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The OPMC 6 Chapter 3
🕑 Added 2021-04-09 00:42:59 +0000 UTCI blinked in surprise at the shapeshifter for a long silent moment, and he merely stood there while his tail twitched patiently as he waited for me to process his words. I had a feeling Ako was familiar with shocking people, and he’d long ago learned to remain calm despite people’s reactions.
“You… You want to go with me?” I shook my head in awe. “How come? You just got the new job as a court wizard. Don’t you need to go to Arginold to get settled into your new castle?”
“While I have been combing the city in search of you, Sir Bash,” Ako said in a reluctant tone as his honey colored eyes flicked up and down the street. “I had hoped we could discuss this somewhere a little more comfortable. I know of a good tavern nearby. Do you care to stop for a drink while we talk?”
“That sounds doable,” I chuckled, but then I turned to my companions. Sarah and Bron eyed the cat-man subtly, but to my surprise, Caelia starred in open eyed amazement at the shapeshifter. “Think we have time for a drink?”
“Why don’t we head back to the palace and give the two of you some privacy?” Bron suggested. “I would like to get started on packing before it gets too late.”
“Yes, and our purchases will be delivered to the palace soon,” Caelia added. “I’d like to personally oversee the loading of the wagon.”
“Very well.” I grinned. “Think you can find your way back alright? Vallenwood can be pretty confusing.”
“We will retrace our steps through the marketplace,” Sarah assured me, and the brown-haired woman scooped Caelia’s arm into her own.
“I’ll be back before you know it,” I said.
“Enjoy yourself,” Bron urged. “This is our last night in Vallenwood, after all.”
I waved goodbye to my companions, and I stood and watched them traverse the busy street for a moment before I followed Ako in the other direction. The cat-man’s tail swayed behind him with each step, and the movement was almost hypnotic, but I didn’t want to be rude, so I tried not to stare too closely.
Ako stopped a couple times to look around like he wasn’t quite sure where he was going, and I was tempted to show him the way, but I held my tongue. I didn’t want to hurt his pride before we’d even started to talk. Then he seemed to see a sign of some kind, and the shapeshifter’s steps quickened.
A short while later, the cat-wizard and I were sitting at the bar of the Traveller’s Tavern. The interior was well lit, and it was crowded with customers. It seemed like the place to go if one was staying in Vallenwood, and I spotted merchants, mercenaries, and farmers among the faces of the people. The atmosphere was warm and inviting, and bursts of laughter randomly filled the air, so I could see why Ako liked it.
“Now, if you don’t mind explaining a little bit,” I said as I returned the focus of the conversation back to his desire to tag along on my quest. “I’d love to hear all about how you came to find out everything.”
“Little birds have loud voices,” the shapeshifter replied in a mysterious tone. “Cat’s have strong ears. It’s simple really.”
“Sounds like you were eavesdropping,” I pointed out.
“No, no, nothing heinous, I assure you.” Ako waved a dismissive hand, but his honey colored eyes twinkled with mischief. “I am a man of honor, Lord Bash.”
“I’m not trying to dishonor you.” I shook my head. “I merely mean to point out how unusual it is for you to know of my quest already, when I just found out about it myself this morning.”
“I like to know what is going on.” Ako shrugged, and I could tell I wasn’t getting a clearer answer out of him on the topic, so I decided to move on.
“Alright, so you found out somehow,” I chuckled at his information gathering skills. “My other question is why do you want to come? You just got a new job…”
“I have spoken with my lady,” Ako explained. “After the untimely demise of the late Duke of Arginold, and the death of his necromancer, she is suspicious of Edinburg’s retreat. She wishes to show her loyalty to the crown by participating in his capture, so she urged me to go with you. Simple.”
“I have a feeling that things with you are never simple,” I said, but I found myself grinning at the mere prospect of the cat-man accompanying me on my new quest. “But I am also inclined to believe you. Just as long as you can keep up with the pace I set, and follow my command, then you’re welcome to tag along.”
“I am not merely tagging along,” Ako argued. “I know you’re the reason I got the appointment to court wizard of Arginold in the first place, and I want to show my gratitude. I believe I can be of service to you. I am a skilled hunter and tracker, so there is no way the duke will be able to evade us.”
