Sailing Ether Tides

Sailing Ether Tides

Ch: 50 If I Can Find The Time

“Ward cannot be found, nor will he answer summons, great lady…” Nightingale whispered, as chief nurse of the eternal hospitaliers, she bore the shame of their failure.

“Did you bare your breasts and make a shameful mortal display of yourselves outside his forest?” She demanded. “He seems amenable to such blandishments.” She sneered at her retainer.

“We did, great one. A host of dryads came forth and shamed us by displaying themselves in an even more vulgar fashion… we were forced to withdraw, great one. The depth of their perversity is beyond our reach.” She whispered in even deeper shame.

“We wore our scantiest uniforms, yet we were defeated by their… armaments.”

She glanced down at the contents of her snug white robe and frowned. “We were… and remain, ill equipped.”

“Sweety, you have everything you need… don’t doubt that.” The casually dressed god of Death and Vengeance said from a luxurious black pillowed divan; placed right beside Dana’s golden settee.

“Confidence and consent are key elements of sexy, and your sexy nurse brigade had neither.” He spoke softly to the Nightingale, his voice soothing and warm. “I prefer it when my would-be paramore is more interested in our plans, than her mistresses’ desires… But if you want to swing by and have a dip in my pool, when you’re off duty…”

Somehow, Nightingale felt his eyes were filled with actual care, rather than base, animal…

“I summoned you many times, child of Ipet.” Dana snapped, interrupting the two fools.

“Yes, I’m the child of Ipet… in a lot of ways…” He cooed softly at the greater divine, sprawled on her couch, nearly weeping in her fury and misery.

“But don’t forget, I’m Vengeance in my own right and Vengeance does not come when called.”

His smile grew very cold and thin, so drastically different from the expression Nightingale was still cooing and humming to herself about.

“Vengeance seeks out those who are due a visit… In its own time.” He whispered even more softly, leaning close and speaking directly into her ear..

“Ware’ my kiss, it is death; ware’ my strike, death is a mercy.”

“Speak plain, lesser light, speak that I might understand, not in obscure couplets!” Dana demanded.

“Remember, Dana… Remember what I just told you, if you hear those words again, your end will be close at hand.”

He giggled madly at his jest and waved two fully functional extremities at her, as he slowly began to fade away into mist.

“For the moving finger writes, and having writ, moves on…” He whispered, as he vanished.

“I hate the Wards…” Dana snarled, her face, once so serene, had now beecome twisted in rage.

#

“I hate the Wards…” Benny, Maya and Frankie muttered crossly and in perfect harmony, as morning training dragged on and on.

“Well tough nugs, guys, we all gained a Contract this week and you need to up your game if you wanna keep up!” Amy barked, from the head of the pack.

They were running down a long, wide stretch of river road, with fully loaded packs and in full, mundane training gear… the extra heavy kind.

The four triplets were there, as well as a lanky, brown haired girl they had barely been introduced to before the run began.

Only newgirl was unburdened, running alongside her gangly, yearling colt, Flash, with a stupidly wide smile on her face…

She was running behind three very nice young bottoms. Maya reflected, as she ran in her heavy gear. The firm haunches of Perry, Larry and Harry were a fine sight, even if they were only just fourteen and fifteen… which didn’t explain the poor girl’s doofy smile, Maya decided.

Her grin was only for the horsie beside her, and Barry, on her other flank, also smiling like a moron. She did the math and quickly came up with a sum she liked very much, very much indeed…

They heaved to a stop at a clear mountain pool, gasping and collapsing to the soft forest moss one by one. Shiro leapt out of Amy’s bodice, where he could never have fit and began to ‘patrol’ the area, like a big kitty… No dandelion tuft or errant butterfly would escape his lambent, golden eyes and flashing toebeans.

Flash curled up at Lindsey’s back under a willow tree, near the edge of the meadow, letting her rest against his bulk and conveniently excluding Barry from the scene, as Wilf and Amy distributed snacks.

Maya slipped over to the new girl and settled in beside her, petting the horsie’s big, wide nose when he snuffled over to say hello, craning his long neck to sniff her.

Maya palmed the colt a sugar cube, as was traditional, when trying to have a private chat with an equestrian.

“So, Barry, huh?” She whispered quietly. “Don’t worry, Frankie’s mine… You know what you’re in for? Getting together with one of the Ward boys?” She murmured, while the objects of her gossip sprawled around nearby.

