We finished eating and Dawn sat back in the chair, the remains of the large chicken leg on her plate.
“This would be a great dream if it hadn't started out as a nightmare.” Dawn said and put a hand on her belly. “Oh, I think... I think I ate too much!”
I reached over and put a hand on her belly and used Presence to calm her stomach and helped her dissolve a good portion of the food and spread the nutrients around her body. She stared at my hand as her very bloated feeling disappeared.
“How did you do that?” Dawn asked.
“Magic.” I said with a smile.
“What kind of magic dispels over-eating?” Dawn asked, and I could hear the incredulity in her voice.
“The best magic in the world.” I chuckled and quickly cleaned up and stored the picnic things. “Do you feel up to travelling?”
“If I didn't think they would cut me down in a second, I would have run out of here as soon as you removed my shackles.”
“I know the feeling.” I said. “If I knew then what I know now...” I shook my head and smiled. “I've only got outfits for men on me. Is that okay?”
Dawn looked down at herself and her very dirty simple cloth dress. “I need a bath.”
“Of course.” I said and held a hand out to her. “Come with me.”
Dawn looked at my hand and then at my face. “Where are we going?”
“I have some stops to make around the elf lands, and then I'm leaving.” I said. “I'm heading to the Second Choutia Kingdom after that.”
“You... you...”
“Yes, I'm taking you home.” I said. “No strings. No favors owed. Nothing required on your part, except to come with me.”
Dawn looked to be on the verge of tears. “You... this is too good to be true.”
“You don't know the half of it.” I said and grinned. “I'm in a loving relationship, so you don't have to worry about me trying to have sex with you.”
Dawn's mouth dropped open in shock.
“Yeah, you can relax about that. I can also cook pretty much anything.” I said. “So, shall we go?”
“By Black Laura's pale white tit!” Dawn said and took my hand. “Get me out of here!”
I laughed at the curse, helped her stand, and led her over to the door. I touched the wall and asked it to open, then the door appeared and opened for us. I absorbed all the things holding everyone I had used, including the things I had used on Sylvana just outside the door.
“We're stopping for a bath, then we are leaving.” I said to her, then I led Dawn up the stairs and down a hallway, then stopped at one of the small guest rooms. I took her inside and set up the bath, then hung up one of the cheap sheets as a makeshift curtain to give her privacy.
“Thank you.” Dawn said and slipped off the dirty cloth dress and kicked it away, then she climbed into the bath. When I didn't hear any water splashing around, I knew what was wrong.
“I'm coming in.” I said and waited for a moment, then I slipped inside the makeshift curtain to see Dawn with tears pouring down her face as she huddled in the water and trembled. “Yes, Dawn. You're really out of there.”
I knelt by the tub, lathered up a cloth, and started to wash her. I was gentle and thorough, and she didn't react at all until I reached her belly. She tensed up and I moved past there and washed her legs. When I finished, I lathered the cloth up again and handed it to her. Without a word, she washed herself between her legs and stared at me the whole time. I kept my eyes on hers and didn't look anywhere else. She felt reassured by that and pointed to the towels.
I stood up and unfolded one of them, then turned my head away and held the towel up for her. I heard the water splash as she stood and took the towel and wrapped herself with it, so I grabbed another towel and started to dry her off. She didn't speak at all as I did, then I hung up the underwear, pants, and shirt that I had.
“They haven't been worn.” I said and stepped out past the make-shift curtain and kept my back to it. She hesitated and stared at me through the curtain, and since I was facing the other way, she relaxed and dropped the towel. She slipped the underwear on first and had to adjust it several times to get them to fit, then she slipped on the shirt and buttoned it up. She sighed contentedly with her body covered and pulled on the pants. Finally dressed, she took two steps and pulled the make-shift curtain aside.
“All I have are socks.” I said and held a pair of thick cloth socks out to her. “We'll have to stop and buy boots from somewhere.”
Dawn nodded and took the socks and sat on the bed, then she slipped them onto her feet.
“Do you want me to brush your hair?” I asked and held out a brush.
“Who are you?” Dawn asked and gave me an odd look.
“I've spent a lot of time around women.” I said and wiggled the brush. She sighed and closed her eyes as she nodded, so I climbed onto the bed behind her and brushed her hair. With each slow stroke of the brush through her short black hair, she let out a breath. I could feel her calm down gradually, and when I was done, her hair wasn't thin and stringy anymore. It was light and fluffy with a few twists and curls in it. When I climbed off the bed and looked at her, she seemed back to normal.
