The World of Alderes

by KAIV

Chapters links for this page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Chapter 1 : Spring's End

"Lass, please write your name and the date on the top of the exam, you may begin when ready," Solyma said primly, finishing writing the date on the chalkboard at the front of the class. She turned and surveyed the lecture hall, watching as the hundred or so heads bent over their final exam of the season.

It was finally Firsday and the weekend lay open like an inviting lake in summer. Only three days until the beginning of summer and the Festival of Liaya. Solyma grinned as she sat down behind the single table in the lecture hall and leaned back to put her feet on it, ignoring the fact that her dress slid down her calfs almost to her knees. She loved the Festival. Every time she had been in Corannon for it, she had had a wonderful time and this year looked to be no different. She was still riding high on the relative success of her trip to Merglise, complete with a small commendation by the king and a bump in pay from the College. Life was very good, although the prospect of grading more than a hundred written exams on the fundamentals of elementary magic didn't sound like an appealing way to spend the weekend.

Solyma shrugged as she picked up a book just checked out from the College's library. It wouldn't take too long and she could do it outside in the gardens. Hmm, maybe have Hector pack a lunch and make an afternoon of it. In any case, it wouldn't take too long, she thought as she opened the book.

It was one of the restricted tomes that only faculty were allowed to see. Most of the others were spellbooks of some power or knowledge that couldn't be allowed in the hands of students. This one was a spellbook, of sorts anyway.

The Book of Liaya had been written by one of her priests or priestesses shortly after the Treaty of Isider and the Unification. The priest or priestess had apparently wanted to record his or her legacy of a lifetime of service to the goddess of love and life. Not much really, a lot of recipes for aphrodisiacal foods and some ointments and unguents to help both sexes if they had some specific sex related problems. Nothing that hadn't been written in dozens of other books over the years since books became common enough to warrant a market in them.

But the Book of Liaya had one thing which set it apart from all those other books sold in shops with severely plain storefronts and carried out in plain paper bags. It was one of the few books with diagrams of working magical weaves. Solyma had checked it out for the Sexuality and Magic class she was teaching in the autumn, but from the looks of things she couldn't really use it. The weaves were extremely complicated and powerful. There were a few lesser ones which could accentuate the carnal pleasures of life, but so little that it was hardly worth the effort.

No, it was the one weave tucked away towards the back of the book that made Solyma reluctant to use the Book of Liaya. The weave, if spun correctly, could create a pleasure in someone as intense as any drug or herb. It was far to dangerous to risk some enterprising student casting it and falling into a magically induced pleasure state, channeling more and more magic through themselves and into the weave until they died of pleasure. No, far too dangerous, she thought as she scribbled down some of the other weaves and recipes on a notepad.

Solyma folded the piece of paper and tucked it in her pocket as she closed the book and placed it on the table, idly looking around the lecture hall at the students. They were all studiously writing their exams, looking back and forth from the exam paper to their answer sheet. Solyma leaned forward and rested her chin on her hand as she watched a certain blonde haired elf girl.

Penelope, Solyma sighed inwardly. The initial lust and love that she had felt for the elf princess had cooled into something different, a longing that never faded completely from her mind although she could at least ignore it for the most part. Somehow though, it was worse than that first red hot lust. Solyma leaned back again and idly began to imagine what it would be like to finally get the elf girl to go to bed with her, something which she had been doing more and more lately.

Before she had met the elf girl she would have eagerly attempted to seduce anyone or anything that she wanted. Something had changed, something Solyma couldn't quite define. Maybe it was seeing Kerrith and Selene in love or that poor elf girl Ismene sobbing her eyes out over the corpse of the Lord of Merglise. Sure, she could go out and pick up any bar maid or city guard that caught her eye. Not that she had done so in at least three months, she thought darkly. But she couldn't do that with Penelope, as much as she wanted to.

Solyma blinked and straightened up when she realized that the class was looking at her. Had she been talking out loud? No, she realized when she glanced at the grandfather clock by the door, time was up for the exam.

"Alright class, turn in your exams here," she said, patting the front of the table. "I hope you have a pleasant summer." Letting school out for the summer was an old tradition from the early years of the kingdom when even student mages would be needed back home to help get in the harvest. Now, with those new harvesting and threshing machines that the Knights of the Tome had invented even very little labor was needed on the farm as long as you had some good horses.

"Penelope, Selene, and, um, Edgar," Solyma said. "Stay after, will you?"

Penelope looked calm and happy, as usual. Selene looked nervous, as she usually was around Solyma, and Edgar was scribbling something down in the pad of paper he habitually carried around. "You three have been my best students this year- Edgar? What are you doing?" Solyma asked.

"Sorry, Professor van Dolceis," he said as he put away his notepad. "I think I just found a better way to-"

"Yes, yes, that's fine," Solyma said. Edgar was only about sixteen and he tended to get carried away when talking about his newest project. Sometimes she wondered if he should be at the College at all instead of at the headquarters of the Knights of the Tome. But they didn't accept anyone as young as him and the College did have a very good engineering department. "Well, you three have been the three top students in the class and I thought I'd treat you to a nice night on the town."

Solyma sighed as Selene paled and swallowed nervously. She had once surprised the young woman in the College's baths and Selene had nearly broken her leg trying to get her towel around her while climbing out of the bath. "Bring Kerrith, why don't you?" Solyma said and saw Selene breathe a sigh of relief. "That goes for any of you, bring a friend if you like." Solyma watched as they left the classroom, Selene running off to meet Kerrith and Edgar hunched over his drawings. "Penelope?" she called out before the elf could leave. "Will you be bringing anyone?"

"Oh, no, Professor van Dolceis," Penelope said with a small smile.

"Really? How about Mathieu?" Solyma was surprised to see a look of faint anger cross the usually cheerful elf's face.

"I'm not seeing him," Penelope said. "You were right about him, he did try to get my clothes off. Laros broke his arm in two places."

Solyma could barely say goodbye as Penelope walked out of the classroom. She had been exaggerating wildly when she had told Penelope what to expect on a dinner date with the son of Duke Adelard Quiton. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, Solyma thought with a shrug.

***

"Now, I promised you that I'd have a treat for you today since it's the last day of classes," Professor De Thien said. "So, since we're finishing up with the history of the Knights of the Shield, I'd like to introduce Sir Kerrith Archotos."

Kerrith smiled as best he could and gave a small nod to the fifteen or so students sitting in the classroom. He had drawn the short straw when Professor De Thien had come around to the barracks asking for someone to give a lecture on the history of the Knights. Kerrith had hoped that Jaric would have been back from his patrol of the city by now, the Knight was so earnest and sincere that he always was popular with the students. It didn't hurt that he was also generally considered to be the most handsome Knight by the women of Corannon.

"I-uh, er," Kerrith said as he took the podium and looked down at the jumbled and crumpled mess of cards that he had written the night before. What he wouldn't give to be out of here with Selene. She was staying in Corannon for the summer and he had some leave coming up, maybe he'd finally ask her to-

"Sir Archotos?" Professor De Thien said and interrupted Kerrith's train of thought.

"Oh, yes. The Knights of the Shield were founded roughly three-hundred and sixty years ago by a group of warriors who were the followers of Erys Ivraim." Kerrith coughed and looked around the intent faces of the students. "So, Erys was the wife of farmer. In 190 B.U., she saw her family killed by the Dathuz and vowed revenge," Kerrith said, trying hard to remember all of the old legend. "In the ensuing war against the Dathuz she became the finest warrior the kingdom had ever known. At the battle of Armis Pass she," he coughed again and gratefully took a glass of water from Professor De Thien. "Stood alone against Tarakash's army and held the pass long enough for the allied armies to reorganize arrive and take their positions. Mortally wounded, she killed and was killed by Tarakash, throwing his troops into confusion and allowing the allied forces to scatter and defeat the numerically superior Dathuz forces."

Kerrith went on to detail the construction of Erysia Castle in Armis Pass and the beginning of the Knights of the Shield. He had gotten as far as the series of wars with the remaining Dathuz that had cemented the Knight of the Shields' role as the elite protectors of the kingdom of Krisephyr when the clock struck the hour and class was dismissed.

"You get all the plum assignments, Kerrith," Jaric said as he walked into the classroom after the last of the students had left. If it had been anyone else, Kerrith would have thought that he was being sarcastic, but Jaric was as honest as usual. Kerrith had no doubt that he actually thought giving a lecture to a class of students who's only desire was to get out of school was something to be envied.

"I have all the luck," Kerrith said dryly as he dropped the cards into the bin by the door. A representative from the Guild of Paperers would be by later to collect all the scraps for reuse or recycling into new paper. Normally Kerrith didn't have much use for the guilds, as a Knight he rarely had contact with them outside of normal everyday business, but he did love the benefits that having skilled artisans and craftsmen brought. His father had told him stories of the days before Corannon had a developed glass industry. Kerrith still couldn't quite imagine living without glass in the windows and all its other uses. Now the glass blowers worked almost day and night to churn out sheets that would be cut into windows or spectacles or whatever else people could use glass for.

"Kerrith?" Jaric said again, bringing the older Knight out of his reverie. "You said you wanted me to meet you here."

"Yes, I actually was going to let you give the lecture- no, don't thank me," Kerrith said as Jaric beamed in thanks. "But since you couldn't, would you care to join Selene and I for dinner?"

"I'd love to," Jaric said as they walked down the now quiet hallways of the College. "But are you sure you wouldn't rather be alone with her?"

"I don't think we'd be alone, she mentioned that she wanted to bring a friend of hers to dinner. An elf, I think."

"Really? That must be Princess Taladron, she's the only elf enrolled at the College."

Kerrith was prevented from answering as a dark haired shape crashed into him and kissed him fiercely. "I've been looking all over for you," Selene said when they finally parted.

"I'm happy to see you too," Kerrith said as he started to kiss her again. He reluctantly stopped as Jaric coughed and cleared his throat several times. "Selene, I'd like to introduce a friend of mine. He's a Knight as well. Selene, Jaric D'Allovet, Jaric, Selene Arrowsmith."

"Is he coming to dinner? I only hope that will be alright with the professor."

"If it's any trouble, I-" Jaric started.

"She's coming to dinner?" Kerrith said, a little more sharply than he intended. He had never really liked the mage, she was too dishonest for his taste. "Why?"

"She's taking her top three students out to dinner," Selene said with a proud smile. "She said we could bring a guest, I'm sure she wouldn't mind if we brought Jaric." In a low whisper she added, "I think she'd really like it if we brought Jaric, she's seemed lonely."

"Well, Jaric," Kerrith said. "Would you care to join us?"

***

Tancred was idly polishing his dark spectacles as Solyma graded papers in her office. He was sitting in front of her desk and kept putting his feet up even though she'd push them off again almost immediately.

"Come on, Solyma," he said in an almost whine, "we haven't done anything fun in ages!"

"I've got obligations, Tancred," Solyma said without looking up from the exam she was checking. "You can go ahead to the docks without me. I'm going to have dinner at Natharisus."

"Oh come on, a restaurant?" he said as he sat up and put on his glasses. "Remember what we were like before we got "civilized'? We'd stay up for days, weeks at a time! Remember that harem we snuck into? Wasn't that fun?"

Solyma looked up with a faint smile and brushed a lock of her coppery hair out of her face. "That was fun," she said softly. "What was the name of that girl, she could do that thing with her toes?"

"Rehcue," Tancred said. "She was inventive, wasn't she?" He stood and leaned on Solyma's desk. "Why don't we go do something like that again for the Festival? We can sneak into the palace and seduce the harem."

"The palace doesn't have a harem," Solyma said as she returned to grading the exams. "Hasn't had one since the unification."

"Damn," Tancred said as he sat back down heavily. He suddenly felt old, very old. He had been around for more than four hundred years, long enough to remember the unification of the scattered towns and villages into the kingdom of Krisephyr. Old enough to remember the wars that had plagued the continent and old enough to remember the celebration when the Treaty of Isider had been signed and ended the wars. "One hundred and seventy-one years," he said to himself. "Dirkran's bloody nails, has it been that long?"

"Yes," Solyma said. "Do you ever think about settling down? Maybe finding another vampire to share your time with?"

"I-I don't think about anything like that," Tancred said. There weren't as many vampires around these days, not like in the old days when they had formed extensive alliances with each other. Most had just gone away, disappearing into the night, never to be seen again. There was the occasional new vampire created, but not many. "Do you? Ever think about settling down?"

Solyma's face darkened as she looked back up at him. She looked angry for a second and then she just looked tired and sad. "Yes. I thought I'd always love adventuring and travel enough to keep going, but now all I seem to care about is a hot bath and soft bed," she said quietly. "Ahh, enough of this depressing talk, come with me to dinner. You can impress Selene and Penelope and we can all get something good to eat. Afterwards, maybe we'll head down to the docks and see if we can pick up some barmaids. Deal?"

That sounded like the Solyma Tancred knew. "Deal," he said.

***

Ismene Isalisos stepped off the gangplank and wrapped her cloak tightly around her. She hadn't been scheduled to go home for another two weeks when the birthday celebration for Princess Taladron would be held, but she couldn't stay in Merglise any longer. It had broken her heart to leave the children with their uncle and aunt, but she had to leave or she would have joined Arcin.

She shivered as she looked around the busy docks of Corannon. She easily had enough money saved to get a room for the next two weeks. She could manage to do some shopping and still have enough left over to buy a nice dress for the celebration. A month ago that would have sounded like a wonderful way to spend two weeks. Now, now she just wanted to sleep.

"'Scuse me, honey," a sailor said as he brushed by her carrying a sack of apples. He gaped when Ismene drew a long dagger and glared at him until he ran off. Ismene looked around at the wondering faces of other travelers and sailors until they turned away.

"Talas and Taleh," Ismene whispered to herself as she put away her dagger, "what's become of me?"

***

The restaurant was located in one of the large four story buildings that surrounded the Great Library and were some of the most valuable real estate in the city. It wasn't so much because of the imposing presence of the hundred foot bulk of the library, but was because of the superb view the buildings commanded. From the rooftop tables of the restaurant, Solyma could see clear across the city, from the main gate to the east, to the docks to the south, to the palace in the west. She also had a wonderful view of the sun as it sank into the waters of the Sea of Dreams off the coast of Krisephyr. Fitting considering the name of the restaurant, Natharisus, sunset in old Alathanian.

The city of Corannon was built on a large peninsula that curved to form part of the coast of the Bay of Corannon. The palace, Library, and College were all built on a rise of land that filled the westernmost part of the peninsula. The rise started near the center of the city and rose shallowly until it reached the Library square where the restaurant was located. From then on it flattened out until it dropped away in cliffs at the very tip of the peninsula.

"This must be costing a fortune, Solyma," Tancred said as he pushed his dark spectacles up his nose and leaned back in his chair. "I mean, I don't come here more than once a year, and I'm rich compared to you."

Solyma shrugged. She still had a tidy sum put away from her adventures before she had accidentally summoned the Corthronos. She had been saving it to buy or build her own tower, but had since decided to just spend it. After all, mages in the city didn't have towers, they had town houses which were much nicer to live in and much cheaper to own. "I may as well treat everyone, it's not like the money's doing any good in the bank," she said as she took a sip of her fruit juice.

"Except earning interest," Tancred said. He personally didn't like the idea of letting someone else take care of his money, especially when he had learned that the bank didn't actually have all his money on the premises. They loaned it out or something to make money off the interest they collected on the loans. He had considered letting them keep his account open, but the old and very paranoid part of his vampire soul had rebelled against the idea of keeping money anywhere that wasn't within reach of his bed.

"You should talk, I've heard stories about you and banks from the Chancellor," Tancred snarled in mock anger and stood.

"I'm going to get a drink, want anything?" he asked.

"No thanks, I'm fine," Solyma said as she turned her gaze back to the sunset.

Jaric stopped as he walked onto the rooftop, his eyes wide and his jaw hanging open. Kerrith and Selene had stopped to see to the coach while he had gone ahead to find their table. All thoughts of his errand flew from his head when he saw the enthrallingly beautiful woman sitting alone at the best table in the house. She was looking at the sunset with a calm and slightly wistful expression on her face.

Jaric blushed when Kerrith and Selene walked up next to him. "What's wrong? Isn't there a table for us?" Kerrith asked.

"No, no, I didn't look for it yet. By all the gods, isn't she beautiful?" Jaric said, only half-hearing Kerrith.

"Who?" asked Selene as she looked curiously around the roof. She liked Jaric, he always seemed lonely although he hid it with his steadfast devotion to the Knighthood. It was about time that he found someone, she thought and then she realized that he was looking at Solyma.

"Jaric," she began, "I don't think she's really your-" Her voice trailed off as she realized that Jaric wasn't paying any attention to her. All his attention was focused on Solyma.

"By the gods, Kerrith," Jaric said as he stared at Solyma. "Who is she? She is the most enchanting woman I've ever seen!"

"Who, Solyma?" Kerrith asked incredulously with a glance over at his friend.

"Is that her name? It is as beautiful as she is," Jaric sighed. "She must be a high born lady, isn't she? A daughter of a king."

"She is a Lady, Lady van Dolceis, I think," Kerrith said. He was somewhat puzzled, Solyma was good looking, yes, but to inspire such admiration from Jaric...To be honest with himself, he had always thought her to be a bit of a...wanton.

"Lady Solyma van Dolceis," Jaric said softly. "Is she married? She must be, or engaged to some prince."

"Not to the best of my knowledge," Kerrith said.

"Amazing, you're sure of this?"

"Yes. She does spend time with Sir Guiscard."

"The vampire? She must be trying to save him from his debauched ways, such a brave soul." Jaric sighed again and stared off into space, imagining the way the sunlight shone off the woven copper strands of her hair, imagining her spellbinding face, with its emerald green eyes and lovely full lips that inspired quite impure thoughts in him.

Kerrith shrugged in response. Tancred hadn't seemed especially debauched to him. Lazy, yes, at least when he could get away with it. But debauched? Kerrith couldn't remember him so much as touching a bar maid when they had been waiting in Merglise for a mage from the College to arrive.

