Eostia: Harem Quest

by EostianScribe

The Gods have given mortals the power of The Gamer as a pass time. A hobby. A means to compete and relax. One goddess, however, sees it as a means of salvation; starting with one world. As such, she rolls the dice... (Harem, Citrus and Eventual Dark Content Warning)

85. Act III-Ch XII: Celebration & Revelation

[ - Author's Note - ]

New chapter! Word count is long enough as is so let's get into it.

James goes to a party, in Anvil the cat's away so the birds will play and Chloe goes into Mooncast and gains an education.

Let's get into it!

[ - Act III - Chapter XII: Celebration & Revelation - ]

My life was one of chains. Bandits slew my family, tore into my village, captured me, did unthinkable things and sold me as 'used goods' in Anvil. At the age of ten I was bought by the future Duchess, Alundra van Bludhorn. She was humiliating me, pulling me by my collar as I wore nothing else down the street to 'show off her new pet' when someone attacked her; her own uncle had hired goons to remove the then heiress so he could position his son to the role. One bore magical skill and in the fight my throat was struck. I couldn't breathe for awhile but in a fit of blind luck it broke the collar and I was able to flee. I hid in a box before I was found by a priest who took me in and helped me escape north to a church in Geofu.

I joined the army when I turned sixteen for one reason; to end bandits. They were not the only thing I fought, of course, but once I joined that was my main focus. I rose up through the Geofu Regulars. I rose up into the Eostian Regulars. I even joined the Order of the First Light for a time, married, had two children and found myself called to become the High Governor of Geofu. I took good care to ensure the states around Anvil was well defended against banditry and, once questioned by the now Duchess Alundra van Bludhorn about it, I was candid and told her the story. I didn't name names or places but she knew who I was as the tale ended and before she left I told her that my former mistress was likely as despicable and hate-able as ever.

Freedom is a thing all should have, tempered only by a person's own responsibility and needs. To steal it from others should be a crime worse then murder or rape and yet there are places that celebrate the practice of denying it, removing it and suppressing it. I understand the politics of necessity that protects the Traditionalists within Eostia but that doesn't change that what I said is the truth nor that slavers and their ilk ought to be burned at the stake. But while I cannot have that I can do my best, in my position, to ensure people are protected from being enslaved, save those I can and start to strangle the finances and resources of the slavers. I may not live to see it but my grandest dream is an Eostia free of slavery.

Always go free.

~Former High Governor of Geofu, Alexandria Freebird

[-]

For reasons that should be obvious I didn't bring much in the way of formal wear to a war so I knew I'd be going in my armor. The only change was I wouldn't wear the half cape; it was damaged in the fight with Olga and would need to be repaired or replaced. Still the whole thing looked well without it; the painted, mythril plates on the shoulders that were shaped like the House Noxdecus Emblem and would be on display now the cape was off. I would be leaving my weapons in my quarters, obviously. There wouldn't be any trouble given the situation so I was just using my armor as party wear (Not what I expected to do with it) and if something did happen I have Arcane Weapon spells built into it to pull something out to defend myself with.

Olga's capture was the talk of the place; so much so that even though I spent most of my time after the meeting in my quarters the talk reached me (In the event your wondering, via Miria) and of course so was I by association... via defeating her. Yup.

Speaking of which; Olga was kept in quarters under the watch of the Dawn Templars with two guards at her door at all times and two under her window. In addition the hall she was located in had a lot of members of the Templars move in next door to her. Yeah. By contrast while Olga wasn't permitted to go anywhere Chloe had semi-free reign to go about, but under escort, so she could act as Olga's eyes and ears so she knew what was going on. The apparent plan was Olga would send her into the town soon to see what was going on and how their population was being treated. There were off-limits areas such as supply stores, war rooms and so on of course. In addition she was granted the right to watch as every meal for Olga was made. This was unusual and we were bending over backwards, more or less, for a prisoner of war but once more we wanted Olga's trust.

She lost... but I imagine making her want to talk peace would be like pulling teeth.

I imagine this wouldn't be the only night of partying, things being what it was, but to be fair I could understand it. I'd rather sleep after all that but I'd be lying if I said blowing off some steam wouldn't be welcome either.

And so I would arrive at the ballroom a little after the party had begun, two guards opening the doors and giving me a proud salute as I thanked them both.

[-]

Central Anvil
Abandoned Village Near the City of Servus Via
Former City Hall
Evening

Anaya made sure she hadn't been followed as she arrived, moving off the horse as she sighed and ran a hand past her hair. As she walked into the building that was once the city hall she paused by an old, brass plaque. It wasn't anything special; just stating it was the City Hall of Agaila but it was enchanted to remain polished and shiny... even as the rest of the building fell to disrepair. She took a moment to look at her reflection, enjoying seeing her face. She was a bit vain, she would admit that, but she wasn't looking to admire herself; she just liked seeing her face whole once more. Indeed she and her friends knew one of her eyes was a spell stone now but she also remembered seeing it without a full socket or with a patch... Looking at her intact face made her feel whole.

She opened the door and moved to a hall to go to a room in the back. Despite the lack of obvious guards the Freebirds were watching out for possible tails or other problems; some with scrying spells. The town was built between two large forests and was, supposedly, thriving for a town of it's size for a time. She wasn't sure how the place became abandoned... but she heard that it was a stronghold of abolitionism.

In Anvil.

In Alundra's Anvil.

She could imagine the reasons.

Finally she reached what was once a large office and smiled as she entered. "Yo."

"You are back." She heard as she looked to the side of the door as she shut it; despite her size Madadh was surprisingly stealthy. She had been leaning into the wall in the direction the door swung; the door hid her from those entering and she could look over the passage at who entered. "I assume you were successful then?"

"Yeah. They are for sure preparing for their little ceremony tomorrow." Anaya said, a bit of a dark tone coming to her voice as she moved to the table. "And we do have our people doing what we need them to."

"Well then, we're on time." Standing on a chair by the window was Lolek; their halfling leader who gazed to the rising moon. "I was worried. I didn't think we'd have the time to both investigate the situation and get all prepared."

"Indeed; with the smaller details we should be able to take action." Zajac added with a sigh; seated at an oval table with Cameo to one side and Celous across from him. "This could be a hell of a statement."

"But I do not fully understand the importance." Cameo asked as she wiped her helm with a cloth as she looked to the merchant, descended from House Mandeville. "What is the importance of this event?"

"The Servus Via Auction." Lolek said darkly as he moved off the chair to walk to one at the head of the table, hopping up. "As an event it's a very popular and important one for Anvil. The City of Servus Via translates as 'Slave Road' and was the home of the Imperium's most notable prisons. After the Age of Conflict they opted to use the prisoners as slave pens and, overtime, various infrastructure for slavery arose here. Then when the Brazen Empire arose they made it a center of processing prisoners into slaves and when Anvil arose after the Seven Shield Maidens won it kept it's position. However there was an event that changed the course of things some three hundred year ago involving a notable abolitionist, Eric Xavier."

"Xavier was a merchant risen to the level of a house noble who advocated for slavery ending but rather then appeal to humanity or empathy like many do he argued on practical terms." Lolek continued. "Such as that free men would work harder for a cost not much more then keeping a slave, that he would spend his earnings and, thus, stimulate the economy of a region further. That a free man could be encouraged to have a larger family or innovate and do more with his life. In short he argued, unlike other abolitionists of the era, from a point of slavery as an anchor on a realm's prosperity then as a mere evil."

"I imagine House Bludhorn didn't appreciate him." Anaya let off as she finally opted to take a seat, leaning on the table.

"No, they didn't." Lolek said with a sigh. "The Duke of the day, Robert van Bludhorn, decided to put word out about how any who wanted to debate the state of slavery in Anvil could come to Servus Via. The debate was planned for a large building on the city's edges and Xavier showed up with another fifty abolitionists... and it was then Robert sprung his trap; siccing two hundred of his men onto them. Most would be taken to the Arena to be killed in their sports but Xavier was given a front row seat to a massive slave auction of some five hundred odd slaves. We... don't know his fate after that, but I imagine it involved the Arena."

"They are less bulls and more dogs, these Bludhorns." Madadh let off as she finally moved to the table, pulling a seat out to sit upon, ignoring it's odd creak. "But why does this event carry on so?"

"Well Robert considered it a massive celebration of 'traditionalism' and carried it on year after year, even if not in the same size." Lolek said with a frown. "At times they invite people to debate once more, but it often ends the same way. In fact they sometimes force those with abolitionist sympathies to attend and try and goad one into a response to have them beaten down. Before now we wouldn't have thought of trying and interrupt this event... but both Alundra and Kaiden are in Garan and given events in the war they'll be expected to lead from the front. With Victor dead that means the Bludhorn in charge is Alexander and that means we have an opening."

"It does seem a bit... cowardly to act when the duchess and her heir are gone." Cameo pointed out as Lolek sighed and nodded.

"I'm aware but make no mistake; Kaiden is someone we'd struggle to match at best but Alundra is too powerful for us to contend with in the open." The halfling said as Madadh sighed.

"As much as I wish to break the bitch over my knee, Lolek is correct." The titaness let off. "I have seen what she could do; I am not confident I could defeat her alone. Even with all of us she would have a chance at winning and that's before considering her bodyguards." She huffed as she crossed her thick arms. "And Kaiden is strong enough I would struggle with him by myself. I fear we would be best served by fighting smart as opposed to brave."

"So, what do we know of this Alexander then?" Cameo asked as Madadh looked to her.

"Victor was cruel and Kaiden is violent but Alexander is... what is a good word for him?" The large woman frowned as she searched for the right word. "Listless."

"...Can you explain a little more?" Lolek let off, tilting his head in slight confusion.

"He does not really abuse slaves and when he takes them for a night he is... gentle. I was there for some of those nights, although he wasn't interested in me." She said as she spoke. "I was more bodyguard to him then anything. Some nights there would even be no sex; he would just cuddle or speak his mind for a time. In fact if slavery were banned from Anvil I do not think he would much care." The other five around the table looked to her in confusion. "Alundra does not think highly of him. I do not know the full story but he is much more relaxed and cares nothing for violence or torture. I think Alundra thinks him weak and useless but he was just... not motivated... or more that he became demotivated."

"Well a parent's love can spur a child to great things... or to coast past life." Zajac injected. "But a parent's hate can spur a child to rise up to something greater... or pure apathy."

"So you know, Alexander is not weak. Weaker then his brother, I'll allow, but not weak." The giantess said firmly. "He would spar with me time to time. He would even win, if rarely so." Lolek's eyes rose; none could doubt Madadh's strength and skill and to defeat her, even if a number in the single digits amount in a hundred, spoke highly. "He is a mage and warrior but his spell casting is focused on defensive magics and healing while his weapons are the shield and the mace. While I would not call him friend or the like I will say he is more respectable then the rest of his family... but he does not have the will or courage to stand up to his mother. He will do as he can to please her or at least sit by idly to allow her will to proceed. He would rather not oppose us but he will, if only to avert his mother's anger."

"In fairness we're trying to dodge her anger too." Anaya replied; her left eye, her spell stone eye aching at the thought.

"So; a capable warrior and mage but hindered by a lack of will and courage. Lines up with what I've heard, although you've given me more details." Lolek said with a grin. "Tomorrow will be quite the day so get your rest. We'll make our statement then."

[-]

"The Slayer of Hellfire is here!" That was what announced my arrival proper to the party as a lot of people (Or rather everyone) turned to look at me. The ballroom bore the usual dark colorations that dark elves loved but the curtains had been changed to white ones, as had the table cloths giving it a bit of a warmer look. Additionally the room was better lit the usual to further brighten things up as I sized up the attention I was getting. I could divide the looks I was getting into about five parts.

Part One: Swooning. As one would hope the bulk of this group was, thankfully, female... but I could see at least one man I noted to avoid in the near future. Making it worse was he wasn't like Cress; feminine looking in the 'trap' manner, rather he bore a massive beard. Going back to the ladies there was a lot of batting of eye lashes and I noted two adjusting their dresses... around the chests... to show off more.

Yeah...

Part Two: Seductive. A little different then the swooners but mostly female; they were clearly sizing me up to seduce me to bed for some... how shall I say it, 'Forestside Politics'... yeah. Given what I had done (And with everyone thinking Olga wasn't a case of 'Worf Had The Flu') chances were they saw me as a still single bachelor (As my engagements with Prim and Kaguya weren't public yet... I imagine that would change once this war came to a close formally) they likely wanted to cozy up to me, maybe to one of my parents and sweet talk their way into the good sides of House Noxdecus and maybe get a pair of rings for me and them or one of their female relatives.

Part Three: Respect. The bulk of this group was male but with some women mixed in (And seemingly with hints of the first two groups being part of this group to lesser degrees) as I had pulled off something incredible (Again, no one knew 'Olga Had The Flu'... or Ashbloom, as it was) which capped off the other things I had pulled off earlier. Among them was Baston who was the one to give off what I assumed was my newest nickname, the Slayer of Hellfire... I swear to god, at this rate I'll have so many nicknames I'd need quarter sized print to fit them all on a business card. This was, thankfully, the largest group.

Part Four: Guarded. The bulk of these were from Houses that were either open rivals or political rivals to my house or those who were neither friend or rival to House Noxdecus. I imagined it was a mixed group; ones that were respectful, ones that were hiding their aggravation, ones that were staying neutral and ones who were being calculated. Welcome to politics; I hate it.

