616
“And what if I chose you to be head matron?” I prodded.
Diamiutar struggled, “If that is your choice, I would do my best. But I don’t care about a position like that, it would mean far more to Helilantu.”
I sat forward, “You said Lymarith and Narusil would be good sources of advice. They both told me that you would be the better choice. Your response told me that you understand enough of the strengths of your sisters that you would serve with compassion and understanding. Even Heilantu admitted you would be a good Head Matron. Unless you have a good reason otherwise, I will be appointing you as my Head Matron.”
Diamiutar’s mouth opened, then closed several times. She took a moment as her eyes darted around as she thought hard to assess.
“If that is my Master’s will. I will accept it.” She finally accepted.
“Then that’s how it’s going to be.” I replied. “Now, let’s go tell Gledril.”
We emerged together, and I turned to Gledril. “Diamiutar will be my head of household.”
Heilantu nodded her acknowledgement and the other maidens rushed to congratulate her as Gledril smiled and nodded.
“Now that all is prepared, let us go and attend to the bonding.” Gledril declared, taking her staff and leading us from the hanging gardens.
The maidens in their dresses had returned to their homes, so the bridges and paths were full again of she-elves in the standard garb I had become accustomed to. They smiled happily as my maidens strode with heads held high across the suspended platforms between the trees. Even Narusil seemed to be accepting her role and taking pride in being chosen. There was something incredibly sexy about the confidence and pride my maidens exuded.
We walked across the plaza to a large spruce. An opening in the trunk led to a cavernous opening. Sixteen alcoves were spread around the outside of the opening. Fourteen of the openings had statues and alters. The remaining two alcoves held the rubble of statues and there were marks on the ground before the rubble, where altars once stood. Of the fourteen statues, only four where male, where ten were female. All but two of the female statues had the larger breasts and wider hips of a matron, with the remaining two having the smaller assets of maidens. Each statue showed a unique and amazing elf, with prominent ears and angular elven facial features.
Gledril led us to the space in front of the central alcove. She had me stand in the center and my maidens formed a half-circle around me. She took a thin dagger and held out a hand for mine. I gave her my hand and she pricked my finger, carefully drawing a single drop of blood.
“Que, van iesoval.” Gledril intoned, using the same incantation that had earlier collected my semen, but this time it caused the singular drop of my blood to rise as a rippling orb of red blood. Gledril went one by one to my matrons drawing a single drop of blood which rose with a motion of her hand and soon seven drops of blood floated in front of our gathering. Gledril took her place with her back to the central statue of the elven male.
“Margone Failalithia,” Gledril began, “Utrail yo, camari tai.”
The blood droplets floated slowly together, forming a singular orb. As Gledril continued to speak in the strange and rhythmic language of magic, the orb of blood began to give off a slight red glow. Gledril’s voice rose in volume as she proceeded, and the reddish glow shifted from red, to orange, then yellow then finally a golden glow. The maidens all lowered their heads in reverence, but I found myself struck by the enormity of the moment and hypnotic tones of Gledril’s incantation.
Finally, when the reached its brightest and purest golden hue, Gledril’s gaze lowered to me.
“Maidens, place your left hands upon your Master.” Gledril instructed, and a moment later I felt six hands rest on my lower back. “Now, Master Thomas, Hold out your left hand and receive the blessing of the gods as your union is bound.”
I held out my hand to the glowing orb of our combined blood, and the light rays seemed to arch out then converged on my palm. I felt a searing heat rush through me, thought it wasn’t painful, just felt hot and overwhelming. It started where the light struck my palm and flooded up my arm, through my shoulder and down my back, where it fractured into six rays that each met with the hand of one of my maidens. I heard a collective gasp as the energy filled them as well. Finally, the light of the orb winked out, with nothing remaining of the orb of blood. The rays of light faded rapidly, receding into my hand. I felt it pool in my chest at my heart, forming lines to each of the hands on my back. Then it changed from overwhelming heat to cool stillness, that settled in my chest and I felt not rays to the hands of my maidens, but to the hearts of my matrons. The stillness flowed back down my left hand to where it convalesced, the in a flash, it encircled my hand, forming my bonding sigil.
I could FEEL my matrons. Their joy was full and I could tell exactly how much this meant to them. They had spoken of it being a lifelong dream but the truth of that statement and the amount I had underestimated the intensity of that dream shook me. All of the craved motherhood like a starving man craved food. They had been forced to ignore this and now the relief and hope they felt at long last at it becoming a possibility was euphoric.
