Afternoon arrived, along with all of Yukiko’s and Jenn’s men. Barny and his mother were happy to be cooking together as they began preparations for a feast. The two of them had the help of Yukiko’s cook, a part-wolf eurtik. All the former barmaids— except Flopsy, who’d been left to keep Mindie’s rooms in Grakle— chatted with one another.
The guards circulated among all the different squads. Dice games started up, as getting money from other units seemed to be a good idea to most of the men. The sergeants and lieutenants had two card games going. Overall, it looked like the three units had built camaraderie up during their brief times together. There was mild debate over which of the magi was the best to serve under, with each unit touting theirs as the best.
Gregory and his wives went to his tent for some privacy. “They’re sending me to the northernmost patrol route in the empire,” he said as they took seats. “Rafiq says it’s the most dangerous and least desirable posting an adept can get.”
“Why would the sage do that?” Jenn asked, her brow furrowed in disapproval.
“So he can’t be said to be playing favorites,” Yukiko said tightly. “It explains my posting. I also get a fringe post, but mine at least encompasses Alturis.”
Gregory gave her a soft smile. “You’ll see my dad, then.”
“And your old friends,” Yukiko said. “Do you think they’ll like me?”
“Gunnar will be happy to meet you…” Gregory trailed off, then continued with uncertainty. “I’m not sure about El or Ria. El should be fine, but she might be standoffish because of Ria.”
“She was the one who might’ve had your child?” Mindie asked, having gotten pieces of his past from him and the others.
“Yeah. Turned out she didn’t, which is for the best.”
“It’ll probably be awkward, but I’m sure if she cares for you, she’ll be okay… in time,” Yukiko said.
“I have Gunnar’s last letter,” Gregory said, holding it out to her. “It sounds like things are settling down for her.”
“Where are they sending you, Jenn?”
“Krogga border posting. Means I’ll be at the embassy before the rest of you.”
“I’ll more than likely be the last one there,” Gregory said. “I’ll have the farthest to travel. Ling, Clover, and Roshana might be the first ones there.”
“Oh, good point,” Jenn grinned. “I’ll just have to keep them company until you arrive.”
Gregory coughed and shifted in his seat; his mind was more than happy to supply images to those words. “Uh, yeah. I’m okay if you do that.”
“Oh, he’s having dirty thoughts,” Yukiko snickered.
“I meant having tea,” Jenn giggled, “but since you approve, I can do more.”
“My approval, too,” Yukiko murmured. “I’ll be happy to join in when I get there.”
“Me, too, on both counts,” Mindie blushed.
Gregory exhaled, trying to banish the thoughts, as they still had the party with the men to attend. “Umm… I was, and still am. I’m fine with those we’ve approved or will approve in the future. Yuki?”
Yukiko met his eyes, then grew serious. “I’ll allow for us to have fun with Clover, Ling, and Roshana. I can’t honestly think they’d turn from us at this point. Your special wife would have said something if she thought they would, though I will still want a final tea ceremony before they are wed.”
“Does Krogga even have those?” Jenn asked.
“I checked,” Yukiko smiled. “There’s one in the capital where we’ll be.”
“What about the others?” Mindie asked. “Nessa, Daciana, and Vicky?”
Yukiko gave Mindie a crooked smile. “Hmm? Is our dear healer hoping for some fun while we’re separated?”
“Oh, what a lovely shade of red, Mindie. It goes well with your hair,” Jenn snickered.
“Stop it,” Gregory laughed. “She might combust if you keep teasing her.”
“To answer your question,” Yukiko smirked, “I’ll allow those who’ve admitted their resonance to us. Jenn, Greg?”
“I’ll agree to that,” Jenn nodded, “if Mindie will tell us about it when we reunite in Krogga.”
Gregory hesitated. The first thing he had to do was to push down the idea of Mindie leading Nessa around a room naked by a set of reins. When he managed that, he thought about what that would mean for the others.
“Greg, I don’t have to,” Mindie said when the silence stretched for a moment.
“No, I was thinking,” Gregory said, shaking his head. “I agree with Jenn and Yuki. If they’ve admitted their resonances to all of us, it’ll be okay. You also need to tell us all about it in Krogga.” He looked from one of them to the next before he went on. “Tell them that I’m waiting for them. It might be after our first magus postings for us to meet again, but I won’t lose my feelings for them during that time.”
“That’s sweet, and a good point,” Yukiko smiled. “We all feel that way. If they have time with you, let them know that you’ll tell us and that we’re eager to hear about it. I think that’ll help them.”
“It would for me, if I was in their place,” Jenn said.
“That might be a little mean to Vicky,” Gregory said, then held up his hand. He slowly scanned the room with his aether sight. “If Darkness is right,” he went on, “she won’t share her resonance with us until the solstice or later.”
Yukiko frowned. “While Nessa already has. That would create division between them.”
“What if it’s a ‘no’ until they all speak with us?” Jenn suggested.
“Might be for the best,” Mindie sighed.
Gregory coughed, having a sudden thought that might work. Seeing his wives all staring at him, he felt the blood rush to his face. “Umm, a compromise? One that Mindie might enjoy. She can’t do anything with them until then… but… she can watch if they allow her to do so.”
Mindie gasped, the idea of it pushing all her buttons.
Yukiko giggled. “I think Mindie approves.”
“Oh, yes, she certainly does,” Jenn smirked.
