They arrived in the kingdom of Madria, on the outskirts of Barcelio, the capital city. Kai quickly donned a helmet that covered most of his face and matched the rest of his armor. Jace could see this peaceful city didn’t warrant the extra protection but guessed correctly that it was more for anonymity than anything else. The shaman dumped more mana into his necklace, understanding they were in a private module where no one knew who he was. Like the inquisitor, his true identity wouldn’t be welcome in this kingdom, though for vastly different reasons.
Jace worried about Gromphy and turned to see the goblin drinking a potion which transformed him into a gnome. He fed one to Snowy too, and the wolf shrank in size to appear more like a standard dog, still large but not as menacing. Gromphy led her on a leash, though it looked like the canine was the one pulling the shorter character along.
“The castle is ahead,” Kai said, unnecessarily pointing at the spires rising above the quaint one- and two-story buildings before them. “We should hurry; the gates close a few hours before the evening meal.” The knight didn’t wait for a response and marched forward into the city streets.
Jace followed at a distance, confident his troupe would spread out behind him so as not to look like a concentrated party. The city felt like a Renaissance Faire, with wood and brick buildings, thatched roofs, and plenty of people walking about on dirt streets in traditional middle ages dress. The population looked a lot like Kai, displaying light brown skin and dark hair, with Spanish influence. Occasionally, Jace saw a foreigner who looked more Asian, with narrower eyes, a slender build, and a slightly different skin tone, but they were few and far between in this section of the city.
Barcelio had been built around the castle, not just in proximity but in function. Jace passed several shops with signs on the doors saying they were closed for royal business. Blacksmiths, bakers, tanners, and the like held contracts with the palace to produce everything the king needed. In exchange, they were licensed to run their shops, and in any free time they had, they might even be able to turn a profit.
The trip through town took only a few minutes, and Kai pulled up short, approaching the castle from the rear and still a hundred feet from the iron gate. Jace moved alongside him. “The women are there,” the knight said, nodding through a section of the fence. Almost a dozen women worked around a pool, scrubbing laundry and hanging it up to dry. They looked like maids more than harem girls, and Jace guessed they were given menial jobs around the castle when not entertaining the king.
“The man watching them,” Kai continued, motioning toward an elderly official standing near the main path leading to a rear castle entrance, “is named Hegai. He oversees the women like a father figure. He also commands the eunuchs and the portion of the royal guard assigned to the women. You need to talk to him.”
“You’ll introduce us?” Jace asked.
Kai shook his head. “He hates me. You’re better off on your own.”
“We look like foreigners,” Jace said, trying to think of any way this could fail.
“When he sees Esther, do you think it will matter?” the knight asked.
Jaced turned to see his two female companions walking toward them, having stayed a hundred feet back so as not to draw attention to the powerful group. Esther laughed at something Draya said as a slight breeze tossed her air and played with the hem of her short skirt. She was gorgeous. “No,” Jace agreed, shaking his head and looking forward again. He remembered that Esther was also a foreigner in the Bible. “You’re right; it won’t matter. Anything else I need to know?”
“Each woman has a eunuch as an attendant and personal bodyguard. If you don’t provide one, they will recruit one for you.”
Jace looked to his left, where Psycho idly leaned against a lamppost, pretending to pick at his fingernails. Gromphy window-shopped at a few merchants nearby. Jace caught their attention and motioned them over. “I need a special item,” the leader said once the crafter came within earshot. “You might not have the proper supplies.”
Gromphy’s eyes widened at a potential challenge, and Jace knew that if he appeared as a goblin, his long ears would be quivering. “I need you to disguise Psycho as a eunuch.”
“Excuse me?” the elf said, anger brimming below the surface.
“I assumed he was one already,” the crafter replied with a straight face.
“Listen here, you demon-faced halfling, I will . . .” the archer raged.
