© 2025 Duleigh Lawrence-Townshend. All rights reserved. The author asserts the right to be identified as the author of this story for all portions. All characters are original. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental. This story or any part thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the expressed written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a review or commentary.

Welcome back to Kodu, the planet of three moons and a sister planet so big that Kodu actually wobbles as they pass silently in the night, making the stars dance. We return to where we left Nick and Octavia, in their magical cottage on a farm near the tiny village of Elm Springs. Nick and Octavia have plans to retire in peace and let Kodu pass them by. Other people have other plans...

Gods Save the Queen

Book 2 - Part 1, The Warrior Duchess

Prelude - Two Prophesies

The Verses of Vanyr'thil is a prophecy from the year 1332 (?) Many believe that it refers to the three clans (species?) of Elves, long separated by a dispute long forgotten and how they must overcome their dispute and rejoin each other on the slopes of Oromorna, known to humans as the Black Mountain.

The Verses of Vanyr'thil

When stars were young and could not dance and the mountain bore no name,

The Firstborn wandered upon its crown, and their light was not yet dimmed.

But one became three, and silence claimed the peak.

The kin of silver leaf were lost to time.

Yet the stone remembers.

When the three moons bleed thrice and the wind speaks in tongues,

Three people become one and walk the path of ash and shadow.

Bearing no crown, yet marked by grace.

They shall lift the forgotten, and Oromorna shall stir.

Then shall the throne awaken,

And wisdom veiled in sorrow shall bind the realm anew.

But heed this:

Oromorna gives not freely,

And the price of memory is never paid in coin.

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The Binding of Morna Oron is a prophecy written after the war of 2202, where Mountain Elves and Deep Mine Dwarves fought side by side against Gnolls, a fierce humanoid race that looks like a human-hyena hybrid. When the gnolls were driven off, the elves and dwarves turned on each other and were driven from their settlements on Morna Oron (what the dwarves called the Black Mountain). It is believed that elves cannot return to their underground castle of white named Artafána, and dwarves cannot return to Rkund Hold until after the "Witch-King and the Wizard-Queen of the Sapphire Flame" claim the fortresses as their own.

The Binding of Morna Oron

Lo, in elder reckoning, ere the sundering of kin,

When Morna Oron bore twin crowns of stone and starlight,

The children of forge and grove dwelt in accord.

Rkund Hold, deep-delved, kept the Orb of Jørn;

Artafána, fair-wrought, held the Library of Nolmë's breath.

But pride did cleave the mountain, And silence sealed the gates.

Thus, spake the flame that seeth unseen:

"Not by dwarf nor elf shall the halls be stirred,

Till the Witch-King and the Wizard-Queen of the Sapphire Flame

Enter as one, unbidden, unbound.

Guided by the Orb of Jørn, together must they tread the halls.

They must banish the dust of Nolmë.

And wake the wisdom that slumbers still.

Stride the depths of the Rkund Hold and discover the sins buried there."

Then shall the seals be broken.

Then shall the kin return.

But woe to the unworthy!

For Morna Oron remembereth all,

And its wrath is slow, but sure.

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Chapter 01 - A Restless Night

In a tiny corner of the infinite universe resides a star not unlike your own. It's similar in size, and of identical color. In fact, the major difference between your sun and this one is that this one does not have sunspots. It's not like there's much worry about that; society is not allowed to advance to the electronic age where sunspots interfere with electronics. That happened once, four thousand years ago, and when the last war was over, the survivors called themselves gods (with a little g) and set about preventing that from happening again. They've been spectacularly successful for the past three thousand four hundred and thirty-one years at keeping mankind and the deviations known as elvenkind, dwarvenkind, demi-giants, werewolves, vampires, trolls, gnomes, brownies, goblins, gnolls, and the rarest of the rare, the draconians, from blowing the planet and themselves to pieces.

This star, known as Thaal, has only two planets. Its closest planet is Zigu, a huge planet of solid nickel and iron that circles Thaal quickly. The next one, about 30,000 miles in circumference, is Kodu. Kodu circles Thaal every 352 days. Zigu circles Thaal every 66 Kodu days, which means that Zigu and Kodu pass close together every 88 Kodu days. These portents the event known as "Stardance" for the people of Kodu.

On Kodu, the hardworking, honest citizens of the different principalities, kingdoms, fiefdoms, countries, and empires sleep, hoping that their place of employment still requires their labor in the morning. It's late, the giant moon Kuu rules the sky, and the night shift now rules Kodu.

In Torwin-Armistad, the largest city on the planet of Kodu, the night shift was in full swing. Murderers, thieves, assassins, rapists, and muggers were out in force, working hard to fill their quotas. As they labored in the streets, in the former Palace of the Seventeen Kings, now known as the Office of the Dominus, the ruler of the city, the Dominus Orazio Laurita was puzzling over a dilemma. A young, good-looking couple, both Torwin-Armistad born and raised, just killed a god gone mad and saved the world. Political hay must be made. How could Orazio Laurita use the efforts of these two heroes to advance his own standing?

The problem was that they had both disappeared from sight and were rumored to be in the Kingdom of Uduithia, so now the question arises: how does Torwin-Armistad (meaning Orazio Laurita) profit from their hard work and sacrifice? Dominus Laurita took quill in hand and scratched out a few ideas, then he got to the business of ruling Torwin-Armistad. He implemented a new tax, signed a few execution orders, filled out an assassination request, then called for his secretary...

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In the tiny mountain kingdom of Uduithia there rests the small village of Soilly {as opposed to 'rocky'} and in a small steading outside of the village, a small farmhouse stood next to an ancient barn that was built with raw lumber and strong backs. In front of the parlor fire sat the body of Agness Dempsy, witch. She could be napping on a warm summer night, a book lying open in her hands. She wasn't napping; in fact, she wasn't even there. While her body remained behind, all that was of Agness Dempsy was out on patrol.

Next to her in his comfortable wingback chair was Harold Dempsy, her husband. He knew what she was up to. As he lit his pipe (something he'd never do when she was in the house) Angela, their youngest granddaughter, entered without knocking. "Say hi to Poppo!" she said to the six month old boy in her arms, and she dropped him in Harold's lap and went into the kitchen to snoop. "Where's Maw-maw?"

"She's out enlisting again," said Harold as he bounced Stephan on his knee.

"Where?" asked Angela as she emerged from the kitchen chewing on a leftover pork chop.

"She's probably spying on your cousins. Again."

Angela rolled her eyes in exasperation. "They're newlyweds! She should leave them alone."

"Maybe if you get married, you'll be a newlywed and you'll see your Maw-maw more often," said Grandpa Harold.

"Yeah, as a snake or a turtle or something," huffed Angela, and she slumped down in a chair next to Grandpa Harold.

Sitting between them, Agness was not asleep, and she was not dead; she was enlisting. Enlisting is a technique used by witches where a witch leaves her body behind in a deep trance and enlists the mind of an animal, where she convinces it to share everything it sees and hears. Enlisting is the art of convincing an animal to go somewhere you want to see, and look at it. It's not taking over the animal's mind; you give them suggestions where to go and what to look at. If they refuse, you look for another animal. It's animal-based voyeurism. This night, Agness wanted to see her great-nephew, and she saw him through the eyes of an owl.

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In the tiny Uduithia village of Elm Springs, Nick Stein dreamed he awoke hungry and thirsty, and he found himself back on a tiny island where there was nothing to eat or drink. The only thing on the island with him was Droul, the god of Death. "THREE TIMES LUCKY, I AM IMPRESSED," said the god of Death.

Nick shuddered, thinking of his recent near brushes with death. He was stomped bloody by a flock of stampeding sheep, then he was almost eaten by a dingaroo, and then most recently he was almost swallowed by Zeddicus, the demon god of Lies. Only his ability to change forms through the magic of Vanemate Rasside Jõud, an ancient book of power, saved his life with Zeddicus. "I'm not a wizard, why am I seeing you?" gasped Nick as he spat sand out of his mouth and tried to drag his aching body toward the waterline to maybe rinse the sand out with saltwater. He didn't need to do that, because as the sun rose, the island would disappear under the rising tide; the waterline would soon come to him.

Droul said, "YOU ARE A WITCH, A HEALER. WE WILL BE COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER FOR THE LIVES OF YOUR PATIENTS."

"I can't be a witch. I'm a male."

The god of Death said, "IT'S YOUR FATE. THAT'S NOT MY RESPONSIBILITY . IF YOU WANT TO TALK FATE, YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO MY SISTER SAATUS."

Nick considered what Droul had just said. He had met Saatus, the goddess of Fate, while hiking on Black Mountain. She has been the nicest god so far. She gave him a couple of prophecies and a mule. He spat sand out of his mouth and groaned, "Gods, am I thirsty."

"NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF A THIRSTY SHARK," said Droul. Most of the gods chose bodies that reflected their personalities. Droul was merely a black shroud with a hood and two points of light deep in the hood for eyes.

"That was very nice of you to suggest that, thank you," said Nick as he dragged himself to the waterline. Why didn't he think of that?

"L ET US CALL IT A PROFESSIONAL COURTESY," said Droul as he disappeared. As he faded from sight, Nick pulled himself into the water. There was a kick of a shark's tail, and the sandy spit of land was empty again...

With a stifled shriek of terror, Nick Stein, known to a few people as "Pommy" woke up in his bed, his body soaked in sweat, panting, and his nerves jittery and on edge. The love of his life, Octavia Stein, lay naked next to him, a satisfied smile still gracing those perfect lips. Full, round breasts, a narrow waist, and round hips with a perfectly sculpted ass. Nick still does not know where she looks more beautiful, in sunlight, or starlight, candlelight, or moonlight. Nick and Octavia are the most unique couple in the Snowcross Mountains, and probably on the entirety of Kodu. A wizard married to a witch — that's something that hasn't happened in 300 years, but what makes it unique is that he is the witch, and she is the wizard. That has never happened. Ever.

Anyone who has spent more than a mayfly's lifespan on the planet of Kodu knows that the concept of a male witch and a female wizard is heretical. This is a universal belief on Kodu. There are still kingdoms that burn people at the stake for claiming to be a wizard or a witch. A true wizard or witch must present their bona fides to their king before they can even claim to be a witch or wizard.

The wizards would never go for it! A woman wizard? Unheard of! But Octavia trained for it and was certified at the leading school of wizards on Kodu, the University of Saehrimnir in Torwin-Armistad. She was abandoned as an infant at the Temple of Saehrimnir. As she grew older, she crept into classes and listened to lectures and signed into classes under the name Façade Incognito. She was caught, and to entertain his suspicions, the professor at the time, Tidor Dhukonn, ordered her to take the examinations, and she outshone all the other students.

From the minute she saw Nick, she fell in love with him and became the enchantress. Nick was in the kingdom of Breaze at the time, and was the captain of the royal guard, protecting King Alfrich. She was a "mail order bride" at the time, and engaged to King Alfrich, which made her life a bit sticky. She saw Nick as a potential husband. He saw Octavia as a potential threat to the king. She was a full wizard; she carried a staff; she had the traditional pointy hat, which was the sign of office, and the wizard's robes she wore appeared invisible to those that she enchanted; it appeared like she wasn't wearing anything. Happily, the only man she enchanted would become her husband.

As for Nick, as a child he was abandoned by an alcoholic father who beat his mother to death. Nick's last memory of his mother was her crawling off into the night to die. Nick spent his childhood living under a trash heap outside the Temple of Saehrimnir, the god of the Divine Fools. He was abandoned there at the age of four, and he lived there until he was eight and survived by eating trash, including dead rats. He would sneak into the temple and steal bread from the offering plate and drink the holy water. Holy water was not for human consumption; it was for the gods' use only. It would kill any human that drank it, but somehow, Nick and his puppy Pepin drank the holy water quite often and lived. For four years they didn't age until a temple acolyte took Nick and deposited him in the cabin of his only known relative, Nana Peacock, a dead witch. Nick was raised and trained to be a witch by the ghost of Nana Peacock, who was Agness Dempsy's mother, and Nick's actual great-grandmother.

At sixteen, he loved being a witch so much he enrolled in medical courses at the University of Tervis, god of health, in the Kingdom of Breaze. To pay for his education, he enlisted in the Royal Guard and loved it so much he rose to the rank of captain and was named their commander. He and Octavia accidentally let their 'occupations' be known, and the king threatened to burn them both at the stake. Only Octavia's magical manipulation of the king's memory saved their lives.

Nick and Octavia moved to Elm Springs after the Breaze government collapsed in a coup, and Nick started going to coven meetings. The other witches hated it until he showed them his medical skills. He was so good the other witches were shocked... but they still didn't trust him.

Nick and Octavia were selected by the gods to save Kodu, and to do that, Nick was given several generations of wizards' knowledge. Since it just appeared in his head, he doesn't know what knowledge is available to him until he needs it. One of those skills was book repair, and as Octavia was researching a spell, he repaired what turned out to be an extremely powerful magical book, Vanemate Rasside Jõud The Power of the Elder Races, which gave him Polyeidus, the power to change into different animals.

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As Nick gazed at his beautiful wife on that beautiful moonlit evening, a sudden noise startled him, this wasn't the noise an old cottage makes as the temperature changes and the wooden beams find newer and better ways to hold on to each other, this was the sound of someone clearing their throat. Nick whirled, and there in the corner was Droul, god of Death. He was standing in the corner; his little pinpoint eyes fixed on the newlywed couple. "No," was the only thing Nick could say, then finally, "Dear Gods, no, you promised!"

"I AM NOT HERE FOR YOU OR YOUR WIFE. THERE IS ONE OTHER." His voice boomed like the blast of a trombone in each ear, yet was as quiet as sands shifting in a long-forgotten desert tomb. Droul leaned over Octavia, and a tiny point of sapphire light gently traveled from Octavia to Droul, leaving a slim trail of sapphire light in its wake. The trail of light faded, and the pinpoint of light disappeared in Droul's shroud; the god of Death took their baby.

"Why?" gasped Nick.

"IT IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS WITH FIRST-TIME PARENTS; IT WILL NOT AFFECT FUTURE PREGNANCIES."

"Was this from casting the Rite of Prose Mino to stop your brother?" demanded Nick, and Droul nodded what passed for his head. Nick and Octavia were prevented from making love before the great battle. They were warned that the gods did not know what would happen to an unborn baby if the mother cast magical spells. But making love was part of the enchantment for the vellum it would take to cast the spell, and the Rite of Prose Mino was the most powerful spell cast in centuries.

"How many more times will you take a family member from me?" whispered the anguished witch.

"I WILL NOT TAKE YOUR WIFE OR ANY CHILDREN FROM YOU DURING YOUR NATURAL LIFETIME..." and with that, the god of Death slowly faded away. He told the truth, but he didn't fully answer the question. There were family members Nick wasn't aware of, and what did he mean when he said, "natural lifetime"? Nick placed his hand on his wife's lower abdomen, and the tiny, vibrant spot of life that they enjoyed watching grow stronger was gone. Nick felt a soul-clenching sorrow for a son or daughter that he never met, and he felt he had to do something... anything to eclipse that sorrow.

Shaken by the dream of his last near god-of-Death encounter and followed by the loss of his child, Nick got out of bed quietly and made his way downstairs. He decided to leave Octavia asleep and talk with her when she wakes. He stepped out onto the porch, his entire body shaking, and when the cool evening breeze touched his sweat-dampened skin, he shook even harder. Who did Droul want? asked a voice from down by his shin.

"The baby," was all Nick could say. He could tell it was true from the pain in his heart.

You need to go for a run, said Pepin. It's the only thing that will help.

Nick stepped off the porch, and the moment his feet touched the cool, damp grass, he realized his dog was right. With no fanfare, Nick became a Snowcross red deer, and he took a few steps. "Ready? Set?" Suddenly the wolf flashed past him. "You bitch," swore Nick, and he broke into a run and tried to catch up with his friend.

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Drifting over the tiny backwoods mountain kingdom of Uduithia, Agness Dempsey, riding along in an owl's body, was looking at the citizens as they slept, looking to see if anyone needs the assistance of a witch or was having fun that she didn't approve of. As she swept over an open field, she saw a wolf chasing a hart, a Snowcross Mountain Red Deer buck with a huge rack of antlers. The wolf barked like a dog and nipped at the hart, and occasionally the hart would stop and lower its antlers at the wolf, threatening the large, noisy animal. "Some folks should learn to leash their dogs," harrumphed Agness as she landed on a branch of a large beech tree to watch.

They ran through Nick and Octavia's meadow, Pepin nipping at Nick's legs, trying to get him to run faster. Soon they were laughing and enjoying the chance to run in the moonlight. They raced through a marshy area, splashing and getting mud on each other, then Nick and Pepin raced through the copse of wood that separated their property from Eric Macclenny's land. The friends laughed and played, leaving misery behind. Nick occasionally lowered his antlers at Pepin in an "I dare you!" gesture, which caused Pepin to dash in between the multitude of antler points and nip at Nick's nose. "Pepin," whispered Nick, "there's a witch in that tree watching us."

Who?

"Aunt Agness, she enlisted an owl."

Oh, that old thing, grumbled Pepin. Images of a witch threatening young lost girls and their little dogs came to mind. Pepin was not a fan. Let's go say hi to her.

"Ok."

The deer stopped tussling with the dog and sprinted toward the tree that Agness was sitting in, and as they passed under her, the deer looked up at her and nodded, then the dog said, Good evening, Agness! The deer that looked up at her had a gold key hanging from a ribbon around its neck and one golden eye.

Thirty minutes later, an owl perched on the windowsill of Agness's cottage, and in the old farmhouse, Agness sat up with a start. Something is wrong in Elm Springs, and she decided she would be the one to fix it.

Agness was right; something was up in Elm Springs, and the town folks loved it. A new witch was in town, and even though it was a young man, he was knowledgeable, dependable, caring, and nice. Every day he walked through the village from one end to the other, greeting everyone he could. Then, if he had no pressing farm chores, he would spend the day in the Temple of the Woods spending much of his time doing fine calligraphy for announcements or invitations, and repairing and restoring fine old books that were brought to him by libraries from all over the planet Kodu, which was odd because no one ever saw a delivery cart at the temple.

But as he worked in the temple office, anyone could walk in with any bump or bruise, sneeze or cough, and he would do something to help. A healing draught, a salve or poultice, and always a kind word and a sweet for the children

It was known throughout Elm Springs village and the surrounding Hay-on-Wægn county that there was a new witch in town with the hands of an angel and the power of a wizard and wheels were turning in the minds of several powerful people to do something about that.

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Chapter 02 - Conspiracies

Nick and Octavia's destruction of the demon-god Zeddicus did not go unnoticed on Kodu. The events that led up to the titanic battle where the young couple silenced the rampaging god gone mad have some people singing their praises. Other people were not as happy with them, while others wanted to exploit their courage and magical skill to boost their own reputation. Plots both good and bad were being hatched all over Kodu, and not just on the continent of Edux.

Torwin-Armistad - the largest city on Kodu and more populous than the next four countries combined. Torwin-Armistad is not afraid of invasion. In fact, it welcomes invaders. Invading armies, soldiers used to spartan living, enter the city and soon disappear into the crowds. Their swords and armor soon appear in pawn shop windows, and the thriving businesses of food stands serving foreign delicacies being run by former invaders spread across the city.

The city is run by a consortium of federations that enforce the vision of the true leader of the city, The Dominus, Orazio Laurita. His influence in the Dispatchers (Assassins) Federation ensures cooperation from the other Federations. Orazio was trying to find a way to draw the new witch in Uduithia and his wife back to Torwin-Armistad, where they could be the face of the new Tourism Federation. After all, they just saved the world. They could provide a draw to Torwin-Armistad. An idea came to mind, and he scratched out a note to H.M. King Uric II, ruler of the kingdom of Uduithia, and chuckled. "Handletyre!" he called for his secretary out of habit.

Instead of Tredwell Handletyre, another man entered. Medium height, medium build, indistinguishable features, unremarkable hair, Suart la Fountaine could never be picked out of a line-up. He was indistinguishable in a crowd of men as a single brick was in a wall. The Dispatchers' Federation sent the Dominus the perfect assistant. "Mister Handletyre is still recovering, sir; may I be of assistance?"

"Of course, Mister la Fountaine, have this sent via flash to Uduithia as soon as possible," and he handed the note to Stuart. The word "flash" was referring to the semaphore system throughout the western edge of the Edux continent. Huge towers with semaphore flags and spotlights at night, these towers transferred messages to the next tower in line, the operator would read the message then pass it on to the next tower, the header in the message would give the operators information on the routing of the message so that it was sent to the correct towers then passed on to the recipient. The term flash refers to the blinking of the lamps flashing the code, giving it the informal name "Flash" and now instead of weeks, this note to the king of Uduithia will be there in an hour.

"Yes sir, and by the way, this just came from Uduithia via the flash." La Fontaine handed Orazio Laurita a flash, thin, brittle paper, and the text was written in the blocky, tight script of the goblins who work the towers. It was from the office of the King of Uduithia.

