Empire Builder 1: Breed, Populate, Conquer by Dante King (free e books to read online txt) 📕

“But my people are also researchers. We study nature. I would gladly learn how to build without hurting the forest.” Ben couldn’t help but feel a certain conviction behind this idea. He’d never liked the thought of causing environmental damage without a good reason.

Vinata glanced at him skeptically. “I suppose that might be possible.” She seemed to thaw once more. “You are very mysterious, Benjamin.”

Something else occurred to Ben, something from English class way back when.

“There was a poet among my people. He said ‘I am vast—I contain multitudes. That’s…that’s how I’d describe my people. We’re not one thing. We’re everything. We’re diverse and mysterious and infinitely complex.”

“Vast, contain multitudes,” she said, as if trying the words on for size. “That’s…strange. But I like it.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” Ben chuckled. “So, Vinata, can you tell me more about your companions? About Lulu and Imogen? And how did you all come to be captured?”

Vinata raised an eyebrow. “I can tell you more, Benjamin. But don’t think I will give up so easily. You will have to tell me more about where you are from eventually.”

“Eventually,” he promised.

Vinata huffed and made a small pout, puffing her cheeks out like ripe fruit. Then she sighed, resignedly.

“Lulu is a water nymph, as you’ve called her. She comes from one of the tribes of the undines.”

“I don’t like to make generalizations, but if Lulu is anything to go by, the undines don’t seem to be as peaceful as the dryads,” Ben surmised, remembering Lulu’s banter about luring men to their deaths.

“That is correct. Undines are really quite bloodthirsty, at least in the eyes of my people.” Vinata shuddered slightly. “They lie in wait in the waterways of the forest and ambush passing travelers. Many of the folk from outside the forest find the undines, especially the females, quite beautiful, and they are easily enticed.”

“Like sirens,” he muttered.

“Like what?” Vinata asked.

“Oh, we have legends where I am from about a race of women who lure men to their deaths.” He steered the conversation away from anything too specific about who he was. “Do the undines then eat the men they kill?”

Vinata shook her head. “They are not so barbaric. Really, they are simply defending the forest, just like we do. Their methods are just a little more … ruthless.”

“I see.” Hopefully he could remain on Lulu’s good side. He didn’t want to find out what she might do if she perceived him as a threat to the forest. “And Imogen?” Ben asked.

“The oreads are a solitary tribe of mountain nymphs,” Vinata explained. “They are highly religious and have many rules in their society.”

That sounded vaguely familiar. “But you said the dryads are religious too,” he queried.

“We have many magical ceremonies,” Vinata admitted. “But we do not have so many rules governing our lives. The oreads have many rules, particularly surrounding sex.”

“What kind of rules?” he asked.

“They are only allowed sex once they are married, and it must only be for the purposes of procreation. Hence they are not allowed any kind of sex that does not lead to procreation.”

“So, you mean oral, anal, that kind of thing?”

Vinata looked slightly taken aback. “I did not think you would be so open about such things.”

“Are dryads embarrassed by this kind of talk?”

“Not at all.” Vinata shook her head. “We nymphs generally consider such things a natural part of life. It is only rare to encounter a stranger who is equally unashamed.”

What could Ben say? College life could do that to a guy. He couldn’t explain that just yet either though.

“If nymphs consider sex to be natural,” he began, “why do the oreads have such strict rules about it?”

Vinata shook her head. “I’m not entirely sure. The rest of us don’t consider oreads to be true nymphs. Their peculiar customs are very strange.”

“That does sound strange,” he agreed. “But you have far more experience than Imogen then?”

“Actually, not really.” Vinata shook her head slowly. “Although we dryads have a more open attitude toward these things, I have remained chaste until now. As daughter of the high priestess, I wanted my first time to be a more sacred experience.”

“That sounds reasonable,” Ben said, though really he had no idea what being the child of a dryad priestess might be like.

“And I suppose, deep down,” Vinata hesitated. “This might sound foolish.”

“I won’t judge.” He smiled, hoping to convey a non-judgmental attitude.

“My people still wait for the return of the Forgotten Ruler, and I hoped -- it was a silly dream I guess, but I’ve always hoped I might be able to become one of his wives.”

One of his wives? What on earth—or whatever planet we were on—was she talking about? An image of the dark lord with many women in his arms came to Ben’s mind, from the vision he’d seen in the crystal ball. What could all this mean?

Ben wanted to ask more about that idea, but he didn’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet. If he asked too much about the Forgotten Ruler, it might become obvious that he was not from this world. And he thought back to what Melody said about not revealing who he was, how some might try to take advantage of him before he gained more power. He had to remember to maintain his apparent ignorance.

“The Forgotten Ruler?” He asked. “I have only heard vague legends about him. I heard that he was a dark tyrant.” It would be interesting to learn how he was perceived by the dryads.

Vinata chuckled. “The Forgotten Ruler was always a friend of the monstrous races, such as us nymphs, and a harsh judge of those who tried to oppress us. Perhaps this is what you have heard of?”

“Perhaps it is,” Ben said. “So, tell me—how did the three of you get captured?”

Vinata shuddered slightly.

“We don’t have to talk about it if it’s too uncomfortable,” Ben said.

“That’s not a problem.” Vinata’s voice sounded somber. “You deserve to know our