Champion, Chapter 78: Betting It All

AidanThe RealmsFifthday, 2nd week of the 11th month, Age of the Chosen 1Early EveningCaellach Macht, Mistvale Highlands

A hush fell over the Forum. A low buzz of excited whispers still filled the air, but everyone seemed to be waiting to see what happened next. Aidan felt like he didn't have much choice in the matter. Still, there were some questions he could ask. "You are proposing a full military alliance between the city of Ceallach Macht and the Sapphire Sky Horde?"

"We are." Alektryon's face was impossible to read. Aidan badly wished Eldrid was present. She frustrated him in so many ways, but her gift provided certainty.

The problem was how uneven this was. Aidan had no way to enforce the terms of any treaty he made with the Sapphire Sky. From everything he'd learned of the subject, gargoyles were close to indestructible. Their bodies were made of enchanted stone, near-impervious to weapons and magic alike. With a combination of Soulfire Blast and Blade of Burning Wrath, Aidan might be able to hurt one. Maybe.

A group of them? Not a chance.

He wanted to clarify whether the alliance would be with him or the city but put it aside to ask later. The answer wouldn't change how the rest of the Summit went. Instead, he asked, "And you will send one or more of your tribe along with the expedition against Karsarrym?"

"Indeed. Even we of the Sapphire Sky must recognize the threat caused by a rampaging dragon. Furthermore, we know where its lair is. It lies along the border between our territory and Chieftain Searlas's." One huge hand made a casual wave through the air in the sour-faced catfolk's direction. "Should the Mist Stalkers continue to prove recalcitrant, the expedition can be routed through our lands."

Aidan nodded. "And all you're asking in return is for me to prioritize our previous arrangement?"

Alektryon's face remained impassive, but his words carried a hint of reluctance. "There are a few other minor provisions. We do not believe you will object to them."

Of course there were. "A moment, please." Aidan turned to Ailis and whispered, "Thoughts?"

"I do not like this. The deal they are offering is too good." Ailis's tone carried the same frustration Aidan felt. "Still, there is an opportunity here. Shield us?" Once Aidan put up a Sound Barrier, she leaned in to whisper straight into his ear, using her hand to shield her mouth from any potential lipreaders. Aidan listened, nodding along. When Ailis finished, he gave her a smile and squeezed her hand beneath the table.

Dispelling the silencing spell, Aidan turned his attention back to Alektryon. "I have a counter-proposal for you. Ceallach Macht has no intention of waging any wars of aggression, so a military alliance is more than we need. Instead, I ask the Sapphire Sky to join us in founding a coalition of mutual defense and economic cooperation." The buzz in the Forum grew louder as Aidan's words reached eager ears.

Alektryon folded his arms across his chest. "You know that we prefer to limit our interactions with the world outside our lands."

Aidan met his gaze without flinching. "And yet you came to me. My proposal does more for that end than your initial suggestion. With a full alliance, you would be obliged to join Ceallach Macht in any war we fought." He spared a glance to the other representatives. None of them looked happy with the idea. "I could forge a kingdom with a handful of gargoyles fighting for me. Your race was designed as the perfect soldiers, after all."

The crowd fell silent as Aidan spoke. Only an occasional isolated whisper disturbed the quiet. "With a defensive pact, you would only need to protect member states from outside aggression. Your mere presence as a signatory would deter all but the most powerful, determined, or, to be blunt, stupid invaders. The latter is no problem, but the first two," Aidan shrugged. "You would end up involved in one way or another anyway."

Aidan spread his arms apart, indicating the room as a whole. "I do not want a kingdom. I want a peaceful place to live with my family and raise my children." His mind conjured up an image of the radiant smile that burst across Sunnild's face when they confirmed her pregnancy. "For us all to raise our children." His eyes bored into Alektryon's as he placed heavy emphasis on all.