After reading the flash, Orazio said, "I'll take back that letter I gave you, no need to send it. It appears that we will be going to Uduithia soon."

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The Xuantang Empire - the oldest empire on Kodu. It is said that when the gods walked the earth as men; they founded the Xuantang empire. For a long time, the Xuantang Empire was a peaceful empire, depending on farmers, fishermen and traders to drive the economy. Then, in the year 1653, gold was discovered in the Zhou Dongyu mountains, gold in vast amounts. A mad gold-rush to the mountain areas, where the gold was found in amounts so vast that it destroyed the empire's economy. Rice became more valuable than gold, and farmers became millionaires. The nouveau riche farmers ended up hiring former millionaires to plant their terraced rice paddies. In retaliation for centuries of financial abuse, the new millionaires paid the former millionaires the same money the farmers were paid when they were farming rice.

The price of fish skyrocketed also, because while the former millionaires were planting rice, the fishermen of the Xuantang empire were in the Zhang Ziyi mountains digging up gold. They dug up so much gold that gold eventually lost any value, crashing the fortunes of the former farmers. This started the fifty-year war. From 1655 to 1705, the gold miners of the Zhou Dongyu mountains formed armies and fought the armies of the Zhang Ziyi mountains.

For decades, they fought. They fought until they ran out of men, so they hired mercenaries. They fought until the money ran out, so they picked up weapons off the battlefield and fought on with those. When they didn't pay the mercenaries, they had to fight the men they hired until there was no one left to fight.

When the war was over, the only winner was the Emperor. He had removed the greatest threats to his empire by standing back and letting them kill each other. When the dust settled, the survivors of the war found that their gold was nationalized and owned by the emperor, as were the mines and the mountain ranges. He did what he could to stabilize the economy, but Xuantang was in the throes of a famine because all the farmers and all the fishermen had died in the fifty-year war. The empire survived as it always does, and this time it was firmly in the hands of the Hong dynasty, where it would remain for the next 1600 years.

In 3424, General Hau Chung Shi (known to all as Shi Hai or behind his back as Yinjing Xiǎo (Tiny Penis)) staged a coup in the Grand Palace. He killed (actually had his people kill) everyone of Emperor Hong Pha Shì's wives, concubines, sons, and loyal generals, then he took the throne. He had a young son named Hau Chung Fu, known as Fu Ki by his Number 1 wife. He enslaved Hong Pha Shì's last remaining daughter Ning and raped her. That rape resulted in a son named Jia. (True name Hau Chung Jia).

In the year 3431, a pair of fishermen brought a man that they had caught in their nets to see Emperor Hau Chung Shi. According to official reports, the man was NOT a dragon.

For that to be true, the man would have had to lie down for a nap and the emperor and all of the palace guards would have had to crawl under him and get crushed to death as he dozed causing the Prime Minister to have a heart attack. The report makes much more sense if you believe the man changed into a dragon and crushed everyone that got in his way.

The dragon did four things; it removed the corrupt emperor Hau Chung Shi; it removed the dishonest Prime Minister Wo Ching; and it cleared out a palace full of unskilled guards who were on the take. However, it left the empire in the hands of a seven-year-old boy, Fu Ki, whose only accomplishment to date was to torture and humiliate his half-brother Jia.

The rule of Fu Ki is marked by a period of corruption, but then, the Xuantang Empire was based on corruption. Their primary products were terrorizing their own population, building up a huge military to wage war on their own population, and gold, lots of gold that they did not share with their own population. The Xuantang Empire covered the Bracul continent, a land that is filled with heavy metals, and so much gold that gold became nearly valueless. The Bracul Continent is rich in gold, silver, lead, iron, and slavery. What it did not have was light metals like copper, tin, nickel, and zink.

The emperor just turned eight years old, and his voice is said to be The Word of God. "Lung Mist," shrieked Emperor Fu Ki, "what ever happened to that guy that turned into a dragon?"

"After crushing the emperor, the palace guard, and the Prime Minister he left your holiness," said the eunuch Lung Mist

"You just let him go?" shrieked the boy.

"No, we gave him a new eye before he left, your greatness."

"Why didn't you stop him?" screamed the child.

"There was no one left to stop him, your eminence."

"He was funny. He should live here and entertain me."

"We no longer know where he is, your amazingness." Lung Mist was worried. Normally, the emperor loses interest in something after ten minutes. He's been whining about the Dragon Wizard, as he became known as, for several weeks.

"Find Him And Bring Him BACK!" demanded the brat emperor.

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Peregrine and Aegir Mining was a new startup consortium in the dwarven community with its eyes on Black Mountain and not just the riches of iron and other precious metals deep below it. There's something else to make any concession worth the cost. The one problem was that it was owned by the Kingdom of Uduithia, and Uduithia had an odd way of dealing with its natural resources. The whole of Black Mountain was under the stewardship of the senior witch in Hay-on-Wægn County. Olaf Peregrine reviewed the coded information he received from his stepson, Rifty Peregrine, who was there on the ground in Uduithia and reporting back on his work via Flash semaphore. "Rifty is in good spirits," said Olaf as he read the flash message. "He spoke with the Stuart of the court of Uduithia, and he said that the mountain is in the control of witches."

Ringgold Aegir looked up from the mining report he was compiling. "So?"

"That's good news on a couple of fronts. First of all, as we all know, witches are only concerned with things that go on above ground, birds and herbs and mushrooms and the like. They wouldn't know the difference between an adit and a crosscut. They know nothing about what goes on below the substrate and they will practically give us the mountain as long as we leave the external shell to the squirrels and flowers."

"You said first of all," said Ringgold Aegir. "What else?"

Olaf Peregrine leaned back and grinned around his five-dollar cigar. "They're all women." Dwarves are not particularly sexist. Most female dwarves work right alongside their men; some even grow beards. It's when you talk about other species that dwarves show a dislike for females. Elven women are of little consequence to dwarves, who consider them nothing more than tall fairies with clothing. They accuse elven women of doing nothing but fluttering around the lilies and singing about leaves and tulips and the like.

The dwarves hold a special disdain for human women. They consider them silly, meager creatures with large breasts, narrow waists, and round asses... and silently wish dwarf women looked like that. They believe human women to be weak, stupid, and easily fooled.

"When do we move into our mountain?" snickered Reingold. When it came to mining, witches were notoriously stupid. They care only about the topsoil and what grows out of the topsoil. They have no idea what the topsoil is hiding.

"He's going to meet with Mother Peacock, the head witch of Hay-on-Wægn county tomorrow and everything should be in the bag," said Olaf as he burned the communique in an ashtray.

Reingold went back to his report as Olaf opened the next clacks message and cried out, "Oh Look! We've been invited to a Royal Reception at Uduithia Castle. It's a wedding presentation."

"Don't you mean wedding reception or wedding ceremony or something like that?"

"No, it's a presentation. A newly married couple presents themselves to the king and queen for addition into the Uduithia records. I guess it saves the couple from having to plan a big wedding ceremony."

"It should be in time to review our new mining claim," chuckled Reingold. "Send Rifty."

<><><><><>

The Temple of Bet ha-Kise - "Eight fucking weeks," grumbled Dean Oaklee Meece.

"Pardon?" asked a fourth-year student of applied magical theory. The student went by the name of Horatio Tinsmith, but everyone who knew his real name mysteriously died.

"Oh, just... that bitch Octavia Anghart, the one they kept calling queen. Her and that elf and that gimpy cyclops, tearing through my library, tearing through the campus, tearing through a professor's apartment for gods sakes."

"Which god?" asked Horatio.

"It doesn't matter which god, it's a saying, for gods sakes. I think it means all of them," snapped Dean Meece.

"Oh, cause I was wondering. I heard it said that they have the favor of Saehrimnir, and he's top dog as far as the gods go," said Horatio. The student named Horatio was having a hard time holding back the laughter. If this fat clown, who claimed to be the dean, knew who he was, he would roll away in terror.

"So they think they can waltz into my university and upend everything and force me to make heads n' tails out of the dwooie... dewie... douie... the order the books are shelved in."

"I think you've had enough dean," said Horatio as he ordered another ale.

"How did you get in here anyhow; this is the faculty lounge. You should be in the student's lounge, or the fraternity house."

"Nah, I don't hang around with those immature losers," said Horatio. "Poor little rich boys trying to master magic and magical theory just to make daddy the baron proud. Fahk them... alla them."

"You got thrown out of the student lounge, didn't ya?" said Dean.

"That's only because those LOSERS don't want to hear the truth about their magical ability... or lack thereof," said Horatio, and he took a long swig of his ale.

"They wouldn't let you join any fraternities either, would they."

"Losers!" shouted Horatio. "If they all put their heads together they couldn't come up with enough magical abilities to pull a rabbit out of a hat."

"Why would there be a rabbit in hat?"

"It's a... whatcha callit... a saying. Maybe even a metaphor."

"Just as long as it's not a metonymy, we have rules about these things," said the dean as he and Horatio plotted their own form of revenge.

<><><><><>

Witch Agness Dempsy - "I tell you Esadora, they knew I was watchin' down on em' the whole time," said Agness Dempsy as she stirred her tea so hard, she nearly drilled her spoon through the bottom of the teacup. Agness Dempsy is the self-proclaimed best witch on Kodu and is well over one hundred percent a "proper" witch. Her witch's hat is heavily starched and ironed into submission so that the brim can be used as a knife and is held in place with enough hat pins to fend off a Wooly Triceratops. According to her friend Ezzie, Agness's knees have never been more than four inches apart, and the term "straight laced" is risqué for Agness. Quite an accusation considering that Agness has been married for 65 years and has four daughters.

"What makes you think-a that Agness?" asked Ezzie as she tipped her hip flask of "Snowcross Mountain Nectar" into her tea. "A great horned owl sitting out in the open would cause any hinterland creature to look up."

Agness mumbled the reply into her tea.

The scent of Ezzie's homemade whiskey filled the house, and the fumes gave a hint why Ezzie "Geemaw" Fahy used a wooden spoon to stir her tea. "I needs ya to speak up Agness, some of us are getting a bit deef!" she shouted with a laugh.

"I said they looked up at me and said, 'Good evening Aunt Agness.' They said it to me as they ran under my tree!" Agness's eyes narrowed as she delicately sipped her tea. Then she remembered a detail: "the hart had a golden eye."

"That could have been a trick of the light. There were no clouds last night, and two of the moons was full."

"No matter, I'm going to go to Elm Springs and give that new witch a piece of my mind. I don't care if he's my niece's son. There's certain things a witch doesn't do, and runnin' with wolves is one of them."

"Now Agness, you have responsibilities on the west side of Uduithia, I'm retired now that our Jeremy's wife took over at witching. Let me go see what is happening in Elm Springs before you chase off another young witch. We just got a full seven for a coven!"

"Not that damn coven idea again..." mumbled Agness.

<><><><><>

King and Queen of Uduithia - His royal majesty King Uric II of Uduithia may have been raised and educated as a minstrel, but he was no one's fool. His desire to democratize the Kingdom of Uduithia may have stalled due to the narrow-minded attitude of the populace, who suggest that the current form of aristocratic rule works just fine. And to be honest, it does. Being too small to generate anything resembling a kleptocracy in Uduithia, Uric has found that his tiny kingdom runs just fine with a tiny government.

After breakfast, while doing the dishes with his wife, Queen Elinor, Crown Princess Sophia, Prince Exavier, and Prince Abraam, who at one month of age watched the goings on from the queen's arms. The king inspected the plate he had just washed before handing to his daughter to rinse. "Dear, I am worried about the new witch that Nana Partridge selected to replace her."

Elinor, a retired witch herself, had heard a little about the new witch and immediately grew defensive. "Why? Because he has an elitist name?"

"No dear, Pommeraie de la Montesquieu is a fine name. It's just that..."

"He doesn't use that name anymore," said Sophia.

"Because he's new and inexperienced?" demanded Elinor as she tried to remain calm while nursing the baby.

"No dear, as you say, each witch must grow into her own cottage."

"His cottage grew into him," said Sophia.

"Is it because he has a lot of wizarding know-how and can become any animal?"

"No dear, that actually appeals to me."

"Is it because she's a man?" asked their daughter, Crown Princess Sophia.

"Hmmm yes, that's precisely it," sighed Uric. "I fear the kingdom will not put up with it."

"When dad says kingdom he usually means Agness Dempsy," Exavier whispered to his little brother, Abraam, who smiled around the queen's breast. Exavier pays careful attention anytime Agness Dempsey is mentioned because someday he may be king.

Elinor hugged her husband from behind. "I think that is wonderful. It's the forward thinking this kingdom needs."

"And everyone else despises. Yes, I believe it is a good thing, and I think I'm going to need to protect him along with the new wizard in town. But at the same time, they're both quite experienced in the operations of a proper kings court. I am going to put them to work."

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Chapter 03 - Welcome to Elm Springs

"Oh, how beautiful! They're so cute! Thank you!" Octavia gushed as she looked at the small cage containing four young cottontail rabbits.

"We want to thank th' witch for such a beautiful, healthy grandson," said Tiernan Brighid, the grandfather of the first child Nick ever delivered.

"I suggest you separate the black one from the others," said Sorcha Brighid. "He's going to be a bit randy." Sorcha is the new grandmother of Cain McCandless. She was skeptical of having a male witch delivering her daughters first baby, but when Nick laid that child in her arms, happy and squalling like a banshee, Sorcha no longer had a care in the world, there was no problem with a male witch that she could think of.

"They're... fluffy," was all Octavia could say about the young rabbits. "What do we do with them... I mean, besides pull them out of hats?"

"You raise them! Feed them proper rabbit feed and with that buck you make more rabbits. Soon they'll be big enough to eat," said Sorcha.

"Eat?" gasped Octavia, still trying to sound grateful. She turned and saw Nick grinning and tried not to kick him.

"Aye, in a pie or a stew, and the pelts are soft and warm. They'll make darling hats, mittens, and stockings for your babies," said Sorcha.

"Let's see where we can put them," said Nick, and they walked around back of the cottage to find that the "Critter Shed," Nanny Peacock's henhouse, had a set of cages on the shaded north side.

"That's a fine rabbit hutch," said Tiernan Brighid. "We'll put the does here, we'll put the buck here, and when they get large enough you open this door between the cages and in a few weeks, you'll have more bunnies."

"How do we know when the females are in heat?" asked Octavia.

"A doe doesn't go into 'heat', as you call it," said Sorcha. "She's ready anytime a buck comes a-calling."

"Don't worry, rabbits have a way to figure that out," said Nick.

Nick only hoped his smile was convincing. The grateful grandparents gave Nick and Octavia a list of the rabbit's dietary requirements, mostly scraps from the kitchen cutting board, and it sounded like one of the best meals he's ever had. Living on the streets of Torwin-Armistad as a child guarantees a diet of scraps, garbage, refuse, and beatings. Right now, all Octavia knew how to cook was eggs, which they had with leftover meat that Nick smoked. They have been gifted with lots of interesting-looking vegetables, which were sitting in the root cellar waiting for panic to set in, forcing Octavia to try to cook them, but she doesn't know precisely how to do that.

She and Nick had an agreement, leave the cooking to her, and Nick could do the simple work, like the farming and wood cutting and animal husbandry. She's got Gertrude Wolf's recipe cards, but she doesn't quite know what they mean. The cards are magical and know exactly what is in the pantry and the root cellar, and the cards adjust the recipe to match what is on hand. It's the technical aspects she doesn't understand, like, what's a puree? How do you tablespoon? And is a fillet a type of fish?

As he does when he knows that one of "his girls" is almost ready for childbirth, Nick monitored the messenger candle in the living room with his gold eye. From the rabbit hutch he could see through his eyepatch, the shed, and the back wall of the cottage into the living room, and he saw a large, wide, dark purple candle flicker and a flame popped into existence. In another house, someone lit the small purple messenger candle Nick gave them, causing Nick's candle at home to light. It was time. "Gotta go," he said as he gave Octavia a quick kiss. "Looks like Desdemona is in labor."

"Say hello to everyone for me," called Octavia as Nick dashed into the cottage to get ready.

He came out of the cottage with a pack and stepped off the front porch and said hello to Mister Highgrower and his team of garden gnomes, then without fanfare of any type a chestnut quarter horse was standing where Nick had been, his pack clenched in her teeth.

As Octavia spoke with Sorcha and Tiernan Brighid, she began to realize how foolish her dreams were - to find a little home away from the toil and bluster of the big city and live together with Nick, to be the farm wife and cook him dinner and mend his torn clothes... she had to tell someone. "I'm sorry, you are all so kind and generous to us, but... I don't know what to do with all these gifts..." That's when the tears started.

On the other side of the cottage, the quarter horse dashed off. Nick went off to deliver Desdemona and Uther's babies, yet all Octavia could think of was Nick eating scraps when he lived in the trash heap behind the temple of Saehrimnir. He was working hard to give her a beautiful home, but scraps were all she knew how to serve him. "What would your mother say if she saw you like this?" demanded Sorcha.

"My mother dropped me off at an orphanage when I was a month old."

"Ok, uhhh, you said you had a foster father. What would your father say?"

"Saehrimnir? He wouldn't care."

"A god? You have a god for a foster father?"

Octavia nodded. "Yeah, he was Nick's foster also." She saw a look in Tiernan's eye and Octavia sputtered, "I was raised in the orphanage, Nick was out on the street, we never met. He was here in this cottage by the time I was moved to the university."

"Here," said Tiernan, as he tossed Octavia an apple. "You're probably hungry, eat this."

"Wha?" Octavia looked at the apple. It was old and shriveled. It was down in the root cellar, but a bite told her it was still delicious.

"Don't talk, eat," said Tiernan. "My father was a wise man. He told me that when the odds are insurmountable, have a snack, put your feet up, take a nap, just don't think about it for a little while then come back and look at your problem again. He realized that we must give ourselves time to consider our problem first, then construct a logical way of attacking the problem. We don't always need a solution, sometimes we just need a path to a solution."

Sorcha rolled her eyes. She's heard her husband carry on like a teacher before, him and his fancy fifth grade education! When Octavia finished her apple, Sorcha asked her, "Did that help?"

Octavia looked defeated, and she led them into the cottage. She stood in the kitchen and looked around in defeat. "This is so alien to me! I became a wizard by overhearing lectures. I studied library sciences and I loved it. I can find you any book ever written, ANY book, and as a wizard I can have a copy of that book in your hands tomorrow, but I have no idea what any of this is." She picked up a kitchen tool that looked like a mattress spring on a wooden handle. "Why is this here?" she asked in distress.

"That's a gravy whisk," said Sorcha.

"And this?" she held up what she thought was a tin flower with a wooden stem.

"That's a pie crimper."

"See? I don't know any of this!" cried Octavia, slamming the whisk down.

"Dearie, newlywed life is going to be like that. How long have you been married?" said Sorcha as the woman took Octavia in her arms.

"Four weeks... and most of that was spent waiting for Nick to come home."

"The way I see it," said Tiernan, "is that the failure is ours. You two don't have a family upbringing and you both come here to help us. Right now, it's more important for us to help you, otherwise we'll be looking for a new witch again. You won't last the winter!"

"Listen to him. He's right," said Sorcha, "we gotta give you twenty years of Uduithia upbringing. We'll start with dinner. Tiernan, find us a nice, fat chicken..."

"Our biggest chick is this big," she said, cupping her hand around an imaginary tennis ball.

"That's ok, I know there's something down in the root cellar. Tiernan dear, go inventory the root cellar and see what you can find. Nick said it was well stocked, and Octavia dear, you put some water on to boil."

"Ok!" said Octavia, feeling excited for the first time. "How do I do that?"

Sorcha looked at Octavia as if the young woman had asked for instructions on how to breathe. "My goodness, we do have to start with the basics, don't we?"

"I've never seen one of these things!" said Octavia as she pointed to the stove. "Silver Metsker said it best, I was raised in a princess factory. We were raised to be rich old men's second wives." She shrugged in helpless anguish. "I was never taught how to cook; I was taught how to hire a cook."

"Ok, first things first," said Sorcha. She patted a large, ornate wooden crate. "This is the woodbox. You need to train Nick to keep this full. And this," she said as she patted a woven basket next to it. "This is the kindling basket; he needs to keep this full as well." She opened the basket to show old periodicals and small bits of wood. She went to the stove and opened the small door in the middle of the face. "The door with the window is the fire box."

Sorcha showed Octavia how to build a little fire with crumpled paper and bits of wood, and as the fire grew, to add larger pieces of wood from the wood box. "Ok, once you have the fire burning, keep the doors closed. Only open the oven when you're going to put something in or take something out."

"So I put water in the oven?" asked Octavia.

"Nope, here." She took the pot of water that Octavia had ready and opened an almost invisible circle in the stove's top with a tool she called a 'stove wrench.' Octavia could see the fire burning in the woodbox below. "You put your pan or pot or whatever over the open hole."

