A Song and Ale Read online

  A SONG AND ALE

  Book 2 of The Immortals of Scar

  M.E. Wolf

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  A Song and Ale (The Immortals of Scar, #2)

  A SONG AND ALE

  A SONG AND ALE | CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

  CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

  CHAPTER TWENTY THREE

  CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR

  CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE

  CHAPTER TWENTY SIX

  CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

  CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT

  CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  CHAPTER THIRTY ONE

  CHAPTER THIRTY TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

  CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR

  CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE

  CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

  CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

  CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

  CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

  CHAPTER FORTY

  CHAPTER FORTY ONE

  CHAPTER FORTY TWO

  CHAPTER FORTY THREE

  CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

  CHAPTER FORTY FIVE

  CHAPTER FORTY SIX

  CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN

  CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT

  CHAPTER FORTY NINE

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  CHAPTER FIFTY ONE

  CHAPTER FIFTY TWO

  CHAPTER FIFTY THREE

  CHAPTER FIFTY FOUR

  CHAPTER FIFTY FIVE

  CHAPTER FIFTY SIX

  CHAPTER FIFTY SEVEN

  CHAPTER FIFTY EIGHT

  CHAPTER FIFTY NINE

  CHAPTER SIXTY

  CHAPTER SIXTY ONE

  CHAPTER SIXTY TWO

  CHAPTER SIXTY THREE

  CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR

  CHAPTER SIXTY FIVE

  CHAPTER SIXTY SIX

  CHAPTER SIXTY SEVEN

  CHAPTER SIXTY EIGHT

  CHAPTER SIXTY NINE

  EPILOGUE ONE

  EPILOGUE TWO

  CHAPTER THIRTY THREE

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  A SONG AND ALE

  By Author: M.E. Wolf

  Cover By: George Arnold Hall

  BSC1337 Publishing Inc. Canada, Ontario, Markham

  Copyright © 1999-2019 by George Arnold Hall

  COPYRIGHT NOTICE

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, translating into another language, dramatizations, adaptations, displays, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system which includes library holdings and google books, without permission in writing from the copyright owner (George Arnold Hall). Permission can be revoked at any time at the copyright holder's discretion.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental. The opinions of the characters within this work of fiction do not reflect the opinions of the author nor that of the publisher.

  Any contract that binds the author does not bind the characters within this work of fiction. From time to time the covers and titles may have to be changed in order to properly portray the content herein and the author reserves the right to change this work in order to make the experience of the reader better.

  PUBLISHED 2019

  ISBN : 978-1-927695-97-5

  DEDICATION

  To my wife.

  PREFACE

  This book begins right where The Beast Inside ends. The first book and this book were at one time one book and then filling the plot holes made the one book into two books. All books in the series are roughly the same size. You may not understand all of what happens right now in these books, but as each book unfolds the story, things get revealed to you.

  Even after this book became the second book, it underwent a lot of changes to make it the way it is now. I used to think myself a fantasy writer but now I am more of a Thriller and Dark Fantasy writer. Some war elements are hard to get through, but it does not completely detail the information in the war violence.

  There is enough detail, however, to make your imaginations run wild with it so the pictures your mind makes might make you soil yourself or cry. The challenge is to enjoy this work of fiction, are you up to the challenge?

  Yes, there are a few romance things that go on in the story but so does real life. A story is flat without someone getting their rocks off once in a while, or a character enjoying themselves as the story plays itself out. Everyone has probably been to a wedding or two, even if not a Ghast Ogre King's wedding they have been to a human wedding.

  A few might be scattered here and there along with wars, battles, or disputes of some kind. Let us begin with Chapter One below. If you have not read The Beast Inside, I suggest you do so before this book as it will be here for when you are done that one.

  THE MAP OF THE WORLD Geh

  THE MAP OF THE WORLD Geh

  The Map of the world Kangle

  The Map of the world Primodia

  The Map of the world Nem

  The Map of the Vortex

  A SONG AND ALE

  CHAPTER ONE

  Ghak sat in his tent and pondered over the last three months that he had to endure before being wed to the beautiful elves in the tent next to him. Seeing their naked silhouettes through their tent enticed him and it took all of his strength to not go in their tent and take them.

  He watched their silhouettes for the last three months and was glad that after tomorrow’s ceremony they would share his tent and soon after beget him some colts. Over the past one hundred and fifty years he knew that he was betrothed to a girl from the Ice Deep Elf clan and the Burnt Deep Elf clan. Ghak did not know who they were until he met them at his rescue three months ago. Before he knew them he had to learn the cultures of the Ice Deep Elf clan and the Burnt Deep Elf clan.

