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Finding my Husband in Another World: Season 3: Chapter 1: Wounded Tiger

Since being reborn in this world I'd been the son of s noble, sold into slavery, escaped to become perhaps the world's most powerful beast summoner, an adventurer, and I found my reborn husband. Then my team escaped the human controlled continent hoping for a fresh start on the beast continent.

We made new teammates, conquered a couple of dungeons, and even had an audience with the beast king. Then I was captured by the Beast King's guards and shipped back to the human continent. Oh and I learned the god who sent us here decided to be evil and had Jordan, my husband, be born as my half-brother. Like that mattered in the least. He was still the man I fell in love with and married in my previous life and even if he'd been reborn as a woman I'd still have loved him the same.

The real problem was my captors were taking me to our father. It seemed he was now the King of the human continent, gods only know how he pulled of that coup. Fortunately he didn't know I was his first son. That gave me a slight advantage.

Whether a blessing or a curse I was drugged and kept unconscious for most of the voyage. They only allowed me to wake when the cleric could no longer use magic to keep me alive and I had to be given food and water.

The ship's hold stank and my fur was a mess. Oh I should probably mention I'd gained the ability to shift into a demi-human tiger with black fur and white stripes. A form I was stuck in as long as the mana blocking manacles remained on me. However as I was saying they must have washed down the deck regularly in order to keep us somewhat clean.

When last I was woke the hold was mostly empty with only a few of us left. That could only mean they had sold off their cargo of slaves and instead of taking me overland they were sailing around the continent to the port closest to the castle. That was bad because it meant less chances for me to escape. It was also good since it would give Rider and my team the chance to catch up; if Rider realized he could use his wind elemental to keep his ship moving faster.

The frustrating thing was I considered gnawing my own hands off to remove the manacles, but then I remembered I'd used my one regeneration crystal in a boss battle and hadn't gotten a chance to replace it and I wouldn't be able to access my pocked dimension without removing both cuffs. I could chew off both hands but then I wouldn't be able to use a crystal. Still it would allow me to access my summoning skills so if it came down to doing that or dying it would be an option.

The next time I woke I was on my knees in a throne room. My clothes had been removed, except for the manacles my beast trainer gauntlet and my summoner band. Only I could remove those and for that I'd need to access my mana.

"Good, now that you're awake we can talk. Tell me slave, what sort of magic did you use to make the prince fall in love with you?" The queen asked.

"No magic, my husband just happens to find me incredibly charming." That earned me a punch to the stomach from one of the guards.

"You will refer to him as your lord or the prince. As king I nullify any marriage arrangement you coerced him into." The king said refusing to look at me as though a beast such as myself was beneath his notice.

"You're delusional. You think you can just wave your hand and we won't love each other anymore?" I asked.

"You still speak of love? You have not taken full stock of your situation, slave." The Queen sneered.

Oh, I had, but love wasn't all about whether I was still intact or not. I happened to know a dwarf jewel smith, in this very city in fact, that could supply me with a regeneration crystal that would set that right again. "I'm sure your son will be rather unhappy. He really liked that part of me." I took the next punch and laughed.

"You will not speak of Prince Jordan that way!" The queen yelled.

"Right, my husband will be very upset as well. I was talking about your first son, William. I have to say he was very attached to that part of me."

I may have pushed it too far from the look of murderous rage in the king's eyes. Then I felt a knife at my neck.

"I'd kill you now, but not until you've served your purpose in bringing Jordan home where he belongs. Also, before you die, you'll tell me where I can find the bastard so I can do what the king was too weak to do years ago." The queen hissed.

"Then you're not really a threat until you get both things. Tell me, does the king still prefer to bed every female other than you?"

"Guard, take him away before we kill him without getting what we need. Be sure to put him in a cell with no outside access and well away from any other prisoners. I want him caged and completely alone." The Queen ordered.

I was taken to a cell that very closely fit the description. Then even the guards left. It wasn't completely dark and I could see well enough thanks to my feline traits. Now that I was alone the false bravery was gone. I curled up in a corner and cried to myself. The only thing that kept me from giving up was knowing that no matter what they said or did they would never break the love Rider and I had for each other.

