Battlemage Book 8 Origins and Dark RevelationsChapter 8
- 3 years ago
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The Mansion was now in the last month of the construction.
Matt was having the parts for the "boiler", as he called it, delivered to the basement area. He had various vendors from different neighboring cities supplying him his parts.
While these same parts could have been found in the city from one vendor, it would have made it easier for someone to reverse engineer what he was doing by getting a hold of his purchase orders. Not too easy, but eventually it would have given them somewhat of an idea what he was doing.
As the parts were delivered, Matt set about each evening putting it together by himself.
As Rayne watched, even though at first he had blueprints on the wall to help him, he started putting it together and he hardly looked at them. Rayne was lost both at trying to read the blueprints or watching him assemble the pieces. But it didn't matter because it was her job to just watch him and keep him safe from harm.
And even as he worked, he would take a break and they would walk hand in hand around the grounds in the moonlight as Rayne checked the perimeter wards.
But it was during the night that the boiler was finally assembled, tested, and Matt took the blueprints back to the villa that catastrophe came to visit
Rayne and Matt had finished and were walking around the perimeter when Rayne was sure she saw a light on in the Mansion on the third floor.
As she started for the building, Matt insisted on coming with her.
She pushed open the door, and as she did, she suddenly shoved Matt across the front of the doorway into the bushes as she leaped the other way, just as a crossbow bolt whistled through the air where Matt was standing.
Rayne wheeled around to see about ten to twelve men on the grounds behind them. Rayne had no idea how they got there. She hadn't felt any of the wards go off. What where they doing there.
As she was trying to figure out how they did it, she heard some kind of strange flapping noise from above her.
While she was looking up, it looked like more people coming in for a landing. They had blankets tied above them, and were using string connected to the blankets from their body to hold it there. She had no idea of what that was.
But before she could figure it out, Matt made an outcry behind her and she turned to see that two men had come out of the mansion and one of them had Matt's left arm up behind his back and had a knife at his throat.
Rayne was very angry, and right before she started going on a killing spree, she heard someone clear their throat and say "You better not, he'll be dead before you kill the first man, and something tells me you wouldn't want that to happen."
She quickly turned back to the courtyard and she saw Roger Smythe coming out from behind the other men and was headed right for her.
As he walked closer he sneered at her and said "So you are what Matt dropped Vanessa for? At least he has good taste in women. I wonder if you are as good in bed as she was. You know, there isn't anything that Matt has that I won't get eventually. His designs or his women."
While he kept walking to her he suddenly laughed loudly and said "And here that whore Vanessa tried to tell me we were through after they broke up, like I really cared. But I did hear that she stopped seeing all her other boyfriends as well, saying that once she showed Matt she really loved him he would be back. Like any of us really cared much about a well used slut like her."
He stopped and was now standing right in front of Rayne. He unexpectedly reached for her chest. As he did she slapped at his hand. Hard.
He nodded at the man behind Rayne, and Rayne heard Matt's arm pop softly as he suddenly screamed out. The man had dislocated it from the socket using his hold on Matt. Matt was trying very, very hard not to pass out from the waves of pain.
"I suggest you don't move," said Roger softly to Rayne.
Rayne stood perfectly still, with her hands at her sides. Roger then reached his hand up under her leather vest, past her chainmail shirt and its padding, pushed up her bra, and then fondled both of her breasts for a little while.
"Very nice, but they are not near as big as Vanessa's. But I must say they are much firmer, not to mention that the nipples certainly are way bigger," smiled Roger right into Rayne's face.
Then he reached around and pulled her close to him by placing both of his hands on her rounded butt. Where he then slowly kneaded and squeezed it for a minute.
Rayne kept her hands to her side, unmoving the whole time.
"Just so you know, none of you are leaving here alive tonight," said Rayne through her clenched teeth while she looked him in the eyes.
"We'll see about that," sneered Roger.
As Roger released and walked past her, he started talking again.
"Yes we all know you're the famous Red Dragon, and we all know how dangerous you can be. But everyone here also knows you've never been in love either, because you were famous as an ice princess.
