One
Nick tilted his head to the side as he looked out upon the enemy encampment.
The Towers called “Lucian’s Teeth” surrounded them along the river-bank.
Rahak had them dug out by ‘friends’, though she’d never truly explained how the towers had been erected so quickly. Nor had he truly dug into the same ‘friends’ who gave Rahak a lot of information about enemy movements that let Nick’s army dominate the early weeks of the siege.
He mostly hadn’t been that curious or involved as he’d been settling the capital for a week with his ‘consorts’ before returning back this way.
That week in the capital had been productive in some ways, terrible in others.
The nobility was settled with their new king, ancient rites had been restored, the Dragon-King sat the throne again, and everyone was moving in one direction together.
Working to eliminate the enemy invaders who had crossed the Harbor Pass before it’d been sealed by Nick and Lucian in a last-stand type of hold. With him executing an Avatar of a foreign god and the whole thing becoming a mess.
The terrible part of his week in the capital had been the results.
Julie, Claudia, and Cordelia were all pregnant after just a few attempts on his part. Pregnant and now locked into the capital since the three women were all carrying the next generation of royalty.
Jessie, Harlowe, and Sara, hadn’t managed to catch a pregnancy yet.
For one reason or another, the three of them simply hadn’t gotten lucky with it.
Delaney in her strangeness hadn’t managed to get her brain straightened out enough to get into a bed with him, all the while espousing things that sounded closer to an obsessive compulsion to him.
Or just batshit crazy.
Turning his head to the left, Nick looked at the beautiful red-head ‘knight-consort’ as she referred to herself. He couldn’t see her face, her finely chiseled features, and rather pretty smile.
Nor could he see her blue eyes inside of her helmet, though he could partially see her visage through the slits in her visor. She tended to keep it closed and down unless he asked her to open it.
As if realizing he was looking at her, Delaney turned to look at him.
“Yes, Dragon-King?” she asked. “Can I assist? What do you need? How may I praise and sing your glory?”
“Nothing really, was just looking your way,” Nick confessed, then looked out ahead again.
Jessie, Sara, and Harlowe were currently assisting with a raid on the enemy encampment. They were able to get a great deal of experience by actively assisting with the attacks.
Nick couldn’t participate directly and had to settle with support that he could provide and receive experience for being part of the over-all raid. It was thankfully a lot of experience since he was part of every group.
Every raid.
Yet it wasn’t the same as someone directly participating.
“Ah, I see,” Delaney offered. “You miss the others. I understand. I’ve been failing in my duties. Would you like to retire to the tent? I currently have six-thousand, two hundred and thirty-two to lay together and ten-thousand, nine-hundred and seventy-six to give you an heir.
“Thankfully, after last week, the fifty-two thousand quests to kiss you were resolved.”
Nick blinked, forcefully blew out a breath, and then closed his eyes. He shook hi shead with a chuckle after hearing those astronomical numbers.
“The land won’t leave you alone, huh?” Nick inquired.
“I don’t mind. It’s been very beneficial for me,” answered Delaney. “While it’s a bit of a deluge sometimes, I understand what she wants perfectly. She’s just very much like me, but more bold.
“Personally, I wouldn’t wish to dirty your august self with my filthy body in a bed, but I can see the need. I am more than willing to perform this degrading act to you, but I find it hard to push for it myself.”
Smirking with one side of his mouth, Nick just let that sit. He knew Delaney was actually a maiden through previous conversations, which meant she didn’t view it as her having past issues.
It was that she viewed herself as being worth less than him as a person.
“Delaney, you’re a noble, I was born as a peasant and hauled corpses,” stated Nick. “If anything, it’s the other way around. It’d be more logical that you’ve been pushing it back because you don’t want me to dirty you, instead.”
“No! No. I’m-no. I’m consummating our relationship tonight. Immediately,” Delaney declared with far more energy than he’d seen from her in a while.
Grinning, Nick let his eyes flick back to the furthest tower along the river. Jessie, Sara, and Harlowe were down there and getting ready to launch an attack.
