I returned home into the late afternoon to find Mr. Big walking about in the basement library fully dressed in expensive black suit and white cravat around his neck. A ruby was pinned to the center of his cravat and all I could do was stare at how dashing and refined he looked. I stood watching him silently for a few moments until he finally noticed me and turned toward me raising an eyebrow.
"How did your day go my dear? Was it fruitful and productive to you?" He asked.
I smiled and walked toward him. "It most certainly was. I along with the other mages have been tasked with going to war with the old Draconian lords and ladies that were deported by his majesty to the country farming lands. Are you going out to a party tonight?" I said.
Mr. Big nodded. "Indeed we are going out tonight. I have a few matters to attend to politically before we leave for the country to stomp out the rebellion." He said.
I smiled up at him and went into his arms hugging his waist. "Your taking me out in public tonight. This would be a first. I haven't a dress to wear though. You look very dashing in your suit my Lord and master." I said.
Mr. Big chuckled and rubbed my cheek with his large hand. "Thank you. Now that Cadre is dead and I am on the rise politically in the king's circle I can now see to your situation. Now as for a dress. What would you prefer. Red or blue?" He asked.
I started to speak then remembered my new sword. I moved back a bit and lifted my sword un sheaving it to show him the blue glow of the lightning ethereal elemental blade. "Something with this palette of blue." I said.
Mr. Big nodded and with a wave of his hand and a flash of bright glow my sword disappeared along with my clothes. I blinked and looked down at the pretty blue dress that was on me. My tattooed arms were covered with long fashionable white gloves that extended up my arms.
He turned me around toward a long mirror that now stood to the back wall. I stared at the image of myself in the mirror with Mr. Big standing behind with a pleased smile on the curve of his lips. "This pleases me. You look very pretty my dear. Very pretty indeed." He said.
I pursed my lips tightly together and clasped my hands together as I stared at us. Mr. Big shook his head at me. "Don't start crying dear. You'll ruin your make up. You look wonderful. Is there a question you wished to ask me as you were talking with his Majesty?" He said.
I blinked my mind blanking for a moment. I started to shake my head but then I remembered. "Yes. Oh. I was going to ask why you didn't challenge his Majesty to duel for rulership of Drakescape?" I asked.
Mr. Big smiled patting my shoulders. "It's simple my dear. His Majesty is a demi-god and monster who grows stronger and more powerful in combat and aggression. For the moment he is a civil monster but you have not seen him when he is been quite the beast. It is incumbent on you and responsibly civil minded people to avoid him going up and down the realm putting every deserving and possibly none serving mortal soul to the fires of his bottomless black rage." He said.
I stared at his smiling face and the glow of his heavenly eyes. "My lord. You are a God. Don't tell me that you of all beings are afraid of him." I said.
Mr. Big nodded. "I am and so is his Majesty. I may not fear his Majesty but you are forgetting that you exist in this realm though you are a half immortal being you are still a long way from becoming a true immortal. As long as you remain in my shadow you will be protected. If you step outside that shadow then you step into a realm of un-certainty." He said.
I stared at him. "You wish me to avoid a situation of putting you in a position where you would have to fight his Majesty over me." I asked my heart beat against my chest as I felt a panic and expectation for his answer to my question.
"Yes. Now that I have been freed completely from Cadre's covenant with me I am more at liberty to use more of my power but I would sooner avoid facing off against his Majesty over you. Are you ready to go." He said.
I turned into his embrace hugging his waist. "I promise to never put you in that position my lord. I will protect your honor my lord." I said.
"Dear. You most not cry. It isn't all that serious. Now. Let's go mingle among the guests of tonight's affair." He said and turned me around.
I felt a rush of magical energy wrap around us and then we were in front of two double doors that suddenly opened inward toward a large ballroom with a large chandler on the ceiling and many other guests in small groups around a dance floor in the center of the room.
Mr. Big led me into the room and seemed draw every eye toward him as he led me through the draconian and mages in the room. His hand was on the small of my back as he guided me toward a small group where his Majesty was at the center of the group with the queen mother beside him in gold gown on her hair was up in crown and she was close beside his Majesty grinning sipping on a glass of wine.
I felt a little jittery that quickly turned to fervent passion as I felt Mr. Big's hand lowered down more to my backside. I stared at his unabashed rakish delicious grin. I felt a flush of heat rising up from my toes to my cheeks.
I turned away smiling as we were drawn into the group and in with a shock of surprise I realized my boss Alex Stone in the group. He nodded to me with an odd expression on his face. He was with two other mages.
His Majesty held out his hand to Mr. Big. "B. It is great to have you show up. I gather your Lady Wells has brought you up to date on the shit show." He said bluntly.
Mr. Big gave a short nod of his head. "Yes, she has your Majesty. I'll be heading out with her to handle the affair acting in assistance of course to the wizards and spell swords of course." He said calmly.
His Majesty studied him and then waved for him and the others to follow him over toward a private room near by. The door was opened by a attendant we were quickly shown inside. Once inside the door was closed and I sense a magical spell of evasion was put on the door.
There was a single round table in the room and no chairs. I felt an odd feeling about this that only increased as his Majesty got out a map from his suit jacket and unrolled it onto the table.
He put used drink glasses to hold it down as we all angled around the table to study the map closely. His Majesty pointed at spot on the map with his finger. "Alright. South of the city is Lord Randell's central farm. That's where my mother was supposed to be imprisoned but that jackass fell for her charms so she's running the place now. You'll have to hit that place immediately so we can get control over the farm again and find out what the hell she's up to now. Alex are the others still in the side farms?" He asked.
Alex grimaced shaking his head. "I'm not sure your Majesty the old dowager queen's influence on the major tradesmen we depend on has been raising as she's been looking to subvert your power quietly by disrupting the general peaceful operation here. We'll have to go out in small units to find out if the others are were they are and who the hell she's looking to start the shit storm up again in the city." He said.
His Majesty nodded stiffly. "Alight. I'll be staying in the city to keep watch in case this is all some stupid bullshit plan to get us out of the city and shack it and force me to a challenge at the hill." He said and looked at Mr. Big. "B. What news have you heard from your knights?" He asked.
Mr. Big frowned. "The bitch has somebody looking to challenge you. It won't be in the traditional sense of your people. She's looking to do something new. I'm not sure at all what the hell is going on. I just know we have to take her down fast before she and whoever the hell she's working with makes their move. Another thing. You'll need to avoid a challenge at the hill this time no matter what. Your people below you need to get ready to stomp out any challenger until we're sure what the game plan is." He said.
"I agree with his lordship." Alex said immediately. "We only just caught whispers of this event just now but we don't know how deep it goes." He said.
His Majesty nodded. "Alright. Alex your in charge of the squads going out. Don't send out all your best people. I'll need them here to hold the library in case shit goes south fast. B. do what you think best. Have your people ready with your commanders in place. If there's nothing else the meeting is closed for tonight." He said and dismissed the meeting.