[Ah... Yes?] Emily messaged back, this was the first time that Jack had messaged her.

[I've asked for the news that you're my Consort now to be made known. I want everyone to know it. Okay?]

[It's not really my choice, but okay...]

[I'm going into retreat. Leslie, Verruca, and Lucius will oversee the kingdom while I am gone. I would like you to be the go to between Neolith and Ours.]

[I can do that, but how long are you going to be gone?] Emily held her comments to herself, as she was going to do this anyway.

[I'll be gone for half a year to a full year.]

[...Do you... Do you want to visit me first?] Emily asked a bit hesitantly.

[I've already seen you once today. I'm sure you've had enough of me.] Jack decided against. He wasn't exactly sure how to handle this new consort of his. He felt bad, as he used her for the same reason her kingdom used her, to benefit both kingdoms. He had made it up in his mind, that he would treat her as well as he could.

[Are you sure?] Emily asked again. She felt that she really needed to curry his favor, and he didn't seem interested at all.

[Yes, I'm sure. You'll be sick of me before We even get married. I'll look for you when I get out of retreat.]

[...Alright...] Emily was slightly released, but slightly upset. It seemed that The Holy Witch King didn't have any design for her. Was she mistaken in his bone fetish? She was told by one of her sisters, that men loved soul bonding, and would do it all the time if they could. She knew that he was visited by her Sister-Consort last night. Why didn't he want to do 'that' as soon as he made her his consort?

Jack left it at that. He mused for a few moments and thought one more thing...

[Julia?]

[Yes, Jack...] She replied, and a sour note could be heard in her voice.

For some reason... This voice slightly angered him. Jack really had no idea why he was mad, but he felt it very difficult to not be mad at this moment. He tried to calm down.

[What is it?] She replied again, after getting silence.

Jack thought for a moment, [You know what... screw it.] With this thought, he decided to get it off his chest.

So, he messaged her again, [Julia. I know you're bitter over Leslie, and I am sure that Emily didn't help one bit. So, let me ask you directly. Do you want to be my consort?] Jack asked while keeping his thoughts as calm as he could, but failed as anger was embedded into his words as they were transmitted.

Verruca was standing on the south-east side major gate, issuing orders when she got Jack's last reply. Her massive body shuddered... When was the last time he had talked to her so harshly?

What had she done to deserve this? She waited her whole unlife and even expected to meet true death before Jack would break and take a wife... And when he did it; it was someone else!

In her anger, she replied, [YES! Yes, I do, but not anymore! I don't want to share you with two or more other women! It's not fair to me, damn it! I waited! I waited so long! And then you come back, and what is the first thing you do! You take friggin girly girl Countess Leslie as your Consort! Do you know how that made me feel!]

Jack heard the anger and bitterness in the thoughts sent over, and it quailed a lot of his own anger, but he couldn't help himself, at the same time.

[Julia. I only have really one thing to say to that!] Jack summoned up his will.

[Yeah!? What could you possibly say! I can't even be a third wheel now! You took yet another woman... No! CHILD! As your consort! As old as she is, she's still got a child's body any way you look at it!]

[No listen to me!]

[Fine! What is it!] Verruca was fuming. The guards and soldiers realized she was talking to someone when her lovable face started to change, and darken. Seeing this they all backed up as far from her as they could get away with...

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

[Julia. I'm sorry. I am so very sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am. I can't tell you how sorry I am. To be honest, I'm surprised you have held that in all this time... Why didn't you just tell me. Why keep it to yourself. I know I wronged you with Leslie, but I feel I had no other choice but to make Emily a second consort. I need her kingdom. I'm in debt to her as well. But you... I can only say sorry.] Jack bleed out his anger he held, that he didn't know why, and his sorrows for the woman he knew he had time with before he took this body.

Verruca melted on top of the guard wall. She stepped back a few times and took a seat on the floor. Many of the soldier's gasped for breath, wondering just what news their war god had heard that toppled her.

A long-time silence occurred, as she sat there, and Jack stood in front of his Library. She finally asked, [Is that all you feel? Just sorry?]

[No...]

[Then what do you feel?] Verruca asked, as she looked up into the sky, to see the twinkles of the light scattering across the stalagmites of the roof of the Underworld.

