“Desiree, daughter, you are no longer accused. Do you wish to press charges against your accuser?”
“No, father. He was doing as he should. I myself was shocked when I heard their ages, and felt sick at what I might have done unknowingly. I can say with certainty that these people are adults in every sense that we know of, except years lived.”
Alvin looked shocked. “Wait a minute, we fucked a princess?”
Chapter Forty-five
“Desiree Brightblood is my daughter,” King Mithrilblood replied with a stern look at Alvin.
“Last names are different, so we had no idea,” Gothy cut in.
“It is our way that the individual that holds the throne must incorporate Mithril into their name,” Gunther explained. “Before the Brightbloods held the throne, it was the Gravelfists. The King at the time was called Mithrilfist.”
“It is so different compared to my world,” Mousie added.
“No offense meant, we just didn’t know,” Alvin said, trying to pull the conversation back on target.
“Explain your statement, daughter,” Mithrilblood said, turning his gaze back to Desiree, “about them being adults in every sense.”
“I’ve traveled with them for a number of days and I’ve observed them in many aspects. The way they approach life is with the same mindset of our adults. Hero has been talking of setting up trade between us and his world— what child thinks of that? They have battled hundreds of fungals and come out victorious every time. They drove the firebreather… the dragon from the portal, and broke the fungals that besieged it, giving my brother the breathing room he needed. The base that they have, which is through a glowing portal that only those chosen can step through, is lavish and has a servant to clean and cook for them. These three are, without a doubt in my mind, every bit the equal of our adults, and maybe even the equal of our guards.”
The armored Dwarves in the room stirred at that last part. A younger Dwarf with deep red hair coughed loudly, “Our equal when they wear no armor? Maybe your views are slanted due to your… personal feelings.”
Alvin sighed, “There’s always at least one. Look, stepchild, we can do this song and dance. Gods know we’ve done it enough, but it means hurting, maybe crippling, and possibly killing you. It’s idiotic. We came dressed in finery to show respect to the King. If you want to have a go and the King doesn’t mind losing you, well, we can do that.”
The Dwarf’s face grew red as Alvin spoke, and he stepped forward with a snarl once Alvin finished. “You think you can challenge me?”
“Majesty,” Alvin sighed, “do you need this guy? I mean, any of the three of us can do this, even without our vehicle. I just don’t see the point in doing it when we are more than willing to set up trade between our worlds. Can you bring dipshit into line?”
“Bloodfist, stand down,” the King ordered.
“Sire, I cannot,” Bloodfist snarled. “He has insulted me and my clan. I demand satisfaction.”
“I didn’t insult your clan,” Alvin replied. “You, yeah, I’ll admit to that. But the only one bringing your clan into this is you. Gothy, how many people have challenged us in a new settlement only to be dead by the time we leave?”
“A dozen? Two dozen? I forget.” Gothy stepped forward, next to Alvin. “Besides, you wouldn’t get him, you’d get me. Hero is basically our King. You wouldn’t expect your King to face him, would you?”
“Fine. I will take you to task for his rudeness.”
“No, you would fight me,” Mousie said, stepping in front of Gothy. “Gothy is my Queen as Hero is the King. To threaten either of them is to bring my wrath down on your head.”
“Stop,” Mithrilblood commanded. “I see you are as tightly knit as any of our clans. I will not allow a death feud to start here today.”
“Fine, we can settle it the old way,” Bloodfist snarled, his armor melting away. “I demand the old right of satisfaction.”
“What does that mean?” Alvin asked.
“Fists, no armor,” Desiree replied. “It started back when people within a clan had to settle a dispute. It was extended to different clans when we started to mingle more, but it was often thought not to settle things enough.”
“A fistfight? Fuck it, I haven’t kicked someone’s ass in a long time.” Alvin shifted to his base clothing, shorts and a shirt. “This might be a mostly even fight.”
“Wait—” Gothy began before Desiree grabbed her arm.
“The two who are in conflict are the ones who fight,” Desiree told her. “This would be true even if it were my father.”
Grimacing, Gothy shook off her arm and hugged Alvin. “You better not lose to that short, arrogant fuck.”
“Not likely,” Alvin grinned, giving her a kiss. “Watch my back.”
“The old challenge has been called for. Step back and give them room,” Mithrilblood said. “Bloodfist, know this; if this costs us what my daughter and father say these three could offer us, I will be most displeased.”
Bloodfist looked to the King and put a closed fist over his heart, “I will accept the consequences if that happens.”
Alvin stretched out before settling into a boxer’s stance, “I’m good.”
The Dwarves frowned at him, but gave them a circle of thirty feet. Gunther walked between the two men. “Hero and Lord Bloodfist, the ancient challenge has been issued. The combat will end when one lies unconscious or when one has surrendered. The old rules apply— no attacks to the eyes or groin. Do you both agree to this?”
