Belboz Intervenes

“You!” Fred seethed, rising immediately to her feet. “How did you find us?!”

“I can sense instantly when one of my spells has been tampered with, my dear. In this case, the spell that bound you not to speak of your enchantments.”

Jeppeline frowned and crossed her arms. “So, you are the necromancer who I’ve heard so much about, then? You’ve got a lot of nerve, barging into my home, uninvited. I’m going to have to ask you to leave.”

“My lady sorceress, you are doubtless a skilled practitioner of the magical arts. The wards you had protecting this place are the only reason I wasn’t here even sooner. Yet it took me mere minutes to overcome them. Consider that. As obviously skilled as you are, surely you must be able sense the considerable difference in our power. I don’t wish to harm you, or damage your residence, but I warn you now: do not meddle in my business.”

“You underestimate me, Belboz.” Jeppeline retorted. She extended her hand, and a staff that had been resting against the wall near the door flew into her grasp. A purple orb at the top of the staff glowed with magical energy.

“I think not.” Belboz said dismissively, and with a wave of his hand, the orb shattered, and wooden shaft splintered and fell apart. Jeppeline gasped and took a step back, aghast, clutching the wrist of her hand that had momentarily held the staff.

“Now, be a good girl and just stand there, quietly. This will be over soon, and then I’ll be on my way, never to darken your doorstep again.” Belboz said with a smirk. Jeppeline was left speechless, hands clenched at her side, trembling. She was sufficiently cowed for Belboz to turn his attentions back to Fred. Henry, meanwhile, had taken up a position slightly in front of his pregnant ‘wife’, with a hand on the hilt of his woodaxe as he eyed the necromancer warily.

“Why are you even here?” Fred asked with exasperation “I mean, you had to know something like this would happen - that we’d seek counsel once the baby wasn’t born. You didn’t think no one would notice that the pregnancy was unusually long?”

“Yes, I expected as much. In fact, I was quite curious as to how you’d handle things. I thought I’d have a little more time, though. You’re only about a week overdue, after all.”

“Yes, but I haven’t gotten bigger in the last two months.”

“That’s true. Your husband is perhaps more observant than I thought him.”

“I’ve been through enough pregnancies with Hannah to understand how things are supposed to work.” Henry interjected.

“So it would seem.” Belboz conceded.

“So, what now? ” Fred asked with a resigned sigh, hands on her hips. She wondered what Belboz had in store for her this time…

1. ”I’ve perhaps given you too much freedom. So, I will restore Hannah to control of your body, and end the hold on the pregnancy. We’ll see how many more babies Henry and Hannah can make over the next few years."
2. "What I should have done in the first place - I'll make it so that everyone you encounter will find your perpetual pregnancy completely normal."
3. “I happened to overhear what you were discussing before I came in – putting your mind into the baby’s sounds quite amusing. I hadn’t thought of that before. Perhaps we can try it, with some caveats…”
4. Belboz says something quite unexpected.
5. Far from being beaten, Jeppeline had been quietly biding her time and preparing a spell to counter the necromancer. Now, she makes her move.

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree