Each time we came back with another load and dropped off more things, Diane's face became redder and redder. When she saw the fifty full cases of potions, she let out and inarticulate moan. It was like I was charging her up or something, because her reaction when I came back with the bag that had the three full marsh panther pelts and several smaller pieces that I had salvaged, was something I had never seen before. Diane kicked Alex in the shin, pushed his chest to make him stumble outside, then she slammed and locked the door to the shop.

In the next moment, she had shoved me to the floor, stripped me naked and started riding me. I pretty much stared at her and couldn't speak as she had her way with me. I tried to tell her that I needed a bath and she told me she didn't care and to make love to her, so I did. We both ignored the soft knocking for about half an hour, then Diane collapsed on top of me and kissed me for nearly ten minutes straight.

_______________

You have a minor choice to make. It won't have that much of an impact on either your relationship with Diane (which is solid) or with the army (which is shaky).

A) Stay and do her again. B) Leave and promise to come back.

I think Alex and Donna won't want to wait any more, since the knocking hasn't stopped. I thought with a smile. I better choose B.

_______________

“Diane, I need to go.” I said.

Diane propped herself up on my chest. “You know, I never really minded how you smelled.”

“Why?” I asked.

“It wasn't your fault.” Diane said. “The Hag smelled worse, honestly. I barely even noticed your smell most of the time.” She smiled and gave me a kiss. “Although, we both need a bath after this.”

I nodded and she climbed off of me. She pulled her clothes on and I did mine up and we both stood up.

“I promise that I'll save your half of the money I make until I see you again.” Diane said.

“I promise that I'll come back as soon as I can.” I said.

Diane took in a sharp breath and tears appeared in her eyes. “No, you... you don't have to say that.”

“Why are you crying?” I asked.

“That's what... what...” Diane turned away from me and wiped at her eyes. “That was the last thing he said to me before he left for the army.”

“I'm not him. I'm the Marsh Man.” I said and she turned back to me, hope on her face. “I've escaped a marsh dragon twice now. What's an army going to do to me when compared to that?”

Diane's mouth dropped open in shock. “D-d-d-dragon?”

I nodded. “It moved into the marsh a little while ago and now its had babies.”

“By the Son's Light.” Diane whispered. “This... oh, no. No, this...” She shook her head for a moment and then she nodded. “I'm doubly glad that the garrison is here now.” She gave me a kiss and waved at the door. “I'll let the new mayor know about this and you can tell the CO of the garrison.”

I nodded back and unlocked the door. “You might want to hire a guard or something. A few people saw us bringing all of this in here.”

“Don't worry about that.” Diane said with a smile. “No one wants to make the Marsh Man angry.”

It's too bad that won't work on the army. I thought and stepped outside.

“It's about time.” Alex said and handed me my pack, the bags of ingredients, and the extra wood plaques. He wore his pack and carried a second one, as did Donna. “Let's go.”

“What about my boat?” I asked.

“It's secured at the dock.” Donna said.

“Guarded and protected?” I asked and she shook her head no. “Then we'll take it to the garrison.”

“You can't take a boat into the garrison.” Alex said.

“I didn't say take it inside.” I said and walked by him.

“The garrison is this way.” Alex said.

“The boat is this way.” I said and kept walking. “You can come with me or walk the whole way, it's up to you.”

I didn't bother using the vigilance technique to listen to what they decided and walked down the road to the dock. A moment later, I heard them walking behind me and kept walking myself. Someone was there on the dock and looking at my boat. Someone I recognized.

“That's my boat, Simon.” I said to the boatbuilder's son and the guy jumped a little and turned around to stare at me.

“G-Grandpa!” Simon exclaimed.

“Dammit, he's back already.” Mr. Phelps said and walked into view. “I haven't finished drilling enough holes in this thing to sink it.”

“Mr. Phelps!” Donna said loudly. “Did you just admit to damaging ARMY property?!?”

“Wh-what?” The older man asked, surprised. We all saw the large hand drill in his hands and he didn't try to hide it.

“That is an army vessel, built by commission for army personnel and used on three very important missions so far.” Alex said in a stern voice. “Do you know the penalties for damaging an army officer's transport?”

Mr. Phelps only stared at him and didn't say anything.

“You sir, are under arrest.” Alex said.

“No! I was just...”

“Getting petty revenge against an army officer. I know.” Alex said. “People like you are all the same. Stupid and short-sighted.”

