The King 2

Prologue

It was a cold and stormy night... Not like I gave a shit, but that's hardly the point. The point is... I shuddered as quiet sobs managed to escape that I could contain. The point is, that for the first time...

"Husband? Maybe you should come inside?" Eila said softly as she moved to stand beside me as the rain lightened slightly.

I sighed and rubbed the water from my face. Eila was kind enough to ignore my moment of weakness. "Every time I close my eyes, she's there. I see his face as he threw the vial. Every time I close my eyes I'm too late to stop him, and I watch her die all over again."

"You can't change what happened," my first love and wife said, touching my arm.

"It should have been me."

Eila didn't respond as she leaned up against my side. We'd had this discussion before. And while I could never fault their logic. I always fell back on the same excuse. If I'd been out on that field alone, Chit would be alive. And I wouldn't spend my evenings picking weeds off the burial mound where she laid.

"All that brings me peace is to come out here and water the flowers on her grave. I really didn't know the Orc's did this kind of thing." Not that I needed to water anything tonight in this rain.

"We all loved her, Frelser. And you know damn well what she'd say if she could see you moping around like this."

I bit back a sharp remark as Eila turned and headed for the gate. She was right though. As much as I hated hearing it. If Chit was here watching me pine, she'd probably grab me by the ear and haul me back inside. But... It was that very woman I was pining over.

"I'm sorry," I said, pressing a kiss to my fingertips and gently brushing the burial mound.

Turning away, I made my way through the rest of the mounds. Fresh flowers were laid on many of the gravesites. Chit was buried alongside all those who died in the two conflicts. We'd set aside a patch of land on the eastern side of town where the sun rose. Flowers were planted around and a plaque was installed commemorating the victims of the conflict. It was a beautiful resting place and I spent much of my time tending to it. At least tonight as I walked back into town, the rain hid my tears.

I couldn't dwell on it though. In the morning we were marching the surviving elf soldiers back to their keep. A skeleton force of soldiers had remained behind to keep everything in check. But most of the elfs still living within the walls were women. Eila assured me they wouldn't cause any trouble. Their society had some pretty strict gender roles. Something I was looking forward to messing with.

The town itself was mostly silent. The celebrations after the battle had finally ground to a halt. Not for the lack of trying, however. Five days of drunken gluttony and we were out of ale and most of the spirits. Trade hadn't picked up yet as the nearest town took a few days to reach depending on the tides and weather. Jonharren had given us schematics for sails to add to the barges that would cut down travel time on certain sections of the river. But he had left as soon as the alcohol dried up.

Turning onto the main street towards my home, two figures blocked my way. Coming to a stop, I couldn't meet the eyes of the taller of the two.

"You need to stop," Grah said in his calm, grumbling tone.

I hadn't actually spoken to him since I offered him Phaslo's helmet. Marge had created a glass container to house it in before Grah had gifted it back to the town. It sat as a memento in the town hall where everyone could see it.

"What would Chit say?" He demanded. I opened my mouth and closed it again. "I never took you for a coward," he grunted.

"I'm sorry," I said softly.

"Sorry?" he spat, before swinging his fist into the side of my head. "I DON'T WANT YOUR APOLOGY!"

I grunted at the impact but stood my ground. "What do you want then?"

"I want you to remember that Chit loved her sisters just as much as you did!" He snapped. "So if you're going to spend every night moping around like a child, you're bringing shame to my daughter's memory!"

Sighing, I looked up into Grah's face. He held my gaze as I worked the tension from my jaw. "How do I move on from this?"

Grah stepped forward and placed his hand on my shoulder. "You live. You love. You remember how she used to make you smile. Anything less and you hurt the memory of my daughter."

"He's right," Marge said softly, catching my attention. "Go home, love your wives, be the man we all love and respect. Forgive yourself."

I stood there as Marge and Grah headed back into Grah's shop. It seemed they'd moved there together after converting Marge's living space into more workshops. But... They were right... Chit really would be pissed at me for all this.

It took me a few more minutes to arrive home and I pushed the door open. The fire was still burning, as all my wives were waiting for me. Eila and Ally were seated on the loveseat. Ita was brewing tea in the kitchen. Sessa and Hestha were hanging from a beam in the ceiling like a pair of bats. Mareridt, due to her size, was in my custom-made seat. Harri and Lonty were cuddling under a blanket, while seated on cushions by the fire.