"So we waited until we were sure that you and Matt were involved before we struck. Something new like a first love to someone who has never experienced it, will dull and cripple your senses somewhat" laughed Roger
"And since you are more magic based than science, we were willing to bet you had never seen a spy glass or a parachute. So we gambled you would only have magic wards on the ground, and that you would check them, but you would have no defense or protection from a sky attack that used no magic, and we were right," Roger continued.
"You never knew we watched those picnic lunches where you two made out for hours from a safe distance, and after seeing those breasts that Matt got to see all the time, well I just had to touch them once for myself before he did. Oh and of course those moonlit strolls where Matt got to fondle that very nice ass of yours," said Roger with a leer.
"This is the science capital of the known world. There isn't anything we can't replicate with science that magic does here. And we can do it cheaper and give it to the common man so everyone can do it. But someone like you wouldn't understand that," said Roger while waving his hands around.
"But all good things must come to an end. I'm here for the blueprints to the boiler," said Roger.
"Fine I'll go and get them, and then you can leave the grounds," said Rayne through her clenched teeth.
As soon as she got some distance between her and Matt she would incinerate them all with a single spell. Then she would deal with the two by him.
"Nope, I don't think so. Boys!" said Roger.
And as he said that Rayne felt two men grab her under either armpit and hold her arms apart. They had her slightly off the ground. Then another put a gag over her mouth.
"If you can't speak you can't cast. And if the men have some leverage and you don't, you can't fight them or get at those swords either. Matt here will go get it for me," said Roger.
As the man holding Matt released him, Matt fell to the ground sucking in air as fast as he could get it.
Slowly he stood and said "No, I won't help you."
"Fine but we'll just kill her, kill you, then take our time searching. At least with this option we leave you both alive and go our merry way," said Roger with a sneer.
"And even if you told someone later what happened here I'll just deny it and it will be your word against mine. Like it has always been for seasons, thanks to your loving girlfriend. You know, the one who was banging every man we knew and some we probably didn't.
And as far as everyone knew you liked it so much, like the good little wimp you are, that you stood by because you got off on it too. No one but me knew that you had no idea of what she was doing. God I loved screwing you both over. So no, I could care less if you told anyone," said Roger with an evil grin
Matt was angry and gritted his teeth, but he went off to the villa to get the plans.
As he headed off Roger told a man to go with him. His left arm hung behind him uselessly dangling and swinging as he moved. He grabbed at it with his good arm.
Matt broke out in a sweat from the pain.
Rayne's eyes misted over to see him hurting so much. If that man hadn't gone with him, she would have killed everyone here, but she knew she couldn't kill them quietly enough that the man wouldn't kill Matt in retaliation.
After a few minutes he returned with the plans, and as he got close enough he stopped and threw them to Roger with his good arm.
Roger opened them, looked, and whistled.
"Nice, you figured out how to regulate the temperature. You even figured out how to put in a release valve that wouldn't scald someone if it goes off, and you even put in a pressure overflow valve. Nice tank capacity. I knew I stole from you for a reason," smiled Roger.
Riding into the small town, it was aptly named "Dresden's Last Chance" There wasn't much to see but a few homes and a few businesses, maybe twenty to thirty buildings in total. Of course there was also the tavern that might have a spare room or two, but it was obvious that the Inn was more there for getting a drink than anything else. The companions reached the town about mid day. Kat only wanted to stop overnight since they were so close and give the horses a break then push on. She...
Dusty slowly opens his eyes and looks around and sees he's in a very nice room and Suzan is sleeping with her head down on the bed in a chair she's pulled up to the bed. It looks like she's been watching over him. As he groggily reaches out he softly touches her head, where he then starts to slowly stroke her hair. It seemed amazingly soft to him as he did. He always wondered how women always managed to keep their hair soft like that. "So she loves me huh? I guess that's why I'm more...
Before lunch had been served Dusty had already spoken with the King. Even though he tried hard to keep the crystal phones they created a secret from the public, the King while bragging about them, had shown his off to a few of the nobles and visiting dignitaries. That was enough to spark a huge interest in them. Suddenly it was seen as a favor to the crown to have a few people outfitted with them, and a few others tried to curry huge favors with him to get one. Dusty and his friends kept...