“Of course,” Bloodfist replied eagerly, flexing his muscles as he glared at Alvin.
“When you say no attacks to the eyes, how do you mean?”
“Do not try to stick your fingers into his eyes.”
“That’s called ‘gouging’ in my world,” Alvin smiled, “and sure.”
“May the victor show the loser wisdom and benevolence,” Gunther said, stepping away.
The moment Gunther stepped back, Bloodfist charged. Alvin sidestepped and snapped a left hook into the Dwarf’s chin before dancing away. Shaking his head, Bloodfist turned back to face Alvin.
“A dancer? No stomach for a real fight?”
“You’re still an idiot,” Alvin replied. “Just because you’re used to slugging it out doesn’t mean I’m going to do that. Fighting is an art on my world, with many different styles.”
“I’ll just pin you down, then,” Bloodfist growled.
Alvin laughed, “Try it.”
The next two minutes were eye opening to the Dwarves. Alvin stayed out of reach and still pummeled Bloodfist. Gothy and Mousie were cheering him on, laughing whenever Alvin sent Bloodfist sprawling.
“We done yet?” Alvin asked, shaking his bloody hands. “Hitting your head is like punching particularly dense stone.”
Getting back to his feet and wiping the blood from his nose, Bloodfist shook his head, “I’m good, but you seem to be slowing.”
“Fine,” Alvin sighed. Shifting his stance, Alvin waited for Bloodfist to come after him again. “Unconscious it is, then.”
Bloodfist came in slower, rocking side to side while waiting for the jabs that Alvin had been using to keep him back. Alvin faked a jab before lunging forward and grabbing the Dwarf by his bodysuit. He rolled backward and threw Bloodfist up and over him.
“Shit!” Bloodfist cussed as he flew at the circle of Dwarves, who scrambled to get out of the way.
After slamming into the stone floor, Bloodfist was slow getting back to his feet. Alvin did not wait; he chased after him and grabbed the Dwarf from behind, wrapping his arm around Bloodfist’s neck before falling backward onto the ground. The Dwarf struggled on top of him, unable to break the pin.
“Goodnight,” Alvin said, clamping down as firmly as he could to cut off the battered Bloodfist’s blood and air flow.
Alvin was surprised at how long it took for Bloodfist to pass out. Before that happened, Bloodfist put elbows into his sides, and even managed to catch Alvin with h
is head once. Alvin had grown a little concerned when Bloodfist tried to pry his arm off, but his Brawn was just high enough to deny Bloodfist the ability to do so.
Once Bloodfist stopped moving, Alvin counted to three before letting go and pushing the Dwarf off him. “We good now?” Alvin asked as he climbed to his feet. “By the way, the first part of that is called boxing, and the second was martial arts, both of which can be learned on my world.”
“Gerta, if you’ll attend your clansman,” Mithrilblood said when Bloodfist did not move right away. “The fight is over.”
“That was different,” Desiree said, having been near Gothy and Mousie the entire time. “I would like to learn these fighting styles.”
“We’ll see what happens after we get a trade arrangement in place,” Gothy said.
“Well done, Hero,” Mousie said, giving him a kiss.
“Thanks,” Alvin said. “Fucker hit like a mule,” he winced and touched his ribs softly.
“We’ll baby you tonight,” Gothy replied. “Still miffed that I wasn’t able to fight him.”
“You can fight me if you’d like,” Desiree said. “Pain is a great teacher.”
“Desiree,” Mithrilblood called to her, “tonight, you will come home to see your mother.”
Desiree grimaced, “Yes, father.” Looking guilty, she sighed, “Maybe tomorrow?”
“Are we going to discuss trade?” Alvin asked bluntly.
“I would prefer to leave that until tomorrow morning. It will take hours, if not days, and it is late,” Mithrilblood replied. “Your lodging has been arranged. We shall transport you back there for the night. We will also arrange transport in the morning for your return. If you have need of anything, it will be supplied to you.”
“Figured it might go this way,” Alvin said, his normal armored clothing appearing on him. “Tomorrow it is.”
“Father, I should escort them back,” Desiree said quickly. “I can make sure the staff knows that everything is to be taken care of.”
“You have two hours. After that, you had better be home. Your mother was quite upset when word of your failure to return reached us.”
“Of course,” Desiree replied, bowing her head and placing her fist over her heart.
“Hero, Gothy, and Mousie, I look forward to our talks tomorrow,” Mithrilblood said, getting to his feet. “I feel that we can come to an arrangement that we will both benefit from.”
“That’s my hope,” Alvin agreed.
“This council is dismissed until tomorrow,” Mithrilblood said before he turned and left the room.
Alvin watched the King go curiously. Mithrilblood was easily a few inches over five feet tall, and just as broad as a regular Dwarf. His thoughts were cut short when Desiree took his hand.