“They’re sitting right there…” She whispered urgently.

“Sound deadening gift.” Amy said softly, as she flopped down beside them and paid Flash his sugar cube tribute. “They will respect the privacy of girltalk. We’ve beaten that into them.” She smiled brightly and pulled Flash’s head down into her lap. “The only boys allowed to listen are Shiro and Flash. Now, where were we?”

“What to expect when dating a Ward boy.” Maya announced, dropping the pretense of whispering. “It’s a lot.” Somehow, it seemed that the fronds of their sheltering willow closed in around them, sheltering the group from prying eyes as well.

“I’ve seen him… in the bath…” She muttered, blushing bright red at the memory.

“That’s not what I meant, but… nice. Right?” Maya said, with a salty wink.

“Hey…” Amy protested weakly. “My little brother’s, little brother aside… We’re different from most families… we have some family traditions that are kinda…”

Maya held up a hand to silence Amy and spoke briskly, in a businesslike manner. “The Wards are monsters, whether fighting, playing or fucking. They are absolutely crazy, and will do anything, if it’s the right thing to do… or if it looks fun. The whole lot of them.” The slim, muscular girl said firmly, while Amy squirmed uncomfortably.

“The house moves around with them and is haunted, haunted as fuck. Haunted by ghosts, spirits, fae beings, minor divinites and whatever the fuck ‘Uncle Ward’ is, cause he’s not a normal mortal; thats one hundo percent.”

Lindsey opened her mouth to ask a question and got run over by the smaller girl.

“They are all weird, weird to the bone, but in the best ways. Most of their gear is enchanted, like legit magical equipment, like in stories of fabled heroes. The stuff is made by their father… or so they say. I suspect they are just as crafty and magical, even though they always avoid the subject…”

“Maya we…” Amy began, and got crushed by the tiny girl.

“I’ve been part of Team Ragamuffin for three years and they still throw me out of their house whenever more than two of them start working on something down in their forbidden workshop…” Maya had a tear in one eye and her voice was getting a little ragged.

“Oh. Maya, darling, it’s not like that…” Amy began, only to get trampled once more.

“We’re friends, and sisters… Sometimes, I think Frankie understands more than I do, but he won’t talk, not even to me…” She sobbed, collapsing onto Amy’s shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Maya, we’ve been hiding things from you… cause it’s super weird and kinda… weird…” Amy sniffled and sobbed onto her smaller friend. Soon, Lindsey was in the heap of sniffling, crying girls, her own troubles forgotten… for now.

#

“So… Jam sesh?” Harry asked when the girls got all emotional in the willow bower.

“Yeah… and you can tell us what’s going on at home.” Quiet, taciturn Benny said firmly.

“Gods and such… We’re fighting with Healer, ‘cause she tried to do butt stuff with Barry and he wasn’t down.” Larry replied, drawing a shout of outrage from Benny and giggles from the other boys, while Wilf passed around the instruments.

“Butt stuff.” Wilf agreed, neatly skirting his inability to tell a lie, just for fun and ti hear barry squawk again.

“Huh… that is weird… even for you guys.” Frankie muttered, before putting his big mouth to use on his flute.

“New girl is cute, nice job Barry.” Benny agreed, as his banjo began to chime its sweet song into the hills.

Boytalk just kinda hits different.

#

“Ooh, sweet, Jam sesh…” Amy sighed, once they were cried out and had wiped their faces on warm, damp, scented cloths, produced from Amy’s sleeve with a theatrical flourish.

In a trice, whatever spell had held them in a bubble of silence ended, allowing sweet music to flood over the girls.

#

Lindsey had been dreading the run back; two years in the Healer’s courses had left her out of shape and footsore…

She had also forgotten to put salve on the tender places wise runners know to protect.

The Wards had gifted her a suit of the underlayers they all wore beneath their weighted training armor, a soft, breathable trouser and shirt combo that were so soft to the touch, she’d neglected her poor, rubbed raw nipples…

Amy saw her tender careful movements and took her aside, while the boys were still playing sweet, beautiful music into the woods, just for them.

She took the slim girl aside and handed her a packet of the violet unguent that had become a critically controlled substance, out on the edge of things, where a healer might be far away.

“Amy… I can’t use these for… this…!” She whispered, both horrified by the suggestion and scandalized by the expense.

