“I hope to hell it doesn’t come to that,” Alburet sighed. “Well, more stops to make still. I’ll see you later, Grim.”
“Aye, lad,” Grimgar waved goodbye as Alburet left the shop.
Almira’s shop was crowded, too. Close to a dozen people, ranging from casters to rogue types were scattered through the shop. Each of them contemplated armor on display in cases. He nodded to Brightlight, who was looking at a soft leather chest piece. “Find what you’re looking for?”
“Oh, hey,” she said as she turned to look at him. “It’s nice, but I guess I was just hoping for more. I mean, plus five is okay, but I’d really like a bigger stat boost.”
“You’re level eleven,” Alburet pointed out. “This is right in line with what you should expect for the level.”
“I guess. I was just hoping for better loot, is all,” she sighed. “Ah well, low levels can’t expect too much.”
“Did you and Jaxton exchange info, so you can get a party going every day? I would think a set healer and tank combo would be the way to go, just patch in DPS as you want and off you go.”
“We did, actually,” Brightlight laughed. “That’s basically what I told him. We have a set group of DPS, too, unless they want to take a day off. Then we’ll just fill in for them.”
“Glad to see Alpha Company members thinking ahead,” Alburet told her as they walked over to the counter.
While Brightlight purchased her new chest armor, Alburet started to unload the leather from his bag. She said goodbye to Alburet before she left, and a few others said hello to him as they paid for their stuff.
“Went hunting today, did you?” Almira asked as she tallied up what she owed him.
“Gnolls again, but we’ll think about moving on soon. In the next few days we’re probably going further afield.”
“Good, glad to see you striving for advancement. Once you lose the drive to improve, you might as well settle down and open up a shop.”
“If I do, I’ll ask for advice from some successful merchant friends of mine how to go about it,” Alburet grinned.
“I was wondering, since you seem to have an inside line,” Almira started, “what do you think Wilbur is going to do? His family pulls him one way, and Erin is pulling the other. It seems to be weighing on him.”
“I’ve got an idea that may help him resolve that conflict. I’ll be having dinner with him tomorrow, we’ll discuss it then. In fact, I need to send a message when I get back home to the other potentially involved party.” He took the coins Almira offered him in exchange for the gear, grinning at her questioning look. “Well, I’m off to sell the rest of this, then dinner with friends. Have a good night, Almira.”
“You as well. Give Stacia a hug for me,” Almira replied.
Alburet hit the chain and plate shops as well, neither of which were doing as much business yet. Once he was done offloading the loot, he used his Homestone to portal home rather than walk back across the city. He’d spent nearly an hour getting to the shops and selling stuff, which meant he had about an hour before their guests would arrive. He ducked into the guild hall to find Erin and Kim behind the desk. “How was the day?”
“I trained me abilities and Kim set a schedule for us,” Erin replied. “It means me and Wilbur will be able to hunt every week.” She seemed quite pleased with the arrangement.
Kim chuckled, “She didn’t ask for much. The rest of the day was relatively quiet. A few minor inquiries about meeting with you, but no one important enough to warrant your attention. I was just about to head home to get ready for dinner.”
“I need one more thing from you, please,” Alburet told Kim. “Send a letter to Lady Theron and ask if she is available to host a party of four, tomorrow night. It has to do with the task she set for me.”
Erin eyed him, “I thought ya was havin’ dinner with Wilbur tomorrow.”
Alburet chuckled, “That I am, one way or another, but I hope to kill two birds with a single stone.”
“I’ll write it up and get it sent over before I head home,” Kim said, pulling paper to her. “See you in an hour, if there’s nothing else.”
“Nope, see you then,” he replied as he turned to go. “Oh, Erin, tomorrow night you should wear your best outfit.”
“Ya can nay mean tha’…” Erin said but he didn’t hear the rest as he shut the door behind him with a laugh.
He was greeted by a delicious smell as he walked into his house, but didn’t see Stacia anywhere. He made his way to the bedroom and heard the shower running. He stripped off his gear quickly and headed into the bathing room. Stacia killed the water just as he entered, turning to smile at him. Alburet couldn’t help but grin at the sight she presented.
“I’m home, Kitten,” he said as he walked towards her.
“Aye, master. However, I just cleaned up and I need to check dinner so it does nay burn. Ya on the other hand, are covered in sweat still. Are ya going to press ya body against me and make me bathe again? Iffin ya do dinner may well burn before I can break free of ya.”
Alburet sighed with a sad shake of his head, “Grab the gorgeous, dripping woman before me and disappoint friends, or let her go and miss out on the chance at sexy fun. Oh gods, I hate the hard choices.”
Stacia giggled as she slipped by him, planting a small kiss on his cheek. “Later be plenty of time for what we both be wantin’, me love. Now get yaself clean, ya can help me set the table an’ such before they get here. Mayhap we can even talk about the Dark Lord some before they show.”
“I’ll bide my time, then,” Alburet said even as he turned to watch her lithe body sway out the door. He shook his head and took a brisk cold shower to cool off. When he padded, dressed but barefoot, out to the main room, Stacia was stirring a pot on the stove. “Okay Kitten, tell me what you wanted to earlier.” He grabbed bowls, glasses and utensils and began to set the table.
“Aye,” she said, watching him as she stirred the pot. “Ya know tha’ I am fine with more women being wedded to ya than jus’ meself. One of the main tenets of faith to the Dark Lord be that his followers be directed to protect as many as they can. Protect, guide, and love equally. This be his decree before and even after his followers were hounded after the fall of the first empire. It became even more important during the years Summoners were nay welcomed many places, even havin’ to go so far as to appear to worship other gods in public. I understand that’ ya follow the words of ya father, and I will abide ya will, but I ask ya to think mayhap iffin ya father had been able to come here he might have had different views.”
Alburet finished setting the table, thinking about what she’d said. “He might have. It’s hard to say. Why the need to bring the subject up, Kitten? Are you unhappy with just me in your life?”
“Nay master,” Stacia fiddled with the stove then went over to him. “It be just tha’ to me it seems like mayhap ya be holdin’ back, and makin’ yaself unhappy. I know ya had ya eyes on Karen an’ Fluff before me. Iffin ya wish them to be a part of ya family, I will welcome them with open arms. Me faith an’ ya faith be different in this. Besides bein’ a follower of the Dark Lord, I now be one of his Succubi as well. There be a part of me that yearns for the one I call master to achieve more. More of anything ya want master, be tha’ combat, food, wealth or love. I will nay gainsay ya desires, all I be askin’ is that ya do nay curtail them out of some ideal from ya other world. I be fine with just ya, but iffin ya heart wants more, then I will help ya find more.”
Alburet took a deep breath, his arms going around Stacia. “What you ask is for me to change the very way I was raised to think, Kitten. I truly am happy with you and only you in my life. You know my history, so you should see why I can’t have relationships with other Two-souled. They would want to know more about me and meet away from Alpha World. I can do neither of those things, so it becomes a moot point from the very start. As for other Alpha Worlders, I have no need of them when I already have the very best there is.”