The Tempest of Eerikki - Book One - THE PANACEA QUEST

Epilogue

The celebrations dragging on to the wee hours of the morning with many waking with sore heads. The peace disturbed by loud shouting.

"I will give up my fracken lands if I fracken want too." Corina's face was now bright red and she wanted to punch Rhain square in the gut. "I want to be here with you as your consort," she ground out.

"No, you fracken won't, I am King and I forbid it." Rhain growled back at her.

They had been fighting for hours, they were now on the battlements and Corina was standing toe to toe with her King, hands on hips and yelling. If Albern and Batair did not know better they would have been concerned that one might have thrown the other off the battlements.

"FORBIT IT, FORBIT IT!!! You are a fracken stubborn, zounderkite." Corina yelled.

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At that moment Batair and Albern caught the wink that Rhain had thrown their way.

"Are you calling me stupid my love?" Rhain retorted.

"Yes, why won't you let me elevate Jian, he is more than capable and I can come and be with you here as your consort." She slapped her hands down to her side desperately trying to hold off the sob that was now caught in her throat.

"Because my love," Rhain took a quick step forward and wrapped his arms around her. "I am going to step aside for Batair and become your consort."

Corina, Batair and Albern all stood wide-eyed, stunned and silent.

"I love it when I win an argument." Rhain grinned unrepentant. "Batair will soon join with Tempie and give us grandchildren, as soon as his young one is born, I will step aside. I am so looking forward to being a consort of leisure who's only real duty is to pleasure his lady." He landed a hard-passionate kiss to Corina's lips before she could say another word.

***

After the extensive night of drinking, Bailey, Dale and Boé were swimming in the cool waters of the dark pond. The three naked warriors were a mouth-watering sight as they floated to ease their massive hangovers.

"If Valiant growls at me one more time I am going to clock him one." Dale ground out.

"Well, you did ask him again, how Lily was." Boé answered, "what do you expect?"

"I would say if any of us ask how the flowers are, we are all going to get the same response." Bailey said tartly, "what is it about those creatures? For the first time all I can think about is Willow's crystal blue eyes and that long blonde hair and that figure, not to mention how spirited she is." Bailey quickly rolled from his back allowing the waters to hide his growing excitement.

"Know what you mean, Lily is all I can think about and that blasted Valiant is going to be a right prig about us wanting them too." Dale pushed his wet locks from his forehead.

"I'm surprised he even let you anywhere near her, knowing your reputation for skirt chasing." Boé laughed, then sobered, "but what are we to do, I have never wanted anyone as much as I do Iris, I am

having trouble thinking of anything else."

Kopis and the Goddess smiled, this too would be resolved in time.

***

Lord Tatum of Colby sat alone in his council room staring at the portrait of his only great love. His first bride had been an ebony beauty. Luminescent dark skin and dark brown eyes that always seem so peaceful. After all that had occurred he prayed to the Goddess for a way he could join his great love again and meet the child that nestled in her womb when she was taken from him.

A freak flash flood had seen the river swell unnaturally, their carriage swept away. The tragedy had been magnified by trice. Not only had he lost his love and unborn child but the lands of MarDav had lost their young Queen who had been visiting Colby at the time. His Lady and Queen had been childhood friends. While the Queens body had been found a league downstream. The body of his cherished Kenya had never been found.

It was the darkest of times, drowning his own grief at the bottom of many ale steins. During his unfathomable anguish, a conniving servant had entered his bed and seduced him. From this mating came his current humiliation, Chadd. The boy had never been right he had clung to his mother's skirts and done whatever she bid of him. Tatum had seen the boys cruel and vindictive ways and done what he could to help him see there was a better way but to no avail. When Chadd was ten cycles his mother had died of some mysterious illness simply failing to awake from her furs one night.

To Tatum it was suspicious but her brother Satanas had insisted that her body be cremated as soon as possible as their family tradition and beliefs dictated. Satanas then taking up the mantel as the boy's constant companion.

When it came time for the boy to go to Eerikki as was tradition to train to become and Elite Warrior. Satanas had argued against it, insisting it was too dangerous. Tatum had simply packed both off to the Sword Master with the greatest hope that maybe the ways of both could be turned to become more honourable. Alas it was not to be.

Now Tatum sat alone continuing to stare at Kenya's sweet face. What would have happened if his raven-haired beauty had not been snatch from him? And what of their child what would they have become?

He dropped his head into his hands and cried.

***

The darkness crawled on its belly through the eternal misery it had created....

From the darkness he called, he crawled, he slithered, touching minds seeing who could be bent to his will. The priestesses' strength was immense and their light so bright, it itched at him.

The mind of the darkness whirled, filled itself up with its own depraved desire and lusts that seemed to burn. He had underestimated his quarry, but soon, yes soon they would all be his.

Holding on to his belief that nothing so good can remain so.

Your Panacea Quest continues with the Scholarly Flowers of Frode.