A Dragon's Tale

Chapter 66: The Wilderness Outpost

I now have an editor, so you all shouldn't need to put up with my typos and poor/dyslexic editing skills anymore.

:)

* * *

Ethan looked out over the Argo's bow at the scenery below him. To his right, the Ivernian mountains were scrolling past and the Gulf of Sayora was doing the same to his left, and below the airship as well. Also to the right and slightly to the rear was Falkaan's airship, the Midnight Sun.

The vacation had been wonderful, and his wives had convinced him that technically, it should start the day

after

Myla and Falkaan's wedding since helping the villagers was

technically

'prophet work', and it wasn't a vacation until one stopped working.

It hadn't taken much convincing.

Thus, they'd had a whole week of not worrying about anything except enjoying being married. They had eaten good food, gone swimming, slept in late, and done all the other things one usually does on vacation, including spending rather a lot of time 'exercising' in the captain's cabin.

Sarah had led them on more than one expedition onto more than one island to collect fruits, nuts, berries, and mushrooms. She had come up with some very creative ways to cook them too, and they'd done that in the wilderness more than once. His dragon breath had come in handy when starting fires, over which they had roasted many things together. It was really nice to do things like that as a family.

They had even tried a few ball games from the Ten Kingdoms, none of which Ethan was very good at. However, one of them was similar to volleyball and they had spent many long hours on the beach playing it together as a family.

He loved that.

But like all things, and despite how much everyone had loved it, it had eventually come to an end. They had bidden a fond farewell to the villagers, who thanked all of them and especially Talven for their help. Apparently, their crops were starting to grow well thanks to his input. Ethan had had a short conversation with the excitable naiad -- with Alana translating -- and after Thea and Alana had given the villagers a crash course in how to be respectful to her, they seemed to be getting along well despite neither speaking the other's language.

The Argo had departed four days ago, and they had now crossed much of Ivernia's southern border with excellent wind, traveling on the south side of the Ivernian mountains over the Gulf of Sayora. Ahead of him, he could see a small tower had been erected on a rocky outcropping surrounded by the beach. Just beyond the tower, there was a wall reaching from the mountainside across the beach and into the water.

"That's the Wilderness Outpost." A feminine voice said from behind him.

"Hi Victoria." He said after glancing behind him.

"Mind if I join you?" The platinum blonde asked.

"Be my guest." He replied, then moved over to make room for her.

"What are you doing?" She asked after joining him.

"Mostly just letting my mind wander." He replied. "I started reading that book that Lucien lent me about tactics and strategy. It's good, but it's a doozy. I feel like I'm starting from square one and I need to get better, but don't know how." He looked at her. "What about you?"

"I've been thinking ever since Myla and Falkaan's wedding." She replied, and her tone was thoughtful. "They fell for each other instantly, and I think everyone could see it."

He chuckled. "Yup, though Myla was slow to admit it to herself."

Victoria laughed. "True, but it was obvious and she is so happy now. Did you see them swimming that last day of vacation?"

"I did." He nodded, the glow about the newlywed couple had been pretty obvious.

"I think she sorted out her... um, 'intimacy issues' the night before." Victoria said. "She looked like your wives do after you've had a long session together in the captain's cabin."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He smiled.

"It was meant as one." She glanced at him, then looked toward the horizon again. "I want that."

"That meaning...?" He prompted, since her statement could be taken more than one way.

"What Myla and Falkaan have; that passion for each other." She replied, then looked at him. "I faded into the background lately, haven't I? I mean, when compared to Thea?"

"Maybe?" He sighed. "Honestly, when I think about my sixth wife, the only face I can see there is still Selene." He almost winced as he said her name.

He had done his best not to try and contact her telepathically since vacation had started. He wanted to, he wanted to so badly, but in some ways, it hurt too much. He still missed her, and his heart still felt like it had a piece missing. Maybe not a large piece, but certainly an important one, and its absence stung like a splinter in his heart whenever he thought about her.

Still, her absence really made him appreciate the wives he did have. Every single one of them was absolutely incredible and he felt lucky to have even met them, let alone married all of them. It was amazing how missing someone you loved helped you treasure others more.

