Chapter Four
“Why don’t we make sure the house is empty before we begin?” Elissa suggested with a sly wink. “We wouldn’t want the men downstairs to get jealous or anything, now would we?”
“Ever conscientious of the people around you, my love,” I replied. “I’ll handle it. Give me just a moment.”
“We will be waiting eagerly for you to return,” Eva purred.
“And we won’t get started without you,” Mahini added with a teasing smile.
“Better not,” I growled, and then I turned to head back downstairs with a shit-eating grin on my face.
My lunch was completely forgotten, but all the blood had escaped my brain for the moment, so any thoughts other than of my three sexy women had fled my mind. All I could think of was getting my house completely empty so we could lock the doors and have our baby-making fun.
It was going to be an amazing night, that was for sure.
While the sun was still pretty high in the sky, I didn’t plan on accomplishing anything else for the rest of the day besides making sweet love to all my ladies, so I pulled the curtains closed in the living room before I went outside.
I took a few deep breaths to calm the raging hard-on I had since I didn’t want my men to see me like that, and when I’d regained my composure and some of my brain cells, I angled around to the side where the wagon was parked.
Jorgen and Corvis were sitting on the emptied-out wagon, and judging from the way their faces lit up when they saw me, they’d been waiting for me.
“Are you guys all done?” I asked with a pleased smile.
“Yes, sir.” Jorgen nodded. “We didn’t know if you needed something else?”
“Nope.” I grinned. “You guys did great, but if you don’t mind, would you keep the knowledge of the treasure to yourself? I don’t want too many ears getting wind or we may end up with thieves.”
“We wouldn’t dream of it, sir,” Corvis insisted with an earnest expression.
The shaggy-haired horseman was one of my most loyal followers, and he seemed eternally grateful to be a part of my crew. A while back, he’d opened up to me about his past, and how it had made him the man he was now. He’d had a hard life, but all of that was behind him now that he was under my protection.
“Good.” I jerked my chin toward the road. “Now, go relax and have some fun. You’ve earned it.”
“Meh, it wasn’t so hard.” Jorgen shrugged. “But I could go for a pint of ale. How about you, Corvis?”
“Aye,” the horseman agreed. “Or two.”
Then the two saluted before they jumped down from the wagon and ambled toward the tavern. Stryker, the bar owner, would fix them up right, so I knew my men would be well taken care of for the rest of the day.
That left me and my women alone in our house, which meant the real fun was about to start.
A shit-eating grin spread across my face as I trotted back up the stairs and went inside. I closed and locked the door securely behind me, and then I closed the rest of the curtains in the house and lit some candles. There were still a lot of spaces that needed to be broken in, and I wanted the atmosphere to be perfect so the girls could relax and focus on pleasure.
This house would never be the same again, but I could live with that.
I heard giggles radiating from the stairs, and my hard-on returned almost instantly. The idea of all three of them naked and in my grasp at once set my blood on fire, so I jogged quickly up the stairs and burst in the bedroom door.
“The house is ours, ladies,” I announced. “Let’s get this party started!”
The three girls were seated around the small table, and they munched on their lunch with happy expressions.
“Food first, husband,” Elissa said around a mouthful of kayso diya. “We’ll all need our strength, after all.”
“Alright,” I chuckled, and I sat between her and Eva before I grabbed one of the cheesy warm tortilla pockets from the pile. It was just as delicious as I remembered it being, but I scarfed it down quickly. No matter how hungry I was, I wasn’t about to be distracted from my surprise.
I was ready to get to the foursome.
The girls watched me with amused expressions while I ate two more of the cheesy hot pockets, and they finished their own food a short while before me. When we were all done eating, I glanced around the table with an expectant look.
“Well…?” I asked as I held my breath, and I made a new save point so I could reset to the beginning to enjoy the rest of the day as many times as I wanted.
“Just tell us what you want us to do,” Mahini said in a soft, super sexy voice.
“Fuck, that’s hot,” I breathed, but I had a feeling it wouldn’t be the first time I’d have that same thought.
“Good,” Elissa giggled.
“So…” Eva pushed back away from the table, and then she stood before me with one hip cocked to the side. “What do you want us to do, Great One?”
“Well, for starters,” I said, and my tongue flicked out to moisten my suddenly dry lips. “You can take off your clothes nice and slowly.”
“Why don’t you get comfortable first?” Mahini asked with a coolly arched eyebrow.
“Yes.” Elissa propped her elbows on the table, and she planted her chin in her hands. “Show us how it’s done.”
“Alright,” I chuckled as I pushed back away from the table. “I almost feel like we need some stripper tunes blasting.”
“Stripper tunes?” Mahini tilted her head to the side in confusion, but her blue eyes danced with amusement. “More god things?”
