Chapter 32
Alice watched Sid constantly throughout the day. Seldom was she more than a dozen paces away from him. Even when he went to the latrine, Alice was nearby hoping to catch a glimpse of his package. The delay between being rescued and returning to Crossroads was driving her crazy. She was ready to reward Sid for her rescue now. The noises that emerged from her tent at night announced to the world what was on her mind.
For Sid, the situation wasn't much better. Alice was not only watching from a distance, she was posing, teasing, and generally acting in as seductive a manner as possible. Her behavior was having an effect on him. It seemed to him that he was walking around with an erection half of the day.
The dance between the two was impossible to ignore. Gregor, Fred, and Derek often commented on it while sitting around camp. Most of it was good natured teasing, but there were times when Alice's behavior was irritating. No one was more irritated than Fred.
Alice sat across the fire from Sid with her skirt hiked up over her knees. She was spreading and closing her legs giving Sid frequent flashes up her skirt. Sid wasn't the only one who could see her promised land. Shaking his head, Fred asked, "When are you going to put her out of her misery?"
Sid shook his head and looked across the fire just in time to get a good eyeful. He sighed and said, "Come with me Alice. We need to talk."
Alice stood like a shot and was beside Sid moving faster than any of the men thought possible. Sid rose, took her by the arm, and led her away from the camp. Once they were sufficiently far from people so that they would not be overheard, Sid said, "Alice, you know the rules. We can't have sex here on Chaos."
"I can't help it. I want you so bad that it hurts," Alice said in a whine. She was obsessed with the idea that a King would be fathering a child with her. She rubbed her body against him and said, "Come on. Just one little friendly romp in bed won't hurt."
Shaking his head, Sid said, "I've thought about that, believe me. This afternoon a nasty little thought came to mind and I can't shake it."
Alice cooed and rubbed her hand over the bulge in his pants. She said, "I love nasty little thoughts."
"I wondered what would happen if you got pregnant on Chaos. I wondered what would happen when you went through the portal. The ideas that came to mind weren't pretty; losing the baby, being blocked from leaving, birth defect, and maybe even death for the mother," Sid said. Initially, her actions kept derailing his thoughts. With each possible outcome, Alice lost more and more color to her face. Her actions went from being aggressively sexy to standing stock still.
"You don't think that," she said horrified by the images that his words had invoked. She pulled her hand away from his crotch as if it would burn her.
"There is always a reason why the rules exist," Sid replied. Shrugging his shoulder, he said, "A hero companion from Earth must be sterile. It makes me wonder why that is the case."
"I can't wait!" Alice cried.
"You must wait or you might never be able to have a child," Sid said knowing that his words would hurt.
Frustrated beyond belief, Alice broke down in tears. Her need for sex was physical and constant. Sid held her in his arms to comfort her. Being held only increased her physical desire, but her emotional desire had taken a major hit. The desire to have a baby sired by a King was pushing her to have sex while the thought of the negative consequences pulled her desire back. It was torture.
Sid let her cry out her frustration. Once she had calmed down, he said, "Let's return to the fire."
"I want to be alone," Alice said. Her eyes were puffy from crying and her sinuses were stuffed. Distressed by the circumstances, she didn't feel like a Damsel who had been rescued.
"I'll take you to your tent," Sid said acting on his words even as he said them.
Returning to the fire, Sid looked around at the faces of the men there. Shrugging his shoulders, he said, "I think it'll be better from now on."
The closer that Sid got to the citadel they had nearly destroyed earlier in the war, the larger his forces had become. All of Gregor's people were riding with them. Troops that had been scattered over the area had rejoined him. The size of the army had swollen to over six thousand. At each village, town, and city, Sid released men from the army to help repopulate the area.
The released men had some advantages in terms of money and supplies that would enable them to get a good start on a new life. Those who stopped in the little villages that had been destroyed planned to open shops. The typical economy of rural communities had been disrupted by slavery. With the absence of slavery, the rural lifestyle had to return. That meant new stores, market places, stables, and inns. Sid made sure that one or two men who had been seriously wounded could remain behind as Kings Representatives.
Not everyone who remained behind wanted to be merchants. In fact, most of them wanted return to farming. Outside of soldiering, the only life they understood was farming. They found a certain comfort in preparing the soil, planting crops, nursing the plants through the growing season, and then harvesting the fruits of all their hard work. As the years passed, they raised their families with just as much care they showed their crops.
