Food. Food and Sleep. Two wonderful, amazing, incredible things that worked fantastically well as aids towards making Jadis feel more human. Well, not human, exactly, what with her being a Nephilim. More like a person, she supposed? In any case, food and sleep were incredible. Add to them both the company of two women she genuinely cared about and both were ascended to deific heights.
There had been no fried food to be had in the temple. But Jadis was no quitter and, having set her sights on finding something breaded and submerged in boiling oil, she wasn’t going to stop at the first roadblock. With Aila and Eir in tow, Jadis had left the temple and made her way through the damaged but not destroyed streets of Far Felsen to return to her inn. She was half expecting the place to have been burnt down, considering the frequent signs of fire damage Jadis spotted along the way, some buildings having lost their roofs entirely. Luckily, or maybe due to good urban planning, Felsen’s buildings were all made primarily out of stone and what fires the greater demon had caused had not spread far. And so, happily, Jadis found her inn to be in good condition. Even better, the inn was open and the innkeeper was home and greeted her with delighted surprise.
The innkeeper was an honest sort and, when Jadis hadn’t returned, she’d had her husband box up the Nephilim’s belongings and had stored them rather than sell them off. She was happy to return the goods as well as rent Jadis’ room back to her. And, with the incentive of some extra silver, she was even willing to lend Jadis the use of her kitchen for the evening.
Jadis wasn’t much of a cook. She knew few recipes and fewer still that didn’t involve microwaves or cup noodles. But breading various different meats and frying them in pans of hot oil was something she had at least the basic idea of how to do.
Again, Jadis had to thank the people who planned out Felsen and its construction materials that the buildings were made of stone and thus resistant to fires.
Accidents aside, Jadis filled her bellies and the bellies of her lovely two companions with loads of unhealthy, only mildly burnt, foods that were oh so good for the soul. While they enjoyed their dinner, they talked about some of the particulars of Jadis’ past life. The idea of a world without any kind of system that gave levels and skills was utterly alien to both Aila and Eir and they had many questions about how life worked in such a deprived, magicless existence. Talking about some of the nicer memories she had about Earth did incite some feelings of homesickness in Jadis, but more than that she found joy in telling her friends about bizarre and fascinating concepts like computers, movies, and the internet. She stayed away from more dangerous topics like guns and bombs or anything she thought could be directly used for violence. Oros had enough violence of its own, Jadis didn’t feel the need to import any from Earth. But explaining to Eir that elves existed as a concept but did not actually exist physically was an entertaining experience.
After stuffing themselves to bursting, Jadis, Aila, and Eir had retreated to the comfortable confines of her room. While there had been a certain part of Jadis that had wanted to take advantage of some alone time with the two beautiful women who had joined her, the greater part of her was still too tired to expend any energy on such pursuits, even as enjoyable as she knew they were. And, looking at the exhaustion that was still plain on Aila and Eir, Jadis knew they all needed more rest. So, after a quick wash, they went to sleep in a naked, yet chaste, nest of bodies on the floor.
Jadis woke first the next morning, the sun just barely peeking through the curtained window. The first thing she noticed, before she even opened her eyes, were the throbbing signs of her libido having returned to full strength. The second thing she noticed were the two soft, warm, sweet-smelling women tucked in among her own tangle of selves. As foggy as her mind was from sleep, it didn’t take much brain power for Jadis to put two and two together. Or rather, put three and two together.
Just as Jadis was beginning to wake her two companions up via some absolutely not chaste methods, a knock came from the door.
“Who is it?” Jay huffed, pulling her mouth away from Eir’s lovely red breast.
“Sorry to bother you, Miss,” Jadis heard the innkeeper’s muffled voice come from the other side of the thick door. “I wouldn’t normally, seeing as you said you and your, ah, lady friends needed your rest, but you have a visitor.”
“We’re busy,” Syd called back while eliciting a hushed gasp from Aila with her fingers. “Unless it’s Kerr or Thea, tell them to fuck off.”
“Beg your pardon, Miss, I don’t know who either of them is,” the innkeeper said, the woman’s persistence mildly annoying Jadis at that particular moment. “However, I don’t think I can tell the Magistrate to do that.”
