar.”
Gatha went quiet, watching the ocean. “Charibda gave up her life for me. It wasn’t just her breath, it was her calling the rule of will and walking out onto the pit sands. And I hated her for it. I wanted to die in battle...or at least a part of me did.”
Ymir nodded. “I believe I’ve gotten my fill of battle for a while, Gatha of Ssunash.”
She corrected him. “Gatha of the Majestrial. And, yes, I believe I’ve been satiated for the time being.”
The clansman raised his cup. “To no warrior boredom.”
She smiled widely enough for him to see her tusks resting in her jaw. “To no warrior boredom.”
Ziziva had buzzed away for a time, but she came back. She landed on Ymir’s leg with a tiny bottle of some honey-colored wine in her hand. She drank straight from it before gesturing at the she-orc. “I know who you mean, mean Gatha meanie. You were speaking of the Ribby Ribrib. The Ocean Mother Divine’s daughter. She came into The Paradise Tree, and so rude! She was such a rude-y until some weeks ago. She was a changing one, for certain, for certain.” The fairy hiccupped. Then giggl
ed. She fluttered off Ymir and settled down on someone’s blanket. She sat, cross-legged, such a pretty little pixie thing.
Gatha sighed at the Fayee with a look of pure hate on her face. If the she-orc and the mermaid were unlikely, a Gatha and Ziziva pairing was completely impossible.
Gatha caught Ymir’s eyes. She tilted her head and threw a glance at the southern end of the beach, where only a few couples had taken to the sand. That was where Erigg Bloogg and Fryla Walker had gone.
Ymir gently nudged Tori awake. “I think we’re going for a walk. Do you want to join us?”
“No,” the fairy answered. “I’m happy here with my wine and the fire.” Then Ziziva realized she hadn’t been invited. She turned red. “Oh, well, no still, Ymirry. I think you and your wives will be doing the walking. And probably more. But I’ll stay. I’ll stay. I’ll stay.” She repeated those words, over and over, until her voice faded. There was a wistful look in her eyes.
Ymir stood and brushed sand off his leather pants. He’d taken off his shirt, and the firelight threw shadows across the muscles of his chest. “We have a lot of business to discuss, Z. Don’t think I didn’t notice Dillyday staying. You know, there’s precious little information on the fairy folk. I’m wondering what secrets you keep.”
The Fayee shopkeeper fluttered her wings, which sent sweet gold dust rising. “Such secrets, Ymirry dearie, sad secrets, happy secrets, lucrative secrets, and all secrets in-between. If we do business, we might have to come to a greater understanding. A more secretive understanding, with you and your wives.”
“Wives?” Ymir asked.
Lillee and Jennybelle climbed to their feet and went to him, hooking their arms in his. Gatha reached out and took Tori’s hand.
Ymir walked with his women down to the surf as the new day’s light came streaming over the horizon. The clansman was a little drunk, very happy, and looking forward to the school year. He wondered at that wistful look in the fairy’s eye.
He asked again, “Wives?”
Gatha snarled, “We are your ptaris, you are our ptoorig, and this is our ptoor. By the bloody roots of the Tree, man, don’t be daft.”
“Daft?” Tori laughed. “Who says that word anymore.”
“I read a great deal.” The she-orc bent and kissed the little woman on her frizzy red hair.
“You’re the best husband I could find at this stupid school,” Jennybelle said with some distaste. “I was going to give you to my sister, but I think Darisbeau is a better fit.”
“Poor Nellybelle,” Lillee said with a sigh.
Jennybelle laughed. “Nelly and Daris have been fucking themselves raw. Nelly doesn’t fucking care, and neither will Arri. Fuck all of them. And fuck Auntie Jia. I’ll have to blow the Princept to thank her.”
Tori squinted. “Can you blow a woman?”
“That’s the joke,” Jennybelle said, exasperated.
Lillee gasped. She had her essess on, and both the cursing and the idea of Jenny going down on the Princept shocked her.
That made Jenny roll her eyes. “Please, Lil. If we take off that cuff, you’d join me. You know you would. Della Pennez is hot as fuck.”
Lillee blushed but didn’t disagree.
Gatha chuckled. “And I would help you in pleasuring her, Jennybelle Josen. I too owe her a debt. To think, my mother wasn’t just evil to us, but she had an evil intent for the entire world. I am glad she is gone. And I am glad my father is gone. Perhaps it is wrong of me to feel this way, but the world seems easier for me to bear.”
“But that doesn’t mean you’ll give up your erotica any time soon, does it?” Jenny teased.
“Never!” Gatha roared.
Ymir had told the women everything, about the Princept murdering the three, about lying about their deaths, about covering up the murders with powerful magic. With many thanks to Obanathy and his wonderous cantrips.
The clansman had kept one thing to himself, however. He’d not told them about Della’s kiss. He didn’t think anything would come of it, and yet, it had been shockingly good. Underneath the Princept’s robes beat the heart of a wild woman who seemed capable of doing just about anything he could imagine. And he could imagine a lot.
