Chapter Ten
I made a new save point as the man stood and stared at me while I raised one questioning eyebrow.
“You’re from Vallenwood, I presume,” I said to the messenger standing on my doorstep. The red-and-gold livery was the first clue, and the tightly clutched scroll case in the man’s hands was another.
“Yes, I am a messenger of King Frederick,” the runner said with an incline of his head. “I seek the master of this house, His Grace, the Archduke of Sorreyal.”
“You’ve found him,” I said. “Let me see the letter.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” the messenger said, but he hesitated for a moment with the scroll case in one of both of our hands. “You are the God of Time? Forgive me, Your Grace, but you look like a regular man.”
What did a “regular” man look like, anyway?
I used to think I was just your average guy, but I’d long since abandoned the thought that I was anything other than awesome.
“None of us are really as regular as we look,” I said in a vague tone as I pulled the scroll case out of his hands. “Now, let’s see what all the fuss is about.”
The messenger bowed his head respectfully as I popped open the end of the scroll case and dumped out the letter from the king. The roll of parchment was sealed with an embossed wax circle that parted as I slid my thumb underneath it. Then I hastily unrolled the parchment to scan over the contents of the letter.
Dear Sir Sebastian, Archduke of Sorreyal, and God of Time,
I wish it were under better circumstances that this letter finds you, but Vallenwood is in trouble, and I fear only your godliness will be able to fix this problem. Crime has risen to unprecedented heights, and riots are rampant in the streets. Everything I do seems to be in vain. I fear there are spies in my household, so I’ve entrusted this letter to my most faithful manservant. He was given express instructions to deliver it into your hands only, so forgive him any rudeness he deemed necessary along the way.
I’m asking for your help, Sir Sebastian, but I have no qualms reminding you of the recent favor I showed you. Your army made it home because of rations sent from Vallenwood, and now the capital needs her day in the sun.
The spies may have already infiltrated your home as well.
Trust no one.
Simply come to Vallenwood at once, but tell no one.
I will give you more details upon your arrival.
By the power of the crown,
King Frederick
“Wow.” I was a little stunned by what I’d just read.
It wasn’t like King Frederick to ask so bluntly for my help, but if he was paranoid about spies, it made sense that he would come to me despite the risk he took in doing so. It was even more unlike him to make underhanded threats, but he was obviously pretty freaked out to go to those lengths.
I would remind him who the God of Time was, and about all the ways I’d helped him in the past. I’d first saved Vallenwood when the fire-breather, Smiguel, was running rampant across the land, but that wasn’t the last time I’d gone to King Fred’s aid.
I would succeed this time, just as I had in the past.
“Your Grace?” The messenger cleared his throat. “Would you like to return a letter to the king?”
“No,” I said. “It could be intercepted. Were you followed?”
“Not that I’m aware of,” the messenger said with a shake of his head. “I changed directions multiple times to throw off any followers.”
“Good.” I nodded. “You may return home.”
“Yes, Your Grace.” The messenger bowed his head again.
I watched the messenger leave the porch of the castle, and then I returned inside to burn the letter and meet my women. They all waited with anxious anticipation written on their faces, and their eyes widened when they saw the grim expression on mine.
“Oh, no,” Mahini gasped, and her hands went protectively to her stomach. “Something has happened.”
The other women all looked at me in similar states of unrest, and my three pregnant women sat together on the couch while Zenda, Elissa, and Akina sat in armchairs.
I sighed loudly as I took a seat, but I wasn’t in a rush to explain. I was still processing the king’s words and deciding on my course of action, and that’s where the women would come in. They could give me advice and guidance, so I might as well share everything with them.
“What is it, Bash?” Elissa asked as her head swiveled between Mahini and me. “What happened?”
“That was a messenger from the king,” I finally said in a calm voice. “King Frederick needs my help.”
The words hung in the air for a long moment as the six women all exchanged loaded glances, but then Zenda turned to me with a frown creasing her brow.
“You’re leaving on another quest.” It was a statement more so than a question.