Watching a man take over an abandoned farm was always a pleasure for Sid. He'd watch the man stand on the edge of the property as a dreamy expression came over his face while envisioning what it would become under his guidance. With a suddenness that was always surprising, the man would stride forward to begin work on making his dream come true.
Gregor sat astride his horse watching one of the men take over an estate. Turning to Sid, he said, "That's an amazing sight."
"Yes, it is," Sid said. Glancing over at a very subdued Alice, he said, "That's one of the reasons I undertook this campaign. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a free man take charge of his life."
Gregor nodded and said, "I know my kin are anxious to return home to the plains. They miss their homes."
"Homes?" Sid asked. He knew that most of the men and women with Gregor were nomads.
"Well, they miss their life on the plains. There is nothing like riding full out under the open skies. They miss the sound of thunder created when their horses race across the plains in the cool air of early morning. There is nothing like the sight of a hundred horses running. It makes the heart beat and the spirit soar," Gregor said remembering scenes from his youth. With a sigh, he said, "I miss it more than most of them. It has been too long since I've been home."
"What do you expect to find when you return home?" Sid asked.
"I went on my journey to gain experiences that would enable me to become a Clan Chief. This war will probably catapult me to the top of the leadership among our clan. The men and women with me have seen me repay dishonor with honorable actions. I've lead a larger force than any living man in the Clan except for the Clan Leader," Gregor answered.
"You'll be an important man," Sid said with approval.
"Very important," Gregor said. He tilted his head towards Derek and said, "Derek will be an important man as well. He'll be my left hand."
Sid nodded his head; understanding the significance of the reference to the left hand. It was the hand that held the reigns in battle and allowed the rider to use their sword. Among the nomads, the left hand was the hand that freed them to act. Sid said, "That is good."
"I can think of no man better," Gregor said.
Fred carried the bowls with camp noodles over to where Sid and Alice sat next to the fire. Without saying a word, he handed a bowl to Alice. Alice leaned over to give Sid a flash of her breasts. When he didn't react, she made a gesture intended to draw his attention to them. Fred snorted and turned away.
Fred went over to Sid and, while handing over his bowl, said, "Here is your dinner."
"Thank you, Fred," Sid said with a smile.
'"Why don't you like me?" Alice asked Fred irritated at his behavior.
Surprised by the accusation, Fred turned to look at her. It wasn't that he didn't like her, it was just that she didn't behave with the regal flair that he had come to expect from the Damsels Sid had rescued. Sure, the other Damsels were obsessed about sex with Sid, but they expressed it with subtle teasing and flirting. Alice was too coarse and explicit. Raising an eyebrow, he decided that it was time to level with her. He said, "Let me get my meal and I will tell you."
"Okay," Alice said sullenly.
"He is my sworn man," Sid said looking at Alice when Fred had left to get another bowl of noodles.
Alice believed that she knew what that meant. She sighed and said, "I know, but he hates me."
Sid shook his head and decided to stay out of it. Personally, he desired her exotic appearance, but her behavior was still over the top. He concentrated on eating his noodles while waiting for Fred to return. If things got ugly between Fred and Alice he was going to have to step in and break them up.
Fred returned to the fire carrying his bowl of noodles. Looking around the fire, he was pleased to see that it was still only the three of them. Holding the bowl in one hand, he looked over at Alice and said, "I know all about you."
"What do you mean?" Alice asked.
"I have known four Damsels before meeting you. The first was a wonderful woman by the name of Sandra Lawyer of Cassandra. She was a beautiful woman full of grace and charm. Despite my attempts to save her, she died at the hands of our owner. He tied her to a frame and exposed her to the elements without food or water," Fred said. Although his voice held little trace of emotion, the man's posture screamed out that he was in pain remembering those events.
At the horrified look on Alice's face, he said, "She told me about Damsels in Distress and Heroes from Earth. When Sid came; he helped me bury her and promised to repay the slavers for what they had done. Such beauty and grace should never have to suffer as she suffered. I swore my service to Sid because I knew that he was a true Hero and that his word was good."