“Enough, Psycho,” Jace said, raising his hand to stop any ill-conceived attack. “I need an illusion to fool the palace guards. If you don’t like it, Esther has a pair of sharp knives that can make the transformation more realistic.”
Psycho cooled a bit and stepped away from Gromphy.
“What can my knives do?” Esther asked, drawing close enough to hear the end of their conversation.
“Geld our virile archer,” Gromphy replied without hesitation.
Esther’s face screwed up in confusion. “What does that mean?” Draya leaned forward and whispered into her ear. The rogue’s face brightened. “Just show me where to cut, boss.”
Psycho blanched, and Jace shook his head. “Enough, I’m serious. Psycho’s going with you as an escort, and he has to fool the guards and a witch. I’m confident in his acting ability, but there might be spells they can cast. I’m sure the king doesn't want any . . . (ahem) intact males around his women.”
“I have the components thou needeth,” Gromphy said. He stepped into the privacy of the circle of friends and popped the trunk out of his inventory.
“Of course you do,” Jace said, rolling his eyes. He eventually came to look at his elven archer, who still wore a horrified expression. Jace stepped up to him while the crafter worked. “Look over there,” he said, motioning toward the castle. Tall, muscular men stood at a distance around the women as they worked. They each wore tight gray cotton trousers that stopped at the knee and a gold embroidered blue vest. They had no shirts or boots and looked on dispassionately as the women finished the laundry. It appeared they had completed most of the cleaning, and the girls now splashed in the water as much as they worked. Their wet clothes clung to them in a way that would excite most men, but the eunuchs stood by impassively, their eyes constantly on the lookout for danger.
“You need to blend in with them,” Jace said. “Esther doesn’t need a bodyguard and can fend off potential threats better than any guard the palace might have, but I don’t trust her to stay on task. You need to deliver a universal antidote to the king and warn him of the assassination attempt. We don’t know who is orchestrating it, so any information you can find would also be helpful.”
Psycho nodded. “I understand. I just . . . I wasn’t expecting . . .”
“Neither was I,” Jace said. “We need to roll with the punches.”
“It is finished.”
They turned to see Gromphy holding a plain bronze ring. Jace took it, turned it over in his hand, and offered it to Psycho. The elf took a step back.
“It shall not harm thee,” Gromphy said, insulted that anyone would refuse one of his items. “It is only an illusion. Entirely reversible.”
In a gesture of good faith, Jace put the ring on himself. He felt nothing at first and rolled his eyes into his game settings. His Sexualization was dialed down to nothing and grayed out, so he couldn’t change it. He usually kept it in the middle. He exited the display, removed the ring, and handed it again to Psycho. “It is harmless,” he said.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
The archer trusted the orc more than the goblin and took the item. Holding his breath, he put it on. The subtle change didn’t seem to alter his appearance much, but the more Jace examined his friend, the more he saw it. The structure of his face shifted slightly, losing the strong jaw and prominent brow and replacing them with softer, gentile features. The muscles in his arms lost definition, and his shoulders slouched slightly.
“I don’t like it,” Esther said, moving to stand next to Jace, eyeing the archer critically.
“That’s the point,” he said. “Hopefully, none of the other women do either.” He watched Psycho complete a self-examination. “Everything okay?”
The elf nodded. “I feel no different,” his hands went to his face. “But I look different?”
“It’s subtle,” Jace said.
“Ellenay wouldn’t like it,” Draya said.
At the mention of the female elf, Psycho reacted instinctively and pulled at the ring. Jace grabbed his right hand to stop him. He had heard the report of the attractive paladin from their recent pirate quest and understood the motive behind Psycho’s actions. “It’s only temporary,” Jace reassured. “A day at most. Then we can throw the ring into the ocean.” He stared hard at his archer. “Please?”
Psycho took a few deep breaths and nodded, separating his hands and leaving the ring on his left. “Then let’s get this over with.”
