by Logan Jacobs
“There you are, my beautiful wife,” I murmured in her ear as I nibbled on her lobe.
“I missed you terribly,” the tiny beauty whined, and then she decorated my face with a multitude of kisses. “I’m so happy you’re safe now!”
“Great One!” Mahini said from behind me, and her melodic laugh was music to my ears as I scooped her up into my arms as well. “I have heard rumors of your exploits! Please, tell me all about it.”
“Soon, my love,” I promised. “I need to check in with the duke first, and he will probably want to hear the tale from my lips, too.”
“Very well.” Mahini nodded, but I could see a flicker of disappointment in her piercing blue eyes. She was stoic, but not impossible to read.
I wrapped my arms around both of my women’s shoulders, and we walked together the rest of the way to the dais. The people parted before me like I was Moses and they were the red sea, and the rotund duke came into view. His face was red, and his tiny eyes flitted across my face expectantly.
“Sebastian, you have returned at last!” the duke greeted before I could open my mouth. “We have been waiting to hear your report.”
He nodded toward the man who stood beside the dais, and I realized it was the captain of the guard. The captain’s men were outside burying the dead and cleaning up the city, but their leader was inside chatting with the duke.
I supposed that’s the way it was with the men in charge.
“Yes, I have returned,” I said. “Sorry if I took too long, I was helping your people.”
“O-Oh, well, that is j-just fine,” the duke blubbered. “Thank you for your service.”
“You’re welcome.” I cocked one eyebrow and folded my arms across my chest. “The dead still need to be identified, but the worst is over.”
“The gods rest their souls,” the duke replied with a solemn waggle of his chins. “Such a tragedy. Still, to be up against a dragon, we are all lucky to have our lives.”
“That’s true,” I said, and I furrowed my eyebrows. “Why weren’t you prepared for such an attack? The men protecting the city acted like noobs.”
“What is a noob?” the duke asked with a confused frown.
“Never mind,” I said with a dismissive wave of my hand. “Answer the question. Why weren’t you prepared for a dragon attack?”
“You must understand, Great One,” the duke countered with a shake of his head. “The dragons have faded into legend, I didn’t even think they existed in real life. Why would we prepare for a myth?”
“So, this isn’t a common occurrence?” I scratched my chin thoughtfully. “Why now? And where have the dragons been?”
“That I cannot say,” Duke Bullard answered. “All I know are the tales I was told as a boy. Many ages ago, the dragons ruled over the land. Fire and blood flowed through the rivers instead of water, and the sky was full of smoke. Nothing could survive. Then a hero arrived and drove the dragons away.”
“Who was the hero?”
“I’ve heard that story,” Elissa murmured, and her emerald eyes lit up like a light bulb had gone off inside her head. “The hero was named something long and hard to pronounce, though, so I don’t remember what it was.”
“Trofulgar the Great,” a woman’s voice rang out as sweet as honey. “He conquered the king of the dragons, and the rest vanished shortly after. Some legends say they are sleeping in nests hidden from mortal sight. Others say they are frozen in time, and that the world grew around them. No one knows the truth.”
The woman stepped forward from the crowd, and my breath caught inside my throat. She was wearing black, finely made leather armor that clung to her body like it was painted on. Silver throwing stars were strapped to her legs, and a long sword hung across her back. She was thin and muscular, but her hips sloped out in just the right places, and she had short, jagged blonde hair. Her smoky-gray eyes swept over me, and the corners of her full lips twitched up into a smile.
“Sebastian, let me introduce you to my daughter,” the duke interjected in a formal tone. “This is Evangeline.”
“Please, call me Eva,” the woman said with a soft laugh that soothed my aching body.
“Call me Bash,” I countered with my most charming smile.
“Toby is around here somewhere,” she said with a twinkle in her eyes, and then she raised her voice to call out over the crowded audience chamber. “Tobias, catch up.”
