From the dense clouds, a ship of pure white IronOak emerged, gliding silently through the mountain winds. Its hull, smooth and seamless, shimmered like bone polished to a fine gleam, the unique wood seeming both ancient and otherworldly. No sails adorned it; instead, spidery symbols etched along its spine pulsed with a faint purple glow, propelling the ship forward as if by sheer will. The ship moved as if weightless, floating like a ghost over the rugged peaks.
The Harpy Village, perched precariously on the steep cliffs, was a collection of airy nests carved within the mountain face. As the ship approached, the wind carried the scent of mountain air, mingling with the faint hum of magic emanating from the vessel. The ship hovered gracefully before deploying its landing gear onto a stone landing pad carved into the mountainside. A gust of wind lifted the feathers of the harpies, who watched in awe, their eyes wide, as the ship settled like a dream descending from the heavens.
From the flying ship, the Spider King descended in all his regal splendour. His Spidery Robes of Magnificence flowed like liquid midnight, woven with golden threads that shimmered with arcane power. Draped beneath those robes, he wore the Vest of the Lamia Queen, a vest made from the skin of some legendary formidable predator. The pure white scales glistened like ice under the sun. Around his neck hung a necklace—a single blue mermaid scale that hummed with unknown promise, no doubt a piece of jewellery that could either charm even the most resilient of maidens; or perhaps resist their charms.
Yet, it was not he alone that held the harpies' gaze, but the mighty creature upon which he rode.
The Centauri Champion galloped forth, a sight as intimidating as it was captivating. Her battle dress was a contradiction of form—armoured pauldrons gleamed with deadly purpose, while a frilly skirt billowed around her powerful frame, swaying with each confident stride. Concealed in her attire, she carried a set of weapons of the most lethal kind, so formidable and large that they could barely be contained. They swayed rhythmically with her movements, inspiring the moderately equipped harpies to aspire for more.
The harpies, perched on the rocky outcrops and suspended nests of their mountain village, stared wide-eyed at this display of might. Though they had seen the Spider King once before, they didn’t know he was in command of such a formidable creature. The Centauri Champion’s presence was something wholly new—a living weapon of grace and strength, a mare that could only be ridden by one of true royalty.
Intimidation mixed with awe as the harpies' feathers ruffled in response. Their sharp eyes followed every motion of the Centauri’s lethal sway, both fear and admiration stirring within them. They could feel her power, the coiled energy ready to strike at a moment’s notice, and yet there was an undeniable beauty in the way she carried herself, in the pride with which she served her King.
The harpies whispered among themselves, impressed but also inspired by this union of spider and centauri, a perfect balance of grace, danger, and… loyalty? Was this something they could ever replicate?
One of the Harpy Bosses, a familiar girl feathered in mature browns, glided forward and joyfully extended an invitation.
“Hey! Spider King, fancy seeing you again! The Harpy Queen wanted to see you. What a coincidence, hey! Come!” she said, her excited voice echoing through the mountain.
The Spider King dismounted gracefully, landing with the quiet authority that defined him. He turned to the Centauri Champion, resting a hand on her armoured flank. "Wait for me here. I won’t be long."
The Centauri Champion gave a slight nod, her posture unwavering. "As you command, my King."
With that, he followed the Harpy Boss deeper into the mountain's rocky heart, where the Harpy Queen's cave awaited.
The cave opened before him, a grand cavern with jagged stone walls and wide, natural windows carved out by wind and time, revealing a breathtaking view of the horizon. But it was not the view that caught the Spider King’s attention—it was the array of goods scattered across the chamber.
Crates filled with spidery goods lined the cave’s interior, their contents carefully arranged. Tucked among them were boxes of Tomgrapes, the harpies' most cherished delicacy, their deep blue skins glistening in the dim light. Rolls of finely woven BlueCloth sat in a neat pile, perfect for the harpies' nests, their vibrant hue matching the sky beyond. Spidery Harpy Tanktops, custom-fitted for harpy wings, were draped over the crates, alongside delicate bone trinkets—earrings and necklaces, all painstakingly crafted by the dexterous claws of spiders.
The Spider King narrowed his many eyes slightly in recognition. These were the wares of one of his spidery merchants, carefully curated to appeal to the harpies' tastes. The sight was unexpected but not unwelcome—a small surprise in the midst of his visit.
The Spider King stepped further into the cave, the dim light casting flickering shadows on the stone walls. It was the glow of spidery candles that bathed the room, their blue wax melting slowly, while flames of unnatural purple danced atop them, casting a strange, almost divine-like light. The air felt thick, not just with the scent of goods and tomgrapes, but with something far more intoxicating—a scent like the distant heat of a desert, arid yet oddly sweet. It clung to the air, curling into his senses, making him grip the ever-precious sapphire scale around his neck. The necklace hummed gently, a subtle warning, reminding him of its power to reflect charms. He wasn’t sure if he would need it here...
