Ero-Game: Power and Sword

“Halit, how can I help you today? Need to deliver a letter?” Petra asked while she blew smoke in his face.
He coughed and fanned away the smoke with a grunt. “Hrrm.” A scowl appeared on his face. “No, I need you to take me to this address.”
Petra took the piece of paper from his hand, looked at the address, and said, “This is a motel.” Petra recognized the address.
“Yeah.” He said and climbed into the carriage.
“Hmm. Fine.” She said and whipped the horse.

***

The carriage rolled through the dilapidated streets of Delaron. Drunkards laid on open pavement. Old hookers stood around smoking cigarettes in  the middle of the day. “Why the fuck does he want to come here?” She mumbled to herself and whipped the horses harder. “Move faster!”

She looked through the little window and asked, “Why are we here?”
“Don’t talk. Drive.” He replied.
“Dumb, mutt.” She muttered.

The carriage stopped in front of the motel. Halit stepped out and would’ve gone into the motel without saying a word, but he heard Petra loudly  wonder, “I wonder what Nikola would think of her boyfriend going to a motel in the middle of the ghetto all by himself. I wonder if she knows? Hmm?” Halit stopped in his tracks and made a diagonal to Petra. “What?” His expression frightened her a bit; she didn’t think a man could look so scary. “What?” She repeated. His eyes looked owlish, and its piercing  gaze gave her goosebumps. He climbed onto the driver’s seat, and cold sweat broke out on her back. “Wha?”
He sat down beside her and stared straight into her eyes. She gulped down a lump of fear. “Who do you think she’ll believe, you or me?” His words were as cold as ice. “A stupid driver from the mean streets of  Delaron. Or the man she’s spent nights with?”
“But-”
“But indeed.” He placed a hand on her thigh. “But, if you were to keep your mouth shut, perhaps we can be friends.” His hands moved closer to her crotch, and an insidious smile formed on his face. “And as a friend,  I might be willing to help you out,” he squeezed her thigh, “very  intimately.” She froze in her seat. He adjusted a strand of hair that was on her face, putting it behind her ear. “Is that understood?” She nodded. “Good.” He jumped off the driver’s seat and marched into the motel.
After he was gone, she sighed in relief. On the one hand, she was scared, but on the other, she touched the area he’d squeezed and lustily chewed on her lips.

***

Halit didn’t need to knock; the door opened as soon as he approached it. He entered without hesitation.
Three women were seated around a table. And there was one more behind him, who closed the door. Only the red-haired woman was happy to see him; the other three looked at him with emotionless faces. The stout and burly woman behind him brushed past him and took her seat at the table.
“Halit, come, sit.” The smiling red-haired woman gestured to the empty seat.
“Thank you, Ruby.” He said and sat down.
“It’s nice to see you again.” Ruby welcomed him.
“It’s nice to see you too.” He smiled back.
But it seemed she was the only one who was happy to see him, as the other three only had grunts for him. “Hm.” “Hrm.” “Hem. Yes, nice.”
He didn’t care; he was used to being looked down upon. “It’s nice to see you all as well.” He politely smiled at the 3 cunts.
The stout woman eased up and smiled. “So tell us, how is it going?”
The woman with the messy steel-blue hair slouched on her chair and said, “Yeah, what’s the plan?”
“Hrm…” The bald porcelain white woman continued to grunt.
“Ah, well, Sherrie claims they’ll leave in about a week or so, but she’s been wrong in her predictions before,” Halit told them. “It looks like she’s waiting for something.”
“Who’s Sherrie?” The bald woman asked.
“Dara, did you read the letters I sent? Those letters were for everyone to read.” Halit scolded her.
“Tck.” She clicked her tongue and avoided his cold eyes.
Halit adjusted his glasses and explained, “She’s the leader. If you’d read my letters, you’d know that.”
“Hrm…” She grunted some more.
“Ignore her, Halit; the girls and I only need to know one thing,” the stout woman spoke, “when do we attack?”
“After the women leave, of course. Then we’ll wait till the end of the  month, or maybe the beginning. Things are a little chaotic in the castle  right now, but I should know soon.”
“Why wait for so long?” The steel-blue haired woman disgruntledly asked.
“Dot, if you read my last letter, you’d know they’re making All-day Vitality potions, Mana Storm potions, and Over-clock pills.”
“All-day Vitality?” Dot’s eyes grew wide. Dara also stopped avoiding his eyes and stared straight into them.
“Yes. The other alchemical brews are just as rare and expensive.” Halit  nodded. “They plan on auctioning a batch every month. We’ll be able to  get 30 of each if we attack them at the end of the month when they’re  ready to sell.”
“How much do you think it’s worth?” The stout woman asked.
“I don’t know the exact amount, but I’d guess a few platinum.”
“Platinum.” The stout woman gasped. Dot and Dara also looked at him with their jaws hanging open.
Halit nodded. “Yes, it’ll be a large boon if we attack at the right time.”
“That’s wonderful, Halit,” Ruby interrupted him, “but what about the  bracelet?” All the girls perked up their ears. “That was the reason you  joined them. The reason I… Never mind. Just tell me about the bracelet.”
“Ah…” He frowned, then sighed.
“That doesn’t sound good,” Ruby commented.
“Nikola always keeps it on her; it’s the same with the others.” He explained. “I managed to draw this.” He took out a piece of paper from  his pocket and put it on the table. Several drawings of the bracelet of  eros and its markings were on the paper.