“I do,” Mindie swallowed. “I agree.”
“That’s the plan for you and them, then,” Gregory said. “We should get back out to the party.”
Yukiko’s eyes glittered with mischief. “We should, but you’ve had a hard conversation, dear one. I bet if we slipped into your room for a few minutes, your troubles could be eased. Especially if I put our dear fighter to work… perhaps with Mindie right there to help as I request?”
“Yes,” Jenn said, instantly on her feet.
“Please?” Mindie asked quickly, also getting up.
Gregory’s body reacted to that suggestion, but more than that, his chest warmed. Yukiko was going to give all of them what they wanted. She always wanted to give him as much love as possible. With a smile, he stood up. “As my hearts wish, but quickly.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’ll be quick,” Yukiko smirked, the last to her feet. “Come with us, dear one.” Taking his hand, she led him to his room.
~*~*~
Gregory was glad no one seemed to notice their time away from the party. Yukiko had been right: it had been quick. He’d been well warmed up, and with his wives all getting their own passions fed, it helped him finish faster than he thought he would.
“Sir,” Davis hailed him, “we have room for more.”
“As do we,” Max Pellant said, waving to them from the second table.
“We’ll join later,” Gregory said. “Going to check on the men first.”
The men were scattered into different groups, the majority playing dice. Six games were near each other, allowing the players to move between them if they wanted. All the players paused to chat with their commanders. A few even tried to get them to join in, but were politely declined for the time being.
Off to one side, a few of the men were having friendly competitions for speed, seeing who was the fastest among the scouts. As they got closer, Jenn edged away from the others and toward the two men who were ready to run. When the race started, she summoned her aether and rushed past both. Laughter came from the onlookers as the two men who’d been bragging about their speed were left nearly standing still in comparison. Laughing as she waited at the finish line, Jenn cheered for the winner, clapping him on the back.
A handful of men were just sitting at one of the farther tables, all of them with scrolls that they were reading from. The magi paused to speak with them, finding them to be reading different war histories.
The last set of men were in an open area, dueling each other for vela and pride. As the magi approached, one of them backed away, raising his hands in surrender. That prompted one of Jenn’s men to ask why. Gregory’s guard explained how he routinely fought all the men at once and still won. There was incredulity from everyone not in Gregory’s unit.
“No, it’s believable,” Jenn said. “With foresight, he would have the chance. Even without it, actually. As you heard, he’s an armsmaster now.”
“Can we get a demonstration?” one of the doubters asked.
Gregory looked back at the party, then shook his head. “I don’t want to break up the festivities.”
“Oh, this will be entertaining in a different way,” Yukiko snickered. She faced the party, raising her voice as she yelled to the assembled men, “Who wants to see Gregory fight as many as want to face him in a single mass fight?!”
Every head turned their way, and Gregory chuckled awkwardly. “Yuki…” He trailed off as a few dozen men, mostly Yukiko’s and Jenn’s, got up from the others. “Alright.”
Practice weapons were distributed out, and a larger space was cleared. All around that, everyone else gathered to watch the fight. The only people not gathered to watch were the three cooks.
Yukiko walked into the middle of the space. “We had a few men who doubted Gregory’s prowess with foresight. This is to prove that my husband is the most dangerous fighter you will ever see. Even a physical enhancement magi would struggle with a full unit of men attacking them.”
“It’s true,” Jenn said. “I can’t handle nearly as many even with all my speed and strength. It’d cost men, but killing physical enhancement magi is easy enough if you throw enough people at them.”
Gregory had taken his outer robe off, handing it to Mindie. Summoning a training naginata to hand, he faced the assembled fighters. Three dozen men, a mix of all three units, stood waiting to start.
“Rules are the standard sparring rules. Jenn and I will adjudicate the fight.”
Someone asked for odds, and betting suddenly broke out. Gregory chuckled as he watched the majority of his men give good odds to the other side, enticing the other units to bet against him.
Yukiko let the betting go on for a few minutes, then raised her hand. “Fighters, bow to each other.” She walked backward to give room for those who were going to rush. When she felt that she was far enough back, her hand came down. “Fight!”
Gregory smiled as the group opposing him broke into cautious and aggressive groups. It worked well for him, as it divided the match into two smaller fights. He met the men rushing him, flowing along with resonance. His naginata was always moving as he slid attacks away while riposting. The ones who’d come at him quickly dropped in seconds as Gregory was a whirlwind of movement, always in the right place at the right time.
“Krogg’s balls!” someone laughed.
The second group slowed more, then spread out, hoping that different angles would help. That made the fight last longer, as Gregory had to move to each additional opponent, but after another minute, the last man fell to him.
“Victor is Gregory Pettit,” Yukiko called. “Mindie?”
Mindie went to help the men who’d been hit the hardest.
“That was foresight?” one of Jenn’s men asked in awe.
“And his skill with the weapon,” Jenn said. “Neither Yuki nor I can take him alone or even together if he’s using foresight. Without it, I have a chance, but it’s as slim as it gets. Yuki can’t do it without her aether.”
“True,” Yukiko acknowledged. “If it came to a surprise attack, I would beat you both.”
“Not going to argue that, just as if it came down to fighting for a longer period of time, I’d likely beat both of you.”
“You would,” Gregory agreed. “Let’s get back to the party, shall we?”
A cheer went up, and everyone started funneling back to their previous diversions.