We both knew that was a lie, since she didn't have any resolution to what happened; but, we weren't going to peel that scab off the wound just yet. I led her over to the door and opened it, and a pair of simple boots were there. Neither the captain of the guard nor Sylvana looked at us, and I had been too distracted taking care of Dawn to notice who had put the boots there. Dawn slipped them on and nodded to me, so I took her hand and led her down the hallway and around the center of the tree. The center chamber was still open and the five elders were there.
“I guess there's no point in asking for the ones that hurt her, is there?” I asked them. “There's too many to count or the ones that did it are too important to lose, am I right?”
The elders didn't exchange looks or say anything in response.
“You know, if I didn't respect the trees so much and understand their priceless value to both life and the planet, I would burn the whole damn forest down to spite you.” I said to them in a calm voice.
The elders visibly shook and one of them sweat profusely.
“Yes, you understand, don't you? A mana enriched forest ignited by magical fire?” I looked at their stunned faces. “It would be both glorious and horrible, wouldn't it?”
No one said anything and I felt Dawn's hand grip mine tightly.
“You're right, Dawn. We've wasted enough time here. We're leaving.” I said and turned away, then stopped and turned back. “Actually, I have something else to say.” I said. “Listen to me and listen well. Send word to all the other Protection trees and the elder councils. They will stop the torture of their outsider prisoners. They will be bathed and dressed and be given a room. They can remain shackled for their own safety, so they can't be killed for resisting and trying to escape. They will also be fed properly and I will come by to pick them up as soon as I can.”
“Only the queen can issue...” One of the elders started to say.
“Sylvana.” I snapped. “Contact Queen Orella right now and tell her the same thing. Have her issue the same orders.”
Sylvana walked by me and entered the chamber. One of the elders helped her set up the call to her mother.
“You should also tell her that if any of the current prisoners inside Protection trees are killed, I will kill the elder council of that tree and any guards that are responsible.”
“I can't tell her that!”
“Then I will. In person. After making her kneel to me in apology.”
Sylvana's face darkened in anger, then the elder beside her held out a glowing ball of energy. They both glared at me while Sylvana said exactly what I told her to say. When she was done, the queen didn't respond right away. It took her a few moments to compose herself and then we all heard her voice.
“It will be done.” Queen Orella said. “Tell Hunter that I didn't know.”
“Tell her that it's because she didn't want to know and didn't ask.” I said, and Sylvana said it.
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
The queen didn't respond and the glowing ball faded. Less than a minute later, another glowing ball of energy appeared inside the elder chamber and the queen's voice came out of it. The orders were issued, as was the condition I had added, and the ball faded.
“Now we can leave.” I said and led Dawn away. Sylvana and the captain of the guard followed us outside the tree and to the horses. I created a set of stairs for Dawn to climb up onto my horse and I climbed up behind her. I waited for everyone else to mount their horses and then I rode at the head of the group. Neither Sylvana nor the captain tried to ride beside me as we travelled. When we reached the spot where we had been attacked by the armored monkeys called rickchaws, I motioned for everyone to stop in the clearing, because I could feel the crack was just inside my detection range.
“Wait here.” I said and slipped off the horse.
“W-wait!” Dawn almost screamed. “Don't leave me!”
“I can't bring you into danger right now.” I said and took her hand. “You will be perfectly safe right here and I'll be back in a few minutes.”
Dawn looked like I was throwing her to the wolves, so I held her hand tightly and spoke to Sylvana and the others.
“Stay quiet. Don't talk to her. Don't crowd near her, and for god's sake, don't surround her.” I glared at Sylvana. “Leave. Her. Alone.”
Sylvana's face hadn't lost its anger since my ultimatum to the queen. “What if...”
“Absolutely not.” I said. “Stay away from her. Period.”
Sylvana didn't say anything and just looked away from me. I knew what that meant, so I created an invisible Presence Box that left a five foot space all around Dawn and the horse. Since it was my Presence, I easily stepped through it without disrupting it or revealing that it was there.
“I won't be long.” I said to Dawn as I put on both my armored coat and my blast shield over my face. I saw her surprise as I did and gave her another smile, then I turned around and jumped up to the second set of branches about sixty feet up that allowed elves to run through the forest. I used Presence Run and quickly made my way towards the crack.
*
One of the guards let out a little scream as Hunter jumped and then disappeared from sight.
