#orc reader insert

The Switch 

Chapter 7

Kragan woke up to a gentle knock at the door, and looked down to see you were still fast asleep. Your head still over his chest, over his heart actually which made him smile to see his bride sleep so peacefully in his arms and her head over his heart that was completely hers for as long as it would beat. 

His left arm was around you possessively as you were still tangled up as he pulled up the blankets and made sure you were both covered before the knock repeated and Kragan didn’t want you to wake so he put his hand over your other ear to keep you from hearing it and keeping you from being disturbed. 

“Yes?” Kragan asked as loud as he dared. 

“Good morning Your Lordship, it’s just me. Are both of you awake yet?” Mildred asked as she opened the door just enough to poke her head into the door but respectfully kept her gaze down to the carpet. 

“Good morning, I’m awake, Tessa is still sleeping though.” Kragan answered softly. 

“Well I have breakfast for you if you’d like it.” Mildred offered. 

“Yeah, sure, bring it in.” Kragan agreed as he kept his hand over your ear before Mildred came in and brought in a tray and gave you a quick glance before fixing her gaze onto Kragan. 

“Where would you like it?” She asked. 

“Um, over there on the table is fine.” Kragan answered as he nodded over to the little table in the room before she nodded and put the tray down and set up breakfast but kept the covers over the still piping hot dishes. 

“Would you like for me to make you a plate Your Lordship? I take it you don’t want to wake her- seeing as your hand is over her ear.” Mildred gathered. Keeping her voice to a soft and low murmur. But not quite a whisper.

“Yes, thank you.” Kragan thanked her. 

“Don’t let her sleep too much, she’s liable to sleep the day away.” Mildred gently warned him as she fixed him a plate of breakfast and brought it over to the table closest to him. 

“She’s earned all the sleep she wants.” Kragan insisted. 

“Very well Your Lordship. But I will warn you all the same- she’d sleep for 20 hours a day if you let her. She’s a long sleeper, been that way most of her life, even before her recent accident.” Mildred offered as she mentally made sure she said “accident” and not “illness” as she set the plate down and a set of silverware. 

“Well, she’s earned it. She’s still recovering from that accident. Sleep is always the best medicine sometimes.” He gently countered and was looking at you too much to miss Mildred’s guilty expression that she quickly made vanish on her face once she realized it was showing. 

“As you say Your Lordship.” Agnes quickly agreed with a nod and didn’t argue any further. 

“Do you have to call me that? Lordship?” Kragan asked as his face was scrunched up. 

“Is there something else you would prefer me to use?” Mildred asked. 

“Just my name.” Kragan answered. 

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Sir- I think is the lowest but still appropriate term I could use though, if you would prefer that to Lordship.” Mildred gently countered. 

“Fine, Sir it is then.” Kragan caved. 

“Coffee or tea Sir?” She asked pleasantly. 

“Coffee, please.” Kragan readily answered. 

“Any cream or sugar?” She asked. 

“No, just black is fine.” He shook his head. 

“Very well Sir.” Mildred nodded before she poured him a cup and then brought the whole carafe over to him as well. 

“How long have you been Tessa’s Lady in Waiting?” Kragan asked Mildred thoughtfully as he noticed that Mildred seemed more watchful of you than anything else. 

“Only a couple of years. I’ve been her mother’s midwife, her nursery maid, her babysitter, her teacher, her best friend and confidant all her life though.” Mildred answered with a proud smile. 

“Was she not sociable with her own peers to have a best friend her own age?” Kragan asked.

“Well that’s a bit complicated and not my place to say.” Mildred deflected. 

“But I would still like to hear your opinion and point of view on the matter.” Kragan gently contested.  

“Very well, permission to speak freely Sir?” She proposed. 

“Please, by all means.” Kragan readily invited, which brought a fond but small smile to Mildred’s features. 

“Well to answer freely Sir- yes and no. Yes- in that she could dumb herself down enough to fit in and be sociable among her peers. But never enough to have a best friend among them. Because frankly, she could never fully trust any of them with her true thoughts and feelings- because none of them could keep her confidence the way she could keep theirs. She found it exhausting in so many other ways too. Proper manners take a lot of mental work to constantly be aware of others and yourself. Both in manners, tone, facial expressions and body language, both for yourself and everyone else. All of which take an extremely sensitive and deft skill to read with accuracy. And then for her it was always a lot of work to glean between the pleasantries and politeness to really grasp what’s being said and what people really mean when they talk in social situations and through letters and not one on one.” Mildred began to explain. 

“I see, which is probably why she prefers free and open and honest conversation so much.” Kragan realized. 

“She does indeed Sir. And while her mother has prepared her well and educated her well in those respects. My Lady would much rather be doing mathematical calculations for a couple of hours rather than take tea and gossip for the same amount of time. Which has been a chore for My Lady but a joy for her mother and Lady Millicent especially.” Mildred confessed. 

“And with My Lady playing dumb mentally- it was always a harship for her emotionally. She was over extended and her friends her age would bleed her dry of sympathy and empathy for themselves. Because no one else would give that to them except her. Not their parents or siblings or other friends. And definitely not their marriage mates. My Lady has always been very good at keeping - a confidence, but very wary to give it out in turn. Because those friends who use up her sympathy and empathy love to gossip to her about the others. And so because of that- she knows she can not trust them with anything of a sensitive nature about herself. Because she knows that if she ever did- they’d betray even her confidence even though they love to divulge everything into her.” Mildred explained as Kragan listened thoughtfully and intently. 

 “And once her friends realized that they could confide in her and not have her repeat anything they told her- suddenly everyone both in her peers and above and below her in age- sought her out- both for friendship and for advice. And so she in a way is a popular friend to have if you’re a Lady in the nobility and gentry. Especially if that Lady is already married- to exchange letters with or to call on or be called on by her. But not necessarily popular at a ball or a party. Where it’s all about appearances and a facade and pleasantries and politeness.” Mildred recounted. 

“And because of her betrothal to Count Lavine- no other man in the gentry and nobility would dare stand up with her and dance with her at these balls. And usually Lord Saffiro was always with their father discussing business with the other gentleman. And Duchess DeBaringer was always engaged with the other mamah’s. And Lady Millicent could have her pick of any man she wanted at the balls and could charm the Prince of Solowards if given half a chance. All while all her friends were busy dancing with their husbands or prospects or socializing or most likely gossiping. So that left My Lady to often spend the evenings simply off to the side and enjoying the art in the galleries instead. So that is why the answer to your question is both a yes, and a no.” Mildred finished with a bittersweet smile. 

“My Lady is a very sweet, and kind girl, with a good heart. I feel the world did her a very cruel blow…” Mildred began before she stopped herself from really saying what was on her mind as her voice suddenly flooded with emotion as she remebered who she was talking to and had to keep in mind your own confidence in you. 

“Yes, Tessa’s told me. Saffiro wishes she would have been born a male so she would be her father’s heir instead of him. And how because she was a woman- she’s gotten criticisms for being too educated.” Kragan picked up where he felt Mildred left off. 

“Oh, yes, of course. Yes, if she had been born a male- the world would have been her oyster and she- it’s finest pearl. It isn’t fair at all. Especially when Saffiro has always been like a twin and a best friend to her. Well, until the last few years, when circumstances forced that relationship to come under strain. But ever since, um, well- her accident and her slow recovery from it- they’ve rekindled their friendship and their closeness again. But of course with you being married to her now and moving her away. That relationship will be distanced yet again and I fear, never the same. Which is- unfortunately- just a part of life and growing up.” Mildred answered as she looked down at her intertwined fingers and fidgeted slightly at the mention of your “accident” again. 

“Yeah, Tessa told me about Saffiro’s efforts to get her to elope with others and the unintended consequences she endured because of that.” Kragan supplied. 

“The worst of which was My Lady’s own betrayal of trust in Lord Saffiro. The two, for being a year apart- have always been as thick as thieves even in the nursery and especially in their schooling. And while I too had misgivings about her match with the Young Count Lavine- the betrayal of trust between them was a blow My Lady never did recover from. And it irreparably damaged that bond. Because My Lady actually had a different lady’s maid at the time. But because of the attempted elopements and because the young girl was simply following orders given to her by Lord Saffiro to leave My Lady’s side for too long. And because My Lady was left alone and abandoned with those dishonorable men and unfortunately was left as their victim to their dishonorable intentions and conduct- I volunteered to replace her. Because watching her grow up, I’m quite fond and protective of her and would never leave her abandon her in a moment. The same way a grandmother, or even a mother or an aunt would be.” Mildred revealed as Kragan frowned and blinked a few times to wrap his head around that. 

“I’m just grateful you care for her Sir. And I’m grateful that at least with you, she won’t have to worry about much of anything anymore. I’m sure you’ll be very happy together.” Mildred tried to offer, trying to push down her guilt as she dug her hand into her pocket and squeezed the glass vial that held your medicine in her pocket, using her thumb to make sure the cork was still firmly seated in the mouth of vial to make sure that none leaked out before she went around the room and only openned the curtains a little bit to let a bit more light into the room but not so much that it would wake you up but that Kragan could see better. Even though with his orcish eyes, he could have seen everything just fine before but his yellow glowing eyes from the bed was slightly disturbing for Mildred so she felt she needed more light in the room. 

“Please, when she does wake, please ring me immediately. For she will need her day medicine immediately upon waking.” Mildred insisted once she returned and appreciated seeing more of Kragan in the light and looking more like a person and less like...something monsterous at least in her own eyes and to see you sleep so blissfully in his arms and on his chest, if you were happy and content with him, she would be too. For as long as she was needed to be too.  

“I will.” Kragan assured her. 

“Um, also, there is an obligation that must be filled today.” Mildred reminded him. 

“What obligation?” Kragan asked with a frown. 

“The bedding needs to be presented to her parents as well as your own as proof of your consummation of the marriage. And the proof of her virginity in doing so. So if she doesn’t wake in the next hour or so. I’m afraid I’ll have to wake her to move her at least attain the bedding.” Mildred bravely insisted. 

“Oh, uh, she actually cleaned the mess with her chemise, we did it over the covers actually, it’s over there.” Kragan said as he pointed to the other side of the bed as Mildred walked over and picked up the bundled up Chemise and tried to find spots that didn’t have cum on it before she found the smear of blood and the bit of blood on the corner of the bed. 

“Ah, this will do just fine. I’ll just need to bring in another blanket for the bed and I’ll take this for now. But once I bring in another blanket, I can take this one and that’s all the disturbance that will need to be done.” Mildred reassured him as she quickly made sure the smear of blood was on the top the bundled up chemise and quickly left and returned a little later with another blanket and did her best to gently take the soiled blanket off the bed and replace it with another. 

“Again, just ring me when she wakes, otherwise I will make sure the two of you are left in peace. Is there anything you would like before I leave?” Mildred asked thoughtfully after she passed the blanket off to another servant beyond the door. 

“Actually yeah, in my trunk over there, you’ll find a journal, if you can get me the journal and the pen and the ink well from the desk. I have some more ideas I want to write down while Tessa rests.” Kragan requested. 

“Of course.” She nodded before she got the items and then pulled more pillows out of closet and helped prop him up just a bit and brought over the double tray meant to go over the laps of a couple for Kragan to put his journal, ink well and breakfast on as well as his cup of coffee. 

“There, anything else Sir?” She asked. 

“No, thank you.” Kragan shook his head with a grateful smile as he made sure you were still comfortable before Mildred gave you one last pointed glance before she left. 

An hour later, Kragan’s bladder was about to burst and he had no choice but to try to untangle you from himself so he could go relieve himself. And came back as quickly as he could, relieved to see you had not moved and still slept blissfully away. Then there was another knock at the door before Kragan at least got some pants on and a shirt before he answered the door. 

“Is she awake yet?” Mildred asked hopefully, if not a bit anxiously. 

“No, she’s still sleeping. I just got up to relieve myself. Please, I do not want her disturbed and woken up before she is ready to do so on her own.” Kragan reminded her. 

“But Sir, surely the food has gone cold by now and My Lady needs to eat with this medicine.” Mildred insisted from the door. 

“Then when she wakes up, I’ll ring for you to reheat it. Please, just let her sleep.” Kragan insisted. 

“Please, can I just check on her? I promise I won’t disturb her.” Mildred requested. 

“She’s fine. Let her sleep. We stayed up most of the night. She needs her rest. The second she wakes up, I promise, I’ll ring for you.” Kragan reassured her. 

“Yes Sir.” Mildred reluctantly conceded. 

It was another two hours before you finally awoke and Mildred never left the hall. Choosing to continue to embroider your epitaph she was disguising as an embroidery project in the hall as Saffiro, sent no less than four messages and each one Mildred had to respond that Kragan was keeping her out of the room and letting you sleep. 

It was almost lunchtime when you finally awoke to the sight of Kragan propped up by pillows next to you and writing on a tray over his lap but immediately stopped when he heard your breathing start to change. 

“Well good morning sleepy head.” Kragan greeted. 

“Good morning. How late is it?” You asked as you peeked at the windows to see the late morning light come into the room. 

“Another half hour and it will be noon.” Kragan answered after casting a curious glance to a clock nearby. 

“Why did you let me sleep so late? Half the day is gone already.” You complained with a frown as you squinted your eyes against the bright light. 

“Because you’re still recovering from your accident. You needed your sleep.” Kragan argued as he took the tray and set it aside so he could move back down into the bed to be face to face with you. 

“I missed breakfast.” You pouted. 

“No you didn’t. It’s over there. Granted it’s cold, but it’s still over there. Also Mildred wanted me to ring her the moment you woke up.” Kragan asked. 

“She must have been in here at least half a dozen times by now.” You winced. 

“Nope, just twice. I told her- really gently and politely- to fuck right off and leave you alone and let you sleep.” Kragan informed you which got you both to laugh softly as you happily came into Kragan’s embrace so he could hold you comfortably. 

“Well thank you, for once, I feel well rested.” You thanked him appreciatively. 

“You’re welcome, hopefully every morning from now on, you will feel that way.” Kragan insisted. 

“Now, not to be rude, but why do you feel the need to wear this bloody mask?” Kragan asked as he tapped at it’s now hard surface. 

“Oh shit, my mask. Ring for Mildred please,” you gasped as you touched it and your eyes went wide to feel it’s hardened and cracking surface as you quickly rolled away and grabbed the piece of cloth that was attached to the bell in the hallway and Mildred was in the room only half a second later. 

“Finally.” Mildred breathed in relief. 

“Mildred, the mask is stuck to my face. Please, get me some fresh facial tea brewed in a bowl that I can dunk my face into to get it off. And I’ll only need half a dose of my day medicine, if I take a whole one- I won’t sleep tonight. And please bring some dish warmers so we can reheat our breakfast and of course send for some lunch to be brought up too.” You requested sweetly to Mildred, making sure you remembered everything. 

“Yes of course.” She said as she gave you the vial of the medicine that you quickly downed only half the vial and gave it back to her as she put it back into her pocket as soon as you gave it back. As you quickly rinsed your mouth out with cold tea that had been there the night before before eating some more chocolates to get the taste out of your mouth because you didn’t want Kragan to taste it and discover it by kissing you. 

The moment Mildred got the vial back she left you and poked her head out into the hall and ordered all that you had requested be brought to the room as quickly as possible. Then she came back and helped you slip on another soft and silky chemise to serve as your nightgown before you sat there and waited a few anxious moments for the medicine to kick in as you braced your hands on your knees and tried not to give in to the dizziness that always seemed to accompany you when you tried to sit up too quickly. 

“Is it stuck to your face, My Lady?” Mildred asked anxiously as she gestured to the mask since she knew she couldn’t ask about anything else as she read your body language and knew she couldn’t say much of anything about it.  

“A bit, but that’s only because it got dried out. As soon as it becomes wet, it’ll come right off. There will be no harm done. I can make a new one if I need to. And thank you so much for letting me sleep this morning. I did need it and I feel much better because I was able to fully rest again.” You reassured her with a pointed look from her to where Kragan was still on the bed as you forced a sweet and pleasant tone with her in your voice and a small smile that the mask allowed.  

“Of course. Perhaps I should bring in the special face mask tea in the morning with his breakfast so that your Lord can use perhaps a brush to rewet it so that when you are ready to take it off, you can.” Mildred suggested. 

“That’s an excellent idea, thank you.” You thanked her gratefully. 

“Well you could also give me her medicine so you don’t have to wait for her to wake up and I can give it to her myself.” Kragan suggested. 

“No, it’s ok. I don’t want you to have to worry about it My Love. It’s why I have Mildred to begin with. The finest Lady in Waiting in all of Solowards. The doctors gave her special instructions for my medicine and to dilute the medicine from its concentrated state to varying degrees and what to dilute it with. And depending on the strength and the dose- Mildred has it all memorized and I wouldn’t want you to trouble yourself Dearest. It really is ok. Plus the medicine can stain whatever it touches. And I wouldn’t want anything in this room to get damaged- just in case the vial were to fall and the top come uncorked. Or if any of your clothes were to become stained. Mildred has many sets of her maid’s uniform she can change into. You only have so many sets of clothes with fabrics that would be impossible to clean if it got on any of it. If any of Mildred’s clothes get stained, it’s not any trouble because I can replace hers much easier than I could replace any article of your clothing.” You readily and quickly excused with as pleasant a smile and tone as you could muster. 

“Ok.” Kragan lifted his hands up in defeat as you and Mildred both seemed to share a meaningful look and breath of relief that he bought the excuses as Mildred gave a secret nod of approval because those sounded like perfect explanations to her. 

“Excuse me, I must go to the bathroom, I’m sure by the time I come back, the tea will be up by then.” You excused yourself as your bladder was already needing to be relieved as Mildred helped you get up to your feet and was a steady hand to make sure you didn’t warble as she escorted you to the bathroom and quickly locked the door to give you privacy. 

“Is learning her medicine that intense and complicated?” Kragan asked. 

“Oh yes, it’s a very tight schedule. She’s supposed to take so much of it at a certain strength for so many days and then another, slightly less strength so many days after that so that her weaning from it is very gradual instead of a hard start and stop.” Mildred readily excused as she prepared the table to have warmers set up and for lunch to be brought in and added to the spread that was already on the table as Kragan seemed to consider that thoughtfully. 

“It really is no trouble for me. But My Lady did make a good point. Your clothes are very fine Sir. I do not want any of your clothes or hers stained or dirtied or sullied beyond cleaning and repair if this medicine were to come into contact with it. Plus it’s in my black pocket. Not much of anything would show if it were to stain it.” Mildred excused sweetly before she heard the water run in the bathroom just as the lunch and the tea arrived just as you exited the bathroom with a robe on for your own modesty as you managed to get the mask off with some water and gentle tugging and had the mask in your hands and happily laid it in the large bowl that had been designated for it with the hot tea as the mask softened and returned to it’s soft jelly like form. Mildred took the bowl and it’s contents over to the bedside table for the side of the bed you had chosen as Kragan had joined you for a very late breakfast and an early lunch. 

“Oh, Mildred- can you please convey to my father that my husband wishes to see those tests and the results from the testing Saffiro and Roncharles and I did together? I was telling him about it last night and he expressed an interest in seeing them.” You entreated her.

“And the letters of criticisms from the teachers and professors. Especially those.” Kragan added with a smug smile. 

“Of course.” Mildred nodded as she tried to get you some breakfast. 

“I can manage Mildred, please, those tests and letters as soon as you’re able.” You waived her off sweetly. 

“Of course My Lady, at once.” Mildred agreed as she and the other servants finally left you and Kragan in peace. 

And once the door was shut you immediately took the lids off of the bacon and ate that cold and moaned when you finally got to eat it and some breakfast sausages, stuffing them into your mouth as Kragan laughed to see you try to inhale so much food so quickly. 

“I take it you’re rarely “allowed” to eat as you want too.” Kragan realized with just a twinge of sadness as you had to nod and continued to practically inhale food. Because for once, you had the stomach for it. You were genuinely hungry and tried to inhale as much as you could before there was a knock at the door as you put what you had taken in your hands and put it on the plate and quickly wiped your hands with your napkin and sat straighter and used the actual serving spoons to get your own breakfast “properly”. And once you were done, Kragan picked up the serving utensils and got himself a second helping of breakfast and Mildred came back with practically armfulls of letters and papers and put them on the table next to Kragan.  

“Anything else My Lord and Lady?” Mildred asked. 

“No, that will be all, thank you Mildred.” You thanked her pleasantly and delicately ate what was on your plate. 

“Although for tomorrow’s breakfast and lunch and I’m going to assume dinner- could you please double the portion size?” Kragan asked thoughtfully since there wasn’t much of anything left of the breakfast foods. 

“Yes of course,” she readily agreed before she saw herself back out before you took what was left and piled it high onto your own plate. 

“Thank you so much for saying something.” You thanked Kragan over your full cheeks. 

“You’re welcome My Love.” Kragan smiled happily as he was delighted that he seemed to have read your mind as he looked over the tests. 

“You really are a genius, I have no idea what these questions are even about.” Kragan said as he looked them over and could only assume your answers to such questions had been right as he noticed the hand writing to these questions, was in fact your handwriting. 

“Which ones?” You asked before he read them off as you explained what subject the question was about. And how to get the right answer, especially for the mathematics questions and science questions where it had been about the scientific method which took most of the afternoon to do as Kragan listened- practically enraptured that you could easily answer these questions as you casually ate your late breakfast and early lunch, using the whole afternoon to do so.  

And then once he got to the letters the professors wrote your father after they found out you were a female made him almost see red as his expression darkened considerably. 

“Are you ok?” You asked worriedly. 

“Yes, I’m fine. I’m just fantasizing about burning this man to death in his own house and blowing up his university with my cannons.” Kragan waived off as he made a list of enemies for you. Every professor, every teacher, every university. He was going to roast them alive if he had the chance and his plans on how to exact the most revenge on them for you. 

“Please don’t.” You requested. 

“If you don’t want me to, I won’t. But I will do everything you’ll let me to get you vengeance.” Kragan offered in all seriousness which actually tickled you that he loved and cared for you so much that he was viewing these men as enemies that needed to be exterminated. He was surprisingly possessive but in a very good way that you found exceedingly attractive. 

“Well, what did you have in mind?” You asked as you leaned forward on the table and considered him curiously as Kragan loved the wicked curve to your smile. 

“Well, first- did you have anything in mind?” Kragan asked. 

“Maybe.” You shrugged as you bit into one of the cupcakes that had been brought in with lunch. 

“Well, please I’m all ears.” Kragan invited. 

“Well, it’s not so much as me, as it would be something you would have to do and say.” You prefaced. 

“Anything.” Kragan readily offered. 

“Well, when we do go citizen shopping, if you bring up how not only were you mistreated and snubbed, that I was too. And use your own experiences and those letters as proof. It will give your case some real traction and tangible proof. Instead of just you- using your words and your own account out of your mouth and my account out of mine. And then really bring this matter to the rulers of whatever country we are at and that we’re contemplating settling down in. It would in turn give them something tangible to back up our claims. We can have those tests and letters translated to any number of languages and then those rulers can use them to really bring the heat back down on the King and Queen of Solowards. Who the princess and future queen of Solowards is Dorierran and very highly educated and shows no signs of madness at all. Because not only did they mismanage their most valuable merchant but their own gentry and nobility not only snubbed you but me as well. And once they have a copy of those letters, then the King and Queen of Solowards- can come down on these teachers and professors for you. Because, at that point- it will be a national embarrassment within the D.A., And especially in Dorierra- where every woman is given better educations than anywhere else in the world and fare just fine. And it would only prove that- that is why Dorierra can demand so much for their brides and why they’re so invaluable to begin with and why the King and Queen of Solowards got one too.” You offered. 

“I love it. I had a similar idea. But yes. We are totally doing that if only to bring heat onto these assholes.” Kragan said as he held up the letters for reference. 

“So who were the others that tried to take advantage of you?” Kragan asked. 

“Oh that was….” You began as you listed them off as Kragan wrote them down as well. Making quite the list as he was more than ready and willing to take them all down. As quickly or at your leisure as both of you were giddy with delightful plans for how to enact such righteous revenge. And suddenly the afternoon had quickly and easily sliped into evening as afternoon tea, which was twice the size as usual which made you both happy. And then your dinner was brought in a couple of hours after that. This time- dinner also doubled the portion as Kragan had requested. 

“Perfect, thank you so much Mildred. You can leave my honeymoon medication on the table.” You directed as you gestured over to the bedside table on “your” side of the bed. 

“Honeymoon medication?” Kragan asked as you raised a finger to pause him as your blush and smile grew bashful and a little scheming. 

“Of course.” Mildred agreed as she took the right medication from her pocket and made sure to set it down on the nightstand and a fresh pot of tea and a new box of chocolates to go with it before she saw herself out. 

“Honeymoon medication?” Kragan repeated with a curious and delighted smile. 

“Yes, usually the night medication puts me to sleep within minutes of taking it. But the honeymoon night medication makes sure to not put me to sleep immediately. Instead, to hold off for an hour or two so I can fill my appetite for you the way I want to.”  You answered with a licentious smile that had Kragan’s cock hitting the underside of the table just at the thought of ravishing you again. Like he had wanted to all day but had been otherwise occupied with your revenge. 

“How much of that do you have again?” Kragan asked hopefully. 

“More than enough.” You winked as you happily heaped your plate high with different portions of the different dishes brought into the room. 

“Now eat up My Love, you’re going to need your stregth again.” You practically purred as Kragan was smiling happily and a bit wolfishly himself. 

“As will you.” Kragan returned as he- once again waited until you were happy with your portion first before he served himself dinner. 

The Switch 

Chapter 8

“What?” You asked once you finished with dinner, both of you quite full and happy and sitting on the daybed on the veranda as you watched the sunset and the stars start to come out as it seemed Kragan wanted to ask something but was perhaps having a hard time finding the right words as you laid nestled next to him with his shoulder was your pillow and you happily found little tufts of hair that wanted to curl into ringlets on his chest as you had just enjoyed another round of sex at the dinner table as you had mounted him in his chair and he had brought you from inside, to out here to enjoy the beautiful sunset and dusk after. 

“Are you happy and content with just the Solowardian marriage customs, or would you ever want to incorporate more of them?” Kragan asked carefully. 

“Depends on the custom, and depends on your thoughts and feelings about them.” You specified. 

“Well, there’s a few orcish ones that I always thought…” Kragan trailed off. 

“Do I have to be an orc to do them?” You asked thoughtfully. 

“No,” Kragan shook his head. 

“Well what are they?” You asked as you turned to him as he slightly turned to face you instead of the sky.  

“Well there’s the bead thing. It’s where each partner makes a bead for the other or if they have beads, they trade them and each bead is usually worn in the hair or on a necklace or something, and then there’s the courting rituals and stuff. But with how you had my wedding ring engraved makes me feel like we’ve already done that.” Kragan tried to clarify. 

“Rituals and stuff?” You repeated with a curious and almost scheming smile. 

“Well... Ok, so in orcish culture, when and if you find someone you want to court, you usually hunt together and then cook the kill together and eat the bone marrow together and take a bone and engrave the bone for a bead on a necklace or in thier hair or something.” Kragan explained as you looked at him and he wasn’t wearing a necklace or beads because the hair on his head was trimmed too short to take one and he had yet to show you any kind of necklace that he wore that had beads of any kind on them. Actually besides his sailboat ring and his wedding ring, he didn’t wear any other jewelry but perhaps he used to, before he had come here to Solowards. Maybe his ears were pierced that you hadn’t noticed because orcish ears had more to them and had muscles and more cartlidge to them than human ones. 

“Ah, I see, well we did hunt together. Granted we didn’t cook what we hunted, we let the servants do that. But we did hunt. I’ve never cooked a day in my life, so I have no idea where I would even start. So you’d have to teach me that.” You said.

“No, you’re fine. I’m not gonna ask you to do that, especially when we’ve already eaten so well. And we did hunt, and we hunted very successfully, and I was trying so hard not to descend into the rest of the tradition that went with it when we did. Because your brother was there and I didn’t want to make things awkward or offend the Solowardian standards of decorum.” Kragan admitted. 

“Ah so I take it there was more to it than just the cooking and carving bones thing. It came with a sex thing.” You furthered judging with how bashful Kragan was becoming. 

“Yeah.” Kragan nodded. 

“Well I mean, we have three more days, we can try again.” You offered. 

“No, honestly, sex with you in a bed or any other piece of furniture is infinitely more comfortable than on the forest floor next to a stripped carcass with it’s hide being the only thing between you and the ground.” Kragan admitted. 

“Ah, I see.” You giggled. 

“I mean we do have a fur here. We can bring that food cart out here, put the goose’s bones on the balcony.” You offered. 

“No, that’s not necessary, but having sex with you under the stars would be nice.” Kragan allowed. 

“Do we have to do it on top of the fur or can we stay under it to stay warm?” You asked. 

“We can totally stay under it.” Kragan readily agreed. 

“Can we do it now or do we need to wait until all the stars come out?” You asked hopefully. 

“Now would be perfect.” Kragan readily agreed before kissing you deeply before he rolled over you and covered you with his body once more. Making sure the fur was up around you and that you were comfortable and warm as he welcomed the wet heat around his cock as he entered into your wet and still tight heat and moaned in relief when he was able to rejoin his body with yours. His previous cum acting like a lubricant for the action. 

“One hell of a view too.” You appraised as you held his face in your hands before pulling him down to kiss you again. 

“So what else did you have in mind? What other traditions did you want to partake in? Just because they’re orcirsh ones does not mean they are any less special or any less valid than the Solowardian ones. You’re the world traveler, I’m sure you’ve seen and heard it all by now.” You asked as you kissed the crux of his neck and shoulder. 

“Mark me.” Kragan blurted. 

“Mark you how?” You asked thoughtfully. 

“Like this, I’ll try to go gentle.” Kragan said as he bit down around your clavicle. His tusks just barely breaking the skin and making you gasp as the pleasure mixed with pain in the most delicious of ways as your fingernails clawed at his back as your back arched and your head was thrown back into the pillows exposing all of yourself to him as he licked the wound he inflicted before he gave you a matching one on the other side near the shoulder. 

“Kragan!” You mewled as this one had much more pleasure than pain than the last one as you were more prepared for it and the moment he withdrew he made sure they matched. 

“My turn.” You said as you readily flipped the both of you and Kragan just stared up really dreamily at you as dusk colored the sky above you and the first stars were shining through and you were marked on both sides of your body that was filling his heart and mind with so much pride because you were not just his wife, you were his mate for life with those marks on your unblemished skin. And he almost hated to mar such perfection. But his possessiveness could not be stopped at this point. 

“Now, where- oh where- should I mark you?” You purred in his ear as you took the tip into your mouth and nibbled on it, making him grab your hips and pull you down onto him so that all of himself was sheathed into you as you could feel his cock throb and pulse inside of you as he had planted his feet and bent his legs to hike his hips up into yours which only made you keen as you braced yourself onto his chest. 

“Do I have to do it in two spots? On the mirror sides of you?” You asked. 

“No, I just, wanted to give you two but have you balanced.” Kragan panted as he drove up into you, his arm around you to keep you flush against him. 

“Mmm.” You hummed as you kissed and explored your canvas, looking for the perfect spots to mark Kragan while also keeping in mind that you probably shouldn’t mark too much because Kragan would hopefully have another mark on him. But another part of you wanted to mark him so much that no other would be able to compete. Then you found the perfect spots on him and didn’t give him any warning other than a kiss, a lick and then a bite as hard as you dared closer to the center of his clavicle but the answering stifled growling snarl was enough to bolden you to bite down so hard you tasted blood. 

“Oh yes, Tessa, that’s it, that’s perfect.” Kragan praised as he drove into you from below as hard as he dared. 

“Don’t hold back then.” You encouraged before you did it again on the other side before Kragan actually roared. Like a battle cry, blood almost curdling, kind of roar. That- you felt traveled through your body into your bones- as much as you heard it with your ears. But instead of being scared, you were proud and impressed that he would make such a primal sound as you could hold off not longer and your orgasm, spurned on by that roar and feeling him stuffing you full. You could feel him empty himself into you as his hold onto your hips was almost bruising and you felt like your womb was filling with his seed again. You silently prayed it wouldn’t take root because you couldn’t live with yourself if it did and you had to leave this world with it and once he stopped and took a breath, you let go and tried clean up the spilling blood with your chemise again as he did the same. 

“Did I do it right?” You asked hopefully. 

“You did it perfectly.” Kragan smiled dreamily at you and kissed you deeply again. The chemise acting like gauze, soaking up your blood and his, as you both pressed it and compressed the wounds to keep the other from bleeding too much. 

Then Kragan carried you inside and got into his special first aid kit in his trunk that his brother had packed in there more as a gag gift. Not thinking Kragan could or would do this. But now, he was grateful for it as he proudly patched you up and then got himself patched up. Appreciating your eye teeth especially poking through the skin so well. He had fought so hard not to actually bite down so hard- he broke your clavicle bone. Because his instincts to do just that were almost overwhelming. But he did so just enough that it would send the message to any other that you were taken. And he was proud because of where you put yours, he was clearly taken too and he’d keep his shirts open just to show it off. 

Over the next three days- Kragan and yourself were both torn between wanting to enjoy every moment of your honeymoon being all alone and together and practically inseparable if not, constantly joined. Except for the occasional intrusion by servants to deliver food. Yet were both excited for it to end. So you could get on with your life and put your plans that you had spent the whole time, fleshing out and really making more definite and so you could put them into action. And you were especially anxious yet excited to get it underway as quickly as possible to help Kragan get traction on the project and help build up momentum before you would have to leave him and couldn’t provide it yourself. 

You sent a note to your father the second morning- to withdraw the vast majority of your funds from your C.V. DeBaringer account because you wanted to use the funds to kickstart The Contessina Project in Yekmeni. Because you wanted adani steel to go into the frame of the haul. And adani anti-gravity disks- which Kragan swore were the best in the world. And possibly- if it could stretch- get the sails commissioned too. Kragan would be giving you more money to commission the other artisans in Yekmeni and its surrounding colonies for the materials and furnishings for the interior of the ship. While also commissioning the uniforms and the soaps especially from Souja Textiles and Souja Soap and Laundry Service in Fitsdale. 

The day of your departure, Kragan and his family put on their airstone jewelry. You finally got to see Kragan’s necklace that didn’t just have the airstone, but other beads he had gotten throughout his life as Kragan rather proudly told you about each one, what each one meant and who had given them to him. He had given you an epic and very large airstone opal necklace with matching earrings that were the same blue as your travelling outfit and even had one for Mildred who was going to be travelling with you. Granted hers wasn’t as big or grand as yours. It was still there and would help her breathe easy at altitude. And thankfully that outfit came with a pair of pants. Especially since he told you- that you would need to put on as the ship would take to the skies. Because the winds would be strong enough that it would lift a skirt right over your head. But he had you hold off from putting on the pants just yet. 

At dawn, the Violet Skye came directly to your house. And it was an absolute marvel. And utterly gigantic and almost as big as your house with it’s sails and masts just as high as your palatial estate’s roof. The sky ships had always looked like little toy boats in the skies but now that one was on the ground, you were really impressed with just how massive such a ship really was and could be. 

This was not just the flagship for Salgria Shipping. This was Kragan’s ship. Before he had left it to come to Solowards to marry you. This was very much Kragan’s baby. He had designed, commissioned and even helped construct this ship with his own two hands. Which you found quite impressive and if your circumstances were different, then you would love nothing more than to sail around the world in it with him for years to come. But it was the vessel that you would take your first and last adventure on. And it was perfectly fitting. 

You were almost embarrassed to see so much come out of your home. It felt like you were taking half of your home’s furnishings with you as cart after cart of trunks of goods seemed to pour out of your house since a ballroom had been used to house it all. Mildred was in charge of the trunks of things that would stay with you wherever you were. Especially your trunks of jewels, clothes and your trunk of gold bricks that your father had taken all the money from the Solowardian National Bank and had all your funds changed into gold bricks and gold nibs that were more or less international currency. And while it wasn’t as impressive as Kragan’s 50,000 gold boullion. It was perfectly sizable enough to use it as you needed to. 

When the Violet Skye first landed, the moment the loading plank was put together and moved into place- Kragan giddily brought you onboard and introduced the crew to you. He was so happy to see that most of the crew had stayed with the ship, save for Johnny, which Kragan assured you- you would meet when you went to Souja Tavern in Fitsdale. 

Captain Tilge- who had been his own first mate was still the captain of the vessel. And they were all happy to meet you. And they were all pleasantly surprised you were so nice and personable, wanting to know each one’s name and remembering each one’s name. And immediately endearing yourself to the crew since you treated them with kindness, respect and dignity. 

And then the teasing started- since most of them had listened to Kragan groan and complain about marrying you for a month before he had left the ship and then to see and hear Kragan be so happy to be married and to such a sweetheart. Was a wonderful reassurance that their friend had made the right decision. Kragan showed you around the ship while the crew appraised all your things and worked out where and how to get it all aboard and into the holds and still have each one be accessible. 

“So why don’t you stay in the captain’s quarters? I can bunk up with Showda.” Captain Tilge offered to Kragan. 

“No you’ve earned those quarters.” Kragan tried to argue. 

“Kragan, you have a Duchess and a sweetheart for a wife. They’re the best quarters on the ship. She deserves to stay in the nicest quarters on the ship.” Captain Tilge countered. 

“Yeah, but…” Kragan trailed off with a blush. 

“Look I get it, you probably don’t think even they’re good enough for the likes of her right?” Captain Tilge guessed, reading his friend just as well as he used to. 

“Yeah.” Kragan sighed. 

“Well have her look them over and see what she thinks.” He offered. 

“You sure?” Kragan asked. 

“Yeah, it’ll take me five minutes to move out if she likes them.” Captain Tilge reassured Kragan. 

“Tessa?” Kragan called from where you were appreciating the maps and star charts at the helm with the helmsman and showing him yours that you had gotten as a wedding gift from Saffiro and making sure the two lined up and were accurate. The helmsman was practically smitten that a woman like you was so intrigued yet surprisingly knowledgeable about the star charts and how to use them. 

“Yes Dear?” You answered when you heard Kragan call your name. 

“Come, I want to show you the rooms.” He offered as you excused yourself from the helmsman and folded up your star chart and accompanied your husband and took his hand as he led you below deck to show you the room that had been reserved for you. But even now Mildred had a hard time just putting your trunk of jewelry, medicine and funds in it. Not even your traveling wardrobe, which was on the bed itself and threatening to break it- or your desk could fit in here because there just wasn’t room, just a bed and the trunks and tiny little walkways between them, even though the trunks were stacked to the cieling. 

“I’m sorry My Lady, it looks like you’ll have to decide what you want to keep with you. The closet in here will only hold about four outfits.” Mildred apologized as she wrestled with your trunk of travelling clothes and was trying to figure out which ones should go in the closet. 

“Well there is another room to choose from, that’s bigger, but it’s the captain’s quarters.” Kragan explained. 

“Oh I don’t want to kick the Captain out of his own quarters,” you shook your head no. 

“I think it’ll be the only one big enough for our things Dearest and it’ll suit you better, granted it’s still not good enough for you, but it’s the best that the Violet Skye can do and the Captain already offered it.” Kragan softly insisted. 

“It wouldn’t hurt to look My Lady.” Mildred encouraged you. 

“Are you sure he’s ok with it?” You asked Kragan. 

“Yeah.” He reassured you before he took your hand and led you to his old quarters. 

“These used to be mine anyway.” He offered with a small grin as he opened the door and it was a much bigger room. Almost five times bigger than the one you had tried to enter before and while it could do with a bit of cleaning and sprucing up. It was much more to work with. 

