Wine of the Gods 03: The Black Goats (41 page)

"That is disgusting, dear. He's a goat. Are you going to have another baby? His?"

"No time soon. I have so much I want to do, and Rustle all by herself is interfering." Never frowned, "I hadn't really thought about Harry and the Auld Wulf. What will their children be able to do?"

Answer shrugged. "I should have at least had the sense to seduce a human." She snorted in sudden amusement. "This time. Harry is Happy's father. It took us a while, after we arrived, to realize that there was something uncanny going on. And they were the only men around other than the mages. And Beck and Coo were such irritating, possessive . . . males."

"They're not Furious and Glorious's fathers are they?" Never was a bit scandalized.

"Yes, and
now
the strong magical blood was clearly worth the irritation, but at the time, watching them, well, I wasn't about to use them. So I flipped a coin, Harry or the Auld Wulf, and it came up heads."

"Well, mother is a fine witch, so I guess we can just hope these others will be too." Never shrugged, "Now, the goat wizard babies, the six the Sheep Man brought back, Fava's and Juli's, and Little Havi. I wonder what potential they'll have. Will they be like Justice
—a carrier of the wizard genes, so to speak, or will they be full blown wizards like Question? I wish I knew more about the goat spell, and what it does. And why. Did the gods interfere, to bring wizardry back?"

Answer shifted uneasily. "Or have they interfered over and over, to bring back the gods?"

"Like the growth of the Church of Ba'al?"

"According to the Auld Wulf, he's the shredded remains of a go
d." Answer shivered, "He says Ba'al tried to escape the comet fall, abandoning all others, and it killed some very important parts of the man. His conscience and his consciousness. Ba'al is like a man trapped in a nightmare, with the powers of a god at his command."

"Dydit says that all these women Ba'alist's sacrificin
g their virginity to Ba'al are scary."

Answer snorted.

"The thing is, Dydit say that magically speaking, those women really aren't virgins anymore. So, is Ba'al getting the energy?"

Answer stopped dead for a long moment. "Dear, now you have seriously alarmed me."

"I'll mention it to the King's Mage when we get to Karista. I'm eager to learn what the king is going to do about the wizards."

"I'm sending your triad with you," Answer said, "And Curious said she wanted to test a few things on the wizards if it came to a fight."

Never nodded. Curious had advanced to the Dark Crescent, and gained new abilities. Even alone, she'd be a powerful force if they had to fight wizards.

"
The colonel should be back from the New Lands next week, and we'll leave immediately. If Nil's right about them gaining power from volcanoes, then we'd better fight them before they get to the Cove Islands."

Answer looked down the street. "And I'm of two minds about him leaving his last goat behind."

"He's pretty sure only Maleth had a Master's grip on Dydit. But that's different than being certain. So Dydit stays. He's not actually a bad fellow, now that he's free from all those spells. Well educated. You might consider asking him to teach Scoonian math to any witches that are interested."

"That would be begging for trouble. Bad enough I'm sending you lot off, so you'll be experienced if it comes to any further battle with Ba'al."

***

"Well," Never looked
the colonel over carefully. “That's, umm, interesting. Mother never mentioned any names." She supposed they did both have straight noses and square jaws. That was pretty thin evidence of parentage. "I'll ask her, when I get home." The colonel had met another party of his people, with updates on the Wizards' movements, and orders from the King. They were all in the Tavern, the Sheep Man, Dydit, Lefty and Question were sitting around a table, chatting over the remains of lunch. The colonel had pulled her aside for a private chat. To tell her he was her father.

Colonel Negue blinked a bit at this tepid reaction. "I, umm, I am very well placed in society . . . " he floundered a bit. "I'm the King's oldest son."

"Colonel, I'm a witch. I was raised by a Pyramid of witches. I don't
care
about society. And paternal relationships . . . are not important to me. I won't ever be a proper daughter. I already have one illegitimate daughter, and no doubt will have more in the future. Utterly scandalous in
your
society, normal and expected—celebrated—in mine," she shook her head. "Don't expect to pull me into your orbit. I won't ever be a part of your society."

"What about Lord Byson?"

She blinked, surprised. "Witches use men and sex for their advancement through the levels of abilities. I'm afraid Lord Byson is nothing to me. And according to your laws, he's married."

"He is about to annul his marriage," the voice spoke from behind her.

She turned and examined him. Same incredibly good looks. Not a sneer in sight. The colonel must have waited to speak to her until Byson arrived. "I'm sorry your marriage is not working out well. From what I know of the wizards, Lady Eltia's first marriage must have been a horror."

"Yes, she can barely stand to be in a room alone with me. My advances send her into hysterics," he stepped up close. "But I remember a woman who was every young man's dream, however many of her sister witches she tried to divert him with."

