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The OP MC 9 Chapter 1 (sex scene)
🕑 Added 2021-10-10 17:39:47 +0000 UTC“What do you want to do now?” I asked the tanned goddesses before me.
“This way, Bash,” Mahini murmured in a tone that left no room for debate, and then she slipped her hand into mine before pulling me toward our house.
A chill breeze tugged at her obsidian hair, and she turned her face away from the wind. I squinted into the cold air, but I couldn’t take my eyes off my beautiful warrior woman wife, so my steps were eager as I followed behind her.
“Oh, wait for me!” Elissa squealed as she claimed my other hand, but the tiny redhead had to quicken her pace to match our longer strides.
I’d just returned from a long voyage to the far side of the world, and I hadn’t seen my two pregnat wives in months. Their eagerness to get me alone was palpable, and I could tell the rest of the crowd could sense it, too.
The townsfolk of Bastianville parted to let Mahini and Elissa lead me home, and the knowing smirks on their faces told me everything I needed to know about what they had in store for me. I received a few good natured pats on the back, and more than one person let out a wolf whistle as we passed.
It seemed no one would mind if I disappeared for a few hours as soon as I got back, and my cock twitched in my pants as I allowed myself to be pulled toward heaven, but I had one last thought of my other women.
“I’ll be back!” I called back to the three ladies watching me leave.
“Take your time!” Evangeline called, and the musical sound of her laughter rang through the air like windchimes.
“You sure?” I glanced over my shoulder at my other women.
The blonde bombshell planted one hand a side-cocked hip, and her smoky gray eyes twinkled with amusement. I’d been in love with the duke’s daughter ever since she’d disguised herself as a guard in order to join my group of soldiers, and after countless adventures both in and out of the bedroom, I was grateful she was finally my wife. I definitely preferred to have her on my side of the fight since the scrappy noblewoman was deadly with her throwing stars, but she’d been trained in every weapon available during her upbringing in Bullard.
“Yes, we’ll take care of everything!” Caelia said.
The beautiful dark-skinned shopkeeper waved a delicate hand, and her warm gaze was full of joy as she watched us leave. Then she turned toward the stores of Bastianville, and she quickly disappeared down the street. The merchant was eager to return to her store, but now she had lots of exotic goods to showcase from our travels.
Zenda watched me go with her mesmerizing sapphire eyes, but then she turned and whispered something to Eva, and the two girls laughed. The Zaborian historian was in good hands, and I’d get plenty of time alone with her later, so I turned my focus back to the path ahead.
And to Mahini and Elissa.
My eyes greedily drank in the sight of my two wives, and I swallowed down the lump of emotion in my throat as I thought about how long it had been since I’d held them in my arms. Weeks spent at sea and traveling to and from the coast line kept us apart far longer than I ever intended, but the world was a much safer place now, so I could focus on home.
And my pregnant wives.
I’d met Mahini while fighting kobolds shortly after being summoned to this medieval fantasy world, and the desert mercenary had watched on in amazement as I stole her sword to destroy all the monsters single-handedly. The warrior woman was talented with a bow, and even though she didn’t remember, she’d taught me everything I knew about the ranged weapon. Her obsidian locks fell to her shoulder at a sharp angle, but her usually icy blue gaze was full of warmth as she glanced back at me.
My eyes trailed down her lithe, toned body to her abdomen, but there was still no sign of the life growing there despite the months that had passed since she’d first experienced morning sickness. The warrior woman wore padded leather armor that protected all her vital parts, but I knew beneath the armor lay a tanned, sexy body. Then my gaze drifted further south to where her ass bounced enthusiastically, and I throbbed against the restraint of my pants.
“Fuck, I’m hard already,” I said as I hurried my footsteps.
“Good,” Elissa giggled as she practically jogged to keep pace with us.
The petite redhead had shorter legs than Mahini and me, but her fiery energy helped her keep up with the other girls. She was the daughter of Bastianville’s mayor, Elrin, and I’d won her hand in marriage by killing a bunch of goblins. Elissa had been more than grateful when I’d saved her from an arranged nightmare, and she’d taken to using a mace during our adventures, which earned her the nickname Skullcrusher. With her go-get-em attitude and bubbly personality, it was always a shock to see her swing her weapon into an enemy’s head, but I never got tired of the sight, and I was currently enjoying the sight of the tiny little baby bump on her tummy.
I’d seriously lucked out, but the God of Time deserved the best.
Sorreyal had been my home for almost a year now, but I used to be an average guy from Earth working at a call center. I’d been dealing with what I used to call “Way Back Wednesdays” where all the senior citizens made my life a living hell, and I laid my head on my desk for a quick power nap. Nothing seemed amiss when I heard the chime of my phone’s alarm ring in my ears.