“I’m here,” a man’s voice said from behind the captivating beauty, and then a muscular man in shining gold-plated armor stepped forward. He had thin brown hair, but he seemed like he was only a few years older than me. He made eye contact with me, and then he stuck out his hand to shake mine. “Nice to finally meet you, Great One, I am Tobias, the duke’s eldest son.”
He didn’t look threatening even though he seemed like he could hold his own, so I took the offered hand willingly, and I shook it with a firm grasp that showed my strength.
“It’s nice to meet you, too, Tobias.” I gave him a friendly smile, but my eyes were pulled over his shoulder to his younger sister. “I’ve heard good things about you.”
“Thank you for the kind words,” the duke’s son replied as he tilted his head. “Likewise.”
“I wish father would have allowed me to leave the castle,” Eva said as she crossed her arms over her perky breasts. “He wouldn’t even let me leave this room.”
“You wanted to fight the dragon?” I asked as I blinked at the woman in shock. “I wouldn’t expect a noble to jump into battle.”
“I may be noble by birth,” Eva huffed, “but I am a warrior in my bones. If I can ever get away from my father, that is. I’ve trained for this moment my entire life!”
“You must stop this foolish nonsense,” the duke interjected in a firm tone. “You were safe with me, and that’s the last I’ll hear of it. Now, take off that ridiculous costume, and go put on a dress like a real lady.”
“Yes, Father,” Eva replied, but she bit her bottom lip as a fiery look lit up her gray eyes.
I bit back a chuckle, and I worked the muscle in my jaw as I regained my composure.
“I like her,” Elissa whispered in a conspiratorial tone as if she’d just read my thoughts.
“Me, too,” I whispered back with a grin.
The duke fastened us with a sharp look, but then his expression softened.
“You must be weary after the battle,” he said in a sympathetic tone. “Please, tell me your firsthand account, and then I will let you retire to your room if you wish.”
“Sure.” I shrugged my shoulders and let out a yawn. “Like I said before, your guards were not prepared for the kind of fight they were up against, so I redirected them to clearing the citizens out from the town. Then I rounded up your court wizard and the enchanter, and I had them work together to douse the flames caused by the dragon’s breath. Then, when the beast landed, I threw a spear into its eye. It flew off after it was injured, so the battle didn’t last long. I spent most of the day digging through the rubble to find survivors.”
There was a moment of hushed silence after my story, and then the duke clapped his hands together.
“I cannot thank you enough, Great One,” the Duke of Bullard said in a loud voice that echoed around the audience chamber. “You have saved the city, and you have earned a reward for your efforts.”
The gathered crowd fell silent once more, and all faces turned toward the dais.
“What sort of reward?” I grinned as excitement coursed through my blood. Being rewarded was one of my favorite parts of being a god.
“You may help yourself to any item from my treasury,” the duke replied with a flourish of his hands. “Consider it my gift to honor your bravery.”
“Thank you,” I said, and I inclined my head. “I am looking forward to it.”
“It is the least I can do,” the duke replied.
“However, if the dragon attacked once,” I said, and I changed the subject back to the matter at hand, “then i
t could return.”
A worried hush swept through the people gathered around us, and I caught several terrified glances.
“I won’t sit back on my hands while my city is in danger,” Evangeline protested. “Father, you have to let me help protect our people.”
“Eva, I have told you a thousand times, no,” the duke sighed. “You are a lady. I will not have you risking your life!”
I felt a little awkward being in the middle of the family feud, and I was sure the rest of the citizens of Bullard who stood in the audience chamber felt the same, but I was hesitant to intervene too much. I admired the duke’s daughter’s passion, though, and I couldn’t deny how hot she was.
“I know how to protect myself. I have been training my whole life to protect this duchy.” Evangeline’s eyes were filled with fire, but she lowered her gaze respectfully to the floor.
“And all I wanted was a proper daughter,” the duke sighed. “One who would rather knit then throw her daggers all day and sneak around the castle pretending to be a mercenary.”