He’d told them about the sand letter. About the mysterious Unger. And about the Princept not only condoning their ringcraft but wanting to help. They walked by pools in the sand, left by the surf, glowing in the light of the day not yet fully born. Ymir thought of his vision of the Lonely Man’s cave, the eight pools, and that made him think of the seven wives, governors, priests, and guards of Aegel Akkridor. Aegel made eight souls together. Eight souls for the eight Akkiric Rings. Possibly. And what would the White Rose Society have to say about all the numerology?
Ymir’s mind skipped to Gulnash, his certainty he could overcome death. He’d created the Crystal Null Ring, but he also had those magical coins. Ymir had three of them, but he hadn’t had time to really delve into what they could do.
Lastly, Ymir thought of the Akkir Akkor and Sarina Sia, the demons and the ghost. Who would he trust? In the end, time would provide the answer, but if he’d been forced into a bet, he would’ve put all his money on Sarina. She might be evil, sure, but she certainly was pretty. And the stories of her orgies were legendary. His ultimate destruction might be worth a night with her.
There were still so many questions for Ymir to unravel.
They all splashed through the pools. Tori called over to Lillee. “We all know Jenny is not going to miss her auntie, and Gatha has made it clear how she feels. What about you, Lil? How are you holding up?”
“He was my father,” Lillee said in a quiet voice. “He loved me in his way. And to think he is gone? It’s sad, but even sadder? My mothers did come to the school. But they didn’t want to be seen with me. Not even the new queen, Ehmilee.” She paused. “And so, yes, I will be the wife of Ymir, Ymir of the rings, Ymir of the Flow, Ymir of the Majestrial Collegium Universitas. This will be our family. This will be our love.”
“And are you almost done with The Crippled Cicada?” Jennybelle asked. She answered her own question. “No! And she won’t let us see it!”
“And she showed Ribby!” Tori complained. “How is that even fair?”
Lillee walked onward. She wore a flowing gown that caught the sea, and it blew around her, even as the breezes tugged on her white-gold hair. She looked like the goddess of dawn herself. She spun. “I suppose it will be done in another decade or so. You cannot rush a great work of art. And I showed it to Ribby because Charibda was special to me. Not that you all aren’t, but she was...she was simply special. That’s all.” Tears flowed down her cheeks, catching the dawn’s light.
Gatha ran forward. “And I’m not special, girl?”
Lillee dodged her at first, but not for long. Gatha grabbed the elf girl and kissed her. Tori stumbled forward and tackled them both. Jenny took Ymir and pulled him down onto the other three girls as they laughed. A long-reaching wave splashed them, and Tori let out a yelp. “Water! Cold! Ocean! Ahh!”
She tried to run, but Gatha wouldn’t let her escape, and another wave hit them.
Tori managed to fall back onto Ymir, and he held her. Water dripped down from her red hair, and she looked into his eyes. “I’ve wanted you for my own for what seems like all my life, Ymir. The thought of you calling me wife makes me happy. Makes me want to cry. And makes me want to hold you forever.”
“And that’s where we’ll find our home.” Ymir held the dwab and kissed her sweet, freckled face. Another wave washed her off him. He thought of Charibda at that moment, and he thought he smelled her perfume on the air. Could she be out there watching them? He wouldn’t put it past her.
Then he glanced to his left. Lillee and Jennybelle were kissing, passionately, and Lillee’s left arm was bare. Gatha took off her simple dress and flung it up as far as she could onto the beach. After their weeks of training, Gatha had leaned down so that every muscle flexed. She looked young, wild, and free. Perfect.
She flung her white hair away from her face. Naked, she smiled at Ymir, who felt himself getting hard. The other partygoers were to the north, near the fire, and this stretch of sand was empty.
Tori let out a sigh. “Oh, thank the very deepest places of this world. I can feel my Inconvenience. I think it’s a good time for it. Don’t ya think, Ymir.”
She brushed her hair from her face.
Ymir paused to again look out over the sea, to maybe see a glimpse of the mermaid they’d lost. Then he regarded Lillee and Jenny, who were already naked, with Jenny on top of the elf girl, one big tit hanging into Lillee’s mouth.
The she-orc took Tori in her arms. Tori still had her shirt on, but her nipples were clearly visible in her white shirt. The she-orc kissed her until the little woman was gasping for breath. Gatha reached over and pulled Ymir close. She gazed into his eyes.
Ymir felt the heat of her, the lust, and the love.
“We’ll bring Charibda back to us someday,” he promised.
“Good.” Gatha grinned. “That salty bitch could make me come like no one else. It would be a shame to only have her once.”
Tori pushed Ymir and Gatha’s faces together. “Come on, you two. I know about the orc’s obsession with staring contests, but I know kissing is just as fun.”
Ymir did enjoy kissing—Gatha, then Tori, and then he had his pants off, and they were all in various stages of dress, soaked by the sea and cold until they could find the warmth of one another’s skin.
And Ymir felt it to his core—yes, these were his wives, and Old Ironbound was his home.
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