Author’s note:: We are entering into the an arc which will set up the main story arc for the first book. This launching point will be far less dark than every other part of the book, so for those of you who were enjoying the oppressive atmosphere just know this is a small “reprieve” from it. If you don’t like the slight tone shift just hang with it. I’ll keep it interesting in its own right, we’ll be back to doom and gloom soon enough.

When I was storyboarding this plot out, I originally didn’t have them make it to this island, simply had the kindred attack keep them from matching up with the teleportation time. Ultimately I actually grew a bit depressed and found the story “too dark” to finish storyboarding and went back over it to figure out how to give the audience some breathing room. This is that breathing room. After I storyboarded in this arc, and changed how certain characters met (Verna was supposed to show up later, but she worked better attaching to them after the kindred attack) I was able to rework the whole story in a way that I think turned out much more interesting, and far easier to read.

I am very interested in feedback about the tone of the series thus far, and if you find this mini arc too much of a mood whiplash or not. I tried to keep it from being one, but we are over 43,000 words and 65 pages into the word document I started writing this story in, and I think everyone could use a little break from that oppressive atmosphere. If you’re curious how far we are into the story. Know this is the setup for the first of the 3 major arcs. I figure the arcs probably will all be their own books when it’s all said and done. I’ve already reached the end of the contiguously pre written material, while I have many scenes written later in the story, and the rest of the story fully storyboarded, we’re now into a situation where I will have to slow down releases a bit. Everything I release today was written in the past 5 hours or so.

Enjoy :D

Standing on a marble balcony with purple stone guard rail, looking out over the black sand beach, he was actually rather happy about the room the staff prepared for him. The commute was terrible to everywhere. But that couldn’t be helped. They had leapt to fulfill his absurd request to a T, and located an old unused room in the central keep which probably was the bedroom for royalty a few thousand years ago. This room despite the view had gone unused since the death of the old king and his kin.

Of course the reason for that was the 10 or so story climb up a small circular staircase with an unfortunately open view of the heights you’re scaling. It was a bit uncomfortable for him to do because the steps were a little bit small for him, for Sam however it became a trial which left her in tears. Apparently she’s terrified of heights. He still was thinking about a solution to that problem. A basket and pulley maybe?

This world didn’t seem to use pulleys that he’d seen. It’s one of the 6 basic machines on Earth, and a key point on any sailboat or pretty much any man powered device. With a good counterweight perhaps he could create a basket and pulley system which Sam could use. Verna was actually a huge help, when Sam broke down sobbing. She held her and rocked her and sung to her a haunting and pretty sounding tune without words. 'The instincts of a parent' he figured. Either way he was thankful for her help. Even if it meant that Sam now followed Verna around like a chick with her mother. He had a troubling premonition that Verna just made herself a valuable ally in whatever scheme she’s playing at pretending to be his Slave.

After they had got to the room he had taken Verna aside and tried to speak with her about that little stunt she pulled earlier in the old room. Explaining that while human female slaves had rules beaten into them to insure the survival of the species, there were no such rules demanding the same from females of another species.

“It doesn’t help mankind’s survival if we’re making more Fairy-human hybrids, if such a thing exists, nor would it help if we reproduced with kindred.” He had said thinking he was settling the problem

“Is that what you’re doing? Reproducing to aid humanity's survival? Then why are you not down among the students putting your seed in as many of those witches as you can see?” Her reply was made with a taunting tone. And left him speechless

“What I see is a human male doing what a human male does. Stick his dick in whatever is convenient. Don’t tell me you have some greater purpose for your meaningless rutting. And what about poor Sa’manatha? She clearly is completely smitten with you. But here you are, not telling me that you’re in love with her and would like to respect her by not inviting another woman into your bed. But instead talking about breeding as if you do not enjoy the coupling in any way whatsoever, but rather are a dutiful and hardworking human trying to keep the population up. I wonder if Sa’manatha knows she’s being used as a masturbation tool?”

Jace was simply standing there listen to her hammer away at his conscience, he couldn’t find a word to argue back. What Verna said was completely true. If he was truly interested in helping humanity survive he’d be fucking every human girl he could legally fuck. And if he loved Sa’manatha his conversation with Verna would certainly have started there. He wasn’t sure what to say and felt a great degree of self-loathing rise up inside himself. So he spoke the truth.

