.^^ The Round Table ^^

— Devon —

I found myself playing with my new boots far too much, I thought. Every few minutes, the urge to hop from one place to the other was intoxicating, and I laughed, playing around like a child who had discovered a new, particularly interesting toy.

These, the upgraded boots, shared little resemblance with the first, dragonbone model, instead being made of leather, with a silken interior. They were incredibly comfortable, and they offered flight for much longer than before, even managing, with careful application, to get from the bottom of the waterfall to nearly the middle, where the dragon exited, a range of about 200 feet.

I hugged Rune's back, peeking over his shoulder. "Whatcha doing?" I murmured.

"Plans for a new addition to the Castle. What are you doing?" He chuckled.

I looked up from where I was nibbling his ear. "Nothing..."

"I see, and nothing pertains to my ears somehow? Fascinating." He said dryly.

I laughed. "Smartass... So are you making these boots for all of the westerners?"

"No, only the important ones. The rest get the original model, but it'll take a while. I'm still tired from making that house into a magical Castle... ridiculous waste of power, that was. Nearly short-circuited my arm." He huffed.

I kissed his cheek. "But you managed it, Hmm?"

"With my father's help, yes." He grumbled, and pulled me into his lap. "Now, if you aren't going to let me work, do me a favor and make it interesting, at least, Hmm?"

I grinned. "Oh? Interesting... I can handle that."

—

Jalen led the way, through the crowd, and I grinned as we entered, looking at the massive bazaar inside of Rune's shop, or rather, through the portal that was the front door.

We stood upon a new island, attached to the Tower and the castle, upon which there were several dozen dwarves, more than I'd ever seen before, selling different materials, on one half, and actual finished wares, on the other. Jalen dragged me through the crowd, towards the part where chalks of all colors, some covered in Runes and magic, some ordinary, were being sold by a female dwarf, only visibly a dwarf by the color of her eyes, a shocking steel-silver, the same as Rune's, when he used magic.

"Amazing..." I hummed, looking at the collection of chalk powder and rocks.

"Do you have White Gold? I have Black Silver, and I'd like to use both, for contrast." Jalen asked.

She nodded. "I do, yes, here we are! That'll be... Hmm, you're from Forenzia, hmm? Yes, that'll be two silver pieces for two sticks." She came to a decision, muttering to herself casually, and handed him two long sticks of golden chalk, in return for the two silver pieces.

"Oh! And can I give you a Drol Pelt for some of that magic chalk?" He grinned, pulling the Pelt out of his bag.

She blinked. "Ooh, very nice! Indeed, that'll pay nicely for these." She handed him two more golden sticks, these engraved with black Runes that sparked occasionally. "Those can be used to give temporary power to things, if you know the right Runes..."

He grinned. "Thanks! Here." He handed her the Giant Pelt with some difficulty.

She placed it at her side, and smiled, stroking the fur. "Pleasure doing business."

He nodded and scrambled away, towards someone selling paints, and I sighed, settling in. I had promised him he could spend his money and trade, so I would have to stay by my word.

After about two hours of haggling, the carts began to close down for the day, as the Noon Sun began to peak overhead. Before I could ask why, I realized that at this altitude, the noon sun, without any cover, was suddenly sweltering.

While everyone else retreated out of one of the two exits, to Lumeria and the western capital, we gathered our purchases, and made our way into the Tower.

Rune glanced up from his position laying across Natva, both of them sleeping, it seemed, and hummed. "A successful venture?" He asked, yawning.

"Very. You realize it's Noon, right?"

"Mm... hottest portion of the day, during summer... sleep through it." He mumbled, and laid his head down on her chest.

I smiled, and shooed Jalen off to his room, which Rune had outfitted for him as a large studio, hidden in one of the many mirrors in the lower halls. "Or... you do something about the sweltering bazaar. That shield of yours holds in air, why can't it hold in and out heat? That way it's not freezing up here, isn't it? And why we can breath?"