But everything changed when I opened my eyes and realized I wasn’t on Earth anymore. I’d been summoned by a sorcerer named Raijin Thornheart, and the Voldemort look-alike had unwittingly pulled me into a world of limitless power.
Raijin originally intended to kill me to take my power for himself, but every time I died, I’d just woken up in the same place all over again. It took me a few attempts to figure it out, but once I did, I killed the sorcerer’s fourteen goons and escaped the Great Catacombs of Legend.
As I left the nightmare chamber I’d been summoned in, a magical text box popped up on the stone wall and announced I was the Great One of Legend. According to the strange words in the creepy catacombs, I was the hero the world had been waiting for, and it would be up to me to return hope to the land.
I was the God of Time.
It had taken me a little while to process the information, but I’d played enough video games to pick up on the chosen one theme and run with it. I’d made my way through the maze-like catacombs to the entrance, but I’d made sure to explore every square inch of the tunnels before I left.
I was the kind of gamer who always aimed for one hundred percent completion.
That was when I’d come across the small town being attacked by kobolds and met Mahini, and my gaze flicked back to the desert goddess. My obsidian haired wife was just as beautiful as the day we met, and I wanted nothing more than to be inside her as soon as possible.
It had already been way too long.
We were almost to our house, and a moment later we were trotting up the steps. We’d barely crossed the threshold when the two women spun on me and pushed me up against the door, but I didn’t fight back as they both dropped to their knees in front of me.
“You’re both amazing,” I sighed as I allowed my pants to be pulled away.
“We missed you so much!” Elissa pouted. “I hope you’re never gone that long ever again!”
“That’s the great part,” I said. “With the fast travel amulet, I am always one step away from home.”
“You can do that again?” Mahini’s blue eyes lit up with excitement. “Pop out of thin air?”
My wife referenced my sudden appearance in Bastianville after travelling for months in search of magical knowledge, but we hadn’t had much chance to talk about how exactly I’d achieved such a feat yet.
“Any time I want.” I grinned. “I can even take people with me.”
“What!” Elissa gasped.
“Yep,” I confirmed, but then the desert goddess wrapped her hand around the shaft of my cock, and I inhaled sharply. “Fuck, I missed you.”
Neither woman gave me a response, and instead they both leaned forward to play with their coveted toy. An instant later, I felt the wet warmth of their tongues stroke my cock from balls to tip one after another, and a shiver of pleasure shot up my spine. They worked in tandem, and while one focused on my tip, the other gave my testicles lots of attention. Then they each wrapped their mouths around either side of my girth, and they slid as one toward my hips.
Stars exploded in my vision from the pleasurable feelings overwhelming me, and I sank my head back against the door as I surrendered to their motions. They’d learned a lot since our first sexual encounters together, and I smirked as I remembered the shy, virgin women I’d turned into horny, cock hungry lovers.
“How is that?” Mahini gripped my slippery cock firmly, but the pressure brought me out of my thoughts and back into the present, amazing moment.
“Perrrfect,” I groaned as I rocked back and forth to enhance the sensation, and I could already feel my balls beginning to tingle. They were about to make me come right inside the door, so I held a tight grip on my self control while they continued to Slip-n-Slide along my shaft.
I let them suck me for as long as I could bear, but when I felt tingles bursting from my balls, I reluctantly pushed them back. They held their mouths open and their tongues extended as they eagerly awaited my cock, but I took a deep breath and pulled them to their feet.
“Let’s take this upstairs,” I said in a voice hoarse with desire. “I need to feel your bodies. Now.”
My wives quickly complied, and they sashayed their hips as we made our way up the stairs, so I smacked their ass cheeks every other step to speed them onward. Even Mahini let out a girlish giggle as we stepped into the bedroom, but then the two beauties began to peel off their clothes and armor.
“Oh, fuck yes,” I licked my suddenly dry lips.
I removed the rest of my clothes while I watched them strip with rapt attention, and I spread out on the bed in a semi-upright position so I could see better. Mahini unfastened the straps holding her leather armor in place, and she created a tidy stack near the dresser before she began on the rest of her clothes. Elissa was wearing a sunny yellow frock, and she stared me down with her large, emerald eyes as she pulled the ties on the back loose.
I was practically drooling already, and they weren’t even naked yet.
Then Elissa slipped out of her dress, unbound her long, fire-red curls, and walked toward me with the most seductive expression on her face. My eyes carved into her flesh like a sculpture studying his muse, and my eyes focused on the slight bump on her lower abdomen.
“Your son is strong.” My first wife caught my stare, and she placed a loving hand over our growing child.
“You think it’s a boy?” I asked.
“I believe so.” Elissa nodded, and her eyes glimmered with hope.