“I have no wish to--”
“That’s enough,” the duke sighed as he looked to his son. “I suppose you’ll want to go?”
“I will do my part,” Tobias said, and he nodded to both me and his father. “I will make sure our people are safe. Lucian was a capable warrior, but everyone in this room, save for the God of Time, know that I was the superior fighter.”
“I have already lost your mother and Lucian,” the duke countered with a shake of his head, and he ignored his oldest son’s words. “Neither you nor your sister will leave here until I’m sure it is safe.”
“I don’t see the harm in letting your daughter fight,” I said. “I encourage anyone who wants to follow the warrior’s path to do so.”
“You question my parenting?” The duke’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.
“She just wants to help your people,” I pointed out with a shrug.
“I was a member of the Golden Sword mercenaries,” Mahini offered in a helpful tone. “It has brought me great pride to be a warrior woman.”
“Even I am learning how to fight,” Elissa chimed in with a cheerful smile. “They call me Skullcrusher.”
“I wish I could earn a title as fierce as that,” Eva murmured as she cast an appreciative glance at my wife. Then the duke’s daughter licked her lips, and her smoky-gray eyes flicked to my face. “I would love to follow the God of Time into battle someday. I would love to learn from you.”
“I have had enough talk of fighting for a lifetime,” the duke announced with another sigh. “There are too many dangers in the world already, not to mention the new threat of dragons! I cannot bear the thought of anything happening to my precious daughter. You must understand, Great One.”
“I understand.” I nodded, but then my voice turned hard. “I also understand that your city is in dire need of repairs, as well as enhanced defenses to protect against any future dragon attacks.”
“What sort of defenses would you suggest?” The duke seemed intrigued by the notion, and he leaned forward in his chair to give me an eager look. “I am open to any advice you can give me, Great One.”
“I would recommend you have more sources of water available around the city,” I began. “Then I would make sure you used non-flammable products on the roofs. The thatching was the city’s biggest weakness, and I’d hate to have the same thing happen again.”
“Sage counsel,” the duke replied as he nodded thoughtfully. “I will make sure it is done. I will need assistance, though. Perhaps the king should hear of our tragedy.”
“The king must know of the possible danger.” Mahini nodded.
“Tobias should go,” the duke said as he stroked his fat chins.
“I am ready, father,” the other man said with a nod.
“But now that your brother is gone…” the duke sighed. “It is as I said before… I cannot bear to lose either of you, but--”
“Father, let me do it,” Eva interjected with a hopeful expression. “Or let us both go. We will protect each other. Please?”
“Absolutely not!” the duke huffed, and his fat chins wobbled.
“Let me be your champion. I could be a greater swordswoman than even Lucian was a swordsman.” Eva lifted her chin and gazed steadily up at her father.
The duke raised his hand to silence his daughter and shook his head solemnly. “I have spoken, and my word is final. You are not leaving this castle, Evangeline. Nor will you, Tobias.”
“What if I went?” The words left my mouth before I could stop them. I just wanted to stop the family feud going down in front of all the citizens of Bullard, but the idea of meeting the king was appealing.
“You?” The duke blinked at me for a moment, and then his eyes lit up with excitement. “Yes, of course, Great One! You would be the perfect emissary to the king. You can plead our case and ask him to send aid to Bullard to help with our reconstruction.”
“Oooh, fuck, yes!” Elissa squealed with delight. “I want to meet the king.”
“I’ll pack our bags,” Mahini said, and she gifted me with one of her melodic laughs.
It looked like I was about to start another adventure, and this time, I was off to see the king.
All I had to do was convince the most powerful man in this kingdom that I was the God of Time, and then everything would be fine.
Easy.
Chapter Four
“We are most fortunate you are here, Great One,” the Duke of Bullard declared in a formal voice. “You have solved all of my problems in one fell swoop.”