What?
She felt some power flows, nearby. Past the Lieutenant's shoulder she could see Dydit's fingers tapping the table as he did
not
turn around to look at them. The Sheep Man was shaking his head and saying something to him.

Never frowned. Byson
wasn't making sense. "Witches have to be careful to not harm, or even kill, men. An inexperienced witch can kill frightfully easily."

Byson stepped away, paced. "I was miserably unhappy, all I had was ego and demands. Nothing satisfied me. After you refused me for the second time, all that ego was gone, and so was the pain. Without the ego, I realized how much I enjoyed what I was doing, and recognized that I was rather good at it. If you killed part of me, it was a mole I was well rid of. I . . . I want you."

"You can't have me. I'm not something that can be possessed."
Oh, Hell. I have seriously messed up his brains or something.

"You are a woman, you need a husband."

She snorted. "Guess I didn't hurt you too much."

The c
olonel shifted. "Never, I'm trying to find you a husband that will cherish and take care of you. I don't want you to go after the Wizards, to risk yourself like that."

"I am not a child who requires care. And I am glad to serve the King in this fashion, using the powers born in me for the betterment . . . Old Gods, how pompous! I'm delighted to test my abilities against dangerous wizards. I'm doing it for the sheer adventure and excitement."

"No. I forbid it."

Never cocked her head at
the colonel. "As the military head of the expedition, you can choose your personnel. That is the only authority you have over me. Do you refuse me?"

"Yes."

"Very well. Excuse me a moment." She stalked down to the basement and found Harry's red heart decorated crate of wine, and took three bottles. She left one on the kitchen counter, and took the other two out to the dining room.

"Captain Byson. This wine has a large number of healing spells, and also some powerful aphrodisiacs. I suggest you ask you wife if she wishes to attempt to maintain your marriage, and if she does, drink this with her. Nil? Do you need another to take on the campaign with you?" She handed both bottles over and walked back to the kitchen and picked up the third bottle. If she and Dydit were both going to be stuck here, well . . .

***

Dydit took the greatest of pleasure in f
leecing the colonel and that
miserable
excuse for a captain of every copper they had on them. And every one they won from Nil and Lefty. Nil, of course, won plenty, but that didn't matter. No, it was these men who thought they had, had . . . rights to Never.

But he was worried about Nil. He eyed Lefty. "You will take care of him."

Nil snorted. "Bah. More like I'll be taking care of him. Scout, you don't have anywhere near the experience you ought to have to get near that lot. I wish you could Travel, but even Dydit isn't up to that yet."

Dydit gave him an odd look. "Travel?"

"Magically." The Tyrant closed his eyes and breathed deeply for a moment. "Like this."

The spell spread out before them. Dydit could read the power flow, see two location harmonics that needed specifics added to them, and a bridge of flowing vibration between them. A concert, a symphony of basic
orientation magic. It duplicated itself, rolled up and fit into two boxes. Nil reached out and pushed one in to Dydit's head, and the other into Lefty's.

"Scout, you don't have enough experience for that, but if I don't come back, I don't want the knowledge lost. You may find a teacher that can take you far enough to understand it. Dydit, you can look it over and practice location harmonics, but don't invoke the spell until I'm back. Hot springs are excellent locations." There was a general stir toward the door, and Nil nodded sharply. "Let's go."

Oscar snuck a look at the three witches. Likely and Mostly were eight years older than he was. At fifteen that had been an uncrossable gap. At eighteen, the two twenty-six year olds seemed . . . almost childishly irresponsible. Maybe because they were witches. Unmarried, a child apiece, going off on adventures.

"Heck," Bran whispered in his ear, "They're practically our age."

Oscar laughed at that, and sauntered over. "I wasn't home long enough to catch up on the gossip. What's up with the Sheep Man?"

"Oh, did you see his wizard's tower?" Likely giggled, "It is not the remote fortress you hear about in the myths."

"And Justice has moved in with him. Elegant carried on like you wouldn't believe. And that was before Question turned out to be a wizard instead of a witch."

"Question is a wizard?" Bran gawped and Mostly poked him.

"Yep. Let's see. The other gossip is that Juli's and Fava's babies were fathered not just by you two, but by those nasty goats. What really happened that night?"

Oscar and Bran exchanged shrugs. "They needed to deflower virgins to break the Sheep Man's spells. The four of us presented ourselves all happy and drinking that wine and . . . they took what they wanted.

Likely shivered, "I h
ope we kill all those things." She reached over and hugged Oscar. "I was really glad to hear you two killed two of them."

Mostly nodded, and patted Bran's shoulder, scooting closer to him.

Oscar and Bran swapped glances.
Witches. Our lucky day.

