Chapter Eleven
We rode down the dreary road toward the massive mansion at the end of the street, but I peered around me with curiosity at the gloomy faces and damp stony walls. The rain pattered against the cobblestone streets, and the sound of our horses’ hooves added to the staccato beat the drops made.
It almost reminded me of a rap song from my world, but I couldn’t quite put a finger on it.
Eva and Caelia craned their necks to take in the sights of the town, but then the dark-skinned goddess suddenly gasped and pointed to a business advertising sweets.
“I used to go and lean against that window to stare at the treats for hours!” the shopkeeper exclaimed, and she hopped up and down in her saddle. “They have some of the best sweets around, Bash! We can’t miss out!”
“We will definitely get some before we leave town,” I promised with a wide smile. It was unusual for the timid shopkeeper to be so emotive, and I wanted to encourage her excitement. “Or I can stop right now?”
“That’s not necessary, Bash,” Caelia said in a hurry, and she pulled her horse’s reins toward the mansion at the end of the street once more. “We will have plenty of time after we have dinner with the duke, yes?”
“Absolutely,” I agreed easily.
“When are we setting sail?” Eva asked.
“We have to get a ship to sail in first,” I said. “And we’ll probably need to hire a crew. We could be in Mistvale Keep for a few days.”
A few moments later, the three of us arrived at the courtyard in front of the multi-story structure. It was too small to be called a castle, and too big to be called a regular house, but the ivy creeping over the exterior added a mysterious atmosphere. The fog rolling in from the port didn’t help with the ominous energy permeating the space, but the shrubs and flower beds were immaculately trimmed, and the circle drive had been neatly raked. Before I even dismounted, the golden-painted front door slid open, and two servants trotted out with straight backs and stiff shoulders.
“How may we be of service today?” the man on the left asked with a blank stare.
“Alert your liege that the God of Time is on his doorstep,” I instructed, and the man’s eyes instantly widened in surprise.
“T-T-The G-God of T-Time?” His hazel eyes were roughly the size of saucers, and his fingers trembled at his sides.
“Calm down, kid,” I chuckled. “I’m not here to kill anyone.”
“O-Of course, s-sir, right away, sir,” the man stammered as he elbowed his companion. “Run to the duke. Now!”
“Thanks.” I smirked. “What about our horses?”
“Yes, right away, sir, please allow me to personally escort them to the stables.” The servant man looked on the verge of a panic attack, but I had to admit it was entertaining.
I swung my leg over Goliath’s mane and slid to the ground in one fluid motion, but then I reached up a hand to each of my women to help them down from their steeds. Then the three of us marched toward the front door with our chins raised and shoulders straight.
The God of Time had arrived.
An entourage of servants accompanied the duke as he rushed down the corridor to greet me, but I stood in the hallway with my arms crossed as I scanned over the man crossing the distance to me.
“Your Grace! What a wonderful surprise!” the Duke of Mistvale Keep called out as soon as he spotted me.
The new duke was bald, but the reddish-orange hairs of his goatee pointed to his original hair color, and he looked to be in his late forties. His blue eyes were bright with excitement as he approached me, but when he reached out a hand to shake mine, I noticed he was missing a section of his pointer finger.
This was a man who’d seen battle and lived to tell the tale.
“Hello.” I resisted the urge to raise my eyebrows in pleasant surprise, and I opted for a neutral expression instead. “It’s nice to meet you, Duke Quin Gwain.”
“I wasn’t expecting your arrival,” the duke admitted with a sheepish smile. “However, I have been hoping for a visit ever since I was appointed to this duchy. I had a feeling you’d want to come see me soon.”
The duke barely came up to my chest, so it was easy to see the shiny gleam of his bald head, but he wore a robe made of fine green silks and several gemstone rings upon his fingers. He was obviously a wealthy man, but he seemed a little at odds with the decor of the mansion. Lace doilies decorated every surface in the hallway, and portraits of rotund women with round cheeks filled the walls.
