Locum Tenens 12

~~~ Chapter Notes ~~~

Loki and Kira have spent several days with the dragon mother. The girls are missing them. All chapters in this tale are complete and have been submitted. Hopefully, the kind, gracious, smartly-attired, and gorgeous admins will release a new episode every day or so.

~~~ Dragon Cave ~~~

After breakfast, the dragon told Kira to warn Rilla to go visit the guards. The dragon said that she had covertly spied out the capitol city while hunting and estimated that we were a little over an hour away.

By the time we were getting ready to go, Rilla reported that the guards had been warned that we were coming. She said that she was only able to keep them from alerting the king because she had invoked Kira's name. Kira told her that she'd confirm that with the guard captain when we arrived.

Once again, the hatchling, Kira, and I climbed onto the dragon mother's back - settling between her shoulders.

I still just about lost my breakfast when we took off - but I thought I was doing much better.

"Better is relative," the dragon said before giving a snorting-laugh.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop," I teased.

"It's not like you're trying to hide it," she replied. "Your mind is practically screaming into mine."

"Sorry, sovereign mother," I told her.

"It is no great burden, my child," she said.

"Child?" I asked. "You honor me, great one."

"Save your forked tongue for pleasing that mate of yours," the dragon teased.

Kira busted up laughing. The dragon joined her.

"When I introduce you to my father, how should I tell him to address you, holy matron?" Kira asked the dragon.

"I may share my name with you at some point but he may address me as you have been," she replied.

"As you wish, sovereign lady," Kira responded.

"Before I meet your sire," the dragon said, "I wish to get the scent of your sister-wife and your mate's offspring."

"Zima and Hanna are not his daughters by birth," Kira warned her. "They were abandoned. He asked them if he could be their sire by writ of adoption."

"I will take their measure," the dragon declared.

"As you wish, holy mother," Kira answered.

We flew for a bit before she spoke again.

"Fear not," the dragon said softly. "You'll better understand my intent when I'm done."

"You have been more than generous - sharing so much of yourself with us," Kira answered, "I do not wish to presume ..."

"I feel your protective nature," the dragon interrupted. "Hold onto that. It's what keeps us strong. You both have it - and it is just one of the ties that binds you. Sensual lust and battle lust are two more of those ties. Those things burn brightly when you two couple. It is the magic of creation. It is most pleasant to behold."

"Thank you, great mother," Kira told her, glancing at me.

Kira's gaze held all of what the dragon had described and so much more. I pictured the two of us as we had destroyed our enemies in the commander's tent. I recalled the look in her eyes when I had adopted Zima and Hanna. My mind filled with images of our lovemaking with Monika, Nella, and even Dora. I grinned as I remembered her peeking over the edge of the planter box as Dora and I had lit up the orphanage roof with plant magic as we climaxed together. I recalled how fucking awesome it felt when I finally succeeded in making her spider-glue work - and then gave a snort of laughter as I remembered falling on my ass. I was addicted to that honest laughter in her eyes.

"I fucking love you," I told her.

"I love you too, my king," she said, before pulling me into a kiss.

"Are we complicating things by bringing in Rilla ...?" I whispered.

"It feels right," she said. "I regret that Dora couldn't accept it; I think Nella will be fine. I see so much of me in Rilla that I ache. She's so smitten with you. Three cords are stronger than two ..."

"I just ... I don't want you to ever be second place ...," I told her.

"It won't be that way, husband," she promised.

"Monika?" I asked.

"I think you'll find that Rilla's as adventurous as I am," Kira replied. "Stop worrying so much."

"You're the princess ..."

"I left when they couldn't accept me before and - if we have to - we'll do it again."

"The girls?"

"I can't wait to see what our new friend has to say about them once she has their scent ...," she told me.

After that, she climbed onto my lap, clung to me, and kept my lips busy so I'd stop flapping my jaws. She didn't let me rest until the dragon was circling to land.

The courtyard had been cleared of people. The archers had their bows in their hands but no arrows were nocked. The soldiers were doing their best not to grip the pommels of their weapon's hilts. It was easy to tell that they were nervous. I hadn't been living in this world long but it was easy to see that this was an unusual event.

We came in for a gentle four-point landing.

{"Remain seated,"} the dragon spoke into our minds. {"The hatchling will head to the ground. I wish her to meet your family."}

Kira and I looked at each other as the little dragon clambered down its mother's back.

Kira's father (the king), her brother (the prince), and the king's guards hurried from the massive receiving hall where the king had - obviously - been holding court. They were followed by a small crowd of onlookers.

"One moment, little lord," the dragon barked at the king. "I've been waiting to meet a couple others first. I'll be with you in a minute or two."

There was a brief look of shock on King Korl's face - but he quickly got control of himself. The others knelt when he did.

"Thank you, great mother," he said.

The dragon turned to look at the other members of our family.

It seemed to me that each of them had grown taller while Kira and I had been away these last few days.

"Rilla. Zima. Hanna," the dragon called out. "Approach me. I will have your scent."

Rilla's eyes were wide when her head came up. She quickly stood and pulled the girls up with her. She spoke a word to them, raised her chin, glanced to see that the younger ones had copied her form, and strode forward. There was just a touch of hesitation in that first step. Whether it was a moment of fear - or maybe she had been checking to see if the girls were following - the rest of her steps were strong and sure."

Rilla stopped three paces away from the dragon's scaled feet.

She glanced at us for a split-second but then focused her eyes on the massive beast in front of her.

"Well met, great mother," Rilla said firmly. "You honor us."

The dragon lowered her massive head and eased her head forward until her nostrils bumped against Rilla's breasts. She inhaled so powerfully that Zima and Hanna began to lose their balance. They reached out and clung to Rilla's hips. Their hair stood straight out towards the dragon as she did a little more than just "take their scent".

The whirlwind stopped. The three young women - my girls - were still all but pressed against the snout of the massive dragon.

No one in the crowd - whether guard, palace staff member, citizen, or king. Moved or spoke. All stood, waiting, to see what would happen next. I suspected that most of them (like I had that first time) had forgotten to continue taking breaths into their lungs.

"Zima, daughter of Loki," the dragon said, loudly enough for all to hear.

"Y ... yes ... great mother?" the dark-headed girl said.

"Who is the kindest, sweetest, most helpful person you know?"

"Hanna, great mother."

