We saw the farmland surrounding the city long before the city itself. The crops was bearing greater fruit than I had ever seen, despite harvest season being two months away. The stalks of wheat were growing much closer together than on human farms. The seeds of the wheat were nearly twice as big. We occasionally past by a discarded sickle, scythe, or plow. About a third of the land was not being used, which made me curious at the time. After miles of the amber sea, the city came into view.

  The Sahalian city was unlike anything I had ever seen made by man. Any Human city of this size would have walls, tall and thick like Sofia’s, and buildings of stone two or three stories high, but the Sahalian city had none of these. There was no wall. The buildings were made of wood and only had one floor. Once we entered the city, a peculiar fact about the buildings presented itself: they were not solid. They all looked like netting, with the walls and ceiling filled with so many square holes that they were more empty space than structure. Animal hides covered the top of these frames but could be rolled up to allow the sun to shine through.

  As the Polemians went about pillaging what the Sahalians hadn’t taken with them, I set about learning about them. Close to the edge of the city was a large barn which only contained dung. There weren’t even any stables for animals. A structure only used for holding animal waste confused me greatly at the time. In the center of the city, I found a fire pit with the remains of some mechanism smashed to pieces. While I would find out what it was later, then and there it was impossible to discern. What little I did find raised more questions than answers.

  Once we began the return journey to Polemos, I asked Id, “Could you look into that prophecy again?”

  “I’ve been spending every spare moment looking into it,” Id said. “The only thing I can say for sure is that it’s not in the future directly ahead.”

  “Why is it that everyone, in their dying breath, sees the same future that Id cannot see?” I asked, frustrated. “Why is it that in the landscape of time everyone, except us, sees the same point, apparently off in some corner? Do you have a blind spot, Id?”

  “The only times something has happened without my foreseeing it was when I wasn’t looking,” Id said, sounding annoyed, “but I am looking now. Thus far, I have found nothing.”

  “Eth, Al,” I called, “can either of you think of a reason?”

  “No,” they both answered.

  “Why is this so surprising Ego?” asked Al. “Father said he paid a finite amount of value for us. Why does it surprise you that we have limits?”

  “He is not our father,” I bit back. “We have no mortal father.”

  “He fed, clothed, and educated us,” countered Al. “If he not our father in essence, then he is in practice.”

  “He lied to us,” I pointed out. “For eighteen years, he lied to us.”

  “When would you have told the truth? The very day we dropped out of the ether?” argued Al reasonably. “That would have stunted our connection to the rest of Humanity. Eth would have been rendered unable to empathize with others.”

  “I would not have – ” Eth started to deny, but Al cut her off.

  “You would have a lot more trouble than you do now, and you certainly would have less qualms about peering into their minds,” asserted Al. “You must forgive Father. This grudge that you hold will get in the way of his and our dream of a united Humanity and ultimate victory.”

  “Lying about Humanity’s reason for nearly twenty years is a grave sin, not to be forgiven for the sake of practicality,” I declared.

  Three days later, we arrived back at Polemos around midday. As we entered the city, King Xander rode in front, holding the chain that restrained the Sahalian. Arsenio was on his right and Maximos his left. Behind them were the commanding officers in descending order of rank. They were followed by the rank-and-file. Then came us, the Sofian envoy, although I rode in the very back of the parade with the dead to accompany the soldier we made our promise to. When the city gates opened, the noise of jubilation spilled forth. A crowd had gathered on either side of the road; they lined the street all the way to where it met a large building. Judging by its ostentation, the building was King Xander’s palace.

  As the army progressed through the city, the crowd spat and jeered at the Sahalian. The Sofian delegation got some confused looks, followed by whispers to their friends. Sometimes a woman would run into the parade to be embraced by a soldier.

  “Wives meeting their husbands no doubt,” I said.

  “Looks nice,” Id yearned.

  I watched as one of the running women jumped and was caught by her lover. She threw off his helmet to kiss him.

  “That looks really fun. I would love to do that,” Id said wistfully.

  “I agree,” said Eth.

  “Why?” asked a confused Id.

