Chapter Two
We stood a few hundred yards from the entrance to Bastianville, but the space between us and the town was filled with marauding men intent on causing my people harm.
I had to do something, and fast.
I made a new save point, drew my feather sword, and tightened my grip on Goliath’s reins. The warhorse nickered and tossed his head, and I could tell he was ready for battle.
“Bandits ahead,” I called to my crew. “They’re well-armed. Be careful!”
Jorgen and Mahini pulled out their bows, Kylor spun his battle axe, and the rest of the men withdrew their swords. Elissa grabbed her mace while Evangeline pulled a handful of throwing stars from the pocket on her thigh.
“You’re not alone in this fight, Great One,” Mahini informed me with a proud lift of her chin.
“Let’s go.” I nodded firmly, and then I tapped my heels against Goliath’s flanks. All ten of us galloped toward the bandits at full speed, and the war cries of my friends echoed out over the space ahead of us.
A couple of bandits in the back of the group skidded to a halt and turned to deal with their new opponents, but the majority of the twenty odd men continued to rush toward the town.
I narrowed my eyes and focused on the bandit closest to me, but he didn’t look like much of a target. His shaggy brown hair covered his face, and I could see him grinning even from a distance. The asshole must have thought we were easy pickings, but he had a lesson in humility coming his way.
“Come on, dipshit,” I called out as the man drew closer. “Give it your best shot.”
“Grrr!” the man growled as he heaved his sword up over his head in an effort to swipe it down onto my leg.
The man’s blade was a finer quality than I would have expected from a bandit, so I was definitely suspicious. Plus, why would bandits attack a town with walls? I smelled something fishy, and it wasn’t my horse.
I waited until the last possible moment before I brought my weapon up to parry his swing, and I brushed his larger blade aside like it was as light as my feather sword.
The muscles in my arms bulged from the movement, and I was reminded of how much stronger I’d become since the last time I was in Bastianville. Maybe back then these guys would have been a problem for me, but now it would be a piece of cake.
In my next move, I swiveled my sword with a flick of my wrist, and the tip of my blade sliced across the bandit’s throat. Blood sprayed from the wound and coated Goliath’s white hide like an artist covering a canvas with paint. It was quite the work of art, but I was already turning my sights on a new enemy.
The next bandit was too far away to use my sword, so I exchanged the blade for my obsidian bow, and I took aim at one of the men who’d turned to face us.
Before I could release my projectile, though, the sound of arrows filled the air, and I turned to see Jorgen and Mahini take out two men with their bows. Then, under the cover of their fire, the rest of the crew rode forward with a roar.
Not one to be outmatched, I clicked my tongue to urge Goliath further, but I made sure to keep a close eye on everyone so I could keep them safe.
As she drew closer to the horde of bandits, Elissa dismounted in one fluid movement, and she gripped her mace tightly as she ran forward the rest of the distance on foot, but Eva was right behind her.
Evangeline tossed out throwing stars as she rode, and two buried themselves in the back of a bandit, but it wasn’t a fatal hit. She was well trained in various arms, but this was her first encounter with real life enemies.
The man stumbled, but then he turned and caught me in his sights.
I rode across the distance between us as fast as I could, and I was on him in a matter of seconds. Then I used the arrow in my fist like a long wood-handled dagger as I lodged it deep into his eye socket.
The man fell as a gurgle of blood erupted from his lips.
Another one down.
I turned my attention back to the battlefield, and I found a new enemy as I notched another arrow to my string. Then I released my arrow with a swift exhale, and the projectile shot forward and twisted through the air, but it made a loud thud as it landed deep in a bandit’s shoulder.
“Fuck, yes,” I said as I notched another arrow. I guided Goliath with my legs, and the war horse seemed to read my mind as he zeroed in on my target and galloped down the road.
Shooting from horseback was a little bit harder than when I was on foot, but I wasn’t about to dismount my steed and lose my advantage.
I shot another arrow at the bandit I’d already hit, but this one went wide and landed harmlessly in the dirt. I was quickly gaining ground on him, though, so I shoved my obsidian bow back in its holster and grabbed my daggers.
