After getting the mutants settled in their new homes away from home, Peter made an announcement to the people of Luxor. Explaining the situation and please asking them to be both courteous and respectful to theses power gifted folks who lost their homes, after this Peter contacted his other Medjay and Pharaoh to tell them that the news of theses refugees would soon reach the Purifiers. Though not certain, Peter was pretty sure that they might come and try to finish the job, so he wanted the others to be on the lookout just in case.
Next Peter tried to contact Magneto or Princess Wanda to inform them that Taila was safe, since he figured that after learning the attack Magneto probably thought his granddaughter was dead and was heartache. There came no answer back through the magic mirror, but Peter assumed Taila they would keep trying to get through. Who along with Ororo both by their Royal statist and their people insist was given a room in the castle, along with Betsy who was a course were sworn to her Princess side in an adjoining room. Ororo got a room near Peter's room.
The three would joined Peter and Isis for dinner, during so when the Medjay made a toast to their guests safe arrival, Ororo noticed that Isis's glass was filled with water to their wine. When she asked Isis said "I can't have any alcohol for nine months." "Nine months, why can't you have alcohol for nine…" Ororo stopped as Isis gave a rub of her belly, "Are you serious right now?!" Isis nodded "You're pregnant?" Betsy asked as they looked between Isis and Peter who was smiling as they nodded. The three ladies and winged man became ecstatic with congratulations to the happy couple, who later were in their room in each other arms along with a joined Mary Jane and Illyana after they returned from making sure all the mutants had what they need.
"Had to escort a reporter from the area, she wanted to question them about the war." Illyana finished telling as she nuzzled against the left side of Peter's chest, "What's her name?" Isis asked from the other side of her husband's abs. "Betty Brant…" Mary Jane answered "Heard about her, she is one of the top reporters in the Bugle. We're going to have a word with her."
"I had a feeling that you might and told her that you would talk with her in a few days, if it not a problem?" Mary Jane asked the last part and Peter answered "Not at all, we'll talk about it with Ororo and Taila. For now I want the mutants to have a couple days of rest, they been through a lot." Isis gave his chest a peck as she spoke. "Thank you Peter, for taking in theses mutants. You continue to surprise me with your wonderfully kind heart and compassion."
"You're welcome, my Love. Glad that I can surprise you this long in our marriage." Peter joked and it made Isis chuckle, "We only been 'married' for about nine months and still have 51 months to go." The two started to have twinges of sadness until Mary Jane said "Screw the 51 months." They looked at the red haired pale skinned woman who had a fire in her eyes, "Pardon?" Peter asked before Mary Jane again said, "Screw the five years, me and Illyana been in contact with Lady Nut since she left. We asked her if she heard the two fuck-birds say anything interesting to tell us and we just learned the other day that Cleopatra and Adam are planning to 'persuade' you to make the Rite permanent."
The Medjay and Lady of Luxor were surprised to not be surprise by the news, they actually had talked and assumed that their former spouses wouldn't be able to go back to their partners who couldn't really satisfy them like each other. "I already guested that the two would want any opportunity to continue their affair." Peter felt Mary Jane's body tense in angry when she said that last word and which was understandable she was forced to keep that discovery a secret for over a year. Quickly Peter began to stroke his fingers up and down Mary Jane's back, who body quickly became relaxed and like a cat she purred at the petting.
"Well I have no objection to the idea." Isis said "I had actually thought about it because I know for the fact that I can't share a bed with anyone but you my Spider Medjay. I freeze my feet in place before I let them drag me back to Kahndaq and away from you." Peter smiled as he began to stroke Isis's back, Mary Jane joined in the rubbing of both Isis and Illyana and the three women moan at the same time as the 4 fell asleep. The next few days went by smoothly as the mutants began to adjust to their new home, so was Ororo and Taila, who tried to contact her family every morning and night with no luck, and she, like the others, were a bit surprise by the kindness and compassion of the people of Luxor, who actually in a couple cases had stood up for them against the small majority of people who had a dislike of people with powers and attempted to bully them.
Peter thought the group might include Jameson but surprising the Spider hating man actually spoke good things about the mutants, who reporter Betty Brant was still trying to interview them and so Peter summoned her to the castle to talk. Though she didn't have the same kind of beauty as Isis, Illyana or Mary Jane, Betty was still quite attractive with a hourglass shape body actually dressed in a black shirt and pants compared to a dress like other women. She tucked a lock of her short brown hair behind her ear as she bowed in from Peter, who stood with Isis, Ororo and Taila on either side of him, "Thank you for this audience my Medjay." Betty said.