Without even being able to see, I knew that the eyes of the dragon had moved to the 10-year-old. The arm she had around Rilla's waist tightened a little.

"Hanna, daughter of Loki," the dragon said.

"Yes, great mother?"

"Who is this woman beside you?" the dragon asked.

Hanna stood a little taller.

"This is Rilla, great mother," Hanna replied. "She is kind, and strong, and ... patient."

"She is one of your father's intendeds ..."

"Yes, great mother."

"What strengths will Rilla add when she joins with your father and the princess?"

"Rilla is fierce - like my father and Princess Kira. When we fight together, she is our center. When we are near her, we are stronger, we heal faster, we move more quickly, and our attacks are more powerful."

"What is Zima's role?"

"Zima counters the attacks of those who try to strike at us."

"Kira?"

"Kira is death to those who stand against us."

"Your father?"

"The trainers don't let him fight with us."

"Why do you think that is?"

"I have been with my father when he faced what others would call overwhelming forces," Hanna replied. "He analyzes the enemies attacks even faster than I do. He turns their own strengths against them. The All-Father named him champion and I'm not sure any could stand against him. The trainers put us together for one sparring match and ... they determined that there was nothing for us to learn."

Even sitting behind her head, I could feel the intensity of the dragon's gaze.

"I asked you about your family and - instead - you tell me about your sparring sessions ..."

"Princess Kira and my father have already told us that - once they are wed - they will continue their work - supporting the poor and the oppressed. I told Kira that I wanted to have the chance to travel with them. I have studied and trained - as she asked to me to do - so that I may prove that I can carry my own weight and not weaken my teammates ... my family."

"Rilla?"

"Great mother?"

"Who is the weakest among you?"

"I am, great mother."

"Zima?"

"I am, great mother."

"Hanna?"

"I am, great mother."

"Rilla, Zima, and Hanna," the dragon said.

"Yes, great mother?" the three chorused.

The dragon eased back and then nudged the hatchling in the butt and pushed her forward.

"This is my daughter," the dragon said. "I need to leave for a day or two. Watch over my little one. Teach her what you have learned. If she is happy and well when I return, I will give each of you a boon. Do you accept?"

The glow that came off of the trio's faces was nearly brighter than the sun.

"Yes, great mother!" they exclaimed as one.

The dragon booped the hatchling in the butt again - pushing her forward until the girls could touch her. At a nod from the mother, the three hugged the little beast and giggled as they all three began to talk with her at once. The dragon let them get to know each other for a moment while she mentally instructed Kira and me to make our way to the ground.

Kira stood by the dragon's head. I moved about 30 feet to their right - where she'd told me to stand.

"Come over here, girls," I called to them. "You too, little one," I told the hatchling. "Kira and the great mother need to tend to some official matters."

When the girls got to me, Rilla hung back a little as Zima and Hanna pounced on me. I hugged them both and spun them around as they giggled. I set the two of them onto the hatchling's back and then turned to my future bride.

"You look even more beautiful than you did when I left," I told her.

She blushed.

"Four days," I said. "Kira assures me that this will all work out. I believe that it would sound greedy of me to say that I can't wait - but I will tell you that I'm looking forward to having the three of you with us all of the time."

"We've missed you as well," Rilla answered.

"And you?"

She blushed again.

"Valeri ... uh ... my dress is very special. She told me that I'm not allowed to show you."

"You like it?"

"Very much."

"Good."

"It's so pretty, father," Hanna said.

"That's just mean ...," I told her, grinning.

She giggled.

"Is your dress pretty as well?"

"I love it! I've never even seen clothes this pretty and Rilla says this will be mine to keep!"

"We'll probably have to leave it here when we travel ...," I warned her.

"I'll keep it in my storage-device," she said firmly.

I laughed and said, "I should have thought of that ..."

I glanced over to see Kira mediating between the dragon and her father. Prince Kiro was called up next. While they were chatting, someone went to get the royal mage. When he arrived, he had a brief conversation with the rest of them and then was dismissed.

{"Come over here,"} Kira said. {"Kiss the girls goodbye for now. The dragon's taking you with her."}

I quickly gave my girls (including Rilla) hugs and cheek-kisses, telling them that Kira would update them but that it looked like I was leaving again for a day or two. I told them that it was probably some organized plot to keep me from seeing their pretty dresses until the wedding. Hanna and Zima giggled and gave me one last hug. I scratched the hatchling's head and jogged over to join Kira and the mother dragon.

"I don't really need your help," the dragon said quietly, "but Kira needs you out of the way for a day or two - and that fits well with my timeline for visiting Sven."

"I told the girls that I thought it was an evil plot to keep me from seeing their new dresses ...," I told Kira, giving her a kiss.

"See you in two days," Kira said, giving the cheek of my ass a pinch. "Climb aboard and hold on."

"Grab the scales on my side and shoulder - and then climb up," the dragon ordered.

"Yes, great mother," I replied.

Kira moved over to join the rest of our family. Nella joined them as well. I blew her a kiss - which she returned with a quizzical look. I guess they don't do that here. Zima and Hanna saw what I did, however, and quickly blew kisses back to me. I returned those just as quickly.

Almost as soon as I was tucked into place, the dragon opened her wings and scooped the air - launching us straight up into the sky. She'd always done a Superman take-off before. This was new - and a bit gut-wrenching. She laughed out loud - causing small plumes of smoke to puff from her nostrils.

"Let's go fuck some shit up, as your intended likes to say," the dragon announced.