The Spider King spied deeper into the cave and past the many crates, and there she was, the true surprise of his visit.
Gone was the aging Harpy Queen he remembered, with her once-dull grey feathers and the tired creases of time etched on her face. Now, she stood before him, radiating a vigour that shocked him to the core. Her feathers, still coloured in all fifty shades of grey, now gleamed like polished silver, catching the purple flame’s light and casting it back with a metallic sheen. Her face was all but free of the wrinkles he once knew, leaving only the faintest traces of age, now more a whisper than a mark. And her figure—well, it was fuller, her bust boasting a newfound spring and volume. Her presence dominated the room, not just through her appearance but in the air she carried around her—enticing, alluring, irresistible. Dangerously harpish!
Her dress, too, was unlike anything he’d seen before. It was spun from the finest blue cloth the spider artisans had ever made, its design intricate and elegant, a spidery web of patterns that clung to her form perfectly, highlighting her new youth. The Spider King’s gaze drifted over her, from the hem of the dress up to the sharp intelligence in her harpish eyes. He swallowed, fingers tightening around his necklace, its cool surface grounding him, holding him back from falling under the charm she seemed to cast without even trying.
The Harpy Queen, who had been examining a crate of goods, turned, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of him. Surprise lit her features, but it wasn’t shock—it was something softer. Something warmer.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
“Spider King,” she greeted, her voice carrying a lilt that hadn’t been there before. It was brighter, lighter, as if her voice, too, had been rejuvenated. “Hey! I didn’t expect you so soon!”
“And I did not expect to see you like this,” he replied, his voice steady but his mind spinning. “You’ve… changed.”
She smiled, a hint of pride glinting in her gaze. “Hey, yes. I owe that to your spiders.” She gestured around the cave, which was filled with crates of goods. “They’ve brought wonders—candles, fabrics, trinkets. But none so wonderful as KelpCream,” she said, running a taloned foot through her rejuvenated feathers. “And the perfume… it’s like the desert winds. I can hardly believe it. I don’t feel like an old Harpy Queen anymore. I feel young again! Hey-Hey!”
The Spider King remained still, his hand subconsciously grazing the necklace at his throat, his eyes taking in her transformation. It was remarkable, and yet dangerous in its allure. She seemed almost too perfect, too youthful. Was it the cream that had given her this glow, was it the perfume that made her so enticing, or was it something else? Indeed, the beauty products of the Spider Kingdom were rather… dangerous.
“And for that,” she continued, stepping closer, her feathers catching the candlelight, making them sparkle like stars caught in the rippling surface of a lake, “I owe you thanks. Your spider merchants have brought more than just Beauty back to me—they’ve returned something I thought was lost forever.” She paused, her eyes glimmering with an emotion he couldn’t quite place. “Hey! I feel alive again!”
The Spider King’s lips curled into a smirk. “I see… My merchants have been busy.”
“Oh, they have,” she said with a soft laugh, her eyes narrowing playfully. “But their craftsmanship is beyond compare. Your spiders truly know how to weave not only fabrics but… miracles.” She gestured to her dress, running her talons along the spidery patterns sewn into the blue cloth. “This dress, this beauty, this… youth. I owe it all to you and your people.”
Her gaze grew more intense, her amber eyes locking onto his as she stepped even closer. “So tell me, Spider King, is there anything I can offer you in return? Anything at all? No price is too great for what you’ve given me. Name it, and it’s yours. Hey?”
His fingers pressed on the necklace, the special scale thrumming again, its gentle hum a reminder of the protection it offered. The Harpy Queen’s beauty was undeniable, but there was something deeper beneath her offer—something more than gratitude. An invitation, perhaps? Or was it a challenge?
The Spider King paused for a moment, his eyes narrowing in thought. The Harpy Queen stood before him, her rejuvenated form calling to him enticingly. There was a harpish hunger in her eyes, not just for gratitude, but something more. He could sense it—the invitation behind her words. His fingers brushed over the necklace again, he was so thankful for this charm-resistant gift. Truly, his wife deserved more credit than he was giving her. The shape of the scale felt reassuring in his hand, it gave him the strength to engage in the delicate dance he now had to perform.
"I need no reward," he began, his voice even. Then, a thought flickered through his mind, and his lips curled into a subtle smile. "Or perhaps, there is something… after all."
The Harpy Queen’s eyes brightened immediately, her chest feathers puffing with excitement. She stepped closer, her wings swaying with eagerness, casting flickering shadows in the purple candlelight. “Oh?” Her voice was feathery-soft, wrapping around him with anticipation. “And what is it, my dear Spider King, that you desire? Name it, and it shall be yours.”