“Sorta.” I shrugged, but then I turned my attention to the task at hand. Namely, getting undressed so all three girls could have their way with me at once.
I started by unbuckling my belt and kicking off my boots, but then I noticed the hungry expressions in the eyes of the three women watching me, so I decided to slow it way down. In my head I played some smooth jazz while I pulled my shirt out of my pants with a torturously slow motion. I inched it up to reveal my abs while I swung my hips from side to side, and I half expected the girls to laugh at me, but they were watching with rapt fascination as I exposed more and more of my skin.
“More,” Elissa breathed as her lips parted slightly.
“Agreed.” Eva nodded.
“This is amazing.” Mahini’s eyes twinkled as they roved over my person, and the barely-restrained desire in their icy depths made my cock throb.
“There’s more where that came from,” I informed them as I pulled my shirt over my head and tossed it to the side.
I saw my wife’s fingers twitch in response to my half nudeness, and I chuckled at her obvious desire to touch me. It made me want to go even slower, though, so that’s just what I did.
“Now the pants,” Mahini commanded in a firm voice, and my fingers leapt to do her bidding.
“Yes, ma’am.” I untied the strings of the old-fashioned pants, and the front flaps fell apart, which allowed my rock-hard cock to surge out toward the girls. I let the pants fall, and I stepped free of their bounds as a wide smile spread across my face.
The girls all stared at my hard-on like it was the first time they’d ever seen it, but that only made me get harder until my tip bobbed in the air like it was begging them to come say hello. I could have hung a towel on it at this point.
“I think you three are a bit overdressed for our little party,” I teased.
“Lay down and get comfortable,” Eva insisted.
I did as I was told, and I fluffed up the pillows behind me so I was in a half upright position. Once I was comfortable, I gave the girls a thumbs up, and then I rubbed my hands together with excitement. This was a pretty big step for the three girls. I’d been slowly opening them up to new ideas, but they’d come up with this one all one their own, and that alone made it even more exciting to me.
Then the three women sauntered into the center of the room before they began to slowly undress each other.
My heartbeat thudded in my ears as Elissa’s tiny hands pulled Mahini’s shirt over her head, and then the desert goddess did the same to Eva. The blonde smirked as her breasts bounced free from the restraints of her top, and then she moved to untie the strings of Elissa’s dress.
My mouth hung open while I watched every single movement like a hawk, and I felt frozen in place by the tantalizing scene unfolding before me.
Elissa stood bare to the waist with just a slip on beneath her hips, and Eva and Mahini both stood in their leather breeches. All three of them had wonderful, but very different breasts. The desert goddess had full, tan-lined breasts with light-brown areolas, but Eva’s skin was pale and creamy with small round perky tits and bright pink nipples, and Elissa’s were a nice palm-full, oval shaped, freckled, with pale-pink areolas.
I loved their differences and their similarities, and I was eager to explore all of their bodies at once.
“Now the pants,” I mimicked Mahini’s commanding tone, and the three girls giggled in response.
“Yes, sir!” Elissa chirped with a mock salute, and her tits bounced from the movement.
“Oh, look,” Eva observed as her gray eyes roamed down Elissa’s chest. “Your nipples are already hard!”
“I know!” my wife giggled, and her hands moved to her breasts. “It’s all so very exciting, I already feel tingly.”
“Remember, ladies,” Mahini warned. “This is for the Great One.”
“Oh, but Mahini, my dear,” I argued. “Your pleasure brings me so much joy. In fact, I require it.”
“Of course.” The desert goddess’ lips pulled up into a seductive smile. “You always insist on me feeling amazing every time we make love.”
“It’s just what I do,” I laughed. “Now, come on, stop teasing me and take your pants off already!”
The three girls rushed to do my bidding, and they formed a small chain to help each other out. Eva unbuckled Mahini’s pants, who pushed Elissa’s slip to the ground, and my wife tugged Eva’s breeches off her round little ass.
“Keep going…” I licked my lips as my mouth suddenly watered.
Watching them undress each other was almost more than I could bear, but I wanted to take my time and really enjoy it.
Once all three of them were completely naked, they stood before me for inspection. Mahini used her hands to conceal her downy black fuzz covered mound as a self-conscious blush rose to her cheeks, but in contrast, Elissa stood proudly with her hands on her hips and her fiery red curls flung behind her back. Eva crossed her legs demurely, and her gray eyes flicked from my face to the floor with nervous movements.
“You’re all so beautiful,” I murmured as my gaze took in every inch of them. Then I tucked my hands behind my head while my cock stood erect and saluted their greatness. “Now, get over here!”
The three girls giggled and ran across the distance to the bed before catapulting themselves onto the mattress. The bed bounced beneath me, and I swayed from side to side. Then I held open my arms and beckoned them forward.