***

It had been three days and no one had checked on me. I knew how long it had been because I could sense when the moons were overhead even without mana. I'd caught a couple of scrawny rats. It was about that time I discovered they'd had me declawed as well, but only my hands I still had my toe claws. The rats weren't worth trying to eat but I sucked the blood out of them. Thanks to my altered feline anatomy I knew my body could process it for the water. By day nine I was eating the rats I caught and licking condensation off the wall. They weren't going to break me.

On day ten I heard voices and watched as the light brightened. I curled up tight and held as still as possible.

"Hey pussy, the queen would like to talk to you."

I didn't move or react in any way.

"Did you hear me? Move you stupid cat."

I remained still even as I was stabbed with a sword or maybe a spear. Obviously I was worse off than I thought since I didn't really feel it as pain.

"Wonderful, now he's going to bleed out. Go get a cleric before the queen's new toy dies and she takes her wrath out on us."

"We should both go. We can't-"

"Are you stupid? I've got to go in there and try and keep him from bleeding so much. He didn't move so his mind is obviously broken. I've seen it enough times. Just hurry up."

I heard keys clinking and the door squealing open. Still I remained completely still. I didn't think the wound was very deep and my fur would likely mat over the wound fairly quickly.

"The queen can be really stupid. Not that I care as long as she doesn't come after me. Still if she wanted to torture you then she should at least have done the minimum to keep you alive. I suppose it really doesn't matter as long as you are still breathing and she can break your body in front of the prince as punishment. You do have a unique pelt, and your fur is really soft. Maybe I should suggest she turn you into a nice coat. Then she can use you to enhance her beauty and continue to punish the prince."

I lashed out with all the fury and energy I had burying my hind paws in his gut knocking the air out of him. I flexed my claws out ripping him open. I finished him quickly by breaking his neck. I didn't have time to do much more than take his sword and the keys. I limped slightly as I made my way down the hall. It was convenient that the place was well marked. Obviously they didn't expect anyone to be able to see without a torch. It wasn't difficult to reach the exit. However two guards were there. I moved back into the shadows for once thankful for the dirt and grime hiding my white stripes.

The guard that had stabbed me, with a spear it looked like, returned with a cleric. I'd have to kill the guard, at least, to keep him from sounding any alarms. The cleric would be much harder. She was young maybe twelve or thirteen. She had likely only just learned heal skills and was placed here to patch up any small wounds the prisoners might do to themselves.

"One of you come with us. The cleric will need extra protection. The gate guards shrugged and one pulled out keys to open the gate.

Then the three entered keeping the cleric between them I followed until we were out of sight of the main gate. Then I slipped up and slit the rear guard's throat while dragging him back into an open cell. In my current form none of his clothes would fit so I quickly followed after the other two. I'd need to take them both out fast. We'd nearly reached my cell when the cleric screamed at the sight of the dead guard and collapsed. I lunged forward punching the sword through the other guard's neck so hard that the sword got stuck in the wall behind him. I left it taking his spear.

This time I looted the bodies coming up with a bit of coin. I ripped a length from the impaled guard's tunic and used it to bandage my leg. I carried the traumatized cleric back to where I'd taken out the rear guard and locked her in a cell. Just out of sight of the body. I might regret it later but I wasn't going to kill a defenseless kid.

I returned to my hiding spot by the entrance. I needed a way to get the last guard close enough to kill him. I cleared my throat hoping he would fall for what I was planning.

"We're going to need your help. The queen wants to question the cat but his mind has broken so we're going to have to carry it."

"Not my problem." He replied.

"It will be if we don't get the body to the queen quickly enough. Do you really want to risk having her send someone to find out why she has been forced to wait?"

"I'm not supposed to leave my post unguarded."

"Which is worse, leaving your post to a location that is locked shut, or risking the queen's retribution?"

He unlocked the gate and entered turning to relock it he found a spear head extending from his chest and my furry paw over his mouth. "I'm sorry. I hope you get to be reborn, because I'm sure you deserved better than this." he struggled slightly and then went still. His body also went into a cell.