He kept his voice steady, though amusement tinged his tone. “Your harpies. I want them—no, not just to borrow them as before. I want them entrusted to me, their abilities, their natural talents. The Forest Harpy you lent me has proven herself indispensable. Her ability as a bombardier, her grace in the skies… truly unmatched. I could use more like her in the Spider Kingdom, and perhaps even in Centauri Territory.” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice. “And the eggs they lay… their taste is beyond compare. Not to mention all the desserts we can make out of them. A King needs desserts fit for a King! So, I wish to extend our alliance. Entrust your harpies and their HarpyEggs to me.”
For a moment, the Harpy Queen was silent. She blinked, absorbing the Spider King’s words, and then her lips curved into a delighted, almost mischievous smile. “Ah, the harpies and their eggs, you say? You flatter me, Spider King. But of course, the harpies are yours. We are loyal to your spidery cause, always have been.” She drew even closer now, so close that he could feel the warmth radiating from her, mingling with the scent of the desert perfume she wore—heady and tantalizing. “You want them… for their special skills and their eggs, do you? Well, I’m sure we can arrange that. In fact, I’m delighted by your request.”
She ran a corner of her wing delicately along one of the spidery patterns on her blue dress, as if emphasizing the intricate connection between their two peoples. “But I do have something more special in mind.” Her eyes glimmered with that same playful mischief as she placed a wing on her hip, tilting her head slightly. “Perhaps I could give you a… more personal gift.”
The Spider King raised a brow, intrigued but cautious. “Oh?”
Her wings shifted, feathers rustling like whispers in the silence of the cave. “You see,” she continued, her voice lowering to a sultry, harpish purr, “my nest has been empty for years. I thought my time had passed, that no more eggs would come from me. But with these marvellous spidery gifts—the cream, the perfumes, the potion, the beauty they’ve restored—well…” She let the implication hang in the air with the feathers, her eyes gleaming. “It seems my fertility has returned, Spider King. My nest can hold eggs again.”
There was no mistaking her offer now. The Harpy Queen’s gaze was unwavering, full of both challenge and invitation. “And for you, I could lay a special egg. Just one, a token of our bond…”
The Spider King exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of her words and the tension that crackled in the air between them. He could sense the power of her charm, her seduction carefully woven into her words and movements. But he had anticipated this; that’s why, even if he was impressed, he wasn’t exactly Charmed. More importantly, he had come here with a purpose, and that purpose did not include complicating matters further.
Regret tinged his next words, but they were resolute. “Your offer is generous, truly. But I must decline.” He smiled, the necklace humming victoriously. “My interests lie in the alliance, in ensuring the prosperity of our kingdoms. The usual HarpyEggs are a good gift enough, and all that I would need for now.”
The Harpy Queen’s wings fluttered, her feathers rippling in a delicate wave of regret. “Ahh, such a humble King,” she purred. “Very well then, no super-one-of-a-kind special egg from me.” She gave a mock sigh, though her smile remained playful. “Hey, but you know where to find me if you change your mind.”
The Spider King chuckled, shaking his head lightly. “Indeed.”
The conversation turned back to practical matters. Together, they ironed out the details of their new alliance. The harpies would scout the Centauri Territory from now on, their sharp eyes and swift wings invaluable in securing the borders. The Forest Harpies, at the request of the Forest Harpy Boss, would be relocated to the jungle of the Spider Kingdom—a gesture of thanks for the Spider King’s intervention in slaying a particularly vicious snake-monster that had once terrorized their ancestral lands.
The Harpy Queen spoke animatedly, her mind sharp despite her playful demeanour. Every now and then, her eyes would linger on him, as if contemplating what might have been, but she made no further attempts to sway him from his chosen path.
As the final details were agreed upon, the Spider King stood, his robes swirling around him with the movement. The necklace hummed softly, but he knew he had nothing to fear here—not from her charms, nor her allure. Their alliance was stronger than ever, bound by mutual respect, trade, and the promised loyalty of her harpies.
The Harpy Queen walked him to the entrance of her cave, her feathers catching the light of the coming sunset. “You’ve done much for my people,” she said softly, her voice warm and sincere. “We are in your debt, Spider King.”
He inclined his head. “And I am in yours. Our alliance will continue to grow, and our bonds get stronger. I’m sure of that.”
With that, the Spider King stepped out of the cave.
The Harpy Queen watched from the entrance of her cave, her expression unreadable, but a hint of that playful mischief remained in her feathers. She had offered him much today, and though he had declined her most personal gift, their bond had deepened. The harpies would fly for him, and their eggs… their eggs would grace his table. And if he ever wanted more, they would be there for him. Always at the ready. She would make it her royal order.