There would be a sign from them that would signal him to summon Lucian for the day.
As he’d gotten used to his powers, leveled up, and the land settled somewhat, as well as the movement of a nation to one goal, Nick’s familial powers had grown.
When bringing Lucian into the world, the Dragon could remain for several hours if he didn’t do much, or go full combat mode for an entire hour.
Once a day, no less.
“I haven’t seen a change in the tower, Sire,” reported Lucian.
Letting out a slow exhale, Nick lifted up his poleaxe and let it thump into the ground lightly. His eyes moved over to the main army that was even now raining endless arrows down on the siege shields of the enemy.
A small group of officers was watching from the far rear of it.
The pretender family of Fash had changed their name to Ferish and the pretender king had become the Marshal by Nick’s order. It’d ingratiated himself into Cordelia’s good graces in doing so as well as addressing the king as ‘grandfather’.
Marshal Ferish as he was called now was a dedicated and determined man to obliterate the enemy and show his dedication to the cause.
The Fash family for the most part had settled into the new royal and noble makeup without much of an issue. There were some who were making noise, though not many.
Ternahl, the previous Duke of Ternahl and now Spymaster, was working with Janet Margrave his Royal Inquisitor to root out dissent.
The Margrave family had thrown themselves into their job once Nick gave them their duties. Julie had also been deeply pleased with the jobs he’d given her mother and her family.
Though he wasn’t sure if they’d become as deeply invested as they had because of their recent career options or that Julie was pregnant.
“There’s the signal, Sire,” Lucian warned.
Without even looking, Nick called forth to Lucian with ‘Summon Ancestor’.
This time, he called Lucian into reality far above the enemy camp.
The large Earth Dragon that was his mentor and protector liked coming in like a meteor.
Even if he died in the attack as he was coming down he tended to cause massive damage. Because even if they killed him on the way in his body would slam into the ground and splatter blood and bone everywhere.
Like an explosion.
Not to mention a corpse lingering around for three hours on top of shields, tents, and people, was a lot to deal with at a daily level.
There were more of the enemy surrendering lately, but also more holdouts as well. There were fewer and fewer of those that were in between. That might surrender if things went bad during a raid or an attack.
The foe was galvanized.
Not waiting around, Nick turned and began trucking back to his ‘command tent’.
He thankfully didn’t need as many royal guard around him as this location was deeply prepared. Full of defenses, enchantments, and spells. All bent on keeping strangers out as well as heavy deflection defenses.
Nathaniel and Delaney never left his side, however.
“My Lord Dragon-King. A new ambassador has arrived,” warned Nathaniel as they moved. “I received a messenger to that effect but not as to who or what nation. You will likely need to call a formal delegation hearing since spring is coming.
“There’s no new movements along the north-wall but… once the area becomes less swamp-like and the mud dries, that’s where the enemy would come from, right? You’ve said that a few times now.”
Nick clicked his tongue at the news.
He didn’t want to deal with a new ambassador.
They all wanted to make arrangements with him in one way or another. Almost every single one of them offered to purchase things to offset the Dolphen treasury, sell things to support it, or some type of agreement or alliance.
Without fail, in fact, they all did so.
Not that he could blame them, but at the same time, some of them had been so obvious and over the top that it’d been almost insulting. The nations from beyond the walls of Dolphen were a mixed and diverse group of interests, peoples, and cultures.
Some cultures were just frustrating to deal with Nick found. He didn’t have a mind for this.
“Do I need to get Rahak?” Nick grumbled quietly and looked to Nathaniel.
The man was wearing his ‘Family of Randolph’ armor and looked deeply imposing. He was as big as Nick in multiple ways and seemed to project a great deal of lethal intent to anyone who approached the Dragon-King.
“Honestly, Sire, I’m sure she’s already there,” argued Delaney. “She just about lives in the tent because it’s warmer there. Even with all those coats on she’s clearly uncomfortable.”
Nick grimaced at that and nodded his head.
