I sighed and glanced at my bodyguard, getting a questioning raise of the eyebrow in return.
"Watch over Yeva, when Irje isn't around, will you?"
Viter nodded, "Will do. Is something happening?"
I shook my head, "Nothing specific, just the usual unease. And I don't want someone to target me through her either."
I had no intention of telling him what just happened with Anaise. Unnecessary gossip aside, what she had offered to me was extremely rash if not even stupid in others' eyes.
Yes, she was a female of high standing and could afford to take multiple partners into her sadaq. No one would bat an eye at that. The issue was that her standing was too high. She could probably get ten husbands, as long as they were at least wermages, and of a decent social standing too. Her taking in a mere wer would have caused a furore.
A murk would be outright scandalous.
I knew I was no average murk, there was no denying that. So did she and even her mother, so I didn't expect a huge fallout from this. But the rest of the Emanai did not. If she were to actually do so it would both spell even greater notoriety for me and public disgrace to her position. A major loss for all involved.
She could have simply kept me around, a personal servant to assist with her diverse needs. Most likely the exact angle that Irje and Yeva were aiming for, a benevolent patron that doesn't just enjoy the fruits of my labour but enjoys my presence in general. And, therefore, unlikely to harm me or mine.
Yet she did not. Anaise didn't want my occasional presence in her life, she wanted exclusive access to me. Whether because she saw me as something worthwhile to bet her social standing on, or out of some deeper insecurity. Perhaps it was even due to her relative inexperience with relationships too.
She was young and impressionable, and I came at her with the skills honed over the untold amount of years. Knowledgeable enough to use yet still inexperienced to gauge my strength. No wonder things have gotten to the breaking point. Worst of all, I had no idea what she would do in the future. If Anaise was already trying to take me into her sadaq, she might resort to doing something equally as drastic. Irje and I were much sturdier, but Yeva was just one unfortunate accident until there was no turning back for any of us.
But I wasn't going to divulge all that to Viter. He didn't need to know the sordid details of my relationship with the Lady of the House in order to do his job. Nor did I actually expect Anaise to lash out to such extremes. She was frustrated, angry, hurt, but she wasn't stupid. Anaise might be new to intimate relationships but she wasn't new to social interactions.
I chuckled ruefully to myself and set my feet toward my house. Once again I had a 'woman' problem in my life. Aikerim was pleased with my results, Shahin was gone, and Albin was working on Sophia's problem. But now I went ahead and made an Anaise issue just to keep my life busy it seemed. I had no doubt that some sheep lady had a hand in sending that werecat after me too. Although that was likely due to the fact that most of the decision-making was done by said ladies, to begin with.
XXX
Seeing girls in a happy mood felt like the balm on my heart. I was quickly pulled in and got up to date with what happened during my absence. Both the happy parts of Irje trying to lift Yeva and the bittersweet ones about Yeva's late mother. My attempts at apology were quickly dismissed as unnecessary. In fact, she specifically asked me to teach her my way of playing, both as the gratitude to her mother and to spite the well-established songs of Emanai.
Which I immediately started on doing by placing her into my lap and guiding her fingers with mine. The warmth of her body and Irje leaning on my back slowly worked at unravelling the tension inside of me. Allowing me to slowly parse through the issues of the day and start working at them with relative peace inside my heart.
"The new walls would be in place by the end of the day," I spoke as I worked on Yeva's proper hand positions. I could see she was eager to play and was already quite quick to recognize and identify the correct notes, but the right hand was just as important, "Which means that tomorrow the buildings will be either built or the inner layout will be established. It might be a good time to figure out what we want to have."
"Wouldn't it be easier to do that tomorrow when everything is in place?" Irje hummed from behind.
"I don't want us actively planning in front of Samat workers. While Domina and her immediate family are aware of who will be living in it, I don't want one of the wersheep to put it together and make certain assumptions. I already have plenty of their attention just because Sophia was interested in me, I don't want to find out how obsessed they would be when they realize that Kiymetl is building an estate for a murk."
"Or find out about us," Yeva quipped as she kept strumming. Her tip of the tongue was sticking out from the immense concentration she had at her task.
"Or find out about both of you," I nodded. "It is overall better to draw as little attention to us as possible right now."
"The way that you say it sounds like you expect to attract a lot of attention later," Irje giggled, "But I have already told my requirements to Domina. A living house with an inner courtyard would give us plenty of rooms and allow us to relax and enjoy life without being visible outside of the estate. And separate kitchens and storage area."
