Lamia Queen woke up in the early morning. Beside her was her husband, the Spider King. He was still in deep sleep, but his body was shivering and trembling, his breath labored. No, it wasn’t a nightmare he was having or anything like that. It was because during the night she had hoarded all the covers for herself, leaving her husband stranded and at the mercy of a cool night.
The Lamia Queen was a good wife.
She flung the mountain of covers, all four of them, back on her husband. She tugged him in tightly. “You must have come back late, sss, you work too hard. Sss-sleep well, my dear husband.” She kissed him on a cheek and slithered to stand.
The Spider King stopped shivering, his body relaxing, and an unconscious smile appeared on his face. “No, mumble-mumble, stop. We can’t, my wife, mumble-mumble,” He sleep-talked some nonsense as he always does.
Whatever. She had many more wifey duties to perform, tucking in the husband and kissing him a morning kiss was just the beginning.
The Lamia Queen stood up to dress, slithering towards her dresser. Her eyes opened in surprise; there was a present atop the dresser. “Oh my, sss,” she hissed in pleasant surprise, her hand pressing at her modest chest.
There on top of the dresser was not one, but six containers of jelly, freshly milked at that – a gelatinous treat for her body and soul. A gift beyond gifts! But why so much, and so fresh?
Ah, yes, she remembered now that her husband went late at night to tend to his pet animal. The jelly slug was rather demanding at times, calling her husband at the most inconvenient of moments. But how could she, the magnanimous Lamia Queen, be angry when she liked the slug’s produce that much.
She dipped her finger into the sticky and gelatinous mass, scooping a greedy glop, and into her mouth it went. “The Spider King is, sss, a good husband,” she hissed in anticipation. If anything, he knew how to please his wife.
She licked the jelly, one container, two containers… All six were gone. Warm and fuzzy feelings filled her body, for once she was full, her sweet tooth demon satiated.
The Lamia Queen was a good wife.
Her husband deserved a gift, an equally pleasant surprise. But what? – it was a conundrum. She looked at his sleeping form, seeking for answers. “Volcano, mumble-mumble, fire. Lava… Mumble-mumble… So hot,” he mumbled some nonsense as he always does.
Perhaps he was cold? The mornings here were rather chilly. She put two more covers on, that should do the trick. That was when her eye noticed a shinning blue trinket on his bedside table. It was a SapphireScale.
She remembered this trinket of his very well. In her mind, she had vivid memories of her husband playing with this particular scale. More often than not, when he thought he was alone, he would pull it out and stare at it while deeply lost in thought. It was a habit of his.
Once she saw him on his throne, twisting and turning the scale in front of his eyes, playing with it in the sunbeam coming from the window. His face was showered in reflected blues of the sapphire, making him look rather mysterious and handsome. At that time, he was staring at it with burning intensity, his breath heavy. Probably he was thinking about an intense battle where he slayed some fierce beast and claimed this sapphire-like trophy. Either way, at that time, she found his fierce expression attractive.
There was another time where she saw him by the lake. With his feet in water and the scale in hand. He was using the scale to reflect the sun and shine sun bunnies on the lake surface as if to call some beast from deep within. A playful scene, yes, however, his expression was a sad one and filled with longing. Perhaps, he was missing the days where he fought at the frontlines as a Warrior and not as a King. Where he could claim many trophies like the one in his hand. Either way, at that time, she could sympathize with him. As a queen, just like him, she had to leave many simpler pleasures behind.
There was another time where she caught him tucked inside the covers of the bed. He looked frustrated, angry almost. His gaze was distant, but his eyes burned with fiery passion. And as always, there under the covers, he was playing with his favorite trinket – the sapphire scale. Or at least he pulled it out once he caught her looking. Huh? He looked rather sweaty and flustered. Eitheir way, at that time, she understood his anger, his fingers were looking for a distraction, and so was his mind. She understood the state of his beeing very well. That night he came onto her as a feral beast. That was very welcome.
There were many other times…
The point is that someone might find his behavior odd, but not the Lamia Queen, she was a good wife, she understood her husband well. You see, the Lamia (plural) too liked to collect various trophies and mementos, even decorate their bodies with it. She, for example, even to this day, has a set of teeth earrings made from the first kobold she had slain. The kobold was delicious and the earrings a precious memento. Yes-sss!
The scale her husband treasured must be something similar, something special, a memory he could touch and caress. She understood that well. However, the scale was raw and unprocessed, it was simply a Material. The Lamia were wise to turn their trophies into jewelry or even weapons, so this scale was a good candidate for something like this.