I pinched the tip of one of the blades between my thumb and pointer finger, and then I launched it end over end toward the bandit.
The man dodged the first dagger, and he lifted his sword sideways to strike at Goliath’s legs, but I tossed my second blade, and this time I was too close for him to be able to dodge my attack. My weapon slammed into his throat with enough force to knock him off his feet, and I didn’t even look back as my horse galloped past his corpse.
We’d already killed almost half the men, but the rest of the bandits were almost to the entrance to Bastianville. More of them had heard the sounds of battle behind them and had turned to face their new enemies, but I was worried about the ones in the front who could get to the townspeople before me.
My heart pounded in my chest as I rode Goliath as fast as he would go, but before I could even draw a weapon to attack the next man, a group of people rushed out from the town with weapons shaking in their fists.
“What the fuck,” I gasped as I scanned over the newcomers.
There was Jaxtom with his jackhammer-like arms, and the tall blacksmith carried a massive warhammer in his fists. He swung it in a circle above his head before bringing it down on a bandit’s helmet, and the man was crushed beneath the weight of Jax’s weapon.
Then I noticed a couple of people I’d met before among the familiar faces of Bastianville. There was Hal from Carleone, and Bill and Hank from Ivywood. I was surprised to see Bron among the new fighters, too, since I’d just seen Sarosh’s follower not too long ago.
Sarosh was a religious zealot and a follower of the God of the Purge, and I’d managed to convince her to question her master who seemed hellbent on human sacrifice. Bron and his wife Sarah had lost their general store in a fire, and their children died inside, but by the time I’d gotten to know them a little, they had a new zest for life.
How had they ended up in Bastianville?
I’d gained a lot of followers during my travels, and while I’d extended an invitation to relocate to Bastianville to many people, I hadn’t fully expected them to take me up on the offer.
“Kill them all!” a group of voices called out from the walls of the town, and I turned to see even more people joining Bastianville’s defenders.
Stryker, Willihard, and Niconor joined the group rushing from the town, and I realized the bandits were outnumbered two to one in a matter of moments.
Damn. I was so proud of my people.
I clicked my heels against Goliath’s flanks and urged him toward one of the bandits. I cleaved the man’s head from his shoulders in one fluid swing of my sword, and his skull thudded against the ground like a soccer ball.
“Die!” Elissa yelled as she swung her mace into the torso of a marauder, and the man’s breath was slammed out of his chest by the spiked tip of her weapon.
Arrows flew overhead and zinged into leather armor, and the cries of pain from the horde of bandits was like music to my ears.
The Bastianville townspeople held their own in the fight, and I had a hard time finding a target who was not already occupied by one of my followers. I finally ran over one bandit with Goliath’s stomping hooves, but by the time I swiveled my horse around, the man’s body was riddled with arrows.
I scanned the battlefield, but not a single bandit was left to fight.
The corpses of the bandits littered the space between me and the town, and I quickly trotted over to where Jaxtom stood over a fallen marauder.
“Well, that was an anticlimactic fight,” I greeted the blacksmith with a wide grin.
“Aye,” Jax snorted. “Over before it started, it was, but don’t you worry, Bash, there’ll be more fun soon.”
“It’s good to see you, Jax,” I said as I slid from my horse’s back and clasped his arm in mine.
“Yer a sight for sore eyes yerself,” the blacksmith replied. “Glad to have you back.”
“I’m glad to be back,” I chuckled. “This is quite a welcome party, though.”
“Gotta keep things interestin’,” Jax chuckled.
The next thing I knew, everyone swarmed me, and the townspeople all hugged me, touched my clothes, and patted me on the back. It was hard to see the faces of my traveling companions around the mass of bodies that surrounded me, but I spotted Mahini’s piercing blue eyes through the crowd. The desert goddess smiled serenely as she watched the townspeople welcome me home, but then I noticed Evangeline’s nervous expression beside the stoic warrior woman.