While Kat had waited that morning for the three of them to arrive quite a few men had tried to "chat her up" as they passed by her going either into the city or as they left. Even in her generally loose fitting travel garb they saw the gem that she was. Somehow she managed not only to talk to them in a friendly manner, but she also managed to get some useful information while not offending anyone or giving the impression that she was willing to go to bed with any of them. Even though she...
The four women entered the large city and quickly blended in with the rest of the inhabitants. Suzan was just a little unhappy Dusty wasn't with her though it had only been a little over a week since she left Dusty and headed out for the mission. Although she missed her husband, she was also really charged up to be here and was well ready to take on a new mission like this. It took them several days of travel by ship and a few more days of hard riding and just barely stopping for anything...
Amber came into the house and kicked off her boots. She then put her pack down beside the door, took off her twin swords, and then leaned those swords against the door next to her pack. Her parents would be around somewhere, and after she found something to eat she would go find them. She had dropped Logan off in town, as he wanted to visit, but she only wanted to go home and unwind. As she walked down the hallway she had the same thoughts she usually did when she passed through...
Dusty felt like he was submerged in warm water. It was strange because while he couldn't see, he could feel everything. The feeling made him feel like he was surrounded by nothing and yet at the same time by everything. He could feel shapes, colors, sounds, even smells. He could sense everyone around him and as strange as it sounded he could sense himself. It was like he was looking at himself but he wasn't looking at himself. As Dusty was trying to puzzle that out, he felt child like...
While still stunned from Gemma's story, Brianna looked down at the table and said "But, but, I don't know if he even likes me back. What if he doesn't think I'm attractive enough? All the other women here are so beautiful, and I'm not that special. I don't know how to walk around like they do or how to flirt with him. And I don't really know how to cook very well. Everyone else is better than I am at everything." Gemma, looked at her stunned for a moment, paused and then started to...
Dusty and Suzan reached the double doors that lead to the council chambers. They had passed a few offices that the council members and others made their own. Now they were at their destination. There was a single desk outside the council chambers, and at it sat a very striking and attractive red haired woman. She looked to conceivably be in her mid-thirties, but with mages that didn't mean anything. She was dressed in similar robes as the guard out front with the same sash over her...
"Who are you two?" asked Rory quietly as he stared at them. "Rory we're still your friends, but we're also different people than who you know. I promise I'll answer all your questions later. I'll meet you back here in about an hour or so. "Watch over Terrance. I don't believe he'll die, but if I'm wrong come get me. But for now I need to hurry and get Ariel to our room. I'll explain why I need to do this as fast as humanly possible when I return," said Nathan quickly. Moving...
"Everyone, you are here for a reason and it is something that has an effect on your lives both in the past and the future," began Brianna as they were all seated around the living room. As the last to arrive, once Matt and Rayne showed up it was time to get started. As they looked around at their children and their spouses, they both couldn't believe how much the boys took after their father, even down to having the same silver forelock now in their hair as well But knowing this would be...
Wolfgang wouldn't admit it but he was really looking forward to Kat's visit shortly. She had just called to say that she was close and would soon be at his home, and once they broke the connection he found he was rotating the crystal phone around in his hands and staring at it as he thought about her. Ever since Dusty's phones started to be the rage it had made his life far easier. Of course he wished he had access to these phones a long, long, time ago but Dusty wasn't born during the...
Dusty and Suzan quickly made a few plans between them, agreed on them, and then set about separately doing them. First thing Dusty wanted to do was make sure the kids were taken care of. He knew that getting DJ started on his training was important right then and so he made a quick call to Lori. Talking as fast as he could Dusty then explained what was going on and why he needed to send the kids to her home. Telling Lori he had the emergency covered he made the plan to send their kids,...
Dusty, Suzan, Daniel, and Rachel all suddenly appeared on the pad next to Lori's home. The pad was large enough to accommodate five riders on horseback, but it was the four of them standing next to Dusty and Suzan's horses. Waiting while Dusty and Suzan took their horses to the stable, the four of them returned to the front of the door and knocked. "Lori seemed pretty excited when I called her, I wonder why," said Suzan as they waited "Bet she's discovered something new again. She...
