The town guard continued to train with them over the next month; there was some slight friction, as two from their ranks had been drummed out. When they finally found out the full reasoning behind their dismissal, the guards thought that the idiots were lucky not to have been killed by Gregory. That made the others who’d been dismissive toward the eurtiks less prone to act out, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.
The entire unit was growing comfortable with the new obstacle course, improving by leaps and bounds with every run. Some of the men carried makeshift slings on them now so whenever someone did get “injured,” the run could keep moving as quickly as possible.
They continued to train their marching skills; Willof had even started them on multiple squad marches, ones that took timing to accomplish. The learning curve was steep, but the men were dedicated.
Gregory was learning how to control his mount with just his legs, as that was required for mounted combat. His legs ached the first few days, but he quickly adapted to the new muscle memory.
~*~*~
Gregory grinned as he rolled over to face the shadow-shrouded corner. “Hello, dear one.”
“My heart, it is good to see you again. I missed the last growth for you as much as you missed seeing me.”
“I’m glad to see you again, beyond it also meaning getting to see Roshana and the others.”
“Thank you, dear one. We will miss more moments in the future.”
“For Daciana, Nessa, Victoria, and Claudia.”
“Yes. You should see three of them during the year you are apart from your wives. Look forward to seeing your lovely wives three times when you should not see them at all.”
“Just three?” Gregory asked.
“It will be harder for me because of the distances you will all be from one another.”
“Will I only see you three times? Who won’t we see next year? I named four, but you said three.”
Darkness giggled. “One of your friends will be speaking with you all before you leave the tournament behind. All but Claudia have found theirs so far. I am advising them in which order I will bring them to speak with you.”
“Are you going to tell me?”
“Hmm, should I?” Darkness asked playfully. “A surprise for you is not terrible.”
“True… I’m sure Yuki will want to know, though.”
“Very true. Very well. As I have already told your wives so they can be prepared, I will tell you now. Nessa will be first. She found her resonance a day ahead of the other two, so I am giving her the first chance to speak with you. Daciana would fare badly with waiting too long, so she will be second, and Victoria will be the last of the three. When Claudia finds hers, she will be the last of those you have currently met, my heart.”
“Currently met…” Gregory murmured. “Did all of Aether’s wives come back?” He asked the question with some trepidation, as Darkness had previously told him that he’d had a hundred wives.
“No, dear one. Even the older you did not have a hundred until after many long years of life. Your current total of wives is set for at least the next few decades. After the first century, maybe others will become known.”
Gregory exhaled slowly, once again coming to terms with how long he’d live. His father and oldest friends would be dust by then; only his magi wives would still be with him. Lightshield had lived at least five centuries. Gregory knew that from things he’d mentioned, but he didn’t know exactly how long the elder had lived.
“Okay…” Gregory breathed out. “We should probably bring the others in. I know you’ll be taxed as it is.”
“I only feel the strain when I bring you together. Separated as you are now, I can spend far longer with you.”
“You could speak to each of us and pass along messages as long as you don’t bring them to me?”
“Oh, yes. I did just that once, long ago.”
“That would be for later. Possibly even much later,” Gregory said.
“Next year will be filled with me bringing your younger friends to speak about their resonance.”
“Wait… you expect Claudia to hit hers then, too, don’t you? That’s why you said ‘three times,’ as Nessa will be speaking to us during the tournament.”
“I do. It is not certain, as she is fighting the archmage on how she trains. Her gains have had him reconsidering, but he is expecting to see her fail. She will not, but he cannot accept that she is training two paths, much less three… yet. He still sees following the mind path as wasteful, as she has obviously made the Peaceful Fist her primary training.”
“I hope he doesn’t figure it out.”
“He will not. It is impossible, as far as he is concerned.”
“Good.”
“Now, time for some lovely ones to join you,” Darkness purred.
Yukiko, Jenn, and Mindie arrived on the bed, their naked flesh drinking in the light from the room.
“Dear one, she told you of our friends?”
“Yeah, and the order we’ll see them in, too.”
“It isn’t much, but it means we’ll see each other briefly next year, at least.”
“I’ll take it,” Jenn said softly. “It’s far better than not at all.”
“Agreed,” Mindie said.
The four exchanged quick kisses before Roshana appeared on the bed, right next to Gregory.
Her small, rolled tail quivering, Roshana licked her lips, her gaze darting over the other four. “I’m ready to tell you.”
“Good,” Gregory said, leaning closer to her, “but first, a kiss.”