“Loving the mansion you’ve got here,” I complimented in an amused tone.
“Yes, well, I haven’t had a chance to redecorate just yet, so the late Duchess Clara’s possessions are still everywhere.” The duke sighed and rubbed a hand over his bald head. “She had horrible tastes, Your Grace.”
“I can see that,” I laughed.
“I am pleased with the king’s verdict in regards to the traitors,” Duke Quin informed me, and he gestured for us to follow him. The entourage of servants quickly formed around us, and we proceeded down the dimly-lit hallway. “I hear you are responsible for discovering the plot?”
Was this guy vetting me at the same time I was him?
“I was,” I stated simply.
“Excellent.” The duke flashed me a broad smile.
We took the next left into a lavish sitting room, but the space was just as dimly-lit and dusty as the hallway had been. A humongous painting of Duchess Clara hung above the mantle, and I eyed it casually while I moved to one of the armchairs beside the fire. Her eyes seemed to follow me about the room, and a shudder went up my spine.
Creepy.
Eva and Caelia took a seat on one of the sofas, and the duke situated himself opposite me.
“It is a lovely home,” Eva said. “Regardless of the decor. What are your plans for renovations?”
“Duchess Evangeline, isn’t it?” The duke’s smile never faded, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “We are focusing on cleaning up the grounds first, and packing up the… belongings of the previous resident.”
His gaze flicked to the creepy portrait, and Caelia snorted in amusement.
“My apologies,” the shopkeeper said instantly after. “I didn’t mean any offense.”
“I do not believe any here would be offended,” Duke Quin assured my lover. “Clara was a traitor, after all. Are you… Mahini?”
It seemed my women were just as famous as I was.
“No,” Caelia giggled. “My name is Caelia Stone. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Your Grace.”
“Ohh, Quinnie!” a shrill voice called through the house, and a moment later, a tall, thin woman with a large, curved nose entered the sitting room. “There you are! I’ve been looking all over!”
“My apologies, my dear,” the duke said, and he waggled his eyebrows pointedly in my direction. “I was entertaining our guests. Ira, this is Sir Sebastian, the Archduke of Bastianville and the God of Time. Great One, this is my wife, the Duchess Ira Gwain of Mistvale.”
“O-Oh!” Ira gasped as her hands shot up to cover her mouth, but then she flourished down into a low curtsey. “It is truly an honor to be in your presence, Great One. We have heard many tales of your greatness.”
In turn, I introduced my wife and my fiancée, and my two women bowed their heads politely to the duchess. Then the thin, older woman took a seat on the sofa beside them, and a moment later, the three women were in the heat of discussion about their hatred for doilies.
“It seems our wives are already fast friends,” the duke observed as he steepled his fingers.
The fire devoured a log, and the snaps and crackles of the flames distracted me for a moment, but then I gave the duke a charming smile.
“As I hope the two of us will become,” I said.
“Indeed.” The duke nodded. “I feel the same way, Your Greatness.”
“Good,” I chuckled. “I apologize for our unannounced visit. You never know how someone is going to perform under pressure, but you are handling it graciously.”
“Dinner will be served shortly,” a servant suddenly declared as he entered the sitting room, and then he gave us all a low bow before retreating from the room once more.
My stomach growled insistently, and the duke raised his eyebrows.
“Perfect timing,” I complimented.
“I would say so.” Duke Quin rose from his chair and gestured to the hallway. “Shall we adjourn to the dining room?”
“Certainly.” I followed behind him, but I paused to allow Caelia and Eva to take my elbows.
We were still in our traveling gear, but with the treatment we were receiving from the duke, I felt like I was dressed like a king. Of course, my two women looked radiant in anything, and I was proud to have them by my sides.
The dining hall was filled with a large stone table, and cushioned chairs were tucked beneath the surface. The duke gestured to the seat at the head, but I made sure to pull out Eva and Caelia’s chairs before I took my own. The duchess lowered herself into a chair beside her husband, and she gave me a nervous smile when I met her brown eyes. Candles sat on top of a rich green velvet table runner, and a pot of ivy was situated at the very center. The vines crept over each edge, and the presence of the plant reminded of the dampness of the city.