"That is so interesting," said Octavia as her scientific mind kicked in. Sorcha showed her how to operate the air dampers to control the flame in the firebox, and Octavia realized that she had a new toy to play with.

"Always keep honey nearby," Sorcha advised.

"I don't eat a lot of sweets," said Octavia.

"No, honey is the best thing to put on a minor burn. This stove is going to get hot and you're going to accidentally touch it. When you have little ones in the house, they're going to touch this big hot stove because they see mommy do it, so be ready for burned little fingers."

"Why? Cant they tell it's hot?" the thought confused Octavia.

"I suppose you don't remember being a toddler in your parents' house..."

Octavia grew a little cold and said, "I was abandoned at an orphanage when I was an infant."

Sorcha continued on without showing shock or embarrassment. She now realized that Octavia was going to need more help than she had realized. "With toddlers it's very simple; they love their mommies, they want to be just like mommy. They want to see what you're doing. Here's the hard part, at some point you're going to let them get a minor burn."

"What?" gasped Octavia.

"It's the best way to learn. As they say, a cat will only jump on a hot stove once, then they'll never jump on a stove again, hot or cold. When they do get a burn, you don't act like it's an emergency, you treat them with love, put some honey on the wound and send them on their way to their next lesson."

Octavia glanced over at Ena McCrory in shock. She has children; she couldn't possibly agree with this, but Ena was nodding in agreement. "It's the best way, and if you are blessed with a house full of children, it may be the only way."

While Octavia fretted over burning little fingers, Sorcha said, "Let's go look downstairs, shall we?"

<><><><><>

Esadora "Ezzie" Fahy was dropped off at the Uther Borsen farm by her daughter-in-law. Nobody could mistake Ezzie for anything but a witch. Black gown, pointed hat with a wide brim, fashionable work boots, a leather satchel that acted as Ezzie's purse, toolbox, and portable bar, and her badge of office: a broom. She tottered up to the front door and knocked twice, singing, "Coo-ee! Just Ezzie Fahy here!" Inside she could hear the sounds of a woman who completed labor, that cross between a laugh of joy and a cry of relief that it was over was unmistakable, but somehow it sounded wrong, there was a note of sorrow in her voice. "Are you a witch?" called a man's voice from within.

"Yes, do you need help?"

"A little bit, if you don't mind," he said. "We're upstairs."

Ezzie entered the house to find two pairs of distraught grandparents, who were petrified with fear. Even the big guy, with bright red hair and huge as an oak, looked terrified. From the frightened looks on their faces, Ezzie assumed that it was the first grandchild for both couples. "First grandchild?" she said cheerfully. Having a wife in labor is one thing; having a daughter in labor is something else completely.

One couple nodded yes, but the other couple nodded no, and both couples had that look of horror that something had gone terribly wrong. "The new witch is upstairs with our Desdemona..." said a woman who clung to the immense man with bright red hair.

"And our Uther," said the other woman, who was just as shattered as the redhead.

"Now, now," said Ezzie. "In times like this we need each other." She moved the two new grandmothers to the couch where they could lean on each other. "You fine gentlemen, do you have water boiling? No? Let's get on it! The baby's going to need a bath and mommy is going to need tea." Men were easy. If their hands were busy, they could survive anything, and if worst came to worst, their women were going to need their support. "Which witch is upstairs now?"

"The new guy... Nick is his name," said the red-haired woman.

"Don't you worry none, Ezzie Fahy is here. We'll get this right. If you get a pan of warm water for the baby, and a pot of tea for everyone else, I'll go help the new mother," and she headed upstairs.

Inside the main bedroom, she found the new mother with long, wavy red hair matted with sweat, and the new father holding a newborn, but at the foot of the bed was a man wearing leaf pattern robes and an eye patch cradling another child. With two fingers he was gently, rhythmically pressing the baby's chest, but it wasn't responding. Droul, the god of death, leaned over the young man's shoulder, watching him work on the baby like a bystander watching a workman digging a trench.

"She had the cord around her neck," Nick said to Ezzie. "Her sister Lynet is fine but this one..." Tears ran down his cheek as he whispered to the baby in his hands, "come on baby, come join us... please!"

Ezzie leaned over and patted his shoulder. "It's ok luv, sometimes it happens..."

The young man turned and glared at Droul, "No, not two times in a week," then he concentrated on the baby, "come on little one, you can do it, that spooky old black specter isn't here for you... we have a name waiting for you if you sing for us... come on baby, sing!" he pleaded with tears of sorrow and frustration in his eye. "Please sing for us!" he said, his voice breaking with anguish. He leaned over and put his mouth on the baby's and gave it a little puff of air.

That must have done it because the baby started coughing, then it tensed up and howled with a high, squeaky cry of a newborn baby. As the baby shrieked in indignation, Droul straightened up and said, "THAT'S ONE TO YOU. CONGRATULATIONS." He patted the young man on the shoulder and faded from Ezzie's sight.

Ezzie and the young man worked quickly to tie and cut the umbilical, then he called out, "What's her name, Uther? She wants her name!"

The stunned father grinned and cried out, "Guendolen! Her name is Guendolen..." Nick handed Guendolen to the exhausted young mother, who laughed and cried as she counted all of Guendolen's fingers and toes.

"Ezzie, can you take care of momma? I need to give Guendolen a warm bath. She's freezing."

"Aye! I can do that youngster. Fine work Mister Stein."

"Nick, everyone calls me Nick," said Nick as he and Uther headed down to the kitchen with the twin girls, both showing that they had their mother's bright red hair. They rushed the twins to a pan of warm water and two pairs of grandparents that awaited them in the kitchen.

Ezzie cleaned up the shocked young mother and bubbled merrily about the babies. "I've delivered more babies than you can shake a weasel at," cried Ezzie, "and I've never seen such a thing, 'e snatched that little girl right back out o' Droul's own grasp 'e did. T'was a good thing 'e was 'ere. Wos name of your witch again?" Ezzie was of a mind to have a talk with the local witch and find out why a man had to fill in for her.

"Nick," smiled the exhausted Desdemona, the young mother.

"Yes dearie, 'e was wonderful, but I was meanin' to ask you the name of the local witch here in Elm Springs wot took over for Nana Partridge."

"Nick is 'is name, 'e an' 'is wife just moved into Nana Partridge's cottage just weeks ago."

"Yes," said Nick, coming into the room behind Ezzie Fahy. "Her name is Octavia. You were there at our wedding."

"Oh! Heh, pahdon, oi didn't mean to disparage on ya, it's just..." Then she broke into a harsh whisper. "We all thought you was dead! Dead and gone and left poor Octavia to fend for herself and take over for Nanny Peacock."

"We wouldn't give our Nick up for any witch, 'e saved our Guendolen," said Desdemona as she finally got to cuddle her two daughters at the same time.

"We had our doubts," said Uther, "but he's our witch and we're not going to lose him."

Nick smiled and examined the mother and her daughters. "Look here," he said, pointing at the squirming baby's neck. "Guendolen has a strawberry shaped birthmark here on her neck, her sister doesn't. That's how to tell them apart." He finished examining mom then said, "Ok, it's going to be uncomfortable, but you need to get on your feet as soon as possible, because you're going to spend the rest of your life chasing these two," smiled Nick. "They have fire in their eyes!"

"What do we owe you?" asked a nervous Uther.

"Owe me? You owe me two beautiful daughters, so keep them fit and happy, because when I have two sons, they're going to come calling for them."

Uther suddenly panicked, but Desdemona calmed him. "'e's kidding, relax. Octavia warned me about 'im. Said 'e's a bit of a jester wannabe." She turned to Nick and said, "how about two lambs? One for each of our lambs wot you gave us."

"Done and done," grinned Nick. "And bring these two redhead lambs to me in one month so I can check them over, and I'm going to leave this candle here until then." He blew out the dark purple candle that was burning on the dresser. "Just light it if you need me and I'll be here for you." And with that, he turned and left.

Back at the cottage, Octavia looked up and saw the flame on the dark purple candle that sat on the end table in the living room go out. Nick always blows out the messenger candle when he's done, which causes the candle in their house to go out. "Oh, my goodness!" gasped Octavia. "he's on his way home."

"Just in time," said Sorcha Brighid. She and her husband Tiernan have been working with Octavia, teaching her the ways of country living. "You said you didn't ever want to feed your husband scraps, so if you follow the few simple steps we showed you, you never will. Let's start something new. We're going to make gravy..."

<><><><><>֎<><><><><>

Chapter 04 - Stardance

Ezzie Fahy sat on the tailgate of the wagon as they trundled along a country road. Behind her was Nick, who was walking with a wolf. "Coo-ee!" called Ezzie Fahy. "Would you like a ride with us, Nick?"

"Oh, I'm usually so stressed after a delivery, I like to walk with my dog afterward to burn off the energy."

Ezzie shouted something to her daughter-in-law, and the wagon she was sitting on slowed to match Nick's pace. Pepin hopped up on the wagon and curled up next to Ezzie, and she began scratching and petting him. "Is this your dog, the one wot likes to walk with you or is 'e some other dog who happened to be going in the same direction?"

"That's my boy, as faithful as the day is long."

"That was quite amazing wot you did with that little girl. Wot made you think of that?"

Nick looked like he didn't want to answer that question at all, but he needed to answer it truthfully. The accurate answer is that, for some reason, a medical encyclopedia will appear in his mind and open to the page he needs. It's part of the knowledge that his foster father, the god Saehrimnir, dumped on him over a year ago. He finally said, "I read a lot and after I became a witch, I read an article from... some foreign place that said if a baby's heart isn't beating to do that. I figure since there's a lot of foreigners it must work, and I gave it a try."

Ezzie was merciless. When she wants information, she will get it; ask anyone of her fifteen children. "If you don't moind moy askin'... 'oo said that you were a witch?"

"Droul. He was pretty adamant about it. Him and King Uric."

Granny took that in stride as if he had said, "I graduated from witching school." She pressed on like nothing he said could faze her and said, "Oy suppose if the god of Death says you're a witch, you're a witch. And you told Droul 'not two in a week,' did you lose another baby? oy didn't 'ear of one."

Now Nick looked like he wanted to run away. His eyes filled with tears, and finally with a sigh he said, "Octavia and I lost our first two days ago. She... we were a month along, but..."

"Oh my! You shouldn't have been out there today! Not after losing your baby! Somebody else should have taken this delivery for you!"

"Who?" demanded Nick angrily. "Are you going to ride out to Elm Springs to help with a farm girl in her father-in-law's house? Is that nosey Agness Dempsy going to come all the way from Soilly? Would either of you have been able to save that baby? Could you have made it in time?"

"You need to calm down luv, I just discovered you were still alive. We thought you died in some ferrin' land when Octavia came back alone!"

"Well, ya could have come over and said hi instead of sitting in a tree and spying on me."

"Wot? oy never!"

"Not you. I'm talking about Aunt Agness. I'm surprised she didn't tell you about Pepin and me running in the neighbor's meadow the other day. We just lost the baby, and I had to burn off the anger before I told Octavia. I'm out running and feeling better and there's a witch sitting in a tree spying on me without so much as a by your leave."

Ezzie was confused. "Missus Dempsy didn't mention you. She said she saw a hart with a golden eye..." That's when Nick flipped up his eyepatch and Ezzie could see his right eye was made of solid gold. "Oh moi," whispered Ezzie. "Where did you get that?"

"The Xuantang empire gave me that to keep me from eating their new emperor."

"It's very pretty. It's a shame to hide it under that scary patch."

"It scares people, but it works fine under the patch and the kids think the patch makes me look like a pirate... yarrrr."

"You can see through that shiny metal eye cover?"

"It's not an eye cover, it's a replacement."

He got his eyeball stepped on by a sheep, said Pepin as he rolled onto his back so Granny would scratch his tummy.

"Wot did you say?" a shocked witch asked Pepin.

I didn't say anything. Everyone knows that wolves can't talk, Pepin replied.

"Turn here, this is our driveway," said Nick, then he ducked into the trees.

"Where did 'e go, little doggy?"

Pepin flipped over onto his feet and sniffed. I think he turned into an ape. He likes to swing through the trees.

"Wot?" demanded Ezzie, but Pepin had leapt off the wagon. Soon Pepin was dashing through the trees, barking at a dark figure wearing a backpack as it swung through the trees.

"Catch that monkey!" shouted Ezzie Fahy as her daughter-in-law tried to get their old plow mule to pull the cart faster.

Nick howled like a prime male orangutan defending his harem as he swung through the trees. He covered the distance between Main Street and the cottage in half the time it normally took him to walk, and he was wondering if anyone noticed him beside Pepin.

Nick tried to avoid the ape's bellowed war cry because he saw Tiernan Brighid's wagon still outside of the cottage, so he popped out of the forest, climbed the outside of the cottage and rolled into the bedroom window and reluctantly changed back to human form. "Oh, it's you," said Octavia as she stepped into the bedroom as a naked Nick stood up.

"Oh, it's you?" asked Nick, a little confused and probably more than a little upset.

"I thought it was an intruder, but this is much better," said Octavia with a saucy grin as she reached for Nick's manhood and pulled him close for a very warm kiss... "Don't get too worked up, Sorcha and Tiernan Brighid are still here," she said as their lips parted.

"I brought more guests," sighed Nick. "it's Ezzie Fahy and one of her daughters... or daughters in law." He slipped on a kilt and shirt and followed Octavia down the steep staircase. The only thing keeping the staircase from being called a ladder was tradition. "She's probably the most powerful witch in Uduithia."

"Aww no sweetie, that would be you!" gushed Ezzie as she hugged Nick with a loud, "Darling!"

"Ezzie, this is Sorcha and Tiernan Brighid, my first grandparents, and this is the love of my life, Octavia Anghart-Stein."

"Oi used to know a wizard named 'orace Anghart," gushed Ezzie as she hugged Octavia. "Quite the wild one 'e was!"

"I don't think the Baron Anghart was ever a wizard," said Octavia.

"Oh, you should-a seen your man!" gasped Ezzie. "'e stared the god o' Death right in the oie and said, 'You're not taking this child!' And when that baby began to squall, Droul said, 'You win Nick!'"

Octavia looked at Nick, and he just nodded, agreeing with Ezzie. It was close enough to the truth. Octavia was shocked. She's only seen Droul once, and that was when he was standing over Nick in the Bovuka bush, and she'd just killed the dingaroo that was preparing to attack and eat Nick as he lay horribly injured in the dirt. With all her training at the Temple of Saehrimnir, she's never seen that god until he tried to collect the man she fell in love with.

"How many times have you seen Droul in the past six months?" Octavia asked Nick.

He counted on his fingers and finally said, "Five." He was not happy talking about the god of Death and he vowed to steal as many people from him as he could. Droul's loss today was his own fault. He was the one who called Nick a witch, and Nick found he liked the idea.

"It's been a long time since we last saw you Ezzie, you delivered our Davey," said Sorcha.

"That oi did! Oi ne'er seen such a happy lad, most don't like birthin' but your Davey couldn't wait to see his momma," said Ezzie as she dug her flask out of her expansive cleavage and took a nip.

"Nick just delivered Davey's daughter last week," said Tiernan. "Things have sure changed since our day," he continued as he squeezed his wife Sorcha's shoulder. "Back then you'd never hear of the father helping with the delivery."

"Th' father 'elpin'?" asked Ezzie, her eyes huge in surprise. She thought that Uther being in the room with Desdemona was to hold one baby while Nick took care of the other. That was the case, but not the whole reason.

"Helping as he should be!" insisted Sorcha. "He was there to place the order; he should be there to take delivery!" After the laughter died down, she continued, "I remember the whole time our Davey was being born, all of our sons, in fact, that I wanted my Tiernan there with me, but we didn't do it that way back then."

"Oh, Agness will never take kindly to this!" and Ezzie took another swig from her flask.

"Then if she ever has a child, she can have someone else help her," said Nick. "I let all my girls and their men know that I expect the father to help."

Just then a magical chime filled the air, and Octavia's magical hourglass appeared in front of her. "Fifteen minutes!" she announced, then headed over to the stove that was filling the air with some alien (to Nick) fragrances.

Sorcha looked in the oven with Octavia and smiled. "You did it! Now remember the little lost boy, and good luck. We'll see you tomorrow."

As Sorcha hustled Tiernan and Ezzie out of the house, Nick explored the mysteries of the kitchen.

"Sorcha helped me decipher Nana Partridges' recipes," said Octavia as she eased the roasted, golden brown chicken out of the oven. "I wanted to make you a proper home cooked dinner, but I've never cooked anything. I didn't know how this stove works and I did not want to make bread and cheese sandwiches again." The bread and cheese sandwiches were made from welcoming gifts, slices of stale bread and dry, possibly moldy cheese. Nick ate them like they were mana from heaven because, compared to his previous diet, they were mana from heaven. But more importantly, the woman he loves made them for him. With every bite, Octavia felt guilty that she couldn't make better.

Their little table was soon covered with the most incredible-smelling food Nick had ever been near. Even the fancy restaurants he and Pepin used to dine at... meaning they ate the scraps that they picked out of the rubbish bin, smelled nothing like this. Pepin was underfoot as much as Nick was while Octavia finished dinner preparations. "Boys! Relax!" said Octavia as she chuckled at their antics.

"It smells incredible," said Nick as he came up behind Octavia and hugged her, his hands roaming over her lush, curvaceous body.

"Stop!" she warned. "I'm almost done here," she said as she stirred a marvelous-smelling concoction on the stove.

"I can't believe that you made all this."

"And I can't believe you saved that baby," said Octavia. "When a senior witch like Ezzie Fahy says that you're the most powerful witch in the kingdom, you're the most powerful witch in the kingdom."

"I got lucky," said Nick as his hands got near her breasts, only to be swatted down. "What is that you're making?"

"It's a special treat for the other man of the house," she said as she poured some gravy over a mixture of items that didn't make it to Nick's feast and set the dish on the floor for Pepin.

Finally! Some food around this joint! And Pepin was muzzle-deep in doggy nirvana.

"What was the lost boy Sorcha told you about?" asked Nick as Octavia placed dish after dish of delicious-smelling concoctions on the table.

"A little lost boy in the woods was eating dead animals and roots to stay alive for a long time," said Octavia as she sat next to Nick and made up his plate for him. "When he finally got home, his mother made him a wonderful meal that tasted so good he ate it all as fast as he could and he ate it so fast that he ended up throwing up, but that left him hungry again but the food was all gone."

"Poor kid, who was he?" asked Nick.

"It's a parable that will hopefully help." She loaded up a fork with some chicken and gravy and fed him a bite. Nick's eyes lit up in surprise. He tried to grab the fork out of her hand, but she said, "No... chew every bit... now swallow... now kiss the cook." After a very passionate kiss, she moved around the plate, feeding him bits of potato, yam, and Brussels sprouts, each requiring a kiss for the cook after each bite.

So delicious! So exquisite! Every bite was a culinary symphony compared to anything he's ever eaten before. He saw why Octavia enforced the chew each bite rule, because if she wasn't monitoring his intake, he would have eaten himself sick. "Sorcha says I'll probably end up being the baker and you will be the better cook."

"What's the difference?" asked Nick around a mouthful of a flavor explosion that Octavia called a 'brownie.' These were not made of real brownies, which are closely related to pixies. That would be murder.

"According to Sorcha, cooking involves meats and veggies and stuff like that, mostly on top of the stove. Baking is the bread, cakes, cookies, and brownies."

"Why?"

"Because baking is based on science, which is my specialty. Cooking is an art which is yours."

"How can I pay you back for such a feast?" he was finally able to say as he finished the most delicious meal he's ever eaten in his life. The delicacies of the castle at Termagant's Bane were nothing compared to this.

"This is for you. What you did today was incredible." She didn't want him to know that the hardest part of the meal was killing, plucking, and gutting the chicken that Tiernan brought over from MacClenny's farm. When she figured out what the units of measure were in the cookbook, it was easy, but there were feathers everywhere out behind the coops. "That baby you saved... her folks must be so amazed."

"Babies are born every day..." he said softly as he gave his wizard a kiss.

"Chickens are roasted every day..." as she kissed her witch.

<><><><><>

It was a warm evening, and as the sun set behind the far mountains, Nick and Octavia made love by the pond. Octavia was still getting used to the fact that Nick loved to look at her as they made passionate love. She was told by the temple hags (priestesses) that sex was done in the dark behind a locked door. "So your husband doesn't catch you?" asked one girl. That earned her a rap on the wrist, but the giggling was impossible to stifle.

Nick didn't understand much about sex at all. He and Ziska were constantly busy and never had much time for each other. But with Octavia it was all good; everything they tried was better than the last thing. They learned quickly not to say "no" to each other unless they had a reason to. The locked-door idea went out the window the first time they made love in front of the big warm fireplace. And tonight, the silvery light of the enormous moon Kuu bathed them in a gentle spotlight as Octavia rode her husband to a screaming climax on the shore of their pond.