The duke’s daughter looked anxious as she surveyed the crowd around me, but I knew she had nothing to worry about. The people of Bastianville would surely welcome her with open arms the same way Mahini and Elissa had.
“Alright, alright,” I laughed as I pushed the people back. “I missed all of you, too, but you gotta give a god some room to breathe.”
“You heard the man,” Jaxtom roared, and he herded the people back toward town like a rooster with hens. “Move out of the way!”
Everyone scattered and hurried back toward the town, which left me and my traveling companions alone with the blacksmith. Before I’d left Bastianville, I’d appointed Jaxtom to the council of elders, and I was pleased to see him more comfortable with a leadership role.
“Thanks,” I laughed. “I’ll have to take some time to visit everyone in town. I was more missed than I expected.”
“You were missed more than an old man like me can even say,” Jax replied, and the big man clapped me on the shoulder. “It’s good to have you back, Bash.”
“Staying out of trouble, I hope?” Mahini chuckled as she stepped forward to give the blacksmith a quick hug.
“It’s been nothin’ but trouble,” Jax countered with a frown. “But I’m sure you’ll hear all about it from Elrin and the others.”
“Yes, how is my father?” Elissa asked, and her lips pressed together in a worried expression.
“Healthy.” Jax shrugged. “He’s doing just fine, as far as I know, but we’ve all stayed real busy lately.”
“I’m curious about what has troubled Bastianville in my absence,” I said. “But you can tell me more later. Right now, I’m anxious to get to the inn to take a hot bath.”
“You could just go to yer house for that,” Jaxtom informed me as a shit-eating grin split his face. “We just got the hot water ran over there last week.”
“Mmm, that’s fucking awesome,” I moaned as longing for a relaxing bath overwhelmed me. Then I motioned to the rest of the men who had remained a little further away while I’d caught up with the blacksmith. “Come closer, guys, I want to introduce you to the best damn blacksmith this side of Vallenwood.”
“That’s a tall compliment,” Jorgen chuckled as he stepped forward to shake Jax’s hand. “I’m Jorgen, it’s nice to meet you.”
“Of course, Bash came back with even more people in tow,” Jaxtom laughed. “I wouldn’t expect anything else after the migration coming to Bastianville lately.”
“Lissy!” Elrin’s voice called out from behind Jaxtom, and we all turned to see the Mayor of Bastianville rushing down the street toward us. He was a muscular man with shoulder-length auburn hair, and the smile on his face was focused on his daughter. “You are home, my daughter!”
“I missed you so much!” Elissa rushed forward to give her father a tight hug. They embraced for a few seconds, and then my wife broke away from him and took my hand.
“Great One, it is wonderful to see you safe and sound.” Elrin straightened his green velvet doublet over his ample stomach and then reached out toward me to shake the hand that Elissa wasn’t holding. “We have been expecting you for quite some time.”
“I got sidetracked after I reached Castle Bullard,” I informed him. “But I can make a full report later once we gather the other council members.”
“Very well,” Elrin replied as he inclined his head. “I’m sure you’ll want to wash away the dust of your travels, so please allow me to walk you to your house.”
“Thanks.” I grinned. “It’s good to be home.”
Elrin led us down the street, and my men fell into step behind me. I scanned the streets and smiled at the people bustling around, but my jaw dropped when I got a good look at the town.
No longer were half the buildings boarded up or abandoned. Everything was covered in a fresh coat of paint, and the stores had colorful, freshly painted signs.
Everywhere I looked, unfamiliar faces mingled with the people I recognized, and it seemed like the population of Bastianville had doubled in size. The general store used to be the only place where you could get supplies, but as I gazed down the street, I noticed several other shops I hadn’t seen before. There was a store advertising sweets, another with a horse on the sign, and a third that just said ‘tools.’
I’d have to explore the new shops more after my bath, so I set my sights on the house at the end of the street. Men were moving all around the structure, and I could make out the dots of people up on the roof, so it seemed like the people of Bastianville had continued to work on my home in my absence.
I quickened my pace as we drew closer, and a moment later, I was climbing the steps to my porch.