“Please My Lady, move into this room. This would suit you so much better and be big enough for everything you need to keep with you at all times.” Mildred pleaded. 

“Can I do anything to this room or should it stay the way it is?” You asked Kragan. 

“If you want to move into this room, you change it how you see fit.” Kragan offered. 

“Really?” You questioned. 

“Go wild.” Kragan encouraged you. 

“You sure about that?” You questioned teasingly. 

“I want you to be comfortable in our home away from home. Until I can build you an entire ship of your own. So change this space wherever and however you want to.” He urged you. 

“Ok. Have the Captain come in and move his things out of here then.” You agreed before Kragan left to fetch Captain Tilge. 

“Ok Mildred, the moment the Captain’s things are removed, I want this space scrubbed top to bottom and the mattress taken from my old bed in the house since it looks like the two mattresses are the same size. And the sheets that are with the furnishings to be moved to the bed along with new bedding because who knows who or what has been in that bed before me. And I want my curtains from my room on this window and an armoire to fit my traveling clothes and then see what we can do to get bathtub in here or some kind of waste removal and cleaning so Kragan can at least keep ourselves and our clothes clean while we’re on board because I doubt this ship has laundry supplies on board.” You suggested in a low murmur as you pointed around the room.  

“Yes, thank you so much My Lady.” Mildred readily agreed as she made a few notes in her own little notebook.

“Thank you so much for giving up your accommodations Captain Tilge.” You thanked him gratefully once Kragan brought him back into the room as Tilge took a ruck sack and started stuffing his clothes into it. 

“No trouble at all Tessa.” He reassured you sweetly. 

“Well I’ll let you get to packing.” You excused yourself as you went with Mildred back to the house. She got some servants together to do as you wanted them to do. As soon as Kragan gave the signal that it the room was clear, Mildred had a small army of servants come in and scrub the room, top to bottom and very thoroughly. Using special wood oil soap since the room was mostly made out of wood. And scent of oranges soon was in the room as Mildred opened the windows that lined the back of the ship and had them scrubbed and cleaned as well to help the room air out. All While Kragan showed you the rest of the ship while the crew was already hard at work, loading up your pther things into the ship.  

And once the room had been thoroughly cleaned along with Mildred’s own rooms, and the wood conditioned and practically stripped, all of it’s previous things being loaded into Captian Tilge’s room, which was right across from where you originally had been put. Mildred took the room you originally had been assigned. With just a few improvements- in furnishings, a change of mattress and bedding. She put the same linen sheets that had been used in the royal suite that you had enjoyed all week, doubled up on your old mattress- onto the bed. And that fur blanket that the two of you were so fond of from the royal suite on top of the bedding. And the curtains that had been in your old room onto the now spotless windows that were now letting in quite a bit of light. And your desk put next to his own. And some general sprucing up and refurnishing after the room had been so thoroughly deep cleaned.  The room hardly was recognizable from what it had been the day before. As even a bathtub and a plumbing circuit was installed and armoires added to contain your “traveling clothes” and Kragans. Along with your trunks and Kragans that Thaddius insist be with Kragan in his quarters. 

Kragan had been so proud and eager to show you the inner workings of the ship as your room was prepared.  You both seemed to bounce ideas off of each other for The Contessina ships and how to improve that when it would theoretically be built as both of you made notes in your perspective notebooks, sharing an inkwell to keep refilling your pens to do so. 

“What?” Kragan asked as you were in the bowels of the ship, inspecting the anti gravity disks that Kragan had commissioned especially from Yekmeni and had installed himself. He was showing you one of the massive disks as it spun inside a special cage and the electromagnetic charge from the disk helped displace the weight on the ship and the supersphere’s gravity’s hold on the ship too. You were giggling because this close, you would literally walk on the ceiling and look down out the windows at the ground since there were two sets, one at the bottom of the ship, pointed toward the ground and another on the other side of the wall so that gravity was the same outside the room as it was everywhere else both on and off the ship. 

“I know we are in a ship anchored to the ground but I can still see your mind, heart and spirit soar- cloud high right now. And I’m just a little jealous of how effortlessly you do it.” You praised as you finished with your notes in your new journal. 

“Oh like you’re not right beside me? It’s you who finally got free of her cage and is letting her own wings take the air. I’m just happy we can soar together.” Kragan cooed as he wrapped his arms around you. 

“I’ll always soar with you, as long as I draw breath.” You vowed before kissing him sweetly before that kiss morphed into heated and needy. 

“Is it safe to do this so close to that?” You asked as Kragan was already bunching up your skirts and having you lay down on the “ceiling” that was acting like the floor. 

“Perfectly safe.” Kragan breathed as he let his fly drop and easily sheathed himself in you and made sure the both of you were out of sight from the little windows. The hum of the disks working seemed to drown out any noise the two of you made. 

Now that you were his mate and wife and one and only. He never wanted you to wear undergarments and even now, to have so much of your body so easily accessible was a delight. And while he was used to his men using this room for this purpose. To actually do so himself was something new for him and something that once he was doing, he could appreciate even more. And once you reached your peak and Kragan was soon reaching his, you were happy to lay on the ceiling like it was your floor.

But when you looked outside, you saw the Lavine’s carriage coming down the driveway.

“What in the world are they doing here?” You asked as you stared at the carraige. 

“Who?” Kragan asked. 

“The Lavines! Thought just Millie would come to say goodbye, but it’s actually Millie and Ron and his parents and even his other siblings! Because that’s the family’s official carriage when the whole family goes anywhere. That’s really odd. Something’s up. I’m sorry I have to leave you and cut the tour short- but I need to see why they’re all here and make sure everything’s ok.” You readily excused as you got out from “under” Kragan and quickly straightened yourself up and and quickly left the ship to go up to them and greet them. 

And when you came up to them and greeted them, Count Lavine just hugged you he started crying as he hugged you tighter than he ever had before. 

“I’m so sorry Tessa. I should have done so much more for you sooner.” He apologized profusely through his tears. 

“What are you talking…oh. Millie told you- didn’t she?” You guessed as your former rigidity soon melted into him and hugged him back tighter. 

“I’m so sorry, the brightest stars burn twice as bright but for half as long. It isn’t fair.” He continued. 

“Thank you.” You thanked him as you felt your shoulders fall even farther. Damn it.

“Please don’t say anything to anyone, I’ve worked so hard ever since to keep myself and my family above suspicion.” You pleaded. 

“Of course, of course.” He nodded as he did his best to regain his composure and finally let you go so you could hug his wife who did the same. 

“I will miss you so much- always Tessa, please keep writing to me. If there is anything I can ever do- please, do not hesitate to ask.” She pleaded as she pulled away and held your face in her hands as tears freely flowed from her eyes. 

“Ok, I will.” 

“Don’t you mush out on me too.” You pleaded with Ron as he pulled you into a hug. 

“Never.” He maintained as you could tell he was trying to laugh away his tears before they could fall. 

“Just..please treat Millie well.” You pleaded. 

“Of course. Thank you Tessa, for everything, especially for switching.” He thanked you. 

“You’re welcome. I’m much happier that we did. Besides you know me. I’m a sucker for a good adventure. And Fate at least sent me a proper adventurer. So I’m just as happy as you are- that we switched. And if you’re happy with Millie and both of you will treat each other well, that’s all I can ask for.” You assured him as the two of you pulled away. 

“Sour sport.” You tried to tease to keep yourself from crying as you smiled at him and Millie fondly as they were arm in arm. 

“Bleeding heart.” He tried to tease back, with an equally fond smile to chase his tears away. 

“Millie mentioned Kragan’s ideas about a ship in your name. And your need for a place to build a skyport for such magnificent vessels. So this is our wedding gift to you and to honor you, even when…” Count Lavine offered as he handed the deed to the land over as emotion cut his voice out.  

“Even when you’re not here to honor in person.” Countess Lavine offered as you took the deed in your hands and tried not to cry when you read it. 

“Thank you!” You thanked them, giving them another round of hugs.

“Are you sure you’re ok with this?” You asked Ron. 

“It will be my pleasure to have such a wonderful structure on that land. And it’s perfect for what you’ll need it for. And our Contessina Ship, even if the only discount you tell Kragan is just one percent. That’s more than fair.” Ron insisted. 

“Two percent.” You teased as you held up two fingers which got them all to laugh away their tears. 

“Thank you. This will help so much.” You thanked them. 

“We just wish we could do more.” Count Lavine offered. 

“Agreeing to the switch was already enough and this is more than enough.” You reassured them as you hugged the deed to your chest. 

“Tessa?” Kragan asked as he tried to give you some space but was curious as to what you were holding. 

“Look what the Lavines got us for a wedding present! Land to build the Contessina skyport on and it’s the perfect spot!” You showed him with a bright happy smile. 

“Oh, wow, thank you.” Kragan thanked them, pleasantly surprised as they at least shook his hand this time.  

“When Millie told us about the Contessina ships, we knew we needed to do what we could to support you both in the endeavor.” Count Lavine offered. 

“And this will be perfect.” You reassured them. 

“Well, we’re packed up, are you ready?” Kragan asked as Tilge had given him the go ahead that everything was ready and packed and your room had just gotten the finishing touches as the last of the servants had left, leaving only Mildred to stay on board. 

“Yes, I’ll write to you all soon.” You urged them as you gave them all one last hug goodbye, along with the rest of your family. Before you took Kragan’s hand as he led you up the long loading board since his family and all the cargo had already been loaded and the heavy anchors were lifted from the ground and the plank pulled back into the ship and taken apart into separate pieces that fit together to create a big and long loading plank. The antigravity disks were turned up higher so that the ship easily lifted from the ground and into the air and caught a good breeze as you waived goodbye to your family and Lavines before the ship sailed out of sight. 

“Now? Where to first? Fitsdale or Yekmeni?” Kragan asked as he brought you to the helm and had another huge map laid out. 

“Which is closest?” You asked.

“Fitsdale.” He answered. 

“To Fitsdale then, get those uniforms and those soaps and things ordered and then to Yekmeni for anitgravity disks and the ships.” You decided. 

“You heard her, to Fitsdale.” Kragan urged Captain Tilge with a proud, happy smile. 

“Wow.” Kragan appraised when the two of you got back into the room to get you into some pants as Mildred was doing the same in her room as Kragan got to see how Mildred and her own little army of servants had improved it. 

“Are you sure this is the same room?” Kragan teased. 

“Do you not like it?” You asked as you shimmied into your pants and zipped and buttoned them closed. 

“No, I love it. It’s perfect. Ooh, we have a bathtub now! I can’t wait to use that and rut you in that.” Kragan appreciated which got you to laugh. 

“Now can you tell me what’s in those chests over there?” You asked as you pointed to the other chests in the room that weren’t yours. 

“Oh those are the funds for the Contessina Project. I had my father pull almost all our money out of the banks here and your father was kind enough to make sure they didn’t charge us stupid fees for doing so. Granted we had to leave enough in them to keep them open but they’ll be there when we come back to build the skyport for The Contessina Ships. But this should hopefully be enough for it.” He explained. 

“Please tell me this isn’t all the money to your name, I don’t want to sink Salgria Shipping just trying to get The Contessina ships up and running.” You pleaded. 

“No, it’s not. We technically have money all around the world. I don’t even know how much we have in total. My mom does though. She’s always kept track of everything. And we just keep an accountant in every place we go and stay to make sure there’s always money for the business and especially payroll.” Kragan assured you.

“Oh good.” You blew out a breath of relief.  

“But all of this is officially yours.” Kragan said as he handed you the keys to all the chests. 

“No, not mine, ours.” You insisted. 

“Ok, fine, ours.” Kragan caved, happy with that compromise.  

You got to Fitsdale in only a few days of sailing. Poor Mildred almost flashed every sailor on that ship which would have been Tilge’s absolute delight before she could get herself into pants as well. And because the Violet Skye was new- it had cooking capabilities as the whole crew got to enjoy all the foods your family had sent and practically overflowed the kitchens. 

Tilge was happy to make a point to include Mildred at mealtimes as you were happy to forgo “Solowardian Propriety” since you were far from Solowards and it no longer applied. And you happily accepted Mildred as part of the family since everyone else was treating her as if she was your mother. She was given the same deference as Kragan’s mother Astrin. Mildred soon took on her old nickname- Mama Mildred from when she took care of you in your nursery. And Tilge made no mistake how he loved and admired an older, well seasoned and perfectly plump woman. Which Mildred was flattered to receive but politely refused his advances, claiming that her first priority was your care, wherever you would go or be. Whether that be here on this ship, or anywhere else. 

Once you docked at the skyport in Fitsdale. Your travelling clothes and some of the money from your trunks and another trunk of gold from Kragan’s funds were unloaded off of the ship along with the bedding that needed to be washed that Mildred put into another trunk to take directly to Souja Soap and Laundress Service. Kragan got a carriage just for Mildred, himself and you. Everyone else took a second carriage and their own loads soon after. 

“Now this- is Souja Tavern and Inn.” Kragan announced as he giddily helped you and Mildred out of the carriage from the road from the skyport road. 

“Wow.” You breathed in awe when you looked up at the massive building as Mildred got the attention of the attendants to help unload the carriage from it’s very heavy cargo along with sending clothes and bedding straight to the laundry service and to bill Kragan when it would be done but return it to her so she could get it back on board and get the bedding at least sorted out properly. 

“Hello, welcome to Souja Inn and Tavern…Kragan!” The girl behind the counter greeted him happily when Kragan opened the door for you to come in first before he followed in after you.

“Hey Sammy! This is my wife- Tessa, Tessa, this is my friend Sammy Souja.” Kragan immediately introduced the two of you. 

“Hi, I’m Samantha Souja, aka Sammy, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She offered as you shook hands with her. 

“Contessina Salgria, friends call me Tessa.” You introduced yourself. 

“Kragan wouldn’t shut up about how awesome this place is the whole way here. Between the awesome rooms, indoor plumbing, food that is second to none and with wine and ale to boot and the best music to be heard in the supersphere that I can’t wait to have the right dancing partner too.” You bumped Kragan with your hip as he just smiled bashfully but so happily. 

“Oh I’ll dance your feet off if you’ll let me.” Kragan cooed. 

“Hey so is there a suite available?” Kragan asked as his arm wrapped around your shoulders and gave Sammy a hopeful smile. 

“And don't’ forget rooms for your siblings and another for your parents and then one for Mama Mildred. If we’re going to get a suite, they should too. They’re family after all and it’s only fair.” You reminded him.

“Fine.” Kragan caved with a smile that showed he wasn’t torn up about the added expense. Before he dictated how many suites he would need.  

“Oh yeah, just take the wing. So the whole family is with you this time, eh Kragan?” Sammy asked as she got a selection of room keys and gave you and Kragan keys for your suite before Kragan organized the other room keys according to who should be closest or farthest away as you grabbed one that was right across the hall from you for Mildred. Before they came into the office and Kragan readily gave everyone their keys as his siblings cheered that you had somehow talked Kragan into getting them all suites this time. As the girls took one room, the boys took another and his parents and his youngest siblings took the biggest one meant for a large family. Before they all giddily disappeared up the stairs. 

“Thank you Tessa!” They called as they all laughed giddily and raced each other up the stairs as even Astrin and Thaddius were happy to climb the stairs after their younger children. 

“Kragan is the one paying for it, thank him!” You called back. 

“He’s usually a cheapskate! We knew it was you!” They cackled back. 

You gave Mildred her room key and gave her your copy so she could get your things put into your room for you.

“Thank you Mama Mildred.” You thanked her as she smiled and left again. 

“Still in that honeymoon phase I see. Congratulations. So how long have you two been married for now?” She asked as she put Kragan’s name in the register and then the names of the family members that she saw who got what keys. 

“What, like a week now? We had a very rushed courtship, engagement, wedding and honeymoon. Feels so much longer than that, feels like we’ve been together all my life, at least a decade or two.” You teased Kragan which got him and Samantha to laugh. 

“And yet still not long enough. It’s never long enough, there needs to be more hours in a day and especially a few more at night.” Kragan insisted with a meaningful look that had you smiling and blushing bashfully at his implications.  

“I see. So you were able to wrangle yourself out of that horrid duchess’ clutches after all. That’ll be a hundred and twenty taels for all the suites Kragan.” Sammy insisted.

“How many people did you tell about your nightmare fantasy that I was your worst nightmare incarnate to?” You frowned up to Kragan as Sammy instantly gasped flushed with embarrassment as Kragan did the same and laughed a little nervously. 

“You’re…You’re the Duchess? The Duchess from Solowards? I am so sorry, I didn’t realize, you didn’t. You’re not…” Sammy stuttered as she looked from you to Kragan helplessly mortified by accidentally insulting you like that.  

“Sammy, it’s ok. I’m not mad or upset. I knew Kragan was really anxious and apprehensive about even meeting me. And I just spent the last three days proving to the whole crew of the Violet Skye that I wasn’t what he had mentally worked me up to be. So if he told people here the same thing- I’m not surprised or upset by it. The whole crew has been teasing him rather mercilessly the whole way here about it too.” You explained as you reached out and held her hand and pet it comfortingly and smiled reassuingly at her. 

“Thank you, but again, still, I never should have...” Samantha tried to apologize again. 

“Sammy, really, it’s ok. You didn’t know. A lot has changed in the last few months since you’ve seen Kragan last.” You stopped her from apologizing any further. 

“Kragan was, in all honesty really intimidated by the idea of me. Before he ever got a chance to meet me in person and find out that I was thankfully nothing like he thought. And he told me all about his horrible nightmare fantasy of what he feared I was like. And then he gave me a chance to prove what I was and could be without projecting his worst fears onto me. And simply take me as I was. And thankfully we were both very pleasantly surprised about the other’s true nature. That’s why I’m not having him introduce me by my old title that doesn’t even apply anymore. Just as his wife because that’s all I want to be and all I’m quite happy to be. And to avoid this very scenario because I didn’t want people judging me based on his worst fears. But simply take me as I am. I promise you’re ok. I’m not mad and I’m not going to throw a fit and storm out or anything. Now that you’ve met me hopefully I was able to prove that I’m not horrid at least.” You reassured her. 

“No! Far from! You’re lovely! You’re funny and delightful and nothing like he feared you would be.” Sammy reassured you. 

“I’m sorry Sammy, this is all on me. I’m the one who is sorry. Yes, my wife was born a Duchess, no- she’s far from horrid, she’s actually very nice and I didn’t do her the justice of giving either of us the benefit of the doubt. And I didn’t give her a chance to show me her real self and prove me wrong and I jumped to conclusions and worst case scenarios and I should have just faced her like a man instead of slinking away like a damn coward and running my mouth. I will make sure I go to everyone I complained to and set the record straight.” Kragan offered apologetically as you and Sammy finally let go from each other. 

“How many years would that take for him to do?” You asked Sammy who erupted in a laugh, grateful you weren’t more upset at the unintended insult.  

“At least a few decades.” She shrugged and shook her head with a teasing laugh and smile.   

“Oh good grief! Are you sure a hundred and twenty taels will be enough? I feel like it needs to be a hundred times that. I need to buy the room. Call it our apartment while he does that.” You asked Sammy as you waived off Kragan with a laugh which broke the tension as he counted out and handed over all the money he needed to.  

“Damn it, I knew that was gonna bite me in the ass.” Kragan playfully complained. 

“Hey, not until I’m done with it first.” You pointed your finger and booped his nose which got all three of you to laugh as Kragan’s cheeks flushed as Sammy’s cheeks started to flush less. 

“Yeah, we’re straight.” Sammy reassured you. 

“Thanks Sammy.” Kragan thanked her before a very familiar face came in. Thanar Tranin as you froze and your eyes went wide for a moment before you turned to Kragan to put your back to the newcomer. Part of you wondering if he would even recognize you. Part of you wanted to slink away and not have him recognize you at all. And part of you wanted to apologize to him for what your father had done to him and his family and part of you wanted to smear his face in your happiness despite his efforts and to smite his own.  

You reached for Kragan’s hand and squeezed it extra tightly before you looked meaningfully from him to the man who just came in. And when he openned his mouth to greet Sammy, you knew that voice as you couldn’t help but wince when your fears were realized. 

Thanar Tranin was the first guy who had ever gone down on you and you felt you had fallen love with him at 17. But thankfully it was only lust and had gotten over him rather quickly. Especially when he fled from you and Solowards at the first sign of trouble and your father had destroyed his family’s businesses in Solowards. And to see him again brought up all those old memories. 

Kragan however recognized the guy and recalled his name on your list, as this name was the very first one and he had no wanted them to the be the same man but yet, it was the same guy.  

“Kragan! How are you?” Thanar greeted cheerfully when he saw him. 

“I’m doing great Thanar, I got married, this is my wife...” Kragan introduced as you turned on your heel to face him and happily leaned back into Kragan and met Thanar with a pleasant smile that masked everything you were feeling inside as Thanar looked at you and his face fell as his eyes went wide. 

“Duchess Conetessina DeBaringer.” He breathed half in awe and half in horror. 

“Mr. Tranin, how are you? It’s been a while since we saw each other last.” You supplied politely and your upbringing was forcing you to be polite and civil despite everything you were feeling inside. 

“Yeah, it uh, it sure has. I see you got out of that betrothal to...I forget his name.” Thanar very nervously answered when he looked from you to Kragan. 

“I did. Thankfully.” You smiled proudly. 

“Oh so you two know each other from Solowards then?” Sammy supplied. 

“Yes we do. The last time I saw Mr. Tranin was at my estate in Solowards. He and his father had come to do some business there about three, three and a half years ago now. I remember us being close friends at the time. How have you fared since then?” You asked rather innocently as Thanar gave you that look of ‘oh you poor sweet thing, you probably have no idea’ as he was the one that gave you an apologetic look. 

“Uh, well we took our business elsewhere outside of Solowards and into the D.A. We settled in Enodia actually. And have been getting along just fine.” He managed to say with a forced polite smile. Because if you were obviously ignorant of what your father had done to him and his family since. He didn’t want to ruin your blissful ignorance now. Just like he had ruined your blissful niavity those few years back. 

“Oh good, when my father told me you had left Solowards shortly after I saw you last- I had been quite worried, especially considering I had never heard from you since. I just had hoped you fared well. But Solowards just joined the D.A. this past year with the Crown Prince marrying a Dorierran bride to be his Crown Princess.” You supplied as you could see shame and regret and remourse all trying to flash over his face- under his own mask of politeness as your own hurt that he had never tried to contact you again- showed clearly in your eyes, past the facade you had tried to put up. Which only made him feel even more shame and regret and remourse. 

“I’m so sorry. I should have kept in touch. That’s great about Solowards though. The D.A. seems to be getting bigger every day.” Thanar apologized and wishing you weren’t there with Kragan Salgria of all people as your husband so he could talk with you freely and openly and it was killing him inside that he couldn’t apologize for himself and his behavior towards you the last time he was graced with your magnificent presence. 

“Well, it was good seeing you again Mr. Tranin. Enjoy your stay.” You offered before Kragan took the hint and said his own goodbyes to him before he led you to the room just as your things were getting delivered by Mildred and the other staff at the Inn. 

“Well that was very awkward.” You muttered as you got changed again, into pants that didn’t feel like they were splitting you in half when you sat down as you made a mental note to buy others that wouldn’t. 

“I’m surprised you didn’t run his nose is in his own bullshit. Especially for what he put you through.” Kragan noted darkly as you could feel his own anger and agression towards Thenar roll off of him in waves.  

“Honey, he was young and stupid and just did as his father told him to. He suffered to the point that he and his family had to flee Solowards. I doubt my father left them much of anything to rebuild a life with. And obviously he is under the impression that I was or at least am- niave and ignorant of anything that happened to him and his family that my own father inflicted. And I would like it to stay that way. Especially if we’re going to be staying under the same roof. I don’t want your family especially to hear anything he would have to say about me or my family. We both made a mistake and suffered the consequnces and I let it go a long time ago. Hopefully he has too. Or if he hasn’t, he will now. Let’s just leave it as water under the bridge.” You soothed Kragan as you ran your hands over his shirt, under his jacket, your palms over the marks you had left him as he reached up and pressed your hands to his chest. Kragan eventually breathed out a cleansing breath and nodded. 

“Besides, his skill at the time was dismal and he might as well be hung with a thin, short pencil compared to your missle.” You cooed with a wink which brought a grin to Kragan’s lips as he possessively captured your lips with his own and kissed you deeply. 

Meanwhile back down at the check in desk. 

“So what can you tell me about her? The Duchess that Kragan married?” Sammy pressed Thanar. 

“She’s...she’s perfectly lovely. And much too sweet and kind. Even for the likes of me or anyone else. Can you get me a room that is in the opposite direction where they are staying. I don’t want to intrude onto them.” Thanar requested.

“Yeah, but what happened between you two? Kragan looked like he was about to pummel you and she looked like she was about to cry.” Sammy whispered. 

“Under the circumstances that we left each other under. It’s not surprising. But it’s a private affair for the past.” Thanar vaguely answered before his own wife came into the Inn after dropping off her own clothes to the laundresses. 

“Hey, guess, who’s here.” Thanar offered his heavily pregnant wife as he led her away. 

“Who?” She asked. 

“Do you remember me telling you about the fiasco I was in when I was 17 that involved a Duke and his eldest daughter?” He prodded. 

“Oh no, they’re here?” She asked worriedly. 

“Just his daughter. She’s grown up and married now. And she doesn’t know what her father did after the fact. Only that he seperated us and told her I left Solowards. That’s it, and I don’t want her to know what her father did to me and my father and the rest of our family. Because none of it was her fault. All of it was mine and she’s the one that payed the most dearly for my mistake. She’s also married to Kragan Salgria of all people. So if you see Kragan and his wife, that’s the Duchess, Duchess Contessina DeBaringer. Although I think it’s Contessina Salgria now if they’re married. Just please, for the love of the gods and all that his holy, be nice and pleasant with her. I just met her and despite everything I did to her and how badly I hurt her, she was very polite and civil and even nice. We need to be that way in kind.” He insisted. 

“Well did you get a chance to apologize to her at least?” She asked. 

“No, if Kragan knew what I did to her, or if Tessa has already told him, he could pound me into pulp. The way he looked at me, tells me, he already knew from her side of things.  And I don’t blame him one bit.” He insisted. 

“Should we stay at another Inn while we’re here then?” She asked. 

“No, if Tessa was civil, we can be too.” He assured her and took her up to their room. 

After Kragan got to nearly fuck into oblivion again in your suite. You went down to where the tavern was. Kragan happily handed you your dishes and silverware and had the family and Mildred. Before a another young orc with two kids and a woman who looked at least a few months pregnant came out to see you. 

“Hey! Johnny!” Kragan greeted happily as he got up and hugged him as the rest of Kragan’s family hugged Johnny hello too and got to touch Nora’s pragnant belly as they hugged her too.  

“Tessa, this is Johnny, and his wife Nora and their kids Lena and Grayson. This is my wife Tessa and Mama Mildred.” Kragan introduced. 

“Hi, it’s wonderful to meet you.” They all greeted happily as you happily received hugs from all of them.   

“Is it true that you are a Duchess? Do you get to wear crowns like a Princess? Do you know any Princesses?” Lena asked you hopefully. 

“Well I was born a Duchess, and yes I have met a few Princesses and I’ve met a King and a Queen. But you know I was so nervous when I did meet them that I almost threw up!” You explained. 

“Were they mean?” Lena asked, her eyes big and worried. 

“No they weren’t mean at all. But the circumstances that I met them under were just stressful. Because I met the Queen and the Princesses two years ago when I was officially introduced into society. Which is a tradition where all ladies in high society are presented to the queen to gain her permission to enter her court and her society. I had to dress up in this white and gold gown and wear a tiara and jewels and feathers and curtsey at the Queen’s feet as she sat on her throne and all around her were all the women in high society watching every movement I made. It was really overwhelming having that many people watch me. And I’m actually so happy and relieved I only had to do it once and only go back when my sister Millie did the same thing a few months ago. You explained. 

“Do you still have the tiara? Will you need it or can I have it?” Lena asked hopefully before Nora pinched her daughter’s arm as Mildred giggled. 

“Ow.” Lena complained. 

“That’s very rude Lena. You just don’t ask for things like that.” Nora got after her. 

“Hey, it’s ok. Kragan told me that there’s a Viscount Whiteales and Duchess is technically closer to royalty than a Viscount. It’s not every day that nobility comes to visit. So, Kragan told me that you too are going to be an heiress, from one heiress to another- I have the perfect tiara for you. I didn’t bring it with me to the tavern, but before we leave, you and your family should come to Violet Skye and I’ll give it to you then.” You offered. 

“Really?” Lena and her family as well as Kragan’s family all asked in astonishment. 

“Mama Mildred, you remember that little tiara I used to wear that we used to use to put books on to make sure I was always in balance when I walked when I was like 7?” You recalled. 

“Oh that one! Yes that would be perfect, it’s small and simple and it’s one of silver. But it doesn’t have hardly any stones that you would need to worry about but it’s very pretty. It would be perfect for her.” Mildred blew out a breath of relief. As did everyone else as she recalled that one and mentally worked out where it was in your things. 

“See? You get to have a tiara after all and there is no one more worthy of it than you. Besides it’s too small for me to wear now but it’ll fit you just right.” You reassured her since Lena was the perfect candidate to inherit such a thing. And especially if she was close to Kragan. It would be ideal for her to have.

“Really?” Lena lit up excitedly. 

“Really really. Now you’ll have to polish it now and then because it is silver and silver tarnishes over time and then one day when you grow up and have a daughter of your own you can pass it on to her.” You offered. 

“Thank you.” Lena launched herself into your arms as you were happy to hold her and hug her and your heart ached because this was as close to a daughter as you were probably going to get and Kragan’s youngest and littlest sister was too big for such a thing already. 

“You smell really good.” Lena sighed dreamily as she smelled the perfume you were wearing. 

“Oh thank you! It’s a perfume I was given that was made from all the flowers in my parent’s garden. When you come get the tiara, I’ll give you a little bit of it so you can look and smell like a princess too.” You offered. 

“It smells like flowers in a palace garden. Did you grow up in a palace?” Lena sighed as she took deep inhales of it that got you to laugh. 

“Well depending on who you are it can look like a palace. But you know what? I have a few princess story books I brought from home. I can give you one of those too. The Princess and The Dark Knight or The Princess and The Frog Prince would be another good one for you. I think either one or both would be perfect for you.” You offered as you happily held her in your arms as softly swayed in place with her as she looked at the little locket you were currently wearing. 

“Does this have all the pictures of your family in it?” She asked. 

“It does! You’re more than welcome to open it, it has a picture of every member of my family. But here, let me sit down. You’re getting a little heavy.” You urged her as you gently put her down and sat back down in your seat as she got in your lap and Kragan had Johnny and Nora pull up chairs and join you at the table for lunch. You took off the locket on it’s necklace as opened up it’s multiple pages to tell her about each little portrait that was in each one, telling her all the names of all the family members you had and how old they were now.  

“So how come Mildred isn’t in this?” Lena asked. 

“Because I’m technically her Lady in Waiting. But I’ve been her nurse maid and I was her mother’s midwife when she birthed My Lady and all of her younger siblings- when she was little in the nursery. And I was one of her teachers when she was your age. Until she started learning from Lord Saffiro’s tutors but by then I was teaching Lady Millicent and Lady Gwendolyn their schooling and she had already learned all she could from me.” Mildred answered. 

“But she’s always been like a second mother to me and now that I’m married and on my very first adventure with my husband, she gets to help take care of me. Just like your mother helps take care of you. And you are my very first friend I’ve made in Fitsdale on my very first adventure.” You explained. 

“Really?” Lena beamed happily. 

“Of course! Tell you what, when we leave here, and especially once I’ve settled down at Kragan’s house, I’ll write to you, we can be pen pals.” You offered. 

“I would love that!” Lena cheered happily as Nora was so happy that you were so nice as Johnny was giving Kragan the smuggest ‘I told you so’ smile. Kragan was happy to be proven wrong too and seeing you with Lena was giving him all kinds of ideas about just how big of a family he was going to give you- when you’re body was ready for it. 

But for now you just had a very wonderful lunch before Lena and her family invited Kragan and yourself to their apartment as Kragan and Johnny talked about The Contessina Project and your ideas and plans on how to improve Salgria Shipping with the uniforms and such. 

Nora was happy to watch you sit on the couch as Lena and Grayson showed you their toys and books. Grayson showed you his qunlat lessons he was teaching himself as looked over his qunlat translation book and helped him come up with better lesson plans to help him become more proficient. You praised both kids on their reading and writing skills as Nora was happy to rock in her rocker and knit some baby socks, as now that she was sitting down, her pregnant belly was much more pronounced as you wondered if she was at least halfway through her pregnancy already.

“I’m so relieved you’re nothing like what Kragan feared you would be.” Nora noted. 

“Me too, I can’t imagine how annoying I would be if I were anything like that.” You laughed. 

“Are you sure a woman as fine as yourself is ok being married to the likes of Kragan?” She questioned thoughtfully. 

“Oh absolutely. I was actually betrothed to someone else and had him and I met under my previous circumstances I would have immediately broken my betrothal off to chase after him. Kragan is everything I never knew I always wanted. He’s an adventurer and traveler and intelligent and kind and has really good family values…” You began. 

“What does betrothed mean?” Lena asked. 

“Ok so betrothed- means when one set of parents meets another set of parents and goes- hey you have a little girl, I have a little boy- lets agree, that when they grow up, they’ll get married.” You explained. 

“Oh.” Lena frowned. 

“So it means, that even when those kids grow up, if they don’t like each other- too bad, their parents already agreed for them.” Nora supplied. 

“Yup and the man I was betrothed to before- was someone I couldn’t get along with and we hated each other because we were forced into a betrothal neither of us wanted to be in. But he took one look at my younger sister all grown up and instantly fell in love with her.” You began. 

“Like love at first sight?” Lena asked. 

“Yup. And I was so happy he did and I happily got out of that betrothal. And traded places with my sister so they could be together and live happily ever after. And that freed me up to pursue Kragan because I wasn’t promised to anyone anymore. And while it wasn’t quite love at first sight. It was love at first conversation. Because we met at a ball.” You recalled. 

“And was he the most handsome man at the ball?” Lena asked. 

“Nope, he was the most awkward and looked the most uncomfortable man there. You know that term- ‘a damsel in distress’? That’s what he looked like. He was a male damsel in distress.” You recalled with a fond smile which got Johnny to erupt into a deep belly laugh. 

“You were a damsel in distress!” Johnny slapped Kragan on the back of the shoulder as he held his belly and laughed. 

“I..yeah. I probably was.” Kragan admitted. 

“And in Solowards, it’s customary that when you first meet someone you have to go through this big long spiel of what’s called “pleasantries”.” You continued. 

“Pointless nonsense is what it is.” Kragan grumbled playfully behind you.

“Well either way- it’s a lot to remember and it’s a lot to say but I could tell that Kragan was already really uncomfortable and I just wanted to save him from being uncomfortable. So I talked him into taking me to a balcony where we could oversee the gardens and I told him to skip the pleasantries and all that. That I just wanted to talk to him and get to know him without all of that and really get to know the real him, not the version of himself that he thought I would like and I did the same. That’s all. And that’s what we did. And we both found out through talking and getting to know each other that we were actually really well suited to each other and so we agreed to court each other and we did and then we courted, were engaged and got married and had a honeymoon and now we’re here.” You explained. 

“Which is what you should do if you ever find someone your interested in- in like another twenty years.” Johnny commended which got Nora to snort a laugh. 

“Oh you’re funny. Like she isn’t getting a little boy crazy as it is.” Nora muttered. 

“So what was it like? Falling in love with Kragan?” Lena asked you. 

“Well, here’s the thing, there’s lots of different kinds of love. There’s attraction- where you can look at someone and appreciate whether or not they’re physically attractive. So attraction is what you see. Then there’s infatuation. Now infatuation feels like love at first. But infatuation is just that- a feeling and feelings can come and go. You can see someone across the room and they can be really cute and you feel like you really like them. But you have to be careful with that. Because sometimes how beautiful someone is, doesn’t always mean that they’re nice or a beautiful person on the inside. Or that their personality is beautiful. That’s where talking and getting to know someone is so important. Because love is what you know. Not just what you see or feel. But knowing that person’s personality and their heart and knowing them just as well as they know their close family and friends. Now there is something that you’ll read about in the books I’ll give you later- and it’s called noble character. I know a lot of people who are noble by birth meaning they were born with a noble title. But who they are as a person- they don’t have a noble character. But I wanted to be both noble by birth and noble by character.” You explained. 

“What does noble character mean?” Lena asked. 

“That is a great question. So, a person who is noble in character- is someone who is righteous, and has a good sense of right and wrong and believes in fairness and justice. They are virtuous, good, kind, honorable, honest, decent and ethical. They have a good reputation for treating their friends and family and even strangers with respect and dignity. I know a lot more people who were never born with a noble title but they had more nobility in character than even a prince or a princess has by noble title. Because of who they were on the inside in personality. That’s what you should look for in your friends. And when you’re old enough and mature enough. If you want to get married, look for that in a mate too. Because looks- fade with time, feelings can come and go. But love? Love is both what you know and a choice. A choice you have to make every day to love someone despite their flaws and imperfections. Or their past whatever it would be- before they would meet you. To make your relationship with them work. Because your marriage mate should be your best friend in the world. Someone you can share your life with. For as long or as short as it may be. But don’t be in a rush to grow up, enjoy being a kid for as long as you can. You only get to be young once. And don’t be afraid of making mistakes either. The only way we learn is by making mistakes sometimes and no one is perfect.” You explained. 

“Aww, so you’re noble too Daddy!” Lena giggled as she looked behind her over the couch to smile at him. 

“You are Hun.” Nora cooed to her husband. 

“Aww, thank you.” Johnny said as he put his hand over his heart as you could tell he was touched to the heart by the praise. 

Once it was time for dinner, Johnny and Kragan walked a step ahead of you as Lena still wouldn’t let go of your hand before a few women practically threw themselves onto Kragan before Johnny could stop them as they all tried looping their arms around them as Kragan instantly stopped and backed away from them and tried to take their hands off of him. 

“Girls, that’s his wife- Tessa.” Johnny firmly told them as Nora was glaring at them as her cheeks flushed in embarrassment as did their own. 

“Hi, I’m Tessa Salgria, Kragan’s wife, what’s your name?” You asked as you made sure to meet each of them and shook their hands and looked them straight in the eye with a polite smile before you could stand next to Kragan who happily put his arm around you and wore you and your love like a shield against them and their advances. 

However, to see them try to be so friendly with your husband was a little bit of a relief. If Kragan had any meaningful history with any of them. And if any of them would be good fits to be next wife, you would need to keep them in mind. No matter how much Kragan insisted that you didn’t need to remember them at all and that they didn’t matter to him and any past he had with them, didn’t mean anything to him now and that in his mind and heart, you were the only one there and the only one that mattered outside of his immediate family as you all sat down to dinner again. 

Johnny was practically smug and giddy that he had been right and that Kragan had been fighting this and worrying for nothing. And that you were indeed, not what he had feared and were perfectly sweet and charming and easy going without any hint of a pretense or stiff formality. 

You happily learned “a jig” or two as Kragan spun you around the dancefloor after dinner. And while you were sure you didn’t do any of the right steps, Kragan assured you that you didn’t need to. That you were dancing and laughing and that’s all that mattered and all that anyone would notice. 