Then my gaze swept over to Mahini, and her lithe, tanned form was revealed before me in all its glory. Her muscles rippled in the light streaming through the window, and her taut abdomen still had their washboard slopes. She was as gorgeous as the day we’d met, and I itched to get my hands on her.
“Get the fuck over here already!” I laughed and smacked the mattress on either side of me.
The two women joined me on the bed, and I slid my hand beneath Elissa’s red curls to cup the nape of her neck so I could pull her lips to mine. Her mouth parted to allow my tongue entrance, and I groaned as the kiss deepened.
Mahini positioned herself between my legs to resume her ministrations, and I ran a hand through her obsidian locks while I continued to make-out with Elissa. My hand roamed from the redhead’s neck to her lower back, and I pulled her against me until her breasts pressed up against my chest.
“Oh, Bash…” Elissa sighed when we finally came up for air. “I could kiss you forever.”
“That’s not all I’m going to kiss,” I promised in a husky voice, and my hand slid beneath her ass cheeks to graze against her already dripping entrance.
Elissa gasped and leaned into my touch, and her moisture immediately drenched my digits.
Fuck, she was wet.
“Come here,” I said as I pulled Mahini up from my cock.
The desert goddess ran the flat of her tongue along my entire length, and my tip twitched toward her lips. Mahini had a devious smile when she returned to my side, but I claimed those curved lips with my own until she was shivering with desire.
Then I repositioned myself on the bed so the two women were lying against the pillows and I was kneeling in front of them, and I raked my eyes over their contrasting forms in an effort to capture their images in my mind forever. Where Mahini was tanned, Elissa was pale, and while the desert goddess kept her hair trimmed and tamed, my first wife allowed her red locks to flow wild and long. Their personalities were nearly opposites as well, but Mahini’s sharp edge stoicism paired very well with Elissa’s bubbly enthusiasm.
I shook my head in awe at my own good fortune, but then I began to worship them from head to toe. I ran my fingers along Elissa’s bare skin while I mirrored the motions with my mouth on Mahini’s, and a moment later, both women were squirming beneath me.
Elissa gasped every time I drew anywhere near her nipples, and she seemed much more sensitive to my touch than I remembered, but that only excited me even more. I experimented by grazing the pad of my finger across her areola, and the mayor’s daughter arched her back as goosebumps erupted across her bare skin. Mahini’s nipple hardened in my mouth, and she hissed with pleasure as I trailed my tongue around her areola in a circular motion.
“You like that?” I asked them as I continued to manipulate their breasts.
“Bash…” Mahini whimpered. “Why does it feel so good? You haven’t even touched my--”
I’d migrated lower and lower while she talked, but before she could finish her sentence, I slid my thumb over her downy mound to the wet slit beneath. Mahini jerked, and her legs spread almost instinctively. The view of her tight, wet pussy made my blood pulse rapidly through my veins, and I could feel my cock aching for her warmth.
Then I pressed her inner thighs apart and dipped my head into her honeyed well, and I groaned with delight when I finally got to inhale her sweet aroma. There was nothing like it in the world, and I couldn’t believe I’d managed to survive months without her.
Never again.
I started slowly, but I planted teasing kisses all around her petals until her hips began to lift her sweet snack directly to my lips. Then I cupped her ass cheeks in my hands and lifted her up fully so I could dig in. The juices immediately flowed over my taste buds, and I lapped them up greedily like Winnie the Pooh with a honey pot. When I glanced up to check on Elissa, my wife was watching me with wide, fascinated eyes while she played with herself, and the image made my cock throb.
“Ooohh, Bassh…” Mahini moaned and arched her back to give me even better access to her pussy, so I returned my attention back to making the desert goddess climax.
I circled her clit with my tongue before I sucked it between my lips, but at the same time I reached over to help Elissa as well. The two women continued to squirm and drip, but they were being patient.
So far.
They would be begging for my cock before the day was over, though, and the thought urged me on even more. I licked and sucked until Mahini’s muscles began to spasm, but even then I didn’t relent. The tension in her body built to an unbearable peak, and then her mouth fell open in a silent moan as her legs began to shake.
“Right… There!” The desert goddess’s voice came out as a primal growl, and I chuckled as I slid my finger even deeper into her entrance until I found her textured sensitive spot. Mahini grasped the sheets in white knuckled fists as she shoved her pussy against my face, but I held her firm as I lapped up her delicious juices. “Yess!”
My warrior wife exploded over my face, and I drank down every last drop like I was a man dying of thirst.
When her shaking finally subsided, I gently thrust my finger in and out of her as she came back to reality, but then my gaze turned to the pale-skinned goddess.
“You’re next,” I promised, and I placed a sweet kiss on Mahini’s swollen pussy before I repositioned myself on the bed.