"Something that both you and Domina would appreciate. You will have your quiet place to fiddle with your plans, while she feels content that you are secure in her Manor." Yeva chimed in again.
"But what would you appreciate, then?" I ruffled her hair.
"Nice straight paths," She huffed trying to move her head away without stopping her practice, "And an easy place for me to help you with your chemistry. Away from prying eyes."
"Agreed. I would also make rooms a little bit bigger and taller and have washrooms inside the building. I am sick and tired of walking outside in the middle of the night."
"That is disgusting!" Yeva scrunched her nose, "I have no intention of smelling foul air near my bedrooms. Or worse, inside. If you really can't hold it that long just grip your stick harder while you run!"
I snorted at her suggestion while gagging noises from Irje made her stance known too.
"Don't worry, love. I have no intention for them to smell at all. I will install the proper plumbing with water traps to keep the smell from coming back, and with the aqueduct, we will have all the water we would need to flush. But showers and a sauna would have to be outside. Just to speed up the construction."
"If you haven't noticed, the ones in the Manor already use running water, and I can still find my way there by smell alone," Yeva wasn't easily placated by my promises.
"Because they simply wash it away with a stream. While I would use water as a seal to stop the gasses from moving back at all."
"What is a sauna, however?" Irje butted in.
I smiled back at her, "It is a magical place where all are equal and women turn prettier after each use. But there is no point describing it right now, it is better to experience it when it is done. Anything else?"
She scoffed, "Yes, usual Erf plans. How could I forget? I also asked Domina for the kitchens. That way we can have an almost separate compound to ourselves without too many people coming and going."
"And then a few spacious warehouses for storage and work areas, leaving the rest of the space empty for now," I concluded.
"Aren't you going to use the aqueduct?"
I shrugged and put Yeva's fingers into a new position, "I don't know yet. I haven't decided if I will use it for water only, or make it turn the axles too."
No point in setting up the waterwheel or a water generator if whatever was powering the nanite container was still in a workable state. No matter how efficient I will make it be it won't hold a candle to more advanced energy generators.
"Can't you use water afterwards anyway?" Yeva asked.
"I can but not under pressure. I can store at the height of the aqueduct and have pressurized water available both for our home and other uses," I couldn't stop from cringing, "Ordering or making waterproof pipes would be a pain."
There was a reason for my frustration. Emanai had Iron, steel and copper. They did not have stainless steel that wouldn't easily rust. And copper was in use, but it wasn't as freely available as I hoped. This was coin material, for jewellery, and copperware. Not to build pipes from.
For that they used lead.
Malleable, easily workable metal that was just a tinge on the deadly toxic side when in acidic environments. Just a tiny bit, that's all. Suffice to say I had no desire to use such a 'barbaric' system. I also needed solder and direct heat to waterproof any pipe connections I will have. Something that Emanai had zero supply of.
"I guess I will need a furnace and a forge next, as a start for a metal shop," I groaned.
Asking a blacksmith for the loom beater comb was one thing. Trying to explain to them the nuances of threading pipes or making straight hollow and waterproof pieces would either get me kicked from the smithy or will saddle me with exorbitant prices. Hiring someone would be much cheaper. Especially since I didn't need a master smith. I needed someone who was familiar with metal. Someone I could eventually turn into a machinist. Extensive smithing experience won't be necessary at least at the start.
"You have no plans to slow down, are you?" Irje shook her head.
"I need tools. I needed glass so that I can store chemicals and glass sheets for nice windows and greenhouses. Now I need proper steel for tools as well as the ability to shape metals with precision."
I sighed, "I need tools to make tools to make tools."
"Why would you make a green house out of glass?"
"Have you ever wanted a fresh fruit in the middle of the winter? Or in early spring? Properly heated greenhouses would allow plants to grow all year long, as long as the sun shines at them through the glass roof. They are the houses for the greens."
Yeva slowed down her practice, "Perhaps you should concentrate on that, rather than metals."
I chuckled, "I will make sure we will have enough space for a few of them, then. It won't be an issue now. The first run had been successful and the next ones will occur at a faster pace. We will work on getting better insulation in the future but for now, making it easily repairable and replaceable will do the trick."
We kept talking like that well into the evening. Adding smaller and smaller corrections to the plans. Our quiet conversation was accompanied by soft melodies coming from Yeva's little fingers. While Irje chose to simply sprawl on the bed, basking in the ability to do nothing at all but discuss how lavish her future house would be. Occasionally poking me with one of her feet for no reason.