“So, how are things in Mistvale Keep?” I asked as servants began to bring in the dinner dishes. “Have the people accepted you as their new liege?”
“For the most part,” the duke admitted in a reluctant tone. He sat directly to my right, and Eva was seated to my left with Caelia on her other side. “There has been some hesitancy to see me as the rightful ruler of this territory, but I am doing my best to stamp out discord.”
“And how are you doing that?” I questioned with a coolly arched eyebrow. “Making examples of those who speak out against you?”
“On the contrary!” The duke shook his head. “I’ve been sending ambassadors with gifts to the commoners to gain their favor. I want to promote the local economy, and raise up those in poverty to a fair standard of living. I would never hurt those in my care.”
“What about criminals?” I pressed. “Are there no laws in your duchy?”
“You misunderstand me, Your Grace,” Duke Quin argued, but his voice remained calm. “I seek to be a benevolent ruler, but that does not mean I will allow chaos in my territory, and leniency is required at first in order to gain my people’s trust. I can’t just walk up to them and know everything about them, unfortunately.”
This man had done his research, I had to give him that.
“We can’t all be the God of Time, dear,” Ira snickered, and the older woman batted her eyelashes at me. “He is one of a kind, after all.”
“I’m sure all three of us would be happy to advise you on gaining the trust and loyalty of your people,” Eva offered as she folded her hands on the surface of the table. “Sebastian’s duchy has been thriving, even with a fire burning down a portion of one of our towns.”
I was grateful for the presence of the duke’s daughter by my side since she was more accustomed to the formal nobleman’s dinner scene than I was, even though I caught on real quick. Somehow, Evangeline had managed to be polite, offer assistance, and still assert my dominance over the new duke all at once.
My wife was fucking amazing.
“How very kind,” Ira said in a sarcastic tone, and her husband shot her a stern glare. “No offense, but I do believe Quinnie will manage just fine on his own.”
“Believe all you want, my dear,” Duke Quin hissed, but then he cleared his throat and flashed me an apologetic smile. “I would be more than grateful for any assistance Your Grace could offer me. I’ve lived in this area my entire life, but I was preoccupied with the military for years, so I haven’t been the best at making friends.”
“I think this dinner is a perfect first step in the right direction,” I said, and I ignored the haughty attitude from the duchess. The couple obviously didn’t see eye to eye where I was concerned, but the duke seemed more than friendly enough. “I hope this is the first of many such gatherings.”
“You must come to Bastianville,” Caelia said with a shy smile. “It is not quite as dramatic as Mistvale Keep, but the town is well-loved and cared for by its residents.”
“I would enjoy that,” Duke Quin allowed with a bob of his head. “But, where are my manners? We’ve been gabbing away while our dinner awaits us. By all means, please enjoy it.”
We all dug into the food spread out before us, and I lingered over the roasted duck. It was savory and tangy, with rich dark meat that practically melted in my mouth, and I moaned with delight. The sound brought a pleased smile to the duke’s lips, but he didn’t comment.
“Everything is delicious,” Evangeline complimented.
“Yes, your chef is fantastic,” I agreed.
“We brought her with us from our manor,” Duchess Ira informed me. “There is no way I would have tolerated any of Clara’s servants remaining.”
“Where did they go?” Caelia asked.
“Who?” Ira countered.
“The servants,” the shopkeeper clarified with a thoughtful frown. “What happened to them if they no longer work here?”
“Why, we fired them, of course!” the duchess giggled, but the sound was vapid coming from her wrinkled lips.
I flashed Caelia a warning look, and the words on her lips fell silent, but the defeated expression on her face broke my heart. I’d have to explain later how I merely didn’t want the dinner to devolve into a political debate, but I knew she would understand. The rest of the main course passed without incident, and then dessert was served in the form of a rich chocolate cake.