  Most of what he learned of them was how to treat his wives once he married them. It was not hard to learn this since it was pretty close to the Ghast Ogre custom, which had him treating his wives like queens and likewise they would be treating him like a king. This suited him fine. As Ghak pondered upon this and other things regarding the two girls in the next tent he fell into a deep sleep.

  He awoke with the dawn, stripped out of his bedclothes and stepped into the hot tub that was placed in his tent some time in the morning. Washing all of his worries away he let his two attendants scrub him clean and then dress him. Ghak was dressed in a black leather loin protector so that his tattoos showed during the ceremony. His marriage and coronation would be in the next hour so he headed to the dais that was set up to receive his two brides and await their arrival.

  Forty-five minutes later the drummers began to pound on t
he drums in a one two, one two three beat and kept repeating the beat over and over again. Shortly thereafter the guitarists started playing the guitars and then the harpist began on the harp while the drums continued to beat. The tempo was brought up and then Katlin and Tasheia began to walk up to the dais on the carpet of bamboo.

  Katlin’s left arm was linked with the arm of the elf that was imprisoned with him and Tasheia’s arm was linked with her father’s arm. Ghak was told that the elf that had been imprisoned with him was Katlin’s uncle and he would be giving her away this day. Ghak’s heart beat faster and faster as his two brides approached the dais. Drums, guitars and harp slowed to a hum when Katlin’s arm was linked in his right arm and Tasheia’s arm was linked in his left arm.

  A shaman was to marry them, but the ritual of marriage did not end there. Humans exchanged rings but in a Ghast Ogre marriage it was the exchange of magical tattoos that made the bond and that bond was magical. Thus husband and wife felt each others pain after being wed to each other and knew where each other was as long as they were on this world. Ghak’s muscles tensed as the shaman, his uncle, approached him and his brides. He felt Katlin and Tasheia tense too.

  Ghuk, the shaman began to speak,

  “Friends and family, we are gathered here to witness a royal wedding. It is more than a wedding that we do witness. It is the alliance of two families of elves and that of the Ghast Ogres against the evil humans.

  “As Hfhouelph is our witness to the goodness of some humans as well as his son Tree, it should be possible to have the Grand Reach on our side. Their king is against the emperor who nearly robbed us of Ghak, Hfhouelph and Tree.

  “To the humans that be witnessing a ceremony of this proportion for the first time. You may see this as savage, but I tell you that it is not. Rings are not exchanged in a marriage of the magi, but magus tattoos are exchanged.

  “Words are said and then the groom and the brides magically place tattoos on their bodies in front of us as a sign of their trust in us to witness not only their nakedness and vulnerability, but that they have joined themselves together in matrimony and never leave each other any day afterwards.

  “Ghak, Katlin and Tasheia what you are about to do cannot be undone by any means, not even death. Are you ready to proceed?” Ghuk looked in their direction.

  All three of them in unison replied with a nod of heads, “We do and we are ready, please proceed.”

  Ghuk was pleased with their answer in unison, “Ok, begin by stripping yourselves of all clothing. I know it may be hard but Ghak has to tattoo both of you and you in turn have to tattoo him. As you were told it was to be done. Even your earrings and necklaces have to be removed. You must receive the tattoos like a babe fresh from the mother’s womb.”

  Ghak dropped his loincloth and stood proudly in his nakedness while he waited for Katlin and Tasheia to disrobe. But both whispered into his ears for help in removing their clothing. Gradually Ghak got his brides out of their clothing and they all stood there proudly in their nakedness. His uncle brought over the tattooing instruments and Ghak began to do some magic upon them.

  Katlin would be first but Ghak had to shave some of the fine hair on her body to place the tattoos on her. Since she never had a tattoo in her life he had to put more than fifty-two tattoos on her body. These tattoos had to match his own tattoos, all except the one for being a queen, which would come later. After painstakingly removing most of the hair on her body he painted the tattoos on her while he sang his magus song.

  Once done painting the tattoos on Katlin he painted the same tattoos on Tasheia, for they would be considered twins now and the same person as per the ritual of the marriage. Both of them grabbed a tattooing brush and began to paint the tattoos on his body, they needed to paint fourteen tattoos each on him.

  Katlin and Tasheia looked exhausted once they were done with the tattoos, but Ghak hoped that they had enough energy left for the final joining. The final joining would be done on the dais for all to see, if it was done in a tent it would not be seen as a consummated marriage. Ritual has it that if there is more than one wife for the joining, the wives had to choose which one joined first because there could be no favoritism.