"You're welcome Miss. Brent, please rise." Betty obeyed, "It had come to my attention that you are wanting to speak with the mutant refugees."
"That's correct sir." Betty said "May I ask why?" Peter questioned looking straight into her brown eyes with his hazel ones and could tell she might've danced around the question with anyone else, but not with her Medjay as she took a deep breath before speaking. "I knew a mutant, she had the ability to fly and make another person fly as well by hold hands. She was my best friend until, when we were 11, a group of mutant haters in our town had too much to drink and they attacked her house to kill her and her family. The men were later arrested and charged, but I lost my friend who most people didn't know and it what drove me to become a reporter to make sure that folks would knew who someone was."
Taking a breath Betty continued "There been mostly gossip and far fetched rumors about what happening in Krakoa and Genosha, but now here's an opportunity to honor my friend. By hearing and publishing their stories about what the Purifiers are doing to their people will help raise awareness and make sure theses mutants stories are heard." Peter ran a finger along his jaw as he thought for a second and then said to Betty "Could you give us a moment." Before gesturing for the other ladies to turn their back on the reporter so they could have a whisper conversation. "What do you reckon?" He asked "Well she's not wrong…" Ororo said.
"Most of what is heard on the street about the Purifiers are a bunch of hearsay and lies by their simplifiers, perhaps this might be a good opportunity to get the truth out." "I guess so…" Taila said hesitantly, "I just not feeling good about some questioning our people and pushing them to tell about their traumatic experiences alone." Peter could hear the nervousness in Taila's voice and placed a hand on her back, making her feel pleasant goosebumps from the contact, as he said, "Then they won't, how about this. Miss. Brent can only interview a refugee with both yours and their permission, as well you will have to be present and if it seems to be too much then you can end the interview. How does that sound?"
Just like Isis said Peter was finding new ways to surprise both Ororo and Taila, who in the short time of their stay in his kingdom had already considered him a friend and a good one since when she and he talked it felt less like Taila was addressing a ruler of a land and more as a kindhearted person who they felt could be confide any of their feelings in. That was a course not including the developed crush Taila had form by her third stay in the castle, which was quickly growing stronger by the day and the blue skin pointed ear woman sort of felt like a fly to the brown hair spider that was starting to trap her in his web with needing to try. Ororo already had feelings for Peter and they had only gotten stronger during their stay and she become good friends with Isis.
Both Ororo and Taila felt another string wrap around their skip a beat heart to give a gentle tug to Peter, who they smiled at for his gratefulness to consider their words. "That's seems reasonable enough and our people will appreciate it, thanks Peter." His name rolling off Ororo tongue so naturally and watched as Peter nodded before turning back to Betty. "Miss. Brant, we will grant you the chance to interview the mutants." "Thank you, my Lord…" The reporter started to say before Peter cut her off, "There are some conditions that you must agree to, before you will be allow to talk with one."
As Peter explain the rules, he assumed that Betty would try to protest one of them but if she did, she didn't show it on her calm face. 'She's good.' He thought impressed as he finished talking with "…Do you agree to theses terms?" And she nodded "Yes my Lord, I will follow theses conditions to the letter." Peter and Isis decided to attend the first interview with a young mutant, who was, like the others, hesitate about talking to a human reporter, but became a little more confident with knowing that his Queen and Princess would be present.
The mutant told Betty about a horrible event that happened to him about five years ago when he was a little boy living in tiny town with his mother, it was attacked by a unit of the Purifiers who took evil to any level as they burned down every home and killed every man. Then they gathered up the women and children and gave the kids a choice to be killed after watching their mothers being raped and killed or they could kill them right a way and live. That day the boy's mother apologized to him for bringing him into the world and then begged him to kill her so the Purifiers would not dishonor her, the ones who couldn't followed their mothers into the grave and the ones that did was left alive with the images of their dead parents burned into their minds forever.
The man said he could still feel his mother's blood on his face even now as he finished his story by saying that he had started to move on making a new family and this time would protect them to his dying breath. "Man, there war and then there evil." Peter said as he and the ladies rode slowly to the castle after the interview were over, "The Purifiers says we are honor-less monsters that need to be put down, but we have more humanity then they do because we don't harm innocents, mutants or humans, and only attack legitimate military targets." Taila spoke with a quiet voice and seeing tears trickling down her face Peter reached out between the space of their houses to place a comforting hand on her shoulder that made her smile slightly in gratitude.