The next thing I knew, Eva’s luscious lips were on mine, Elissa was trailing kisses along my neck and shoulder, and Mahini’s hands were stroking my cock. The combination of their aromas was intoxicating, and I inhaled greedily as I tried to absorb as many details as possible.
Mahini’s scent was rich and leathery, Eva smelled fresh and soapy, and Elissa was wearing a flowery perfume that made me think of springtime rains. I was drunk off their aromas, and I soaked it in like I was dehydrated, and they were the only thing that could quench my thirst.
I hissed with pleasure when I felt a mouth wrap around my stiff member, but with my last bit of will power, I pushed the girls back a little bit.
“Wait,” I said in a pained voice. “Lets… slow down.”
“But I want to pleasure you, Great One,” Mahini said with a disappointed pout.
“Just being here with the three of you is pleasing me to no end,” I assured my desert goddess. “I really want us to take our time and enjoy ourselves, and I want to teach you how to enjoy each other. That will bring me great pleasure.”
“Very well,” Mahini sighed, but she rose from between my legs obligingly.
I inhaled a deep breath and regained my composure. I was too turned on already, and I needed all the self-control I possessed. Then I shot the desert goddess a mischievous smile.
“It’s your turn first,” I decided. “Come lay down.”
“Oh, good idea!” Elissa chirped, and she gestured for Mahini to lay down beside me.
“What shall we do, Bash?” Eva asked with a flutter of her eyelashes.
“I want you and Elissa to do what I do at first,” I instructed. “I’ll show you all her secrets.”
“Oh, my,” Mahini gasped, and her chest flushed a soft pink hue as her breasts rose heavily with each breath.
“Look at her,” Eva said with a soft smile. “She’s already so excited, Great One.”
“Don’t worry,” I said with a cocky grin. “By the time I’m done with you three, you’ll all be gasping for air.”
“Looking forward to it,” Eva purred.
Elissa was too distracted by Mahini, so she merely nodded. Then my fire-haired wife began to caress the desert goddess’ torso with long, slow strokes. My bonded warrior woman shivered beneath the light, teasing touch, but she didn’t pull away.
“Mahini, your skin is so soft!” Elissa gasped.
“No, it’s not,” Mahini argued with a shake of her head.
“Shush,” Eva hissed.
“You should do what Elissa is doing,” I told the duke’s daughter. “But with your tongue. See, like this.”
Then I dipped my head, and I flicked the tip of my tongue across Mahini’s light-brown nipple. The desert goddess hissed with pleasure as she arched her back toward me, but then I scooted back out of the way so Eva could take my place.
“Oh, I see,” Eva said, and she moved closer to Mahini. Then the duke’s daughter lowered her head to the desert goddess’ chest, and she teased Mahini’s nipple with her tongue.
“Perfect.” I grinned. “Now, Elissa, you do the same thing on her other side.”
My wife nodded, and an instant later, the air was full of the sound of Mahini gasping as both of my other women sucked on her perfect nipples. I chuckled under my breath as I lowered myself between her legs, and then I added my own tongue to the deadly combination I’d created.
Mahini’s hips bucked upward to meet my tongue, and she moaned with delight as I licked toward her clit. Her juices were already flowing, and I lapped them up hungrily until the desert goddess was breathing heavily.
“She’s getting close already,” Eva observed as she stroked her fingers up and down Mahini’s body.
“Make her cum, Bash,” my wife insisted with urgency in her emerald eyes.
I attacked Mahini’s slippery pussy with a ravenous appetite, and soon she was thrashing so much I had to place an arm across her hips to hold her down. Then I felt her shudder in my grasp, and I knew she was close to the edge, so I slowly slid one finger inside her tight tunnel, and I began to thrust with smooth movements.
The combination of my finger and tongue drove Mahini wild, and she tossed back her head as a deep moan escaped her lips.
“Ohhh, Basssh!” the desert goddess gasped as her legs began to shake. Her pussy convulsed around my digit, but I didn’t relent my even thrusts until I could feel her beginning to relax.
“Wow,” Eva breathed as she shook her head in awe. “She’s so beautiful…”
“So are you,” I countered.
“No,” the blonde bombshell argued. “There’s no way I compare to Mahini’s grace.”
“I’m not comparing.” I shrugged, but then I gave Mahini’s clit one final flick of my tongue, which caused her to gasp. “You are all so different, it would be impossible to compare anyway.”
“You’re… you’re always so sweet,” Mahini said in a low, trembling voice as she stared up at me beneath hooded eyelids. “What… what happens next?”
“You’re about to find out.” I smirked as I angled my cock toward her throbbing wet entrance. Then I drove it home deep inside her with one swift thrust, and the desert goddess gasped as her eyes went wide. “Keep it up, girls, we’re gonna make her explode again.”
