The Command
By Lonelyrider

James is greeted by a pleasent surprise when he checks in with his warlock teacher, but will it be enough to appease the demands of his overbearing father?

The men huddled around the dark table in Guile FoxBlood's tower, eagerly learning their new roles.
"Sontarian; necromancy and dark rituals. Ling; resource gathering and magical needs." Guile handed out additional amulets bearing a symbol of the roles; Sontarian's bore a skeleton and Ling's an icicle as the man was an ice mage. The men were very pleased and talked eagerly amongst themselves.
"Master, you're forgetting someone." Guile's rogue servant Lucifer said in his oily voice.
"Oh, don't worry, I haven't. Here he comes now. Men, disperse to your duties; Sonty, to the local graveyard for mold, Ling, to the frozen wastes for ice moss, I need both for a powerful potion I'm working on." Guile ordered. Both men bowed in their robes and double amulets.
"Let us depart!" Sontarian cried, and he and Ling hurried away to their mounts, smirking at James as he rode in on his massive percheron warhorse stallion, just as Guile greeted James with an amulet in his hands that bore a shield symbol on it.
"Guile, oh uh, Mr FoxBlood, so sorry. Hello." James greeted warmly, hopping off his mount, who nickered a greeting to Guile.
"Hmph," Guile said with a sly smirk, "Hello James, just the man I wanted to see. I've already assigned roles to Sonty and Ling, as they've finished their training."
James smiled kindly but looked slightly dejected; he knew due to his kindhearted nature, he'd been somewhat excluded from training as his father's friend felt he didn't possess the ruthlessness needed to excel as his servant. What James didn't realize, was that Guile had developed a soft spot for the warmhearted brute and was about to throw James a very big bone.
"You won't need any training, because the role I'm giving you is something you've shown you are more than proficient at." Guile slid the gold shield amulet on a black velvet cord over James' muscled neck and he marveled at it with boyish excitement.
"Oh wow, really sir? For me?"
"Yes, James. You're getting a role a little different from the casters, though I do promise you to work with you on your magical abilities as well. I've actually created this job just for you, our group has never had a security force until today. James, I officially promote you to captain of the warlock counsel's personal guard. Your mission is to protect the group whenever it convenes from its many enemies. These will be your men," James was still in shocked wonder as three men walked up beside Guile, like James, they were all rather burly and big, and also like James, clearly swordsmen over spellcasters.
"James, meet LongTusk, FierceClub, StoutFang, and ThickHide. Boys, meet your commander, James LightningSword. You'll take a shine to him men, he's very easygoing and likeable. Men, do you hereby swear to follow his orders to your deaths, and pledge your protection to the order of warlocks?"
"Hear! Hear!" The men all shouted, James included.
"James, in that wagon by your horse is a full set of armor to match your men's, yours is just a little more ornate, including a fine shield and mace."
"Sir...I...I don't know what to say! Oh, it's so nice to meet all of you, how are you, hello, nice to meet you, hello." James gasped with a thrilled blush, shaking every man's hand; one man was a half-ogre like James, one a sturdy orc, one an anthro crocodile and one an anthro lion.
"Good, lad. We're having a brief meeting now, actually, so you and your men can practice your guard duties right away." Guile mused, as several flying mounts landed right on time.
"Oh yes sir, right away! Men, please form up by the doors, we'll stand guard there until they're done and have departed safely." James gave his first orders, his voice gentle, his men all nodded in acknowledgement and marched two by two until they faced each other, including James, leaning on their weapons, their shields at the ready on their beefy arms as they stood guard looking intimidating as possible as Guile's cohorts filed in one by one, eyeing the new security brutes with interest and gossiping lowly amongst themsleves. James gave every man a kind smile and nod as they passed him and his new men. The last one to arrive was James' fiery-tempered father himself, landing in his huge black fire dragon form and transforming back into his usual brutish angel guise. James flashed his father an excited and boyish grin and saluted ad he walked past them with a serious pensive look, James' men did the same and saluted Abaddon as he went inside, making up the rear; the doors closed and James' men nearest them laid down the heavy bronze beam and locked them tight behind the sorcerors as they went up to Guile's table in the middle of his tower.
"I see you've assigned your interns official duties." Abaddon mused, as Guile laid out a map and their meeting started with much talking of the powerful cunning men in attendance.
"Oh yes, I'll tell you all about it after our little chat, Abaddon. Now, to business."
The men discussed matters of politics, personal feuds, opinion and war, but mostly focused on territory disputes with the local witches, with whom they'd been fighting. Finally they ended their meeting and most of the men filed out, exiting and eyeing James and his men curiously who stood guard quietly as they were eyeballed.
"Now, what is my son doing outside with those meatheads with a pike and shield? Why isn't he with the other warlocks?" Abaddon grilled Guile soon as they were alone, Guile gulped a flagon of beer and slid one to Abaddon, who downed it frighteningly fast. "Answer my question, Guile." Abaddon sighed, wiping his frothy beard on his beautiful expensive hankerchief.
"That's because I've given your son his own command. He's head of security now. He'll do a fine job, and honestly, I can tell he's happier outside with the other blade wielders than pretending to enjoy watching me gut a piglet. That's where his talent lies, let's use it." Guile mused happily, slapping his dirty boots on his table and leaning back to pick his short angel fangs with his clawed glove.
"We're warlocks, we don't need security!" Abaddon growled, slamming the table.
"I disagree, old man. Our enemies grow by the day, and you can't deny that. Your son is a huge brute, just seeing him and those "meatheads" as you so fondly called them will make at least some of them think twice before trying to ambush us. They'll escort us in our travels too. I'm rather pleased with what I've done here. & don't worry, I promised him I'd teach him to hone his magical abilities too, it's not like I'm not tutoring the boy. You'll see Abaddon, this is what's best for all of us." Guile finished, spitting. Abaddon glowered darkly.
"I don't like this. It isn't what I had in mind."
"Well now, we need to work with what we have. Your boy isn't like you, so I'm not going to try and force him to be. But if you want him involved in our service....well, now he is." Guile said with a spread of his arm, sarcasm in his tone.
"Don't you use that sass with me, FoxBlood. You're where you are now cause of my influence, you owe me." Abaddon snarled.
"I'm much aware. It's why I've done all this. It's more than I'd do for anyone else, Abaddon. Now, I suggest you try to be happy for James, he was simply thrilled when I announced his new duty. It's his first command. Let's all just relax and enjoy our little family, huh?" Guile said, standing up and patting Abaddon's shoulder, who made an enraged noise and turned in a huff, leaving.
"Dad, hey, did....did Guile tell you? Do you like it?" James gushed at the base of Guile's tower as Abaddon stormed out from it in a rage. "Oh, dad, are you okay?" James asked, reaching out a caring arm and hand, Abaddon growled and shrugged James off, continuing to walk away in a fit as James' men eyed the scene but remained stoic. "Guile..is he okay?" James asked Guile, who had stepped out amid James and his men to enjoy a pricey pipe smoke.
"Oh, he'll get over it, James. He's proud of you, don't worry, your old man's just stubborn, you know how he gets. Wants his own way. You'll prove yourself, and he'll come around. Don't worry." Guile insisted, clapping James on his massive armored shoulder, James gave an inhale and a hopeful smile his dad's way, who was muttering as he kept storming off, his robes flying.

