1-135 Brothers in arms

Jaina walked along the starry shore of the beach as her mind refused to settle. A few hours ago, she had the great honor of marking Heather as her harem sister. It was a moment of magic as dreams she never dared to have come true. Frank was a master of the harem now, and his girls were part of the fold. Jaina had made love to him and shared her body to let him know they were now his. She wanted to treasure that encounter and the passion that followed, but a dark cloud hung over everything.

Now she walked across the hidden beach on the shores of an alpine lake. It was part of the Lovewood, and Evalynn had altered the land to be a sandy paradise with marbled buildings to use for shade. It couldn't be reached by any trail or path, but a magic forest door connected it to the garden in Rajeen's inn. Even now, two harem girls lay in the sand, holding each other close as they talked about the stars.

Jaina wished she could feel that relaxed, but the tension of what was coming prevented her from being so calm. Heather was in trouble and running a razor's edge to pull off a deception so risky it made her stomach turn. If it failed, they might lose their home again or, worse, be reset as the rage of the north descended on them.

She sat alone on a log placed before a long-dead fire. Far away in the inn, Heather was asleep in Rajeen's arms, blissfully unaware of the danger sweeping in. She looked at the sand where the black embers of an old fire remained. She wished she could sleep the night away like the others, but nervousness prevented it. For an hour, she sat with her head in her hands, praying for the plan to work. She didn't hear him approach until a soft hand touched her shoulder, and she looked up into the eyes of Roric.

“You can’t sleep,” he said with a nod before sitting beside her on the log. “Neither can I.”

“I am so worried,” Jaina replied. “I just want to know everything is going to be alright.”

“I wish I could guarantee you it will be,” Roric said as his arm went around her back. “But I would be lying if I said that. I trust Hannah, but this plan of hers is full of risks.”

“It’s the only plan any of us has come up with that isn’t to run away and hide,” Jaina moaned. “Oh, I hate Moon for doing this to her.”

“Hey,” Roric said as he rubbed her back. “We are all upset, but you can't let feelings like that creep in. You just branded Heather into the harem and made her your sister. Why don't you focus on that.”

“That's why it hurts so much,” Jaina said in a pained voice. “Because we are so close to everything being perfect, yet it could all be gone tomorrow.” Tears welled in her eyes as Roric pulled her to his side and rubbed her arm for comfort. She knew nothing he could say would take the pain away, so he wisely remained silent.

“I heard you made love to Frank,” he said after a long pause. “I knew that was coming, but I never thought it would happen this soon.”

“Are you upset?” Jaina asked as she leaned away. “Roric, I would never have done it if I thought for a second you would be angry.”

“I'm not angry,” Roric insisted and pulled her back. “Just a little worried. I worry that we will have to balance the scales sooner or later, and he might not be so happy.”

“I think he will be fine,” Jaina sighed. “Frank has changed a lot in the past few weeks. He's starting to understand that he could have much more than just a single wife. He has embraced the idea that they are slave girls in his harem and what they mean for the future.”

“Still, I think I should avoid approaching Hannah for a bit,” Roric said. “Just to be sure he’s ready for it.”

“You should call her Heather,” Jaina said. “She doesn’t mind us using her name in private.”

“I know,” Roric agreed. “But you never know whose watching. Magic and scrying devices make it hard to keep secrets, and right now, she's under intense scrutiny.”

“Do you think they might be watching her friends?” Jaina asked as her fear rose.

“It’s only wise to be careful,” Roric replied. “At least until the interrogation is over.”

“Well, getting back to the girls, you are going to have to stake your claim to them sooner or later. Until then, I won’t share anything with him,” Jaina said.

“That isn't what I want,” Roric said. “Rajeen consulted me before she approached him about joining. We knew there might be some discomfort about sharing his girls with other men. So it's not like I was blindsided by all this. I gave her my blessing to invite him in, knowing full well it might be very one-sided.”

“Still, if his girls can't play with you, we shouldn't play with him,” Jaina said. “I will be polite about it and explain that you don't feel comfortable touching his girls, and out of respect for your wishes, we feel the same should be true in reverse.”

“That might hurt his feelings,” Roric replied.

“He's a grown man,” Jaina insisted. “And let's be honest; he's a good man with a big heart. Even if it did hurt him initially, he's the kind of person to sit back and seriously think about it. He will see reason and come back ready to talk about it.”