“I’ll have your horses taken care of,” Elrin assured me as he paused at the bottom of the steps. “I do not think you’ll have enough sleeping space in your house for the rest of your men, though, so I’ll have Torya get some rooms ready at the inn.”
“Sounds good, Elrin,” I said. Then I jerked my chin to Corvis. “Why don’t you go with him so you can see where the horses will be kept. I’m sure you won’t be able to relax and enjoy yourself otherwise.”
“You’re right about that,” Corvis chuckled. “Thank you, Great One.”
“The rest of you, follow Elrin to the inn.” I grinned. “Tell Torya hello for me, and I’ll come find you guys later.”
“Yes, sir,” the rest of the men replied in unison, and they all gave me a quick salute before they turned and followed Elrin down the dirt street.
“What about me?” Evangeline asked in a cautious tone as she bit that luscious bottom lip of hers.
“What do you mean?” I laughed, and I tweaked her nose affectionately. “You’re home now, come on inside.”
“There are men on the roof,” the duke’s daughter observed as her gray eyes flicked upward before she followed me inside the front door.
“We’ve been fixing it up for a little while now,” I informed her as I entered the living room. “Make yourself at home.”
“It looks like they added another bedroom,” Elissa gasped as she bounced up and down on the balls of her feet. “It will be perfect for a baby!”
“Or for one of us to spend a night alone if we wish,” Mahini pointed out.
“No, no, that’s silly.” Elissa waved a dismissive hand. “You remember how big the bed is, there’s plenty of room for all four of us.”
“I haven’t been around many babies,” Eva said as she looked around with an awed expression. “I’ve barely been outside the castle my entire life. This is a very nice house.”
“It might not be as grand as a castle.” I shrugged. “But it’s even nicer in here than it was when we left.”
“You can borrow one of my dresses if you want to change out of your armor,” Elissa suggested to the duke’s daughter. “I know you didn’t bring very many things with you.”
“I’d like that.” Eva grinned.
With that settled, we all turned to investigate the newly remodeled house. The internal spaces were completed, and if Jax was correct, plumbed with hot water. It was a godsend after so many long nights on the road spent in a tent, and I was eager to get to a hot bath, so I gave each woman a kiss on their foreheads before I headed toward the bathroom.
“I’m off to see a man about some hot water,” I said over my shoulder as I headed down the hallway.
“What a strange thing to say,” Eva murmured.
“Enjoy your bath,” Elissa giggled.
I ducked into the bathroom, and I groaned with delight when I turned on the spigot and blazing hot glorious water streamed from the faucet and filled the copper tub. The Bastianville copper mine was back in action, and I got to reap the rewards of my goblin killing efforts.
I filled the tub, and then I stripped off my dirty clothes stained from days of travel before I lowered my aching body into the steaming water. I could feel the pain immediately begin to subside from my shoulders and hips, and I sank even lower with a contented sigh.
“This is the life,” I observed to myself as I stretched my arms over the edges of the tub and leaned my head back against the rim.
I soaked my body until the water started to cool off, and then I grabbed soap and a rag to scrub the dirt and grime off my skin. Once I was all cleaned and refreshed, I walked naked from the bathroom to the bedroom.
The three women were sitting on the bed talking over a pile of dresses when I entered the room, and they all stopped to ogle my nude body the second I joined them.
Eva licked her lips longingly while Elissa’s eyes filled with desire, but Mahini’s piercing blue eyes were locked onto my exposed groin. Their attraction to me was obvious, but it still made me blush a little.
“How was your bath?” Mahini purred when she finally lifted her gaze to my face.
“Amazing.” I smirked. “Just wait until you try it.”
“We made a small meal out of what we had left in the cupboards,” my wife informed me with a loving smile. “We’ve already eaten, so help yourself to whatever is left.”
My stomach growled in response, and I nodded. “Sounds great.”
“It’s my turn to bathe next,” Mahini said as she stood from the bed. She planted a quick kiss on my cheek as she passed, and she trailed her fingers down my spine before she left the bedroom.