"Thank you for the horses," said Marie as she looked over at Seth smiling. "I'm happy to loan them to you all. I'm just sorry how you received them, but not that you have them," said Seth. "I am too. I wished those men didn't have to die while helping others as they did, but I know those people in the town appreciated their sacrifice," said Marie to Seth. Seth just nodded as he rode. They rode in silence while they were sticking to the main roads in the forest so that they could...
As the five of them worked their way through the dungeon, they were surprised that they no longer found any opposition. There just didn't seem to be anything that approached them or tried to attack them. That bothered Dusty. They had just gone from having wave after wave of ghouls attacking for over an hour to an eerie quiet. The only thing that made it worse was the occasional dripping sound of water from somewhere in the distance as they made their way deeper into the dungeon. "This is...
Melkin had to admit that Dusty was coming up in the world. When he brought him here he was someone who had nothing and had to start at the bottom. The council thought that this was the best way to do it and that it would make him more dependant on them for things he needed to survive while here. But not only had he started with nothing and grown, but he had been knighted, received a title and land, and was now turning a pretty decent profit. No one had expected him to be able to prosper...
"And that all happened just a little over ten seasons ago?" asked Nathan slowly. The way this young man was acting he thought it was all recently at least in the last couple of seasons. Not something decades ago. "I left the city and I've not returned. Not even to see my family," said Elliot nodding yes. "But what happened to Kathryn after you left or the man she was with? Did you ever find out? Did you even want to know?" asked Nathan. As he thought about it, he realized that he...
"With us not finding any trace of what's happing during the day it looks like we're going to have to venture further into the woods at night," said Suzan as she looked at Dusty and Seth. "Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean we've still not found a single trace of what is taking off with the people from around here," said Dusty as he turned to look at her. "I say we give it at least one more day, maybe two tops, before we go looking for any danger that we may not need to buy for...
"Galen? Galen? Yes I know of him. He's one of those mages who seated themselves on their useless council. Don't you know that his meeting you was no accident? He was assigned to watch you. He also wanted to make sure that you didn't go power mad and crazy. While you may be stronger he's always hidden his true strength from you. "And you do know the reason that he took so long to help your son and his wife when her powers truly activated was because the council really didn't want to...
The next morning Dusty got up very early, before the sun was even close to coming up, and started packing his pack for the next mission. As he pulled out clothing to take with him he noticed the suede leather jacket and jeans that he was wearing when he arrived here hanging in the wardrobe in the corner of his room. Seeing them once again took him back to when he first appeared in this world just under over a year ago. A lot of things had changed. First of all he now believed in magic. It...
Andrea sat next to the bed looking down at the face of a sleeping Daven. It was hard to believe watching him that this was the same face of the young man who was the terror of husbands and fathers alike. Likewise it was hard to believe this was the same face of the young man who was well known as well for his uncommon attractiveness. If it wasn't for his barely hidden arrogance, that few who got close enough to him could see, she herself might have found him more attractive. He always...
Dusty started to run into the room, but he stopped and took a good long look around first looking for traps. As he stepped into the room he saw Galvin as he basically finished hanging his wife next to Daniel and Rachel from a hook by a chain around both of her wrists. When Galvin stepped back he could see that her shirt was ripped badly in the front and one of her breasts was in danger of spilling out of her already heavily overworked bra. He watched Galvin seem to take a good long look at...
Two men stood looking at the prone form of their leader. They just received the report that the man wanting to join them, a Christopher Jones, was just killed by someone a very powerful. It didn't look like magic that killed him, but they also had no idea at this point how he died. The men weren't too broken up about it because they felt the fool was wrong to be experimenting on children and they wouldn't miss him. He contacted them before with a deep desire to join their ranks and said...
"Mmmmmmm ... do you really need to get up and go work out so soon? The sun isn't even up yet. You really should come back to bed. I need you. I mean I really need you. You could just as easily work out with me instead you know," said Suzan softly but in her deep raspy voice. Even with just barely opening her eyes, she knew that she had her husband's complete attention. They had gone to bed the previous night in the buff and she could see his response to her request instantly. He was...