"Ah, so beautiful," Jaric murmured. He sighed loudly. "How could anyone like me ever meet someone like her?"

"For one thing, you might sit down. We're having dinner with her," Selene said.

***

"How do I look?" asked Penelope. Laros shrugged his shoulders in reply and continued to watch the crowd outside the carriage. "You didn't even look at me!" Penelope said in dismay.

"Princess, you always manage to look more beautiful than the day before," Laros said, his eyes still flicking over the people walking outside the carriage. He had been especially careful to stay near the princess after the incident with the incubus. His lack of caution and decision to give her space had nearly gotten her killed. In the past months his close attention to her had paid off, allowing him to intervene when the despicable human noble tried to have his way with her. The damage he had done to the human had almost caused a minor international incident, but it had soon been smoothed over by the boy's father, a high ranking duke, and the ambassador from Taladros.

"I'm glad that you're having dinner with us, Laros," Penelope said to her bodyguard.

Laros shifted uncomfortably. He was unused to eating at a table, usually he just grabbed whatever he could and ate as he stood guard over Penelope. Still, the spells that were woven into his body would allow him to detect any threat even if he was sitting down.

"Yes, my lady," he said as the carriage pulled up outside the restaurant.

"I'm sure you'll like them," Penelope said as the door was opened by a footman and Laros stepped out. His lean form was tall for an elf, standing easily a head taller than Penelope. Though he was slight of build as were most elves, he was as strong as any human and faster than most elves. More than a century of training and magic had resulted in him, quite possibly the finest bodyguard on Alderest.

***

Solyma looked up and waved as Selene, Kerrith, and another Knight walked over to the table. Solyma's eyes flicked over the Knight once then jerked back to him when she registered what she had seen. He was very attractive with the most incredible brown eyes she had ever seen. Having the superb body of a Knight also didn't hurt.

She said a quick greeting to the others as they sat down before turning her attention to the Knight. He seemed a bit shy, surprising considering how good looking he was. She would have assumed that he was a ladies man but so far he had barely managed to make eye contact with her.

"Hello," she said, finally catching his eyes, "I'm, ah..." Solyma thought furiously, trying to figure out which of her titles to use.

"Professor van Dolceis," Tancred said as he sat down. Solyma glared at him and he glared back, making a face before picking up his menu and taking a sip from his drink.

"It's an honor to meet you, Professor van Dolceis," Jaric said. "I am Jaric D'Allovet, Knight of the Shield."

"It's a pleasure," Solyma said, drawing out the last word and extending her hand to him. He blinked rapidly and then managed to kiss her hand. Solyma barely managed to hide the shudder of pleasure that his lips sent through her. "You certainly are a fine specimen of knighthood."

Jaric coughed and sat up a bit straighter. "Oh, thank you, Professor van Dolceis," he said, again avoiding her eyes and looking out towards the bay.

"Please, call me Solyma," Solyma said, ramming her elbow into Tancred's side under the table. He smirked and pretended to be absorbed in his menu.

"Hello!" called out Penelope as she skipped up the stairs onto the roof. Laros was close behind her, ready to move at any sign of danger. The people seated around the table called out greetings and waved as she and Laros sat down.

"That's almost everyone," Solyma said. "We're only missing Edgar."

"He's downstairs," Tancred said as he finished off his drink and waved his empty glass at a waiter. "I think he was sketching the masonry."

"Will you be a dear and fetch him?"

Tancred grunted and nodded, mumbling to himself about inadequate service as he walked towards the stairs. Solyma turned her attention back to Jaric. He seemed increasingly nervous, seated as he was with Penelope on one side and Solyma at the head of the table on the other. She was about to strike up the conversation when Tancred arrived with Edgar and a waiter in tow. As she bent her head to study the menu, she could see him glancing at her out of the corner of her eye. In between deciding between the Pasta Alathan or the Steak Socratan, she smiled as she enjoyed being the subject of someone's admiring gazes.

***

"So, how long have you been a Knight?" Solyma asked Jaric over the remains of her steak Socratan. Everyone else had already finished and ordered dessert, not something that ordinarily happened, usually Solyma would have been one of the first to finish. This time, however, Jaric had proven enough of a distraction to slow even her voracious eating habits. He toyed nervously with the bowl of fruit he had ordered and coughed.

"Seven years now, my lady," he said. He avoided her eyes as she sucked the last slice of mushroom off her fork and licked a stray bit of sauce from her lips. Jaric looked out past her towards the ocean, watching the lighthouse perched on the tip of the peninsula and trying not to imagine what it would feel like to kiss those lips...

"Seven years? My, how dedicated of you," Solyma said. Around the table it seemed everyone had finished with their dessert. Dinner had been surprisingly pleasant although Tancred had been somewhat curt with Jaric and Laros had been eying Tancred warily the entire time. "I suppose it's getting late, I imagine the young ones want to be off to celebrate the end of the school term."

Solyma raised an eyebrow when she saw Kerrith gasp and jerk in his seat, flushing deeply. Across the table from him, Selene was watching him coolly with her chin resting on her hands. She smirked and Kerrith kicked back his chair and jumped to his feet.

"I'm sorry, I really should be going," he said hurriedly. "There's so much to do tomorrow, preparing for the festival and all." Solyma smiled as he extended his arm to Selene. "Would you care to allow me to escort you home?" he asked her.

"I'd be delighted," Selene said as she stood. "Thank you so much for dinner, Solyma. It was wonderful."

"You earned it," Solyma said as she nodded. "Keep up the good work, I guess I'll see you in the fall."

"I'll actually be here for the summer, I'm doing a special tutorial with Professor Icarii," Selene called out as she hustled Kerrith off the roof and down the stairs.

"Uck, why would she want to study with him?" Penelope asked.

"He's the necromancer, isn't he?" Tancred said. "Didn't he pick up the books that Lord Volchim had in his library?"

"I think so," Solyma said as she stood. "Still, he is a good mage. Selene could learn a lot from him."

There was a round of thanks and farewells as Penelope, Laros, and Edgar headed off to their respective homes, leaving only Solyma, Tancred, and Jaric. "My lord, would you care to escort me home?" Solyma asked.

"Why certainly-" Tancred began before he realized she was addressing Jaric.

"I'd be honored," Jaric said with a bow.

"Solyma, weren't we going to head down to the docks-" Tancred said, stopping when he saw the dark look on Jaric's face.

"Do not think that you can freely attempt to corrupt so innocent a-" Jaric began.

"I'll talk to you later," Solyma said to Tancred, making frantic cutting gestures with her hand from behind Jaric.

"Yeah, sure," Tancred said glumly as he looked around the rooftop patio. They had been the last patrons and the waiters were stacking chairs and sweeping as they closed up. It didn't surprise him to see that Solyma had left him the check.

***

It was a beautiful summer, no, late spring, Solyma corrected herself, night. It wasn't summer until after the Festival was through. The stars were shining brightly, each like a shard of diamond scattered across the sky. There was Adramas, patron god of Krisephyr and the Knights of the Shield. To his far right was Aeleon, god of magic and patron of the College. Over towards the south was the solitary figure of Leathia, goddess of death and bringer of peace.

"Which house is yours?" Jaric asked as they walked slowly down the street towards her townhouse. Her house was located in an upscale residential district near the base of the hill and not too far from the ocean. Her neighbors were mostly rich merchants although there was a family of adventurers who lived down the block.

"That one," Solyma said quietly and pointed out her house. Hector had left the lamp burning on the porch for her. He'd probably be waiting up for her in the living room with one of those models of his. Or maybe a painting. He had started doing landscapes from memory and imagination after they had gotten back from Merglise.

"Thank you for letting me escort you home," Jaric said as they reached her porch.

"The pleasure was mine," Solyma whispered as she leaned closer to him. "Would you like to come in for a nightcap?" Jaric flushed and shifted nervously on his feet. "I'm sorry, I'd like to but-," he began.

"But it would not be the gentlemanly sort of thing to do," Solyma finished with a small sigh. "I should have known."

"Ah, yes," Jaric said feeling the urge to go in regardless of his code of conduct. "I suppose I'll be seeing you later."

"Yes, please visit any time you're near," Solyma said and watched as he bowed again and began to walk away. It figures, she thought, the first man to grab my attention in a long while and he's too damned honorable to take advantage of the situation. She was about to turn and go in when she heard Jaric call out to her and walk back towards her. "Yes?" she said, wondering if he had decided to come in.

"My la- Solyma, I have two tickets to the opera tomorrow. They're performing TheKnight's Legend for the Festival. I was wondering, would you care to accompany me?" Jaric asked in a rush, immediately feeling the lout for being so forward. She's probably shocked, he though glumly.

"I'd be delighted to," Solyma said. Jaric's eyes widened slightly and he fought for composure.

"Oh, well. I can come pick you up at seven o'clock then?"

"That would be fine," Solyma said and smiled slightly. Jaric felt his heart leap into his throat at the sight and grinned like an idiot as she waved good night and went into her house. Solyma watched Jaric as he walked away with a spring in his step. She smiled again, this time more broadly as she watched the play of his muscles beneath his clothes.

"What are you doing, Solyma?" Hector asked tiredly from the living room.

"I'm watching a very handsome Knight walk away," Solyma said as she let the curtain fall back across the window and walked into the living room. Hector had one of his ships set up on a worktable in the corner of the room.

"You're late," Hector said without turning to look at her.

"I'm sorry-" Solyma began and then stopped in confusion. "Why am I apologizing to you?"

"You never let me know where you're going, you never send a note. Here I am, your familiar, and I don't know where you are most of the time. I'm supposed to be your constant companion, always at your side," Hector said, his back, or more precisely, lack of back, turned towards Solyma.

"I- I'm sorry, Hector. I thought you enjoyed not having to follow me around all the time," Solyma said. She realized she was twisting her skirts in her hands, just like when she was a child and the headmistress had summoned her for, well, for almost anything.

"Do you know what the other familiars say about me?" Hector said as he turned towards her. "They feel sorry for me, they think that I'm pathetic. Do you know how they looked at me when I said I didn't have to do much more than cook a meal occasionally and dust? It was humiliating. They all know that their mages couldn't live without them."

"But that's not true," Solyma said as she walked over to Hector. "You're very important to me. I mean, you cook and clean, and pay the bills and do all the chores. I couldn't live without you." Hector made a sniffing sound and turned back to his model ship. "I'll tell you what, I'm going to the opera tomorrow. Why don't you come along and grade the exams? You can run errands for me while you're there."

"I suppose I could do that," Hector said after a long pause. "How many exams?"

"Hundreds. It'll be horribly boring and tedious, the test is on the fundamentals of elementary magic. With essay questions."

"Well, that's alright then."

***

Tancred kicked at a pebble as he walked out of the restaurant. The part of the city near the Library square didn't have much of a night life past midnight or so. The area around the opera house was a lot busier although it was nothing compared to the docks. He sighed as he looked up at the bulk of the Library and glanced around the empty square. When he was sure no one was around, even going so far as to extend his senses for any passing ghosts or wraiths, he slipped from shadow to shadow towards the library entrance. Checking one last time and pulling the hood of his cloak over his head, he opened the door and slipped inside.

The library was open to the public all day and all night. Guard duties were assigned to a large group of golems and gargoyles that watched over the library. One or two librarians would be on hand to assist anyone should the need arise. Tancred nodded to the librarian sitting behind the main desk and hurried up the stairs to the second floor.

The second floor was huge, its ceilings stretched over forty feet high, every inch necessary to accommodate the massive shelves that composed the main stacks. Tancred paused at the entrance to the stacks, scanning the polished wood tables and chairs for any other late night visitors. There was one person, a student from the College by the looks of her, with her head pillowed on a stack of texts. She was snoring loudly enough to easily cover Tancred's feather light footsteps as he headed towards a certain section of the fiction department.

***

"Hector?" Solyma called out from the bathtub. "I've got something that you can do for me." She removed a steaming washcloth from her face and rested her head on her arms on the edge of the bathtub. She smiled coyly at Hector as his head peeked around the edge of the door.

"What is it?" Hector asked.

"Well," Solyma said as she let one arm dangle, idly tracing a finger over the tile, "why don't you go change into some leather gloves? Get rid of those gauntlets for a change."

"No, Solyma, absolutely not. I will not go through that again for you," he said and ducked back out of the door.

"What? You said you wanted to do things for me, this is a perfect example," Solyma yelled.

"No! That's just what I need, the other familiars finding out that I'm reduced to some sort of glorified sex toy for you. Why don't you just use your hands like everyone else does?"

"Glorified sex toy? What do you think some of those other familiars do? Have you seen what Icarii's familiar looks like?" Solyma listened. All she heard was the very loud silence of someone very pointedly ignoring her. "I knew I should've summoned an incubus," Solyma muttered to herself as she sank back in the tub.

***

Ismene sighed to herself as she walked down the aisles of the Library. She had been doing nothing but sitting around her room, moping about and watching the people walk by in the street outside her window. It was about time she got out of the inn. She glanced around to make sure that there was no one else in the empty library to see her and slipped into a row of shelves tucked away in the corner of the main room, walking straight into a man with his arms full of books.

"I'm sorry, I didn't see you," Tancred said as he helped Ismene to her feet and began scooping up his books.

"It's alright," Ismene said coldly as she looked at the man, snatching her hand back from his. "Oh, you were in Merglise, weren't you?"

"Yes, you're Ismene aren't you?"

"Yes," Ismene said, feeling pathetically glad to see someone she knew. "What books do you have?" she asked brightly.

"Nothing! Nothing, these aren't my books," Tancred said hurriedly. "I was, uh, just, um, stalking through the library in search of a victim." He stood quickly and did his best to kick the books scattered across the floor behind him.

"Really? Oh yes, you're a vampire," Ismene said as she bent to pick up one of the books. "Destiny's Flame," she read. "Have you read this one? It's one of my favorites."

"No! I'm a vampire, why would I read romance novels? I was just hoping some lonely woman would walk by."

"At half past midnight?"

Tancred opened and shut his mouth several times as he struggled for an excuse. Finally he said, "Well, you're here, aren't you?"

Ismene stood and drew back against a shelf, her free hand going to the long dagger tucked into her belt. "You're not going to-" Ismene said haltingly. She had liked and trusted the vampire since that day in Merglise when he had saved her from the incubus's raging lust. He had always been a gentleman around her and hadn't so much as looked at her with lust in his eyes.

Tancred raised his hands placatingly. "Virsir's blood, no, I'm not going to do anything to you," he said. "Oh, damn," he said, looking past Ismene at someone and then turning into a cloud of mist and floating towards the ceiling.

Ismene turned and saw a sleepy eyed librarian hurrying towards her. "Is there a problem?" he yawned. "I thought I heard someone dropping books." The librarian glanced up and saw the mist floating up in the corner of the ceiling. "Damn vampire," he muttered as he knelt and began to pick up the books. "He checks out ten of these books at a time and never returns them on time. Did you need help in finding something, miss?"

"No," answered Ismene, "I've found what I was looking for." Ismene glanced down at the cover of the book in her hand and then back to the cloud of mist that was trying to find a crack in the windows to slip through. "Thank you anyway."

***

Kerrith yelped and jerked away as Selene grabbed his ass and pinched hard. "Selene," he hissed. "Not in public."

"Pssh, no one cares," Selene said as she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed him. "It's two days before the Festival, it'd be unusual if we weren't acting like everyone else."

Kerrith had to give her that point. The streets were still busy around the College, filled with students celebrating the end of classes and other revelers out for a night of fun. "Still, there are certain rules of propriety we should-mmmph," he trailed off as Selene kissed him again.

"Let's go back to my apartment," she whispered into his ear.

***

Ismene paused and looked around the empty square before she slowly walked down the steps of the Library. She stopped for a moment and rearranged the books tucked in her arms. She had ended up checking out Destiny's Flame and a couple more romance novels. She had read all of them before but she was in the mood to be cheered up and she knew from past experience that they usually did the job.

Destiny woke on that momentous morning with her spirit soaring, she began to read as she started walking. Today would be the day when she ran away from her oppressive father and eloped with her one true love, the young soldier Arvvano. Ismene drifted back and forth across the empty street as she continued to read. Destiny's Flame was typical of most of the romance novels she read, a young heroine finds true love after a series of trials, usually involving a love triangle or two and there was always a jealous suitor.

She was wandering through the section of the city near the College on her way back to her inn when she felt someone grab her arm and yank her into an alley beside a raucously noisy tavern. Her books spilled onto the cobblestones as a knife glinted in the lamplight...

***

Kerrith smiled at Selene as she took his arm and they began to briskly walk towards the College when the high pitched scream of someone in distress rang out across the street. Heads turned and there was a rush as people ran towards the alley where someone was still screaming loudly. Selene lost track of Kerrith in the press as he pulled free of her grasp and sprinted towards the noise, his hand automatically going to the sword which wasn't there.

Kerrith elbowed his way through the crowd as they huddled around the entrance to an alley next to a tavern. "Make way for a Knight!" he shouted and the crowd cleared for him. He dashed into the alley expecting to see a the victim of a brawl or maybe a lover's quarrel. Instead he saw blood scattered across the alley and a young elf woman. "Miss Isalisos?" he said in astonishment when he recognized the shivering elf. "Are you alright?"

He couldn't see any blood or sign of injury on her. What happened? he wondered and then he saw the scruffy looking beggar huddling further down the alley with his hand pressed against his forehead.

"I want you to arrest her!" the beggar yelled when he saw Kerrith. "I was going about my business of seeking charity and she cuts me! She nearly took my eye out!" Kerrith saw a long and finely crafted elven dagger lying on the alley floor with its tip covered in blood. Apparently Ismene had slashed the beggar across the forehead, drawing a lot more blood than the size of the wound would indicate.

"He-he grabbed me," Ismene said as she fumbled for the books lying on the ground around her feet.