“I could always use another pair of trained eyes,” I said.
Ako grinned wide, and he stuck out his hand for me to shake again. “Do we have a deal?”
“Sure, Ako, you can come with me to find the Duke of Edinburg.” I took his hand firmly. “But I want to be clear. I am in charge of this mission, and you will follow my command.”
“Of course, you’re the god.” Ako nodded, and his honey colored eyes twinkled. “I wouldn’t do anything counterproductive to the mission. I swear.”
“Well, actions speak louder than words,” I said. “I’ll be watching you for a while until I feel you have earned my trust completely.”
“Fair enough.” Ako shrugged. “I am up for the task, I promise.”
“Will you be prepared to leave in the morning?” I asked. “I wish to depart shortly after first light.”
“No rest for the immortal, huh?” Ako chuckled. “I’ll be in the courtyard shortly after sunrise. I am assuming we are heading toward Edinbug Manor?”
“Yes, have you been there before?” Curiosity coursed through me since I knew the cat-man was well travelled, so I tried to contain my eagerness to hear more tales of his journey so far.
“I passed through,” Ako said. “I would like the opportunity to explore the area more, though, since I hear they are suffering from drought and low game levels.”
“You aim to help Edinburg’s people?” The thought surprised me, but it warmed my heart at the same time. It sounded like something I would have said.
“Aye.” Ako nodded with a serious expression on his face. “I wish to help all the people of Sorreyal. I am glad to be a part of the greatest kingdom in the world.”
“That’s a tall compliment from someone who has travelled beyond the boundaries of this realm,” I observed. “What makes Sorreyal so special in your eyes?”
“Besides the beautiful women?” Ako laughed. “The people are good in their hearts, and hardships have worn down their smiles, but inside is a wellspring of potential. I can see it beneath the gloomy faces.”
“You haven’t been to Bastianville yet, I take it.” I smirked. “You’d be hard pressed to find a frown in the entire town.”
“A poet, huh?” Ako’s laughter grew in strength. “I can’t wait to see it. Maybe after this quest, I’ll have earned an invitation to your wedding.”
“You’ve heard about that, too, have you?” I grinned. “I will see how well you perform during our adventure, and then we’ll see about the invitation.”
“Deal.” Ako grinned, and his two sharp fangs flashed in the lamp light of the tavern.
A short while later, the two of us walked back to the palace together, but we went our separate ways once we were inside. I headed to the west wing as the sun tilted below the horizon out the windows, and I wasn’t surprised to find my entourage still hard at work preparing for our departure the next day.
The west wing was a bustle of activity when I arrived, and I stood in the entryway for a moment so I could watch everyone. Sarah and Bron carried large crates down the hallway, which I assumed were full of the toys we’d purchased earlier. Kylor, Corvis, Niconor, and Jeron were seated in a circle in the living room sharpening their weapons while Bellona, Adelina, and Celeste were in the kitchen preparing dinner plates.
Mahini sat with Elissa, Eva, and Caelia, and I overheard a snippet of their conversation about what to put in which saddlebags. The shopkeeper looked fascinated with the conversation, and she took notes on a sheet of paper in between asking the other girls questions.
Jaxtom and Riondale caught my eye, and the two men beckoned me over. The burly blacksmith crossed his arms over his chest while the young lieutenant placed his hands on his hips, and I chuckled over their buddy comedy poses. Smack a cheesy headline above their heads, and we had a B-rated blockbuster. I found the duo highly entertaining, though, so I was a little disappointed neither one could continue to travel with me.
Still, if I had to trust anyone with the important tasks I couldn’t handle myself, it was the two of them.
Jaxtom had been one of my first friends in Bastianville, and the blacksmith quickly made me feel right at home by calling me Bash instead of Great One. He’d taught me almost everything I knew about smithing, and I was entrusting him to find out how to make dragon armor.
Riondale had earned my trust time after time while I fought off the dragon and debated philosophy with a zealot, but meeting his grandmother had sealed my opinion of him. The young lieutenant was respectful, courteous, and kind, but that didn’t stop him from being a badass fighter. If anyone could get me an army of worthy men, it was Ri-guy.