After a night of eating and drinking and dancing and talking and laughing. Kragan happily sang along to the songs at the tavern as you happily sat in his lap as he did so as Nora did the same with Johnny since most of the songs talked about having a ‘my Lass on my knee’. Which you were quite happy to do. Especially when Kragan was happy to show off the marks you gave him as his arm hooked around your waist, holding you fast against him. You actually really loved the atmosphere here. It was like the most relaxed group of friends and found family all having a meal together. 

The next day you got to sample every soap that Souja Soap and Laundry Service made. As Lena and her family stayed with you and Kragan. At the Souja Soap and Laundry service- you commissioned special soaps for The Contessina Ships- using the finest and most luxurious ingredients they had access to and a special perfume out of essentail oils from flowers that was based on your own perfume that you had brought just for it as you handed over the bottle of perfume to them to use in the soaps and make more of to put into further batches since after a quick test- the perfume didn’t ruin the soap making process, keeping the lye from bonding with the oils and butters in the soap. And happily paid out of your C.V.DeB. funds to put up the first payment to commission the soaps so that they could get the ingredients to make it and make it in bulk - but keep an excellent quality. 

And then once the soaps were done curing and could be stamped with a special stamp that had your married initials. C.V. Sarlgria. To be stamped into the soaps on one side and Souja Soap Company on the other side. And while you were there you bought a wonderful set of soaps for yourself and your clothes. And then you commissioned a special soap for the uniform. By talking at length about what you wanted from the bar of soap and how big you needed the bars and how long they would need to cure for in order to be used. The soap maker mixed three soap recipes together to make a unique blend that would wash a uniform very well from any form of dirt or blood or grease or body odor out but would be safe for the dye once the dye was fixed to the fabric. And would have a very universally pleasant scent. But still have the S.S. logo stamped onto them for Salgria Shipping. 

And then of course Kragan and yourself went to Souja Dyer to find the perfect shade of that purple tinted taupe- to dye the uniforms in. Even though Nora couldn’t stomach the smell of the dyes and stayed a good ways away to keep from the scent making her throw up.

 And then you all went to Souja Textiles and got a very good deal on the wool blend fabric to make all the uniforms out of. Along with the other fabrics for the other components. And then Johnny and Nora alogn with Kragan and yourself- got Souja Textiles to also create another new business- Souja Uniforms Unlimited. With the order for Salgria Shipping uniforms being it’s first and largest client as every seamstress in Fitsdale was eager and excited to get to work as soon as the fabric could be made and then dyed to be cut into a variety of sizes to be made into uniforms that would be able to suit all manner of people as the seamstresses worked on your sketch to work up a series of patterns so that the size of the uniform could fit and suit any manner of people who would wear it. 

And then you brought Nora and her family back to the Violet Skye and Mildred poured some of the perfume you had been wearing into a smaller bottle for Lena. That was actually one of your old medicine bottles that she had thoroughly washed and cleaned out for that purpose. You gave Lena the little silver tiara that was purposefully built up so that a book could rest on top of it. But would slide if you tilted your head too much one way or another. Lena was ecstatic to receive it. Along with some of your old clothes that had somehow gotten packed in with the tiara. Lena felt like a real princess in the gown and the tiara with her trio of princess books and smelling like a princess before you gave her one of your smaller silver necklaces that matched the tiara. 

“Thank you so much, you really didn’t need to give her so much.” Nora thanked you as Lena danced and prounced around the room. 

“It makes her happy and it’s not like I’m going to be using it anytime soon.” You waived off. 

“But what about your own daughter?” Nora asked. 

“When and if I ever get to have one, chances are these clothes will be out of fashion and she may not like the gowns or the jewels or anything like that. She may be exactly like Kragan and want to be sailing all day every day and a ship is no place for a dress. Especially when the winds will whip a skirt right up over your head.” You readily excused. 

“Like they almost did to me. I about showed my bloomers to the whole crew, the poor lads.” Mildred chuckled nearby as she kept an eye on Lena and her work of adding new accessories to these little gowns, remembering how she had done so when you were the one to wear them and remembering how for Millie’s dresses, there were never enough jewels and lace on her own dresses and for you, there was never enough fur trim, becuase you had always loved the softness of fur. 

“Captain Tilge would have been happy.” You muttered.

“Oh you hush.” Mildred shushed you with a softened but still pointed look. 

“He has always had a thing for older women. Careful, he’s liable to sweep you right up off your feet.” Nora playfully warned her. 

“Oh he’s tried.” You murmured under your breath. 

“And he can keep trying till he’s blue in the face. I still have you to serve My Lady. And I won’t be led away from it till the job is done and done right. And I won’t hear or entertain a word otherwise.” Mildred maintained firmly as she sewed new ribbons to one of your older dresses after she got done pinning some lace to the collar of it so that they had lace and ribbon and fur and a few little jewels here and there so that Lena would feel like a proper princess. Mildred of course immediately understood your immediate attachment to Lena and understood why you would be so generous with her especially and was happy to help, if only to see Lena and you be so happy. All while you and Nora shared a meaningful but scheming grin. 

“And you two better stop those scheming thoughts right now.” Mildred said as she pointed between you and Nora as she finished with the dress and picked up the next one to do some minor changes to it like she had the last as Nora and yourself erupted into snickering laughter. 

“We didn’t say anything.” You laughed. 

“You were thinking it.” Mildred playfully narrowed her eyes at both of you as you were packing up your old baby clothes that were more gender neutral. Since Nora was pregnant with a boy, or so her grandma had indicated. 

“I’m sure all you would have to say is that you needed to deliver some mail and he would do so himself. And take you with him so you could see him deliver it personally and to your satisfaction.” Nora offered.  

“Don’t be giving him any ideas. This ship is fine but it has a job to do that isn’t running mail. Hiring a ship this size to deliver mail would cost a fortune.” Mildred waived off even though the corner of her mouth was quirked in a grin. 

“Well it’s something to think over anyway.” You shrugged as you grabbed the last thing and put it into the bag for Nora before Kragan and Johnny came back into the room. 

“Daddy! Don’t I look like a Princess?” Lena asked as she twirled around. 

“You do. How much do we owe Tessa for such a beautiful gown?” Johnny asked. 

“Nothing, I’ve already tried. Tessa is just extraordinarily generous.” Nora answered. 

“My parents didn’t make me pay anything, so technically I’ve received it for free. And isn’t there a saying in the holy texts? Those that were given free, give free in turn? Besides, if Lena can wear these and play in them and enjoy them- right now. That’s all that matters. And that’s more important than putting them in a trunk and praying the moths don’t find them before any daughter of mine could get to them. Besides, when you give Johnny another daughter, Lena can pass these down to her.” You waived off.  

The Switch 

Chapter 9

Once you got all that business done and out of the way, then you went to Yekmeni but by the time you got there, it was already so late, you barely had time to get something to eat from the market that was starting to close up for the night. Before you were shown your rooms and promised an audience with the King and Queen the next day as you had Mildred direct your trunk full of much finer clothes be brought in as you worriedly went through it and started laying the outfits out and worrying that they would be too wrinkled or not good enough.  

“Tessa, you do not need to worry about this. It’s Audrey and Lukher. The most Audrey likes to be called by is Savia which all that means is she is Lukher’s favorite person. And tomorrow when I introduce you to them, I’ll be introducing you as my favorite too. That’s it. That’s all the formality you need to have.” Kragan tried to soothe you as he could see that you were getting worked up about it. 

“But it’s the King and Queen of Yekmeni. Look around us, there is more wealth and luxury here than even my own King and Queen’s Palace back in Solowards and this is just a guest room! Maybe I should wear those jewels my father got me. They would be more appropriate right?” You asked as you asked for Mildred to have the trunk that had all your finer jewelry in it be brought in too. 

“No, trust me, with Audrey- less is more. She’s The Queen and even she dresses down and simply dresses comfortably and with simple sophistication and with minor jewels except for special occasions. That’s all she will want from you- is to be comfortable. She’s thankfully unlike any other royalty. She’s a lot like you- doesn’t like a lot of formality or pretense. Just genuine personality and honest, and surprisingly frank conversation. She’s fun you’ll love her. And you have like a 99% chance of being her new best friend. She’ll be very happy to be yours too. If you ever wanted a strong amazing ally, Audrey is it.” He reassured you. 

“So what you’re saying is I need to wait until the market opens and buy an outfit there so I look like I belong here and am Yekmenian myself.” You concluded. 

“I mean if you want us to settle down here and become Yekmenians, I’m all for that. Yekmeni is awesome and I wouldn’t mind calling this place home or building you an estate that rivals even this palace here. Especially since if we make Yekmeni our home base. That would be ideal, good workers and craftsman, good food, comfortable clothes. Royalty and Nobility that are already close friends. None of that primogeniture bullshit or hypocritical or sexist bullshit either. My sisters and the rest of my siblings as well as you would always be my equal in every way and have just as many rights and freedoms as everyone else. It would be a win win.” Kragan shrugged. 

“Then what is keeping you from doing just that?” You asked him. 

“It’s not my decision to make- it’s yours. I will move wherever you feel the most comfortable and the most welcome and at ease at. I don’t care where. As long as we both get to call it home.” Kragan reassured you as he helped massage the stress and anxiety in your shoulders and keep you from getting too worked up and stressed about it before Mildred came in with the trunk that had all your jewelry in it. 

“Thank you Mildred. I just…I’m tired from traveling, please, can I get my regular nightly medication?” You requested as the emotional and mental strain was wearing on you on top of the strain from traveling and still keeping your secret away from your husband and his family was starting to become a lot to bear. You felt so guilty for trying to keep up this charade as Mildred got into her special case that she always carried your variety of medications in and put the vial down on your bedside table for you before she bid you both good night. Then Kragan happily helped you get undressed from your traveling clothes since your nightgown was laid out on the bed already since your sleeping mask continued to rest in the tea in the shallow bowl next to the bed as well that was cooling off.  

“Could I try to fuck the nerves out of you?” Kragan offered hopefully which got you to snort a laugh as once your body was bared to him, he had a hard time not groping you. Honestly, since the moment he was allowed to touch you, he couldn’t keep his hands off of you. Even after the honeymoon since seeing you blush and smile and give him those ‘keep it up and you’re gonna have to finish what you’re starting’ looks from you had him eager to answer such wordless invitations. 

“You can try. I doubt you’ll succeed, but you can try.” You offered. 

“No harm in trying.” Kragan shrugged as he quickly and easily seemed to slink out of his own clothes that were very clearly more Yekmenian and were rather simple and easy to get dressed and undressed in before he happily ushered you into the bed and into the silk sheets and covers and only when you had both met your satisfaction did you take your medicine and apply your mask and promptly fall asleep in his arms. 

But come morning, you awoke to Kragan not in bed with you as the bed was quite cold where he had been laying what felt like a moment before. 

“My Lady!” Mildred called out- outside your room and her tone of voice came out in a panicked tone and it caused you to gasp and practically spring out of bed and open your door to see Mildred being restrained by two orc guards and three young women who looked stoney and armed. 

“What is going on?! Let her go!” You ordered. 

“Duchess Salgria, are you aware that your Lady in Waiting is poisoning you to death?” One of the ladies behind the first accused. 

“What? No she is not!” You argued. 

“Duchess Salgria, I’m Queen Audravienne Azurah. You must know that in Yekmeni, it is forbidden to bring poison into Yekmeni, and the punishment for such a crime is death. Your Lady in Waiting has been found with poison on her person, and…” Audrey began before you shushsed them. 

“Shhh!” You uncharacteristically shushed The Queen as you looked around to see who was in the hall to make sure that Kragan wasn’t here to hear this. As Queen Audravienne and the two women with her and her guards looked surprised and offended that you would shush their Queen. 

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I can not have this matter discussed here in the hall and so openly. Please, would you let me explain this situation in full? If you’re going to put anyone to death for breaking your law, it should be me. But before you decide one way or another, please, just give me a chance to explain myself and my situation.” You pleaded as she raised a curious, if not critical brow.

“My Lady, we should discuss this in the throne room. If she is to make an official plea...” Seyda reminded her mistress. 

“Please, no, you can put me to death right now, but you must ensure that Mildred has safe passage home first.” You pleaded. 

“You have five minutes of my time to plead your case.” Audrey decided before she nodded for everyone to come into your room. 

“My Lady, no, please! Just let them put me to death! You can’t do this to yourself, not when…” Mildred tried to dissuade you as the guards brought her into the room and you shut the door. 

“Mildred, it’s ok. Please, just sit down. I only have five minutes. Let me talk.” You urged her as she was forced down into a chair before you went over to the bed and shakily collapsed to sit down on the bed now that the adrenaline in your system had subsided. 

“So I’m assuming you have tested the substances in all the bottles that were marked to be my medicine with a name that didn’t fit what was in the bottle?” You assumed. 

“That is correct.” Hayati answered. 

“Since I know that you are a master of medicine and poison alike. I know you must have tested it thoroughly and found quite a number of poisonous substances in the mixture that I take as medicine. Violet Eye for complexion, energy and also for warding off pregnancy…” You began as you listed off all the ingredients since you had studied and knew each one by heart as the Queen and her attendants just frowned deeper and deeper at you. 

“If you knew what was in it, why would you take it?” Queen Audravienne asked. 

“To hide this.” You answered as you pulled the face mask off to reveal your true self to her as she and her attendants gasped softly. 

“Your Majesty, this is not how I wanted our first meeting to go. I was hoping it would be under much better circumstances. But maybe it’s best that our first meeting is as what we really are. You are a Queen of Yekmeni, and I- am just a desperate woman who is dying of cancer and side sickness and trying to hide that fact from my husband and his family and the rest of the world. A few months ago, I was diagnosed with very advanced side-sickness and a cancerous growth that is- as we speak- eating it’s way through my abdomen and has already eaten most of my liver and my side. Even now you can touch it if you were to touch my right side, as excruciating as that is for me to endure since any touch there is extremely painful for me.” You confessed. 

“My father is a Duke of Solowards. And has many businesses and is quite wealthy compared to most. But even he- could not buy a cure for me. He inquired of the collared mouras in Dorierra how much it would cost to cure me and they answered back with a million gold bouillon. Which I’ve come to know that a gold bouillon is the same as one of your gold drakars. If my father sold every business he had, every inch of land and every house and every jewel from every girl and woman in my family owns- he would not even be able to come up with a quarter of such a sum. And no bank in the world would have given him the rest on loan for anything. When I was diagnosed, I was only given a few months to live. And I’m already past that. So every day that I wake up is on borrowed time already. To keep my father and my family from ruination- I told my father not to sell everything to try to cure me. Which even if they did, I doubt they could fully cure me, even for such a sum.” You began as Queen Audravienne and her attendants breathed in sharply and their eyes went wide at the news of such a high price even though they could understand that such a high price would be warranted to heal such a severe ailment. 

“Since I was two- I have been betrothed to a man I hated, who hated me just as much. But because of the nature of our betrothal, it might as well have been written in stone and neither of us could break out of it. Solowards is a primogeniture patriarchal society your Majesty. Women are the property of their fathers until they marry and then are the property of their husbands once they do marry. My betrothed had already served me with an ultimatum when I was 15. Either I gave him two sons within the first two years of marriage to him when he would finally marry me- or he would divorce me and publicly shame me to the point I could never return home to my family. And I would live only off of what jewels I could sell after the fact and that the moment the sons’ umbilicles were cut- the sons would be removed from me to be raised by his favorite mistress instead and all of his bastards would be considered legitimate and have an equal standing in his house. If I ever talked back to him or argued with him or outsmarted him or embarrassed him in any way, I would be put out into the street immediately. And his wealth, and station, even though he is of a noble title less than my fathers- still eclipses my father because he and his family have been in the nobility for the last several dynasties from Solowards.” You explained as Queen Audravinne’s eyes blazed with anger as a scowl was on her face and her nose flared as her breasts ached to be nursing Ahi right now and wanted nothing more than Lukher’s arms around her at such a horrible prospect while declaring war and executing such a horrible man. 

“And then a year before we were supposed to be married, which was only a few months ago- I was diagnosed with cancer and side sickness and left with only a few months left to live. And then two days later, Kragan’s father- Thaddius- his offer of marriage for Kragan came in. And instead of a bride having a dowry, it was the groom who did and his dowry was twice what mine was. The offer was actually for my younger sister Millicent since she was unbetrothed and I was already betrothed.” You began to explain. 

“But Millie only heard that Kragan was an orc and a sailor and threw a fit that my father agreed to it. She tought that he was just some filthy whoring sailor. And that she was too good for him and that such a match would not only ruin her but ruin the family and ruin the familiy honor and standing within Solowardian Society. And to a degree, she was right. Solowadian high society hates Kragan and his family. And are extremely prejudinced against them. But my father had already agreed and given his word and could not go back on it.” You explained. 

“And so- as a last ditch effort to save Millie, and to save my family- I suggested to my father to switch Millie and I. Suddenly, my previous betrothed groom dropped all his hatred and horrible disposition and transformed from spoiled, selfish brat- to Prince Charming for Millie. Because she’s younger than him and much prettier and skinnier than I am and almost infinitely more stupid than I am. And because he was not intimidated or emasculated by her intellect as he was with me and mine. My doctors who diagnosed me, came up with a fake diagnosis and a fake accident to tell my betrothed and his family. And simply said that I was in an accident, has been kicked by a horse and was now barren. And that was finally enough for them to release me from the betrothal and accept Millie instead. Because after they all examined her- they found her in perfect health and her womb ready and able to bear as many children as a husband could put into her. And with my ex-betrothed- being free of being betrothed to me, he took one look at Millie and fell in love with her. Because she was everything he had ever wanted. Young, beautiful and naive. And I was older, uglier, wiser and fatter.” You explained. 

“You’re perfectly lovely, unless your sister is as beautiful as a goddess…” Queen Audravienne began to waive off. 

“Oh no, she is, she’s ten times more beautiful than I could ever be even in my wildest dreams. And they both get to be happy and content that they’re both young and beautiful, rich, powerful and most importantly- popular among their peers. All the things I never was.” You interjected as you leaned against the headboard and hugged your pillow to keep the sheerness of your nightgown from being a distraction to anyone.

“For me, I didn’t care if Kragan was an orc or an elf or drow or a drider or what he did for a living. Whether it be sailing the seas or skies or could work in a whorehouse for all I cared. Or if he were poor or wealthy or powerful or powerless or ugly or handsome or blind, deaf and dumb or anything like that. The only thing I cared about was that he would be kind to me. Since I had spent all my life being betrothed to a man who was as ruthless and cruel as he was handsome.” You explained as Audrey just shook her head at such nonsense. But knew you had a very good point. 

“And so in order for myself and my family to secure Kragan’s dowry and not put myself and my family under suspicion and for my father not to get sued for plying a “lame” bride onto an unsuspecting groom. Because such a thing does exist and grooms, when their new wives do not come to be with child immediately- often do sue their father in laws for plying “lame” brides who can be considered lame for any number of “defects”.” You began to reveal. 

“Even “defects” as simple as having a mole in a place they find displeasing. Or mismanaging household finances or their lady’s maids having bad manners. Or the Lady’s not falling pregnant within the first month after marriage to a disagreement over anything and everything. And I didn’t want my family to be sued. Especially for such a crime as this- for selling me as a bride who only had a few weeks to a few months left to live. So I asked for two of the five doctors to make my “medicine” knowing full well it was poisonous. But only to take it long enough to hide the truth. All five doctors, all of them world reknowned and masters and professionals at their fields- who bled me until I passed out and tested my blood and every other bodily fluid I had and all the tests came back with the same result. Cancer and incurable side sickness. And with a cancer in my liver and no doubt many other vital organs- to operate on me would be to kill me since the cancer is very deeply rooted.” You revealed. 

 “So if you are going to insist on justice for breaking your law, kill me by whatever means you feel apprpriate. Because I was the one who knowingly broke your law and purposefully did so. Because and all you will do is shorten my life by a few weeks at the most. I don’t have long now. Obviously. And all that substance in those bottles was doing was masking the truth until I could get to Kragan’s home and tell him myself once we were safely there. I wanted him to be on his home soil, surrounded by his friends and family to recieve the most support possible and be far enough away from Solowards that he couldn’t retaliate against my family, in particular my father- who is solely responsible for the care and wellbeing of my family and after him, my younger brother Saffiro will be since he is the first born son.” You insisted. 

“And on our trip so far, I have simply been on the lookout for any other who had their eye on him before his father had forced him to marry me. So that when I do have to leave him. He will have someone to pick him back up, put him back together and help him move on and move forward.” You confessed as you wracked a sob and hugged your pillow for comfort. 

“Do you not love him?” Queen Audravienne asked as she came forward and sat beside you and reached for your hand and held it comfortingly in both of hers. 

“No, I do! I love him more than anything! I want him to succeed and be happy more than anything. I fell so hopelessly in love with him and had we met under any other circumstances. I would have tried my best to break out of my previous betrothal to run away with him. Kragan is everything I never knew I always wanted. He’s not just kind, he’s loving and caring and thoughtful and he loves me so much. And we are so strongly and deeply and we’re genuinely attracted to each other. And we’re so happy together. And it breaks my heart that Fate would be so cruel to deal me this death blow and then bring me my perfect match. So that even though I don’t have long left, at least I get to take my first and last adventure and it’s with him. A fellow adventurer.” You sobbed as you used your sleeves to soak up your tears. 

“And when we went to Fitsdale, there were so many girls there that were sweet on him. And while he was embarrassed by their attempts at advances on him- he wore me and my love like a shield against them. And he has been nothing but loyal and faithful to me even before he met me. Even when his father matched him with me, he stopped using whores, he cut off all ties to any other woman in an effort to be free of all restraints just for me and he hadn’t even met me. Or knew me. Just on the principal and his honor alone. Meanwhile it was only after my previous bethrothed- Ron- met Millie and promptely fell in love with her at first sight that he finally got rid of his mistresses. And all those horrible threats and agreements he made me agree to- he withdrew them and ripped them up and wouldn’t dream of doing, let alone threatening such things against Millie, which I’m eternally grateful for.” You explained. 

“But when I went to Fitsdale and saw and met the others, I wrote down all their names so that when I do have to pass, at least Kragan has somewhere to start looking for another to replace me. And while I know I will love him for the rest of my life. It kills me that it won’t be for very long. And I know my loss will devastate him and I’m so scared that it’ll destroy him. Sending him careening down and crashing instead of staying on the breeze and soaring the way he was always meant to.” You sobbed as Audrey gave you a sympathetic smile and started petting your arm as even her sensitive touches told her that you were very sick. But she had not quite begun to learn or differentiate between all the senses of sickness so while she could sense you were sick, and gravely so. That’s all she could decipher. 

“I saw him for the first time was at the same ball at my house that Ron first laid eyes on Millie. Ron and his family came through first and I was all the way at the end of the recieving line so that Ron wouldn’t even have me in his field of vision when he first walked it. And the moment Ron came in- his gaze narrowed and concentrated on Millie who was dressed up like a proper Princess. And he barely breathed. He was in utter awe of her beauty and elegance and that’s all it took. She took his arm as he led her into the rest of the ball and the rest of the night and from that night on- he only had eyes for her and his heart was already divorced from the very idea of me. So it wasn’t hard for his heart to go to her and hers to do the same. Because besides the Crown Prince- Count Ronchalres Lavine was the most eligable bachelor in all of Solowards. And Millie couldn’t be happier that she caught him. And was happy he was human and the cream of the crop so to speak because that’s what she is. And when she came out into society only 5 months ago- she debuted as “A Diamond of the first Crown” which the Queen and all the Princesses all bestowed upon her when she was presented in the Queen’s court and the only rank higher is ‘A Diamond of the Imperial Crown’ which is what the Princesses all automatically debuted at.” You explained. 

“I only debued as “A Pearl of the First Solowardian Sea” because I debuted as already betrothed two years ago. Which is still a the highest an already betrothed Lady can achieve. And that was only because Countess Lavine, Ron’s mother and my own insisted on such a thing to the Queen and the Princesses since Countess Lavine debuted me as her future daughter in law and my mother debuted me as her eldest daughter.” You added. 

“But Kragan didn’t know any of that or care. His father had promised him to me and to him- he was terrified I was just like Millie. And I was terrified he was just like Ron.” You began to recount. 

“But all of that worrying was for nothing. Because the moment he came through the door, he was dressed up like an eagle wearing a peacock’s feathers and he couldn’t be more uncomfortable and he looked like a masculine version of a damsel in distress. And I instantly just wanted to rescue him. So I just took his arm and led him away from the ball and we just talked…for hours and hours we just talked. And instead of it being stiff and full of nothing but formalities and pleasantries- I told him to forget all of that nonesense. And invited him to just be himself because that’s all I wanted- I just wanted to get to know the real him and see if there was even a chance we could at least be friendly and kind to each other as friends first and foremost.” You recalled fondly as you smiled through your tears at the memories. 

“And he was surprised and hesitant at first. But when I did the same, he began to relax and open up. And talking to him was like talking to an old friend I had known all my life. There was instant comfort and camaraderie and instant rapport. And I let him take off those ridiculous peacock feathers so to speak and reveal himself as the eagle that he is and I just let him fly and he soared cloud high. And it was beautiful. He’s beautiful, inside and out. And he’s wonderful, inside and out. He’s extremely intelligent, and worldly, well traveled, and an adventurer. And he’s been taking my hand ever since and taking me on my first and last and greatest adventure. And I couldn’t be happier that I switched.” You insisted. 

“And I’m so angry at Fate for finally giving me a great love only to ask me to leave it all too soon. I don’t want to die. But I don’t want to ruin him by him selling and risking everything he has- for him to try to buy me a cure either. I don’t want his dreams to tank and sink before they have a chance to take flight. And even now, all we have is on the Violet Skye and it’s still not enough. It’s only a fraction of what would be asked to cure me and not even completely cure me, but only a partial curing at that. And it would ruin him and his family and Salgria Shipping. And even though it’s poised to become the greatest shipping magnate on the supersphere. That dream won’t be realized for another five to ten years at least. And I feel like I only have five to ten days.” You insisted. 

"And I he has already given so much more than he ever should have and he has already had to pay such a high price just to marry me. I dare not ask him to pay anything else. I’m in his debt and he continues to give to me without a thought or care of being paid back. Which is why I do everything I can, every day to give him back in kind. He saved me. He saved me from Solowards and their awful, backstabbing, brutal and cruel high society. He saved me from my betrothed who would have been a monster, had I not been sick and had married him anyway. I would have wished my current circumstances to befall me so I wouldn’t have to live with such a vicious beast that Ron, my ex betrothed had been while he was betrothed to me.” You explained. 

“And it was like I was caged and Kragan just bought the cage and opened the doors wide and let me soar for the first time in my life and he soars right along side me. And it’s wonderful but for soaring so high, I know I will dive soon enough. And when I do- there is no winds or wonders that could ever save me. And I just hope it is a quick and painless end for us both. Because I don’t want him to suffer watching me suffer.” You insisted. 

“That first night at the ball. Before he met me- he was so worried I would be exactly like my sister Millie. And be rude, shallow, selfish and self centered and have nothing but pretenses and hide my insults in pleasantries. And he was so happy and relieved that I was nothing like that. And I was worried he would be just like Ron who is just like any and every other man in Solowardian high society. Save for my own father and brothers. And I was so happy and relieved he was nothing like them too. And the greatest gift we gave to each other was to just be ourselves and show each other who we really were and what our true personalities really were.” You revealed. 

“The reason he’s in Solowards at all is because The King of Solowards wanted was a wealthy merchant he could tax heavily to fill his coffers. And my father wanted all the money he could get his hands on to save me, even at the expense of the rest of his family. And Kragan is getting the short end of the stick in every way. He had to pay ten times the average man in titled nobility’s yearly income just to marry me. And he was sold a ridiculous piece of land that might as well have been a cliff face to build his main estate on. And only given the lowliest title of nobility by the King and only after he gave everyone in that class an upgrade in noble title so that the Salgrias were the only one in that lowliest of high society class. He wasn’t offered any interest at the banks on any money he would deposit. But instead forced to pay stupid, exhorbatant fees. The land he was sold was purposefully made to be as inaccessible as possible so that he would have to pay even more just to build a new road to access it. Because no one wanted to share even a path in the woods with him. Solowardian high society, literally chewed him up and spit him out in quick succession. My own father included. And all anyone else in Solowards sees when they look at him and his family is someone to take advantage of. And I feel like I’m the one who had done it most of all and that guilt eats at me just as much as this cancer does.” You sobbed. 

“On our wedding day- Kragan designed the most beautiful and wonderful luxury sky ship and will be naming it after me. He has loved me to the point of invention. And today we were supposed to go to the foundries to commission adani anti-gravity disks for it. And commission for the artisans here to build it according to what you would think places like Dorierra or any other royal or wealthy family in the world would like to travel in. Between Salgria Shipping being a very popular shipping company for bulk goods. The Contessina Ships would be extremely popular among the supersphere’s elite and would make Salgria Shipping a force to be reckoned with. And would hopefully be lucrative enough that any kingdom both in and out of the D.A. would want to bend over backwards just to have a chance for the Salgria’s to have a home on their soil. And give them the highest ranking titles possible outside the royal families. And incedible interest rates at their national banks. And not only give them lands for their future estates but lands for the seaports and especially the skyports either in or next to all their major cities so that those who sail on The Contessina Ships will not only travel in style but become world travelers and see the all the major and wonderful attractions each country in the D.A. could offer.” You explained. 

“But it would be a few- if not several years for that dream to become realized. And I don’t have that long. Every day since my wedding day, I wake up happy and relieved to be alive yet anxious to get as much into motion and gain as much momentum as possible. So that even when I die, Kragan will have something to live for. Reasons to keep going and not stop and not look back. But to look forward to a wonderful future, even if I’m not in it. And if I must go into the grave, I insist on not taking any other soul other than my own into it. Which is why just about every medicine and poison alike to ward off pregnancy is in it. I can’t risk it and I can’t take that from Kragan. My love and my life is already too much to take, I can’t take his child too.” You cried as you continued to use the sleeve on your night gown to wipe away your tears and snot from your nose. 

“So yes, my medicine has poisons in it. In doses that I know are harming my body but my body is dying of worse things anyway. If you need to put me to death, I understand. But please, if you insist on justice- by my life, please, just make sure Mildred can make it back home safely. She has done nothing that she wasn’t explicitly asked by me to do. Do not punish her for carrying out my orders. She has looked after me and cared for me since my birth. And she insisted she follow me to the end. Wherever that will be.” You begged. 

“And I know you are a collared moura, as are your attendants. But I know if Kragan were to find out here and now- he would give away his livelihood. And it would sink Salgria Shipping like a stone. And I know that all of you are new mothers. All of you have your own families to care for first and foremost and I am just a stranger. I dare not ask anyone here to risk their lives to save mine when mine is already so decidedly slipping from my hands and escaping my grasp like the wind. Please, if you demand justice I’m willing to pay that price. All I ask for is for mercy for those that I leave behind.” You pleaded with Queen Audravienne who was crying quite a bit herself, so moved and touched and heartbroken at the news. 

“So how can I help?” Queen Audravienne asked. 

“Make it easy for Kragan to come and stay here. He told me last night he would love to make Yekmeni his home. If the Contessina Ships are made here. Please, all I would ask of you is to guide the design and decoration of the ships so that they will appeal to Dorierra. Because surely such ships will help with the bride program. And then make sure that they will appeal to other royal tastes so that they are easily customized, furnished and arranged to suit the tastes of anyone and everyone wealthy enough to either buy or rent one.” You requested as she readily nodded in agreement to that request. 

“Of course.” She immediately agreed. 

“Salgria Shipping as it is- is already a well oiled and fine running machine. It’s The Contessina Ships that will need a good well trained eye. If I can not find someone to do that. If you could consider doing that until someone else could be found for it. And if you know of any woman, no matter what background she is- if she will see Kragan as himself, and the wonder that he is, and not his purse that is about to become larger and heavier than any other in the coming years. If you could just help him stay on the path. And stay true to the course. That’s already more than I could ever ask for. And please, ask whatever price you wish to, as long as it does not hurt Kragan and his company to pay it. But if you are to ask a price, ask it of me and me alone to pay it.” You tearfully pleaded with her. 

“The price for my justice is that we must dump your “medicine”. Because I have to fulfill that demand that the law says that ‘all poison, once discovered- must be destroyed’. But I can not ask for your life or the life of anyone else. Since why you were taking such poisons as medicine- is perfectly understandable and actually very reasonable. And in such extreme circumstances, of course you had to take extreme measures. But I will have Hayati create for you a new medicine that is actually medicine with no poison at all. And while it won’t give quite the same effect as Violet Eye. It should be much better and kinder to your body. And I will have Thobin use his healing stones on you- since that won’t cost anyone anything. And while I want to heal your cancer, you are right, cancer is a very serious and heavy illness to cure. And for as advanced as I can see it to be in your face- I do have my family and my kingdom to think of first. And you have your husband and his family to think of first as well.” Audrey nodded in understanding and agreement. 

“I respect your decision and your self sacrificing spirit and your need and want to make sure that you cause no one ruination- but help them instead, any way you can. If you will trust me to care for The Contessina project. I will make sure that each one is perfect for their intended buyer. And just the business of having such wonderful ships being built here and employing my people is enough. And I will only charge a very small, nominal fee for such a thing.” Audrey decided. 

“Kragan has talked all morning about how wonderful you are and how brilliant you are and I can see that his praise has not fallen short. And I’m just sorry that you will have to leave him sooner than any of us want you to. I will help guard him from gold diggers and users. And I will also respect you and your decision to wait until the time is right to tell him. Because this is not a secret for me to tell. It is yours and yours alone since it is your body and your sickness. And I too respect your decision for wanting to be discreet about it. And wanting to put your husband on the best path possible. And the people in this room will keep it that way until the inevitable.” Audrey insisted as she turned to look at Seyda, Hayati and the two guards who all nodded their agreement to the command.

“I wish you peace and prosperity for as long as you live and for as long as Kragan and his family lives and countless generations more. Thank you for telling me the truth. Even at great personal cost to yourself. I will respect and keep your confidence.” Queen Audravienne offered. 

“Thank you.” You thanked her before she pulled you into a hug. 

“Guards, please let the Duchess’ Lady in Waiting go. But also, Lady Mildred, I ask that you hand over all of your Lady’s poisoned medicine to my guards and Hayati for destruction.” She requested as she hugged you tightly. 

“Please Mildred.” You added. 

“Of course Your Majesty.” She said as she quickly got her key and left with Hayati and the guards to go back onto the ship and hand over the chest that had your medicine. 

“Is there anything else I can do?” Audrey asked. 

“Be Kragan’s friend.” You requested. 

“I already am. And I will happy- be yours, as well. Please, just call me Audrey. No need for titles or pretenses.” Audrey invited. 

“Tessa, I’m no longer a Duchess.” You offered. 

“To me you are. I am making Kragan and yourself and his family- Dukes and Duchess of Yekmeni. I will give whatever lands Kragan wants- to him. And any rooms he wishes to stay in- in this palace until he wants to build his own or can build his own. I will help him navigate the D.A. And I will make sure that Dorierra doesn’t steal him blind. And if Dorierra were to ask for such an abhorrently ridiculous price for your cure. I will make them pay through the nose for ships in your name when they couldn’t bother to be reasonable during your life. And in the meantime. Don’t give up hope. The stones can do many wonders. I just hope they can give you the one thing no one else can- time. Seyda, send for Thobin and I need him to use the stones on my friend Tessa today while Hayati makes her new medicine.” Audrey requested. 

“Yes My Lady.” Seyda smiled bittersweetly and got up and left. 

“Please, don’t say anything to Kragan, I want to explain this to him myself.” You requested. 

“Of course.” Audrey agreed before Thobin came in a short while later. 

“Thobin, meet my new friend Tessa, she’s very sick. I need you to use the stones on her and heal her as much as possible.” Audrey requested. 

“It’s ok if you can’t heal all of it though.” You supplied. 

“What am I trying to heal?” Thobin asked. 

“Can you swear to me that you won’t tell anyone?” You asked before Thobin looked from you to Audrey who nodded. 

“Yes.” Thobin answered wearily. 

“I have very advanced side sickness and a deep rooted cancer that is eating my insides. I know it is already too much for any collared moura to cure. But I am already on borrowed time. Audrey was just hoping to try to give me more.” You explained. 

“Oh, I’m so sorry Tessa. I don’t think these stones can quite cure cancer but hopefully it will help with the side sickness and slow the cancer down. I take it this is what the Violet Eye in your medicine was for?” Thobin ventured as you nodded. 

“I’m sorry.” He offered sympathetically. 

“In Solowards- where she is from, grooms can sue their inlaws for “defective” brides. And she has been trying to keep that from happening and keep her family from financial ruination if that were to happen. So Kragan doesn’t know and neither does his family. And I have already given her my word that none of us would tell him and that she would when she chose to. Since it’s her right and her body and her decision. And she doesn’t want Kragan to sink Salgria Shipping try to leverage that against the million drakar price Dorierra leveled against her to even attempt to cure her. So while I doubt any of us here could cure her. I would never ask for such a price for such a thing but I don’t know enough about moura healing to say either way. But the stones at least can help, at least a little and it would keep anyone else here from knowing about her ailments or getting involved and risk exposing Tessa before she’s ready for the truth to be known.” Audrey explained. 

“That’s awful.” Thobin frowned. 

“I know, but it’s just the way things are there.” You shrugged. 

“Ok, lay back in the bed and I’ll put the stones on you and we’ll see what we can do.” Thobin suggested as Audrey helped you get back into bed and comfortable before Thobin placed the stones on your head and could only shake his head at their dark maroon color as you fell into a coma. 

“Can they help?” Audrey asked. 

“Yes, but not completely and not all the way.” Thobin regretfully answered. 

“Just do what you can. And do it all day and night if you need to.” Audrey urged him before she heard Kragan’s call for you but you were already under the stones. 

“Kragan,” Audrey answered as she poked her head out of the door. 

“Hey, is Tessa ok?” He asked worriedly. 

“She will be. I noticed her medicine and talked to her about why she’s taking it and I’m having Thobin use the healing stones to help her so she doesn’t have to take such harsh medicine.” Audrey tried to delicately explain. 

“I knew something was wrong with that stuff! She and Mildred won’t let me anywhere near it. And I think that medicine made her more sick than she was to begin with.” Kragan offered. 

“Probably. You know these small, backwards countries who have no real medical knowledge and training. She was telling me a little about how awful Solowards is. And I am so happy you could rescue her from such a place.” Audrey smiled as she showed him in so he could see you laying there. 

“Oh my gods, look at her face! No wonder she wanted to wear a mask all the time. She looks halfway to death!” Kragan noted in alarm. 

“Well that’s what we’re trying to avoid for the present. Anyway, I talked with Tessa and she would love to have you guys settle here and she told me about the awful way Solowards treated you both. And how angry and upset she was over it. So I told her my counter offer and she accepted.” Audrey offered with a forced pleasant cheery smile. 

“Oh good. Yeah, she’s been so happy and excited to come here and I wish she wasn’t so sick, I would have loved to show it to her today.” Kragan explained as he sat on the bed and held your hand and watched you sleep while the stoned worked their magic.  

“Well for now, we should let her rest and heal. I’ll have Thobin do all he can with the stones. Come, she told me of her ideas for The Contessina ships. We should help her ideas come to fruition and reality.” She beckoned him and brought him out of the room and back to Lukher in the foundry as they were making the anti-gravity disks. 

“Everything ok?” Lukher asked his wife when he saw the look on her face. 