"Who screamed?" Kerrith asked.

"He did!" one of the onlookers shouted. "He'll scream at anything, I saw him holler bloody murder "cause he hit his shin on a door, the drunk."

"Away with you," Kerrith said to the beggar as he handed him a couple coins. "Get that cut seen to."

"Crazy elf," the beggar muttered as he pushed his way through the crowd, now dispersing once any sign of danger had passed.

"Miss Isalisos, what are you doing here? I thought you were heading home to Taladros," Kerrith said.

"I was, but the Princess's birthday is in only three weeks, I was going to go back with her. We're friends from when we were children."

"Where are you staying?" Kerrith asked. "I'll escort you back there." From the entrance to the alleyway Selene sighed. Any sign of trouble and Kerrith forgot about everything else. One time while they were on the way back to Corannon from Willowsrun Kerrith had run off just because her heard a man cursing loudly. It wouldn't have been so bad if they hadn't had been in the middle of some heavy...kissing.

"Everything alright?" Selene asked as Kerrith helped Ismene gather her books. Trashy romances from the looks of the covers. I would have thought that an elf would have better taste than that, Selene thought.

"I'll be fine," Ismene said. "Thank you for your help."

"Are you sure? Do you have anyone to talk to? Sometimes this type of thing can be traumatizing," Kerrith said. It will be for that beggar, he thought a moment later.

"No, I haven't gone by the embassy yet. I just got in today," Ismene said and seemed to remember something. "Oh, hold on." She dug into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a crumpled scrap of paper. "Your friend, Solyma gave me her address. I'll talk to her if I need to."

"Well, it's good that you have someone to talk to then," Kerrith said. "If you need anything drop by the barracks, I'll be there most days and someone will know how to find me if I'm not."

"Thank you, for everything. I never really had a chance to properly thank you after-" She paused and pain seemed to fill her eyes for a moment. "After what happened. Thank you again."

"You're welcome, Miss Isalisos. I hope the rest of your evening turns out better," Kerrith said as he followed her out of the alleyway and watched her walk down the street. "Poor girl," he murmured to himself as she turned a corner.

"What happened to her?" Selene asked as she put her arm through his.

"It's a long sad story, I'll tell you someday," he answered and they continued towards the College, their steps much slower than before.

***

Solyma was sitting at her dressing table brushing her hair in preparation for bed. She didn't really know why she did it, her hair was as soft as it possibly could be and it wasn't as if she needed to have a neat appearance before going to sleep. Still, it was apparently something that "proper' ladies did in Corannon so she had gotten into the habit of doing it. In any case, after counting the hundred or so brush strokes she was nearly asleep anyway.

"Ninety-eight, ninety-nine," she counted under her breath and stopped when she heard someone pull the doorbell. She wondered who would be calling so late when her heart suddenly skipped a beat. It must be him, she thought. I hope it's him. Solyma hurriedly arranged her nightgown into a more revealing position and dabbed a bit of perfume on her neck and in between her breasts as she turned down the lamp and slid into bed. She arranged herself for maximum seductive effect, one arm thrown over her head as she lay on her back with her legs turned to the side.

"Solyma, you have a visitor, should I-" Hector began from the doorway.

"Send him in," Solyma interrupted. Gods above, it's been too long since I've had a man, Solyma thought as she half-closed her eyes and tried to look as if she had been asleep. "My, I didn't expect to see you until tomorrow, Jar-" she began and stopped when she saw who walked into her bedroom. "Ismene?" she said as she sat up hurriedly and turned up the lamp.

"I'm sorry, I can come back later," Ismene said, already backing out of the room. She knew enough from her romance novels to recognize someone trying to seduce someone when she saw it.

"No, wait, I'm sorry. I thought you were someone else," Solyma said hurriedly as she hiked up the bodice of her nightgown and tried to keep the disappointment out of her voice. "You're Ismene, aren't you?"

"Yes," Ismene said as she hovered near the door. "I'm sorry I came by so late, it's just that you invited me over whenever I was in town and I've just arrived." She stopped and blushed, wondering if she sounded as pathetic as she felt.

"Have a seat," Solyma said as she patted the bed next to her. "Would you like something to drink?"

"No, thank you," Ismene said as she gratefully sat down next to Solyma. "Oh, this is nice," she said as she ran her hand over the comforter.

"Did you need a place to stay?" Solyma asked, still trying to figure out why the elf woman had shown up out of the blue.

"No, I've gotten a room at an inn. I wanted to-" She stopped and wiped her eyes. "I don't know. I'm lonely, I guess."

Solyma smiled comfortingly as she placed her hand on Ismene's. The elf had the same look that Penelope had a few months back when she had shown up out of the blue to talk because she was homesick. "Do you miss Taladros?" Solyma asked gently.

Ismene looked up at Solyma and blinked several times. "Yes, I suppose I do. I think it's just because so much has happened to me. I-" she stopped and felt her throat tighten. Soon she felt tears welling up in her eyes as she remembered Lord Volchim.

Solyma sighed and gently took Ismene in her arms, holding her and rocking her soothingly while the elf sobbed against her shoulder. "Shhh, everything will be fine," Solyma whispered into Ismene's ear. She wondered if she should just give the elf a glass of sherry and put her to bed. Thinking of that night with Penelope brought the image of the lovely elf princess to her mind and suddenly she couldn't stop thinking about how Ismene's warm body felt against her's. "Why don't you get some sleep? You can have the bed and I'll sleep downstairs."

"Oh, I don't want to be any trouble to you," Ismene said as she wiped her eyes again.

"It's no trouble at all," Solyma said and reached up to stroke Ismene's hair. "Get a good nights sleep and we can talk in the morning. Everything will seem better after some sleep," she said.

"Thank you," Ismene said and looked up at Solyma. Solyma was shocked when Ismene suddenly leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. She struggled with herself for a moment and then gave in as she wrapped her arms tightly around Ismene's back and kissed her back.

"Gods, I'm sorry," Solyma mumbled when they finally parted.

"Don't be," Ismene said softly. "I don't want to sleep alone tonight," she said, almost desperately.

"Right, right," Solyma said quietly, not quite believing what she was hearing. "Ah, have you been with a woman before?"

Ismene nodded. "Yes, once. Back in Taladros," she answered.

You're only doing this because she reminds you of Penelope, Solyma heard herself think. Yes? So? she answered herself and kissed Ismene again. She felt the elf woman's body tense for a moment and then relax as she let herself be lowered back onto the bed. They parted lips as Solyma kissed down Ismene's throat and began to undo the ties of her dress.

"Are you sure about this?" Solyma asked quietly. "You don't have to do this to pay me back for helping you out in Merglise, that kiss was payment enough."

"Yes," Ismene answered softly. "I want this."

Solyma felt the last bit of her restraint slip away as she yanked the covers back from the bed and lowered Ismene onto the sheets. The elf woman had her eyes closed and was already breathing heavily as Solyma began to undo the ties of her dress. Solyma shuddered in delight as she brushed her fingers across the delicate skin of Ismene's thigh, feeling desire surging through her as she undid the last tie and hurriedly pulled the dress over Ismene's head.

Ismene lay there in only a thin cotton shift that came down to mid-thigh. Her eyes opened and she bit her lip as Solyma kissed her throat and began to run her fingertips in ever narrowing circles around Ismene's nipples. She gasped when Solyma brushed her nipples through the fabric of the shift and kissed the upper slopes of her small and perfect breasts.

"Yes, yes," moaned Ismene as Solyma slid down her body and began to kiss her calf. Ismene sighed in pleasure as Solyma kissed up her leg, alternating from one to the other and nipping gently at her.

Solyma felt her nose fill with the sweet scent of Ismene as she slowly slid the hem of the shift up Ismene's trembling thighs. She kissed each bit of skin that she revealed, reveling in the sound of Ismene's gasps and moans. Solyma smiled when Ismene reached down and dug her hands into her coppery hair, already driven half-mad by Solyma's teasing.

"Gods above," Solyma whispered when she could stand it no longer and helped Ismene tear off her shift. The elf's slender body was incredible. Solyma stared at the delicate rise of Ismene's small breasts to the graceful curve of her stomach. She bit her lip at the sight of the small thatch of golden hair between the elf's thighs. I know why Volchim fell in love with her, Solyma thought as she half-stood and shucked her nightgown.

"Oh, Arcin," Ismene whispered as Solyma began to kiss her inner thighs. The elf's mind was full of the Lord of Merglise's face, the feel of his hands on her body. "Please," she moaned. Solyma paused for a moment, her heavy breaths blowing directly over Ismene's sopping quim. She wondered if all elves smelled so sweet as she bent her head almost reverentially to taste the elf. Solyma felt Ismene's entire body jerk as her tongue flicked over the elf's outer lips. Solyma reached out and grabbed Ismene's hips, pinning the elf's slender body to the bed as she began to slowly and deliberately work her way towards the woman's clit.

Ismene's cries were incomprehensible as she thrashed about on the bed, her hands clutching desperately at the sheets and then burying themselves in Solyma's hair. She felt her legs locking themselves around Solyma's back and arched her back as Solyma's tongue flicked over her clit at last. For a moment she tried to hold back, to keep from yelling so loudly but she felt Solyma's tongue dancing over her and it was as futile as trying to empty the ocean with a wine glass.

Solyma closed her eyes and blissfully worked her mouth and tongue over Ismene's clit. The elf was sweeter than any dessert she had tasted and she could feel her head spinning. As she felt Ismene's legs lock around her back she moved her right hand down between her own legs and began to rub at her own dripping quim. "Penelope," she mumbled as she took Ismene's clit into her mouth and began to flick at it with her tongue.

Ismene gasped for each breath, her breasts glistening with sweat in the dim lamplight. Her golden hair was plastered in sweaty tangles across her face and neck but she paid it no heed, her every thought focused on the pleasure that Solyma's mouth was bringing her. Her hands clutched desperately at Solyma's hair and she heard the red headed woman gasp in pain. The sudden sensation against her clit was too much and she threw her head back with a scream that she thought would rattle the windowpanes.

***

Hector set his model on the worktable with a disgusted sigh. The cries from Solyma's bedroom had become steadily louder and more frantic until he was halfway sure that the poor elf was dying in there. Even that level of noise could be considered normal from Solyma's bedroom, at least if she was having a good night. But that last cry followed by a long silence made him hurry up the stairs towards Solyma's room with visions of another dead lover in Solyma's bed. He sighed when he peeked into Solyma's open door and saw her lying on her back beside the elf woman.

"Do you mind, Solyma? You don't even have the door closed," he said peevishly.

Solyma raised her head slowly and brushed a lock of sweat drenched hair out of her face. "Whrrat?" she mumbled.

"Oh for the- Is she still alive?"

"Gods, Hector. Leave us alone, of course she is. Now go get us something to drink." Solyma huffed and rolled over onto her side as she looked at the calm face of Ismene. The elf seemed to have passed out. I've still got the magic touch, she thought with a smug smile and collapsed onto the bed.

Hector floated in a few minutes later with a pitcher of iced water on a tray with two glasses. He grunted when he saw the two women sprawled across the sheets. He had the feeling that he'd be doing an extra load of laundry in the near future. Despite himself he found himself surreptitiously eying the two naked women as he pulled the sheets over them and placed the water on the nightstand.

Later, Hector found himself staring at his model ship and totally unable to concentrate. His fingers drummed rapidly across the table top as he felt his mind constantly returning to the sweaty vision of the women. Especially the curve of Solyma's bottom as she sprawled across the sheets...

"Bah," he said to himself. The only thing he could think of was that the increased level of...tension in the city due to the upcoming festival was starting to effect him. Still...

***

Selene sighed as she dropped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling. Kerrith had run off because of a disturbance down by the docks. Apparently some mercenaries from Kilasat had started a riot and several fires. And I had everything set up too, she thought to herself. Around the bed were dozens of scented candles, none of them used. A piece of lingerie more nothing than lace lay draped over the back of a chair. She hadn't had a chance to use that either.

Kerrith, she thought and wondered, what would he choose if he had to pick only one of us, me or the kingdom? The thought stayed with her for a long time despite her efforts to think of the upcoming festival. Maybe I should have listened to my mother, she thought, thinking of how upset her mother had been when she had finally learned about her daughter and the Knight. Her father, on the other hand, had been overjoyed by the news that Kerrith was courting her. Having a Knight for a son-in-law would be great for business, he had said.

Selene rolled over onto her stomach and turned to stare out the window at the city. She didn't have a view of the ocean from her third story apartment, but she did have a view of the center of the city and part of the bay. For a moment she thought about the elf that they had met earlier that evening, Kerrith wouldn't-? she thought and then shook her head. If there was one thing that Kerrith wasn't, it was being adulterous. Something like that would almost be easier to deal with than his dedication to the kingdom.

***

Solyma stirred groggily and blinked her eyes as she stared up at the dimly lit ceiling. Something had woken her, but what? She turned her head at the sound of someone whimpering softly and saw that Ismene was caught in the throes of a nightmare. The elf woman looked so much younger as she slept. Solyma felt a vague stirring of guilt for taking advantage of the elf but quickly dismissed it.

"She wanted it as much as I did," Solyma muttered and tried to ignore feeling that she was somehow betraying Penelope. She sighed and gently patted Ismene on the shoulder. The elf flinched away and her face contorted in fear. "It's alright, Ismene," Solyma whispered as she stroked the elf's hair and pulled her closer. This seemed to work and Ismene relaxed, her breathing becoming deep and even again as she cuddled up close to Solyma.

Solyma stretched and managed to snag a glass of water from the bedside table on Ismene's side of the bed. She gulped it down and set it on the floor next to her before settling back on the bed. As she did, Ismene snuggled closer, her warm body pressed up next to Solyma and her slender legs entwining with her's. Solyma sighed and stroked Ismene's shoulder slowly as she looked up at shadows cast by the lamp on the ceiling. Poor girl, she thought. Loses someone she loves and gets raped in the process. She kissed the top of Ismene's head and reached over to turn down the lamp. She tried a few unsuccessful grabs for it and lay back. She couldn't reach it without waking up Ismene so...She smiled as she wove a quick weave and extended it towards the lamp, there was a tiny squeak as the lamp key turned and the flame died.

I knew there was a reason why I learned magic, Solyma thought to herself as she pulled the covers tighter around her and Ismene. It was still a bit cool for this late in the season, in normal years they wouldn't have needed a blanket, just a sheet at most. She smiled as Ismene rested her head on her shoulder and closed her eyes, sleep just a few moments away.

***

Tancred paced around his living room, pausing for a moment to examine a knickknack and then resuming his pacing. He wished he hadn't run into that elf girl, otherwise he could have gotten his books. He stopped and yawned.

"Spawn of the night, my ass," he said tiredly. Since he had started living in Corannon he had gradually adjusted his sleeping schedule to more closely match the normal humans living in the city. He usually managed to wake up by one in the afternoon and spent most of the night awake but this wasn't all that different from a lot of the other nobles. "Damned Knight," he said to no one in particular. He reached stopped by a desk and yanked open a drawer, staring at the two pieces of hard paper inside. "Maybe she'll want to go to the opera today," he said as he held the tickets up. Then, maybe things could happen...

He had lied when he had told Solyma that he never thought of settling down. He felt age creeping up on him even though he was a vampire and could technically live forever. He wanted someone, someone who would be there at the end of the night. Someone he liked, someone he was friends with, someone who he wouldn't have to watch grow older, someone...Someone like Solyma. Bah, he thought and shook his head. I need to get out again.

***

Solyma yawned as she opened her eyes and stared up at the sunlit ceiling. She glanced over towards the clock she had purchased a few months ago. Seven thirty, she read and yawned again. She wondered why she had woken up so early when she heard Ismene mumble something. She turned her head, wondering if the elf was awake and saw that the girl was still dreaming.

"Oh, of course, Arcin," Ismene mumbled happily. "Of course I'll marry you." Solyma shook her head leaned back against the pillows. Marriage, she thought. Marriage wasn't something she thought about much, at least not since she had been a little girl and dreamed of having some handsome demon prince whisk her away to a life of romance and, most importantly, no more chores. Now she couldn't even imagine being married.

Solyma sighed as she started to sit up, too awake to get back to sleep. As she gently lifted Ismene's arm off her stomach the elf girl suddenly whimpered and clutched at her. Solyma paused for a second and slid a large pillow into Ismene's grasp while she slid off the bed. It seemed to work, Ismene hugged the pillow close and buried her face in it as her whimpers subsided.

Solyma padded silently to the bathroom and carefully shut the door behind her. A few twists of valves and a couple of seconds with the pump started the water flowing from the faucet into a wash basin. It was quite cold as she splashed her face and began to brush her teeth. She rinsed and spat as she glanced at the small window set in the main water tank. The tank was almost full, Hector must have topped it off last night, she thought. She yawned again and wove a spell to quickly heat the water, an advantage that she had over most other residents of the city who had to wait for a wood or coal fired heater to warm to the water for their baths or showers.

Might as well get some breakfast, she thought as she left the bathroom and walked downstairs after picking up her robe from the bedroom floor. She smiled when she saw the books that Ismene had carried with her, all romances.

"How about some breakfast, Hector," she said as she walked into the kitchen and slumped in a chair by the table. "Oh, you've already started." Hector was floating by the stove, a panful of something that smelled wonderful sizzling in front of him. "What is it?"

"Eggs, cheese, bacon, mushrooms, and green onions," he said as he gave the contents of the pan a flip.

"That sounds great," Solyma said, already feeling her stomach grumbling. "You finished with those exams yet?" she asked, hoping that she sounded sufficiently imperious for Hector.

"No, I didn't. Those exams are your responsibility anyway," Hector said as he scooped a portion of the egg scramble onto a plate and set it in front of Solyma. "Why don't you do them?"

"Why should I correct them? You're my familiar. You're supposed to do whatever I tell you to," she said with a smile. "So correct them. Or else you start being my little sex slave."

