Chaos God 5, page 2
part #5 of Chaos God Series
They smiled at me as they hauled their heavy sacks and baskets of crustaceans, fish, oysters, mussels, clams, and various kinds of seaweeds inside the castle doors. I watched them go, and I couldn’t help but notice the huge shift in the disposition of Ylva and a few others since my arrival here.
The middle-aged woman had been less than pleased with my appearance in the camp all those months ago, and it had taken a lot of work to really win her over. I was hopeful that the woman’s face was no longer locked in an eternal frown of displeasure, and I thought maybe she could even find a smile or a laugh in there somewhere.
I chuckled at the idea and decided that was probably too far-fetched.
Either way, my people were well on their way to a prosperous and even happy life, and I couldn’t help the surge of smug satisfaction deep in my chest at the knowledge that I’d made it all possible. Things had been good for a long while now, and part of me wanted to let my guard ease.
But there was still so much about this world that I didn’t know that none of us knew for sure. There was an entire planet out there of land, people, and creatures that I had no information on, and all of my people depended on me to keep them safe and protect this new way of life.
Just then, my own wolf-shark companion, Frida, bounded down the stone steps of Castle Levi. She hurtled around me with a large, speckled squid trapped between her shark teeth, and I chuckled at the special treat Goren must have brought back for her from the beach.
“Hey, girl,” I greeted my adorably ferocious pet as she skidded to a halt beside me.
Her beady black eyes were just a few inches above my eye level now, and I suspected she was finally at her full-grown size. Her growth had slowed down significantly over the last few months, and I was pretty sure she was done growing now. Frida was a fair bit smaller than the wolf-sharks I’d killed within my first day of arriving in Asgard, but I’d expected that. She’d been pushed aside from the pack for being the runt of the litter, but she was still huge. Frida was probably a good twenty-five feet from the tip of her snout to the end of her shark tail, and she stood roughly seven feet tall at the top of her smooth head.
“Are you enjoying that squid?” I chuckled.
Frida practically smirked at me as she tossed the six-tentacled creature up, and then she snapped it out of the air and slurped it down like a thick strand of spaghetti.
“Gross,” I laughed as I stroked gently under her bottom jaw.
I walked up to the top step and gazed out to the west. From the first moment I’d looked out at the Asgardian sky, that area had been consumed by the smoke and ash of the volcanoes and lava fields. Now, since Njord’s benevolent final act, the sky was clear and bright at this time of day. We’d been waiting ever since Sylmarie had confirmed the lava fields were quenched for the region to be passable, but apparently lava took an insanely long time to cool, even with the help of a god.
Every few weeks or so, I’d sent a scout to the edge of the lava fields to see if they were cool enough to explore. The first several scouts had returned with bad news, and though the lava fields’ topmost layers had crusted over into the rich black rock I thought of when I picture Hawaii, it was still way too hot to walk on. About a month ago, though, Varian had returned with good news: the black pumice stone was finally beginning to cool enough to be noticeable. I’d sent another scout out this morning, and I was hopeful for more good news.
I idly petted Frida’s smooth head as she chewed on her long wolf claws, and I stared out at the smokeless sky. Then something caught my eye, and I narrowed my focus on the dark figure that ran at top speed toward the castle.
Using my enhanced vision, I could see even at this distance Elion’s long black hair flapping wildly as the elf ran back to Castle Levi.
A spark of readiness burst into life in my brain, and I would have called to every one of my warriors if not for the wide grin on Elion’s smooth face.
I jogged down the steps and tried to make myself wait at the bottom, but Elion wasn’t a particularly fast runner. With my crystal-clear eyesight I could see excitement in his lavender eyes, and I had a good feeling I knew exactly why he was racing back home. Impatience almost got the better of me, but I held my ground and waited for him until he ran up to me.
“King…” Elion’s voice was breathless from the speed of his running. “Levi…”
“Take a breath, Elion,” I encouraged him as excitement poured through me like the morning I’d passed my driver’s test.
“The lava fields…” The lavender-eyed elf grinned as he bent forward and braced his hands on his knees. “Your majesty, they are cool enough to walk upon.”
“Yes,” I hissed through my teeth as a grin took hold of my face.
Chapter 2
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“Excellent work.” I clapped Elion on the shoulder. “Catch your breath and then go inside. The fishing group has returned with a feast, and I bet Ingrid already has the preparations well underway.”
“Thank… you,” Elion huffed, and his pulse thrummed wildly through a vein at his temple. His high cheekbones were flushed from the run and the excitement, too. “What a fine… day it is.”
“It’s a very good day,” I agreed. “Go and head inside now.”
Elion nodded tiredly at me, and he trudged slowly up the steps with the tall stance of a man who’d done his job very well.
“Oh, and Elion?” I called up to the elf before he reached the doors.
“Yes, your majesty?” he asked.
“Don’t tell anyone else yet.” I grinned. “I’d like to be the one to make the announcement.”
“Certainly, King Levi.” Elion nodded respectfully before he grinned again and walked through the doors.
I held onto the calm level of pleasure that befit a royal like myself until Elion disappeared through the front doors, and I quickly looked around to make sure I was alone.