"I'm sorry." She gave him a smile, but it had a sad tinge to it. "But she will be back to visit. She'll be back and she might not be yours, but you'll see her again."

"Always looking on the bright side." He smiled at her. "That's a good thing."

"Thank you."

"Anyway, you were saying something before I so rudely started talking about another woman."

She chuckled. "I want that, what you and Selene have -- or at least the attraction -- and what Myla and Falkaan have. I want that passion."

"You're leading up to something." He replied.

"I am." She took a deep breath. "Myla said that she thought Illuminar had husbands prepared for whoever you didn't marry. And while I realize that you're a good man and I would be happy as your wife, I don't have that passion with you; I don't have that fire. I want that fire; I want that passion." She took a deep breath. "So what I'm saying is, I think Myla is right. And so..." She took another deep breath. "I realize it's not my decision to make, but I would ask that you don't marry me; that you choose Thea. She actually

wants

to marry you. I wouldn't mind it, but I want passion, and hopefully from the beginning."

He chuckled. "Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it."

"I want this." She replied. "I've thought and prayed about it a lot, and if Myla is right -- and I think she is -- then I think Illuminar will have someone lined up for me with whom I can have that passion. I might even meet him soon, given how quickly Myla met Falkaan after she decided not to marry you."

"Yeah, it could be soon." He mused, then pointed toward the Ivernian military outpost just in front of them. "Careful, it might be an Ivernian soldier." He winked at her.

She gave him a look. "Given all we've learned about Illuminar and free will, even He couldn't make me fall in love with an Ivernian soldier."

"Jinx." Ethan laughed, and then of course he had to explain the concept to Victoria.

"It'll never happen." She said firmly when he was done. "Ever."

"Tempting fate I see." He winked at her.

She rolled her eyes and after a moment, spoke more seriously. "Is that okay? That I would rather marry someone else?"

"Of course." He smiled at her. "I would never force someone to marry me. Ever. In some ways, this should make things easier on me."

"Should?" She raised her eyebrow. "Selene?"

"I'll get over her someday." He replied, hoping it was true. However, he somehow doubted that the small piece of his heart and soul that he'd given to her would ever truly grow back. Maybe heal a little, and hopefully hurt less with time, but not grow back.

She looked at him for a moment. "I think you should talk with Thea about that."

"Yeah, probably so."

"Someone call my name?" Thea asked from behind him.

He smiled, then looked between the two of them. "I see the new telepathic group chat is working well."

"It is." Thea confirmed, then pointed to the Midnight Sun.

On the Midnight Sun, Myla turned to face them and waved cheerfully with a dazzling smile. Ethan waved back and then she went back to whatever she had been doing. She looked happy; very happy. She'd spent most of her days since marrying Falkaan with a smile on her face and that did Ethan's heart good. It was incredible to see how much she was blossoming from the shell-shocked woman she'd been when Ethan had met her.

"I'll leave you two to talk." Victoria said, then walked towards the stern of the ship.

Thea took Victoria's place at the front of the ship and stood shoulder-to-shoulder with him, looking out to the horizon. Neither said anything for several minutes, and for him at least, it was because he was lost in thought. Honestly, he thought things with the potential 'wife number 6' candidates had worked out well. Of them, Thea was the one he had connected the most with. Well, besides Selene obviously.

"You always get this certain air about you when you think of her." Thea said.

He looked at the elf.

"Selene, I mean." Thea clarified. "I'm not sure I could describe it, but it's definitely unique to her."

Ethan sighed. "I guess I really am that obvious."

"You are, no telepathy needed." She winked.

He chuckled, but it was a half-hearted chuckle. "I hope that's okay."

"Ethan, I'm not a romantic like Victoria is." Thea said. "It truly doesn't matter to me that we aren't 'in love' now. That's normal where I come from, though there are exceptions like Alana's parents. But, since the cornerstone of elven marriage is bonding, I have yet to see a long-married couple that wasn't truly and genuinely in love, regardless of how they felt about each other before they were married."