After we’d all received a slice, the Duke of Mistvale Keep cleared his throat and inclined his head in my direction.
“So, what brings you here?” Quin asked, and he raised an eyebrow. “Besides getting to know me and my wife?”
“Is it that obvious?” I chuckled. “We do indeed have an alternate goal.”
“Anything I can help you with?” the duke questioned in a hopeful tone.
I could tell he wanted to put himself in good standing with me before I left town, but I was hesitant to share the details of my quest with someone I’d only just met. The king may already trust Quin, but I didn’t.
Not yet, anyway.
I exchanged a glance with Eva and Caelia, but the duke’s daughter nodded subtly to signal her trust in the new duke. I trusted my wife’s opinion, so I turned back to Quin with a broad smile.
“We are sailing across the Eastern Ocean,” I explained but kept our destination vague. “And we are in need of a ship, plus a crew to sail her with.”
“You have certainly come to the right place, Your Grace,” Quin informed me with a twinkle in his eyes. “If there’s anything I know, it’s ships. I led the king’s armada, you know.”
I didn’t know, but he wasn’t going to find that out.
“Exactly why I came to you, Quin.” I gave him a devilish grin, but he didn’t react to me referring to him in such a casual way.
It was good to be the second highest ranking nobleman in the realm.
“Excellent.” The duke clapped his hands together. “After dinner, we shall visit the port so you can pick out which ship best suits your needs.”
“And what will I owe you for such a gift?” I asked with a coolly arched eyebrow. “Nothing ever comes for free.”
“Is having your good favor not reason enough?” The duke’s blue eyes were full of amusement. “It is worth a single ship in my opinion.”
“Alright,” I chuckled. “Let’s do it.”
Eva and Caelia flashed me excited smiles as I agreed to tour the port with the new duke that evening, but I could relate to the feeling. We would save a lot of money and time going with the duke’s ship, and while that would put me in his debt, having an ally with an armada would only benefit me in the long run.
We all quickly finished our cake, and then the duke and duchess slung an extra layer over their shoulders before they led us out of the mansion. Servants brought all of our horses from the stables as though summoned with magic, and the five of us mounted our steeds before we trotted out of the courtyard.
Duke Quin led the way through the town, but he took the first road to the left, and soon, we arrived at the port. It was a bustling scene, with sailors loading and unloading cargo from massive ships anchored a little ways away from the dock. People moved about in all directions as they carried goods to the marketplace, and I spotted silks, tropical fruits, and other rarities among the produce. Fortunately, the downpour had abated to an occasional droplet, but the horses’ hooves made wet clipping sounds against the paving stones. The sun was sliding behind the hills to the west, and the waves created a calming background sound to the peaceful scene, but the duke sighed heavily.
“What?” I asked. “Is something wrong?”
“Oh, it is just a pity to see the port so deserted at this time of day.” Duke Quin shook his head in dismay. “When I was a lad, there were ships as far as the eye could see.”
“How long must we stay out here, Quinnie?” Ira whined as she pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. “You know the salty air does not agree with me.”
“You didn’t have to come,” the duke muttered from between tight lips.
“Hmmph!” Ira snorted and stuck her nose in the air.
The woman was insufferable, but I was more than happy to ignore her. How the Duke of Mistvale Keep could tolerate her was beyond me, but who was I to question the marriage of another man?
Besides being happily married three times over, that is.
I chuckled to myself as I followed Duke Quin closer to the ships. They all looked pretty much the same to my eye, but I knew there was more to each individual vessel than what I could see from this distance. I was sure the new duke would know all about his own ships, so I didn’t want to look like a fool by not knowing even the basics.
This called for a new save point.
The familiar tingling sensation faded as we reached the end of the dock, but we attracted the eyes of the sailors and merchants as we passed by them, and a few moments later, a crowd had gathered. I was used to the familiar expressions of shock and awe on the people’s faces, but the duke frowned deeply as he eyed the crowd with obvious trepidation.