“Now listen here, you.” Mr. Phelps climbed out of the boat and onto the dock. “That monster killed my son and I am going to do everything I can to make sure he pays for that!”

“No, you'll be tried as a criminal and might get a rope around your own neck.” Alex countered.

Mr. Phelps huffed and gripped the drill. “Go ahead and try to take me in.” He said and glanced at me and at Donna. “There's no way you can do anything with those heavy packs on.”

Alex smiled. “Go ahead, David. I give you permission to subdue him. Just don't kill him.”

My hand shot out and backhanded Mr. Phelps across the face. He made a nice 'oof' sound and dropped the large hand drill. I spun him around, grabbed his arm and pulled it up, then shoved him down to hit face first onto the dock. He let out a groan of pain and stopped moving when I knelt a knee on him.

“Grandpa!” Simon exclaimed.

“Go tell your mother what you and your grandpa were doing.” Donna said to him, her face angry. “Tell her she can visit him at the garrison until the CO can put him on trial.”

“It might be a while, since she has a lot to deal with right now.” Alex said.

Simon just stood there and didn't move.

“Beat it!” Alex said and waved at him.

“AHH!” Simon yelled and took off running.

“I guess we can't take the boat now.” Alex said.

“Why?” I asked and picked Mr. Phelps up easily and carried him into the boat. “The balancers don't just balance.”

“Huh?” Alex looked confused.

“I was worried about the boat sinking, remember?” I asked. “I made sure to make it so reliable that even if a water beast tried to eat it, it would still float and get me home.”

“That's really smart.” Donna said and climbed into the boat.

Alex climbed in, too. “I'm sorry that I didn't see this coming, David.”

“That's because you don't know any better.” I said and dropped Mr. Phelps onto the bottom of the boat. He grunted and I broke the lock enchantment on the rope tied to the dock, sliced the sealed part open, and untied it. I didn't bother sitting down, because I had something else to do. I went to my small boat and cut the rope holding it and the parts I had merged to the dock. It started to sink right away, which meant Mr. Phelps did this boat first, so I grabbed it and picked the end of it up.

I put the end on the side of the new boat and pulled it inside. It easily fit and Alex and Donna stared at it. I ignored them and tied Mr. Phelps up tightly and then backed the new boat out of the spot, which surprised Alex and Donna. They hadn't known I could do that, even though I easily turned it from side to side and took corners with it.

I made sure to pass by the boatbuilder's building and waved to the three stunned people that stood there and stared at us floating by with no one poling us along. I turned the boat and went to the waterway that would take us to Diane's new place and I stayed standing as I easily took us there. When we arrived at the dock, I pushed the old boat out and onto the shore, then tied up the new one and melded it to the dock in a couple of spots.

I grabbed my things and tied them to my pack, making it both heavy and awkward, and helped Donna out of the boat like she taught me to. I carried the sack of jerky meat and the extra pack for her. She tried to protest when I picked it up and Alex reminded her about what I did with the other boat.

“Just because he's strong, doesn't mean he has to carry everything.” Donna countered and looked at me. “Thank you for taking it for me, though. One is heavy enough.”

“We'll send someone back for Mr. Phelps.” Alex said.

We left the dock and walked up the little road to Diane's place, passed it, and went up the road to the main road. We only had a short ways to walk to get back to the garrison and we were let inside. The guards saluted and we returned them as we passed by. Alex told one of them to send a guard to get Mr. Phelps from the boat and we walked towards the main building.

“I think we should bathe first.” Donna said.

“Absolutely not.” Alex said, his voice firm. “We're going right to the CO to report.”

“She might appreciate the promptness.” Donna said and gave him a glare. “She's not going to appreciate the smell.”

“She's the CO. We've lived with it for two days. An hour won't kill her.” Alex said, so we reported to the CO's office directly. It turns out that they were both right, because Roy and Rich were there waiting for us and she asked each of us to tell our stories.

The CO gave us all a mean look once everything was explained. “I have to say, this was one of the worst first missions to earn a private's trust that I have ever heard of.” She said and glared at Roy and Rich. “Lieutenant Smith is right. Only a three month pay fine isn't enough. You are both to remain in the stockade until the trial next week. Basic rations, too.”

“But, ma'am...” Both men started to speak at the same time.

“One more word and I won't wait for the official trial to sentence you.” The CO said and both men closed their mouths. “Alex, you did abuse your authority by asking them to debase themselves.”

“I only asked for them to empty their packs and pockets.” Alex said in his defense.

