Building Harem Town 8, page 8
“We truly were proud.” Amalla nodded. “But there was a wealthy duchess who wanted a servant, too, and they planned to sell Ash to her not long after you left.”
“Motherfuckers!” Nicola blurted out, and every fairy flying in the vicinity gasped as they almost fell from the sky. “Uh, sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Amalla said. “I share your anger.”
“My baby brother,” Aleia hissed. “They… they were going to sell him to a duchess?”
Her pale face flushed with anger as her fists curled up, and Penelope leaned over to stroke the fairy’s arm.
“So,” Amalla continued. “We took control of the situation right then. We knew it wouldn’t stop there if someone didn’t step in. The children were snuck out during the night, and we took them here with the growing population of fairies.”
“Everyone became soldiers overnight,” Axis chuckled. “Not a soul was going to let your parents in to take the children back. We took shifts as lookouts.”
“And so they left the Deep Hazel Wilds,” Amalla said. “We cannot say where they went, but they told us that their children were theirs to sell. Your mother said that I was stealing her hard-earned money from her by protecting the children she wished to get rid of. That was the last thing my sister ever said to me.”
“Cowards,” Nieva said with a stern look. “How dare they.”
“If I ever meet them,” Celeste growled, “they’ll get to see exactly how strong my flame abilities have become.”
“You have loyal friends.” Amalla smiled. “I really am sorry about your parents. They lost their way and their values.”
“And their family,” Aleia said. “Thank you for everything you did for my siblings. I am so proud of everything this community represents.”
“We would do anything for them,” Axis said. “But now that that’s been said… I’m curious to hear about the reason for your visit. Did your, uh… god boyfriend… want to introduce himself before the baby came?”
“Partly,” I said. “But I also wanted to speak with you about your alliance with the gods.”
“I assume Aleia told you,” Axis said. “Fairies don’t really follow any particular god. It just isn’t in our nature.”
“I know.” I nodded. “But I wanted to let you know what I can offer you in return for your faith.”
“You would not believe the things Jack has done,” Aleia said.
“We have heard some tales,” Amalla said with a light chuckle. “The story of you defeating the God of Darkness spread faster than the wind. I have to say, I was very impressed with that.”
“We all were.” Axis nodded. “And the God of Giants, too. That land is so close to ours, and it has been so much quieter since his downfall.”
It seemed like the fairies were at least curious about me, and I was grateful they were willing to listen.
“Jack has saved so many,” Nieva said with a regal nod. “I myself was captured by an evil god before he found me, and my powers have grown every day that I have known him. He brings nothing but happiness into the lives of those who put their faith in him”
“It’s true.” Celeste nodded. “He saved me from a colony of gargoyles, and I’ve become stronger than ever before.”
“And his people are always cared for,” Penelope piped up. “Unlike other gods, Jack listens to what his people have to say. He cares about them, and that’s why his armies are always so strong. We are not just soldiers who fight for him, we are friends, family, and neighbors. All of us are so closely knit now that Jack has given us his holy guidance.”
“Well, that is quite a lot,” Amalla murmured as she eyed me up and down once more.
A fairy woman with pink wings carried out a tray full of teacups, and I smiled as she fluttered up to offer me one.
“Thank you,” I said before I sipped the sweet tea and looked out into the purple leaves. Then a flock of golden butterflies flew past. “This is quite a relaxing part of the forest you have here.”
“It is truly a blessing to us,” Amalla said. “I am glad we have never had to protect it from horrible threats, but we would in a heartbeat.”
“Is that why you are here?” Axis asked. “You think that we may need to fight for our land soon?”
“It is possible,” I sighed. “We have no idea which god will challenge me next, but I know they won’t care about destroying any land they choose to.”
Amalla frowned with worry, but Axis looked more focused on solutions.
“You rode a dragon here,” Axis said with an impressed nod. “I didn’t think they would ever bow to a god.”
“They never did,” Nieva said. “Until Jack came along. They are ancient beings, and they could sense the sort of power of justice he would lead with.”
“Did you hear about Evelhelm?” Aleia asked eagerly. “He saved the whole town from a storm of squall sprites!”
“The rumor did travel.” Amalla nodded. “It is hard to comprehend a god doing so much good for so many types of folks.”
The fairy studied me once more as she sipped her tea, and I could see a crowd of others listening by the doorway.
“I want you to know that I will protect you,” I said. “If any of you were willing to join me in battle, and lend your incredible strength to our fight, then I would do everything in my power to make sure you were safe. Not only on the battlefield, but here in your wonderful woods.”
Aleia’s aunt and uncle shared a glance, and I was glad they weren’t giving me a flat-out refusal. But it was clear that this wasn’t going to be a simple thing for them to accept after living so long without a god.
“Our niece is surely a good judge of character,” Amalla said at last. “If she has followed you and loved you enough to bear your child, then I have no other choice but to trust you, Jack.”
“Fairies have never followed a god,” Axis muttered. “But that does not mean things could never change. Some traditions are made to be broken.”
“So you would consider it?” I asked. “Joining us, and fighting when the time was right?”
