----------------------------------------
read it at Royalroad : https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/46739/touch-o-luck-the-old-realms
& https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/47919/lure-o-war-the-old-realms
Scribblehub https://www.scribblehub.com/series/542002/touch-o-luck-the-old-realms/
& https://www.scribblehub.com/series/547709/the-old-realms/
----------------------------------------
-
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Princess Elsanne Eikenaar
Any tavern & at any port
Part I
-She gives no quarters-
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Here it is then.
The sun came up over the distant sea, gold and bright orange rays shooting down from the melting clouds. Elsanne felt the heat touching her face and pulled away from the window. The winter, or whatever passed for it on this remote corner of Eplas was over.
“Jasi is waiting outside Princess,” Loes said and offered her a light cloak to throw over her shoulders. Elsanne rejected it with a glare. She was sweating even at the thought of an extra layer of clothing.
“The Prince has returned?” she asked looking at herself in the polished bronze mirror.
“He slept in Vynia’s quarters,” Loes replied.
Thank Uher for that.
“I’ll have some tea,” Elsanne said calmly. “Send Jasi in.”
She walked to her desk and used a small key to unlock a small drawer. Elsanne found a stack of scrolls inside and placed them in front of her. The eunuch had entered her quarters in the meantime, his large figure smelling of white roses. Jasi has used plenty of makeup today, she thought and has bought himself a new set of robes.
“Exulted Princess of Kaltha and the three kingdoms,” he started after a well-practiced deep bow at the waist. “I revel at your sight. Your highness is looking absolutely divine under this light.”
“Anything else?” Elsanne probed with a small smile.
“Hymns shall be written of your form, oh ye gloried—”
Elsanne stopped him with a gesture. “My query was rhetorical.”
“Apologies your exquisiteness.”
Well then.
You’re not wrong at least.
“Any news on what we talked about?” She asked him, looking at the messages merchants had managed to smuggle in. Elsanne had spent the months after learning of Prince Casper’s murder to find out as much as she could. It wasn’t easy getting any information about it, but the effort had helped pull the princess out of her mourning and turn her numbness and despair into determination.
“Kaltha controls the road Mistress,” Jasi said in a subdued voice approaching her. He reached with a ring-adorned hand almost touching her and found an engraved bottle of liquor the Prince had brought her upon learning the news. Elsanne hadn’t touched it, as she wasn’t particular on alcohol.
It made her do silly things.
“Kaki-ju,” Jasi told her opening the bottle and pouring himself a shot in one of her tiny gold cups. “Also called Kaju,” the eunuch continued and downed the contents with a grimace. “A Horselord drink made out of fermented rice, honey and the jade leafed Ju flower, we also make use for its poisonous qualities.”
“We?” Elsanne asked watching him.
“People in our business,” Jasi replied, then realized he was standing too close to her and stepped back. “Very strong stuff.”
“Alcohol doesn’t agree with me,” Elsanne reminded him and Jasi nodded his bald oiled head.
“That was probably the Prince’s reasoning for the gift Mistress.”
Hmm.
She wouldn’t put it past that snake.
“So?” She asked narrowing her eyes.
Jasi frowned and smacked his fat crayoned lips.
“Nothing more of substance mistress. The man was eager to depart.”
“I’m sure he was. Back to Eikenport?”
“Eh, most caravans are heading straight for Goras these days,” Jasi replied. “What did the Prince say?”
“I haven’t seen him,” Elsanne retorted, a little annoyed he was trying to get gossip out of her. She had made no attempt to repair her relationship with Prince Radin in the months that had followed and his preoccupation with taking back Jadefort from the Horselords had helped her avoid him completely. “Isn’t Goras that city in Wetull?”
“Yes it was,” Jasi replied thoughtfully. “One of its ports is working again apparently.”
Goras was rumored to have three due to its enormous size, if one believed the histories.
“People actually live there?” She asked curious. “Didn’t that volcano turned that valley into a gulf or something?”
“Who can say? But there are people there now of all kinds, though mostly cutthroats and Zilans I presume.”
“That’s ridiculous, who would associate himself with monsters?” Elsanne asked. “Isn’t that outlawed?”
