Champion

Chapter 40

Sapphire thought about what her mother had said. It was true that as a Champion David could easily outlive the both of them. He could also die tomorrow. It was a dangerous responsibility, and she really didn't like that. He was also determined to leave Erosius the first chance he got. But, she also began to imagine what their children would be like. At over six feet he was a lot taller than the average Erosian man (who were usually around five and a half feet) and broader in the chest as well. He was also very smart. Their sons would be strong and capable, and their daughters would be beautiful and kind. Either gender would be very intelligent. She grew a bit wistful thinking of him holding a child of theirs in his arms. She imagined he would be a good father.

She also thought of what other advantages his size might give him. She had never lain with a man, but had heard from other women how wonderful the experience was. She imagined what s*x with him would be like, and she had a very active imagination.

Seeing her daughter lost in thought, Zaffre decided she had done her best. She believed her daughter was wrong to distance herself from happiness, but she understood her reasons. Yet, if the small smile that was creeping onto Sapphire's face was any indication, she may have gotten through to the young Dracian.

"This is not something you should try to decide on in a night, but just know that I think David is a wonderful man. You could be very happy with him," she told her daughter gently, and then added with a grin, "And if you decide you don't want him, be sure to bring him back here soon. I would be happy to take him off your hands."

"MOM!"

*** On the Road Again ***

190900MAR13 DW

Sapphire's home, on the road to Exitibus (Day 6), Erosius

The trio left the next morning. Zaffre hugged each of them warmly before they departed, and stood on her front porch to watch them leave. Their time with her had been important to them; but now they had to continue their journey.

The next three days were mostly uneventful. Laurena discussed Erosian religion with David, Sapphire discussed magic and the relationship between Eros' love and sexuality, and David worked on improving his magic, enchanting his knife, and crafting a few new items.

After his fight in Wolfsvale he realized he needed to carry more firepower than he used to. So he crafted a second drop-leg holster for his left thigh, and he worked for a few hours to recreate his inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster that he used to wear for concealed carry back in the states. Just like the name implied, the IWB holster tucked inside the waistband of his pants and clipped to his belt. The grip was the only visible part, and he could wear his Multi-Cam jacket or fleece to easily conceal it. He also made an additional folding knife, (which took a long damn time to get the mechanics right on), and a set of three nine-inch Thunder Bolt throwing knives with custom handles, which in his opinion were the perfect mix of throwing and fighting knife. He also made sheaths for them that attached to the front of his vest.

Sapphire's mood had greatly improved, and on the first night she had insisted that they all shared her tent from now on.

"My tent is huge," she had stated. "Why don't you both sleep inside?"

Both David and Laurena agreed, and it wasn't long before all three had their own spot on the floor of the tent. Sapphire claimed that her cot was too big for her to fit in the tent with them, but David suspected that she had ulterior motives. After he woke up the first morning with her snuggled up next to him, his arm draped over her sleeping form, his suspicions were confirmed. He wasn't going to complain about it, even if she had accidentally woke him up doing it three hours earlier. He had pretended to still be asleep. He may have also moved his arm from where she originally placed it around her waist to tuck it into the top of her leather vest, cupping her breast. She didn't bother to move it, and it wasn't his fault what his hands did while he was asleep, right?

The big surprise was the next morning, when he awakened to Laurena's body pressed against him. He'd had the second guard shift that night, and had been lying close to Sapphire, with his arm around her waist. Laurena's summons for his shift was gentle, but her expression was strained when she saw how closely he held the other woman. He had expected it to be an issue, so he was surprised when instead he was roused in the morning with a face full of her golden locks, and her glorious scent invading his nostrils. His arms were not around her, thank God, but his hardness was bracketed firmly by the luscious buttocks that she had pressed into his crotch. Sapphire didn't seem to take offense at this when she woke them, but instead smiled warmly at him and Laurena and offered to prepare breakfast.

It was a surreal experience for the soldier, and by the afternoon of the third day he had begun to think that the two of them were competing for him. He just couldn't figure out why. He had made it damn clear days ago that he didn't want anything to do with the blonde acolyte, but she just kept trying. Meanwhile the raven haired Dracian kept her contact and teasing subtle. He got the impression that she wasn't ready for him to progress any further with her at the moment, but was enjoying their current level of closeness. She also did not seem offended by the unsolicited contact that he received from Laurena. He had come to genuinely care for Sapphire, and really wanted a relationship with her; but the few times he tried to discuss it with her she shut him down. This just made it that much harder to resist Laurena's advances, which were slowly eroding his resolve. After all, he hadn't had s*x in a long time, and the blonde had a body that was built for sin.