Elissa eagerly spread her legs for me, and her emerald gaze held mine with an intense heat as I lowered my face to her pussy. I watched in fascination as I dipped my tongue into her well of bliss, and her gemstone eyes widened as her lips parted.
It was perfect.
Then I attacked her clit with a gusto built up over months of absence, and the freckled beauty was dappled in sweat a few moments later. Her petite legs wrapped around my head with a strong grip, and I reached up around her hip to tweak her erect nipples. The mere touch of my fingers against her sensitive breasts sent Elissa into a frenzy, and she gasped for breath as her legs started to shake.
“Keep going!” she pleaded. “Oh, Bash, never stop…”
I did as requested, and I worked her through several orgasms before I came up for air. The bed was drenched in sweat and pussy juice already, and both girls lay in a semi-exhausted state upon the pillows.
“You’re not done yet, are you?” I teased as I pushed myself onto my knees.
“Far from it,” Mahini breathed without opening her eyes. “Just catching my breath.”
“I almost forgot how amazing you are…” Elissa sighed. “I’ll never forget again.”
“Good.” I gave my ladies a devilish grin.
Then I grabbed Elissa by the ankles, and I yanked her bodily toward me. The freckle-faced beauty giggled and twisted to present her ass, and I quickly straddled her from behind. I massaged her ass cheeks appreciatively, and each time I pulled them to the side, her perfectly pink, tiny pussy peeked out at me.
My cock was so hard it ached, so I gripped my shaft in one hand while I spread open her legs with the other. I moved slowly, and I rubbed the head of my dick up and down her slit a couple of times until my tip was coated in her juices. Then I leaned forward, and I slid inside her tight tunnel inch by inch until I was buried to the hilt.
“Fucck!” Elissa arched her back and moaned.
“Goddamn, you’re tight,” I groaned as her pussy squeezed around my length. I withdrew at a tantalizingly slow pace, and I waited until Elissa whimpered out a request before I thrust inside forcefully.
“Oh!” My wife gasped as she gripped the sheets.
“You like that, don’t you?” I chuckled
“I want more!” Elissa pressed her hips into mine in a matching rhythm as I pulsed in and out of her impossibly tight pussy. “Harder!”
“As you wish,” I murmured, and I gritted my teeth as I complied, but then I jerked my chin at Mahini. “Come join us.”
Mahini bit her lip as her icy gaze filled with doubt, but then Elissa reached out to grab her hand.
“I want us all to feel good, Mahini,” the freckled goddess said. “Bash taught me what to do, remember?”
Mahini positioned herself near Elissa’s mouth, and the redhead didn’t hesitate to bury her face in the desert goddess’ pussy. I gripped Elissa’s ass cheeks in both hands as I slammed in and out of her as hard as I could, and shivers of pleasure ran down my spine. The sound of our flesh slapping together mixed with their gasps and cries of pleasure, and the musical quality of the mixture created a pleasant backdrop for the delightful sight before me.
It was good to be a god.
Elissa’s orgasm was slow to build, but I could feel it coming through the tension in her muscles. Then her legs shivered, and she closed her eyes as she rested her face against Mahini’s inner thigh.
“Yes, yes, yesss…” Elissa’s voice was full of emotion, and my heart swelled with love for the tender queen of my heart.
With that thought, I lost control, and I gasped as my climax shook every muscle in my body. It felt like a thousand tiny needles of pure bliss were pricking my skin, and I buried my cock as deep as it would go in Elissa’s tunnel as I sprayed out my load.
Elissa’s climax hit her a second after mine, and we both groaned as her tunnel squeezed and jerked around my length so that every single damn drop was milked out.
“Oh, fuck,” I sighed as I collapsed on top of the beautiful redhead, but I made sure to keep the majority of my weight lifted by my arms.
Before I’d even fully caught my breath, however, I felt Mahini’s soft touch caressing my back, and goosebumps erupted across my flesh. I rolled over and flashed her a grin, but as soon as I was flat on my back, the desert goddess straddled my waist.
The image of her perfectly shaped breasts heaving above me made me throb back to life instantly, and I was standing at attention by the time she began to lower herself onto my cum-slick cock. Her strong muscles contracted, and her pussy gripped my shaft like a well oiled fist.
“Oh, how I missed you, husband…” Mahini twisted her hips and moaned as she bobbed up and down my length, and the resulting sensation was incredible. She had the muscle control of an Olympic athlete, and it showed.
My dick was a toy for her to manipulate, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.
“You were always in my thoughts,” I said, but then I gripped her hips in both hands and slammed my cock upward.
Mahini’s lips quivered, and her ice blue eyes widened as I rubbed my tip against the opening to her womb. Then, as her climax built up, she rocked her hips faster and faster until she moved in a blur of motion.