“Is everything ready?” I asked the pair as I approached.
“Pretty much,” Jax replied.
“Yes, sir.” Riondale nodded. “But the new recruits had hoped to speak with you before you left Vallenwood. I know you’re leaving early in the morning, so I assumed tonight would be the best time.”
“Right.” I stroked my growing beard. “I have time now, if you’re ready.”
“Yes, sir.” Riondale grinned. “That’s what I was hoping you would say.”
“Was there anything else?” My gaze flicked to Jax’s face, and the blacksmith nodded.
“I spoke with the blacksmith here in town,” Jax informed me in a gravelly voice. “There were only so many master smiths back when I was an apprentice, so I had a feeling he might know one of the other men we are looking for.”
“And?” I tried to keep a handle on my composure, but excitement quickly overtook me.
When I’d defeated the dragon, Smiguel, I’d harvested some of his scales in the hopes of forging dragon skin armor, but I’d been disappointed to find out it was basically a lost art. Jaxtom’s mentor had apprenticed under a master smith who’d known the secrets of the dragon scales, but he’d passed away before we could talk to him. The smith’s widow had pointed us in the direction of his colleagues, but she couldn’t tell us where to look for them.
Talking to the blacksmith here in Vallenwood was a shot in the dark, but Jaxtom had a hopeful look about him, so I was optimistic.
“Well, he’s about my age,” Jax continued. “And he remembered my master from back when he first moved to Vallenwood, but he didn’t know anything about the other apprentices.”
“Oh.” I frowned as I tried to hide my disappointment. Setbacks were to be expected, and I was playing the long game.
“He did tell me a tale about a master smith up on the coast,” the blacksmith continued. “It sounds like it could be one of the apprentices.”
“Oh.” My face brightened. “That’s good news.”
“That’s where I’m headed first,” Jax informed me with a nod. “I want to check it out for myself.”
“That’s pretty far to travel on your own,” I observed. “Are you sure you don’t want to take some of the new recruits with you, just in case?”
“I ain’t no babysitter,” Jax growled, and his eyebrows furrowed. “Besides, it’ll be hard enough to keep myself fed, let alone more mouths. Nah, I’d rather go on my own. I’ll travel faster that way, and be less of a target for bandits.”
“As long as you’re sure.” I grinned. “I’m excited to hear what you find out. It will be quiet without you, though.”
“Right?” Riondale snorted. “Maybe I can get a decent night’s sleep without hearing him snore through the walls.”
“I’m not that loud, kid,” Jax argued.
“Let me say hello to the ladies real quick,” I requested before the banter could delve into more offensive territory. “Then we’ll go gather up the new recruits for a small speech.”
“I’m sure they will love to meet you,” Riondale said. “I’ll wait here for you.”
“I’m gonna go pack,” Jax informed us, and he clapped me on the shoulder before he strode down the hallway. He wasn’t one for emotional farewells, but I knew the blacksmith would miss being part of the group.
The journey from Bastianville had brought the people of my entourage a lot closer together, and I knew they considered each other friends. It was nice to see the soldiers from Castle Bullard merging with the townsfolk, and it warmed my heart to see my men welcomed with open arms. There was every indication that my army would have a similar reception from my town, but I would do everything in my power to ease the transition.
I trotted across the distance to where my women and Caelia sat discussing the upcoming journey, and I flashed them a charming smile as I approached.
“It’s like I’ve died and gone to heaven every time I see you four beauties,” I said.
“Oh, hush,” Elissa giggled, and she flicked her red locks over her shoulder. “Where are you going? I saw you talking to Jax and Riondale.”
“Astute as ever, my love,” I replied. “I’m going to talk to the new recruits. I’d like to get to know the people travelling back to Bastianville, and they want to meet their god.”
“Good.” Mahini nodded. “I’m coming with you.”
“Me, too,” Eva quickly added, and her gray eyes lit up with anticipation. “I love it when you give speeches, and I have a feeling you’re going to give the new recruits a good one.”
“Sounds like something I wouldn’t want to miss,” Caelia murmured, and she flashed me a shy smile. “Care if I join?”