“Hey, it’s just what I do.” I grinned. “Now, we need to get started on our travel plans, so if you’ll excuse me…”
I turned to leave, but I heard the duke make a noise, so I paused.
“Do not forget your reward, Great One,” he said, and I immediately turned back around to face him.
“Yes, I’ll need directions to the treasury,” I explained. “Oh, plus maps of the roads to the king and supplies for our journey.”
“You will have everything you need, and then some.” The duke nodded. “I’ll send some of my soldiers with you to aid your travels, as well.”
“I don’t need many men,” I countered, “but if you insist, then I want Lieutenant Riondale to accompany me.”
“It shall be done.” The duke clapped his hands together. “I shall begin the preparations at once.”
“I wish to go with him, too,” Eva interjected with a hopeful smile.
I had to admire her determination, but I wonder what drove her to push so hard against her father's wishes.
“It’s okay with me, but you have to get permission from your father,” I said with a wry grin. I knew what was coming, but I couldn’t help but be entertained by the spunky duchess.
“Absolutely not!” the duke huffed, and his chins wobbled.
Eva sighed, and she turned to leave without another word.
I chuckled and shook my head as I watched her go, and I couldn’t help but steal a glance at her backside as she walked off. The duke’s daughter had a firm ass, and the curves were plain to see with how tight her leather armor clung to her body, but that just made my mouth water, so I turned away.
Then I realized Duke Bullard had caught me staring at his daughter’s ass.
The duke’s mouth was open, and his eyes were wide open, but then he swallowed and regained his composure. His dark gaze avoided mine, and I realized he wasn’t going to say anything. He’d just watched me check out his daughter and wouldn’t say a word.
Being a god had its perks.
“Send the maps up to my room,” I instructed in a clipped voice. I’d grown tired of this fishbowl type feeling where the citizens of the town all crowded around and listened to our conversation. “I need to bathe after digging through the smoldering remains of half the town.”
“Yes, Great One, it shall be done,” the duke said as he inclined his head.
“I’ve been dying to g
et you alone again,” Elissa whispered in my ear as we made our way through the crowd.
“Oh, yeah?” I lifted one eyebrow, and I shot her a questioning glance as we exited the audience chamber.
“That room was stifling,” Mahini said with a shudder when we were alone in the hallway. “I’m just grateful we don’t have to stay there a moment longer.”
“Me, too,” Elissa giggled. “Now, we have Bash all to ourselves again. That’s my favorite.”
“Mine, too,” I said with a grin. Then I took each of their hands and led them to our room. “It looks like we are off on another adventure.”
“Father will be worried,” Elissa mused. “I should send him a letter.”
“That’s a fabulous idea,” I replied, and I squeezed her hand affectionately.
“I’d like to stop by the fletcher and purchase some more arrows,” Mahini added with furrowed eyebrows. “It would be worth the gold it would cost to get bodkin points. They’re more likely to be able to pierce thick hide like a dragon’s.”
“No talk of dragons for now,” Elissa requested with a sigh. “I was so scared for you, Bash. I clung to Mahini until her fingers turned purple.”
“It didn’t hurt,” Mahini countered with a stoic lift of her chin, but she caught my eyes, and her expression softened. “We were both worried.”
“I’m sorry to scare you both,” I said in a sympathetic tone. “I did what I had to do.”
“I know,” Elissa sighed. “You are the Great One we have all been waiting for, and that means we have to share you with everyone sometimes.”
“Yes,” I said, and I tweaked her nose. “But not all the time.”
“Mmm, I like it when we don’t have to share,” Mahini purred. “But there will be plenty of time for that later. We should prepare for our journey.”
“That’s true.” I frowned.
I was about to go meet the king and tell him there was a dragon on the loose. It was like reporting back to dad when the dog got out, but I knew it had to be done, and better me than the duke’s daughter.
We arrived at our room, and Mahini stepped in to help me unfasten the shoulder pieces while I untied my gauntlets. Then Elissa skipped inside and launched herself onto the bed.