章 87: Saved by the Knock

Emily quickly called out to the knock at the door, "Come in."

Leslie opened the door and walked in, and seeing both Verruca and Emily, she spoke, "Oh! I'm not interrupting something am I?"

"Yes, but I think it's better if you did." Verruca said.

"What's that mean?" Leslie tilted her head in question.

"Ah. Well, I just got done asking Princess-Ambassador Emily about Neolith. She promised that Neolith isn't going to bother us, and with that I'm going to go arrange for most of the forces at the Neolith border to march to the border of Jakahn." Verruca nodded a few times and then spoke, "I'll leave you two for the night. I'm going to go arrange this."

Verruca stepped around Leslie, and exited shutting the door behind her.

As soon as the door clicked, Emily quickly ran to Leslie throwing her small arms around her, "I'm so glad you came. You came at just the right moment."

"This is unexpected. You never seem to be a touchy feeling person, but I don't mind a hug occasionally." Leslie spoke, as she released herself from Emily, and took a seat.

"I happen to be in the thinking of something, and wanted to talk before retiring for the night... But what's wrong with you? You seem to be slightly shaken?" Leslie asked in concern.

Emily calmed herself, as she took one last look at the door. She returned to her previous seat and sat.

"Is... Is Verruca a very violent person?" Emily asked with some hesitation.

"Violent? She called the War God of Deagoth... Just what do you think?" Leslie looked slightly helpless.

"I mean... On a day to day basis." Emily pressed on.

"I wouldn't say yes, or no to that. I believe Verruca might be the kind of person that would use force if she could solve a problem easily with it. Why?"

"Ah... Well... A few moments ago, she asked about Neolith. I said nothing would happen, then she threatened to break all my bones if Neolith did do something." Emily said uneasily.

"Truth be told, the fact she can stand you at all is a miracle. Even I have trouble with people of Neolith."

"Because of Jack?"

"Of course, thankfully I got to know you. Otherwise, I would be the same as her." Leslie spoke matter of factly.

"Well, something else..."

Leslie looked on with a questioned look.

"As she was going to leave, she turned back and in many words, was implying that everything was Neoliths fault, but it felt like she was saying it was my fault."

"I can see why she would think that. It was Neolith's and Jakahn's fault... I still don't feel good about them being allies with us, but everything has been on the up and up so far." Leslie nodded.

"Well... She turned back and I felt like she was going to do something to me." Emily said as she looked at the door where Verruca left.

"You think she was going to hurt you?"

"Yes. In fact, I think if you didn't come... Maybe... Maybe I wouldn't get to see Jack again... Wouldn't get to see you again... Or talk to my Royal-Mother... I think-"

"Shhhhhhhhhh, shhhh, shhhh... I'm here." Leslie consoled, "I have a feeling about these things, so don't worry." Leslie smiled.

"As for Verruca... She's under a lot of stress. Jakahn, the black stain incident to the north, and Jack among other things."

"Jack? She did say that if he didn't lose his memory then he would have taken her... Taken her as what? Consort?" Emily questioned.

"Haaa~ Yes. Jack died." Leslie sighed and spoke.

"He died?!" Emily screeched.

"Shhhh, but yes. He died. He came back, thankfully, but because of that he lost a lot of his memories."

"So... Jack and Verruca had something going?" Emily questioned again.

"I didn't find out until Jack had already made me his consort, but somehow they kept their affair secret for all this time. I never even knew it! How far that affair goes as far as relationship? I don't know." Leslie confessed.

"Did...? Did they...? You know..." Emily implied.

"I don't think so. Verruca doesn't act like it. I, actually, feel really bad for her, but at the same time... I feel like I won against her. Which makes me feel good, but then I feel like I cheated."

"Because you think if Jack didn't lose his memories, then he wouldn't have made you his consort?"

"Yeah... My greatest blessing was that Jack got hurt... Do you know how sad that makes me feel? I never wanted him to go to the border. I tried to stop him the months before, but he wouldn't stop. He brought down the angel of death and killed them all gloriously!" Leslie spoke with pride and fever, as she made a fist in the air.

"But... It cost him." Leslie withered back into her chair.

"So, you feel conflicted that you are happy that he lost his memory so you could become his consort, but you feel sad because he lost his memory due to death." Emily asked.

"Yeah... I, kinda, hate myself for that. I haven't even told Jack this." Leslie further confessed.

"Then... Why are you telling me?" Emily asked again.

"Well, I feel you can understand me. You wanted to know about Jack and Verruca, plus his memory. It just all ties together. Don't you think I'm a terrible undead for thanking the abyss for Jack's memory loss... Even though it meant he had to be hurt, die even, I'm happy he returned and made me consort... Even if you are his second consort." Leslie's head drooped slightly.

"I don't think so."

Leslie lifted her head, "Why? I'm a terrible person, and I feel terrible for it."