Hector snorted and turned back to the oven. He set the pan on a thick board to keep from damaging the counter and damped the fire in the oven, all the while grumbling loudly enough for Solyma to just barely hear him but not make out his words.

Behind his back Solyma smiled as she wolfed down breakfast. This was better, she had actually been worried when he had become sullen and loud. Usually he was just sullen and quiet. Hopefully he'd get back to normal with something to complain about to the other familiars.

***

Ismene blinked and flinched when she awoke to the dishes rattling.

"Sorry," Solyma said as she set down a tray loaded with breakfast. "I brought you something to eat."

"Thank you," Ismene said with a blush. She wished that she hadn't acted so silly last night, she shuddered to think of what Solyma thought of her now.

"You're welcome, I hope you like it. Hector made it."

"It's, mmm, delicious," Ismene said through a mouthful of food. "You've been so kind," she said when she had finished swallowing. "I'm sorry about last night, I don't know what was wrong with me."

Solyma leaned over and kissed Ismene softly. "It was my pleasure. I know what it's like to stay in an inn alone, especially when everyone else seems to be having a good time. Why don't you stay here? You can sleep in the guest room or we could share this one," Solyma said with a faint smile.

"Really? Thank you, Solyma. I don't like being alone anymore, I get scared. I even started carrying a dagger with me," Ismene said. She nodded towards the pile of her clothes on the floor. "A man bumped into me and I nearly stabbed him. Then a beggar grabbed my arm and I did cut him. I don't know what's wrong with me!" she half-sobbed.

Solyma watched in alarm as Ismene suddenly began to cry hysterically. She pushed the tray out of the way and reached over to gather Ismene into her arms. The elf's slender body shook with the force of her sobs and Solyma could feel Ismene's tears soaking through her robe and nightgown. "Have you talked to anyone about what happened, at Merglise, I mean?" she said quietly.

"I-no, no, I haven't. Who could I tell?" Ismene said in a choked voice.

"You can tell me, if you want," Solyma said as kindly as she could.

"No, you'll think I'm a horrible person," Ismene said and tried feebly to pull away from Solyma. Solyma let her pull away to arm's length but held her there.

"No, I'm not," she said calmly. "I've done and seen some bad things in my life, I promise you that I won't think badly of you."

Ismene stared into her eyes, searching to see if she was lying or not. Finally the need to talk, to tell someone what had happened, overcame her. She began to tell the tale of what had happened before Lord Arcin du Volchim had become possessed by the Dathuz, Cirron. She told Solyma about Arcin's previous wife and how she had died fighting a dragon far away from Merglise. She told Solyma about the ball and the night in the garden, then about the ride out to the point of the peninsula and the night they had spent together. Then she told Solyma about what Cirron had done to her while wearing the body of the Lord du Volchim.

"The horrible thing is, the thing that makes me such a horrible person," Ismene said haltingly. "When he first came to me in my bedroom, I-I wanted him. Not in the way that he took me, but I though he was going to make love to me, not-" she stopped and looked down at the empty plate of food.

"It's not your fault," Solyma said firmly. "It doesn't matter what you thought or said, that didn't make that damned Dathuz do what he did to you. You had no say in the matter. He did what he did because he was evil, not because you were in love with Lord Volchim." Solyma's lips tightened in a straight line as she watched Ismene and worried what the elf would say.

"You're right," Ismene finally said. "I don't know why I thought that it was my fault. But I just keep thinking that if I hadn't gone there, maybe Arcin wouldn't have tried to summon his wife."

"I don't think so, if anything, you might have made things better. If he hadn't cared for you so much he might have not taken as many precautions when he tried to summon his wife, a whole army of Dathuz might have escaped. We might be fighting armies of the undead right now. And in the end, I think his love for you helped him sacrifice himself to keep Cirron from escaping or growing stronger."

"You think he loved me?" Ismene said with her eyes shining. Solyma half opened her mouth and then closed it in the face of such pure hope.

"Yes," she finally said, putting all three hundred years of skill in lying into that one word. "I think he loved you." Gods above, I hope I'm doing the right thing, she prayed. She didn't know what Lord Volchim felt for Ismene. Her cynical side said that the Lord was probably just trying to tumble his pretty governess. The tiny voice of her romantic side said differently. It doesn't really matter, just so long as she's happy, she finally decided.

"But he also loved his wife," Ismene said quietly. "At the end, that was who he was asking for." Solyma remained silent, not wanting to make things worse. "Do you think he's happy wherever he is?"

"Yes, I imagine he is."

Ismene was silent for a long time and then she looked back up at Solyma. "Thank you, I feel better now," she said with a smile she did not feel. I'm never feeling that way again, she vowed to herself. I'm not going to hurt that much again, no matter what. Never.

***

Laros knocked at Penelope's door before he quietly opened it and slipped into her bedroom. He stopped when he saw her still sleeping despite the sunlight streaming in through the open curtains. It reflected off her golden hair and highlighted her face, making her seem even more beautiful, as if that were possible.

He watched as she sighed in her sleep and rolled over onto her side, her cheek pressing firmly against the pillow as she burrowed deeper into her sheets. He sighed and wished that he didn't have to wake her. He studied her for a moment longer and then shook his head, dismissing the feelings he had for her as just a protective instinct.

"Your majesty," he said quietly as he touched her shoulder. "You wanted me to wake you at nine of the morning."

"Oh, good morning Laros," Penelope said as she stretched and yawned, making Laros' heart beat a little faster. She looked up at him from the bed and smiled. "Don't look so serious, Laros. It's a beautiful day, why don't you smile?"

Laros tried and Penelope winced. "How about not glaring?" she suggested and that worked better. Laros turned as he sensed someone walking down the hallway towards the apartment.

"Stay here," he said to Penelope as he opened the bedroom door and crossed towards the apartment door. "Who is it?" he called out when someone rapped on the door.

"Mathieu Quiton, now open the door," someone called out in an unsteady voice.

Laros opened the door a crack and stared into the red eyes of Mathieu Quiton, son of Duke Adelard Quiton. The man's black hair was matted and hung in greasy locks around his face. His clothes fared no better and were stained with grease and sauce from meals eaten without the benefit of a napkin. "Go away before I break your arm again," Laros said evenly.

"You can't talk to me that way, I'm a duly appointed representative of the kingdom and the son of a duke as well," Mathieu said with a sneer.

Laros looked at the human in revulsion as his enhanced sense of smell picked up the stench of vomit and cheap liquor. He almost wanted the human to try something and realized that he would get far too much pleasure from beating the human to a pulp. "Go away now," he said and shut the door in the human's face.

"You dirty son-of-a-whore!" Mathieu screamed from the other side of the door. "You open this door and bring that bitch you call a princess out here right now! I order you by the authority of the Knights of the Shield!" Mathieu smiled smugly when Laros opened the door fully and stepped through. "Don't worry, I'll pay you for your troubles," he said and dug into his jacket to pull out a small pouch of coins. "This should cover the cost for a quick fuck," he said and tossed the pouch at Laros.

Laros caught the pouch with one hand and weighed it. It could contain no more than twenty or so marks, what a sailor would pay the lowliest prostitute for a quick blowjob in an alley. "I'll give you ten seconds to leave," Laros snarled, feeling a red mist forming in his head. He noticed that other students who had not left for their homes yet were poking their heads out of the doors and watching him and Mathieu with interest.

"Quit yapping," Mathieu said. "Now hurry up and bring that whore out here, I want to be between her legs in ten seconds or I'll-"

Mathieu didn't have a chance to finish the sentence as Laros snapped his hand forward and caught him directly under the chin. The human's eyes bugged out as Laros lifted him with one hand and propelled him down the corridor, stopping in front of the door to the lavatory. Students were stepping into the hall as Laros knocked the door open with his free hand and threw Mathieu into a stall.

The human grunted as his back slammed against the bowl of a lavatory. He tried to stand and slipped drunkenly on the tile. "You'll pay for this, elf," he spat. "My father will see that you are executed for this offense!"

Laros wasn't listening anymore as he jerked Mathieu to his feet and spun him around with one arm twisted painfully behind his back. He gave a sharp twist and Mathieu screamed as his shoulder was dislocated. Laros then shoved Mathieu's head downward into the lavatory and pulled the chain that flushed it. He gave the human a last contemptuous kick as he strode out of the lavatory leaving the human cradling his injured arm and glaring at his back.

As he walked down the corridor he was already regretting his actions. He had let his anger take control of him and had left Penelope alone for a minute, a minute too long by any standard. He seized control of his face and composed it into a calm mask as he opened the door to Penelope's apartment and stepped inside. She was standing at the door to her bedroom with a worried look on her face.

"Don't worry, he's taken care of," Laros said, completely misinterpreting her face.

"I'm not worried about him, I'm worried about you," Penelope said more sharply than she intended. "What do you think his father will do? They might decide it best to send you back to Taladron and replace you! I don't want that."

"I am sorry, your majesty," Laros said as he bowed his head in shame, knowing that she was right. His actions had not befitted the dignity of the royal house of Taladron and he knew that he very well might be reassigned.

Penelope sighed as she stepped towards him and lifted his face with her hand. She looked into his pained eyes and felt her heart flutter at what she saw for a second before his eyes glazed over with a cold shield. "Don't worry," she said softly, "just order us some breakfast and we'll forget about all of this."

***

Ismene tapped her foot unconsciously as she stood in the main courtyard of the city barracks. She idly watched the men practicing with their weapons across the courtyard, her gaze lingering on their bare chests as they sparred back and forth.

"Miss Isalisos? You wanted to see me?" Kerrith asked as he stepped out of a doorway. He had been working on some paperwork, a sadly necessary part of his promotion to Knight Protector, when a trainee had knocked on his door and said that an elf wanted to see him.

"Yes, Sir Archotos," Ismene said as she looked up at him. She was short for an elf and stood only to his chest. "I wanted to know if you could show me how to use one of those," she said, nodding towards a rack of long swords standing by the wall for the blacksmith to sharpen.

Kerrith blinked and scratched his chin, leaving a small smear of ink from his paperwork. "I suppose I could, but, why? I mean, I thought you were a governess," he finally said.

"I was. I want to learn how to fight," Ismene said in a cold voice.

"Well, alright," Kerrith said. "You'll have to get a different outfit, there's no way you can train in a dress. When did you want to start?"

"Now. I can go buy some clothes right now."

"Today? But it's Aeleasday," Kerrith said. He should know, Selene had chewed him out for reneging on his promise to go on a picnic today. He would have, he wanted to, really, but there was so much to do at work and he'd see her at the Festival anyway...He shook his head and sighed. "If you want. Just come by my office once you've gotten some suitable clothes, something lightweight and tough that you won't mind getting dirty."

Ismene nodded and turned, walking out of the compound's gate apparently unaware of the admiring gazes following her. "Got yourself another piece on the side, oh great Knight?" Mathieu said snidely as he walked over with his arm in a sling.

Kerrith barely suppressed a sneer as he looked at Mathieu. He still couldn't believe that the nobleman's son had managed to gain entry into the Knighthood. He hated to think that the entrance council could be swayed by a title and a father's request, but this time it appeared that it had. Mathieu was the absolute worst example of a Knight that Kerrith had ever known. He'd be hard pressed to be accepted into the lowliest and rankest mercenary group. Not because Mathieu couldn't wield a sword as well as any other man, he was actually one of the best swordsmen Kerrith had ever met, but he lacked discipline and any sense of honor, both essential for any Knight.

"Go back to one of the brothels you love so much," Kerrith said as he turned and walked back towards his office. Behind him he heard Mathieu snort and walk away. That boy is trouble, Kerrith thought as he sat back down at his desk and pulled another stack of paperwork in front of him.

***

The door was polished handsomely and showed a great deal of age. A brass name plate was mounted at eye level with a name engraved in ivory in it. Selene knocked on the door and silently cursed her new teacher. Just as well that Kerrith canceled their picnic, she'd likely be here in Professor Icarii's laboratory for the rest of the day.

"Selene, so good to see you," Icarii said as he swung open the door and smiled toothily at Selene. He didn't look like a necromancer. He had a healthy head of dark blond hair and his complexion was ruddy from sun and time outdoors. Still, there was something in his eyes that was different from everyone else, they reminded Selene of an insect's, flat and lifeless. "Would you care for a drink?"

"I, yes, please," Selene said. She didn't really feel like anything but it was best to start out well.

Professor Vashel Icarii smirked with his back turned to Selene. He had spotted her several weeks ago and offered to "tutor' her for the summer. She was a delicious figure of womanhood and he especially liked her long black hair. He was careful to hide his movements behind his body as he opened a small vial of powder and tapped a tiny amount into the glass he gave to Selene. "Now, why don't we get to know each other?" he said with a smile he truly felt.

***

Ismene's hair flashed in the early afternoon sun as she huffed and parried one of Kerrith's thrusts. The tunic she was wearing had soaked through and was plastered to her slim body like a second skin. The guards and Knights staying at the barracks had soon lined the courtyard walls and second story windows that looked out into the courtyard. At least they had until Kerrith had shooed them away and threatened to send them out to patrol the city for any possible disturbances before the Festival tomorrow.

"Good, keep your guard up," Kerrith said as Ismene parried a cut. "You're picking this up very fast, I'm impressed."

Ismene smiled thinly and lunged forward with a low cut that forced Kerrith to jump backward. Her hands, used to needlepoint and cooking, were already blistered and sore from the heavy metal pommel of the practice long sword. But she forced herself not to ask for a break even though Kerrith had offered to rest several times. "Watch your balance," he said as she stumbled backward.

Kerrith was much more impressed than he had let on. The elf girl had shown an unusual intensity in her practice and a natural aptitude for the blade. She had mastered the basic parries and attacks in just over an hour, now he was showing her more advanced techniques. He staggered backward as she took her long sword in both hands and hammered away at his defense, forcing him backwards across the fencing circle and managing to knock his sword out of his hand. He laughed in amazement as he raised his hand in surrender. "That was wonderful," he said as he caught his breath. "You're really a natural at this-" He stopped in horror when he saw the elf girl's eyes roll back in her head. She staggered and began to crumble bonelessly to the firmly packed sand of the circle, her sword dropping from her hand with a dull thump. She felt light as a feather in his arms as he caught her and lifted her while calling for water and a healer.

***

Ismene stirred slightly and groaned in pain as she woke up. She was lying on cool silk sheets in a dimly lit room that smelled faintly of perfume.

"Good, you're awake," Solyma said as she sat down next to the elf.

"Where's Sir Archotos?" Ismene asked groggily as she half sat up and realized she was naked. She started to pull the sheet over her bare breasts but stopped when she remembered where she was.

"He had to run off to the College, there's been some sort of disturbance," Solyma said and pressed a damp cloth onto Ismene's forehead while eying Ismene's body appreciatively. "You fainted from the heat. You should drink more water when you exercise."

"I forgot," Ismene said as she sank back onto the bed. "I'm not used to that type of exercise."

"I'd imagine so. Let's have a look at those hands, shall we?" Solyma winced at the sight of Ismene's hands. They were stained with dried blood and she could hear Ismene gasp in pain as the bandages stuck to her torn skin. "Sorry, I'm not very good at healing weaves, but I'll do what I can."

Ismene sighed gratefully as Solyma finished the weave and a soft glow spread over Ismene's hands. There was a brief twinge of pain as the skin healed itself but soon Ismene couldn't feel any pain at all. "Thank you," she said with a small smile that set Solyma's heart pounding. In the dark she looked like Penelope. Solyma dug her nails into her palm as she forced herself not to think of the princess.

"Your hands will be very sensitive for a little while until the nerves adjust," Solyma said. "You were also a bit sunburned but I took care of that while you were asleep."

"Should I be careful?" Ismene asked.

"I guess, things will just feel a lot more...intense."

"Like wha-" Ismene began and gasped as her hand brushed the silk sheets. "Oh my," she whispered as she brushed her fingertips gently over the silk and moaned at the sensation. "That's incredible," she said as she placed her hand on the sheets and began to stroke them slowly. She looked up as Solyma took her wrist and slowly brought her hand up to her mouth.

Ismene shuddered in pleasure as Solyma slowly sucked her index finger into her mouth and began to slide her tongue around it. Each swirl and caress of Solyma's skilled tongue sent waves of gasping pleasure through her as she panted for breath, each slow lick more intense than anything she had ever felt. Solyma eased her back onto the bed and began to alternate between her fingers, slowly letting each one slide in and out of her mouth until they were soaked before moving on. Soon Ismene was writhing on the bed as Solyma held her wrists tightly and ran her tongue over the palms of Ismene's hands. "Gods, Solyma," Ismene managed to gasp out. "Please!"

Solyma smiled as she lay down on the bed beside Ismene, her tongue still swirling across Ismene's fingers as she moved one hand down to Ismene's drenched quim. She paused for a moment, delighting in Ismene's panted pleas for release. Then she slowly began to rub the tip of her finger across Ismene's clit, pausing for a moment to switch to Ismene's other hand, and then applying a slow, circular pressure.

Ismene's eyes rolled back in her head and she felt as if she could faint at any second. Her back arched off the bed as she felt herself come from only that one brief touch by Solyma. Her bosom heaved as she sucked air into her lungs, her mind on fire from the sensations flooding it. She managed to groan incoherently before Solyma was working on her clit with her tongue, driving her to another orgasm and sending her body into quaking spasms.

***

Kerrith had to shove his way through a crowd of mages gathered in the hallway. A few angry mutters followed him as he pushed his way out of the crowd and to the laboratory of Professor Icarii, but none attempted to stop him.

"What happened?" he asked the Chancellor of the College.

"There was a bit of row," the Chancellor said. The man, still fit despite his age, stroked his beard as he nodded towards the two people standing well apart from each other, each guarded by several of the faculty.

"Selene? What happened?" Kerrith asked as he walked over to her. Her face was pale and her dress was torn and scorched in places.

"That piece of ox shit tried to drug me," she spat, anger blazing in her eyes as she motioned towards a healthy looking man of about thirty years.