“I'm going to kill you all.” Dawn said in a deadly voice as she turned around in the saddle. “The things you did to me can't be forgiven with a bath and a pair of mangy boots.”
All the elves around her stayed quiet and she looked at their faces.
“Yes, I know you weren't the ones that did it.” Dawn said. “That doesn't matter, because I know you would have been if I had been captured by you.”
She saw the looks of apprehension on their faces and smiled evilly.
“I want you to tell every one of your people that Dawn Sherwood will be coming for them.” Dawn said and saw the doubt on their faces. “I pledge my children. My children's children and their children's children. I will pledge however many generations it takes!” She spat. “I swear by Black Laura's Covenant that your people will suffer for their crimes!”
Sylvana and the guards moved their horses back as Dawn was covered in a black smoky substance. It seeped into her skin and filled her body with a black glow. It lasted for only a moment, then it faded.
Dawn looked up to the sky with tears in her eyes. “You heard me again!” She said and beamed a smile towards the heavens. “Thank you, Black Laura! Thank you!”
*
I arrived at the spot where the crack was and saw that it was up in the canopy of the trees. It was odd, to say the least, with what looked like a village made of leaves built around it. There were males, females, and children, scattered all over the place. I thought about dashing in and closing the crack, then realized I would be attacked on all sides as soon as I did. I stood there and observed for several seconds and let a smile grow on my face.
It's time to use some guerrilla tactics on these monkeys. I thought with amusement and picked the best spot to start picking them off, one by one. I moved over to it and waited for a minute, then I moved a tree branch with Presence and rustled the leaves. Two of the large male monkeys immediately came over to investigate. I let them get far enough away from the others, created a Presence Wall behind them to make them invisible to the village, then I used two Presence Hands to snap their necks.
I shoved the bodies into my bag of holding for creatures and absorbed the Presence Wall, then moved to another spot and repeated the action. To my delight, they were fairly stupid, so my simple distraction technique easily drew out all of the males and some of the females. With the more mobile monkeys taken care of and shoved into my bag of holding for creatures, I covered myself in a layer of Presence and bent the light away to make myself invisible. I almost felt guilty as I went through the entire village and killed them all... at least, until I reached the crack.
I didn't see the illusion of the gaping maw that was supposed to be protecting it, and I started to laugh. I approached the crack and saw through it trees upon trees full of armored monkeys, just waiting to come through. There was no chance that I was going to hop through and fight the things, not so many and all at once, so I reached out and covered my hand in Presence. I grabbed the edge of the crack and felt the tear in space. Unlike the other times, I could feel that it was only a tear in space and was a direct connection from that planet to this one.
I had done the deed so many times with god's help that my body instinctively knew what to do. I pulled the crack closed and held it, then I used Presence to sew it closed and smoothed over the 'wound' in the air. When I was done, it was completely erased, just like the cracks god had sealed using my hand. It had also cost me nearly half of my new Presence reserves.
Well, damn. I thought and stepped back, then sat down. I wasn't exhausted from the exertion, which was a relief. I stared at my right hand and was surprised that I had done what I thought only a divine being could do, then I chuckled. I've got both a god's and a goddess' energy integrated with my own. I know they probably didn't intend for me to use it this way, though. I let out a bark of laughter. When she finds out, she's going to be so pissed!
I stood up and looked around, and saw a lot of piles of items, so I went through the whole village and gathered all of the loot. I took armor, weapons, money, jewels, and anything else that was valuable. I left the food, though. I didn't want to take the chance that it was tampered with. I left the village in the lower canopy and ran back to the rest area, then dropped down through the trees.
“HUNTER!” Dawn yelled. “You're back!”
“I had to detour and gather some loot, or I would have been back a few minutes ago.” I said and absorbed the Presence Box around her and my horse. “I thought about burning the rickchaw village, then decided I had to get back to you.”
Dawn visibly relaxed and I climbed up onto the horse behind her.
“Sylvana, when we reach the next city, you can let your mother know that I closed the crack that the creatures came through. I also killed forty-five male rickchaws, thirty-two females, and fifty-eight children.”
Sylvana, the captain of the guard, and the eight guards stared at me, their mouths agape.
“Shall we go?” I asked no one in particular, then we all trotted out of the clearing and then ran the horses at full speed. We stopped briefly at the next city, so Sylvana could pass on the message and to tell the queen that we were returning to get the map of the cracks. They didn't have any prisoners, thank god, and we left and went to the next city. They didn't have one, either. I was relieved that there wasn't someone else I had to rescue on the way back to the castle.