“Old laws, mostly forgotten.”
“That’s not how it goes Jasi,” Elsanne admonished him. “These are demons we are talking about, sorcerers and cannibals! Uher himself cursed them!”
“Demons with coin,” Jasi added with a smirk. “And timber, Eikenport craves for. Uher, most people here don’t much care about mistress.”
It’s no wonder you ended up maimed you blasphemous fool!
“Eh, I asked you to bring me news of Kaltha,” Elsanne snapped with a frown and decided to change the subject. “Was this the army from Rida?”
“Rida is destroyed mistress,” Jasi replied. “I don’t believe your brother’s army made it out.”
“Someone did!”
“The Prince will know more, I’m sure,” Jasi said and then added with a sigh. “There’s talk he might travel to Eikenport soon.”
“Why?” Elsanne asked, feeling the sweat gathering on her neck.
“The Khan’s hold on the city is tenuous at best.”
That’s not bad news at all.
“Our Prince has no army to do anything,” Elsanne countered, a little frustrated she was just hearing about it.
“You know men with swords and horses,” Jasi said rolling his eyes. “Everything seems doable for them. A grand adventure always but a short ride away.”
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Radin seemed thinner and worn out, living near the lake for months was the opposite of healthy and he’d never fully recovered from his injuries. He raised a brow seeing her enter Vynia’s quarters, his other wife washing herself in the bronze bathtub next to her bed. She made to stand, but Elsanne stopped her with a wave of her hand.
“Enjoy your water Vynia,” she told her with a smile. “This will be a short talk.”
“Here I thought, you’ve come to your senses dear,” Radin taunted her. “Eh, at least I get to see you.”
“I hope your discomfort didn’t ruin your evening,” Elsanne retorted.
“It didn’t, Vynia knows how to please her husband,” Radin deadpanned. “It’s a talent.”
Vynia covered her face embarrassed, which was a bit hypocritical since Elsanne could see her nipples poking out of the foamy waters. She relaxed her face and breathed once deeply. This wasn’t the Cofol woman’s fault.
“I heard you are going to travel to Eikenport,” Elsanne said after an awkward moment managing to wrong-foot the Prince.
“Why yes I am actually,” he finally said with a grunt.
“Is the city in danger?”
“You seek to learn whether your brother’s thugs intent to march on Eikenport, or not?” Radin asked and stood up, not bothering to cover himself.
Yikes.
“Well?” Elsanne probed, staring into his face. Radin put his hands on his hips and stood with his legs open, now sporting a teasing smile. “You are being ridiculous,” she warned him and he frowned.
“I’m being a thoughtful husband that doesn’t demand from you to fulfill your wifely duties,” Radin replied his stare hardening. “Vynia,” he added. “I’d like your mouth here love.”
Elsanne heard the splash of the bathtub as the other woman got out and walked towards them. She knelt in front of her husband –and also Elsanne’s husband- and reached for his cock.
Uher help me.
“Seriously?” She hissed glaring at him.
“Very,” Radin replied with a smirk. “What do you want to learn wife? I may not pay you much attention in a moment, so you better get it out fast. Of course,” he added cruelly. “You can forgo this foolish quest of yours and join us.”
This is humiliating, she thought furious. You stupid callous motherfucker.
But it was seeing poor Vynia reduced so much that made her hate him the most.
Fuck your traditions.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Fuck your family and your stupid country.
“I want to come with you to Eikenport,” Elsanne croaked, the heavy and mostly drenched in sweat dress feeling like a second skin that weighed her down.
“You’re not a good traveling companion,” Radin replied clenching his jaw. “I’ll pass, you’ll stay here.”
Uher strike him down at once!
“If there is a Kaltha attack looming upon the city, you need me there Radin,” she hissed, the sounds of Vynia doing her best to pleasure him grating to her psyche. You can’t remain a romantic for long under these insane conditions girl, she thought, trying to keep herself from lashing out or start crying.
Both weren’t an option.
She wasn’t some poor wench, or a little girl anymore. Elsanne refused to allow herself to be reduced to this and tolerate him knocking her down for much longer.
I’ll punch back, she decided. The moment I know how.