“I don’t want to hurt her. She’s my friend, of course I know she loves me. Mating, Fucking, making love to other women would harm her heart.”

“But you already hurt her by not returning those feelings.”

“I know. But I already told her my heart would never be hers. I do love her. I think. But not in a romantic way. She’s important to me.”

Verna studied his face then smiled “At least you’re honest with yourself. I would have been very angry had you denied it. I’ll not make any more advances that would harm Sa’manatha’s heart. That is what you want me to say correct?”

He nodded silently.

“See? Just be honest with yourself and others. You’ll be a fine young man, and perhaps you’ll get what you’re looking for.”

“Are you really the mother of Varngus? I have trouble believing someone as vicious as that has a mother who’d say those last words.”

“Oh? But it’s a vicious world child. What type of mother would I be if I did not teach my child how to be even more vicious than this world. Besides, he’s an honest boy. If he were so cruel as you seem to think he would have killed you in the melee, even though we were only to kill the resisters and runners. Instead he waited to ask for PERMISSION, and then negotiated for her. He was much more honest and forthright then you were. You had no intention of letting him pull Sa’manatha’s arms out and watch her scream to death did you? I think you could learn a lot about how to survive in this world if you listened to me. I think I am an excellent mother.”

Jace now had a bitter and defeated look on his face but couldn’t help to add “Who tried to fuck me today.”

She grinned and ran a hand across his chest. “But you’re simply delicious and why shouldn’t I want to do as you are doing and use a luscious young man such as you for masturbation purposes? If you put a baby in me, that’s fine as well. My husband has been dead for almost 10 years now. Not just men have needs. Ah, but I just promised not to hurt Sa’manatha’s heart. What am I to do?”

“You have a hand. I’m sure you know how to use it.” Jace almost laughed at the startled look on her face, and the pink blush on her cheaks was devastatingly cute. Turning around he made his way to the balcony to enjoy the breeze and sights while the servants, slaves and staff prepared the room.

The whole oceanside wall of the room was a giant segmented window, with doors onto the balcony. It was a tremendous view. After some time had passed, he had spent probably several hours staring at the sea and living in his memories of his parents and sailing on Lake Erie, he turned around to find dinner, only to see a nice spread of hot food on a nice wood like table, with Sa’manatha and Verna in something he could only describe as lingerie. He had no idea where they got those. He never even knew nightwear, provocative nightwear existed in this world. Sam had clearly washed up from the journey and he suspected Verna had done her hair, to this point he’d never seen Sam’s hair as anything but straight, now it was done up in a way to accentuate her neck. He had to admit, she was very alluring, even the almost see through nightwear was wispy enough and form fitting enough to really accentuate her long legs and thin figure. Sam’s clothing gave off a very virginal and pure aura, which fit her almost kid like romantic side well. Verna of course was breathtaking as well, though if Sam was virginal and innocent appearing, Verna looked like a walking crime. Slutty would be wrong. Verna was an elegant woman, too elegant to come across as slutty. However, she certainly looked like a devil up to no good.

He winced and gave up thinking about the clothing. He complimented Sam as looking “beautiful” which of course made her blush, while ignoring Verna’s seductive state of dress completely. The food was better spiced, but still lacking. He had long gotten used to these people’s weird attraction to bland flavors. Of course he grew up in the home of Buffalo wings, so spice wasn’t something he was scared of. He found himself wondering if the fish were edible or not here, as he didn’t see any meat in the food.

After dinner he chased Verna back to her “room” though it was more like a section of the larger room divided by a paper screen wall, after she offered to help give him and Sam pointers in bed. Then took Sam to the large master bed and turned in for the night at their new home. Out of consideration for Verna, he did make sure they were plenty loud, so she could take care of business. He wasn’t sure why he was enjoying taunting Verna like this, either way he was almost fully satisfied by their new quarters.

There were no fleas or small bedbugs, that said he was disturbed sometime in the middle of the night by a rather large bed crawler, which he did have to kick out of the bed. He ignored the “ouch” it made in complaint when it hit the floor.