“Yes, sss, I think he would appreciate this,” her hand snatched the scale off the bedside table.
The Lamia Queen was a good wife.
She would process this into something very special, a surprise her husband would definitely appreciate.
“Sss,” she swooned, imagining all the hugs and kisses she would receive.
...
The late morning wasn't going well for the Spider King. Not at all. Forget the fact that he had overslept. There was so much to stress over.
First, he didn't want to blame all the sweets he had eaten just before bed, but he had a rather terrible nightmare. He dreamt of the chilling breeze of the mountaintop, there completely naked and without a single drop of a frost resistance potion. Stranded, hopeless, without any warmth. He didn't remember what he dreamt next, but oddly enough, he woke up drenched in sweat, and under all six of those abysmally warm blankets. It made no sense. To dream of frost and freeze, but wake up feeling like he just took a bath in a magma lake.
"Gah, I'm so wet and sticky!"
Next, feeling tired and exhausted, he ended up dumpig the jelly containes, the ambeosia he'd worked so hard to extract, on top of the dresser. And then, of course, in this early morning, his wife of a glutton, got her claws on them. Her forked tongue and greedy fingers did a number on the containers; they were licked clean, all six of them, not a single drop of jelly remained. Not a drop! Shame, because it was reserved for the prominent spiders as their just rewards for a future Quest. And a spider would make it last a good month, so his wife, Lamia the Devourer, could learn some restraint from the spiders.
"But will she ever?"
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
And then, the calamity struck. His forgetful self forgot to put the Mer Princess scale back into the Inventory space. Out of sight out of mind - as the saying goes, but his foolish self left it on a bedside table. Critical mistake, because it was now missing. Did... Did his wife know the true origin of the scale? He dreaded to think what happened to it. For all he knew, by now, it was likely thrust into the depths of the oblivion. The scale she entrusted to him - lost forever.
"Sorry, Mer Princess. I will repent for my sins!"
Hopefully, in the afternoon he will fare better.
...
Outside, at the landing harbor meant for flying ships, the Spider King gathered an assembly of evolved spiders. A good hundred Spider Warriors, a necessary thirteen Spider Mages, a beast of a unit consisting of a single Warrior Leader Jr., and the usual hundred or so of support crew to man the Galleon Whale.
The cohort of warriors wasn't quite a legion but they were just as formidable. They donned armor black as obsidian, their pauldrons and back plates decorated with thorny, vicious spikes. At their hands, they held menacing weapons, axes glowing with either Frost or Fire, and sometimes Dark elemental magic. They also held terrifying shields, just as dark and just as thorny as their armor. Their helmets were horned, and their spidery feet tipped in sharp metal. Needless to say, they exuded an aura of Terror.
The conspiracy of mages, all thirteen of them, hid behind enchanted cloaks, more a shroud of swirling darkness than a cloak. Their forms were obfuscated, but the golden glow of their eyes pierced the unnatural midnight darkness which was their form. Surely, hidden beneath the cloaks, they held numerous scrolls and potions at the ready, not to mention their mastery of Dark magic. They looked more like phantoms than spiders, creatures nearly impossible to harm with physical attacks.
And the unit of a spider, the Warrior Leader Junior, well... It was equivalent to this world's tactical nuke. Menacing, atrociously menacing. What else is there to say?
The spiders stood proud, be it their chitin or their weapons, polished to perfection. Their golden orb-like eyes gazed at their King attentively, appreciating his head horns which formed a perfectly spidery crown. An occasional mandible clacked from excitement. It wasn't often they had a chance to bask in his majesty's aura and it was a rare honor to be gathered like this. Something glorious awaited them!
The Spider King, the man, the one, the spidery legend, stood on top of conveniently placed supply crates - a stage for his performance. He was facing the flying ship, his back pointed to the spiders. Theatrically he flung his spidery cape, its jewels sparkling in the daylight, the n a fluid motion he turned to face the assembly. He scanned every single one of them, his gaze was villainous but also burning with passion. Once again, theatrically, he flung his cape but towards his back this time. Doing so he exposed his royal armor, a vest made of pure and pristine scales, light armor of immense power. He presented himself with pride.
"Spiders," he addressed, his purple eyes glowing. "We need to go on a Quest!" He stretched his left hand, the darkened claws which were his fingers pointing towards the distant west. "As you know, certain kinds of supplies are dwindling. The formidable Centauri Champion remains missing, lost on her own Quest, and her presence is dearly missed. We shall aid her in her hardship and then bring her back. So once again, let's go on a Quest!"