"Is this true?" Kerrith said as he looked towards the other man.

"All lies," the man said.

"Then how did this happen?" Kerrith asked as he looked in the door of the laboratory and saw a scene of destruction. Tables and furniture lay scattered and smashed into kindling. Scorch marks still smoldered on the floor and walls and the smell of smoke and lightning filled the air.

"She wanted me to be her lover," Professor Icarii said calmly. "But when I refused her advances she went insane. No doubt she was unused to being rejected, I imagine that she slept her way into the College. This is why I maintain that we should not allow women as students."

Selene went deathly pale and her eyes narrowed. Kerrith recognized that she was as angry as he had ever seen her. The only other time he had seen her even close to being this angry was when her mother had attempted to forbid her from seeing him. "He is lying," she said through clenched teeth. "Check the glass he gave me, it should still have the traces of the Qualchi powder."

"Qualchi powder?" Kerrith said, aghast. "That's been outlawed for more than a century. Trying to use it is punishable by exile."

"Shame there is no glass," Icarii said smugly as he gestured to a lump of melted glass on the floor. "Seems one of her fireballs conveniently destroyed the evidence."

"You son of a whore," Selene growled. "You were the one who did that."

"Really? It's my word against your's."

"No, I believe it's the truth against your word," the Chancellor said. "We've been watching you since your last student complained to us. I hoped that she was just being petty after being failed by you, but we've had your laboratory under surveillance ever since."

"This is an outrage!" Icarii shouted. "How dare you subject me to such an indignity? The Council will hear of this!"

"The Council," the Chancellor said, "approved this course of action. We will not have the likes of you staining the reputation of the College." With a wave of his hand, the Chancellor set a weave in motion and created a floating image of the laboratory in miniature.

Kerrith watched in growing anger as he saw the way Icarii leered at Selene and then slipped a vial of powder into her drink. He couldn't help but smile when Selene spotted the vial and dropped the glass as she began to weave spells around herself. There was a brief but savage exchange of magic with flames and lightning smashing through the laboratory. The image ended with College faculty bursting into the room and separating the combatants.

"This, this is a fake," Icarii said as a group of faculty stepped near him with weaves of binding at the ready. "This is a conspiracy!"

"No, Icarii, no conspiracy," the Chancellor said. "You have behaved in a manner which would shame even the lowest criminal. For that you will be expelled from the College and your title stripped before you are handed over to the kingdom's authority for arrest and trial." The Chancellor turned to Kerrith and handed him a folded page of paper bearing the seal of the office of the Chancellor and the Council of the College. "We will deliver him to the headquarters of the Knights once we have ensured that he will not escape."

"You'll regret this Thomas! I'll see you pay for this!" Icarii yelled at the Chancellor as he was dragged away, weaves so powerful as to be visible to the untrained eye binding him. "I'll see you and your bitch dead too, Knight! The kingdom will pay!" he screamed at Kerrith before one of the faculty forced his mouth shut with another weave.

***

Solyma half-dozed as she lounged on the lounge chair in her back yard. The summer sun was pleasingly warm against her body as she stretched and yawned. From the table next to her on the deck she could hear the sound of a pen scratching against paper as Hector corrected the exams. Over on the lawn she could hear the faint swishes as Ismene went through her weapons drills although she looked somewhat silly since Solyma had made her wear a broad brimmed hat to keep the sun off her head.

"Balance," Solyma called out sleepily. She was trying to conserve her energy for the opera that night and for the festival tomorrow. If events went as she hoped there wouldn't be much time for sleeping. I wonder if Jaric likes a tan on a woman, she wondered idly. She could always strip and do some sunbathing...She shrugged inwardly, she doubted that Jaric would care what her skin looked like once she was done with him.

Solyma stirred when she heard the doorbell ring. "Hector, be a dear and-" she started to say but Hector was already drifting back into the house. She listened as he opened the door and ushered someone in, Tancred by the sound of it.

"Tancred," she said, "just the man I wanted to see."

"Really? Why?" Tancred asked as he sat down in a chair next to Hector. His gaze drifted from Solyma to Ismene as he smiled faintly. He could see the shape of the elf's small breasts outlined through her sweat soaked tunic and her legs were left bare from mid-thigh down.

"Kerrith recommended you as the best man with the rapier in Corannon," Solyma said.

"Yes, I suppose I am. But why?"

Solyma nodded towards Ismene. "Her? Why's she need to know how to use a rapier?" He paused for a moment. "You do mean a sword, right? Not-" he trailed off meaningfully. Solyma laughed and sat up. "Yes, a metal sword used for killing people. Not that other sword of yours." She smirked and laughed again. "Although I'd probably call it a dagger."

***

The opera house was brilliantly lit by scores of lamps that lay across its front like the night sky turned on its side. Solyma leaned her head out the window of the carriage and watched the opera house and the hundreds of guests slowly filing their way into the lobby.

"Amazing," she said quietly at the sight of such splendor.

"Surely this isn't the first time you've attended the opera," Jaric said from across the carriage from her.

"No, of course not," Solyma said quickly and turned to look at Jaric. He was dressed in expensive clothes that were well tailored to his tall and well muscled frame. Solyma took a moment to admire how his tunic clung snugly to his shoulders and how handsome the emblazoned symbol of the Knights looked on his shoulder. She handed the bouquet of flowers that Jaric had given her to Hector as the carriage pulled up in front of the opera house.

About ten minutes later they were inside the grand central lobby of the opera house. A quintet of musicians played chamber music in one corner while the cream of Corannon's upper-class mingled and chatted.

"Are you alright?" Jaric asked as Solyma edged closer to him.

"Yes, I think the heat is getting to me," Solyma said. It was partially true. But most of her discomfort was from the sudden presence of nobility and society. Despite her title which she had been granted by a minor feudal lord of Kilasat, she had never really been comfortable with the upper-class.

"Would you like to mingle for a while or should we head to our box?" Jaric asked solicitously.

"Why don't we go ahead to our seats? Is there somewhere to get something to eat?" Solyma realized she had made a mistake when Jaric gave her a puzzled look. "That was joke, Jaric," she said lightly and felt her heart skip a beat when he smiled and laughed. Dammit, she thought as she slipped her arm through his and started up the main staircase, Hector floating just behind.

***

Tancred tapped his fingers on the railing at the front of the box. He glanced over at the empty seat next to him and sighed. No one from his usual acquaintances had been available to attend the opera with him, most of them were attending with their husbands. He had hoped that Ismene would have been willing to go with him when she had accepted a ticket, but apparently she had decided not to come.

Hope rose in his heart when he heard the door to the box open and heard soft footsteps. He quickly tried to look like he hadn't been waiting as Ismene sat down next to him.

"I'm sorry I was late, it took forever to get the dress fitted," Ismene said as she sat down.

"Oh, don't be," Tancred said as he turned towards her, "they haven't even started the overture yerrrgghh-" His jaw nearly dropped when he saw Ismene fully. She was wearing a light silk dress that clung to slim body, concealing and revealing at the same time. It was made from a deep blue silk that perfectly matched her eyes. Tancred could feel his mouth dry as his eyes moved up her body to the tantalizing bit of her bosom that the dress revealed and then up to the graceful curve of her neck. "You," he coughed, "you look beautiful."

"Thank you," Ismene said with a small blush. She wasn't used to being complimented on her beauty, much less actually trying to appear beautiful. She had purposely chosen this revealing dress to see exactly what the effect would be on the vampire. She hadn't been disappointed.

***

The Knight's Legend started off innocuously enough. The opening scenes were off the simple farm of Erys Ivraim and her family. A simple but sweet song of hope for the future and the dreams of Erys and her husband opened the show. The singer playing the part of Erys was superb, her voice climbing high and clear to ring out over the enchanted audience. Solyma leaned forward, entranced by the music. Beside her she could see that Jaric was just as entranced although the beauty of the singer playing Erys could have been responsible for that.

All too soon the tone of the opera changed. Harsh and deafening music signaled the approach of the Dathuz led by the necromancer Tarakash. For a moment the sweet music of the opening rose to confront the Dathuz as Erys and her husband fought desperately to buy time for their children to escape. Even though she had heard the story many times before, the lament of Erys still made Solyma's eyes moisten, although not much. She wasn't especially surprised to see Jaric dabbing at his eyes with a handkerchief as Erys buried her family and swore vengeance on Tarakash.

***

Ismene felt her heart clench as she listened to Erys's last lament as she left the graves of her family to join the tiny army of Krisephyr. A quick martial tune struck up as the soldiers sung about the glory they'd find in war and the quick victory over Tarakash they expected. But underneath the brash and vibrant song was Erys's melancholy and thoughtful tune on the horrors of what she'd seen and the sadness of seeing life wasted in battle.

The rest of the first act passed quickly as the armies of the living clashed with and were defeated by the armies of Tarakash. Ismene found that she couldn't pay attention despite the sweeping music and soaring voices of the singers. At the beginning of the second act all she could think of was death and loss. She felt tears welling up in her eyes as she thought again of Lord Volchim and she forced herself to clamp down on her feelings. She desperately turned her attention back to the opera as Erys led a small band of warriors through a narrow mountain pass in a slow retreat. Ismene noticed that Tancred was softly singing along with the music, he seemed to know the words of the rallying song by heart.

"No matter what the cost/ no matter how great the loss/ we must stand and hold/ this place/ for each moment bought/ with our life's blood/ shall be one more life saved," he sang in his pleasant tenor voice. On stage Erys dismissed her companions as she took her place blocking the mountain pass.

Thunder roared and lightning flashed in the background as Tarakash advanced for the final battle with the woman who had constantly been a thorn in his side. Their last conversation was a duel of songs, each verse louder and more powerful than the one before as Erys sang of loss and vengeance while Tarakash sang of death and power.

Ismene found herself becoming lost in the music and gladly let it sweep her away as Erys and Tarakash dueled across the stage. In a spectacular feat of stage direction, flame seemed to leap from Erys' sword while lightning flashed over Tarakash's scythe. Sparks and showers of light leapt from their weapons as they clashed and sang, moving towards the climax. Despite herself, Ismene felt her knuckles whiten as she clutched at the railing of the box, leaning forward to catch every detail as Erys stabbed her sword downward through Tarakash's heart while his scythe slashed into her side and darkness fell over the stage.

She realized she was breathing heavily as the dark silence went on for a half minute and then the lights came up again to show Erys lying back against a rock while her companions rushed up. For a moment they sang the chorus of the marching song until they saw that Erys was mortally wounded. In a slow and sweet voice, Erys sang the words of the idyllic days before the war. Ismene gasped as she listened and watched as onstage Erys slumped in the arms of her companions and died.

Unwanted emotions flooded through Ismene as the companions sang their song of mourning and lifted Erys' body. The vision of Lord Volchim's body in the moonlight was too much for her and she bowed her head in pain.

"Ismene?" Tancred asked. "What's wrong?" He watched in alarm as a trail of tears flowed down Ismene's cheeks and a sob so wrenching that it shook her entire body tore through her. He gasped and pulled back in surprise when she lunged and grabbed his head, pulling him towards her to kiss him with a fierce intensity. He could taste the salt of her tears as she pressed herself against him and began to desperately undo his clothing. "Ismene, please, we're in public," he said as she climbed onto his lap and straddled him. "Someone might see."

"So?" she snapped as she fiercely yanked up her dress. "Just fuck me," she said in choked voice.

Tancred's resistance faded quickly as her warm and lithe body pressed against his. Her breasts were firm and deliriously exciting as they rubbed against him through the fabric of her dress. He groaned into her mouth as she yanked open his breeches and pulled out his cock. Tancred pushed Ismene's dress up around her waist and bent his mouth to her breasts, soaking the thin silk of her dress as he suckled on them. His senses were flying high as the smell of her blood wafted into his nostrils.

"Oh, gods," he mumbled as he kissed her again and worked his hand between them to grab her underwear. He yanked at them fiercely and sent the tattered bit of cloth flying over the railing and towards the people below.

They both grunted as the chair rocked backwards and toppled to the floor with them on it. Tancred winced as his head bounced off the carpet and Ismene yanked his breeches down. He gasped loudly as she lifted herself up and impaled herself on his cock, her tight wet warmth squeezing him with a delicious pressure. Ismene's breath was hot on his cheek as she grunted with each grinding motion of her hips. All the while she was kissing him as her hands grabbed at his shoulders.

Tancred moaned loudly as Ismene began to rut herself against him, her hips moving furiously against him. She bit at his lip as her slim fingers dug into the flesh of his shoulders painfully. Tancred gasped in pleasure and tried to slow her movement by placing his hands on her hips but she ignored him and increased the speed of her motions.

"Ismene, slow down," he moaned as she collapsed onto his chest. He could feel tears soaking his shirt as she continued to grind her hips against him. He clenched his teeth as he felt himself lose control and jerked his hips upwards into her, their bodies slapping wetly together. He became gradually aware of someone pounding on the door to the box as Ismene's body tensed and went rigid for a moment before she went limp. Tancred gently lifted her boneless body off his and placed her on the floor next to him as he hurriedly did up his pants and straightened his shirt.

Ismene lay on her back with her eyes shut, not caring that her dress was still hiked over her waist. For a while, in the heat of the act, she had managed to forget everything, she could concentrate only on the merging of two bodies. She still couldn't get Lord Volchim out of her mind as Tancred lifted her and smoothed her dress down.

"Nothing we can do about your underwear," he said with forced cheerfulness as he edged his head over the railing. He spotted a very angry looking matron shaking the scrap of silk in her hands as she screamed at a cowering usher and jerked his head back before she could look up. \

He dabbed at her face with his handkerchief with a worried smile and frowned when he saw the cold and sad look in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked again, mystified by her behavior.

"Nothing," she said hollowly as she felt a curtain drop over her heart, shutting off her feelings as completely as she could. "Nothing."

***

Solyma arrived home humming the overture from the opera. She kissed Jaric one last time as he held the coach door open for her and skipped up the steps to her front door with Hector just behind. She paused when she saw that the door was ajar and surreptitiously summoned a weave of fire around her hand.

"What's wrong?" Jaric asked as he walked up. Solyma nodded towards the door and Jaric moved in front of her. Solyma rolled her eyes and followed him into the house.

"Hello?" she called out as she motioned for Hector to scout the upstairs. "Anyone home?"

Just after she and Jaric had finished inspecting the downstairs rooms she heard Hector calling from the bedroom. She rushed up with Jaric in tow and swore when she saw Ismene sprawled across the bedsheets with a bottle in her hand.

"That was my best wine," she said as she checked Ismene's heartbeat and breathing. "She's fine," she sighed, "just fell asleep."

"Is there anything I can do?" Jaric asked.

"No, you'd better go home, I'll take care of this. I don't think she'll want to see an unfamiliar face when she wakes up."

Jaric nodded and slowly left with a goodbye. Solyma absently responded as she took the nearly empty bottle from Ismene and set it on the nightable. "What am I ever going to do with you?" she said softly as she tucked the sheets around Ismene and stroked the elves hair gently.

***

Kerrith lay on his back in the small bed in the barracks and dreamed. Across the city in her apartment, Selene stirred uneasily and clutched at the sheets as she too dreamed...

He was standing on a barren and jagged slope of black, basaltic rock. The only light was from the magma that ran in drooling rivulets around him, pulsing in streams like the blood flowing from a dying man's veins.

Heat buffeted him as he felt his gaze drawn ahead and upward. There, standing on a rocky outcropping was a man, coldy handsome with teeth that crackled with lightning. His cloak flapped like a living thing in the baking wind that was spewed from the volcano's caldera as he raised a gnarled metal staff shod in yellowed bone.

Kerrith knew him, had seen him somewhere before...

~~~

On silk sheets, Ismene and Solyma dreamed as well...

Solyma stared at the molten surface of the volcano and felt the heat baking her face as she sweated profusely. Beside her, Ismene clutched at her arm and glanced up at the sky. She gasped, there were no stars left in the sky, only a vast churning cloud that stretched from horizon to horizon. Her horror mounted when she realized that the cloud was formed from winged creatures that swooped and dove, their cries as loud and harsh as thunder.

Solyma forced her gaze away from the horrible sight above her and turned away from the glowing caldera of the volcano. There, behind her were the lights of a great city nestled on the edge of a large bay. It was Corannon.

Before she had anymore time to study the city, she heard an all too familiar voice from behind her. "Solyma," it said. "Did you think I would ever leave you?"

Solyma turned, her body stiff with terror as she stared into the leering face of Valkersan. But it wasn't Valkersan, it was something wearing his body like a cloak. Beneath his skin she saw something moving, something that froze her to the spot with terror...

~~~

Sitting back in his favorite armchair, Tancred dreamed...

There was a face, a face from the distant past. "Cirron," he whispered. The face drew closer and Tancred saw that it was the face of one long dead.

"Look at what you did to me, Tancred!" Cirron shouted. "Look!" The man swept his hand over the decaying mess of his body. What flesh that still clung to his molding bones was decayed and oozing with pus. His eyes were half eaten away and Tancred saw a writhing mass of maggots swarming through Cirron's skull and mouth.

Tancred drew back, his hand going to his sword and finding nothing as Cirron drew closer, his face distorting as his body swelled with putrid gas and he raised a massive trident. "Die!" he yelled and stabbed downward, pinning Tancred to the jagged rock beneath...

~~~

Lying curled under the sheets, Penelope dreamed...

"You will be my bride and our child will destroy all of creation," a voice whispered into her ear. "You will be the most honored of my wives, you will be the mother of the one who will consume this world. The gods will be overthrown and the Corthronos will reclaim the stars."

Heat washed over her face as she turned to face the voice. Shadow masked the voice's face and she leaned closer to see. As she did she heard a sound like cloth ripping and the face lunged forward, its skin sloughing off and falling in ragged strips around her feet. Penelope backed away, her hands up, trying desperately to ward off the thing advancing towards her and whispering for a kiss...