[Julia. I am not a good man. I am a villain. I am selfish. It would be a lie to say I don't want you. I do. I really, really do, and I know it's not fair to you, but I want you as my consort as well. Make any condition! You said I would have to work to get you! Name it. Anything you can think of, and I will make it happen. As long as I can have you and my other two consorts, I will do anything.]

[Anything?]

[Literally anything, but asking me to give up on Leslie and Emily.]

[...So, you will not give them up...]

[I'm a selfish, villainous, bad man... But I am an honest man. I will not mistreat them.]

[You don't have to bad mouth yourself. Fine... I have a condition.] Verruca's voice held a strange tone.

Jack felt hope, again. The subject on what to do with Verruca weighed heavily on him. He felt that he owed her a lot. He also had strange feelings for her as well. He wondered if it was something left by the last guy, within his old bones.

[When you unite the whole of the Ruined Continent, I will become your consort. No, if you want me as only your slave, I would be willing.] Verruca's voice started to get increasingly hateful as she continued, [With no more war here, I would have nothing to do! I'll be your pet! How's that! If you want to be the Villain so bad, I'll roleplay with you. You conquer the whole Continent, I will be yours to own, but until then, don't think about getting your soul even an inch of my soul space...]

[What crude words... Jack thought for a moment. If he translated these into lingo for humans... She had just said...] He decided not to think about it.

[So, you want me to take over the world to put you out of a job.] Jack asked, but his voice had begun to regain its normal vigor.

[Yes. A few things with this request. I don't think you can do it, and it will give me a long war to cope with all of this, even if you can't.] Verruca replied, as her voice too, regained much of its normal vibe.

[...You don't think I can unite this world...?]

[No. It took the Lich King over ten thousand years ago to do it, and that's only because he could control others.]

[Julia...] Jack had some evil thoughts occur in his mind, as he thought about role-playing.

[Ah? Yes?] Verruca was slightly struck by the odd tone she just heard in Jack's voice.

[You get yourself ready. You don't know it, but I am, in fact, into role play.]

[What?] She was taken back. She had only said that in anger, thinking that Jack was bad mouthing himself to make her feel better.

[When I come out from my retreat. You will be awed. It would be funny, if you don't ask me right then to take you.]

[As if...]

[Keep thinking that. I will say the villainous line, that I will enjoy breaking your will to me. That pride you have, that you must be my only woman... I will break it, too. You will love your sister-consorts as real sisters when I lord over everything I see.]

[...] Verruca had never heard Jack talk like this in all her unlife. She missed the gentleness of how Jack use to be... But... For some reason... Somewhere... deep within her heart, there was a small feeling budding. A small part of her heart was delighted, but she quickly shoved that feeling down.

[You really do sound like a villain.] She made comment.

[Don't I? On a topic bigger than the both of Us, I will be in retreat for up to a year.] Jack changed the topic before he got to into it.

[Yes. I know.]

[I wanted to let you know. Remember you will be the War Master while I am gone. Lord-Commander of the Deagoth Military. I leave it to you to take care of the Kingdom in my absence, with Lucius and Leslie.]

[That goes without saying.]

[Remember three things, and everything will be okay.]

[Oh?] Verruca was piqued with interest.

[Remember to listen to Leslie's advice. She has strange ways of knowing things, and heeding her advice, or seeking her council is not shameful.]

Verruca knit her brows, but replied, [Yes.]

[Keep eyes out for enemies. Some undercurrent is happening, and that bad feeling I got hasn't gone away.]

[Of course.]

[Lastly... If all else fails... Fall back to here, in Saigunrai. I have someone that is very powerful watching this city while I am gone. They will not move from here, but will only guard.]

[Someone powerful? Who could you invite that will babysit the capital, that you would trust?]

[...Don't think about it... This is just a worst case. I hope it doesn't come to that.] Jack just cringed, as he thought to himself [Shit! I just threw up a flag didn't I.]

[Alright. See you later Jack.]

[Yeah. Don't fantasize about me too much.]

[Go away, already!] Verruca blushed, as she turned to start shouting orders. She had already decided to start reinforcing the city defenses.

Jack shook his head slightly, as he thought, [I can only hope she comes to hate me. If she hates me, then maybe she can move on... Sometimes playing the villain hurts.]

Jack walked into his Library.