But all good things must come to an end, and I couldn't keep my head buried in the sand for too long. No matter how nice it was just to sit and relax and discuss pleasant topics, the issues of today still loomed over me. And through me - on all of us.
"Anaise came over today," I finally decided to bite the bullet.
"I can smell another woman on you, Erf. Is that why you were so fidgety all this time?" Yeva asked as she kept plucking the notes.
I guess that sort of revelation wasn't as dramatic if you have two women of your own who had encouraged you to pursue the third.
"She asked to take me into her own sadaq."
Yeva missed the note, while Irje jerked upright.
"So, what does that mean?" The cougar demanded while Yeva sat deathly still and quiet, "What would happen then?"
"Nothing, except there is now an angry and hurt Lady of the House." I sighed.
"Well, I am not giving you up either, no matter how sad she is." Irje proclaimed.
In the meantime Yeva put the guitar aside and quietly cuddled in, telling me her own opinion with her actions alone.
"Nor am I asking either of you to," I replied, while gently stroking the hair of my cuddlebug. "The issue is what should I do and how to avoid her potentially retaliating on both of you."
"She is hurt not because she can't enjoy your company, but because she couldn't take you all by herself," Irje huffed. "While I understand her feelings, I have given too much of my life to wermages already. I will not be giving my love too."
"Is that is why you encouraged me to take Yeva in? What is it about at least two in the sadaq anyway?"
"Yes, and she knows," I felt the nods of confirmation on my chest, "Sadaq is not a real sadaq until you have three together. While two can say that they are in sadaq - there are still enough ways to dissolve it outside of our control. With three or more, however, only we can break it, or Domina wouldn't recognize it when it forms. Which means that others can no longer will it away if it fits their needs."
I sighed, "That is all rather mercantile. As if you didn't care about her at all back then."
"I care about her," She spoke gently as she ruffled my hair, "Otherwise I would have never offered that to her. I saw her plight and I saw that you were not indifferent to her. And I could see her perk up every time you were near."
I heard a small whine of embarrassment within my lap.
Irje continued, "I am not a wicked woman, Erf. Selfish one, yes. But not wicked."
I pulled my hand out and dragged her into an embrace, pulling all three of us close.
"Thank you, Irje. And I am happy that you aren't. Let's rest, and then we could consider what to do with Anaise to make sure there is less hurt among all of us. And no more seduction of high-profile targets!"
I got stronger hugs in response.
XXX
I woke up with a rather usual experience of having my dick wet. The only unusual part was Irje's raucous laughter as she disappeared through the door in between Yeva's shrieks of indignation and outrage. Apparently, she had managed to get both of us horny only to finish me off and leave me alone with a frustrated and extremely needy Yeva.
Most likely to blunt yesterday's gloom. Or so I thought as I pushed my lithe lover deeper into the bed, using my entire weight to explore her fully. Her curled and shaky toes told me that I had found my target.
Bless her noble but horny heart.
I did ask Yeva to be careful in the next few days before I had to go and 'oversee' the construction. Just to be sure. But Yeva didn't mind my paranoia, choosing to stay in bed and relax until the hunger would eventually get her up. I chuckled and gave her a farewell peck in return.
The smug-looking Irje received a well-deserved but inconspicuous pinch when she replaced Viter. She wanted to see the work being done and demanded that they would switch places for the day.
The construction was proceeding as usual.
The 'usual' being magically enhanced.
Apparently, I wasn't the only one who wanted the mysterious murk alchemist to stay as far away from the Samat workers as possible. My hunch was right on Aikerim trying to keep the estate 'ownership' hidden. In the end, I didn't even have to explain my desires to them but to Sulla. Who diligently took my drawn plans and additional details for buildings and foundations in order to relay them to the builders himself. Most likely on the pretence of the orders being directly from Domina.
Not that I had to explain a lot. Samat wasn't building everything. Just the walls and structural parts of the buildings. With the internal elements to be filled later by Kiymetl workers and carpenters. Which meant that all I actually had to do was to lay down the position of every building and issue deliberately ambiguous requests like making the main living area designed for the Enoch-type individuals. With a few small rooms thrown about.
Hopefully, they would think that this estate would house Tarhunna or his relatives, while I get rooms spacious enough to lay plumbing in the floors, and thicken the walls too at a later time.
The display of magic was still wondrous to my eyes, but my mood soured rather quickly watching it unfold. My thoughts kept turning back again and again to the hurt look on Anaise's face. And, no matter how hard I tried to look, I couldn't see her anywhere.