Eva and Elissa nodded, and then they returned to their ministrations on Mahini’s breasts. The desert goddess’ chest rose and fell with each breath as perspiration gathered on her skin, but she kept her eyes locked on mine while I fucked her with quick, firm motions.
With the other two girls bent over Mahini, their asses jutted into the air, and I could see they were both wet already. I grinned with delight as I caressed each of their lower backs, and both my hands moved simultaneously toward their pink pussies.
“Oh, fuck!” Elissa gasped as my fingers teased against her entrance.
“Mmm,” Eva agreed as she pressed backward into my touch.
“I’m going to make all three of you come at once,” I warned them in a low voice as I increased the pace of both my hands and my hips.
“Yes, pleaaase,” Eva moaned, and she arched her back like a cat stretching as she gazed over her shoulder at me with dreamy gray eyes.
“You’re going so deeeep…” Mahini murmured with a dazed look on her face.
“Oh, oh, oohh…” Elissa panted as she bobbed her hips backward to push my fingers even deeper inside her.
I matched the rhythm of my hips with my hands, and then I was thrusting my fingers and cock into all three of my women at one time. Their faces were twisted into agonizing expressions of pleasure, but then I felt Mahini tighten around me, and I knew she was close again.
The other girls weren’t quite there yet, so I maneuvered my fingers around until I could stroke Eva and Elissa’s clits with my thumbs while also sliding the rest of my fingers in and out of their tight little pussies. Then they both started to shake, and my wife’s skin began to flush a red hue while Eva began to sweat.
I fucked Mahini with quick, hard thrusts while the sounds of all three of their heavy breathing and gasping noises filled my ears. It was like music, and I wished I had a recording device so I could keep it stored forever, but my memory of the moment would have to do.
My cell phone had stayed back in my old world, and besides, the battery would have been long dead by now anyway.
The rhythm of the three women’s breathing increased until they were panting in short gasping breaths. I knew they were close, and I furrowed my brow with concentration as I pushed all three of them over the edge at once.
Mahini gasped first, and her pussy clamped down on the shaft of my cock like a vise, but a moment later both Eva and Elissa were also shuddering and spasming against my fingers. Then the two girls kneeling on either side of the desert goddess collapsed against her chest, and their wetness dribbled out from between their legs to pool onto the blankets beneath us.
I slid out of Mahini’s drenched tunnel, and I plopped down on the bed beside them.
“That was amazing,” I said with a low exhale of my breath. “I’ll give you three a moment to catch your breaths before we move on.”
“Are you not winded, Great One?” Mahini asked as she blinked up at me in awe.
“I’m a god, remember? I actually think I feel even more energized than when we first began,” I informed her with a wry smirk. “You girls just turn me on way too damn much.”
“That is a good thing.” Eva nodded.
“Being with Bash is like floating in an ocean of good things,” Elissa sighed contentedly.
“We’re not done yet, ladies,” I warned them. “Next, you’re going to have to be a bit more acrobatic. We have the whole house to ourselves after all.”
“Of course, husband,” Elissa giggled. “We are yours for the rest of the day.”
“Then get up here and sit on my face,” I instructed with a devilish grin, and then I laid back against the pillows.
My wife giggled again before she moved to straddle each side of my face with her thin, freckled thighs. I inhaled her sweet aroma for a moment before I dug in with enthusiasm, but I froze when I felt lips surround the tip of my pussy-slickened cock. I peered down beneath Elissa’s ass cheeks to see Eva and Mahini laying between my legs with their mouths on either side of my dick.
I didn’t even have to give them any instructions, and they were doing an amazing job of predicting what I would want. I groaned as I felt their lips meet around the head of my cock, but then I returned my eyes to the view of my wife above me.
The combined sensations of the double blow job I was receiving mixed with Elissa’s sweet, delicious juices catapulted me into heaven. I attacked my wife’s clit with my tongue while I stroked the hair of the two girls sucking on my dick, and then I felt the wet, sucking feeling that could only mean one thing.
Mahini bobbed up and down, further and further, until I felt the tip of my cock rub against the back of her throat, and a throaty moan escaped my lips. Elissa shuddered above me, and I could tell she was getting close to another climax, but it was hard to focus on eating her out when I was getting such amazing head at the same time.
I buckled down, though, because I wanted to feel my wife come in my mouth, and a moment later the red-haired beauty was spasming against my tongue. I made her climax for an epically long moment, and when her twitching finally subsided, I gestured for the two girls between my legs to sit up.
Then I grabbed Elissa by the hips, picked her up into the air above my head, and moved her down onto my rock-hard, slippery cock. The tiny goddess practically folded in half to pass through my arms, but then I lowered her tight little pussy onto my shaft, and I watched with glee while her lower lips slowly spread to accommodate my girth.