Rahak had returned immediately after he had announced himself as the king, despite her race not sticking around in such places during winter. She’d come back and immediately thrown herself into her work.
Often meeting with Distis as Steward and Chamberlain to manage his inner court where they could.
Between the two of them they were able to manage a great deal without Nick having to intervene. For that he was infinitely greatly grateful because he didn’t want to deal with politics any more than he needed to.
Realistically speaking it just wasn’t his Forte and he didn’t know the layout of the current political climate.
“Considering I saw that some of the grass was turning from brown to green, shifting to spring doesn’t seem that far off,” Nick said with a sigh. Winter tended to hold tight to this area due to it’s elevation. Spring was more just ‘slightly warmer winter’ for a good stretch of it. “We’ll need to get people to head as far north as possible to see where the enemy is. Right now we’re really only watching the mud, slopes, and hills.”
“Yes, sire. That’s something the Marshal mentioned this morning when I attended his security briefly,” Nathaniel added. “You were dealing with the new envoy from the Dwarven nation and I did take notes if you’re curious about it. There wasn’t much to be said that you would likely care about. It was mostly day to day camp needs.”
With a grunt as a response, Nick couldn’t really add much to that. He really had been busy this morning with the Dwarven representative.
Moving into the tent, Nick looked around to see if there was indeed a new envoy.
Set to the corner, sat at a table, were two people Nick didn’t know. They had several Royal Guard around them and were clearly watching over them.
In the corner, reading over a scroll, was Rahak.
A crow-like humanoid with black feathers, dark eyes, and wearing a great deal of human like clothing. He couldn’t see her bird like arms, or clawed hands that were more akin to bird feet.
“Ah, Dragon-King,” croaked Rahak, moving toward him in a hopping way. She came to a stop in front of him and tilted her head to one side, one large eye focusing on him. “You have two new-mm-envoys. One from a group of people, not a country. The other is a… ah that-mm-selected individual representing multiple cities of the Dark Elf people.”
The last was said in a voice that sounded a lot like Jessie’s voice, but also not.
“Yeah, I think if I heard something like that I’d just repeat it verbatim, too, Rahak,” admitted Nick with a grin, watching the crow-woman. To which she made a soft cawing noise, which was a laugh for her. “And the ‘group of people, not a country’? Any thoughts?”
Nick asked it and looked to the two people.
One was a Dark Elf woman and the other was a somewhat normal looking man.
Somewhat normal.
Nick picked him out immediately as a Werewolf.
It was in the way he held himself, how he looked at the Dark Elf, then looked to Nick and his people.
A predator evaluating it’s surroundings for threats or prey.
Meeting his gaze, Nick didn’t look away. He held the Werewolf’s eyes. He let this man feel that he was in another predator’s domain and he was allowed to exist. Exist in Nick’s hunting territory by his mercy and grace.
The Werewolf blinked, then immediately looked down. Clearly aware that Nick was aware of what he was and was asserting his dominance of the territory.
“Wonderful, Rahak,” Nick murmured and looked back to his Steward. He smiled at her. “Anything I need to handle with them or are they just newcomers.”
“The Dark Elf is-mm-attempting to become a consort. I declined it,” Rahak answered. “We have enough at this moment. She is also brokering for a formal alliance as well. Given she represents multiple cities that is very worth discussing, yes.
“I only fear that they may try to tie the consort status to the alliance. It’ll become a difficult to say no when the purchase price is terribly low.”
“I assume they know about Jessie?” Nick murmured at the bottom of his voice.
“She said she was sent specifically because Jessie is a good conduit, but not one that represents multiple locations,” replied Rahak.
Ah.
They’re terrified I’ll favor her home-city.
They might indeed force a consort as an alliance.
This is what you warned me about.
Sometimes, doing politics created more politics.
“Exactly, my boy,” Lucian confirmed. “You will likely need to take on the Dark Elf if her alliance proposition has coin to back it. Or bodies.