“We don’t take this lightly,” Axis assured me. “Other gods have tried to tempt the fairies before, but they used intimidation and other cruel methods. We have been threatened with vicious creatures, and some gods have told us they will burn our homes down while we sleep unless we join them.”
“That is terrible!” Penelope gasped. “All because they wanted to use your strength, how rude…”
“Your methods are different,” Amalla said as she looked up at me. “A god with dignity and honesty is not something we have seen before. You truly are unique, Jack.”
We sipped our drinks as I gave the fairies time to think, and the sky started to darken slightly as the evening began to set in. More golden butterflies drifted by, and their wings glowed slightly as the light got dimmer.
“You know… fairies do not lose their strength with age,” Axis said after a moment. “If we were to join your alliance, you would be gaining a whole group as strong as Aleia. I’m sure you have seen her in action.”
The fairy puffed out his chest as he spoke about his niece, and I could tell how proud he was of her.
“She is incredible,” I said with a grin. “I did wonder how many fairies had this gift of such strength. It would be an element more valuable than any I could build or hope to find elsewhere.”
“What do you think?” Aleia asked eagerly. “Would you consider joining Jack?”
“We must think of the greater good of all fairies,” Axis said with a sage-like nod. “If Jack is the force that will lead us against evil, then we have to be smart.”
“Besides…” Amalla smiled. “It is clear to me how much he loves you, Aleia. I can see it in his eyes.”
I felt my cheeks get a bit hot as everyone turned their gaze toward me as if to check if this was true, and Aleia giggled at my awkward nod.
Then I glanced at the doorway to see that the fairies inside had given up all attempts at subtlety. They sat gawking at me even as the little ones yawned.
“We have not had visitors in a while,” Axis chuckled. “You are the first god that has come here to speak, and not to threaten.”
“Now,” Amalla said. “You need to tell me the important stuff. Have you picked out names for the baby?”
Aleia giggled as the conversation turned to the children, and I sipped my tea as I watched the family bond. But I also checked my interface, and a grin spread over my face as the colored dots slowly changed before my eyes. The deep yellows of the fairies started to shift into pure orange dots, and I knew that visiting Aleia’s family had been the right move. The more we stayed and spoke, the darker the dots became.
The fairy people hadn’t been given any real reason to trust gods so far, but I was changing that.
As the sky darkened even more, and our tea was refilled, I started to see more red dots than orange. Fairies spilled out onto the balcony to speak with us, and I told as many as I could the stories of our recent battles.
They were intrigued by the different species who had joined together for my army, and I could tell how curious they were about fighting. Some of the younger fairies even started to demonstrate their strength by lifting up the biggest boulders they could find and carrying them back to the treehouse. One excited girl even tried to lift me up before her mother swatted her away.
I laughed as the fairies became more open and playful, and we chatted about the nearby lands until the stars began to shine. Aleia rested her head on her aunt’s shoulder as we spoke, and the baby fairies couldn’t get enough of our tales about wolves and dragons.
After a couple of hours, I checked my interface again to see a sea of red dots light up the treehouse.
My mission had been a success. I had just acquired a whole army of fairies.
Chapter 5
The moon was full and high in the sky by the time we started to leave. The baby fairies had fallen asleep in their mothers’ arms after hours of running in manic circles screaming about their Uncle Jack. The priestesses were drowsy as they spoke, too, and I knew we should start to head home.
We had spent hours talking about the battles we had faced, and all the creatures who had come to be in my army. The fairies were especially fascinated by the dragons, cyclopes, and all the huge beings that had given me their devotion. It was clear that they were actually fascinated by gods, and I learned that Ethan had tried to recruit them once, too.
It was no surprise that his method had been to threaten them with violent squall sprite storms, but the fairies showed no interest in his offers. They had stood their ground and relied on the forest spirits to keep their trees standing tall, and Ethan had clearly gotten bored when he just stopped appearing to them one day.
I made sure to answer all of Amalla and Axis’ questions so they knew they were in safe hands. My tea was refilled time after time throughout the evening, and bowls of fresh berries were passed around until I was nearly bursting with the stuff.
Aleia was flushed with happiness as she stifled a yawn, and I realized she had barely stopped smiling the whole time we were there. Her siblings had come out to join us hours ago, and Ash sat with his head resting on his sister’s shoulder.
“I think we should head back,” I said gently as I glanced up at the stars. “You’ve been really hospitable, but we should head home for everyone to get to sleep.”
“You are welcome to sleep here,” Amalla offered. “Although, I am not sure we have a bed big enough for you, Jack!”
“That’s kind,” I chuckled. “But I have things I need to sort out with Tobias. We will see each other again soon, though.”
The fairies nodded as everyone started to get to their feet, and the babies were hauled off to be put in bed.
I had told them all about my alliance with Tobias, and they were amazed that two gods could be genuine friends. It was clear they had never had any positive run-ins with any gods before, and it seemed I’d changed their whole perspective of what a god could and should be.
We followed Aleia’s aunt and uncle back through the treehouse, and we made our way up to the rooftop as the whisper-soft snores of baby fairies rang out through the woods.