Oscar cast a glance at Curious, who appeared to be meditating on the front of the barge. "Maybe we should compare the stories we've all heard, we can maybe dig out all the common elements and figure out
how to attack the goats."

"Good idea." Likely squeezed him, "Let's go below so Curious doesn't yell at us.
She says we talk too much."

Talking about the rumors led to a bit of feeling up, and talk about horny goats and the battle for Ash that Oscar and Bran had missed, led to a bit of experimentation with methods, and a fun time was had by all.
Mostly and Likely complained that it wasn't nearly as much fun on a boat as on land.

Bran had muttered something under his breath about "Earth sourcing" and "just as well." But whatever was bothering th
em didn't stop them.

But by evening as they approached Karista, they were all back on deck, acting like good friends.

Bran leaned over and whispered, "It didn't happen."

Osc
ar snickered. "And there were no goats."

The colonel
escorted them to the king.

"We need to know how much of a threat these Goat Wizards are." The King swept his gaze over all of them. "Not just to the Kingdom, but to anyone, and well into the future. Our best estimate is that they are going to the Cove Islands, and will take power there. Both magical and political. I'd rather fight four of them now rather than have my grandson face four hundred of them with an army at their backs. Will you go?"

"We will, sire." Curious answered for the witches.

***

By late Spring the southern border with Auralia was
hot
.  The witches reported that they could, just barely, detect some magical activity far to the south, but not what it was. Or at any rate, Curious could feel it. Mostly and Likely griped about not being able to, and Oscar and Bran had to keep distracting them.

"I think they pout on purpose," Oscar said, "Truth of the matter is, those two are just horny as all get out."

Bran snorted agreement. "And you know what? I haven't noticed a Moon time during the trip down here."

"Umm," Oscar reflected that as a mage, Bran tended to be aware of things involving blood. "Maybe they were preggers before they came on this trip?"

Bran shook his head, "I think we've done it again."

They were sitting at a table in a restaurant next to the Inn where they were lodged, when the stage rolled up. Carrying familiar faces. Four women. They recognized Delight, Furious, and Glorious and after a long moment, decided the young one must be Particular. The Sheep Man was the last one off the stage, and he spotted them.

"Order something for the five of us, boys, we'll be right over."

They beat the food by a few steps, and they ordered more, as Curious, Mostly, Likely
, Lefty, and the colonel joined the party.

Oscar sat between the two groups and tried to listen in on both conversations.

" . . . decided we needed more . . . "

" . . . take ship for the Cove Islands. Beat them there."

"Practice with Particular and we'll have two triads by the time . . . "

" . . . diplomatic channels . . . "

" . . . good idea, but bad timing on the pregnancies . . . "
Oh Crap!

"Just warning the government and scouting the ground, we hope. If the Wizards arrive while we are still there . . . "

"Wish I hadn't sent Dydit . . . "

" . . . witches are prone to seasickness, so be aware that we'll need to . . . "

That last proved to be amazingly true, as all seven witches spent a large amount of time leaning over the rails of His Royal Majesty's Fast Courier Petrel.

"They haven't any power, out here." The Sheep Man told them, "You two, on the other hand, have taken right to it."

"The sea?" Oscar asked, breathing the salty air. He couldn't remember ever being so satisfied. Even without Likely's company. Whether he was down in the ship with the ocean all around and rocking him, or up in the rigging whipping around with the ship's movement, he was just . . . happy. Even his dreams were full of the sea. "I think I may talk to the colonel about transferring to the Navy."

He became aware of the Sheep Man studying him.

"Doubt he'll want to let go of either of you."

Oscar nodded, reality being what it was. "Anyway, Bran thinks it's all right, but doesn't love it the way I do."

"And the evil pair of you should never be split?"

"Exactly."

***

"Last year's attempt to recreate The Orgy was a complete failure." The Emperor's representative was impressive, to say the least. Tall, broad shouldered, thick tawny hair with a touch of gray, a stiff limp from the, er, upper thigh injury that had reduced him from Commander of the Armies to Emperor's gofer.

Rain looked him over and nodded, looked at her sister virgins. They nodded their approval. Yes, this was this years God. The babies and toddlers were all abed, with their nannies on hand, in the new domed annex. It was Time.

"Did you save any of the sacred wine, from The Orgy?" Rain asked.

"
I
was
not
there." He crossed his arms irritably. "The Emperor wishes to purchase the remnants you have. You will have to prove it works to me, before I take it to him for further inspection."

"Oh, certainly," Wind giggled and scampered off. She returned with three bottles of fine red wine, and a cork screw.

"That is a nice vintage, however it is not . . ." the General looked irritated as they ignored him and pulled the corks.