I crossed the room to the wardrobe, and I pulled it open to find an entire closet full of clothes I’d never worn before. Bellona, Bastianville’s seamstress, must have brought these over for me. I made a mental note to thank her when I saw her that night, and then I fetched a clean shirt, pants, and a black leather vest.
They were all made with the finest craftsmanship, and I eyed the neat stitches appreciatively as I slid my arms into the shirt. It was similar to the one I’d just taken off, and it had laces up the neck and billowy arms. The pants fit me perfectly, and the vest clung to me like it was tailored to my exact measurements.
I raked a hand through my short brown hair, and I scratched the buzzed sides where the hair was starting to grow in thick and itchy. I’d have to find a razor to shave with, or I’d end up looking like I had a reverse mullet soon, and no one wanted that.
“You look dashing, husband,” Elissa gushed with love pouring from her emerald eyes.
“I love how you don’t want to dress in the typical fashion of a nobleman,” Eva mused. “You fit in with the people, and they welcome you more readily because of it.”
“My main goal has been comfort,” I laughed. “I don’t care as much about how I look as I do about how I feel in my clothes.”
“You would look handsome in anything,” Mahini observed as she came back from her bath.
“My turn!” Elissa giggled before she hopped off the bed and ran out of the room.
“Hopefully, some of her sass washes off as well.” Mahini shook her head with a wry smile as she approached me wrapped in a towel.
“Neither one of us really wants that, do we?” I countered with a wink.
“No,” the olive-skinned beauty laughed, and she flicked her damp obsidian hair back away from her face. “I love her just the way she is. I merely jest.”
“Am I ever going to get a turn to bathe?” Eva asked with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “Or do you prefer to keep me stinky, Great One?”
“I do like it when you smell like sex,” I informed her in a serious voice, and her mouth fell open in shock.
“How… naughty!” she laughed and flashed me a mock pout that quickly gave way to a grin.
Suddenly, a knock sounded on the front door, and we all turned to look toward the bedroom entrance like we could see through the walls of the house.
“I’ll get it,” I said as I left the bedroom, and I strode toward the front door at the end of the hallway. I pulled open the portal to reveal Dalwin, Elrin’s errand boy, so I gave the young kid a friendly smile. “Hello, there. What’s up?”
Dalwin’s eyes shot upward to the sky with a questioning expression, but then he shook his head. “Elrin sent me. He would like to invite you to a feast in honor of your return home. You are to go to his house an hour after dark.”
“The sun is already starting to set,” I said as I eyed the growing shadows of twilight on the street of Bastianville. “That doesn’t give me much time.”
“Marnie is whipping up something delicious,” Dalwin assured me. “You won’t want to miss it.”
“You can tell Elrin I’ll be there,” I said. “I hope you get to join us, too.”
“Oh, that would be swell,” the young boy replied with an eager grin. Then he took off running back to Elrin’s house, and I waved at his back before I went back inside and shut the door.
“Your father invited us to dinner,” I informed the damp Elissa when I returned to the bedroom. “You girls aren’t taking very long baths. Don’t you want to enjoy the soak?”
“I’d rather spend my time on getting pretty,” my wife replied with a shrug. “I assumed my father would want to dine with us, and I told the others as much.”
“That makes sense.” I grinned. “You look fine like that, are you ready for dinner with your dad?”
“Thank you.” Elissa did a curtsey in her towel with a giggle. “But, no.”
“I don’t blame her,” Mahini said from behind my wife, and I looked over the pale freckled shoulder to see the desert goddess in a dazzling black dress.
The sleeves swept over her shoulders in a regal fashion and flowed into a cape that fluttered down her back. In the front, the collar dipped down into a large V that was open to her waist, and yet her breasts were tightly bound within the fabric. She looked like a queen of darkness with her shoulder length obsidian hair glowing in the light of the lamps, and my mouth watered at the sight of her.
“You look amazing,” I breathed as my heart beat quickened.
“Thank you,” the desert goddess replied, and her cheeks flushed a deep red hue. “Bellona must have made it for me while we were gone, I found it in my clothes.”
“She’s amazing, huh?” I smirked as I gave Mahini another once over.