“Tell me about your ships, Your Grace,” I said in a polite tone to distract him from the plethora of watchful eyes surrounding us. “Which one do you think would work best for me?”
“It is good to know you aren’t as all-knowing as the rumors say,” the Duke of Mistvale laughed. “I was preparing myself to learn something about boats from you, Your Grace.”
“Yeah, well there’s always next time,” I said with a sly smile.
“I do not understand.” The duke shook his head in confusion. “You expect to return from sea as a master of the tides?”
“Oh, I’ll be a master of the tides before I ever even set sail.” I grinned. “You’ll see, but in the meantime, why don’t you tell me everything you know?”
The duke stared at me for a moment longer, blinked, but then he turned and gestured out at the ships. “The very largest one is a carrack, while the two slightly smaller vessels beside it are galleys. How far do you plan to travel? The galleys are good for speed, but the bigger ships can withstand the larger waves of the deep ocean.”
“Carrack it is, then,” I said. “How do they work? Just with sails?”
“Yes, but a series of oars can be used by the crew if necessary,” Duke Quin explained, and then he nodded at the biggest ship. “That one is named The Quest for its ability to travel great distances with ease and comfort. It comes with a large captain’s quarters, full kitchen, and three level crow’s nests.”
I exchanged a glance with my women, and they nodded in agreement.
I still wasn’t done learning everything I wanted to know, though, so I peppered the duke with questions about the rest of his armada. He had two-hundred ships altogether, but only a small portion of them were seafaring vessels. The rest were flat-bottomed riverboats, fast moving vessels called caravels, and of course, the galleys and galleons used for ocean warfare.
Eva and Caelia showed signs of boredom after my hundredth or so question, but I knew it would be well worth it to see the looks of amazement on everyone’s faces. A few hours later, darkness permeated every crevice around us, and the port guards began to light torches to illuminate the docks. I’d gleaned every ounce of information out of the middle-aged duke, and I was ready to reset back to my save point.
Chime.
“So, what do you know about ships, Your Grace?” I asked in a curious tone.
“A great deal, Great One,” the duke answered with raised eyebrows. “As I said, I lead the king’s navy. One doesn’t get placed in such a position without some experience in the area.”
“And what do you think I know about your navy?” I smirked.
“Why, Your Grace, I wouldn’t expect you to know much.” Duke Quin flashed me an apologetic smile. “After all, this is the first time you’ve even been to the east coast, is it not?”
“It is,” I confirmed. “However, you seem to forget I am the God of Time. I do not need to be a regular visitor of the port in order to know much about the ships in your fleet.”
“Do tell,” the duke insisted.
I recounted what I’d memorized during my previous run through, and my women joined the duke and his wife in their surprised expressions. Duke Quin’s jaw fell open as I continued to list off facts about his personal ships, and Ira sputtered with disbelief when I shared the name of her favorite vessel.
“Bash, when did you learn so much about ships?” Eva’s smoky-gray eyes were full of adoration and awe.
“Twas in another lifetime, one of toil and blood,” I sang out the lyrics to a Bob Dylan song, but I received only confused head tilts in response, so I just shrugged. “I know everything.”
I couldn’t help my cocky attitude after the way they reacted. I was a god among mere mortals, after all, so why not enjoy it to the fullest?
“So, what ship are we sailing in?” Caelia asked as she eyed the vessels appreciatively. “They are all so beautiful. I wouldn’t be able to pick if it was me.”
“We’re taking the carrack called The Quest,” I informed everyone with a proud lift of my chin. “And thank you very much for offering your ship in the first place, Your Grace.”
“That is an excellent choice!” The duke grinned. “Your Grace has perfect tastes. And it is truly the least I could do after everything you’ve done for Sorreyal. We are lucky to have you as our Archduke.”
I could get used to this kind of treatment from the other dukes, but after the execution of all the traitors, I didn’t think there was anyone still against me remaining in the kingdom.