Maybe the timid shopkeeper was finally deciding to come out of her shell.
“Not at all.” I grinned. “Let’s all go together.”
“Lovely.” Elissa clapped her hands together as she stood up.
I chuckled to myself as I turned and led the way back to the entrance of the west wing. Riondale nodded respectfully to the ladies before he took the lead, but it didn’t take us long to reach the front door of the palace. Then the young lieutenant took us around the outside of the building to a garden area where about fifty men meandered through the short hedges.
“Greetings,” Riondale called out in a loud voice, and suddenly a flurry of activity flashed before my eyes. A moment later, the men were all standing in formation, shoulder to shoulder, with their hands held frozen in the salute position.
“Not bad.” I smirked. “Looks like you’ve been hard at work.”
“Repetition, sir, that’s all.” Riondale grinned, and he placed his hands in the hollow of his back as he strode forward to inspect the ranks. The young lieutenant corrected a couple of the mens’ positions before he returned to my side. “They’re all yours, sir.”
I made a new save point before I approached the new recruits since I planned on spamming resets until I knew all of their names. I cracked my knuckles and popped the bones in my neck as I strode forward, but I was prepared to go through as many attempts as needed in order to get to know my people.
Then I started with the first man on the left, and I interviewed them one by one until the sun went down. When the girls began to shiver with the growing cold, I decided to reload back to my save point and start over.
Chime.
I talked to every single new soldier, and I got to know some of the reasons they chose to join my army in the first place. Many of them were poor, and they signed up for the money, but some had heard my speech in town. These men wanted to fight for someone who walked the streets like the average man, and they joined because they admired me. There was more than one woman among the bunch, and they admitted that my women had inspired them with their fierceness. Fighting women were still rare in this world, but I would do my part to encourage equality within the realm.
Chime.
Chime.
“They’re all yours, sir,” Riondale said for the hundredth time.
I strode forward with a broad smile on my face and a wealth of knowledge about my new recruits at my disposal. I paced up and down the front of the line of men a couple of times before I paused in the middle and cleared my throat.
“Ladies and Gentlemen,” I began in a loud, clear voice. “My name is Sebastian. You may know me as the Archduke, or maybe as the Dragon Slayer, but I am also the God of Time. I know all things, and this means I already know each and every one of you.”
“How can this be?” Josiah, a twenty-two year old who wanted to support his aging parents, murmured. “Is he really a god?”
“Josiah,” I called out, and I pointed right at him. “Your parents Markis and Syan are very proud of you, but I want to see you work hard to make me just as proud. If you do this, I assure you, your family will be taken care of.”
“Y-Y-Yes, sir,” the young soldier stammered with teacup sized eyes.
“Anyone else questioning my power?” I asked as I raised an eyebrow and scanned the faces of my small army.
“What of me, Great One?” Yolan asked, and I turned to face the middle aged man with a broad grin. “What wisdom can you impart upon my life?”
“It’s not over yet,” I said because I knew the older man had some suicidal thoughts. He’d joined in hopes of an honorable death, but he didn’t have much hope for life. “Stick with me, and stay alive. It is worth living, even if you have dark thoughts to the contrary.”
“Yes, sir.” Yolan’s eyes filled with emotion, but he blinked rapidly to push it away. “I-I-I will do my best.”
I went through and repeated the process with several other soldiers until their eyes were all wide, and their voices shook when they spoke to me.
“Now, listen carefully to my expectations of you,” I said. “Some of you may want the opportunity to change your minds. This will be your last chance.”
The other soldiers gasped and muttered amongst themselves for a moment, but the second I cleared my throat, a reverent hush swept through the group.
“You are the first of many soldiers in my army,” I announced. “You will receive the most training and the best gear. I expect many of you will rise through the ranks to become officers in the future. Act accordingly.”
“Yes, sir,” the group said in unison.
“I hereby dub you Bastians,” I proclaimed in a godly voice. “Repeat after me. I swear to uphold the values of Bastianville until my last living breath. I will sacrifice myself for the innocent, protect the weak, and feed the hungry. I will give my life to Bastianville and pledge myself in service of Sir Sebastian, the God of Time.”