“It doesn't matter. You were in command and it was your responsibility to tell them beforehand to not mess around with the new recruit.”

“I did tell them, quite firmly, in fact.” Alex said and told her about ordering them to teach me properly and how to act around people and other soldiers, and to not joke around so much or have me embarrass myself in front of other people.

“Is that true?” The CO asked the two men, who nodded. They couldn't lie about it with the other two witnesses standing right there beside them. “Then your antics are your own fault and the trial is going to reflect that.” She looked at Alex. “Is there anything else?”

Alex told her all about my insubordination, whatever that was, and she sighed.

“David, is it true?” The CO asked.

“What's insubordination mean?” I asked and she explained what it was. “You mean that he really can order me to go and kill myself and he won't be charged with killing me, because it was an order?”

The CO stood up and glared at me. “That is not what I said.”

“Yes, it was.” I said. “Having him choose what to do in the marsh was stupid. He doesn't know any of the dangers, besides the stories the locals told him. He wasted all my healing and spider and snake juice potions, which they said they would pay me for, even though they don't know how expensive they are, and he attacked a baby dragon when I was gathering ingredients that Donna asked me to gather. When I escaped from the rampaging mother with them in the boat and eventually fell unconscious, Lt. Smith and Sgt. Simms abandoned me and left me alone with a known thief, who was not restrained, for an unknown amount of time.”

Alex closed his eyes and sighed. “David, I've explained it several times already. We requisitioned those essential supplies from you for a very important mission.”

“While I was unconscious.” I said.

“If you were awake, I would have asked!” Alex said, a little loudly.

“No, you wouldn't.” I said and he had a surprised look on his face. “You would have told me to hand them over because you needed them.”

Alex opened his mouth to say something and the CO held a hand up to stop him.

“I think I see the crux of the matter, so I'm going to make this very clear.” The CO said. “Lieutenant Alex Smith, you are docked a month's pay for taking a soldier's private possessions for your own use.”

“Ma'am, I...”

“He's right. You had no authority to take his things, sleeping or not. It doesn't matter if you needed them to live. You should have waited to see if he would offer them or taken him along and asked him to help.”

“Ma'am, we couldn't wait. We needed to get there, do reconnaissance, and get back before the mission's time limit.”

“Get where?” The CO asked.

“The rear of the Eastern Empire.” Alex said and the CO gasped.

“N-no... we... this...” The CO stammered and then sat down. “It can't be. It's just a marsh.”

“It's actually a previously undiscovered and partially worn away flooded land bridge.” Donna said. “I've mapped a safe route...” She started to say and looked at me to see my frown. “...mostly safe route. Rich, Alex and I infiltrated a remote tent village that was a mix of soldiers, civilians, and some mages. We even brought back clothing, provisions, and artifacts to prove it.”

“Oh, my god.” The CO, Sandra Rivers, cousin to the Colonel, whispered and thought about it. “Dammit. This... this might change everything.” She looked at us. “I am hereby suspending all sentences and trials for the foreseeable future.”

“Yes!” Rich and Roy said with big smiles.

“Don't celebrate yet. I said suspending, not dismissing.” The CO said to them and they lost their happy faces. “I need to send a message to the Colonel right away.”

“I'll get the mage.” Donna said and turned away.

“No, you all need to take a bath.” The CO said. “You stink worse than that mud Private Drake had.”

“W-w-worse?” Donna asked, her voice shaky.

“Yes. I'll read all about it when you all file official reports.” The CO said. “David, I know you don't know how to do that, so after you get a bath and burn that uniform, come back here and I'll listen to everything you have to say.”

“Okay.” I said and we all filed out of the CO's office.

“Ha! I knew we were going to get away with it.” Roy said. “If the war starts up again, we'll never see the inside of a cell.”

I reached out, quick as a flash, and grabbed his hand.

“Hey! Let go!” Roy said and turned to me.

“Remember what I said about thieves.” I said. With a flash of my knife that no one saw, his hand was now mine.

“ARRRGGHHH!” Roy yelled and dropped to his knees.

“What happened?!?” The CO ran out of her office and saw Roy's hand was gone. “Oh, god!” She said and cast a sealing spell. The blood stopped flowing and she looked at Alex. “Explain!”

Alex pointed to me.

“David? What...”

“You've suspended all trials and sentences.” I said with a smile and she took in a sharp breath. “I'll be back to see you after my bath.”

None of them tried to speak or stopped me from leaving.