The tanned beauty worked herself up into another orgasm and then collapsed against my chest, and it was several long moments before she was ready for another round. This time, I rolled her over, grabbed her by the ankles, and held her feet above her head as I slid back inside her tight entrance.
Elissa cuddled up beside the desert goddess, and they exchanged a sweet smile.
“Kiss,” I said in a husky voice.
“Yes, husband,” Mahini purred.
The two women flashed me a sly expression before they began to kiss with slow, tender movements. Mahini bit Elissa’s bottom lip, and the freckled beauty moaned, but the image sent me over the edge yet again.
“Fuck, yesss….” I twitched as I erupted deep inside Mahini’s slippery tunnel, and my second climax was just as powerful as my first. Once I’d filled my up lover with a good bucket full of my cream, I let out a contented sigh before I collapsed backward.
Our legs were all tangled together as we panted for breath, and I absently stroked their skin with the tips of my fingers as we all came back down from our high. The room smelled of delicious sex and sweat, but the only sound was our labored breathing.
“Ready to go again?” Elissa asked as she sat up in bed and eyed my still semi-hard member.
“Whenever you are,” I countered with a wink.
“We have a few more ideas,” Mahini teased.
“No time like the present,” I laughed.
Elissa leapt on my cum-slick cock like a kid attacking an ice cream cone, and I was bulging with need again a few moments later.
We spent the rest of the morning in bed, and I lost track of how many times we all came. It was the perfect homecoming after a long journey, but after a few hours of lovemaking, my stomach growled insistently.
The girls heard the noise, and they exchanged a pointed look.
“What?” I laughed.
“It seems as though it is time to go to the feast,” Elissa sighed. “Why does time have to pass so quickly?”
“Don’t be sad.” I hooked a finger under her chin and brought her lips to mine. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon. You can have me whenever you want, babe.”
“I’m sure Miss Impatient can wait for you to regain your energy,” Mahini teased. “We wouldn’t want to stand between you and your people, either.”
“I’m sure everyone is anxious to see me,” I allowed. “But you two are always my number one priority. Don’t forget that.”
“It is hard to forget when you remind me so thoroughly,” Elissa said with a pleased smile.
“What else is a god supposed to do?” I winked.
We bathed, dressed, and returned to the streets of Bastianville just as the sun slid past the midday point. Thick gray clouds blocked out the warmth the rays would have provided, and I shivered as we walked into the brisk wind. The streets were still crowded with people, and there were lots of unfamiliar faces among the townsfolk I’d known for a while already. My town had grown considerably since I’d taken control of it, and all my followers were thriving.
My first task was to reconvene with the three women who’d returned with me from the Eastern Ocean, so my steps lead me toward Caelia’s store. The merchant stood behind the counter, and she pulled a needle and thread through a piece of white fabric. She looked up when I entered the store, and her brilliant smile was just as dazzling as ever. Even though she’d been with me the whole time, her beauty still took my breath away.
“Bash!” Caelia put down her project and strode out from behind the counter to fling herself into my arms.
“Where’s Eva and Zenda?” I asked as I glanced around the shop.
A few customers migrated through the well stocked shelves, and they all carried baskets already heavily laden with their chosen purchases. I overheard them murmur about the fine quality of the Zaborian silks, and they oohed and ahhed over the fine wooden craftsmanship of the Arajian items.
It appeared as though Caelia’s business was doing just as good as it ever had, if not better.
“Eva is taking Zenda on a tour of Bastianville,” Caelia explained. “I wanted to look over my ledgers, but I said I would join them before the feast this evening.”
“Bash is hungry,” Elissa informed her. “We will have the feast as soon as it’s ready.”
“Can’t keep a god waiting, now can we?” Caelia laughed.
“Where did you take the cart with all our loot?” I asked. “I didn’t see it on the way in.”
“I took the horses to the stables,” Caelia said. “The cart is behind the store, but I left a lot of the items in the back, so I asked Riondale to post a guard.”
“Perfect.” I rubbed my hands together. “I’m excited about all our new toys.”
Mahini and Elissa exchanged a confused look.
“Toys?” Elissa dared to ask.
“Oh, they’re great,” Caelia assured them. “Bash has a good eye.”
The four of us migrated to the back of the shop where Riondale was guarding the covered wagon personally, and I greeted my general with a firm clasp of the forearm. His short cropped brown hair hadn’t changed in the months I’d been travelling, but he’d started to let his beard grow out a little. It gave him an aged, wizened look that likely added weight to his position as general.
“Hey, Ri-Guy!” I grinned. “How’s the army doing?”
“Sir!” Riondale’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you so soon after your return.”
I’d met the younger man during my quest to kill the crimson firebreather, Smiguel, and the former lieutenant had proven himself a strong ally and friend ever since. Riondale had originally been in the service of Evangeline’s father, the Duke of Bullard, but he’d allowed a few of his soldiers to follow me back to Bastianville.
