Alex was turning towards the pub when he heard a clattering coming from up the street. Most people seemed to know what that was and were moving off to the side of the cobbled road and so Alex followed suit. A carriage drawn by two horses was coming down the hill, perhaps moving a bit fast because of the down slope and so everyone seemed keen to get out of the way.
Perhaps since he was one of the few people staring like an idiot instead of waiting to get on with his daily business he was the one to see the young boy dash out into the street after a bouncing ball. Alex acted without thinking. "Look out!" He jumped into the street, pushed the boy out of the way, then felt pain as one of the horses ran into him. The next few second felt like minutes as the horses legs and hooves beat at him. The wheels would be coming. Of course this is how it would go. He'd come to a strange new world only to be run over and killed within a week.
Something, hoof, wheel, Alex didn't know, struck his head and darkness started closing in.
He heard a few voices as everything faded, arguing, worried.. then nothing.
Then next thing Alex was aware of was laying on something soft. A dull throb in his head and side but otherwise no pain. He must be dead he thought to himself. He opened one eye. He was in a large room, stone walls and wooden ceiling. Rich tapestries hung on the wall and the bed around him looked to be of finely carved wood. Alex wasn't an expert in such things but it was certainly the nicest room he'd seen since coming here. He dared to turn his head and saw other well appointed furnishings and one man.
The man sat in one of the chairs, one leg crossed over the other to support a book he stared down at. He though it might have been Rick at first, the man was easily as large as the burly farmer, but then the differences became clear. Where Rick had huge muscles and a padding of fat from good eating, this man was all muscle. This man's hair was also the color of burnished gold where it hadn't gone silvery grey. Alex guessed he was somewhere in his forties, though his fit physique made him look younger, even if his shaggy hair and long braided beard showed some of his age. The braid of the beard rested between the two gold furred mounds that made up the man's chest, and the only thing he wore was a kilt. The way he was seated, Alex could tell there was nothing beneath it, he could see the man's thick member in the shadowed areas between his legs.
"You're awake." The voice was deep and low, almost a growl. Alex blushed and looked up and away from the depths of the man's kilt. He seemed to have noticed where Alex's eyes were and looked amused. It probably didn't help that Alex's cock was tenting the single sheet laying on top of him rather noticeably.
"Where am I?" Alex finally managed in a croak. His mouth felt clogged with cotton and his throat was dry like he hadn't had a drink in days.
"Dicktin castle." The man said as he shut the book and set it on the table. "You pushed a kid out of the way of a carriage, got beat up pretty bad. Broken bones, lots of blood, it was touch and go there for a bit until we got you up here to the castle healers. They managed to put you back together but it took a lot out of you. You've been out.. oh.. three days now?" He set both his feet on the floor and leaned forward to give Alex a look. "That was brave. And stupid."
"I wasn't thinking... Are you the one who brought me here?" Alex slowly pushed himself up, looking down at his still somewhat unfamiliar body. He expected to see wounds and scrapes and bruises all over but he was fine. Completely naked. But fine. It was surprising to him how little it bothered him being naked in front of this stranger. He must be getting used to this world.
"Yes. I felt responsible. It was my carriage that hit you. A strange twist of chance, that." The man smiled. It was a fatherly smile. Though he was an intimidating figure, Alex would have called him a kid's idea of a Viking warrior, the smile was warm and easy. "You've had a visitor, too. A faun.. Marsyas. He seems to like you, I've hired him before, he doesn't take to people easily."
"We met on the road here." Alex explained as he leaned back against the wall.
"He told me your story. Him and Pascal did." The man's expression turned thoughtful. "As I said, a strange twist of fate me running into you. I had hired Pascal to find me someone that fit a certain.. requirement. I had just gotten word he had found someone and was on my way to meet him, when you jumped in front of my carriage. I rushed you up here and told him to come meet me here instead. Imagine his surprise when the young man he had found for me was laying recovering in my own bed." The man bellowed a laugh.
"Wait.. me?" Alex was about to ask for details when a knock sounded on the door.
"Come in!" The man bellowed, and the door creaked open, only for Marsyas' head to pop in. He beamed and trotted into the room, stepping up to Alex and ruffling his hair. The faun had groomed since Alex had seen him last, his beard and hair trimmed quite a bit shorter.
"I heard voices. Glad to see you awake, Alex." He offered a formal bow to the other man. "Your lordship."
"Lordship?" Alex asked, obviously sounding perplexed.
Marsyas looked a little shocked as he looked between Alex and the man. "This is Duke Erick, Lord of the Eastlands, and heir to the throne of Man."
Alex stiffened at the title and tried to bow, but it was awkward trying to do so sitting in bed. Erick just waved him off with a sigh. "I've never been strong on formality in private. Erick is fine for now. And I'm only heir to the throne until my nephew the king decides to have a son."
"Is this your castle?" Alex started as he looked around the room, suddenly feeling more than a little awkward to be the focus of this man's attention.
Erick laughed. "You really aren't from this world, are you? No, Dicktin is in the Southlands, Duke Emile reigns here. He's giving me his hospitality for a while. My home is in Roundbottom Port."
"I've heard of it." Alex admits with a bit of a grin. "A fishing town?" Erick nodded his confirmation, seemingly pleased. "You said you were looking for someone and.. I might be him?" Alex's curiosity finally won out, bringing the conversation back around.