Out in the courtyard there wasn't much security. It was deep night but I knew the main gate would be a death sentence. I worked my way around to the back where, as I expected I found the servants and slave quarters. There was a small gate there I tried all the keys I'd stolen and one actually worked. Once outside I relocked the gate. Let the King and Queen wonder how I'd gotten out.

I made my way through the alleys being careful to avoid everyone. I did find a tarp that I liberated to use as a cloak. I made for my safe house. Even Chaza didn't know I had a bolt hole I could escape to if necessary. I just hoped it was still there.

Once I had my bearings it was easy enough to find. Some industrious individual had bricked off both ends of an alley then built a roof along it. From the ground it looked like the two buildings it ran between were actually a single building. I found it while Sky was exploring since it wasn't hidden at all from above. The door was hidden by an illusion spell, placed on it, but I knew where to push in order to open it. There wasn't much to it a privy room with access to the sewers and a large living area with a section that might be a kitchen if some more effort was made. I pulled up a loose floor board. Inside was a small trunk. Inside was a change of clothes, a bottle of spirits, some medical supplies and a small amount of money. I knew the clothes wouldn't fit but right now I needed to treat my wound.

I cleaned and stitched the wound. Gods, in a world of healing magic no one would know how to do that or even imagine the pain of doing it for themselves. Once finished I could tell the sun would be coming up soon. Considering how much I'd stick out I'd have to wait until evening before venturing out. Still there was one thing I needed. I scrounged a bucket and just in case I used some charcoal from the stove to write a quick message on a piece of cloth "Network. Meet tonight. Death's tamer". I quickly made my way to the local well. I retrieved a bucket of water and left the cloth tied to the post. It was a longshot but if any of the beast king's spies found it maybe I'd be able to get the damn cuffs removed.

I boiled the water using a few bits of discarded wood I picked up. It took forever to boil and almost as long to cool. Still I made sure to only take a few sips. I'd need to rehydrate slowly. Then I curled up hoping for just a little bit of restful sleep.

***

I slept through the day, though when I woke it was still too early to risk the streets again. By now the city guard would be looking for me. To pass the time I checked my supplies. It wasn't much. I never really expected to be cut off from my storage pocket. The medical kit was primarily for Sky since holy magic couldn't be used on him. It contained the spirits for disinfection, bandages, a scalpel, needle and a heavy thread that wasn't meant for stitches but was all I could find, and a regen crystal.

I'll be honest, I was tempted to use it and nearly did before remembering the person activating it needed to use a small amount of mana. So for now it was just a worthless piece of glass to me. I also had a human sized cloak. It wasn't much but I might be able to rig a suitable disguise.

I started by redressing my wound. It wasn't enflamed so no infection, yet. Then I started working charcoal into the white fur of my arms and legs. I couldn't get it as dark as the surrounding fur but at night it might just be enough. Next I wrapped the small cloak around my waist and used a few stitches from the thread to make sure the waist would hold. I tied my tail to my leg, which would be an immediate give away that I was a tiger. It would make balance difficult, but for my disguise that would work in my favor. Finally I pulled the tarp cloak over my head and shoulders and retrieved my bucket.

I limped to the door and out into the alley. It wasn't hard to find a broken piece of wood to use as a cane. It was a bit short but it completed the look. Now, hopefully anyone glancing at me would only see a broken old demi pantheress hobbling to the well for her master.

When I reached the square a human kid rushed up. "Hey granny, for a couple of coppers I'll get your water and carry it home for you."

I shook my stick at him and did my best to sound old and broken. "Away with you, I have no coin and I'll not have you stealing my bucket."

He shrugged and ran off likely to find another mark. I took a moment to survey the square. There were still a few people out, most getting water from the well. I didn't see any ringtails, but my cloth was gone. I knew they had to be watching likely from the shadows. They were trained spies and thieves, no way was my disguise good enough to fool them. I got my bucket of water and started back toward an alley. I'd return to my hole in the wall via the opposite side. I barely made it out of sight of anyone in the square when three cloaked figures surrounded me.

"You are not what you are trying to appear to be. Did you leave the message?" The leader asked.