It was good to be home where I had my very own seamstress, blacksmith, and anything else my heart desired.
“Just wait until you see my dress!” Elissa giggled and bounced on the balls of her feet, which made her damp fiery tendrils dance like flames. “I spoke with her about it before we left, so it should fit my needs perfectly.”
My red-haired wife swiveled, and her hair spun out little droplets of water from the motion as she crossed the room to her wardrobe and pulled it open. The towel wrapped around her slender frame fell to the floor, and my mouth watered even more.
My women were some of the most attractive girls I’d ever met, and they were all mine.
Elissa’s skin glowed in the lamplight like she was made of flames herself, and her bubbly energy only increased the similarities to fire in my mind. Then my wife pulled on a tight, sleeveless red dress that reminded me of Jessica Rabbit’s, complete with the slits up both legs, and I half wondered if we needed to go to dinner at all.
“What do you think?” she asked as she did a little twirl for me.
“You’re fucking sexy,” I admitted easily. “You’re going to make your dad’s head explode, though.”
“Maybe that’s the goal,” she countered with a wink.
“What’s the goal?” Evangeline asked as she reentered the room.
“Making my father turn all red,” Elissa laughed. “Have you ever done that?”
“Oh, yes,” Eva replied immediately. “It’s quite enjoyable.”
“You guys are making me hesitant to become a father,” I teased, and my wife shot me a playful glare.
“Don’t say stuff like that!” she pouted as she smacked me in the shoulder.
“You both look great,” Eva said to Mahini and Elissa. “I’m eager to officially meet your father, and everyone else in Bastianville.”
“Everyone is going to love you,” Elissa assured her. “Come on, get dressed so we can go.”
“Alright,” Eva laughed, and she moved to dig through the pile of dresses left on the bed. “I still haven’t decided what I want to wear, though.”
“We’ll help,” Mahini said.
A short while later, Evangeline was dressed in a purple number with a black corset, and she looked like she would fit perfectly in an old western movie. Her short blonde hair made her look punk rock as fuck, and the combination made me smile. She made a statement without even saying a word, and I loved her for it.
We were ready for dinner, so we linked arms and walked down the street toward Elrin’s house. I wondered how Elissa felt returning to her old home as a married woman, but I could tell she was happy from the face-splitting grin on her lips, so I decided not to worry about my wife.
Mahini walked with her chin lifted proudly, but I noticed her piercing blue eyes scanning the streets as though she was still on guard from our travels. She was always aware of her surroundings, and her diligence set my heart at ease.
Evangeline gnawed on her lower lip with obvious nerves, but she glanced around Bastianville with wide eyes as we crossed the distance to our destination. The duke’s daughter let out little gasps over different things, and it amused me to see her so impressed with my little town.
We made it to Elrin’s house a short while later, and Dalwin answered the door at my knock. The errand boy led us into the dining room, but I was already familiar with the way from my last time there. I was happy to see the rest of the elder counsel present, and I grinned around the room at the five townspeople before me.
Jaxtom grinned back, and Theodora, the town healer, smirked my way, but Caelia and Torya were more demure in their greetings, and they settled for polite curtsies.
They’d all been hesitant to take the position of leadership at first, but I’d convinced them it was the best thing for Bastianville, and they’d begrudgingly agreed. Now, it seemed like they’d grown accustomed to their new positions, and they looked at ease in Elrin’s dining room.
“Lissy, you look breathtaking,” Elrin said to his daughter when he turned to face us.
“Thank you, Father,” my wife murmured as she dropped into a curtsey.
“Thank you for coming.” Elrin shook my hand, and the Mayor of Bastianville led me to the head of the table to give me the seat of honor.
“My pleasure,” I said, and then I paused. “There is going to be food, right?”
“Of course,” the mayor chuckled. “With my daughter coming to dinner, I wanted to make sure we had some of her favorites.”
“Oh, Father, did you have Marnie make roasted duck?” my wife squealed with delight, and she clasped her father’s arm affectionately. “You really did miss me, didn’t you?”