“What is this?” Dot slid the paper towards herself.
“It’s the circuit for the bracelet of eros. And she uses some concoction called Mohini’s red charm-fluid to turn the metal into charm metal? I think. It’s hard to confirm.”
“Hmm.” Ruby frowned.
Dara snatched the paper from Dot and looked it over. “Hrm…” She grunted.
The stout woman snatched it from Dara.
“Don’t rip it,” Halit warned her.
“I won’t.”
“Give it here, Joan,” Ruby said.
Joan, the stout woman, handed it over. “Here. I can’t make sense of it.”
Ruby looked over the paper. “We’ll need a magician to make sense of this.”
Halit nodded. “Yeah, an alchemist.”
“You can’t get the bracelet?”
“I’m trying, but I don’t know where she keeps the rest of them.”
“Then I’ll keep this and see what I can do.” Ruby folded up the paper and put it in her pocket.
“I haven’t given up. I still haven’t searched her bedroom or office. There are too many servants - kids really - walking around… When we attack, I want the girls to turn up the whole house. Make them search  every nook and cranny.” Halit commanded.
“Hrm.” “Hm.” “Hem.” They grunted; they didn’t like his tone.
“I’ll make sure my girls know.” Ruby nodded. She saw the other three grunting and said, “And they’ll make sure their girls do the same.” All  of them were commanders, each with 10 women under them.
Ruby being the top commander, they could only accept.
“Hey, the girls will be happy as long as they get to play with those  cute gents,” Joan said to cheer up her two friends. As long as the girls  got points, they won’t care about some extra work.
“Ruby, what’s going on?” Halit was concerned. “We agreed the men would be left alone.”
“What?” Joan was shocked.
So were the other two. “What is he saying?” Dot asked.
“Hrm… Leave them alone? The girls aren’t going to want to do that.” Dara shook her bald head.
“They don’t know.” Halit wasn’t happy. “I thought you told them. We agreed the men won’t be touched.”
“I was going to tell them,” Ruby knew she’d get reactions like this, “at the right time.” She wanted to talk to them individually since they’re easier to deal with that way, but Halit announced the news ahead of  time.
“What!?” Dot accusatorily pointed at Halit and shouted at Ruby. “Are we taking commands from a man!?”
“You’re taking commands from me.” Ruby declared. “Do you have a problem with that?” She pumped up her chest, squared her shoulders, and stared her down.
Dot couldn’t take the pressure and looked away. “But! But- You want us to just pass up points!? I won’t accept this. The girls won’t-”
“They will. And you will.” Ruby didn’t let her finish her sentence. “You’ll all keep your women in check. They’re not to touch any of the  men.”
Since she could do nothing to Ruby, she turned to Halit, showed her teeth, and growled.
Halit kept his cool and said, “Anger will ruin your face.”
Dot smashed her fist on the table and shouted, “This can’t go on! This cannot go on!” She shook her head wildly.
“Dot!” Ruby clenched her fist. Dot erupted out of her seat, pushing her chair onto the floor. “Dot!” Ruby stood up, ready to fight, while Halit shrank in his seat, fearing a fight was about to erupt, but thankfully Dot marched out the room, slamming the door in her wake. Ruby exhaled,  relaxed her shoulders, and sat back down on her seat. Halit relaxed and adjusted his suit.
Joan tapped the table and ground her teeth in discontent.
“Hrm…” Dara groaned.
They were both staring at Halit, the only man at the table.
Ruby understood their discontent but said nothing.
Halit tried to help them understand his point of view, “The men did nothing wrong. If you want to beat up that dog, I’d be more than willing to let you, but the men have only been nice to me. I want you all to leave them alone.” He’d like it if they’d stop harassing men altogether, but for now, he was willing to settle for saving a select few. This was the least he could do for the people who’d been taking care of him for the last 2 months. In some ways, he’d grown to like Garth, Woodie, Dixon, and even Sherrie, who let him sleep around all day without a care in the world, and only woke him up to feed him… In some ways, the floppy-eared dog had given him the most peaceful time of his life. A  part of him wanted to live with them forever, but he could never abandon the gang, especially Ruby.
“That dog?” They didn’t know who he was talking about.
“Never mind.” And he didn’t see the point in explaining.
“Hrm… How am I going to tell the girls this? They’ll never accept it.” Dara said.
“Well, you’re going to have to make them,” Halit commanded.
Dara leaned in, and peering into his eyes, she hissed, “Little mister,” she breathed on his face; he could smell her breath, “you and I need to have a private conversation sometime.” Her eyes drifted downwards; he felt like she was looking at his crotch through the table. He felt  violated by her mere gaze. “Mano a mano.” She stroked his arm. “I think you’ll find I can be quite persuasive.” She squeezed his bicep.
“Dara!” Ruby yelled.
Dara ignored her and continued to breathe on his face, “The little man, always hiding behind his big sister.”
“Dara! Knock it off!” She yelled again.
Dara stood up and walked out of the room. Halit relaxed after she was gone. He had kept a straight face, but it’d be a lie to say she didn’t…  disgust, scare, annoy… him. It’s always a little scary to face an angry woman.
“Hem…” Joan thought out loud as she continued to tap on the desk, “We’re going to have to buy them a round at the brothels. They’re not going to leave the men alone for nothing.”
“We’ll be able to afford it after this gig.” Ruby looked at Halit. “Right, Halit?”
“Yes.”
“Okay… It’ll be hard, but I’ll try to make them keep their hands to themselves.”
“Thank you, Joan.” Silence filled the room until Ruby said, “Joan, can you give Halit and me some time alone?”
Joan looked at Halit, then at Ruby, and said, “Oh, sure.”
“Thank you.”
“Yes, thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled as she left the room.