I saw the waves of red tails in the sea of a crowd, but I didn't see one as fluffy as hers.
I stood overlooking the wermages that were building an estate for a slave murk, yet my eyes were trying to see the familiar green of her eyes.
And say something.
But what?
What could I really tell her that wasn't just another apology?
Take her in myself? That would be a slap to her pride and status even worse than my refusal had done already. Dissolve my sadaq and hurt Irje and Yeva? That would make me hate myself.
Sometimes the only way to heal the hurt was to let the time wash it away. Perhaps she was the smarter one among us both, by choosing to stay away while it hurt too much.
Worst of all, the construction didn't last as long today, choosing to suddenly wrap up to Irje's chagrin. I tried to ask around, but was met with the lack of concrete explanations beyond 'family matters'. In the end, I gave up and let irate Irje pull me away. Honestly, I found myself unable to care much. I had more on my plate than to try and untangle the intermanoral politics.
Especially since I was already at the epicentre of the Kiymetl-Shebet storm.
And I will probably end up mediating Aikerim and Albin quite soon. If he does come up with anything worthwhile for me to bet on.
We trudged back to my house, where snickering Yeva told Irje that it was her punishment for the morning. I let them playfully bicker among themselves without butting in myself, content to sit in my own funk.
"Erf. Go do something," Yeva suddenly commanded.
"What?"
"Anything. Go play with your chemicals, come up with another insane idea or something. Occupy yourself. Get busy and take this grump along with you."
"Hey!"
"And what about you? Do you want to come along?" I asked, making her scrunch her nose.
"I will stroll around. Breathe fresh air and take Viter to guide me. Don't worry about me every moment like a hen." She gently chided.
"Thank you," I stroked her hair, "For being the sensible one among us. Irje, come on."
"Awww. We could have other fun instead." She wiggled her eyebrows suggestively.
"Take your toy with you, then."
"Erf!"
XXX
I sorted the vials around, mentally checking what I had in stock and how much I actually wanted to have. Irje didn't even bother to come inside, accusing me of how much the lab stank. Well, it wasn't like I kept ammonia for its smell.
I wondered if that is why Yeva never asked to visit the lab. Or bothered to come with us, to begin with.
The new place will definitely have dedicated ventilation.
Yeva was right. It was much easier to worry about simple problems. Even ones like where to find nickel or chromium, tungsten or niobium if I were to delve properly into steel alloys. Or bauxite and zirconium if I was planning on handling liquid steel and glass in earnest anytime soon. The answer was simple - I needed expeditions.
Some things I could buy in large bulk orders. Some I could only buy in tiny amounts as oddities rather than industrial materials and pay a hefty coin for it. Some were virtually nonexistent on the market.
There was no way I would be buying rubies only to grind them into dust and turn them into a furnace lining. Aikerim will have a heart attack. And then make me have one too.
Then there was another issue. Scale. Emanai had steel for weapons and armours. Even some tools for master artisans. They did not have enough for farmers, buildings and machines. Every chunk of steel came into existence from countless hours of hammering the bloom into metal. It was similar to other metals and resources. The markets had them, but they were selling kilograms while I needed tonnes.
Especially copper and steel. If I would decide to skip ahead and start their industrial revolution from electricity, rather than from steam. But it wasn't likely. At least not on an industrial scale for sure.
A familiar shuffle had entered my ears and my heart trembled in joy.
"Anaise!" I turned around with a smile on my face, "Look I am sor-hnk!"
A solid punch into my chest pushed the air out of my lungs. I awkwardly looked at the unfamiliar face in front of me. Male, with a full beard, and short hair. A murk or a very human-like wer. And then my eyes went down to his arms, outstretched in front of him and still tightly gripping the dagger.
With an eerie calmness, I felt the fascination at what he had done so quickly and so effortlessly. The blade went right between my reinforced ribs, deep into my chest. Puncturing my lung and slicing my heart in half.
Oh.
Irje
She woke up with a grin on her face and a familiar knot in her stomach. She had already noticed significant progress in her newfound skill but it was not the reason why she was smiling this morning.
Irje looked down at the bundle of limbs and locks of hair in her embrace. Yeva was there but so was her Erf.
Hers. Hers. Hers.
She really liked the sound of that word. And yesterday's revelation made it even louder. Many would think long and hard if a wermage would offer to take them. Not as a spoil or a night's lay, but a full invitation to their sadaq. Especially from someone who is destined to take the seat of a Domina.
And yet he refused in a heartbeat. And chose her instead. Yet again he didn't care for the potential benefits while worrying about their well-being after refusing the Lady of the House.
These actions and his behaviour screamed louder than any words would. Making her heart beat just as loud with a sense of assuredness within. She even noticed a similar effect on Yeva too. She had different desires than Irje, preferring the cosy cuddles to the vigorous love-making. Yet she kept trying to keep up with Irje as much as she could, afraid to be left behind.
Until recently, that is.
Now she would take as much as she desired, and no more. Withdraw, content in her secure place within his heart.
Irje smirked and quietly crawled down on the bed. Making sure that the rest of her sadaq would remain blissfully unaware of her actions. Yeva might be content to simply wake up in his arms, but she wasn't. And Irje was hungry too. And whatever alchemy he had done to his body it turned his seed into the most delicious snack she ever had.
Apparently at the cost to his fertility. Irje was somewhat worried about that, but Erf repeatedly assured her that the process was reversible and easily so. And so she chose to trust him on that. It wasn't time for children anyway. Yet. Unless Irje wanted to give birth to yet another slave for Domina.
And Erf would be unlikely to stay bound for long, she thought as she slowly dragged the blanket up. Revealing the flesh of her loved ones.
Yeva clung to Erf in her sleep, but that was no obstacle for Irje. She gently caressed the lithe girl's skin, her skilled fingers sliding on her thighs and butt teasing out the heat from within. Yeva groaned in her morning sleep and buried herself into Erf's chest, mumbling incomprehensibly. While her mound rubbed into his thigh in order to prolong the feeling that Irje gave.
Good.
She knew them well enough by now and knew exactly how she could stroke the fire in their loins without waking them both up. Her fingers gently teased Yeva's nub only to pull away at a moments notice, making the girl twitch more and more in the search of fleeting pleasure. At the same time, her other hand played with the hardening rod of her lover, pulling and tugging on the skin and feeling it swell into her palm.
But it was his musk that aroused Yeva even further. Her humping ramped up, as she sensed his readiness in the air. Her tiny slit slid on his skin, seeking to fill its primal hunger and the emptiness within.
Irje smirked and gently inserted two fingers, making her moan softly in response. Only to pull them out and spread the moisture on Erf's hard shaft. Her breath hitched as she slowly lined them up together, gently nudging Yeva to sate her burning desire with the exact thing she was yearning for.
She didn't feel left out as she did so. Erf was hers. And so was his body. And so, in some way, was Yeva. Irje didn't feel like she was letting her lover satisfy someone else. Instead, her breath hitched and she felt the loud thumping of her heart while she watched closely as his tip eventually found Yeva's opening and started to eagerly slide in.
Irje felt a rush of heat across her body and a shudder followed soon. Watching it unfold in front of her eyes, so full of passion and desire. It made her feel like it was her rod that entered Yeva, and it was her folds that welcomed Erf.
Her gaze enchanted at the sight, Irje couldn't help but notice the difference in his movements. Despite being asleep, Erf somehow knew who was riding him and responded in kind to meet the desires of the rider. She knew it firsthand - Irje had done so with him on many occasions and he was much rougher then. This time, Erf slowly slid in and out in a languid manner, gently coaxing the incoming release from Yeva. And making sure he would come somewhere then as well.
Irje smirked, just as she expected him to do.
But she couldn't watch this for too long, or she wouldn't be satisfied with his treat alone. Irje grasped Yeva's butt and pushed her in, impaling her deeper. She pulled her out and nearly slammed her back in again and again, giddy with the result she was the witness to. Yeva's fingernails raking on his chest and the cute panting sounds coming out of her tiny mouth. All of which made Erf groan and bite his own lip in the throes of pleasure.
She wouldn't leave him without attention either. As soon as the pair picked up the new speed, Irje switched the target of her ministrations. Her hands and tongue worked on the areas that Yeva simply couldn't reach. Irje eagerly kissed and licked while gently playing with his balls.
They moved and shifted as she pushed him further and further to his peak. And, quite soon enough, he did just that. Erf grunted and his balls pulled in while his arms subconsciously reached out to grab, hold, and breed.
But it wasn't Yeva's hips that they grabbed. It was Irje's head.
She closed her eyes in glee as he filled her up, her hands milking him to the final drop. His hips jerked from pleasure every time she had to gulp around his shaft.