“I was worried sick, obviously,” Elrin countered with a loving smile. “But I knew you were in good hands.”
“You were all certainly missed around here,” Torya chirped as she took a seat at the table.
The rest of the elder counsel followed suit, and my three women took their own seats to my right. Elrin sat directly to my left, and then the leader of Bastianville clapped his hands loudly to summon his servants.
The appetizers were brought out with a dramatic flourish, and I was amazed at how fancy the food was. Little pieces of bread topped with fancy meats and cheeses, grapes, and other finger foods were spread across the table, and everyone’s wine glasses were filled.
“This is quite a spread,” I commented around a mouthful of cheese. I took a swallow of my wine to wash it down, and the nutty flavor of the beverage perfectly accented the flavor of the cheese. I didn’t know what it was called, but I liked it.
“It’s the least I could do for you, Great One,” Elrin assured me.
“We’ve been hearing tales of your travels,” Torya said as she leaned forward eagerly. “Did you really kill a dragon?”
“I did.” I nodded.
“Incredible,” Torya breathed, and her cheeks bounced as she giggled. “I couldn’t believe it. Dragons in Sorreyal?”
“Not anymore,” I pointed out. “I only ever saw the one, and he is dead now.”
“Truly?” Elrin questioned with furrowed eyebrows. “You defeated the beast?”
“Fair and square.” I grinned, but then I looked at Jax. “I plan on making some armor from the pieces I cut off, too.”
“A fine idea,” the blacksmith said with a nod. “I’ve never even seen a dragon, but I’m sure between the two of us we can make something. And if we can’t, we can find someone who can.”
“I heard you defeated an ancient curse in Lake Balerno,” Caelia spoke up in a soft voice, and her dark-skinned cheeks turned rosy when I looked her way. The general store owner had always been shy, but I was still determined to get her to come out of her shell.
“I did,” I confirmed. “How has business been since I left?”
“Business is booming!” Caelia’s face lit up with joy, and her eyes twinkled with merriment. “It’s hard for me to keep my shelves stocked, but we’re getting regular trade caravans coming through, so it hasn’t been so bad. I’ve never had so much business in my life.”
“You’re still young,” I observed with a wink. “Maybe we can make you rich before you lose your youthful glow.”
Caelia’s eyelashes fluttered as she looked down at her plate and began to play with her food, and I could tell she wasn’t going to say anything else.
The room fell into silence for a while as we drank our wine and nibbled on our food, but after a while, my wife cleared her throat to get her father’s attention.
“How’s the mine, Father?” Elissa asked with a raised eyebrow. “Did you manage to clean up the goblin mess?”
“Oh, yes,” the leader replied in a happy tone. “And with the extra miners coming from Carleone, our production has never been higher.”
“I got to see Uncle Carl on our way through,” Elissa informed her father. “I’m not sure how much longer the mine in Carleone will last.”
“The miners are always welcome here,” Elrin said as he inclined his head. “And anyone else who wants to join our town.”
“Many have relocated to Bastianville already,” Theodora pointed out. “I’ve never been busier with common colds and simple remedies.”
“You need an apprentice,” I suggested. “I’m sure we can find someone capable of helping you.”
“That’s a good idea,” the herbalist said with a thoughtful frown. “I hadn’t thought of that.”
The next dish arrived, and it was a salad full of fresh vegetables. A creamy herb dressing was on the side, and I felt like I was in an Olive Garden from my old world. I’d talked more than I’d eaten so far, and my stomach growled as I lifted my fork to my mouth, so I took a moment to focus on eating.
Elissa and Mahini told a couple of stories from our travels, but Evangeline remained quiet during the entire salad course.
When the duck arrived, my mouth watered just from the smell, but then I saw the perfectly roasted skin, and I licked my suddenly dry lips. I dug in with a gusto, and I ate so fast, the savory juices nearly ran down my chin. It was perfectly seasoned, and the meat tasted like it had been marinating for weeks.