The soldiers all repeated my oath word for word, and their voices rang out clearly across the gardens. Goosebumps erupted down my arms, and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. When the oath was completed, the soldiers all shouted out a loud hurrah, and the reverberations of the chant shook my legs.
The beginning of my army had finally arrived.
Soon, I would have hundreds of men fighting beneath my banners, but for now, this was plenty. Some would go back to Bastianville while the rest stayed in Vallenwood with Riondale, but I would leave that choice up to the lieutenant.
I nodded to the new recruits before I turned back to Riondale and my women with a broad smile upon my face.
“What did you think of my speech?” I asked. “Pretty good, right?”
“Your speeches are always wonderful, Great One,” Caelia breathed with a flutter of her eyelashes. “It is an honor to witness your power.”
“The Bastian legions are growing,” Mahini observed with a pleased smile. “You have some good fighters here, I can tell.”
“How?” Elissa scrunched up her nose as she scanned over the new recruits. “They’re just standing there…”
“The way one holds oneself can depict a lot about their character,” Eva explained. “Fighters tend to be very aware of their own body language from having to spend so much time honing in on every muscle’s movement. It is basically an art form.”
“Well said,” I complimented, and my heart filled with pride. The duke’s daughter had come a long way since I first met her, and I was eager to see what she learned next. Eva wasn’t afraid to speak her mind, or hesitant to jump in and explain something, but she was never overly pushy about it or rude.
I turned back to the future general of my army, but a yawn escaped my lips before I could say anything.
“I’m sure you’re anxious to get some sleep,” Riondale said with a sympathetic smile. “I’m going to run the men through a few drills while we’re gathered here, so you go on without me.”
“Alright.” I nodded to the new recruits again, and I received a round of salutes in response. “Goodnight, Ri-guy. I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”
The five of us walked back up to the palace, and we fell into a comfortable silence as we traversed the corridors to the west wing. The rest of my entourage had already gone to bed when we arrived, so I said goodnight to the ladies before I crawled into bed myself.
I needed to get lots of sleep if I was going to wake up before sunrise the next day, but I wasn’t worried about sleeping in. I knew my excitement over the quest would have me jumping out of bed long before anyone else. I tossed and turned for a moment, but then I heard a soft knock upon the door.
“Oh, thank god,” I muttered as I threw back the blankets and crossed the distance to the portal. Then I pulled it open to reveal Mahini, Elissa, and Eva standing on the threshold in their pajamas.
“We couldn’t sleep without you,” my wife confessed with a bright smile, and her emerald eyes twinkled as they flicked to my giant king sized bed.
“May we come in?” Mahini asked with a wry smirk.
“Please,” I breathed, and I ushered the three of them inside my bed chamber. “Come cuddle.”
“Yes, sir,” Elissa giggled, and she trotted over to pounce onto the bed.
Eva swayed her hips as she followed in the tiny goddess’s footsteps, but Mahini lingered by my side as I shut the bedroom door. A moment later, the four of us were snuggled in bed together, and our limbs were in their usual tangled pretzel. I sighed contentedly, and the girls mimicked me.
“I am glad we have a new quest,” Mahini said in a soft voice as the candles flickering light cast shadows upon the wall. The wax was nearly burned away, but it illuminated the room enough for me to see my lover’s faces. “I was getting bored with the palace.”
“Me, too,” Eva sighed. “And I’m looking forward to taking a break from the wedding questions. Everyone seems to think I have it all figured out already.”
“Most women do,” Elissa pointed out in an amused tone. “But I know, I know, you’re not most women.”
“None of you are,” I reminded my wife with a proud grin. “I’m the luckiest man in all of Sorreyal, and probably beyond, too.”
“You could have any woman you wanted,” Eva observed. “I feel as though we are the truly lucky ones. To be picked by a god is life changing.”
“Who will you pick next?” Elissa wondered, and she leaned up to give me a curious look. “Caelia?”
“Who said I’m getting any more women?” I chuckled. “You three make me happier than I’ve ever imagined being.”
“You need many women by your side,” Mahini argued with furrowed eyebrows. “That way you can have a lot of children without burdening any one person.”