“Hmm, I don’t think you want to help me,” Radin said as if he could read her thoughts, his words ending with a grimace of pain. Bite that thing off good sister, Elsanne thought. Sink those teeth in! “These uncultured thugs need to be put down. That fool Tsuparin just made it difficult for me, but I’ll find a way.”
“Where are they from?” Elsanne asked with difficulty, a vein throbbing on her left temple on the verge of bursting.
“I’ve no idea. Rumors say the desert is full of crows where Kuntur was slain and bleached white bones,” Radin grunted putting a hand on a hard-working Vynia’s wet head to keep it steady.
Ah.
The gods must truly hate me.
Elsanne stood back her heart faltering. Radin caught her expression and glared at her, losing his erection despite Vynia’s desperate efforts.
“You know who they are?” He asked pushing the woman away.
“Scaldingport,” Elsanne murmured and felt the headache worsening. “The De Weers.”
“Hah,” Radin scoffed, a smile on his handsome face. “I’ve beaten that fool in Riverdor.”
Elsanne smelled of wet pines and rotting oaken roots all of a sudden. Heard the horrid squeals and the bloody steel mace coming down. Vicious undiluted brutality.
No you didn’t.
> “Eh, this is really tedious,” The young King said, standing atop his great horse, eyes glaring at the hunters spread about still looking. “Where did that darn boar go?”
>
> A teenage Elsanne turned her head around to look behind them, the leather pants constricting and the horse unwieldy between her legs. The animal snorted, white vapors shooting out of its nostrils and the thick tall trees crackled in response. The horse moved forward and she pulled at the reins to stop it. She failed, the horse kept moving forward, past the first trees and then a dog burst out of the foliage and scared it proper.
>
> “The Princess!” someone yelled on her back, just as her mount jumped away from the confused hunting dog and then started galloping through the forest. Away from the King’s party.
>
> Elsanne tried to stop it, but after an intense minute, she just concentrated on staying on the saddle and not falling to her death. She came close a couple of times, heavy branches narrowly missing her head, but Uher kept her upright. The horse stopped on its own eventually. It found an opening amidst the endless canopy of North Greenforest and she could see the snowed top of the Boar Mountain protruding above the old oaks.
>
> “Well that’s great. Look at what you did you silly horse,” Elsanne murmured and climbed down from her grazing mount, feeling well-shaken and thoroughly roughed up. She tried to gather her long white hair back and fix them in a simple bun, since everything had gotten loose in the impromptu trip amidst the greenery, but it wasn’t as easy without her mirror and her servants.
>
> Sighing frustrated she turned one way, but heard a dog growling behind her and twisted about scared. Elsanne saw the dog about ten meters away, all froth and gnarly teeth, but the hound was glaring at another target not paying her any attention.
>
> Oh, damn it.
>
> Surely…
>
> The huge boar snorted, tusks the size of shortswords protruding from its snout and stabbed its foot down. The dog barked angry, just as Elsanne started retreating without a clear plan. Truth be told she could barely think. The dog kept barking enraged and the boar charged at it without a warning. It all happened in the blink of an eye. A thud and the dog’s smashed body hit a huge tree-trunk bones crackling, flesh turning into mush.
>
> Elsanne let out a scream and run towards her horse, but it reared on its hind legs and forced her back. The horse turned and galloped away, as she stumbled back her riding boots slipping on rotten leaves and lush wet grass.
>
> Oh, no-no-darnit! She cursed inwardly seeing the boar turning its huge ugly head her way, small beady eyes full of malice.
>
> Hit the dog again!
>
> Elsanne twisted around and made to run towards the thick trees, the thought of climbing up one never occurring to her –though it was doubtful that she would have managed it- but stopped seeing a large horse sprouting out of the shrubbery, the heavy set man on top of it opening his eyes wide thoroughly stunned.
>
> “Ahm, wher’ did that blasted dog…” the covered in dark-grey armour brutish-looking man grunted seeing her standing frozen before his horse, making no sense at all. Elsanne heard the boar coming up behind her before she could explain.