Octavia collapsed onto Nick, panting in the warm evening air. "I can't anymore, not right now," she said, leaving him unsatisfied.

"It's ok," said Nick. Octavia has ways to keep him happy; he's sure she'll make it up to him later.

"Let's go inside," she panted. "It's going to get chilly."

"No, wait," said Nick. "The almanac says there's going to be a stardance tonight. I want to see it."

"Stardance? There's no such thing."

"That's what you city folk think. In Breaze we'd put out the city gas lamps so everyone could see it."

"Really?"

"The one in autumn is the best, usually on Whorl fourteenth, there's no moon, only a sky full of stars," he said as the stars that were visible began to rotate in gentle circles. "The stars that are farthest away move in bigger circles than the closer stars."

"I've never seen this," said Octavia as her eyes drank in the natural wonder.

"Something about Zigu passing close to Kodu that makes the core of Kodu shudder which makes the distant stars dance," said Nick. Then he began to sing the nursery rhyme that has been sung to children all over Kodu for centuries.

"When mighty Zigu draws in near,

The stars begin to leap and cheer.

Four times a year they twirl and play,

To light up Kodu's sky ballet.

So, close your eyes and count to four,

The dancing stars will shine once more.

They spin for joy, not fear or fright —

A gift from Zigu's glowing might."

"It's a silly child's story," said Octavia. "Something to keep them from being scared in the night."

"Look up little one," whispered Nick. "The dance as started."

Octavia looked up at the amazing Stardance, she was in shock as she watched the stars spin in their paths, some in tiny little circles, others in wide orbits, their dancing was exaggerated by the motionless moon Kuu and the nearby planet Zigu that glistened as a bright star that stood stationary in the sky. The Stardance in the month of Whorl was better? How could that be possible?

Overwhelmed by the celestial celebration, Octavia pulled Nick on top of her and gasped, "Now!" She moaned in splendor as she felt him enter her, and she brought her knees up, giving her man deeper access to her. She watched the stars spin; their different-sized whirls made the dance look complex and tangled. Something about the stardance made her desire Nick even more. They made love as if they would never get the chance again, and their cries echoed in the night.

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Chapter 05 - Lessons

The next morning, it looked like the entire village of Elm Springs had turned up. In fact, they began showing up before Nick and Octavia woke up. "COME OUT WITCH! WE NEED TO TALK!" boomed a voice as big as the nearby mountains.

"Oh, damn!" groaned Nick. He and Octavia had planned to wake up with a naked dip in the pond, then some morning lovemaking on the shore before heading down to the temple. Octavia feels that as an ordained temple priestess she should do something with the local temple.

"What's the matter dear?" asked Octavia.

"Sounds like the torch and pitchfork crowd wants a word with the witch," groaned Nick as he pulled on a robe and his sandals, then rifled down the stairs and strode up to his front door. As he unlatched the door, Nick reached for his staff/broom/cane. The staff sat in the oliphant foot umbrella holder by the door with Octavia's staff, and he had to make sure he had the right one. "Come on, stick, I need you." He tried to lift the stick out of the umbrella holder, but it had become immobile, and Nick couldn't lift it out of the umbrella stand no matter how hard he tried. "Come on, I might need you," muttered Nick.

"You promised me a name!" demanded the cane that the goddess Saatus gave him.

"Oh, come on! I have an angry crowd outside the door."

"All the great wizard's staffs have names," demanded the staff. "You gave Octavia's staff a name." It sounded as if the staff were pouting.

Nick sighed. Of all the times... "I hereby name thee Teivas, Staff of Destiny!"

"Teivas, I like it," said the cane, and it became a powerful-looking staff.

Clutching his staff, Nick stepped out onto the porch and saw the small multitude filling his lawn while Pepin sat on the porch watching with an amused expression on his face. Even Mister Highgrower and his garden gnomes were glaring up at him. Nick looked down at the wolf on the porch and said, "I thought you were a watch dog."

I'm watching.

"There is an element of calling out a warning involved with the job."

You said you wanted to sleep in.

Here we go, thought Nick, and he stood as tall as he could and said in a loud, masculine voice, "I AM CAPTAIN NICK STEIN, WITCH. AND THIS IS MY FAMILIAR PEPIN."

I'm more of a conscience than a familiar.

"Shush, he's on a roll," said Octavia to Pepin as she stepped out onto the porch with a hot mug of tea in her hands.

"WHO WISHES TO HAVE WORDS WITH THE WITCH?" continued Nick.

A red-faced, red-haired walking mountain with a beard and a kilt stepped up to Nick. Even though the redhead was standing on the lawn and Nick was two steps up on the porch, the man mountain still stood taller than Nick. With a deep accent, he growled, "I DO."

Nick stood firm, thinking of all the animals he could convert to, all of which could overpower this enormous man, but if he was angry or scared, Nick didn't know if he could control himself when the animal takes over. He couldn't run. He had to protect Octavia, so he had to stand firm. Let's try diplomacy. "SPEAK YOUR PEACE, WE ARE ALL ELM SPRINGS MEN HERE!" Loud diplomacy, but it's diplomacy.

"I AM FEENEY MACTAVISH AND DESDEMONA BORSEN IS MY DAUGHTER... AND THIS WITCH SAVED MY GRANDDAUGHTER'S LIFE!" He scooped Nick off the porch and swung him around, laughing joyfully. "ANYONE WHO HAS A PROBLEM WITH THIS WITCH MUST ANSWER TO ME!" and the crowd cheered and roared with laughter.

"Let him down, Feeney," laughed someone from the crowd. "He's turning blue!" It was now clear to Octavia and Nick that Ezzie Fahy had made sure that everyone in the Buckington Groves Township knew he beat death by saving a tiny baby at the same time Sorcha and Tiernan Brighid asked everyone to come and help the newlyweds.

"WE BROUGHT YOUR PAYMENT FOR M'GIRLS," boomed Feeney, and he gestured to the pond, and on the far side, Nick saw five white balls of fur thoughtfully munching on the rich green grass.

"I was only told two," said Nick in a small voice.

"WE GRANDPARENTS THREW IN TWO MORE EWES AND A RAM T' KEEP YOUR FLOCK ALIVE AND GROWING!"

"Let's get to work!" cried Tiernan Brighid, and the second craziest day of Nick's life began. The men of Elm Springs led Nick up the mountain and taught him the skills needed to survive a Black Mountain winter. He needed to learn how to harvest wood, harvest ice, harvest deer, and skin rabbits. They started with a lesson on how to select trees for lumber or firewood, how to fell the tree, buck it and split it.

"I know how to cut wood!" insisted Nick.

"Oh?" asked Tiernan. "Standing right here I can see at least three trees worth harvesting. Which ones would you take?"

Nick looked around, and all the trees looked healthy. "I don't know, I've been cutting deadfall."

"Aye, but that's a resource that runs out all too soon. "Looka here at this ash. An ash should have a thick canopy of leaves, like a maple or a beech; this one has only a few leaves. The poor old thing is dying, so we'll bring her down."

In less time than Nick thought was possible, the ten men converted a dying but majestic ash tree to several stacks of firewood, slowly drying and aging in the Kodu sunlight.

Nick dropped the tree with the two-man bandsaw; his partner made sure that Nick did most of the work. Then, they bucked the tree into eighteen-inch segments, and then split those segments into pieces that would burn properly in their fireplace or stove. As Nick sliced the tree with the bandsaw, teams of men took those pieces and split them into firewood faster than Nick could buck the trunk of the tree. The sounds of a saw slicing wood and a sledge striking a wedge filled the forest.

"Now see, you have sunlight breaking through the forest canopy with that tree gone, a place for deer to graze, and these saplings can grow," said Ian McLeish. His wife, Aelwen, was overdue, and they're both hugely reassured by the skills of their new witch after he saved the Borsen twins. Aelwen was currently in the cabin waiting to teach Octavia sewing skills.

Another man spelled Nick on the bandsaw, and as Nick stood bent over, gasping and gulping air, one of the guys saw an opportunity to tease his favorite witch. "TAKING A BREAK ALREADY MY LITTLE FRIEND?" boomed Feeney MacTavish. "WE'VE CHOPPED THIS TREE INTO STACKS OF FIREWOOD AND ALL YOU'VE PRODUCED IS SAWDUST!"

Dripping with sweat, Nick stood straight up and stepped up to Feeney and said, "Don't make me show you why we sometimes call this Bear Mountain."

"OH? ARE YE GONNA CONJURE UP A BEAR?" The gauntlet was thrown down.

Attracted by the sounds of men laughing, Octavia walked up to the site where wood used to be chopped and found Feeney Mac Tavish wrestling a black bear, surrounded by a crowd of laughing men. "Feeney!" she shouted, and both combatants rolled apart to look up at the sexy Enchantress. "Don't hurt him. I have plans for him later." And with a saucy wink and a sexy smile, she turned and headed back to the cottage with an extra sway in her hips.

The bear with a golden eye and Feeney looked at each other, then with a cheery "Oh ho ho!" from the crowd of men, the wrestling match was back on. Now the men of Elm Springs knew their witch was a shape-shifter, and it didn't mean much to them, because he had become one of the guys.

<><><><><>

Back at the cottage, Octavia found Pepin was back out with their tiny flock of sheep, keeping them in a tight group. The sheep weren't scared of him, just annoyed with him. Pepin and Octavia spent the morning under the tutelage of Linda MacTavish, Feeney's wife, learning the ways of sheep wrangling. Pepin initially stated that this was demeaning and beneath him, but when he discovered that the reward for obeying Octavia's "suggestions" and "requests" was bits of raw venison, Pepin discovered an inner sheepdog. At first he thought he'd hate it; a wolf should be eating sheep, not bossing them around, but Pepin discovered how much fun it was to bend these stupid walking puffballs to his will.

"We won't have to do this too much," Octavia whispered to Pepin, who was trying to get the sheep to stand in a line. As soon as they were done with their lesson, she drew a glowing fence around the sheep, keeping them safe in one area, then returned to the cottage where baskets of several fruits and vegetables and a case of glass jars were waiting for her.

"We're going to learn the art of canning!" announced Erin Metsker. "Pay attention. You're going to need to teach your husband. This skill is more important than cutting firewood."

"Why is that?" asked Octavia, who was terrified of the stories she's heard about Black Mountain winters.

"Because you can't eat firewood," said Ena McCrory, Erin's daughter.

"First, we sterilize the jars, but we save that hot water," said Erin.

Octavia nodded in agreement. She's already learned that with a wood-burning stove, hot water is a precious commodity. She lowered the glass jars into the water, and Ena showed her how to prepare the lids.

While the children played outside and other women prepared their lessons, Octavia, Ena, and Erin blanched, skinned, cut, and pitted a dozen peaches. As they did this, there came a loud squawk from the other side of the room. It came from Aelwen McLeish, who was sitting in Nana Partridge's chair. "I'll go check on her," said Ena, and she left the canning stations to go talk to Aelwen. A moment later Ena called, "her water broke, go get the witch."

"Get the witch!" someone outside repeated, and one of the oldest girls playing outside raced uphill into the woods. She soon came back with Nick and the terrified-looking father, Ian. All the way down the hill, Nick was reassuring Ian.

"You don't worry, if there's any worrying to be done, it's my job, ok? Keep reassuring her that's she's doing a good job."

Ian wasn't convinced. "How do I know if she's doing a good job?"

"Because she can't do anything but a good job. It's all natural, her body knows what to do, it's all up to me and the baby," said Nick. "I'll tell you what the baby needs, and you tell her."

For her part, Octavia stayed at the sink working on the fruit, but she could hear Nick talking to Ian and Aelwen, calming and reassuring them, followed by a shriek of agony and surprise from Aelwen. "Sounds like everything is normal," said Erin as she helped Octavia pack the jar with peach halves, but Octavia kept looking over her shoulder at Nick.

"There's no difference between any other time you've seen this except the husband is there to help and the midwife is a man," said Ena.

"I've never seen it. I always wondered how it happened," said Octavia softly.

"What?" gasped Erin. "You've never seen a birth?" The thought was inconceivable to Erin. Here in the mountains, childbirth is a family event, and watching a new brother or sister or cousin come into the world was common for all preteen girls.

"No, I was raised in a temple orphanage. The babies were delivered in baskets."

"Then go! Go watch the miracle!" said Erin.

Octavia washed the peach juice from her hands, and Ena escorted Octavia over to Nick's side, where he was helping Ian and Aelwen welcome their child into the world. She helped Nick arrange Aelwen in Nana's chair, then she crouched next to Nick, and he held her hand. There was a lot of crying out from Aelwen, and she helped Ian encourage Aelwen, and soon it happened. Her jaw dropped as the baby's head began to emerge.

"It has daddy's hair!" called Nick happily. It was still a new miracle to him, and he had to keep in mind that most of the women in the cottage had been through this in one form or another many more times than he had. He also had to keep foremost in his mind that this is Aelwen and Ian's first child; they're expecting him to have all the answers for them.

"What should I do?" asked Ian. His voice was on the verge of panic.

"You sit at her waist and encourage her. If I need her to do something, I'll tell you what it is and you encourage her. You'll pick up on it quickly."

Octavia was stunned. She was both terrified of and enamored with the miracle of birth. "Can I do anything?" she asked Nick.

"Yes, you sit with me and hold that towel up, yes, like that."

"What's this for?"

Nick smiled and gave his wife a kiss. "Trying to preserve her modesty. This is her first, and she's in a house full of people."

"Thank you," groaned Aelwen, who had been considering the same thing between contractions.

"In a few minutes we're going to have a baby," said Nick to Octavia. "When it comes I will put it in your arms, and you hold it in that towel. When it sings for us, Ian will give it a name, I'll cut it free, then after mommy says hello, you and daddy take youngster over to the sink and give it a warm bath while I take care of mommy."

Soon poor Aelwen was exhausted. She hadn't slept for days worrying about this exact moment, and it's taken a toll on her. "I can't do it," she said as she slumped back on the pillow. "I'm all done in."

"That's a shame. Everybody is here for the party," said Nick with a sad look on his face. "Should we go home and try it again tomorrow?"

"Octavia was right," panted Aelwen as another big contraction came rolling in, "you truly are a fucking son of AAAAHHHH!!!"

"This is the one!" Nick encouraged. "Push-push-push-push..."

And Octavia saw it - time stood still for her at the moment a new child came into the world. Her eyes were wide and full of tears as Nick put that tiny miracle in her hands and tied off the umbilical cord. The baby was shuddering and squalling, and Nick's words seemed to come from far away when he happily cried, "What is the name for this beautiful boy Ian?"

Octavia almost cried out, "Marlon!" — the name she desired for her own boy when he finally arrives, but the new father, overwhelmed with awe, sputtered for a moment then said, "Ceiriog! His name is Ceiriog..." and reluctantly Octavia handed Ceiriog to his parents. Then after Aelwen kissed her new son hello, she and Ian went over to the sink where Erin and Ena had a warm bath ready for little Ceiriog. Octavia had the honor of holding Ceiriog while Erin showed the new daddy how to wash his baby boy. She looked across the room where Nick was taking care of Aelwen and their eyes met... I can't wait for our own, she told Nick silently.

Me neither.

<><><><><>

A few hours later, the meal was ready and people gathered to eat and celebrate the new baby and welcome the new witch and wizard on Black Mountain. A still dazed Octavia looked through the crowd and said, "Where's my husband?"

"Queen Elinor has taken him up the mountain to look for herbs and Medicinals," said a palace guard wearing armor.

"Does he realize she's the queen? He won't recognize her, I guarantee it. He can be oblivious at times."

"I don't think so mum, Missus MacTavish scolded him into going up there with her majesty when he said that he didn't have time to pick posies.

"Oh no," groaned Octavia. She had taken a break from canning lessons and spinning lessons and stepped outside to watch the activity. The side of elk that had been turning over a fire was deemed to be ready by the head cook, Merle Rorie, a neighboring farmer, and people were getting ready to eat, but they would not start without the Queen.

Stepping out of the forest behind the cottage came Nick and Queen Elinor. Her Majesty was dressed in a flowing ankle length flower pattern dress that she had had for years. It was a dress that any of the farmer's wives or merchant wives here in Elm Springs would wear on a spring Sunday, but for Queen Elinor it was something she would wear all year round.

Nick was carrying a basket full of plants that had promised medicinal properties, and he and the Queen were discussing a notation he had made in the notebook he carried. In the past, he had only seen the queen in royal robes with her hair done up, a tiara pinning it in place, never in an old, fraying dress, with her hair down and glasses on her nose.

The entire assembly went silent and knelt as the Queen approached, but Nick missed that, he was reading his notebook when Elinor said, "Good people of Elm Springs, thank you for welcoming me to your feast, as Prince Exavier tells me several times a day, let's eat!" When she said, "Let's eat" the people rose and cheered their queen and stepped aside to allow her and her guards first choice at their buffet.

"How are you doing Mister Witch?" said Octavia with a smile as she stepped in front of Nick. He was so engrossed in herbology and his notes that he almost bumped into her.

"Hmm? Oh, this was fascinating, and Mrs. Queen invited us to her house on Thursday."

"Missus Queen?" said Octavia, chuckling. When Nick is lost in study, he gets seriously lost. "You didn't even notice that it was Queen Elinor, not some Missus Queen."

"I uh... we were picking herbs... and..." he looked and Octavia was right; it was the queen. He had been swapping jokes and digging up mushrooms and herbs with the Queen of Uduithia for the past hour.

"And it's not her house," continued Octavia. "It's the Palace we've been invited to."

Nick suddenly felt cold. "Palace?" he said in a tiny voice. He was done. There were no more demon-gods to fight, no royal guards to command. He was hoping to hide in this cottage for the next sixty years.

"Let's go apologize..." sighed Octavia, and she dragged Nick over to where Queen Elinor was seated with her children, Prince Exavier and Crown Princess Sophia.

<><><><><>֎<><><><><>

Chapter 06 - A New Position

Early Thursday morning, Octavia and Nick walked naked hand-in-hand to the pond where they bathed each other as the sun came up. Hands caressed each other as they splashed and played in the warm pond water. "Is this what you did when you were a kid?" asked Octavia as she rubbed her breasts on Nick's back.

"Yeah, but this is more fun."

He turned around in Octavia's arms for a kiss, and she grasped his erect manhood. "Gods below!" she gasped. "Are you ever satisfied? We barely slept last night with your antics."

"I didn't hear any complaints," said Nick with a grin.

She gave him a tug and said, "Save this up for tonight, we're spending the night in Waelmore Castle."

"Yes dear," he moaned.

"Oh, stop pouting and come on! You know what castles do for me."

"Yes dear." There's something about castles that gets Octavia going, and she loves Waelmore Castle. It's the oldest castle on all of Kodu; its builders are long forgotten. Nick couldn't wait, but he was suspicious. They're just publicly announcing their marriage to the king. For the mountain folk of Uduithia who get married at home and have a witch perform the ceremony, their wedding must be announced to the king and entered into the kingdom records. It's free, and for most mountain folk, it's the only ceremony they can afford. King Uric often invites the couple to spend the night at the castle and dine with the royal family. With a huge grin, he followed her up to their cottage, where they dressed for the occasion.

The king and queen were both at Nick and Octavia's wedding, so they didn't need to go through this. However, there is the golden rule of royalty: the king gets what the king wants.

"How do we want to travel to Waelmore Castle?" asked Nick as he and Octavia each picked a snap bean from the garden and munched on it while they stepped up onto the porch. "Should I hitch Teddi and Kaleb to the wagon?"

"No, I like riding you," she said as she leaned on her husband. There was something pure and sweet about watching the sun rise in the nude on a warm summer morning. "Let's go get dressed."

Four hours later, Octavia rode to the nobles' entrance of the castle on a beautiful tan Morgan horse with a white mane and tail, with a huge mountain wolf at her side. Before the guard could step out to welcome her, she slid off the horse, which became Nick, without a flash of light or cloud of smoke. "Lady Octavia, Lord Nicolas, all is in readiness for you," said the guard.

"My name is Nick," said Nick.

"Today it's not," said the young guard with a grin.

Harold Lorechestershire was the steward, chamberlain, marshal, and head butler of Waelmore Castle. It was his job to ensure that the royal proprieties were not overlooked at any time. Today was a big event, the presentation to the King and Queen, which was simply a royal acknowledgment of a marriage arrangement, and it is as close to a wedding ceremony as many of these poor farm village people get. It was also the royal reception of the new village witch and the appointment of a new wizard to the royal court. There was more, but poor Harold was so overwhelmed that for the first time since the royal wedding two decades ago, he requested help with the arrangements. Crown Princess Sophia gladly stepped in to help "Uncle Harold." She knows Nick and Octavia and thought they were brilliant, but a bit much for Harold to handle on his own.

