LV5 CH1

Chapter One

Doc stretched as he got off the black gelding— three days out of Deep Gulch had him looking forward to reaching the city. Patting his horse, he watched the others getting off their mounts or out of the wagon.

Fiala smiled as she spoke softly to the mare she’d been riding. Her black tail and cat ears twitched as she did, clearly happy with her ability to ride as well as she was. Seeing Doc watching her, Fiala’s smile grew wide and her single longer canine peeked out over her lip. Her blue eyes twinkled with happiness.

His gaze shifted to Sonya next. Her horse was the second shortest among the group, which she needed as a dwarf. She wasn’t as graceful with dismounting as Fiala had been, but it was clear she’d taken her riding lessons to heart. She brushed at her bangs, the black hair slick with sweat, before putting her hat back on. Glancing his way, she smiled softly, her brown eyes filled with love.

Doc gave her a wink before looking at the next woman in his life. Ayla leaned a little against her mare. She rode well, but it was clear that she would need healing again tonight. Her hand rested on the massive Express rifle Doc had given her as one of her wedding gifts. The rifle wasn’t her primary weapon— her ability to deal with numbers was what she was most skilled with. She touched the brim of her hat, but her blond hair still flowed down her back. Feeling his gaze on her, she looked his way, her hazel eyes apologetic. Doc gave the half-elf a warm smile in return.

The last of his wives to get off their horse was Lia. Lilliana looked born to the saddle, and her white stallion nudged at her, looking for affection. Lia wore her buckskins with ease, her double pistols hanging naturally on her hips. She’d been known as Death Flower back when she’d fought against the government, but now, she went by Lia. Doc was still touched that she’d left behind Deep Gulch to go with them. Lia’s sharp elven eyes fixed on him questioningly. Her odd tricorn hat sat on her head, not obscuring her blond hair at all. Jade eyes peered at Doc with love, curious as to why he was watching her like he was.

Doc gave Lia a small smile and shrug before he looked at the two women getting out of the wagon. Rosa, his insatiable dryad wife, was stepping down from the back of the wagon. She didn’t know how to ride, but honestly, she didn’t need to— if she really wanted to, she could travel from tree to tree. Her emerald eyes found his the moment he looked at her. She touched her short tangle of blue-tinged green hair before smirking. He called her his weed most of the time, as their relationship was decidedly outside the norm.

Shifting his gaze to the last woman, who wasn’t yet truly his wife, Doc smiled softly. Sophia Sagesse had left behind her family to go with him. She was with him not only as the attorney of his company, but also because they were going to wed once they reached Furden, the capital of Coalrud Territory. Sophia had some decidedly different features from Lia’s pointed ears or Fiala’s feline tail.

Sophia stretched when she got off the driver’s bench. Her legs from the knee down were bird’s legs, her feet especially. Four taloned toes could score wood when she walked, and here, they dug into the ground as she reached for the sky. Doc’s eyes traveled up her body, taking in her firm figure, trailing up to the small feathers where her hair would be. The small brown feathers had tiny white splotches to them, and they were downy soft when Doc touched them. Sophia blinked, her orange eyes finding him watching her, and her cheeks heated just a little.

Besides the women he loved, there were two others on this trip with them. Harrid, Doc’s dwarven bodyguard, was clumsily getting off the shortest horse they had. He could ride passably, but he didn’t care to ride at all. Even with the hot weather, Harrid still wore his full gear. Though the breastplate, chain, shotgun, pistol, and axe had to make things worse, Harrid wore the outfit with ease. Doc knew he’d have to heal the dwarf, but he didn’t mind helping the man who would stand between him and harm.

The last person wasn’t as well-known to Doc. Clyde Rossal was a badger bestial by heritage, his white and black hair attesting to that. His black eyes were serious as he got down off the wagon. Clyde had been a driver for bank wagons before a knee injury retired him. Doc had healed him, and then Clyde signed a contract with Luck’s Holdings. The man moved with assurance around the animals, getting things ready to camp for the night.

The sun was still hours away from setting, but stopping early let them set camp. They’d paused in a place that had been used as a camp before, making setting things up easier for them. Doc, like the others, made sure the animals were settled first.

Lia was the first one done getting her horse taken care of. She went to help Harrid first, as the dwarf was having the hardest time of it. Doc was the next to finish and went to assist Ayla. Fiala went to help Sonya when she finished, and Clyde and Sophia got the wagon team settled before pulling out their camping gear from the wagon.

“This is different than I thought it would be,” Ayla sighed in relief when Doc healed her aching thighs.

“Oh?”

“All the books make trips seem... romantic?”

“True,” Doc chuckled just as her horse lifted its tail to drop its own opinion. “We’re done. I’m going to help Harrid.”