The other two girls immediately began to caress and stroke their fingers up and down Elissa’s body, and it was only a couple of moments before she was shuddering through another orgasm. This time, though, I could feel it all along my shaft, and her juices ran down my balls.
It felt fucking amazing.
“Oh, she’s going to climax!” Eva observed with excitement in her gray eyes. Then she lowered her mouth to flick her tongue across Elissa’s pert little nipples, and the tiny goddess whimpered with desire.
“Keep going, Great One,” Mahini urged in a low, sultry voice. “Fill her with your seed!”
“Yes, Bash, yes!” Elissa gasped as she rocked her hips back and forth, which drove my cock deep inside her until it rubbed against the entrance to her womb. “Right therrree…”
Elissa climaxed with a shudder, and her head fell backward as her entire body shook in my grasp. I held her hips, and I bobbed her up and down on my dick like she was as light as a feather.
My wife’s petite size certainly came in handy sometimes.
“I’m gonna come…” I warned.
“Yes, Bash, do it, give me a baby!” Elissa commanded as she clenched her fist against my chest. Her whole body shivered, and sweat dripped down her face.
The clenching of her tunnel around my shaft was too much for me to take, and I felt my own desire mounting swiftly as I fucked my wife senseless. I exploded to an array of stars in my vision, and I pumped Elissa full of my cream until it began to ooze out around my shaft.
“Mmmm,” my wife moaned as she collapsed against my chest. “I love the way your seed feels inside me.”
“Well, Lissy,” I said with a shit-eating grin. “You’re in luck, because you get it for the rest of our lives.”
“My life is a dream,” she sighed.
“She’s worn out,” Eva chuckled as she stroked Elissa’s back with languid movements.
“You’re next,” I teased, and my semi hard cock slipped out of my wife’s wet entrance with a plop.
Eva eyed my spent member hungrily before she lowered herself between my legs once more, and then she began to lick me clean with slow, tantalizing movements.
I was hard again a moment later, so I rolled Elissa off me, planted a kiss on her forehead, and then beckoned to Evangeline.
“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you, little lady,” I murmured as I positioned the duke’s daughter against the pillows. Then I spread her milky thighs apart to reveal her dripping wet entrance. “You like watching me fuck Mahini and Elissa, don’t you?”
“I-I do,” Eva stammered as her eyelashes fluttered. A blush crept up her neck, and her cheeks grew rosy. “You’re so… powerful, Great One. I can’t look away.”
“Well, for now just close your eyes and enjoy the moment,” I insisted, and then I got to work. I ate her pussy until she climaxed several times, and when she was finally panting with her eyes half-closed, I gripped my throbbing cock and aimed it toward her entrance.
Eva did as she was told, but she hissed with pleasure as I slid inside her until my tip rubbed against the back of her tunnel, and she wrapped her legs around my hips to keep me close to her.
Elissa repositioned herself by Eva’s side, and she teased the duke’s daughter’s nipples until the rosy buds were standing at attention. Mahini stood on her knees behind me, and her fingers danced across my back and shoulders while she licked and nibbled on my ears.
“Fuck.” Goosebumps erupted along my skin, and I shivered beneath the desert goddess’ touch.
I ground my hips against the blonde bombshell’s crevice as her juices coated my cum-slick cock, and I had her orgasming again in a matter of moments. With the image of my wife playing with Eva’s nipples, and the feeling of Mahini’s hot breath on my neck, I felt my need building even stronger and faster than before.
I reached between Eva’s legs and rubbed her clit with my thumb as I thrust with slow, steady motions, and a moment later her legs were shaking against me.
“Oh, fuck, Bash!” Eva cried out as she came again, and she grabbed two fistfuls of pillow as her entire body spasmed beneath me.
“Oh, Eva…” I moaned as my load erupted from me like water spraying from a fire hose. I exploded deep inside her as shivers raced down my spine, and I swore I could hear an orchestra playing in my head.
I sprayed another load before I felt my cock finally relax, and I slid out of Eva’s slippery entrance with a sigh.
“You girls are going to be the death of me,” I teased. “But, fuck, what a way to die.”
“But… you’re immortal, aren’t you?” Elissa bit her lower lip and shot me a worried look.
“I’m just joking,” I assured her with a smile. “I’m not going anywhere, and you girls are going to have to get used to that.”
“Oh, gladly,” Mahini laughed, and the melodic sound filled my heart with joy. “As long as you get used to us always wanting you.”
“I’ll try my best,” I promised.
The four of us cuddled up on the bed, and we tangled our bare limbs together in a sticky, sweaty pile as we caught our breaths. It was totally perfect, but it was far from over. I still hadn’t even reset a single time, so I still had the ability to enjoy it from the very beginning all over again.