~~~

Kerrith peered out over the blasted landscape. What had once been the richest cropland of Krisephyr was devastated, the crops perverted into ghastly versions of their former selves. Where wheat had rippled in the summer wind, fields of wetly gleaming tentacles entwined around the cracked bones of their victims.

Then he saw what had done that to the land. They swarmed across the plains like cockroaches, their skinless bodies gleaming in the fires burning in the villages that they swept through. Skinless hands gripped rusted weapons and hacked down the innocent and young, sparing no one. As the foul tide drew closer, Kerrith saw that it was not rust that stained their weapons but the blood of all their victims. His victims? he thought.

Rock bit into his knees as he dropped to the ground, his hands clutching at the slick rock of the volcano. There, lying like a discarded doll was Selene, her body stained with blood and her eyes vacant of any life. Kerrith roared with anger as he leapt to his feet, his sword in his hand as he charged towards her murderer only to see himself.

~~~

Solyma watched as the lights of Corannon were extinguished in the tide that flowed over them. Glimmering in the moonlight, she saw the waters of the sea turn black with the blood that flowed from the dead. The stain spread across the surface of the water until it was if the sea was a hole cut in from the night.

Then she saw the blood falling in a storm over Kathaln. She saw her home village drowned in the blood of the murdered and the Citadel toppled and burning as fleshless abominations stalked the streets, their hands coated in the life blood of demons.

Then she was standing on the ramparts of the Royal Palace while below her Corannon burned. As she looked along the walls she saw Kerrith and Asgrim but no Tancred. A gust of smoke obscured her vision and when she looked back all she could see were the corpses lining the streets as an endless horde of Corthronos marched over them...

~~~

Kerrith found himself standing on the battlements of the Royal Palace staring down as a river of Corthronos poured through the burning streets of Corannon. His sword was heavy in his grasp and he saw that he had somehow, impossibly, lost his shield.

"A warning, Knight of the Shield," someone said from behind him. "The only one we can give." Kerrith turned and saw a blinding light hovering in the sky over the western sea. As he squinted his eyes he thought he could make out the forms of towering figures guarding a portal bound with bands of glass. "Heed well what the Oracle foretells," Adramas said as he looked down on Kerrith. "And make your choice wisely, for you will be the chosen of the gods."

Kerrith turned back towards Corannon when he heard a scream echo from thousands of throats. The Corthronos flowed over the walls of the palace towards him, striking down the defenders as if they were wheat before the scythe. From behind him he heard the sound of glass shattering and a cry of awful triumph that froze his very soul.