  “I don’t oppose you just to oppose you,” Eth explained. “I only conflict with you when you desire evil, which is most of the time. Right now there is nothing wrong with wanting to love and be loved by a man like that.”

  “Well, it’s nice to not have you fight me for once,” Id conceded.

  “Demetrius! Demetrius!” came a woman’s voice nearby. “Oh, Myron, where is Demetrius?”

  “Ah, Aretha,” said Myron. He broke from the parade carrying his friend. “Demetrius fell in battle.”

  Aretha shook her head in denial, “He can’t” her eyes began to well with tears. “He never finished…”

  “I’m sorry.” Myron placed a hand on her shoulder. “Even victory has loss.”

  “Well,” she said, holding back tears, “not every man has the… fortune… of such an honorable death.” Unable to hold back any longer the new widow embraced Myron. Who, after a moment of surprise, accepted it.

  After allowing for a few minutes of bereavement, I interrupted her sobbing “We have brought back his body,” I told her, “and we have a gift from him and the city of Sofia.”

  “I don’t understand,” as she pulled away from Myron. “How…? Why…?”

  “Using the blood your husband shed, I have made amulets for you and your children.” I explained. “They will protect you and your children from any blade.”

  Confused, she looked to Myron who nodded in assurance. “I’ve never heard of such amulets. Who are you?” she asked.

  “I am Philena, daughter of Aristocles.” I answered.

  Here eyes narrowed slightly in recognition “Thank you, Philena.”

  I left them to return to the parade which had already entered the palace, I made haste to catch up. King Xander’s Palace was four stories tall and at the highest elevation in the city. Each level was smaller than the one bellow, forming a pyramid of sorts. The marble pillars were painted red while the walls were made purple. The main road led right up to the grand staircase which ended at the colossal main gate. It was far more imposing than any of the Patron houses of Sofia. Past the gate were hallways which headed left and right, but straight ahead was the feasting hall.

  Before we stepped into the feasting hall, the guards lowered their spears. I was just opening my mouth to protest when Aristocles, who had been standing just inside, said, “She is with me, let her in.”

  I followed him to the table as he asked, “I know you couldn’t have gotten lost, so where were you?”

  “I was giving a new widow an amulet made from her fallen husband,” I told him.

  Aristocles raised an eyebrow. “And what spurred on this charity?” he asked.

  “It was to ingratiate myself with the Polemian plebs,” I told him. “An alliance is more likely if popular opinion of Sofia is good.”

  Aristocles pursed his lips. “Is that really all?”

  “After the battle I came across a dying soldier who was having a vision of the future.” I gave him an accusatory look. “I made the amulets in exchange for information as to how a normal human could see the future.”

  Aristocles explained in self-defense. “I didn’t tell you about the death bed vision because I thought you would avert it, no use telling you of a future you would change anyway.”

  “And yet the near dead kept having the vision.” I pointed out.

  “We will discuss this later.” Said Aristocles as we arrived at the table opposite of King Xander, where the rest of the Sofian envoy were standing. Once room was made for us, King Xander called for a servant, who came forward and placed a stool in front of him. King Xander stepped up to be seen by all in the hall. Once the rowdy chatter in the room faded, he spoke.

  “We have achieved a solid victory against the great enemy,” he announced. “Despite being outnumbered and caught off guard, we managed to kill every last one of them!”

  A cheer went up from the soldiers, which was hushed when King Xander raised his hand.

  He continued, “Yet it was still a close thing. If the trebuchets had not been hidden until we took the crest, we could have been countered very easily. If the calvary had not been rallied in time after being blinded, the encirclement wouldn’t have been possible. If we hadn’t known when the mirrors would be used, the airborne company would have been crushed. So, as with all victories, I must share the glory with my son Arsenio.” Arsenio, who was on his father’s right, jumped up on the table. “His quick thinking, decisiveness, and valor saved the cavalry.”

  An ovation filled the room in response. Arsenio crossed his arms and tried to keep a serious expression, but his self-assured smile showed how pleased the attention made him. Once the noise died down, Arsenio stepped down from the table.

  “I must also share glory with the mighty Maximos,” the King continued. Maximos, who was on his left, leapt onto the table without hesitation.

  “Who else but he could have cut through seven lines of Sahalians?”