"So you got it then. I figured it wouldn't take long."

"Be very careful what you say."

"I say we kill him now." One of the two behind me insisted.

"You do and I'm sue the King will be very displeased."

"We don't care about the human king. I agree we should kill him. He knows about us. No one knows about us except us." The second one behind me agreed.

"If we kill him we won't know who he's told." The Leader insisted.

"Listen, all I need from you is to remove this damn jewelry. I held out a hand showing off one of the manacles.

"Why should I?" The Leader asked.

"Because you King would want you to."

I heard a laugh from behind me. "He has a sense of humor."

I hated to do this. "My name is Prowl, I worked for a short time with Princess Locke, I'm a summoner who has a pact with both Lunarii and Stellarii and in a way I have tamed death. Does any of that sound familiar?"

The leader took my wrist and studied the manacle. "This does have the royal seal meaning he got these from either the gates, the royal guards or the king himself. Unfortunately we can't remove them. It requires someone with royal blood. We'll check to see if there is anyone nearby."

"You want me to show you where I'm hiding or do you prefer following from a distance with me pretending I'm not being followed?" I asked.

"Sir, I'll go with him. Once I'm sure he is safely hidden I'll catch up." The one that suggested killing me volunteered.

"No killing him. We need to check his story before deciding his fate."

"Understood."

The agent followed me back and even entered the hide out. By the way they were studying everything I knew they had no idea the place had existed.

"Didn't know this place existed, did you?" I asked.

"No, but I am not told everything. The network knows everything however."

"Uh huh. If you've assured yourself that I'm secure you can go. From the pain I think that little walk pulled a stitch."

"What does it matter if you've damaged your shabby clothes?"

I rolled my eyes and removed the improvised skirt exposing the wound. The ragged flesh showed I'd pulled two stitches. I should have risked returning by the shorter route. Now I'd have to repair the wound and the tears. Gods I hoped I'd be able to get the manacles off before Rider arrived. He'd be extremely angry about the pain I was suffering.

"What did you do to yourself?"

"I stitched a stab wound closed and the stitches tore out."

"I mean why did you mutilate yourself in such a way?"

I grabbed the spy's cloak and dragged her, as it turned out, right up next to my face. "You think I had a choice? Your King's guards put these mana blocking cuffs on me. That allowed the same guards to capture and sell me to slavers who sent me here where the human king has done terrible things to me. See!" I yelled pushing her back and pulling the cloth away exposing myself and what had been taken from me. "As if that wasn't bad enough they also took my claws. The only way to escape was to act like they had broken my mind including not reacting when they stabbed me. It worked, but again because of these damn bits of jewelry I can't access my healing abilities. And it's not like I can get a cleric to heal me since they all belong to the human church and the church is with the King. So I was forced to deal with the stab wound in the only other way possible stitching it together with thread and hoping it doesn't get infected before it can heal without magic. Now if you're done get out. I just want to be alone."

The red panda turned and ran. I dumped the last of the spirits over the wound. I'd re-stitch it in the morning. Right now all I could do was curl up and cry. "I just wanted a normal happy life with my husband. Was that really so much to ask?" I mumbled.

***

I was startled awake by pain in my thigh where I'd been stabbed.

"I know it hurts but we need to remove the thread before we heal you."

We would have come quicker if the Captain had known you were injured so badly. It seems you gave his subordinate quite the scare." The old raccoon pointed to a corner where several others were constructing a bed. "Still she insisted we had gravely wronged you and if we didn't rush to heal you as quickly as possible all of our clans would be disgraced. Seeing your condition for myself, I'm not sure that outcome isn't inevitable. None of us are royal enough to remove your bindings nor do we possess regeneration magics. I'm very sorry but the best we can do is heal this wound."

I nodded, "I'll do my best to hold still while you work." I tried to clear my mind but I had a difficult choice to make. Or did I?

"I'm sorry but even with my skills you're going to have a small scar."

"That's fine. I need some things but I'm unable to really go out and get them."

"Yes, we took your measurements and the network is procuring clothing for you. I know we have no right to ask this but do you think you'd be willing to share this space with us? It is much more secure and better still it isn't down in the sewer tunnels."