Finally, all was ready, the throne room was packed with visitors from all over Kodu, representatives from the Xuantang Empire, Bovuka, Vespil, Idamaa, Sotis, Thamor, and even the Dominus of Torwin-Armistad, Lord Orazio Laurita himself was there although it is said that the Xuantang empire and Torwin-Armistad were actively trying to get Nick and Octavia to move to their countries and go on a worldwide tour promoting the joys of despotism.

Nick and Octavia were in a side room where Princess Sophia and the new maid Magdalana were helping Nick and Octavia get ready for the ceremony. Both were dressed up in centuries-old robes and the finery of Uduithia's gloried past, and both were as fussy as schoolchildren being forced to wear the ancient, heavy, uncomfortable clothes that reeked of mothballs. Princess Sophia seemed infatuated with Nick's golden eye. "You can really see with it?"

"I can see great," said Nick, "as good or better than before. This eye has a lot of options."

"I'm afraid it will freak out mother, changing from the largest bird on the disk to a human was one thing, but this..." Both Queen Elinor and Princess Sophia were there when Nick returned as a rok and overflew the pond then changed back to his human form and slid into Octavia's arms

"Here, put this on," said Octavia, and she handed Nick his crockelgator eyepatch, which he put on. It added a touch of swagger to the stuffy old robes he was wearing.

"It's a shame that you have to wear that. It will ruin your vision of the day's events," said Princess Sophia as the guests of honor were called to line up.

"Oh, he can see right through that," said Octavia. Games of "Hide and Sex" played on warm summer nights on Black Mountain taught her that there's nowhere she can hide to escape Nick and his insatiable hunger for her. Not that there's any reason for her to evade it...

"How can he..." started Sophia, but Nick interrupted her.

He covered his good eye and then said, "Turn around make a fist and put your hand on your chest. Now hold up any number of fingers." She followed his instructions, and Nick said, "Four."

"You saw through the patch and through me?" Then her face went pale, and she cried, "you can see through my dress!"

"Please, your highness, I'm a witch, a man of medicine!" said Nick, acting offended at her offence. "That usually gives me a headache so I don't do it very often."

As he spoke, Harold Lorechestershire banged his staff three times, calling the courtroom to order.

"If it please yer highness!" cried Harold the Herald. "the honorable Nick Stein, witch, and his familiar, Pepin."

Nick strode up the aisle wearing the old robes of a long dead marquis or earl, or viscount, or some other notable nobleman, but he also wore a slouch hat with the dingaroo fangs in the crockelgator hide hatband and the right side of the brim pinned up with the Black Mountain badge of Queen Elinor's elite guard. Princess Sophia also added a bright red ostrich plume from a Thamor red ostrich. With his trimmed beard, which has a bare spot due to his scar, he looked every bit a Vooka bush ranger dressed up for a night on the town. To his left walked Pepin, and in his hand he carried his staff Teivas.

As they marched up the aisle, a cat sprung out of the crowd, and Pepin almost chased it. Pepin flinched but realized that there was something wrong with that cat. Someone had put it up to this, and he remained in step with Nick. "Thank you," whispered Nick.

No problem.

"Agness!" whispered a witch in attendance. "Leave the lad alone."

"He's not a witch Esmirelda," insisted Agness Dempsey. "He's a man and I'm not going to stand for it."

"He's your nephew, let him be. We can go chat with the lad on the morrow," hissed Ezzie Fahy. "You don't see the wizards mumbling over 'is woman stealing their thunder."

Again, there were three more bangs on the floor that echoed through the hall. "If it please yer highness!" cried Harold the Herald, "the enchantress, temple priestess Octavia Stein."

Octavia was dressed in her long, flowing enchantress robes, almost completely invisible to her husband, so to keep him from taking her on the floor in front of their king she bound her breasts and wore panties which caused Nick to want to take her more. Under her long robes she wore her high-heeled musketeer boots, and she wore her wide-brimmed hat that looked a bit like Nick's slouch hat, and like Nick she wore the brim folded up on the right side, pinned in place by a Black Mountain badge of Queen Elinor's elite guard.

"Priestess!" sneered Agness Dempsy under her breath. "There's only one thing she can bless dressed like that." Then Agness realized she was being given The Stare by her former student, now her queen, Elinor Uric.

"Nice one Agness," giggled Ezzie Fahy. "yer gonna git us thrown outta 'ere. Oi've never been thrown out of a palace before."

"Not with your clothes on," growled Agness. She was getting angry.

Behind them, the Dominus of Torwin-Armistad, Lord Orazio Laurita, sensed a kindred spirit. He whispered almost soundlessly to his personal assistant, "Stuart, set up a meeting with the woman ahead of us." Stuart nodded and silently wrote the order in his notebook using a hand that the greatest code breakers in the Spies Guild have yet to crack. The dominus smells an opportunity, thought Stuart with a grin.

Next to the witches, Gorius Redpath, the Dean of Bet ha-Kise University in Steil Thein, glared at the honored couple. Those two! How dare they! They tore through his university and his library for two months! A female wizard? It's unnatural! A male witch? It's perverted! Sparks crackled at his fingertips as he prepared a fireball to throw.

Behind him scowled Tidor Dhukonn, Presiding Viceroy of the University of Mystic Arts at the Temple of Saehrimnir in Torwin-Armistad. Dean Redpath had been a thorn in Tidor's side for decades until Tidor let him go, and now that spherical man dared call himself a viceroy? Tidor put up with his antics for far too long. One wrong move will spell the end of the dean.

Behind him, flanked by an honor guard of Bush Wizards, stood Bishop Bruce Neurath, Chief Temple Priest at Temple of Cloacina University on Bovuka. Bruce and his Dean of Library Sciences, Bruce Bruckner, were keeping an eye on the Dean and Tidor Dhukonn, and they realized that this could get ugly very fast. Meanwhile, off to the side stood Rifty Peregrine, a dwarf. Rifty had a contract he needed signed, and as soon as the king was done with Nick Stein, Rifty will dash in like an out of breath fanboy and ask for an autograph and that's it, Peregrine and Aegir Mining will own Black Mountain and mining rights throughout all of Hay-on-Wægn County.

Meanwhile, up front, His Majesty King Uric II was thanking Nick and Octavia for risking their lives to stop the demon-god Zeddicus and saving the world. That news never made it to the people of Uduithia, but now that the king recited the story of the battle at Tähelepanek Point publicly, it would be just a matter of hours before every ear in Uduithia knew about Nick and Octavia's exploits. "Kneel please."

Nick and Octavia knelt holding hands, believing that this was the marriage portion of the show. All they wanted to do was to appear before the royal couple and have their marriage validated. As they knelt, King Uric began muttering in Vespil, a language good for mottos, but beyond that Nick barely understood Vespil.

Then the king began asking Nick and Octavia odd questions like, "Dost thou swear to abstain from attacking unescorted noblewomen for no reason?" and "Wouldst thou refrain from assaulting members of the clergy?" As the couple attempted to refrain from laughter, Uric took a long sword and tapped their shoulders, saying, "I knight thee in the name of the Kingdom of Uduithia. Arise Sir Nicholas Stein! Arise Dame Octavia Stein!"

Wait - they've both been knighted? For the entire audience, the whole "Saving the world" concept was gossip-worthy, but having a knight in the kingdom that wasn't an octogenarian and challenging wizards for the title of most meals consumed in a week was a shocking new concept. King Uric II had established a new campaign where knighthoods were bestowed for actual acts of heroism, bravery, and service to the kingdom and not on political favoritism. It had been a very long time since the kingdom had a new knight to cheer.

Orazio Laurita didn't mind his target being knighted. Saving the world gets you a knighthood; everyone knows that. Being a knight would raise their value as a propaganda tool back in Torwin-Armistad. However, what happened next threw a wrench into his plans.

"Let it be proclaimed across the realm and beyond that Sir Nicholas Stein, esteemed knight and witch of the village of Elm Springs, Buckington Groves Township, Hay-on-Wægn County, shall henceforth assume the esteemed title of Duke of Wægn, together with her Grace Octavia Stein, Duchess of Wægn in perpetuity, for as long as they shall endure; should any contest this decree, speak now or forever remain silent."

Those in attendance held their collective breath. This was something that King Uric included in all of his appointments. The first few times he did it, no one spoke because they were afraid of losing their heads, but when they finally realized that no one was going to die, they spoke up. Normally, any opposition was looked into immediately by the king. This time, an old crone rose in opposition. "Yes Witch Dempsy," said King Uric, fearing the worst.

"What will the witch use his powers for in the office of Duke? Will he bewitch people into overpaying taxes?"

Nick turned and looked at Agness Dempsy as she stood ramrod straight in a sea of worried faces. "Dukes in the past have used force of arms to force people to overpay their taxes, and you wonder if I will take a different approach to appropriate ill-gotten gains? I will use neither, taxation will be based on publicly available records. Are you afraid I will review your tax records, Missus Dempsy?"

"Witches don't pay taxes," said Agness haughtily.

"I do," said Nick, causing a smattering of applause, which grew. Nick raised his hand for quiet and said, "It's a valid worry, but I pledge to you now that any powers I use will be used to protect and defend the people and resources of the Duchy of Wægn and in the service of my King and Queen, and most importantly... my wife."

There were some chuckles and more applause, and Octavia clung to his arm. How did she get so lucky in finding this man?

An old man, easily decades older than Agness, rose to his feet, bowed by his years, an ally of Agness Dempsy. He was Gaffer Scund. "How would ye use these powers of yours?" demanded the old man.

Nick nodded and said, "I found the ability to look like a deer comes in handy when poachers are in our woods. I can drive them off without drawing my sword."

"You can do that?" demanded Gaffer Scund.

"Aye. Ask Missus Dempsy. She's seen me. Is that not right, Ma'am?" and he flipped up his eyepatch to show her for just a moment his golden eye.

Agness sighed; he had defeated her without a shot being fired. "I have seen him, yes." She sat down and tried to ignore Ezzie Fahy's laughter.

Gaffer Scund turned his back to Nick and banged his cane into the floor and shouted, "If that be true, then I say... LONG LIVE DUKE STEIN!"

Octavia has never been so proud of Nick. Recently, living in despair, he lost his wife, his king, his country, and was lost. Now he's a duke in the Kingdom of Uduithia, temple manager, farmer, and healer. Now the crowd was chanting "Long Live Duke Stein!"

"So be it," said the King, wishing all of his decisions went over so joyfully. "Octavia Stein, Doctor of Multi-theistic Amphibology and Master of Library Sciences, would you officially consent to serve as the Royal Wizard to the court of Uduithia and Royal Librarian?"

"Aye my lord."

The king addressed the assembled: "should any individual contest this resolution, I beseech thee to voice thy concerns now, or henceforth remain silent in perpetuity." When no one uttered a word, King Uric smiled and said, "Very well. Might anyone possess a staff for our esteemed wizard?"

"I do," then Nick took Virga out of his sleeve, Octavia's staff. It was only 2 feet long, and he whispered, "we haven't been friends, but we had fun."

"No, we didn't have fun, your grace, but we survived some hard events together and it was an amazing journey and we both learned much in the adventure."

"Then Virga, I ask you for one more favor, you must serve our lady" said Nick, and he handed the staff to Octavia as her staff of office. As her hand closed around Virga, the staff extended to its full length. Virga covered herself with thoughtful, feminine mystic designs. The stick is going to be so mad when she discovers Virga is the Thamor word for "Stick."

"Finally," said King Uric as Harold stepped up holding an enormous book open, "it is time we enter your marriage in the ledger of the Kingdom of Uduithia. Please enter with your new legal signatures." Both Nick and Octavia entered their last names exactly the same, then the king announced, "UDUITHIA! I PRESENT TO YOU, MR. AND MRS. STEIN!"

As the crowd gathered around the joyful couple to congratulate them, Agness Dempsy was steaming. Can't they see that their new witch is a man??? He's going to come into the job with all kinds of crazy man ideas like steel farm implements and axe handles that absorb shock. And Octavia is just as bad, perverting her feminine sensibilities with book learning and things like echo-gnomics, joligy, and jommetry! Why would a proper woman need wizarding?

Unfortunately for Agness Dempsy, Octavia Stein and the other wizards think an Enchantress is a female wizard, but she's not. She's something entirely different, and if they knew what an enchantress was, they would rightfully demand that she be tied to a stake and burned before it's too late. Only her staff Virga knows for sure what an Enchantress fully is, and it passes that knowledge on to Nick, but it's buried in his mind among mountains of other information that he's still processing. Not only did Virga pass on the knowledge of what Octavia is, but Virga also passed on some of that power to Nick.

For his part, Orazio Laurita was angry with King Uric II of Uduithia. With one breath, he gave a dukedom to a recently trained street urchin and named him the witch of all of Hay-on-Wægn County, an area equivalent to his duchy. Then he appointed the wizard to his court! The two people that Orazio wanted, the people he needed for his plans, and a king with fewer than 10,000 subjects poached them out from under his nose.

Agness Dempsy and Orazio Laurita watched the couple laugh and play with the children of Uduithia in the palace courtyard, and they made their plans...

"Sire!" panted an excited dwarf, holding up a piece of parchment on a clipboard. "Can I get your autograph so I can tell the rest of my clan that I met you?"

"Autograph?" Up until this very moment, Nick hadn't realized that dwarves were autograph hounds, so this dwarf appearing out of the crowd was a bit of a shock. He looked at Octavia, and she shrugged. "Ok," and Nick took the quill proffered by the excited dwarf and scribbled on the parchment. "There you go."

"Thank you, your grace." And Rifty turned to leave, happy with his bit of subterfuge, until he looked at the parchment. Nick had written, "Great to meet you - Pommy." He turned back to Nick, who was shaking hands, and said, "Your Grace, is that your signature?"

"No, that's my autograph. Pommy was a nickname that King Alfrich of Breaze used to call me."

"Your Grace, could I get your actual signature, so my clan knows for sure it is you?"

"Let me look..." Nick took the scroll from Rifty, and it unrolled, hit the floor and there was still more to unroll. Nick knew he had to review this document before considering putting his legal signature on it. He rolled up the document and tucked it into his belt. "Meet me at the temple in Elm Springs on Wednesday, and we'll discuss this."

<><><><><>֎<><><><><>

Chapter 07 - Dragonflight

Nick and Octavia planned to spend the weekend at Waelmore Castle, spending time with the King and Queen and their children and the children of the staff. They hoped to discuss the king's ideas for governing the Duchy of Wægn, and when Nick wasn't talking with King Uric about his responsibilities to Wægn, Octavia would talk to the king about his intentions for the court wizard and the court library. Octavia hoped that with a little planning she could put together a temple in Waelmore Castle, which would save a lot of time commuting over Breeders Peak.

The appointments and the knighting caught them both by surprise. They keep being told that they should have expected to be knighted, but becoming royalty shocked everyone. However shocking that was, the document that the dwarf wanted Nick to sign was the most concerning thing to him. "I'm not a legal scholar, and from what I can see, this is a nightmare of real estate issues and mining rights...I need to talk to Lars."

"Who is that?" asked Uric.

"Lars Ranzau, or, I should say King Lars Ranzau of Teurnia. We've been friends for years. However, with the overthrow of Breaze, and my guys from the remaining Breazian royal guard joining up with the Teurnian army we've been asked to stay away because of potential loyalty conflicts. They were the queen's guard."

"You wouldn't abscond with his troops, would you?" asked Uric. "As a duke, ye may secure the public's safety upon the roads, yet armed troops are beyond thy purview."

Safe travel on the main road was something Nick dreamed about, and now he had the power to do something about it. "How would I pay for those squads?" asked Nick.

"From thy own purse," said the king.

"How would I get money for that?"

"Taxes," said the king. "When I furnish you with the account for kingdom levies, it is understood that upon collection, a commensurate proportion may be appended for the exigencies of the Duchy."

"So all that money that Duke Roem was collecting was supposed to be put back into the duchy?" asked Nick.

"Indeed. I do not require explanations from my peers; it is incumbent upon them to superintend their estates. I bear the burden of the needs of the kingdom," said King Uric. "Pray tell, what makes you deem my elevation to Dukedom a mystery? We afforded young Stefan ample opportunity to declare himself, yet silence prevailed. Therefore, I installed the man I trusted to govern with sagacity and I trust he will nurture his sons in like manner. I anticipate, with keen interest, your stewardship of the trove discovered at 2121 Honeybutter Lane."

Stefan! Nick hadn't thought of Duke Roem's son Stefan in a long time. There was a lot of money at the Duke's residence. "I may declare a tax holiday," said Nick, "And a highway patrol, I want to start a highway patrol."

"And a village watchman in Elm Springs," said Octavia.

King Uric watched in amusement as Nick and Octavia made plans for the future of Wægn. "And the Duke's town residence, pray tell, when do you intend to take up occupancy?" asked the king, expecting full well Nick's answer.

"That's not going to happen," said Nick. "Why would I put a mountain between me and my duchy?"

"What would the neighbors say when we bring our sheep and our bunnies?" said Octavia with a smile at the thought of screeching neighbors.

"I suppose we should sell it and put that money in the Duchy coffers."

King Uric nodded his approval. "That is precisely why you are now duke and duchess." Then he studied the huge document Nick brought to him and frowned. "Mister Peregrine doth assert that Black Mountain is ancient dwarven property, rightfully belonging to Clan Peregrine, and he is prepared to present his documentation before the King's Court."

"You won't let him take the entire mountain, will you?" asked Octavia. There was so much in Black Mountain that she loved.

"If his evidence proves compelling, then I should be obliged to rule in his favor," said the king. "I suggest you convey this matter to King Ranzau forthwith, and upon your expedient return, we shall discuss the matter further."

"Sire, we are banned from the kingdom of Teurnia."

"Balderdash. King Ranzau cannot proscribe a member of my court; such would constitute an act of war." He turned to the side and shouted, "Scribe! A missive of introduction for Their Grace, the Duke and Duchess."

"Yes sire," called back Princess Sophia.

"Princess Sophia is your scribe?" asked Octavia.

"Indeed, she possesses a considerable aptitude for it and a beautiful hand. Pray tell, what duration would be required for your conveyance to Teurnia?" asked the king.

"I could be there in an hour," said Nick.

"And how would you carry those documents," demanded Octavia.

"In a claw," insisted Nick.

"Then I'm going too."

"I cant' carry you as a bird," said Nick. He was afraid of what she would say next.

"Go as a dragon!" she said brightly.

That was what she was afraid of. "No, not on a dragon," gasped Nick.

"I ride you without saddle as a horse. I won't fall."

"It would be a distinct pleasure to witness this!" said the king with a smile.

<><><><><>

Octavia, dressed in her riding skirt and a jacket against the cold, struggled on a backpack containing a change of clothes and the documents. Next to her was a huge golden dragon that she stroked and petted as if it were a pony. "You're beautiful!" she gasped. She went up to the nose and petted the dragon's cheeks. "Can you breathe fire?" In answer, the dragon raised its head and looked up in the air. A spout of bright orange and yellow flames shot out of the dragon's mouth. "Impressive!"

The dragon crouched down, and Octavia climbed up on his knee and then scrambled up onto his back. "Why are there spikes everywhere?"

To dissuade passengers.

Eventually, Octavia found a comfortable position at the base of the dragon's long neck, one set of spines forward of the wing root. "Can you feel me here love?"

I can feel your legs. It tickles.

Two large spikes extended from the dragon's spine in front of Octavia, so she clasped them and found the feeling to be strangely secure. "Let's go!" she cried with growing excitement. How many girls get the chance to ride a dragon?

The dragon lifted its body off the ground and extended its wings and paused, then folded them back in. He says we have to climb; we can't take off from the ground.

"Climb what?"

He wants to climb the castle. The dragon looked around, then saw something better than the castle and started walking toward the cliff behind the castle. There was a large flat ledge thirty feet up the wall, and there was a sloping face that allowed the dragon to climb easily. It folded its wings and headed up the slope. The dragon is worried about you.

"Aren't you the dragon?"

The dragon is a magical creature; he is training me... Nick sounded confused to her, but now and then he'd chuckle.

"I thought you turned into an animal," said a confused Octavia as she held on tight as the dragon climbed more eagerly.

I think it's more like borrowing an animal... at least with dragons. It's complex.

Finally, the dragon reached the plateau, and Octavia got the idea that this plateau was carved for dragons. The dragon spread its wings and crouched at the edge of the plateau. Hold tight! came the unnecessary warning, and the dragon sprang. Octavia was thrown back, and if she wasn't holding onto the spikes, she would have flown off backwards. Then came an awful sensation of weightlessness as the dragon dropped, but then its wings caught the wind and Octavia was slammed down onto the dragon's back as he swept over the lawn behind the castle. The dragon pumped its wings hard, straining for altitude, and banked hard. The dragon chose to show off and swept around the castle in a hard banking turn before shooting out toward Breeders Peak.

Are you well? Do you wish to get off?