Finally, alone in the room, they stared at each other.
“Do you need more time?” Ruby asked as she stood up and moved around the  table. “Perhaps if you spend more time with them, you can learn more about the bracelet of eros.” She walked around the table till she was standing beside him. She leaned her ass on the table and stroked his green hair.
Halit shook his head. He was afraid if he spent too much time with them, he’d grow to love them… Love perhaps even that floppy-eared dog… “No, Nikola knows nothing about it other than how to use it. It’s useless to  ask her questions. I’ve thought about it, and the only way I can learn more is if I have an affair with Sherrie. Get close to her in some way…”
“Another woman…” She clenched her jaw.
“Ruby, you’re not still angry-”
“It’s fine.” She cut him short. She knew that it wasn’t his fault that he fell to the bracelet. And the rest is the rest…
He wrapped his arms around her hips and put the side of his face on her belly. “I’m sorry.”
She gently stroked his hair and said, “It’s not your fault.” He looked  up, his chin on her stomach. She took his chin in her hand, bent over,  and kissed him. For a second, he enjoyed her familiar tongue, but then  he remembered Nikola and pushed her off. “What?” She asked, confused at  the sudden rejection.
“I’m sorry, but the dog might smell you. Your smell might already be on me.”
She released her aura, and Halit quickly backed off. “Aaaa!” She  screamed and punched the table in frustration. The table cracked, and a  fist-shaped dent appeared on it.
“I’m sorry.” She huffed and brushed her hair off her face, which had come undone in her sudden outburst. He waited for her to calm down and  changed the topic, “How are Shun and Aron.”
“Shun went back to the orphanage when Linton died.”
“Oh, I was wondering how they’d manage without Linton. I’m glad someone went back.” Halit nodded. They were all from the same orphanage, Halit, Ruby, Shun, and Aron. While most of them had split up, they stuck together. Though most would find it strange how they went from family to lovers, it felt natural to them.
“And… I made Aron work in the brothel.”
“You did what?” He stood up.
“We need the money.” She refused to look him in the eye. “And you don’t  get to speak; you’re out there sleeping with some bitch. So what does it matter.”
“Ruby.” He was hurt, but he kept up his cold, expressionless facade.  “Get him out of there. We’ll have more than enough money when we rob the castle.”
“We’re barely getting by right now.” She shook her head. “I can’t do that till after we have the money.” He took off his glasses and pinched  the bridge of his nose. A shaky silence filled the room where emotions  were high, but no one wished to speak. So she changed the subject, “Will  your plan really work?”
“The bracelet of eros?” He asked.
“Yes, will you really be able to do everything you said in your letter?” She’d read his plan, but she didn’t quite believe it.
He nodded his head. “I think so.” He moved closer to her. “I have to get the bracelet first, but if I can, I think so.”
“A nation ruled by a man… History doesn’t speak well of the last one.”
“It’s filled with lies about him. I told you before. The women changed the history books.”
“How do you know? How can you speak so confidently? You weren’t there.”
He took her arms. “Ruby, I’ll be able to change all of womankind. I’ll  make sure men won’t be treated this way anymore. I’ll change the  orphanage too. It won’t just be a place for the church to pouch boys  anymore.”
“And you’ll do this by seducing women?” She coldly stared at him.
“It’s not what you think. If it’s as Nikola describes it, I might not  need to sleep with them.” He let go of her arms, feeling less confident.
"Might not?"
“Ruby… There will be a place for you.”
“A place for me!?” She pressed up against him and stared blankly into his eyes. “Of course, there’ll be a place for me.” He nodded. And cold silence filled the room.
“Let’s not talk about this before we even have the bracelet.” He shook his head. “I better go; the driver is waiting for me.”
“Yeah, go.” She backed away from him. “We’ll talk about it when you return for good.”
“Okay, then I’ll leave.”
“I’ll look into that circuit you gave me.” She took out the piece of paper with his drawings.
“No, not yet. Wait till after the raid. I don’t want to show it to some random magician if we don’t have to.”
“Right. Alright, I understand.” Then just as he was about to step out of the door, she said, “Halit, you’re smarter than me, but don’t let your dreams cloud your reality.”
He looked back at her and nodded. “I’ll keep that in mind.” And he closed the door behind him.
She stood alone in the room…