  The triumphant cry that went up from the Polemians was loud enough to hurt. Maximos delighted in the revelry, waving his hands up and down to encourage more of the noise. After a few minutes, King Xander grew impatient and pulled Maximos off the table. Despite landing on his back, Maximos seemed to be greatly amused by this and laughed. He looked cute when he wasn’t scowling; even Id and Eth agreed that his face was adorable in that moment as the room echoed his laughter.

  Once the howling had died down, King Xander once again resumed his speech.

  “Glory should also be given to Lady Philena, the Sofian.”

  “What?!” exclaimed Id. “Does he expect us to get up there for everyone to stare at us?”

  “How did you not foresee this?” I asked.

  “I was distracted,” answered Id, showing a brief vision of Maximos laughing on the floor.

  Confused whispers went around the room, and King Xander looked at me expectantly. I pushed past my hesitation to be displayed to a crowed and lifted myself on to the table. I realized my toga had been disheveled in the movement, so I straightened it out after standing up.

  “It was Philena who showed us where the mirrors were, allowing us to force their deployment,” the king told his audience. “It was Philena who told us how to capture one of the enemy alive. It was Philena who revealed how the Sahalia always anticipate us, and how to surprise them.” He gestured to Father, adding, “Aristocles has assured me that Philena is Maximos’s equal.”

  A murmur passed over the crowd.

  “I understand how fantastic this sounds,” King Xander continued. “Remember, it was Aristocles who brought us Maximos. If any man could correctly judge such a thing, it would be him. If this is the truth, then I dare say total victory is within our grasp!”

  A confused cheer went up from the soldiers.

  “I think we should get down now,” said Eth.

  I clambered off the tale as King Xander ordered his servants, “Bring forth the feast!” and stepped off the servant acting as his stool.

  The gate we had come through opened and the wife of the soldiers entered. They all found their husbands and stood next to them at the table. Next, large double doors from the opposite end of the hall opened. An army of women between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five entered, led by an older woman in regal dress. They all carried platters of food, mostly of meat.

  The woman’s hair was long and wavy and black as ink. It was adorned with gems of all sorts. As she walked her hair looked like a restless ocean during a starry night. Her eyes were a chestnut brown. Her dress was purple, trimmed with gold, and ended at her mid-thigh.

  The woman, who was clearly the queen, wrapped her arms around King Xander and brought him into a deep kiss. After a moment, King Xander pulled away and said, “By Gravity woman, you behave as though you thought me dead. Do you have such little faith in me to return?”

  “You left with such a small force and didn’t conscript any of our allies,” the queen pouted.

  King Xander raised an eyebrow.

  The queen sighed and added, “If you were to leave with only Maximos, should I sleep easily that night like babe at her mother’s breast?”

  “I don’t see why you wouldn’t,” chimed in Maximos with a cocky grin.

  King Xander turned to his hero, exasperated. “You must learn that you are not invincible,” he said.

  “I’m not dead yet,” Maximos countered.

  “That was quite arrogant.” Said Eth displeased.

  “So are we.” I pointed out, “and we are both justified in it.”

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Neither is anyone here, yet they do not question their mortality,” King Xander pointed out.

  Maximos was about to respond when food was placed in front of him. Food seemed to take precedence over argument, and he stuffed his mouth without further comment.

  I was about to let Id have her way with the plate in front of us when Aristocles whispered in our ear, “Temper your consumption for sake of appearance.”

  I nodded and remembered how mother had taught us to eat with decorum.

  “Thank you, father” said Eth. “Id almost made a fool of us.”

  “I suppose I have been indulging Id too much at mealtime,” I admitted.

  After a few minutes had passed, King Xander said, “I will have no more of your secrecy, Aristocles. For what purpose are you here?”

  Aristocles swallowed and had a sip of wine before speaking. “The same reason I came here eighteen years ago,” he said. “I wish for an alliance between Sofia and Polemos.”

  “You are persistent if nothing else,” the king sighed. “What would this alliance entail? Sofia already benefits from us with the safety we provide you, and since you started making those charms you have no want of gold.”