“You're right, but Chandice thinks he’s doing this to take his mind off the danger,” Roric said. “Once it’s passed, he may regret them joining the harem.”

“Then let them go,” Jaina replied, looking him deep in the eyes. “All I care about is you. I came here and created myself to be your perfect slave girl. I love Frank, but you are my world, and I will not see you mistreated. I still don't think Frank will do that to you, but I would stand by your side if he did.”

“I am glad you understand,” Roric agreed with a nod and leaned into her. Jaina smiled and enjoyed her embrace, relishing being in the arms of her master. They sat and watched the stars twinkle when silver glitter floated in the wind. Jaina turned to see Gisley with her beautiful butterfly wings spread wide, fluttering toward them.

“Here you are,” Gisley said. “I was looking all over for you.”

“We couldn’t sleep,” Jaina said. “But what are you doing here? I thought you were in the harem?”

“Rajeen and Frank asked me to sprinkle Hannah with some glitter to keep her out and give her good dreams,” Gisley replied. “I set her up in a dream with Breanne and Evalynn. They were snuggled together in a bed of flowers last time I checked on them.”

“Hmm,” Jaina said, patting the log to invite Gisley to sit. The fairy hid her wings and sat down, putting an arm around Jaina before snuggling in. “Gisley, is Frank asleep?”

“Umm,” Gisley replied as she closed her eyes. “Yeah, he’s dreaming about digging a tunnel. He can dig really fast.”

Jaina turned to Roric and met his gaze as he nodded slowly. “I know what you're thinking, but is now a good time?”

“Now is the best time,” Jaina said. “They just joined the harem, and he can cut it off before anything he regrets happens.”

“What are you talking about?” Gisley asked.

“Gisley, can you put us to sleep and bring Frank here?” Jaina asked.

“Sure, if you want,” Gisley replied as she lifted a hand filled with silver glitter. “But if you all start having sex, I am joining it.”

“I doubt that will happen,” Roric sighed. “But let’s go talk.”

Gisley smiled, and they were showered with silver glitter as the world faded away. Jaina found that she and Roric were exactly where they had been in the waking world, only now it was a bright sunny day. The air smelled salty as the water lapped on the shore, creating a seaside-like feel. Even the far horizon was changed to a vast expanse of water instead of the distant cliffs.

“Gisley,” Jaina said to the air. “Why did you change things?”

“I wanted it to feel like a real beach,” the fairy’s voice echoed. “Hold on while I get Frank.”

“I hope this is a good idea,” Jaina said nervously.

“Oh, now you question your judgment,” Roric laughed.

Jaina smiled as a man appeared with his hands clawing at nothing. He looked around in confusion for a moment, then stood straight as he spotted the two sitting on the log.

“Roric? Where am I?” Frank asked.

“You’re in a dream made by Gisley,” Roric said. “I had her bring you here so we could talk.”

“So this is another dream?” Frank asked as he turned to the water. “I like the location.”

“It’s a real beach in the mountains,” Jaina added. “It’s not this big. Gisley is having fun with the dream to make it seem more real.”

“I see,” he replied and turned back. “So, what did you want to talk about? Are you worried about tomorrow?”

“Oh god, yes,” Jaina sighed.

“But that’s not why you’re here,” Roric said. “We wanted to talk to you about your girls and the harem.”

“What about them?” Frank asked as he walked to where they were sitting and sat on the sand right before them. “Is it about having sex with Heather and the others?”

“Well, that was direct,” Jaina said in surprise. “We didn’t even need to beat around the bush.”

“Yes,” Roric said to ensure they stayed focused. “We are concerned you may be doing this for the wrong reasons and will regret it later. We wanted to talk with you and let you know that nobody would be upset if you wanted to back out of the harem.”

Jaina held her breath as Frank sighed and leaned back, placing a hand on the sand to brace himself. He seemed unusually relaxed as he took his time to collect his thoughts.

“I would be lying if I said I didn’t have doubts,” Frank said at last. “I am sure you know I haven’t had any experience with relationships. Heather is my first girlfriend and my first everything. She means more to me than my life, and I would do anything for her.”

“This is part of why we are concerned,” Roric explained. “You and Heather are so united that I dread touching her.”

“We both respect you too much to do anything to damage your relationship,” Jaina added.