“Yeah, it’s just time to nurse Ahi.” She readily excused herself to find her way back to Ahi’s nursery in their suite of rooms as he was waking up from his mid morning nap and was eager to nurse again for lunch as she readily gathered him into her bosom and readily attached his mouth to her engorged breast and his mouth readily sucking deeply around the nipple as he happily nursed down as Audrey looked down and couldn’t help but smile through her tears as she watched her precious son nurse before Lukher joined her in the room. 

“Audrey?” Lukher called. 

“I’m in the rocker.” She called back. 

“What’s wrong with Kragan’s wife?” Lukher asked. 

“I swore to her I wouldn’t speak about her personal business and I’m already doing all I can for her.” Audrey tried to deflect as she just combed Ahi’s hair with her fingertips before wracking a sob and Lukher was kneeling at her feet in an instant as Ahi paused in nursing to look up at his mother questioningly. 

“Audrey, I don’t care if you just entered a blood oath with her- you’re clearly upset. What is going on?” Lukher asked worriedly. 

“She’s dying! She has an incurable disease and condition that even I can’t heal. Not even ten or a hundred mouras could heal her- because of how far-gone she is. She doesn’t have long left, and she knows it. She can feel it and so can I. She’s already on borrowed time and that poison we found in her medicine was just to mask her condition from her husband and inlaws. Because in Solowardian society, Kragan can sue her family for everything they have because of it. And if Kragan were to try to buy a cure, it would financially ruin him and kill Salgria Shipping in it’s tracks. And all she’s trying to do is save her family and save Kragan and his family and their business from ruination. Dorierra gave her a price of a million gold drakars to even attempt to heal her. And with how far gone she is- it would still not be enough. It would take at least a thousand mouras all working together to try and…there is no price high enough to warrant that. No price she or anyone else can pay for such a thing. And she refused to even ask me or anyone here to try because…she has already accepted that it’s too late for her.” Audrey cried as she held onto Ahi tightly in her arms and cried her eyemakeup off. 

“And all she would ask me for is to help Kragan recover once she passes. That’s all she would and could ask and of course I gave her my word that would try. But she won’t tell Kragan until they get home. She wants him to be surrounded by his family and friends and have every help, comfort and support when she does tell him. And she’s just trying to give him enough momentum so that he won’t lose any when she does die. Lukher, if you had seen her and could have felt what I did. You would know that it would be impossible for me to even try to heal her because trying to save her life would surely cost mine and any other I would try to bring in to help. But I need to respect her wishes. And the fact that she is facing death head on and is still using every moment she’s alive for everyone’s benefit other than her own. Is so commendable. She doesn’t want Kragan to suffer unnecessarily and never wants him to be the victim ever again like Solowards has been victimizing him.” Audrey explained. 

“And she’s so sick. Her skin is so yellow and green when it should be pink and cream for her fair skin. And for humans, that’s the color they get when they’re deathly ill. And she is, so deathly ill. And she pointed out that she’s just a stranger. And that I have Ahi and you and Yekmeni to consider and it would take weeks of negotiations to find enough mouras in the colonies to even find something, anything that they would willingly risk their lives to help cure. Because cancer is the one thing that even collared mouras have great difficulty in healing. And can cost a moura their own lives trying to pour that much magic to cure one with cancer. I have heard that even a hundred mouras would not be enough depending on the kind of cancer and where it is and it’s already in her vital organs and deeply rooted. It would take at least a thousand mouras to do it.” Audrey theroized. 

“And as much as I want to heal her and her and help her- I can’t help any more than I already have. And it breaks my heart that I feel bound and restrained from doing so but even my own sense is telling me no. And you have to swear to me on Ahi- that you will not say anything to Kragan or his family. Like you can’t even hint at it. This is Tessa’s secret that she has bear until she’s sure that Kragan is in a safe place to hear it.” Audrey urged her husband. 

“Ok.” Lukher reluctantly agreed as he wracked his brain, trying to think of something, anything that he could do to help but if his wife was at a loss. He didn’t think he could come up with a solution either. 

Kragan came back to the room several times, and each time. While he could see the progress, it worried him that it was taking so long while Hayati did all she could to come up with a recipe that would be something similar to what you had but wouldn’t be detrimental to your inner health either. She exhausted every medical textbook she knew and felt like a failure for coming up with something that she felt was kind of just slapped together instead of actually crafted. But it was the best she could do based on the current situation and findings. 

When you finally awoke. Thobin was taking the last stone away from your head and Kragan was anxiously pacing the room as Audrey and Lukher and Ahi were there too as Audrey and Thobin had used marinai and nadasi to translate what the stones were telling Thobin as Audrey tried to gently and carefully translate bits and pieces that weren’t so bad to Kragan. Thobin and Lukher weren’t happy or thrilled that Audrey was leaving so much out. But they simply kept quiet out of respect for the promise and word that Audrey had given. 

“Hey, is everything ok?” You asked as you slowly let your eyes flutter open. 

“Your medicine was successfully replaced.” Audrey offered. 

“Tessa, do you know what was in it? Did you know it was actually poisonous?” Kragan asked you. 

“I knew it had trace amounts of certain things, in particular, Violet Eye. To improve my complexion since after my accident, my complexion worsened.” You answered carefully. 

“But it was paired with Green Tansey, which was supposed to counteract any negative side effects and counteract any negative effects Violet Eye can have when you take it alone. But because most places consider it a poison. It must have shown up when it was tested. That’s why it had to be destroyed, but thank you Audrey for replacing the medicine that had to be destroyed because of it. And extra thanks for not demanding my life for bringing it into Yekmeni.” You tried to smile at her as Thobin helped you sit up as your head was throbbing.

“Well your intent wasn’t to harm anyone or anything and you were under the belief that it wasn’t harmful at all. Thank you for allowing me to test it so thoroughly and being so flexible and accepting the other medicine. Hopefully this one won’t be as hard on you.” Audrey offered. 

“I’m sure it’ll be a thousand times better than my old medicine.” You smiled weakly. 

“Me too. Now it is, unfortunately late, dinner should be brought to your room soon. Eat and rest some more tonight and we can start fresh tomorrow.” Audrey offered. 

“That would be wonderful, thank you.” You smiled before Audrey ushered her family and Thobin out of the room. 

“Is that why you didn’t want me anywhere near it?” Kragan asked once everyone else had gone. 

“Yes, I didn’t want you to sense the Violet Eye and think I was purposefully doing all I could to keep from getting pregnant. Since that’s one of the things you can still sue my father for by Solowardian Law.” You admitted. 

“No! Why would I…? No- no, no, no. Solowards is literally a thousand miles away and it needs to be a million more miles away. Neither of us is either under Solowardian- anything. Especially arcaic and horrible laws such as suing for such a stupid thing. No. You are my wife and my mate. I only want what is best for you and for you to be happy and healthy. To hell with any other beauty standards and complexion. I mean there’s countries that still use lead powder in their faces and have horrible sores and those doctors were idiots. Yeah your complexion improved but at the cost of your health! They literally poisoned you just to achieve an aesthetic. Just like corsets can deform ribs. No. To hell with all of that. If anyone is going to sue anyone else it’s you and you should be suing those doctors for malpractice.” Kragan insisted as he got in bed with you and held your hands in his own. 

“But I want them to stay a thousand miles away from me and a million more.” You decided to tease, with a soft laugh of relief. 

“Well, yes I agree. From now on, if you’re sick, there are two places I want us coming. Here where there are mouras, or back to Fitsdale to have Agnes heal you herself. And honestly, I trust Agnes more than anything cause she’s saved my life more times than I can count.” Kragan insisted.

“Ok.” You agreed before dinner was brought in and you got to enjoy the warm, temperate climate of Yekmeni and the amazing food and views of the ocean just outside your balcony door. 

Then Mildred came in with a royal decree and placed it into your hands that was the offer Audrey and Lukher offered for Kragan and yourself and the rest of his family to become Yekmenians. And Duke and Duchesses at that. 

“Do I have to sign this now?” You asked Mildred. 

“She said no, but she wanted you to have it all the same.” Mildred answered. 

“Offer number one.” You told Kragan as you handed it over to him as he smiled when he read it himself. 

“The one to beat.” Kragan answered. 

Burn Without You 

Chapter 20

You got redressed into something much more “formal” since this was your first time meeting with Wardeen as a Clan Chief and not just your father in law as you asked who all would be coming as Lukher began to list off dozens of names and their rank. 

“Well, fuck.” You mused as you did a quick study of your superbook and tried to find where the other taunton fortresses were described and every account of what the chamber looked like on the inside and out and while each one was slightly different because of the ethnic differences between the tribes of taunstons who had built the fortresses, there was always the same theme, the same universal symbols in the same places, always. 

You and the other brides made a quick call to Dorierra and to the High Council to at least tell them about the theory about the second mechanism being what turned the skyland “on” so to speak and it was the second mechanisms that were responsible for the skyland producing water as the High Counicilors were astonished yet impressed that the taunstons had been so thoughtful and kicked themselves for not being able to figure it out before Langashi herself took her messengerari with her to the secret room so that when you met with the council at Yekmeni, they would be able to see with their own eyes that not only did you know what you were talking about but that you had facts to back up your claim as other High Councilors immediately contacted the other fortresses to tell them of the theory as well, since such news needed to be shared as soon as possible with allies as the Queens of the fortresses and thier kingdoms also agreed and took their messengeraries with them to the rooms and suddenly, like dominoes- like the last puzzle piece being put together as the polar fortresses confirmed that their own second mechanisms had never been turned off and thus why they had so much water to sell to the rest of the world as suddenly, just based on this theory, new plans were made for new electricity generators to be made so they could take on the electrical load of the first mechanism so that the first could be used for the second so that these lands especially the ones in desert like places, could get water from the skyland instead of always relying on the rains that were spotty at best. 

You walked into that clan hall with your messengerari under one arm and your superbook in another as each bride put her messengerari on a table so that each Queen and High Councilor in turn was represented, the screens separated accordingly. 

“What is the meaning of this?” Wardeen’s other Warchief Zaseen demanded.

“I understood that this was a formal hearing, and what I’m about to ask for- should be supported by evidence and facts to bring me to reasonable conclusions and theories even if those conclusions and theories challenge long held beliefs and traditions.” You explained. 

“So, if I may have the pleasure, this Queen Asirillia, ruler of the former taunston fortress known previously as Obi, which is now known as the Obsidion Kingdom since it sits on obsidian deposits…” You began as you formally introduced every queen by her name, title, her location and then introduced all the High Councilors of Dorierra and what Quarter they were the elected officials of. 

“Now I came to ask for formal permission to approach this fortress’ sacred chamber, that should be in the middle of the fortress, and it should have a door on one side, and on the other side should have a square block with someone or a group of people’s whose sole job- is that should the fortress fall to an enemy, to smash said block with a hammer to push the block into the locked chamber, destroying what is inside the sacred chamber and whatever gifts and abilities the fortress has- will cease and it will cripple the fortress and the victors will get a pile of rubble instead of anything of value. Is this true?” You began as the clan’s leaders all kept silent but narrowed their eyes suspiciously at you. 

“Is this why you’ve come? To find our weaknesses and exploit them?” Zaseen accusingly asked suspiciously. 

“No, I came to find Yekmeni’s weaknesses and turn them from weaknesses into points of strength so that Yekmeni will no longer have any points of weakness and that anyone and everyone will come to the conclusion that coming to Yekmeni in the hopes of overpowering it and overtaking it- will be courting death and that overpowering this fortress will be impossible for anyone and everyone and that our clan will hold this fortress forever and this clan will become a great nation, recognized the world over and while aligning yourselves with Dorierra is a start, there is still a ways to go to have Kingu’s wishes, hopes, dreams and ambitions realized, I realize he is no longer with us in the flesh but I feel he is still here in spirit and I still wish to fullfill my familial duty and honor to him by honoring his wishes. Now you all saw my own demonstration of my own power only a few short hours ago, I don’t have to ask for your permission to do anything but out of respect for all of you and especially respect and honor for your Clan Chief, I am formally making my request, as per the laws and traditions of the Aki-Aya clan.” You explained calmly. 

“Lukher claimed at the moment of our engagement that nothing I will request will be denied to me. But I also understand that he can only fullfill that request if it is in his power to do so. And right now- he doesn’t have that power- you all do. So instead of taking what I want, I am choosing the more honorable and respectful course and formally, and respectfully asking for permission to simply view the sacred chamber from the outside. A right that every queen in every kingdom that was once a taunston fortress inherited the right to do. But since this fortress is held by the Aki-Aya clan and this fortress is not yet a kingdom and I am not queen, I am not presuming on my rights since, again, I am not the queen of this fortress yet. I am simply a warchieftess and all my power within the clan comes from my husband’s place in the clan as Warchief, a title he inherited when Kingu died and one that is equal to your own Warchief Zaseen.” You specified as you steadily held his gaze.   

“And that is why I have come with her, to help her on this quest to make Yekmeni impossible for anyone else to lay siege to it and to unlock all of it’s secrets and abilities which have always been held inside the secret- sacred chamber and right now every queen is at her own fortress’ secret and sacred chamber to show you the similarities between all of them.” Ashurah spoke up.

“Each fortress was built and held by a different ethnic group within the taunston race and they left their own unique marks on all of the fortresses but for all their differences, they also all have their similarities.” You specified.  

“I am one of the last taunstons alive, a couple of hundred years ago- exactly one millennium after the convergence of the spheres, all taunstons were invited to come to Yekmeni. And that the fate and future of our race depended on each and every single one coming here. The taunstons who had interbred with moura who were in Dorierra at the time- did not answer the call. We stayed behind where we have dwindled and now there is only a handful left of us alive in the two hundred or so years since. Technically since I am taunston, in the eyes of the rest of world that is our supersphere, I alone have the legal right to be queen of this place. Do I have the armies to take it over? Other than the orcs I came here with who would do anything I ask of them? It’s possible, all of them ar stones, therefore unkillable by any means and protected by the highest order of life on the supersphere at at my whim could and would break this fortress down from the inside out. I am a full collared moura too, I could burn all who oppose me to ash, which is the same power and potential that your Savia Audrevienneway now holds in her grasp. But does she use it for such a purpose? No. So will I use it for such a purpose? Out of respect for Savia Audravienneway and her wishes- and her wishes alone. No I won’t, for now. But the question remains. Do I have any desire for the throne of which I have the full legal right damning you and your clan and your traditions straight to hell? No. But it was part of the agreement I made with Warchieftess Savia Audravienneway that in exchange for me coming as her translator, that I would unlock this fortress and all of it’s secrets for her so that she would know this fortress like the back of her hand because how can she defend this place if she doesn’t fully know let alone understand what she’s defending? Right now, all we are formally requesting is the chance to approach the sacred room from the outside. So we can study it, find it’s similarities and it’s differences with all the others.” Ashurah explained. 

“Why do you need to see it and unlock it when it’s already unlocked and it’s abilities are already plainly seen?” Zaseen asked. 

“Oh you mean the watersprouting skyland that spins the same direction the supersphere spins from the view of the northpole? That if you had ever tried to tie it to the walls of the tower, it would rip the walls to the shreds yet it spins continuously inside the tower like a top, spinning constantly around a fixed axis?” You supplied which shut Zaseen up immediately as if he had spilled that sacred truth from his own lips as if you had pulled that out of him without his permission as he narrowed his eyes more dangerously at you. 

“Who told you about…” Zaseen seethed. 

“I did, she is my Savia and my Warchieftess, we keep no secrets from each other. She risked her life to save mine repeatedly, she demonstrates that she is honorable, respectable and honest constantly and yet still you all treat her with suspicion? What else can she possibly do to earn your respect? Isn’t this whole clan hierarchy meeting proof of her honorable intentions? If she had wanted to harm us, she would have already done so, if she really wanted access to this room, all she would need to do is turn into a phoenix and find it, and burn anyone and everyone who gets in her way. Like the woman who birthed me would if she had such powers at her disposal. But yet, my Savia restrains herself, she humbly and very respectfully asks for the bare minimum. There is no danger in letting her at least see the chamber and study it for now, hell we’ve held it for fifteen generations and we have learned nothing from it, only that whatever is inside- keeps the water producing skyland in place and giving us water, has anyone ever thought about if she could open it, she could understand ‘how’ it works and if, heaven forbid whatever is keeping the water on and keep it going- if it ever breaks- who else would be best to fix it than any other queen, guided by an entire network of queens responsible and fully invested in keeping their fortresses and thus kingdoms, fully up, running and functional? And the ones that have lost thier water are now doing everything they can to bring it back? And if she were to ever try to open it, she has already assured me that she would have failsafes in place to make sure that Yekmeni does not sustain any more damage. All she wants is to prove her theory correct.” Lukher explained. 

“And what is that theory?” Zaseen demanded. 

“Well that leads me to the facts of the case, you will turn your attention to the messengeraris, you will see with your own eyes, each fortress’ special and sacred chamber and then pay special attention to how each door is opened and what is inside.” You invited as they all crowded around the messengeraries as each bride simultaneously walked around the chamber and showed all the differences and then all the similarities and the symbols as the other orcs couldn’t help in hiding their awed amazement at the similarities and then when each queen unlocked each door simultaneously, knowing how to open it as well as she knew how to clasp a necklace behind her neck before the chambers opened to reveal the two side by side mechanisms as the polar ones showed how their second mechanisms were still on and that the reason their skyland had never stopped giving out water- was because the second mechanism was on and that when the skyland passed around them like clockwork and in one pass, always gave them more than enough fresh water and was close enough that it didn’t freeze while falling so that their fresh water reservoirs were always filled to the brim and then some so that they got sell their excess water as special ‘pure polar water’ and how lucrative that business was and how in the other fortresses that the second mechanism wasn’t currently on- relied solely on the water that came from the weather and that most of them were in drought and now that they all knew that the two were connected, they all insisted that they were going to be building more generators to replace the electricity from the first mechanism to free up the energy so that the second mechanism could be turned on and the skyland would produce water for them and that if they succeeded and not only got them turned on, but up to the point that the skyland would hopefully rotate around their kingdoms, bringing water to everyone in the land. 

“Thank you so much for taking the time and showing your own secrets of your fortresses, your trust and confidence in this matter is greatly appreciated, thank you. I hope all of you can prove the theory true and bring water to your fortresses and sustain life indefinitely.” You put to the other queens before you closed all the calls and channels so that they couldn’t insist on seeing your own.

“That’s why opening the chamber is important, because I need to prove to the supersphere that the second mechanisms are not only important to the fortresses but vital to not just the fortresses but the world. It’s the second mechanism that keeps that skyland here, it keeps the water running and I never want anything to ever jeopardize it and I turned the calls off so that none of them could ever see your own, and so none of you would feel that I was giving away your own precious, sacred secrets out to the rest of the world.” You insisted which they all nodded in agreement to.  

“So that’s all you want? Is just to open the door to see inside and prove your theory correct?” Wardeen concluded. 

“Well, that’s where there is a complication. The doors, they all have to open under the power of the first mechanism, the electrical generator. And right now- my guess is all the power, all the electricity- is going into the second mechanism, and the second mechanism is not only turned on, but turned up all the way, so it tricks the skyland into thinking that it’s making its revolutions around the supersphere, and watering it the way the skyland was intended to but instead just spins and spins and spins inside the tower as if magically held there because that is exactly what is happening. I feel that the second mechanism is absolutely responsible for keeping that skyland in that tower and producing so much water for this fortress and far beyond and why the plumbing here is so robust but the electricity is weak, if not close to non-existant, which is why you rely so much of candles, oil and other means for light and your mechanisms for operating the fortress are mechanical, analog- if you will, instead of electrical.” You began to explain. 

“The skyland “thinks”? You mean the skyland is intelligent enough to have something of a mind?” Zaseen practically taunted you. 

“Warchief, you’re an intelligent person, when the convergence was first performed, the taunstons had done everything they could to terraform the supersphere to host the other four worlds, they created a second sphere between the outer sphere and the inner core, all the skyland when we came here was in a grid pattern, like chess borad and every latitude and the larger and longer the latitude, the more skyland islands were in that latitude. However after the failure to swap medicine and cure the plagues and especially after the yellow plague and the blue plague met, mutated and became the green plague and were especially lethal to all life whether they were native to the supersphere or not which meant that instead of pooling all resources into trying to uncongerge the supersphere, all efforts from the taunstons were split betweeen finding a cure for the green plague which has been unsucessful, so far- by any other means than interbreeding with moura who have natural immunity and because of the split in forcus- every attempt to un-converge the spheres in the millenia afterward have all failed, and once the taunston fortresses were fought for, claimed, destroyed, rebuilt over and over again, the skyland, to the rest of the supersphere began to stop producing water once the second mechanism was turned off, so that stands to reason that whatever is in the second mechanism, that glows- must have a corresponding component in the skyland that makes it produce water in the first place and move with the planet, in such a way that was intended to supply the whole supersphere with fresh water, whether the natural weather patterns could allow it or not.” You explained as you also used your superbook to show what you were talking about. 

“However when the taustons fortresses were taken over, built and rebuilt, when the conquerers saw the drain of the second mechanims and had not realized the relationship between the second mechanism and the skyland were connected and turned off the second mechanism, suddenly one by one and then group by group, entire latitudes of skyland began to stop producing water and the ones that still were, had been attempted to become captured- broke apart and either crashed or collided with the other skyland so that what was once a neat and orderly alignment, has since become a chaotic dissarray that we have now and why polar water comes at such a steep price and why Yekmeni has been so coveted in the last 254 years.” You explained as you showed them the changes of what the supersphere had originally been along with maps made since the convergence which showed the chaotic disarray of the skyland that was over the outer layer of the supersphere as the orcs realized that you were right and had no choice but admit that the intelligence and proof of your claims and theories was sound and well founded. 

“However due to the probability and possibility that all of the electrical power made by the first mechanism is being used to power the second. That means if I try to open the door right now, the doors only open under the power of the first mechanism and that action- probably would and will pull power from the first mechanism, the electrical generator, and if I do that, then it pulls power away from the second mechanism, and the effect of pulling said electricity from the first mechanism which has might be solely putting all of it’s energy into the second, having any power diverted from that second mechanism may result in the skyland’s deviation. Instead of the skyland spinning perfectly on a fixed axis, that I’m sure you’ve recorded happens with the accuracy that a clock might be able to tell time- it might cause the skyland to start spinning either slower or possibly spin around it’s fixed axis instead of on top of it directly, which I have no idea how much space is between the skyland and the rest of the tower and I don’t know how much of a deviation the skyland, much less the space in the tower between the skyland and the inner walls of that tower- will tolerate. Which means that such things will need to measured and the process of opening the door will have to be done slowly and any affect on opening the door must be also stutied and it’s affect on the not just the rate of the spinning, but also to see if it has any effect on the skyland’s rate of spin on the axis or if it would start to deviate and spin around the axis instead of directly on top of it. Because the last thing I want is to compromise that tower, much less the water producing skyland. And as much as I want to prove my theories, the lives of all who live in this fortress now and in the future aboslutely depend on that skyland and it’s ability to produce water and I don’t want to endanger any of it, too many lives would be at risk just to prove a theory correct.” You explained as you spun an actual top on the table in front of Wardeen and his other generals and warchiefs. 

“That’s why I want to make a proposition. If we can harness a portion of the water coming from the skyland, and make a water turbine, to generate electricity before returning the actual water back into it’s natural courses so it’s still be useful and still be able to be used and consumed as usual. This water turbine would be the kind that are usually run on rivers only we set it to the water coming from the skyland and we use the water coming from the skyland to turn the turbine and create more electricity and more than enough to equal or even surpass the capabilities of the first mechanism. If we can somehow find a way to open the door and replace the power from the first mechanism and introduce the power from the turbine so that the second mechanism and the power from the turbine create a continuous closed loop so that they feed each other, that would free up the first mechanism to open the door and possibly do much more, like give this fortress and the surrounding area and far beyond with all the electricity it could want or need and if we need to make more than one generator from the water to meet the ever growing needs then that’s also a possibility.” You suggested. 

“How much more energy? Like enough to un-converge the sphere’s again?” Zaseen asked. 

“Possibly, but I can’t know what I’m working with without seeing the chamber from the outside, learn all I can from it while we work on building that turbine, which will take time, and this chamber, if it’s all it’s been famed to be, will take time and careful examination before we ever try to open the door and if we are successful, maybe we can open it just long enough to feed the new power from the turbine into it so it could keep the door open and free up the first mechanism. There may be things in that secret, sacred space that no other fortress has. There is no question that this fortress is special. I just want to know how special it is, so I will know how to protect it and those who take refuge in its walls best. This is my request. Ashurah and I have come a very long way just to solve this puzzle and test our theories, all we want is to see the puzzle as it is, not try to solve it until we are certain that no other damage would be sustained to the fortress or to the clan if we do eventually get to solve it.” You entreated. 

“You are all welcome to come with us, and watch us as closely as you would want to make sure that there would be absolutely no fowl play.” Ashurah offered. 

“You know? That’s fair, let’s put it to a vote, all in favor of Lukher’s Savia, his Warchieftess and her companions only looking at the outside of the secret sacred space- raise your hands.” Zaseen suggested before the entire Envoy, Wardeen and his entire family and even Rubati raised her hand as well. 

“If Kingu had lived, he would have let her see it too.” Rubati encouraged before even more raised their hands as a count was taken. 

“And those opposed?” As the others raised their hands before they were counted but those in favor had the majority. 

“Please Clan Chief Wardeen, lead the way.” You requested respectfully before he took you by the arm and led you and your party, all of you still keeping your messengerari’s with you and your superbooks but the messengeraris were off as Wardeen led the way and motioned for the two guards, guarding the square stone - to be at ease before you and the others practically stopped in your tracks and gazed up in awe and a good measure of fear of what was before you. 

This place- it was five times larger than any other sacred space, and while it had the same designs for water and a lightning bolt for electricity but everything else about it was completely different. The biggest component being what it was made of. 

What sent a chill down your spine were the words engraved in every language spoken by every peoples of the supersphere were written all along the long wall between the short wall where the square stone was and the other short wall being where the door was as you saw the long wall and then walked around the square stone and saw the other side of the wall, the two walls were exact replicas of each other before you walked back around to see the first long wall you saw first. Starting from the language of the crystal heavens at the very top, the heavenly angels on the second line, in heavenly moura marinai third, in regular marinai forth, in tauni fifth and so on and so forth, ascending from the highest heavens to the lowest of the low, and every line you could read- said the same thing, over and over and over again from the ceiling where the chamber started to the floor, the last language being that of the species who lived in the core of the supersphere as you walked down the long length of the wall until you reached the corner turned around with it to what you assumed was the door and what shook you and the others to your core and made you really quake with fear, it wasn’t a door- it was a relief- of a crystal angel itself. His wings and other parts of him in circles, like a circular puzzle, like the circles needed to be turned to put him back into proper alignment but it had no spots, no divits, no way of turning the circles with anything and it had no other way of being turned so that his whole form was discombobulated the way he was. It was as terrifying and disturbing to look at it- as it was intrigueing and strangely beautiful. 

“Oh hell no, nope, nope nope, I’m out, I’ve seen enough, Audrey, I’m only staying until those damned peace treaties are given out signed and the Yekmenian warships start to protect the coast and the colonies and their harbors and after they release all the collars, I’m going home, I’m done. I came, I saw, I’m leaving.” Ashlighn immediately proclaimed as she immediately picked up her messengerari again along with her superbook and marched straight out of there followed closely by Lavena and Lila before you looked to Serhan and Merrattah as they both shook their heads no to you. 

“I’m sorry Audrey, we came here as sisters, we’ve stayed as friends, and I will stay as long as you’ve requested, but even I know when I’m faced with a challenge that is beyond me and I’m out of my depth, this is impossible. Ashurah, I’m sorry, you’re going to simply have to live with the choices your forefathers and foremothers made, there is no going back and no way to fix the past. Count your blessings and your losses here and now. No more should be made, leave well enough alone.” Serhan insisted as she pat your shoulder and Ashurah’s consolingly before she and Merrattah too saw themselves out and walked away as you and Ashurah were too frozen, staring at the big, long wall. Being so close yet feeling so far away. 

“This can’t be it, this can’t be all of it.” Ashurah insisted as she circled the sacred room again and then third and fourth time, ignoring the damning lines of writing on the two sides of the wall, both walls saying the same exact things over and over again, looking for more clues but you stood there, facing the door, facing the relief of the crystal angel in his discombobulated state as you realized, your previous thoughts and theories- how they didn’t seem to matter any more as tears welled in your eyes and started to fall from your eyes, down your cheeks. 

“What does the writing say?” Lukher asked as he came to stand next to you.  

“You can’t read any of it?” You asked him as you wiped your tears away but still more came as you sat down at the feet of the relief of the heavenly angel and just looked up helplessly at the angel in the relief, feeling just as powerless and hopeless as you did saying your wedding vows the week prior, because you had no clue how to move forward.

 You didn’t know how to solve this, much less, if it should be solved either. This was impossible and the writing that was on the walls was enough of a warning even for you to know when you had been beat as you took your instant defeat with as much grace as you could muster as Lukher sat next to you and simply wrapped his arm around your shoulders, trying to comfort you but was at a loss as to why this relief and all of it’s writing would be paining you so. 

“No, but obviously you can.” Lukher said as he realized that it wasn’t the angel itself that made you sad, it was all the writing on the two other sides of the space. 

“It says the same thing, over and over again, in every original language from the original peoples who converged onto the supersphere, before the languages began intermingling and started to rub off on one another.” You answered. 

“Is this all of it? Is there any more to it? Is there like another level to it above or below it?” You asked him as Ashurah paused in her circling to hear the answer. 

“Yes, immediately below us, is an even larger room that takes up the whole of the base of the fortress, made out of the same stone, but it’s been long since built in and around and on top of, only this is left to be viewed.” Lukher answered as you closed your eyes as more tears fell from them as that answer seemed to make a lot more sense in light of the writing. 

“Why?” Lukhr asked. 

“Because if you or anyone else in the clan could read and understand any of it, you and your clan would pack up and leave this place immediately.” You whimpered helplessly to him as practically collapsed into his side and hid your face in his shoulder and wept bitterly. 

“What does it say?” Wardeen asked before you wiped your still flowing tears from your eyes.  

“Don’t you dare read it Audrey! You don’t know what you’re reading! Language changes over a millenia, words and their meanings and pronunciations change over time!” Ashurah yelled as she came barrelling around again to look at the door and glared at the relief with anger blazing in her eyes and heat rolling off her in waves as hateful tears glazed her eyes before falling onto her own cheeks. 

“Don’t! You’ll read it wrong and if you read it wrong, everyone will become confused and even more chaos from misunderstandings will happen!” Ashruah insisted to you. 

“Ashurah, listen to me…” You told her as you pulled away from Lukher and found your feet and reached out to her and tried to hold her face in your hands and wipe her own angry tears away from her cheeks, her cheeks hot in your hands and if you had not been full moura, your hands would be burning right about now, but instead all you felt was the heat, but nothing of the pain.  

“No! You need to listen to me! I am the linguist, I am the expert, I know for a fact that if you tried to read any of it you’ll get it all wrong and misunderstand it’s meaning!” Ashurah insisted before you grabbed her by the hand and brought her to the side again as you grabbed her hands and made her put her hands to the wall itself. 

“Ashurah look with your own eyes! Believe your own eyes! All the way at the top, the first line that is written, that is engraved in the special stone that the crystal angels build with that is only found in the crystal realm, the entire room and the space under it- is built from that building stone. This isn’t taunston work, this is crystal angel work, this is crystal angel building stone, a stone that they have used to protect our supersphere from colliding or converging with any other sphere in the universe. Crystal angels are perfect, they have never made mistakes. This room and it’s writing is not a mistake and can not be misunderstood. I know you recognize it as do I. And the engraving onto it is inlaid and filled with the same crystal gemstones that we are wearing. It is exactly the same stones that Dorierra has from the crystal heavenly realm that gives our warriors their power and connects us to them. There is no mistake. Ashurah. There just isn’t.” You argued as you gestured to the top line and made her look up and see it too as you took your own tethering stone and hers to show the similarities. 

“Their language has been unchanged since before and after the convergence, and all it does is repeat the same message over and over again in every language as it was written and spoken and said pre-convergence- which you and I both studied together in Dorierra and you and I both have spent the last three months learning tauni hieroglyphs which is on the wall itself. It’s the same thing written over and over again and yes the words themselves are different, but their meaning is the same. I’m so sorry Ashurah, but this is as far as we can go, at least the other fortresses know about the second mechanism and can bring water back to the supersphere. All we can do is assume that our theories about the two mechanisms are correct and take what answers about any and every other theory- that answers to the questions that led to those theories- that are carved into the walls are right in front of us - are the truth because the crystal angels and the heavenly angels only ever speak the truth. And I trust both of their species and take them at their word.” You pleaded with her. 

“No! No the answers have to lie in these other languages, there has to be something in these other lines that are missing in the others. What if each line is meant to be a sentence in a story? What if it’s meant to take one person from all of these peoples to solve this?” Ashurah pleaded back, grasping for whatever she could as she gestured and then bent down and touched the other languages engraved in the stone.

“How many stories start with repeating the same thing five times in a row?” You asked her. 

“Poems do it all the time.” Ashurah quickly defended. 

“Fine, Ashurah, I know you, I know you will not rest until you solve this, so I will help you, I will help translate every line that’s written on the outside and I will help you decipher every symbol on this. But if I feel that solving this puzzle door will endanger the fortress and if you try to open it without my permission and without the permission and blessing of the Aki-Aya Clan, then you will force my hand, and I will demand that General Thobin take you back to Dorierra immediately, by force if necessary. I will not endanger the fortress and all the lives in it, just to prove a theory brought about by questions that we clearly already have the answers to. Whether you want to accept the answers or not, because that while the answers are not what we wanted or expected, if the answers are the truth, then we have no choice but to accept them as such and move on with our lives. Some puzzles are never meant to be solved and Ashurah, right now- this looks like one of them.” You leveled with her. 

“You would do that to a sister?” Ashurah asked wounded by your stance and not so vieled threat. 

“I would do it to a friend to save both her and everyone she cares about. And I would do it to save myself and save everyone I care about, including my friends and my family. Which to me you are both. You are my sister from another set of parents, you are my friend, you are my confidant and you have stepped with honor and trust from the start which I can do nothing but respect. I would have been lost here without you and your presence and intellect have brought you so much, I know this looks and feels like a failure. Please, leave this for now, sleep on it. Help me with the other colonies and then you and I will spend as much time as you want here, translating every line of writing. But please, do not approach this place without me.” You pleaded. 

“You don’t trust me to be around this without you?” Ashurah asked, wounded by your words. 

“Ashurah, I respect you enough to be perfectly honest with you. So I will be honest. No, I don’t trust you to be alone here. Because I can feel your desperation, and I don’t want you to make the mistake of trying to solve the puzzle door and taking a leap of faith without having at least one safety net in place to catch you when you fall because I can’t lose you to obsession. Obsession will lead to madness, and I can’t lose my friend, my sister- to either one. It’s too high of a price for you or anyone else to pay.” You insisted. 

“So what does the damn thing say?!” Wardeen asked, feeling worry and dread fill him. 

“Audrey, please, don’t.” Ashurah begged you. 

“If I don’t, then the same envoy who we taught true tauni to- will and they deserve to know the truth. We all do. Whether that truth is what we want to hear or not.” You insisted to her. 

“Wardeen the first line, written in Azriel- which is the language spoken by the crystal angels of the crystal realm which has not changed at all since the convergence- says…” You began as you read the writing that was engraved and then inlaid with the special mind stones that you were wearing, that were now glowing in the presence of your own tethering stone being so close. You read the language, your full moura abilities helping your voice and mouth say the words the way they were meant to be said, your voice reaching a heavenly sound, pitch and resonance as if an angel was saying the words themselves while also conveying your sadness and gravitas of what you were saying.

“And what that all means is ‘that it was the crystal angels who built this resting place for the taunstons, who gave their world so that four others might live but whose sacrifice has been in vain, and should the stone ever be smashed into the chamber- or if all the peoples from the other four spheres die out from killing each other to the point that only those who originally inhabited this world are left alive- the angel of death who is on the door, will release those who are sleeping in death inside.” You began as you went to the door and gestured to him, as beautiful and discombobulated as he was and while you knew he himself was “sleeping in death” there was still so much life in his eyes and practically pierced to your soul. 

“Is that all?” Wardeen asked, now looking wearily at the discombobulated angel of death as he gulped nervously as he recalled how close they had come in the last fifteen generations of pushing that stone into the chamber and literally, waking up this angel of death and what reawakening it and thus- reawakening an entire tomb full of taunstons and what they would do if they “woke up” to find their fortress inhabited by orcs. 

“However, there is more. It says that ‘only those whose shoulders are strong enough to bear the truth of seeing all others who came into supersphere- die the death that is surely to come to them because after a millenia, the spheres will never be able to be unconverged and the state of the supersphere is permanent, but that all of those who are not from this world- will eventually meet their destined end here, and their only hope is to interbreed with each other so that they and their offspring might live on, and find peace with each other’.” You continued. 

“So it basically says it’s a grave. That’s the large room right under our feet, it’s a mass taunston grave. Every taunston of the Supersphere came after the convergence became permanent and that all of them chose to fall asleep in death, put into the sleep like death until the angel of death wakes them again. And it says that ‘the angel of death who is on the door itself, who twisted and contorted and destroyed himself to the point that only he or anything or anyone from his own realm could put him back together and bring him back to life. He gave his own life to protect the mass taunston grave, he is the one who put all the taunstons to sleep in death- in such a way to preserve them until either the stone is smashed into the chamber or, most likely, until all competition for the supersphere’s resources have been consumed and those who consumed them have died off. And that the angel of death preserved them and their own life forces and life sources with them. So that even if the taunstons are not with this supersphere for a time- they will still inherit their land once more and when they wake up, they will resurrect the supersphere and bring peace to it once more, they and the crystal angels who were with this supersphere to begin with and together they will rebuild better than they had done previously and that convergence of spheres will never again be attempted for times indefinite’.” You translated. 

“It also says that the taunstons have prophesied exactly when each pure species who are alien to this world will die, and that such revelations are written down inside the chamber, but only those whose minds are strong enough to take in such knowledge and whose shoulders are strong enough to bear such a burden and whose stomachs are strong enough to endure it should attempt to enter, lest they go insane, crippled and kill themselves in their own insanity to escape the horrors described inside the chamber- should ever attempt to open it and find out for themselves but warns that such knowledge is more of a curse that it is a blessing and that each species’ days are numbered.” You revealed as more tears flowed from your eyes as Ashurah stared hatefully at you for reading and translating the words and hated the fact that you were doing so correctly and accurately as she felt every word break and tear down every hope she ever had about herself and her people, as if she was witnessing her own mass extinction all over again.  

“And that it was the angel of death, who after he sealed the taunstons into their tomb- took the greatest and most promising of all the orc clans on the continent and brought them here, and taught them how to tame the griffins, how to harness the adani in all of it’s gifts and possibilities and took on the form of an elder orc, a shaman, so as not to scare them and once they took to the path he laid for them, he “died” before he took on a taunston moura form and helped lay the course at the colonies- ‘for a queen from the door to the world who would become an angel once more thanks to the collars left behind by the taunstons mouras who would no longer need or want their moura gifts in their new lives that they will lead when they wake up- left behind for her and for the remaining mouras who came with her, who will bring in a golden age for this fortress that will be the mightiest nation on the continent and far beyond and who would bring hope to the supersphere once more, and that the angel queen would spread the hope faster and farther than any plague could. Because without hope, all is lost, and all was for naught.” You translated. 