“I’ll assist with the camp,” Ayla said, waving her hat in front of her face.

“All the animals are in good health, Voice,” Rosa said, meeting him on the way over to Harrid.

“Good. Horses can get sick or injured easily, and we don’t want that.”

“I think you can manage it tomorrow,” Lia was saying when Doc got closer.

“As long as my legs support me,” Harrid grumbled.

“I got you,” Doc said, reaching out to touch the dwarf. Green light glowed around his hand as he touched Harrid’s arm, sending healing into him. “And it’s done.”

“Thank you, Shaman,” Harrid sighed in relief. “I’m beginning to think I should ride in the wagon.”

“Won’t improve if you don’t strive.”

“That’s true... I’ll do my best to endure.”

“Time to help with camp,” Lia said.

“Before you all go,” Rosa said, “Doc, you’ve been thinking of hot springs today. There are a few of them nearby, about two miles that way.” She pointed off the trail toward the west.

“Really? Are they good?” Doc asked.

“They are not sulfur springs that you worry about.”

“Hmm... a couple miles is less than an hour,” Doc said, looking toward the direction Rosa had pointed. “Get camp set, then go check them.”

“Check them?” Lia asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes. If they’re good, I’ll buy the land. Hot springs will bring people this way. I’ve had ideas about what can be done to really help bring people to Deep Gulch.”

“Should probably talk with Ayla and Sophia, then,” Lia said. “Camp first, either way.”

“That’s fair.”

~*~*~

Since they’d had a few days of practice, the camp was ready in short order. Their food was the rations they’d brought with them, along with two pots on the fire for coffee.

“Now that we’re set and sated, I wanted to go check out the hot springs,” Doc said.

“Hot springs?” Fiala asked.

“A natural upwelling of heated mineral water,” Rosa explained.

“It feels amazing on tired muscles,” Lia smiled. “Explain what you had said earlier about getting people to Deep Gulch?”

“Rail,” Doc said. “I want to see about buying up the right of way to drive a rail line from Furden to Deep Gulch. If the springs are what I think they are, then I’d want to buy the land they’re resting on, too. I’d put a stop in at the springs and use it to bridge the two.”

Ayla’s lips pursed. “We can probably manage it, but it’s another massive expense. Just getting the rights for the rail is a large expense... adding in construction of the line, and it will quickly add up.”

“Which is why I’m going to get a partner for it,” Doc said.

“Roquefell?” Sophia asked.

“Yes. He’s from wealth, probably has all the connections needed, and seems interested in me.”

“The Roquefells are bankers and businessmen,” Ayla said softly. “We’ll need something to entice him.”

“I have a few ideas, but I want to meet him first,” Doc said. “I’ll only work with him if he’s free of corruption. First, before anything else, I want to see if the springs are even worth the investment for the ground around them.”

“Let’s go,” Lia said, standing up. “It’s been a long time since I soaked in the ones here.”

“Yes, it has,” Rosa said gently.

“Uh…” Harrid looked uncomfortable.

“I’ll have Rosa and Lia with me,” Doc told Harrid. “I think those two in the wilds are enough protection. Stay here with Clyde and keep the camp safe. We’ll likely return after dark.”

Harrid nodded, but was clearly unhappy.

“Once we’re back in a town or city, you’ll be the point of my protection again,” Doc said, seeing Harrid’s face, “but in the wilds, who would you think is the best for keeping me safe?”

“Rosa and Lia,” Harrid admitted. “It’s why I’m not arguing, but again, I wonder if I’m entirely needed.”

“I’ll be glad to have you in camp,” Clyde said; the bestial man rarely offered his opinion unless asked. “With all the stuff we have here, just me being here would make me very nervous.”

“It’s unlikely anyone will come by, but yes, two is better than one,” Lia said.

“Okay,” Harrid said. “I’ll stay with Clyde.”

“I’ll grab the cards,” Clyde chuckled. “We’ll play for pennies.”

Harrid snorted. “Don’t stay out too long. He’ll clean me out.”

Doc laughed and clapped Harrid on the shoulder. “A few hours, at least.”

“Should we take anything with us?” Fiala asked.

“Some towels to dry off afterward,” Sophia said. “I’ll want my bathing cap, too. My feathers are delicate at times. I’m not sure if the minerals in the springs would hurt them.”

It took a few minutes to gather their things, but after they had, Doc and his wives headed into the woods. Thinking over Deep Gulch and the route to Furden, he thought he might know where on Earth the hot springs would be.

If I’m right, the area will grow up. The rail going into it will make it boom, and people from all over will come for the waters. Doc smiled as he followed Rosa. What would that make the town... Coalrud Springs? We can name it something better than that... I’ll have a chance to give it some thought.