"The Makath stir and the Corthronos rise again," he heard the god say in an echoing voice that faded as if carried by the wind.

~~~

Solyma woke with a gasping scream caught in her throat. She sat up frantically and looked over towards Ismene. The elf girl stirred once and rolled over onto her side with a soft sigh. Solyma wiped cold sweat from her brow as she looked out the window. Corannon was still there, no tide of blood had extinguished its lights.

"I killed you," Solyma whispered to herself as she cradled her face in her hands and then swept them back through her hair. Why did I say that? she wondered as she took a deep, shuddering breath of the cool night air. Ismene was still sleeping peacefully as Solyma slipped out of the bed and downstairs to where Hector was working on one of his paintings.

"Hector, pack the bags," she said. "We're getting out of here."

***

Vashel Icarii tightened the straps on his backpack and turned to look back at Corannon. He had stopped on a small hill about five miles from the city walls. From there he could see the crescent expanse of the city as it spread over the peninsula from the brightly lit city walls to the moonlit spires of the palace. All he had was the clothes on his back and the few items he had stashed away and managed to retreive before he had been forcibly expelled from the city. In his coat pocket was a letter, written in code and sealed magically. He held the letter up and read it by the moonlight once again, pausing at the signature at the bottom.

"Lord Gamenos Loradros, the Kingdom of Taladros," he whispered and laughed softly. With a wave of his hand the paper disappeared in a flash of fire and puff of smoke. Icarii smiled ferally as he sat on a fallen tree trunk and reached into his coat. The book was burnt and tattered. "Valkersan," he said softly and grinned widely.

Chapter 2 : An Unexpected Voyage

Solyma bit her nails nervously and tapped her foot on the paving stones as she leaned against the carriage. Where was Hector? she wondered as she glanced over at the clock that stood in the middle of Corannon's main market square.

"I'm so glad you could come," Penelope said from beside Solyma.

"Yes," Solyma said as she glanced over at the elf woman. "I, uh, felt like getting out of Corannon anyway." She had to suppress a shiver even in the warmth of the summer day. It had been over a week since she had woken up from that dream, the dream of seeing the entire world overrun by- She shook her head. By something. "Thanks for inviting me to your party, I don't think I could have come without it."

She really had been lucky that Penelope had invited her to the birthday celebration. It was going to be the event of the year for a good portion of the nobility of Krisephyr and Taladros. The king was sending Duke Quiton as ambassador along with the Guardian Knight and a large escort of the kingdom's best soldiers.

Which includes Kerrith, Solyma thought sourly. She wasn't looking forward to juggling Duke Quiton and the Knight at the same time. Kerrith had, so far, not told anyone about her role in summoning the Corthronos back in Willowsrun. She wasn't entirely sure why he hadn't told anyone, perhaps he didn't want his rather torrid affair with Selene to be revealed. Sleeping with a woman you just met was still regarded as a distinctly un-knightly thing to do, especially when she was someone you had just rescued. Or maybe he really took that promise he had made seriously.

Hopefully he won't let it slip now, Solyma though to herself as more of the caravan began to arrive. Before she had arrived in Corannon it wouldn't have inconvenienced her greatly to leave town in a hurry, but after getting the job and house...well, it would be a hassle she'd rather not go through.

"About time," she said as Hector floated over with a large wooden crate. "Did you get all of them?"

"Yes, I did," he said. "I don't understand why you wanted the wine collection taken with you, you know that moving them isn't good for them."

"Did you sell the furniture?" Solyma asked.

"Yes, I wish you would-"

"How much did you get?"

"Four thousand marks," Hector answered as Solyma lugged the crate into the carriage. He winced as she pried open the crate with her dagger and pulled out a bottle at random.

"Want some wine?" she asked Penelope as she shoved the crate underneath the seat.

"Oh, no thank you," Penelope answered, her gaze drifting over to where Laros was talking with Lord Dravon Tanteshal, current Guardian Knight of the Shield. Solyma caught the look in the elven princess's eyes and shook her head. That type of infatuation was never good for anyone, especially royalty and her bodyguard.

"Let's get this show on the road," Solyma said as she climbed into the carriage. "Hector, you going to drive?"

"Yes," Hector said wearily. "I wish you wouldn't drink so early in the day-"

"Oh, be quiet," Solyma said as she clambered into the carriage and pulled the bottle's cork with her teeth. Hector sighed as she spat the cork onto the seat next to her and settled back. She took a long swig from the bottle and adjusted her breeches. It did feel nice to be back in travel clothes, much better than some of the dresses she had to wear when she had been teaching. "Hector? Let's get moving."

***

"Really? She never acted like that around me," Duke Quiton said to Tancred.

"I know, it was amazing, no, terrifying, to see it," Tancred said from his seat across from the Duke. The carriage they were sharing rattled along the paving stones of the highway, heading north towards Taladros. Traveling at this pace, it would be about ten days until they reached Taladros. "I think the strain must have been too much for her, the poor thing," Tancred said with a sympathetic smile.

"I must say that I was quite worried about her, especially after she disappeared," Adelard said with a shake of his head. "Playing hero, she could have gotten seriously injured."

"I'm just glad that I was with her," Tancred said.

"She really attacked you?"

"Yes, it was terrifying. She started ranting like a crazy woman about how it was every man's fault that she had been transported to Kathaln. She nearly sliced my throat," Tancred said and pulled his collar back to show a large scar running across the base of his neck.

"But, forgive me for saying this, you are a vampire, are you not?" Adelard asked.

"Oh, yes, it wouldn't have killed me," Tancred laughed. "But still, she nearly attacked a servant who just happened to be walking by. We had to restrain her for several hours before she calmed down again. I think it was her mind, she's so fragile, you know."

"That is a shame," Adelard said with a sigh and nod. "I was so looking forward to becoming better aquainted with her on this trip."

"It's a good thing I told you, I don't like to talk about her like this but Solyma can be dangerous. It would be best if you stayed away from her, no sense in risking yourself for no reason." And one down, Tancred thought to himself. Now I just have to figure out that Knight.

***

The trip to Taladros went uneventfully for the most part. Solyma found herself torn between ingratiating herself further with Adelard or spending her time with Jaric. Her decision was made for her when Adelard kept making excuses to leave whenever she approached him. She even thought that he looked a little scared of her. And all the while Jaric had become even more solicitous and reserved around her, not even trying to hold her hand, much less kiss her.

"What did you tell them?" she finally asked Tancred as they stopped for the day at an inn about three days from the border of Taladros.

"What do you mean by that, Solyma?" Tancred said in what he hoped was a charming way.

"I mean that Jaric and Adelard have been treating me like I'm some sort of lunatic-" she stopped and narrowed her eyes at Tancred. He smiled nervously as she picked up her knife from her plate and tapped it against the table. "What did you tell them, Tancred?" she said through clenched teeth.

"I- uh," Tancred stammered as she glared at him. "Nothing really bad," he mumbled and looked away. The entire common room of the inn was filled with members of the caravan. Jaric, Kerrith, Dravon, and the rest of the Knights ate outside and guarded the inn. Penelope and Laros ate upstairs in their rooms while the other nobility did their best to make themselves comfortable in the rather humble room.

Tancred jerked his head back towards Solyma and flinched as she stabbed the knife down in the space between his thumb and index finger. "Just that you were a little insane," he said in a lighthearted tone.

"Nothing like a good joke to make the journey go faster," he said and faltered when he saw Solyma's expression.

"I don't care about what you said to Adelard, he's just good for some money and a decent fuck," she hissed as she grabbed his ear and yanked him towards her. "But Jaric, I like him. A lot. Do you understand?"

Tancred started to nod and winced as Solyma twisted his ear. "I really, really like him," she continued. "Now, tell me exactly what you told him." Tancred swallowed nervously and considered turning into mist. He really didn't look forward to regenerating missing body parts after Solyma was done. "Don't even try it," Solyma said as if she was reading his thoughts.

"I just told him that you were in some tough situations when you were younger," Tancred said slowly.

"Like?"

"It really is funny when you think about it-" Tancred started. Another painful tug on his ear brought him back on subject. "I told him that you were nearly raped and that you were terrified of ever being with a man," he said in a rush.

Heads throughout the inn turned at Tancred's yelp of pain and the sound of his head being thumped against the table. "I should ram a stake through your lying heart right now!" Solyma screamed. "Do you know how hard it's going to be to get him into bed now? Do you?" she yelled, each word punctuated by the thump of Tancred's head. "You're going to pay for this Tancred, you are," she groaned as she let go of his ear and bent her face to her hands.

***

"This is quite a beautiful estate you have here, my lord," Icarii said as he followed the tall and slender figure of Lord Gamenos Loradros across a marble path. The human mage turned his head to watch as a young human woman, perhaps twenty summers old, walked by in the company of an elf. As he watched, the elf slid his hand down the woman's back to fondle her bottom. "And some...intriguing servants."

"Thank you, Vashel," Loradros said as they walked up a wide flight of stairs to the mansion's entrance. "I take good care of my servants."

"And I am most grateful for your patronage," Icarii said, ignoring the bile surging in his throat from saying such a thing. To think, that the most skilled mage in all of Corannon, indeed, the world, was reduced to serving an elf lord with aspirations for the throne.

"I trust your companion was enjoyable?" Loradros said as they entered the mansion and crossed the mammoth foyer. The foyer was the size of some mansion's ballrooms and was furnished with a lavishness rarely seen.

"She was, my lord," Icarii said with a smile that this time he truly felt. The wench had been comely indeed. She had also born a striking resemblance to Selene, at least for as long as the spell had lasted. "My apologies for the bruises."

"No need to apologize," Loradros said as they entered his study. The elf sat behind his desk, a massive thing of oak and mahogany. "Now, to discuss these services. You will be able to summon sufficient forces for my plans?"

"Of course, my lord," Icarii said, fuming silently when he was not offered a chair. "As many as you wish." Icarii bowed and slowly left the study, letting the door swing shut behind him. Loradros sat behind his desk and surveyed the latest report of crop yields from the eastern portion of his holdings when he heard the door open again.

"The...associate has been paid?" Loradros said without raising his head from the report.

"Y-yes, my lord," Derwin, Loradros's latest secretary, said. How does he do that? Derwin thought as he stepped closer to the desk.

"He has been given his intructions?"

"Yes, he will follow them exactly or he knows he will not receive payment."

"Good. You are dismissed. You have until tomorrow to enjoy yourself with the servants."

"Ah, thank you, my lord," Derwin said as he bowed and backed out of the room. Inside the study, Loradros spared a moment from his perusal of the report to smile briefly.

***

Solyma jerked herself upright, feeling a scream caught in her throat as she struggled for breath. She panted and wiped the sweat from her face with the back of her hand, trying to forget the nightmare. She grunted quietly as she kicked the tangled sheets from around her legs and stood up.

A faint breeze was blowing from the just ajar window, stirring the curtains and billowing them into tenuous shapes. The breeze carried the faint sounds of the Knights making their patrols and the sounds of the horses sleeping. If she closed her eyes and imagined, she thought she could smell the forests of Taladros carried on the breeze. Shaking her head at her sentimentality, Solyma pushed aside the curtains and looked out, nothing seemed amiss.

"Hector," she called out softly. There was a faint gust of air and she felt Hector floating by her shoulder.

"Yes, Solyma?" he said.

"Has anything been happening?"

"No, nothing unusual at all. Did you have another nightmare? I can make you a drink."

"Y-no, no thank you," Solyma said as she looked back out the window. She smiled suddenly and turned to face Hector. "Is Jaric on guard duty right now?"

"I don't believe so, he's just polishing his armor and sword," Hector said slowly. "What do you want me to tell him?" he said with a sigh.

"Just get him near the door," Solyma said with a grin.

"I should tell you that relationships built on lies never last."

"Just go, alright? The quicker you do this, the quicker you can get back to your models."

***

The polishing cloth slid over the sword's surface easily with a faint swish. The sword itself gleamed like a mirror in the dim lamplight of the common room. Jaric smiled at a job well done and spun the sword, checking its entire surface for any missed areas. When he was satisfied that it was polished completely he slid it back into its sheath and rose.

"Sir D'Allovet?" Hector said as he floated over. "Could you spare a moment of your time?"

"Of course, Sir Hector," Jaric said with a smile. He liked the familiar a great deal, Hector posessed all the traits needed to be a knight. He was quite sure that the familiar would easily qualify for knighthood if he ever wanted to. Knowing that such an honorable and good person was faithfully guarding Solyma set his heart at ease during those periods when he had to be away from the caravan. "What is it that you need?"

"I was hoping for you advice regarding one of my paintings, I am not sure what the placement is of the towers on the royal palace."

"I'd be glad to help." He followed the familiar up the stairs to the second floor of the inn. They stopped by the easel Hector had set up just outside Solyma's room. Ever faithful and vigilant, Jaric thought approvingly. "Oh, yes," he said. "You've got them exactly right. Except that this tower has a window," he pointed, "there."

"Ah, thank you so much," Hector said as he picked up a paintbrush. "It was just one of those details which I couldn't let go."

"I'm glad to be of service," Jaric said as he turned to go. He froze when he heard the soft cry from inside Solyma's room. He glanced at Hector and drew his sword. The familiar picked up his own sword and floated behind him as he pushed open the door.

"N-no, stay away," Solyma whimpered from the bed. Jaric surveyed the room and saw no one. As he bent to look at Solyma he saw that she was asleep and in the throes of a nightmare.

"My lady, please, wake up," Jaric said softly. He reached out and gently touched her shoulder, drawing back in surprise when she sat bolt upright.

"W-where, what?" Solyma said shakily. Her hair swirled around her face as she looked around the room frantically. "Oh, Jaric, I'm so glad you're here," she said with a barely suppressed sob as she threw her arms around the knight and buried her face in his shoulder. "I was so scared. The dream, it seemed so real."

Hector barely suppressed a snort when Solyma gave him a thumbs up sign behind Jaric's back. He shook his helmet and floated out of the room, closing the door softly behind him.

"My lady-" Jaric said in surprise, feeling his thoughts scattered by the feeling of her warm and supple body pressed against his. He flushed at the memory of how her body was revealed by the flimsy nightdress she wore. "How can I help?"

"Please, stay with me, I don't want to be alone," Solyma moaned. She sniffed and looked up into his face, her cheeks shining with tears. "Please."

Jaric nodded solemnly and helped Solyma lie back down. "I will stay by your side throughout the night," he said.

Solyma barely kept from grinning wildly as she closed her eyes. She could feel Jaric's hands on her shoulders as he lowered her back to the bed and adjusted her pillow. Yes, yes, she thought ecstatically to herself as he reached down and- Pulled the covers up?

"Jaric, what are you doing?" she whispered as she opened her eyes again.

"I'm sorry, you seemed cold," Jaric said, pausing in draping the blankets over her.

"There are other ways of keeping warm," Solyma said.

"I could build you a fire," Jaric said and scratched his head. "I'll go ask the innkeeper where he keeps his wood." He was turning to leave when Solyma stopped him by tugging on his shirt sleeve.

"No, no, I'm fine. Thank you for offering," she said, doing her best to keep the disappointment from her voice. Jaric smiled and pulled a chair over.

"I'll be by your side for the entire night," he said with a smile as he sat down.

"Thank you so much," Solyma said as she leaned back and closed her eyes. She smiled contentedly and made a supreme effort to keep the anger she was feeling from showing. Take the hint! she wanted to scream at him as the night wore on and she still couldn't fully fall asleep.

After a few minutes of tossing and turning she decided to play her trump card. Feigning peaceful sleep, she whimpered and began to shake her head from side to side. She kicked the sheets and covers off her body and made sure that her nightdress rode up her legs.

"No, please, someone save me," she moaned, her hands clenched into fists. She heard Jaric rise from his seat and crowed silently with triumph.

"Shh," the Knight whispered as he stroked her hair and gently brought the covers back up. "You're safe. I'm here." He jerked his hand back when he realized what he was doing. What right did he have to caress her soft, coppery hair, she'd probably be horrified to be molested in such a way...He shook his head and forced himself to sit back down. Solyma ground her teeth together and twisted so that the strap of her nightdress fell off her shoulder, revealing the tops of her breasts. She felt Jaric pause and hoped against hope as his hand moved towards her...Only to move the strap back up to her shoulder. Defeated and frustrated, Solyma settled back and let herself fall asleep, her last thoughts cursing knightly manners.

***

"He didn't even try," Solyma muttered to Penelope and Ismene. The two elves had taken to riding with Solyma. The conversation was good and she was a breath of fresh air compared to the other noblewomen traveling with their husbands to the celebration, especially when she started talking about Jaric. "I was right there," she said and pounded her fist against the seat. "He could have done anything to me. Anything!" She stared gloomily out the window and took another drink from the wine bottle. "Sure you don't want some?" she asked the elves. They shook their heads and continued to listen in puzzled amazement as Solyma went on.

"What sort of man doesn't at least feel up a woman in that state? He could have at least touched me. All he did was stroke my hair."

"That's so romantic," Penelope sighed, a telltale glance towards where Laros rode indicating exactly who her thoughts were on.

"Romantic? Hah. No good if he won't try something!" Solyma made a frustrated noise and slumped back in the seat. "He was still there in the morning, same exact position with his eyes wide open. He didn't even look tired. Gods, what stamina he must have. I bet he could go all night and then some," she mumbled, her voice beginning to become slurred from the wine. Across from her Penelope blushed.

***

Another day, another inn, Tancred thought to himself as he brushed down his horse. How boring. They had been slowed down by a broken carriage wheel and had arrived at the inn well after sunset. The others had already eaten and gone up to bed in preparation for an early start the next morning.

"There you go," he said to the horse, patting in affectianately on the neck as he closed the stall door and walked towards the stable entrance. He sighed at the thought of more animal blood for dinner. Although, pig's blood wasn't as nearly as bad as he had feared it would be. Not nearly as good as what he usually drank, but satisfactory. He had just reached the door when his hearing picked up the sound of someone letting out a held breath. It had come from the hay racks in the second story of the stables. He smiled and closed the door in front of him, making sure not to make any sound as he listened.

"That was close," a man's voice said from the above. "I didn't think anyone would be out here this late." Tancred grinned at the sound of a kiss and the rustle of hay and clothing. He concentrated for a moment and swirled upward in a cloud of mist until he was floating among the shadowed ceiling beams.

"Why'd you want to come out here, anyway?" the man said, a young noble from the looks of it. Tancred floated closer until he could see the young man's companion and would have gasped if he had a mouth.

"Privacy," Ismene said quietly. "Someone would hear us back in the inn."

"Really?" the noble grinned. "We're going to make that much noise?"

Ismene shrugged. "Help me out of this," she said as she began to unfasten her dress. The noble eagerly assisted her, taking the opportunity to run his hands over her back and sides as he kissed her again. The elf smiled in pleasure at the feel of his hands caressing her body and gently squeezing her breasts.

Tancred silently took his normal shape and sat on a ceiling beam to watch as Ismene shrugged the dress from her shoulders and shook out her long golden hair. He stared at the way her pale skin glowed in the moonlight filtering in through cracks in the ceiling.

"You are a bold little thing, aren't you?" the noble said happily as he pulled Ismene's dress of her legs and leaned over her as she lay back in the hay, kicking her underwear off her slim ankle. She merely shrugged and wrapped her arms around him as she kissed him. The noble did his best to continue kissing her while he shrugged, pulled, and kicked off his clothes. Tancred had to give him credit for undressing at an incredible speed.

The noble paused and looked down at Ismene for a moment, wondering if she would do anything besides lying there. When the elf only looked back at him he shrugged and lay down beside her.

"You're so beautiful," he whispered in her ear as he ran his hand over the soft skin of her stomach and up to cup a breast. He traced his fingernail over a stiff nipple and was rewarded with her delighted gasp. "Your skin is so soft."

Ismene sighed deeply, her eyes closed, as the noble bent over her and began to kiss and lick at her small and perfect breasts. She moved her hands to his back and clutched at his shoulders as he moved between her legs.

"What-? Oh, gods," Ismene said in a high gasp as the noble ran his tongue in a light circles around her navel before kissing her stomach gently. Ismene's body quivered in pleasure as she unconsciously arched her back and pressed down on the noble's shoulders.

Ismene's eyes flew open in delighted shock as the noble's lips grazed over her quim, his tongue brushing against her clit as he stroked the insides of her thighs with his fingers. She raised her head off the sweet smelling hay and watched in anticipation as the noble kissed and licked his way slowly down and then back up her leg. Each touch of his lips sent a delicious shiver through Ismene's body as she spread her legs further apart in invitation. "Yes, Arcin, please," she whispered.

Tancred watched as the noble raised his head questioningly and then shrugged to himself. Ismene cried out softly, her legs wrapping around the noble's head as he began to lick at her. The elf girl began to rock back and forth in time with him, her hands buried in his hair as she pushed herself against him.

Tancred could feel his pulse racing as his senses became more and more acute. He could hear Ismene's frantic breathing and the racing of her heart. He licked his lips as Ismene cried out once, briefly, her sweet and clear voice easily carrying to the rafters.

"You smell like honeysuckle," the noble said into Ismene's ear as he raised himself above her and smiled down at her. Ismene's breathing was deep and fast as she kissed the noble, her body pressing against his. "You're so beautiful," the noble said again as he began to ease himself into her.

Ismene let out a long breath as the noble slid into her, her hands tightening for a moment and then relaxing. Tancred licked his lips unconsciously as she raised one slender leg to wrap around the noble's waist, urging him deeper into her as he began to slowly move into her.

Their bodies moved in the moonlight, Ismene making little noise in comparison to the noble's panting. Tancred could see her beautiful and somehow still innocent looking face as she rubbed her cheek against the noble's shoulder and moaned quietly. She began to move her hips to match the noble's thrusts, their bodies faintly gleaming in the moonlight. The noble groaned in pleasure and kissed Ismene's neck as he reached up to stroke her hair gently.

Tancred watched as Ismene tossed her head back and groaned in obvious pleasure, her fingers splayed over the noble's back. Her lips drew back from her teeth as she whimpered and moaned with each thrust.

"Oh, ah, yes, Arcin," she moaned as the noble increased the speed of his thrusts. Her moans matched the nobles as he raised himself on his hands and bucked into her, grunting furiously as she cried out and wrapped both legs around him. She made a cry half scream and half whimper as her entire body tensed and went limp. Ismene lay gasping under the noble as he thrust into her a few more times and let out a long groan, breathing out a shaky breath as he fell into the hay next to her.

Tancred watched, his throat dry, as they lay side by side for a while staring at the ceiling.

"Wait, you're leaving already?" the noble said as Ismene reached for her dress and underclothes.

"Yes," Ismene said quietly.

"I was hoping that-," he said and stopped. "Will you meet me tomorrow?" the noble asked as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and kissed her neck. Ismene shrugged and removed his arms as she slipped into her dress. "I love you," the noble said as he ran his hands up her stomach and cupped her breasts through the fabric of her dress. Neither he nor Tancred was expecting what happened next.

Ismene's slap rang through the stables like thunder, waking the horses and making them neigh and stamp nervously in their stalls. "Don't you dare say that," Ismene hissed as she yanked on her underwear.

"I'm sorry," the noble said, his cheek glowing bright red. "Why-?"

"Just shut up!" Ismene screamed. "Get away from me!" she yelled and shoved the noble away viciously. The noble gave her a confused look as he pulled on his breeches and scrambled down the ladder to the ground. Tancred watched him as the noble gave one last longing look towards the hay loft and left the stable. His attention was drawn back to Ismene by the sound of her wracking sobs.

The elf girl had collapsed back onto the hay and was curled up into a ball as she wept. Tancred watched in alarm as she tugged at her hair and wrapped her arms around her knees. "Why? Why?" he could hear her moaning to herself. "What am I doing?"

He considered dropping down into the hay as her sobs slowly subsided but decided against it. He silently floated back to the ground and out through a crack in the door before taking a solid form again and walking towards the inn, still hearing the soft crying of the elf girl in the stable.

***

Icarii finished the weave silently, the threads of magic hanging in the cool air of the study surrounded by a nimbus of flickering light. Blue and red beams of light swirled around the spell as he extended his hands towards the weave and poured the last bit of power necessary for the spell.

"Interesting technique," Loradros said as the spell was completed.

"You are a mage, my lord?" Icarii said as he watched the spell silently breaching the gap between dimensions.

"Of a sort," Loradros said, his golden hair reflecting the light of spell. He lifted one slender hand and traced it along the outer edge of the spell before letting fall back to the rapier that hung by his side.

Together, human and elf watched as the spell finished its task. Crouching in the middle of the room was a hideous shape, half mantis and half dragon. Its eyes flickered with light as it studied the two men standing before it. In a flash it leapt forward, bladed arms slicing in a blurred arc.

Loradros raised one eyebrow as the thing smashed into a rippling wall of magic energy before falling back to the floor. "Very good, Vashel," he said as the creature shook its head and slashed at the barrier before retreating back to the center of the room, it's eyes studying every corner for some way to escape. "You are as good as you claim. Continue the process in the pens, you know how many I need."

"Yes, my lord," Icarii said with a nod of his head as Loradros turned and strode from the room. Behind him he could hear the low hiss of the creature as he turned to face it. "Yes."

Chapter 3

"I need to talk with you," Tancred said to Solyma. The red headed mage turned irritably from her conversation with Jaric and glared at the vampire.