“It’ll do ‘til we get back home; a bath will fix that nasty chafing right up… A girl’s gotta keep her tatas on point.” Amy urged her new friend, with a wide parody of a lascivious grin on her face. “Here, I’ll help… You aren’t ticklish, are you?”

Lindsey swatted the silly, grabby girl away from her bosoms, driving her off with flimsy slaps and flailing, giggling nonsense. Finally, she defeated Amy the boobie grabber and sighed. “Very well, I’ll waste this valuable ointment on my tits.”

“Your ass too… You’re gonna need your ass shipshape for the trip back.” Amy warned her, as she left the young nurse alone, to attend her chafed nips and bottom in private.

She emerged from the bower feeling so much better and only slightly dreading the return run…

The others had changed from their heavy training gear, switching for light, flexible armor. It seemed to be light, tough, cloth armor, with sculpted and jointed wooden plates and segments at knees, elbows, forearms and calves.

Their breast and back plates featured holes pierced right through! They must provide plenty of ventilation… but not exactly what one would wear in battle.

While uniform in design, each one was uniquely colorful, in dark green, red, cobalt blue, brown and bright, springtime green.

On a folding armor rack stood a suit like theirs, in a rich, mellow, light brown, embellished with a spray of the local golden poppies, in bright lacquer work on the breast… her very favorite flower… and a beautiful, silver, rampant warhorse depicted on each pauldron.

“For... me?” She asked haltingly.

“Yup.” Harry said firmly from astride one of the mad machines she’d seen around, from the windows and cloisters of the temple complex.

“Gotta wear the gear if you ride with us, it’s the rules…” He announced, as if gifting someone a complete suit of training armor was no small thing. First the precious ointment, then… this.

Because of her height, she’d been forced to wear an ill-fitted mix of girl’s and boy’s pieces, cobbled together from the dusty old gear in the orphanage stores when she was still training for Adventure… and dreaming of having her own gear, someday.

Those dreams had been of a utilitarian, standard armor kit, that didn’t smell like an old man’s feet or pinch her in tender places. She’d never dreamt of something like this, something… pretty.

“Barry made that… He was up most of the night working on it with our pops.” Larry catcalled from down the line of ‘bikes’. “He wants to huuuug you!”

The taunting ended with loud thud, as an armored fist hit an armored belly. A few seconds of good natured, brotherly, woody clattering later, they were back in formation.

Maya and Amy took her by the elbows and hauled the lanky, mystified girl over to the rack and started buckling the elements of the armor together while the boys were still scuffling around.

In a surprisingly short time she was fully kitted out in an armor rig that was too light and unrestrictive to be real. The light helmet offered great visibility, but almost no face protection.

Likewise, her belly and groin were nearly unprotected, since her breastplate, like theirs, followed the curvature of her ribs, ending there. It was comfortable and allowed free movement, but those obvious vulnerabilities called the value of the strange gear into question.

“This armor is too light to be useful in combat… perhaps if we were just bashing into things…” She said, as Amy led her to Barry’s machine.

“We hope that you won’t bash into anything, but we wear safety gear just in case.” Amy said reassuringly.

Unlike the others’ machines, Barry’s had an additional structure attached to it, a curved beam with a saddle and stirrups attached.

“You’re riding tandem with Barry on the way back. Be sure to hold on tight.” She announced confidently, while settling Lindsey in her seat and placing her hands on the boy’s firm, muscular hips.

“Remember to hold on, and relax.” She delivered a swat to the silent boy’s shoulder and they took off. The machine leapt into life, surging forward like a live thing, desperate to run.

Flash cantered behind them, giggling with equine glee at her soft wail of terror.

After a few moments of absolute, mind rending fear, Lindsey’s heart slowed down and she began to breathe again. Trees swept by, as they rolled along faster than a cantering horse, almost flying down the wide, level road in utter quiet, save for the whir of the wheels and the wind rushing past her helmet.

With growing confidence in her companion’s skills with this strange device, she leaned forward to look out over his shoulder. With her front pressed to his back she could feel the animal warmth of him, through the strange armor… which made the experience even more magical.

Flash took to sprinting ahead, urging Barry on to greater speed…

Which he refused again and again, until Lindsey leaned even farther forward and whispered in his ear:

“Show that silly colt who’s faster, Barry.”

Since becoming an orphan at eight, Lindsey had tried to live her life without regrets, taking each day as it came and living it as fully as she could; knowing all too well how swiftly things can be taken away.