"Aye-Aye," the spiders chirped, thumping their chests.
The Spider King jumped off the crates, allowing the spiders to start loading the supplies. That was when his perceptive eye caught the pristine whites of his wife. She was slithering towards him in a mad sprint.
"Oh no... Did I fail to escape in time?" He uttered, fearing the wrath of his wife. It was very likely she had sniffed the true origin of the vaguely heart-shaped scale. It was no mere jewel...
Just so, in his haste, he tripped over a wrapped bundle of some generic supplies. "Butt-Rot! I should have used ShadowStep!" he cursed, scrambling to get on his feet.
A surprisingly strong hand pulled on his cape, making him stumble again. Crouching, he turned to face the wrath of his wife. The Lamia Queen looked at him knowingly, her face stretched in a cold smile. That's it, he was done.
"..." No words came from the Spider King, he was gathering his might to face the wrath equal to a volcanic explosion.
"Husband, sss," she hissed, her voice warm and deceptively loving.
Aha! This was a moment where she would trick him to spill the beans.. .
"This, sss," she took a familiar scale from behind her back.
"!!!"
"I'm returning this-sss to you," still smiling, she offered the gift. "Your battle trophy, sss..."
Ah! She called it a battle trophy... a creative word to name the sin he was guilty of committing. His mind was shaking, but his hand was steady. He was a man! He would weather this. He would take the responsibility!
"I see..." He took the scale. "???" Hey! It was different! She had done something to the scale!
"Do you like it husband, sss? Go ahead, Inspect it."
The Sapphire Scale had a DriderSilk string threaded across its tip, and the string itself was adorned with BlackPearls. But more importantly, it was obviously enchanted. Enchanted again and again. Layer upon layer. A feat seemingly impossible. There were so many enchantments that the necklace was actually vibrating in his hand, and if you listened very closely, it was humming, the humm oddly reminiscent of crashing waves.
Mhm, an enchanted item. Brimming with arcane power. Yes-yes... Clearly this was a Bomb, and if not then an artifact meant to Curse him for his indiscretions.
Either way, "[Inspect]" he invoked, ready to face the divine judgment.
Item: LoveBound Necklace
Quality: Masterwork
Bonuses: +50MP, +10 Mer Faction Reputation
Active Perks: [Hydrokinesis], [SonicSeduction]
Passive Perks: [Beauty +1], [Reinforced +4], [Reflect: Charm], [Water Affinity]
Resistances: [Water Resistance: Medium]
"Turn it over, sss. There is an extra."
He flipped the scale, the back of it was engraved. The description reading: '"In the depths of understanding, love forges its masterpiece."
With wide eyes, he read the description again and again. Did... Did this mean she forgave him for his indiscretions?!
"!!!"
"Sss-so what do you think," drawing near she blinked at him, her cheeks flushed.
"This is beyond amazing! The masterpiece like this? I am unworthy! Just... just how did you have it in you to make something like this?" He stared at his wife with starry eyes.
"Husband, sss, you are worthy of it, and of much more." She puckered her lips, leaning for a kiss.
A smooch was made, the bond between them growing stronger.
"I shall admit a simple fact, true as the sky is blue. You are a good wife!" he purred and kissed her again.
"Sss-stop it, sss, the sss-spiders are watching." She pushed him away, the gesture meant to stop herself, not him, from committing an assault in the broad daylight."Now put it on already." She said so, but it was her hands which clasped the necklace over his neck.
That was when something unimaginable happened.
[SYSTEM MESSAGE]
A sinister, ethereal voice echoed through the mind of the Spider King.
[Congratulations! Spider King, on your audacious and utterly shameless act of adorning yourself with a relic of such intimate origin. You have proven yourself to be a true champion of depravity. May your boldness be as eternal as your reign]
[Achievement Unlocked: Princess Parts Panache]
>+5 Reputation with female humanoid creatures.
>-10 Reputation with all other creatures.
>+25% chance to attract unwanted attention>
Yeah... The Spider King's hand reached to pluck the necklace off.
"Sss, no," the Lamia Queen caught his intentions, her hand preventing his. "Wear this trophy with pride, sss, my good husband. Don't ever hide it like you used to do. May it be known, that this necklace is my gift to you."She smiled in perfectly ignorant smile.
After all, perhaps she didn't know the true origin of the scale. But maybe she did, and was forcing him to wear his shame as punishment for his many-many indiscretions.
Either way, it appears the necklace was staying on his neck.