“Which I have done this night, by telling the other queens about the true nature of the second mechanism inside their own fortresses. So now, everywhere else will have life sustaining water, which will sustain its peoples and sustain it’s crops and end the drought that is ravaging the supersphere. And that all that needs to be done now is to re-align the skyland, so it pours on the righteous and the unrighteous alike for all have the right to live until their appointed time to die’. The prophecy that is written down here 254 years ago- exactly one day after the millenium anniversary of the convergence when the convergence became permanant- has come true this day.” You revealed with a shudder and but yet you couldn’t help but weep sadly despite your fortold success and even though you were victorious, this victory felt incredibly hollow. 

“So see? You didn’t kill the taunstons, they had already been put to sleep in death before you ever came, you didn’t conquer this fortress, you were all chosen by this angel of death and invited to come in here and make this place your home, to tame the griffins, become the stewards and caretakers of this last hope that the taunstons left and that someone, somehow, someway, it would be planted in your rulers hearts and minds for a Dorierran bride to come when the time was right. And that Dorierran bride who an angel once more- is Audrey, always has been, always would have been.” Ashurah insisted through her own tears. 

“And I’m so happy it isn't’t me.” Ashurah readily confessed, with a mirthless laugh between her tears. 

“The privilege and the burden rests with you Audrey, you reincarnated Vienne, you are your namesake, you have always had the power of greatness, now you get to use it for salvation once more, hopefully you don’t have to give your life to give it this time.” Ashurah tried to comfort you as she hugged you tight as you clung to her tight as both of you gave way to tears. 

“I’m so sorry Ashurah.” You whispered. 

“Me too.” Ashurah whispered back as the other clan leaders took your words to heart and began leaving one by one and then group by group, both feeling vindicated and validated, yet gutted at the same time as even they could not argue with this since their own legends spoke of a shaman ‘showing them the way of the future’ as they went to his own gravesite, which was always a sacred place since he was seen as the father of the clan itself and responsible for their great way of life and thier advancement and superiority over every other clan. Here, for the last 15 generations they had thought that everything about themselves they had advanced by themselves and now this was proof that that was a fabricated to simply appease their egos and orcish pride. It was both a lie and a truth at the same time and it was infuriating. 

“We need to thank the angel.” You suggested to Ashurah. 

“Yes, we should.” Ashurah nodded in agreement as you both knelt at the feet of the angel, offering prayers of thanks for leading you here and laying one last path for you to follow here and to bless your success to fulfill the prophecy to the best of your ability as felt a strange peace come over you, as if you were finally coming home, only to a home you had never known you needed to come to but you were here, and you had done what you were meant to do and suddenly this victory or loss depending on your point of view didn’t feel as hollow and the sting of dissappointment lessoned considerably and you knew that your journey on this path was only a few short steps away from being complete. And a sense of satisfaction of finally knowing and seeing the truth for yourself- while it wasn’t as satisfying as you had hoped- it did give you closure and you could only hope that Ashurah was feeling the same way. 

However the other brides had already contacted the others at Dorierra, especially the High Councilors and told them what they had read for themselves and already started making their own arrangements for getting back home to Dorierra, and what the country would be willing to get for a prestine taunston moura collar and what status they would get and what status and palaces their families would live in that the second collar was prophesied to only be for their mates and that their collars would stay with them and that they would only give the other collar to their mates- whoever that might be, and whoever would “be in most need” of the third collar which had the High Council practically salivating and ready to renegotiate with you over the terms of your peace treaty and agreement so that Yekmeni would now get a much better rate for any goods sold and that copies of the two mechanisms would begin to go into production so that every nation in alliance with Dorierra would not only have their own electricity but their own secured skyland to produce water for them, just like Yekmeni and the polar fortresses as the news of your theory proving true was immediately taken as gospel truth thanks to the polar taunston fortresses held by Dorierran Queens as well. 

Once you had said your prayers of thanks, you turned to Ashurah who still looked supremely dissappointed and frustrated as a scowl was still on her features before her eyes opened when she had stopped praying and looked up at the angel in the relief challengingly. 

“Ashurah, it’s not worth your sanity. And had your forefathers and foremothers answered the call 254 years ago, they would be asleep in death too, waiting for after the end of the world- to wake up again, when everything and everyone they’ve ever known is dead and destroyed and would have to rebuild from scratch and instead of being one of the last mouras with taunston blood on the supersphere, you would have been one of the last taunstons with moura blood on the supersphere, and you would not have had enough to resurrect the entire race and you would have been a relic either way. I’m so sorry Ashurah, I’m so sorry.” You offered to her consolingly as you leaned over and wrapped your arm around her shoulders before she turned as you and stared into heartbroken and pleading eyes as you tried to give as much warmth and reassurance as you could as both of you couldn’t help but shed new tears as you were as you both went from kneeling to sitting next to each other at the feet of the angel of death, holding onto each other. 

“It’s not your fault Audrey. You have always highly prized truth and you have always said that you ‘would rather hear and accept a hurtful truth rather than a lie that tickled your ears better’ and I think that the reason you feel that way is because of him, no other bride in Dorierra would have cared to try to get the truth and never would have gotten this far and would have taken her gifts at face value and used them to her own advantage instead of the advantage of everyone else. Destiny brought you here and here is always where you were meant to be, you’re home Audrey, you did it, you found the truth, as wonderful and helpful yet heart rendering as it was.” Ashurah repeated. 

“The sting and dissappointment will lesson over time, we just need to be patent and accept the truth and the circumstances as they are and move on and move forward. All we have now is the truth- and hope, that we can build a better future with it than rely on a past based on lies.” You tried to comfort her somberly. 

“And I need to be more like you.” Ashurah confessed. 

“No, there can only be one me, and there should only be one you, if you were to be more like me? Who would be you?” You asked her. 

“True, but your willingness to accept the truth and accept the things you can not change, is a quality that I would be better off imitating.” Ashurah confessed. 

“But it is your own curiosity and your own quest for truth that brought you here too, and it is by imitating your own curiosity and your passion to resolve a 254 year mystery that brought us the answers to such a mystery. Even as disappointing as that truth ended up being, it still brought you here so you can see it with your own eyes and touch it with your own fingers, and know it with your own heart, mind and soul and even as disappointing as your truth is, hopefully, someday, one day- it will be enough for you.” You offered. 

“And I will stay as long as I can until that is true.” Ashurah insisted. 

“Then stay as long as you want to, you are and always be my welcome guest.” You offered her as you both tried to reclaim some semblance of composure and self control before you kissed the palm the closest hand of the discombobulated angel and mentally thanked him for bringing you this far and leaving a path for you to follow and for giving you a measure of peace so you could accept the truth as it was and find contentment in it as Ashurah noticed that your tethering necklace made one of the circles move, ever so slightly, ever so silently as she realized, she had the answer to the puzzle around her own neck or hell, engraved and inlaid in the crystal angel writing as she kept such a revelation and quickly burried it in her conscienceness so that Thobin wouldn't be alerted as you noticed no such change. 

“Thank you Clan Chief for showing us this. The next time the githyanki make any kind of correspondence, offer for them to come inside the fortress under heavy guard and see this for themselves, they and any and every other people who see this, will leave you and especially this fortress alone from now on. Hell Dorierra will now only want to do the best of business with you as will the merchants, knowing that if anything ever happens to Yekmeni- an armaggeddon will break loose and they will meet the angel of death personally.” You suggested with another shudder as a chill went down your spine at the thought. 

“So, it’s like we’re sitting on a land mine?” Lukher realized. 

“Yes and no, as long as you do nothing to disturb this secret sacred chamber, Yekmeni will still stand and still give it’s blessings and you still have all the adani goods which still have no equal in all of the supersphere. I will reveal this truth to the entire High Council, in every detail they want it in. And hell I’ll take my messengerari and show them myself and even they will be forced to admit that this would put an end to even them. And will leave you in as much peace and prosperity as possible.” You predicted. 

“But I still think we should build a turbine, give the fortress and the surrounding lands more electricity. And leave this the hell alone, there is a delicate balance being held in that room and I have no desire to distrub or disrupt it now, especially knowing what it could cost. I want to respect their wishes to wake up in a world without war, without disease or threat and that may be many, many millenia from now. For now, I think we are perfectly safe. This fortress will be a great nation, it will need all the electricity it can get and I will ask for a copy of the diagrams for the first mechanism so we can build more generators, hell I think Dorierra is already on it to provide every nation in alliance with them- the same thing, so now all the nations in alliance with Dorierra will have not just power, but water and peace and prosperity. And slowly but surely, the mouras will hopefully be the answer that the taunstons had always wanted and needed all along.” You mused. 

“The way I see it, the supersphere is saved. And Yekmeni will stand for as long as it can, after all, they said that only when our mixed species and mixed race children live in peace, will they avoid this armageddon. Besides, if the spheres would have been unconverged now, so many people who intermarried and intermingled and interbred would have had to choose which world to call home and would have always regretted their choice and never would have known if their choice was the right one.” You realized. 

“Lukher, our children, will never have to face such things. Yekmeni will always be their home.” You insisted as you did your best to put on a brave smile for his sake which only made Lukher hug you and hold you tightly as he looked at the sacred room in a different light now. It was always an awe-inspiring place, but now- it was a dangerous place and one that he needed to walk a fine line in protecting you from. 

“Come, we need to rest. We will deal with your homeland in the morning.” Lukher suggested. 

“Tomorrow night, when it is morning there, give everyone time to adjust to…this.” you gestured to the room. 

“Come on Ash.” Irelu beckoned Ashurah as he tried to pull away too as she reluctantly let her lead her away again. 

“Savia Rubati and Warchief Wardeen.” Ashurah suddenly addressed the couple who were the only ones left besides Sunco, her children, Thobin, his captains and Lukher and Irelu. 

“Yes?” They answered. 

“Could I stay in Yekmeni as Irelu’s mate?” Ashurah asked. 

“Of course, I’d be happy to have such a brilliant and brave daughter in law.” Rubati readily agreed happily who looked expectantly at Wardeen who was pleasantly surprised at the question. 

“It won’t have to be as drawn out as Lukher’s wedding will it?” Ashurah asked. 

“No, that was all Auralu’s doing, she wanted all the pomp and the whole clan celebrating her victory in having a moura daughter in law, no such things are needed or required from me, or Wardeen, I think all of us would be happy and much more eager to have a simple and small ceremony.” Rubati ventured with a knowing grin. 

“Yes, that is what I would like as well, especially since I’m..I’m pregnant with Irelu’s baby anyway.” Ashurah confessed.

“Wait, what?” Irelu was taken aback by the news and felt like all the air crashed from his lungs and yet he was in pure and utter bliss at the news. 

“You are?” Irelu asked. 

“Yep, I was officially supposed to have my menstrations the day before Audrey’s wedding. And obviously they haven’t come yet and uh, part of what took me so long at the colony was when I put the collar on, it revealed the pregnancy.” Ashurah confessed. 

“Hey that’s good news! Great news! Congratulations!” You offered to her, your previous sadness gone in a flash and replaced with utter happiness for her.  

“I was hoping to announce it under better circumstances.” Ashurah confessed lowly. 

“Oh pffsh, nonsense. We literally just uncovered the truth of the fortress and found out all of it’s secrets were released and unlocked before we came here. And if anything we are safe from the horrors that that angel of death is keeping locked up in that room. We should rest easy and be grateful that the taunstons, still laid a path for us to walk and still put treasures without equal into our hands, treasures we never would have known were there had we not been bold enough to start the journeys, we are so close to finishing the journey’s path. Just a few more steps, that’s all we need to walk, then our journey is over. We can rest and end one journey and start another, and that journey is motherhood and we can teach that generation- not just fables and legends but truths and that generation will be better off for it. You’ll see.” You tried to assure her.

Leave Her Johnny Leave Her

Chapter 1

“Agnes! Agnes! We need you!” Lady Isolade Ambergreen practically shrieked as she banged on the door to Agnes’ house in the back of her apothecary that was closed because it was Sunday and everyone usually went to their temple of choice on Sundays. But it was early still, a whole two hours before services would start.  

“I’m here, I’m here,” Agnes said as she opened the door, only half dressed but to see Isolade’s daughter Merideth being pulled from the carriage who looked half dead, crumpled up in pain in her father’s arms- she immediately understood the urgency of the visit as Agnes quickly ushered them inside. 

“What happened?” Agnes asked as Merideth was put onto the cot as Merideth slowly uncurled herself. 

“She was trying to get a morning ride in before service. She was thrown but kicked in the gut before she hit the ground.” Isolade wept as she and her husband stood aside helplessly as Agnes was grabbing all kinds of things off her shelves and putting them rather haphazardly onto the table next to the cot. 

“The marriage to the Whiteales is in only four months! What are we to do if she dies?” Lord Collin Ambergreen lamented. 

“She’s not dead yet, don’t be digging her grave before she’s cold enough to go into it.” Agnes firmly resolved before she noticed blood under Merideth’s bottom from where she was sitting before she laid Merideth down on her back, still clutching her middle. 

“Shit.” Agnes cursed before she rather unceremoniously checked under Merideth’s skirts and had to move Merideth’s undergarments out of the way to find the source of the bleeding because she was bleeding profusely and her undergarments were already being soaked in blood and she needed to find which whole she was bleeding from and to see her bleeding from her vagina, she knew exactly what was happening. 

“She’s hemorrhaging. She’s losing her womb.” Agnes realized as she did all she could to stop the bleeding. 

“No, no, no, no! Agnes, I beg you, charge us whatever you have to, use whatever arts you must- to save her and Merideth’s womb. We’re done for if she’s lost, we’ll give anything and everything we have!” Isolade desperately pleaded. 

“Send a man to the Souja’s. The Souja’s have a daughter who can help.” Agnes answered before Collin nodded and left Agnes’ house and sent his carriage to the Souja’s farmhouse to get the whole family before he immediately came back inside. 

“What’s the plan?” Isolade asked anxiously as she and Collin waited for their man to come back as Agnes had already packed the area with cloths to keep the bleeding to a minimum.  

“A trade for a miracle. Nora Souja, my adopted granddaughter. She confided in me that she has no wish to marry or have children. Even though the Lass seems custom made by the creators to do just that. But her parents wish to build a tavern and Nora has the makings to be one of the finest cooks in Dale. If you two can tempt Nora to give up her womb and a measure of her health to Merideth. So that Merideth can recover and then once she recovers, she can bear the Whiteales at least an heir and a spare, Merideth can be saved. Nora looks enough like the Whiteales that any child Merideth would carry and birth wouldn’t look suspicious to anyone so that it would be doubtful that Merideth was not the mother. I know the fate of Dale rests on Merideth’s wedding to the Young Lord Richard Whiteale. Nora is 17, her womb is ready to mature, and if Nora will be induced to do the trade, Meredith will most likely conceive a male heir on her wedding night. But we have to give Nora and more importantly the Souja’s enough incentive to make it worth their while.” Agnes told them as she readied her supplies to get her soul forge ready for the trade since she was both medicine woman and witch and she needed the soul forge for this to work.

“Nirewen, we can give the Souja's - Nirewen- to use as their tavern! Because after Merideth marries, we can move in with her to Whiteale’s Dunbower! What’s an old wooden castle, rotting in its core compared to a palace of stone and marble?” Isolade pleaded with her husband who nodded in agreement because Merideth was looking paler by the minute and they were desperate for this miracle. And it would save them the cost of the upkeep of their old ancestral home. Although it was not like they had the money to do it anyway, having to pool all their money into Merideth’s dowry just to marry her into the Whiteales since Merideth was their only surviving child. All of Merideth’s siblings either died at birth or in their early childhood and so Merideth was the sole hieress to Dale. Because Dale was poorer but older than Fits, all of it’s homes were made out of wood. Compared to Fits that was currently building in stone because Fits had a quarry whereas Dale had an old, and rather ancient but very thick forest of stone timber pine. 

“Yes Gramma?” Your family asked as all of you came into the place. 

“Nora Dear, Meredith had an accident early this morning, she’s dying and the Ambergreens need a miracle.” Agnes informed you as she took your hand and led you over to Merideth for you to see her for yourself as your eyes went wide to see all the blood still coming from Merideth. 

“What happened?” You asked. 

“She suffered a fall and a kick from a horse, she’s losing her womb and might lose her life if you don’t help. So if you would give her a measure of your health and strength so that she can recover and trade your womb for hers, the Ambergreens are ready to make a trade with you and your family.” Agnes revealed before you and your family turned towards the Ambergreens. 

“Agnes has told us of your wishes to have a tavern, if your Nora will do the trade, your family can have Nirewen as your home and tavern.” Lord Collin offered your father. 

“But with us inheriting such a castle, we could never hope to pay for its rent.” Your mother paled. 

“Oh no, no. You see, we would be moving into Dunbower with the Whiteales upon Merideth’s wedding and Dale is to be combined with Fits then to make Fitsdale. The future of Dale rests on this. You would not rent Nirewen, you would own it. No rent due- ever. You would own it- deed- lock, stock and barrel.” Lord Ambergreen offered as Merideth’s eyes struggled to stay open as Collin knew that it would only be a few more moments that she could stay alive. They were down to the wire.  

“And pay only 5% of whatever your profits would be when you open up your tavern in Nirewen. You could even rename it to whatever you wish. Please, we are desperate. Everything we have rests with Merideth and it’ll come to naught if she’s not saved.” Isolade desperately added to her husband’s offer. 

“Miss Nora, is there anything we can offer you personally to incite you to make the trade? Gowns? Jewels? A ladyship?” Isolade asked as she came and grasped your hands with her thin, wrinkled and trembling ones as her gaze implored yours as your mind was a blank from the overwhelming nature of the circumstances. 

“Miss Nora, if you’ll do the trade, I’ll bless...this cauldron, it will be just as blessed as your womb and health. And whatever you make in it each day, for yourself and your family and your parent’s tavern, it’ll give you limitless amounts of it until you ask it to stop each night. And you will be heiress of the tavern itself and it will keep you better than any husband could and you’d have a say in how it’s run. And you will never have to marry unless you absolutely wish to, for love and only love if you wish. And you can leave it to whoever you wish to when you grow old, whether you birthed them or not.” Agnes incited desperately herself because she had helped birth Merideth herself and was fond of the sweet if not sickly girl. The Ambergreens' investments in Merideth’s health was half of Agnes’ living practically.  

“But if I’m trading my womb, for a dying one, doesn’t that mean I won’t have children of my own anyway?” You hesitantly asked. 

“That’s why you could adopt! Your whole family can adopt whoever you wish to, all of you can take on the Souja name and all of you would again, only pay a tiny 5% tax on your profits, not your whole income, just your profits. Every year from now until the end of your days.” Isolade insisted before you looked at your parents. 

“It’s your body and health Nora, it’s your choice. You would be the one making the sacrifice. But if you do make the trade, I swear you’ll get every penny from each plate or bowl of whatever you make from that cauldron as your earnings and you’d inherit the Tavern itself.” Your Da vowed as they all nodded their agreements. 

“Then I will trade my womb and a measure of my health to Merideth. I trust it will take time to do, but I wish for this to be in a contract that everyone will sign so that no that no one may go back on it, no matter what.” You insisted. 

“Oh absolutely.” Isolade readily agreed before she looked expectantly to her husband who looked pained because he would never get any more than that measly 5% of profits but in order to save Merideth and to a greater extent- Dale, he nodded his agreement before Agnes began to throw things into her magicked cauldron and turned on her soul forge. She then had you lay down on an extra cot next to Merideth before you reached out and held Merideth’s cold, clammy hand with your own. 

“It’ll be ok Lady Merideth.” You swore to her before she turned as you did the same and held onto each other’s hands tightly. 

“How much of a measure of my health can I give her?” You asked Agnes.

“She’ll need at least a third of it if she is to recover from this.” Agnes answered. 

“Give her half, that way she can recover just as much as I can in a short while without either of us being in too much danger. Like splitting a bunch of chive onions. It’s hard to regrow the bush from just a few. If we split the bunch half way, it won’t be long before they’re back to full size right?” You reasoned. 

“Bless you Miss Nora,” Meredith smiled tiredly before she used the last of her strength to kiss your knuckles on your intertwined hands as Isolade repeated her daughter’s sentiment and happily took off the necklace and broach she was wearing and put them on you as you laid there as her thanks for the trade.  

“No, My Lady, I don’t need…” You tried to stop her and refuse them. 

“No I insist, you’re saving Merideth’s life this day and sacrificing your own to save hers. Much more is owed to you and I hope in time you’ll receive what you’re owed. But this is all I can offer you now. Please, honor me by accepting it.” Isolade prompted before you nodded your agreement, not being able to argue with her further. 

“You’ll be alright Lady Merideth, Gramma Agnes is the best healer, she’ll set us both right.” You confidently insisted before Agnes put you both into a translike sleep and showed everyone else out of the house while Lord Ambergreen and your Da drew up a contract to be signed by themselves, as well as yourself and Merideth when you would wake up from the procedure. 

By sunset, you both woke back up as both of you felt your lower bellies ache, you felt like you were coming down with the worst flu of your life while Merideth felt better than she had ever felt before in her life aside from the ache in her lower belly too. Her once sickly complexion, was now rosey and the light in her eyes now glowed with more health than she had previously had and instead of being so tiny and frail, she had some meat on her bones and even some fat to spare so that her wedding dress would need to be refitted but she could now bear little ones with ease. Which is all she really needed and wanted.  

“Now, let them rest for at least a fortnight. Give them both bone broth and fresh clean water for the next two or three days. Then when they have stomach for it- soups and stews for a few days after that. Then gentle foods after that for a few days and then they should have a regular diet. Full of nutritious foods to build up their strength, but both will make a full recovery before the wedding.” Agnes coached your family and the Ambergreens after you and Merideth both read the contract after Agnes added her bit to it.

Her bit was that not only could the Souja's adopt all who they wished to- but any business bearing the name Souja also would only pay 5% of profits as well. And Agnes had agreed to change her Apothecary 's name to Souja Apothecary. And she too would have the last name of Souja since she was a widow. So she too would only ever have to pay the smaller tax as her own payment for her work as all parties signed it since Merideth and yourself would be the parties involved once your parents passed as well as hers and that the Souja's taxes would always be paid to her and her choice of heirs in the future Fitsdale. 

“Thank you Miss Nora. Is there anything I might do for you? Could I make you one of my bridesmaids for my wedding perhaps?” Meredith offered as she watched you sign it after she did. 

“Only if you really want me to. You’ve always been kind to me, My Lady. If you will have me as a bridesmaid- then I will have you as a guest of the tavern once we open it up for business and I’ll do my best to make you as fine a meal as I can.” You offered. 

“I would like that, might we be friends then?” Meredith proposed. 

“Aye, I would count myself happy and fortunate to have a friend like you, your Ladyship.” You nodded. 

“Merry,” Merry offered her hand to shake. 

“Nora.” You grinned as you shook hands. Meredith was after all a sweet girl. Only about a year older than you were. 

Four months later, Lady Meredith Ambergreen became Lady Merideth Whiteale. You were one of her bridesmaids, wearing the finest dress you had ever put on and the nicest, most comfortable shoes too that matched the dress. You were wearing the jewels Isolade had given you and had even danced a fair bit at her wedding and had even danced with Lords and other nobility from all over Creegaria. 

However, once they learned that you were just a farmer’s daughter and were wearing “charity wealth” given to you for ‘saving Lady Merideth from an accident before the wedding’. The others made no effort to do anything more than dance with you, abandoning any further designs they might have had which was a relief to you. 

Fits and Dale became Fitsdale that day. 

Ten months after the wedding, Meredith gave birth to her first son, Richard Whiteale the Fourth. The heir to the Whiteale name and the city state of Fitsdale and the Whiteales were given the status of Viscounts by King Griar since he ruled all of the nation of Creegaria and had just married his son, The Crown Prince Griar the Second to a moura bride from Dorierra, Lila. Who was apparently old friends with the Queen of Yekmeni and because of their close, personal relationship and the political one- Creegaria was now in the Dorrierran Alliance. 

And Creegaria and Fitsdale soon boomed in business because of it. And all of the nobility in the country received an advancement, and promotion in noble title rank at the wedding that the King and Queen of Creegaria held that hosted royalty and nobility from all over the world. Even the King and Queen of Yekmeni attended themselves, Queen Audravienne Azurah’s pregnant belly already large and heavy at the time as she was only a month away from giving birth to her first child too. But she would not miss the wedding of her friend Lila and only a week later had to go to Solowards to attend the wedding of her other friend Lavena to the Crown Prince Griar the Third- of Solowards before she went back home only weeks before she gave birth to her son. Crown Prince Ahi-Shumai. 

The blessing soon spread to all of Fitsdale. Tadiating from Dunbower and Souja Tavern. Agnes had been so moved by your own selflessness and willingness to help and sacrifice even your own health for someone you had barely known at the time. Agnes added a special blessing that as long as the Whiteales, Ambergreens and your family honored the contract both in the letter and in spirit- that success, prosperity, wealth and comfort would follow all of you. 

And she had made sure that like those proverbial bunches of chive onions, both you and Merideth both- not only did each of your health grow back out to full size, but then some. So that both of you now enjoyed excellent health and when your family moved into Nirewen, your family also bought Souja Apothacary for Agnes to own soon after- since your stews were a big hit among all those who tasted them and paid for a bowl. 

In that first year, your parents had adopted many other families. Almost all of them being widows and their children in old Dale as well as old Fits as your family moved them into a wing of Souja Tavern. Each family having a large room to themselves so that all of you could work in the Tavern as room and all their meals being provided for them in addition to making a living in the Tavern so that the Tavern itself kept your family and the widows and their children better than most husbands could. Since most of the younger menfolk had been lost in the last war Creegaria fought in only a decade before.  

All of you now bore the Souja name to become one larger extended family to fill up Souja Tavern and help make it the largest and best one in all of Creegaria. All of you had helped to renovate Nirewen since it was practically an ancient old wooden castle whose timbers had been rotted out and needing replacing for over half a century but had stood for centuries before that. 

But Nirewen’s name had changed to Souja Tavern after Merideth’s wedding and your family moved in- once the Ambergreens moved out of Nirewen and moved into the Whiteale’s Dunbower. And in that first year, your skills had grown from the best cook in your family, to the best cook in all of old Dale and soon to be all of Fitsdale. 

Only the cooks at Dunbower were better but not by much. And that was only because they had access to better ingredients, a bigger and more expansive garden and had more experience. 

But you were getting better every day. 

Within three months of the procedure, you were back to full health and churning out delicious food that had every worker- building up the port in Fitsdale coming to Souja Tavern to eat before they would go home to the worker village that had been built to house all the workers. 

Meanwhile Merideth’s health was also full and she no sooner had her son than three months later, got pregnant with her second and life went on with this new normal.

Five years after that Merideth’s wedding- Souja Tavern had grown in size and great popularity along with Fitsdale. Which then became a gigantic port city. Nearly the whole state was one huge city as your family then bought up most of old Dale, first buying up lands then building upwards when they could no longer expand outwards. The Souja name branched out into almost every conceivable business it wanted and needed to have. Until this part of Fitsdale was known as The Souja District. Because the Souja name was not just on all the names of all the businesses but on all the deeds to the properties too. 

Everyone in the 9 seas knew of Fitsdale and most importantly Souja Tavern soon after it’s opening five years prior.  

Now Fitsdale, ruled by Viscount Richard Whiteale and his wife Merideth after his parents stepped down. He was a good and fair Lord and thanks to Creegaria being part of the Dorierran Alliance meant war was no longer a threat and trade was booming. His lands were always welcoming to merchants of all kinds and since Fitsdale was a port city state with a natural bay that had been developed into a port as fine as any other. 

The port also sported three shipyards. One owned by the Whiteales, One owned by Salgria Shipping and the third was owned by the King of Creegaria because of that old, large and super dense forest. The lumbar to be had in Fitsdale was some of the best in the Supersphere because it was an ancient forest of stone timber pine. A wood so hard yet fine and strong it was like you were building with stone. But flexible enough to make both seaships and skyships with as well as any house and of course a good and sturdy harbor with many docks for many ships of all sizes and kinds. 

Nirewen had originally been built with stone timbers which is how and why it lasted as long as it had. But in the renovations, your family was replacing one section and wing at a time with stone from the quarry to keep the threat of fire at bay. And by now Fitsdale has also built and kept one of the largest skyports as well because of an old mountain that had settled into a hill with gently sloping sides in the very middle of the city that made building winding roads easy to get goods up and down the hill in every direction and the largest main road from the Fitsdale Skyport, dumped out right across the street from Souja Tavern. 

Fitsdale was a magnet for commerce and travelers and often people going to or from Dorrierra in both the western direction through Wakanear and the Brighway Line or eastern towards the Middle Eastern Continent, The Silk and Spice Routes to the Orient through the Enodia Straight and the Southern Poles, to Fitsdale to Forestrong in Solowards ruled by King Grenver. Or really any other place, often passed through here. 

Because of the size of Fitsdale’s harbor, even the largest or smallest ships could find proper docking here. Even warships on their way to conquer lands far beyond here- traveled through here to restock and resupply because of the Dorierran Alliance or D.A. as it was known. Being in the D.A. meant that they were safe from the threat of war and invasion but could still do business with others who still engaged in such tactics both in and out of the D.A. 

All the docks themselves lined with a broad, stout and sturdy boardwalks still made out of those stone timbers. They were wide enough that two mammoths with their load and cargo and carts could pass each other easily. And Souja Tavern was situated perfectly on the main road- Maveler, from the Fitsdale Skyport to the Fitsdale Seaport and all three shipyards. Salgria Shipyard being the closest. So Souja Tavern had its fair share of merchants and sailors from both ports along with the locals. 

And often ships who often didn’t have need to be here in the first place, could take shelter in the large protected bay in bad weather. And whose passengers could also take refuge in Fitsdale instead of having to wait out the weather on the ship itself. And almost all of the ships happily let their crews take their holidays in Fitsdale between loads and even the Skyport had hundreds of braced holders for the sky ships to dock in bad weather so the winds didn’t whip the boats into each other. 

So since Fitsdale’s population could swell with the tide. Souja Tavern was built to accommodate the swells with ease. The wooden fortress like castle was slowly changing from wood to stone. One wall and wing at a time seeing as how another quarry had just been opened up that was under the old thick ancient forest that was still being taken down to use the lumber for the ever growing city of Fitsdale and it’s many houses, ports, docks, shipyards and harbors.

The port town seemed to boom into a full fledged major city after the Whiteales really built up the Fitsdale Seaport and the Fitsdale Skyport and especially once the shipyards came in to build their ships as well. 

The Whiteales commissioned the building and installing of large cranes right on the docks that would pick up loads right from the docks or the belly of the ships and swing them over to either a different ship or to a cart and helped build up the protected cove. The Whiteales received their investment back almost a hundred fold because Fitsdale just grew and grew ever since. 

Even now- five years later, the outskirts of town were getting settled and developed while merchants were building large and fine houses indeed just outside the city. So that the Whiteales and Ambergreens were not the only nobility in the area anymore. Now, the Souja family were the highest ranking merchants in Fitsdale so that the name Souja soon became synonymous with Fitsdale along with the Whiteale name and the Salgria Shipping name as well. 

And thanks to some renovation by your parents and their large extended family. The Souja Tavern was relatively new and still getting renovated, updated and upgraded constantly. The swinging and banging of hammers and saws a constant roar in the cacophony of sounds in the place. Usually in the fair weather, that’s when the work on the outside of the place was done.  But in the winter and “off season” that’s when the work on the insides of the place concentrated. 

And thanks to your parent’s savvy business sense, as well as your own, even when all the ships were out of port and all that was left was the locals in the off season. Souja Tavern did just fine because Souja was a favorite of the area.

Even the Whiteales coming from Dunbower just to come and have a meal when doing business in the heart of the city, by now, Merideth and yourself were some of the best of friends. Even as different as your life paths were as Merry had taught you how to run Souja Tavern and the other Souja businesses since she had been educated in how to run a castle and state and you were a very eager pupil. And the more you learned and the more sage advice Merry gave you that you put into practice, the better things went. And often people coming through Fitsdale, often raved that you needed to stay at least one night in Souja Tavern and be treated like both a royal and like family.  

In the five years since the wedding, she had had a child every year since while you had adopted two children yourself. Often her, Agnes’ daughter Ainsley and yourself had all of your children playing together while Ainsley, Merry and yourself ate in a private booth and chatted or played a card game while Richard and your father and brothers did their own business in the main hall. Richard double checked your father’s books to make sure Merideth received what was properly owed to her. Since Merideth received all of Souja’s taxes to herself personally that helped pay for her own needs and wants like gowns and such while Richard received everything from everyone else. 

Richard had also been moved by your sacrifice, since he had noticed a marked change after the incident but kept the whole truth of the matter a closely guarded secret. To keep the dignity and safety and security of his wife, children safe. As well as the livelihood of Fitsdale. You now counted him a good friend too. Something like a brother in law, and with the two of you looking a fair amount alike- it was very easy to pass off his own children by Merideth as their pure blooded children by himself and Merideth, simply taking after their father much more than their mother. Although whenever you got to meet Merry’s children, you couldn’t help but notice they looked quite a bit like you too. In both looks and personality. But while you were drawn to Merry’s children emotionally and instictively. Mentally you knew that she was the one to concieve, carry and birth them. You just donated your womb to her- to make her dreams possible for her. 

Besides, having adopted two children yourself, any mothering need you instinctively felt was perfectly sated by having them. And it was something you had a hard time explaining. The first time you saw your children, your heart just instantly told you that they were your children and that you needed to take care of them and protect them like they were your own. And while you didn’t birth them yourself, you were very strongly bonded to them like you had, and they were very strongly bonded to you too. So you were family of three, a Ma and two kids. You had a tiefling hybrid daughter named Lena. And a boy who you had no idea what speices of person he was. But he was slate gray but with bright white hair and had horns like a tiefling but no tail. And he couldn’t climb the walls the way Lena could and liked to do. And he and a boy. So your mother had simply called him- your gray son and Grayson stuck. They were a handful but you loved them dearly and the fact that they were orphaned and came to Souja well past nursing age- meant you could take them on pretty easily and didn’t need to rely on Agnes to give your body a spell to make your bosom ready to nurse babes, like she had done with several others. In fact, almost every orphan in Fitsdale found themselves here and found either a parent or a pair of parents or even a group of parents to adopt them since the others had been adopted too. 

And when the Souja Family would celebrate the holidays. It honestly looked like a random group of people from all over the supersphere together. But yet, all of you found a way to make it work while your father kept a very important book to differentiate who was related to who and who, who was married to who and who adopted or gave birth to who. 

Collin and Isolade Ambergreen were now retired age and liked to stay to Dunbower with Richard’s parents and happily cared for Merideth’s children so that Merideth could oversee the goings on in the castle Dunbower herself. It was decided that your daughter Lena and Merideth’s daughter Tabita as well as Ainsley’s daughter  would continue to the contract you and Merideth had entered into which Ainsley Mariot agreed to and signed off on as well since it was now referred to as ‘the ladies agreement’. 

One of the biggest reasons why the Souja Tavern did just fine- besides the clean warm rooms because each room now had a fireplace of its own. Thanks to it’s now stone construction. And besides the bathhouse. Since Nirewen had originally been built over a set of hot and cold springs. Supplying the now grand Souja Tavern with hot and cold running water that had been plumbed into the whole tavern. And the Souja family had put a water toilet in each room, which was a grand modern convenience. Besides all of that, Souja Tavern did just fine because the food and drink were excellent. 

Souja didn’t have the fanciest food, but it did have some of the best in all of the port. Besides the kitchens in the Whiteale’s castle Dunbower, which was why it was full of the locals even when all the sailors and visitors weren’t around in the off season. 

And the Alewives that worked at Souja were practically the best in the country and far beyond and Souja Tavern was lucky to boast of at least two dozen Alewives. All of them having an apprentice or two and happy to take the Souja name as well while keeping a fair bit of independence. Each one with her specialties. Each one choosing to make at least three different kinds of ales, lagers, stouts, meads, grog and such. So that the bar had a vast variety. 

And some of the men who worked at Souja worked for the lumberyard and built giant caskets and barrels to store and age the ales and other spirits and the bar was built to store the barrels right there at the bar while the stronger men took care of carrying and loading and restocking the bar itself while the Alewives dispensed their own brews. All of them happy to compete with each other for the best stein of ales, lagers, grog and whatnot each night they worked. All of them working in shifts so that none of them got overworked or burnt out doing it either.

Souja

Chapter 2 

Today though, was special because only this morning the Violet Skye which was one of the flagships that Salgria Shipping had- docked this morning and had been unloading its cargo all day. And there was one particular sailor you were hoping you'd meet again tonight. Because just looking at that ship had his face popping into your head and kept a small, secret yet excited smile on your face and had you grateful you were working tonight because the chances of him coming into Souja Tavern tonight were high. 

You had slaved over this stew all day, making sure it would taste perfect. Rich and hearty, flavorful and comforting. You had made it especially good because you had invested in a robust and flavorful wine aged in a bourbon barrel at Fitsdale’s bigger and more famous winery that was closer to Dunbower, across Fitsdale. Even though all the stews and soups you made were good. Just for the chance that he would come in- you wanted this to be one of your better ones. And it was the wine that really brought the stew to a new height of delicious as everyone who tasted it in the kitchen raved how it was one of the best ones you had made to date which made you happy because hopefully the object of your thoughts would think the same. And he’d always want to come back for more. 

It was an hour before dinner would be served and you heard a ruckus of the doors practically slamming open. And the chorus of new customers as they greeted the barkeep and ordered the drink of their choice and a plate of supper as the clattering of huge stainless steel plates and bowls echoed through the place as the new customers eagerly clammered for them, eagerly handing over thier coins to pay for them. As the barkeep were picking up all the coins and quickly filled up the coin sacks behind the bar, the barkeep sorting which coins belonged in which bags.   

All of the larger guests especially were eagerly grabbing their huge bowls and plates the size of platters that were specifically made and designed for orcs and the bigger folks in mind while the smaller folk happily got their own smaller plates to suit their smaller sizes. But they would filled just as heaping, along with a set of silverware, also stamped out of stainless steel. 

Thanks to industrialization that had come to Fitsdale recently- became cheap and easy to aquire that was easy to clean and easy to make and almost impossible to break and not poisonous the way lead plates and utensils could be and held up to the tougher wear and tear pretty well. Even for the more heavy handed individuals. 

Which most of these customers tonight were orcs because the vast majority of the ships in port right now belonged to Salgria Shipping. And the Salgrias were orcs themselves and preferred to hire and keep orcish crews. And in your opinion, no harder or more loyal or honorable worker could be hired than an orcish one. Orcs had codes of honor and behaved very well both on and off the ships. Or at least all the ones that Salgria Shipping hired. 

And not a single Salgria Shipping orc found thier way onto the Pulp List. Which was a special list that meant that if you were ever seen on Souja property, you had a standing order to be beaten to a pulp. Thus the name of the list. And you had to be a particularly awful person to even get on this list. But not a single person on that list was going to be coming tonight. They all knew better than to even try. 

These Salgria Shipping sailors especially- always appreciated the durability of the dishes, the very generous portions of the excellent food. If not the friendliness of the staff, the prettiness of the women and the handsomeness of the men and everything in between. And especially the warm welcoming service and often remarked that coming into Souja Tavern was like coming to a home away from home.  And always the home of a friend. And the feeling was shared by all who came into the place and the staff here at Souja Tavern who knew most of these guests by name. 

There was always good ale, grog and spirits to drink, great grub to be eaten. In summer, big fans that were powered by a special motor to keep a good breeze blowing so it wouldn’t be hot or stuffy in the summer or in the cooler months and especially the winter, a warm fire that would stave away even the bitterest of the biter cold. 