Octavia answered with a loud "YAAAAA HOOOO!" This was the thrill of a lifetime! There's no way she'd ever want to stop. In a flash, the dragon cleared the treetops at the pinnacle of Breeders Peak, the ridge that separated the capitol city of Waleston from the village of Elm Springs. They shot out over the village, maintaining altitude until they were over their own farm, then the dragon turned and dropped and didn't pull out of its dive until it was just inches above the ground. It pulled up, its big fan-like wings now catching the wind and braking, and he soon dropped to all four feet and folded his wings.

You did quite well, my dear. That wasn't Nick; the voice was much deeper, much older. That could only be the dragon.

"I loved it! Thank you!" cried Octavia. For the next few minutes, the dragon walked along Nana Peacock's driveway, the road that led to their farm. As he drew near the village, he stopped so Octavia could get down and Nick returned. "That was so thrilling!"

"I was so terrified of dropping you," said Nick as he pulled Octavia close and hugged her tightly.

"I was only worried about falling once, when you first jumped," said Octavia. "Do you think anyone saw us?"

"I think just Princess Sophia and Prince Exavier," said Nick as they emerged from the forest arm-in-arm. They waved to Trei and Wayne Metsker, who were just finishing up a long day of work at their blacksmith shop.

"We thought you were at the castle today," called Nick's friend Wayne.

"We were," replied Nick.

"We got our wedding recognized," said Octavia.

"That's it? Rumor said there was more," called Trei.

"Royals!" scoffed Nick as they crossed Main Street and entered the temple. "There's always more with royals. Now we have to take documents to some other royal. It's time for us to get to work." They waved their goodbyes to their friends and stepped into the temple. The keys worn on ribbons around their necks assured that just their touch on the doorknob allowed them access to the temple. Moments later, they stepped out into the temple of Snupp, the god of wolves, at Elbreshowth on the Moor. Nick was explaining to Octavia how you travel from the Temple of the Woods in Elm Springs and wind up where you're going without a god to assist.

"It sounds so simple, but I'm afraid I'll end up in Idamaa or Vespil or some other place where I can't speak the language."

The temple was dark and musty; not a single candle was lit for would-be worshipers or travelers. From the darkness was heard a growl, "Good evening."

"Good evening Lord Snupp," said Nick as the god of wolves stepped out of a shadow. "We seek passage to Termagant's Bane, and for you I brought a joint of beef."

"I am grateful.," snarled Snupp. He was half man, half wolf, covered in brown and black hair. He didn't have a muzzle like a dog, but he had similar nose, teeth, and ears. He was wiry and nervous-looking, and he stood over eight feet tall. "Thy devotion is noted, yet it is not within my purview to compel tribute from those of royal blood."

"How did you know?" gasped Octavia. "We told no one and the king only mentioned it once to a small crowd."

"Once it is decreed," growled the wolf, "it is known to us. To reign in sovereignty is to draw nearer to the divine."

"Well, consider the beef a gift from myself and the duke," said Octavia.

"Duke? Not... oh, uh, cast these fleeting concerns into the void, for they hold no weight in the grand tapestry of existence," Snupp muttered as he skulked back into the dark. Snupp had a problem keeping timelines straight.

After recovering from the strains of magically traveling from one temple to another, they again stepped through the four pillars that made up the center of the temple, and stepped out into a completely different temple. It was much brighter than Elbreshowth on the Moor. The late afternoon sunlight streamed through the windows, illuminating the interior of the temple. All was made of stone, mostly a gray granite, but it was highlighted with marble, and gemstones. A throne of clear rose quartz stood out against the gray, and on the throne sat a god who appeared to be made of stone. It was Sapona, the god of stone, and oddly the most personal of the gods.

"Greetings, my cherished mortals. By my divine grace, I recognize and celebrate your ascent to a higher station. May your path be illuminated," said Sapona as he rose and took Nick's hand and shook it. Then the eight foot tall god bowed to Octavia. "Thy grace doth shine, O beloved, a celestial fire."

"You've always been so sweet, my lord," said Octavia, blushing.

"Tarriest thou, weary soul, and gather thy strength anew. For thy guardian cometh, his purpose guided by the threads of destiny."

"You're awful eloquent today, lord Sapona."

Sapona sighed and said sadly, "Mine essence doth yearn for our dialogues. Few souls grace mine presence in these epochs."

"Maybe our visit today will change things," said Octavia. Her few visits in the past during the downfall of Breaze were far from pleasant. She had to relinquish her crown and her guards, then she had to mourn her husband at the trial of the people who killed her king.

Just then, two guards entered the temple. "Captain de la Montesquieu!" shouted the taller of the two. His bluish skin told Octavia that he was a demi-elf from the high mountains of the Pellis range. "You agreed to exile yourself from Teurnia," he shouted angrily.

"Karl, relax," said the second guard, a tall, fair, elegant elf. His stubby pointed ears and purple eyes told Octavia that he was a mountain elf. "Pommeraie, my dear friend. It's been far too long," said the elf as he hugged Nick. Then he turned to Octavia and bowed deeply. "Your majesty, you're as radiant as ever. But there is an agreement in place."

Then the elf leaned over to Nick and said in a stage whisper, "I think she likes you."

"I should hope so, she married me."

Major Leomaris Autumnfall looked stunned. "When did this happen?"

"The ceremony was before the Battle of Enlil Heights, but the king blessed our union earlier today."

"I'm so happy for you Pommy! I never trusted that other one. But there's still our agreement."

"First of all," said Nick as he dug around in Octavia's backpack, "Pommeraie de la Montesquieu is dead. And secondly, we are here on a diplomatic mission." He handed the letter of introduction to Leo. The elf read the letter, and his eyes opened wide in shock.

"YOU? Royalty? Oh, King Lars is going to love this!" Leo turned to his lieutenant and said, "Karl, run ahead to the palace, let the king know that a royal from Uduithia is here to confer with him."

"Royal? Him?" laughed Karl. "His majesty is going to shit."

"Just go... and do not mention any names."

"Yes sir!" and with a salute and a sardonic grin, Karl was off.

"Rest up Pommy, then I'll escort you to his majesty."

"Thanks Leo. I assume that you already know Missus Octavia Stein?"

"No, but I once met a deposed queen who wasn't nearly as beautiful." Leo bowed before Octavia and kissed her hand.

"I'm sorry but that queen is gone now," said Octavia. "She handed over her crown and disappeared on Oromorna. Besides, one can't be a queen and a duchess. It just doesn't happen."

Leo chuckled and then told Octavia about the "good old days" with Pommy at the temple of healing. They headed through the streets of Termagant's Bane. The streets were still full of vendors, but the crowd was changing from one of commerce to one of celebration. The workweek was over, and it was time to unwind. With an incubus as a king, many forms of recreation that would be banned in other kingdoms were welcome here. Octavia soon realized that she was the most over-dressed woman in the kingdom.

"Pommy was the wisest healer in the class," said Leo. "Also, the wisest ass."

"I know someone a whole lot like him," said Octavia as she gave Nick a hip bump. She watched a pair of women, who were both bare-breasted, walk past. From the baskets they were carrying, it was clear that they were grocery shopping. "We are going to have to come here during the Yule holidays, I want to see how the style of dress changes."

"It's nothing like in your area," said Leo with a sigh. "Here it's the same old thing, just colder. In the rural mountains you have so many traditions for the arrival of Maz Dracus, the music, the parties..."

"He is the god of Charity," started Octavia, but Nick squeezed her hand.

"It's nothing like in the city. In the mountains it's a holiday for the children, wait until you see. We'll go celebrate with the Metzker's. How many kids do Wayne and Silver have now?"

"Two, you goof. Trei and Nicole."

"I want them to have two more."

"Why?"

"Because Silver is like a sister to me. I want to practice up delivering children for when we have kids."

"That reminds me!" said Octavia. "When we get back Ian McLeish is going to bring us a kid."

Nick looked at her, confused. "I would prefer to have them the normal way."

"No! Silly, a baby goat. For delivering Ceiriog."

"A goat," groaned Nick. "It is going to be your responsibility. I would have preferred a wagon wheel or two so I could build you a Ralli cart."

"You sound like an old farm couple!" laughed Leo. "Captain Pommeraie de la Montesquieu, the righteous, fierce commander of the King's Royal Guard, and Queen Octavia Anghart of Folstonborough now squabbling over livestock."

"For one thing, that's not my name, major," snapped Octavia. "Becoming a queen was a mistake, I was going to be burned at the stake at some point."

"Why?" chuckled Leomaris. Just the thought of sweet little Octavia being sentenced to the stake was hilarious.

Suddenly everything grew dark, and a knight appeared before him in shining golden armor. The knight removed his helmet and instead of a man; it was Octavia, her dark hair tumbled over her armored shoulders, her violet eyes aflame, her smile showed evil intent. In her hand, she clutched not a sword but a wizard's staff with flaming runes that danced the length of the staff. Her right hand clutched something, and as the image drew back, Leomaris could see that it was a spike on the back of an immense golden dragon whose name was Huoteng - dragon of anger. The armored Octavia looked at Leo and cried in a terrifying voice that rattled his soul, "I am Octavia, the Enchantress, the Wizard of Fire. Naught but one can stay my hand!"

Leo gasped and stepped back, but when he blinked, it was gone, and Nick was scolding Octavia. "All you had to do was tell him. That was a bit much."

Octavia turned to Leo and said, "I am sorry major, now I suppose you want to put me to the stake also."

<><><><><>֍<><><><><>

Chapter 08 - Old Friends

"Captain Monty! A most felicitous occasion to welcome you, sir!"

"Lord Smithson!" said Nick as he gave the old herald a hug. "You know that Captain Montesquieu is no longer with us."

"He furnished amusement whilst his presence endured," sighed Lord Smithson. Captain Montesquieu was Nick's name when he commanded the King's Guard, especially when encountering foreign dignitaries. "Might I be so bold as to remind both yourself and Her Majesty that your presence within Teurnia is expressly forbidden?"

"Lord Smithson, talk like that could be considered a declaration of war." Nick handed the court herald the letter of introduction.

A smile spread across the face of the aging court herald. It was a smile that literally shouted, "This shall prove to be a most diverting engagement." He handed back the letter and said, " Might I inquire as to the purpose of your call?"

"King Lars is the wisest man I know concerning real estate matters and property law. I need his advice on an issue that was presented to me."

"His Majesty prepares to dine within the Queen's chambers. I shall announce thee and set forth two additional plates with haste," said Lord Smithson.

"Are you sure?" asked Octavia. "He could fire you for this."

"I shall manage quite well, fear not."

Still silent, the shook Major Leomaris Autumnfall led Nick and Octavia into the palace, and through the halls to the central courtyard which, in deference to the queen and King Lars' other three wives, was a forest. The elf women lived in the trees, and even though it's called the queen's chambers, Lars is rarely anywhere else.

Leo and Lord Smithson led them down a path through the forest, which eventually climbed a staircase that circled the trunk of the largest tree in the courtyard. Finally, the walkway stopped at a door in a house that was built in the branches. It was a forest elf dwelling, which was interesting because all of Lars' wives were forest elves, but none had ever lived in a forest. Smithson entered and loudly announced, " Your Majesty, I have the distinct honor of presenting the Duke and Duchess of Wægn, hailing from the esteemed Kingdom of Uduithia." He bowed and presented the letter of introduction to King Lars Ranzau.

The king studied the letter and then looked up at Nick and Octavia, who were nervously standing in the doorway. The king looked again at the letter, then back up to Nick and Octavia. "Nicholas?"

"Aye sir. King Uric thinks Nick is 'too abrupt an appellative for a nobleman.'"

As King Lars chuckled at Nick's imitation of King Uric, Queen Rania asked. "Any chance we can get you to change your last name back to Montesquieu?"

"I'm sorry your majesty, I'm just a simple farmer that the king asked to represent him. What merchant would believe a farmer named Montesquieu?"

Lars simply laughed and said, "Here in this court you shall remain his grace Sir Pommeraie de la Montesquieu, and you shall be recognized throughout Teurnia as her grace Dame Octavia Anghart-Montesquieu. Sit, join us!"

"Before we join you, maybe Major Autumnfall would like to describe the vision I gave him," said Octavia nervously.

Lars nodded and held out a hand to Leo, signaling him to speak. "Majesty, I saw her grace in golden armor, wielding an enchanted staff and riding a fierce golden dragon, she cast that vision on me... Sire, were we not warned against allowing a witch queen to live among us?"

King Lars looked at Octavia, then at Leo, then said, "Leo, she's not a witch, and she's no longer a queen. She's a wizard duchess. Have you ever heard dire warnings of wizard duchesses? No, nor have I." He turned to Octavia and said, "Your grace, have you ever ridden a dragon?"

"Yes your majesty, earlier today, it was my first time. It was soooo exciting."

"Then sit and tell us about it. Join us Leo. Tonight, we are naught but old friends once separated by politics now reuniting. Sit!"

Nervously, Leo joined them, and they had a wonderful dinner. The elves ate grilled fruit and vegetables; the men and Octavia ate a roast joint of bacon. As they ate, they talked about happier times before the demon god Zeddicus and his followers raged and tore Breaze apart. Most of the laughter came from stories told about young Pommy as he tried to train King Alfrich's guards. After dinner, the women accompanied the queen to the hot spring down below while the men gathered around the table and drank ale and smoked fine cigars. The king studied the document that Nick brought, and he eventually called his dwarven advisor Yulmid Oakenarm.

Nick really liked Lars, and he missed dealing with the incubus king. He spoke like a common person and not in the elite babble that the royalty used. Nick used to have a hard time understanding Duke Roem and never completely understood what the taxes for the property were. It took Eric and Lala MacClenny to help him with the jumbled mass of the bill.

"This agreement, if you sign it, would give these ditch suckers any damn thing they want," said the dwarf Yulmid.

"I take it that ditch sucker is not a compliment?" asked Nick.

"Nay, it is not," said Yulmid. "You stand to make quite a bit of money for your duchy and your kingdom. Do not let your king force you into this." He slid several sheets of foolscap covered with notes in his blocky hand. "It's your mountain; they can't prove otherwise. They're looking for something in Rkund Hold, which is now lost to us dwarves. I suspect it's the Orb of Jørn."

"The orb of yarn?" asked Nick with a grin.

Suddenly Octavia's disembodied voice rang in the room. "Don't start!"

"I love you too, dear," said a chastised Nick. "She hates puns."

"You really are married!" gasped Leo.

When Leo and Yulmid left, it was just the king and Nick. "How is farm life treating you, Pommy?"

"We're not going to make any money this year; we started too late to put in a proper crop but I've got several customers lined up for firewood."

"And how is the witching going? If my spies are correct, you're the only medical provider on the entire northern edge of Uduithia."

"No serious injuries to speak about so far but I've delivered seven children in just the past few months." Nick was clearly excited about this. "I had a set of twin girls, as beautiful as the day is long, but one was stillborn, but she was warm. I had to save her, and something that Saehrimnir poured into my head came to mind, so with two fingers I started pushing on her breastbone, then every now and then I'd put my mouth over her mouth and nose and blow gently. After what seemed like days she took a breath on her own and let out such a howl!"

Nick's eyes were glistening, and his voice was shuddering with emotion. "In the mountains we have a tradition, when the baby takes his or her first breath and sings, she's singing for her name. After everyone thought she died I remember saying, 'Uther! This baby wants a name!' and he said, 'Guendolen!'" Then he said in a soft voice, "her name is Guendolen, and her older sister is named Lynet. They'll be chasing my boy in a few years..."

Lars frowned. He needs someone he can trust in Enkmaar, in the remains of Mariseau Castle, someone to oversee the rebuilding of Breaze. Pommy could do it, but could he get Pommy off of the mountain? "I want you Pommy, I want you to rebuild Breaze to what it used to be, I could restore Octavia's crown and you could be a vassal king in months," said Lars.

"Sitting in the rubble of my former home, the scene of my greatest defeat? Squatting on the graves of friends and lovers? The place where men I thought I could trust killed my king, my wife, my best friend, then chased me and Octavia to the sea and up the Arn river? How could I ask Octavia to come with me? How am I going to convince Tervis to return? Once you spurned a God, they'll never come back. And where will the money come from to rebuild all that?"

"There's gold and silver in the M..."

"NO, uh, I mean, No sir. I can't go back there, not anywhere near the eastern edge of the Mons Sunnah range. Your majesty, when I get back tomorrow, Octavia and I are going to inspect Wægn from bow to stern, I can't do that in Breaze. I'm not afraid of much but memories of that battle wake me in my sleep. How can I govern a place I refuse to go? And the army! Did you see what they did to their plains elves? Please don't ask me. I don't want to refuse a kings request. And if you order me to go, I will execute every officer in the Breazian army."

"Sorry Pommy, I didn't realize." What the army did to the Plains Elves was horrifying. "I was never told what happened." The king topped off Nick's tankard and asked, "What happened after you killed Zeddicus?"

"I really don't know. I just remember a release of all that energy and being propelled into the air, clinging to the piece of the mountain I was standing on. I couldn't breathe and I passed out, but when I awoke I was falling to the ocean. I became a falcon so I could stop the dive, then I changed to an albatross so I could search for land. I got tired and landed on a spit of land to rest, but I was also thirsty so I changed into a shark so I could drink. I ended up in a fishing net and turned back into a human to escape but the fishermen sold me to the Emperor of Xautang. I killed the emperor Hau Shi and his guards, then their court magician gave me this eye to keep me from killing the rest of them. Then I changed to an Albatross again and flew to Bovuka and used a temple tunnel to get home."

King Lars looked at Nick with a combination of admiration and pity. A man cursed to relive the horror of the day he earned his title: Godslayer. A man who fought tide and tyrant to find his way home to the land he loved and the woman he adored. "No, I will not ask you to return to Breaze. You served that prairie far more than any man before or since. A name I ask, that is all. Who can I send there to start the rebuilding?"

"Find a fellow named Hodgkiss, if he's still alive summon him here. He knew everyone. He was the kings steward, butler, and man servant. He knew far more than he let on." Nick thought about Hodgkiss; he hoped the old guy was still alive. Nick liked him a lot, but didn't trust him.

"I suppose, sir duke, that you want your men back. I've collected an even dozen now."

"I can't thin your ranks, your majesty, and I can't have a military. I am allowed a garrison of lightly armed police to patrol the roads and that's it."

"Done and done!" said Lars with a laugh. "I have enough police patrolling my highways and more than enough soldiers. With the threats gone, the queen's dozen are a financial liability to me but will make a fine law enforcement team for you."

"Dozen?" asked Nick in surprise.

"During the Battle of Tähelepanek Point, four palace guardsmen who were being hunted down, recognized their brothers and fell in line with them and formed up around the queen. You may have your troopers back in their pretty blue and silver uniforms, and their pampered mounts."

"I should address them first; I don't want them to feel obliged to follow me into the mountain hinterlands. If they want to stay I'll ask them to help rebuild the city of Enkmaar."

"Is there anyone else you would like?"

Nick heard Octavia's voice whisper to him, so he said, "We would like to take Izhar with us."

"That old magician?" laughed Lars. "He's naught but a scoundrel."

"Octavia puts value in the man, so we will take him along. There is a castle with a huge dungeon he'll feel right at home in."

"Perfect, you have relieved me of a financial burden and a social headache. As usual I am in your debt."

"All I ask is the hospitality of the court of Ranzau I once enjoyed."

"Done!" laughed Lars, and he slapped Nick on the back. "Let's go join the girls in the hot spring."

<><><><><>

The next morning, the queen's mounted guard lined up for an address by the king. They were all nervous because there were rumors of cutbacks in the military, and the rule "Last in, first out" applied to them. All the draftees from the Breazian War had returned to their civilian lives, so now it was time to thin the professional soldiers. The Enkmaar Twelve, as they called themselves, naming themselves after the capital city of Breaze, lined up in front of the main entrance and awaited the bad news.

The silver badges and "brass" on their deep blue uniforms glittered in the morning sunlight, and precisely at the hour of nine Lord Smithson stepped out of the small door and announced, "His majesty, ruler of Teurnia, protector of Mons Sunnah mountains, guardian of the Breazian plains, King Lars Ranzau." The colossal main door opened, and King Lars appeared in his finest military uniform with Queen Rania in a military-style gown on his arm.

"The king!" shouted Lieutenant Claus Hillingham. And all dropped to one knee, bowed their heads, and touched their forelocks.

"As you were," said King Lars as he and Rania took position in front of the twelve nervous soldiers. "I'm sure you suspected why we come to you this morning." He sighed and said, "It's not all banquets and dancing girls being king. Sometimes the job is a royal pain in the ass. Like now. It's time to cut the budget. I won't lie to you; I can't afford your services anymore. Lieutenant Hillingham, Sergeants Fletcher and Blum, Corporals Iivonen and Prescott, Troopers McLeod, Sozen, Haid, Spengler, and Privates Faithworthy, Schultze, and Wilson it has been an honor to command such fine young men and women. You have all been a credit to your uniform. Thank you all."

