Jack floated to his wardrobe room and Leslie's handmaidens were waiting for him.

[Do they always wait for me???] Jack waved his hand, and Joan's soul jar floated to one side.

After his garments were stripped, donning a simple robe, Jack picked up Joan's soul jar, and his laptop, and went to his room.

Jack opened his room door with a wave of his hand, and as he entered, he heard, "Welcome back, my Love."

Jack looked to see his evening tome open, with Leslie sitting inside looking at him, as she smiled.

"It is good to be back." Jack nodded, as he spoke in a pleasant voice, he then continued, "We have a guest tonight."

Jack floated to the side to slip off his slippers, as he floated over to his desk.

"So, Emily is hell-bent on reaping with you tonight...?" Leslie said with a slightly displeased voice. It wasn't that she didn't mind, but she wanted to have another night with only Jack.

"Huh? I don't think so..." Jack took the soul jar from his waist, "This is Warmarshal Joan."

Leslie's eyes widened as she looked at the inside of the clear soul jar to a dark royal purple soul floating around the inside.

"So, Lucius has already brought her out? Don't you think it's a tad dangerous walking around with such a soul?"

"Joan is a good girl, now. Isn't that right, Joan?" Jack patted the jar.

"My unlife for the God-King." The jar shuddered.

Leslie covered her mouth, "You cured her insanity?"

"Of course!" Jack nodded and placed the soul jar on the corner of his desk.

Leslie thought for a moment and then realized that it wasn't that surprising given that it was Jack that did it. She removed her hand from his mouth to smile again, "As expected of my husband,"

Jack chuckled, as a rough female voice spoke again, "This is your Consort, God-King?"

"Why, yes. Joan, this is first Consort, Leslie. My future wife, and Queen of Deagoth." Jack introduced.

Leslie felt a bit of warmth that Jack was willing to confirm their relationship with others, in such a manner. Not because of what titles he was bestowing, but because he acknowledged her.

"It's good to meet you, Consort Leslie." A smile could be heard in Joan's voice.

"You're a lot more polite than I've been led to believe, Warmarshal Joan." Leslie giggled.

"I can see why you favor your Consort, my Lord," Joan spoke again.

"She's the best." Jack nodded.

"My Lord, do you have something to do for a little while. I'd like to talk to your Consort in private." Joan asked with respect.

"Hmmm? What is it that you wish to speak with my Consort in private?" Jack asked in confusion.

"...Girl talk..." Joan said cryptically.

Jack mentally raised a brow, as he looked to his Consort, his eyes crackled ever so slightly. Seeing Leslie nod, Jack spoke again, "Sure."

"Speaking of which, did you bathe your pet?" Leslie asked with a small laugh.

"My pet...? OH! Damn... I forgot all about her... Haaaa~" Jack sighed as a certain little miscreant came to his mind. This day was too damn long... Considering it was well after the dimming of the Skull of the Sun God.

Jack went back to the door and slipped on his slippers to leave again...

"I'll be back soon." Jack opened the door and left.

Hearing the door click behind Jack, Leslie looked back over to the soul jar, "What does the famous Butcherer want to speak about with little ole me?"

"It concerns my God-King, of course," Joan spoke bluntly.

"Hmmm?" Leslie furrowed her brows.

"He confided in me earlier tonight... Through this... I've learned he has a demon of the heart... Not even the God-King knows it, yet."

"...Julia..." Leslie spoke with a tinge of anger.

"So, you know?"

"I suspected, but I couldn't confirm... It slightly upsets me he confided in someone he doesn't know well..."

"From his own words, he said he didn't want to burden you... I can tell he loves you greatly."

[But I am yours to burden...] Leslie thought within her mind... A mixed feeling of being cherished and disappointment filled her heart. Cherished because Jack didn't want to bother her, but disappointed because she wanted to shoulder Jack's burdens.

"Well... At least, I know for a fact now." Leslie commented.

"The God-King has seen fit to gift me with another body tomorrow. I have overheard that Jack will allow the Verrucan to be present. I hope that you will not attend. It will be a good time for me to bond with the Verrucan. It seems that she loathes me, but also respects me... I take it she is the one that likes war."

"Oh, Julia? She loves war. My love plans on taking over everything his light touches..."

"This is good." Joan approved.