The statuesque gargoyle remained silent for long seconds. His eyes never left Aidan's, but his attention seemed to be elsewhere. Finally, cutting through the onlookers' renewed whispers, Alektryon said, "There are details which must be worked out. However, the Sapphire Sky agrees in principle to your proposal. We will join our fates to yours, Phoenix King."

The Forum erupted. A cascading cacophony of cheers seemed to shake the very air, feeding off each other in an echoing reverberation. Aidan let them shout. He needed a moment to collect himself. Relief flooded through him, followed closely by concern.

Aidan was almost certain that Alektryon was in telepathic contact with his brethren. For them to come to an agreement in such a short time, either they had no intention of honoring the deal, or they were desperate for Aidan's help. Neither was promising, though, of course, the latter was preferable.

Still, he couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. This was Aidan's chance to make his dream a reality. He held up his hands for quiet and, within a few seconds, had it. "Thank you, Alektryon. I look forward to working with you and your people in the future." He swept his gaze across the other delegates. They could all tell what was coming.

"With our new friends, the Sapphire Sky Horde, I am now confident in achieving victory over Karsarrym. The dragon's hoard will be distributed among the expedition members proportional to their investment in the expedition." Aidan took a breath and let it out in a soft sigh. Here was the threat he didn't want to make. "If either of the eggs survives the battle, they will be brought back to Ceallach Macht and raised here under the League Council's supervision."

The implication was that they would be raised as weapons of war for the nascent League to use against its enemies. Of course, that was the exact opposite of Aidan's intent, but he had to use the tools available to him. And doesn't that sound just like something the old Ailis would say? The bitter question rang in Aidan's mind.

"I am sure that each of you needs time to deliberate. Today was full of surprises for us all. Therefore, I suggest we adjourn this Summit for the evening and reconvene tomorrow at noon. Are there any objections?" None came. "Very well. Then I call this session to a close. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Alektryon, Ailis, Eilwen, if you would join me under the hill? We have details to work out."

AidanLate EveningCaer Macht, Mistvale Highlands

Several hours later, Aidan walked into his quarters, rubbing his neck. Then he stopped, one foot lifted off the ground.

"You sobered up quick," he said to Eldrid. She lounged in a pile of cushions around the dinner table, wearing one of Aidan's shirts and nothing else visible. "And I was under the impression that shirt privileges only came after formalization of a relationship."

Eldrid scoffed. "You expect a water mage to stay drunk and a pirate not to reappropriate things?" Sunnild, also sitting at the table, giggled at that.

With a snort of his own, Aidan set his foot down and made his way over to the table. "A pirate now, are you? Respectable businesswoman, mercenary, mage, pirate... what's next? Queen?"

A wave of Eldrid's hand warded off Aidan's sarcasm. "I never made any claims regarding respectability. As for being a Queen? Well, you're the only King I know." She leaned forward, causing her bounteous bosom to bulge obscenely through the unlaced front gap. "Is that a proposal? I'd question your ability to keep up with five women, but I already know you can."

Before Eldrid could build up a head of steam, Aidan interrupted her. "No, it wasn't, and you know it. I've had a long day, Eldrid, so please forgive me for being brusque, but why are you here? I was hoping to come home, have a nice dinner, and get a good night's sleep. Your presence indicates those plans are in jeopardy."

"Oh, pooh. Stop being a spoilsport." Eldrid relaxed back against the cushions and took a sip from her mug. "Good mead, by the way. Anyway, I'm here to collect on our wager. I won our duel, so you owe me a nice, thorough massage."

Aidan settled down atop his customary cushions with a sigh. "The whole getting drunk thing was a sham, wasn't it?" Eldrid's answering smirk was the only answer he needed. "What would you have done if we left you alone in the tavern instead of escorting you?"

Eldrid flicked her fingers, dismissing Aidan's concern. "You wouldn't have. It was sweet of you anyway, though." The smile she gave him even reached her eyes. "It wasn't all fake, anyway. As it turns out, being roasted alive isn't very pleasant even if it gets fixed afterward."