"Sire, if I may speak," said Lieutenant Hillingham. "It has been an honor to serve you and the kingdom of Teurnia. If there is any..."

"I'm not done Lieutenant," said the king. "I have found gainful employment for you all. The Duchy of Wægn needs a lightly armed force to patrol the highways and villages. You'll be asked to stop highwaymen, horse thieves, coach robbers, fight house and barn fires, render aid where and when needed." He looked at the twelve faces; none looked excited about the prospect. "Come on, it's paid work. Let me bring the duke out here to speak to you."

He gestured to the door and Lord Smithson called, "The duke and duchess of Wægn, Uduithia, Sir Nicholas Stein and Dame Octavia Stein." As he said that, Nick and Octavia stepped out. They didn't make an impressive scene. They were dressed in their traveling clothes, and with them came an ancient wizard who did not look happy.

Whispering went through the troops. "Bloody hell, he looks like Pommy."

"That can't be Pommy, I saw him get blown up."

"We all did."

"It is! It's the captain! And he's with the queen!"

"The queen!" shouted Lieutenant Claus Hillingham, and the entire formation dropped to their knees.

"Stand at attention!" shouted Nick. "Is that how I taught you to address a foreign dignitary?" At the sound of their old commander, the dozen shot to their feet and snapped to attention. "I am Duke Nicholas Stein, and this is my wife, Octavia Stein. We have renounced all former titles and now serve his majesty King Uric the Second who fought with us at Tähelepanek Point."

"'e's the bloke who carried our queen back here, didn' 'e," said trooper Isin Sozen, whose Torwin-Armistad accent was as thick as winter butter.

"Yes he is. Troopers! I need men and women who know how to serve and if needed, know how to fight. The Duchy of Wægn is on the north border of Uduithia, on the east end of Wægn is the town of Slate Bottom Creek where we have a rail head. Mule trains of cargo leave the railhead and head west on the main highway until they reach Elm Springs where they continue on to Warwickshire then on to Elbreshowth."

"I'm from Elbreshowth on the Moor!" gasped Private Annabelle Schultze, a palace guard who joined up with the Queen's mounted guard.

"Down girl," whispered Corporal Prescott. He had trained her, and he's probably the reason she survived the purge that the Breazian army inflicted on King Alfrich's government.

Nick nodded. "Most importantly, most of the freight wagons will turn at Elm Springs and cross over Breeders Peak and into the capital city of Waleston. This ridge is rife with bandits, mostly on the Elm Springs side. That's where I need fighters. I can't lie, there's going to be long hours when you're just riding up and down the highway; there will be days when you wonder if you signed on to be a cop or a farmer. We help where we can, so later down the road when we ask for help, it will be there."

Octavia had been silent as Nick talked about the need for the Highway Watch, but she now stepped forward. "Not only am I your duchess, but King Uric also asked me to serve as his court wizard, so I will be there at the court meetings and I can bring forward any concerns you may have. You, as the highway watch, have a direct connection with your duke and with your king through me."

"Your grace," asked Dante Fletcher. "If I may ask, if you're the court wizard, who's the old guy with you?"

"You used to call him Captain Pommy." That well-timed joke brought a tremendous roar of laughter from the troops but also King Lars, Queen Riana and their guards. The tension was broken. The duchess's gentle humor lightened the mood so perfectly that the men and women losing their jobs could breathe again.

"These are not orders," continued Nick. "I am your employer, not your commander. Your commander will come from within your ranks. If you don't want to come to Uduithia, that's ok. They're going to need men to rebuild Breaze. If you want to do that, I'd be proud to say, 'my men are helping rebuild a kingdom.' Any questions?"

"What about our mounts?" asked Sara McLeod, a long-time trooper in the Queen's guard.

"The horses and tack are mine," said Octavia firmly. "They're coming with me."

"So, if we want to stay with our mounts, we have to become a cop?" asked Van Spengler, the youngest of the mounted troopers.

"Yes, you do, unless you'd rather be a groom and watch someone else ride your horse," said Octavia. Her voice was soft, but there was iron in her words.

"I'm sorry, but we need a decision now," said King Lars. "Anyone who wants to stay, there will be freight wagons heading to the city of Enkmaar shortly. Anyone who wants to go, a horse barge will be shoving off for Edhellond where you'll take a cargo ship to Warwickshire and from there you'll travel overland to Elm Springs."

In the end, only two decided to stay and rebuild the ruins of Enkmaar, Derrick Faithworthy, and Laurel Wilson. Both were privates in the King's Palace Guard. "What about us," said Preston Prescott, a corporal in the King's Palace Guard. "Annabelle and I don't have a mount. We'll end up walking from Warwickshire to Elm Springs."

"You're traveling with us," said Nick.

<><><><><>֍<><><><><>

Chapter 09 - More Friends

They bid farewell to Derrick and Laurel, who everyone knew were lovers. They turned in their swords to King Lars, who handed them to Nick. Not long after, they gathered at the riverbank where the horses were being loaded onto the Arn Voyager, a livestock barge. There was an open deck with a canvas canopy for the horses and a cargo hold below decks filled with hay where the troopers could relax. Nick made sure there were plenty of rations aboard, and he asked the mule skinner to give his men lessons.

"Are you ready dearest?" asked Nick.

"Sure am, honey," said Preston Prescott.

Nick turned to Lars and said, "I changed my mind, I want to leave this one behind."

"No returns, no refunds," chuckled Lars.

"Crap. Hey Leo, you want this joker?" cried Nick.

"I can't in good conscience do that my human friend," said Leo. "If he's been rejected by you, I hate to think who would hire him."

"HEY!" cried Preston, but Anabelle just laughed. Years ago, when Preston joined the king's guard, he and Pommy were constantly ribbing each other. They became good friends, and when Annabell enlisted and joined the King's Guard, she joined in the fun. Both troopers learned that royalty, and even elves, were just like people; they had to hide their frivolity. Nick and Lars shook hands one more time, while Rania and Octavia hugged and promised to keep in touch. Then they entered the Temple of Sapona.

Regardless of what the gods said, Nick placed some coins in the offering plate. "Such benevolence graces thy spirit, Duke Stein. I am most pleased," said Sapona, the god of Stone.

"It's what we do," said Nick. "We are heading back to the Temple of the Woods."

"May the celestial currents guide thy path and keep thee from harm's shadow," said Sapona but then he turned to the old wizard and said in a threatening tone, "I, the All-Seeing, have Mine gaze upon thee, Izhar. Deception shall find no purchase this time."

"Yes my lord," muttered Izhar, and he led the way between the pillars, eager to be out of Sapona's temple.

Nick guided Preston and Annabelle to the pillars. "Ok, you're going to feel disoriented and tired, find a bench and sit down."

Octavia added, "If you're with child you may not want to do this."

"I'm fine," said Annabelle, and she stepped through the pillars. Immediately she found herself utterly exhausted and light-headed. "Oh shi..." Preston caught her before she fell.

"Are you all right?" he asked.

"Just dizzy and..." she sniffed the air. "Uncle Snupp!"

"What?" asked Octavia. That was the oddest thing she had ever heard. For his part, Nick was sure she had hit her head and was going to examine her, but that's when Snupp made his appearance.

"Mine own kin, the daughter of my sibling, doth grace this realm with her presence; I sense her aura."

"Uncle Snupp!" squealed Annabelle, and she jumped up and threw her arms around the god of wolves. "You still talk funny."

"I shall attend to this, my beloved." Then the wolf-god glared at Preston. "Doth mine eyes now behold the chosen one?"

"Isn't he handsome? His name is Preston."

Nick turned to Preston. "Chosen one?" He fought to hold back a chuckle.

"Verily, this one is touched by My grace," snarled Snupp. "As you cherish your own existence, so shall you safeguard her life."

"Lord Snupp, they are both police officers and they work for Duke Nicolas and me," said Octavia.

"I, in my divine wisdom, merely ensure he comprehends the boundless value of my niece in my benevolent eyes. From the celestial lineage of Elbreshowth, she descends."

"Royalty?" asked Nick in a low tone of voice.

"Please," groaned Preston.

"Lord Snupp, your niece and her selected man will be protecting the citizens of the Snowcross Mountains," said Nick. "Thank you for sharing your niece with us."

"Shield her from the grasp of the sorceress Gladys."

Nick burst out laughing, so Octavia had to say, "We will Lord Snupp," and they stepped through the pillars and emerged in Elm Springs.

"This is the temple of the woods," said Nick. "There's no god associated with this temple so you need to be blessed by the gods to travel from here."

"I am," said Annabelle brightly. Nick shook his head. Annabelle was short, blond and cute with a trim athletic body. Her man, Preston Prescott, looked younger than his twenty-five years. He was a tall, slim, blue-eyed blond man who looked too young to have moved out of his parents' house. But having trained them, Nick knew that there was iron in their souls, and both were highly skilled soldiers.

As they sat and recovered from the trip, a door on the side opened and a transparent man peered through and scanned the group that sat chatting. Conversation stopped, and everyone looked at the ghost. "Hi grandpa. I brought some friends with." The ghost huffed and disappeared back into the office. "That's my grandpa. He's angry with me."

"Why?" asked the wizard Izhar.

"He gave me the name Pommeraie de la Montesquieu, and he's angry that I killed that name."

"I shall have a word with him," said Izhar, and he shuffled into the office to meet with Grigeor de la Montesquieu. Grigeor was a wizard and temple priest in the Temple of the Woods, and he was Nick's great-great grandfather seven times removed. The ghost of Grigeor and the ghost of Nana Peacock raised young Nick from the age of eight until he ran off to university. Grigeor was a wizard and a temple priest at the Temple of the Woods for over 400 years. Dying hasn't slowed him down a bit.

"They're going to be yammering for hours," said Nick. "Shall we check on your bunnies?"

"Let's go," said Octavia. She isn't sure if she left enough food for the rabbits, and she was getting anxious about the bunnies.

They stepped out of the temple and were overwhelmed by the scents of the forest. Elm Springs was deep in the mountain forest, and the smell of pine was overwhelming. "The trees!" gasped Annabelle. "Teurnia is so dry, it doesn't smell anything like this!" Annabelle was itching to go running in the trees.

"Hey Nick!" called the blacksmith. There was an outdoor forge, and two smiths were working on a large wagon axle. "A bunch of elves are looking for you; I told them to wait by your cottage."

"Thanks Wayne," called Nick. "Let's go see what they want." Elves were the mysterious people of Kodu. The largest colony is in Teurnia at Edhellond (Elf Harbor) and in Termagant's Baine itself. The Plains Elves were nearly wiped out by the Breazian Army during the war. The Mountain Elves were incredibly rare, the only Mountain Elves that Nick knew were Leomaris Autumnfall and his partner Karl. Forest Elves were common, but supposedly, they were withdrawing.

Nick and Octavia led Preston and Annabelle up Nana Peacock's drive to their farm. Occasionally Annabelle would ask if she could run, and Preston would say, "Don't eat any of Pommy's animals." Laughing, Annabelle would dash ahead a quarter to a half mile and jog back. When she returned, she was barely winded.

"I love to run!" she said with a slight pant as she rejoined the group. They walked further, and then Annabelle said, "I can see people up there," and she dashed up Nana's Drive toward the cabin.

As she ran off, a black and brown streak shot past them with a growl. "Pepin!" cried Nick. "Pepin stop!" but the wolf had his eyes locked on Annabelle and nothing was going to slow him down. In a flash, Nick was gone, and a second wolf chased after Pepin. The two wolves tore up the hill, but Nick could not catch Pepin.

Pepin shot past Annabelle, stopped and turned around. He danced and bounced in front of her, slapping his forepaws on the ground like a puppy that wants to play. Then reared up and put his paws on her shoulders. "What a beautiful wolf!" cried Annabelle, and she petted and scritched Pepin behind the ears. "Who's a good wolf? Who's a good wolf?"

Me!

"What a good wolf! Should we go for a run?"

Yeah!

Nick finally jogged up (in human form) to Annabelle and Pepin. "Pepin, you know better than to run up on elves."

Aww, groaned Pepin with a wolfish pout.

"Go run downhill to Trei and Wayne at the blacksmith shop and introduce your new friend. They'll put up with your nonsense." And with a bark and a squeal, they were gone. Nick waited for Octavia and Preston to catch up.

"You're werewolf?" asked Preston.

"No, I'm... polyeidus, I can reshape myself with magic. This is a gift from the ancient Mountain Ergonians, the last of the original Elven races on Kodu," said Nick.

"Original Elven races... what does that mean?"

"I don't know," said Nick. "Most of their stuff is written in Mägede Keel, and that language died centuries ago. Is Annabelle a werewolf?"

"She's werewolf-ish. I don't quite understand, but she's quarter werewolf? They're such strange people, and she's playful all day long, but you'll never find a better investigator."

As they drew near the elves, Octavia was shocked to recognize one of them. She cried out, "Vesstan!"

An elf in the small crowd of elves looked and called, "My queen! My lord!"

"Vesstan!" cried Nick when he saw the face tattoos of the Maethor Nos warriors, and he and the warrior elf raced toward each other and did something completely unelf-like and hugged.

"My captain! I thought you were dead!"

"I heard that rumor too!" said Nick with a laugh. "What are you folks doing here?"

"I moved my family out of Torwin-Armistad," said Vesstan. "It's not elf-friendly there anymore, and we had to go. We had planned to move to the hills north of Steil Thein, but that fell through. Then Spatz Mountain tried to take all our money. As we looked for a place to live, plains elves joined us. Our last hope was the new duke here on Black Mountain."

"Oh... what do you want?" asked Nick.

"I want to talk to the duke."

Nick nodded and then turned to Octavia, who slugged him in the arm. "Just tell him!"

"I am the new duke of Wægn,"

"That's funny, but thank you for trying to lift my spirits," said Vesstan Aedi.

Nick gave Octavia a look that nearly shouted, 'I told you so.' He tried again. "Look, the king is actually a friend, he likes to come fishing here. His wife and kids come and splash in that pond right there on a hot day. I got an in with the king. You tell me what you want, I'm going over to Waleston later today. The old duke left some items behind and Octavia and I are going to try to get our hands on them. I'll put in a good word for you with the king."

"Would you? That would be greatly appreciated. Who is the new duke?"

"Some posh fellow named Pommeraie de la Montesquieu," said Nick. "A real arrogant son of a bitch. Claims that he fought and beat a demi-giant, a dwarf assassin, and a Maethor Nos elf ... ooof!" That was when Vesstan tackled him, and they rolled over and over through the long grass.

"That's YOU!" shouted Vesstan as he pinned Nick to the grass.

Nick pushed back and rolled over and pinned Vesstan. "I know! I told you but you didn't believe me!"

"You have to be a knight to be appointed as Duke!" said Vesstan as he got the upper hand again.

Nick tried to roll Vesstan over again, but Vesstan was a tremendous fighter; he wore Nick out. The duke just threw his hands up and said, "We were. Both Octavia and I were knighted, then I was appointed Duke of Wægn, and she was appointed Court Wizard."

Vesstan started laughing, the kind of laughter that could become weeping given the right nudge. "All this searching and the answer was right there at my side the whole time," he said, shaking his head.

"Let me up and we'll go in the cabin and discuss this," groaned Nick.

Vesstan stood and offered Nick a hand, and as Nick stood, Vesstan said in a loud, theatric voice, "Arise oh Duke of Wægn, Sir Nick of Stein!"

Vesstan had Octavia laughing, and instead of being angry or embarrassed, Nick looked at her and said, "At least he gets it now." He patted the tall elf on the back and said, "Let's go in and quaff something like warriors!"

"We need to include someone," and Vesstan turned to the nervous crowd and said, "If you would join us my priestess." A beautiful, pregnant elfess with bright ruby eyes and long silver hair joined them. "Nick, Octavia, this is Seldanna, Seldanna of the Rofir, my wife. Dearest, this is my old friend, companion in battle..."

"Aen-Belth... God Slayer!" gasped Seldanna. "It is an honor to stand in your presence." Then she turned to Octavia and said, "The Enchantress who would be queen!"

"I gave up that whole queen thing," said Octavia as they walked to the cabin. "Tell your people that they're free to use the land, there is plenty to eat in the garden and orchards. We don't have much livestock but we can..."

"We do not eat flesh," said Seldanna. "But I understand the offer, and it is accepted with the kindness that was intended."

As they entered the rear door of the cabin, Nick said, "This well pump is not a pump, it's a valve for an artisan well. You lift the handle and the water flows. It's the sweetest spring water you've ever tasted. And this showerhead up here above the well is enchanted; it's a warm water shower year round, hopefully."

As they entered, Preston and Annabelle joined them. "This is Preston Prescott and Annabelle Schultze, they were at Tähelepanek Point wearing the blue and silver. Right now, they're the head of my security staff."

Nick and Octavia arranged chairs for six around their small table, then he took a sheet of foolscap and drew a circle in the middle with two lines running up and down, one on each side of the circle then put an N at the top of the paper. He labeled the circle Black Mtn. "The top of this crude map is north, and that is where the Gjorgiev River separates Wægn from Spatz Mountain. That's an independent duchy, not a part of Uduithia. "

He pointed out the two vertical lines. "These are roads; both are ancient beyond time. I've explored a lot of the south face of the mountain and some of the west face. On the west face, there's not a lot of horizontal land, but here on the west side of the ancient road..." he drew a check mark on the west side of the ancient road. "I've hunted here in the past without knowing this road exists, Octavia found it. There's plenty of level land, there's water, and there's game. I'm sure you will find a home there."

"No," said Seldanna sadly. "We must continue to look." Her lower lip trembled, and her beautiful ruby eyes filled with tears. "I'm afraid that Oromorna is lost to us."

Before Nick could say anything, Vesstan said, "After you killed Zeddicus, I was lost, and somehow I found this clan and Seldanna. Our clan is made up of lost elves from all three walks, Mountain, Forest, and Plains elves..."

"The three people become one and walk the path of ash and shadow," recited Seldanna.

"The Verses of Vanyr'thi," said Octavia. "I remember studying that."

"You studied Elven prophecy?"

Octavia didn't want to say but the name of the class was "Elven Folklore," but the elves believed their folklore to be prophecy. "Yes, The Verses of Vanyr'thi talk about how the elves separated into three peoples, then centuries later a tribe of all three came together to live on Oromorna. I also studied The Sealing of Morna Oron. It said that the tunnel fortresses of Rkund Hold and Artafána are denied to the dwarves and elves."

"If only I could see them," sighed Seldanna.

"We've been to Artafána," said Octavia. "We saw Saatus, goddess of fate step out of Artafána and she took poor injured Rys Oladi with her into Artafána."

"Where?" demanded Vesstan. "Where did you see this?"

Nick drew an X on the circle just past the eight o'clock position. "Right there on Black Mountain, which the elves call Morna Oron, but what the ancients called Oromorna."

"That's it? We found it?" gasped Seldanna.

"It's right outside that window," said Nick. "I suggest getting yourselves settled before looking for Artafána, winters strike fast and hard in the mountains."

Vesstan shook his head. "I remember your tales of living on Black Mountain. I didn't make the connection. We have a home!" He hugged Seldanna and rubbed his cheeks on hers as the elves do.

"Go on, give him a human kiss," whispered Octavia, which Seldanna did eagerly. Their lips met, and they clung to each other, shuddering happily as the kiss ended.

"Honey, why don't you take the girls outside and tell the gang the good news," said Nick. "I need to talk politics... where's Pepin?"

"He's with me," said Annabelle, as Octavia, Seldanna, and Annabelle headed out the front door. Pepin hasn't been more than a foot away from Annabelle since they sprinted back up the hill from Metsker's blacksmith shop.

As soon as they stepped out of the cabin, Vesstan said, "She's carrying my brother's child."

"That answers a question that was burning in my head. I thought things were moving too quick for you and Seldanna. It's only been three months since Tähelepanek Point. Is everything ok?" asked Nick.

"My brother was killed in Torwin-Armistad, he was stabbed trying to protect a dwarven woman in The Tubes."

Nick groaned. The Tubes was the name of a rough section of the city-state of Torwin-Armistad. The streets were barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side, and gangs of thugs ruled the area. "I'm so sorry, Vesstan. I truly am. Is there anything I can do?"

Vesstan sighed. "Being the oldest unwed brother, it fell to me to protect her and raise his child." He thought for a moment and then said, "Marrying her was probably the best thing that ever happened to me. Before I was always looking for a fight. Anyone that wanted to hire a sword, I was their elf. Now, I wouldn't dare. A fight would rob me of time with Seldanna."

"You're blushing," taunted Nick.

"That was our very first kiss."

"My friend!" said Nick cheerfully. In Elf culture, a kiss on the lips was always an invitation to sex. "Ok, back to business," said Nick, and he drew an X at the one o'clock position on the circle. "A dwarven mining company wants to search for precious ore, and I think they are looking for the Rkund Keep."

"Do you know where it is?" asked Vesstan.