It was my turn to laugh.

~~~

Three hours later, my noble mount informed me that we were "coming in hot". She had found that phrase somewhere in my mind and thought it was marvelous.

She made a four-point landing. This one was not gentle at all - and ended with her standing directly on top of the main gate of the capitol city. The stone structure - of course - was not prepared for our mass (or momentum) and collapsed - leaving the dragon standing on top of a pile of rubble that looked vaguely gate-like - with a few shattered bodies lying under, beyond, and around the thing.

The wall for about a hundred feet in either direction fell right along with the gate - and then there was an ugly transition with fallen wall turned into fucked-up wall - which turned into leaning wall that led to sections that still looked untouched.

In a half-second's time, the dragon had removed a chunk of the city's defenses that was as wide as an NFL football field was long.

Bells rang and soldiers with pikes and bows came to harass us.

"Directions, great lady?" I asked.

"I'm waiting for Sven," she said. "Feel free to practice with your skills and send their attacks back at them - if they're actually able to injure either of us."

The dragon was right. Most of the arrows glanced off ineffectually. One or two archers decided to target me - and died when I reflected their damage back at them. The pikemen in the group stabbed as they were able - but the dragon got a kick out of ... giving them a kick. After several attempts, I finally decided that she had picked some specific banner on the palace wall and was trying to see if she could actually get one of them to hit it. She had failed after several shots but more and more soldiers volunteered to help her practice.

My guess was proved right when she finally got one of the flying bodies to strike a blue pendant and she gave a little snorting laugh. She missed with the next volunteer but his replacement quickly stepped up so that she could try again.

When one of the pikes actually managed to pierce her, I healed the injury and reflected the strike back at the soldier who had stabbed her. Those wounds weren't usually fatal because the massive matron hadn't taken that much damage - but it was still enough to throw most of them onto their butts. The dragon stomped more than a few into the courtyard lawn - leaving a gooey mess in the grass.

Sven finally arrived.

The dragon asked where his child was. She informed him that she was taking the son captive - just as he had taken her child. Sven paled.

"Bring him to me or I will level this place," she ordered.

"What ... What will you do with him?" Sven asked.

"That is not your concern," she told him.

Sven waffled and she took down a nearby building.

He bargained for more time.

"Bring an hourglass and start the sands," she told him. "When the sand has all fallen, your son had better be standing before me. This is my final warning."

She spun left and took another hundred-foot section of wall down with her tail. She spun right and removed a matching portion of the wall on the other side. She turned back to face him.

I dug around in my storage-device and found an hourglass. I used the skill the dragon had given me to teleport to the ground. I upended the glass and set it on the ground in front of her.

"Your time has begun ...," she declared.

At a nod from the king, an archer released his arrow. It struck me in the throat.

I glared at Sven. The grin on his face disappeared.

I grinned and sent the arrow at his throat. He gasped and clutched at his neck.

I brought the injury back to me and waited for him to notice.

The next time I healed myself, I sent the arrow at the archer who had fired it.

I stared at Sven as the man bled out - the air gurgling from the tear in his throat.

"Do not try me again," I told him.

He staggered back a step.

A mage stepped in front of him and began casting a spell. I pulled the necrotic-cursed sword from my store-room and stabbed myself through the palm of my hand. I stored the weapon away and focused on the wound.

To my amazement and delight, I healed it almost instantly. I sent the wound to the mage - who was finishing up his spell.

The pain and the shock disrupted his casting. He looked down at his hand and shrieked as the necrosis began to consume him. Within seconds, his left hand was decaying and crumbling to the ground. He stared up at me as the necrotic curse continued eating his body. His hand and wrist now gone - it began to consume his arm.

"What ARE you?" he asked.

"You're wasting time ...," the dragon told Sven. "The sands are already falling."

Sven suddenly realized he was "on the clock". He turned to a high-ranking guard and ordered the man to go find his heir.

A large crowd of bystanders had formed - curious to find out what was going on.

I ambled over towards one of the larger clumps of bodies. A guard moved to intercept me. I stopped and pulled out my dagger. He pulled his sword. I stabbed myself in the chest with the dagger and left it there. I looked at him.

"I have a special gift from the All-Father," I told him.

His mouth was hanging open. He was barely hearing me.

I sighed. I reached up, pulled the dagger out, sheathed it, and sent the injury to him. He screamed and clutched his chest. I healed it and made a new goiter.

He stared down at his chest and then gaped at me.

"Kindly fuck off or I'll return the injury to you again," I told him.

He just stared at me. I walked towards him and he stumbled back. I pointed to the side and waited for him to move. He finally got it. He stepped aside.

I approached the crowd.

"Any orphans in this bunch?" I asked.

A small dirty face peered out at me from between the hips and legs of the adults.

"When was the last time you had something to eat?" I asked.

He pointed at a woman beside him - who was looking down at him.

"She gave me some bread this morning," he answered.

I reached into my storage. I grabbed a silver coin from one of the purses that I'd taken somewhere along the line. I reached out, took the woman's hand, and pressed the coin into it.

I returned to my storage and found a steaming bowl of stew and a wooden spoon. I extracted them and handed them to the orphan.

"Magic!" someone said.

"Witchcraft!" another murmured.

"Neither," I said. "It's just a storage-device."

A sharp pain entered my back and I watched a bloody blade tip emerge from my chest.

I spun around - expecting to see the slow guard - and found a new one. The slow one was standing to my left - and had his hands up - looking worried. I kicked the new guy in the jewels and he dropped to his knees. I kicked his head like a football and heard a nasty snap that told me I wouldn't be having any further trouble with him. His eyes rolled up into his forehead and he kind of melted backwards.

I walked over to the slow one and turned my back to him.

"I can't quite reach that," I said. "Could you pull that free for me?"

He started pulling slowly. I rolled my eyes at the orphan boy.

"It actually hurts less if you go faster," I told the guard.

"How are you still standing?"

"High tolerance for mortal wounds," I replied.

Once he had the sword out, I turned and took it from him. He stepped back a pace. I walked over to the dead guard, cut his purse from his belt, and then flicked the sword downward - spearing it through his chest into the grass beneath.

I walked over to the orphan. The stew was gone. I took the spoon and the bowl, stored them, and handed him the purse. The guy on his right looked down at the boy as he rattled the little satchel.

"Go hide it before this meathead decides to try to take it and I have to kill him too," I told the kid.

He was off like a lightning bolt. A few people complained as he barreled through them and then he was gone.

I walked back over to the dragon - who snorted at me.

"You are such a bizarre creature, Loki," she said, giving me a toothy grin.

"Thank you, great lady," I said, offering her a sweeping bow.

She glanced past me and I turned to look where she was focusing.

The guard was coming out of a building - escorting a young man in regal attire. The guard pointed to the king's side. The prince walked over and stood by the king.

"Took you long enough," the dragon huffed. "Approach me."

"Mighty lady ...," I whispered out of the side of my closed lips.

I watched the pretender approach.

{"Remember that I can read thoughts - especially strong ones,"} she spoke into my mind. {"Not only did I hear the king's words to the guard - to attempt this deception - but there are those among the crowd who are confused at the falsehood being attempted."}

{"I know what the real prince looks like,"} I thought back to her. {"I have a tracking skill that I learned from Kira. Let me see if I can locate him."}

I stepped behind the dragon's right leg as the fake prince approached the dragon. I disappeared from view and called on Kira's gift to see if I could find the missing prince. It took me a bit. I felt the magic casting out farther and farther. I began to worry that I'd be headed to the dungeons once again to locate my missing quarry.

I found the person - standing on a balcony to the right - with their face hidden within the hood of their cloak. As I marked him, his body brimmed with a soft golden light.

{"I see him,"} the dragon said into my mind.

There was a thump and the ground shook. The dragon lifted her clawed foot off of the gooey blotch where the pretender had stood.

The crowd gasped. The king, I noticed, suddenly looked more worried than angry.

{"Remove the guard that brought him,"} she instructed.

{"Fast and quiet - or noisy and messy?"} I asked.

{"Noisy and messy sounds divine ...,"} she replied.