Snow brought out the sacred Bottle, and the funnel. The Sacred Wine was a little low, but Sunshine expertly poured a quarter of each of the first two bottles into the Sacred Bottle, and then refilled
them from the Sacred Bottle and recorked them. The third new bottle, she poured nearly the entire contents into the Sacred Bottle and just a few glasses worth back. They recorked the Sacred Bottle and returned it reverently to storage.

"There, two full bottles, and the dregs of another. That is what the God of Love brought to the Emperor." Sleet placed them on the altar.

"Ladies." the General sighed, "I cannot go to the Emperor with this!"

Rain tsked, and pulled out a glass. One by one they drank a half glass, and with the final half, turned to the General. "Will you test it? Remember the consequences!"

The General snorted, "You mean everyone getting so blind drunk they think a eunuch and a goat fucked a couple hundred people each? I can handle being that drunk." He sipped the wine, nodded approval of the taste, "At least you use good wine," and drained the glass.

He set the glass down with careful deliberation, and reached out to pull Rain to him and kiss her, and pull her against him, and take her to the ground.

Rain didn't have much in the way of garments to shed, and the other five virgins stripped the busy General without his actually being much aware of it, even when he switched his attentions to Dust, and then Sunshine. Somewhere around the third time through the Holy Virgins, he realized that his injury didn't seem to be bothering him. On the fourth round he considered a coup to take over the country. By the fifth pass he was contemplating whether he needed to go to all that trouble, just to allow polygamy. He passed out half way through the sixth.

The Second Anniversary of the Orgy was a blast. Very authentic, except for the goat, which sensibly ran off to find some lady goats.

The General was rewarded with reinstatement, and married a rich widow who owned a vineyard.

***

The Cove Islands were well south of the equator, about three hundred miles off the coast of Auralia. The northernmost island was a curve, three fourths of a circle enclosing an excellent harbor, the cove for which the entire chain of islands was named.

Oscar was high on the main mast as they approached, and as the details came clear he found himself clinging desperately . . . This was the place. Up there, the shining white palace, the steep drop to the harbor, the streets zigzagging madly. Racing down them had been one more nightmare. The busy docks where a small boy could easily slip onboard a merchantman . . . Oscar turned his face away from the islands, looked out over the ocean.

"I'm free now." He kept his voice to a whisper. "I'm free. I can go anywhere and everywhere. I was nine years old, no one will know me. I'm safe. I don't have to face anyone or do anything. They can't make me come back. I'm free." He took a long deep breath of the ocean air, and let ocean's long rolling peace seep back into his bones. Then he climbed down, prepared to face whatever he might see.

He and Bran were both packed and ready to go, as was
the colonel. He wasn't sure if the witches had ever unpacked. They were definitely looking the worse for wear, and were no doubt to blame for his dreams of making love to a Sea Hag who promised to make him the King of the Sea.

The Sheep Man seemed to be a bit distracted as they entered the harbor, and sailed across to the town built into the sides of the steep hills rising all about them. He shook his head about something and then went below.

They practically had to carry the witches to shore. Only Particular actually kissed the ground when they reached it—actually a street carved out of the solid rock of the island. But all the witches kicked off their shoes and stood still for a long moment.

Oscar took the opportunity to look around. The area was bustling, the people in sight were a collection from around the World. Tawny Veronians, pale Westerners and dark Auralians. The locals seemed to be about half black haired and half fair, although suntanned enough to nearly match the Auralians. The exotic slanted eyes varied from very to barely. In general, the people looked quite a bit like Oscar, and he wondered . . . No. He was not going to wonder. He was going to focus on his job.

Curious took a deep breath. "Well, now that feels better. I may—in another year or two, be able to contemplate the return voyage."

The c
olonel cleared his throat, "I doubt you have that much time, however, perhaps now we should continue up to the Embassy?"

The Western Embassy was small. It was considered a near retirement post for the ambassador and a small staff, and a plum for the young assistants and the clerks that kept records and dealt with the merchants who traded regularly with Western. They were in a flurry, trying to find space for their guests, and a bit taken aback when all the ladies opted for beds in the basement.

The Sheep Man chuckled. "They need to be in touch with the Earth. Stick them up against that solid rock wall and they'll all be very pleased."

They even emerged for dinner, all looking healthy and bright eyed. The clerks swooned over the three youngsters, and the Ambassador and his staff over the elders.

"Horny old men," Oscar muttered in Bran's ear.

"Yep, good to know we'll never lose it, right?"

"Right." Oscar's plan to offer his arm to Mostly was stymied by the rush from the staff. He ruefully realized he wasn't going to be getting any of her time for as long as they were here.

Dinner conversation ran around the diplomatic niceties of warning the governme
nt about the Goat wizards. The ambassador seemed to consider them all insane, for even believing such people existed.