“What exactly did the king say?” Eva asked as she crossed her arms over her chest. Her elbows rested on her growing stomach, and she had to lean back a little to support the weight of our growing child. “And why is it important enough to need the help of the God of Time?”
“I had the messenger burn it,” I explained. “Or I’d show it to you.”
“You burned the letter?” Caelia’s eyes widened. “Why?”
“Listen,” I said. “I know you all have questions, but the long story short is that the king needs my help finding a spy in his household. He trusts no one, and neither should I.”
“Do you trust us?” Akina asked in a low voice. “Or me?”
“I trust every single one of you,” I said in an adamant voice. “There’s not even a question about it. You are my family, my ride or dies.”
“I’m unfamiliar with that saying,” Akina said with a confused shake of her head. “Do you expect this quest to be fatal?”
“No,” I said. “It could be dangerous, though. There are a lot of unknowns. I have to reach the king before I can get any more information.”
“But what about our baby?” Mahini’s lower lip quivered in an unusual display of emotion. Her hormones were all over the place, and I wished I could stay by her side every step of the way, but this was something I had to do.
“I can always blip back every night,” I said. “Same as I did in the desert.”
“The baby will come soon,” Mahini said. “What if you miss it?”
“I won’t,” I promised. “I can fast travel right to you, remember? I’ll check in however many times I need to. Every single day. It’s going to be okay, my love.”
“You promise?” she pressed.
“I swear it to you,” I said, and I crossed the room to squeeze her hand gently. “On all my lives.”
“I believe you,” Mahini said in a decisive tone. “You may go on this dangerous quest to save the king, but you have to take some backup.”
“Backup?” I tilted my head to the side. “But bringing an entourage will make it impossible for my whereabouts to remain unknown. I must go undercover.”
“Under cover of what?” Zenda asked. “Darkness? You cannot ride to Vallenwood in a single day.”
“Not darkness.” I laughed. “Undercover means hiding your true identity. No one in Vallenwood can know the God of Time is there. It would get back to whoever the spy is, and we can’t have that.”
“Why does he think there’s a spy in his household?” Eva asked.
“He didn’t say,” I said. “He just insisted I come to Vallenwood to get the rest of the details.”
“Could he have sent for you out of duress?” Mahini frowned. “It could be a trap.”
“We must always think everything is a trap,” I said. “It’s how we stay alive, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t go.”
“We?” Mahini asked with a coolly-arched eyebrow. “You can’t possibly mean me. I’m far too pregnant to be traveling anywhere.”
“Not you,” I chuckled. “Or Elissa or Eva either.”
“So, Caelia, Zenda, and me?” Akina swallowed hard. “I’ve never been to the golden-walled city, but I’ve heard tales about the glorious village of the north.”
“And I might not be the best choice for a stealth mission,” Zenda pointed out with a frown. “I am clearly a foreigner.”
“True, but the capital is a large city,” I countered. “It would make sense for an immigrant to try and find work there, since rural places would have less opportunities for jobs and would probably be more suspicious of outsiders.”
“Whatever you think is best, Bash.” Zenda smiled.
“Then you three will come with me,” I said with a decisive nod. “I don’t think it would be wise to go completely alone. If it is a trap, I’ll need someone to be able to come back to Bastianville to warn the others. Nameless should also stay in Bastianville this time, since I’m not sure how well he will behave while I’m gone, but I’ll check in often.”
“Do you really think it’s that dangerous?” Eva asked, and I could tell she was a little disappointed about being left out of the adventure.
“Yes, well, it could be.” I shrugged. “Prepare for the worst, and hope for the best.”
“You’ve said that before,” Mahini said.
“It’s a good saying,” I chuckled. “But the fact of the matter remains the same. We must depart as soon as possible without letting anyone in town know the nature of our quest.”
“We could say you’re visiting the other holdings?” Eva suggested. “Or making a diplomatic trip to my father. He would love to see you again, I know it.”
“All good ideas,” I said. “I’m glad I can talk this through with all of you.”