All activity in the room froze at those mildly spoken words.
“I don’t think we can ignore her,” Aila said after a moment, putting a hand on Syd’s cheek. “As much as we all might want to at the moment.”
“I… I need to find my robe,” Eir mumbled disappointedly, trying to wiggle out of Dys’ arms.
“Hold on,” Dys said, squeezing the plush elf a little more tightly. “Maybe we can just invite her up? She’s single, right?”
“Jadis!” Eir squeaked, giving Dys a scandalized look. “You can’t do that!”
“Why not? She’s pretty hot, in a scary kind of way,” Jay joked, giving Eir a tender kiss on her slender ear. “You’re not trying to keep other elves away from me so you can remain my one and only good girl, are you?”
“No!” Eir squeaked even higher while trying to shush Jadis. “That’s not it! I mean, yes, I’m your good girl, but no! Jadis, Vraekae is my cousin! You can’t joke about things like that!”
That little revelation brought another pause to Jadis.
“Cousins? Really?”
“Yes, of course. Don’t you see the family resemblance?”
Checking with Aila who gave her an equally surprised shrug, Jay shook her head.
“Got to tell you, there isn’t even one part of me that thought you two were in anyway similar, either physically or in personality.”
Before Jadis could really process the unexpected family connection Eir possessed, another knock at the door came, followed shortly after by the innkeeper worriedly asking what she was going to do.
“Tell the Magistrate we’ll be down in a minute,” Syd called back with a heavy sigh.
It took a few minutes in the end, since it took a little time for Jadis to get her selves enough under control that she could put her skirt-pants on. Once they were presentably dressed, Jadis, Aila, and Eir made their way downstairs to find the common room of the inn clear of all but a few occupants. There, sitting at a table while sipping on a cup of tea was Magistrate Vraekae. Shockingly, so too was another familiar face.
Kerr sat across from the blue elf, her face a mask of misery that Jadis quickly recognized as some combination of a lack of sleep and a strong hangover by the way she leaned with one elbow on the table, her face smooshed in her hand. She perked up significantly on seeing Jadis, though it was clear the pain in her head was keeping her from fully expressing herself in the typically carefree and jubilant way she normally would. That or the presence of the stiff-backed magistrate was putting a damper on her actions.
Aside from Kerr and Vraekae, Jadis quickly took in that there were only four other people in the room, discounting the plump innkeeper who was fussing over some tray of food she’d set down at the Magistrate’s table. There were four guards, two of them vaguely familiar, but one in particular Jadis was happy to see. A nervous looking Thea stood at attention behind Vraekae with the other guards. Her armor looked like it had been put back to the pristine condition it had been in before their misadventures in the tunnels, but strangely enough she was still carrying the makeshift shield Jadis had made for her rather than a proper new one.
“Please, take a seat,” Vraekae motioned for Jadis and the others to join her. “And, if you would,” she looked to the flustered innkeeper, “please accompany my guards outside for now, madam. I promise no harm will come to your property in your absence.”
In just a few seconds, the innkeeper was out the door with three of the guards, leaving Thea behind.
It didn’t take a genius to see that Vraekae had gathered together Jadis’ surviving party from the ill-fated trip to Alawar all in one room. Nor did it take a great leap of thought to guess why. Jadis had known the Magistrate would want to grill her for details on what had happened and, in all likelihood, try to impose more restrictions on her to prevent things from going so wrong again. Jadis had just hoped she’d have had more time before the elf had sought her out, what with the aftermath of the demon attack to deal with.
Well, if it was time, it was time.
Jadis cleared some space at the table, making sure Aila and Eir had seats before settling onto the floor. She also motioned for Thea to sit as well and, despite some initial hesitance from the guardswoman, she took a seat next to Dys with a nervous glance at Vraekae. The Magistrate made no objection or sign of displeasure and instead calmly sipped her tea until everyone was settled. Once everyone was situated, she placed a metal device on the table that Jadis recognized as similar to the one Eir had used in the High Priest’s quarters to prevent eavesdropping. With a tap it was activated and then, to everyone’s shock, the Magistrate did something entirely unexpected.
She slumped back in her chair.