During the first week that Dusty and the others had left Marie and Seth had met with the King and Marie trained in the yard to keep up her skills, tone her body, and generally keep busy. The King gave her one of the outer rooms that faced the parade yards so that she was well away from the other nobles but close enough that she could work out in the yard and visit with Seth. King William gave her a knowing smile as his secretary briefed her where she would be staying. Marie smiled back at...
Once out of the chamber Dusty smiled and raced down the hall to grab Suzan's hand as she was still storming down the hallway, and pulled her trembling frame into an embrace. As he did he noticed that her face was unreadable, but he could see as he did this that she was still very much pissed off. While pulling her close he buried his face in her hair. "I'm sorry honey, but should have told you that you broke nothing. If I hadn't been so caught up in self pity I would have spoken up...
"Well my dear it has been almost two weeks, I don't believe they are coming back before the time limit," said Queen Morigan as she looked over at Rachel while she stood apart from the other women. Rachel was sitting and trying to look at ease, but it was an effort with all the various other Lady's and ladies in waiting around. All the various forms of nobility were hanging around the audience chamber making light conversation about nothing and gossiping. As Rachel tried to look like she...
Dusty arrived with his friends at the kingdom of Stelmore. The first thing they did on entering was to head straight for the castle to talk with King Roland about the attacks. Reaching the city gates it was obvious that the city was on high alert. On trying to enter the capital city they had to get off of their horses at the gate and lead them into the city. The guards then separated them, and two guards checked them one at a time. One held a serviceable pike on them as the other one...
A bloody and very upset Suzan and Anita made their way back to the palace just as the Sun was cresting over the horizon. They had already made the stop by Tabitha's mother's house the night before to inform her of what happened. Needless to say it wasn't something they wanted to do, but knew that they had to and it was something they owed the only real victim to pay the ultimate price. Even though Suzan felt she should tell her, Anita insisted that because her death was her fault she...
The meeting with Rayne's parents, Aric and Brianna, went really well Matt thought. Matt met her father Aric, and if he thought the boys were larger than life, he was shocked at the father. His presence seemed huge to him. But strangely, other than a silver forelock, Aric didn't look like he could possibly be a day over thirty at best to Matt. To Matt Aric seemed far too quiet, friendly, and gentle to be the famous Battlemage he had heard of. Didn't they only love death and destruction...
3190 seasons previously before current times "Beth! Beth! Where are you? Are you here in the house?" called out Wolfgang as he started down the hallway. As he moved around the house, everything looked similar but somehow different. In spots there was dust and cobwebs, but not enough to make the house look abandoned. But no matter where he looked he didn't see Beth anywhere. Heading outside he noticed two young boys just outside his door. One was leaning with his back against the wall...
"Ariel, I still don't see why you were so dead set against my having brought my Bastard sword with me as a backup incase of trouble. I mean you have your swords with you. I just feel safer with mine as well," said Nathan grumbling as he walked along. While he wasn't really irritated at Ariel, he was irritated at the situation. "For the very reason you just stated. You should be comfortable with every weapon you know how to use well. But that won't happen if you only carry that one...
4001 seasons previously before current times The last five seasons the land of Pastial had been peaceful and the people and land prospered. Wolfgang managed to setup various changes in the land. He managed to introduce a few of his inventions further into the populace, like the wheeled plow, piped irrigation for the farm land, water filtration, and he was currently working on various steam powered inventions. Because of all of those changes the people kept trying to make him the new King...
"Honey?" asked Brianna as she sat at the table one night a few months after Aric met Galen. It was after dinner at Aric's house "Since we've been seeing each other for a while now I was wondering, do you feel I'm pretty?" Brianna asked. Aric who was at the sink was cleaning their plates turned and looked at Brianna "You know I do. I remember the first time you sat in my lap topless a few weeks back and jump right back up soon as you sat down. I believe you felt how attractive I...
Once breakfast was finished Ariel wandered the guild grounds once again. She was trying to learn where everything was, and she passed various areas once again including the blacksmith shop where Nathan worked as a blacksmith's assistant. When they first arrived they found that the guild already had a blacksmith, but like the other members he went on missions because he could make more money doing that than he could having the members pay him to fix their weapons. So there was a need for...