We all ate in silence for a while, and every time I looked up, I made eye contact with another one of the elders at the table. They thought they were being subtle, but I noticed their glances my way. They looked at me like I was a mirage that was about to disappear, and I realized just how badly they’d missed me. It warmed my heart, but it also made me never want to leave Bastianville again.
“It’s good to have you back, Great One,” Elrin said once the duck had been served to each of us. “While Bastianville is doing better than ever, your strong presence has been sorely missed.”
“I figured as much with the bandits at the doorstep,” I said. “I got the impression it wasn’t an uncommon occurrence these days.”
“Unfortunately, no,” Elrin sighed.
“We’ve been getting hit from all angles,” Jaxtom interjected.
I drummed my fingers on the table as I considered this information. Multiple coordinated attacks? And then there was the fact the men we’d fought were well-trained. I didn’t like the implication of these events, but I decided to keep my misgivings to myself until I knew more. No reason to worry my good townsfolk before it was necessary.
“Not just bandits, either,” Torya pointed out and drew me from my thoughts. “Kobolds, and goblins, and other things from the south.”
“Creatures?” I frowned. That also was not a good sign. “At least the walls are done.”
“Almost,” Jax said, and he furrowed his brow. “We’re still working on the southern border, but it is dangerous to work in that area since it has been attacked the most.”
“How many lives have been lost?” I swallowed hard.
“No lives have perished since you departed Bastianville,” Elrin assured me, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“That’s wonderful news!” Eva gasped, and all eyes turned to her like they suddenly remembered her presence.
“I suppose now is the perfect time to officially introduce you to Evangeline,” I said as my face split into a proud smile. “She is the daughter of Duke Bullard, and the newest addition to my family.”
“Well, then,” Elrin said as his eyebrows rose up in surprise. “I suppose congratulations are in order?”
“How many more women ye gonna get, Bash?” Jax questioned, but before I could answer, the big man tossed back his head and let out a big belly laugh. “Leave some fer the rest of us, ye hear?”
“No promises,” I countered with a shit-eating grin.
“Can we turn the discussion back to the business at hand?” Elrin asked with an embarrassed expression, and I could tell he felt uncomfortable by the way he wrung his hands together anxiously.
“Sure,” I laughed.
“With your return, there is lots to discuss,” the leader of Bastianville continued as he regained his composure.
“Like what?” I asked. It seemed like the town had handled things fairly well in my absence, and I was proud of their ability to take care of themselves without me.
“Like the plan to finish the walls,” Jax interjected. “You brought some skilled fighters with you, and I think it will be just what we need to protect the workers while they finish the last section.”
While it was worrisome the townspeople had that much trouble finishing the wall, it wasn’t anything me and my men couldn’t handle, so I felt confident in being able to fix the problem swiftly.
“Easy enough.” I shrugged. “What else have you got for me?”
“I’d like to call a vote,” Elrin said, and he cleared his throat. “All those in favor of naming tomorrow Sebastian Day, say aye.”
“Aye!” all three of my women immediately responded in unison.
“Aye,” Jax growled.
“Aye!” Torya chirped.
“Oh, aye,” Dora said with a smirk.
“Aye,” Caelia squeaked.
“It is official,” Elrin announced. “Tomorrow we will have a celebration to honor the Great One and the positive influence his presence has had on all of our lives.”
“Hear, hear,” everyone cheered, and we lifted our glasses and clinked them together for a toast.
“Wait, if there’s going to be a celebration,” I said as I wiggled my eyebrows at the elder counsel. “Does that mean there will be a feast?”
“Of course!” Elrin laughed, and the leader rubbed his hands together excitedly. “It will be our chance to show you just how well Bastianville has been doing. No expenses will be spared, and every person in town will be invited to participate.”
“It’s going to be so much fun!” Elissa gushed.
“Parties are always fun,” Eva added.
“Especially when you’re in the presence of the Great One,” Mahini pointed out with a sideways smile.
I grinned eagerly. Now, that was what I liked to hear.
Being the God of Time certainly had its advantages, and having a feast thrown in your honor as well as your very own holiday seemed to be some of them.
Sebastian Day would go down in history as the best day of the year, I was sure of it.