Souja Tavern always meant a good time spent with good company. A good band playing familiar favorites and a clean, soft, warm bed and even softer, warmer special company to be bought, no matter who you were and what kind of walk of life you came from or what you wanted because Souja had a little bit of everything and tried to cater to most. 

To hear all the ruckus brought a brighter smile to your face and a smile to everyone else’s faces in the kitchens, because that meant that you and everyone else at Souja would make good coin tonight. And within an hour, all the dishes were bought out. From the tavern side, the inn side, and especially the bathhouse side to the point that even all the reserves were being bought out. 

Souja Tavern was lucky to have not just a tavern, but a huge inn and a large and very nice bath house under its massive roof. And for a special price- which by comparison to the other taverns- was expensive, but by value alone was amazing. And for most, within reach of their budgets. There was special deal- known as The Souja Tavern Special.  

‘The Special’- consisted of several amenities and perks. A person could get themselves cleaned and washed in the bath house, one set of clothes washed per day they stayed, a room for the usual time the crews spent in port between sailings. Or however long you needed it to be- the longer the better and more value in the long run. The Special- also included a bath once a day in the bath house with your choice of a whole bar of soap since the Souja Bath House had quite the selection of soaps in a myriad of scents and sizes and purposes. And three unlimited meals every day and night you stayed and any extra sets of clothes you had could be added on at the laundresses for a small fee per item. The linens on the beds too would be cleaned and changed out every day so that the guest was always going to sleep in freshly laundered sheets every night which kept the beds clean and the mattresses even cleaner and lasted longer. 

Because of The Souja Special- it was why Souja had almost a cult like following and such a high return customer rate. Which is what the vast majority of Souja’s guests chose to do. Especially the orcs who loved to stay as clean as possible in their person. 

The huge dining hall of the tavern was soon close to bursting with hungry customers. Who seemed to stream in from all sides, most of them from the inn and bath house side. Already having their dishes and silverware in hand and simply looking for a table to sit at. The closer to the door of the kitchen the better. Because that’s how the food got served. 

The barmaids and other servers practically ran huge trays of huge steins to the thirsty customers who were on thier second and third refill of their stiens as others in the bar keep kept the beer and ale and grog almost constantly pouring. Then your Da called back that you and the others were serving a full house before your Ma came down and informed you and the other staff in the kitchen that almost all the rooms just got rented out and that most of them would be staying a usual stay. Almost all of them about a week and a day which was the norm. 

Most ships stayed in port about a week and a day to unload and then reload. Giving their crews a break in work during the sailing seasons since Fitsdale had it’s own crews that worked on the docks themselves. Unloading the cargo so the sailors could have a break in watching over and protecting the cargo- no matter it’s value. 

And even here in Fitsdale- Salgria Shipping kept crews here in Fitsdale just for that purpose and kept giant storehouses at both ports just to keep the cargo safe between being loaded and unloaded from ship to ship so that meant that even when most of greater shipping crews were out to sea, there were a fair amount of orcish workers who were a constant here in Fitsdale and quite a few of them had married into the Souja family. All of them taking on the Souja name too.  

But for now, the stew was ready and you had one of your many “brothers” Angus, who was a minotaur, who was married to your friend Maggie, who managed the sausage station. Both of them were also on the dinner crew.  Angus helped you move your very large and heavy caldron to it’s rolling stand for serving before he moved on to help the others with their own spits and things. 

Angus and his “brothers” were responsible for most of the heavy lifting in the kitchen. All of them helping you and your sisters pull your huge, heavy kettles, caldrons and spits out of the fire and put the kettles and spits on their special serving stands. Or in the case of whole roasting animals, to the huge butcher block to hack it up into serving sizes that were easier to manage before it got moved to the serving carts that was specially made to wheel them around without spilling anything on them and wheeled them out of the kitchen and into the dining hall which erupted into applause and cheers at the sight of you. All of you being met with the sight of a very full dining room. Full of mostly orcs, all packed in like sardines around all the tables, all hungry eyes on you and the other men and women that came out with their offerings and large grins and smiles as the scents of your foods wafted over them. 

You couldn’t help but scan the crowd, trying to find the object of your thoughts today. And when you saw him, your smile grew almost impossibly bright as your eyes met through the crowds. And his smile back to you when your eyes met was like warm sunshine to your soul and it took all your self control not to plow through the crowd and go straight to him but instead simply picked the side that he was sitting on. 

Others followed your lead, about a third of the others picked this side and worked around one way while the second third picked the other side to work around the opposite way while the last third seemed to go out into the middle and fan out with their own special and magicked serving carts on wheels, all the patrons having bought their dishes for the night as your “sisters” were passing out steins of drink as the harlots that worked at the tavern purred their game to the current guests from their spots perched on the customer’s laps. 

Most of them sitting on the laps of their familiar favorites since most of these guys had their preferred girls and who requested them by name since Souja also sported a good percentage of the port’s harlots. All of them doing their work here by free choice and actually wanting to do the work rather than feeling like there was nothing else for them to do to earn an income.Because a lot of women came here, hoping Souja had a job for them that didn’t have anything to do with whoring, while others came here just for whoring. 

And that was because the of Souja’s Head Madam, Velhala Souja. She was kindly, professional, honest and fair and protected her workers and the customers here always treated them really well once their womanly canals or even puckers had adjusted to accommodate the larger cocks of orcs and minotaurs and the like because most of the clientele here were orcs, tiefling, halflings, minotaurs, dwarves and not just the big bodied clients but the bigger appetites bearing ones too.

And the reason why the bigger bodied individuals and especially the bigger appetite-ed people came here was because of the Souja Special- where you could “buy” your dish and your stien for a steep price for the meal if you weren't going to use the bath house or the inn but it would be refilled until you could eat and drink no more- between the serving hours. Like a buffet, but a buffet that came to your table. 

Most patrons in the town themselves only needed two or three refills of drink and supper or whatever meal was being served. But orcs and the other bigger appetite having individuals? No, they could eat you out of house and home if you let them and for them it was much cheaper this way- than most of the other places that charged by the portion and if you had an appetite as large as orcs and the like, that could get really expensive really fast. Thus the outstanding value of The Souja Special. 

And while Souja didn’t have the prettiest or fanciest food, it was some of the best tasting, flavorful, comforting, rustic, hearty and filling. It was also very verried to accommodate just about every appetite and eating preference while having great quality to the ingredients. And the portions were always generous, whether it was your first, third or your fifth or eighth serving of it.  And most of the sailors, especially the orcs, saved every penny they earned on their journeys and sailings just to come and spend all their time onshore here, getting fed and taken care of so exceedingly well. 

And luckily for you. You still had that magic cauldron that would hold 20 quarts worth of stew or soup by the looks of it. But in reality, it would still make near limitless amounts of whatever you made in it to begin with. 

And you had made a very hearty beef stew tonight with plenty of generous sized hunks of beef and bone chunks, hacked by a saw to help ease the marrow out of them so that all you had to do was gently suck at the marrow from the bone and it would slide out and slip onto your tongue. And bone marrow was a favorite ingredient to orcs especially and to anyone else who loved meat and butter. You had used the more grisly and tougher parts of meat from the young bull that had been slaughtered that morning for Souja Tavern, every little part used up, so that little to nothing went to waste as even the bull’s head was boiling away in a pot back in the kitchen to make a decent head cheese for sandwiches the next day and make a good aspic too while other meats were in the smoker getting smoked for sandwiches tomorrow too. 

Most taverns would usually only serve something like a one lonely stew, maybe a roasted bird or two and a roll of bread -as it’s dishes for supper. 

But not Souja. It was one of many dishes served tonight. And for every meal for every day, your Da got every crew's offerings since there was a breakfast crew, a lunch crew and a supper crew along with a night crew that cleaned the kitchen and helped with the dishes and took care of all the guests who found themselves awake and hungry at all hours of the night. 

Your Da kept a special chalk board up on the back of the bar that had written down what each crew would offer for each meal and for those who couldn’t read, your Da would happily read it all off for them. And especially with how Souja handled this - buy your dish for the meal, you could have some of everything for the price of the plate or simply order a portion of whatever struck your fancy.

Most bought the dish and happily got to enjoy some of everything because on average, there were at least a dozen different dishes to be offered for dinner. And that was only to be outdone by Dunbower- who served Viscount Whiteale and his family fifteen to twenty courses for dinner and the King’s Palace that served almost thirty to fourty dishes and courses per meal. Which is why many came here to be treated and fed like royal nobility yet family. 

Your stew had slowly simmered for hours all day and all the meat was perfectly tender and delectable, and cooking it that way, all the ingredients married and blended together to make something extraordinary. You usually worked on one major hearty stew or soup for supper for every day you worked and your pot was shared among all the other women who worked your station on all the other days. 

All the other girls had their own magicked things in the kitchen to help them too. All the girls who worked with meat, really only had to roast one pig or only one cow or sheep or goat and their magicked spits and trays would act like they had cooked over a hundred of them or a few hundred of them in the respects to the smaller game items. The girls who worked with the birds usually only had to roast a few of them, but would get the same effect and no matter what the girls worked best with- the same effect would be had on their own ingredients and end products.

So that out of what was really enough food and raw ingredients to feed about 30-50 people, you would end up having enough to feed over a thousand people a day,

Because Souja Inn had over 400 rooms and when most of the rooms were being split at least two to four ways- that meant that the Inn could house 800-1200 people. Not including the family’s wing. And many of those rooms had a couple of beds and so a lot of people chipped in to split a Souja Special Room- four ways, two in each bed. And then got extra places for the meals, the bath house visits and the laundry services added on. It was still a tremenous value at that rate. 

Souja was now three stories high and looking to add a fourth and even a fifth story in the next year or two. And there was now over 250 people in just “the family” side of Souja. Including all the children. And “the family” ate their food in a separate family dining room which was still two to three times the size of most taverns anyway. And all the blessings of the magic would keep on producing food until you and the others simply asked it to stop for the day or night.

The ones who made all the bread stuffs only had to make one pan of each kind and once the whole lot was put into one of many sacks at her waist, the sack itself would give her unlimited amounts of whatever she put into it but the prices for such magic had been much kinder than the price you paid, thankfully so. 

Prati, the spicer, really only had to buy one spice once, buy the best she could get her hands on. And once poured into a series of magicked spice pots, could give her unlimited supplies of it and thus could custom make whatever spice mixes anyone needed for anything. It was a secret you all guarded with your lives, your daily miracles to keep everyone happy and healthy and content and everything running smoothly at Souja Tavern. And whatever was left over after every last one had- had their fill- then the rest was given to the poor, the elderly, often the parents and grandparents of the workers here at Souja, the disabled and the most vulnerable of the area.

“Welcome back, who wants beef stew?” You greeted the customers pleasantly with a proud smile, because you were always proud of whatever you cooked. You greeted everyone like this whether you recognized them or not, you wanted them to always come here when they came back into port. Repeat customers and their loyalties and their own word of mouth singing Souja Tavern’s praises were good for business and were worth the repeat business.  

You got your big ladle and started dishing out the stew, filling each bowl until it was full from those who wanted it, before handing each one a roll that was perfectly crunchy and crusty on the outside that would soak up that broth from the stew but soft and chewy on the inside to balance the richness of it and would compliment the stew perfectly, moving on around the tables and down the line around the tavern. Meanwhile others gave out portions of a whole sheep or goat’s legs or a hunk of pork or beef, spiced, cooked and roasted to perfection or steaks of the some of the finer meats.  Or either halved or whole roasted birds, depending on their sizes with a side of vegetables cooked in a myriad of ways and sauces and salsas and dals. And even some grilled prawns or lobster halves or a plate of clams or other shellfish or a few grilled or fried fish so that eventually each table looked like a mini king’s feast for everyone squeezed around each table, with barely enough room for the steins themselves between all the big dishes and for what your customers paid for it, it might as well have been a king’s feast and would be the closest most of them would ever get to it anyway. 

Besides, the earnings from all the meals alone was more than enough money to offset the expense of everything else considering the big help of the magicked items. But those responsible for making the meals got the highest cut of the earnings and with the way things were packed tonight, you’d be making enough just tonight to last you and your little family for a month or two at least. But you were always careful and cautious with your wages so tonight’s earnings would probably go straight into your savings and you would probably need to buy another trunk to store it all in. 

The dinner crew’s captain tonight was Phillys, she made sure each person in the kitchen produced amazing food. She didn’t care how old you were or what your background was or who or what you were. If you could cook really well and could make dishes that kept even the locals coming back and clambering for more, you got a spot in the kitchen. And even though you were heiress to this spot and despite your ladies agreement- you earned your place on this dinner crew just the same as any other. And there were three teams per crew so that in the seven day week, each person only worked two or three days a week and had a counterpart that did their job in the kitchen on their days off. It ensured that no one got overworked or underworked and everyone made good money.

And your sister soupers were Mallie and Yasa, they were also magnificent with soups and stews, all of you taking turns cooking at least one day through the week and one weekend day and took turns taking the extra seventh day from the week. It rotated to keep it all fair for everyone .And this week was your turn to work the three day week- to work Monday, Thursday and Saturday and today was a Saturday. The busiest night of the week no matter what. 

Finally though, you reached the object of your thoughts all day as you finally got to his table. 

“You always have the best stews Miss Nora Souja.” The young man who you had been looking forward to serving all day, whose smile felt like sunshine complimented you which got you to smile your brightest, happiest smile at him. Whose handsome face tempted you to change your attitudes on marriage- as you filled his bowl with stew. 

He was quite handsome but you had met so many sailors and visitors, while you could recognize faces, you were horrible with names. But with him, no you saw him around enough, every time he came into port actually he always came here. He was Johnny Gillsman, he was half orc and half human by the looks of it and was a crewman for the Violet Skye and he was eating right next to Kragan Salgria, the oldest son and heir of Salgria Shipping- who was the Captain of the Violet Skye. And he was mighty handsome man too. But even though he was an important man, when he was off the boat- Kragan was unassuming and easy going and despite their difference in position on the ship, because they were similar in age- they often roomed together and ate together when off the ship.  

Johnny used to be a crewman for the Elspeth, another ship that belonged to Salgria Shipping, back when Kragan was his father’s first mate on that ship and when Kragan got his own ship, Kragan took Johnny with him to work on the Violet Skye.  

You had overheard the other crewmates from both ships praise how well of a natural sailor Johnny was. Johnny was slightly smaller than most orcs, but just as strong but quicker and light on his feet and could man the sails with ease without the risk of breaking any masts from his weight. 

And you could tell he was some kind of sweet on you. Because others had reported to you that he had asked others about you and you had told them to be discrete yet honest with him but still, you were sure it would just be a passing fancy for him. Because to hope for anything more seemed scary to you for some reason. And you felt sure that this passing fancy he had for you was something he would get over just like all the others did. Although you'd be a fool if you'd try to deny that that would break your heart at least a little bit when it would happen. 

“Thank ye Johnny, I know it’s your favorite and I could feel you coming tonight so I made it just for you.” You replied with a teasing smile with a wink which got the other guys at the table to erupt into laughter and jeers as they clasped and shook his shoulders as Johnny’s cheeks flushed a dark pine green but his smile was like the dawnbreak, all bright and beautiful as you filled his bowl up before you reached in and handed him a roll from your sack, your fingers caressing as you passed it over as you ignored the familiar flutter in your chest because you were perhaps sweet on him too, sweeter than you wanted to admit. 

But you saw, every day, how it could either work, or more likely- end in heartbreak. And you were guarded in an effort to keep the heartbreak at bay. You had seen too many of your “sisters” both by blood and otherwise fall for many a sailor, only to be met with disappointment because sailing had it’s risks and challenges and sometimes the sailors came back. But most of the time, they went home, to any home other than Souja Tavern. Much less Fitsdale, leaving your sisters pining and yearning for a man who would never return to them and you had promised yourself as a teenager that you didn’t want the same to happen to you which is why you had not wanted children as a teen yourself and why you had entered that trade and ladies agreement. And every time a young man caught your eye and your fancy, all you had to do was look to the other examples of the heartbroken to keep you from doing anything about it. 

But even with all of that in mind, every time you saw Johnny, your heart skipped a beat and had your hope telling your doubt that it wouldn’t be like that with Johnny. Even though you didn’t know him from much of anyone else to know that or not. You weren’t sure why Johnny always seemed to stand out to you, even in a crowd. But he did. And you were always keen to serve dinner whenever the Violet Skye first came into port. Hoping you’d see him and every time you did you could feel yourself swoon at just the sight of him. Both that first time a few years ago and every time since then. Since during the flying season that lasted spring, summer and fall, he’d come for a week every three months and this was the first time in seeing him in six months. It had been a very long six months, both through the rest of fall and winter and had you eagerly anticipating the spring orc ship sailings. 

But you had no other interactions with him other than serving him food and fleeting glimpses of him in the port between the Violet Skye while it was in port unloading and loading up it’s cargo. And in between shopping at the market at the skyport. And you really didn’t have any opportunities to talk to him or get to know him much more than these passing, although fleeting but memorable and precious moments. 

But in talking with the harlots, none of them had ever taken him to any of their beds. Not that they didn’t try but he was always polite in his refusal, saying ‘he was saving himself for his future wife’. Which you thought was awfully sweet. But he was an orc, from Orno of all places which was on the Nuvaric orcish Continent. Orno was on the very southern tip of the continent. Where Forestrong was, where Salgria Shipping was born and grew to encompass more and more of the supersphere. Surely he had an orc woman he had his eye on, despite being a halfling himself. 

“Really?” He asked hopefully. 

“Oh Aye, I make every soup or stew in my pot as if I know that my favorite person in the world is coming to eat from it that night. It’s why every single one turns out so good.” You returned with a proud smile. 

“And I’m your favorite person?” Johnny asked eagerly and you felt you may have over done it and led the poor boy along, sweet as he was. And as much as you wanted to confess to everything, you couldn’t bring yourself to say such things. Surrounded by so many people, especially his crewmates who were eager to see your answer and you didn’t want to open him up to any more teasing or jeering, at least on your account. Johnny already had issues with being smaller than the others. You didn’t want him to become the target of any more.  

“No, that person be my Gramma Agnes. She’s the one who taught me to cook and gave me the kettle I’m serving you from. She was the first person to believe that I could be one of the best cooks in Old Dale, if not far beyond. And I’ve made every stew and soup for her all my life. She’s always the first one to get a bowl of it and tell me what’s good about it and what can be improved on. But she did say that ‘tonight’s stew is one of the best ones I’ve made yet and said that there was nothing I could do to improve tonight’s stew’. Which is mighty high praise coming from her. And the butcher did butcher a fine steer this morning and the veggies were dug up just yesterday at the farm and we’ll be getting some cold weather tonight and a storm tomorrow, if my Gramma and her knees are to be believed. So it was a good day for stew.” You gently broke it to him, not wanting to lead him on because he deserved better than to have some tavern keeper’s daughter tempting him away from his future wife, which is something you had no other course but to respect. 

“Ye must forgive me, I’m just havin a bit of fun with ya Lad. Your heart’s too good and your honor too fine to be led astray by a tavern’s cook like me.” You tried to gently and sweetly reassure him a bit more seriously because you didn’t want to hurt the sweet and kind man because you cared for him too much. Even though he be- not much more than an acquaintance to you. 

“Besides, I’ve heard from some of the harlots that you’d be saving yourself for your future wife, Johnny. Which is a vow I have nothing but the highest respects for. Whoever she may be, may she be blessed. And with a home like Orno, Lad, the clan that inhabits Orno is known for having strong clan ties and a homeland three times as big as Creegaria or Solowards. With cities like Preborg and Forstrong. Both of which are twice as big as Fitsdale and twice as old as either Old Fits or Old Dale have been. If ye’ had no clan, I’d be tempted to try to lure you here with me. But with you having such a clear and grand home as Orno, and having a plan for that future wife of yours and probably strong clan ties to boot. Surely one of these days, but not any day soon, mind you- because you have a good long career as a sailor ahead of you. But one day eventually, you’d be retiring from the sea and the sky, to go back home there and all the Souja Tavern would be to ye, would be a fond memory, if we’re doing our best to serve fine customers such as yourself Lad.” You specified as you filled the bowls of the other men at the table. . 

"But that’s where you’d be wrong Miss Nora. It’s you who is too good to be led away from your home, even as impressive as Souja Tavern is by a poor sailor like me. But I fancy you all the same and I am undeterred. So what will it take for you to marry me Miss Nora?" He asked, undeterred and part of you wanted to say ‘just ask’. But that was too much to hope for. Even for you, as all that seemed to flash and dance on your face as you were both flattered and floored by the prospect but you didn’t think he was that serious. Or if it was his orcish charm just being...himself. You needed to let him down gently.  

"I’m sorry to say Johnny, but I'm not looking for a husband at the moment. Besides my place is here and my home is here and I’m happy and content where I am, here at Souja Tavern. Since this is my parent’s place and all and they’re leaving it to me when they pass and I have sworn an oath that I’d never sell it. And so I can’t go nowhere but here and it’s in the agreement that I signed five years ago now. That I signed with Viscountess Merideth Whiteale herself, that I manage it myself when that does happen but I have to manage it with my name the way it is now. Nora Souja, So I can’t take on any other name, even a husband’s.  And that vow and contract is something I take as seriously as I take my stews. So I’m needed and wanted here and I have no desire to call any other place home other than here.” You clarified. 

 “And most men already have a home they wish to take a wife too and even if they don’t have a penny to their name, least they have a name to give. Not many men are willing to give up everything, they have, including their name, to be with a woman and her family and her business and support her in her work and take her name instead of her taking thiers. Because most men are used to it being the other way around. But I can’t have it any other way than that Johnny." You shook your head no, not sure who you were trying to convince more, him or yourself, as you finished filling his companion’s bowls with stew and handed them rolls too and it almost broke your heart to say it but it was always best to be honest but tempered with discretion because most men, once they learned that, their interest in you often died with that knowledge. 

“Oh.” Johnny blinked as he turned to stare at his stew to consider all of that as you smiled sadly at the change in him, your heart breaking just a bit to see his desire for you wane in his eyes. 

But in reality, you would probably have no less than a dozen proposals tonight since you had several every meal you served. Because despite the Souja family being a very large family, you were one of the few who remained unmarried. More people who had been widowed or widowered got remarried and others who were single had gotten married in this large extended Souja family. Especially in the kitchens, more of Souja’s harlots were married than any who served in the kitchens. And yet, every time you got close to wanting to get involved with anyone, a close friend would have heartbreak and it would scare you off of romance again, or until you saw Johnny again and with everyone else you had gotten used to it but with him, it felt different. And this was his first time asking and as much as your heart wanted to leap from your chest and say yes, your mind and your reason held you back. Because you just didn’t really know him and you had a family to think about and consider. 

“Maybe next time or in another life Johnny.” You offered as you gave him an apologetic smile. 

Before you moved on, pushing your special cart and you made one round around the place before you had to go back to “refill” for another round as did the others and by the third round, most had slowed down in practically inhaling all their food enough that you could take what you had cooked and wheel it to the second dining room, where ‘the family’ gathered for meals where everyone who wasn’t currently working had gathered for their own supper from all the farms, orchards, gardens and other Souja businesses and the like where all the kids and other families were getting their supper too. 

“You been good today Lena?” You asked your daughter as you filled her bowl and gave her a roll as she and your son Grayson were sitting with Yasa’s family since on your work days, your kids often kept with the other kids from the parents who worked in the kitchens when they weren’t in the school house. 

Lena was a tiefling hybrid while Grayson was something none of you had ever seen before. He almost looked tiefling but not quite. He had impressive horns, almost like a tiefling but no tail. But one look at the poor boy and your heart went out to him and he took to you immediately because you were the first one to see him come through the door a couple of years ago and immediately come up to him and tried talking to him and to feed him and you worried that he had not eaten for quite some time before he came to Souja but that seemed to settle the matter of becoming his mother and you had taken almost a month off just bonding with him. 

But for living in a port, Grayson hated the sea and often cried every time he got close to it and when storms came in especially. So it was assumed was that he had been in a shipwreck brought on by bad storms. But that didn’t mean he wouldn’t wolf down seafood with the best of them. Grayson often ate anything offered to him and was the farthest thing from being a picky eater. And once you bonded was incredibly affectionate and very sweet. If not just a little clingy when you weren’t working, which you didn’t mind. Lena practically had to be kept on a leash when she was younger to stay with you. But Grayson always stayed right with you and often just liked holding your hand whenever you went anywhere with him. 

“Yup.” She nodded as she started chowing down. 

“And you Grayson? You been a good lad today?” You asked him as you did the same with him as he nodded and did the same, using his own fangs to poke through the crust of the rolls like Lena did before biting through it all the way. Grayson had gotten that name because Grayson was- slate gray, with violet eyes and white hair. And your Ma had simply called him ‘your gray son’ and Grayson just stuck. And he had learned to come to that name easy enough. 

“He keeps writing all his letters backwards and writing his old letters.” Lena informed you. 

“Well writing is hard. I have a hard time not doing that too. And he can write his old letters if he wants to, even if he’s the only one who can read them. You’ll learn Sweetheart, just keep trying. You’ll get it eventually,” you encouraged him before you kissed his cheek affectionately which got him to giggle before he kissed your cheek back in kind, despite his bulging cheeks. 

“When will you be home tonight?” Lena asked you curiously. 

“Probably not till late tonight, we got just about every single Salgria Shipping crew in tonight and a few dozen others in and a full house. It’s only the third round, and most of the guests are orcs tonight, there will probably be seven or eight rounds tonight.” You informed them as you crouched down between them and hugged them from behind as both of them leaned into and hugged you back. 

“Who’s that?” Grayson asked as he pointed to the door before you stood to your full height to see who was there. It was Johnny, staring in surprise at you at seeing you interact with your children.  

“Hey, let us serve the wee little ones and our families real quick, and we’ll get another refill and go another round ok?” You offered to Johnny who stared at you from the doorway just as the others noticed he was there and politely reminded him that this room was private and family only and politely urged him to go back to his own table. 

“Uh, yeah, um, of course.” Johnny slowly answered before he backed up and left. 

“He was just a nosey customer, Darlins. It says ‘private’ right on the door but I don’t think he reads too well.” You finally answered Grayson before you hugged them again and kissed their cheeks again. 

“He seemed nice though.” Lena noted. 

“Really? You think so?” You asked her curiously, because Lena usually hated most men on sight. But she had never hated the sight of Johnny. Which for you was always a good sign that he was a good man because Lena had a sixth sense about people. Men especially. 

“Yeah, he didn’t have the bad look, sound or smell about him. He’s not from around here is he?” Lena assured you. 

“No, I believe he’s from Orno.” You answered her. 

“He’s a hybrid, like Grayson and me and the others. He’s orc and something else. But he’s nice. He seemed like he works hard but has a good, kind personality. I have a good feeling about him.” Lena insisted with a reassuring smile which made you beam one back at her. 

“Ok, I’ll take your word for it Sweetheart. I trust you and if you feel he’s a good one, then he’s a good one. Because I’ve heard from several others that he’s good too but you’re still the expert.” You praised her which got her to smile brighter at you. 

“What did you think of him Grayson?” You asked your son curiously. 

“He had a good blade on his belt.” Grayson answered with a shrug. 

“Well you would know a good blade when you see one too.” You answered with a chuckle before you continued to feed all the other kids along the table as the other girls were cutting the hunks of meat into bite sized pieces for the kids and loading up the magicked serving table before you went back to the food line and dumped your kettle twice into two other magicked cauldrons in the fire so the rest of the family could get some when they came and once they were all fed and more was set aside for the late comers, all of you quickly ducked out of the room and tried to slip back to the kitchens but Johnny was there and gently reached out to grab your arm to stop you from returning to the kitchen as he hung out in the little hallway. 

“So who do those kids belong to?” Johnny asked as he nodded to the door that still said ‘Private’ on it. 

“All of us in one way or another. Souja Tavern is more than a tavern Johnny, almost all of the people you see working here have families, we just keep them mostly out of sight.” You answered honestly.  

“So do you have a family that you keep hidden away?" Johnny asked curiously. 

"Aye Johnny, I do. I have no husband but I do have little ones me-self." You answered. 

"Oh, so...which ones were yours?” He asked. 

“The ones I was standing behind when you went in there. I have two little ones, Johnny. A boy and a girl, Lena and Grayson.” You informed him, expecting to see his interest in you completely die in his eyes just like it usually did for all the others when they found out about your little family. 

But instead he looked perhaps perplexed as you could see him trying to do the math since your little ones were not that much younger than you. But they had not been babies when they had come to you. They were past nursing so you easily took them over and both of them had been rather pitiful when they had been dumped on Souja Tavern’s doorstep and why you tended to make soups and stews because once you could get things started, you could let things cook slowly and go back and tend to them easier. 

“But...how old were you when you had them?” He asked before you were called back to the kitchen by Bess. 

“Look, Johnny, I would love to answer your questions but I have more rounds to do. When I’m done with my rounds, if you’re still here, maybe we can talk then.” You placate-ed him before you excused yourself as you went back into the kitchens to ‘refill’ your pot as you grabbed a quick bite to eat yourself because it was probably going to be another hour or two before you would get a chance to eat your own dinner. 

“Well I don’t think he’ll ask me to marry him again after tonight.” You murmured to the girls. 

“He's an orc, orcs and elves adopt like crazy. I think if he’s still into you, at least take him to a room tonight and try to see if you have chemistry and if he can lay you right. You don’t even have to charge him that much if you really like him, just get your pipes cleaned out, everyone does better when they’ve had a good lay.” Lilita murmured in your ear as you recalled that that was how she and Mac met. 

Mac had been a pirate actually. Mac was born partially deaf so he manned a cannon on a pirate ship. Then he met Lilita and fell in love with her and her own adopted kids and left the pirate life to be a gardener and father to her previous children before fathering a few more of his own but loved and treated every last one as if he fathered all of them and was a really good father himself. 

But you doubted Johnny would be up for that, or at least, settling down with you because you wanted more from him than just a lay whenever you saw him. But you could also see his love of the seas and skies was deeper and wider than most based marriages on. He was relatively young too. He had a whole career as a crewman ahead of him. And you were just a tavern’s cook, with two kids. Nobody too special in your book.

Burn Without You 

Chapter 33 

Epilogue 

It was only two month’s later when Noe’s wife Hasbi gave birth to their son- Dursin. 

Then it was only a couple months after that when Harashu was born then a month later when you and Lukher welcomed Ahi-Shumai into the world and then only a couple months later when Maisarra gave birth to Jahaline and Jahoel, Jahaline coming out first only several moments before Jahoel did and only a couple months after that, you helped Seyda give birth to her son- Emrah and her sister Hayati gave birth to Senol only a couple of weeks later. 

However, you barely had time to show Ahi-Shumai to Avalise because there was something serious going on in Suchi and Suchi’s Council of Elders were all embroiled in the most horrendous scandal and she was flying in to serve as a judge on the most distressing case since she was seen and needed as a neutral and objective judge in the case.

There was an entire clan on the West Coast of the continent that had interbred with orcs, creating “Auric Orcs” or gold orcs, because many male councilors in the west coast colonies had been infertile in the heavenly realm and even in the colonies and for the last hundred years, had taken advantage of a few clans of orcs, being reborn in the ashes and despite their “infertility” apparently there was only kind of womb where their seed could take root- in an orc woman’s womb. And the male councilors had done everything they could to cover it up and coneal it because of their own hypocritical prejudice and they had talked a Fae Prince into stealing the orc’s moura collars that were the orc’s proof of mourakind. 

It was absolutely sickening that such lofty elders would be guilty of such heinous crimes as Avalize assured and reassured you that nothing of the kind had ever happened on the east coast and all the colonies that were in alliance with Yekmeni had never engaged in such horrific behavior but there was an issue, a seperate court case that was in a way, tied to this about another orc enslaving a moura with a silver cuff. Like the way Rasime and Haydar had done with your sister Maisarra and Daon. 

For you it was hard to believe, because you had met that moura. She did not view it was an enslavement at all and you had befriended her even! Her name was Benyana Auksa at that summer solstice, and her mate Brock- while you were still pregnant with Ahi since you had gone to that summer solstice celebration at Suchi and had seen the cities made in the clouds by the mouras and the angels trying to court her.  

She had readily befriended you too. Especially since seeing another moura woman with a male orc husband, she was drawn to you- and you to her- and she had been interested in your story as you had been interested in hers. And when she explained what had happened and why Brock had done what he did and how she felt about it- it was rather easy for you to accept him and Lukher and Brock had gotten along really well and had become friends rather easily and you gave them a wedding present of a messengerari so that you could keep in touch in the future.  

But to hear that Brock was now on trial for enslaving Benyana in the beginning of their relationship, had you feeling very conflicted about it. Avalise advised you and Lukher to stay out of it and simply see how it would play out. But that for now- that all these matters needed to be attended to by other elders and other councilors from other colonies but thanks to the messengerari in Benyana’s house, the two of you kept in touch and while legally you couldn’t help her, you tried to offer her comfort and support while she went through this trial of having her own husband being prosecuted. 

And when Avalise came back a few months later and gave you the official update- that Brock had been found guilty and been put to death by dragonfire. Only to be reborn in the ashes and when he awoke, his memories had brought him back to the Lunar New Year and thus- way before his attempts to get in touch with Benyana and he had no memory of Benyana, or their relationship or how he impregnated her. Avalise was absolutely sure that something was wrong but she couldn’t put her finger on it when Brock rejected Benyana over it. It saddened you immensely to continue to talk to Benyana as she tried her best to deal with this new “Brock” that was nothing like the man she fell in love with and he didn’t even remember you or Lukher and was in fact- quite rude to both of you. Which upset Lukher that the Brock that came back from the ashes was not the Brock he had befriended either. 

Lukher and yourself tried to offer Benyana any support you could but she insisted that your friendship and your proof that such a relationship could work and be successful was helpful support enough and when Brock officially rejected Benyana to the point that she had no choice but to move her house to Suchi- it was a deep blow to everyone as you officially left things with the skyport build in the hands of your foreman and Irelu as Lukher, Ahi and yourself flew your griffins to her in Suchi where Matae was with her as was the rest of Brock’s family. Lukher, Ahi and yourself were not there as King, Queen and Crown Prince of Yekmeni but simply as Benyana’s friends and Mr. and Mrs. Azurah yet again as Benyana put you and your family in a guest bedroom in her house for your stay. 

“I don’t get it. I thought when moura’s are reborn, they usually don’t have this much of a personality shift. This doesn’t make any sense. Brock loved Yana so much he risked his life just trying to be with her and while I agree, his methods were wrong and a bit extreme. Doesn’t honor, even among any and all clans push males to take responsibility for their actions? Like if someone got black out drunk and did some damage, they should still pay for the damages right?” You murmured to Lukher as you stayed in one of Benyana’s guest bedrooms as you nursed Ahi who was only three months old as Lukher curled himself around both of you protectively.  

“I agree, his honor as a warrior and a clan member, especially a Clan Chief’s son- should have pushed him to accept her and her son, his rejection of her doesn’t make any sense at all. Do you mind if I leave you tomorrow to fly to him and try to talk to him?” Lukher asked. 

“Go for it, I doubt you’d get very far with him if he’s as awful as his family makes him out to be, but I know I would feel better about it if you tried. You two connected like long lost brothers when we met them at the Summer Solstice festival, maybe if you go alone, you’ll do better. I’ll stay with Benyana.” You urged him. 

The next day Lukher flew and found Brock in the woods. 

“What do you want?” Brock asked Lukher when Lukher landed his griffin nearby and began to approach him, with his griffin Atlas, who was Panacea’s mate- walking behind him as Lukher walked with his bridal in his hand. 

“I just wanted to talk.” Lukher said as it was clear that Brock was in a very bad mood. 

“I recognize you, you’re one of that bitch’s friends. The ones from the east coast, aren’t you like a king or something? Where’s your crown? Don’t you have a kingdom to attend to?” Brock sneered as Lukher had to take in a deep, steadying breath to not easily take offense because getting angry and arguing would not get them anywhere. 

“I left my crown at home, I’m not here as the King of Yekmeni, I’m just here as Lukher Azurah. No titles, no honorifics. Just another orc, another eldest son of a Clan Chief. I’ve heard you lost your memories from the last few months.  Which is a shame because at the summer solstice, we met and we became friends, so I’m not here as a king, I’m just here as someone who used to be friends with you. Besides, Yekmeni is perfectly fine in the hands of my half brother Irelu while I’m gone, do you remember meeting him? Do you remember meeting me? Being friends with me?” Lukher asked, still in his dragon scale armor and weapons just in case Brock got violent as Lukher stopped just out of weapon’s range. 

“No I don’t. Like I keep telling everyone. One day I woke up and it was the Lunar New Year and then I remember waking up the next day and it was like three, four months later, I don’t remember anything in between, I don’t remember that bitch, I don’t remember a colony and I certainly don’t remember being burned to death by a dragon. And if we met at a moura festival, that means you’re friends with them and no one who is friends with mouras is any friend of mine now.” Brock insisted. 

“Wow, ok then, sorry you feel that way. But could I just talk to you orc to orc for minute?” Lukher asked. 

“Sure, why not.” Brock grumbled. 

“As an orc, who didn’t grow up with mouras either, and only heard whispers of legends about them. It is hard to believe anything you hear. Especially when you meet them in person and they don’t seem any different than anyone else.” Lukher sympathized. 

“Does your clan treat your wife like she’s a goddess and actually build a shrine to worship her?” Brock questioned. 

“No, I take it that’s what’s happened in Stormbreaker.” Lukher answered. 

“Yeah, she’s no goddess, she’s just a person and it’s like everyone is so convinced that she’s this…goddess that needs to be worshiped and adored and they treated me like I was the crazy one for not believing in her and worshiping her when I didn’t see any signs that she was worthy of such treatment.” Brock grumbled. 

“Well, having met her, I would agree, she is really just a person. Just like my wife, Audrey, she’s just a person too. Granted they are both extraordinary people, and while my wife is adored by my people, my family, and myself. She’s earned that adoration by earning not just their respect but my own as well.” Lukher nodded in agreement. 

“How’d she do that?” Brock asked. 

“Well Audrey did it by being honest and forthcoming about everything. She showed me all the ways she was imperfect, all her shortcomings, all her flaws, limitations and vulnerabilities. Granted, I had to earn her trust and respect to the point that she felt comfortable showing me all of that in the first place. But she showed it to me all the same. But that also helped me do the same with her and what helped was that we were both willing to accept the other as perfectly imperfect as we were. Willingness in attitude to adjust to each other and humility to admit our own and each other’s imperfections and did our best to work together did go a long way too.” Lukher confessed. 

“Well at least your Audrey was willing to do that much.” Brock realized and felt bad because Benyana had tried to do the same but he had not accepted her and her efforts. 

“Yup, it meant a lot to me. You know, only a year and a half ago, I too was only the son of a Clan Chief, trying do dodge advances from other women who only wanted my status but weren’t genuinely interested in me, while also fighting off enemies and trying to protect my home from invadors. So in that respect, you and I were equals then.” Lukher began, trying to find some common ground with Brock to at least try to reason with him. 

“Then you know how frustrating it can be, to always be looked at for what you have and not what you are.” Brock nodded in agreement. 

“Yeah, I do. Having to grow up so guarded about every woman around you, wondering if the only reason they’re being nice to you is because they think they have a chance to use you to get power.” Lukher sympathized. 