"All I see is a lady who is in love... I'm very jealous of you." Emily said, as she turned her head.

"Jealous? Well, I am first consort." Leslie have a light laugh, but it was dry and without humor.

"Do you know what Jack told me, when I first offered to become his consort?"

"You made mention that he rejected you." Leslie remembered a conversation.

"Not just that. He said explained that he didn't want to take me as a consort because of how it would make you feel. He didn't say you, but he meant you."

"But... He asked me if he could take a second consort."

"He might have, but he thought of you first. He thought of you first, before all the wealth and power I offered... He thought of you first before me." Emily spoke these last few words with a sad tone.

Leslie felt a slight warmed in his chest, but consoled Emily, "Emily, he feels for you too."

"Not that day. Let's both be honest... He didn't visit me before he went to closed doors. He visited you. I'm ready, willing, and waiting for him. I even offered him, but he didn't want to..."

"I'm sure he has his reasons. Jack is a very smart skeleton. He does things we can't even understand, but it works. He can solve problems almost effortlessly, and I even believe he can see the future. Even with his memory like it is, he's a genius. I don't want to be that undead, but I can usually figure someone out in a short period. Jack... He was mysterious before his entombment, and now after... Mysterious isn't the word anymore... It's like he's beyond us."

"So, you buy into the God-King movement, as well?"

"Well if gods act like you told me previously, then yeah... I think Jack will become a god." Leslie smiled.

"Then We would be the wives of a god... I wonder what that would mean." Emily thought aloud.

"That we could control the world." Leslie said with relish.

"Wouldn't Jack be the one to control the world?"

Leslie giggled, "No! Men don't control the world, it's women that control the world. Like your Grand Tomb, it has the Spider Queen. It's just that they threw the pretense to the side, and have the woman be the leader on the surface. She just chooses not to stand behind a man, but I bet she can bend men to her will."

"Well, Royal-Mother does have eight husbands." Emily said plainly.

"Eight???" Leslie didn't find it surprising that the Queen of Neolith had more than one husband, but so many?

"Yeah... Eight. My father was the last."

"I really hope Jack doesn't have eight wives. I feel like each wife after the first, just diminutions the next in value."

"Yeah... But you will be the first."

Leslie giggled again, "Yeah, but you will be the second. You know only the first and second spouses have any power in a harem. The rest can only join one of the two parties."

"Then We will he against each other?" Emily asked tilting her head. She had performed this action a lot today.

"Well, if Jack is stupid, I mean ambitions enough to have more than three wives, then it is possible."

"But I don't want to be against you..." Emily said sounding alarmed.

"No, no, no... We will act as We are to draw the other wives. If we leave these other ladies to their devices then they will form their own camp, but they would yield to the first and second wife, if we played them."

"Isn't that tiring to play along all the time?" Emily continued.

"Of course, but I can teach you how to make it look good, when in truth We are just chatting away, and passing the time." Leslie explained.

"Thank you, in advance." Emily bowed.

"Oh, none of that! It's what I should do for my little sister." As Leslie said little sister, she could only think of the Joke that Lucius played on her... It was true her last name was 'Bonereaper' now... [Damn you, Lucius.]

Lucius was within his study preparing a manuscript for his sermon on the God-King for the seventh day, when he non-existing nose itched. [Is someone talking me?] He rubbed his skeletal face.

"Well... Jack should take Verruca as his next consort. I think three is a good number, if it has to be... I can only hope he doesn't take any more."

"Well... Political marriages are a thing. I mean, look at me. I think that's the only reason Jack made me his consort."

"See the thing is that ever female he takes after Verruca, if she is willing, will be outstanding. They will be very pretty or super smart or very powerful, or all three..." Leslie ignored Emily's comment.

"Wouldn't it be good to have a powerful sister-consort?"

"And out shine us, and obtain all of Jack's attention? I don't think so." Leslie's expression turned tense.

"Well, she might outshine me, but I doubt you. I believe that Jack genuinely loves you."

"I hope so, but don't count yourself short." Leslie giggled again, "It's gotten late hasn't it. I need to rest my mind. I'll leave you to your devices." Leslie stood to leave.

As she turned, a slight tug on her sash at her back was felt. Leslie turned to see Emily pulling on her.

"I don't really feel safe, after Verruca acted like that. Can I rest in your room?" Emily asked awkwardly.

Leslie mulled it for a moment. She figured Verruca wouldn't try anything else, but if it made her little sister feel better.

"Sure, but I have a better idea."

"What's that?" Emily wondered.

"Let's go sleep in Jack's evening tomb. It's a lot larger than mind." Leslie said with some humor.

"Is it really alright to visit his room without him here?" Emily wasn't sure, if that was a good idea.

"We are basically his wives, who's going to stop us?" Leslie giggled. She always wanted a sibling to do things with, and she began to really like her sister-consort.