Jace nodded. He made sure Esther still wore the earrings that would allow Gracie to talk with her and had Gromphy give her the universal antidote he had crafted. After telling the rest of his crew to spread out and wait for them, he led Esther and Psycho toward the castle gate. The two guards on duty came to attention when they recognized the trio’s intent. Many people moved about the street, but most walked past the iron gate without slowing.
“Halt!” one of the guards cried. They were both level 16, adjusted up for Jace’s party. If they solved Kai’s quest and kept him, the inquisitor would likely be raised to 16 as well. “No admittance without an appointment,” the guard continued. “We have nothing on the schedule for foreigners. The gates will be closing soon. If you wish an audience with a member of the palace, you will have to return tomorrow and wait in line.”
Jace attempted the most disarming smile he could. “I’m here for my niece,” he said, stepping aside to reveal a grinning Esther, looking as cute and innocent as possible. “I understand the king is still seeking applicants for his harem. I see Hegai right over there. Could we talk to him?”
Both guards kept a stern face for a few seconds until one of them softened. Jace looked between him and Esther and wouldn’t be surprised to find out later that she had spent mana to charm him. “All prospective women should arrive before noon for evaluation,” he said, “but . . . I will see if he will allow an exception.”
“Thank you,” Jace said, though the guard didn’t give him a look as Esther held his attention. Eventually, she had to shoo him away, or he would have spent the rest of his shift staring at her.
“Uh, right,” he muttered. “I’ll be right back.”
The other guard looked confused at his partner’s sudden violation of protocol but didn’t say anything. He only shifted his position to block the entrance once he was alone. Jace followed the route of the other guard as he approached Hegai from behind while the older man gave instructions to the eunuchs to round up their charges. The armored messenger interrupted him, and Jace could see Hegai erupt in initial frustration. He shook his head, seemed to curse the man out, and then gestured back toward his post. As Hegai pointed, he turned to look at the gate, saw Esther, and had a sudden change of heart.
The guard was already jogging back to the gate, and Hegai had to pursue him a few steps to get his attention. He now talked to him in a more moderate tone, nodding his head frequently and pointing specifically at Esther. The guard accepted the changed instructions and walked back to his partner while Hegai turned to call out to one of the women exiting the washing pond.
Once the guard returned, he said, “Lord Hegai has decided to make an exception. Your niece will be invited to join the women. Is this her eunuch?”
Psycho nodded stoically and stood protectively behind Esther.
“Very good,” the guard said. “Someone will . . .”
“What’s your name?” a female voice cut the guard short, and everyone turned to look at a woman approaching from within the castle grounds. Compared to the others, she looked older, possibly in her late twenties. The gorgeous woman, with long dark hair and light brown skin, could have been Kai's sister. However, she wasn’t smiling. “Your name, sweetie?” she repeated, looking at Esther.
“Esther Xerxes,” the rogue replied, curtsying slightly.
“Very well. My name is Persephone. Is this your man?” she looked up at Psycho. “An elf? It doesn’t matter. You’ll be dismissed before sundown tomorrow. The king’s already made up his mind. Hegai doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
Jace could see Esther consciously biting her tongue to hold back a competitive retort. He could see jealousy in Persephone’s eyes. Though Esther, as a fallen angel, was likely hundreds of years older than this woman, she appeared in her low twenties, frozen in the perfect beauty of perpetual youth.
“But,” Persephone forced a grin onto her annoyed visage, “ may it never be said that I didn’t do my duty. Come with me.” She moved aside and motioned for Esther and Psycho to step past the guards and enter the courtyard. Persephone turned to Jace once the pair had entered. “You can return tomorrow at noon for an update. I wouldn’t rent our her room just yet.” With that, she turned her heel and herded the new initiates toward the other candidates.
“Lovely woman,” Jace said to the guards. They grunted and resumed their attentive positions. Jace began to return to the rest of his troupe when he saw Hegai jogging toward him. The women ushered themselves into the castle, responding to Hegai’s instructions, and now he felt safe to question Jace.