“Thank you! Exactly my point, now wouldn’t you be weary if you were me and you woke up one morning and all of a sudden, everything is different? Everything changed and everyone around you changed and yet everyone looks at you and thinks you’re the crazy one for not remembering any of it because of something crazy and completely out of yoru control? Like waking up from a coma? And a woman who you have no memory of, is not only not an orc, not even from a clan, not even from a culture that has anything in common with your own. But she something completely different and yet everyone acts like she’s this perfect angelic being and you’re the asshole for seeing the fact that she’s not perfect? At least not as “perfect” as everyone claims she is?” Brock questioned. 

“I would.” Lukher had to admit. 

“So wouldn’t you call bullshit when that same woman claims that you’re the father of her child when everything about her- you find repulsive?” Brock pressed as Lukher tried not to laugh because he knew for a fact that Brock couldn’t really be repulsed by Benyana, Yana was universally gorgeous. 

“You know, honestly, I would be suspicious, considering that viewpoint. But at the same time, if my own father, who was the Clan Chief before he appointed me into my current position, insisted that he knew for a fact that I was the father of the child, even if I found the woman repulsive, I would trust my father and his word about it. Now the woman who birthed me? The woman who was technically my mother, when she was alive? I wouldn’t trust her word so much.” Lukher admitted as they both decided to sit down on some rocks near the little creek that was running nearby. 

“Why would you trust your father and not your mother?” Brock asked. 

“Because my mother and your mother are two very different people. Because my mother was that woman that did everything she could to woo my father because he was the eldest son of the Clan Chief and therefore next in line to be Clan Chief and did everything in her power to become Clan Chieftess and gain and then hold as much power as she possibly could.” Lukher admitted. 

“What happened?” Brock asked curiously. 

“She was a two faced bitch. Anyone who challenged her and her power- she pugged them. She used every bit of cunning and two faced, lying trick she could. She was the very kind of woman- both of our fathers have always tried to warn us about. The woman who birthed me who was technically my mother- when I met my wife and got to know her, in the process of revealing her own imperfections- she in turn exposed my mother for being the treacherous woman she was. And in response- the woman who birthed me tried to kill my wife for it.” Lukher admitted. 

“But she failed right?” Brock asked. 

“She did, only because my wife was smarter and more cunning than she ever could have been and saw the trap my mother tried to lay for me and for her and exposed the trap. Like a snare you set on an animal’s path.” Lukher confessed, still ashamed for what Auralu had tried to do to him and his family. 

“And she didn’t stop there, she tried to kill me and my half brother and his wife, even though my wife and my half brother’s wife were both pregnant at the time. The four of us had to go into hiding to get away from her. Because the woman who birthed me- loved her own power more than she ever loved me or my dad or anyone or anything else and could not accept the fact that she had been exposed for being anything less than perfect in front of anyone, especially the clan. She was a monster and I’m so happy that she’s dead now and can’t hurt me or my wife or our son ever again. He is now only a month old and the very idea of having him being interested in that kind of woman has me shuddering at the thought and I too will be warning about the kind of woman who was technically his grandmother. So I’ve seen what it’s like when power hungry bitches actually win and take control. Do you honestly feel that Benyana is that kind of woman?” Lukher explained. 

“Yes.” Brock insisted. 

“Well, personally, I’ve met Benyana, I’ve known her for a while now and she doesn’t strike me as the kind of person who is that way. But how I or anyone else feels about her, doesn’t really matter. It’s how you feel about her. And if that’s the way you feel then that’s all there is to it I guess.” Lukher shrugged.

“So you didn’t come to coerce me into accepting her?” Brock asked. 

“Nope, like I said, I just came to talk as a friend, orc to orc.” Lukher maintained. 

“Well then you’re the only friend I have, everyone else has forsaken me and cast me out, my own dad pugged me for refusing that woman, even though he knew I hated her and was repulsed by her.” Brock complained. 

“Yeah, I heard. But you didn’t have to choke her, you have to admit that was a line too far.” Lukher insisted. 

“Yeah, it was, I regret that part. In the moment it was like my temper got the better of me and I acted without thinking or caring about anyone or anything and just let my temper consume me.” Brock admitted. 

“Well at least you haven’t lost all sense.” Lukher nodded in agreement. 

“Well everyone acts like I have. Especially when I feel like it’s the other way around, I feel like I’m the only one left with any sense that hasn’t been put under that bitch’s spell that makes everyone around act like she’s this perfect goddess.” Brock insisted. 

“Then getting distance from her and everyone who feels that way will be best for you.” Lukher mused. 

“It is.” Brock adamantly insisted. 

“Well, personally, I can say with absolute certainty that I’m grateful that my wife is nothing like the woman who birthed me. She’s not a power hungry bitch who feels she needs to have everyone else’s stamp of approval to be happy or have all the control of everyone else to be happy.  She’s the opposite actually.” Lukher smiled proudly as he thought of you. 

“How is the opposite? Isn’t she a queen?” Brock questioned, rather disbelievingly. 

“Because all she cares about is how I feel about her and what I think about her and that’s all I care about too. What I care about most is what she feels and thinks about me. And because we are happy and content with each other, makes everything else, no matter how complicated or mundane- seem enjoyable because we work together. It’s why I’m happy and grateful that my wife and I actually, really, truly love each other. And what I love and appreciate the most is my wife couldn’t care less if I was a King or a Warchief or the son of Clan Chief. She would be just as happy with me, if I was a single orc, alone in the woods- as she is with me in a palace.” Lukher insisted. 

“And how I know that is because when we had to go into hiding as commoners from the woman who birthed me when our lives were in danger- we got to spend three whole months, just being man and wife and in those three months, my wife was actually happier and more content with us being on our own than she ever was being in a palace and all it’s trappings. We got to live like normal people, no servants, no cooks or maids or anything like that. We just had a humble house with a garden that we harvested food from and had barely just enough to get by to get the necessities but nothing lavish. We didn’t have everything we wanted but we had everything we needed. Humble food, humble clothing, humble shelter and each other. We got to cook all of our meals together, we got to wash our clothes together and do just about everything else together. All the menial tasks the common man does. It was actually really nice and both of us were rather reluctant to return to our previous lives because we had gotten so used to the simplicity and just being man and wife for a while because being in hiding meant we depended on each other completely and if we had a really close relationship before, it got to grow even stronger and closer than ever before during that time and we’ve only gotten closer ever since.” Lukher revealed. 

“I’m sorry the woman who birthed you did that to you.” Brock offered. 

“Me too. But when I said my wedding vows, my wife and I became one, so every attack against her, was like an attack against me. So when my mother turned on my wife, she turned on me too and it was easy for me to not feel any kind of sadness when she was put to death for treason and attempted murder of me, my wife, our son, my half brother, his wife and their son. If anything, all I felt was relief, relief that she was dead and couldn’t keep trying to trick me or anyone else or try to hurt me or my wife or my son or anyone else in my family.” Lukher confessed. 

“Well, in that case, I can understand why you wouldn’t trust your technical mother.” Brock realized. 

“Well that’s why I adopted my father’s other wife, the mother of my half brother, she adopted me and I adopted her because for her- she never cared about whether my dad was the Clan Chief or not, she was just always genuinely liked him for who he was as a person. Which is why she and the woman who birthed me never got along. Because she too could see that my mother was a monster. But she couldn’t say anything for fear of her own children and what my mother would do to them. My former mother ruled through fear. And my current adopted mother and my wife don’t, they lead by example.” Lukher admitted proudly. 

“So are you just here to rub my nose in the fact that you have everything while I have nothing?” Brock asked, irritated to see and hear how happy Lukher was.  

“No, my point was, that if I was in your place and what happened to you- happened to me- even if I didn’t remember my wife, and felt differently about her and felt the way about her the way you feel about Benyana, I probably would have swallowed down my disgust for her and my honor and my own respect for my father and the rest of the clan would have pushed me to accept her and her claim anyway because it would have been the right thing for me to do and I would have tried to get over it and try to make it work anyway. But I’m not you and you’re not me. Obviously you felt so strongly about it that you rejected her and you hate her so much that you can’t even bring yourself to say her name.” Lukher realized. 

“I would rather be an orc without a clan that be married to that bitch.” Brock insisted. 

“And that’s exactly what you are, Brock. You didn’t want her, and you separated yourself from her, even at the cost of losing your family and your clan in the process. And so now- that’s how you’ll live. I hope you find peace with your decisions and their consequences. Because that’s what I’ve had to do too.” Lukher offered before he got up and dusted himself off. 

“Goodbye Brock. Thanks for the talk. I wish things could have been different for both of us. But I hope you will find the happiness you seek in your decisions that I have found in mine. Because they were your decisions to make and yours alone.” Lukher offered before he got into his saddle and clicked his teeth so his griffin would stand up before Lukher flew away as Brock could only sit there and contemplate his conversation with his former friend. 

“And?” You and Benyana asked when he landed back in Suchi at Yana’s house a short time later. 

“He is very stubborn and I tried to reason with him but he refuses to listen even to me. I’m sorry Yana, I tried my best. Even I couldn't get through to him.” Lukher apologized. 

“I’m sorry Yana.” You offered to her as you hugged her from the side with Ahi tucked into the mother’s sling on your chest.  

“It’s ok, I knew it was probably a lost cause but thanks for trying Luke.” Yana thanked him. 

“You’re welcome, if there’s anything else we can do or any way we can help you, don’t hesitate to let us know.” Lukher offered. 

“Will do.” She nodded in agreement. 

You stayed as long as you could before Yekmeni needed for you and Lukher to return to attend to things with the skyport and Wakanear.  

But by the time things calmed down in Yekmeni and Wakanear, and Wakanear especially had been built up and the traditional ports and the skyports were built and were getting put to use after the invitation for the sky shipping companies to start using them, you flew back to Stormbreaker to find that Brock had reunited with Benyana and were there when Brock officially proposed and then immediately married Benyana as he had welcomed you and Brock and thanked Lukher for trying to be his friend and talk some sense into him even when he was senseless for a while. 

Brock explained to everyone present what the full story had been about what had happened to him after he was executed and came back in the ashes and the remarkable journey the two had been through as you got to hold their one month old son Brive who was just so handsome. 

Meanwhile Benyana got to hold your 7 month old Ahi and you were so happy and relieved when Brock seemed to have returned to “normal” so to speak as he was the first to come out of the house and hug Lukher tight when you had first arrived as you were both happy to invite Brock, Yana and Brive to Yekmeni if they ever wanted a break from being Clan Chief and Clan Chieftess of Stormbreaker for a while because you enjoyed having breaks, visiting the colonies where you were looked at like a friend, instead of a Queen as it was the beginning of a life long friendship, your kids and thiers growing up together. 

Then when Ahi turned three, the most remarkable change happened, slowly but surely, his dark olive green skin turned a royal kashmir blue and the brown splotches turned a royal purple color and a dark peacock teal was between the blue and the purple and when Ahi’s younger sister Monrhi did the same thing at the same age, as did your sister Maisarra’s children, it was as if Maisarra and yourself were the mothers to a new subspecies of orcs.

Meanwhile Benyana and others from her colony who married into the Stormbreaker clan, their children were the most beautiful light aquamarine color as your family and hers got to see each other not just at the solstices but a lot more often than that through the years, each time your family and hers got together, you both seemed to have more kids, and the kids you already had were growing bigger every time you blinked and because Benyana was so fair and had almost white, platinum blonde hair, that got passed down to all of her children, who had just the prettiest bright gold blonde hair and that beautiful aquamarine skin and were of course quite beautiful themselves, as you could see bits of both parents in each one. 

And for all of your children and Maisarra’s children, all had the same phenomenon, when they were newborns up until they were toddlers, they all had their father’s coloring, but then just as they were three, between three and four, all of them had the same transformation from dark and drab olive green turning kashmir blue, the brown turning purple with hints of pink and dark peacock teal between the blue and the purple while Ashurah’s kids kept the rich dark brown the but the olive green turned a beautiful kashmir blue as well. And and when your kids, Maisarra’s kids and Benyana’s kids and the other kids from the other moura and orc pairings were grouped together it was like new subspecies of hybrids had been created as you were grateful that they all got along, and could all speak the common tongue and marinai with each other as even Brillanni and Brive learned nadasi so they could speak with your kids and Maisarra’s kids better and it made it easier for them to visit Yekmeni. 

Then when they all became late teens, only six months before the mouras would take their first flight around the supersphere as part of their entrance into adulthood. You noticed that summer solstice as Ahi and Monrhi were talking with Brive and Brilanni there seemed to be something that aired on the romantic side between them now. Which as they were growing up you had a sneaking suspicion that there were at least crushes on either side. 

But this was beyond a crush, this looked much more serious. So you waived and got Lukher’s attention and signed to him to look at his eldest kids and see how the four of them were sitting at a table, eating a large platter of food piled so high they could barely see each other over it as you were happy that there were more and more moura orc hybrids every year and it seemed that with every subspecies of moura and orc that interbred, suddenly there was an explosion of color and the children themselves had the best of each parent’s genetics in addition to being universally beautiful, handsome, charming and appealing. Almost all of them were all very healthy, very robustly so and you were relieved and grateful that they weren’t alone, or the only ones of their kind, but were not only accepted but surprisingly popular among their peers. 

You continued to watch them and their friends as they all crammed into the space as Ahi had Brillanni sitting in his lap, to “help make room” around the table for themselves but one of his arms was wrapped rather possessively by the looks of it- around her waist. You also couldn’t help but notice she was now sporting a new necklace in a very Yekmenian style. You were certain that Ahi had commissioned to be made just for her.  You knew he had spent months since the last solstice at the jewelers helping design and make this particular set of jewelry out of the airstones that matched her skin and matching earrings and a bracelet that really made her stand out and complimented her gorgeously. 

So she was currently leaned back against his big, broad and very well muscled chest that had filled out in just the last year or so because Ahi had worked so hard to attain it. She looked happy but not smug, content and quite comfortable there as Ahi was now big enough that his head practically rested on her shoulder as he used his other hand to eat and drink in between taking bites from Brillanni’s hand as the two were grinning like the love drunk teenagers they were at each other as Ahi was wearing a matching, but masculine version of a bracelet that matched hers. 

You and Lukher had known that Ahi had practically been in love with Brillanni the moment she was born and when his coloring had changed he had been so embarrassed because he felt like he was wearing “girl colors on his skin” according to Harashu, but Jahoel hadn’t seemed to mind the change one bit but little Bri seemed to even more drawn to him when he did change and Brillanni had always made a point to say how handsome and striking his coloring was ever since. 

Of course at the time- your advice to him had been the same advice you had recieved from your grandmother and your mother and was the same advice The Great Vienne had given her children, especially her daughters, her daughters in law and her grand daughters- ‘to be as deadly as you were beautiful’ so that he would never be underestimated. Of course Lukher had told him that if anyone ever made fun of him- he could always work to be strong enough and quick enough and smart enough to either insult them in turn or beat them into the dirt for making fun of him. Which worked to a degree.   

But what seemed to make all the difference was that Brillanni didn’t think he looked silly, but that while he was around, she didn’t want or care to look at any other than him. That no one deserved her gaze other than him because not only was he stunning and handsome, but that she could see his heart of gold no matter his skin color and his personality was better than any others. And that she was his friend and he was hers and that’s all that mattered, at least to her and then that seemed to be that all that mattered to him.  

And that really boosted his confidence, especially as an awkward younger teen when his confidence seemed to hinge solely on what Brillianni thought of him. He was always calling her “Brilliant Brillanni” which she quite liked and she was the only one who could use “My Shumai” with him and he practically came running every time she said it. But this time, when he had put that jewelry on her and she practically purred ‘Oh my Shumai’ you saw him practically melt and you knew you’d have to protect the key to the treasury and your jewelry room, because he’d try to poach what he could just for her. But he got that part honestly from Lukher, since a jewelry box had never been large enough to contain all of your jewelry. Hell there were jewelry sets from your wedding you had yet to wear, even 18 years later because every year, every anniversary, every birth, you got more and more jewelry. You wondered if half of everything that ever came out of the mines found thier way into the hands of your own personal Royal Jewelers. 

But you also knew that Brillanni didn’t like him just because he was The Crown Prince, but because she could also, use that same ‘My Shumai’ on him and tell him exactly when and how he ever tried to act entitled or better or more superior to his peers and kept him humble which Lukher and yourself appreciated the most. Plus Brillanni was very beautiful in her own right. That light aquamarine skin and that gorgeous bright gold blonde hair and equally bright aquamarine eyes and she was a spitfire as far as personality went, a lot like her mother.  Which you really liked too because that kept Ahi on his toes and in line and really threw him into his studies to be just as sharp verbally and mentally as she was. 

Although most of the time, she was actually really sweet too and you and her got along and because of Ahi’s attraction to her that had never strayed once, you knew it was a strong possibility of the two becoming romantically involved as adults. Although you knew if you ever tried to push, prod or encourage it, it might not happen, so you kept out of it and just sat back and watched how it would play out. 

Especially since Brillanni had grown up feeling like he was just her big brother’s best friend and with Brive and Ahi only being six months apart in age- they grew up together and had always been the best of friends. And while technically Ahi was a Crown Prince, Ahi didn’t presume on that, anywhere but at home in Yekmeni, which he was proud to be- when she wasn’t there. And a little embarrassed to be when she was an everyone called him Prince Ahi. He was always happy and grateful to leave Yekmeni and just be Ahi when he was visiting Stormbreaker and even especially Drauch where you took up temporary residence when in Suchi because when you stayed in Stormbreaker, you stayed with Yana and Brock and when Yana and Brock would visit you in Yekmeni, they got to stay in Auralu’s former suite which had been redone and improved so that it was your rooms that you always put your guests of honor in. 

But Ahi wasn’t the only one to feel that way apparently. Brive too had something similar to happen to him when Monrhi was born at about the same time as Brillanni. Brive had actually really liked Monrhi’s coloring when she was a toddler because she could play hide and seek in the gardens and always be the last to be found. And then when Monrhi’s coloring changed into a peacock’s colors, Brive thought Monrhi was the single most beautiful girl in the world as Brive did all he could to imitate Ahi, to be the Prince he felt he needed to be- to be worthy of a girl like Monrhi.

Brive had thrown himself into learning nadasi so he could speak all the languages Monrhi did but like Ahi, Monrhi, also liked to leave her title at home and just be Monrhi here, just another moura orc hybrid girl like her peers as she and Ahi both dressed down when they weren’t at home and besides their coloring, no one looking on would have ever thought that they were royalty. It helped them feel more ‘normal’. 

However to see that Monrhi too was sporting some new jewelry that was very distinctly Stormbreaker because it was really pretty pearl jewelry that Brive had made just for her. He had dived and shucked who knew how many oysters, clams and mussels just to get the right pearls in the right colors to suit Monrhi. And because Brive had not just designed but made this jewelry all by himself, she was wearing it with more pride than any other piece of jewelry she owned because of who had made this and you could tell that Brive had really poured his heart, mind and soul into it and it showed. The craftsmanship was really good and seeing Monrhi wear it and smile so brightly and proudly gave you a smile in return. 

With so many traditionally educated Dorierran brides in Yekmeni, it wasn’t hard for Yekmeni to have an advanced school system, many of the taunstons who had come- becoming professors of one subject or another. Ahi and Monrhi learned right along side every other child in Yekmeni in their age group. Also while you, Maisarra and Ashurah also gave all of your children and their siblings more private lessons on how to successfully run a kingdom, how to engage in business and politics and rule over citizens successfully. So that they could be beloved rulers and in turn, it was Ahi and Monrhi’s secret joy to pass on those lessons to Brive and Brillanni because they too had a clan that was growing into a nation- that they needed to have the confidence to lead as Ahi helped Brive especially with this. 

Especially since both of them were moura orc hybrids, they could fly together and do stunts in the air and all kinds of cool things together. And especially when both boys were with Jahoel and Harashu, the four of them together could wreak all kinds of crazy ridiculous havoc together and especially when all four of them were with the moura orc hybrids of Stormbreaker, while Ahi and Monrhi still stood out since they had eye catching colorations, they felt included and to be among peers who actually liked them for their personalities rather than their titles, wealth or privileges.  

But to see that Brive had been bold enough to invite Monrhi to do the same, inviting her to sit on his lap was a good sign. While Ahi had possessively wrapped his arm around Brillanni’s lap it was Brive who blushed like crazy when Monrhi practically took Brive’s arm and wrapped it around her and slowly began to lean back into him and the shy but happy and bashful smiles they gave each other were just darling. 

Even Jahaline had taken a similar seat in Dastrin and Kallimisia’s son Dahar’s lap while their daughter Ararlia was in Jahoel’s lap too as just about all the boys had different girls in their laps. You could clearly see it wasn’t siblings, like brother’s allowing their sisters to sit in their laps- far from it, most of the siblings were sitting across the table from each other while their crush’s sat in their laps, it was a very clear indicator that they were coupling themselves off. 

“Looks like we might have some weddings on our hands.” You murmured to Yana with a knowing grin as the two of you sat side by side with your toddlers in your laps, eating bits of food off of your plates. 

“It does.” Yana grinned back as she watched her own older children closely while she was helping to feed her younger children as you were doing the same as Brock and Lukher and the other guys were already laughing and making their own assumptions as to how that was going to go and play out. 

“To love, for conquering all.” You toasted to Yana. 

Burn Without You 

Chapter 29

With “Talome’s” report, Haydar and Rasime were not surprised, and in fact delighted when Talome’s report was confirmed only that night, only a few hours after Talome gave it and Dorierra and it’s allies and Yekmeni and it’s allies declared war on each other and agreed that the battle line would be just a few longitudinal lines off the coast of the Nuvaric Continent as Dorrierra agreed that they would sail their ships either above or below Wakanear because they didn’t want Maisarra to be harmed as Yekmeni had also agreed to not pass that particular line either because they didn’t want Daon harmed any more than he already had been either. 

Rasime and Haydar accepted the declaration of war and approved of the battle line and they were outright delighted by the insults Yekmeni and Dorierra seemed to throw at each other through the declarations of war and watched gleefully as Maisarra’s family was “moved” into a servant quarter district and “assigned” to serve their denounced brother Rifki and Serhan’s sister Belma who was quite pregnant herself by now. 

In reality however, Rifki and Belma simply invited Maisarra’s family to stay with them as guests until this ruse was over as Maisarra’s family’s palace was actually being renovated, improved and expanded because when you would emerge from that tomb as Queen of Yekmeni and Wakanear, your family’s palace needed to reflect that and with Rifki opening up his old family’s palace to your family, which consisted of just your parents and your younger siblings because all of your other siblings were already married and already in their occupation and their own smaller apartments just for newly weds and very small families. Rifki and Belma almost immediately noticed how much more peace they felt and prosperity they enjoyed when your family was in their house as Rifki and Belma felt blessed to have them and offer them help, protection and refuge from the eyes of Rifki’s other siblings. 

Haydar and Rasime’s other siblings all called them and told them that all the stones in the mind stone storehouse- had all turned on and turned purple, even when they were being stored and that the crystal angels had been called and the crystal angels had reminded Dorierra that ‘this was what was going to happen eventually and that their own prophecy of “that the scorned would come back to haunt them and scorn them in turn”,’ and refused to get involved and refused to give any more stones, but that the orcs were going to fight anyway, and that Dorierra was already contacting all of its allies to gain more support since Yekmeni had allied with so many colonies and every island nation in the Brighway Line remained neutral but that every Dorrierran man who was old enough to be married and had at least one son to carry on his lineage but was not so old that he was useless in a battle was being called to either make arms or man the army as all of Haydar and Rasime’s siblings officially cut them off because of the betrayal to Dorierra and that there was no love between them any more and that Rasime and Haydar chose their side, and would surely lose and that Haydar and Rasime were in affect signing every Dorierran male’s death’s certificate with this and when and if Dorierra were to win this war- they would turn on Flirara too. 

This news worried and upset Haydar and Rasime’s moura allies who were all from Flirara before all the other messengeraries except for the main one that the High Council used to declare war and the main one in Yekmeni that Wardeen had used to declare war were cut off from Rasime and Haydar’s view and access thanks to the crystal angels in the heavenly realm as even the report about the stones was a lie because the stones in the warehouse were in reality perfectly fine and perfectly usable and the crystal angels gave them more stones so that every adult male orc in every clan could take and wear the stones as more master stones were made and more headbands were made to hold the stones. 

Because while the crystal angels had warned Dorierra this would happen, because Jahoel was involved and because his oath to protect Yekmeni and those in it and especially his oath to make a way for the Queen of Yekmeni from Dorierra was involved and threatened, the entire crystal heavenly realm was involved as the crystal angels worked with every messengerari maker to help make a new kind of messengerari, that had the same clarity and other wonderful elements that the ones in Yekmeni had but would have extra security measures so that no one could eavesdrop on any other’s conversation from now on and that once Rasime and Haydar would be eliminated, all Master Messengeraries would be destroyed so that this could never happen again. 

Meanwhile Rasime and Haydar assured and reassured all of their moura allies from Flirara that Dorierra would be in a stalemate because it was moura against moura and that only the Yekmenian orcs had anything to lose and would be the only casualties from this war but surely Flirara would be just fine. And Flirara’s own dragons would keep them safe along with the knowledge that they knew exactly how to take down “the immortal orc warriors” Dorierra used and that such knowledge would keep them and the colony safe and if need be all those in Flirara and themselves could find refuge in Dorierra’s enemy territories in exchange for this information which did appease and calm everyone and keep anyone from panicking and trying to fly home to Flirara to warn them about the threat because now they just needed to wait and see how this war would play out. 

Meanwhile Daon had forgiven Maisarra and the two had made up and once she had constructed a rather large but good and surprisingly sturdy shelter, she moved him into it to get him out of the sun. Granted she had to use the stoned orcs as her floor but thanks to a protective shield around them because of the stasis state, even though the floor was orcs, the protective shield was like a flat barrier between the “floor” of the shelter and the stoned orcs themselves.  And that barrier was large enough that there was still room for the orcs who made up the bottom portion to keep breathing just fine because of how Maisarra constructed the barrier, air moved around all of them enough and exchanged itself so that the air was fresh even for them so they could breathe easy and simply rest and recover. 

Then she put the second shelter, a tent, the one that had been in the pack that even though it did look large and felt rather heavy actually held almost infinite supplies and infinite weight inside of it to carry what Daon and Maisarra would need to realistically survive this trial. Daon and Maisarra made a few woven rugs out of dried grasses and fronds that covered up the stoned orcs that made up the floor so that their shelter looked like a normal tent to them on the inside but to Haydar and anyone else it would look like the shelter Maisarra had constructed save for the few supplies that would conceivably be held in the pack, like a bed roll and a blanket to cover them along with a cooking pot, and soap and other survival supplies.  

Once Maisarra brought Daon inside of the shelter and reconstructed the turtle formation around it, Maisarra explained the full situation to Daon using nadasi sign language. Now that they were alone in the shelter and no one could spy on them and see them and they had some privacy. Daon had started to teach Maisarra nadasi sign language ever since it was revealed that Lukher had been deaf and even after Lukher was healed, Maisarra still wanted to learn it just in case she needed to use it and right now she was so happy and relieved that she had done so because she was needing to use it right now and Daon was equally happy and relieved that he had taught it to her too and they had a way to communicate. 

She explained to Daon that the collars were listening devices for Rasime and Haydar and that if they were going to “fight” do so out loud to give Haydar and Rasime the impression they were still mad at each other, but if they were going to talk regularly or especially “privately” they needed to use sign language as a way to communicate which Daon readily agreed to. 

Maisarra woke Krich up just long enough to put the two barrels of water inside the tent inside the turtle formation of the tent and constructed the formation in such a way so that all the water that fell on them from the rain would be instantly absorbed to the warriors and that the water would flow from one warrior to the others first but once they were fully hydrated, the barrier would go back up and then the barrier would carry the remaining rain water to the barrels because Maisarra had the warriors positioned in such a way, and locked the “shelter” in with the rest of the army that if it rained, the warriors could move a limb and “open up” a hole above the barrels to allow rain water in and close again to keep the space locked, secured and concealed and how Maisarra’s helmet as well as Daon’s would provide them with air if they needed to do that when the “turtle” would be completely shut and closed off. 

Daon had never been so happy and relieved once he learned the truth that you and his cousins and Ashurah were alive and just fine and safe and that they were going to be rescued and that the Angel of Death that was on the door was the one helping them and that he and Maisarra didn’t have to worry about being choked any more, especially to the point that their necks would choked to the point their heads would pop off of their bodies. 

Daon was adamant that when they would be rescued, he would be healed by Maisarra and her collar then and that he could put up with being partially lame now but was adamant that he was not going to have the stones have any part of healing him as Maisarra conceded to his wishes at the present but they did make up and by that night, they were grateful that the little shelter that came with the pack had a pretty comfortable bed roll and blankets for them and cooking supplies, like a pot and tools for roasting fish over the fire.

Maisarra helped Daon in and out of the shelter so he could relieve himself and eat and breathe just fine outside and despite being constantly surrounded and watched and even listened to. He could stand to endure it because at least he had Maisarra, his Sarah and with her giving him all the other stones, it did help heal the break in trust as he gave in and wanted her as close as possible now that she couldn’t and wouldn’t stone him. 

And that night Daon did, rather playfully strip search Maisarra to make sure she wasn’t concealing anything else as they “officially” made their marriage vows right then and there and then promptly re-consumated the marriage on the day they were supposed to be married anyway. Although because of Daons wounds, it was Maisarra who had to mount him to do it, but she didn’t mind because Daon was just as good being ridden as she supposed he could ride her as Maisarra felt a small victory in praising Daon’s lovemaking skills as neither of them stamped down their voices or sounds as they enjoyed their carnal pleasures from each other as Maisarra actually got to ride Daon’s face and the feeling of Daon feasting on her was unlike anything she had ever felt before and she wondered if she had been collared by her moura collar and if this silver one hadn’t interfered with it, if she would have sprouted wings because everything else that was outside of their shelter didn’t seem to exist or matter. 

Once Maisarra had ridden Daon to her second orgasm and Daon to his first, she cleaned him off and then tried orally pleasing him the way he had done for her, and she had never been more grateful for her second throat, the one that went from her nose to her lungs so she could keep the one that went from her mouth to her stomach clear for every inch of Daon’s manhood as she was also grateful for her double hinged jaws so her jaw could open wide enough and her throat could stretch enough to take all of him without gagging and still be able to breathe as Daon just about lost his load when her lips touched the base of his cock as he instantly knew that even for just this skill alone every moura woman was worth every cent she cost because sex with a moura was epic and everything else was a bonus as Daon’s thought the sight of Maisarra sucking him off as her breasts pushed up onto his thighs as she fondled and stroked and cradled his balls was pure heavenly bliss and made sure to voice that. 

Meanwhile Rasime and Haydar were both jealous yet vindicated that they knew the two would fuck eventually but the sounds of thier lovemaking were making them sick just listening to it as they both took the necklaces off and tried to turn the feed down to as quiet as it would go and wrapped them up in a cloth to muffle the sounds and put them in a drawer in their rooms on the ship and tried to get as far away as possible so they wouldn’t have to hear it and give away the fact that they could listen in on the couple as they tried to get their own desires met and sated, having to go through the whole moura group practically to do it. 

Once Daon came in a gasping, grunting growl down Maisarra’s throat and his body relaxed, did Maisarra make sure to suck down every drop before she detached her mouth from him and then collapsed on the bed next to him as she caught her breath too. 

“Wow, yeah, ok, in the game of ‘best sex partners in the world’, moura’s get the gold prize.” Daon praised which got Maisarra to giggle. 

“That good huh?” Maisarra grinned as she cuddled into his side, happy that her body and his both turned and easily conformed to the other. 

“The best ever?! Like good doesn’t even come close to describing it like...wow. I mean, no wonder Lukher and Irelu and even my mom are..like..any chance they have to go into their own suite of rooms for “privacy”, I can see how and why they take it, honeymoons need to be longer, like more than just a week, I’m thinking at least a month to just..do this, all day, every day. Because damn.” Daon confessed.

‘I’ll bet Lukher and Audrey, Irelu and Ashurah have been doing this constantly too, now that they have privacy and space to do it.’ Maisarra signed to him with a knowing smile. 

‘Yes.’ Daon signed back as he pulled the blanket up and over them because now it was late at night for them and there was a chill in the air. 

“My head hurts.” Maisarra complained after a moment as she tried to settle and relax and get ready for sleeping but because of the head mind stone, sleep was not coming to her easily and in fact gave her head a small ache right where the stone was sitting against her forehead. 

“Why?” Daon asked. 

“This mind stone, keeping all these orcs asleep and healing from whatever poison Haydar and Rasime put into them. Stoned orcs only have “a measure” of immortality. Even now in stasis, everything about them is slowed down except for their healing process but because even now, most of them are still maroon color, means that whatever poison it was- had they not been stoned- would have killed them by now. And even if I wasn’t ordered to keep them in stasis, I would have to do so anyway. Because stasis is the only way to keep them alive to give their bodies a chance to focus solely on the poison and to counteract it. While their outside skin can not be bruised or harmed or burned or cut. The inside of their nostrils, mouths and their digestive system can be, like biting the inside of your own cheek. That’s how those Flirarian mouras took them down, they knew exactly where and how to strike to bring them down because Haydar and Rasime told them about this weakness and if such knowledge escaped to Dorierra’s enemies- our “immortal warriors” wouldn’t be so “immortal” any more and Dorierra would pay the Fliarian mouras quite a bit to keep their mouths shut about how they did it too. So Flirara is safe and no one can get at them for this. They’re untouchable with such knowledge that is supposed to go to every Dorierran moura’s grave, it’s more than just the messengeraries, it’s Dorierra as a whole that this threat is against, and even just the rumor of such a thing is powerful enough to topple even them, no one is fully immune from anything.” Maisarra whispered. 

“No wonder Thobin didn’t want this stone anymore and Krich had to be almost a hundred to be mentally strong enough to bear it. Even though there can be great power in this stone, it’s also an equally great burden and a strain. Mentally I’m beyond tired and exhausted just keeping the warriors in stasis but floating and increasing the shield around them so that nothing comes close to harming them while also keeping air circulating in the barrier so they can all breathe while they are in stasis. Even if the lava were to try to flow over them, it would act like water on a leaf of a pond plant- the kind that repels water, and the lava will flow over the shield without sticking to them at all so that they can’t be trapped in any of it. It’s probably that- that is the hardest mentally to maintain because I feel like if I fall asleep, the increased shield will lower even though I am mentally telling this stone that the shield needs to be up and as high as possible no matter what.” Maisarra confessed in a whisper as a stray tear escaped her eye.

Daon was saddened that she would have to constantly wear that mind stone and could see how much of a mental burden it was for her to wear it to do everything Maisarra said they did as he was grateful for the tent and the floor mats to cover the orcish warriors so he wouldn’t have to constantly be reminded that they were there which for him was beyond unsettling but yet the more he thought about it, the more grateful he was for them.  

“Tell you what, if you feel like it ever gets to be too much for you. You said, all that the main mind stone does is control the others right? It can’t take away your mind or anything?” Daon asked, his own voice barely above a whisper, his mouth in her ear to keep his voice down so that hopefully only Maisarra could hear him. 

“No, it actually gives you more mind control actually, the ability to control yourself and everyone else and gives you feeds on everyone wearing it.” Maisarra answered, keeping her voice barely a whisper too as she scooted up to say the words as quietly as she could into his ear, so that Rasime and Haydar wouldn’t necessarily hear it just in case they were still listening or had hopefully fallen asleep themselves by now. 

“Then, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but, if the load gets to be too much for you. We can try to take shifts, see if it will obey me like it obeys you and give you a break. Even if it’s just to sleep and we can try to trade on and off, as long as it doesn’t take any of myself or my mind or my own control over my own body away.” Daon offered. 

“Thank you, I’ll try to bear it as long and as much as I can. I don’t want to chance it until we would know for sure.” Maisarra answered before she kissed his cheek and then she kissed him on the lips before she settled back into his chest, with his arm wrapped tightly around her as her arm reached out across his own massive chest before the two fell asleep in as much peace as they could as the barrier thankfully stayed up even when Maisarra was sleeping. 

The next day, Maisarra and Daon tried to go through everything that could be in that pack and found a suture kit and some medicine in the pack, but Maisarra recognized that only half of it was for disinfecting wounds, the other half was for nausea. So they tried to disinfect Daon’s cuts on the back of his ankles as she tried her best to clean the wound and at least sew the cut closed so it would heal and wouldn’t get infected further but by the looks of his uncharacteristically red, inflamed and just plain angry looking skin around the cut, she worried that no matter how many times she tried to clean the cuts or fix it, it wasn’t going to be enough. 

But Daon encouraged her that she was doing everything right and she was doing great and had to bite down on a stick to keep from screaming and cussing too bad as she cleaned out the cuts as best she could before she tried to sew them shut again before she wrapped them in freshly washed and dried cloths because that pack had a very large brick of really good general soap in it and Maisarra and Daon cut it down into smaller bars to make using it easier for them. It was like a whole sheet cake of soap that they were able to cut into three long beams and then cut the beams into general normal sized bars of soap and would be more than enough soap to keep them, their clothes and their belongings clean for the next six months as long as they didn’t use all of their water up too quickly to do it. 

But even after washing the wound and trying to disinfect the wound and dressing it, Daon still insisted that he had gotten hurt way worse than this when the githyanki had attacked and had shown Maisarrra all the scars from his previous injures as proof and that he just needed to give his body time to heal and wrapped up his feet and ankles tightly so that his feet were permanently in a fixed position so that his ankles wouldn’t move at all as he found the tendons to his previously cut muscles and tried to pull them down with the hooks in the suture kit and sew them to the one last remaining tendon that was barely holding any of the muscle on the back of his leg to his heel bone at all so the muscle wouldn’t recede any further so he could at least kind of walk and hobble around as Maisarra made him actual crutches so he could get around easier without her having to take up one of his sides to get him around. 

 But the more they explored the unburned portion of the island, it seemed Jahoel had blessed their little island paradise part of the island as the trees that had already been harvested of coconuts the day before were growing new ones, even the banana trees were growing new bananas as the wild lime trees and the wild orange trees were growing limes and oranges and other tropical plants and trees and bushes and vines were producing new and fresh fruits for them. Maisarra managed to weave more palm fronds together to make more baskets to keep their new fruits in that they collected as she climbed the various trees to get them since Daon was grounded but could bend over at the waist and pick up from the ground or pick what he could reach from the ground. 

When they explored the tide pool even all the fish in the tide pool seemed to spawn and give birth as there were mini coral reefs in a circle from the main pool where the larger fish swam around as the “dam” that Jahoel had formed there was actually more coral that only the smaller of the fish could escape from but would “open up” like doors made out of fan corral when the tide came in and with it, Jahoel as a lion fish siren would school more larger fish into it before the tide went out and the fan coral, like doors would close up the “dam” again from the water pressure, but even this would only last until the island sunk to the point that the water level would be higher that the tide pool. 

But when this happened, Daon got to see Jahoel himself and see Jahoel’s burning orange eyes like fire was burning in them as Jahoel gave them both updates telepathically on what was happening and what was being done as Maisarra was grateful for Rifki and Belma taking in her family as Jahoel did confirm that he had blessed the island for them so that they would have more than enough food to gather and to stockpile before the island would sink completely but did have to tell Daon that he could not heal him because that would be too suspicious for Rasime and Haydar and the others which Daon was confident he could endure this trail until they were rescued as Jahoel could still sense that Daon was still too adamant and stubborn to realize he needed to use the healing stones but didn’t push that issue. 