I reappeared and stepped onto the bloodstained grass where the pretend prince had stood a moment ago. I removed my cloak. I removed my shirt. My beefy musculature was bared before the crowd. Women covered their mouths as their sex organs responded to what their eyes were telling their brains. Their husbands clenched their fists or rested their hands on the hilts of their weapons - angry that I was standing nearly-naked - shamelessly tempting their women to lust for me.

The dragon snickered into my mind.

I pulled the poisoned dagger, held the blade in my hand, and began to carve King Korl's emblem into my body. The circle ran from just above my belt - almost to my neck. My tattoo skills weren't all that good but this was performance art - not portraiture.

As I carved, I began sending the wounds to the guard's body. At first, he gasped - then he cried out. As I carved more and more lines in his torso and the pain and itch of the toxins in the blade began to ravage his mind - a blood-curdling wail poured from his throat. This nerve-wracking sound continued until - at last - he finally succumbed to either the pain or the poison. Almost as soon as he went quiet, the sound of his body hitting the ground echoed across the courtyard.

No one moved. No one spoke. It seemed as if every single person was holding their breath - waiting for what came next.

"Time is almost up ...," the dragon announced, nodding at the hourglass. "Bring the prince before me or find out what happens when you truly anger me."

The prince disappeared from the balcony. I used Kira's magic to follow him. I could sense the dragon using our connection to follow his steps as well. A few moments later, he emerged from the building he'd been in. He ignored his father and the guards and walked towards me. I sheathed my blade and got dressed. I bent down, picked up the hourglass, stored it away, and went to stand by the dragon.

The prince stopped at the spot I had just abandoned - on the bloody grass. He bowed his head.

"I apologize for my father's attempted deception and place myself at your mercy," he said, loudly enough for all to hear. "Please take me and spare the others."

The dragon studied him for a moment - giving him time to worry - no doubt reading his thoughts.

"Strip to your waist-wrap," she told him. "You are a prince no more; you are my slave."

Without a word, he began to obey. The king took a step forward and opened his mouth.

{"Raise your hand into the air,"} the dragon mentally instructed me. {"When I finish, send this to the petulant pest."}

I raised my hand as ordered. Flames erupted from the dragon's mouth, crisping my flesh. The skin burned away and the blood boiled as the meat cooked and swelled. I stared at the king the whole time - not making a sound.

When the fire stopped, I sent it all to him.

I really don't know how much it hurt. By that point, I had developed such a tolerance for pain that I was mostly numb to it.

The scream that erupted from the king's throat sounded like it hurt really fucking bad.

{"Heal him,"} she ordered.

I didn't have to - but I reached my hand out towards him - I even used the hand that had been (a few brief moments before) in the same condition that his now was. I healed it all away, creating a new pustule on my chest.

She waited for him to recover and look at her.

"Now that I have your attention," she said. "Hear me clearly. You live only because of my mercy - my mercy for these people - who would suffer with your death.

{"Return the burn to him again."}

If possible, the king reacted worse the second time. When he finally gazed up at her, it was to beg for her to heal him again.

She ignored him.

{"Get the prince onto my back - between my shoulders,"} she ordered.

I grabbed the nearly-naked prince by the elbow and led him along the dragon's body. I spoke only loudly enough for him to hear me. I told him what we were doing and advised him not to test us further. He assured us both that he would comply.

I got him into position and sat behind him - close enough to place a hand on his shoulder. I warned him to hang on but told him that she had not yet dislodged me. He thanked me for the warning.

He whimpered just a little as we took to the air.

I glanced down to find the king on his knees on the ground, holding his ruined hand.

The dragon circled, rising higher, and then we made for her old cave. There was no one there. The bodies had been cleared away. Fire erupted from her mouth and she scorched the entire area around the entrance. That done, she used her claws and tore at the mountainside around the mouth of the cave, finally collapsing enough stone to completely block the opening off.

When that was done, she took off again - and we headed for home.

The prince was soon shivering. I pulled a woolen blanket from my store-room and wrapped it around his shoulders. He unfolded it and wrapped himself up tighter, thanking me for my kindness. He was quiet for the rest of the 3-hour trip.

It was nearly night by the time we got back to the capitol city. We landed in the courtyard and were soon attended by King Korl, Prince Kiro, the hatchling, and my family (including Nella).

The prince handed me back the blanket and I stored it away. I helped him climb to the ground. The dragon informed Kira's dad that the prince was to be treated like a servant - but kept under watch. If he refused to cooperate with any orders, he could be beaten with a cane or otherwise punished but he was not to be killed intentionally without the dragon's permission.

Hanna was standing by the hatchling. The hatchling was pressing her shoulder to Hanna's side. Hanna had her hand on the little dragon's shoulder. It was adorable.

{"Good,"} the mother dragon said into my mind.

The dragon told her little one that she and I were heading to the cave until the night before the wedding. She told the hatchling to continue to study and train with my women and girls. The tiny dragon sent a puff of hot air from her nostrils and fiercely stamped her front feet. The mother dragon gave a deep laugh.

I climbed back to my spot on the dragon's shoulders and we took to the skies. When we got to the cave, she walked inside with me still on her back. She had me climb down. She sat on her haunches and stared at me.

"Remove your clothes and store them away," she ordered.

I did as she commanded and stood naked before her - my feet together and my hands at my side.

"Sit," she instructed. "Cross your legs but sit so that you can relax."

Once I was in position, she nodded.

"Using some of Kira's gift - as well as your connection to each of your girls," she said, "I want you to look for them. We'll start with little Hanna."

I pictured the golden-haired 10-year-old. I tried to focus on the smoky yellow magic that I used to track the prince. I pulled at the magic and I sent my senses out to locate Hanna.

I was flying. As if I were a dove - or a crow - I looked down on the palace. I saw the window of the room where she was. I flew towards it. I landed on the sill and looked in on her. She, Zima, and Rilla were getting ready for bed. She looked up at me, studied my form for a moment, and her eyes sparkled. As she turned to tug at Zima's sleeve, I let the magic go.

I was back. I took a deep breath and looked at the dragon. I could feel a little of her power fading from my body.

"Good," she said. "Now Zima."

"Hanna saw me," I said.

"She sees with more than her eyes," the dragon said, nodding.

I closed my eyes and searched for Zima - combining the magic with my senses - and found her in much the same way.

The girls were snuggled in next to Rilla now. Hanna's little head began to turn my way and I dispelled the mystical "bird" that let me see them.

My eyes were still closed.

"Find Rilla the same way but don't go to the windowsill. Let your little one rest."

I searched out the young woman who I would marry in three days. I glimpsed the trio with a little fly-by and then released the magic.

This time I searched for Kira. When I found her, she wasn't alone. The dragon chuckled. Kira was sitting on the edge of the bed and Nella was kneeling before her. The curvy widow was sucking and licking my fiancée's coochie. My cock began stiffening as I watched my gorgeous princess react to what Nella was doing to her. I couldn't hear anything but my mind played out the sounds that she always made just the same.

Kira pulled Nella up, kissed her, and then pulled her on top of her. Soon, the pair were writhing together in the middle of the bed - rubbing their clits and pussies together - grinding and scissoring. I wanted so badly to be able to slide my cock in between their slippery cunts.

The vision vanished and I opened my eyes to see the dragon looking at me.

"I don't have an easy way to give you relief and I don't really want you pumping your seed onto the floor here," she said. "You're already making me miss my mate. I don't need your sexy stench hanging around here to remind me and tempt me all of the time."

She rolled to her side.

"Get your bedroll and whatever else you need and come lie beside me," she said. "The princess has asked me to keep you busy for a couple days. The magic I gave you tonight can be developed further but that will let you check on your loved ones when you're apart. We didn't test it - but - if you can't already accomplish it - you should be able to find my hatchling as well. She has already begun bonding with each of you - but especially Hanna. We'll talk more about that later. For now, we rest."

I pulled on some loose shorts, laid out my bedroll, and covered myself with a thin blanket. The dragon drew her wing over me and the toasty coziness flooded through me like always. I was soon asleep.