At the end of the mornings training, and while they were both seated enjoying breakfast, Brianna quietly asked "Honey, Aric, what circle mage are you?" "I don't really know," responded Aric "maybe second or third." He wasn't really listening to her. He was really excited about having a good day today. Brianna was unable to knock him down or disarm him even once today and they switched hands back and forth easily. Even though she got in some good shots at him, and his shoulders and...
"So all the tests prove that Beth is now resistant to all forms of poison?" asked Anne-Marie as she put down one of the various reports that she had been looking over in front of her and leaned back in her chair. She now had the six of them in her office once again and she was looking them over. Once they returned to the guild, the first thing Ayden and a few of the mature Sisters did was to check out Beth. He was the best able to tell them what he did and the few White mage they had...
Groaning Terrance rolled out of the wreckage of the bookcase he was lying in. There were a few sharp points and splinters he pulled free of his skin, but thankfully none were in his face or eyes. As he looked over at the ruined mess that was a side table he saw the light stirring of Rory. "Hey, are you ok?" asked Terrence tiredly "How can any one person have that much strength?" asked Rory as he finally opened his eyes and looked at Terrance. "The way he threw us I think he only...
"Are you ready? We don't have to do this if you really don't want to. We might be able to find another way. Or we could find someone else, or..." said Kat as she looked at Rory. Rory reached out and put his hand on her arm and gently held it. "Kathryn, we don't have a lot of time and it's not like it's our first time together, remember? Ariel is running loose and it's only a matter of time before she runs into a caravan or something else, and a lot of innocents become harmed...
Aric worked hard while he was at the academy. And while it was grueling work, it was getting him where he needed to be. He wanted to finish fast to be back in Andrea's arms. He was ready to be married and with all that it entailed. The professors couldn't believe how fast he learned, and he seemed to be ready for any class he could take. The only exception was the class for Applied Black Magery, that class he refused to take. He didn't like the necromancy involved and flat out refused to...
"ARRRGGHHH!! What do we do now!" asked Andrea for about the fourth or fifth time since getting to Daven's office as she paced back and forth. Daven leaned back and watched her pace. Even though she was severely agitated, her pacing, and the waving of her arms in that dress, was doing wonders for her anatomy. No wonder he loved that dress on her and he thought again no wonder he had always wanted her. Once he got her unwound she was a tiger in the sack. He would really miss their time...
While Aric was making his way to see Aaron, Andrea and Daven were still shocked over Aric's announcement that he was through with them. To the best of their knowledge he never gave up on anyone. But for all intent and appearances he had on both of them! And to make it worse he was going to keep his word, they knew he would. Andrea still sat on the floor stunned. "Aric is done with me," she thought really worried. "Aric said he is done with me? That can't be! What am I going to do? I...
"Nana what was that?" asked a worried Gem. "I'm not sure. It felt like we hit something. But the ship isn't moving forward anymore and it's not sinking. But I do hear a lot of yelling, but I just don't know," said Brianna. Brianna and Gem were in a windowless room with the door bolted from the outside. But with their sparse clothing, or lack there of, they could clearly feel that it was now way colder than it was before. The reason for their confusion was that they felt the boat...
"What... ? What does he mean that Aric doesn't love me as much as he did Andrea? How could he say that he knows for sure that Aric only stayed with me because I was the only person he had sex with? Aric's not that type of person! "No, that couldn't be it. He's just trying to make me feel bad. Aric loves me more than he ever loved her, I know he does. I just know he does, " thought Brianna, but deep down she was starting to wonder if there was really any truth to that...
Galvin sat on the cliff side with his legs dangling as he sat overlooking the city. It was a very prosperous city that originally had been a town that was built against the side of a cliff so that it could only be raided from one direction, and all the defenses had been developed to protect from that direction. But over the years the town had grown, as well as changes in modern warfare. Now if someone wanted to give the city a good pasting they could do it in relative safety from where he...
Suzan could tell by the rising and setting of the sun that she had been here at least a week and a half so far. She wasn't sure what was going on with Dusty and her friends, but she really wanted to see them again. The first few days she was there she refused to eat, though after awhile she decided starving herself before she found a way out didn't make sense. But she refused to eat with the Queen and Prince under any circumstances. She just flat out refused to see them. Everyday she...