When we were all rested, we moved our shenanigans to other rooms of the house. I fucked Mahini doggy style on the kitchen table, let Elissa ride me on the living room couch, and banged Eva against the wall. When I’d exhausted my physical body, I took one last mental photograph of the particular pattern the girls’ sweaty hair made upon their foreheads before I reset back to my save point.
Chime.
I had the girls get well acquainted with their own and each other’s bodies, and we experimented with different combinations of pleasure-inducing positions. I had them lined up on the edge of the bed, and I moved from one girl to the other until I exploded my seed inside my wife’s womb for what felt like the millionth time.
Chime.
I gorged myself on pussy until all three girls were begging me to release them from the rollercoaster of endless orgasms, but I made them whimper a little bit longer before I relented.
Chime.
I reset over and over again until I’d exhausted every position, every idea, and every fantasy contained within my imagination. I went slow, hard, steady, and everywhere in between, and each time I beat my record for how many times I made them each climax. With each respawn, the girls and I were once again full of energy and desire, but my passion grew stronger and stronger every time because I had a head full of sexy images of them already. The arousal stacked until it tipped over the mountain of pleasure, and I nearly passed out when I came for the billionth time that day.
I came inside all three of them more times than I could count, but all that mattered was the final run through, so I made sure I filled all three of them to the brim with my seed before I left them in a gasping pile upon the bed. Then I sat on the edge of the bed with a wide grin on my face as sweat dripped down my brow.
My life was fucking awesome.
“No more, Great One, please,” Eva whimpered. “I cannot handle another electric shock.”
“You mean you don’t want me to make you come again?” I chuckled, and then I arched my brow questioningly at Mahini and Elissa. “What about you two?”
“I…” Mahini sighed. “I cannot… believe how good… I feel. What have you done to me? I’m melting.”
Her slippery little pussy was certainly melted, and I watched with fascination as a bit of my seed dribbled out from between the desert goddess’ luscious lower lips.
“Thank you, husband,” Elissa breathed with her eyes softly shut. She fluttered her fingers in an effort to lift her arm but then plopped her hand back down again with a sigh.
It was good to be a god.
I crawled into bed with the three exhausted women, and I wrapped my arms around as much of them as I could hold. It was a warm evening, so we didn’t even need a blanket, but I pulled it up over us anyway. It was a comforting presence, and I was in utter bliss as I fell asleep with dreams of their naked bodies floating through my mind all night long.
I woke up early the next day with an exuberant energy bursting out of my chest. I was ready to get up and conquer the whole fucking world. After the day before, I knew I could tackle anything that came my way with a shit-eating grin on my face. I was the luckiest man in Sorreyal, and this was just the beginning.
I had a kingdom to build.
I slipped out of bed without disturbing any of the sleeping ladies. They were obviously too tired to get up at the crack of dawn, but I couldn’t sit still a moment longer. I wanted to skip and do cartwheels, but instead I got dressed in some simple, but comfortable, clothes, slid the sheaths for my daggers onto my belt, and pulled on my boots.
My mind roamed as I made my way downstairs, and I headed into the kitchen as I considered what obstacles stood between me and total greatness.
I was already pretty badass with a sword, daggers, and the bow. I could do some basic battle spells and some summoning magic. I could bake a mean pastry, fell a tree, and smith my own gear plus enchant it. I’d already learned so much and trained hard, but there were still plenty of skills for me to master.
I’d barely scratched the surface of magic, after all.
The Duke of Edinburg and his court wizard, Dumas, still challenged me as well. They’d formed an alliance with the Duke of Arginold and the wizard Racine, which had led to multiple failed attempts at my life. I’d have to deal with my remaining enemies sooner rather than later. Before I made my move, though, I wanted to have as much information as possible, and I knew very little about my enemy.
I’d have to do some sleuthing.
A smile spread across my face as I grabbed some food from the pantry and began to prepare a breakfast of eggs and bacon. I made a mental note to thank Deena for the egg delivery, and I was beyond grateful that Bastianville had pork again.
A life without bacon was a life barely worth living.
After I’d eaten my fill, I cleaned up after myself and headed out the front door. Now that I was back in Bastianville for a while, it would soon be time to get to know all the new townspeople’s names and occupations. My brain hurt sometimes from the amount of memory it held already, but the constant repetition definitely helped the information stick long term.
It was hard to forget a name you’d said over a million times.
The streets were packed with people as I headed into the central part of town. Vendors called out their wares, children scurried about, and livestock were herded to the market. It was an image of a thriving, bustling small town on the edge of Sorreyal, and it was one of my favorite sights.
I was proud of what I’d accomplished so far, but I had to set my sights even higher. I had more holdings to think about now, and a larger territory to protect. With that thought in mind, my feet automatically turned toward the blacksmith’s shop on the opposite side of town.
Jax was in charge of training and leading the militia that guarded the walls and the road to the mine, so he would be the person to talk to about increasing our forces. Plus, I enjoyed talking to who I considered to be one of my oldest friends in this world.