He hoped he could figure out a way through this mess before they reached Exitibus. He knew when they arrived Laurena would want him to join her for worship services again, and if he didn't start to see hope for a future with Sapphire he doubted he would have the will power remaining to fight the acolyte.

***

Darius sighed as he steered his cart along the road to Calavius. He had lost half a day in Exitibus waiting for the new sheriff's representative to complete his registration. The old priest of Eros in the crossroads town had been murdered, and the young priestess that remained had enlisted the aid of a powerful sorcerer, appointing him to a newly created position of sheriff to help restore order. The sheriff was nice, but his damn requirement that all travelers register in the town had cost him half a day. It was already a long journey to Calavius, and now he was running late.

The old priest's murder was as shocking to the town as the lack of information about his killer. That was part of the reason for the registration; they were trying to find the person. Unfortunately in the last two months they'd had zero luck doing so.

The trader, lost in his ruminations, barely noticed the man step out from the road side into his horse's path. He was able to stop the horse in time, but it was a close call.

"In the name of Eros good man, be careful! I nearly ran you down," Darius exclaimed.

"My pardon sir," the unknown man apologized. "Might you be Darius the Trader?"

"That I am my friend. What can I do for you?" Darius replied.

The arrow that suddenly sprouted from the trader's throat interrupted any response the stranger would have offered. Moving swiftly to grasp the horse's reins, least it bolt with the cart attached, the man watched calmly as the trader died.

***

"Your men do good work Shadowmaster Hood," the first cloaked man said to the second. The pair stood in a back alley of Exitibus, deserted but for them.

"Thank you Shadow Lord. It was an easy assignment; the fool didn't even realize his fate until the arrow took his throat."

"Will there be any problems unloading the cargo?" the Shadow Lord asked.

"None," responded Shadowmaster Hood. "The fool didn't mark his goods, so we can have one of our men slap a crafter's mark on them and claim them as our own. We don't even need to send them to Lexia."

"That is good," he replied. "The Night Lord becomes...annoyed...if he has to wait long for his taxes."

Shuddering at the thought of offending the Night Lord, Shadowmaster Hood had to agree that it was fortunate. He would pay the taxes from his own funds rather than risk offending the Night Lord, but he was glad he didn't have to. The previous Shadowmaster Hood had tried to skim from the Night Lord. His death had been...memorable.

"Tell the Night Lord that his taxes will be on time and paid to the coin," Hood told the Shadow Lord.

"I shall. He instructed me to send his compliments on your men's increase in productivity. Your taxes have nearly doubled your predecessor's, and you have managed to surpass both Shadowmaster Blade and Shadowmaster Whisper in earnings," Shadow Lord said, passing on the message. "The Night Lord was concerned that the change in leadership might result in a loss of productivity amongst The Hoods. He is pleased not to have to make anymore...restructurings."

Initially proud of the praise, Hood's good mood vanished upon hearing the poorly veiled threat. He chose a nod of his cloaked head as his only response. He feared any words he tried to speak would not pass the sudden lump in his throat.

"If there is nothing else, then I shall bid you good night. The list of targets will be sent in the normal way tomorrow," the Shadow Lord dismissed Shadowmaster Hood.

Bowing, Hood gratefully hastened from the alley, moving quickly in the opposite direction of the Shadow Lord's departure. After traveling a short distance from the meeting, the Shadow Lord stepped into a doorway and spoke softly, "Am I to assume you heard everything Lord?"

Naturally, rumbled the deep bass voice in his head.

"Is there anything else you wish me to do tonight?"

No Shadow Lord. You have done well this night. Our plans are progressing on schedule. The new Shadowmaster Hood is much better than that fool Merrick was. But remain vigilant; another lesson will certainly be necessary again. These imbeciles have such short memories.

"As you command my Lord," the Shadow Lord spoke quietly, sighing as the presence finally slid from his mind. He hated the feeling; it was like someone was submerging his brain in oil. But it was far better than risking a face-to-face meeting with the Night Lord. The last two men to hold his post as Shadow Lord had died mysteriously, and he still remembered the words that had echoed from the Night Lord's masked face. "Curiosity can be very dangerous." He had decided right then to avoid ever being in the same room with the Night Lord again if he could.

Resuming his walk, he returned to the main road and traveled along it until he reached a fairly nice tavern. Not the best one in the town, but certainly tied for second. Walking to the back of the building, he entered the kitchens and hung his cloak on a hook near the door.

"Everything well at home Cassius?" the cook asked the man.

"One of the little ones has a cough again," Cassius explained to him. "The wife is worried so I told her if it wasn't better by morning we would take him to the temple. I swear if I had known that fatherhood was going to be like this I would have married a woman with powerful magic instead of my Agnes."