"How are you going to convince Julia to join me and my sister Consort?" Leslie asked.

"I'm not."

"What?" Leslie didn't understand.

"The God-King said it is her choice, but he also said she will not approach him, and he will not approach her. It is because of this limbo that this demon will continue to fester. The best outcome is for the Verrucan to make up her mind. The God-King also said she is a traditionalist. She only believes in one male and one female... I vaguely remember the Verrucans to be like that... Though it's only vague. I was busy murdering at the time, so I didn't pay attention."

"You're going to drive her away?" Leslie tried to keep up. She wasn't used to someone speaking so fast.

"I don't care what she does, honestly. It makes no difference to me. Stay, leave, lover, friend... I don't care, but she needs to make up her mind. I can hear the tiredness in my God-King's voice when he spoke. This demon is limiting him."

"Why do you care?"

"...I have my reasons..." Joan spoke cryptically.

"So, you do. Speak then, or I will not help you."

"You are more fierce than your appearance suggests." Joan complimented in her own way.

"Speak it." Leslie pressed.

"The God-King lacks confidence among other things... This demon weighs his heart down... An uninhibited God-King... Think about it! I could turn the land black with blood... War needs a master, and he could be that master. My glorious God-King, I get shivers thinking about it."

"I see... You will have my aid."

"I also want to talk about his second Consort."

"Oh?"

*******

Jack floated into the ward and found his target. What shocked him most was...

[Is she crying?] Jack wondered in his mind, as he saw her nude back to him and her shoulder trembling. He could even faintly here sniffling.

Jack silently floated behind the Vampire Princess, as he looked over, and, did indeed, see tears falling onto her lap.

[What was her name?] Jack wondered while he watched tears continuously falling. He felt odd in his heart... He never liked it when women cried.

Mentally snapping his fingers in his mind, he remembered and spoke, "Princess Eris... Why do you shed tears?"

Eris stifled her snubs, as she jumped to the nearest wall. Like a spider, she clung to the wall in her nude glory, as she looked to where the voice she heard.

Jack looked up high on the wall, as he saw her sticking to it.

[It's a good thing the ceiling is high in the ward.] Jack thought, as he watched her.

"My god?!" She exclaimed, as she crawled down the wall, and darted into his embrace. Jack hesitantly brought his arms up to hold the girl, though he felt she would cling to him regardless, considering she could wall crawl.

The God-King patted on his pet.

"So...?" Jack asked expectantly.

He felt Eris nestle herself closer to him.

"Eris, were you crying?" Jack asked again.

Eris pulled her face back to stare into Jack's flaming eyes, "Yes... But everything is fine. See? I will smile for you!" As she smiled brightly to Jack.

Jack looked deep into her eyes again, as he did, and still found that madness he first saw... Lust, and... Light... But stared deeply, as if he was trying to dissect her.

Eris wanted to look away, as she knew her god was reading her soul... But she couldn't look away, almost compelled to let her god do what he wanted.

[What is this feeling?] She wondered with excitement!

[It feels... I feel... I feel helpless, yes! That's it... Oh, I feel helpless before my god.]

Jack could see these emotions, but they were surrounded by a vast sea of sadness, and loathing... All the madness, all the lust, all the light... All of it was but a tiny drop in the ocean that was her sorrows.

[She's just like me...] Jack thought to himself.

"MMMmmmm." Eris purred while being stared at by her god.

[?!?] Jack was slightly startled. [Why is this vixen making such sounds...] As he realized that she had flushed.

He took her under the arms, and held her out from himself, like one would do a cat, and looked at her from head to toe.

She was without apparel, and Jack feasted on her beauty. Eris was now full-figured despite being tall, and no longer the sickly green, or the withered look. Her skin even had a slight glow to it, as it was a pale white. She had long black hair with a dark red tint when the light shined on it. Her face was perfection chiseled from marble, and Jack wondered just who could give birth to such a woman. Her bosom despite its large proportions was perky and defying gravity.

[So, she shaves?] Jack mused as it took her all in, [I'm really glad I don't have a flesh body.] Even as a skeletal undead, Jack found his thoughts wondering about what he would like to do if he had his old body.

[Is she excited?] Jack could see her glistening.

Eris's face was a deep blush, and her chest was splotched pink.

[Let's just bathe her and try not thinking about it!]