The guards heard the man approaching and parted to let him through. “You have a striking niece,” the man said. “Where are you from?”
Jace didn’t know what to say.
{I’m working on it,} Gracie reported. {You are on a different continent that I’ve never heard of, and no one has any information. I can see a map, but I don’t know what region would make sense given your appearance.}
Jace scrunched up his face in a look of hesitation, attempting to hide the confusion he really felt. He was also burdened by the fact that he was going to have to lie, and by his dress, Hegai appeared to be some kind of priest.
The older man came to a realization and stepped into the street, leading Jace a few strides away from the guards. “Are you from Jerisalam?”
{That appears to be a region of their kingdom,} Gracie said. {I’m guessing the Madrian people conquered them.}
Jace didn’t need to hear Gracie’s update. He knew his Bible well enough to know this was the correct response. He should have quizzed Kai about an appropriate backstory before this encounter. Jace nodded at Hegai’s guess.
The priest smiled. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell. If anyone asks, I would make up another homeland.”
“Crestfall,” Jace said, telling the truth.
Hegai nodded. “I’ve never heard of it. It should do nicely.” He paused, looked at the guards, and took another step away from them. “What did Persephone say to you?”
“That Esther didn’t have a chance and that the king had already made up his mind.”
The older man laughed. “She thinks that because she’s been here the longest, it gives her some special privilege. I know for a fact the king has not made up his mind. Though,” he glanced back at the women to see Esther disappear into the castle, “he very well could tonight.” He sighed and turned back to Jace, extending his hand. “Very good, sir. Return here at noon tomorrow, and I should have an update for you.”
Jace shook his hand and tugged a little when the man tried to pull away. “Will she be safe?”
Hegai laughed. “She’ll be close to the king, in the center of the most heavily guarded fortress in the land. Surrounded by the royal guard and almost a dozen loyal eunuchs, there might not be a safer place in all the kingdom for a young woman.”
“That’s not what I’ve heard,” Jace said.
Hegai grew stern. “What have you heard?”
“That there are members within the King’s inner circle that wish him harm.”
The priest laughed. “You sound like one of our old knights we had to dismiss. He saw a conspiracy theory around every corner. If you were late to lunch and couldn’t come up with a good reason or an explanation he believed, he’d throw you in the dungeon. We finally had to get rid of him.”
Hegai laughed for a few seconds and then stopped, growing suddenly serious when he saw Jace’s expression. “Have you been talking with someone? A paladin native to this kingdom?”
Jace saw no harm in admitting the truth. “Young, handsome, with a neatly trimmed goatee. Goes by the name Coy or Kai Something.”
“Sir Kai Morte,” Hegai said, his mirth gone. “Though I suppose he isn’t a ‘Sir’ anymore.”
“What did he do exactly?” Jace asked.
“Precisely what I said. He accused everyone of lying or hiding their true motives. He had us fire half the kitchen staff. I fear several maids and stable boys were tortured during his interrogations, and rumor is a few may have died.” He shook his head. “Once he started spouting nonsense about an assassination plot against the king, it got out of hand. Every exaggeration or half-truth he heard was suddenly an act of treason punishable by death. The king had a soft spot for him, but the queen banished him, stripping him of his title.”
Jace nodded, understanding Kai’s backstory a bit better.
“Did he warn you about allowing your niece into our custody?” Hegai asked.
“Not exactly,” Jace said, tiptoeing along the truth, “but he insisted the royal guard opposed the king and shouldn’t be trusted. Oh, and that the queen was a witch.”
Hegai laughed. “Yes, I suppose he doesn’t like her. Well, I’m glad you didn’t listen to him. Now,” he released hands with Jace, only now aware that they had been gripped together this whole time, “I must be attending to my duties. Have a pleasant evening.” He moved past the guards and back into the castle courtyard. Once he was through, the guards followed, locking the gate behind them for the evening. Jace turned as well to find the rest of his party.