In the meantime, Yeva's moans stopped and turned into a groan of frustration. Her hands reached out to fix the issue, only to find an interloper in her place.
A heartbeat passed.
"Irje!" The petite girl bellowed, her voice promising nothing but pain, "You!…You…"
She pulled away with a wet pop and sat up straight. Satisfied yet unrepentant. Like a cat that got the cream and didn't care about future consequences, "Morning, Yeva, Erf."
"Mornin," He mumbled, trying to rub his eyes, while Yeva choked from her audacity.
"You know, you can have him now if you want." Irje teased.
Yeva flushed deep red and tried to push her away, but it was too late.
Laughing at the prank done right, Irje was already on her feet and approaching the door. She needed to get ready and make sure that she would see Samat mages move the earth for her estate. Domina's simple gesture gave her enough hints to start moving things with magic, and Irje was almost drooling at what else she could discover.
Today was going to be a great day.
Aikerim Kiymetl Adal
Her affairs had been in order, they were doing well enough for her to start planning to expand her wool imports. She would need to send envoys to the foothills of both mountain ridges that protected Emanai. Just like the palms of a caring mother.
The tall and harsh peaks of Sefid mountains turned any Flow creature away on the other side, but the foothills were thin and rich in metals. Enoch House was very protective of the area and the mines within, restricting access to the shepherds to where copper, gold, and silver might lie. While the flat peaks and the vertical walls of the Babr mountains formed plenty of hills but also suffered from the occasional attacks, especially in the autumn, when the incoming cold brought the hungering creatures down.
Kosenya, the House of Defence, kept a few lookout towers in the region to spot the stragglers but peasants still tried to avoid it at that time of the year. Both of which limited how much wool was produced and available for her to procure.
Aikerim put the scroll away and frowned.
Something felt off.
A sound of commotion outside of her doors was followed by Anaise barging once again. She started to raise her eyebrow but then jumped upward, startled by what she saw. The scrolls and goblets fell on the floor without a second glance from her.
Her daughter looked sick.
She tried to say something only to start dry heaving instead.
"Sulla!" Aikerim roared, "Raise the guard! Lock the gates!"
She knew this sickness. 'The Battle fever' that every wermage had seen, and many felt, right before battle. The nausea of the war mages warned generals of what is about to come.
Her attendant barked the orders to a nearby guard, who took off running, and turned back to her, "What should we do with Samat workers?"
"Kick them out," Aikerim bit out, as she felt her stomach churn as well. Good, that meant whoever would attack her daughter would face her too. And she would make sure to rip them piece by piece while keeping them alive with magic until there was nothing left.
"I want all that don't belong to me and mine to be out of the Manor as fast as possible. And quietly so. None should know of this apart from my immediate family. And tell my husband that I summon him here posthaste. Now go!"
Sulla vanished as she pulled Anaise to a couch. Aikerim knew that she still had some time left but that didn't mean that she would simply wait until then either. While her daughter tried to recover and steady herself, she closed the window curtains and unlocked a large but inconspicuous chest. One that she had placed into every main room of her house and chained down to the floor.
One of them, in her main meeting hall, stored gold and silver for her to trade with.
This one stored weapons and armour.
She picked up a blade and ran her finger on the runes inside, making them glow one by one. Just as the siege runes lit up all around the room. Reinforcing the walls from magical arrows, boulders and fireballs.
Aikerim stood in front of her daughter, facing the entrance to the room and making sure that the hidden passage was within her view as well.
She stood still while easily holding a sword as long she was tall with just one hand, and silently dared for anyone to come.
Irje
She leaned on the tree, watching the greenery surrounding the Alchemy building.
The day was not what she had hoped it would be.
Irje had just started to identify some common movements among Samat mages when they suddenly decided to stop working for the day. She couldn't even appreciate the splendour of her new home since the only things she could see were dug up land and holes where foundations were supposed to be. Erf surprisingly demanded quite a lot of earthwork done. Especially with the number of sewage pipes that would lead to the main Manor drainage system.
She couldn't help but cringe when she had heard workers laughing that they were building public latrines for a garrison or even a whole arm of fighters sick with food poisoning, rather than an estate for someone important. Luckily for her future sleep, all these would be plugged and sealed until whatever system he was talking about would be ready to use. In the meantime, only a single pipe would be enough for the kitchen and outdoor washrooms.
Erf had mumbled something about burying copper into the ground too but Irje chose to think that she misheard him. Having extra sewage pipes was odd but burying money into mud sounded like drying clothes in the river.