Now she regretted every day spent in Healer’s service, learning the arts and skills of a lay healer and the tenets of the faith, while awaiting the completion of her Contract…

Which had been taken without warning, much the way her previous life had ended, with sudden and violent upheaval.

Suddenly, her only regret was her own cocky, thrill seeking folly that had led her to encourage her fool boy to race her familiar…

“Slow down!” She wailed as they flew over a small creek, eschewing the footbridge, leaping it from a loamy embankment instead.

“Nooooo!” She cried, as a long downhill became a whistling nightmare of blurred foliage and near impacts with trees that seemed to leap at them from hiding…

Suddenly the armor made more sense and seemed a terribly feeble protection from this peril.

When they arrived at the inn once more, she was a gasping, wrecked thing, barely able to hold on to her warm, muscular, awful boy. She wondered exactly when she’d decided he was hers… but it was done.

#

Amy and Maya poured what remained of Lindsey out of her armor and into the bath, thankfully it was, once more pregnant lady time, so no boys were allowed. They ‘made do’ in the vast public baths… which sounded a lot more fun, from the faint sounds that drifted over the hedge.

“Don’t do it…” Becky whispered, while Amy combed Lindsey’s hair in the pool.

“My poor Kermie had to ask me out for the first time while in the bath with me… I thought he was going to pass out from the stress.” She sighed fondly. “Not every boy has the courage or confidence to face such a crucible.”

“Yeah, back in Wheatford, the townie kids all cut a wide course around the ‘creepy Wards’... The boys don’t have a lot of confidence…” Amy murmured.

“Unless they’re working their crafts and arts.” She grinned at that last, shooting a wink at the taller girl.

#

“I dunno, Barry. You just met this girl…” Perry murmured, down in Wilf’s workshop. “Let’s take it as it comes, for a while, at least.”

Barry grumbled a little, hung his head and then nodded. “Yeah, I get it.” he glanced up from glaring at his shoes, to meet his brothers’ eyes. “She’s special, guys.”

“I’m with you, Barry.” Harry declared, drawing a glare from Larry. “I’m a yes vote, whenever it’s time to decide.” His smile widened and he focused in on Barry.

“Tomorrow’s festival day, you and her should hang out… alone.”

The youngest Ward tossed a small pouch onto the workbench beside the blushing lad, it landed with a dull, metallic clink.

“My treat. I know you spent your allowance already, bro.”

Barry made a face at his younger brother, but he made the pouch vanish too. “Thanks, bro.” He murmured softly.

“How is Harry always flush?” Larry asked Perry, very quietly.

“Because our guests tip me when I’m tending the stables…” The keen eared lad grumbled at his older brother. “Which you would know, if you didn’t always bribe me to do your stable chores.”

“Wait…” Larry stammered, as he laid a hand to his own very slim purse. “Really?”

“No, not really, forget I said anything…” Harry mumbled, looking shifty.

“Did you guys know?” Larry demanded sharply. “About tips?”

“Nah, I wait tables when mom and dad are busy… I really rake it in.” Perry sighed happily.

“I think the real question is, Why are you and I always broke?” Barry sighed, as he headed for the stairs. “Gotta run, there’s a girl waiting for me.” He announced smugly as he left.

#

Flash wore a set of light canvas panniers, as he accompanied them on a stroll through the gate market and market ward, enjoying a leisurely afternoon. Slowly the bags began to fill, as Barry checked items off a long list, one by one.

“Tell me if it gets too heavy, pal.” Barry told the silly yearling, when he settled two ten pound bags of salt onto his carrier, one on each side. The little gangly horse chuffed and flicked his ears at the boy, in cocky self assurance. They almost seemed to be conversing, as though he could hear her familiar’s voice as clearly as she. Yet, he spoke to her in a very cool and stilted way, seeming distant.

Next came a few bolts of the tough, close woven, local linen and wool, from the weaver’s hall. He was all confidence with the pretty sixteen year old weaver’s apprentice who handled his trades, dealing in craft tokens, rather than coin, as members of that cult often did. Barter drove at least half of the economy in distant Foresthome, where coin was relatively scarce.

“I’ll send Perry and Larry by to look at that loom tomorrow, Mirabele.” He said with a smile.

“You could step back into the workshop and look at it now… And call me Mira….” She leaned over the counter casually, letting her top gape open just a bit, displaying a nice expanse of smoothly rounded, golden tanned skin. She shot a smile of victory at Lindsey, who was standing right there!