"I have a rough idea, and I'm sure it's not here, but this is where they asked to dig." Nick tapped his quill on the X and said, "I need you to stay away from the northeast side of the mountain. I will demand that the mining company use the east road only, and that they take no timber from the south side of the Gjorgiev River. They consider coal and gemstones to be mine tailings. I consider them property of the Duke, so I will demand they turn over coal and gemstones to the office of the Duke."

"That's pretty cold," said Preston.

"That's just the start of their headaches," said Nick with a frown. "Ok. My lady and I have to go meet with the king. Preston, you and Annabelle can stay here in the cabin, tomorrow morning you have to be at the temple to catch the nine AM coach to Slate Bottom Creek." He handed Preston a folded document. "Here's your orders. Vesstan, you and Seldanna can sleep in the cabin tonight, and anyone else that wants to stay indoors tonight. We'll be back in the morning. Save us a few eggs for lunch."

<><><><><>֍<><><><><>

Chapter 10 - Work Farm

"Izhar! If you don't pick up the pace I'm going to carry you over my shoulder like a sack of wheat."

"I'm sorry but these old bones aren't made for mountain climbing," complained the old wizard.

"Can you levitate?" asked Nick.

"Of course."

"Show me." The old wizard rose a foot or so off the ground. When he did that, Nick took some rope from Octavia's backpack, looped it through the Wizard's belt and pulled him along like a pull toy.

"This is utterly undignified."

"You're going to hate what is next," said Nick. The three of them were hiking up Breeders Peak Road, and Izhar was not happy about it.

"Don't you have any draft animals and a carriage?" demanded the old wizard.

"Yes, but unlike you they are busy working for a living. Trust me, I'm going to do some magic that is going to astound you."

"I highly doubt that young man," sputtered the floating Wizard.

"Go up higher and tell us if there's any highway men on the switchback ahead," said Octavia. The wizard drifted upwards as high as he dared and looked around.

"This is quite terrifying," Izhar said in a shaking voice.

"You're only up ten feet." Suddenly, Izhar dropped to his normal one foot off the ground. "What did you see?" asked Nick.

"I saw... demi-giants sleeping on the side of the road. Roughians from the look of them."

"Yeah, they're probably hoping the hoofbeats of travelers will wake them up. Let's be quiet."

They got to the second switchback and looked out over the village. They had only hit two switchbacks, but already they were above all the houses and trees. This was the first time Octavia had noticed that if you went wide on this curve, you were going to go over a sheer cliff. Nick walked up to the very edge of the cliff and then got down on his hands and knees. And then he was a dragon.

Get on!

"Izhar, get on," hissed Octavia as she climbed up on Nick's foreleg knee.

"That could eat me," gasped the wizard. The 75-foot-long dragon glistened in the late afternoon sunlight.

I will eat you if you don't hurry up and get on!

Izhar allowed Octavia to help him up into place, and she put his hands on the spikes protruding from the dragon's spine. "Just hold on and don't let go." She climbed into place ahead of him and whispered, "We're ready,"

Hold on tight. I'm going to jump.

The dragon spread its wings and leaped off the cliff. Izhar shrieked in horror as they plunged to their deaths. This couldn't be happening! Decades of faithful service to the arcane arts to die on the back of an imaginary animal? He watched the bottom of the cliff growing closer and closer, then with a joyful scream from Octavia, the dragon's wings caught the air and it leveled its flight and shot forward alongside the sheer cliff that was the north side of Breeders Peak. With a beat of its wings, the dragon shot into the sky, clearing the summit of Breeders Peak with four beats of its mighty wings. Then, rolling over on its left wing, it turned left then leveled out and flew just above the treetops over the north end of Barkridge Defile, a box canyon that protects Waleston.

Coming over the edge of the summit of Breeders Peak, the dragon dropped into the Barkridge Defile behind the dark gray edifice of Waelmore Castle. It dropped silently, gaining speed, then pulled up level just above the acres of manicured horse pasture behind the castle, and it shot toward the castle. It flew so low that if there had been a horse in the pasture, he would have hit it. It flew, burning off the speed it gained by its drop into the box canyon, then it made a sweeping turn back toward the wall of the canyon. Still flying fast, it pulled up, losing its speed until it came to a stop in mid-air and dropped a foot or two onto the plateau it used as a launch the day before.

What do you think? asked Nick.

"Your flying is getting so much better!" gushed Octavia as the dragon folded its wings and walked down the incline on four legs and then walked across the lawn toward the castle. As the dragon neared the carriage house behind the castle, it stopped and crouched down. Octavia slid off, but she had trouble getting Izhar to let go of the spikes and open his eyes. "Come on professor! We're here, your new lab is waiting for you!" She tugged and pulled, but the wizard was frozen in terror. "He won't let go!"

For crying out loud. Step back honey.

Octavia climbed down and, as soon as she was standing on firm ground, the dragon was gone and Izhar fell five feet to the ground. "Oh! We're here. How marvelous," was all he said, and he picked himself up and followed Nick and Octavia into the castle. "I'm an old man, I could have broken a hip," he complained as they neared the entrance for royalty.

"I could have let you go from much higher," said Nick as they entered the castle.

"Your grace," said the guard with a slight bow. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Yes," said Octavia. "This is Professor Izhar, he's my colleague and assisting me as court wizard. Could you show him to the lower-level dungeon? He need space and quiet and that's probably the best place for him."

"Oh, bless you my dear!" said Izhar, and the guard led him down a spiral staircase. The old wizard followed the guard down into the ancient dungeons, where the enemies of Uduithia had had their minds changed about the current leadership in days gone by. This was a much nicer dungeon than the one he had in Breaze... it was cheerier. Not as many bloodstains on the wall.

"Will this do sir?"

"Oh yes!" He looked around at what once had been an office. There was even a cot. "Thank you very much. I best get to unpacking."

"Uh... yes sir," said the guard unsteadily. "You can have this large room next door also if you'd like."

"Marvelous! Please stop back to see how I am fairing in a week or two when I've unpacked and set up."

The old guy didn't bring a pack or a box with him. He had a staff, but the guard didn't remember him having it when they started down here. "Is there anything else Mister Izhar?" asked the young guard.

"No, thank you. I have quite a bit of work to do setting up. I would like to see the young wizard, Missus Stein when she has a chance."

"Yes sir." He left the old guy in the old headsman's office with a single candle and headed back to the entry hall. Halfway there, he remembered something to tell the old guy. He went back to the wizard's room, but the door was shut, and light was streaming under the door. He knocked and said, "Sir, I forgot to mention, you are free to eat in the kitchen chamber for dawn, noon, and sunset meals."

"Thank you, my boy."

In the office, several lanterns were glowing. He didn't bring them, and they weren't there when he arrived, but the memory of them was there. That was enough to pull them out of the past, full of whale oil, the best kind. He took a lantern into the adjoining room, once a "Convincing Chamber" where political sinners were convinced of the sin of their unacceptable behavior. There he found an old legless table leaning against the wall where it had been left, forgotten, decades ago. He moved it to a blank wall and pushed it flat against the wall. "That makes an excellent door," he said, then he stepped back and opened the door. "Ahhh, just as I left it."

In the closet he created in another place were all his books, models, and the mobile of the solar system! The young lady will want to see that first. He carried a box full of robes and bed linen out of the closet and set it on the floor, then brought out a folding table and set it up. He has so much junk, he really should take inventory.

<><><><><>

"How faired your trip, your grace?" asked King Uric.

"Far too busy. I had forgotten that my friend, King Lars, still thought I was dead. We had a reunion dinner then a meeting with an expert on dwarven law."

"We have another expert on dwarven law joining us," said Uric as a dwarf with two dwarven guards at his side entered the dining hall and joined them. "This is his majesty Samrel Oakenarmour." Samrel Oakenarmour was mine-master or king of the Boxlis Pit, biggest mine on Kodu, making him the king of all dwarves.

"Your majesty," said Nick, as he bowed to King Oakenarmour.

"Your grace," chuckled the dwarf. "King Uric tells me that you've been duke of a small duchy for less than twenty-four hours and you became a target of the vilest ditch sucking mining company in Torwin-Armistad, traveled to Teurnia to discuss it with King Ranzau and his advisor Yulmid Oakenarm, then returned home with an entire police force to find a tribe of elves camping on your front lawn."

"I didn't mention the police or the elves yet to my lord yet," said Nick, but he saw his grace, Lord Baltimore, King Uric's head of Intelligence, smiling. Lord Baltimore is rarely taken by surprise, and Nick wants to know how he does it. It was obvious that Lord Baltimore had informed King Uric of Nick's adventures.

"Shall we discuss this over our dinner?" asked King Uric. They sat down at a corner table in the spacious dining room. Normally they would sit near the kitchen, so they didn't have far to walk to get their meals. King Uric insisted that they go to the kitchen and get their meals and carry them to the table and eat family style, then after dinner he, the queen, Princess Sophia, and Prince Exavier would wash their own dishes. He didn't want to raise a family of spoiled, over-privileged brats. When there were important guests, they would sit in the center of the dining room, and when there were important things to discuss over dinner, they would sit in the far corner surrounded by guards.

"They need to know that Black Mountain is open to everyone, but the slopes themselves are not for habitation, they're for recreation," said Nick.

"They won't say they're on the slopes; they'll say that doesn't apply to them because they will be under the slopes," said King Samrel.

They talked long into the night, discussing how to approach every dirty trick that the dwarves could use without voiding their contract. Nick also wants to include punitive fines for violating contractual agreements. If Peregrine and Aegir Mining didn't like it, they could walk away. Nick didn't include income from the mine in his financial planning, and neither did King Uric, but the dwarves didn't know that. They would walk into the negotiation believing that both governments wanted their money. It was long after moonset when they got the compromise contract finished and set on Sophia's desk for her scribing skills.

When Nick rose in the morning, Octavia was already gone. She had headed down to the dungeon first thing to see how Izhar had set up his new lab. Nick stumbled to the kitchen for a cup of something hot and guaranteed to keep him awake. Fortified with a mug of tea that would float a horseshoe, and a buttered slice of bread that would survive until next summer, he headed into the dining room where Sophia was waiting for him with the contract. "Papa would like to see you in the courtroom."

Nick stepped into the courtroom through a side door and saw King Uric in his regal finest, along with Queen Elinor. They were preparing to pass judgement on someone. A large someone. Nick almost dropped his mug of tea when he saw who it was. The demi-giant stood in torn clothing, with bruises and a black eye. He was in chains and was rocking from side to side, clearly in pain. "Your majesty!" cried Nick. "Before you pass judgement, may I have a word with my client?"

The king nodded, then Herold Lorchester banged the butt of his staff into the paving stones with a loud bang. "The crown recognizes the Duke of Wægn!"

Nick dashed to Hugues Du Gouey, last living kinsman of his best friend Jehans Du Gouey. "Hugues, what happened?" He offered his mug of tea to Hugues, who drank the scalding hot beverage in two massive gulps.

"I don't know, I stepped out of a bar and suddenly a dozen guardsmen attacked."

"Look, we're getting the gang together. Let me deal with the king, you just thank him for whatever he says."

Nick turned to the king and said, "Your honor, what is this hero of the Battle of Tähelepanek Point charged with?"

"The defendant is accused of assault on a city guardsman," said Harold.

"After I caught him cheating at Diamond Witches," grumbled Hugues. Diamond Witches is the chess of card games. A round of Diamond Witches can take half an hour to complete, and there's thirteen rounds in a game. Players take it seriously even though there's very little money involved.

Nick whirled and hissed, "Quiet, this could get you hanged. They take assault on a guard seriously here. Let me deal with the king and the guardsman. I'm going to get you assigned to me." He turned around. "Your majesty, my client wishes to apologize for his actions, he's new in town and he did not realize that the man he caught cheating was a city guard. I beg that if you find him guilty that you sentence him to the Hay-on-Wægn County work farm in Buckington Township where he can work off his offenses."

"So be it," said the king. "Hugues Du Gouey, I find you guilty of assault on a peace officer and sentence you to three hundred fifty-two days at hard labor at the Hay-on-Wægn work farm. Guards, take him away."

"Some lawyer you are," rumbled the demi-giant as he was led away.

"You'll thank me when you get there," said Nick.

"You better not be there!" demanded an angry Hugues.

"Are you ok, are you sure you want to deal with him?" asked the king when Hugues was led out of the courtroom. The King's next trial was the guard that attacked Hugues.

"I've already beat him once," said Nick. "I'm sure he'll fall for it again."

<><><><><>

Finally, it was time to leave. Octavia, dressed in her plain farmwife dress, said her goodbyes to all that joined the king and queen in the portcullis. The royal family watched as Octavia led her pony to the main entrance and tied her bags on the horse's back, then whispered in her pony's ear, and it knelt, giving her easy access to his back. She climbed on, and the horse carefully rose to his feet, and with only a bridle and reins Octavia was ready to go. She was barefoot, riding bareback, and King Uric found something highly erotic in that. A simple barefoot farm girl, now duchess of the second largest duchy in the kingdom. Her staff, Virga, was slung across her back diagonally, crossed with Nick's staff Teivas. "Where is your husband?" asked Queen Elinor.

"He's around, don't worry," said Octavia from the back of her horse. This time she was riding a Snowcross Mountain pony. They were often a draft horse or a pack horse, but it's also considered an excellent riding horse for women. It stands shorter than the average horse, but it looks beautiful, glossy black with a flowing bright blond mane and tail.

"Wouldn't you rather have a saddle?" asked King Uric.

"No, I learned to ride bareback, and I never got used to a saddle. I just can't feel the horse properly," and with a nudge of her bare ankles the horse nickered and stepped out. As they exited the castle, the horse looked at Princess Sophia, and she noticed that the horse's left eye was made of gold.

"Goodbye your grace," sighed the princess, and the beautiful horse nickered in response as he carried Octavia home. As the princess watched with her parents, brothers, and guards, Crown Princess Sophia sighed, "When I get older, I don't want a husband, I want a horse just like that one."

It was a beautiful day for the journey from Waleston to Elm Springs. The sun was warm, and the air was refreshing. As they traveled, Nick discovered that the horse he was wearing was half asleep. As they walked, it was looking for rocks and holes to avoid as it walked, but little else, so he was effectively sleepwalking. Nick never really liked horses, and now he knows why he mistrusts them so much. Unless they're running or leading a group, they're not truly paying attention. Content with letting Nick drive, Octavia was spending her time inspecting Virga and admiring her new carvings.

"I love this one," said Octavia. "What is it?"

"'at's a fertility symbol from Eslucaoh," said a voice from behind a large rock on the side of the road.

"Damn it Carl, could you be quiet?" whispered another voice harshly.

"It's quite beautiful," said the first voice, Carl, defensively. "Obviously Eslucaohan."

"Oi never should have brought you along," complained the second voice as two robbers stepped out from behind the rock. "All right, give us your gold and jewelry." They were huge, nearly eight feet tall. Both were Demi-giants although a bit on the small side for Demi-giants.

Octavia didn't look concerned. "I don't have anything like that. I'm just trying to get home."

"What are we going to do now Alfie?" asked Carl, the first voice Octavia heard.

"Most robbers take anything of value," said the horse. It was a trick he learned from Pepin. He can say anything he wants; most people know that horses can't talk, so they believe the idea is theirs.

"We're robbers, we take everything of value," said Alfie.

"Like what?" said Carl.

The two robbers looked at each other confused until the horse said, "That horse is valuable."

"Right! That 'orse is valuable," said Alfie.

"OK lady, off the 'orse," demanded Carl.

As Octavia slid down off the horse she said, "The Duke of Wægn does not look on horse thieves kindly."

"Har, har, har!" laughed Alfie. "It's a shame he's not here, ain't it, Carl."

"Dat's right Alfie," said Carl with a chuckle.

The bandits tied up Octavia and left her sitting beside the road, leaning against the rock. Then, still laughing about the duke, they led the horse behind the rock where, for some reason, they found themselves leading a man. Octavia heard Alfie shout, "Oi! Where the 'ell is our 'orse?" Then Octavia heard the distinct sound of two coconuts hitting together, followed by the sounds of bodies being dragged out from behind the rock.

"Are you OK?" asked Nick as he untied his wife. He checked her over, making sure her flawless skin was free of blemish or cut from her handling by the two highwaymen.

"Aww, they're not bad, they're just stupid," said Octavia as she hugged Nick. "What are you going to do with them?" as she watched Nick tie them up.

"I think I'm going to hire them."

"What?"

"We need help on the farm, I trust Hugues , I'm sure he can manage these two." Nick took a piece of parchment and penned a note to the guard team hauling Hugues that was following them by about an hour. "They have a particular skill set we can exploit."

"What skill set is that?" asked Octavia as she wiped the bridle free of dirt.

"A strong back and a will to please," and once again Octavia had a horse to ride. She put the packs back on Nick and climbed back on the horse.

When they got to town, Octavia checked with Trei Metzger and made sure that Preston and Annabelle got on the eastbound freight wagon that morning. It was better they rode the freight wagon because they could get the driver to stop as they looked for a midway police station, somewhere between Elm Springs and Slate Bottom Creek.

An hour after they got home, Nick and Vesstan were sitting on the bench in the sun, enjoying the warm summer climate and watching the young elflings splash and play in the pond while Octavia and several of the elf women were in the kitchen. They were trying to figure out how to cook using a stove with no magic... or maybe it had magic and they hadn't discovered it.

One brave elf boy climbed out of the pond and ran around the edge of the pond up to where the trout creek poured into the pond. The creek coming down off the mountain was cool and refreshing, perfect on a hot day, and it cascaded almost six feet into the pond. The elf boy stood at the edge of the waterfall and summoned his courage. Vesstan got up to stop him, but Nick held the worried elf back. "He'll be fine."

Sure enough, the elf-boy jumped and hit the pond with a splash and surfaced with a huge smile. Soon, all the elf children were lining up to jump off the waterfall. "I did it as a child," said Nick. "It's like a test of courage for a young boy."

"I can't get over what I'm seeing," said Vesstan. "Look, plains elves, forest elves, mountain elves all splashing together and having fun."

"They're not old enough to hate each other properly," said Nick.

"I hope that never happens. I would like to set an example for my race. My grandfather would have a fit if he saw this."

"Look," said Nick, and he pointed off to the side. The parents of the children were standing in a group watching the kids play. The parents were elves from all three tribes.

"I see soldiers!" cried a young elfling from the top of the falls, and she pointed down the driveway as a pair of soldiers on horseback led a wagon with a huge box body on the back and two guards sitting on the driver's bench in front of the box. The wagon was pulled by a pair of enormous horses, who snorted as they approached. They neared the cabin and stopped, and one of the soldiers climbed down.

"I got a delivery for the Duke of Wægn. Is dat you?"

"I can sign for it," said Nick, and he strolled up to the wagon along with Vesstan.

"What's with all the elves?" asked the driver as he opened the back door of the wagon.

Nick shrugged, "Don't know. What's with all you humans?"

"Yeah, ain't dat da truth. Here you go, your own demi-giants, a set of three. Collect da complete set." He pulled Hugues Du Gouey off the back of the wagon. Hugues had his hands cuffed behind his back, and the guard left them cuffed as he pulled Alfie and Carl off the back of the wagon. They were cuffed as well. "Here's your key. Return the cuffs to the head guard at the castle when you're done with them." The guard climbed back up onto the driver's seat, and they swung the wagon around and left.

"You know the moment you take these cuffs off, I'm going to rip off your head," growled Hugues.

"I want to see him try," chuckled Vesstan.

"Threatening to kill the duke? That may add a year to your sentence," said Nick as he tried to unlock Hugues' handcuffs. "Stop squirming, will ya big guy?"

"Some lawyer you are!" said Hugues with a snarl. "Let me handle the king, you said, I can get you off you said."

"No, said I could keep you from being executed," said Nick as the handcuffs popped free. "I got an old friend here, with me, where he belongs."

"I'm still going to rip off your head," roared Hugues. He raised his hands, the cuffs still dangling from his left wrist.

"HUGUES!" cried Octavia in a loud, girlish squeal. She dove off the front porch and raced through the front vegetable garden in a streak of gingham and threw herself at Hugues. "I missed you so much! When Nick disappeared at Tähelepanek Point I knew I would survive, your strong arms around me told me it would be ok."

"Darling, I was crying along with you."

"I think we all were, my friendly mountain," said Vesstan as he patted Hugues on the shoulder. "Welcome to the duke's team."

"Is the dwarf here?" asked Hugues as Nick took the cuffs off of Alfie and Carl.

"No, we haven't seen Buggy anywhere. He disappeared after the trial," said Octavia. The trial was a series of trials that King Lars Ranzau held, trying to find out who was responsible for the fall of the crown at Breaze.

Nick, Hugues, and Vesstan headed to the porch where they could sit and talk. Finally, Hugues gestured to Alfie and Carl and asked, "Why are these two here?"

"You are now my property manager. They're your staff," said Nick.