Worst of all, he was still glum from yesterday and her pranks had barely distracted him so far. She knew that he cared too much, but that was unfortunately one of the reasons why she liked him. And why he chose her and refused to let her go. Regrettably for him, the only way to fix that was to wait.
Irje sighed, it all could have worked out well for all of them if only Anaise Hilal wasn't so greedy.
At least Yeva had the smart idea what to do with Erf, as she sent him out to busy himself with the stinky concoctions. Irje looked around, actually hoping to see the red of a familiar tail that recently got even more prominent across the Manor. Viter might have been ignorant of what had happened but she could put pieces together.
He didn't accidentally startle the Lady of the House. No, he intruded on something candid, something indecent that Anaise Hilal wouldn't show to anyone. Apart from Erf that is. And Irje was irked that it wasn't her who barged in back then.
She licked her lips. Perhaps next time she could sneak a peek. If Lady of the House would be able to put her greed aside.
Irje felt the Spark drawing near and grinned as she turned around. Whoever it was, they weren't using the road and were approaching rather quietly. But, Lady or not, she would not ignore the intrusion. She was on guard duty after all.
The intruder didn't stop her advancing as Irje's ears went down flat — she had never seen this wer inside the Manor. Irje crouched into a fighting stance, but before she could bark at her to stop, the assailant pulled a dagger and rushed in. Leaving deep gouges in the ground. A shine of metal within her clothes.
Irje had barely a moment to grab something to protect herself. She blocked the first strike with her tool surprising the Collector. Only to have the dildo ripped out of her hand and get herself slammed into the ground. Hard.
She sucked back the air that got knocked out of her, clawing and grabbing at whatever was nearby. Her fingernails breaking on the metal plates. But Irje didn't care. She needed to kill the bitch.
Or at least hold her long enough and yell for Erf to escape.
The dagger plunged into her shoulder and twisted, forcing her to bite her lips in a silent scream. Her vision turned into a white blanket of agony and nothing more. The hot searing pain or ripping flesh made her break in a cold clammy sweat.
Irje's entire world was just that shoulder being ripped apart.
"Where is the blind girl," The Collector wer hissed.
"Go sit on a spear," She spat at her, only to choke in a quiet sob as the blade twisted again. Unable to hold tears inside.
"Do you think I don't know where he is?" The cunt mused and Irje's heart skipped a beat, "The alchemist is inside, and we are here to Collect. Now you can tell me where the blind girl is or I will make you beg so that you will be allowed to tell me again."
Irje gnashed her teeth in a blind and impotent rage. Breathing shallow as not to disturb the wound and send her in a sea of pain again. All Collectors were deadly, but the real ones were murks. Without a Spark to tell of their presence and armed well enough to make a single cut. Many of them died in the process but all would Collect what they came for.
Her traitorous mind painted the picture of her lover, choking in his blood.
Her Erf.
How dare she.
Blood trickled down from her mouth as she glared at the smirking bitch. Imagining her crucified or even quartered. And then her leftovers stomped into the filthiest hole there was. And the deepest one she could imagine.
Smirk turned into a frown as the Collector found herself lifted in the air. A rustle on the path and a flying stick slammed into the cunt's face, throwing her away from the prone Irje with a force of the impact alone.
Irje stretched her working arm and the bloodied dildo eagerly jumped into her palm. She pulled herself upward, using it as a handle in the air.
Wer spat the blood and teeth out of her mouth and glanced at her incomprehensibly, "a…wer…mage?"
She tried to say something else, do something while still trying to shake off the stars out of her eyes. But Irje's hand slammed the dildo back into her head. Her magic pushing it faster than her muscles ever could. She felt the skull crack on impact and the Collector fell limp onto the ground.
Irje hit again and again. Blind in her rage and uncaring for the splatter on her face and clothes. Until she could feel the Spark disappear from the lifeless body.
Erf!
Her shaking arm grabbed the bloody dagger from the ground, and she pulled herself upward. Spitting the blood that filled her mouth and pressing the hand to the gaping hole in her shoulder. She would deal with these later, right now she needed to get into the lab as fast as she could.
Irje stumbled to the door and ripped it out, unwilling to spend any time fumbling with the handle.
Only to see the blade being pulled from his chest. A quiet gasp escaping from his lips.
She saw red.
XXX
The titanium-laced sprouts pulled at the sliced muscles as the nanite bodies disrupted the balance of ions within my heart, choking it silent before it would beat for another time. I had enough oxygen stored across the tissues of my body giving me some time at my disposal to patch myself up without significant damage.