  “First, we would like you to teach us the philosophy of war,” Aristocles told him. “If one of your officers could instruct ours in your ways, we would be able to defend ourselves in the future. Second, we want any knowledge of the enemy you obtain – I would love to send that scope back home in the hope we could reproduce it.” He looked at me before adding, “On a grander level, I would like to see intermarriages between the nobles of our two cities, as nothing promotes unity like family.”

  “And what help would you give us in return for all of this?” asked King Xander.

  “How could they help us?” asked the Queen. “Their only victory that Gravity did not hand them was due to a woman” she added, looking at me.

  “She dares insult our people?” Id growled in my head.

  “Well, if Maximos is of no help, then we would gladly take him back,” Aristocles offered pointedly.

  King Xander held up his hand “We are grateful for Maximos,” he said, “but gratitude cannot be the foundation for any alliance. You must give us a continual reason to remain entwined with you. We usually call upon men from cities who depend on us for protection, but I assume this would be intolerable.”

  “It is,” said Father. “We must be your equal, not your servant. Besides, I expect Sofians on the battlefield would be more of a bane than boon – even with your training.”

  “Then what do you propose?” asked the king.

  “We could sell you amulets for far cheaper than they sold to you now,” Aristocles offered.

  King Xander shook his head “If they were free, it wouldn’t be good enough,” he said. “The only amulets that are of any worth are the ones which provide coolness – even then their only use would be marching farther each day. While added mobility would be nice, it’s insufficient.”

  “Would protection against blades be better?” I asked.

  King Xander looked at Aristocles who in turn looked at me.

  “Have you been selling us bottom-barrel magic this whole time?” asked King Xander.

  He looked back to Xander. “No, we haven’t restricted the market in any way.” he said defensively.

  “I figured it out a few days ago,” I explained.

  “Well, that changes things,” considered King Xander. “Do you think you could outfit an army with them?”

  Aristocles looked to me.

  “About eight times as much as the ones for heat,” I answered his unspoken question.

  “That would take quite some time,” said Aristocles, answering the king’s question in turn.

  “What is it that you need?” King Xander asked eagerly. “We can always provide the materials you require to make them.”

  “You don’t have enough of what we need,” Aristocles told him.

  “Out with it,” demanded the king. “What is called for to make your trinkets?”

  “Blood,” Aristocles answered. “We need blood.”

  King Xander blinked twice. “Why do you need blood?” he asked.

  “To explain why would require divulging the secrets of Nomos,” Aristocles said, “which I do not have the authority to do.”

  The king considered for a moment before saying, “Fair enough. We have criminals and reprobates – you can use them.”

  “That would be a bad idea,” Aristocles hedged.

  “Why?” asked the king. “Would using the depraved corrupt the charms?”

  “No,” Aristocles explained. “The act of taking the blood by force is the issue.”

  “How?” King Xander questioned. “Murderers are already killed to uphold justice – why not put their blood to use?”

  Seeing this conversation going in circles, I stepped in. “The idea of using criminals for Nomos had already occurred to us, but we decided against it,” I explained, reciting my lessons from years before. “Atticus believed that using humans to such a purpose would incur the wrath of Gravity. However, I found Leander’s argument to be more convincing.”

  Hearing this Evander spoke up “My father’s argument goes like this: For the sake of argument let’s say a perfect process was established to determine who would be used for Nomos. Even if the officials in charge of this process were of perfect moral fortitude along with their superiors, there is no guarantee that their successors would be the same. Blood is of immense value to Nomos – not to mention the whole person – which would undoubtedly produce great power. The temptation of this power would simply be too much – someone would be the first to lower the standard. Once the standard was lowered, it would never be raised again. Eventually, anyone could be considered guilty enough to have their life sacrificed to Nomos. An era of chaos would ensue and the city that set the precedent for using human life to make amulets would be destroyed. The only hope would be that the city which did commit this grave transgression would meet its end before the practice could spread elsewhere.”

  King Xander gave an understanding nod. “Very well, I see the wisdom in that. But must it be human blood?”

  There was a moment of silence from the Sofians, as we hadn’t considered that possibility. I was about to say we hadn’t tried to use animal blood before when Luke spoke.