If only he knew how much time we’d really spent together, but it would quite literally blow his mind, so I had to keep the knowledge of my abilities to myself.
The ringing sound of metal filled the air long before the shop came into view, and I could feel the heat radiating from the structure as I neared the front door. The blacksmith’s shop was situated on the far edge of town, just inside the wall, but we’d made sure to let his little stream run beneath the walls when we’d built them so as not to cut off Jaxtom’s water source since it was essential to his craft.
The tall, burly blacksmith didn’t hear me enter his shop because he was bent over his anvil with the massive hammer in his fist. He smacked the metal, then the anvil in a repeated pattern, oblivious to the watching eyes behind him.
I watched in silence for a moment until I couldn’t stand it anymore, and then I cleared my throat.
Jax looked over his shoulder at me, and his face split into a grin.
“Thought that was you,” he growled with an amused glint in his dark eyes.
“Figured as much,” I chuckled. “Nothing gets past you, does it?”
“How ye smithed so good on yer first attempt definitely got me,” Jax reminded me with a shake of his head. “But what brings ye to the shop today? Need to use my grindin’ wheel?”
“I was thinking about the town’s defenses.” I frowned. “There are still men who stand against me, and I’ve seen them send some strong forces against people they thought were harboring me. I’m sure no holds would be barred if they came against me while I’m here in Bastianville.”
“If yer that worried about it,” Jax said as he scratched his stubbly jaw. “We can go talk to the watchers, show ya around the towers.”
“I know you’ve been doing a lot of work to protect the city.” I gave the blacksmith a toothy smile. “I’m talking about forming an army.”
“Oh.” Jax’s eyebrows lifted in surprise. “I’m sure yer man Riondale would know more about that than I do.”
“You two have been working together, right?” I asked as my thoughts began to run wild over the possibilities.
I would need a general, and several captains beneath them. They would have to be men I trusted, and who I could delegate to without having to micromanage.
“Aye.” Jax nodded. “He’s a good lad. Works harder than ten men.”
“Good.” I nodded. “I’m glad that’s not just how he acts around me.”
I gazed around the shop for a moment as Jax returned to his sword making, and when he was done, he presented the finished blade to me tang first. I took it gingerly, and I inspected the high caliber of the crafting for a moment before I handed it back.
“I’ve been crankin’ out ten swords a day on top of my other duties,” the blacksmith announced with his chin lifted and his chest puffed out. “I can outfit ye an army, but I might need a second apprentice.”
“How is Janus doing?” I asked as I remembered the lad who trained under the blacksmith.
“Gettin’ better and better every day.” Jaxtom grinned with pride for his charge. “Hard work suits him, but he’s startin’ to wear thin. With me bein’ part of the Elder Council, I’ve given him more responsibilities, and ye can just see him startin’ to sink.”
“So, you need more help.” I frowned. “That seems to be a common occurrence around town. All the shopkeepers looked exhausted.”
“Business is good,” Jax laughed a big belly laugh. “Can’t complain, Bash, can’t complain.”
“We’ll spread word looking for apprentices in every field.” I grinned. “People will come from all over to contest for the opportunity to work with you. You deserve the best of the best, after all.”
“It’s appreciated, Bash.” Jax crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a shrewd look. “But what are you looking for in return?”
“Ask around any smithing connections you have about anyone who can make armor out of my dragon hide and other pieces,” I requested in a serious voice. “But try to keep it on the down low, too. Only ask people you trust.”
“Aye, I can do that.” Jax nodded. “It’s gonna take some time, though.”
“I have all the time in the world,” I quipped with a shrug. “I’m the God of Time, remember?”
“How can I forget?” Jax let out another booming belly laugh. “Ye keep remindin’ me about it.”
We talked about my plans for growing the fighting force that protected the town for a while longer, and then I headed back out into the streets of Bastianville. I aimed for the training field we’d established not far from the blacksmith’s shop since I had a feeling I’d find Riondale there.
The young lieutenant was running drills on a group of ten men decked out in full plate armor, and he saluted when I approached. The men he trained continued through the motions while he marched across the distance between us with a wide smile on his face.
“How is the Great One on this fair morning?” Riondale asked in a cheerful tone.
“You’re in a good mood,” I chuckled.
“The men are doing great learning the techniques,” Riondale reported. “It is encouraging to see their swift progress, but they’ve all sworn to protect the town with their lives, and you can tell the difference.”
“What do you mean?” I frowned. “Tell the difference between what?”
“Well, I was thinking about the men I worked with in the guard at Castle Bullard,” Riondale explained. “The city recruited all manner of people, but most didn’t really like their jobs and only did it to earn a living. They had no fire, no passion. It’s different here. The men care about what they’re fighting for.”