I didn't have a lot of time, so I couldn't dally either.
"W-why?" I managed to weakly choke out as my hand wrapped around his.
"Here to Collect," He threw at me.
"Collect?" I slowly started to pull away from the blade, stitching myself as the blade slowly exited the wound.
My body wasn't really designed to fight, but it was designed to survive the impact of a rogue meteoroid and occasional space exposure. At least long enough for it to matter. I wasn't invulnerable: I still needed a suit in space and I will continue to avoid being stabbed and punctured for no reason.
"Your life," He tried to pull the dagger. Only to jerk helplessly in my grip. I didn't want to reveal my strength so quickly but the blade had to exit in a calm orderly manner. Through the clearly marked exit hole.
Great. Someone hired assassins on your ass, Erf. Feeling special? Or just a touch of irony within your heart?
I wondered who hired him and did they say 'Hisss' or 'Baaah' while doing so. Or was it some other Manor deciding to join on the fun.
"Who?" I rasped. But he didn't buy into my act anymore, trying to wrench his hands from my steel grip. He was skilled but he was definitely a murk at best and I was fully aware of his presence.
Pity, I guess I would have to 'surrender' him to Aikerim again for interrogation. But that would likely result in my own interrogation as well afterwards. Tough choice.
With a loud crunch, the door had ceased to exist.
I guessed I had an Alchemy tunnel now…
Irje!
I gasped seeing my cougar bloodied, letting go of the assassin in my hand. Her tunic was red with blood from a nasty gash in her shoulder. I cursed myself as the nanites went into overdrive, trying to stem the flowing blood, No wonder this bastard didn't care about the Irje outside, he didn't come here alone.
She glanced at me, her face enraged, and sucked air in. Somehow pulling every loose flask, jar, and pot closer to her as well. A nearby table grinding on the floor.
And then she roared.
The assassin was flicked across my battered lab as if he was hit by an invisible truck. Multiple jars following him in flight as well. I couldn't help but cringe as I kept the pressure on my wound. A few of these had acids inside.
Not that it really mattered as he definitely didn't survive the impact with the wall.
"Irje!" I yelled, ignoring the hissing and bubbling mess while rapidly shuffling through my drawers, "You are hurt! Come here!"
She collided with me, distracting me from my frantic work.
"Erf, I thought you dead." She sobbed while hugging me tightly.
"Fuck, Irje," I gasped seeing her close. Her wound was even worse than I thought, it looked as if someone tried to simply dig her flesh out.
Fuck it. The tendrils squeezed my heart, pushing the blood through the still-damaged organ. I let myself bleed freely as I frantically started to pack her wound tight, trying to stem her blood flow before mine. My nanites would care for me even without my help, "We need to get you to the doctor, now."
"It is you, who needs to see the healer! The Collectors never miss!" She hissed as I pulled the bandage tight.
"The Collectors thought me for a normal murk," I refuted as I kept working, "A shoddy piece of metal to the chest won't kill me that easily."
Only for my legs to buckle under me, "Aw, shit."
"Erf!"
"It's okay, I expected this to happen," I spoke as she helped me down to the ground using her unaffected arm. A mask of despair on her face.
Looks like I used up all my energy reserves but the task was done. Irje didn't notice but she was bleeding profusely from her shoulder, wer or not she could only have a limited supply of blood.
"Go get help. Especially for your shoulder - you don't have much time! Leave me here to recover, I just need to nap for an hou-"
Irje slapped me, "Don't you dare to fall asleep now! Stay with me, we will get to the healer together, I am a wer and I will heal much faster than you."
"Irje, listen to me," I urged my frantic cougar, "I am healing now as we speak, this is how I do it and I need to stay still and recover."
I gave her a thumbs-up, "I will be fine, I promise you. But you aren't so go get help, please. I don't want to survive this attack only to lose you afterwards from blood loss."
Irje glanced at the linen bandages, already starting to soak through with her blood, and then back at my hand. She finally nodded, looking hard into my eyes, "I will. But if you dare to die on me…"
"I won't. Now go."
She gave me a smothering kiss and rushed out through what was left of the door.
I sighed and settled into a better position. I could feel my body screaming at me for ignoring the damage for this long. But now I had the time and the peace of mind to do so.
"Please don't die on me, Irje." I quietly whispered into the gaping entrance.
And then I promptly passed out.
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