He hummed, cracking an eye open. "I s'pose... but tomorrow. For now I sleep off another round of creating... library, for you and Natva." He pointed down the stairs lazily.

Natva blinked, and looked at him. "A library? Filled with what, exactly?"

"Maps, mostly, and books of magic... for children to study." He yawned, and closed the cracked eye.

She smiled, blushing a little. "Oh? Is that so? You're planning for our children so soon?"

"Better now than in ten years... sleep, please, or let me... I haven't slept in four days..." he groaned.

I smiled and cuddled with them, after taking off my armor. "Go to sleep, then. You'll need your rest... I don't think ten years from now is going to cut it." I grinned.

He sighed, and relaxed, falling asleep slowly between my hardened body, and her soft one.

Natva smiled, petting his hair gently. "I look forward to it, my dear... but for now..." she gently moved him off of her, into the fur couch he'd lazily constructed out of pillows and a large bear Pelt, and then pulled me into the library, by going down the stairs until we saw a mirror that was covered in books.

Inside, we were on the second floor of a tall, circular room was spiraling upwards, about six worth, though it was a thin column, only about twenty feet across. The stairs only went up, from here, so I grinned, grabbing Natva and leaping over the edge.

Landing softly on the ground, I set her down, and she grinned, kissing my lips once. "Thank you for the ride." She smirked.

I cleared my throat, and wandered over to the table in the middle, were four chairs surrounded a round study table made of heavy applewood, each chair with a compass rose on their backs, and one section laced with gold.

"I wonder what this is for?" I asked, tracing one of the compasses. As I did so, a mirror opened, and I was looking out over the cliff of Forenzia, my home. I yanked my hand away, and it dissipated.

Natva hummed, and traced a different one, showing suddenly the Amber City. As it faded, she hummed. "Curious... each one is a portal? But some of the books also have compasses..." she touched one, and nothing happened, until she pulled it a little. A mirror opened, showing Armada, and she released it, letting it fade. "Interesting..."

I blinked at the three other compasses, one behind each chair. "I wonder what these are for..." the second opened a portal to Sanctuary, and the third opened a portal to the cliff next to the archway at the top of Dragon's Ridge, where I could see the panther automaton pacing.

The fourth didn't do anything, to my surprise. "What's this one supposed to do?" I wondered, opening it. Inside was a historical text, based on the eastern archipelago. "Ahh, because he hasn't been there yet, he can't open mirrors there!" I nodded.

She chuckled. "Or it's locked." She pointed at a small chain, marring the compass rose.

"Oh... that is curious." I hummed, putting it back on the shelf.

Natva hummed, tracing a finger over the desk, and glanced at the different books on the table. "These books are blank." She murmured, flipping through one of them.

"Or maybe you think they are." I touched one of the books, and a soft buzz of lightning passed over it, revealing a glimpse of ink, before it faded. "This is obviously some sort of meeting chamber... we had to jump down here, after all, the stairs don't reach, right?" I pointed out.

She smiled slowly. "Indeed... quite... private." I blinked, as she traced her nails over my shoulders, and shivered when she found my spine.

"I-I suppose it is, yes-oh! Well, this is private, yes, but surely it's not the best time?" I stuttered.

She paused. "Ah... is it your time, my dear? Apologies, I suppose you'll eventually cycle with me, as we live in the same home most days, now." She nodded casually, and sat in one of the chairs, hugging me into her lap gently.

I blushed. "No, that's not what I meant... I just... Well, we've only been in this 'relationship' for a few weeks... and we haven't spent much time together... I thought that it was because you only wanted Rune as your Lover?"

She chuckled. "Rune is definitely my preference, I suppose, but you are cute as well, and I enjoy a Woman's touch, every now and then."

"Are they different?" I asked, then cursed myself for sounding ignorant.

She smiled. "Very... would you like me to show you? Unless you are a virgin, it will not change anything."

"I'm not... I've had men before..." I shook my head slowly.