Then I curled both of my hands into tight fists and pumped them in the air.
“Fuck yes!” I whisper-shouted to myself in celebration before I cleared my throat and tucked my wild excitement into place.
I heaved a huge sigh of excitement at the news I’d been waiting months for. There was so much fucking land out there that was about to open up in front of us, and maybe we were finally about to get an answer as to why the one-eared piece of shit, Ryfon, had wanted the camp.
I thought about the confusion that had filled me when I found out about the supposed leader of the camp’s selection of the barren wastelands in his and Gaelyra’s deal with the Demon Lord. The white-haired bitch had claimed Freesia’s village to the north, and Ryfon had seemingly settled for the wastelands. I’d always suspected there was more to it than what we’d found at face value, and I suspected there was something in the ground beneath the lava that had value. Now we were finally going to have the chance to explore it for ourselves, and I was so pumped.
The idea of exploring right this very second was incredibly appealing, but the sun was sinking low toward the horizon. I didn’t think wandering through new territory in the darkness was a great idea, so I shoved my excitement down and saved it for tomorrow.
I couldn’t have wiped the stupid grin off my face even if I’d tried, so I just patted Frida on the head and nodded for her to come inside with me.
My wolf-shark yipped happily as she bounded up the front steps four at a time, and she reached the top in about two seconds.
“Come on,” I chuckled at the adorably ferocious beast as I jogged up to her side. “Let’s go share the good news with everyone.”
The sound of a few dozen voices chattering casually welcomed me as I strutted through the entrance hall and toward our massive dining hall. The moment I walked into the dining hall, I was met with bright smiles and happy waves from my people.
Frida struggled to move quickly and carefully between the tables until she reached the open spot beside Shalanna’s chair. My black-haired lover lounged back in her chair with her feet up on another one, and her hands rested on the large swell of her belly. My red-haired lover and resident healer, Freesia, sat beside her, and they both looked up and smiled as I approached the table.
“Hey,” I murmured as I leaned down to kiss Freesia, and then I moved over to kiss Shalanna, too. “How are you feeling?”
“Huge,” Shalanna said with a good-natured smile. “And I am not even done yet.”
“Your growth is right where it should be, dear,” Freesia assured my black-haired lover.
“You look gorgeous,” I told Shalanna as I noticed the obvious absence of my silver-haired beauty. “Elora’s not back from getting those supplies yet?”
“No,” Freesia confirmed. “She should be back soon, though.”
“There seems to be a current of excited energy just trying to burst through your skin, love,” Shalanna giggled as she narrowed her silver-flecked blue eyes at me. “What is going on with you?”
“Did you have success with your weapon summoning session?” Freesia guessed.
“Yeah, some.” I smiled. “Hezzig still thinks it has a lot to do with which demon blood type the weapons are quenched with, but I think there’s more to it than that.”
Ingrid smiled at us as she carried over plates for my ladies and me. I’d requested extra care for Shalanna as my child grew larger inside her womb, and my elven housekeeper had taken the request very seriously. Shalanna barely had to lift a finger for anything these days, and Freesia and Elora benefitted from the extra care, too. Everyone seemed to ease naturally into the idea of my three lovers being at the same level of respect and care as me, and it pleased me to see them so well taken care of.
“Thank you, Ingrid,” Shalanna sighed as she shot me a rueful glance.
“Certainly, your highness.” Ingrid grinned.
Freesia still blushed at the new titles my ladies had earned after my elevation to King Levi, but I’d insisted on it. They were my ladies, and if I was king, that made them princesses at the very least. Which reminded me, I needed to ask someone about making this whole thing official. I had no idea about the customs of marriage on Asgard, but if there were any, I wanted to make my women officially my wives.
“I am certain you will master this new power in time, love,” Shalanna said as she began to eat.
“I saw Arlindra and Azariah have returned from the village,” Freesia said. “How are things with my father and the others?”
“They said things are going really well,” I reported. “The people are settling back into their homes really well, and there’s been no activity from the chasm or the eastern forest. Your grandmother reported new animals returning to the woods, actually.”
“Oh, how wonderful.” Freesia smiled. “I am sure she is very pleased by that. My grandmother has always believed there was a connection between the thriving of animal populations and the ability of people to survive. It will surely bring her much hope.”
“It brings me hope, too,” I murmured.
“That is not what is feeding this…” Shalanna narrowed her eyes at me. “This energy inside you.”
“Well,” I hesitated a moment so I could make sure all the lesser news was shared before I gave away the big news. “I’m sure you noticed the great spread of seafood we have for dinner tonight.”
“Oh, yes,” Shalanna hummed with pleasure as she picked up an oyster. “I was so pleased to see these this evening. I have been craving their delicious salty goop.”
“Right,” I laughed. “Well, Quintus said the sea life is rebounding better than he’s ever seen before. He said it’s likely because I drove away the wolf-sharks from the shore.”
“What wonderful news,” Freesia said as she cut into her fish.
“It is,” I agreed. “I’m pretty sure our food concerns are well behind us at this point. Between the gardens here, the crops in the village, the livestock numbers growing steadily, and now the increased sources from the shore, I think we’ll be able to feed ourselves sustainably for as long as we need.”