He winced at that. "Sorry. I did warn you about fighting me." Aoife brought Aidan a tankard of mead and a bowl of some noodle-based soup, then sank down beside him. She wormed her way under his left arm and nuzzled his chest. Aidan shifted his arm, wrapping it around her waist and pulling her tighter against him. Aoife's low, thrumming purr soothed his soul.

"No worries. You did your best to win," Eldrid said, still smiling. "I respect that you didn't hesitate or pull your punches. Well, not any more than circumstances dictated. We both know you would have won if you pulled out all the stops." She shrugged and accepted a bowl from Brighid. "Thanks. So yeah, don't trouble yourself about it. Anyway, I understand I ended up missing some drama at the Summit?"

Aidan chewed and swallowed before responding. Aoife's cooking was improving fast. This almost reminded him of ramen, the good kind rather than the dollar store dried stuff every college student was familiar with. "Yeah. The gargoyles crashed the party and made some barely-hidden demands. Thank the Brighaid Ailis was there. She helped me turn it back on them."

Brighid picked up the story as she settled in to Aidan's right. "Aidan got them to agree to create a formal mutual defense and economic pact." She giggled. "You should have seen Chief Searlas's sour face."

Aoife's purr intensified. "It was glorious." Her emotions, ever-present in the back of Aidan's head, radiated smug satisfaction.

"So he did pull something?" Eldrid cocked an eyebrow at Aidan.

He nodded. "You were right. He tried to strongarm me into giving him one of the eggs." A hiss of outraged surprise came from Sunnild. Aidan sent her a smile.

"It didn't work, don't worry. Searlas withheld the location of Karsarrym's lair as part of the attempt, but the gargoyles know where it is, and it's on their border. Took all his leverage in one sentence. I was able to spin the deal I made with the Sapphire Sky to secure both eggs if they survive the fight." Aidan's smile turned apologetic. "I did have to concede to them being supervised by everyone who joins the League, but I intend to put you in charge of that."

Sunnild nodded and smiled back. Her left hand drifted down and touched her belly, seemingly without her being aware of it.

"So what did the rock-heads want from you?" Eldrid's question pulled Aidan's attention back to her. She was leaning forward, supporting her chin on crossed hands, elbows on the table. No doubt by design, the pose framed and emphasized her vast expanses of porcelain-pale cleavage.

Aidan hesitated for a moment, considering how to answer. When he proposed the initial deal, Sarpedon made no effort to conceal what the gargoyles wanted from Aidan. Brighid, Cai, Llwyd, Ceirios, and Ysbail were all present at the time. Brighid was his Soulmate, and Cai and Llwyd had just sworn Oaths of Fealty, but the latter two had no strong affiliation or reason to stay silent.

On the other hand, Alektryon had been much less forthcoming. Even after joining Aidan in Caer Macht, he refused to divulge the reason for his mission until Aidan blocked Eilwen and Ailis off with a Sound Barrier. As it turned out, gargoyles elsewhere in the Realms were dying at an alarming pace. Alektryon told Aidan that they'd lost four enclaves in wide-spread parts of the world in the last month and a half.

While gargoyles had been a dying race before, thanks to their inability to reproduce on their own, they now teetered on the edge of extinction. Something or someone appeared to be trying to hasten that along. That was a secret Alektryon seemed to deem vital to the Sapphire Sky's self-interest, so Aidan elected not to reveal it.

"I can't tell you everything," he said with an apologetic shrug. "A while back, they approached me with an offer. In essence, they handed me the keys to this place, plus ongoing informational assistance, in exchange for researching something for them." He extended his pointer and shook it back and forth when Eldrid tried to interrupt. "Hold your horses. I'm getting there."