“We are by your side through thick and thin,” Mahini said firmly. “No matter what.”
“I know.” I grinned. “There’s no one else I’d rather have by my side than the six of you.”
“How will we get supplies for the trip without alerting the townsfolk to our departure?” Caelia frowned. “I can get some items from the store, but not everything you will need for this quest.”
“Get what you can,” I instructed. “We will stop somewhere along the way to resupply if needed.”
“When are we leaving?” Zenda asked. “How much time do we have to prepare?”
“We should leave as soon as possible,” I said with a thoughtful frown. “Tonight.”
“That’s not a lot of time,” Akina pointed out. “But we will be ready when you are.”
“I believe you,” I assured her. “I know you wouldn’t miss out on the chance to see Vallenwood for yourself.”
“Surely you can trust your men, Riondale and Corvis?” Elissa asked. “We will need to give them some sort of explanation as to why your horse is gone.”
“Then I won’t take Goliath,” I said with only a little reluctance. “I trust Rion and Corvis, but I can’t take the risk of telling them the truth. There could be spies eavesdropping on everything. In the meantime, we can tell the townsfolk I’m sick.”
“A god getting sick?” Mahini tilted her head to the side. “That doesn’t sound very believable.”
“True.” I pressed my lips together into a thin white line, but then an idea struck me. “We could leave on a fake honeymoon.”
“Who are you marrying?” Elissa giggled. “Caelia, Zenda, or Akina?”
“I’ll marry you, Bash,” Caelia said, but a blush darkened her chocolate-hued cheeks.
“For real?” I grinned like a kid being set loose in a candy store.
“Really.” Caelia smiled softly, and her eyelashes fluttered over her brown eyes. “Whether it’s just a ruse or a real marriage doesn’t matter to me. I’m with you one hundred percent.”
“That could work.” I tapped a finger against my chin as I thought it through. “Let’s do it.”
The wedding was arranged within a few hours, and an impromptu party was planned at the castle. We kept it intimate, and only our closest friends joined the celebration. Jaxtom and Torya came first, and then Riondale and Corvis arrived. After Elrin and the rest of the Elder Council showed up, we got started with the wedding ceremony.
Caelia wore a simple white gown that fluttered around her knees, and she clasped a bouquet of flowers in her white-knuckled fists with obvious anxiety, so I made a point to give her a long, reassuring hug.
Elrin officiated the ritual, and once our hands were bound together with a silk sash, everyone applauded our nuptials.
I was a married man for the fourth time.
And I couldn’t have been happier.
I had six amazing women in my life who would do anything for me, and I wasn’t about to take that for granted.
“Now, for the honeymoon,” I declared to the small gathering. “We will be leaving tonight, and I’m not sure when we will return.”
“I will take care of everything in your absence,” Riondale promised. “Focus on your new wife and worry not.”
I knew I could count on the young general, but he wouldn’t be alone in his supervision of Bastianville. Mahini, Elissa, and Eva would all work together to make sure the town ran smoothly, and the Elder Council would take care of the details. I had a good group of followers, and I wished I could entrust them with the true nature of my departure from Bastianville, but I couldn’t take any chances.
Corvis saddled the horses and brought them to the castle before the sun set that night, and we all shouldered packs before mounting up. Since Goliath was so recognizable, and obviously very expensive, I’d decided to take a plain brown horse with me to the capital.
“We’ll get to know each other on the ride, yeah?” I murmured as I stroked my new steed.
Then Riondale came to say goodbye, but something about his worried expression bothered me, so I pulled him to the side.
“What’s up, Ri-Guy?” I asked as I placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Something feels off,” the general explained. “You don’t seem as elated as I would expect from a newlywed man. Is everything alright?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, and I flashed him a confident smile. “I’m the God of Time, remember? I can handle anything that comes my way.”
“I trust you, sir,” Riondale assured me. “But I feel danger lurking on the path ahead of you. Be careful, and watch your back.”
