For the first time since hearing this story, Dirge prayed the nurse had not suffered too much that night. "When they woke camped along the road the next morning, they had a dead nurse and a squalling babe, and no clue what to do." He smiled in sympathy, probably for the poor pitiful male.
"They took me into the nearest town asking around for a new nurse. As luck had it, Andy found the dead nurse and carried her body into town for a claiming. He didn't know any who knew her and speculated about the new men in town. But," Dirge held up a hand to pause the story, "Andy says he knew exactly what had happened."
"When we passed near where she lay, I stopped screaming and reached toward her with a grin. None of the kidnappers noticed this. Andy was a young warrior and his temper grew hot at the mistreatment of the unknown nurse, but it grew more so when he discovered their intent to hire a new nurse."
"Honorable, young man," Everest mumbled, "most people would not have made it their problem."
"Well, I don't know where he was beforehand, but as it were...Andy's father is there and Andy says, 'These men are attempting to lure another unsuspecting young mother into the same fate. Dear father, we cannot allow this! The poor babe needs caring for, but we cannot allow them to use the infant to kill young women in such a shameless way.'"
"His father asks him if he is more concerned for their women, or the little baby."
"Andy frowns not understanding. He tells him 'both' fiercely and asks if it makes a difference."
"His father states cautiously that 'the most honest thing to do also requires the most work'. He then goes on to explain that if they leave the babe with the men, it will need a nurse putting women in danger. If they take it away, it will need a nurse, no danger, but someone must adopt the poor child."
"His words did not have the intended reaction. Andy's father wanted him to think about what he was doing more carefully because of the potential consequences."
"Andy swore foully and raced away! Andy rushed up and killed all of the men except one who he questions about the infants relatives. Only the man was too afraid to talk," Dirge explained.
"Finally, he kills him too and questions the locals trying to trace their path backwards. It takes him months to learn that the men had traveled on a ship from this continent and had traveled overland to that ship from the capital city."
"By now, I am nearly two-years-old and constantly at his side."
"He walks into the capital with me asking his usual questions about missing men and an infant. Because of the items wrapped in the blanket, they recognized who I was and several people attacked him for various reasons."
"Andy was captured three times trying to rescue me. It is a long story about how brave, determined, and downright stubborn a pissed off male can be," she said with a fond smile.
"Then eventually, he grabs me up and runs to the castle seeking sanctuary. He prayed in the church for ten whole hours before my father came...as he did every day...to pray for my return. They talked for a long time."
"My dad didn't immediately realize that the infant was his lost daughter until Andy explained the entire story. My father told his own tale hoping against all odds that this stranger held the key to finally being reunited with his child."
"Andy showed him the babe..."
"The king was stupefied. He told Andy he would never want for anything his kingdom could grant so long as he lived. Andy was a hero of the realm. He told him that he would personally see to it that Andy could never be harmed in this kingdom so long as Andy lived," Dirge stated ruefully.
Not wanting her to dwell on the end of that, Everest mused thoughtfully, "That is quite a story." Everest escorted her back to her own room in silence. "You should rest, sugar, you need your sleep."
Everest didn't return for nearly three days where she practically slept the entire duration to make up for the energy she spent getting up. Then, he roused her for dinner once more.
"I hope you feel better, my queen. People are asking about you all over town," he teased. "Would you like to come to the hall after dinner? No business," he was quick to assure her, "not for you, anyway. I just think people should see you are alive."
She nodded letting him chat away for several hours before walking with her to the hall. Her bed chaise was gone. In its place was a much smaller, softer chaise. It was still big enough to accommodate two people. She lay down on it trying to ignore everyone's stares of surprise...and curiosity.
Everest began to discuss business almost immediately. Dirge found herself slipping in and out of sleep. Before long a familiar sound woke her and she sat up just enough to scan the room. It was filled with the usual regulars and many who were unknown to her.
There was the usual collaboration of uniquely gorgeous men in showy, flashy outfits that bared a great deal of skin to anyone curious enough to look at them. It was fairly normal for people to look and dress that way, so Dirge ignored them despite the lust-filled eyes that followed their movements.