Eldrid stuck out her tongue at him, which, combined with her exposed cleavage, sent Aidan's mind down a brief, invigorating tangent. Wrestling control back, he continued, "As it turns out, they can't reproduce without the assistance of an Animamancer, and the last gargoyle with the skill and knowledge died out a very long time ago. They've been searching for someone to help them ever since."

A frown creased Eldrid's face. "Wait, soul magic? I thought you were a fire mage."

Aidan smirked. "Now, when did I ever say such a thing?" Eldrid's eyes narrowed. "Caer Macht is a four-leyline nexus. That's all I'll say on the matter for now." He liked Eldrid and wanted her far too intensely for his own good, but he couldn't trust her as a confidant. Not yet.

"Hmph. Fine, keep your secrets, then, for now. I'll get them out of you sooner or later." She leaned back, uncrossing her legs, then crossing them again. The action brought Aidan's eyes to Eldrid's thighs—pale, bare, surprisingly well-muscled—and to the space between them. Whether she wore anything below or was going without underwear entirely remained an open question. The shirt Eldrid wore was just long enough to prevent him from seeing anything private.

"Now then," Eldrid continued. Aidan's eyes snapped back up to her face, blushing at the knowing grin tugging at her midnight blue lips. "We've eaten, I've cleared the evening with your lovely fiancees, and there remains an unpaid debt between us. I was going to tease you for a few days, but I think we could both use the stress relief. Of course, I won't make you pay up now if you're really opposed, but it would hurt my feelings." Eldrid pressed one hand to her bosom and another to her forehead.

Aidan glanced at the three of his fiancees who were present. "You're all okay with this?" He saved Aoife for last and kept his eyes on hers.

"Go ahead, have some fun," Brighid said.

"Mm!" came Sunnild's agreement.

Aoife gnawed on her lip, then nodded. "It's fine. Just remember who wears your ring." She tangled her fingers in his hair and tugged him down into a searing kiss. Her emotions held a thread of worry among a tangled weave of tension, anticipation, and growing arousal. When their lips parted, Aoife leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Do whatever is needed to put her under your spell. The best way to neutralize her is to make her loyal to you."

Aidan gave Aoife a hard look. He didn't like what she was implying. She squirmed around until she straddled his lap, then cupped his cheeks in her hands. "Trust us," she said in a low, gentle croon. "We talked about this, all four of us. You're going to end up in bed with her. At this point, it's inevitable. Better to do it on your terms than hers. I don't trust her, but I don't think she's an enemy right now." Aoife swayed forward, pushing her own impressive breasts into his chest, and nipped the tip of his nose. "Give her your best effort, and I doubt she'll be able to bring herself to work against you for fear of losing access."

Before Aidan could do more than frown, Sunnild and Brighid pressed against his sides. "Go ahead," Brighid urged again. "Eldrid needs you. She may not realize it, but I can tell."

"Mm-hm," Sunnild hummed into Aidan's neck. "She's been all over ya from the start. I like 'er, and even Aoife doesn't think she's a bad egg. Ya don't have ta force anything, but if ya get a chance, why not show 'er a good time? There doesn't have to be anything more to it than that."

"See?" Aoife brushed her lips across Aidan's. "We're in agreement, and we each have different reasons. So if you don't like mine, that's alright."

"And yes, Mother agreed, too," Brighid added. Her breathy whisper into his right ear sent a shiver down Aidan's spine.

"Fine, fine," he said and gave each of his fiancees a kiss for their efforts. "I know when I'm outvoted. It looks like you and I have a date tonight, Eldrid."

The corners of Eldrid's lips tugged upward. She rose and stretched, the hem of her shirt still covering her groin by some miracle. "I'd say we already had the date, Aidan. Now comes the nightcap." She turned and sashayed into the room they'd set aside for Aoife's use, then paused, leaning against the doorway and giving him a come-hither look over her shoulder. "Well? Are you coming?"

"Not yet," Aidan muttered to himself. His woman snickered and pushed him toward the blue-haired vixen.