>
> The young Princess of Kaltha dived one way, the massive boar catapulting by her, mud, grass and pieces of broken twigs raining over her body. She rolled clumsily on the ground with a yelp, banging her head and messing up her hair, the man flinching seeing the boar rushing him the moment Elsanne was out of the picture.
>
> A horrible tearing sound came next, followed by a mighty thud, as Elsanne finished her awkward tumble, every part of her body hurting and covered in mud that smelled like shit from head to toe. She coughed with her face covered in mud and saw the tail end of the boar goring the man’s horse, after shoving it three meters back. The boar heaved its broken body right and then left, ripping it apart and breaking its spine.
>
> Elsanne screamed now fully freaked out and the boar turned its ugly bloody snout her way. She knew screaming wasn’t helping and probably pissed the huge pig even more, but the Princess just couldn’t help herself.
>
> So she screamed even more, whilst trying to get up, or snake away walking on her back using her elbows and the boar snorted, lowered its head prepared to gore her next.
>
> Probably eat her right after.
>
> Oh my all gods and goddeses!
>
> HELP!
>
> “HEEELPP!”
>
> “Damnation!” The man grunted standing up covered in gore, his pants torn and his fancy armour dented. He looked right angry. So much so that he waltzed towards the boar and kicked him right at its right ear.
>
> Elsanne abruptly stopped screaming deeply shocked.
>
> The huge animal shuddered, the kick apparently much stronger than what it had appeared to her initially and tried to turn its unwieldy hairy body around. Another heavy boot got it right at the snout when it did and cracked one of its tusks. The third ripped it out of its mouth and the furious man was on it.
>
> The boar wailed in horrible pain and attempted to pull away, but the brutish man, teeth grinding manically and eyes narrowed with hatred reached with a hand and grabbed that snout to stabilize it, then smacked it with brutal force with a mace.
>
> Once and the massive boar dropped to his knees.
>
> Twice and that thick skull cracked, hairy hide ripping away from the broken bone.
>
> The boar’s desperate squeals echoing for half a minute, as the man went into a frenzied rhythm, muscled arm coming up and down, brains, pieces of bone and gore splattering everything in a two meters radius.
>
> He just wouldn’t stop.
>
> Gods help me! She gasped unable to breathe and then her stomach rebelled. The King’s party found the princess retching and covered in blood and shit when they appeared, which was humiliating unto itself, but nothing was more stomach turning than the old De Weer’s comments.
>
> “Look at that young fool!” The Lord of Scaldingport commented crooking his mouth in disbelief, when the knights managed to pull his firstborn away from the pulverized boar. “Kill the pig and smash the wench, not the other way around ye darn buffoon! Good grief! Well, that’s a bloody chance wasted, if there ever was one.”
>
> “The princess is unharmed,” Sigurd admonished him. “It would behoove you to guard your tongue Lord De Weer.”
>
> The old Lord eyed him like a bug, finding shelter under a heavy boot. “My lad turn that horse around afore I gut you scrotum to navel and call it a ‘hunting’ accident. Ask your King if he’ll come to yer defense and then wipe that scowl of your darn face!”
>
> “Lord Sigurd,” Antoon intervened scrunching his mouth. “Let us not make more of it. That’s enough excitement for a day.”
>
> Elsanne wiped her face with a hand and the old Lord stooped over his saddle and offered her a clean towel. She took it with a glare and he chuckled, showing two rows of worn out teeth. Lord Ruud was over sixty and probably wouldn’t make it another year, she thought using his towel to clean her face and neck thoroughly from all the mud and nasty stuff.
>
> A large raven, its feathers black as coal, landed on a branch two trees away and stared at her austerely with its black beady eyes.
>
> “Bend the fuckin’ knee!” The huge bird yelled out of the blue and then cackled like an old crone having her toes massaged.
>
> “And with that final bit, it seems the hunt is over,” Antoon commented sourly, a long awkward moment later. “Sir Gust got the honors Lord Ruud and whatever the hell happened here shan’t be talked about again.”
>
> “Crows are calculative creatures, rarely prone to outbursts,” Lord Ruud had told her not paying much attention to the High King. “But when they’re threatened, they give no quarters.”