"I'm sorry," I said, closing the door behind me.

Ita set down the kettle and rushed into my arms. As her lips found mine, I felt a slight flow of power between us. Holding her tightly, I lifted her into my arms as she wrapped her legs around my waist. With a squeal of delight, she pulled away and smiled at me.

"Please say you're going to fuck me?"

I just laughed and pulled her close. Of all my wives, she was the one who craved intimacy. She literally fed off it and while she could survive on kisses, actually making love was something she craved like a man in the desert craves water. And as I held her closely, I felt warm bodies press against me and I smiled as my wives huddled around.

"It's late, Husband," Eila said softly. "How about you go upstairs and fuck your succubus. Then we can all get some sleep for tomorrow."

One glance at the excited grin on Ita's face told me exactly how my night was about to go. Even if we wouldn't all fit in the bed at once. It was the main reason we were heading to the fort in the morning.

Chapter One

In the end, with the wounded, it had taken a little under a week to arrive. Most of the elfs were walking. They had little fight left in them after Phaslo's helmet had been put on display. Their entire nation was currently at war with itself so as to determine the new king. So none bothered trying to escape, they would only be heading to more conflict. In the end, we managed to save a little under two-hundred of them from that battlefield. Of them, about three quarters could walk. Of the remaining, about half would walk again, the rest... Well... Eila didn't have much hope for them. Not that she had much hope for any of them really. I wasn't about to execute two-hundred elfs. But I wasn't going to let potential murderers, torturers, and rapists go free. So I was very glad to see guards in familiar armor walking about the top of the walls as we approached.

"Eila, what's the name of this place?"

"It hasn't been named yet, as far as I know. That was supposed to be for Darjl when he took charge."

I nodded, "What... What about the town?"

This time she giggled softly. "It doesn't have a name either. Nobody bothered while it was on the edge of the wilds."

I sighed and gave another look around the surroundings. This spot reminded me of my home with the goblins. Outside of the small mountain cove, it was forests and small clearings for as far as the eye could see. The town was situated in an area where the trees started meeting the planes. You could see the mountains in the distance, but the area itself was quite flat and different animals roamed the area.

"Well," I sighed. "I suppose we need to fix that, especially if we're going to hold onto this place."

Eila nodded along. She and the rest of my wives were riding some of the captured pack horses from the elfin army. I, on the other hand, was riding Mareridt. I'd offered to walk the distance, but she'd insisted, saying the herd master needed to appear strong. She'd even insisted on getting a saddle made up. It wasn't the best saddle and apparently, Grah was working on a better one. The rest of the horses were hauling the same carts the elfs arrived with.

"Home," Mareridt rumbled.

"Home, what?"

"The town, call it Home."

I thought about it a moment before turning to Eila, who was thinking. "Hjem, husband. In my tongue it would be Hjem."

"I like it," Ita chirped from my other side.

She was looking far more comfortable on the horse than when she started. The large animal made her nervous and she'd offered to fly. But even Sessa and Hestha took regular breaks on mine and the other's shoulders. It had taken her a day to name the horse, 'Parsnip,' and from there she'd decided she quite liked the docile creature.

"Alright, I'll send a message back to Baz," I said. "What about here? What do we call this place?"

"Elfin Vakt," Ally chirped.

"Elfin Guard, that's better than my idea," Eila said with a smile.

I nodded along. "Works for me."

We kept our pace as we filed in through the gatehouse. I could still see the scorch marks from the flames Eila and Ally used to burn away the defenders while I knocked down the portcullis. The portcullis for that matter was currently being reassembled back in... Hjem... It was going to take a while for the name to set in and feel natural. Regardless, I'd hoped it wouldn't be long until it was brought back. Without it, it would be difficult to prevent anyone from taking Elfin Vakt by force. Not that it was a great concern for the time being. Coming into a familiar looking courtyard, I directed the troops to line up in the courtyard. There was no use postponing what was about to happen.

"Get the others," I sighed.