“Having troops from the Dark Elf cities would be deeply helpful for the war effort. On top of that, in this way, the whole thing might even pull them together as a nation in a way.
“If we’re linked into the starting point, it would establish a deep relationship.
“Much in the same way that Wretin is as deeply willing to commit to us because you took Sara. Minor nobility, but nobility they can shift with titles, provide with land, and push up inside their own political structure.
“It’s very likely she’s been shifted upward to a position similar to a Countess or Duchess in rank, though likely without a title. It would give her better leverage against you later.”
Goodie.
“Fine,” Nick said with a heavy sigh. “Let’s go through the normal things. I’m sure that’ll take far too long anyways. Run me right up to dinner time and we can go from there.”
Rahak bobbed her head, then moved away.
Nick really didn’t like that he’d done much of nothing for the last three months.
Though he also didn’t look forward to this changing, as that’d mean the enemy was at the gate.
Or wall, as it were.
Rahak was on her way back to him with the Werewolf and Dark Elf in tow.
With a grim smile, Nick cudgeled his brain into action and prepared himself for what was coming.
***
Sitting down in a camp chair in his private tent, Nick closed his eyes, leaned back into the short wooden back, and let his head fall back.
A good part of his day had been spent drilling with his Royal Guard to sharpen his combat senses. There was also a large portion dealing with the envoys, new and old both, as well as handling more mundane clerical work of a royal.
Paperwork, medals, recommendations, and approvals for plans and budgets. A lot of things that were already worked on by others and passed up to him to sign, approve, decline, or to ask for clarifications on.
On top of that, a lot of it didn’t have a right or a wrong answer that could be determined immediately. Most of the proposals wouldn’t show results for weeks at the minimum and years towards decades on the long term.
Not even Lucian could really help him, as most of it was all forward facing without any help from the past. Because even situations that were mostly identical weren’t the same.
The people involved all the way around would change everything every time.
“People are the ultimate wild card,” mumbled Nick.
“I mean, sometimes? Sometimes you find a hot Dark Elf face down in a pillar of dirt, slap her on the ass, and surprise, she’s not dead,” Jessie answered. It sounded as if she’d only just come into the tent and was heading his way. “Then you get a super hot Dark Elf wife you bang all the time despite her oven rejecting all the baby-batter you stuff in her.
“Getting really tired of taking all your goop and never turning it into anything. Really tired of it. I mean, I don’t mind it when you finish in me, but I’m always so messy. Sometimes I stink like fis—”
When Jessie stopped rambling, Nick opened his eyes.
Hovering above him was Jessie, though no sign of Sara. He had half expected the other Elf to have brought Jessie to a stop in her rattling response.
Her pale white hair was brushed out, reached just past her shoulders, and was clean. She’d most certainly washed it today.
Her wide dark eyes were glittering, their depths once more reminding him of a glass inkwell. As dark and fathomless at the center as could be.
Delicate and fine features whispered of her Dark Elven race as well as just being rather pretty.
“My love,” Nick whispered, reached up, and put his hands on either side of the Dark Elf’s face.
“My love,” responded Jessie, leaned in, and kissed him. Then she sighed, laughed, and sat down in his lap. She leaned over him and pushed his head into her breasts. “Everything went well. Sara is bathing now. Harlowe is going after her. Sara and Harlowe are giving us the night to ourselves.
“Because I once again bought every fertility potion I could from the ledger. My guts ache, my lady-bits are swollen, my boobs hurt, and I genuinely feel horny enough to call down a sex goddess to make me her new avatar.
“So, you’re going to stuff my oven full of baby-batter again and you’re going to like it. I’m going to say thank you when we’re done, then you’re going to do it again.
“Because I may have taken things I shouldn’t have, and the camp doctor told me I was in for a wild ride. That means you’re in for a wild ride.”
“Goodie,” Nick said with a grin.
No matter who was queen on paper, Jessie was his first love and he treasured her.
“Come on then. Make the guards think you’re stabbing me to death,” growled Jessie, her eyes wide as she gazed down at him.