“Are you alright?” Eir asked immediately, concern in her voice. “Do you need any healing?”
“No, thank you,” Vraekae sighed, her voice far less sharp than normal as she rolled her shoulders with her head practically hanging over the back of her chair. “I am simply too tired to worry about appearances at the moment. Sleep is a luxury at times like these and I have been forced to make do with alternatives,” she said, motioning with one hand to her teacup.
“Well, if you need a nap, you can go ahead. I don’t mind waiting,” Jay dryly suggested.
“I am certain you would not,” Vraekae replied, straightening up slightly and bringing her red eyes to bare on Jay. “However, this could not wait.”
Pulling a folded-up paper from a pouch at her belt, Vraekae passed it across the table to Jay. Taking the document curiously, Jay opened it to see some kind of official-looking writing with an intricate stamp and seal. Of course, Jadis didn’t have a clue what it said since she barely recognized the letters.
“And this is…?”
“Your bank account details as well as your current balance.”
“I have a bank account?” Dys asked, one eyebrow raised high.
“You do,” Vraekae confirmed while she poured herself more tea. “I opened it for you last night and I have had all your earnings transferred to it, seeing as it would not have been practical to bring you the number of coins you were owed.”
“What exactly were we owed?” Jay asked, feeling a little stupid.
Then Aila took a look at the document and let out a shocked gasp.
“The bounty for the Bone Thief Matriarch you killed, as well as the Greater Demon from just a few days ago,” Vraekae ticked off her fingers as she went. “The many demons you were reported to have slain on both the battlefield and in Alawar. Plus the promised pay from Stenger and Son’s, on top of an additional amount they generously donated after I had a conversation with their representatives here in Weigrun concerning their involvement with the loss of the last ‘three’ known remaining Nephilim in existence.”
“Fucking shit,” Kerr cursed as she leaned over to see the large numbers representing Jadis’ sudden increase in material wealth outlined on the sheet of paper. “Congratulations Big Stuff. You’re rich! You better be the one buying me drinks from now on.”
“Of course, the rest of you have your shares for your involvement in the aforementioned events,” Vraekae smoothly added after Kerr’s exclamation.
More stamped papers were passed out, not only to Aila and Kerr but to Eir and Thea as well. By their reactions, Jadis could tell the amounts were not small.
“Not to sound ungrateful,” Syd said after the others had voiced their surprise at their newfound wealth. “But this was what you needed to see us about right away? Giving us money? That doesn’t really seem like a priority all things considered.”
“It is not,” Vraekae tiredly agreed. “Frankly, my budget is going to be stretched extremely thin for the next few months as the city recovers from this attack. That is a good amount of coin that could be well used elsewhere. That said, it is certainly related. With the number of losses we have sustained, I cannot afford to assign any more of my elite guards to safeguard you for the foreseeable future. They are needed elsewhere. Nor can I afford to pay mercenaries to do the same job, even if any of their number could be spared for the task right now, which they cannot be.”
“Well, the answer to that problem is pretty simple,” Jay cut in as the Magistrate paused to gulp down some more tea. “I don’t need your babysitters. You’ve seen me on the battlefield now. You know how strong I am, and I’m only getting stronger. You can keep your guards. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself.”
“Indeed,” Vraekae agreed with surprising ease. “You are quite right that you are exceptionally strong and, under most circumstances, very capable of handling threats that would see others in their graves. However,” she held up one finger, silencing Jadis before she could open her mouth, “while you have shown you are extraordinarily powerful, you have also proven that you are dangerously undertrained in martial combat techniques as well as woefully ignorant when it comes to navigating Imperial society and all the perils inherent to such an endeavor for one such as you. And, of course, we cannot forget your extraordinarily reckless nature which puts you in positions of extreme danger on a regular basis.”
“I’m not that bad at martial combat…” Syd started to say, her words trailing off as she saw the way both Thea and Kerr cringed slightly. “Okay, I’m not ‘trained’ per se, but so what? That doesn’t mean I need more guards. And my track record of getting into dangerous situations isn’t because I’m—okay, isn’t solely because I’m reckless. My patron god is D. I have exceptional luck, both good and bad.”