“I appreciate that,” Frank replied and closed his eyes momentarily. “But, I don't think I will regret this. I have always loved harem anime, and I even wrote a couple of fan fictions with me as the protagonist. They were so full of sex that I couldn’t find a place that would host them. It was all my inner dreams and desires boiling out the only way they could. I didn't think such a thing could exist outside a fantasy story, but then I met you. I have seen how your relationship works, and I love the dynamic. I want that for us if I can figure out how to manage it.”

“That's a very good answer,” Roric said. “But allow me to play devil's advocate and state a plain fact. Most men can’t share their women. In fact, the mere suggestion of it is usually a sign your relationship is already over. The danger is even greater in your case because Heather is your wife.”

“So if I suggest that she have sex with you, my relationship ends?” Frank asked.

“No, not if you suggest it,” Jaina replied. “It’s usually the woman approaching her man about having an open relationship. As much as I hate to betray the secrets of my gender, more often than not, it means she’s already cheating or has somebody lined up.”

“And you should never accept such a thing unless you truly want it,” Roric added. “I know people from the real world whose partner suggested this, and they just walked. No discussion was had, no terms were made, they just cut their losses and walked. For most people, just having this conversation is a death blow to their relationship.”

“But, if it’s something you both want, it can be very special,” Jaina said.

“I see,” Frank replied as he began to tap a foot. “But this situation is different, isn’t it?”

“It is, but we wanted to be sure you knew it,” Roric said.

“Well, the way I see it, Heather has asked me to take this role,” Frank said. “I was against it at first, but I spent hours talking to Blackbast talking about it. She went over all the dangers and pitfalls of a master-slave relationship. She warned me to deeply consider the motivations behind making this change. She even encouraged me to keep them to myself unless I was sure I could be happy.”

“Sound advice,” Jaina agreed.

“I wasn’t sure for a while, but she and I make love a lot. I like to go to her temple and approach her like a traveler seeking comfort. We make love for a bit, then lay in bed and talk. Sometimes she leaves me to serve another guest, or I get there, and she is already engaged.”

“What do you do then?” Jaina asked.

Frank smiled and looked embarrassed for the first time as he admitted he watched. Not always, and not like a peeping tom looking through a keyhole. Often, they were having sex out in the open, where others came in and watched, too. Other times, he used the magic mirror in Blackbast's private chambers to watch her up close as she worked to please a stranger. He admitted to feeling a rush, knowing she was having sex with another man.

“I feel that as well with my girls,” Roric agreed. “Especially when I commanded them to do it. I love seeing them obey and give their bodies to another on my say-so alone.”

“Yeah,” Frank said as a smile crept over his face. “I dream about seeing the others do it because I told them to.”

“Oh, I feel so much better about this,” Jaina sighed. “You are a hard man to read when it comes to things like this. You don’t seem like the type to like this sort of thing.”

“I wasn’t,” Frank replied. “But I am surrounded by it everywhere I look. I see you and Roric every day while Rajeen’s harem girls prance around me flirting. I watch it all, and I think how magical your relationship appears. Then I go to Blackbast and watch her make love to a man before making love to me. I can't escape it, and I don't know that I want to. The girls seem happy with the idea, and I really love those forest tattoos. I want them all to have them, and I want them to love me for allowing it.”

“Oh, he's so ready for this,” Jaina smiled. “We were worried over nothing.”

“I am,” Frank said firmly. “And I trust Roric to be the first other man to touch my girls. I respect you as well and think it will be a good way to get them used to being free with sex.”

“Except Quinny,” Jaina laughed. “You already gave her permission to serve in the temple.”

“I gave them all permission,” Frank said with a smile. “But I ordered her to do it, and the rush I felt made my hands shake.”

“Well,” Jaina said as she smiled at Roric. “Now all that's left to do is break the ice and make his girls aware they will be serving you as well.”

“That can wait until a few days after the interrogation,” Roric said. “Right now, none of them need me adding emotional stress to their issues.”

“Good point,” Jaina agreed. “Let's focus on the danger, and we can celebrate when it's passed.” She smiled at Frank, then got up to sit with her back to him while pulling her hair aside. “So, which tattoo do you want them to get first?”

“I don't even know how these work,” Frank said as he traced a tall central tree trunk crowned by a green cloud of leaves. “What is the tree for?”

“Oh, that marks them as a forest whore,” Jaina said. “All that means is they went to the magic pool and bathed to begin the enchantment. You don’t just get tattoos for having sex in the forest. You have to go through a small process of agreeing to receive them. It’s like signing a contract so we don’t accidentally mark a woman who had no idea it could happen.”