Once they came to the city they asked for directions and they headed for the address they were given. They found themselves in front of a very large museum with rod iron gates that were swung wide open. They entered and were shown into a very nice, but a very cluttered office. There were books stacked on every table. But at least the center desk was clear. As the secretary showed them in she smiled big at Dusty and offered him her hand as she showed them all into the office. And once he...
After making their way to the address in question they noticed that there was a light coming from what looked to be a cellar door. As they opened the door they saw there was a lantern lit by the door but the others close by it were out. But a few feet after those the rest were lit again. Marie said she was going first, and they followed her down a narrow passageway that seemed to go down for about two stories then leveled out. As they leveled out they realized that they were headed to a...
Dusty and the others made pretty good time over the last day and a half to the huge mountainous expanse in the desert. Dusty would never have expected this if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. It didn't make sense, but he was still learning things. There was one point when Kat called them close and said they were being followed. Dusty leaned over his horse, using just one stirrup to support his weight, reached into an inside pocket, and then hung like that as he buried something close...
After getting in the gate, Aaron met then in the Old throne room. It now had the throne removed and a large circular table in the center of the room. The dais where throne sat now had a large square table with flowers and books on it. Aaron came out, refused Aric's outstretched hand, and grabbed him in a bear hug. Then he turned and asked who his stunning companion was. Aric introduced her as his wife, soul mate, and the mother of his child. And apparently the only person who still could...
Dusty got up early the next morning and found that not only was DJ up, but he already finished some light stretching, completed a run around the house a few times, and was now seated at the kitchen table entertaining himself as he waited for everyone else to get up. Laughing to himself he found it interesting that the boy had similar habits as himself. "I see your up early, any reason for that?" asked Dusty as he got a cup of something out of the icebox and then leaned against the counter...
"Hi welcome to the Winters, Taylor and Owen law firm. How may I help you?" asked the extremely beautiful young lady coming down the hallway. As Dusty stopped to get a good look at her he found his breath taken completely away. She was about 5'9" in some nice shiny black four inch Patten leather pumps. It didn't appear she was wearing stockings, but her legs were tanned and very well formed, but he was trying not to stare and only took a very quick look at them as she approached...
Early the next morning found the group of six riding away from the castle as they hurried to the Kingdom of Patella to speak with the Queen and see what was going on in that land. As the rode down the road, Dusty started talking about something that was on his mind. "Was it really wise to leave Marie alone with Seth?" asked Dusty to everyone as they rode their borrowed horses towards the Kingdom of Patella. He waited until they were well away from the capital city before he asked so no...
As Rayne slowly rode past the testing grounds she saw Anne-Marie as she headed back inside the guild hall on the other side of the ring from where she was. She was now the new guild master, and was watching over the training of the younger guild members. She remembered the first time she was on a battlefield under her command. "What? They only sent twenty of you? And half of them are young girls? Are you kidding me? What kind of fool do you take us for?" asked the Commanding...
It was five days later and Brianna still had not seen him. She tried to tell herself that she was only coming back to the tavern for a meal and information, but she always came in very early every day and sat in the back corner watching the door for him. He had yet to show, and she was starting to get somewhat testy waiting. Melt came in the second day while she was waiting, saw her in the corner. He came over and profusely apologized, and completely asked for her forgiveness for his...
"Son of a BITCH!" thought Aric with some frustration, as he lay once again on his back looking up at the sky. He had already lost count of the number of times Brianna had put him down there today. It was frustrating him that she was so easily knocking him to the ground. He never really realized how poor his skills with a sword actually were until today. Aaron wasn't kidding with his advice. Every time he thought he figured out what she was going to do next, she did something different....
Aaron was able to take some of the treasury with him as one of the liberators of the nation. He tried to refuse it, but they called it his retirement fund and wouldn't let him return it. He had enough to make him very wealthy when they left. And after the ceremony of changing offices was over they all took the three week's journey back home. To say what happened was a surprise when Aaron and Gemma finally met, after being apart for seasons was unexpected, would be a world class...