Later that evening, James rode home on an emotional high atop Thunder. As he neared his own lands near his manor he spied his anthro mule girlfriend Lonely giving his other stallion Diablo the belgian draft some excercise with an English tack setup, she'd also tied her own draft pony mare on a long lead behind James' big steed so she too could get some excercise with them. James waved and shouted a hello, cantering toward her, she saw him and did the same, riding towards him, and they met in the middle of the field, the horses nuzzling a hello to each other and James leaning down in his saddle to give Lonely a big kiss.
"Oh, thank you so much for excercising Diablo baby, you look great on him. Oh honey, oh my darling girl, I have huge news! Today, Guile, he, oh, oh honey, oh sugar mare, he promoted me to captain of security, with three fine men of my very own to command! I still can't believe it! Oh baby rose, what do you, oh what do you think?" James gushed, so excited he was breathless, he sounded tender and vulnerable at the end. Lonely squealed in excitement and pulled him best as she could with them saddled into a hug, James whooped in joy and hugged and kissed her, feeling her do the same.
"Oh my darling angel, oh congratulations baby! Oh sweetie, I'm just so happy for you! You totally deserve this. You're gonna be excellent at that job honey. Oh my, is it dangerous?" Lonely gasped in awe, James walked his horse so he was beside her and gently laid a comforting big muscled arm and wing around her tenderly.
"Ahh yes, somewhat my love, but don't worry, I have three sturdy men at my beck and call, plus Guile oh I mean, sir FoxBlood is also going to hone my magic skills as well, and he'll supply us with potions too he said, health potions and tanking and warrior potions. Oh, I'm so excited, honey I can't wait to tell mom and Savera too, and mostly, I can't wait for you to see me at work, dad didn't look happy when he came out of the meeting today, but Guile thinks he'll come around and be pleased. Oh dolly rose, I do hope he's right. I want dad to be pleased as I am with this assignment I've been handed." James admitted vulnerably, his face soft and tender.
"Oh honey...how could he not be proud of you, how could anyone not be so proud of you. Oh, I'm just so happy for you, you deserve this so very much. Congratulations again, my love." Lonely gasped breathlessly, her face emotional. James looked at her and sighed, feeling sentimental from her reaction to his good news.
"You are truly the most devoted and caring girlfriend I've ever had. & I'm not planning on ever letting you get away from me, you know that?" James admitted in a husky voice, gently stroking her soft cheek with the back of his massive hand, she closed her eyes and nuzzled his hand softly.
"Shall we ride together, my beautiful captain of the guard? It's such an honor to be yours." Lonely asked tenderly. James grinned hugely and puffed out his massive chest in an expression so proud it bordered on arrogant, but he couldn't help it, she made him feel good and it bolstered his machismo & ego.
"Yes, come ride by my side, my pretty, pretty mare & keep me company. Remember always, you are safe with me." James whispered the last part tenderly, pulling her close as he could to him on horseback in an open display of virile possessiveness; Lonely sighed, eyeing him with a lovesick gaze. The lovers shared a long, slow, passionate kiss and finally cantered way together on their steeds, Lonely's pony mare in tow as the couple rode together drunk in love & mutual excitement for James' promotion.



A big ty & photo credit to:
https://unsplash.com/photos/a-pair-.....ds-D9e6X9PU2l8