Roshana’s eyes closed as she surrendered to his lips. When the others claimed their kisses, she was red, breathing fast, and clearly flustered and happy.
“It’s time,” Gregory said softly. He turned to face her, taking her hands in his.
“Yes,” Roshana said, then took a calming breath. “Fear is always first. My fear is betrayal. Not me betraying you, but that our family will be betrayed to the empire before we’re ready. If the emperor finds out, he will crush us ruthlessly the way he has all who have threatened him.”
“A valid fear,” Yukiko said, rubbing Roshana’s back. “We’ll be the guard against that. We are the last shield for our husband and family.”
“As it should be.” Roshana swallowed the lump in her throat before she pressed on, “Weakness comes next, and mine wasn’t surprising to me. I stand apart from everything. I’m obviously eurtik, so I’m looked down on. My skin, hair, and accent show me to be from Limaz, which gets me derision from those inside the empire. I’m a magi of the empire, so Limaz considers me an outsider, too. I don’t fit in anywhere… I’ll always be an outsider.”
“You fit with us,” Jenn said, scooting over to sit beside Roshana. “With us, you’re not apart or outside.”
Roshana bowed her head, sniffling to hold back happy tears. “Thank you, Jenn…”
“We all agree,” Mindie said. She got up and moved around the bed to sit beside Gregory, facing Roshana. Her hands reached out to cover both Gregory’s and Roshana’s. “Family in the future.”
“Family.” Roshana’s smile returned as she looked up at Gregory with bright eyes. “My strength is the belief in our family. My very soul rings with the rightness of it. I will never waver from what we decide to do. Together, we are a family like no other. Family is precious, and I will never fail us.”
“We all fail at times, but growing from those moments makes us stronger,” Yukiko cautioned Roshana. “Don’t try to be perfect; just be the best you can, and grow if you stumble.”
“I have heard you, first wife, and will do as you say,” Roshana murmured. She leaned back slightly into Yukiko.
“Good,” Yukiko giggled, then kissed one of Roshana’s long rabbit ears. “Now tell us your desires.”
Roshana’s breath caught as she stared into Gregory’s green eyes. “I… want to be bound to you. Tie me as you wish. You could use rope, silks, or chains… just bind me firmly to our family. Use the silks I’ll shed when I dance to tie me up afterward. I’ll be at your mercy, and I’ll never fight anything you want once you bind me.”
Gregory swallowed at the passion in her eyes when she spoke. He could see her tied to a bed while he and the others enjoyed each other and her as they saw fit. Roshana’s smile in that image was bright, but also full of joy and lust, even when they weren’t touching her.
“Oh, I’ll enjoy that,” Yukiko whispered, her hands catching Roshana’s wrists. “I’ll make sure you please our husband well while you’re bound. I might even give you a friend bound to you. What do you say, Jenn? Tie you two together so Gregory can have you both any way he wants?”
“Oh, Vera, yes…!” Jenn said huskily. She trembled at the very idea— she hadn’t thought about being tied up when she was used to please Gregory before, but now, she wanted it.
“Sadly, it is time. Say your goodbyes,” Darkness suddenly said, then giggled. Roshana was no longer next to them, but bound with silks on the far side of the bed. “And you, dear one… dream of just this.”
Gregory’s mouth went dry at the sight before Roshana vanished. “Damn…”
“I wanted to reward her,” Darkness murmured. “She gave Jenn new ideas that we will all enjoy in the future.”
Yukiko was suddenly kissing Gregory with passion. When it broke, she leaned her forehead against his so her cyan eyes filled his vision. “I have plans for when she joins us, dear one. Look forward to them.”
Yukiko vanished, and Jenn took her place. Her kiss with Gregory was inflamed with need, but she vanished before it ended.
“Time grows short,” Darkness said softly.
Mindie kissed Gregory gently, giving him a loving smile. “See you soon, dear one.”
Gregory was alone with Darkness, his breathing uneven as he ached with need. “Fuck…”
“Not for a while yet,” Darkness pouted. “How I wish we could.”
Gregory’s eyes went to the shadowy figure. With a lunge, he went for her, his aether bright as he pushed with all he had. Thick shadows grabbed him, and one snapped before more could entangle him. He could see more of the figure for a few seconds before his aether was sapped from him.
“Close, my heart,” Darkness whispered. “Another year or two and I can let you see me, and then, touch me…”
Gregory heard her words before he fell asleep.
As he vanished, Darkness banished her namesake. She ached with need as much as he had before he tried to grab her. With a soft whimper, she vanished, and then the room faded away.