"If you build some walls so that I'll be able to have some privacy especially around the privy you can build a full second story if you want. If you want to keep it hidden though, the roof needs work. That's how I found this place. I was flying over and realized just how out of place it was."

"Flying?" The old Raccoon asked in surprise.

"I'm a tamer with a cloud leopard so yeah I was seeing with his senses as he surveyed the city. Anyway I need to be able to write a note to someone."

"Who? Other than the Network no one can be trusted in this city."

"Obviously you haven't met the right people." I replied.

They brought me a scrap of parchment and a quill. It wasn't my cleanest writing but it was legible and my signature was correct. "Where is the one that told you I needed healing?"

The old one gestured and the red panda ran to stand in front of me bowing low. "I'm sorry my lord, I had no idea who you were or your status as a son of the king."

"How do you know that?"

"Y-you're betrothed to one of his sons."

"Oh, your king." I knew I'd made a mistake as soon as I said it.

"You're the son of the human king and you're betrothed to a son of our king? You are the one of prophesy." The old Raccoon said in wonder.

"I don't believe in prophesy, but it seems the gods are out to make me miserable. Anyway, I need you to deliver this note to the dwarf glass smith. His shop is-"

"I know it. The network buys enchanted glass from him. He's the only dwarf glass worker in the city."

I grinned "That makes things easier. Hopefully he still has what I need. He should give you a crystal and some money. If anything happens the money isn't as important as that crystal."

"What magic does it contain?"

"It's safer if you don't know."

"Understood, my lord. I will go immediately." She turned and ran.

I turned back to the healer. "Now I need your help." I collected the medical kit and pulled out the scalpel and regen crystal. "What I'm about to do will seem really stupid, just trust that it is necessary and I have a good reason." I took a deep breath and began cutting open the ends of my fingers. The Raccoon looked on in confusion and maybe disgust.

At last, shaking and my hands, coated in blood, I set the scalpel down. "Now I need you to use a little mana to activate that crystal, put it against each fingertip I just cut and then break it."

The raccoon nodded and quickly did as asked. "That was a regen crustal. I'm surprised you chose your hands over you manhood. It is unlikely you'll come across another crystal like this."

"If I have to fight for my life my claws are more important. Besides, I'm hoping my friend will have a crystal left."

"The dwarf had regeneration crystals?"

I grinned. Something else the network didn't know about. "It was a special order I furnished him with the empowered glass. Then after I had to flee I'm betting my husband continued providing it to him."

I was surprised as the red panda returned. She had traveled exceedingly quickly almost too quickly. "Your friend sends his greetings and hopes you will soon be able to replenish his glass supply. Unfortunately his contact is no longer trustworthy so my mission has failed to retrieve the crystal you requested. However he did send the coin he currently owes you."

A part of me felt like crying again, but I knew I made the right choice. Once I could access my pocket dimension I'd repair the problem. I'd been sure to get a few extra regen crystals made, just in case. "You didn't fail. It's not your fault he didn't have the crystal I wanted."

She smiled and went back to working on the bed.

"I think she likes you." The Cleric said quietly.

"She's cute and I might be able to think of her as a little sister, eventually. Unfortunately, for her, that's the only way I can think of her."

"Yes, the princess made it clear your husbands were coming to rescue you. Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seemed from her wording that she had designs on you?"

"And I rejected her completely."

"That would explain it. Things should be interesting when she arrives."

I groaned. Seeing her was the last thing I wanted. "How long until they arrive?"

"Three days. Which I don't understand considering where the message originated at the shortest it should take them a month."

"Do you have a map of the continent?"

"We can get one."

"No, I think I might know how he's doing it." If they came on a ship around the continent like I did, but with Zephyr constantly providing wind they might make it that quickly. About the only other option was if they had a vehicle, but that was crazy. Though, maybe not. Putting sails on a cart and again using Zephyr might get them here that fast.

"Don't worry, once they arrive the network will slip them into the city and bring them here. I promise you, they won't be captured by the human king."

I hadn't even let myself think about that possibility. Now I was worried.

***