Her smile sank, when Barry shook his head, while still totally staring at her cleavage. He was just a mortal boy, after all.

“I’m escorting a lady through the market, this afternoon, apprentice Mirabelle.” He coughed a little in order to break his lazer lock on those perky curves, barely hidden in a thin linen chemise and a wide laced bodice.

He even managed to take Lindsey’s hand, if awkwardly, as they walked out of the shop, promising to send his brothers by later.

“You two seem… close.” Lindsey said sweetly, once they were outside, speaking very carefully, and very sweetly.

“Nuh, uh.” He mumbled in bright red embarrassment. “She’s like that with all of us, even Harry… I don’t think she can even tell us apart. It’s pretty gross.”

“That is pretty gross.” She agreed, sounding sweet, but far less careful, now.

Several rolled shearling sheep hides came next, collected from the tannery; followed a trip to the orphanage to collect a dozen or so small animal pelts, wrapped in a tight bundle.

Lindsey strolled the small orphanage compound, while he waited for his contact. She chatted, visited her former comrades… and now her comrades again, most likely, While Barry looked awkward and out of place. He perked up when a tall young man in brown huntsman’s leathers appeared from the dormitory with a wave hello for the big lad.

They exchanged hearty greetings, Barry’s awkwardness forgotten in a moment as they headed for the storehouse out back with a bemused Lindsey following along.

“They buy your pelts?” She asked when Reginald, one of the older boys in the ranger program, brought the big, furry bundle out of the orphan’s shared storehouse.

“Hey, Lindsey…” Reg smiled wanly and waved a weak greeting… as though she had been sick or a relative of hers had passed. “Yeah, they give a better price than at the tanner…” Reg said happily, until he realized Barry was listening. “By a lot…” He whispered that last very softly. “Don’t tell them.”

“We know we’re overpaying by about double, Reg.” Barry answered from across the storeroom, where he was looking over a rack stuffed with tightly rolled random minor monster hides.

“That’s so we won’t feel guilty when we criminally rip you off, the first chance we get.” He smiled happily while he fingered the ‘goods’.

“Is this possessed deerhide?” He asked a moment later.

“Uhhh…probably? We skin ‘em, dry the hides and roll them up… that’s probably been there a long time.” Reg answered with a shrug. “Nobody wants monster hides. We sell them to the tanner in a bulk lot for glue making a few times a year.”

“Sold, I’ll buy the lot.” He announced firmly. “I’ll send someone by for them before evening.” He handed Reg one of the Ward’s weird wooden abstract tokens, carved in a looping figure they called a ‘treble clef’.

“Family purchase. This is where we totally rip you guys off.” He said with a smile.

“These are criminally undervalued. My pops will be over the moon for the haunted bearskin… that must have been a hell of a fight…”

Lindsey watched the odd, awkward boy who’d been stiff as an old fence post through the market become a relaxed, confident craftsman in his element. They chatted and joshed, as boys will, as they finished their dealings.

At the end, Reg winked at Lindsey, before he grinned at Barry.

“Check out the monster stag beetle carapace out back, you might like it. He bumbled into the uplands gate last night. The guards made us haul it here.”

As though launched from a bowstring, Barry vanished; hot on the trail of monster parts, leaving Lindsey, Reg and Flash alone in the shady storehouse.

“You and Barry, huh?” He asked calmly, a little hurt in his eyes. “He’s crazy, but a good guy.”

“I’m sorry, Reg…” She whispered. “I do like you, you’re special to me… but he’s…”

The tall boy smiled and scratched Flash’s long, silly ears. “Your familiar?” He asked softly, changing the subject. “You got another Contract already?”

She smiled; a cold, sad little expression on her usually warm and open face. “I lost Healer… now I have Eponna, one of the new gods… and Flash here.”

“You lost Healer?” He asked softly. When she simply shook her head he let it go. “I’m always here, Lin.”

Barry came back, so excited he looked sick. “Gotta have it. What are you asking?

“We’ll pay you a copper half to haul it away.” Reg answered firmly. “Seriously, that thing is gross.”

“Sold. Wilf and Rio will be all over that.” He muttered confidently, before being distracted by the eager and frisky, golden colt.

“No Flash, I don’t expect you to carry it.” He sighed. “Really! What kind of guy do you think I am?”

#