But Aleia’s tired siblings hurried after her so they could all say goodbye together.
“Will we see you again?” one of the girls asked. “You will visit?”
“Of course,” Aleia promised. “I have my brothers and sisters back! You can’t get rid of me now!”
Nieva called for the dragon, and we only had to wait a moment before the powerful flapping of huge wings filled the air. A few excited fairies flew out of the treehouse to watch, and they gasped as they nudged each other excitedly.
“They really are amazing creatures,” Axis breathed as the scaly animal drew closer. “And they just let you ride them?”
“They do,” Nieva said. “It is a rare thing, but they trust and love us completely.”
“Fascinating,” Axis mumbled.
“You should come and visit us in my Dragon Valley.” Nieva smiled. “Perhaps you would all like to meet the baby dragon.”
The tiny fairies squealed with excitement at the prospect, and Aleia kissed each of them on the cheek as she whispered her goodbyes. She hugged Ash last, and the siblings held each other tightly under the stars.
“Bye, sister,” the boy mumbled. “See you again soon.”
“You will,” she promised. “My big, strong baby brother.”
Aleia hugged her aunt and uncle tightly as the dragon lowered itself down all the way, and then I helped Nicola and Penelope clamber up onto its back.
“Stay safe,” Amalla said as she stroked her niece’s cheek. “We’ll be here whenever you need us.”
The old fairy turned to me and smiled as she wiped away a tear.
“Jack,” Amalla said softly. “Thank you for taking care of her. I think the fairy people will do well under your guidance.”
“It’s an honor,” I replied. “You’ve made the right choice, and I’ll speak with you again soon.”
“Just let us know when we’re needed.” Axis nodded. “We will fight alongside you, Jack.”
I climbed up onto the dragon behind Penelope and waved at the fairies as the huge creature started to rise into the night sky. Aleia’s family flew up to wave while we began to move, and the fairies blew kisses as we left the treehouse behind. Some of the younger ones flew hurriedly over the purple trees to keep watching until the dragon’s speed became too much for them to keep up with.
“That was awesome,” I sighed. “Your family is amazing, Aleia. They really saved your siblings, but I’m sorry that your parents turned out to be so… shitty.”
“It is all in the past,” Aleia said. “Now that I have a huge family, I don’t need the ones who broke my heart. Oh, it was so incredible to see my brothers and sisters again!”
“They’re an amazing group,” I agreed. “I can’t believe they were willing to change their beliefs for me.”
“I can,” the fairy said dreamily. “Fairies are very observant people, and they could obviously see what a good heart you had!”
“And how powerful you are,” Celeste purred as she flew closer to us. “All those stories we had about you in battle were enough to win over anyone!”
“The little ones are sooo cute,” Penelope groaned. “The tiny wings! The dimples! I cannot wait to meet your little one, Aleia!”
“But that visit did make me more eager for our own births,” Nicola said with a grin. “These tiny god-babies of ours can’t come fast enough.”
“Still a while to wait,” I chuckled. “But we’ll have plenty of adorable kids running around soon enough.”
Penelope rubbed her belly happily in front of me, and I knew the naiad was more impatient than ever before to become a mother. The fairy kids had been insanely cute, and it made me excited for my impending fatherhood. I only hoped I could rid the world of evil gods by the time it came.
The wind had picked up slightly as we soared away from the Violet Woods, and the women were quiet as we headed back to the Dragon Valley. I could tell they were exhausted from the day’s events, but my mind was alert and racing.
I had a whole army of super strong fairies at my disposal, and I was already planning how they could be used in battle. They were small enough to stay stealthily hidden, but their combined strength would be enough to match the giants.
Finding out that the priestesses could combine their powers also seriously upgraded our combat options, and I was itching to get the women practicing. The new power sharing combined with the fairy army had made this a fucking amazing day for my ranks, and I had a new surge of confidence for our next fight.
Penelope rested her head back on my chest as we approached the Giant Lands, and I could still hear the steady thudding of huge footsteps echoing out over the huge trees. I noticed there were torches burning inside the walled city, and I could hear a dull roar off in the distance.
It wasn’t long before the dragon sailed into the central valley and began to lower itself, and a pack of wolves slinked along the darkened hillside with some fresh kill hanging from their mouths. Then they shot us friendly, muffled howls as they hurried into their cave to enjoy their food.
“Oh,” Penelope said sleepily as the dragon touched down to the ground. “I was falling asleep there!”
“I almost did, too,” Celeste yawned and tiredly flapped once more to touch down. “Which is not a great thing to do when you’re flying.”
“Time for bed,” I chuckled. “Let’s get my beautiful priestesses to their hut for some rest.”
We climbed down to the ground, and the dragon gave a soft roar as Nieva and Nicola stroked its snout. The huge creature bowed to me before it slowly flapped up to its cave and vanished into the darkness.
All of the priestesses yawned as we began to walk through the valley, and I could hear hushed voices drift through the air. As we walked toward the dragon folk huts, I could see there was a group gathered around a campfire.
Tobias was there with Lurk, Olwen, and some other orcs and dragon-men who must have returned from their mission.