“Gust wouldn’t have stopped like poor Ralph did,” Elsanne hissed. “You were just lucky husband.”
Prince Radin clenched his jaw and then burst out laughing. “Then why should I take you with me then? They’ll never listen to you.”
He looked at his cock and grimaced. “I’ve taken Jadefort,” he murmured and walked towards the bed to find his robes. “I’ll straighten out this problem as well and you wife will keep Dia running for me.”
No, I won’t, Elsanne thought. I’ve had enough of your bullshit.
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
Elsanne spent the next morning on the tower staring towards the east, a permanent scowl on her face. The strong sun forced her down afore noon and she headed for the garden, not in the mood to eat, or talk to anybody.
She missed the Cofol woman sitting under a cinnamon tree, silver flask in hand. Selussa, clad in soft black leather, stretched her fit legs out and eyed her.
“Less shadow on the bench,” she commented and tasted whatever she had in that fancy flask. “It will get worse.”
“My dress stains easily and I’m pretty sure the dogs pee under that tree,” Elsanne retorted and glared at the sun boiling her head.
“My sister never cared about anything. Be it material, or social,” Selussa replied cryptically and made room for her in the shade. “I’m cursed to care about everything,” she added. “It’s what I got in the trade.”
Elsanne sighed and stood up. She walked next to the exotic woman and carefully sat down gathering her legs under her dress. The shade heavy and rather pleasant. Much heavier that it should have been as a matter of fact.
Elsanne glanced at Selussa and the slanted eyed woman smiled.
“What do you mean?” Elsanne asked her.
“I want to tell you, but I can’t,” Selussa replied and puffed out pressing the back of her head on the red trunk. “You’ve a good heart Princess, but you should never let anyone know.”
“I can be mean,” Elsanne argued.
“Who made you mad?”
“Everything,” she murmured. “I feel trapped.”
“Perhaps you are.”
Elsanne nodded. “If you haven’t appeared back then, I would have never made it here.”
“Uncertain freedom, or certain bondage.”
“Kobus would have traded for me,” Elsanne argued.
“Were you free in Kaltha?” Selussa teased her. “Is a prize ever free?”
“Are you?” Elsanne countered. “What do you do when you’re away Selussa?”
“I serve my master,” Selussa replied casually.
Elsanne nodded. “Who does he serve?”
Selussa chuckled and offered her the flask, but Elsanne refused with a shake of her head.
“It’s better you don’t know,” came the Cofol’s reply.
“I want to go to Eikenport,” Elsanne blurted.
“Say you do,” Selussa said with a small smile. “What then Princess?”
“Radin won’t win there,” Elsanne replied. “And if he attempts it, I fear he won’t survive.”
“He’s isn’t supposed to win,” Selussa noted and had another taste from her flask. “None of them are. There are much bigger players in this game, with more resources and smarts.”
Elsanne made to speak, but stopped unsure. Selussa watched her struggle with her herself, a small smirk at the corner of her mouth.
“Ask Princess,” she urged, her voice a whisper. “You’ve nothing to lose.”
“Can you get me to Eikenport?” Elsanne asked her anxiously. “You’ve been traveling back and forth all the time.”
Selussa raised an arm and showed Elsanne a handful of small resin cubes containing incense she held in her palm. Selussa blew on them slowly and dense white smoke billowed, the shadows growing around their tree, the shades now impregnable.
“What’s this?” Elsanne asked, very impressed.
“This is my way,” the strange woman replied. “But it doesn’t have to be yours.”
“What do you mean?” Elsanne inquired unsure.
Selussa shrugged her shoulders, snapped her fist shut, sending the shades away and jumped lithely on her feet.
“Send Jasi on a shopping trip and lend your servant your lovely dress,” she told her with that wicked smile and offered a hand to help her up. Elsanne nodded and took it.
“This road,” Selussa whispered so only she could hear. “Might force your hand Princess. Once you step on it, you’ll make powerful people uneasy. They might come for your pretty head and not your hand this time. What does a girl that was a prize all her life do, if she’s threatened?”
Elsanne glanced at her shaking hands and sighed afore reaching for the pirate’s coin, she still kept on her.
“She gives no quarters,” the Princess replied firmly.