“Besides,” Jay said, putting an arm around Aila’s waist. “I have an excellent guide when it comes to ‘navigating Imperial society’ or whatever you want to call it. Even if I can’t read, I have people with me who can.”
Vraekae did not look impressed.
“One admittedly intelligent young human woman is hardly enough to safeguard you from those in high places who are already looking for ways to take advantage of who and what you are.”
“Because you’re not looking for a way to take advantage of me?” Dys challenged, drawing a worried look from Eir.
“I am,” Vraekae admitted without hesitation. “Your continued good health if nothing else will be a boon to my reputation and standing with the Emperor. My career will be advanced by your success, just as it would be ruined if you were to die under my watch. As it almost was with your recent disappearance. I hope that you can see why your wellbeing is of such concern to me.”
Jadis could, in fact, see very well why Vraekae would care so much. Her talks with Aila and Eir hadn’t fallen on deaf ears. Her existence truly was a game changer and not just from the perspective of D and his attempts at introducing a little chaos into the status quo. Jadis was actively causing alterations to people’s potential classes just from being around them. Or more accurately, fucking them. That was a pretty damn big deal all on its own. Never mind the implications of her potential to disrupt the precarious balance of the world’s major powers. Even if no one but Jadis and her closest companions knew about her quest from D, if she continued on her current path, the possibilities her ever growing power presented would become obvious to everyone, especially to world leaders who were no doubt sensitive to such things.
“Yeah, I get what you’re saying,” Jay finally said, breaking the silence. “But what do you want me to do about it?”
“Settle down, perhaps have some children? You seem to have a few options who would not object to a quiet, pastoral life with you, especially now that you are financially stable.”
The reactions from the women around Jadis were telling, to say the least, but Jadis’ selves all managed to keep straight faces.
“Maybe when I’m older. I’m not ready to settle down just yet.”
“Then I am open to suggestions.”
That was a good sign, Jadis supposed. Vraekae wasn’t demanding she do as she said. No threats of imprisonment. Just an earnest attempt at meeting each other on common ground. It was just that Jadis wasn’t entirely sure where that common ground was.
She wasn’t going to give up on a life of adventure. Despite all the many hardships, Jadis loved the amazing things she’d done and had every intention of doing more. Sure, getting broiled by a flaming demon wasn’t fun, but overcoming a more powerful foe and being victorious over a foe that no one else had been able to defeat absolutely gave her a thrill like no other. She wanted to explore more, fight more, level more. She wasn’t going to stop now, even if the idea of having a few children with several certain women wasn’t as strange a thought to her as it once was. And speaking of those women, Jadis looked forward to going on adventures with those women for a long, long time, if they were willing. In fact…
“I will always be by her side to aid her,” Eir spoke up suddenly, interrupting Jadis’ train of thought. “If she needs healing of any kind, I will be there to soothe those wounds, just as I will be there to offer her any advice she may need on political matters. I think you know that I am not untrained in such things, cousin.”
“And you’re saying all this shit about her not having any kind of guide while I’m sitting right fucking here,” Kerr chimed in, rolling her clawed hand at the Magistrate. “I’m not into politics or any of that shit, but I’ve travelled through more parts of the Empire and beyond than I bet even you have. Even when we get lost, I’m going to be there to guide her back to safety. You don’t have to worry about asshole conmen taking advantage of her thick-headed cluelessness when I’m around.”
“I—I offer my shield,” Thea added a moment later, voice strong despite her stutter. “To defend her b—back and her blind spots. By my oath, no one, man or demon, will b—break through my defenses to get to her. I am the only guard she needs.”
A hand slipped into Jay’s, squeezing it tightly. Without looking at her, Aila simply held her head high.
“She’s my lover. I won’t let her face anything alone.”
“I see,” Vraekae said, leaning back in her chair.
“Like I said,” Jay shrugged one shoulder, a warm grin on her face. “I don’t need your guards. I’ve got a team.”
“Actually,” Syd jumped in a second later, the touching words of her companions having cemented the idea she’d been having. “Not just a team, I think. What can you tell me about what it takes to establish a mercenary company…?”
With that question asked, the Magistrate did one more unexpected thing Jadis never thought she’d see her do.
Vraekae grinned.
490