I could feel a sliver of each of my matrons, wrapped around my finger in the bonding sigil. I don’t know how else to explain it. There was a bit that felt unmistakably like Tavorwen and I could feel the pool that was her as well behind me and to my right. Each Matron was unique in their feeling and almost flavor of their bond.
“You are now bonded.” Gledril declared, “May you ever remain so.”
Light began to fill the room, with no discernible source. It grew in intensity and the look on Glendril’s face said it was not part of the ceremony. It grew to be blinding and when it receded the slightest, fourteen elven looking figures, each almost twenty feet tall. Each majestic and noble in their own way, some dressed in silks and robes, others dressed in furs or armor.
“Hero!” The central male’s voice boomed a greeting, “We of the Enlightened Host, do greet you as we bestow upon you these fair daughters of our people. May our blessing guide you as you protect and restore our children to that which they once held. You have heeded our council and we are pleased with thee.”
The Elves all bowed as it became apparent their Gods had blessed us with their presence.
“We are placing great faith in thee.” The female to his right declared, “For thy creator hath vouched for thee. Serve our children well, and thy rewards shall be great.”
Another female spoke, more to my matrons than to me. “Daughters, thou art most blessed. The master thou hast submitted themselves unto is a male most desirable. Please him well and your joy shall be full and you shall take part in the salvation of your people.”
The light surged again and when it faded, the mystic beings were gone.
The swell of love and joy I felt from all of my matrons threatened to overwhelm me. I could feel the excitement and anticipation of the consummation of our unions. And I could feel my excitement building as well.
“Well, you should probably get to your home.” Gledril smiled, “Usually it is hard to wait to celebrate such unions, even with only two matrons. I imagine with six, the urges will be most pressing.”
“Pressing or not, it will have to wait.” A strong voice called from the doorway. “Our Summon is needed.”
I turned and saw one of the elders, one that had not been a matron, still wearing the garb of a soldier, flanked by two elves also dressed for battle, and an elf dressed in the robes of the elves more studied in the ways of magic.
Tavorwen immediately stepped forward, I could feel her nervousness and concern. “What is the situation?”
The elder general’s face was stern. “Kathra’s forces have deployed against the eastern edge of the forest, seeking to set fire to the forest. They have wyvern riding mages taxing our defenders and… if we lose it could be as much as a quarter of our forces lost.”
I could feel Tavorwen and Creadean bristle. This was not good. I had my gear with me, but theirs had been stored elsewhere and they would have to put aside their formal attire.
“Make haste and prepare yourselves,” The general instructed my battle matrons, and turning to the others, “The rest of you, may go and await your new master at your new home. Pray to the gods that he returns.”
I could feel the uncertainty and fear among my matrons, but I knew what I had to do.
“Go, get ready.” I instructed Tavorwen and Creadean. “How will you get me to the battle?” I asked the general as my battle matrons ran past her and toward their gear.
“Teleportation.” The General explained, “We can put you within a distance of the battle. How close do you want?”
I thought for a moment, “Wyverns are dragons, right?”
The general pursed her lips, “Dragon-like, but the understanding is close enough.”
Air superiority was a problem. I couldn’t call in air support of my own, so I’d have to do my best to negate theirs.
“How agile of fliers are they?” I asked.
“They are fast but not particularly good at turning, and shifting from ascent to descent or otherwise is quiet difficult for them. Not that it matters, even with magic our arrows can’t pierce their hide.” The general informed me.
This general hadn’t been present when I’d demonstrated the capability of my rifle, I hoped its greater firepower, combined with elven magic, would be enough. The angel had made it seem I would be a game changer, and if my rifle was of no use I struggled to see how I’d be of any use to these people.
Diamiutar led my household matrons away towards the house I’d been given. I could feel them moving away, even as I could feel Tavorwen and Creadean’s frustration at how long it was taking them to get changed from their formal wear to their more practical battle gear.Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.
“Can you put me in the treetops… say a thousand paces away from the frontlines?” I asked. A thousand yards was well within my range, even with a moving target. I just hoped my viewing arrangements would work something like I was used to. I specialized in anti-vehicular shots, so I wasn’t terribly worried about adapting my shots to flying foes.