“This is very good news,” Shalanna said. “But there is more. Levi, do tell us what has you so pleased?”
“Yes, love, please tell us,” Freesia giggled. “I am so curious.”
“I sent Elion to check on the lava fields today,” I said with a smirk.
“And…?” Freesia’s bright green eyes went wide with anticipation.
“Are they cool enough to begin exploring?” Shalanna asked in an excited whisper.
“They are cool enough to walk on.” My grin spread wide across my face.
“Oh!” Shalanna chirped happily as she clasped her hands together. “That is very exciting news!”
“How wonderful!” Freesia agreed. “Will you tell everyone now?”
“I wanted to tell you two first,” I chuckled.
I glanced around in the hopes that Elora would return now so I could share it with her, too. I wasn’t surprised when she didn’t magically appear beside me. I knew her errands would probably keep her out for a few more hours, so I stood up, cleared my throat, and raised my glass.
“Can I have everyone’s attention?” I said loud enough to carry over the casual dinner conversations of everyone in the dining hall. Dozens of eyes turned to look at me with curious expressions, and Elion’s lavender eyes smiled with knowledge. “I have great news to share with everyone.”
“Greater than this feast?” Ayen’s voice was filled with humor as he held up an entire boiled crab.
“Yes!” I laughed. “And greater than the good news from the village! Elion has reported back from the lava fields today.”
I paused for a moment to let my people’s excited reactions work through the room. Then, once the gasps and burst of chatter died down, I continued.
“I know you’ve all been as excited and impatient as I have to see what’s out there,” I said. “And it’s finally time we go and explore all that land Njord opened up for us. I’ll need a few volunteers to go with me tomorrow…”
Before I could even finish my request, my big blond friend, Ayen, and the triple-braided former dwarven king, Finnern, stood up.
“Yeah,” I chuckled at my two best friends. “I figured you’d both want to come.”
“I would like to come as well, your majesty,” Elion said as he stood up. “I had to drag myself back to the castle today, the land out there is so fascinating to me.”
“I’ll be happy to have you, Elion.” I smiled.
“I would like to come as well, King Levi,” Azariah said.
“Excellent,” I said. “Thank you. And to anybody else who would like the chance to explore the fields, I promise you will have the opportunity to do so. We have a lot of land out there to check out now. Meet me in the entrance hall in the morning, and we’ll see what’s out there!”
“Huzzah!” Ayen cheered suddenly as he ripped the legs off of his crab with one good pull. “King Levi’s territory expands with every passing day!”
Several cheers ripped through the room at that, and I laughed as I lowered myself back to my seat.
“This is so exciting,” Shalanna said as she shifted slowly in her seat. “I would love to see it for myself.”
“I know,” I said gently to my very pregnant lover. “But what you need right now is all the rest you can get.”
“Yes, I know,” Shalanna sighed and smiled.
“If I’m King, then you’re basically my queen,” I continued, and I looked at both of my ladies in turn. “Both of you. You deserve to be treated as queens. Especially while you carry my child.”
“I can still do things,” Shalanna insisted with a rueful smile. “Though it is very nice to be pampered as I have been lately.”
“Good.” I smirked. “Because I’ve given Ingrid and the others strict orders to wait on you hand and foot. I don’t want you lifting a single finger, and all you have to do is ask.”
“Yes, your majesty,” Shalanna said in a playfully teasing voice.
“Good.” I grinned. “Besides, birthing my child is about the most badass thing you could ever do. Making sure you’re taken care of like the queen you are is just one way I can think to thank you for this gift.”
“It is a gift for us all,” Freesia agreed, and she reached over the table for Shalanna’s hand.
“I feel blessed to be able to bring this new life into our world, and our family,” Shalanna said as she took Freesia’s and my hands.
“I was thinking…” Freesia murmured a moment later.
“About what?” I asked.
“I think I am ready,” my red-haired half-elf said with a stubborn set to her chin.
“Yeah?” I asked as hope bloomed in my chest. “Are you sure?”
“I am.” Freesia nodded. “Things are good, and Astrid has come along very far in my training of her.”
“I’m glad,” I said as I glanced at the youngest of the three blonde sisters nearby.
Azariah and Arlindra’s sister had taken quickly to Freesia, and she’d quickly become the healer’s assistant. Astrid had a good and kind heart and a curious mind, which Freesia said were the key traits for a good healer. The young blonde woman had been training at Freesia’s side for months now, and she’d been helping to care for Shalanna as well as everyone else who sought our healer’s talents.
“I know you wanted to wait until things were stable before we started to try for a child,” I said as I smiled at my red-haired lover. “You know I’m more than ready.”
“I stopped taking my herbs three days ago.” Freesia blushed wildly.
“Oh, yeah?” I smirked. “How long does it take to get those out of your system?”
“About two days,” Freesia answered, and her bright green eyes burned with desire.
“Well…” I breathed as desire pounded forcefully through my veins, but before I could say anything else, Ingrid bustled up with a pleased grin on her face.