“I’m just efficient like that.” I winked, and a blush tinged the younger man’s neck. “Besides, I wanted to take care of the loot so you don’t have to stand here all night.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, sir,” Riondale said in a hesitant tone. “What’s inside the wagon?”
“You’re going to love it.” I clapped him on the shoulder and turned to the back of the wagon.
I pulled off the cover and lowered the fold-down gate, and my general whisted appreciatively when he saw what was inside. Four large cannons salvaged from pirate ships were strapped into the back, but there were other packages shoved into every inch of available space.
“Are those… Cannons?” Riondale’s eyes were wide as he leaned forward to take a closer look.
“Yep.” I nodded, but Riondale’s attention was still locked on the weapons. “I stole them from some pirates.”
“I’ve heard of them in ale stories,” the general confessed. “But I never thought they were real. Fire created from rock? Seems impossible.”
“It’s a little bit more complex than that,” I said. “But they’re very real. As are the guns I took off the wannabe pirate king.”
“You’ll have to tell me all the stories of your adventures some night,” Riondale requested. “But what is a gun?”
Instead of explaining, I dug through the contents of the wagon until I located the two hip holster revolvers I’d taken from Raiz Stormbane before I’d killed him. Then I dug into the accompanying bag of bullets I’d found in the pirate king’s personal rooms on Esther Island, and then I slid one into the chamber.
I aimed off into the distance, pulled back the lever, and squeezed the trigger. The recoil still surprised me, but I knew I would get used to it with enough practice. My companions covered their ears as the explosion boomed, but Riondale’s expression was priceless.
“Watch out!” Riondale shouted as he dove to the side, but the young man lost all composure, and he nearly fell over when his head whipped around in an effort to follow the bullet’s path.
Mahini and Elissa stared at me with wide, shocked eyes, but Caelia merely smirked. The shopkeeper was with me when we first encountered the weapons, so she was a little bit more familiar with them than the others were.
“That happened so fast!” Riondale ran a hand over his head. “Can you do it again?”
I was a little hesitant to waste the bullets since I didn’t have the means to produce more yet, but the younger man’s reaction was worth it, so I loaded another bullet. Then an idea struck me, and I flashed him a mischievous grin.
“You try,” I said as I handed him the weapon handle first.
“Anyone can do it?” He frowned as he gingerly inspected the gun. “You don’t have to be a god?”
“Just point and squeeze the trigger,” I confirmed. “But okay… there are some rules. Always treat it like it’s loaded; like it’s a bow with an arrow pulled back, so never point the barrel at yourself or any allies, and make sure that whatever you are aiming at doesn’t have something standing behind it you don’t want to hit.”
“Okay…” Riondale pinched the gun like it was a venomous snake.
“I’ll show you.” I moved to his side and showed him a few tips. Once he was in the correct position, I nodded, and he pulled the trigger. The ensuing bang caused my ears to ring, and I made a mental note to use some type of ear plug when I did target practice in the future. He nearly toppled over backward from the recoil, and he dropped the gun to the dirt like it would burn him.
“Good job.” I retrieved the gun from the ground while the girls giggled, but Riondale flashed me a sheepish smile once he regained his composure.
“I apologize for dropping it,” the general said.
“Accidents happen.” I shrugged. “We could both use some practice, and obviously I’ll help you.”
“You would teach me how to use your guns?” Riondale’s eyebrows rose into his hairline.
“I’d like to have all our officers to have them eventually,” I said. “The future is changing, Ri-Guy, we’ve got to keep up.”
After I wrapped the revolvers up in their velvet covering, Riondale trotted off to fetch some helpers to unload the wagon. I gave clear instructions about where everything needed to go, the gold went to my house and the cannons went to the walls, and then I followed my women back inside Caelia’s store to get out of the increasingly cold air.
“Will you be able to join us at the feast?” I asked as the shopkeeper returned to her needlework.
“Of course!” Caelia flicked her chocolate curls over her shoulder. “Why do you think I’m repairing my favorite dress?”
“I’ll see you there, then.” I placed a kiss on her cheek.
“Can’t wait.” The shopkeeper waggled her fingers as we left the store.
I took Elissa and Mahini in search of our other ladies, but the blue-skinned Zaborian historian was easy to spot among the Sorreyalian faces. Evangeline and Zenda walked slowly down the street toward Elrin’s house, so we hurried to catch up with them, and I slipped my hand into the pale blue one of my newest woman.
“I missed you,” Zenda whispered.
“I missed you, too.” I squeezed her hand warmly. “Did you have fun with Eva, though?”
“Oh, yes!” Her sapphire eyes glimmered with delight. “The people here are so nice! No one has said anything about the way I look.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned. “You look incredible.”