~~~

The next morning, the dragon and I went hunting. I sat on her shoulders and we flew around until we found a herd of deer. They scattered as we swooped in.

"We're going to stretch your magic," she told me. "Think of one of the times where you took an arrow or a bolt through your eye - entering your brain. Fix it firmly in your mind."

"Got it," I said, almost reliving the pain.

"Send the memory of that injury towards one of the deer below," she ordered.

At first, my range was limited. She flew back and forth over them, lower and lower, as I tried to get it to work. I could feel her magic boosting mine but I was struggling to make it happen. I knew what she wanted and I was sure I could make it work - I just didn't have the power or the range.

After probably a half-hour of continuously sending the deer into a frenzied stampede, I got it to work. When we landed by the fallen buck, his eye had been ruined and the injury speared up into his brain. At the dragon's command, I used my dagger to cut a steak free and stored it away. The dragon ate the rest.

We took to the air and I practiced again - this time disabling a leg - bringing the animal down. The dragon pounced on the poor deer, eating it alive. I felt a little bad for the part I played in its death - but she assured me that she normally hunted this way and I was actually helping to keep the deer from suffering as long. I was pretty sure she was just trying to salve my conscience but I went with it. It wasn't like I had much choice.

We returned to the cave and I cooked my venison steak. I found a camp grill and some spices in my store-room and had a delightful meal.

The dragon spent the rest of the day telling me about the various gods that ruled over this world. The All-Father was - by far - the most popular. There was, however, a god of thieves that interested me. There were gods of lots of other things but most didn't appeal to me at all. When I asked her about a god who looked after the poor, she informed me that the All-Father was probably the closest - but it wasn't really one of his foci.

After dinner, the dragon had me check on the girls again. In the form of my spy-bird, I swooped in just in time to see the royal seamstress arriving with Kira's mother's refitted wedding dress. Hanna's head snapped around to look at me and I quickly dispelled the magic.

The dragon roared with laughter. She knew that - if I had stuck around to sneak a peak at her in the dress - Kira would somehow know - and that I'd be in trouble the next time I faced her.

As I lay down beside the dragon to get ready for bed, I felt Hanna searching for me. I sent the spy-bird to her window. She looked up at me, smiled, and blew me a kiss. I smiled back, bobbed my head, and then dispelled the magic.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

~~~

The morning began with hunting practice again.

After that, we worked on my water magic, my fire magic, my tracking magic, my teleport magic, and my healing magic. Quite honestly, I died multiple times that day.

We began with the motherly dragon telling me to focus my mind on keeping myself together even without all of my parts.

I lay - completely naked - on the floor of the cave while she stood above me. She snapped her jaws at my body and ate more and more - and larger and larger - pieces of my body - forcing me to heal myself all over again each time.

Under her careful (read: horrifyingly scary) tutelage, I fully mastered healing my body. As a final test, she stomped me into a puddle - in the same manner that she had the false prince. I was nothing but a wet splotch on the floor of the cavern. The funny thing was - that one hurt less than so many of the other ways she'd destroyed my body.

Once I was nothing but a wet smear, she forced me to count to five before I was allowed to start using my magic to heal myself.

I have no idea where my magic is actually stored in my physical body but - at that point - it was lying somewhere in the bloody puddle. My consciousness worked together with my magic and - a few seconds later - I was whole again.

The dragon cheered. I held my hands over my heart - feeling it racing within my chest - and swore I was never doing that again.

I checked in on the girls to find Kira busy with wedding preparations while Rilla, Zima, Hanna, and the hatchling were at the training yard - facing off against another team. Hanna was seated on the hatchling's back. I got distracted, watching the four of them work together.

Finally, the dragon cleared her throat. I dismissed the magic and looked up at her. She was smiling. She had watched through my mind. She saw our children and Rilla working together as a cohesive team - combining their skills to fight almost as a single individual.

"I plan to leave her with you for a time," she told me.

"As you wish, great mother," I said. "We are honored and humbled by your faith in us."

She gave a snort of laughter.

"My daughter will soon argue with me and refuse to learn what I teach her. When she is with your girls, she's eager to learn and to teach what she knows - which is another form of learning."

We ate dinner together. Afterwards, she had me sit cross-legged and look inward - meditating on my skills and studying my magic to see if I could unlock any new secrets.

"Try locating the prince," she ordered.

I closed my eyes, sent out the tracking magic, and focused on the face of Sven's son. I found him in the kitchens, sweeping the floors and talking to Mila and Nala. He seemed to be behaving - and getting along well.

"Good," the dragon said. "Look for Sven."

Almost as soon as I found him, he looked up at my spy-bird. His left hand went to a pendant that hung around his neck. His right hand was heavily bandaged.

I checked on Kira next and found her on her back in the middle of our bed. Nella had her face buried between Kira's thighs while the princess alternately pushed her head away and then drove her fingers through the widow's curly hair to pull her face in harder and deeper. I sent the magic away before I got too turned on.

Once again, I fell asleep with the dragon mother lying beside me.