Part Five:: Disdain. And of course we had these guys; smallest group thankfully... mostly led by Houses Blitzhaus, Bludhorn and, strangely enough, someone with the banner of House Bhils on their shoulder. Huh. (For the record Channer, when I saw him, was in the guarded camp) A maid was quick to give me a glass of wine... and then I wondered when we had maids up here?

(Answer to that; we didn't but some female soldiers who weren't exhausted or injured was offered double pay for a night to play the part with ad hoc outfits put together from... somewhere; I started to catch on when I noticed a maid with a scar over her left ribs as that's not common for maids.)

After checking with Detect Toxin I had a sip and moved over to Baston as he puffed his chest up. "Well done, M'Lord." He let off firmly as he patted my shoulder, and not gently. "I saw the fight myself via the recording... You were baptized in the flames of hell and came out without harm. Few would have been able to pull it off."

"Thanks, Baston." He let off as I winced. I later learned that Channel Six had a camera drone on site (Based off my Sky Eyes... go figure) and caught the moment I came out of the smoke of Olga's attack and stabbed her but it went down before it could catch her collapse. "I would hope I do not do it again." He laughed cheerfully and with his hand on my shoulder started to lead me aside.

"Well, no one survives Annihilation Stream like you M'Lord." Because no one has, but that's beside the point. "I imagine you'll be the talk of the realm."

"And beyond once word gets out." I was caught off guard as someone moved to my other side as I turned; glass of wine in one hand, sandwich in the other; Vult. "Honestly; I'm jealous. I wanted to be the one to defeat her!" He let off with a rumbling chuckle before having a bite of his food.

"Sorry; wasn't trying to beat anyone to it. It's just what happens." I said with a shrug. "I imagine you were hoping for a challenge again."

"Ehh, not on Olga's level but I fought someone calling herself Stremyanka, Matron of House Drakepyre so that's a thing." Vult said with a shrug as I sipped my drink. "So; Queen Olga is still alive?"

"She surrendered." I said once I finished my sip. "I had my sword in her shoulder and my blade at her neck; I was worried she'd decide she had fight left in her but she opted for the smarter choice." I opted to leave the fact Chloe was about to have a broken arm as added incentive out of the conversation; I couldn't put a full finger why (Beyond that the Black Dogs were... well, the Black Dogs) but I didn't think I could fully trust him even if he had an easy sort of charisma to him.

"Yeah, that's about the point any sane person would lay down their arms." He said with a shrug as he finished his sandwich.

"I imagine seeing M'Lord come out of her attack looking like a bleeding beast didn't hurt either." Baston let off with a chuckle.

"I was more of the opinion he was looking dashing as he came out." I would turn to a new figure; this one a woman. She was some five foot nine in height and bore red hair that fell to her shoulder blades and rose colored eyes. She wore a Mana Armor by the looks of it; golden colored breastplate with ornate designs with emerald colored panels over what seemed like C-Cup breasts (Although she could have had smaller ones under it) over a cropped, emerald colored tunic with gold trim. Pauldrons were the same tone and style that was rounded at the top and pointed down over the bicep. The same could be said of her elbow length gauntlets, belt, and boots (The last one having green panels over the shins). A circlet was over her head with a green, oval spell stone in the center, a gold band around her head and green cloth styled like plants as if it were a wreath was on the band. Under the pauldrons and falling to her ankles was a rich, green cape with a gold colored band along the bottom length. "Forgive me for interrupting the conversation. Given the situation I felt it wise to introduce myself to both the Hero of the Battle and a political ally; I am Jupiter Rexvenandi, heiress of the Barony of Harcal."

Right... I recalled them, sort of. We were both of Libertarian Houses but when I was back in the Character Creator (Which seems so long ago now...) House Rexvenandi was one of the House choices I had; along with Leosol and Noxdecus. I never stopped in at Harcal on my tour of Eostia... and they were next door to Anvil and House Bludhorn, so that had to be fun.

Yes, that was sarcasm.

(-)

Name: Jupiter Rexvenandi
Title: Heiress of Harcal
Class: Crusader
Level: 28
Alignment: Friendly
Reputation: 79
Status: Healthy, Swooning, Respectful

Romance Rating: 101
Corruption Rating: 9

Known Traits
[Heart of Thunder] You have an affinity with the lightning element. +15% damage and effect to all lightning spells, Combat Arts and abilities
[Lightning Rod] All lightning element attacks are more likely to strike you. If this happens reduce the damage by 90% and absorb 50% of the mana from the attack into your mana pool

[?]
[The Straight & Arrow Path] You know archery to some degree and can use bows of all sorts! Able to equip Longbows, Shortbows and Quivers as Secondary Weapons.
[Vast Pools] You have a very deep and vast Mana Pool. +10% to Mnc. Raise your Mana Capacity Limit from 200 to 300

First and eldest child of House Rexvenandi she was raised in a house of archers and hunters and, as such, bears more then some skill with the bow but found her talents laid in that of melee arms and spells. As a gift for her sixteenth birthday she was given a suit of Mana Armor by her father that was found and restored from an old, ancient Imperium armory that was occupied and used by an unknown force; the exact age of the armor is unknown but is estimated between twelve hundred and eighteen hundred years old.

(-)

I opted to note Vast Pools and added it to my wish list of traits. Also; stumbling over Mana Armor like that was a score. It's possible that could have been worn in the age of the Shield Maidens; although not during their war against the Brazen Empire. Of course I wasn't in the position to work that out. "Pleasure to meet you, Jupiter." I said as I took a moment to shake her hand, smiling.

"Awww, look at us, all friends." And we had another joining our little group with Vult grinning a bit more as she arrived; Maia. "Vult! It's been too long!" She let off as she all but gleefully hugged his side; the large man ruffling her hair before reaching around to give her ass a firm pat that was a borderline smack. Maia showed no sign of complaining but I knew the pair had worked together before in the New Hounds before Vult founded the Black Dogs and she the Ruby Roses.

"Glad you could join us, wolf-girl." Vult rumbled out with a chuckle. "Come to regale our hero with praise?"

"Meeeeeh, I'm sure he has enough of that." Thank you Maia, I do! "Seriously, do you know how many floozies I've had to beat off me asking about him?"

Ooooohhh... "How bad is it?" I asked, looking to her as she held onto Vult with one arm around his waist as she looked to me.

"Let's just say if Prim was as tall as Vult-" She let off, jerking her head to him. "-she'd still be up to her neck in people asking about you." I sighed as I used my free hand to pinch my nose; that made sense. While my engagement to Prim wasn't public knowledge that we were close was and so anyone wanting to come over and flirt would likely ask her for details about me first.

I can only imagine what she told them.

"Honestly; I could do without the attention. But I guess it's part and parcel with succeeding in the world." I let off with a sigh as Vult patted my shoulder.

"Ehhh, don't act like it's such a burden, eh?" He let off with a chuckle. "Most men dream of such adulation."

"Yes, but to me adulation equals politics. And more of the first means more of the second." I let off as I looked up and over to him... as Maia reached over and pinched my cheek playfully.

"Welllllll, better you then me." I gave a soft groan of annoyance as I gave her a (Not serious) glare as my eye twitched. Vult snickered and kept doing so after my cheek was released and I had a sip of my drink. From the corner of my eye I could see a gaggle of women around Prim, clearly trying to earn favor and the same to Kaguya to a lesser degree. I think Baston and Vult hanging out with me was saving me from the same fate... for now.

Yeah, I was sure I'd be buried in floozies soon.

"So!" Vult let off with a wide grin. "Are ya gonna regale us with the tale or do we have to go and harass Alicia about it?"

Hooo boooooy, this is gonna be a day, isn't it? I'd almost rather be fighting Olga again...

[-]

"Things are finally going swimmingly, for a change." Stark Angelus let off, swirling her drink as she sat at one of the tables set up. The drink was a fruit infused vodka as she crossed her legs and leaned back into her seat. "I admit the fact that a house rival to ours is responsible for all of this is annoying but I will not pass up the chance to enjoy the fruits harvested from the efforts." She said before sipping her drink as one of the other women in the room huffed.

"Lest you forget, Angelus, he's becoming the favored pet of Celestine and will more then like rise in station." Alundra van Bludhorn shot back, glaring as she refilled her glass with red wine. "He and his house will more then like reap the rewards."

"I am forced to agree... with both of you." Arnold von Blitzhaus let off, his own whiskey set on the table before him as his arms sat crossed. "I do not enjoy the thought of my worst rivals rising in status... but I am grateful for the fruits that Stark has mentioned." Anlundra gave him a hard glare but he only replied with a stony neutral gaze. "Understand this. Unlike your realm ours is on the front lines of this conflict and it hampers our growth and positions; we must spend funds on defenses, mercenaries, equipment and training because we are always under threat and not just in an incursion as we must fend off random raids, scouting parties, intercept spies and more."

"Indeed; one group was caught attempting to poison the hay and barley meant for cattle in Albia." Roxellia Ardon huffed as she sat as well, sitting sideways on her seat and leaning onto the backrest with an arm on it, swirling her own wine glass; opting to try the local 'bragg' and finding it surprisingly good. "Don't misunderstand us, Alundra. We share the frustration in this but I for one will accept that in exchange for the security of this damned war coming to an end. To be honest I would rather we all marched north and set our banners over it all but like Stark said so long ago our other foes will pounce if they think they can get away with it; the price to do so may be too high."

Alundra frowned and looked to Ryan Stoneshard as he sipped his own drink, a rum, only to have him shrug at her before snorting and having a sip of her own wine. She was frustrated at the fact all of her allies was finding the situation acceptable and not something that would undermine their positions as House Noxdecus, an abolitionist house, rose upwards... but she also could see their positions; Elddale, Caul, Albia and Hol'canna were all on the border with Garan and, as such, suffered more then most states from the Eostian/Garanian War over the seven centuries it wore on for. Once the war ended they could focus on rebuilding still damaged holdings, building up their economies and directing their energies to other tasks... like undermining their rivals.

On that thought, however... "While I can understand this position do understand this reality; the rise of House Noxdecus could bring us all trouble." Alundra emphasized. "Keep in mind he's friends with two of the shields at least, Celestine has made him her new favorite and he is on at least friendly terms with the rest; word is Lulu made his new blade as well." Arnold frowned hard at that. All of House Blitzhaus had noted it of course and he was open on how he gained it; buying an ingot and asking the Halfling member of the Seven Shields to forge him a blade. He gave a brief injection to confirm the rumor as Alundra frowned deeper. "Figures... in addition to that Kaguya's religious order has become much more liberal after he visited them... and while things are under wraps I've heard a rumor he shared a moment in private with her before these changes were announced."

That silenced everyone for a moment. While they could only imagine what the connection was (And all knew Eostia being Eostia that 'Forestside Politics' was a possible answer) they all knew that if it was true then it was credible that he had pull with both Kaguya and her religious order. It was Ryan Stoneshard who spoke next. "He also has the interest of both the Adventurer's and Spellcaster's Guilds, the news channel caught his defeat of Olga in the moment and has it recorded so the general populous will be celebrating his deeds, and he even caught the eye of a man like Vult." The Duke of Hol'canna huffed at that before sipping his own drink. "Bloody hell, and let's not forget the voxluxes and Cloud Riders... I would be unsurprising of the House was raised to the rank of Count after this..."

"There's more then that; he's established an enterprise in Mungale to create his 'Battle Fleet' boards and his little game has spread across the ranks." Arnold added with a frown. "He's bringing in serious coin now and drawing in merchants... Merchants bring wealth and could establish new enterprise in the region to bring more wealth; I'm under the impression that their paper mills are running and producing product of at least modest quality giving something else for them to purchase and sell..."

"I was speaking with Uzu of House Kalkan; there's talk of the Brass Consortium setting up a printing press in Argon." Stark injected as Arnold frowned deeper. "Mungale's position close to both Ur and Feoh as well as Geofu makes it fairly ideal. More over he has forged an alliance of some sort with House Adelle, of all people... Aside from partnerships over magical considerations I could see Mungale books reaching there and into Ken proper..."

"Keep in mind, there will be other promotions after this war, I'd say." Roxellia said with a frown. "I imagine Blitzhaus will enjoy such, given the last proper council and presuming Celestine's agents find nothing. But not just them; Galeraven, Draken, Pugnator, Trademan and Erotique have all been well mentioned in the reports. So has Highreign, Onglave, Mignite and Kabutomushi. If this ends up being the end of the war Celestine may opt for several promotions to celebrate it... And I don't need to tell you whom these houses are." All gathered frowned deeper for a long moment.

All of them were Abolitionist houses save two; the first was Highreign which was considered a 'Limited' state but it's version of slavery would better have it labeled as a 'Mockery' state. Slaves that have to agree to be collared? And can quit being a slave when they wish!? And have rights!?

Idiocy.

Then there was the state of Pugnator... On paper the House of the Ram's Fist was a Traditionalist house that was a supporter of slavery but they were more of a Reformist house and opted for silly things like limits on what you could do to your slave. And they not only tempted slaves with a chance for freedom they would follow through with it! And found it to be a point of pride!

Madness.

On paper it would strengthen the Traditional cause and position.

In reality it would just undermine their position and uplift reformist, or worst, abolitionist segments under them and while their positions as Local Lords were mostly secure that was it; mostly. After all House Insidiae was just deposed, although due to their own actions as opposed to others... but most of them present and others suspected that Victoria Daphne had some hand in their fall; even if it was just to nudge forwards their own self-destructive tendencies...

And it wasn't unthinkable that some minor house under them might find a means to nudge them and find a way to let them trip themselves up.