“Until we meet again,” I said, and I clasped his forearm in mine. “Take care of everyone.”
“Yes, sir,” Riondale said, and he saluted before he clicked his heels together and turned to go. “Fear not. Bastianville is in good hands.”
“I wouldn’t leave if I had any doubts,” I pointed out. “You’ve got this.”
Then I mounted my new horse, and I led the way through the shadowy streets to the gate. The portal to the road ahead was open, and the guards upon the wall saluted as we rode past. The three women rode their own horses behind me, and we put our backs to Bastianville as we turned to the east.
We rode for several hours without pause until we stopped when the sun began to rise over the horizon. We reached the walls of Carleone a short while later, but I veered around the town to avoid any unnecessary interactions with possible spies. Going incognito meant I couldn’t just ride through any town like I was used to, but I was glad I’d recently gotten the chance to speak with the mayor in person.
Carleone would be fine without a visit from the God of Time.
We camped to the east of Carleone, and we slept in shifts inside the one tent we’d brought with us. I kept watch first, and I sat by the slow-burning fire as my thoughts ran rampant.
What could cause the king so much grief?
What lay ahead of us in Vallenwood?
I worked to calm my racing thoughts while I waited for the girls to get some rest, and I hoped there were answers waiting for me once I arrived. No reason to burden anyone with my concerns without reason.
It was early afternoon when we returned to the road, and we rode two abreast down the dirt path. It took us two more days to reach Castle Bullard, and before we rode in we pulled the hoods of our cloaks over our heads to remain unrecognizable. Then we made our way to the castle to see Eva’s father, the Duke of Bullard. I knew I couldn’t entrust him with the true nature of our quest, but I would tell him the truth once all this spy shit was over with. Until then, I needed to be careful not to let anything slip out.
We didn’t have enough supplies to reach Vallenwood, though, so we needed the chance to resupply. I knew my father-in-law would provide us with what we needed after I made myself known to him.
The guards at the castle halted us, and I pulled back my hood to show my face.
“I am here to see the Duke of Bullard,” I said as I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “Tell him Sir Sebastian is here.”
“Of course, Your Grace,” the guard said with a nod of his head. “I’ll alert him right away.”
A short while later, we were walking through the hallways of Eva’s childhood home, and I was reminded once more of how she’d grown up. My wife had received the best possible arms training, and she’d rebelled against the lifestyle of the nobles she’d been forced into by her lineage, but at least she hadn’t struggled.
“Sir Sebastian,” the duke greeted once we entered the throne room. “What a lovely surprise.”
“It’s good to see you, Bullard,” I said with a wry smirk. “This is Akina, my newest friend from the Kotar Desert.”
“Wonderful,” the duke said as his eyebrows rose. “But where is my daughter?”
“She stayed in Bastianville because her growing belly doesn’t mix well with riding horses,” I explained. “But she sends her love.”
“I cannot wait to hold my first grandchild in my arms,” the duke said with a fatherly smile. “But what brings you to Bullard?”
“We are on our honeymoon,” I said as I tilted my head in Caelia’s direction. “But we need more supplies. I was hoping you would help with that.”
“Of course.” The Duke of Bullard nodded immediately. “Anything the God of Time needs, he merely has to ask me.”
“I’m truly grateful for your generosity,” I said. “I’ll repay the favor once I return to Bastianville.”
“It is nothing,” the duke said with a dismissive flap of his hand. “I’m more than happy to help. Where are you heading?”
“Nowhere in particular,” I lied with a shrug. “Just touring the countryside beyond my territory. We’ve explored my lands so much, we wanted to find something new to see.”
“Be careful if you travel near Vallenwood,” the duke warned as he furrowed his brow. “I’ve been hearing rumors, and it doesn’t sound good.”
“What’s going on?” I arched an eyebrow.
“Tales of bandits on the road to the capital, stories of rape and pillaging throughout the smaller towns surrounding Vallenwood, among other things.” The duke sighed. “I have upped the guard presence in the streets of Bullard as a precaution, but I fear the scourge of crime will continue to spread.”