~~~

The morning brought more hunting practice. The dragon had me killing rabbits with little dagger wounds to their chest or head. The tiny furballs were barely an appetizer for the huge female - but they were the most challenging test of my magic so far. As soon as I mastered it, of course, she was ready for me to move on to something else.

My last lesson was speed, agility, and dodging. She had me strip naked, store my clothes, and then sprint for the city - while she flew along above, observing me. I felt her magic brush against me and I was suddenly running faster than I had ever moved before in my life. The trees and foliage flew by in a blur. I leapt over boulders and bushes, evaded animals, zig-zagged through the trees in the dense forest, and vaulted over streams.

When I came to a river that was too wide to jump, I hesitated but she yelled into my mind to keep sprinting. Seconds later, I was on the other side. I had run so quickly that the surface of the water didn't even have time to collapse before I was moving my weight onto the next step.

{"Focus!"} she demanded, as my brain churned - trying to analyze what had happened.

I was still running. A chasm appeared before me and my stomach dropped. There was no way in fuck ...

{"Jump!"}

I did. I was moving quickly enough that I got probably halfway across before gravity took over and I began to drop. The ledge ahead slipped away - above my vision - and all I could see was a wall of dirt and stone that I might reach before I crashed.

{"Teleport!"}

I yanked my eyes skyward, caught the image of the ledge, and teleported. I didn't quite land on my feet - the lower half of my body was hanging off of the grassy ledge. I threw my hands out - grabbing for anything to pull myself up - or at least halt my backwards slide. There was nothing. I scrambled with feet and hands - clawing at the grass, plants, and dirt. I was slipping.

{"Again!"}

I had never teleported twice in a row like this - and thought I remembered her telling me that I couldn't. Fear of falling backwards back into the chasm overrode my analytical thoughts and I obeyed her command. I leapt forward in another quick teleport.

I stood with my hands on my knees - gasping for air. My heart was pounding so hard that it felt (and sounded) like I had a bass-drum in my head - with an enthusiastic 3-year-old trying to see how much noise he could make.

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a tree-viper launching itself at me.

{"Run!"}

I don't know if the snake was real - or a phantom that existed only in my mind - created by the dragon to get me to move again - but I moved. I shot off like an arrow - pressing forward once again as fast as I could.

Over the next hour or two, I repeated this sequence so many times that it became rote to me. Soon, I was leaping, cartwheeling, evading, dodging, and teleporting to get over obstacles, around solid objects, and avoiding attacks from animals and monsters.

Finally, the walls of the city came into view and she gave me permission to slow to a walk. I took a few more steps and then my legs, thighs, calves, ankles, and feet failed me - and I collapsed into a pile.

{"Center yourself,"} she ordered. {"Rebuild your energy and then get dressed."}

Lying in the grass - with my cheek pressed to the cool ground - I obeyed without thought. My eyes closed. Exhaustion tried to claim me but I didn't want to suffer her wrath for disobeying. In my mind, I slipped into a sitting position - folding my legs and holding my arms out with my palms up - soaking up the divine energy like a plant taking in the sun.

A minute or two turned into five - and then ten. I opened my eyes and found that I was sitting as I had pictured in my mind. I felt refreshed. I pulled my clothes out of storage and slipped them on as I rose to my feet.

I jogged up to the city wall - barely tapping into the speed that the dragon had shown me how to unlock. When I got to it, I leapt to the wall - spider-gluing myself to the surface almost halfway to the top. I scrambled the rest of the way up like I was born climbing vertical surfaces. I flipped over the ledge and landed on the walkway. A guard started as I appeared before him while he was making his rounds.

"Sorry," I said. "Just cutting through."

I dove off of the wall head-first and managed to pull off a mid-air flip - before I teleported the rest of the way to the wide grassy lawn of some fancy estate. I glanced back to catch the look on the guard's face. His eyes were huge - and then they got bigger when the dragon's shadow threw him into shade for a split-second.

Ahead, I could see the palace - and the wall around it. I took off again at a run - quickly passing through the intervening spaces - leaping walls, bushes, and small trees of the private residences that appeared in my path as I made my way south.

When I got to the palace wall, I climbed it as I had the other one. I reached the top and then ran along the walkway used by the perimeter guards until I came to the courtyard where I knew the mother dragon would be landing. I leapt off of the wall with a swan-dive, pulled off a mid-air somersault, and teleported to the grass - arriving only a moment before she did.

{"We're back,"} I called out to Rilla and Kira's minds.

{"We're getting ready to head to lunch,"} Kira answered. {"We'll come meet you."}

"They're on their way," I told the matron.

She simply nodded.

Her pup emerged first, happily bounding across the flat, grassy lawn.

I caught snippets of their conversation - the little one trying to catch her mother up on everything that had happened with a rush of sentences that ran from one into another without pause or a breath.