"Later. After you've had some food and the healers look you over again. It's a proposition to be discussed over a meal. With Pascal as well." Erick stood and headed to the door, opening it to give some instructions to a guard he could just barely make out through the crack between the door and wall. Erick settled back down but soon the healers came to check over Alex, thoroughly. The even made him get out of bed and move around, refusing to allow him clothes until after the examination, at which point he was given another simple kilt which he wrapped about his waist.
A meal came along with Pascal, though Erick still refused to discuss his business, though him, Pascal, and Marsyas all dined with him, exchanging stories and filling him in on some topics about this world.
"So.. the beastmen and humans get along better in the East?" Alex asked.
Marsyas nodded. "The Eastlanders have always been closer to the beast men, beast marks and the like are fairly common. Even some intermarriages and interbreeding."
"Interbreeding?" Alex asked, obviously sounding perplexed.
"Aye." Pascal intoned between bites of roast beef. "Only a few species truly make a half-blood. Humans and elves, humans and orcs and the like.. But a human and a beastman? Well, the babe'll be the species of the father that carried him, though will have some traits. Those sired by a minotaur will be bigger and stronger. Supposedly Erick's line carries quite a bit of both minotaur and wolf blood."
The large man just grunted, not confirming the rumor either way, but then set his fork down on his empty plate, folding his hands in front of him. It had a very 'get down to business' air to it. "As you brought up my line, we might as well discuss my.. request."
Pascal nodded, though Marsyas looked as confused as Alex felt. The faun got up, "Perhaps I should leave you to it.."
Erick reached out and placed a hand on Marsyas' shoulder. "No, sit, you have the boy's interests in mind and it might do him good to have someone who knows this world advising him." The faun simply nodded and sat back down. Alex's eyes flicked between Erick and Pascal for what felt like forever before Erick spoke again. "As my line stands, it's just me. My sole son died a few years ago in combat with pirates, and my husband passed away shortly after. Simply put, I need an heir."
Alex blinked at Erick and touched his stomach. Erick seemed to immediately understand where Alex's thoughts were going and shook his head. "No. Not like that. What I need is someone to be my heir. I took a wound in battle that makes fathering a child almost impossible for me." He laughed though. "I'm lucky the healers fixed me up enough I can still enjoy a man. But.. for years I've tried to father an heir with no success. So I need someone to become my son and heir. I've had Pascal here looking out for a candidate, he found you."
"You want me to pretend to be your son?" Alex asked, even he sounded confused to his own ears.
Pascal shook his head. "No, heredity is checked by magic to make sure the bloodline continues. But there is a spell. Hard to cast and full of rare expensive components that can bond two people as blood. I do it the right way and you become father and son in actuality. It will cause some.. transformative effects as his blood is passed into you. It would be as if he fathered you from the day you were conceived."
"So.." Alex said, looking towards Marsyas who seemed thoughtful, then back to the wizard. "I'm who you need? Why me? Is it because I'm.."
"From another world? No. This spell would work on anyone. What makes you perfect.."
"Is no attachments." Marsyas broke in.
Pascal nodded his confirmation. "I needed to find someone who might be a good fit, and I've delved your mind. I think you have the right personality, though you'd need some training on history, and swordfighting, and.. well.. quite a bit. But you have the right mind. Also, you have no one you would miss. No family, no hometown, you're a perfect non-entity. No one would notice that you suddenly vanished."
Alex wanted to argue, but he had to admit Pascal was right. Who would miss him? Roc? Bo? Even Marsyas was only a one night fling he barely knew. "No one would question a son suddenly showing up."
"Bastards are common." Erick said with a shrug. "I've been told a little of your world but here? It's not uncommon to sleep around a little as long as your partner approves, and given most noble marriages are arranged, most nobles have someone on the side they like to fool around with. A legitimate heir would be better, but as Duke I could recognize a bastard child as my heir as I have no legitimate heir."
"Common, but you don't have any?" Alex asked.
"No, my husband and I actually cared deeply for each other. Not to say others didn't join us in our bed but we were careful to.." Erick shook his head when Alex nodded his understanding.
"I see." Marsyas was rubbing his chin, fingers twirling in his beard as he looked around the table. "You're the king's heir, but he's technically yours as well. If you die without an heir, the Eastlands pass to the king to keep or give away as he pleases. You're worried he would give the ducal coronet to someone the Eastlanders wouldn't tolerate."
Erick nodded solemnly. "My nephew may have been carried by my brother, but he takes after his other father. Westlander ideas through and through. Segregation between humans and the beast tribes, and you know most Westlanders see us easterners as barbarians. It would not go well."
Alex was weighing the idea in his mind, as long as looking Erick up and down. He'd be giving up his identity and his body. Though his body hardly resembled the one he came here with anyway, and Erick was.. well.. he was a hot, blond muscle bear. Alex wouldn't mind some of that for himself. He looked over to Marsyas. "What do you think?"
Marsyas looked at Erick then back to Alex. "Not a bad offer, honestly. Duke Erick is well respected among the beastfolk for being fair with our kind. And I'd rather see someone like him succeed him. The king is not well liked among the beastmen and even many humans aren't fond of him. It gets you a home, a purpose, you'll have a lot to learn but.. I can't say I'd refuse in your shoes."
With a sigh, Alex leaned on the table, thinking hard about what he wanted to do, three sets of eyes on him expectantly.