"I met my next Damsel when Sid freed her from slavery. Derek and Laura Author of Cassandra were held on the same farm. Laura is a great lady. She reminded me of Sandra from the moment I met her. She's always thinking about other people. She even gives the guys hints about which of the ladies in camp might be interested in them. The men adore her for her generosity of spirit.
"Mary of Cassandra came to Sid after a major battle. She was afraid that her ordeal was not over and that he would send her away. Of course, Sid would never turn away a person in need. She's a charming woman full of wit and life. It is a pleasure to be around her. She teases Sid, but stays on the right side of the line that separates teasing from vulgarity. With little more than a smile and wink she conveys her desire," Fred said.
He looked at Alice and said, "The next Damsel in distress was held captive in a basement. Mandy Cook was naked and hadn't had food or water for two days. Chained to the wall, she would have died all alone in the dark if Sid hadn't found her. I saw her after Sid cleaned her up and it nearly broke my heart.
"I never heard Mandy complain about any of the hardships she had suffered. Even though she had physical problems, she didn't say a word about having to ride most of a day on the back of a horse. She ate rough meals around camp and thanked us for them. Sid had to send her away because we were headed into danger. She went without argument. She was a cultured lady at all times."
Fred looked down at his bowl of noodles and said, "I thought that all women from Cassandra were ladies until I met you. You are crude."
Alice was livid at being described as crude. She watched him eat his noodles while trying to come up with a response. Finally, she said, "I'm not crude!"
Looking up at her, Fred pursed his lips while he considered his response. He said, "I've seen your cunt as you've flashed it at Sid. Your tits are on display half the time as if you aren't even wearing a shirt. You rub yourself and you grab him. Those are the actions of a crude woman."
"The only reason you've seen that is because you're leering at me all of the time," Alice retorted.
Fred was about to say something, but Sid put a hand on his arm. In a soft voice, Sid said, "You've said enough."
"I think not, but I'll hold my tongue," Fred answered. He resumed eating his noodles.
Alice turned on Sid and asked, "Do you agree with him?"
"What I think has little to do with it. He has a right to his opinion," Sid answered. He wondered what would happen if he were to anger the Damsel before getting her to Crossroads. The rules didn't give any clue about what he was to do if she ran off.
"I want your opinion," Alice said.
"I think that you have been hurt as a result of your slavery and need time to heal. I refuse to judge you until you've had a chance to recover from being forced to survive for months as a prostitute," Sid said quietly.
Alice stared as Sid for a minute. He quietly ate his noodles without looking at her. Getting up, she went into her tent taking her bowl of noodles with her. Sid watched her go with sad eyes. Shaking his head, he said, "You were rough on her."
"I think she is a disgrace to Damsels," Fred said without looking away from his noodles.
"Give her a few more days," Sid said.
"She's been free for weeks," Fred countered feeling uncomfortable about disagreeing with Sid.
Sid looked up from his noodles and said, "She was raped daily for months. Can you blame her for wanting to take control of her sexuality by choosing and pursuing her next sexual partner? Maybe it is over the line, but don't hold it against her."
Fred shook his head deciding that he would have to think about it. Half of his irritation with Alice was the fact that he hadn't been with a woman in ages. The flashes of flesh were driving him crazy, particularly since they weren't aimed at him. Rather than respond with words, he grunted.
The sight of the citadel as they rounded a bend in the road was a welcome relief. It would be nice to sleep indoors on a real bed for a change. Sid thought about the six thousand men riding behind him. Of course, only a few of them would be able to find a bed. He wondered how he could give them the same relief from hard living that he was hoping to experience. He sighed and said, "I guess I'll be sleeping in a tent."
"You can't do that. You're the King," Fred said looking over at Sid.
Sid looked at Fred for a few seconds. From the set of Fred's jaw, he knew that the man was ready to argue all day that Sid should stay in a room in the Citadel. Rather than argue, he said, "I know how to settle this little difference of opinion."
"How?"
Without answering, Sid rode back several dozen rows of marching men. He paused and pointed to five men. In a kindly voice, he asked, "Would you five men come up to the front with me for a few minutes?"
"Sure," one of the men answered. They double stepped up to the front where Fred was waiting for Sid.
Once they were there, Sid climbed off his horse and, leading it by the reins, walked beside them. In a conversational tone of voice, he said, "Fred and I were having a discussion. We'd like your opinion on the matter."