But sadly Jahoel had to explain to them that other than what he had already given them in the pack and occasionally replenishing the tide pool when it was low was all he could give them and that they needed to be careful about what they said aloud so that Rasime and Haydar would not overhear anything important but to keep the knowledge that they knew they were being listened to a secret because Haydar and Rasime were using that as a weapon against them and they needed to make sure that Rasime and Haydar still thought and felt in control and still thought and felt that they had the upper hand and that Daon and Maisarra were absolutely at their mercy for this to work. 

Daon assured and reassured that Jahoel had already given them more than enough and was very grateful and appreciative for even this much, especially the soap and the pot to boil seawater to make more fresh water from the condensation and the glass jug to contain the fresh water they would gather from the condensation and thus could use the salt from that process to season and maybe even cure the fish for later consumption which Jahoel agreed was the best use for the pot and to do that as much as they could and as much as they needed to but that it would rain in a week and whatever water they used in that time, would be replenished in that rain before Jahoel swam out and away from the main island, leaving the couple with a feeling a peace and assurance and reassurance that they were going to be ok as long as they stuck together and worked together. And it renewed their faith not only in themselves but in each other. 

After Jahoel had left, Daon made a makeshift raft from branches of bushes that weren’t producing any kind of fruit and went around and found more things to put onto the fire as he attached the lead to the little raft to his belt so that he could pull it around from his torso with his crutches. So that Maisarra and Daon could stay together but still work together doing different things but wouldn’t let each other out of their sights, as they found coconut crabs on the island and promptly ate those for lunch, while marking the other’s burrows with the hatchet as they decided that they would get the coconut crabs that were burrows closest to the water line first, leaving the ones who were closer to the center and higher up for when the island would sink further to eat those then. 

When they got back to their camp they double checked the pack and Maisarra discovered “a special hot rock” that once turned on, with a simple switch on the side- could be used in place of a fire and a cooking surface for when the island would sink completely and they would have no other way to cook their food so they didn’t have rely on an a literal fire. But for now, they were happy to hide that away in the pack, along with their riding leathers and armor since they really didn’t need it and just remained in comfortable clothes but kept their weapons always close by just in case. 

On the morning of the second day Maisarra made a signal by waiving her hands wide where Haydar was looking at her through his spyglass. 

“I take it she wants to talk.” Rasime gathered. 

“I’ll talk to her.” Haydar insisted because he had a feeling he would probably get farther with Maisarra than Rasime could. 

“What?” Haydar demanded as he flew and landed in front of her, kind of disgusted with himself to see how beautifully she had already tanned in just two days and to see that she was only wearing that thin but loose shirt with the front of it tied into a knot at her waist, accentuating the pinch of her waist and the sleeves rolled up on her arms that had gained strength and muscle.  And her capris could easily become shorts if she hiked them up and had put on some really beautiful womanly curves since the last time he had seen her in person and the fact that she chose not to wear any undergarments and that the swell of her breasts and the erect state of her nipples were clearly and painly seen were practically making him salivate and he really hated how much his body still reacted to her after all this time. Maisarra was always beautiful and Haydar hated himself for how much he instantly wanted to fuck her right there in the surf of the ocean washing up onto the beach that seemed to grow and claim more land day by day ever since he got here as he tried to push the smell of her natural pheramones out of his nose that were strangely very intoxicating as he struggled to remember that he was supposed to hate her. And not...practically fall in love with just the sight of her all over again. 

“I wanted to make an agreement.” Maisarra began as Daon stayed a respectful distance away but if looks could kill Haydar would be dead by now as Daon tended to making Maisarra’s and his own breakfast over the fire, the fallen fronds and other branches making up the fuel for said fire. 

“Daon and I have talked and since you have put us on this sinking volcanic island and have forbidden us to leave it. We would also request that neither you, your sister, any of your allies, moura, pirate or whatever- be allowed on this island either. You all have your own islands all around us. And those islands have plenty of resources to sustain you and your islands are not sinking. Ours does not have that many resources, in fact the volcano claims more and more of the island every day and it’s the volcano that is sinking this island altogether. Daon and I simply ask that you let us continue to forage from our own island and fish in our own tide pool in exchange that we will never try to escape until Dorrierra comes to rescue us and even if the island sinks before it does, the stoned orcs can float and become a living raft for us that you can more or less keep us in the same spot as we are in right now. We would like and appreciate it if we had the ability to stockpile any food and supplies we can manage to capture in that time so that when it does sink and if our rescue is not here by then, we won’t starve to death before they can get here. Is this an acceptable agreement?” Maisarra asked. 

“Fine. You have my word, I will tell the others, to stay on their islands as you stay on yours, but when your resources are depleted, they are depleted and you will not be getting any more from us since we won’t take any from you.” Haydar insisted. 

“That’s fair, thank you.” Maisarra thanked him before she took a step back and tried to turn away from him to go back to Daon. 

“Why him?” Haydar suddenly asked, halting her retreat from him.  

“I’m assuming you’re talking about Daon?” Maisarra asked with a quizzical brow raised. 

“Yes. I saw this coming the moment he set foot in Dorierra, why did you let him seduce you?” Haydar demanded as his eyes searched hers as Maisarra could still see the hurt and betrayal and most of all the jealousy he still felt about it which surprised her. 

“Well then you were the first to see it then, you saw it months before I or anyone else did. But I don’t have an answer for you.” Maisarra shook her head no and took another step back and looked at him fearfully and distrustfully as she tried to retreat again.  

“What do you mean you don’t have an answer?!” Haydar demanded, prompting Maisarra to turn and face him again. 

“Because any answer I give will never be good enough for you and will never satisfy you. Just like I was never good enough for you and I was never enough to satisfy you. And if you don’t like what I have to say then you’ll just turn that dial and choke us to death in retaliation and Daon is already wounded beyond what I can fix and repair and neither of us can afford to bear your wrath any more than what you’ve already dolled out. I don’t have any answer that is the truth that won’t piss you off. So to keep you appeased and not offended and keep my head on my neck and shoulders, I would prefer not to answer at all and just let you believe whatever you want to believe. Just like you always have.” Maisarra maintained as she stared pointedly at the silver necklace with a dial on it for emphasis before she looked back up wearily yet pointedly back up into his yees. 

“But what if I don’t do any of that?” Haydar asked because it was burning him up inside to see and here her be so happy with Daon. Just as happy or even happier than she was with him.  

“Haydar, every time I have tried to tell you the truth ever since the envoy from Yekmeni landed in Dorierra, you have never believed me. Even though I had always told you the absolute truth. So why would you ask me a question when you and I both know you still won’t believe any answer I give, whether it was a lie or a truth, because whatever it would be, I feel like it would still be the wrong answer for you and I’m too exhausted from wearing this mind stone to keep all the orcs from dying from whatever you poisoned them with- to play mind games with anyone. Even you, even as fun as they used to be.” Maisarra insisted as Haydar could see just how tired and exhausted she was, even though it was morning and even though she should have had a restful night of sleep and he almost hated the fact that she had a very good point and was absolutely right. 

“Well, now that my temper has cooled off, I will listen. Please, tell me why you chose Daon over a Sultan.” Haydar invited before he took a seat in the sand and let his moura cloak cause his shoes to disappear and let his feet rest cool off in the waves that washed up on shore before Maisarra hesitantly and wearily sat down with him but far enough away that he could not reach out and touch her, just in case he used his father’s dagger and tried to stab her or hurt or maim her too and far enough that even if they both reached out towards each other, their fingertips still wouldn’t be able to touch each other. 

“Sarah, I’m…I’m not going to hurt you, you don’t have to sit so far away, I just really, for the first time, I just want to talk and I just want to listen to what you have to say.” Haydar offered because even after all this time of swearing that he hated her, it still pained him that she was scared and terrified of him now even though that had been the whole point of all of this, because somehow picking her up in his arms, even when he was throwing her overboard, brought back all of these memories of how many times he had held her and carried her and all the physical and mental and emotional intimacy they used to share and he had tried to fuck it all out of his mind but somehow when she came to Yekmeni and she was trying on wedding dresses and looked so beautiful and so happy he got even angrier, more vengeful and more hateful and even more jealous but now that everything was out in the open, instead of feeling vindicated and validated and even though he had won, this win felt so incredibly shallow to him. He had spent so many months swearing that having Maisarra suffer the same kind of loss would make his own sense of loss less painful and less poignant. 

But yet, after all of it and after Dorierra and Yekmeni declared war and Maisarra and Daon were at his mercy, it wasn’t enough, Audrey’s death didn’t lesson the sting of his parent’s death which he had always tried to tell himself was Maisarra and her family’s fault but yet instead of feeling relief and a sense of justice that he had hurt her just as much he was hurt- here she was just begging for a chance to live and survive off of a shrinking volcanic island, half of it was already under water and the other half that wasn’t, was a giant lava flow So all she had to work with was a quarter of the original island to work with and he couldn’t save her from the very predicament he put her in. He couldn’t heal the hurt he intentionally inflicted and hated how hurting her felt just as awful as his own hurt had felt, if not so much worse because he was the one to cause it. 

He hated how she was right. He hated the fact that his own anger, bitter and petty jealousy and thirst for vengeance had completely blinded him and today it was like he woke up, for the first time, not being blinded by it and he felt like for the first time in a long time he was actually more or less himself, or at least, his old self, who he was before all of this started and happened but now that things had sprialed and snowballed, he couldn’t stop it. And worst of all, he couldn’t help it either.  

And he hated how much he wanted to help her instead of hurting her even more as all the feelings that he swore had turned to hate- seeing Maisarra scream and cry and mourn the loss of her sister and her family and home still pulled on his heart strings and seeing her now, even though she was trying so hard to be calm and to be brave, her fear was still in her eyes and it was those big dark eyes that always captivated him and now those same eyes that held so much hurt, distrust and weariness towards him that hurt just as much as losing his parents had. Because when he lost his parents, he was helpless to stop or help it and now that he was in a position that he could stop this, he could stop hurting her and making her suffer and he actually could help her and ease her pain. He had the power and he was surprisingly so eager to do so but he also knew that if he did, Rasime would either kill him for getting weak and not sticking to the plan that they had spent so long crafting and putting together the perfect plan with the perfect traps to bring the Great Dorierra and even Yekmeni to it’s knees. But now in this moment, with her looking at him like that, none of it seemed to matter.  

And he could still so vividly remember when she would smile so bright so that her eyes were smiling too when she used to give him her brightest, most amazing and adorings smiles, they were so beautiful and now that she was sad and scared it made him feel even more like a hideous monster than the literal monster she married and it hurt him. It hurt him to the core like it was his own mother’s dagger that his father stabbed into his heart that was stabbing him in the heart and in the gut right now with Maisarra looking at him like that and he actually hated himself for doing this to her. 

After a moment of Maisarra still looking at him wearily, Haydar took his mother’s damn dagger and took it off and leaned over in the sand in the opposite direction and set it down and then used his fingertips to push it even farther away so he really was unarmed before she hesitantly and reluctantly scooted close enough that if they both reached out towards each other, their fingertips might touch if they tried. 

But he wanted more closeness so he took off the silver necklace and turned it off so that it wouldn’t give away that it was a listening device and that he couldn’t threaten to choke her or Daon and Rasime couldn’t either since it was his necklace that was the first and most powerful of the two and Rasime’s didn’t and couldn’t work if his was turned off. Then he put that with his father’s dagger so that all the threats about him were out of his reach so to speak before Maisarra wearily looked to Rasime who was staring at them through the spyglass before Haydar used Marinai’s sign language for Rasime to leave him alone so he could talk privately with Maisarra and ‘get more leverage’ before Rasime put the spyglass down and walked away but the look of anger and mistrust in Maisarra’s eyes because she knew what he had signed and instead had retreated even father than before which was very counter productive for what Haydar was trying to do. 

“I didn’t mean it, I didn’t mean what I signed to Raz. I’m not trying to get more leverage on you or on Daon, I just signed that so we can talk for a moment so she can’t read our lips and “eavesdrop” on our conversation.” Haydar insisted as Maisarra still looked from the boat and back to him a few times wearily before Haydar huffed and got up and took the step to get the dagger and the necklace and put them several paces away before he came back and sat down in his original spot before Maisarra finally came closer and sat close enough that if he reached out, he would be able to touch her with his fingertips and Haydar knew that was probably as close as he would ever get to her. But he didn’t want to test it and instead sat still right there. 

“Daon, can you go find more things to throw onto the fire. I’ll be ok, Haydar and I just want to talk for a moment.” Maisarra urged Daon. 

Daon signed ‘Are you sure? I could spear him from where I am.’ Which made Maisarra smile but nodded over to the thicker part of the jungle on the island before Daon begrudgingly got their breakfast off the fire and put it to the side so it wouldn’t burn and got up and hobbled away with his crutches and his little raft for taking debris as he found it before Maisarra fully sat down in the sand next to Haydar, sadly remembering the last time they did this, it was only nine months ago, the first warm day of spring in Dorierra, they met on the beach and it was still chilly enough they cuddled close together in a blanket wrapped around them but all of that felt like a lifetime or two ago. 

“So, you asked, why him?” Maisarra repeated. 

“Yeah, why him?” Haydar asked calmly. 

“Well, the most honest answer is Daon never tried to woo me or seduce me in the first place, all he did was befriend me and our friendship grew naturally and organically from there, like slowly then all at once. When Audrey went to the High Council Chamber and auditioned and agreed to Lukher’s offer, Jenobi sent a messenger to the house, saying that ‘two people bearing gifts were coming to the house’ and since I was the eldest person at home, I was in charge of welcoming them and the messenger urged me to ‘give whoever would come as warm of a welcome as possible and that who was coming was very sensitive to any kind of provocation or disrespect and that they spoke the common tongue and to only speak the common tongue to them when they would come and to not be surprised or offended by what kind of persons they were but act as natural as possible when they arrived’.” Maisarra recounted. 

“Ok.” Haydar nodded in understanding. 

“That’s when Daon and Irelu came only an hour later. Daon barely spoke a few words of the common tongue, Irelu didn’t speak hardly any at all. I tried my best to follow the instructions and followed the welcoming tradition and tried to be as warm and welcoming as I could be even though I was terrified that two non native orcs, heavily armored and weaponed were in the house and could easily overpower me and everyone else at home. I sent all my little siblings to their rooms and had them lock their doors and told them to remain as quiet as they could and one look at Daon and Irelu from the upstairs balcony and they all vanished and for once- were obedient to me, the little snots. Irelu was happy to get something to drink and a snack. Daon commented on how plain and small of a house I lived in, he was trying to say ‘simple, warm and cozy’ but he said “house- very plain, hot and small”.” Maisarra recounted as she did her best impersonation of Daon with the same gestures Daon had used which got Haydar to snort a laugh. 

“Great first impression.” Haydar sarcastically laughed. 

“‘Awkward’ would be much more accurate. Daon did like the tea and he and Irelu ate everything on that tray of snacks that was supposed to feed the whole family for morning tea but was interrupted by the audition. They picked up that trunk full of gifts that had to weigh a few hundred pounds like it was just a big empty box and carried it to Audrey’s room. They barely fit down the halls and they put it down and realized that the two of them barely fit in her room. Daon said “she has small slave room, she will live like rich woman in Yekmeni with many big rooms”.” Maisarra recalled as she impersonated her husband again with another laugh which made Haydar laugh, a real genuine laugh, not scornful, but genuinely entertained and delighted one which Maisarra’s heart almost stung to hear it again, thinking she was never going to hear him laugh again. 

“Oh by the gods! How did you not cuss him out and kick him out of the house?! How much further could he stick his foot into his mouth?” Haydar asked incredulously. 

“I was ordered by a High Councilor not to be offended! And whatever was going on with them and Audrey, it was my job to not fuck it up! It was the first big serious thing I was put in charge of in my life and I was terrified I was going to fuck it up! So I put my ‘Dear gods just keep smiling, no matter what happens, just keep smiling’ face.” Maisarra said as she showed Haydar the particular face she made which made Haydar smile in amusement because he could still tell that wasn’t a real smile, at least, not from her. That was a fake- ‘put on for those watching’ on kind of smile. And nothing compared to the real thing. The way she really would smile at him before then and he almost hated how much he missed it. 

“Oh no, let me guess, because the “lost in translation” they thought that was your real ‘I’m so happy to meet you and that you’re here’ smile.” Haydar guessed. 

“Yup and so when Audrey came home and told us what happened and why she did it and agreed to the marriage proposal, it was our job to support her. And then when Oathresh came the next morning and really explained what was going on and what was at stake and what the offer really was and how much the country was going to benefit then that put the pressure on all of us to make it work, no matter how we personally felt about it. Then when Daon and the rest of the envoy came to have afternoon tea that ended up being a late lunch feast that should have fed over a hundred people but was barely enough to feed my family and the envoy because of their large appetites. I mean nothing compared to our native orc appetites but still pretty big ones anyway. So because Daon spoke some of the common tongue and I had already met him the day before Audrey assigned me to him to mine information from him and that’s what I did and I did the best job I could for her sake and her sake alone. And then when those generalley bitches tried to bribe her to go along with their lies, I rode like the wind to where they were staying and begged for them to intervene and expose the generalley brides for what they were doing because even if Audrey did choose to go to a clan of orcs to be their queen, by the gods she was not going to be beat out by a basic generalley bitch.” Maisarra insisted as Haydar chuckled and hummed in amusement, as he was once again struck by how much he had missed her candor too. 

“And because I did that, that’s when Daon gave those two chests of gifts, literally as a reward for exposing those bitches for their lies. That’s literally all it was. But then…” Maisarra trailed off sadly as she brought her legs up to her chest and hugged her knees to her chest as she just looked at the way the waves lapped at the shore, a few more inches more than they had done the day before. 

“And then I misread that.” Haydar finally confessed, breaking the  awkward silence that settled over them. 

“Yup.” Maisarra nodded as she looked away from him as tears welled in her eyes so that Haydar wouldn’t see how hurt she still felt about his initial rejection before she sniffled to keep her nostrils open and tried to wipe her tears away and stare out at the waves coming in and out from the ocean around them. 

“And then once you did, you seemed to make up your mind pretty strongly and pretty quickly and decided against me and my family and our choice to support Audrey, even though she had the entire High Council backing her but no other support in our quarter except for Serhan and Merrattah’s families who had agreed to it too. And then with the vote and then the Cisoras- somehow in all of that, Daon and I became more than just ‘sister of the bride’ and ‘cousin of the groom’ and ‘someone to mine information from’. And once he learned more of the common tongue and began to understand that what he said was not always what he meant and once he learned to use the right words to communicate what he meant to and tried to communicate. Things went smoother. Then we just become friends after that and then slowly but surely, day by day with the help of the tethering stones, he was able to learn so much more than just the common tongue and I couldn’t help but learn nadasi just as much as he learned the common tongue and marinai and so much more and it wasn’t him wooing me and seducing me or me wooing him and seducing him either, it was just a friendship that grew into more naturally, it wasn’t forced at all. And you may still only look at him and see a monstrous orc, but that’s not what I see. I just see a man. A man I love and I very happily chose over a two faced lying sheep fucking sack of shit.” Maisarra couldn’t help but snort another laugh which chased her previous tears away as she insulted Bature which got Haydar to actually bark a laugh at her surmise of Bature. 

“Yeah, he’s a fucking scumbag is what he is.” Haydar admitted. 

“You’re preaching to the choir on that one. Do you have any idea how happy it made me to shove his face into the stone ground of our courtyard and prove to him and all of his men that he had nothing on the great grand children of The Great Vienne and his skill in swordsmanship was so painfully simple, he barely knew the basic blocking moves and killing strikes and most of what he knew was the cheap shots and he tried to use his mouth to distract me and my mind and I threw it all right back at him and then some and because I didn’t change myself to suit him the way “a good Dorierran bride” should, he liked it obviously. Because that sheep fucker grew up poor in a small village and he hated the pretenses and he hated all the ways us Dorierrans use and play with our words. And the blunter I got with him, the better he liked me.” Maisarra mused. 

“Yeah, you never fit that mold, thank the gods.” Haydar praised. 

“Thanks,” Maisarra grinned appreciatively. 

“But Audrey had been keeping tabs on him and told me what he really was and what he was really like when he wasn’t actively trying to woo me which every time he tried I flatly refused but he was too stupid and dense to realize that when I said “no” I meant “no” and he just thought I was making him chase me which I wasn’t doing at all. I was doing everything in my power to offend him and to offend his men and his councilors and generals so that if he tried to continue to woo me, his men would revolt against him and I had hoped that that would have been enough to finally deter him and refusing him was the best and easiest decision I ever made in my life.” Maisarra insisted. 

“And yeah if I had agreed to him, it would have been a pretty physically comfortable life in a palace, but it would only be a gilded cage I could never escape from and you were right, what you said to me on the that day you left Dorierra when I told you that I was going to agree to Bature, you called it I only agreed to his offer to spite you and thankfully Audrey saved me from following through with that because I never would have been happy there. I would have had to protect my sons from their half brothers, share that sheep fucker with not just the livestock but his other wives and other harem and the fact that he tried to play the system because he was a greedy son of a bitch, pissed me off even more.” Maisarra professed as Haydar appreciated that she was humble enough to realize that she had been wrong and he had been right, about that at least.  

“And when Bature claimed he had you. All I really wanted to do was burn him to ash, get you and Raz and drop you off at the nearest colony and we could wash our hands of each other but at least you and Raz would live in peace as I would try to do the same. But, obviously, that didn’t turn out like I had hoped or wanted to at all.” Maisarra confessed lowly as Haydar could only have a bittersweet sadness in his eyes as he turned and looked at her and for the first time, even though he felt vindicated that he had been right, it still wounded him to see how even though he had hated her and done everything in his power to hurt her, how she was still the better person because all she wanted was for him and his sister to live in peace, but seperate from her and it made him regret what he had done. 

“But now that you know how to make even the immortal warriors not so immortal, I can only assume that you’re going to use that to keep Dorierra from turning on you and it’s that knowledge that will keep you and the Flirara colony and those from there safe from them and maybe when all of this is over and you get what you want and Daon and I can go home. Maybe we just might have a chance to live peacefully apart, but live all the same. Because even though I can tell from the tethering stone that Audrey wore- that she’s gone, and I miss her and I will always miss her watching out for me and keeping me from making more stupid mistakes in the future. At least the rest of my family is alive, granted they get to be servants, but at least they get to live. And I really am sorry that you and Raz lost your parents and I’m sorry that this whole sorry business turned us into enemies instead of friends and I can feel that Auralu is in a coma but I can’t wake her up without waking up everyone else and it’s too dangerous for eveyrone for me to do that. So now I can only assume that Dorierra and Yekmeni are at war now?” Maisarra asked. 

“Yeah, they declared war this morning and the only transmission they will give to Dorierra is to your family, showing Audrey’s funeral.” Haydar supplied. 

“Well if I had stayed, I suppose it would have been my funeral too. Because I doubt Auralu would have let me and Daon live either, at least Daon and I are here and away from the fighting and the war and at least Auralu can’t hurt Audrey any more and I can only hope and pray that Audrey and Lukher’s souls have found peace and can stay together and meet again one day. Because she agreed to Lukher in the first place because of ‘ra’aytuk ruhi waqalat naeam’ or at least that’s what she told all of us and what I thought we had once upon a time. But if she hadn’t seen Lukher and hadn’t seen that in his eyes, she probably wouldn’t have agreed to it to begin with and Daon and I never would have met and you and I may have had something completely different…but…we can’t go back and change the past, no matter how much we may want to.” Maisarra explained which felt like another stab in the gut and the chest for Haydar because he remebered all the times they bad both said that to each other and how much he had felt he meant it. Which is why he was so jealous of Daon’s attentions to Daon in the first place and now to know that it really was his own jealousy seeing things that weren’t there that he made his own wedge and put it between them and that if he had just listen to his own reason and had really listened to her the first time she had tried to tell him this, how different things could have been for them. But he had been too hurt and too jealous to do so at the time and here was his regret, eating him alive again. 

“Even now, I chose Daon of my own free will and I’m happy and content with my choice because even though we are stranded on a sinking island and we’re both wounded and trying to heal from our past, but we’re together. And now we just get to wait and see how it all plays out and while we didn’t get to say our wedding vows in front of a priest and any other witnesses, we still said and meant them with each other. And I’ll stand by my decision. Even when it has cost me so much and will probably cost me everything else I could have ever had. Because I love him just that much. He has my whole heart and I have his and that is enough for me, and I can only hope that when this is all over, that you can have something similar. Because even though you hate my guts, and even though I’m mad at you for hurting so many others in your quest to get your vengeance. I can’t blame you.” Maisarra confessed which really surprised Haydar to hear her say that. That even despite everything when he absolutely was to blame for everything, she didn’t hold a grudge against him for it. 

“Why?” He asked curiously. 

“Because if our positions were reversed, I probably would have tried to do something similar, granted I would have failed spectacularly because I’m not as smart or as cunning as you are. And where I would have failed, you have succeeded. And I hope your success is what you want and need it to feel so that your own losses don’t hurt so bad.” Maisarra ventured as Haydar’s cheeks had flushed with shame because he had encouraged Auralu- had Maisarra not flown into this trap to kill her and Daon both and he was actually relieved that Auralu couldn’t threaten Maisarra now anyway as he- in a twisted sense of pride was happy he could save her from Bature and from Auralu. But he couldn’t save her from himself as Maisarra looked up and could see Rasime pacing on the deck of the ship, practically scowling at the pair. 

“You should get back to Rasime, thank you for giving me your word about the island. You have never given me any indication that I could never trust it. So if you give your word that the others will leave me and my husband alone and simply give us a chance to survive, I will trust you and your word. Thank you for giving it and in return you have mine. And I hope you can still try to trust mine in turn. I appreciate it more than you know. Goodbye Haydar. If…if you would permit me to at least see Audrey’s funeral, even though I know they can’t open the chamber to reclaim her body because anyone who even tries, would go mad and kill themselves too trying to, just to know that at least her memory is being honored, would mean a lot to me. But only if you want to. You don’t have to and it’s not a request that you feel you have to give into and grant. Especially when I can’t offer anything in return for it, just..think about it ok?” Maisarra pleaded. 

“Ok, I’ll think about it.” Haydar pacified her. 

“Thank you for this chance and opportunity to talk to you Haydar. Thank you for really listening. I really do appreciate it and even though you still probably hate me and want me dead, know that I don’t feel the same way about you, I know you think it’s pathetic and stupid, but we were always good friends before our friendship grew into anything more and sitting with you and talking with you the way we used to, has only reminded me of that fact and I’ve missed you, probably more than I should have and more than anyone will know. I still wish things could have been different for us but now that you have chosen your path, and I have chosen mine. All we can do now is walk the paths we have chosen because that’s the only way forward. Fly safe Haydar. Raz still counts and depends on you. And it’s obvious that the mouras from the Flirara colony look to you to lead them and you were always really good at that. Probably why you have gotten so far and why they follow you so loyally. Take care of yourself, and I’ll try to take care of myself and my husband.” Maisarra offered before she hesitantly almost reached out to touch him before she brought her hand back to herself so she wouldn’t because she couldn’t trust herself or him if she actually were to try to touch him even though once she pulled her hand back, Haydar looked at her, almost begging her with his eyes to try again even though with just a simply touch, he felt like she would undo him. 

“Why don’t you just use the stones and heal him so he’s not lame? So he can at least walk around and help take care of you instead of you taking care of him?” Haydar asked, surprisingly hurt and offended that Maisarrra was forced to bear the brunt of the burden here. 

“Because Daon despises the mind stones and the healing stones and just getting him to wear a tethering stone was like pulling teeth without numbing treatment, he truly and absolutely hates and abhors what they take away in order to heal. He prizes his mind, his individuality and his sense of personality and autonomy. Every Yekmenian orc feels the same exact way and it was only Lukher’s desperation to save his own life that pushed him to use the stones in the first place.” Maisarra revealed. 

“Why?” Haydar asked.  

“Because without them, he would have starved to death. He sustained very serious and almost life threatening injuries when the githyanki attacked Yekmeni last. His jaw was shattered on the right side, he was missing teeth and eating was torture for him on top of his other wounds that debilitated him and deformed him. And he tried to hide all of that from Audrey because he was ashamed that here he was- the next heir to his father’s throne and he couldn’t even speak or hear or eat and by the time Audrey got to him, the stones could only do so much and while they healed his jaw, he was still deaf. So Audrey had to learn nadasi sign language just to talk to him and communicate with him but to Audrey, none of that mattered to her. It didn’t matter that he was an orc, even a deaf and partially lame and debilitated one, his soul was still the same and it was her soul that said yes to his and vice versa and that was why she said yes. That’s why she was willing to give up everything, her family, her home, her country, just to be with him. She was always the strongest of all of us. She’s going to missed so much.” Maisarra confessed as she couldn’t help but cry, surprised that she was showing and feeling all of this as if it was the gospel truth. 

Haydar just stared in anguish back at her because it was all his fault that she was hurting so much and as much as he wanted to gather up into his arms and apologize and try to set this right, she was right, he couldn’t go back and change any of it, not that she would probably even want any comfort he would try to give her anyway. 

“Sorry, just, thank you for coming and thank you for listening and thank you for giving me your word. Please, go back to Rasime before she tries to turn her own dial to choke me so I shut up and don’t keep you here any more.” Maisarra pleaded with him as tears flowed freely from her eyes as even Haydar’s eyes became glassy before he nodded in agreement. 

The two got up to their feet and he walked over and got the necklace and turned it back on and put it back on and got his father’s dagger back and left because he did not trust his voice at all to not say what his heart was begging his mouth to say, which was that he was sorry, that he regretted this and he wanted to make up with her but now that she admitted she had “officially” or “unofficially” married Daon anyway, he knew that her heart was officially divorced from his own and as much as he had tried to divorce his heart from hers, somehow seeing that she still cared for him, gave him hope that maybe they would have a chance if Daon would refuse to get healed from the stones. That meant that Daon could still die and could in theory, give him another chance to win her over once again and maybe it was her love and care that would be the only redemption he could hope for now. 

So he flew around the other islands and told them that Maisarra had sworn that neither she or Daon would even attempt to escape, and that they just wanted to be left alone and that he had given his word that they would be and anyone who approached the island that wasn’t himself, would be out, and would not have any share of the riches that were going to come to them and that satisfied them that they didn’t need to constantly watch and fly around the island to track the couple’s movements and that they could simply enjoy a few months of the idyllic paradise around them as Haydar then flew around the island, breaking up the coru clouds so that the weather could move over all of Wakanear normally again and that the coru clouds would not obstruct Maisarra’s or their own view of the stars at night. 

‘What did you say to him?’ Daon signed. 

‘Say the words, I need them to hear me tell you what we talked about’ Maisarra signed back before Daon repeated his question aloud as Maisarra told him what she and Haydar had talked about as Rasime rolled her eyes as she and Haydar listened in as Haydar was grateful and relieved that Maisarra left out key points that would tip Rasime off that he was beginning to feel sympathy for Maisarra and her situation.

“You should have asked them for at least a bar or two of soap from them in exchange for your word that we won’t poach their island of any food.” Rasime grumbled.

“We can make our own soap just fine out of the coconut oil and the lye from the ash of our own fires. You’re just mad that I didn’t lesson their already bad circumstances even more than we already have. Besides, she left out a key detail in her recount and that detail is the very leverage I told you I would get. She told me that Daon has refused to take on a mind stone, even a healing stone, which means he will probably die before they can get rescued.” Haydar grinned triumphantly. 

“Don’t tell me you’d actually make up with her if that happened. They’ve fucked, she could be pregnant, you aint raising Daon’s bastard.” Rasime insisted. 

“No, I would never do that.” Haydar immediately shook his head no and shuddered at the thought. 

“Well at least you got that and now Maisarra knows that Daon’s fighting a losing battle with infection. And with Daon’s insistance about not taking on a healing stone- that gives us the advantage because if he gets bad enough, that means we can leverage just about anything for her to get her collar back just to heal him and save his life.” Rasime grinned mischieviously. 

“Like what?” Haydar asked. 

“Oh, like one of their barrels of water, they’ll have to ration out their water even more and we could always let her have her collar back just long enough to heal him and take it back when she’s done but it will cost her precious life saving water because they can only burn so much water in that little pot and make fresh water from salt water.” Rasime grinned evilly. 

“But one barrel of water would only give the two of them a month, and they are four to five months away from being rescued. If Maisarra’s dead, we have nothing to bargain with Dorierra for.” Haydar frowned as just the thought of Maisarra being without water and her life really being threatened gave him a sense of panic that the tried to stomp that down. 

“Oh on the contrary, we have something even more priceless than just a single moura’s life, we have the secret to bring down all stoned orcs from now on and Dorierra’s main enemy is only a three day sailing away from here or even just a long flight for us mouras. They’ll surely take us in for such knowledge. And we have that bottle of mourkatili that Talome didn’t dump down Yekmeni’s water supply. Even that jar alone is worth quite a bit to any enemy of Dorierra’s and with Flirara protected with such knowledge too. Either way, we win and everyone else loses.” Rasime insisted as Haydar didn’t say anything in response. 

He just got up and tried to find Adrina who was similar enough in looks to Maisarra as Haydar tried to fuck his feelings of guilt out of himself to vent his frustration and his sudden conflicted feelings about all of this and try to grab onto his hate to push out all the feelings of guilt and remorse that were starting to creep into his mind, heart and soul as Jahoel simply sat on the nearby island and had watched and listened to Haydar and Rasime’s exchange, his angelic vision showing him everything as he could only smirk in satisfaction that the seeds of guilt and remorse that Maisarra unintentionally planted were taking root and growing. 

On the the third day on, Maisarra and Daon soon took up a regular daily rhythm. Wake up, have some really amazing morning sex, then get up for the day, brush their teeth using the sticks of a particular bush that grew on the island that was known for acting like a natural toothbrush and whose sap acted like a natural toothpaste, before they brushed their hair with a comb that had been in the pack as well and wash themselves and their other clothes since the pack had a second pair of clothes that fit Daon pretty well and Maisarra had packed a few changes of clothes in her pack so they could wear one set one day and wear the second set the second day while the first set dried on a line that they made by using a piece of rope that had been used to tie them up but once the rope was cut to free them, they could rety the pieces and create a natural clothe’s line between two trees when the weather was nice enough for it. And after they washed their bodies and hair, then they braided each other’s hair, each day experimenting with new braids, new ways to do each other’s hair to keep it out of their faces and out of the way and keep it detangled as they used the oil from the coconuts to moisturize and condition their hair and bodies to counteract that very good quality of general soap but while the soap washed themselves and their belongings very well, it tended to dry out their skin and hair and the coconut oil was a good way to combat that. They made hats to keep the sun off of them so they wouldn’t get sunburnt too badly.  

Then they would use their freshly washed flat rocks from the night before that served as their plates to eat their meals off of. They would have fruit that was gathered the evening before for breakfast along with bread from breadseed, each day, splitting the loaf between them so that they both ate to their satisfaction and tiny little slivers of tomb meat, rehydrated in seawater, which worked just fine to rehydrate it and it would even add to the flavor, but the meat itself wouldn’t pick up anything harmful from the seawater itself in the process and a little sliver of the cured fats cooked over another large, smooth rock that they kept in the fire to cook on and the fat gave whatever they cooked good flavor too. 

All the meats were seasoned with salt made from when they boiled seawater in the pot that was in the pack, made a skimmer to skim the crud off the top of the water, collect the condensation on a piece of waterproof leather from Daon’s riding leather jacket that hung in such a way over the pot to collect the condensation, and put the condensation into a glass jug that was also in the pack, and either use the full jug of water, refilling it at least two to three times a day from the condensation of burned seawater to bathe and to drink out of, for the day or if they had any left over, to actually put the leftover water in the two barrels of water and on the hot days when it wasn’t enough, they dipped into the barrels of water for water in between rain showers that always seemed to refill the barrels to the full line again whenever the barrels could get only a quarter empty. They then would use the salt that stayed behind from the boiled ocean water to salt and cure their fish and other meats in addition to the citrus from the limes. 

Then the pair would spend the afternoon after lunch when it was the hottest point in the day to have sex again, then take a nap in the cool shade of their little shelter, Maisarra mentally telling the orcs to move thier arms or legs or even bodies so that there was a breeze in the space itself as the cloth of the tent took out the humidity for them so that it was actually closer to airconditioning for them inside of their shelter than on the outside as the other mouras continued to fly around to the other islands at their leisure, practically ignoring the pair and their movements because Haydar had insisted that if Maisarra should ever try to leave, he would be the first to know and the first to retaliate and punish them for breaking their word. 

So after the pair’s afternoon nap in the cooled shelter, then they would wake up, go gathering for food for dinner and more fruit for dessert after dinner and for breakfast the next day, spear some fish and a few other shellfish from the tide pool, hunt another coconut crab or two depending on the size of the crab and have roasted fish, and coconut crab for dinner and more fruit for desert. 

Meanwhile Irelu, Ashurah, Lukher and yourself got into a similar lifestyle. Wake up, have breakfast, gather what the garden ripened and gave you, make your meals, play games when you weren’t also washing your bodies and your clothes and your dishes and linens as you were so happy that this little chamber had its own plumbing and irrigation system so that you all had hot and cold running water and fire for cooking as it felt like you were a village of four as you had all decided to explore every bit of this chamber, and try to learn all you could about each component since the taunstons had planned on using this as a miniature mock up of an advanced civilization and had “buildings” of all kinds for every purpose to make anything and everything people would need, from ceramics that would give anyone any dish for any and every purpose or glass blowers to make windows, or a foundry to make weapons or building suppplies to looms to make textiles and clothes, to plumbing, engineering, irrigation, everything was here.

The way it was all set up inspired you and everyone else in the chamber with you to go into your superbook so that when you all got out of here, Yekmeni could be transformed from a fortress meant to keep everyone out, to a nation inviting people in as the four of you worked out how to expand it. Just like Dorierra had once only been in the original fortress then expanded to have quarters and a much larger country beyond that and have a society and a civilization all it’s own. 

Yekmeni would have the same however all of you had fun twists on those ideas and even ideas on how to improve such a framework. To have the Fortress of Yekmeni still have it’s palace and the surrounding fortress to still be lodging for now, but how you wanted to expand it so that it would be a nation, with multiple cities, with potentially hundreds of thousands of citizens and how you could use this technology and capture more skyland, to have more secured water sources and to create water and even rivers and aqueducts and bring not just water but electricity to said cities and where people could build houses and have gardens and parks and use civil engineering to create roads and ways of travelling throughout the whole country and every other aspect and component for not just any society but an advanced one that people would actually want to live in.

As all of you couldn’t help but create laws that dictated what would qualify an individual for citizenship in the country of Yekmeni. What laws should be enacted so that there would be a measure of peace and security and basic and even higher education for the citizens who wanted it- along with protective measures and where to build walls and fortifications to keep the territories safe and each citizen would have rights and freedoms as long as they followed an orderly and honorable code of conduct as all four of you continually prayed each morning, day and night for everything to turn out well and for Maisarra and Daon to hold out long enough to get rescued along with thanking Jahoel for waking up and helping you and your family and taking care of Maisarra and Daon. 

Meanwhile once the other crystal angels gave Wardeen and the High Council the all clear that only the main messengerari in the High Council and only the main master messengerari in Wardeen’s possession were the only ones that Rasime and Haydar could listen in on and all others were being blocked and hidden and secured from their eyes and ears- that’s when Wardeen and his allies and Dorierra and their allies launched a new plan to surround Wakanear on all sides all at the same time and to coordinate their attack so that only those in Wakanear besides Maisarra and Daon would die or suffer.