The trip from Furden through Salton, then finally to Elka, took two weeks, mostly because of the stops Doc wanted. They’d paused at the Molteneyes clan, who’d set their small community in Unaweep Canyon south of the Elkhorn tribe’s ancestral lands. The Molteneyes clan was glad to meet them, but the Elkhorn tribe was harder to deal with. Lia and Rosa could only get them to agree to leave the dwarves alone, which was still a major boon to the clan.
When they’d gotten to Salton, Doc had them pause again. The Grouse tribes of Uta didn’t want to enter Salton City proper, but did promise to send people to Elka to speak with them there. Staying in the city for a few days allowed Ayla and Sophia to get things started for what Doc had in mind for the Vedana territory.
When they finally made it to Elka, it took them a day to find a home suited for them, which ended up being on the eastern edge of the town. Settling in took them another couple of days, as everything had to be arranged for them to stay. Doc knew they’d be in the town for months— maybe even as long as a year— to be able to arrange the mines and rail lines needed to support them.
It was nearing spring by the time Doc finally arranged to meet with the local tribes. The leaders of the Grouse tribes made the trip; it would be an event the tribes hadn’t seen in decades. The rumor of a shaman blessed by Mother spread to more tribes, but doubt hung on the rumor so not many were going to attend.
~*~*~
Doc woke slowly, fragmented dreams fading as he blinked the sleep from his eyes. A smile came to him when he saw the emerald eyes watching him. “Good morning, my precious, yet very creepy Weed.”
Rosa giggled. “Good morning, Voice.”
Sliding over, he patted the bed and the naked dryad got into it with him. “Tell me what I need to know.”
“Ayla, Sophia, and Sonya will be staying here to continue securing workers and supplies for the railroad south to the mines you’re going to set. Lia and I will be with you for the meeting. It’ll take several days to meet and gain the support of the tribes.”
Doc exhaled slowly as he thought about that. It’d been a little over a month since they’d left Furden, a month since he’d left Fiala behind. The pain of their parting still picked at him, but it wasn’t as sharp as it had been.
“Fiala is fine. She gives you her love as she always does. Posy’s leaving soon to head back to Deep Gulch. Everything in Furden is good, and there have been no more problems. The plans to support Dodd for reelection and oust Donadin as sheriff are starting now, too.”
“Good.”
“David has pushed well into his attempt to gather Western Expansion behind him. He’s also made headway in getting the telephone set up in Botolph and Yorky.”
“How long does he think until he locks up Western Uni… Expansion?”
“A year or two. He isn’t pushing at it right now; he’s making early moves. Strongarm has made other shareholders angry with his focus on Furden, so David’s using that to buy what he can quietly.”
“Slow and steady should be fine.”
“It is more fun that way,” Rosa giggled.
Doc chuckled, kissing her lightly. “You like it any way, Weed. Anything else?”
“Citrine made it back to her tribe. She expects to head off for Kanata in another month or two. When she gets close to Pale River, Mother will have one of my sisters approach the tribe there. That should ease the meeting for her.”
“Good.”
“Zu has made it home, too. The Han tribe had a feast last night in thanks to Luck. Svetlana has also made it back to Tsarrus; she hasn’t arrived in the capital yet, but she has spread the word in her wake. The clans in Tsarrus are celebrating the new shaman. You should look at your faith. It has grown rapidly in the last few days.”
“I’ll do that on the way to the meeting,” Doc murmured. “I’m not going to rush to spend it.”
“That is probably for the best. Zu wanted you to know she is going to take an apprentice soon, and it will be the same with Onyx. Onyx is going to take one of the unmarried Bronzehammer clan daughters so they can have a shaman.”
“Thank her for me? She’s thinking ahead to help me. Has she started seeing anyone yet?”
“Not yet, but Wita has been talking to Onyx about Colton, the dwarf who was helping replenish her. He adores Onyx and has been very respectful to not push. Honestly, he will make a great husband for her.”
“I hope she’ll take that chance in the future,” Doc sighed.
“Given time, she will. Without you there, she will let go of her dream to embrace what is.”
The bedroom door opened, interrupting them. Sonya, Ayla, and Sophia all came into the room, shutting the door behind them. The three grinned at the pair in bed as they reached for the buttons on their dresses.
“So… we have time?” Doc chuckled.
“Lia is making breakfast,” Sonya said.
“She told us we have about two hours before she’ll be done,” Sophia added.
“Besides, you won’t be home for days,” Ayla said. “We’re just getting our turns to wake you up now.”
“I won’t object,” Doc smiled. “Weed, go help them undress.”
“Yes, Voice,” Rosa said, slipping out of bed to assist them. Her blue-tinged green hair was the wild tangle it always was. Her emerald eyes glowed with excitement the way they did when she was aroused. Her skin bore the marks of her matching tree— the ponderosa pine— giving her an even more unique look.
Sonya thanked Rosa as the dryad helped with her buttons. Her black hair was in a single braid over her shoulder, while the two small braids that ran in front of her ears swayed when she turned. Giving Doc a wink, he met her brown eyes with love. The lovely dwarfess was like many from her race; under five foot in height, but built thick. She always took the longest to be ready for intercourse, but no one begrudged her that.
Doc’s eyes went to Ayla next. The lovely half-elf was the queen of numbers for their family. It was her keen mind that’d brought her into the circle, and in time, into Doc’s heart. She’d pulled her hair into a bun atop her head, but Doc knew he’d end up with it tangled in his hands soon. Hazel eyes full of desire met his as she licked her lips, thanking Sophia for the help.
Sophia turned to let Ayla return the help with her dress. The bestial woman had unique legs, her owl blood giving her taloned feet and orange eyes. Those two features went with the brown feathers splotched white that adorned her head instead of hair. She was their keeper of words, documenting their lives for them. Her vocation, however, was law— she had her degree from university, and she had used it to help Doc long before they married.
The only other wife with him was Lia, who was cooking breakfast so the trio could have him this morning. His last wife was still in Furden, pregnant with his unborn child. Doc missed Fiala dearly, as she’d been his first love in this world and the one who helped him accept all his other wives.
Tossing the blankets off, Doc shivered slightly in the cool morning air. He’d come west so he could push his plans to help Lady Luck farther, but also to distance himself from the church of Apoc. Leaving Fiala behind worried him— while she wouldn’t cause the church problems, his actions would draw them even more.
Since the first train ride, he’d come to a plan beyond just the mines. Back on Earth, he’d lived in America. He’d always wondered what might’ve happened if the country had pushed for more rail, and then sustained that rail system into the electronic age. With his ally in place to lock down communication with the telegraph and telephone, Doc had a plan to solidify things out west. Starting with his mines in Vedana, he would push to become a rail magnate. If he could control travel and communication, he could easily sway how any conflict with the church of Apoc went.
I have my plans for the railroads, but we’ll have our work cut out for them. Well-laid plans… or would that be rail-laid plans? Doc chuckled to himself, then focused on the naked women who’d all turned to face him.
“Husband, we’ll all have our turn with you,” Ayla said. “Sonya will be last, of course. We’ll make sure she is more than prepared for you.”
“While our lovely Weed is empowered for today and later,” Sophia added.
“As my wives wish,” Doc smiled. “I know we’ll all be satisfied and hungry by the time we finish.”
“Except Rosa,” Sonya snickered. “She’ll have had many meals by then.”
Rosa’s eyes were shining emeralds. “Thank you, mistresses.”
“We are ready to serve, sir,” Ayla whispered. She lowered her gaze, her proclivities well known to the entire group.
“Join me,” Doc said, patting the bed.