“Makes sense,” Frank replied as he traced the trunk that ran down her spine. “So once they bathe in this pool, they will all have this tree?”

“Yes,” Jaina replied. “And everyone who sees it will know what it means.”

“It’s also an unwritten rule that once you start getting tattoos, you are not allowed to cover your back,” Roric added. “You need to leave it clear so everyone can see what you have been up to.”

“So they can see we are whores,” Jaina said more bluntly.

“I see,” Frank replied, tapping a large gnoll head with a silver line. It was prominently featured in the leaves of the tree like a jewel in the crown of green. “I assume this means they made love to Roric.”

“It does,” Roric replied. “The large image is me, but the smaller one below the leaves means she has had sex with gnolls in the village. And just so you know, we are going to add one for you. As a master of the harem, you will have an image on the other side to mark a girl's service to you.”

“So you can add more?” Frank asked.

“Oh, goodness, yes,” Jaina laughed. “We should add one for all your girls as well. I would love people to see Heather's mark on my back and know I made love to her.”

“I like that idea,” Frank agreed, then tapped an image of what looked like a black cat. “Is that for making love to Blackbast?”

“She has several achievements,” Jaina explained, reaching over her shoulder to take a sexy feline face. “That's the one for making love to her, and this one here is for making love to a guest in her temple.” Jaina indicated a small pillared arch decorated with hearts. “You get a heart for every five guests.”

“So what’s the cat for?” Frank asked as Jaina cleared her through.

“I suppose we should just be open about this,” Jaina said with a look at Roric.

“It means she has had sex with one of the hunting panthers in the forest,” Roric said.

“She had sex with an animal?” Frank asked incredulously.

“Oh, please don’t judge me,” Jaina begged. “I only did it because Roric commanded me. He was trying to test my limits and prove I would do anything to obey him.”

“I am not judging you,” Frank replied as he traced the cat image. “I want Heather to have it.”

Jaina couldn’t help but smile as he said that, and a shiver ran up her spine. He asked about a dozen more images, learning that the tattoos could be linked to places, events, special encounters, and the like. The conversation drifted more into one of mechanics as Frank grew ever more curious about how they worked.

“So you can add some for me?” he asked.

“Sure,” Roric replied as he leaned forward. “What did you have in mind?”

Frank sat back and pondered it a moment as he worked on his idea. Then he explained that he wanted to add a special achievement for making love to his ghoul form. He suggested his tattoo has two styles: a human face and a ghoul. If a person made love to both, the face would be half and half to signify it.

“Easily done,” Roric said.

“Hmm,” Frank said as he touched the collection of three small gnoll faces that indicated Jaina had made love to the gnoll NPCs. “How would I do this?”

“Add an image for making love to your NPCs?” Jaina asked. “You don’t have any NPCs.”

“I have undead,” Frank said as a chill ran down Jaina’s spine.

“You want an achievement for making love to your undead?” Jaina gasped as she turned around.

“Not the gross ones from the graveyard,” Frank said. “More like the dry, leathery ones, ones Idris makes. I can also create ghouls that are relatively clean. I could show you, but it's a dream.”

“It will still work,” a happy fairy voice chimed in from nowhere.

“I knew she was listening,” Jaina laughed. “You may as well appear and join the conversation.”

Gisley faded into view a few steps to the side and smiled as Frank's eyes fell on her naked body. He commented that she was amazingly beautiful and envied Roric for owning her.”

“You own me as well,” Gisley said as she stepped up to him, her breasts less than an inch from his face. “You are my master, after all.”

“She’s right, Frank,” Roric agreed. “You may as well get used to it. Gisley is your property now.”

“And Heather is yours,” Frank replied.

“Now, back to this undead idea,” Gisley said. “Go ahead and summon a ghoul. The dream will recreate it the way you expect to see it.”

“Alright,” Frank replied and got up. He held out a hand to the sand and commanded it to come to his side. Instantly, the sand began moving as a gray arm burst out, and a hunched creature crawled out. Jaina was surprised to see a ghoul with pointed, jagged ears, long claws, and the gray rubbery skin of an undead. However, there was absolutely no gore or filth on the body. Its skin was gray but clean, with a normal muscle tone. The arms were a little longer than would be expected, but overall, its proportions were almost normal. The face betrayed its undead nature, but unlike Frank, the mouth had lips, and the teeth were straight. It even had a head of hair that ran down its back in a wild mane.

“Wait, could you have looked like this?” Jaina asked as she gazed at the relatively normal creature.

“I could have,” Frank admitted as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“You really went out of your way to make yourself gruesome, didn’t you?” Jaina pressed as she came to his side.

Frank sighed and admitted that he had. He explained that before coming to New Eden, all girls ever did was make fun of him. He was so angry and bitter that he intentionally made himself horrible so girls would never even look at him. It was his way of saying to himself that he didn’t need them.

“Ohhh,” Gisley said as she took his arm. “But I think you're wonderful. We all do. I hate that you went through all that.”

“We all wish you hadn't had to experience that,” Jaina agreed as she took his other arm. “I am so sorry you had to be hurt like that. Emotional pain, especially for someone who craves love, is the worst pain you can feel.”

“Thank you,” Frank said as he looked down. “But that’s over now.”

“It sure is,” Jaina assured him. “You have the entire harem to spend the rest of eternity sharing your love with, and you have the same rules Roric does. You are free to make love to any woman you wish, inside or outside the harem.” She watched Frank nod, then suggested he summon a zombie so they could see it. Sure enough, he summoned two types, one very much like Idris's with dry, leathery skin and a taught wiry frame. The second type was even more human, with gray and greenish skin but a completely healthy body otherwise. There was no puss or ooze coming from open wounds, and if not for their absolutely black eyes, they could easily be mistaken for humans. Still, they moved and moaned like zombies, and their skin was cold to the touch.

“Alright, I agree these are viable,” Jaina said. “But where would we place them?”

“We could add a graveyard to the forest,” Gisley suggested.

“Or,” Frank said as he turned to face the others. “You could extend your forest to the graveyard.”

Jaina felt a twinge of excitement as Frank suggested they extend it all the way across, swallowing up Quinny’s forest. That way, magical sexual encounters could be had over the whole expanse and new achievements added. The forest would swallow the few miles between them and the graveyard, so the entrance to the goblin city would also be inside the Lovewood.

“You really are ready to embrace this, aren't you?” Jaina asked as she put a hand on his arm. “Oh, Frank, you have made us all so happy.”

“I just want to be a part of this,” Frank said. “And I want to be free to love you all.”

“You are free,” Jaina assured him. “And we want your love every bit as much as Heather does.”

“And I want them all to love Roric as they do me,” Frank added. “I want them to love him so much they miss him if they haven’t been in his arms recently.”

“Thank you, Frank,” Roric said with a dip of his head. “I really appreciate that.”

“This is going to be amazing,” Gisley said with a happy little dance. “We are one big harem.”

“Then, Frank,” Roric said as he got up. He held out his arm, and the two clasped as Roric held him tight. “We are brothers in arms and keepers of the sacred duty that is our harem. Together, we will defend our home and our girls from any danger.”

“We should make a proper crest,” Frank suggested. “Something to signify that we are a knightly order. Like how those men in the north call themselves the silken princes. Being named a master of the harem should be the highest honor one can achieve in our land.”

“Oh, I am so in love with this idea!” Jaina cried excitedly.

“I can’t wait to tell the others!” Gisley agreed.

“Assuming we still have a home after tomorrow,” Jaina said sadly.

“Heather's plan will work,” Frank assured her, putting a hand around her waist. “And even if it didn't, and everything was ruined, I would work tirelessly to rebuild it. I promise that no matter what happens, I will build this home and dream for you and Roric so that you can live this fantasy forever.”

“Oh, Frank, I love you,” Jaina said with tears in her eyes. She threw herself into his arms, and they hugged tightly as she rubbed her smiling face on his chest.

“We will build it together,” Roric said with a hand on Frank’s shoulders. “The masters of the harem face every challenge as one.”

“It needs a better name than that,” Jaina laughed as she stepped back from the hug. “The masters of the harem sounds like some cheesy movie title.”

“How about the lords of passion?” Gisley offered.

“That sounds like an erotic manga,” Frank said. “I think I might have owned that actually.”

Jaina struggled to contain her laughter as they started to toss out names. None of them were good, but it was a wonderful change from the day's worries. Frank was completely ready for the change as the harems became one united in love and respect. But it had gone so much further to a place Jaina had never expected. The two boys had become brothers in arms, united by a common goal. From this day forward, they were of one mind and purpose, the protectors of the jade harem.