“Bastianville is a special place.” I nodded. “I’m glad you’re enjoying your time here.”
“It already feels like home.” Riondale shook his head in wonder. “But I did miss traveling with you while you were gone.”
“My mission required stealth,” I said with a sympathetic smile. “But there will be more adventures in the future. In the meantime, I need your help making my kingdom as strong as possible. Even Jaxtom said I should turn to you with this matter, and his word carries a lot of weight with me.”
“And with me.” Riondale nodded solemnly. “His recommendation means a lot. What do you require of me, sir? Name the task, and I will complete it.”
“It’s not something that can be done overnight,” I warned. “It’s going to take some time, but I want to build an army. I’ve got more than just Bastianville to think of now, I want to have enough men to protect all my holdings.”
“That will be quite a force.” Riondale frowned in thought. “But doable, especially with how many people are flocking to your town recently.”
“If I put out the word that I’m looking for volunteers to join my army, then my enemies may discover my current weakness.” I shook my head. “We have to move carefully with each step we take from here on. The people are depending on us.”
“You can count on me, sir.” Riondale grinned. “I will follow your commands.”
A commotion from the archery tower behind us tore my attention away, and in the next instance the alarm bells were ringing out over town.
“What now?” I sighed before I jogged across the training field toward the tower, and Riondale was hot on my tail. Then I climbed up the ladder with the young lieutenant right behind me, and a moment later we were crossing the distance to the edge of the watch post.
I saw trees swaying in the wind, but no attacking army. Then my gaze found the road through the foliage where it wound away from Bastianville a little ways to my left, and I saw what had caused all the commotion.
A troop of armed men approached at a slow pace. They all rode white stallions who trotted at a synchronized pace, and golden banners blew in the wind behind them. The soldiers upon the horses’ backs wore shining silver plate armor emblazoned with a crest upon their breastplates, but they were too far away to see what it was.
They didn’t look like they were attacking us, but they were heavily-armed and headed toward the gates of Bastianville. The alarm bells were still ringing loudly, and I got the attention of one of the watchmen in the archery tower with me.
“You can tell them to cut the bells,” I said. “I’m going down to meet whoever that is at the gate. If it’s a threat, I’ll handle it.”
“Do you need backup?” Riondale asked as his hand hovered over the hilt of his sword. His body language was already in fight mode, and his eyes flicked to the approaching party of soldiers. “You shouldn’t go alone.”
“Wait for my signal,” I instructed. “If I sense trouble, then I will whistle, and you can all fire at will.”
“Very well, sir.” Riondale tried to hide his disappointment, but it was written all over his face.
“Besides,” I added as I headed toward the ladder. “These men need your help.”
“Yes, sir.” Riondale saluted, and then he turned to the men who stood and watched the soldiers approach.
I slid down the ladder by hooking my feet around the back of either side, and then I took off at a run toward the town gate. I had to dart between buildings after I left the training area, but then I joined the throng of people who’d wandered out into the streets to see what all the commotion was about.
“Everyone!” I shouted at the top of my lungs to get the townspeople’s attention. “Get inside your homes and wait for the all clear.”
My words seemed to have the desired effect, and the crowd began to disperse enough for me to trot over to the closed gate. I waited a few more moments to allow more people to make their way indoors, but once I knew everyone was safe behind a wall, I threw open the massive gate with a grunt. When it had just opened enough to allow me to pass, I slipped through and pulled it shut behind me.
Then I made a new save point just to be on the safe side.
The soldiers were still two dozen yards away from the entrance to town, but I marched forward to meet them in the road. They pulled their horses to a halt as one, and then one of the soldiers in the front row lifted the visor of his helmet.
“My name is Sir Cristoff, and I am a herald of his majesty, King Frederick.” He had bright blue eyes and a trimmed blond beard, and his voice was strong and fearless. “I have a message for the Archduke Sebastian of Bastianville.”
“That’s me.” I waved. “What’s going on?”
The man stared at me in silence for a long moment like he didn’t believe me, and his men stood frozen in place like they were robots or something.
“Please, allow us to enter your city.” Cristoff inclined his head as his hands tightened around his reins. “We are representatives of his majesty and deserve to be treated as such.”
I had the urge to demand he deliver his message on the spot, but since the king was my ally, I didn’t want to unnecessarily upset his messenger, so I decided to curb my impatience for a short while in order to make a good impression on these men.
“Yes, of course,” I laughed, and I gestured toward the town behind me with a welcoming wave. “How rude of me. Please, come inside, and welcome to Bastianville. You can leave your horses at the stables and have a hot meal at the tavern. Then you can deliver your message from the king.”
It looked like things were about to get interesting, and I was surprised by how excited I was at the potential new quest on my doorstep.
What was next for the God of Time?
I supposed there was only one way to find out.