"Mm." She nodded, and then gently began undressing me, her fingers dancing across my skin without much pressure, knowing exactly where to touch to make my clothes seem to fall off of me with no resistance.

Her soothing voice whispered directions, or commands, and sometimes sweet praises, and her voice itself would have been enough, but combining that with her teasing, scraping, incessant nails, tracing designs over my skin, and I never stood a chance.

I relaxed into her embrace, savoring the feeling of helplessness, of control slipping away and being gifted to someone whom I trusted deeply.

—

I woke up, a few hours after I'd fallen asleep, and found myself in Rune's bed, with Natva next to me, and looked at the couch where he had been sleeping, across the room, outside the small barrier that he had placed, making the bed invisible from the outside.

Finding it empty, I frowned, and stood, only to fall on my face. Natva chuckled sleepily, and murmured something in elvish that I didn't catch. Taking that reaction to mean she'd expected that, and it wasn't poison of some sort, I stood up with a growl of effort, and massaged my legs back to a sense of normalcy, before going looking for Rune.

First, I checked his workshop, because he was always there. It was occupied, but instead of just him, Jalen was there as well, being taught dwarven runes that his new magic chalk could use.

I smiled, and pulled the small blanket around my chest a little tighter, then nodded, and left them to their work, walking upstairs and climbing back into bed with Natva, a little unsure of if she would allow me to cuddle her.

She reached out, while I was thinking, and pulled me down, face-first into her naked chests, then grumbled in elvish some more, though I caught this one. "Sleep, pretty one..."

I blushed, and snuggled, enjoying the soft feeling of her body against mine.

After a few more hours, because I couldn't really sleep more than six hours a day, (an unfortunate habit born of being a Knight and keeping a rigorous schedule for many years,)  I sat up, and tucked her in gently, dressing for the rest of the day, which, as the sun was going down, was just getting back into the swing of things, out in the bazaar.

Rune and Jalen were already out there, I could see, selling what looked to be small feathered quills, today. I hummed, and joined them, hugging Jalen swiftly, and making him jump. "What are you selling, Squire?" I asked, looking at the quills.

He grinned. "I made them with a Rune! They're magic, and words written with them are invisible to anyone who isn't supposed to see them!"

I blinked. "Like the books in the library?" I looked at Rune.

He raised an eyebrow slowly. "You read the books on the bottom level?"

I nodded. "And Natva had me over the table." I added mischievously, igniting Jalen fake gagging at me.

The other eyebrow rose, and then he hummed. "Damn... and here I am in the middle of a sale, ready to halt, and take you where you are... hmph. Rude. Now! Sorry for the interruption! That was seven silver pieces for the Quill, sir?"

The elderly half-elf chuckled, and nodded, handing over the silver and taking a golden-feathered Quill. "You have fun with that." He laughed, walking away.

Rune hummed. "Jalen, you can handle this... you, however, you're mine." He picked me up easily, and walked back inside.

I laughed, relaxing. "I suppose you'll be wanting to ravage me, my dear? I'm a bit sensitive, after a few hours with Natva, but I'm sure I can manage you..."

He smirked, and I felt a weight settle all the way up my stomach. "Really? That's reassuring." He chuckled.

"Oh hell..." I blinked, looking down.

—

I left Rune in bed, after making sure my legs worked properly, and found Jalen after a quick bath.

He was still selling quills, but managed to sell the last one as I arrived. "Aunt Devon, why do we never sell things? I've just made close to 400 platinum in silver!" He showed me a bag of platinum, and grinned.

"You did, or Rune did? Did he say it was yours?" I asked, confused.

He shrugged. "He didn't say, so I'll ask later. For now, though, let's go check out the Castle!"

I chuckled. "Calm yourself, it isn't going anywhere. Besides, we've neglected your training already too much! Come along, you'll be learning advanced arithmetic today!" I led him inside, and sat him down, pulling out a book of arithmetic from my bag.

He sighed deeply, but didn't complain out loud, and sat, pulling out a set of paper and charcoal sticks. "Fine... I suppose my mind also needs training..."