“That doesn’t sound good.” I frowned.
Did this have anything to do with the reason the king had summoned me to the capital, or was it just a coincidence?
“I don’t worry about you too much,” the duke chuckled. “You always seem to come out on top no matter the odds.”
“All part of being a god.” I grinned. “Thank you for the warning. We’ll avoid the capital.”
We spent the night in a lavish apartment provided by the Duke of Bullard, and we awoke before dawn the next morning to depart the city once more. We rode through the quiet, deserted streets of the town quickly, and the gates to the east were open for us.
The guards saluted as we rode beneath the archway of the gate, but I kept my hood pulled tight around my face to hide my identity. The God of Time was well known in these parts from my time fighting off Smiguel, the fire-breathing dragon, and I didn’t want any townsfolk to spread rumors about my presence in Bullard.
Then we hit the road again.
The green hills and forests rolled past us as we traveled to the east, yet I was too lost in thought to pay much attention to the scenery.
I wondered once more about what laid ahead of us, and I worried about the possible danger I was exposing my beloved ladies to. They were more than capable of taking care of themselves, but Caelia and Zenda were far from warriors. They’d learned a lot of fighting skills from their time with me, but it was a far cry from the strength and experience of the former desert dweller.
At least I had another warrior with me to help protect them.
“Everything is so green!” Akina gawked at the landscape as she rode by my side, and her words pulled me from my thoughts. “I can hear running water!”
“There are streams and rivers stretching all across Sorreyal,” I said with a pleased smile. I hadn’t thought about how different the northern realm was from the southern desert, and I was happy to see her reaction. “We will have to stop somewhere to take a short swim.”
“Swim?” Akina tilted her head to the side. “What is that?”
“You don’t know what swimming is?” My eyes widened at her words. “It’s where you get in the water and move around.”
“There was never enough water in an oasis to taint it with our bodily filth,” Akina pointed out. “I’ve only ever washed quickly with a wet cloth.”
That night, I found a clearing next to a running river, and we all swam until the sun went down. Akina laughed with wild abandon at the new sensations she got to experience, and we all joined in on her joy.
“Can you imagine growing up without ever swimming?” Zenda shook her head in awe. “I grew up knowing nothing but water surrounding everything.”
“I can see how it would be life-changing,” Caelia agreed with an emphatic nod.
Their words made me realize just how different the three women were. Caelia had lived her whole life in Sorreyal, but she’d grown up as a servant, so she understood the workings of the society of the realm. Zenda was a foreigner from distant shores, and she’d been raised beneath the religious learnings of the Grand Occulta Athenaeum. Akina grew up in the Kotar Desert, and it felt like she was an alien from a different planet when she reacted to simple things like grass and water.
I loved them all for their unique personalities and various features. They were all beautiful in their own ways, and I couldn’t imagine my life without them.
I was one lucky god.
We continued traveling before dawn the next day. The easygoing smiles on the faces of my women lifted my spirits, so I was more present and less stuck in my head the following day.
“What lies ahead of us?” Akina asked in a curious voice. “Anything I should be prepared for?”
“There’s a small town between us and Vallenwood,” I explained. “It’s called Northwood Valley, and I once helped find a lost little girl while traveling through town. They will be sure to remember my face, but the three of you should still be unknown.”
“Are we stopping in town?” Caelia asked from behind me.
“If we must,” I said. “But I’d like to avoid it if at all possible.”
“Being so close to the capital means they could have information about the situation in Vallenwood,” Zenda pointed out. “It might be helpful to know what is going on before we arrive at the palace.”
“True,” I agreed. “I’ll have you three ask around for rumors while I stay out of sight.”
“We’ve got your back,” Akina said without hesitation, and the beautiful warrior flashed me a confident smile. “But I fear I will stand out.”
“Your accent will be questioned, for sure,” I said with a nod of understanding. “Try to sound more like a northerner, just for this part of the quest.”
“I will do my best,” the former desert dweller promised, and her confident smile never left her face. “I will win them over.”