“I am happy to count you as one of my allies,” I replied, and I turned my gaze to The Quest. She was perfect for our needs, and I was eager to learn the sailing ropes.
“When do we leave?” Eva asked as excitement crept into her voice. Her smoky-gray eyes mirrored the ocean within their depths, and restless energy radiated from her being. My wife was a born adventurer, through and through, and I was happy to have her with me.
“First thing in the morning,” I said as I cast a questioning glance at the duke.
Quin’s eyebrows rose in alarm. “That is not a lot of time to fully staff and stock the ship.”
“I have a feeling you can pull it off.” I winked.
“Very well, Your Grace,” the duke replied, and he dipped his head. “If that is the case, then I really must get a hold of my dockmaster. He’ll be able to arrange all the details during the night.”
“Perfect.” I grinned.
“In the meantime.” The duke gestured to his wife. “Ira will take you back to the keep and show you to your rooms.”
“We only need one,” Caelia pointed out, but the shy shopkeeper instantly dropped her eyes to the ground as a blush darkened her cheeks.
“I arranged for the entire northern wing of the keep to be prepared for your stay,” Duke Quin informed us, but he flashed Caelia a reassuring smile. “However you wish to use the space is up to you.”
The four of us returned to the keep while the duke went about making the necessary preparations for our impending journey across the ocean, and I was grateful I could spend the rest of the evening relaxing with my women. Ira didn’t say a single word as she led us back to her home, but she showed us to the north wing with a tight-lipped smile on her face. Then the duchess left us with a whirl of her skirt, and she stuck her nose in the air as she departed.
“What is the word from your world you use for people like her again?” Eva asked when we were safely alone.
“Bitch?” I laughed. “She’s the perfect example of one, that’s for sure.”
“Duke Quin seems nice,” Caelia mused. “Do you trust him, Bash?”
“I trust very few people,” I countered. “There’s you four women, Jax, Elrin, Riondale… You get the idea. But I’m liking this new duke so far.”
“I’m glad to be counted among the lucky trusted few,” my lover said as she stepped into the circle of my arms and tilted her head back to allow me to kiss her.
I planted a kiss upon her juicy lips, and then my eyes found Evangeline’s smoky-gray depths, but the duke’s daughter was already crossing the distance to me. Once I had both women within my embrace, I squeezed them tightly, but that caused both pairs of breasts to rub up against me, which then made my cock twitch in my pants.
The two women giggled as they exchanged a knowing look, but Evangeline took mine and Caelia’s hand in hers before she led us toward the bedroom. A sly smile flashed my way as I followed in her wake, but the timid merchant’s cheeks were already flushed with warmth.
These women would be the death of me, but it would be the most pleasurable death I’d ever experienced.
The bed was decorated in a frilly, lacy duvet, but I ripped it off to reveal silky green sheets. Then I tossed first one woman, and then the other onto the mattress before I began to strip off my clothes with tantalizing slowness.
“I’m going to rip them off you if you don’t hurry,” Eva warned with a dangerous glint of desire in her eyes.
“I’ll help,” Caelia added, and her chocolate-colored gaze was full of longing.
After another moment of my torturously slow movements, the two beauties jumped from the bed to tackle me to the floor. It didn’t take them long to get me completely undressed, and then they had their way with my stiff cock for the rest of the night.
We awoke bright and early the next morning with only one thought on our minds.
“We set sail today!” Evangeline squealed with an unusual amount of pep in her step for it being so early in the morning, and she practically vaulted out of bed.
“That we do,” I chuckled.
“Can we go back to sleep after we leave?” Caelia asked.
“Absolutely,” I assured her.
“Perfect,” she sighed before she pushed herself from the bed.
It was less than an hour later when we boarded The Quest with our horses following behind us, and the duke and duchess waved us off from the docks as the oarsmen pushed away from the shore.
I stood on the rail of the ship with Eva and Caelia by my sides, and I waved my arm over my head in farewell to the generous duke.
The God of Time was setting sail for new lands.