“I…” The historian bit her bottom lip as she shot me a shy sideways glance. “I’m so different… Mahini, Elissa, Eva, and Caelia are all so beautiful, and it makes me feel… foreign.”
“We are all beautiful in our own ways,” Elissa said as she rushed to grab the Zaborian’s other hand, and my first wife’s gemstone gaze was full of warmth as she flashed our newest companion a wide smile. “I think you’re absolutely dazzling, Zenda.”
“Didn’t I tell you so?” Eva giggled. “You’ve been worried over nothing.”
“I feel silly,” Zenda sighed. “I am not used to this level of attention.”
The girls and I continued to encourage the newest addition to our family for the rest of the walk to Elrin’s house, and by the time we trotted up the steps, her pale blue face was bright with happiness.
“Your Grace!” Elrin answered the door personally, and the Mayor of Bastianville fell into a low bow as soon as he saw me.
“Hey, there, Elrin,” I greeted. “How have you been?”
“Busy!” the older man laughed and rubbed his broad stomach. “New townsfolk arrive by the day, and when there’s a slight lull in people migrating here, then the merchants come in droves.”
“That’s a good thing, right?” I raised one eyebrow.
“Absolutely!” Elrin nodded. “But, please, come in. We can talk all about it.”
“Sounds good.” I followed the older man inside, and a smirk twisted my lips when he gestured for me to take the good chair. I crossed my legs and got comfortable, and I glanced around the living room, but nothing had changed since I’d been gone. “Any issues come up that you need to tell me about?”
“We’ve had an increase in crime,” Elrin informed me. “Small things. Stolen jewelry, tools left out go missing, and a few people reported hearing scratching sounds outside their windows at night. I believe there is more than one person responsible, but catching them has proven to be challenging.”
“We’ll take care of it,” I promised. “Maybe even make a police department or something.”
“Police?” Elrin stared at me and blinked.
“Where I come from,” I explained, “police are people whose job is to ensure peace. They guard things, protect people, and investigate crimes. If we select and train a few people to monitor the behavior of the townsfolk, it could deter what it can’t stop altogether.”
“I’m open to any suggestions, Your Grace,” Elrin said. “What of your travels? Did you find what you were searching for?”
“I did.” I nodded, but my eyes flicked to Zenda on their own accord. “And so much more. But I haven’t introduced you to my new friend yet, how rude of me.”
Zenda blushed, and the skin of her neck turned an almost purple hue, but Elrin gave her a friendly smile.
“Mayor Elrin of Bastianville,” I said in a formal tone. “I’d like you to meet the First Daughter of the High Priest, Zenda.”
“Welcome,” Elrin said as he flourished down into another bow. “From what I have learned of your homeland during Bash’s absence, your father is the leader of the Zaborial Isles?”
“Yes, he is.” Zenda inclined her head politely. “I was his assistant at the library.”
“In our society, you would be considered a princess,” Elrin pointed out.
“I never thought about that,” I said.
Eva, Elissa, and Mahini all peered at Zenda curiously, but I knew they would have plenty of time to get used to each other. We were one big family, and while everyone was happy to have the Zaborian among us, any change took some time to adapt to.
“How are you feeling, my daughter?” Elrin asked as he smoothly transitioned the attention away from the suddenly shy Zaborian. “Still having morning sickness?”
“I feel fantastic!” Elissa flashed her father a brilliant smile. “Especially now that my husband is home.”
“Maybe now you will stop talking about him constantly,” Mahini said under her breath, and everyone laughed.
Knowing my passionate red-haired wife, that was unlikely.
We visited with Elrin for a couple of hours, but by the time the light in the windows began to dim, a knock sounded on the door to summon us to the feast. Tables had been erected in the square, and I recognized Torya, the innkeeper’s touch immediately. There were so many people in Bastianville I’d missed and needed to catch up with, but it would take me weeks to talk to everyone I already knew, let alone get to know all the newcomers.
Braziers were lit to ward off the chill of twilight, and torches provided enough light to see everything clearly. A big bonfire illuminated the center of the gathering, and several people were crowded around it and warming their hands. The icy wind found all the cracks in my clothes, and I eyed the fire eagerly.
I made a new save point as we joined the throng of people flowing toward the square, and I waved at the familiar faces I spotted among the crowd. There was Deena, Stryker, and Dalwin, but Jax and Torya crossed the distance to me and grabbed me by either elbow.
“‘Bout time you came around,” the burly blacksmith growled. “I expected ya when the sun was still up.”
“I’m sorry, my friend,” I laughed. “I’ll come to the workshop first thing in the morning.”
“Relax!” Jax laughed and clapped me on the back so hard I nearly fell over, and then he wrapped an arm around Torya’s waist. “I know you’re a busy god.”