"I don't want you to feel like you're a 'second place' girl." Ethan replied. "I'm still hung up on Selene and I wouldn't feel right marrying you while that's the case, especially because..." He took a moment to choose his words.

He needn't have bothered because she guessed. "Because you find me attractive, but you aren't attracted to me; not romantically anyway."

"Exactly." He nodded. "I realize that you're the only one left, but you don't deserve to be treated like the 'only one left', or a last-choice pick; you aren't. No woman should feel like that, least of all someone as incredible as you."

She chuckled. "All that praise and yet still no attraction."

"It is what it is." He shrugged. "Apparently, I have room in my heart for seven women. One of these days, I hope to heal enough to make room for an eighth--" He indicated her. "--but I'm not there yet. Honestly, I'm not even close."

"I know." Thea looked at him for a long moment. "I've been praying that Illuminar would make a way for Selene to return, so maybe she will?"

"You have?"

She nodded.

It was his turn to look at her for a long moment. "Even with as much as you want to live on the Argo?"

Thea made her trademark half-embarrassed, half-sheepish grimace. "I hate seeing anyone in pain. Her being gone hurts you more than you let on, doesn't it?"

He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Yeah, it does."

She gave him a comforting smile, then they both looked out in front of the Argo, him watching the waves lap gently against the shore below. There really was relatively little land here. In most places, there was less than a quarter mile between the mountains and the sandy shores. There had been a lot more for most of the trip, but here there was definitely less.

He glanced at Thea, who truly was an amazing woman. Any man would be lucky to have her as a wife, him included. He just wasn't there yet.

"I don't think we should get married yet, but not because what you said about not being over Selene bothers me." Thea finally said after several minutes. "It's because I think it would hurt you if we did."

"You're not wrong about that." He conceded. "Sorry."

"Please, don't apologize." She replied with a smile. "I'm on an airship; I've seen more in the past few weeks than I ever thought I'd be able to see. I think I could settle down now that I've seen all of this, or at least I'll try, and I know you'd be a good husband, but this..." She smiled and waved at the open air in front of the Argo. "...this makes it all worth it. Just seeing things like this, and the orc culture, and the Inohuttan tribe, and everything else is worth it to me."

"You do know that we'll want to settle down eventually, right?" He asked. "I love the Argo and it's more a home to me than anything since I left my parents' house, and I'll never give it up because I love it, but it's too small to raise the family I'll likely have."

"I know." Thea closed her eyes and nodded with a sigh. "But that won't be for a while, and until then, I can sail and see everything the world has to offer."

"You're welcome to travel with us for as long as you like, as long as your guardian allows, but you're right; I'm not ready to marry again." He said after a moment.

"I didn't think you would be." She smiled at him. "The strength of your love for Selene is rivaled only by some of the longest and most happily married and bonded elves that I've seen. It's no surprise that you want to wait; I was expecting that."

"You really do care about everyone, don't you?" He asked.

She made her trademark half-embarrassed, half-sheepish grimace again. "I can't help it."

"I would prefer that you never tried to; it's a good thing." He pointed out.

"Thank you." She replied, after which they returned to staring at the scenery around them.

*Sir, I think you should take a good look at that tower in front of us.* Alana thought to everyone a few minutes later. *I think they're trying to flag us down.*

Ethan looked and his first wife was indeed correct. The small outpost was flying an Ivernian military flag, and yet someone on top of the tower was waving a flag and looking like he was indeed trying to get their attention. A quick check of the airspace confirmed that there weren't any Ivernian airships around -- except for a couple of very small scout airships -- so why did they want the Argo's attention?

* * *

Fiona leaned forward a bit in her chair as Mage Weston began to explain how he would teach her how to purge toxins from her body. It was a bright, sunny day and the wind outside had picked up, not that she could feel it in the stone room. The weather outside had just started to take a slightly autumn feel to it, but only in the mornings and it was still quite warm during the days.

"Blood remains connected to its owner for a short time after leaving the body." The mage said. "Thus, if you drop some into a bowl and introduce contaminants, you can practice purging them for a short time as long as you are extremely close; touching is best."

Fiona looked at the small bowl and tiny polished dagger on the table, then sighed. "Why is learning healing magic so painful?"