“That’s not something I’m used to hearing,” I explained with a shake of my head. “Of all the medieval fantasy lands I could have been summoned to… Boy, am I glad I was brought to Sorreyal.”
“I’m excited Caelia is coming with us on the quest,” Eva said, and her words brought me out of my daydreams about multiple wives and tons of kids. “She is a wonderful person.”
“I agree.” Mahini’s lips turned upward ever so slightly, and her ice blue eyes were warm as she thought about the timid shopkeeper. “I only worry about keeping her safe. I don’t want anything bad to happen to her.”
“I promise you nothing will happen,” I assured the desert goddess in a confident tone. “As long as she’s with me, I’ll keep her safe.”
“I will help train Caelia to make her stronger and better at defending herself,” Mahini offered with a curt nod. “That will be the only way to soothe my concerns for her safety.”
“Sounds good to me,” I chuckled.
“I wonder what her breasts look like…” Elissa mused in a sleepy voice, and when I glanced down at the tiny goddess, her emerald eyes were flickering closed.
I exchanged an amused glance with Eva and Mahini, and then we snuggled even closer together and went to sleep. Elissa’s words were running through my mind as I passed out, and I had visions of Caelia slowly stripping throughout every single dream. It was wonderful torture, but I had a raging hard on by the time I woke up early the next morning.
I pulled on my clothes as quickly and quietly as I could since I didn’t want to disturb the girls’ slumber just yet. I had a feeling Mahini would awaken at the first sound I made, but I wanted to let them get more sleep while they could. There was no telling when we’d be on the feather beds in the king’s palace again.
I grabbed my pack and slung it over my shoulder before I tiptoed through the doorway, but when I came down the hallway into the living space, I found several people awake and moving around already. Riondale was shoveling some breakfast in his face while Jax shoved a cloak into his pack nearby. Bellona had her blonde head buried in a bag, while Sarah and Bron checked the straps holding a couple of crates of toys closed.
“Good morning, everyone,” I greeted with a friendly smile. “Are we ready for the day?”
“Just about,” Sarah replied as she swiped the back of her hand across her brow. “We have the last of the crates that need loaded onto the wagon, but the king sent over so much food, I’m not sure we’ll be able to haul it all.”
“Make sure Jax has plenty,” I instructed, and I pulled out the sack of gold coins I’d separated from my personal stash to give to the blacksmith. I crossed the distance before I placed the bulging bag in his hands, and I held up my hands to ward off his arguments. “Take it. You’re on a quest in my name, and you’ll need supplies.”
“Thanks, Bash,” Jax growled, and he scratched his stubble chin in a self-conscious manner. “It’s appreciated.”
“Don’t mention it.” I grinned. It was worth every cent to see the blush on the blacksmith’s face, and it was almost as good as seeing him in the frilly pink shirt he’d worn to the banquet.
“Is all your gear in good condition?” The blacksmith frowned. “I can take your blades down to the forge for a quick sharpen.”
“Took care of it yesterday,” I informed him. “While we were in town doing our shopping.”
“Aye, that’s good,” he replied, but I could tell he was slightly disappointed he didn’t have the honor of doing it himself. Plus, I knew the muscular blacksmith didn’t trust anyone else’s work.
I went over a mental checklist of the weapons I was bringing with me, though, just to remind myself I was fully prepared for anything. I had the two daggers Jaxtom forged for me as a wedding present, my feather sword I’d acquired from a goblin while clearing out the copper mine, and the obsidian bow I’d chosen from the Duke of Bullard’s personal treasury after chasing the dragon away from his town. I also owned a longer great sword I’d snagged from the duke’s youngest son after I’d defeated him in a duel, but I hadn’t used the larger weapon very much since I preferred the flexibility of the lighter feather sword.
I also had a full suit of armor Jax reworked for me, but I planned on keeping an eye out for some better pieces in the future. It had been a long time since I upgraded my armor, but I’d gotten so good at fighting, I hardly ever took a hit anymore. If I did, I just reset and figured out a way to avoid it, so my armor was in pristine condition despite the many battles I’d fought.
“I’ll be needing a good repair job by the time I see you next.” I clapped Jaxtom on the shoulder and gave him a sympathetic smile. “Think you’ll be up for it after your journey?”