My attention was drawn away as Hanna and Zima came running towards me. Behind them were Rilla, Kira, and Nella. I caught my girls in my arms as they jumped at me. Their hugs and kisses rejuvenated me like my meditation had earlier. They pressed their foreheads to my neck and jaw and allowed me to kiss their cheeks, foreheads, and temples.

"Gods, I missed you," I told them.

"We've had so much fun with the hatchling," Zima said.

"When will she get her name?" Hanna asked.

"You probably know more about dragons than I do," I answered her.

Rilla walked up and leaned into me. I hugged her waist and kissed her cheek.

"Soon, Beautiful," I told her.

She blushed and nodded.

"Kira finally told me that I've passed her test," she said with a smirk, glancing back at the princess.

Since my arms were already full, I couldn't grab my fiancée's ass - but I got a lusty kiss. Zima and Hanna giggled at us but refused to let me go so that I could properly greet my lover. Nella stood just behind my gorgeous princess.

"I ... uh ... peeked in on you two the other night," I told the naughty widow.

She blushed.

"I think you're both due for a little punishment for having so much fun without me," I warned.

Nella raised her chin defiantly.

"I regret nothing," she said firmly.

Rilla and Kira laughed. I couldn't pinch the woman's ass so Kira did it for me - before bringing her to me so that I could give her a lusty kiss.

"How's Dora?" I asked.

"She spent the night with Prince Kiro," Nella answered, grinning at me and winking at Kira.

"What did your father say?" I asked the princess.

"He's being abnormally quiet," she answered. "He obviously planned for something different but seems to be letting my brother advance things. For his part, Kiro is moving far more slowly than he ever has in the past. That caution may be what's convincing Daddy to hold his tongue. I do think that my father was most favorably impressed with the orphans when they first came. He may think that - though low-born - Dora would be a good influence on my brother. So far, they've both been behaving - at least in public. Based on some of my brother's complaints, either she hasn't given in to him - or they've mutually agreed to wait. I'm sure Father has listened to those rumors as they've circulated as well. He's always been one to keep an open ear to what the staff is chattering about."

"Dora will be in the ceremony?" I asked.

"All the dress fittings have been completed," Kira replied. "Rilla will be my maid-of-honor but - of course - the ceremony will vary slightly from the traditional. Dora, Nella, and Monika will stand with Rilla and me. My brother will stand with you."

"What are your traditions for the night before the wedding?" I asked.

"Sometimes the groom goes off with the groomsmen - either to go whoring, get drunk, or to go hunting - or perhaps all three. Sometimes, the bridesmaids take the groom away and torment him for a while - and then abandon him and rejoin the bride. The bride and the maids usually spend the night in decadence, drunkenness, and ... uh ... debauchery."

"Like back in my old world, then ...," I replied, laughing.

"I have a little surprise cooked up for you, though," she said, sliding her forefinger down my chest between Zima and Hanna.

She glanced at the little ones and didn't elaborate - she just snickered.

I groaned (both curious and excessively horny) - and then my stomach rumbled. Actually, it was more like the growl of a bear. The hatchling turned its head and growled back at me.

We all laughed.

"Sounds like we should move to the dining room," Kira suggested.

I turned to the mother dragon - to see what her plans were.

"I will leave you now," she said. "The hatchling will stay. Will the ceremony be held where I may observe?"

"Yes," Kira answered. "We had planned to do it in the receiving hall but it will now be held about right where we are standing - tomorrow at mid-afternoon. There should be room here for you to stand or rest, if you like, great mother."

"That will be fine. Thank you, child," she answered.

Kira gave her a bow.

The dragon blew smoky flames over her little one - which made the tiny dragon offer a snorting reply. Afterwards, the hatchling rolled her shoulders then shook herself like she'd just had a nice bath. The mother dragon leapt into the air, flapped her wings, and flew away.

When we got to the dining room, the others all had their plates.

"I was beginning to worry," Mila said, looking from me to Kira.

"Fear not, cousin," Kira answered. "Everything is to plan."

Mila glanced at me and then nodded to the princess.

The girls finally slid from my arms and went to get their food and drinks. Nella snuck in behind me, wrapped her arms around my waist, and hugged me. Her wrists were crossed over my groin and the front hand hid the fact that the one behind was squeezing my manhood. I snarled at her. She giggled as Kira turned her head to see what was going on. She gave Nella's butt a squeeze and kissed me on the mouth. Nella's head was resting on my shoulder and her cheek was pressed to my ear. Kira gave her a peck on the lips and then told her to quit tormenting me.

I made sure that the widow lined up for her plate in front of me. I stood close enough behind her to bump the tent in my pants against her butt - so that she could see what she'd done to me. She giggled softly - apparently completely unrepentant.

When Mila dished up my food, she gave me a look that was a little hungrier than usual. She ran her eyes over my body like a butcher figuring out where to start making the cuts.

With plate in-hand, I turned to head for my seat only to feel a pair of fingers pinch my ass. When I spun to see who it had been, Mila and the others were all suddenly busy with other things.

By the time I slid into my seat, Hanna and Zima were finishing up their food. They both talked at the same time - the whole time I ate - catching me up on everything they had been doing in their lessons and in their training sessions.

By far, they were the most excited about their sparring matches against other teams. They were both chomping at the bit to get me out to the practice fields so that I could see them in action. When I told them that I would go with them for the afternoon, Kira told Rilla and the girls to make sure we finished early, got cleaned up, and showed up at the courtyard to run through a quick practice for the ceremony before we went to dinner.

At that, the girls grabbed my plate and mug and raced them off to the sink so that we could head for the practice fields. I gave Rilla a kiss on the cheek and held her hand as the girls (and the hatchling) capered along in front of us, giggling and carrying on.

It was amazing to see the little dragon so at ease with my two adopted daughters. I looked over at Rilla with wide eyes. She laughed at me.

"I don't know if the mother knew that her little one would bond so quickly or not - but - even when they can't speak to one another - it's like they know what the other needs. The dragon sidesteps attacks to keep Hanna from taking damage and - when Hanna needs to notice something - turns to face where she needs to look. It's pretty incredible. I don't have to work nearly as hard now - with the dragon helping watch over the girls. I mostly just buff our group and suppress the ranged fighters. I haven't had to heal much. We all also seem to have more magical reserves when she's with us."

We arrived at the training area to find organized chaos. Soldiers, mages, and archers were rushing about, throwing on armor, gearing up, and falling into ranks.

The weapons trainer saw us and waved us over.