Eila nodded grimly, before heading off in the direction of the dungeons. The majority of the skeleton force we'd left behind, were simply keeping the elfs under guard. Any deemed too old, feeble or frightened in the case of almost all the women were left in their rooms and homes. The rest were packed like sardines into the dungeons. With the soldiers at my back, we marched them into the courtyard where I'd been doused by Darjl months ago. My own soldiers helped disperse the group and had them sit on the ground. As they got comfortable, the elfs from the dungeons were brought up and sat in the warmth of the day.

"Let's get this over with."

Turning on my heel, I walked towards the keep and headed for the throne room. Eila and Ally quickly joined me after their visit to the soldiers in charge of the dungeons. Sessa and Hestha perched on my shoulders for the ride, while Ita, Mareridt, Harry and Lonty followed steadily behind. It was of course at that moment, I heard a fierce cry.

Spinning on the spot, I saw an elf. He'd just come out of the dungeon from the looks of things. His hand was raised and I watched in horror as a spear of ice tore from his palm, flying straight towards us. Specifically... Towards Eila. Eila had frozen in shock, seeing death approaching. I started moving, desperate to get between the ice and my first wife. Screaming in rage and horror, my eyes went wide, as Mareridt threw herself on Eila, knocking her to the ground. As the ice spear flew overhead, missing Eila by a hair's breadth, I shifted my momentum towards the elf.

His angry expression turned to surprise at missing his target. But as the elf prisoners scattered to keep out of my way, his face twisted in fear as I bore down on him. Slamming into him with my entire body, I lifted the elf, carrying him before me as I crashed into the main wall. Turning on the spot, I swung him overhead, hammering him into the ground with bone shattering force. I was barely conscious of his screams as I bent over his limp form. Sinking my teeth into the side of his ribs, I shook him violently from side to side, how a dog would shake a rabbit. A piece of flesh came free in my mouth and his body tumbled away. Scampering after it on all fours like a great ape, I saw him raise his hand, before a burst of flames engulfed me. The thought of it doing nothing barely registered in my rage controlled mind and I bit down hard on his hand. Pinning him to the ground with my knees and elbows, I made quick work, devouring all the soft flesh I could find.

"Husband?" Eila called softly.

Snapping my head up, I carried the long dead elf in my mouth. Eila had a look on her face I couldn't describe, while the Elfin prisoners stared in horror. My other wives were at the ready, waiting for the next one to move. Dropping the elf on the ground, I stood up.

"I'm sorry," I said softly. "I just reacted... I... I can't-"

"And you won't," Eila said, stepping forward and cupping my face. "My big, strong brute of a husband will kill and eat anyone who threatens the people he loves."

Dropping to my knees, I leaned my head into her as tears rolled down my face.

Never again...

After my moment, I stood myself up and looked over the terrified prisoners. Deliberately stepping on the corpse, I headed back for the keep. Marching through the main doors, it was a different sight than the last time. There were no elfin guards and the throne had been removed. In its place was a large wooden bench, covered in oversized pillows. Striding up, Eila caught my arm. As I turned to face her, she summoned water and gently washed my front. The blood ran from my armour and onto the stone floor. When the water started coming clear, she switched to a small flame and combined it with a blast of wind to dry the excess. Refreshed, I gave her a small kiss and sat down on my makeshift throne.

"Bring them in."

Eila nodded as the rest of my wives moved to the secured rooms in the keep. I watched as they moved into the throne room. Most of them were women. Most of those were young. They were terrified and refused to look up towards me. Instead they clung to one another in what I could assume was family groups. There were men in this group as well, but I noticed an absence of children. I wasn't sure if that was by design, or if there simply weren't any here, but it was for the best.

"I love my wives," I called firmly to the group. They stilled and began to listen. "I love my wives with all I have, and the idea of them being abused and hurt, by their own people no less, disturbs me. When I escaped, I took them with me, and your people, instead of letting us go, hunted us down and succeeded in killing a woman I loved very much." I looked around the room at all their faces. The young women seemed to be clutching to my words, the few older seemed resigned to what I was about to say. But it was the men. Those cold blooded monsters looked at me like I was filth, for admitting I loved my wives. "You, along with all the men outside, will be judged by their loved ones. Ladies, move to one side, gentlemen, move to the other."