  “I tried using the blood of a mouse our cat had caught once.” Said Luke, “While it did work, it wasn’t nearly as effective as human blood.”

  “I will announce tomorrow that I will buy animal blood.” Declared King Xander, “What else could you offer in this alliance? Why not just buy these new amulets at the normal rate?”

  “You would have Philena,” Father said. “You’ve seen how she can tip a battle.”

  “That I have,” said the king thoughtfully. “But while I have high hopes for her, I do not know her limits,” he added after a moment’s pause. “I doubt her help would be worth the cost. The terms you have presented to me are permanent, for once our elites are intertwined it is not clear how they could separate.”

  “Victory over the Sahalians would be permanent,” Aristocles argued.

  King Xander leaned forward to whisper. “I said that to raise morale. Should it not come true, I could blame you and have reason to cut off our cooperation.”

  “We could give them Aqueducts,” said Al.

  “How?” I asked. “There aren’t any mountains near.”

  “There’s a river,” Al pointed out. “The only real obstacle would be raising the water up so it could flow into the city.”

  “Aqueducts would be permanent,” I offered.

  “Aqueducts require an elevated source of water,” Aristocles unnecessarily reminded me.

  “The nearby river will be all that is needed,” I insisted.

  “You know how to have an aqueduct work off of a river?” asked the king.

  “Not now,” I admitted.

  Father smiled. “But you will in the morning,” he predicted.

  I nodded.

  “Have the cook prepare an enormous breakfast for Philena tomorrow,” Aristocles said to King Xander, “and she can invent an aqueduct that would work from a river.”

  “I’m sorry, I must have misheard,” the Queen cut in. “Are you promising an invention you haven’t devised yet?”

  “Precisely,” Father said proudly.

  “You have a grand view of yourself,” said the Queen, looking at me as she spoke.

  “I have an accurate view of myself,” I stated.

  “Really?” she scoffed. “You think you are worthy to eat here in the hall of victory?”

  “Andromeda, please,” King Xander said, trying to pacify his wife.

  “Well Maximos is,” I cited.

  At that, all the Polemians who had been discreetly listening to our conversation began glaring at me.

  Maximos narrowed his eyes as well, asking, “What do you mean by that?”

  “I mean that I am your equal,” I answered.

  “Is that a fact?” Maximos asked, his eyes narrowed.

  “Personally, I think that belauds you,” said Evander, followed by the agreement of the other Sofians.

  Maximos looked to Evander, then back to me. “Do you really think you could beat me in a fight?” he asked.

  Aristocles was about to protest, but I held up my hand to quiet him.

  “Victory would be impossible,” Al pointed out. “We simply cannot generate enough force to harm him. However, with Id’s help, we could exhaust him and thus force a stalemate.”

  “No, but I could force a draw,” I said aloud.

  “My honor has been challenged!” bellowed Maximos, now with a cocky smile on his face, “and I accept!”

  “Make the Ring!” Arsenio ordered some servants.

  Tables and people moved so that a circle was made around me and Maximos.

  “Forgive my prejudice,” said Maximos smirking as he raised his fists, “but I don’t believe Sofian women are taught boxing.”

  “Your prejudgment is correct,” I confirmed. “I just don’t need it.”

  “How about this little lady,” Maximos said, letting his hands fall to his side incredulously. “I give you the privilege: one free hit.”

  “No, thank you,” I declined.

  Maximos raised his hands again. “Sorry, but I’ve never hit a woman before,” he said.

  “Well have no fear,” returning his smirk, “for you will not break that streak today.”

  Maximos hardened his expression and advanced.

  I closed my eyes, conferring with the others.

  “Okay, Id show us what you see,” I directed. “Al, figure out a way to provoke him to waste his energy more readily. The faster this is over the better. Eth, pay attention to his eyes, as they should reveal his intentions.”

  “He stopped moving,” said Id.

  “Forgive my ignorance in the realm of fighting, but I believe you must come close to hit someone,” I said.

  Maximos finished closing the distance and threw a jab. It had no force behind it, as he was still reluctant to actually hurt me. I timed the movement of my body with the movement of his fist so that there was no time between the two.