I nodded, and began to teach him proper use of the concepts of fractions and decimals, as well as their use in proper chemistry, such as mixing Adler Venom with Flak Seed, to make a powerful sedative for enemy creatures. Get the wrong proportions, and it's a poison or a aphrodisiac, neither you want in an enemy you're looking to capture.

After a few hours, I couldn't resist a little break, and decided to have 'training' on proper use of our Boots, taking him into one of the mirrors, which held a massive sand pit, covered in posts and pillars, like a simulation of the forest, where we began a focused, serious, intent... game of tag.

I'd noticed that besides a quick boost to a jump, the boots didn't change your speed or reflexes, meaning they only allowed you to stand on the air, or skate upon it, if you liked; though that in itself could be used to your advantage. Seeing as your feet didn't touch the ground if you didn't want them to, you could keep your momentum going, so I turned it into a physics lesson, challenging Jalen to find ways that the conservation of momentum could be used to his advantage.

Quickly, he surprised me by skating up a wall, and onto the ceiling, barely braking stride as he continued his fighting on the roof.

Dropping off the roof and curling into a ball, he uncurled swiftly, and the wooden dummy under him was blasted away, as he used the falling momentum and gravity to make a kickback, as the gravity pushing strengthened to compete with his increased speed.

I nodded. "Impressive... now let's see how you deal with this..." I began throwing small goblin spears at him, sending him skittering into the 'canopy', a webbing of layered, thin silk curtains and wooden branches, instead of leaves.

—

I peeked over the edge of the railing, and blinked at the sight of Roland, with Ulva, the Emperor, and a tall, regal-looking man with blue skin and purple horns. Jalen had the good sense to stay silent.

Rune entered through a mirror, and smiled, pulling a chalk board behind him, and setting it up so everyone could see it. "Alright! Why don't you all have a seat?"

They sat, and the Emperor looked around, nodding. "Impressive work... we stand over the Sky, you said?"

"Yes, the library is accessible through those portals I gave each of you, and through my own Tower, which holds all my portals, but that's it. There's no way in, not even with all the flyers and soldiers in the world. Now! Let's talk business... the eastern archipelago didn't want to be represented here, preferring to keep to themselves entirely, so for now, we will have Knight-Captain Roland use that seat." He nodded.

Roland sat down, and hummed. "And the reason for the comfy armchairs?"

"Because I plan for us to spend a while in this room, and because I want it clear that your rank means little to nothing in this room. We are five people here to solve problems with the authority and influence we have, that's all. Also because they're more comfy than thrones." Rune explained casually.

Roland nodded. "Alright... so what's the first thing we're here to discuss?"

"I'm glad you asked! Turn your gaze to the map I've brought." He gestured at a beautifully detailed map of Ulfavir and the archipelago's, even extending to the Southern Ice Sheets. "As of now, the big continent in the center is owned by me. I've bought or bartered it from each of you who claimed it, becoming 'King' of Ulfavir. But that matters very little, compared to the trade deals I have wrought." He flipped the chalkboard, and the second map showed detailed routes from each of the three archipelago's represented, to the Tower, then to the city of Armada, the Gnome village, and a few other locations, then back to the Tower, and out to each of the three archipelago's.

They nodded, and the Emperor smiled. "Yes, I underestimated how lucrative it was... even my nobles, always greedy and spiteful, have silenced their protests to accepting an outsider's business, for the profits."

"Good for them. Now! Here's where things get tricky... Ulva, your organization is hopelessly corrupt, and as such, I have given you assistance, time and time again, to get your Council Clean. You have failed me several times, and my affection for your mother does not help you now. As such, Roland will be taking over, joining the council, and then becoming King of the Northern Isles."

He said it calmly, as if he wasn't suggesting a civil war over a cup of tea which he had pulled from somewhere, and then glared them all down, when they began speaking. "Oh, I'm sorry, you mistook that for a Question or Object of Debate! I was simply making a Statement." He growled, silencing them entirely.