"The real question will be what will we do about it?" Ryan let off with a sigh as he looked around the table then to where the Hero of Mooncast stood speaking to, among others, Maia of the Seven Shields and Vult of the Black Dogs. "With Celestine's favor we can't do anything too direct or open... and even if we are subtle we have to be careful."

"Hmmmm..." Alundra let off with a frown. "For now let us wait... something will come up sooner or later... But if we don't act soon... something may break."

[-]

"So... you watched them cook it all?" Olga mused as she looked over the food provided to her. A steak, mashed potatoes, vegetables and garlic bread. The Eostian chef had come to her directly and asked if she had any known dietary issues, allergies or preferences. She said she enjoyed grape juice and was told they had no grapes to make it with but he would see about procuring some. The meal was, while basic, well made and seasoned and coupled with a mixed berry juice that was... acceptable.

"Yes. Every step." Chloe let off as she looked down to her own, identical meal. The chef even let her pick the cuts of meat and they never left her sight. She even demanded to taste test everything to check for poison; even at the risk to her own health. The chef, to his credit, all but bent over backwards to accommodate her. The two had been eating for a bit now, Olga's question the first words spoken over what was an awkward silence.

Now the two were in Olga's quarters on opposite sides of a table having dinner together. "I am of mixed feelings of you being here..." Olga said softly, pausing to stir her potatoes for a moment. "On the one hand I am glad; you are the most trusted person I have and you being here is a comfort. And yet I did not wish for you to suffer captivity once more; you have suffered that enough over your brief life..." She sighed as she began to eat the food given to her.

"It is not suffering with you." Chloe replied softly as she paused to eat herself as she did her best to hide her frown. There was an obvious question she wished to ask but she did all she could to-

"Ask your question."

"...I did not wish to offend you by-"

"Chloe..." Olga began as she smiled sadly. "I am sure I know what it is. I am not offended by it. No question you have will offend me..." She said, setting her fork and knife down to look at her. "And... you deserve an answer... More then anyone else, you deserve an answer."

"... ...Why didn't you tell me... that you were sick...?" The tone of Chloe's question all but broke Olga's heart; it was a saddened and hurt voice that was nearly the tone of a depressed child learning for the first time their parent was neither invincible or all seeing and all knowing.

"... As I said, you are my most trusted aide... and treasured... I..." Olga paused for a moment to take a calming breath. "... I did not want you to see me as weak... Better, I thought, to at least let you see the illusion of strength."

"I... I could have helped..." Chloe let off weakly, setting her own utensils down to the plate. "Could have done more to help you cover it up... I..."

"Please... I do not wish for you to see me with eyes of pity or sadness..." Olga let off as she kept her sad, weak smile. "So many around me can be trusted with their duties but not as confidants or true aides. So many seeking too much favor or boons or seeking to earn my affection through means honest or unsavory. You... finding you was a boon... You are a gift I never knew I needed."

"My Queen, I-"

"We are both prisoners, Chloe. Equals in our binds. Just... just this once..." Olga said as she smiled a little wider as Chloe flinched. "Just this once call me by my name..."

"My... Olga..." She let off, the name pleasant yet foreign to Chloe's lips despite having said it to others many times before. "Do you know... know how long you have... left...?"

"Months... A year or so, perhaps." The Queen of Garan replied as she shook her head. "Maybe two, if I am lucky."

"...Do you think that doctor is right and-"

"Please... false hope is a poor substitute for reality." Olga said with a chuckle, moving to grab her fork and knife once more as she began to eat once more. "I have asked much of you before. I must ask something more of you now."

"Of course." Chloe said, straightening up and trying to put on the air of a stoic aide... even as Olga saw the tears well at the corners of her eyes.

"We will see how honest the Eostians are in your freedom; even if under escort. Investigate the claims of the burned district, get the measure of the laborborne of the city and report to me. I... I know we had a report of the fires... I know he... James claimed there was a fire... but I cannot believe either. Go. See with your own eyes. Report what you hear with your own ears. I need to know what is going on here for sick or not I am the Queen of Garan... and if... if what they say is true... if there is discontent in the city that would make human rule acceptable to the people at large... There is... there is things here that I am clearly ignorant of. I need to know how deep that ignorance is... and if I have failed the people."

"My Queen, you hav-"

"Chloe..." The tone wasn't raised; if anything it was softer then normal... yet Chloe silenced herself right away. "If I have failed then it must be addressed and not shied away from... Do not coddle me."

"My apologies." Chloe said as she lowered her head for a long moment before gulping.

"None needed. Come... Let us eat; we will both need strength for what is to come." Olga said as she smiled with a little more warmth.

Whenever her last moments came she knew who she would wish to share them with...

[-]

Eventually dinner was served. Steaks, Imperial salads, fish, garlic bread, mashed potatoes with ice cream as dessert (The flavors were limited to local berries and vanilla this time). Celestine gave a speech (Thankfully I didn't need to but I imagined sooner or later I'd need to do that) before we ate and I was given a seat of prominence. And then after that I had to play nice with my peers...

I was wishing for different peers, however...

"How did you find real dragon scale!?"

"Your sword is made of real orichalcum!? How did you find a smith for that?"

"Can you teach me that Shadowblaze Weapon spell? It would be so cool!"

"Is it true that you exhausted fifty pirates in bed by yourself!?"

"You must regale us about how you brought the drow bitch low!"

Yeah... These were floozies... worse, they were noble floozies.

Okay, quick note: in my old world a 'floozy' was a woman who either A) dressed in a sexually provocative way or B) had a lot of sexual partners. So a slut, more or less. In Eostia there was a... different connotation; for starters sleeping around wasn't as big of a deal in the Alliance as long as you didn't act addicted to it. In addition every single one of these women had some sort of weapons or magical training and had seen combat; in fact combat was the reason they were here. They were less 'town bicycles' and more 'town military equipment'. This also meant that rather then just mindlessly flirt about some new show or fawn over a guy's looks wearing dresses they inquired about your weapons and spells in addition to other things while wearing armor, Armor Weave, Mana Armor in one case and Mage or Arcane Robes that could double as dresses. Yeah, a bit different.

But the connotation was better explained by their other name; walking wombs. As in they would gather around a choice male (Me, in this case) and coax him into getting them pregnant as gaining a choice child from good stock was a point of pride. Yeah.

It was worth noting that A) they didn't hide their intentions (Unlike the Venus twins) and were open with what they wanted and why (A promise of future support, a means to seal a deal or just 'I want a kid from seed of prime stock') and B) were rarely the heiress of a territory or house being the second child at least. There were exceptions of course; heiresses (And younger female lords) weren't unheard of if they had no obvious suitors.

It was usually ill advised to indulge in them if you were a man (Well, the impregnation part; fucking them without causing a bun in the oven was business as usual) as spreading your seed in such a manner could cause headaches down the line for you and your house but younger knights or newly appointed lords from commoner origins could fall for such a thing. That being said they were still nobility so I couldn't just pimp slap them aside, tell them which direction they could fuck off or ignore them lest I annoy their families. Sure, they were from mostly minor houses but minor houses had pull and one came from House Solex of Coxworth, the leading house of a Duchy.

Naturally I had to fend off their questions and fawning as best as I could but had... little respite; Prim had her own suitors coming out to woo her (Victor von Blitzhaus among them) that she was fending off as... well, given our relationship and my rising status... Yeah, anyone who wanted to wed Prim or become the next Grand Duke felt like this was their last chance before I stepped in and claimed her.

If they only knew...

Alicia was with her brothers as well as members of Houses Draken and Leosol and I doubted she was in a position to assist; she also had to play nice of course.

Lulu and Maia were drinking and Kaguya was playing minder; although my second fiancee was giving me a look of pity and was likely unsure of how to intervene.

Claudia and Klaus were with... someone I didn't know... but he resembled Grave, which made me wary of him but I couldn't get enough of a good view to use Observe. He wore armor that was very close to Klaus' father save no hanging cloth over the front and golden colored armored plates with silver highlights. His face was close to Grave's as well and he was the same height but he bore a full head of brown hair that was both spiky and slicked back and rather then a beard he bore a thick, long mustache that fell down to neck length with spiky sideburns. Claudia seemed to respect him and Klaus... was uncomfortable but tolerant... Who was this guy?

(I'd later learn he was Miles Levantine; Grave's younger brother and Klaus' uncle. My understanding of the man was he was... well, Grave-lite and he wasn't fond of Klaus, much like Grave. There was a difference between the brothers in that regard however; while both disliked Klaus overall Miles at least respected Klaus for his accomplishments and abilities. I'd have to use Observe on him once I could)

"Come on, how big is the other sword?" I was asked as I sighed softly and put on the fake 'I don't want to be here but I know I have to play nice' smiles.

"I'll leave that to your imagination." I replied politely.

"You defeated Queen Olga by yourself? That's amazing! How did you do it!?"

"With a lot of luck." Me once more.

"So... a hundred pirate women?"

"Where did that number come from?"

"Well, how many did you-"

"Excuse me." The collection of women around me turned at the gentle yet clear voice... and saw the arrival of Celestine, smiling warmly at us all. "While I'm sure he's enjoying the attention I need to speak with him for a time. If you don't mind." She let off, politely moving around the collection of floozies and gently guiding me away as I finally relaxed (I hadn't even noticed how tense I had gotten) with a hand on my arm to pull softly. They all pouted and I spoke up to Celestine, but only once out of ear shot.

"Thanks... That was getting a bit much." I said, smiling to her as she giggled softly.

"Well I did owe you for saving me once." It took a moment to realize what she meant; this was very similar to what happened in Prim's birthday party save who was pulling whom away from unwanted admirers. I chuckled softly as I smiled to her.

"Planning to pull me into a slow dance this time?"

"Sadly, no. That said I do need to speak with you on a subject and now is as good a time as any." She said as she led us to the side of the room for a moment. "In regards to Olga." I nodded to encourage her to continue on. "I'm not sure how well she will take things if Doctor Richardson is correct, and I'm quite sure he is, in regards to her condition. More over I am sure she will have Chloe go into town on her behalf sooner or later. She will learn uncomfortable truths soon and as such may need one of two things; emotional comfort and a stern talking too. I am more then able to do the first and I am sure Chloe is interested in the same but I need someone able to be stern with her and... well, there is few who are honestly brave enough to speak as such to her and fewer I trust to do it."

"So; you want me to be the stick to your carrot?" I asked as she gave a soft giggle.

"Not how I'd put it, but yes. Like good parents in a rather strange way; a mother's comfort and a father's discipline." She gave a soft smile but one that was a hint more playful as it reached her eyes.

"We're adopting a likely millennia old, dark elf queen?" I deadpanned. "What, a gaggle of orphaned boys wasn't enough for you?" I teased as she giggled for a moment.

"I didn't mean it quite like that, but it's not so off." She said as she nodded to a passing maid, taking two glasses of white wine and passing me one. "Tis merely the balance of the feminine and the masculine; one the comforting and uplifting force and the other the disciplinary and grounding force. I am better at the former then the latter so I must rely on you to make up for my shortfall."

"Of course; I'll do what I can." I let off as I waited for her to take a sip. "Mommy."

She averted a spit take; but the wide eyed look she gave as her shoulders rose up was adorable.

[-]

"They're flirting." Channer let off as he glared off to James and Celestine as he stood near the side of the room by a table as the High Queen reacted to something the Noxdecus heir said, shoulders jerking up before she giggled. "He is flirting with the High Queen."

"Funny you think it's the first time." Channer turned his head to look to one of the men that was seated at the table in question; Caulder Doppiodrago who swirled his glass softly. "By the sounds of it they've been smoldering with their flirts since Prim's birthday."

"Is no one bothered at how favored he's getting by her?" Channer hissed out as the lone female at the table sighed and moved to adjust her glasses, a glass of red wine before her on the table. "I even killed a Matron this time..."

"Contain your jealousy, Channer. It's illogical and a poor look to those watching." The woman in question stood five four once fully upright and bore brown hair that fell past her shoulders in a dark, brown curtain with slight curling at the ends and one, long strand sticking up from the center of the head. Her red rimmed, square glasses sat over gray eyes as she gave the Blitzhaus child a flat look. Her outfit comprised of a white, buttoned up, long sleeved blouse that hugged D-Cup breasts firmly with brass buttons along the line. Around her neck sat a red scarf that fell behind her to the middle of her back and a dark red corset sat around her waist. Under that corset a short, tight black miniskirt sat around her hips and her feet was clad in knee high, leather boots colored the same as her corset. Channer gave her a firm look as she kept speaking. "While he is of a rival house we have to look at the situation as objectively as possible; he provided the realm with the voxlux, the Cloud Riders, the means to bypass the Dread Field and defeated multiple, powerful opponents capped with Olga Discordia herself. In addition by capturing her he handed the possibility of the peace the High Queen desires to her on a silver platter. That she should have a deep interest in him, be it platonic or romantic, should be no surprise."

"That doesn't mean we like it nor should we sit idly by as it happens, Strider." Kaiden let off with a grumble; speaking to the heiress of House Angelus as he looked to her. He came to party wearing a brown great coat with the Bludhorn emblem over the left breast, black pants tucked into matching boots and a thin, golden circlet around his head with a red spell stone in it's center; the outfit was Armor Weave and the circlet a piece of Mana Armor. While an event like this was well guarded and safe House Bludhorn always made the assumption that the worst could happen. "We needs to find that woman another suitor... or hope that Noxdecus is courting Prim like some rumors think."