“Hero, if you are ready to go?” Desiree asked.
“You’re just escorting us home?” Alvin asked.
“And staying for an hour?” Desiree asked.
“You’re always welcome,” Gothy said, taking her other hand. “We can get you all cleaned up for your dinner.”
“I would like that,” Desiree said.
“A moment, please,” another Dwarf called out to them, his armor melting away as he approached them. “I’m Lord Ironhand. I am curious if you would be willing to speak with me tonight?”
“He is going to speak to the King tomorrow,” Desiree said frostily. “All the clans will benefit that way.”
“With Brightblood being the first to reap the rewards,” Ironhand replied back just as coolly. “I was speaking to our guests, not you.”
“Want to get a leg up so you can become the next King?” Alvin asked bluntly.
Ironhand’s face became blank, “There is nothing wrong with wanting to see new leadership.”
“You’re right, there isn’t,” Alvin agreed. “I’ll talk to you in three hours at the inn.”
“Good, very good,” Ironhand smiled. “I look forward to it.”
“Hero?” Desiree looked shocked.
“Take us to the inn,” Gothy said softly, leading her toward the doors.
“But he…”
“Desiree, remember what we talked about?” Gothy asked.
“Yes… I see.”
“Problem?” Alvin asked, following them.
“No,” Desiree replied, a pensive expression on her face. “Maybe you will listen to my council on the ride back to the inn?”
“I always listen to the people I like,” Alvin replied.
“Good,” Desiree sighed softly, clearly relieved. “Maybe I can stop this attempt to grab power when the clans need to be united.”
“Hero will do what is best for us, but he does help the people who have become special to him,” Mousie added.
“I remember, but isn’t it harder to take when it’s your home?”
“It made me anxious a few times, but by then, I was already Gothy’s. I put my faith in her, and then in Hero once I let myself trust him.”
“I see.”
“Come on, we have an hour to talk,” Gothy said, leading them from the castle. “Maybe you can help us understand who we should listen to and who we should be wary of.”
“Of course,” Desiree nodded.
When they climbed into the carriage, Desiree spoke up, “Lord Ironhand is hoping to make a deal with you instead, stopping Mithrilblood from getting it first. Politics here are about leverage: which clan has the best lumios mine, mithril mine, best crop of toriom, and so on. These all give the impression of power, and can sway the other clans into shifting allegiances.”
“Sounds like politics everywhere,” Alvin shrugged. “Do you think Ironhand has anything that will sway us to give him a preferential deal?”
“The Ironhand clan currently has the best mithril mine and the most renowned smith,” Desiree replied.
“That’s nice, but at the moment, that doesn’t mean a lot to us,” Gothy replied.
“Mithril is the basis of our armor,” Desiree added.
“Can they make the armor?” Alvin asked.
“They have made the base suits for all the armor in the last decade. They make them before the lumios stone is added or the runesmiths mark them so they can expand and contract.”
“But we can’t use them as they are,” Gothy pointed out. “We can’t absorb lumios stone like you do. We’d need an external unit that can do what your bodies do naturally.”
“Which is what my grandfather and cousin are working on,” Desiree said, perking up.
“Do you think Ironhand has access to those prototypes?”
“No. They are Brightblood prototypes, and once they are perfected, they would be handed over to the King.”
“See? There isn’t anything he can offer us, but that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t let him try,” Alvin chuckled. “Besides, he might give me information I can pass along to your dad about what Ironhand has planned for trying to oust him.”
“You…” Cutting herself off, Desiree shook her head. “I see. My apologies for not thinking far enough ahead.”
“I’m used to being underestimated,” Alvin chuckled.
“I’m sorry for doubting you,” Desiree smiled. “Is the offer to use your shower still open?”
“Of course; you’ll have an hour,” Gothy purred.
Chapter Forty-six
Stepping into the base, Jarvis greeted them, “Welcome home. I shall have dinner ready in one hour. I know that Desiree will be leaving for her own home at that time.”
“Thanks, Jarvis.”
“Before we shower,” Desiree said, “can I get you to teach me a little of what you did earlier?”
Gothy took her by the arm, “I’ll show you. Come on.”
“I will go with you,” Mousie added.
“I’ll come join you in a few minutes after I drop the kids off at the pool,” Alvin chuckled. “What are you going to teach her, Gothy?”
“Some of the disarming techniques that were drilled into me.”
“Okay, see
you in a few,” Alvin said, collecting kisses from all three before heading for the bathroom.
Alvin was washing his hands and spun, his gun appearing. He saw who was behind him, exhaled, and put it away, “Dammit, Sammi,” he sighed. “What is it this time?”
Sammi blinked at him, not having expected him to turn on her so fast. “Fucking Christ, Alvin! Who else would have appeared behind you?”
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