“Hell, I’ll be ready to make you a whole new set of armor by the time I see you again.” The blacksmith tossed back his head and let out one of his big belly laughs.
“That’s my hope,” I chuckled.
A short while later, the ladies rose from their slumber and joined me for breakfast. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon by the time we finished our food, so we were making good time already. Once we’d eaten our fill, we brought our dishes back to the kitchen to make it a little easier on the servants who had to clean up behind us, and then I led everyone out of the west wing toward the courtyard.
Corvis and Riondale were already waiting for us in the courtyard, and the pair had all of our horses saddled and ready to go. The wagon was loaded down with supplies, and it was hitched to four horses. The steeds filled the space between the palace and the gates to the city, and the sound of nickering filled the air.
I strode down the steps to the two men, and I shook their hands firmly in greeting. Then I handed Corvis the letter I’d written to Elrin, and I gave Riondale a letter to give the king explaining why he was staying in Vallenwood.
“Looks like everything is ready,” I observed as I cast a shrewd glance over the packed horses and wagon. “Thank you.”
“It was the least I could do, sir,” Riondale replied with an incline of his head.
“Alright, everyone!” I turned to the rest of my entourage, and I gestured toward the horses. “Time to mount up!”
A whoop of joy erupted from my followers, and I chuckled as I crossed the distance to Goliath. The tall white warhorse nickered when he noticed my approach, and he lowered his muzzle into my hand. My handsome steed huffed his breath into my palm like he was saying hello, and I scratched his favorite spot before I lifted myself into the saddle.
Trumpets suddenly blared from the entrance of the palace, and I whipped my head toward the front doors to see the king march out surrounded by a small retinue of guards.
“Sir Sebastian,” the king called down the steps. “I have come to wish you farewell and safe travels.”
“Thanks.” I grinned, but before I could say anything else, more people emerged from the palace.
It was Duchess Jaketta of Arginold and Ako Gray. The cat-wizard had a pack slung across his back, and he was dressed in well worn clothes fit for travelling.
“Ako!” I waved my hand over my head. “You’re late!”
“My lady wanted to say goodbye,” the cat-man explained with a wry grin. “My apologies for my tardiness, Sir Bash.”
“Just so long as you’re here,” I answered. “I’m happy.”
“Do you have a horse for me?” The cat-wizard scanned over the steeds occupying the courtyard. “I sold mine when I first arrived thinking I’d have no further need for it…”
“Over here, sir,” Riondale interjected, and he led Ako over to a brown mare. “She’s a good listener, but she has sensitive sides.”
“I usually communicate verbally with my mount,” Ako replied with a sage nod, and I shook my head in amusement.
It was going to be interesting to have the shapeshifter joining me on my quest, and I was going to enjoy every moment of it.
Once we were all mounted and ready to depart, I turned to wave to the king, only to find him marching across the distance to where Goliath stood.
“One last thing, Sir Sebastian,” the king said. “I wanted to remind you to please bring the Duke of Edinburg back to Vallenwood alive, so he can face justice.”
“A promise is a promise, Your Majesty,” I said with a cocky grin. “I don’t need to kill all of my enemies, you know.”
“History would say otherwise,” the king said in a dry voice. “I do not see any of your enemies still alive.”
“True,” I laughed. “But that’s not entirely my fault. Now, don’t worry. You’ll get to see Edinburg face to face again, but the next time he will be in irons.”
I’d brought a pair of shackles with me from the city jail just for that purpose, and I tapped the saddlebag where I knew they were packed to emphasize my point.
I wasn’t sure how I would get the Duke of Edinburg to come with me without killing him, but I would figure it out even if it took me a thousand lifetimes. I wanted one hundred percent completion, and with this quest that meant capturing the duke alive.
Maybe I could find some leverage to use against him.
As the king returned to the steps of the palace to see us off, I scanned over my people to double check everyone was ready, and when I was satisfied, I lifted my hand above my head and waved it in a circle.
“Roll out!” I hollered, and I clicked my heels against Goliath’s flanks to urge the warhorse onward.
The God of Time was off on another quest.