***

“Done doing whatever it is you were doing?” Petra blew smoke in his face again. He pinched the cigarette from her lips and threw it on the ground. “Hey! I was smoking that.” She moaned. He grabbed her face, “huh?” And kissed her passionately. She was shocked, though it didn’t  take her long to relax and enjoy his soft lips and velvety tongue. She  circled her hands around his waist and melted into the kiss. When he  broke the kiss, she looked at him like a lost child and asked, “Should  we do it right now? Do it in the carriage?” He blinked twice, amazed at  how she perpetually manages to sound horny and stupid in all situations. He pushed her off. “Huh?”
He put his hand on the carriage, caging her with his body. It would’ve been romantic if he hadn’t said, “I wonder what that floppy bitch will  think if she smells your cigarettes on my lips? Do you think she’ll think I forced myself on you or that you forced yourself on me? I wonder?” He played dumb.
“You…” He could see the fear in her eyes, and he smiled.
“You know she has an excellent nose. Dog women, huh?” He stopped joking around. Suddenly a deep and scary frown formed on his face. “You better take me home quick. I need a bath.” Then taking his hand off the carriage, he pushed her aside, opened the door, and climbed inside. “What are you waiting for!?” He shouted from inside the carriage. “Take us back to the castle!”
“Son of a bitch.” She cursed and kicked the dirt road before climbing onto the driver’s seat. “Come on, you stupid beasts, let’s go.” She  grunted at the horses and whipped them forward.