One of the men said, "We're just soldiers. Our opinion doesn't count."
"Sure it does. You are a free man, not a slave," Sid said.
"Okay."
"Fred and I were trying to decide if anyone in this army should automatically get a room in the citadel when we get there considering that everyone else will have to sleep in a tent. What do you think?" Sid asked.
Fred rolled his eyes at hearing the question. When Sid wasn't looking he nodded his head to let the men know that they were supposed to answer yes. One of the men asked, "Are you wanting us to suggest who should get to stay in a room?"
"No, I just want to know if there is anyone that should automatically get a room. You know, someone so important that everyone just assumes that he is going to stay in a room," Sid answered.
"Well, I can't think of anyone like that," one of the men said. He looked to the other men beside him and asked, "Can you?"
Seeing that Sid wasn't looking at him, Fred pointed at Sid trying to tell them to say that Sid deserved a room. The men didn't pick up the hint and answered, "No."
Fred rolled his eyes and pointed at Sid. Of course, this time Sid noticed the gesture and said, "Don't go pointing your fingers at me, Fred."
"I wasn't doing anything," Fred said in a very unconvincing manner.
One of them realized what Fred had been trying to tell them. He scratched his cheek and said, "Can I ask a question, King Sid?"
"Sure," Sid answered.
"If we were to camp right next to my house, would you expect me to sleep in my tent or would you let me sleep in my bed?" the man asked.
"I'd insist that you enjoy a little time in your own home," Sid answered.
"Well, that citadel is yours. Why should you sleep in a tent when you have a bed inside your own property?" the man asked.
Sid sputtered while Fred laughed. Looking over at Sid, Fred said, "I'd say that you should sleep in a bed tonight, King Sid. After all, you own the place."
One of the other men realized that Sid had been planning on sleeping in a tent. Not entirely surprised by the idea, he said, "Besides, you're the King. Part of being a King is living and looking the part. Kings don't sleep in a tent unless they are traveling."
"That's right," another man piped up.
Shaking his head, Sid knew when it was time to surrender. Throwing his hands up into the air, he said, "You win, Fred."
"I told you," Fred said feeling a little smug. He was looking forward to sleeping in a real bed.
"Since I'm King and you're not, I guess that means you'll be sleeping in a tent tonight," Sid said with a smile.
All of the smugness Fred was feeling fled. He frowned at the suggestion he was going to be sleeping in a tent. The men beside Sid broke out in laughter at the look on Fred's face. Shaking his head, he said, "Me and my big mouth."
One of the men said, "I suppose that a King should have his sworn man beside him."
"And his closest advisors," another man said gesturing in the direction of Gregor and Derek.
"I don't think it would be right to leave the King's companion sleeping in a tent," the third man said looking over at where Alice was riding her horse.
Sid, Fred, and Alice stayed in the same hotel that Sid and Fred had stayed in after surrounding the slaver headquarters at the end of the assault on the citadel. In the time between visits, the hotel had been improved considerably. New mattresses had been brought in, all of the wood in the place had been freshly polished, and the dining area had high quality ceramic plates rather than the cheaper pewter plates.
Sid was pleased by the difference that having paid workers made in the overall quality of service. Slavery did not induce pride in work done well, only resentment at having to work. Slaves did the basic work, but they wouldn't take care of the details that made the difference between a job well done and a job merely completed. Money and recognition motivated through pride while a whip motivated through pain.
The hotel was not the only part of the citadel that had improved since being liberated. The streets, although they weren't up to Earth standards, were cleaner. Almost all of the buildings had new signs reflecting the change in ownership that had followed the former slaves taking over businesses from the slave owners. Even the less desirable areas within the citadel had been improved as people restarting their lives had thrown their full energies into making a better life for them and their families.
The most obvious difference that Sid saw was in the level of activity within the citadel. Wagons loaded with trade goods filled the streets. The market square was packed with stalls and people milling around them. Businesses were booming and people scurried from one store to another to take care of important matters. Children were busy running errands for their parents or for the businessman with whom they were apprenticed.
After standing at the window of his room watching the activity outside in the street for five minutes, Sid glanced over at Fred and said, "Fred, it does my heart good to see the changes that liberating this citadel have brought to the people we freed."
"I know what you mean. I saw people smiling while they were working.
It has been a long time since I've seen that."