"What's happening?" I asked.

"We got a report of a massive rat infestation in the lower northeast side of the city and - when it was investigated - we discovered that it's worse than we'd thought. The rats are coming in through the sewers that drain to that side of the city. There were so many rats that the three men that we sent could not push the incoming tide back enough to follow the drain pipe. They finally went to the gate, walked back down the wall to where the pipe should exit, and then followed a straight line to trace out where it drains into a festering swamp. When they got there, they were nearly overwhelmed before they retreated. All of them are being seen by the healers for infected bites. They still never found the main nest - just wave after wave of rats fighting for food and survival. The rats don't even care about us - they've just outgrown where they are and are questing outwards to try to find something to eat and someplace to nest."

My immediate thought was, of course, to help. I turned to the girls.

Rilla grinned broadly, and said, "Kira's going to kill us ..."

I looked at my adopted daughters.

"Shit, piss, and infected rats - probably covered in lice ...," I told them.

The grins on their faces didn't falter.

"Let's fuck some shit up ...," Zima said.

Hanna giggled.

"I'm not sure that kind of language is appropriate for a girl your age ...," I told her, "but I got the message. You're probably going to have to burn those clothes."

Zima looked at Hanna.

"I still have some of my old clothes," she told her.

"Me too," Hanna said.

I turned to Rilla. She had already changed. I gaped at her. She laughed.

I turned back to my girls to find that they had changed as well.

"Looks like you're the only one who needs to change clothes," Rilla told me.

I stepped into my store-room and found that I actually still had some of the shit that I'd looted from some of the scum that I'd killed when I first arrived in this world. I also discovered that I could actually change clothes in my store-room. When I stepped back out, I had a tattered, grimy outfit on. The shirt had holes in the chest over my heart.

Rilla laughed when I looked down at the tears. I grinned at her.

"Kira's still going to kill us ...," I warned the three of them.

Zima and Hanna climbed onto the hatchling's back. The thing stamped its feet impatiently while staring at me - telling me that it was ready to go.

I caught the trainer's eye and let him know that we were heading out. He pointed to a line of scouts and messengers. The main body was still getting formed up and would come along behind us.

I took off like a rocket. I left the girls in my dust without even thinking about it. The dragon's training had bumped me up a bunch. I stopped and waited for them to catch up. Now, I was the one shifting my weight from foot to foot ...

Rilla laughed and said, "Go. We'll catch up."

"You sure?" I asked.

"Carry me!" Hanna gasped.

"Not fair!" Zima complained.

"She's right," I told the little one.

Hanna pouted.

"Go, brat ...," Zima told her. "Figure out where they're coming from so that we know where to hit them when Rilla and I catch up."

Hanna didn't wait for a confirmation. She leapt from the hatchling's back into my arms.

"Let's go!" she ordered.

I glanced at Rilla - who just waved us on.

I slung Hanna onto my back and held her thin legs in my fists. She leaned over my shoulder and locked her hands below my neck - trying to be careful not to choke me.

I took off again. I didn't even have to work hard at going fast. Whatever the dragon had done to boost me, I was easily twice as fast as anybody racing along on foot - nearly on-par with the galloping mounts. If I poured on the speed, I could keep pace with them. Hanna laughed her fool head off as the mounted messenger stared over at the two of us - running along beside him. I finally let him pull away so he'd stop looking so embarrassed.

Leaving the palace gate, we turned east and followed the main road to a gate that I'd never used before. We flew past lots of other folks on the way there. As soon as we left the city, we angled to the north at about a 45 degree angle - still following the rest of the messengers, scouts, and fighters.

We found the swamp. The whole mess needed to be completely reengineered. Whoever had designed the thing had either decided that the swamp was already a waste - or this had just been a low-lying area and the swamp was nothing but sewage. The smell was beyond awful. Hanna retched a couple times and I asked if we were good to continue. She coughed, hacked, and spit and then nodded.

I was going to need to burn my boots and my clothes. I waded through stagnant pools of urine and wastewater with all forms of feces floating in them - with more sitting on the scattered surfaces that rose between the numerous pools.

I glanced back at Hanna - to gauge her reaction - but she was studying the terrain ahead of us - using a small spyglass-looking device.

"To the right," she said, pointing her right hand. "There's a mound there."

The mound was probably a half-mile ahead of us. Between us and that spot, there was a writhing carpet of rats - some as small as my fist. Most were larger than my boot - some even as big as a small dog.

I didn't take more than a few steps before I had to stop to deal with the pests.

When we got close enough to the teeming horde, the ones near us decided that we were either food or a way to get out of the horrid muck. They charged our direction. As the dragon had trained me, I began conjuring and sending injuries stabbing through their eye sockets into their little brains - like I had with the rabbits and the deer. Hanna's arms gripped a little tighter around my neck as more and more rats headed our way.

I eased back from the growing pile of bodies, giving myself a little more elbow room to work. The next waves climbed over their fallen brethren and poured on the speed to try to get to me. In a semi-circle in front and around Hanna and I, I killed and killed and killed.

When the wave finally began to dwindle, I stepped forward to see what was going on. The following wave of rodents had decided that they were hungry and had stopped to begin devouring the corpses of the dead.

"Gross ...," Hanna groaned.

I tried to split my focus - to see if I could multitask. I wanted to burn the bodies before the survivors fed from them - but also see if I could continue to kill off the live ones. I ended up having to focus on torching the pile of dead rats - and only killing off any live ones that decided to prioritize me and my daughter over a quick meal.

I built the heat higher and higher - working to form my cross-shapes in three places - in front of me, about 30 degrees left, and about 30 degrees right.

The stench grew worse and worse - until Hanna and I were both retching. Finally, the pile began to burn. I fed more heat into a wider space around each hot-spot - trying to dry out the corpses enough that they would add more fuel to the flames.

Rilla, Zima, and the hatchling finally caught up to us. The hatchling wasn't too sure about splashing through the pools of piss. Zima had pulled her legs up to keep from being caught in the spray.

"We need to circle wider to the right and come from the back," Hanna instructed. "This way is taking too long. We need to get to that mound."

She pointed again, showing the new arrivals the spot that she was talking about.

"Let's try going around this shit," I suggested.

(To be continued ... Sorry ...)

~~~ End of Chapter 12 ~~~

There are 18 chapters in this story series.

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