  Confused, Maximos threw another jab, this one with more strength behind it. Again, I synchronized our dodge with his attack. A dumbfounded murmur went around most of the Polemians, while a smug one went through the Sofians.

  Maximos stepped back with a pensive look on his face. Then he stepped quietly around to get behind me.

  “Nice try Maximos,” commented Al, “but we aren’t depending on hearing.”

  Maximos threw a punch at the back of my head with all the force he could muster, but all it hit was open air. The Sofians cheered, which was answered by the Polemians with their own shouts.

  “He’s going to get fast now,” Id warned. “Prepare yourselves.”

  Maximos unleashed a flurry of punches directed at seemingly random parts of my body, all while pushing forward. Id’s predictions could handle it for a the moment, but too quickly the lead was getting smaller and smaller. I flexed, and everything slowed down.

  “What is the meaning of this?” asked Eth, surprised.

  “I suppose I can control our perception of time,” I answered as I moved my head out of the way of his fist. I didn’t need to move it as far as the other times; using the slowed perception of time, I was able to move my head more precisely and save on wasted movement.

  “Well, this is certainly wonderful,” Al prodded, “but you have overlooked something Ego.”

  “What?” I asked.

  “We are cornered. He’s driven us to the edge of the ring,” she pointed out.

  I opened my eyes to see she was correct. This gave me my first sight of Maximos up close; he was enormous! While I knew he was tall, it didn’t sink in until now. I didn’t even come up to his pectorals as he blocked any escape with his arms spread wide. He had a domineering grin on his face, assured of his victory. In my distorted perception of time, the movement of his hair and tunic made it seem like he was underwater. I looked to see Aristocles, who was anxious, along with the other Sofians.

  Maximos’s arms were beginning to close now. I looked down to see his legs spread open.

  “I have an idea,” I said.

  “Don’t you dare kick this man in the testicles,” lectured Id. “We need him intact for the bedroom!”

  “We couldn’t deal any permanent damage, but that’s not what I was thinking,” I affirmed.

  I brought my feet straight up, causing us to fall much too slowly. He would still grab me, so I pushed down off his encircling arms. Once we were low enough, I took ahold of his calves and pulled myself through his open legs.

  Once underneath him, Id suggested, “Slap him on the ass.”

  “Excuse me?!” “What?” Eth and I exclaimed simultaneously.

  “It’s right there,” Id pointed out.

  “Absolutely not,” admonished Eth.

  “It would make him angry and sloppy,” argued Id.

  Al considered this. “She has a point there,” she said.

  “Sorry Eth,” I said, “majority rules.”

  Passing under him, I swung my hand back and smacked him. Our palm firmly impacted Maximos’s gluteus maximus. Sliding away, I relaxed and normal perception of time was restored.

  The roar of the crowd was replaced with laughter. Maximos turned to look at me; his face was a blend of amazement and offense. He put his hand to where I had smacked him.

  “Did you just slap my butt?” he asked, genuinely uncertain of himself.

  At Al’s behest, I gave him a cocky smile and a wink for an answer. The noise of the crowed returned, but at a distinctly higher pitch.

  “You’ll pay for that,” he threatened.

  “Only if you can collect,” I teased.

  “Okay, he’s plenty mad now,” said Eth.

  “Ego, hold off from doing that time thing,” Id requested. “I’m feeling significantly more drained.”

  “Makes sense that increasing the rate at which we think takes energy,” I realized. “I’ll be more conservative with it.”

  “Here he comes!” Id cried.

  Maximos charged and threw a wild right hook, which I managed to dodge with Id’s foresight. He planted his right foot, launched off it, and swung with the left – which I dodged again.

  “This is our best-case scenario for an attack,” said Al, “Bait out at many of these where he has to stop, accelerate, and stop again.”

  I moved to the opposite side of each attack I dodged, and Maximos continued to overswing, wasting energy. However he wasn’t the only one facing encroaching exhaustion. The fight went on until Maximos and I were both panting hard and drenched in sweat.

  Id pleaded, “Ego, I love his scent, but I don’t think I can continue this.”