"Well that's all well and nice but needs I remind everyone of something?" Holding a hand up in the group was the youngest of the group there; he wore a long coat colored in quarters or white and gray; the back of which bearing the images of standing lions facing outwards over his left shoulder blade and right ribs and the gray segments and a winged sword over the white parts; both a deep gold with a lighter gold outline. His legs were clad in dark gray pants tucked into white, short boots. He bore brown hair tied back into a braided ponytail and blue eyes and a hawkish nose and pointed jaw. "This is Eostia and a man can marry more then one woman, if they're at least nobility."

"...Joseph is correct." Strider said, referring to the Stolzerlowe heir. "He is, currently, entitled to up to two wives. Given current events that total could rise; he could gain both Prim and Celestine as brides... and based on what I know Alicia Arcturus could well have interest in him as well."

"That would be three of the Shield Princesses then..." Channer said darkly.

"House rivalries aside aren't you his friend?" Caulder let off, sipping his whiskey softly as he looked to the Blitzhaus enchanter. "Shouldn't you be the one here acting supportive to him as opposed to the rest of us trying to point out why this shit is happening?" He snorted a bit as he swirled his drink. "I mean we all know what this means; House Noxdecus is on the rise and their allies will likely pull up with them."

"May I suggest, then-" Strider began with a thoughtful frown. "-that we opt to find a means to rise our houses upwards? As much as we dislike Noxdecus the honest truth is this; he had made contributions to the realm that are undeniable and not just to the war efforts. The voxlux and Cloud Riders shall be as useful in peace as in war. What we need is to provide equal or greater such things."

"And what do you propose, Angelus?" Joesph asked as he picked up his own drink; a mix of chocolate milk and vodka mix of all things.

"For starters we should opt to find a gap in our realm that has needs of filling." She began. "Perhaps a new means to speed up smelting or industry? A means to create more fertile grounds for farmers to increase crop yields? Or mayhaps the means to rapidly enchant weapons and armor with basic enchantments to improve the quality of base soldiers?"

"Much as I want to do that last one we'd need a lot of good spell stones to make them stick." Channer let off with a sigh before frowning in thought and tapping his chin with a finger. "But... maybe some sort of earthen mana infusion of the ground could help make the ground more fertile..."

"There... let us focus on such efforts then; make our work productive." Strider added as Kaiden huffed.

Of course half of a battle was ensure the enemy couldn't fight you back; undermining them was a valid means of rising up...

Although he was unsure of how to do that...

[-]

Andrei stood silently as he did the best he could to ignore the pain in his shoulder. Eating with one arm had been annoying, even with Pavel assisting him. His arm was still in a sling and while some healing was applied to his shoulder it wasn't enough to fully mend the bones the highborne broke. He went to check in at the large building that was being used as an ad hoc infirmary; many of the injuried conscripts were here but also Eostian regulars, often introducing their Garanian counterparts of card or dice games and something called 'Battle Fleet'. As many beds, padded benches and such that could be found were brought in to give the injured something to rest on; in some cases it was even just a thin mattress on the floor. It was clear they were overwhelmed with injured. Thankfully injured and not dead.

He hadn't come for healing himself, as much as he could use it but rather to speak with some of those present. He sighed; they had won, regardless of the cost. The future was unsure but he was sure it would be a better one at least. He stiffened as the soothing feeling of healing magic washed over him; before he could move a voice came to him. "It's good to see you, Little Hero." He turned his head to the side; coming face to face with teasing green eyes and lavender hair that were familiar to him; although the owner was now no longer carrying Aberrant child and in a white cloak that fell to her knees without sleeves with red trim, matching elbow length gloves, thigh high stockings under short, red boots and a short, red cape at her shoulders that fell to her waist. A cane held in one of her hands was set behind his shoulder with a curled top, a red spell stone stuck to the end.

"Mirellia? You are here?" Andrei let off as he turned fully to face her as she maintained her spell. "Given what you endured I would not blame you for never setting foot in Garan again."

"I refuse to be so weak as to fear a place because of one, little bad thing." Andrei gave a short chuckle; that wasn't an apt description of what sort of hell she endured. "Besides; the people who need help the most are here."

"I'm not among the worst injured." He said as she giggled and tapped her cane to his chest.

"Maybe, but I still owe you. Speaking of; my shift here is over and I could use a good meal." She said with a wide smile. "Do you know a place a delicate elf can go for a bite."

"I know a place a hardy one can." Andrei shot back as he flexed his arm softly; most of the pain was gone but he was sure there was still lingering damage.

"Well then, I suppose that will do. Come, lead the way." She said, moving to hang the cane's head on one of her arms, the other taking his good one before the pair left the building together for the Common Table...

It would be the start of something more, both were sure.

[-]

I sighed as I managed to escape the party at last. Celestine kept me company as best she could but being the High Queen was a taxing thing and she had to go and deal with things. Thankfully I ended up hanging out with Maia, Kaguya and Lulu for a bit until I could slip away. Despite my best efforts a combination of floozies and men wanting to hear the tale of my victory over Olga appeared. It was near but not quite overwhelming.

Finally I reached my room, ready to relax in my own way... and there was audible moans once I opened the door. Curious and worried I peeked in and was a bit surprised at the view that greeted me; there was Kaguya on her back and on the bed, legs up and pressed back besides her breasts as her hands gripped the sheets under her, eyes shut and moaning deeply.

Holding her legs in that position was Prim who was mounting her with legs either side of Kaguya and rubbing her groin to the preistess' own and it took a moment to figure out that their sexes, and no doubt their clits, were grinding into one another with her motions. She was working her hips hard too; if she were a guy (Or at least had a dick through some means) I'd say she was giving Kaguya a pounding. I finally stepped into the room and gave the door a firm close and making them both jump and look over to me. "Should I make assumptions or were your rooms too far away?" I joked as Prim giggled.

"Ahhhh, I was just sharing some... ideas of how sister wives could... bond." She let off before moaning out once more as I moved to the corner of the room and started to pull my armor off, bit by bit until I was down to the underclothes. And yes, both watched me do it.

"Well, don't let me stop you. I, ahh, need a moment to wash up before I join you." I let off before moving to the bathroom. I moved into the tall tub, filled for a bath and washed up. I didn't rush but I didn't take my time and, well, having something stiff and hard at my groin made it a bit awkward but that would be taken care of soon. I toweled off once done and didn't bother dressing as I stepped out and-

-and found myself with both arms grabbed, yanked to the bed, pushed to my back onto it and my arms pinned over my head; one set of hands to each wrist with Prim straddling my right leg and Kaguya my left as they both gave me a mix of naughty and playful grins. Prim would then cast a shield around my wrists as make-shift handcuffs to pin me down. "How mean of you, making two women wait for your attention like this." Prim let off; it was clearly in a teasing yet sweet tone as Kaguya matched the tease in her own, but more calm then sweet.

"Indeed... It is rather frustrating for the both of us."

"In my defense-" I began with a chuckle. "-I've had a long day and I felt the need present myself clean and fresh before joining you ladies."

"Meeeeeh, I prefer your natural smell then soap." Prim let off before kissing my lips softly. "But your not wriggling out of your punishment."

"Well then, my judge, what is my sentence?" I said playfully as she giggled and shared a look to her future sister-wife. They gave me a grin right after.

"Lots of sex!" They let off together as I chuckled a bit as they pulled back and moved their lips to my nipples as one. Sure, a guy's nipples weren't as sensitive as a girl's but they still earned an honest groan as they started to kiss the suckle with Prim swapping to long, lavish and hard licks as Kaguya focused more on slow, deliberate and gentle ones. It was, if nothing else, very erotic although soon they were going down my body to kiss down my torso and over my ribs towards my groin.

Once they reached my pillar of demanding flesh they kissed up opposite ends with Prim moving faster and sucking the tip into her lips and bobbing her mouth on the top while Kaguya wrapped her lips around the side of my shafted and hummed as she licked and moved her head side to side; like she was playing an awkwardly placed harmonica. Eventually Prim would move to mimic Kaguya on the other side, surrendering the tip to the priestess who didn't take it right away; rather she would slide up my cock before wrapping her lips about it and bobbing down. Naturally I was giving deep, long, low groans during all of this and enjoying it quite a bit and they seemed more then glad about the effect they were having.

Prim would pull back and giggle before looking to the eastern woman. "After you." She let off as Kaguya looked over to her, slipped off my cock and smiled back.

"Thank you." She let off before moving to stand and turn about before squatting down. She set her sex to my tall hard-on and started to press down onto it; her round, plush ass facing me as she pressed down fully, swallowing my cock with her sex. She moaned out as she moved to set her hands to her knees before starting to rock her hips up and down while using her legs and arms to help with her motions.

For her part Prim moved to all fours and crawled to my side before laying down next to me, head on my shoulder as we both watched Kaguya slap her booty down onto my pelvis like twerking was just invented and she had opted to perfect the art.

(It turns out she was aware of a dance style in the far south of the continent that mixed belly dancing, pole dancing, twerking and stripping (To underwear usually, you needed to go to the special clubs to see it all) and was curious about it and was wondering if anyone around Thorn knew... I guess when you start dating, or in this case get engaged to, a guy and you have a great backside you want to put those assets to work. No pun intended.)

I opted to rock my hips back up in times as those cheeks clapped down onto my pelvis as I groaned louder as did she; Prim moving a hand to stroke my chest slowly as she licked her lips, enjoying the same view I did. I wanted to grab Kaguya's hips and help her slam down but, once more, they were bound by Prim's shield. Sure, I could have broken out of it if I wanted to (She didn't give it that much power) but I didn't begrudge them their added bit of spice to the fun.

As much as I tried to hold on I was getting close but it seemed Kaguya was as well; her back arching more as her head tilted back, moaning louder and deeper before she slammed down once more and came with her sex squeezing down hard on me. I tried to resist but I ended up following her climax with a long, deep groan as I started to launch globs of hot, thick cum right up into her; likely splashing her womb.

Kaguya was shivering for a long moment, even as she pulled off before turning about to face me, panting as she set a light healing spell to me as Prim moved to take her place; the spell would help keep me 'perked up' as Prim rubbed the tip of my cock to her entrance with a grin before pressing down onto me, shivering as she impaled herself. "Oh Gods!" She let off as she set the top of her feet over my legs as she started to bounce on my lap.

"Indeed... I understand why people obsess over sex so, now..." Kaguya let off as she lay upon my side, opposite of where Prim laid, drawing her hand over my chest as she giggled while Prim moaned out, leaning forwards and setting her hands on my abs. Unlike Kaguya she was rocking her hips about in a circle, moaning out as her motions made her heavy, fat tits sway over me... while maintaining her shield to the point that I couldn't grab those overripe melons for my own additional fun.

Dammit!

Still my hips were moving to match her own motions as I groaned out, Kaguya moving to kiss my cheek then lips as I turned my head to her, shuddering harder for a moment as she I groaned as said kiss deepened as a tongue moved to invade my mouth. When I looked back to Prim her swaying breasts and wet, cock-swallowing pussy as it rocked up and down the cock it was swallowing, namely mine.

I groaned louder as she half leaned, half fell onto my chest, ramming her hips down into me and I got the sense she was close; hell, I was having a hard time resisting the urge to climax and as her sex squeezed down hard on me I lost that battle as she came loudly on my, her lower lips accepting it's own load of cum inside of it. I groaned hard as she changed from moaning to cute mewling... only for Kaguya to cast another light healing spell.

"Rest assured... we're not done yet." She let off as Prim added her own giggle. I gulped.

What did they have in mind now?

[-]

Road Towards Napreryvnyy City
Garanian War Camp
Main Command Tent

"So... this is what we've been reduced to..." Gavrillia, in her capacity as the General of Garan had called an emergency war meeting. As a lowborne her highborne 'betters' could have ignored it but she knew they wouldn't; not with the situation as dire as it was. Previous to the battle they had lost six matrons in one incursion; more then any other.

That number had been raised to ten.

Present in the tent and gathered around the table was the current Matrons, stepping into the place of the deceased ones and... it was depressing.

Olesia Reclusia was the only Matron to survive from the start of the war until now; boasting the wisdom to not carry on fighting losing battles and retreat. Some of her peers might have called her a coward for this. None of those peers remained to do so.

For House Nightsong the new Matron was one Bronka Nightsong; despite having lost an arm and that limb being unable to be reattached due to the burns and cauterization she still came to the Battle for Mooncast City in a supportive capacity to help with healing magic and other tasks. Pasha Nightsong was the Matron that (Unwillingly) succeeded Czarina... and she surrendered the city without a fight instead of dying as she was meant to. She was declared a traitorborne which let Inna Nightsong came to claim the title... and she died to one of Eostia's lesser known heroes, Channer von Blitzhaus. In turn Bronka came into the position due to the lack of anyone better to ascend to the position despite that she had yet to receive a prosthetic limb.

Worse was that she was one of their better choices for Matron as House Chaoxis wasn't able to even bring one forth as all fighting age members of the house died in combat. There were still a baker's dozen members of the house but none old enough to lead and two so old they were retired and comparable to near century old humans. The High House of Chaoxis was instead represented by Tikhiy Chaoxis, who was the first male in Garan's history to lead a house and was an able spell caster using an enchanted spear (That he didn't bring with him to the tent) as a weapon and wore black, leather armor with a white skull shaped skull cap (That was resting on the table), with blonde hair loose and down to his mid back, red eyes and a hawkish face.

He also had unusually bushy eyebrows that looked more like a thick mustache misplaced over the eyes. It was distracting.