Were they officially a thing now?
I put the thought into the back of my mind, and I refocused on the feast. We were distracted by other townsfolk coming up to say hello for the rest of the night, and then the blacksmith and innkeeper vanished from view. I was happy for my friend, and he’d made a good choice with Torya.
I couldn’t wait to see if they had kids.
It was long after sunset when the feast started to be cleared away to allow the dancing to begin, and the beer was flowing freely. Laughter and chatter created a steady background soundtrack, and it was good to hear my people have fun. So much of their life was based on work, chores, and family, but they seemed happy enough.
Zenda sat off by herself for a while before I managed to pull myself away from the townsfolk, but as soon as I was able to, I headed straight toward her. Her sapphire eyes were downcast and deep in thought, so I cleared my throat to get her attention.
“Oh, Bash!” Zenda gasped as she startled. “I didn’t see you there.”
“I’ve been unable to take my eyes off you.” I held her locked in my gaze as I swept up her hand and pressed the back of it to my lips, and when I flashed her a seductive wink, the purple hue returned to her neck. “How are you enjoying the evening?”
“It is a wonderful party,” Zenda said. “We don’t have many parties in Nanau, or at least, I was never invited to any. I mostly kept to my studies, though. It is nice to feel included.”
“You are always welcome and wanted,” I said.
I took the empty spot on the bench beside her, and I pulled her into the shelter of my arm. Zenda sighed as she laid her head on my shoulder, and the spiky fresh growth on her head tickled my neck.
“Can I… ask you something?” the beautiful historian asked in a hesitant voice.
“Anything,” I said immediately.
“Where… Um, where am I sleeping tonight?” Zenda stiffened anxiously against me.
“Would you want to sleep in your own bed?” I hooked a finger under her chin to lift her gaze to mine. “Or would you prefer to share the bed with me and the ladies?”
“I-I-I--” the Zaborian stuttered as her sapphire eyes filled with panic.
“We’ll make a bed up for you in the extra room.” I smiled as reassuringly as I could, and I squeezed her into a tight hug. “There’s no rush to anything.”
“Thank you,” Zenda breathed, and her muscles relaxed. “It’s not that I don’t want to…”
“You’re a virgin,” I stated simply.
“How did you know?” Zenda gasped.
“I’m the God of Time.” I shrugged.
I’d learned all about the beautiful historian while studying the ancient tomes of the Grand Occulta Athenaeum in the Zaborial Isles, so I could have written an instruction manual on how to woo her by this point.
“Your powers are incredible.” Zenda’s gorgeous sapphire eyes brimmed with emotion. “I feel so safe with you, like you already know me better than anyone else, yet we’ve only known each other for a short time. How can that be?”
“I know a lot of things,” I said. “You’re not imagining it. Ask the girls, they’ll tell you the same thing.”
“We have a lot of talking to do,” Zenda agreed with a decisive nod.
“And you and I have a lot of dancing to do,” I said as I pulled her to her feet and swept her out onto the dance floor.
Zenda laughed, and the sound was music to my ears, so I spent the rest of the evening doing everything I could to make her laugh again. It was a wonderful night full of friends and family, drinking and dancing, plus lots of amazing food. I couldn’t have asked for a better homecoming party, and my heart swelled with love for all the people of Bastianville.
The dancing kept me sweating despite the bitter chill in the wind, but I noticed several people shivering as they huddled near the fires as the night progressed. The temperature continued to drop throughout the evening, and by the time we said farewell, the majority of the guests wore their hooded cloaks.
I reset to my save point several times just to make the party keep going, and I managed to get all the local gossip. Jaxtom and Torya had been together for a couple of weeks, but many speculated it had been happening in secret long before then. A few people had passed of old age, and the cemetery outside town had a couple fresh graves because of it, but everyone agreed the deceased lived long, full lives.
Rumors of the genders of my soon-to-be children ran rampant, and many asked if I had some godly knowledge I could impart to settle the bets. But I refused to give any thoughts on the matter, and I merely said I wanted to surprise everyone.
My women and I stumbled home in the wee hours of the morning, and Zenda gave me a sweet goodnight kiss before she disappeared into her own room. I slept most of the next morning away, but something felt off when I woke up. I couldn’t shake the feeling, so I got out of bed and got dressed. Then I tiptoed out of the bedroom and down the stairs, but there was no sign of anything amiss.
I frowned as I pushed open the front door to investigate, but then my jaw fell open.
Bastianville was blanketed in a layer of pure white.
I stepped out from under the awning and tilted my head up to the sky, but the colors were dismal and gray. The chill in the air was unmistakable, and I inhaled sharply as memories of sledding flooded my brain.
It was snowing.
Winter had come to Bastianville.