There was a tall, brawny male with dual swords crossed at his back. Unusual because he wore only a loincloth and gauzy pants over his leather boots, she thought as she studied him. His bared chest was a picture of rippling manhood like sculpted stone that seemed to gleam in the light of the halls torches. He had hair as white as his skin that curled in a riot of motion.
There was a harem of youths dressed outrageously in flashy outfits of every color in a far corner of the hall. They were loud and happy, a motley crew of boys and girls with hair and skin as colorful as the outfits they wore. None of them were too young to be sex slaves, or old enough to be warriors. They were thin, lithe and supple. Someone paid good money for them. Someone was not worried they would be stolen away, or escape either, she noticed.
Also, a tax collector stood ill-at-ease waiting impatiently for Everest's attention. Everest would not be happy to see him standing there! Obviously, the tax collector had been waiting long enough to grow sullen and irritable. Usually, it was her job to comfort him while he waited, but due to her absence he knew better than to ask.
Two slaves stood at his elbow holding files and mountains of paperwork that the tax collector was too lazy to carry himself. The two looked miserable. It was apparent they did not like belonging to him. It was shame to waste the two. They were lovely.
There was a bulky figure standing against a wall near the banquet table with his head bowed. The large slave was sporting thick chains on his thick, bronzed wrists heavily cloaked and concealed by a thick material from head-to-toe. Only those overly large, manly hands were within sight.
There was a very short, frail boy...He stood in the concealed, muscleman slave's shadow huddled there even though the big slave ignored him. Brown-white hair with a touch of red-yellow shorn to the height of his ears peaked out of his own thick, concealing cloak. She could see olive toned, brown-white skin running over the boy's thin, far-too-scrawny arms.
And there...that must have been what woke her, she thought in amused disgust as she looked beyond them to the banquet tables.
Piggy was back. The short, balding man was just as chubby as ever. He was eyeing the banquet table and talking to two other men who were regular traders in town.
"Are you hungry?" Dirge gasped and turned back to Everest with pinkened cheeks. He was smiling patiently. "You sleep well among the noise."
"I have had a great deal of practice," she murmured.
"Have I treated you so abysmally? You should spank me for that," he advised with a sly sort of grin.
"I will consider it if you bring me a bowl of fig pudding," she begged adorably.
"Done, princess..." Everest leaned over and kissed her lightly before striding across the room to dish up a bowl of her favorite dessert.
Piggy met him there and Everest grinned speaking to him at once. The others around the room remained content for the king to call them forward.
Piggy's more friendly nature was not normal behavior. If he had that much in common with Everest, he was certainly bad news. A shudder of apprehension passed through her when Piggy's glance swiveled in her direction, obviously curious.
Everest finally left the table and brought the bowl of pudding to her with a spoon. "What did he want," she found herself asking.
"Who? Piggy," he whispered with a smirk. She flushed realizing he had read her rude thoughts about the man. "He says he wanted to know if you were better. It was genuine concern. He says you looked very bad when he was here last...and much better today," he informed her.
He studied the flush on her face and nodded. "He is right. You do look better. How are you feeling?" Everest certainly knew how to play the role of a concerned husband, Dirge thought sourly.
"No more soreness or bleeding...just tired," she answered truthfully. There was no point in trying to lie to a psychic.
"Your little pig is unusual, sweetie. I cannot browse through his mind like I usually do most people. His prisoner is completely blocked. All I get from him is a dark rage," Everest stated with amusement.
"The man in chains," she asked startled. "What did he do to be treated so?"
"Last time he was here...Piggy, I mean...he was with a boy that was in chains. Now, he has a boy slave and a big man...I don't really know. I am curious, too."
"Why don't you ask him? I am surprised you let him wander around when you don't know what business he is in."
"He is in the business of trafficking live flesh...non animal." Everest smiled at her grimace of displeasure. "I am merely interested in the details of it. Who does he run them for...what purpose? That kind of thing," he speculated.
The pudding was making her thirsty. She refused to ask for a second item from him, but he realized she had a need and went to fetch it.
It gave him another opportunity to talk to his resident slave trader, Dirge noticed.
Everest escorted her to her room early on so she could regain the strength the day's excursion had taken from her. She slept off and on for the remainder of the day.
During the night, Dirge felt a familiar presence close around her. She didn't wake. In fact, she slept more deeply than she had since her parent's deaths.