Goldtomb was being led by Tsarina Goldtomb now (Same pronunciation as Czarina, different spelling), a barely of age, inexperienced woman able at magic and her weapon of choice; the Devil's Fang. The weapon bore a three foot long handle that was black with some silver designs in it, a slightly wider bottom with a small, purple spell stone hanging from it. The top bore a wing-like guard from which a purple blade made from spell stone, three feet in length attached that would glow when in use. The stone the blade was forged from wasn't a supremely high grade, merely a grade five, but it was fashioned to a razor sharp edge and it's size made it a formidable focus.

For her outfit she wore a purple bikini styled top trimmed with gold to hold her D-Cups in, a black cape with purple liner clasped together under a purple spell stone set to a golden broach and purple cloth over her shoulders acting as pauldrons as the outfit was Scale Weave. Another purple spell stone was set to her forehead via a gold circlet with a matching tear drop gem hanging under it. Purple and black bracers were set to her forearms with gold trim, a band of wide gold around each bicep. Over her groin was black bikini bottoms, a golden belt holding up a purple half skirt that flowed behind her. Black boots with purple highlights, gold trim and purple panels over the knees. Ending the look was gold bands around her thighs with purple panels at the front. Purple eyes and short, dark brown hair would highlight the five ten woman's pretty face. She would be a great leader in a century or two but as it was, to Gavrillia's opinion, she was pressed to the role too soon.

And then there was the High House of Drakepyre led by Rubin Drakepyre. During the Battle For Mooncast City she was meant to deal with the flying wagons and had, to a point, done so but was slammed down into the ground by a mage of high power and skill. Her left arm was still in a sling, not yet fully healed but thankfully a couple days of rest should have been all she needed. Rubin was not, in the general's opinion, an idiot or a fool but she was... a Drakepyre, which was to say bold, aggressive and always seeking a challenge. That was... not a good thing for a leader outside of war and not always what they'd want in a precarious position. That said their situation seemed to dampen her... Drakepyre-ness.

"I hate to say it... but... we might have lost the war." Bronka set her one intact arm to the table, leaning on her fist as her eyes, natural and spell stone alike, looked over the map laid out and details they had. The situation was... bad.

Maybe a full third of their Aberrant forces were gone. Dead, left behind or fled, it didn't matter. They were gone and likely not coming back.

Maybe a third of their conscripts were gone. Dead, captured or fled, it didn't matter. They were gone.

A quarter of their regulars and elite forces were gone. Just gone. Dead more then like, captured maybe, possibly fled but no matter what, gone.

A rough third of their forces were gone. Just gone.

"Can we carry the fight forwards?" Rubin said and while clearly ready for another battle it was tempered by previous events; having the will to fight mattered little if you lacked the means.

"We can call upon the populace of Blazecrown as conscripts." The general began as she frowned. "But... they will be fresh to combat or largely so. To acquire a victory we would need to call upon at least fifty thousand more troops."

That silenced the tent for a long moment It was Olesia who spoke up. "We could call up those number, I am sure of that. The question is what will the effect of that be on Garan? Make no mistake; the laborborne are the coins of war we can use to spend on victory, as is our right, but we need them to work the fields, the mines and the industry. If we lose too many in combat we may cripple our economy no matter the outcome."

"Have we not done so already?" Tikhiy pointed out as he crossed his arms. The women in the tent glared at the male as he gave a firm look back. "We lost a third of the conscripts we brought with us. We lost over ten thousand conscripts. That is not an insignificant number. If we drew up fifty thousand more and lost twenty thousand of them what would our state be like in the aftermath."

There was silence for a long moment before Tsarina spoke up. "Look; if we don't fight what's our options? Because either we surrender or we make some sort of deal that gets them to release our Queen." Silence followed as they all mulled over the words; they knew Olga was injured and fell in battle and was unlikely to be dead. Indeed there was more value to their Trueborne Queen being alive then dead... however one could only imagine how they'd abuse and disgrace her...

It's what they'd do if they caught Celestine, after all. Why should they not think their foes would do the same?

"Let us be clear; recovering Queen Olga is our first priority." Gavrillia let off, setting her hands to the table as she looked to them firmly. "Abandoning her is not an option. As General it is my duty to see her safe and secure to us; no matter how many laborborne and lesser we must sacrifice to do so. Even my fellow lowborne are but wood to fuel our needs." All four of the Matrons (And the male stand in for a Matron) looked to her in shock. "I will be taking over the war effort from here; as four of you are Matrons and of equal rank there is too much risk of bickering and we need decisive leadership here and now. If any of you want to question my taking of the reigns in this moment then you can challenge me in combat."

While all had glared at the lowborne general the moment she declared her leadership over them, the highborne, none seemed ready or willing to challenge her. If anything they were willing to set their pride aside for a moment; if nothing else they weren't following a rival... or the male. "Good. We will round up the conscripts required but... we must admit something painful... failure is an option." The general huffed softly as she looked down for a long moment. "Sadly I do not know what else we can use to fight them with..."

"... ...There is... one thing we still posses that we have yet to employ." Everyone turned to Olesia in surprise as she spoke softly. "One of our chief researchers in Napreryvnyy, Stasia Highcraft was making a creation that promises to be powerful beyond imagine. A creation akin to the spawnborne that has caused us trouble before but more powerful and with an elven mind to control it. Queen Discordia, upon seeing it, ordered it destroyed but I and the other Matrons before this conflict opted to offer her financial support and still have to ensure her project carried on; even if we had to reassign her staff. She's still working on it and while I do not know it's state I assume it could be ready to deploy in a week or two if restaffed correctly."

"Have you seen this... thing before?" Gavrillia asked as her eyes narrowed at the Matron of Widowtrail. Disobeying their queen was an unthinkable thing... but it may have provided the very hope they now needed.

"Three times as it was built. It is... a frightening thing..." Olesia said as she gave her a flat, calm look... yet a hint of fear was set to it. "Queen Olga called it 'The Abomination' and the title is not unwarranted. I considered the idea of pulling my support from the project until the other Matrons fell. Even then I thought it better to have and not employ then employ, just in case. Only now... only now have I considered it's deployment as viable. In fact it might be the only recourse we have to have anything we can call 'victory'."

A silence came for a moment before the lone male spoke up. "Once we are returned to Napreryvnyy we should investigate this matter. If we are satisfied with this... so called Abomination then we can consider a new assault. If we have doubts then we cannot allow it to see the light of day."

"I agree with the male." Bronka let off as she looked to the General, gesturing with her lone arm to Tikhiy. "We must see what this thing is and make our choice from there." Gavrillia would look about the tent to see if there was any disagreement.

There was none.

"Very well." The general began. "Once returned to Napreryvnyy City will we investigate this... Abomination." She let off as she grit her teeth.

Another concern to address was the one who defeated Olga Discordia, the Eostian Hero James Noxdecus that many were now calling the 'Dreaded Dragon' for his dragon scale armor and for defeating their Queen. He had become the number one enemy of Garan now and she could only wonder now that he has captured their queen what debauchery he was up to...

[-]

"Fuck! Oh fuck!"

"Ahhh, my god! This is amazing!"

"Y-you two are... Fuck!" I let off after Prim and Kaguya as they opted to try something new; going back to tribbing their pussies to one another... but opting to trap my cock between them. They rocked their hips up and down while doing their best to keep their pussies pressed to it and drag their clits up and down my shaft as I groaned under them, quivering. My dick twitched between them as I flexed my hands.

Yes, Prim's shield still trapped my wrists over my head.

Yes, I could have broken out of it at anytime if I wanted to.

Yes, I trusted these two to not do anything I didn't like.

I panted harder as the pair worked more and more as I groaned out deeper. I hadn't noticed they had cum (Kaguya slightly ahead of Prim) before I did as my cock shot cum straight upwards; splashing down onto their abs and breasts as I was left panting as the shield vanished, letting me drop my arms to the sides with the girls moving to land on me, heads to my shoulders as we all panted and I finally pulled them close to cuddle. "Damn..." I let off, panting harder.

"Ahhhh..." Prim let off as she cuddled to me. It took a moment but she would start to speak to me softly. "...When I heard you fought Olga I was so frightened; even as the fact you won followed on right after."

"Sorry..." I said, moving a hand to stroke her hair. "But I couldn't leave Alicia alone to face her and Chloe alone."

"It makes it easy to forgive you for scaring me." She said, snuggling her cheek into me.

"You do have a knack for coming out on top, despite the odds." Kaguya added as she looked up to me.

"I was just well prepared and equipped, thankfully." I said with a soft smile as I laid back. "That was... the toughest fight of my life; had Olga not been hindered then my only recourse would have been a retreat towards Celestine and, hopefully, goad Olga into giving chase. I'll take the luck though."

"Well... if you can beat even a hobbled Olga then you can beat anyone." Prim declared openly as she moved her hand to my penis once more.

"Still eager, Prim?" Kaguya let off with an eyebrow raised.

"Aren't you?"

"...I admit, a little more would be fine." Kaguya let off as I sighed.

Welcome to a world of horny, magical and warrior wome-

Annnnnnnnnnd at that point the door to my room opened without warning. "James, do you have a minute to... taaaaaaaaaaaalk...?"

Alicia was at my door, one foot in the room, one hand on the handle and pausing as she started to blush heavily.

Kaguya also blushed and moved her hand to cough into it.

Prim had my cock in her own hand, holding it firmly.

I looked at Alicia for a long moment. "Alicia... I like you... I really do... but there's this thing called 'knocking' I'd like you to try."

Alicia blushed a new shade of red, yelped, stammered out something that sounded like an apology and shut the door behind her as she left.

"I'll lock the door..." Kaguya said, sighing as she stood and walked to said door.

"I'll see about calming her down later..." Prim let off with a giggle as she looked to me and stroked me firmer. "For now... where were we?"

Hoooo boy...

[Fucked List]

Banged Prim Fiorire=100xp
Banged Kaguya, Sun of the East=100xp
Multi Girl Bonus=10 x 2 Girls=20xp
+20% Rising Star of Eostia Bonus
Gain 264xp Total

[-]

Next Morning
City of Servus Via
Central Anvil
Meeting Hall

An oddity of Servus Via as a town as they did not build defensive walls to handle banditry but this was most due to the location it bore. A small lake would feed the Lazy Stride River that, as it ran downstream, would split into two and then three back into two then back into one before finally splitting into two directions proper. Founded on the 'islands' the splits in the river made the townsfolk relied on the natural defenses of the river to slow down any threat they would face.

Over the years the settlement grew with bridges built to connect the islands together, filling the space with buildings and homes before they spilled beyond them and yet walls were still not built, preferring towers on the edges of town. Even as the town grew into a city they didn't rely on any walls; instead employing mages to dig and reshape the earth to simple create another segment of the river to go about the city and leave reinforced earth to act as a bridge with a tunnel under it to allow the water to flow past.

Even then the city grew enough and caused them to have another segment to surround the settlement with another bridge. It really did earn the name 'The City of the Rivers' because of it, but the Lazy Stride also used to have it's own nickname that it had long since lost; 'The River of Chains'.

The Lazy Stride would drain west-southwest then southwest into Harcal and into the larger river between that Barony and the County of Classa before moving southeast into Balanar. More over another river in Classa led further west into Delconna allowing for the transport of slaves and other cargo.

Then Houses Rexvenandi and Highreign came to power, decided to end slavery in Harcal and Classa and that ended that.

That break in the link of their slave trade crippled the trade for a while and it never recovered to previous levels. Then both Sual and Faircas were closed to the slave trade by their ruling houses and coupled with Forestside having never allowed for slavery that meant their only trading partner for slaves that they could reach directly was now the Kingdom of Balanar; a rival to Eostia and, as such, not fully reliable even as their slaves were taken through to South Point to join the Great Slave Chain in Eostia.

The rulers of Anvil since then has made efforts to repair their trade routes as best as they could, now with House Bludhorn now holding the reigns and... doing better then those before them. Thus came the Servus Via Auction as it wasn't merely a large auction but a celebration of traditionalism and slavery; it was a means to reinforce their culture and bolster it... against the culture of abolitionism growing on their borders and even on their edges.

Indeed, the fringes of Anvil has become more and more keen to end slavery, a sense and desire that House Bludhorn had tried to curb; a tide that was slowly growing.

To Alexander van Bludhorn he didn't much care about all of that. Honestly, the whole thing was a bit overblown in his opinion; sure it was good to take advantage of but with growing abolitionist support in Eostia wouldn't it make more sense to just follow the trend and enjoy the trade reaped from it?

Alexander differed physically from his elder brother; where Kaiden was powerfully built his five ten frame was more athletic and more slender with still obvious power but clearly higher agility and speed. His brown hair was tied back into a long braid attached to sideburns that slid down and along his jaw to form a thin beard with a three inch point at the chin giving him a roguish look, coupled with his piercing blue eyes.

For his clothing he wore a red great coat, double buttoned down the front and hanging over the top of his thighs that was a piece of Armor Weave; the coat's was protections was enhanced as it bore mythril pauldrons that wrapped over the shoulders and bore a series of golden colored tassels hanging from it and over another mythril plate over the biceps. Unseen was the mythril bracers under the sleeves but the plates on the back of his black, leather gloves (Also Armor Weave) was visible and covered his knuckles as well.

The brown pants he wore was also Armor Weave, as was the tall, black boots they tucked into, another plate of mythril over the shins and top of the feet. A mythril circlet around his forehead with a yellow spell stone set to it ended the look; his lone piece of Mana Armor. He found it buried deep in the family vault but claimed he found it held by goblins in a camp he destroyed; his mother didn't much care to let him have anything from the family stores to arm himself with unlike Kaiden, making her favoritism clear. Indeed, despite several useful weapons in that same vault he was allowed to use none of them. He needed to commission his weapon be made and even if he could afford orichalcum for it (He couldn't, or at least not the price of the forging of it) his mother forbade him from having a weapon of comparable quality to his brother.