When we came to the city, we had to slow down. Unlike the other places, they didn't make a path for us to easily run through. I thought that was odd, since it was a city around the castle, then realized there were just too many of them to effectively clear the way on such short notice. Instead of the eight or so hours it took to meet my contact, it took only two hours to come back. The city was just falling under the cover of darkness and the light of day faded as the magical lights of the city lit up. We rode right up to the castle and into the stable on the side, and I dismounted and helped Dawn climb down.
“We're not actually staying here, are we?” Dawn asked, nervously.
“For the night at least.” I said. “Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you anymore.”
“How could you stop them?” Dawn asked. “You're only one man and there are hundreds... thousands of them.”
I immediately had the absurd thought of being able to put them all into a fertilization coma by saying I would have sex with them. It made me laugh as I imagined walking around with my erect penis hanging out of my pants while having droves of women fall unconscious from the sight.
“I have my ways.” I said instead and took her hand. “Please do me a favor and try not to blow up at the queen.”
“What makes you think I'm going to do that?” Dawn asked.
“Because I'm trying not to do the same thing.” I said with a smile. “I told you. I was here a year ago. I had hoped that I would have been the last to suffer indignities at their hands because I was an outsider.”
Dawn looked like she was going to argue, then she grit her teeth and nodded slightly.
“Thank you.” I said, then turned to Sylvana. “Lead the way, please.”
“I am not your...” Sylvana started to say, then she too grit her teeth. She turned around and walked out of the stable without saying anything else. I absorbed the extra energy I had given all of the horses and followed the princess with Dawn holding my hand with a death grip. We were inside the castle a couple of minutes later and were greeted by the queen, half a dozen guards, and two of the mages.
“Hunter.” Queen Orella said.
“Your highness.” I said, and decided not to beat around the bush. “How many prisoners are waiting to be picked up?”
Queen Orella's face was stern for a moment, then she sighed. “Three.” She waved at one of the mages. “The places they are being kept are marked on the map.”
“You do know that I'll be stopping at every city and town to ask personally, don't you?” I asked and she nodded. I took the map and marked off the one I had closed. “Only ten more cracks and I'll be done.”
The queen didn't respond and no one else said anything.
“Are we staying in the castle or is there somewhere else we can stay?” I asked.
“The guest room is still available for your use.” The queen said. “How long...”
“Just for the night.” I said. “I would appreciate the loan of several horses tomorrow.”
“Whatever you need.” The queen said. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight.” I said and led Dawn around her and the guards, then I followed the same path I had used to leave that morning to get back to the guest room. We went inside and I covered the door in Presence to stop anyone from trying to get in. Or out.
“There's only one bed.” Dawn said as she looked at the thing.
“It's also the size of a large carriage.” I said with a chuckle. “You can roll over two or three times and we might meet in the middle. Maybe.”
Dawn looked at me with doubt on her face.
“I don't really need to sleep yet; but, I'm not passing up the opportunity to relax. No one is coming through that door, trust me.” I said and took off my uniform coat and stored it. “I have an extra nightgown, too.”
“Hold on.” Dawn said and looked at me with wide eyes. “Did you say extra?”
I nodded and took out the female version for her and laid it on the bed, then I took the male version out and put it beside hers. Dawn let out a snort and a laugh as she compared them.
“It's all they had for night clothes.” I sighed dramatically in exaggeration, and she laughed. I took off my long sleeved t-shirt, my pants, and my blast shield. I stored them and slipped on the nightgown.
Dawn stared at me with tears of laughter in her eyes. “I think Black Laura has quite the sense of humor if you were the hero she sent for me!”
“Just get changed.” I said and flopped bonelessly onto the bed to make her laugh again. I made sure to turn onto my side and faced away from her to give her privacy, then I felt her weight as she climbed onto the bed. Neither of us said anything and we laid there and listened to each other breathing for several minutes.
She noticed how slow my breathing was compared to hers and turned to me to whisper. “Hey, are you asleep?”
I didn't respond and as I suspected would happen, a few moments later, she was pressed against my back and had her arms wrapped tightly around me. When I didn't react to her touch, she started to cry. It was pain-filled and full of emotions, emotions she couldn't express in any other way, and I was very tempted to turn around and hold her tightly. That would ruin the illusion that she was in control, though. Instead, I did the only thing that I could do.
I let her cry herself out and hold me for as long as she wanted.