"If you come up with a better way to teach it, magical apprentices the world over would thank you." He chuckled.

"I suppose that's why I was needing to learn to heal myself first, because I'm needing to lose a little blood to practice purging poisons and so I'm needing to know how to close the wound?"

He nodded, then held up a bottle with some almost clear liquid in it. "This contains a highly diluted poison that is relatively easy to detect. We'll start with that."

Fiona sighed, then glanced at Tabitha who was standing nearby holding Conner. Fiona could've brought the nurse, but suspected that Tabby liked holding Conner and so hadn't today. Her suspicion wasn't based on much, and certainly nothing the bodyguard had said, but it didn't hurt to let her hold him.

"Were you learning this?" She asked her bodyguard while pointing at the bowl she would be using to learn.

"Yes my lady." She said in the bubbly tone she always used around others.

"Okay, I suppose we should be starting."

It was exactly as fun as Fiona thought it would be, which is to say none at all. Mage Weston pricked the tip of her finger and she let a few drops of blood fall into the tiny bowl before healing the wound magically. The mage then dropped a single drop of the clear liquid into the bowl and told her to swirl it with her fingertip.

She did.

It made her want to gag because it was gross to be stirring her own blood, but she did. Then Mage Weston started explaining how to sense the toxins.

"I'm losing you." He said after a minute.

She nodded.

"Try what you understood; some people learn better by doing." He advised.

Forty-five minutes, three more pricked fingers, and a lot of instruction later she was no closer than she had been when she started.

"Ach! I'm hating this." She shook her head.

"It could be worse." Mage Weston said in an amused tone. "You could be meeting one of the emperor's agents later today."

Fiona's head and shoulders drooped. "Ugh, don't be reminding me."

"Don't worry, he's coming to confirm whether or not your kidnapping ring is a will-breaker ring, not to question you." The mage assured her. "Though, he'll likely want to talk to you."

"I'm knowing that, my husband was telling me last night." She replied.

She suppressed a smile as she thought about how her evenings had been going lately. Apparently, neither Lord Delmar nor Helene had enjoyed oral sex very much. Thus, he didn't have very strong emotional associations with it like what had stopped them from coupling normally. He had let her pleasure him every night since their agreement, even though he told her it wasn't necessary every single night.

But even better than that -- and that was wonderful -- was that he had kept his word and spent five minutes with his attention focused solely on her every night since then. It wasn't much time, but it was a start. And in the past few days especially, he hadn't been

quite

as quick to end their conversation when those five minutes were up.

Plus, he was still sleeping on his back instead of on his side with his back to her.

"Ready to try again?" Mage Weston asked.

Fiona sighed, but nodded.

* * *

Ethan looked down at the outpost below and in front of the Argo, trying to understand why it was built here. On the one hand, it made some sense as a chokepoint because it was the thinnest section of the beach he'd seen so far. On the other hand, he could hardly imagine a worse place to defend.

It was a beach.

A relatively flat beach that didn't rise much as it went inland until it suddenly turned into the base of a mountain and went nearly straight up. The strip of beach was about a quarter mile wide at the narrowest point, and that was where the palisade wall was. However, it wasn't sunk into the sand of the beach like a normal palisade wall would be. Instead, it was attached and braced to a series of wooden platforms under it. With the stakes from the palisade attached to the platform, it would've looked like a capital "L" laying on its side in cross-section.

The palisade wall was about twelve feet tall and made of thick tree trunks, but judging by the fact that some wood looked well-aged, other wood looked green, and there was every shade of weathering in between, it seemed like they had to replace the palisade stakes regularly.

The platforms to which the palisade wall was staked were about twenty feet square and had large, thick, heavy chains connecting each section to the one next to it. The one nearest the mountain had been staked into the side of the mountain, so the whole thing was relatively stationary.

He assumed this rather strange arrangement was to combat the tides since the platforms could float, and he knew this because they extended out over the ocean. All told, the strange platform-based palisade wall was about half a mile long, half of which was over the ocean. It looked like the platforms over the ocean part had anchors to keep them in place.