It was depressing.

Instead he had forged a golden mythril mace with a shaft that widened as it reached it's three foot, six inch length (In a manner such one from another world would say it looked like a baseball bat) with a cross-guard and flanged cap bearing a yellow spell stone at it's top and a core of lead to give it striking weight. Set behind his seat was his shield; a mythril kite shield that was colored yellow, trimmed with a darker yellow and bore the red bull's head of his family's emblem on the top.

At the moment he was at the meeting hall for the 'debate' part of the festivities at the back of the room behind a table laden with food and drink where sat the more important members of the event. On the opposite side of the room was the double doors leading to the outside of the hall; large, strong and reinforced. Between him and the doors a series of benches on the left and right third of the room; angled so the ends nearest the walls were pulled ahead allowing those seated (Mostly local peasants and middle class folk) to look to the long, thirty foot table for the various VIPs that he sat in the center of and a circular blue rug set to the center of the room, chosen as, in Eostia at least, red was a traditionalist color, blue an abolitionist color and purple a limited color. It was there so any abolitionist speaker could stand upon it and argue their point. Of course there was one issue.

No one was standing on it.

There were abolitionists in the room, of course; they sat on the building's left wing. He was sure some also sat on the right wing of the room along with some of those who were unsure as did the bulk of the traditionalists in the room but no one came forth to argue their points. It was unsurprising why.

"Come one, come on... have you no conviction!?" The shrill voice of a woman standing by his left side let off. Standing five foot seven she bore blonde hair tied into a pair of buns tied with blue ribbons and yellow eyes behind gold rimmed glasses. She wore a set of blue Arcane Robes with some patterns along it, gold trim and golden colored cloth belt around her waist. Set to her back was a mythril staff with a tear drop butt with the point facing down and a foot long, four inch wide spear head with a two and a three inch round spell stone shaped to a flat disk. "Will none of you come and challenge the status quo?"

Alexander sighed, the woman's eye twitching upon hearing the sound. She was a first cousin of his mother, Jette Eroberung, the Prime Minister of Anvil and one of the few his mother trusted to apply her will while she was gone. Indeed; while he was called the 'spare' to his brother's heir the reality was he was third in line for the throne as he was behind both Kaiden and Jette for the Throne of the Duchy. "They're not speaking up because they're not stupid." He let off in a dull tone as he set an elbow to the table and leaned on it, setting his chin to the palm as his other hand moved to pick up a strip of cooked beef and moved to stir it into a small bowl of gravy. "After all they know what will follow; they'll be beaten up by the soldiers or followed to their homes and have them burned down with any businesses they own." He took a bite of the meat and knew he didn't need to look to know that Jette was glaring down at him as she leaned over, setting a hand on the table to hiss at him.

"Need I remind you why we are doing this?"

"I'm just saying the quiet part out loud, that's all." Alexander let off shrugging as he looked to his side. Next to him with a blush of embarrassment was Mareike Silversail, a guest to the affair. In order for Anvil to trade slaves with the other Traditionalist States of Eostia they needed to move them through Balanar and then to South Point, the Duchy ruled over by House Silversail. This meant attempting to woo the House of the Southern Lake to either becoming traditionalist as well or, at the very least, ensure they would remain as a limited state as they were currently under treaty... a treaty House Bludhorn was well aware that was disliked by House Silversail and if a loophole or violation allowed them to end it they likely would.

None of that mattered to Alexander; rather it was her looks that mattered to him. Standing at five three she bore waist long, lavender hair and piercing blue eyes set to a girlish face, her femininity helped by the crown braid going around her head with a small, silver tiara set to the top of her head and hooked into the start of her braids. Her dress was white with a deep blue panel down the middle with deep gold patterns and a window to showcase her C-Cup breasts. Detached blue sleeves with black ends and gold trim covered from bicep to wrist and you could see the pantyhose over her legs thanks to split in her dress at the sides of the front panel and her feet set into short, deep blue boots with gold trim. He gave her a grin and a shrug before sitting upright. He lifted up an empty mug and banged it to the table twice with a grin. "But come now. We've a full hall, can we not have someone get these people some food? Get some meat in their bellies. We shouldn't be made ungrateful hosts." He said as he nodded to a (Collared) butler who carried a small cask and turned the nozzle of it to refill his drink. Ahh yes, Alfred was a fine butler.

Man deserved a paycheck but, well, slave... A shame, to Alexander's opinion; it was the reason he was gentle with the older man. Jette frowned to him but wasn't able to disagree, waving a hand to a servant to get the food. "Fine, fine! But it'll need to cook! Uuugh! Not that anyone deserves it! No one will step up!" She made a point to check up and to the right of the room; on a balcony above the hall's floor was someone recording the event with a voxlux. She wasn't just acting up for the sake of it as it was being sent to the Duchy via it's boosters; she was making a show of the event. She was about to speak once more before the front doors opened with a hard bang that saw them swing open and in walked...

A male halfling; the front legs of a dead boar over one shoulder, the hind legs over another and clad in what seemed like some gladiator's outfit as he smiled to the crowd now staring at him with most having jumped in their seats at his entrance. "I suppose I shall step up then." The halfling let off as he walked forwards, past the round rug and directly to the table at the back. There were guards, of course, standing at the ends of the table and corners of the room and all watched on confused as the smaller male stopped and with a heft heaved the dead animal over he head and with a soft toss dropped it before the Spare of Anvil with a firm thud. "A gift, for you and yours." He said with a short bow.

"...Well, we can be sure meat's on the menu." Alexander deadpanned as he looked over the corpse and to the one who delivered it. Jette, by contrast, gawked openly before glaring at the halfling and pointing to what he dropped to the table.

"That's a wild boar!" She screamed out to the halfling who grinned back.

"No, no, no. That's a wild pig." He said gesturing to it before gesturing to Alexander. "That's a wild boar."

"Ha!" The Bludhorn let off with a chuckle and a grin, pointing to him with his mug. "I'll admit... clever. Very clever." He let off in a jolly tone as he chuckled once more. "Honestly, I've no idea who you are but you've made this a little interesting. So let's change that. I am sure I need no introduction, Alexander van Bludhorn. And you would be?"

"I am Lolek the Liberator." The halfling said with another bow as recognition came to the noble.

"Ahhhh, one of the Freebirds. Yeah, heard what they had done to one of yours in the arena. Nasty." He said sipping his drink as the halfling look at him. "Mmmm. I admit, I have to admit, you have balls to come here. Hope you didn't dig a divot dragging them here, or at least had the decency to fill it in." Lolek raised an eyebrow in response; he had expected some hostility from Alexander given his position as opposed to open respect. "Now that said you stand accused of killing my brother or at least being an accessory to such. You're aware of that, I'm sure, so you didn't come to just drop off some pork roast."

"Oh I just came to make a little declaration." He let off moving to one side, grabbing the table's edge and with a hop jumped to it and reached out, grabbing a noble's mug (With said noble objecting) as he walked to the center before Alexander. "The Freebirds will end your auction this year." Alexander raised an eyebrow and huffed before looking to Jette.

"You have to admit; he's ambitious." He quipped; the woman glaring to the halfling as he sipped the taken mug of ale as she hissed out.

"Do you think you'll leave here alive, you miserable, half-sized little, arrogant-"

"Yes." Lolek let off in a simple manner, cutting off Jette's rant as she hissed and moved to use a Levitate spell to move over the table as the halfling sipped the mug once more. Her eyebrow merely twitched face turning into a twisted, shifting snarl before she finally spat on the halfling male's face. Sighing Lolek reached up with a hand, wiped the slightly snot colored saliva off before turning to her full... and with a flick of the wrist sent the rest of his mug's ale into her face.

Anger was replaced with shock as her face, hair and glasses dripped with alcoholic liquid before anger returned in force, twisting as if about to transform into something demonic before she shrieked out. "GGGUUUUUUUUUAAAAAAAARRRRRRDDDDDSSS!" The guards quickly mobilized; four in the room and another eight entering and moving to circle around the halfling in an arc. She turn turned on Alexander and pointed to him. "Aren't you going to do something!?"

"Didn't you you say that I should just sit here and do as little as possible?" Alexander replied to the woman with a shrug. "I'll protect Mareike from any stray attacks." Mareike, for her part, offered a small wave to Jette.

"Useless..." Jette let off, pinching her nose before drawing her own weapon. Alexander knew well enough Jette's fighting style; high levels of offensive magic, a few defensive spells and skill in polearms. Her skill in the spear wouldn't make her a knight but it was able enough to not crumple in melee and knew enough close range spells to be dangerous. "Regardless... If you were foolish enough to come alone then you will die alone..."

"That's cute." Lolek let off, tossing the mug aside as it clattered to the floor. "You assumed I was alone."

"...Eh..?" Jette let off... as a finger snap sounded and she looked behind the guards and gawked as a part of the room shimmered as some people seemed to appear from thin air. One was a mage wearing a leather mask over his face with blue, spell stones set over the eyes and attached to a cowl (Zajac, naturally, didn't want to be seen in public with them due to his needs as a merchant and, thus, took on the alias of 'Red Z') with a wand ready in one hand. By him was a masked, dark knight with a claymore shouldered, the bitch broken in the arena that was repaired with a replaced eye with a sword in one hand, a masked robed man with a book in his hand and an oak staff in the other (Celous, under a likewise mask as Zajac for likewise reasons, alias 'Scholar C') but the one that stood out was Madadh standing there; no longer in her gladiatorial outfit but rather a black, leather vest and brown, leather pants tucked into black boots trimmed with white fur; likely mana cured gambeson. A heavy, round shield was set to her arm of pure steel and a four foot long sword was in her right hand; a two handed weapon to most but a one handed weapon to her scale. "EEHHHHH!?" It took a moment to realize they had all walked in under an Illusion spell as Lolek distracted the room.

The guards recognized the former gladiatrix and backed away from her and ignored the halfling; even Jette as Lolek hopped off the table and started to walk towards the other Freebirds. "Well, I've come to do as I wanted. See you around!" He chirped as the group moved to leave towards the door.

"Don't just stand there! Seize them!" Jette screamed out... as the guards gulped, looked to Madadh as she walked backwards to guard the Freebird's rear before one looked to her.

"After you." He let off as she grit her teeth, pulling out her own voxlux to call the guards to give chase to the Freebirds as they left the hall, shutting the doors behind them.

"Someone want to get this to the kitchen?" Alexander let off looking to the dead pig on the table as most of the room looked to him in shock. "What? I don't want to waste it."

The only sound that followed was Marike's giggle.

[-]

Mooncast City
Market District
Late Morning

Based on rumors Chloe had heard James Noxdecus had left for his home to finish enchanting more of those Flying Wagons. The thought turned her stomach but she couldn't do anything about it; proud as she and her queen was they had been defeated and while she herself was technically not a prisoner it didn't feel that different. Still she had the freedom to investigate the town, using a large black cloak with a hood and a matching tunic over her normal outfit to stay incognito as she began to investigate things for her queen. Four guards followed her but were also disguised via Illusions to avert attention as she moved from the housing districts to the market districts.

They had heard of the burned out housing district before they marched but both doubted the truth in the matter or thought it was more then likely that Eostians were the one responsible for the fire.

Then she arrived to see the damage.

Blackened walls, charred beams, broken windows and collapsed roofs greeted her. Repairs were ongoing and she was surprised when dark elven and human workers worked side by side; she even watched two human men heft a new beam up over their heads as a more slender, female dark elf guided them into position. The three would work in concert with no backtalk, insults or distaste; there was merely a job to be done and done would be the job. She would pause to speak to the citizens and while some seemed a bit guarded she did get some of the answers she sought.

Yes, it was the lowborne who set fire to the district. Not only that it was the invading Eostians that fought the blaze and got the situation under control (With Noxdecus' name coming up once more as she learned that some called him the Shield Lord and why) before moving to the local palace to take it over. There were reports of scuffles between locals and occupying soldiers after Eostia took the city but it mostly ended before the first half of the week was up. Indeed she was told that the Eostians treated them better then any lowborne patrolling the city, even the more racist ones, which was... disheartening.

She knew there was a disconnect between the laborborne and the lowborne who ruled over them and more so with the highborne but she didn't think it would go this far as she never really saw it... mostly as the lowborne and highborne would direct their scorn to her while being mindful to not overstep their bounds; she was under the protection of Olga Discordia and anything that stung worse then a cutting insult would not be tolerated. She had assumed that was the same with the laborborne; insulted and belittled but not harmed.

She was starting to understand a problem; she was isolated from the common elf due to her duties and her own issues leaving theirs unseen by her... and if she, someone who could walk among them missed this, if she was somehow blind to how bad it truly was... how much more unaware was her queen? What in the hell was going on in their nation? It was a bitter truth; she had failed. Not in battle, even though her current status was a result of that, no...

She failed a people by being ignorant of their hurts and what harms they suffered.

She failed a nation by stepping over the cracks in it's foundation and dismissing it as a mere culture.

More importantly she failed her queen in her ignorance as cracks became chasms.

She felt sick as she wandered and spoke with people, learning more and more of the failures of the lowborne, the failures of the highborne and the failures of her own making. In the end it didn't matter if one could consider her queen at fault or not due to her ignorance, likely enforced by those of privilege borne; she was her aide and knew well enough that Olga would accept responsibility for the failures as the Queen of Garan.