The few men stared in shock as my soldiers marched into the throne room and started shoving them back against the wall to my right. They were far more gentle with the ladies, moving them to my left.

"No!" One of the young women screeched.

I tensed, ready to move, but I watched in confusion, as a group of three females rushed over and mobbed one of the younger men in the room. I thought they may have been attacking him, until I watched as they started trying to shove my soldiers away. My soldiers thankfully didn't harm them, but turned their attention to me for instruction. I waved for them to move back and the young man had a pained expression on his face as he tried to reason with them.

"My loves, please?!" He begged. "Do as he says, please!"

"No!" The one who started it yelled, before glaring at me. She was young, younger than Eila and Ally. She had heterochromatic eyes, one green and one electric blue and stared at me with an expression like she wanted to kill me. "I die with you!"

"Alla," The man tried again, but a slightly older, badly scarred elf hushed him with a firm kiss.

"Together!" She begged loudly.

"Together," the third elf nodded as she summoned the smallest fireball I'd ever seen.

With a smile, I stood and watched as the young man suddenly tried to shove them all back. But they fought against him, pressing tighter as I closed the distance between us.

"What is your name?" I asked softly.

"Raulum, my lord," the young man tried to bow slightly. "Please, may I have a last request?"

"Go on," I nodded, wanting to see what happened.

The young man swallowed, "Please spare my wives. They're good housekeepers, so they can be useful to you. Please, don't hurt them."

There was a series of hisses and scoffs from the other male elfs, and even a few gasps from the women. I was left staring at his implying expression and nodded slowly. His obvious relief only sold it further.

"Ladies, would you be willing to die for-"

The small fireball washed over my face, blinding me for an instant.

"NO! Please!" Raulum screeched. As my vision cleared, he was frantically trying to get past two of his wives, to the third, who was frantically trying to build up a second, more powerful fireball.

I laughed. A big, booming laugh. One that shook the walls and left everyone staring at me like I was insane. Here I was, my first attempt at righting the wrongs of this place, and I'd found the needle in the haystack, who wasn't in the wrong. I had to take several deep breaths and wipe my eyes of the tears that formed. But I couldn't help the grin as the woman still had her hands up to fight.

"That settles that then."

"My lord, please?!" Raulum cried.

"Raulum, you're hired," I grinned.

He froze at that, as did the three women, "H-hired?"

"What did you do here, before I killed Phaslo?" I asked, gritting my teeth at the name.

"I was the chamberlain," he said nervously. "M-my wives are household staff."

"And you love your wives?"

Raulum seemed to try and lift himself up for a moment, before nodding. "With all my heart."

"Eila!" I called back to my politely smiling wife. "Double their pay, give them a proper room if they don't have one."

"Very well husband," Eila bowed politely. Usually I'd have said something, but I WAS technically holding court, so I made a mental note to give her a spanking later. "Faulun, I need to speak to you and your wives, if you'd like to-" She trailed off as she led the four very confused elfs out of the throne room.

I turned back to the men, who had various degrees of greed to skepticism on their faces, one stepped forward with a smile. "My lord, I believe I can be of use," he smiled. "I was chief advisor to the late king, and I offer my services to you as well."

I froze, hearing those words and nodded. "Very well, step forward."

The elf bowed deeply and strode right up. "Now, I suppose you'll need me to point out my lovely wife?"

"Please," I nodded.

"Marala?" He called sweetly. "Come here, my darling."

A small elf stepped forward nervously. "Y-yes, husband."

She shuffled over to him, getting more and more nervous as she got closer. Until finally, he threw an arm around her waist and pulled her close. I didn't miss the grimace or the frightened squeak as he did so. "Now, you can see my wife loves me dearly, don't you my darling?"

"Yes husband," she replied, a little too quickly to be natural.

"Marala," Ally called and stepped closer. I hadn't even heard her approach, so I figured she was under the same impression I was. "Give me your hand."

Marala shuddered for a moment, but offered her hand as requested. Ally reached out and gently took her hand. She held it delicately for the briefest moment, before the small elf gasped and Ally stepped away. In her hand, was a small, sharp dagger.