  Maximos through out another jab, it had less force behind it that the first. I tried to slow time again but all it did was make me lightheaded. I still managed to avoid the attack, but I had lost my balance. Before I could react, Maximos had grabbed my forearm. His grip was like cast bronze. Even if I had the energy, there was no way I could escape it.

  “Ok.” I managed to say before Maximos did anything else. “I surrender. You win.”

  I expected him to gloat, but he simply nodded and let me go, not having the energy for bravado. He then looked to one of the serving girls and gestured for her to bring him food and water. I looked to one of them and they flocked to me without the request. I drank my fill and fed Id without care for propriety, only pausing when air become more of a concern. Then I noticed a small crowd of women had formed to ask questions. They came so fast that I had no time to answer as I ate and could barely keep track of who asked what.

  “How did you do that?”

  “No one has ever lasted that long against Maximos!”

  “Are you alright?”

  “What was it like?”

  “Was it scary?”

  “Was it exiting?”

  “Where did you learn to move like that?”

  “What did his ass feel like?”

  I turned to address the last. “Pardon me?” I asked, raising my eyebrow at the young lady.

  Her expression of lechery became bashful as everyone quieted to hear her. “Well,” she stammered, “no one has slapped Maximos before, let alone there, and certainly never gotten away with it.”

  “That is the sorriest excuse I have ever heard,” commented Eth.

  I rolled my eyes, turned to give her a sideways look and a smirked. “It was nice and firm,” I obliged her curiosity, to Eth’s indignation.

  The girl relaxed her shoulders and gave a shy smile. Another torrent of questions came from the other girls now that I had answered one, but before I could answer any more Maximos bellowed, “I don’t believe I can join in any further celebration after that. Good night, everybody!”

  He then turned to leave, but on his way to the door he picked up a serving girl as he walked past as casually as one might pluck an apple. The damsel’s look when from surprise to excitement to lust in a second.

  “Ah, I suppose that makes sense,” said Al.

  “Hoping otherwise would just be foolishness,” I added despite my disappointment.

  “I don’t understand,” said Id, still trying to eat.

  “Maximos is going to lay with her,” Eth explained.

  Enraged, Id shouted, “Kill her!”

  “I understand where you are coming from Id,” Eth said, trying to pacify her while she exercised some control over our shared body, “but killing her out of envy would be wrong.” She turned to me. “However, we must stop them in some way,” she said pointedly.

  “No, we don’t,” contradicted Al.

  “You jest, surely,” pleaded Id. “He is the body. We are the mind. Our union is fated. He is to be our beloved, and you suggest allowing some wench to come between us, and for what!?” Her voice got louder as she spoke, clearly upset.

  “This is clearly not the first time this has happened,” Al explained. “Tell me I’m wrong, Eth. Read the faces of everyone in the room: are they shocked?”

  “No, they are not,” conceded Eth.

  “So, this is a regular occurrence,” Al reasoned. “If we were to interrupt, we would appear boorish. Do not forget why we are here.”

  “So the Polemians just let Maximos run wild?” Eth wondered. “Why violate the fidelity of marriage is such a way?”

  “Because King Xander didn’t have a choice,” I sighed. “Maximos is the ideal man, physically speaking. As men have the greater libido, it would have been impossible to restrain him in this regard. You see how Maximos and the king butt heads, even without King Xander forcing celibacy on him? It would also be no surprise to find that the children Maximos sires will become great warriors, so King Xander would have a positive incentive to let Maximos plow whatever field he wished.”

  “What is to be done?” asked Id. “We can’t allow this to go on.”

  “Of course – we are all in agreement that Maximos must be ours,” I said, “but how?”

  “I see a plan with two parts, which should be pursued simultaneously,” announced Al. “We must seduce him ourselves, as well as have King Xander arrange our marriage as part of the alliance between Sofia and Polemos. The second should be easy enough – just hand King Xander victories and he will want us to be wed to Maximos as much as we do. But Maximos won’t marry anyone just because King Xander told him to, so we must beguile him ourselves.”

  “And how are we to do that?” I asked. “Neither Aristocles nor Calista taught us how to attract a man, and we are in competition with all the women in the city.”

  “Women have been charming men since the world began,” said Id hopefully. “If anyone can complete the task of capturing the body of Humanity, it would be the mind.”