Over the next week Betty Brant interviewed the mutants with Ororo and Taila present at each one and Peter, who wished he could be present for them himself for support but had Medjay duties, insisted on listening to the crystal recordings of the horrors done by the so call 'holy' Purifiers. Who Peter received news about on Monday, they had just finished their breakfast when a castle servant came in to inform them that the magic 'phone' mirror was ringing with a call. Believing it to finally be her family Taila teleport from her chair and ran faster then Peter thought possible in a kirtle with him just managing to keep up as they entered the mirror room, Taila was practically bouncing on the soles of her three toe feet as she watched Peter touch the glowing/vibrating glass to answer the call.
Both expected to see either King Magneto, Princess Wanda or his trusted adviser Charlie Xiaver or a mutant at least, so both hearts fell as the dark haired face of Pharaoh Strange came into focus. "Peter, Princess. I can tell that you were expecting someone else." Peter nodded "Yeah, we were. What are you calling about my Pharaoh?" Strange took a deep breath before answering, "The Purifiers are coming to Luxor." "Explain, quickly." Peter commanded his voice becoming the serious ton few had ever heard compared to his normal charming jokey humor and it surprised Taila out of her sadness.
"A farmer came to The Death Lands, he was hiking when he spotted a large Purifier force moving slowly to avoid detection and are on a path towards Luxor." Strange explained "Did the farmer saw how big the force is?" Peter questioned "He said it was probably two full legion worth of 12,000 soldiers." "Twelve thousand?!" Taila gasp "But coming to Luxor with that force is extremely risk because it basically an invasion, why would they risk it?"
"I think I have a theory about that, after you informed up to keep a look out and couldn't get through to Genosha I decided to contact a friend I have there and this is what I learned…" Peter and Taila waited anxiously as the Pharaoh continued "The Purifiers are laying a full-out siege to the Capital, thanks to their mutant power cutters King Magneto can only defend and putting up a strong one with no signs of breaking. It also why he been unable to answer your calls because of jammers that block even telepathic powers, so he and his daughter doesn't know that you are alive Princess Taila. But the Purifiers have and my guess is that that army is coming to capture you and use you as leverage against your dad with the choice between his daughter or people."
"And the large force is to try to pressure me into surrendering Taila or risk a battle that will bring harm to my people." Peter said in a flat voice and Taila had a moment of fear that he might consider giving her up. But once again the Spider-Medjay surprised the Princess of Magnetism when he next spoke, "My Pharaoh can mobilize your armies." And the Pharaoh answered at once with "Already on our way, but the Demons days are just about to start so we have to come by foot, we'll arrive about two days after the Purifiers." Peter nodded. During the Demon Days (Like in Kane Chronicle.) Magical artifacts will be unreadable so no sling rings to teleport. "We will hold out until you get here my Pharaoh, Peter out." And he tapped the mirror to end the call before turning to surprise face Taila. "You're going to fight?" "Yes and wipe away your fear, I will not give those Purifier one mutant because if I do that I might just give them Isis who they will see as something close to a mutant and I will go to the darkest pit of Hel before I do that. Now let's get ready for our murderous terrorists."
The news that an army of mutant murdering extremists spread through Luxor pretty quickly even by Burgle reporting standards, some people who were the mutant haters tried to persuade others that they should just give them up. But the vast majority of folks were against it because in the time the refugees were here, they shown no violence except when they used their powers to only defend themselves against the haters and didn't even harm them. The people knew that the mutants just wanted to live peaceful lives like the rest of them and had earned their place among the people of Luxor, who thought on the same line as the Spider Medjay that if they gave the Purifiers even one mutant then they should give themselves to the monsters.
Betty even recorded a woman standing up to the haters harassing a mutant mother and child, the woman said that if they let the Purifiers into Luxor they would kill them as well. She should an example by having her own daughter stand next to the mutant kid who looked basically human and asked the haters to forget that they know the child is a mutant and asked if they could tell the two kids apart from human and mutant. This actually stumped the haters and they had to confess they couldn't, the mother then explained that the Purifiers had actually killed humans who lived in the towns with mutants on the pretense that they were simply associating with the mutants and it was a sin to them.
The Purifiers would kill everyone in Luxor for the mutants just being here even if they gave the refugees because there were other mutants born in the War Lands and the murderers would demand those who were born here. This message was spread throughout the city and the haters, seeing reason, ceased their rioting, meanwhile the horns were blown and the War Land Army around 8,000 were summoned from nearby towns along with their families for safety. The scouts Peter sent out soon came back to properly confirm Pharaoh Strange that two legions of 12,000 Purifiers were coming from the east and would arrive at Luxor in about four days at their steady pace.