“I believe you,” I countered with a wink.
Her good mood was contagious, and I found myself grinning like a fool the rest of the ride to Northwood Valley. The sleepy town outside of Vallenwood was quiet as we approached the outskirts, and I called for a halt once we neared the houses.
“I’ll wait here with the horses,” I explained as I made a new save point before sending them off without me. “The three of you go talk to the locals and see what they say about Vallenwood. I hope it’s all just rumors, but it sounds like things are bad. Whatever information you can gather will only help us prepare for what lays ahead.”
“We’re on it,” Zenda said with a curt nod, and the beautiful Zaborian slid off her horse’s back. “Come on, ladies, it’s our time to shine.”
Akina and Caelia followed the historian’s lead, and the three women walked the rest of the way into town. I waited as patiently as I could, but I was anxiously pacing back and forth when they returned a short while later.
“Things are as bad as we feared,” Zenda informed me with a sad shake of her head.
“What do you mean?” I asked as I furrowed my brow in concern.
“Crime is rampant in the capital,” Caelia reported in a solemn tone. “Bandits roam the woods outside the golden-walled city, and no one is confident about traveling to and from Vallenwood anymore.”
“Did anyone recognize you?” I pressed as my gaze flicked between the three women, but they all shook their heads in the negative.
King Frederick was right about one thing.
He definitely needed my help.
I didn’t know yet what I was going to do to fix Vallenwood’s problems, but I would do my best to figure it out along the way. I’d always come up with something, even if it took me multiple lifetimes. In the end, I would come out on top like I always did, but I couldn’t just wave a magic wand and fix an entire city.
We rode around the outskirts of Northwood Valley so no one would be able to see me, and then we returned to the road to the capital. I kept a careful eye out for any possible bandits, and my heart thudded in my chest every step of the way. I didn’t want to have to kill anyone, but if anyone threatened the safety of my women, I would do whatever was necessary to protect them.
The four of us appeared more raggedy than I ever had before, but that was on purpose. I hoped it would be enough to deter anyone seeking an easy score, but I wouldn’t know for sure until we reached our destination.
The road was quiet except for the occasional call of a nearby bird, and crickets chirped in the bushes on either side of the path. It was peaceful, but I stayed on high-alert the entire time.
“Everything okay?” Zenda asked as she nudged her horse alongside mine. “You look worried.”
“I don’t mean to,” I said with a wry smile. “It’s the unknown that bothers me. If things in Vallenwood are as bad as they seem, then danger could be lurking around any corner. We have to stay on our guard for anything that comes our way.”
“You’re worried about me and Caelia not being able to protect ourselves, aren’t you?” Zenda’s sapphire eyes filled with worry.
“Partially,” I admitted. “But I also know I would do anything I had to do to keep you safe. You don’t have anything to worry about with me by your side.”
“Spoken like a true god,” the historian noted, and a smile stretched across her face. “I’m not worried about myself. I just wish I could ease your concerns some.”
“Let’s get to the palace as quickly as we can,” I suggested.
“Good idea.” Zenda nodded, and she clicked her heels against her horse’s flanks to urge him on even faster.
We covered a lot of ground quickly for the rest of the day, but it was sunset by the time the golden walls of Vallenwood came into view. I glanced from side to side constantly in search of any threats, but no bandits came out of the woods surrounding us.
I called a halt with the capital in eyesight since I really wanted to enter the city with the light on our side.
With crime rates high, darkness was not our friend.
Then I made a new save point as our small campfire ate away at the logs we fed it, and we took turns keeping watch throughout the night. I slept fitfully as dreams of bandits and miscreants plagued my thoughts, until I finally managed to shake them off once I woke up. At dawn the next day, we remounted our steeds, and we headed toward the golden walls of Vallenwood as the sun rose over the eastern horizon.
The God of Time had arrived to fix everything.
King Frederick’s problems were about to come to an end.
Then I heard rustling in the bushes, and I prepared myself for an attack.