"You there." She heard, turning on a familiar voice to see.

"Andrei?" Chloe let off as the man walked to her; he wore not his enlisted uniform but some strange livery of a fallen nation... it was unnatural. More oddly he was joined by a high elf, the same he saved on that night.

"Commander... I did not think you so brazen to sneak into the city." He said softly, concern in his voice. The high elf also looked to her with worry. "If you are caught you will be-"

"Given the situation I appreciate the concern, but you need not worry. I am not here as a spy." She said before lifting her arms up and letting the sleeves of her tunic drop to showcase the cuffs on them as Andrei blinked. "I'm sure you know our Queen is now a prisoner. I was permitted to stay at her side; while my movements are... restricted I am allowed some freedom to act on her behalf. And lest you wonder; they are discreet but I am watched."

"I see."

"I... Andrei. If you're still willing to call me Commander then I'd like a favor." Chloe said as the man replied softly to her.

"And this boon would be?" He asked crossing his arms as he tilted his head.

"To cure ignorance."

[-]

Minutes Later
The Common Table

Chloe had never been to a pub like this before; in her days under the chains of John Mandeville he would eat at the richest and most established of places and settled for inns and the like only when required and under her queen's care she could afford to eat in likewise places if she so chose... and limited them to a minimum of places that were less obsessed with blood purity. There was a casual air here that she appreciated.

Moving to a corner table she was able to lower her hood (And saw her escort take up an entire table before them to further block the view of her) as she explained her observations, her previous conceptions of what was, answered questions asked to better allow Andrei and his high elf companion (That she learned was named Mirellia Flowerspeaker) to firmly establish where she was coming from.

Both listened and allowed her to speak and explain her position before Andrei finally spoke. "I've never even seen Queen Olga before so I can only trust that your opinion she cares for the laborborne is accurate... but you must understand and trust our view as well. The nickname many of us give her is the idleborne queen." Chloe flinched at his words as he looked down to his mug. "To be blunt... the highborne have more of the loyalty in the populace; even if it comes from a place of fear."

"Is it that bad?" Chloe asked, nursing a mug of ale as Andrei sipped his own, Mirellia speaking next.

"From someone else who is on the outside looking in, if from another direction, I can say the people have been enjoying Marquisess Iryna's rule and seem to adore her." Chloe frowned but was forced to acknowledge the words; she knew little of Iryna Syniy beyond she was chosen to rule the region of Garan that Eostia occupied, was supposedly a dark elf minor noble that was considered as beautiful as her queen! Although she doubted her beauty was that exceptional the laborbrone seemed to think so. Word was she was touring the occupied realm through the other capitals that were captured. Mooncast was the unofficial overall capital of the entire occupied regions and, as such, she was due back soon. "I can say that Eostians adore Celestine as well but she's also considered a distant figure. I'm not sure how she connects with the common man or woman but my understanding is she does put in an effort."

Chloe slumped a bit before sipping her own drink. "It's... I do not think it's that my queen is unwilling to put in the effort. More it is she trusted the system as designed by the Pure Council. The laborborne handle the tasks of the day. Lowbrone watch over and direct them. Highborne to decide on needs and priority. The trueborne to oversee it all and guide the nation... but it really does not matter how faithfully she does her duty; she trusted the highborne and lowborne to do theirs... she didn't think... ..."

"Chloe?" Andrei prompted, looking to her as Mirellia blinked and watched on calmly.

"She could have done a perfect job... but the low and highbornes abuse and neglect would mean she would fail regardless... It wouldn't have mattered..."

"Well it's her own damn fault." Mirellia shot off with a snort as Chloe turned a harsh, withering glare to her. "Oh don't give me that look. It's good to trust those working under you but it's never good to neglect checking how well placed that trust is. If it was a couple lowborne being dicks or it only happened for a year that would be one thing, but it's been going on for at least seven, goddess damned centuries and she's never caught on that there's a problem until now!?"

Chloe slumped down for a moment but the fire stoked in her by anger at an insult to her queen burned as a retort started to approach her lips-

"If I may say Chloe, you're too close to the queen to be objective." Andrei calmly injected as she looked to her. "You once said if it wasn't for her you'd be dead or captured, yes? You might be seeing her in a light that highlights all of her finer points but also blinds you to her flaws and weaknesses." Chloe flinched at that; unlike Andrei she was painfully aware of the queen's current weaknesses and that thought cooled the fire stoked by the high elf's words. "I do not mean this as an insult but it is her imperfections that have led to these issues to never being fixed but another part of it is that no one close to her has corrected her. You, her other aides, her matons, her generals... they have failed your queen as well. The entire upper ranks have failed Garan's people; the queen and those under her alike. The question is; what would follow if she's allowed to resume her rule?"

Chloe went silent for a long moment, only nursing her drink in thought before the pair of other elves before Mirellia spoke up. "It's clear you think the world of her but have you ever spoken against her? Criticized her choices and decisions? Even if you agree with them there's no harm in playing devil's advocate." The words made Chloe recall something said to her queen by James Noxdecus after her medical examination in reference to herself.

'And frankly someone has to press your nose into the mess you made because she sure as fuck hasn't.'

"You're not wrong... I have failed her..." Chloe let off as her head started to hang. "The question is... now what..?"

There was no immediate answer.

[-]

Next Morning
City of Servus Via
Central Anvil
Auction Grounds

"What do you mean you're not coming!?" Jette let off into the voxlux as Alexander's nonplussed face looked back at her from the device's projections; shrugging at her. She was at the auction grounds on a large, round clearing inside of the town with a large stage assembled there and ready to present the stock to the public for purchase.

"What I just said. I'm not coming." The Bludhorn spare let off as she glared. "Mareike wanted to have a trip the meadows today and invited me along. I can't refuse that now, can I?"

"You..." Jette let off as she hissed.

"Oh don't worry, I took the time to call mother up and let her know." He let off to her surprise. "She did agree making sure our key partner house needs be kept happy and content. She seemed glad to know you'd be the sole person handling it... I opted not to mention the little Freebird thing though; I'm sure you have it all under control."

"You little..."

"Anyway; watch out for those Freebirds, ya? Later!" Alexander said before ending the conversation, his image vanishing as Jette snarled. Worse was he wasn't wrong about keeping House Silversail happy... and if anything did go wrong she'd be the sole person to wear it.

"Damned fool. He doesn't care; he just wants her in bed." She hissed out.

"Ma'am." She looked over her shoulder to one of the First Guard of Anvil saluting to her; the most elite among Anvil's forces. In truth only four remained in Anvil and two in Servus Via; the bulk of the First Guard were in Garan with Duchess Alundra leaving a bare minimum to assist in the Duchy. "We've done all we can to secure the site."

"Good..." Jette let off as she set her voxlux away. The First Guard were the elite of Anvil, this was true and she was confident that the two, backed up by their regulars, could handle the Freebirds... except for Madadh. Madadh was strong enough she might be able to handle both of them by herself without any backup of her own. That said she wasn't sure what the rest of the Freebirds were capable of; at the hall the previous day in addition to Madadh they showcased one offensive magic user and one defensive one, a heavily armored knight, an archer/scout and the halfling Lolek himself who seemed to be some form of direct warrior. She had to presume that, one on one, they might be equal to the regulars who would heavily outnumber them, something that even Madadh would have trouble with...

But that wasn't to say other Freebirds weren't present. Indeed; showcasing just six of their number might have been a move to make them think they only had six present. There could have been others present staying low... or even local sympathizers. She wasn't worried about the last one; she knew fear would keep the local populace in line but any agents brought in would be less affected.

The plan for the ceremonies, as the tradition went, was to gather the crowd and then drive the four wagons loaded with around twenty slaves each to the stage and pull one up to the middle to be displayed. This slave, usually the ugliest or weakest but sometimes a notably belligerent one would be brought to the center of the stage before having them beaten into a bloody, broken pulp. The beaten slave would be freed... although said slave would more then likely be crippled for life by the beating if they managed to survive. The same would happen to the final slave but between the two the remainder would be sold. The beatings would ensure that the remainder understood their place and lot in life as it was now. The slaves, as bought, would be brought to their new owners with the female ones locked in stocks for their owners to claim their first 'taste'... and male slaves at times. At the end the slaves were given a unique, custom collar made of mythril making each slave carry a premium.

Knowing how much of a group of bleeding hearts abolitionist were she expected their attempt to occur before the wagons arrived at the stage. Of course knowing that was only part of the issue; the bulk of the regulars remaining in Anvil were the less seasoned or those reaching the end of their service meaning they didn't have the best available; not incapable, of course, but less able then she'd like.

It was the main source of annoyance that Alexander wasn't there; despite any complaints on the man he was an able mage and warrior and could have defeated Madadh if he was given proper support and assistance; now she was the best hope to defeat her along with the First Guard and that made her nervous. As such she had the wagons defended heavily as they were brought from the nearby slave pens to the stage and also ensured there was a firm defense of the pens and, thus far, all was quiet. That should have made her feel more at ease.

It didn't.

No, these weren't idiots she was up against; they made their statement not out of arrogance or stupidity but to humiliate them and throw them off. She had no idea what they planned to do but she had no desire to let them...

Her thoughts were cut off as the sounds of horse hooves and wooden wheels turning approached as she took a calming breath and moved to the stage, the First Guard following her up. It didn't matter now; the show was beginning and she had to rely on her defensive preparations. Once on the stage she took stock. On the stage was fourteen guards. In front of it was another twelve. Around the crowd was another twenty two; ten on horseback. Twenty seven more were patrolling the streets nearby. Another twenty four would be escorting the wagons. Yet another twenty four were guarding the pens along with six dogs and ten of the pen guards would join the wagon escort. An additional fifteen guards and another twelve light cavalry were on standby inside the city and an additional twelve cavalry were awaiting north of it with another twelve south of it.

That would be over one hundred and seventy armed regulars on guard, standby or patrolling in total. That wasn't even mentioning the Servus Via local garrison boasted another two hundred and fifty men that were on call in the event they needed them; although those on shift would be patrolling the city at large as opposed to the event itself. Even so she directed that fifty of their number be directed to patrolling the districts the slave pens were in. Once on the stage she smiled and clapped twice to the crowd around her; using her magic to enhance the sound.

The people stopped muttering and turned to her as she stood; two poles baring the Bludhorn banner flanking the stage as the horses were parked nearby; their wagons removed from their harnesses. Said wagons bore mana based shields as opposed to bars to better showcase the wares. "Welcome, welcome. I, Prime Minister Jette Eroberung shall begin our festivities for the day!" She let off, standing with her arms held out wide.

There was a polite clapping as she looked to the crowd. In the front would be the wealthiest buyers. Behind them the less wealthy but still well to do who still hoped to gain a choice slave. Behind them and watching from nearby buildings were the lower classes who still, nonetheless, came to enjoy the auctions and sights it would provide. "Despite some... hiccups yesterday the auction will begin! Our annual celebration of traditionalism, slavery and domination! We have choice slaves caught from across Eostia! Imported from Balanar! Captured from Garan! Even... a wood elf." The last one caused a lot of muttering; after all wood elves were very rare. Once the wagons were unhooked the first was grabbed by four men and physically moved to position; the stage was just a bit higher then the wagons. Once in place she snapped her fingers as the First Guard moved to someone in the wagons as it's shield was lowered. "But of course... before we can sell our product... we must demonstrate what... misbehavior brings." She said with a grin. Each wagon bore twenty people, nude and in chains, each a look of fear to them. The chosen one for the first beating was a local priestess, one who was known to shelter escaped slaves. She told the men to beat her so severely that no one would want to rape whatever was left.

She'd have what was left raped anyway; she imaged being fucked with multiple broken bones would be agony.

She grinned as the First Guard stepped onto the wage and grinned. The little blonde slut had no idea what was going to happen. The First Guard reached out to her hair, ready to drag her own as she deserved, ready to start her humiliation, pain and punishment...

Only for his hand to phase through her head. "Huh?" The confused guard let off... as everyone else on the wagon faded away. "An Illusion?" He let off before looking up to see a large barrel on the wagon now the Illusion was gone with a small, red spell stone set into a hole that would have been used for a tap to drain ale from such a barrel. The reality set in as he started to turn to move.

The barrel exploded before he could get a single step back; the bomb turning to splinters as the wagon under it buckled under the explosive force and broke apart violently as the First Guard was launched back and upwards through the air before impacting the stage with a deafening crack of wood and body. He would be left, laying on his side unmoving. Injuries received included a concussion, four cracked ribs, a punctured lung, a dislocated shoulder, severe bruising and injury to the neck, a hairline fracture of the hip and temporary deafness of one ear. Had he not been wearing armor, magically reinforced armor, he would have been dead before his body impacted the stage.

Workers and guards around the wagon were knocked back as well from the force of the explosion; the workers were further away from the blast and were knocked to the ground, the closer guards (Set closer to prepare for the Freebirds) were knocked further. The lucky ones were merely knocked out with various layers of injury. The rest bore the full force of an explosive shock-wave blasting through them; liquids would fill their lungs and kill them in short order.

The crowd was far enough back to have no one die but some were knocked back and some would be struck with splinters from the barrel or wagon; injuries would be lesser but as none wore armor more then one would have wooden bits lodged into their skin or clothing.

For her part Jette was on guard enough that she was able to raise a shield the second she saw the barrel; her ears rang but nothing else followed as she looked over to the other wagons in horror.