  Katlin and Tasheia talked it amongst themselves while Ghak lay on the dais. Ghak was surprised when both of them climbed on him gave each other an excited look as they made eye contact with each other and while Katlin snuggled up to Ghak and began kissing him on the mouth neck and face, Tasheia began to make love to him. After the longest time, Katlin and Tasheia looked at each other again and switched places.

  He was too tired to move after and realized that during the union of him and his wives they were singing the magus song of fertility. With that song there would be no possible way that they would not be pregnant. Thus, they would bear him some colts from this night. His wives helped him to his feet and quickly dressed him in his loincloth and the red robe he was to be crowned in.

  Ghak could see through glazed eyes that they were only wearing an identical loincloth to his as per the Ghast Ogre custom. Being so tired he could not keep his eyes from their bare breasts and remembered that they were to have an identical robe placed on themselves once he was made king.

  Ghuk began to speak,

  “As you have witnessed this day the joining of Ghak and Katlin and Tasheia in their marriage to each other and soon you shall witness the coronation of our king and his queens.

  “They received the tattoos of the magi, they received each other in their lovemaking and now they shall receive kingship and queenship.

  “Ghak step forward and let me place this crown of kingship on your head the way my father placed it on my brother’s head, your father.”

  Ghuk placed the crown on Ghak’s head and he was now king. He mustered all of his remaining strength to stand without the aid of his wives. As per custom the wives chose who would come up first to receive the robe. Tasheia let Katlin receive the robe first. In turn Ghak gave each a kiss and placed a red robe appropriate for their sizes on them and gave them each a kiss.

  Asking them to stand next to each other, Ghak placed a diadem on each of their heads at exactly the same time signifying that they were equal queens. At this time he brushed the tattoo of queenship upon them, just as Ghuk brushed the tattoo of kingship on Ghak. He sat on his thrown, or fell there, from exhaustion no one was really sure.

  As to the rule there was only one throne chair since no one knew how many wives a ruler would have. Katlin and Tasheia would have been content with sitting on the pillows in front of the throne, but Ghak told them that there was plenty of room on his throne. So, they both got up onto the throne with him and as if on cue they all fell fast asleep snuggled together on the throne that was big even for Ghak. After all Ghak was a lot smaller than his father and brothers being more inclined to the arts of the magi than being a fighter.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Captain Greenwood had a bad feeling about using these two as guides into the enemy city, Redmond City or what Grand Reach called it, the City of Bone. Captain McOrton, Ghost, Brisbane and BoneTac were just as impatient as he was when Bart and Duncan had said they needed to wait outside the gates till dark while they scoured the city for rooms.

  Something felt direly wrong to Captain Greenwood and his feelings were realized when the gates were opened and twenty-four guards came out and surrounded them. Bart and Duncan proved that they were untrustworthy and traitors, but Captain Greenwood and none of the others with him could do anything once the guards had put the shackles on their hands and feet.

  All of them were taken to different cells in the dungeon of the keep. By the time BlackBear would have gotten wind of this, the war would be too much for him to do another rescue attempt. Stripped of weapons and most of their clothes, Captain Greenwood, Captain McOrton, Ghost, Brisbane and BoneTac were thrown into separate cells in a dark and damp dungeon that smelled of blood and sewage.

  Through the dimly lit lamp in one corner of the dungeon Captain Green
wood could see instruments of torture that were no longer used in the Grand Reach and knew that his stay here would be hard because of his low threshold for pain.

  Bart and Duncan came up to his cell and spoke to him in unison,

  “Captain Greenwood, as you well know by now we work for the emperor. We could not resist his kind and generous offer, which has many rewards associated with it.

  “One very important reward is in the torture of all the brethren that treated us so badly and never let us be elevated to higher ranks. You are a stupid fool to come with us and thinking we would guide you to SilverFox and some girl that people keep calling Alexandra here in the Redmond City.

  “We set you up for a fall and you were so stupid you did not realize this, for that you will watch everyone in your company tortured and then we will torture you. All of you have secrets that will make this war easier for us.

  “Get these secrets we will, no matter how much pain all of you suffer. We will torture the ones with you first and then you will watch us torture the king’s son and the girl, then we torture you. Thus are the circumstances of war.” The traitors’ mannerisms reminded him of goblins.

  Over the past week and a half it bothered Captain Greenwood to hear the screams of his comrades and how they relinquished many secrets of the Grand Reach operations. In better times it would have been considered treason, but not when his comrades were placed on the rack a few times and since two of them died from the torture enacted upon them it was somehow different.

  Captain McOrton and Ghost both had their intestines unraveled while they still breathed and in their last breathes gave away many secrets. Some of those things that they gave away, Captain Greenwood did not even know. The rest of the men that were with him were gravely ill, but he did not understand why he had not been tortured yet.