Empty... save one bearing the bodies of several guards, naked, bound and gagged and a glass orb of some sort on a brass stand as the shield around them projected by the wagon, ironically, protected them from the blast; likely a spell orb. It took a moment for her to realize the gravity but it hit fully when it did; the level of intelligence on their forces that the Freebirds had was beyond what she expected.

They had to know which guards were arranged to join the escort and which would remain at the pens... to ambush them, replace them and prepare the wagons. They had to have loaded the wagons before the escort dispatch would leave. They had to have known who they would choose as the demonstration. They had to have had someone watching them to know when to trigger the explosion.

Then she thought of it further; they got into the pens to steal the slaves possibly last night, maybe this morning... and that was after she had increased the guard numbers. And all without causing any alarm and somehow, someway they absconded with over one hundred slaves under their noses!

Naturally the crowd was screaming and in panic; uninjured people running and almost stampeding away as the injured hobbled, limped or ran away depending on the level and type of injury they bore. "Dammit! GUARDS! Spread out! Find them! FIND THEM!" Jette let off, stretching out a hand as she tried to regain control over the situation.

"Good luck with that." She heard as she saw the glass orb on the wagon light up as she realized what it was; a voxlux booster. In a moment the projection of Lolek appeared over it; rising up fifty feet into the air.

"You bastard!" Jette snarled out as the halfling waved.

"Greetings, people of Servus Via!" Lolek let off as he smiled into the voxlux he was holding as he waved at the crowd. "I'm sorry to say the auction of flesh is canceled... or rather I am overjoyed to say it is as you can consider the people on offer rescued. Better luck next year." He let off before the image faded.

"Damn it!" She let off, pointing to a guard on horseback; the regulars moved in to try and control the crowds to some degree to avoid further injury. "You! Get to the pens! Find their trail!" She let off as she grit her teeth. "Can this day get any worse?" She let off... before her voxlux pinged. As she pulled it out she could see who was calling her as she answered...

Duchess Alundra van Bludhorn. "Jette, how goes the auction?"

Jette could only whimper as her question was answered.

[-]

ETS-AV Micolash
Lazy Stride River
Duchy of Anvil

Lolek let off a chuckle as he set the voxlux away before looking up to Madadh as they sat in some quarters on board of the ship they stole. "I'm glad we took your suggestion. This will work out better then I expected."

"I agree. I wasn't fully sure the ship would be there still but I hoped if it was we could make use of it." The giantess let off with a grin. "I had heard the Micolash was undergoing repairs in Servus but I wasn't aware of it's state. We are lucky."

The plan had gone almost perfectly; the Freebirds had agents and ears in Anvil but among the faithful most of all. Once Anvil had threatened to make an example of one of the local, popular priestess' they had no end of people giving them bits of information; enough to piece together their itinerary. Indeed; half the guards bound on the wagon was part of the reason they were able to get into the pens and sneak them out while the local pubs had their drinks spiked with a potion designed to increase aggression resulting in the local guards being tied up with multiple drunken fights. The main issue was transporting the slaves out. It was then Madadh recalled the state of the Micolash during her time enslaved to Alundra and thought to check on it.

The ETS-AV (Eostian Territorial Ship - Anvil) was a river cog made for cargo mostly... with hidden cells for low numbers of slaves. Pirates with a dislike of slavery on the Great Sererus Lake opted to have a go at a ship of a slave state and while their attack was a failure the ship was forced to limp back into it's port of call from all the battle damage sustained; Servus Via. The city bore a port and dry-dock but would have been better served getting repairs in South Point... save the slaves being smuggled in via the hidden cells and the fact the Anvil sailors didn't want those same cells found.

They learned from people by the docks that repairs were finished but the bulk of the crew, including the captain, wasn't in town at that moment but likely due back soon. More over the slave pens were by one of the rivers, meaning they only had to smuggle the slaves a block to the ship. Zajac knew enough of sailing to get them underway and three other Freebirds they brought with them bore some sailing knowlege. It wasn't ideal but they were able to sail. Moreover four of the slaves also knew how to sail meaning they had a basic, if small, crew. On top of that they didn't need to go far; just into Harcal as it was an abolitionist state and with a combination of Zajac using Illusions to disguise them as a normal crew it was unlikely that they'd be stopped by another Anvil ship as they were on an Anvil ship.

At least until the fact that the ship was gone was noticed; but the explosion at the auction likely had everyone panicked. With luck panic overrode the ability for common observation.

"What shall we do with the ship once we unload the slaves?" Madadh asked as Lolek looked over to her.

"We'll strip it of every thing we can carry; anything of value can be sold or traded to help clothe and pay the slaves way." The halfling leader said as he thought. "As for the ship itself our choices are to abandon it or raze it; I'd prefer the second as it would ensure Bludhorn can't recover it."

"Sounds good." She let off, moving to sit down on a crate. "If I can ask; what was the original escape plan?"

"Find a few wagons, smuggle them out of town with a bribe to the guards and ride hard to the forest if caught." He said with a chuckle. "Anaya had a plan to drop a net on anyone giving chase along with logs to trip up any horses. We could then use the forest to sneak around in to Forestside. It would be risky and test our supplies but we could do it. I prefer this though."

"As do I... As do I."

Over the course of the next two days they would sail and arrive in Harcal, docking by a town and unloading the slaves. With assistance from the local Anima Lux Church and other helpful locals they managed to house them for a time as the Micolash was stripped of all items of value, sailed to a smaller river that broke off from the Lazy Stride and down a deep creek until it was no longer deep and was beached. Oil and torches would see the ship's end.

Getting the slaves to their old homes or finding new ones would occupy the Freebirds for weeks to come but it was work they were glad for.

[-]

Mooncast City
Nightsong Palace
Olga's Quarters
That Evening

"..." Olga stayed silent, arms crossed... as her hands squeezed her biceps. She sat at one of the chairs that was set at the table but turned to face the center of the room where Chloe stood as she tried to control her response. "...Chloe... These are what you saw with your own eyes? Heard with your own ears?"

"Y-Yes, my Queen." She took the time to interview Andrei for more details but not just him. She was reintroduced to his friend, named Pavel, and other members of the Mooncast Conscripts and populace. The two convinced people of Chloe's honesty in her search for answers and they were willing to speak about their experiences under lowborne and Nightsong rule.

There were tales to be had... too many tales.

People mugged for their coin purses only to have those coins dumped into sewers.

Unwilling lovers claimed and discarded once boredom set in.

Rape of laborborne who caught the fancy of their betters.

Beatings because someone looked at someone funny or was mistaken to have said something funny.

Laborborne showcasing talent being injured, maimed or even killed because someone above them thought they had too much talent.

Lowborne with sympathies to their juniors would be mocked by their equals or cast down to the laborborne.

It had been a single day and yet she gained dozens of tales, told sadly to Olga.

"... Chloe... They betrayed me... The lowborne... the high houses... Under my very nose they have betrayed me... me and my trust..." The Queen of Garan let off; anger and sorrow tinting her voice. "And more over I was ignorant beyond imagine... This betrayal is stinging enough, but it's my own ignorance that stings the most. I have been failing Garan for eight centuries and was none the wiser... I am a fool..."

"M-my Queen you're no foo-"

"Don't." Chloe's reply was cut off by a single word as Olga shut her eyes and slumped in her seat. "I am foolish. I am a fool for letting the low and high houses do as they wished without doing a thing to ensure they were behaving as expected of their position. If I was not ill and chained I'd march on Napreryvnyy, drag them before me and demand answers before I set them to the Stream." Chloe winced; even she didn't want to see the lowborne and highborne culled as such... at least before this day.

Chloe looked to the side as Olga's illness was brought up... as a thought came to her, biting her lip. But she shouldn-

"Speak." Olga let off as she looked to her. Chloe knew she would be pressured to ask her question; Olga would see through any attempts to not ask.

"...The human doctor..." She began. "We thought that what the lowborne was said to have done was a lie... that was in fact a truth... Could he... is that doctor right? Could it be... poison?"

"...It mustn't be... If it is..." Olga frowned deeper for a moment. "...If it is... then it is by the hand of someone I have failed... I am a dark elf... Proud and true... and my pride is already breaking... to have someone... a subject poison me... poison me in hate, desperation or worse... I would have no more pride worth keeping..." She said as she slumped more into her seat.

Chloe wanted to offer her words of comfort...

She had none to give...

[-]

Napreryvnyy City, Magical Laboratory
Southwest Blazecrown
Near the Borders of Blackshard and Onyxcloak
Kingdom of Garan

Gavrillia, the four matrons and the male-matron stand in gawked, looking up to the... thing that was accurately nicknamed-

"The Abomination isn't it's name." Stasia pouted as she swayed a bit on her feet as her guests looked her creation with mixed expressions; horror, fear, disgust, curiosity and wonder in a blended, difficult to describe mess. Her hair was a mess and it was clear by dirt on her skin and clothing she hasn't bathed in sometime (And if that wasn't enough of a clue the body odor was; and elves were not known for body odor) making it clear how hard she was working. "I call it the-"

"Abomination is fitting." Gavrillia let off, cutting the woman off as she looked up at her creation. "It is... suitably horrific. How do we know it won't go nuts like Belyy Klyk?"

Stasia pouted for a moment more before straightening up and grinning as she started to promote her creation that stood in the back and dominated the room. "Because what we're going to do is directly connect a dark elf to it; turning it into a body of sorts that can be used. In order to do this we'll need to, unfortunately, modify an elf's body to connect to it but that can be as simple as a little surgery on an arm, nothing heavy. Once done and fully activated the pilot will be able to use it like their own body as they ride atop of it. They'll feel what it feels, even shift views to see what it sees. Ideally the pilot will be a mage as the Rebenok Giganta boasts it's own mana system and more powerful then any single person... a mana system more powerful then some armies. That's not even considering the fact that I've taken pieces of the same, large spell stone and spread it across the creation to spread it's defensive enchantments around and act as multiple focuses. It will be able to take a severe amount of punishment, recover and march on."

She stood before the gathered group and spread her arms wide with a grin as she tilted her head. "Well?" She let off, awaiting an answer.

"...It truly is an Abomination." Rubin let off as she looked it over as Stasia pouted. "...But do have another option?"

"If I was asked to use this before now I would have agreed with our queen and ordered it destroyed." Gavrillia let off as she stepped closer. "But now? Now this might be the thing that saves Garan and bring us back a victory." She let off, turning to face the matrons. "We will deploy the Abomination. I want this laboratory restocked with staff under Operator Highcraft's direction." Stasia squealed softy; she would have staff once more! She might be able to get things done in a week or two now! "Now we need a pilot."

"I'll do it." Everyone in the room turned to Bronka as she spoke and stepped forwards. "My body is already damaged so modifying it is no trouble." She said, lifting her stump up for everyone to look at. "And I am more then able at magic."

"Are you sure?" Stasia let off, her previous excitement muting somewhat. "There is a small chance that once we've connected you to it we'll be unable to unconnect you. We've done as much testing as we can, but we won't know the full details until we finally activate it and connect you."

"It's fine." Bronka said as she looked to the thing shadowing the room from sheer size. "If I can have my revenge on these humans... then it's worth it."

"There you have it. We have a pilot." Gavrillia said before looking to Stasia once more. "You. You are ordered to bathe and fine clean clothes before having a rest for the rest of the day. Come the morning resume your work with your new staff." She looked back to the matrons once more. "We will call up the reserves and conscripts to support the Abomination. Soon... soon we will march south one last time. Let the Eostians think we are defeated." She let off as she lifted a hand up and clenched it into a tight fist. "We will unleash this horror upon them as they bask in victory... and claim it for ourselves over their broken armies! This war is not over yet!" She declared as the general thrust her fist into the air, the matrons (And male stand in) joining her in raising their fists into the air.

Stasia was excited to showcase her creation to the world...

She just wished they'd call it Rebenok Giganta...

[ - Author's Note - ]

Whew. What a chapter.

Okay, let me begin with the Freebird/Anvil stuff. I had planned that to be it's own interlude chapter but with what I had planned for the next normal chapter I opted to, instead, combine them together. The ending was also planned to be a chase through the woods where they would prepare a trap to drop a log and net behind them to slow down the pursuit, set Illusions to the wagon after unloading them and sending the horses off before using rafts to navigate down a river towards Harcal but I felt Grand Theft Cog was more apt.

And yes, I know Jette could easily be renamed Karen... but that's too easy.

Beyond that James is finding his popularity on the rise, no matter what he wants (At least he gets fun times in recompense), Chloe and Olga are finding out just how bad things are, we have perspectives of the Traditionalist Lords as well as their heirs and children and among the Freebird/Anvil stuff we meet the last of the Bludhorns, Alexander. The idea for Alexander is he's an... okay and reasonably honest guy but not exactly a great guy either; you'd get along with him and he's not looking to hurt anyone but he's in it for himself... and mommy's approval.

Oh, and Andrei has a hot date now.

And of course the General of Garan is taking command of things, even if the High Houses are a bit... falling apart but they learn of the Abomination... even if the audience hasn't. I'm sure the fact I'm obscuring it so much is annoying some of you but I want to build the hype and anticipation... the hard part is making it live up to it but worth a shot! But needless to say the war isn't quite over yet.

And now that I'm ruining my word average by a twenty four thousand plus chapter I should call it here. Please leave a review and tell me what you liked, didn't like, want to see and thought. As stated before I post when I update chapters on the kuroinu_fanfiction subreddit so check that when the fanfiction sites are acting up!

Until next time!

~Eostian Scribe