"Later," she said. She waggled her eybrows meaningfully and made an obscene hand gesture out of Jaric's line of sight as she turned back towards him.

"No, now," Tancred said irritably. "It's about Ismene," he said, his voice changing only a tiny amount, but it was enough for her. Solyma's emerald green eyes widened slightly as she raised an eyebrow and she gave Jaric a worried glance.

"I'll be right back," she said to him with a soft smile. Tancred felt his fists clench when Solyma brushed her hand over Jaric's and gave him a warm smile.

He doesn't care for her, not the way I do, he thought jealously as he walked out of the common room with Solyma right behind him. Why should he be the one she chooses? I'm better looking too. Probably a lot better lover. He's a virgin. Wouldn't last ten minutes.

"What's happening? What's wrong with Ismene?" Solyma asked as they walked out into the warm night air. A few fireflies flitted around the front of the inn accompanied by the faint chirping of crickets. From the creek that wound its way through the forest behind the inn they could hear the sound of frogs croaking. A nice night to be out, Solyma thought.

"I found her in the barn, she's crying her eyes out. Not just crying-" he paused and shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not very good at reading emotions."

Solyma grinned broadly. "Yes, you are. I've seen you reading those books, I bet you could come up with a dozen reasons for why she's crying and a dozen more ways to have her fall in love with you," she said. Tancred just scowled and snorted.

"So why haven't you just bedded that knight?" Tancred asked suddenly. "It's not like you to play around with your prey so much."

"He's not- he's not prey," Solyma said with a soft smile as she looked towards Tancred. "I'm in love," she said with a wide, unrestrained smile.

"You're joking," Tancred said, barely keeping the disgust from his voice. "With him?"

"Yes, it's amazing, isn't it?" Solyma sighed and stretched her arms above her head. "I want him, yes, but I'm happy just to be around him." She reached over and wrapped her arm around Tancred's shoulder. "Sorry about the knife thing earlier, I was just worried...about losing him."

"Does he love you?" Tancred said in an oddly flat voice.

"I don't know," Solyma said softly. "I hope so."

"Well, I love you," Tancred said. Solyma laughed loudly and hugged him tightly as they reached the barn.

"Thanks, Tancred, I'm glad to know that you like my blood and body so much," Solyma said in a joking voice.

Tancred managed a hollow laugh. "Yes," he said as flippantly as he could, "I love your body and blood. Do you think Jaric would mind sharing you? I bet you haven't had two men at once in a while." Solyma looked over her shoulder at him and grinned before she reached out to open the barn door.

"Ismene? Are you in here?" she called out softly as she pushed open the barn door. She felt the sudden silence of someone trying not to be heard. "Ismene, is something wrong?"

"N-no, go away," Ismene said, sounding like she was trying to wipe her eyes and nose at the same time.

"Why? You don't like me anymore?" Solyma asked as she climbed up the ladder and sat back in the hay. She sniffed the air a few times and smiled. "So, what have you been up to?"

"Nothing," Ismene said and started to rise until Solyma pulled her back down.

"You're not getting away that easily," Solyma said. "Come on, tell me what's wrong. Can I help?"

Ismene shook her head silently. "No, there's nothing you can do. I just need some time on my own to figure everything out," she said. She looked up at Solyma and flashed a bright but brittle smile. "I promise I'll come talk to you if I ever need help."

"Promise?"

"Yes."

"Alright. Why don't you come back to the inn? Have something to drink and a nice hot bath."

"That sounds good," Ismene said. Tancred sighed and slipped out the door as the two women climbed down from the hay loft. If he had to, he would have said that Ismene was grief stricken over losing her one true love and was trying to find comfort in another man's arms. But why did she react so angrily when the noble had said he loved her? True, he was lying, and not very well, but it still didn't seem like enough to make her slap him.

His thoughts were interrupted when Solyma walked out of the stable with her arm around Ismene's slender shoulders. He hid in the shadows and watched as they walked back to the inn. And Jaric, he thought with uncharacteristic bitterness. He snarled and slammed his fist into the stable wall, unaware of the hole he left, and stomped back towards the inn.

***

Jaric sat in his tent and stared at the bouquet of wildflowers he had picked earlier in the night. They lay on his folding table tied with a length of ribbon he had bought from a merchant in Corannon just before leaving. It was a deep green, perfectly matching the color of Solyma's eyes.

"Solyma," he said softly as he rearranged the flowers a bit to make them more presentable. He sighed again and leaned back in his chair to stare at the top of his tent. "I just happened to be walking by when I saw these flowers. I thought that you'd enjoy having them for your room." He paused and was silent for a while. "I was just making my rounds when I realized that you might enjoy having some flowers." He groaned and sat up, staring at the flowers again. "You are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen and it would make me the happiest man in the world if I thought you'd enjoy receiving these flowers," he said softly.

"What am I thinking?" Jaric said harshly as he stood and reached to throw the flowers away. "She'd be horrified if I just showed up at her door. I must act as etiquette demands." He paused and picked up the flowers gently. "Maybe...I was just making my rounds and I thought I'd check in on you, Solyma. Oh, these flowers? I was going to give them to you tomorrow but if you'd like them tonight..." Jaric groaned again as he slumped back down in his chair and let his head fall forward onto the table.

***

Solyma gasped as someone pounded on her door before knocking it open. She pulled the covers up over her heaving bosom as she shrank back against the headboard, her long lashes fluttering in distress as she saw the figure framed in the doorway.

"Jaric? What-?" she stammered.

"I can't resist you any longer," Jaric growled as he stalked into the room and slammed the door behind him, wedging a chair under the handle. "I must have you in the most carnal way."

"B-but Jaric!" Solyma cried as he slowly approached her bed, his shirt already open at the neck, exposing his muscled chest. "W-we hardly know each other!"

"I don't care," he said in a deep voice as he stood by her bedside and leaned over, his arms grabbing her shoulders. "I must take you now, before I lose my mind!"

"Oh! Jaric!" Solyma cried fearfully as he reached down and seized the bodice of her nightgown, pausing for one moment to stare her in the eyes before he yanked the fragile cloth and set her breasts free in the night air. With a sweeping motion he pulled back the covers and tore the rest of her nightgown from her body. Solyma gasped in mortification and tried to cover herself as Jaric growled deep in his throat and leaned forward, his lips hungry on Solyma's neck. She moaned into the dark of the room as he pushed her down onto the bed, his hands roaming her body and sending sheets of fire through her nerves.

"Yes, yes, oh, yes!" Solyma cried out as he firmly squeezed her breasts and ran his lips over her chin. Someone began to pound on the door as she reached up and buried her hands in his thick mane of hair, pressing his head down towards her breasts as she arched her back and-

Solyma sat up and rubbed her eyes groggily, staring blankly at the dim darkness of her room and wondering why she had woken up. She blinked again at the sound of someone knocking on her door, her head still full of vague, erotic images of Jaric caressing her before he...

"Who is it?" she called out irritably, collapsing back down and rolling over to bury her face in her pillow, striving to recapture the wonderful feeling of Jaric's hands on her body. Her head shot up when she heard Ismene's voice answering. "Come in," she said as she rolled over and sat up again. "It's open."

"Hi," Ismene said in a quiet voice as she slipped in the door. Solyma unconsciously licked her lips at the silk nightdress that the elf was wearing. It accentuated the slender girl's figure perfectly and a long slit up both sides floated aside to reveal the elf's slim legs. "Do you mind if I spend the night?"

"I...uh," Solyma said. As much as she lusted after Ismene and Penelope, she also felt that she should act with at least a semblance of modesty when Jaric was around. What would he think of her if he heard her and Ismene going at it like animals? But then, Jaric hadn't shown much interest despite her best efforts and it had been more than two weeks since she had slept with anyone. "Sure," she said as she moved back the covers and patted the bed next to her. Maybe she should make extra noise, if desire wouldn't get him to at least kiss her, maybe jealousy would.

Solyma grinned with pleasant surprise when Ismene hopped onto the bed and kissed her firmly on the lips. "A little fast, don't you think?" she murmured as Ismene tugged at her nightgown. Ismene was insistently kissing at the tops of Solyma's breasts as she pulled the woman's nightgown further down.

Solyma moaned under her breath and stroked Ismene's soft golden hair, relishing the soft feel of it as she ran the tip of her finger over Ismene's pointed ear. She felt bad for taking advantage of Ismene's desire to forget what had happened a month and a half ago but then Ismene kissed her again. Solyma sighed and kissed her back, savoring the silky soft feel of Ismene's lips as she took the elf girl by the shoulders and turned her around until she was lying on her back. She leaned down to kiss the elf girl, feeling Ismene's soft lips parting eagerly as the elf kissed her back.

"I-Ismene," Solyma said suddenly as she leaned back and rolled off the elf girl, her hands pulling her nightgown back up over her breasts. "I can't do this. It's not you, I-"

"You're in love with Jaric, I know," Ismene said quietly as she rearranged her nightgown and sat up next to Solyma.

"What? No, it's not that-" Solyma said as she half-turned towards Ismene.

"What is it then? We've all seen you and we can all tell," Ismene said with a faint smile.

Solyma blinked and sat in stupefied amazement when she felt her cheeks flushing. She raised one hand and felt her cheek, the skin hot beneath her fingers. "But- I'm not," she said quietly. "Who's we?" she asked with more assurance.

Ismene shrugged and flopped back down onto the bed, pulling the sheet over her body and shoving one hand under the pillow. "Everyone? Kerrith, Penelope, Laros, Tancred, everyone," she said.

"Does he think-?" Solyma said quietly as she twisted the sheets in her lap.

"I don't know," Ismene said as she rolled over to face Solyma, her head propped up on one hand. "I haven't heard anything." Ismene was silent for a moment and then she spoke again. "Solyma," Ismene said absently as she looked away for a moment. "Is Kerrith courting anyone?"

"Kerrith? Why-" Solyma began to say when she was interrupted by a timid knock on the door. "Who is it?" Solyma called out.

"It's, uh-" a cracking voice said. "It's Jaric," he said in a more normal voice. Ismene smiled as she slipped silently over to the closet and stepped inside.

"Coming," Solyma said and flushed again when she realized how she was thinking of the word. She slipped on her robe over her nightgown, being sure that it was belted loosely around her waist, and slowly opened the door. "Is something wrong?" she began to say when a bouquet of flowers was thrust into her face.

"I-I'm sorry to disturb you so late in the night," Jaric said in a rush, his eyes clenched shut. "I found these flowers while I was taking a walk and I thought you might like them to cheer up your room. They're very nice flowers, a very nice smell. Very nice." He took a breath and managed to open his eyes. Solyma saw them staring at her face for a second before he flushed and turned away. "I'll be going now. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were sleeping. I should have thought of that. My deepest apologies."

"Wait!" Solyma called out as he turned and nearly ran down the hall. But if he had heard her he made no indication of it. "Don't run," she said desparingly.

***

Kerrith jerked back in surprise as Jaric came crashing out of the inn's door and nearly bowled him over. He heard the younger knight mumble an apology before running off towards the encampment of knights. Kerrith shrugged in puzzlement and continued around the inn towards the river. It was a mild night and he felt the need to wash before retiring.

"Kerrith!" he heard someone call from above him. He looked up and saw Solyma hanging out of her window wearing only her nightgown. Jaric would certainly enjoy this view, he thought to himself.

"Yes?" he called back.

"Did you see Jaric?" Solyma called down.

"Yes, he ran off towards his tent." Kerrith fought to keep a smile off his face as Solyma swore viciously and slammed her window shut. He wondered how long it would be before Solyma attacked Jaric in his tent. He was actually rather surprised that she hadn't made more overt advances towards Jaric.

Kerrith's thoughts drifted from Solyma and Jaric to himself and Selene. How he missed her. He still had the engagement ring in his pack, safely nestled in an inside pocket since he had left for Cielcroix.

"Why don't you ask her?" Dravon had asked one night after he had returned to Corannon. He hadn't been able to answer his commander then, but he could now. He didn't want to ask Selene to marry him and then have to run off on a mission. He wanted to be able to make it a perfect moment for the both of them. But there hadn't been a good time since then. One of them had always been too busy, Selene had gone on a trip to Collamnus and had just returned before he had had to leave for Taladros.

"I'm asking her when I get back," he said to himself as he knelt by the river. Moonlight flickered off the water. It looked like the river he and Selene had stood next to in Willowsrun during the celebration. I can get a leave, Kerrith thought to himself as he watched the river and thought of the way the moonlight had shimmered on Selene's hair. I'll ask her and she'll say yes and we'll be married as soon as we can plan everything. Two weeks, he thought as he watched the liquid silver moonlight dancing on the river.

He spun and rose at the feel of a soft touch on his shoulder. "Ismene?" he asked in wonder as the slender elf girl drew back in surprise. "What are you doing here?" He hadn't heard her at all, he realized. The lessons from she had been taking from Dravon must have been going well.

"I followed you," she said softly as she stepped closer to him. He looked down and then up quickly when he saw that she was only wearing a sheer robe and a revealing nightgown underneath.

"Ismene, what are you doing here?" he asked again as she stepped even closer, her head just barely reaching his shoulder. He froze in shock when she reached out and gently ran her hands over his chest and shoulders before sliding them down his back.

"What do you think I'm doing?" she murmured as she leaned forward on tiptoes, her eyes closed and her face tilted up towards him. Still frozen, Kerrith's eyes widened as her lips pressed against his, the night air playing over their bodies.

***

"Solyma?" Penelope asked shyly as the carriage bounced over a small hole in the road. It was practically a unique experience on the royal highway between Taladros and Corannon. The engineers of both nations worked hard to ensure that their roads were always in peak condition at all times. Most likely a work crew would be sent out to fill in the pothole within a week.

"Yes?" Solyma said distractedly, her gaze on Jaric as he rode up the line of carriages and wagons towards the vanguard of knights in the lead.

"How," she paused and bit her lower lip in a way that drew Solyma's complete attention. "How do you let a man know that you love him?"

"Well, you can take off your clothes when you're alone with him," Solyma started to say and stopped when she saw Penelope's earnest, beautiful, and slightly worried face. Instead she said, "Just tell him. It's the hardest way, but it's the only way you can be sure."

"Just tell him?" Penelope said and bit her lip in a way that made Solyma want to kiss her.

"Just tell him," Solyma said with a sigh.

"I'll do that then," Penelope said firmly. "I'm going to tell him."

I wish it was as easy for me, Solyma thought to herself as she watched Penelope turn her gaze out the window to where Laros rode alongside the carriage.

***

Laros sat in front of the fireplace, his feet propped up on a small footstool, reading the twelfth volume of Agrissos's histories. He was reading of the signing of the Treaty of Isider when he heard Penelope rise from her seat across the room and walk towards him. His senses burned to life and he could hear the swish of her dress against her legs, the beating of her heart, the crickets outside the inn, and the night breeze sighing through the leaves of the forest.

"What are you reading?" she asked softly as she stood behind him and rested her chin on his shoulder.

"The histories of Agrissos," Laros said as he closed the book and turned his head towards Penelope. "Is there anything you want me to do, your majesty?"

"Oh, Laros," Penelop said as she came around to stand in front of him, motioning for him to sit as he started to rise. He settled for lowering his feet to the floor and sitting up as straight as an arrow. "We used to play together when we were young. Why can't you call me Penelope?"

"It would not be proper, your majesty," Laros said as Penelope sat on the footstool and rested one hand on his knee.

"But we're friends," she said quietly.

"I- yes, your majesty. But I am also your bodyguard-" He froze when she rose and moved to sit on the arm of his chair. "I am sworn to die before letting you come to harm," he finished as Penelope reached out and brushed back his dark blond hair from his forehead.

"I remember when you got that," she whispered as her finger traced over the barely visible scar on his upper forehead. "We were playing at being mages when you tripped on your staff." Laros smiled despite himself. "And we both ran home crying because of all the blood," he said as his smile faded. "But that was long ago."

"And we were much younger," Penelope said as she leaned forward, her face only a few scant inches from Laros's.

"Yes," Laros said quietly.

"Do you remember the night before you left to start your training?" Penelope said as she looked away for a moment, her hair swishing against Laros's chest.

"Yes," Laros said in a faint voice. Penelope turned towards him and leaned closer.

"The kiss?" she whispered.

"Yes," Laros whispered back as she leaned forward, her eyes closed. Against his better judgement he felt his hands reaching up to take her shoulders and instead of pushing her away he pulled her close, kissing her deeply as she fell into his lap. Her hands went up and buried themselves in his hair as their lips crushed together desperately. Penelope's full breasts pressed against his chest as he caressed her back and shoulders. "No," he gasped as he managed to push her away. "No," he said in a more restrained voice. "We can't do this."

"But why?" Penelope moaned as she leaned forward and buried her face in Laros's chest. He heard her take a deep breath and felt her heart speed in her chest as if she were suddenly terrified. "I love you."

"I-I love you too," Laros said, hearing Penelope slowly let out her breath. "But I cannot allow my love to compromise your safety or my vow to guard you." He rose, gently lifting her from his lap and setting her on her feet, and brushed his hand tenderly across her cheek. "I must go make sure that the wards are properly set," he said with a formal bow as he exited the room. He shut the door quietly behind him, trying not to hear the sound of Penelope crying and furiously holding back the tears he felt rising in his eyes.

***

Tancred listened as the barmaid moaned, his hands gently caressing her breasts through the cotton of her blouse. He grinned and kissed the back of her neck as he shut the door behind them with his foot. The barmaid, he thought her name was Katrine, reached up and back to hold his head, her pleasantly soft bottom grinding against him as she moaned again.

Tancred nuzzled her soft blonde hair as he began to undo the laces of her blouse. Katrine sighed in pleasure and turned her head to kiss him as he slipped one hand down the front of her blouse to cup the warm flesh of her large and tender bosom. He ran his hands over the silky skin of her right breast and softly pinched her swollen and stiff nipple until she gasped in pleasure. Both of them swore loudly at the sound of a soft knock on the door.

"Tancred? It's me, Ismene," the elf girl said as she opened the door and stuck her head in. Her eyes widened a fraction when she saw Tancred with his hand down a barmaid's blouse. Tancred coughed and began to slowly remove his hand, trying to think of an excuse, when he heard Ismene say, "Mind if I join you?"

"What?" Tancred managed to say, completely forgetting the warm and soft breast he held in his right hand. His eyes flicked over Ismene's body and noted the revealing nightgown she wore under a loosely belted silk robe. Her small breasts drew his eye back up her body from her shapely legs and he could see her nipples pressing against the thin fabric.

"Do you mind if I join you?" Ismene said as she slipped inside the room and shut the door behind her, making sure to lock it.

Tancred looked down at Katrine and saw her blush. "Please," he said with a grin and began to softly caress Katrine's breast again. She murmured a soft protest as Ismene padded over to the couple and leaned forward on tiptoes to kiss Tancred.

"I don't think-" Katrine began to say before Ismene interrupted her with a kiss. The barmaid's eyes widened in surprise as the elf girl delicately sucked on her lower lip and reached down to squeeze her bottom. The barmaid gasped when Tancred moved around behind her and kissed the back of her neck, his hands reaching around to undo the rest of the laces on her blouse. Ismene smiled at the nervous barmaid and leaned forward to pull open her blouse, exposing the human woman's ripe breasts to the air. Katrine was frozen as she felt two pairs of hands roaming over her body, one belonging to a man, the other to a woman. She licked her lips nervously as Ismene suddenly knelt before her and ducked under her long skirt.

"Oh, gods," Katrine moaned, reaching back to clutch at Tancred's shoulders for support, as Ismene yanked down her underwear and began to kiss the insides of her thighs. "I've never been with a-" she gasped, trailing off into a long moan as she felt Ismene's lips lightly brushing over her quim. Her knuckles whitened as Ismene's tongue slipped across her quim and lapped at her clit. Katrine groaned loudly and lurched backward into Tancred, her hips pushed forward as Ismene reached up to hold her hips.

Tancred grinned as Katrine clutched at his shoulders, her head rubbing against his chest as she turned it to and fro with the motion of Ismene's tongue. The vampire reached up to caress Katrine's breasts, helping to support her as Ismene increased the motion of her tongue. The human woman's groans filled the room as Tancred rubbed his palms over the soft flesh of her large breasts, his fingers brushing and rubbing the hard points of her nipples.

Ismene smiled to herself as she licked the barmaid to further heights of pleasure. Most of her bedroom experiences had been with women, something not to uncommon in Taladros. In her encounters she had always been very good at pleasuring her partners. There had been only one other man before Lord Volchim- Ismene stopped and shook her head, barely hearing Katrine's low moan of protest. The elf girl blinked and watched in the dim light under Katrine's skirt as the barmaid thrust her hips forward and begged for release. Ismene slid her hands from Katrine's hips to the barmaids round bottom as she moved her head forward and began to pleasure the woman again.

Tancred watched as Ismene teased Katrine for a moment and then resumed her licking. The barmaid squirmed in his grasp, her body writhing against his as she panted for breath. He reached up and turned her head to face him, watching her rapturous expression as Ismene brought her closer and closer to an incredible climax. Tancred smiled, his fangs gleaming for a moment in the lamplight, before he kissed the barmaid, their tongues dancing together for a moment before Katrine let out a frantic cry of pleasure. Tancred continued to kiss the barmaid as she came, her body bucking furiously between his and Ismene's.

Tancred watched in amusement as Ismene ducked out from under Katrine's skirt and stood a little shakily. The elf winked at him as he lifted the exhausted human woman in his arms and set her down on the bed before pulling her dress off.

"Oh, Liaya, gods," Katrine moaned, her eyes still closed as she basked in the warmth of the orgasm. She felt the bed sag as Tancred sat down next to her, his hands running over her breasts and stomach. There was another slight motion in the bed as the elf girl who had appeared sat down to her right. "Do you do this to every woman you tumble?" Katrine said weakly as Ismene kissed her cheek softly.

"You're the first," Tancred said with grin. "But not the last?" he said questioningly to Ismene as she slid the straps of her nightgown off her shoulders, exposing her small, perfectly shaped breasts. The elf girl shrugged in response as she leaned over and kissed Tancred deeply, the taste of Katrine's quim still on her lips.

***

They stopped for lunch the next day just inside the border of Taladros. Already the forest was thickening, the trees arching high over the paved road. Tancred, Jaric, Kerrith, and Dravon were seated around a broad flat rock that served as their table. Tancred was half listening to their conversation as he idly looked back towards the main body of the caravan. His head was aching from a mixture of too much wine on an empty stomach and the sharp sunlight of noon. Still, he could ignore all the discomfort when he spotted Solyma. She was sitting in the door of her coach with an apple in her hand, poised to bite.

Solyma took a slow bite, obviously savoring the taste and the warm sunshine, a tiny trickle of juice dripping down her chin. Tancred shook his head and looked around at the rest of the caravan. Most of the nobles dined together with their servants waiting on them while the Knights and personal bodyguards ate scattered around the camp. His gaze slipped back to Solyma and he felt his heart racing when she noticed his gaze and smiled at him. But then he realized that she was looking past him. At Jaric.

"-I'm going to ask her when we get back to Corannon. I am," Kerrith was saying. Something about the way he said it made Tancred turn back to the conversation even though his stomach was churning and he wanted nothing more than to drain Jaric to a dry, withered husk.

"Congratulations!" Jaric said with a hearty slap on the back. "I'm sure she'll say yes."

"I wonder if I should have waited so long," Kerrith said, his normally calm face lined with worry.

"It's always good to take your time with marriage," Dravon said. He smiled, his gleaming teeth contrasting with his dark brown skin. "No sense in rushing into something so important."

"Spoken like a true Knight," Tancred said. "Always planning and waiting."

"So when are you going to ask Solyma?" Kerrith said to Jaric in a flat tone probably meant to be teasing. Tancred felt his hand clench and he realized he had bent his fork nearly in half. The old battle rage that he hadn't felt for nearly three hundred years began to surface again. He could feel his fangs lengthening and his claws, unused for three centuries, beginning to extend from his fingertips. He ground his teeth together and forced the rage down and the claws back. He had spent three hundred years making sure that he was as human as he could possibly be, more human than any other vampire he had ever heard of. He wouldn't let this pathetic human knight destroy all his progress.

"I don't know," Jaric said. "I mean, I don't know if she even likes me. And-" he paused, "she hasn't had good experiences with men."

"Oh, come now," Dravon said. "She's always trying to be close to you. She brings you your dinner and sits with you while you eat. I'd say she likes you a great deal."

"Yes, I suppose," Jaric said. "But she's so, so-" he sighed. "She's more than a man like me deserves."

"That's ridiculous," Dravon said quickly. "Why, by Dirkran's nails, would you say something like that?"

"Well, she's so pure and sweet. And intelligent and kind. And noble. And so beautiful. She deserves a prince, no, a king!" Jaric said with a sad sigh.

"You shouldn't think so badly of yourself," Kerrith said suddenly, as if he had just snapped to attention. "You love her, don't you?"

"I-yes, of course I do. How could anyone not?"

"Then tell her! If she doesn't love you, well, maybe you don't belong together. But I'm willing to bet that she'll be delighted to hear you say that."

"Really? She wouldn't think it too impudent? I mean, it's so forward. I've only known her for a month."

I could tell you stories, Tancred thought bitterly to himself. By the gods, if you knew who she really is, you'd run from her. She's too much for you, you're right there. You're a weak-minded and pathetic man. If I told you a tenth of what she's done and who she's done it with, you'd be horrified. You'd feel devastated that she wasn't the innocent girl you imagine her to be. And you'd leave her without a second thought.

He was about to open his mouth when he heard Solyma's voice in his head. "I'm in love," he remembered her saying. "I'm happy just to be around him." Tancred closed his mouth with a snap and glared down at his plate. Hah, let her love him, he'll be dead in fifty years and I'll still be here, he thought bitterly to himself. There's still plenty of time.

"That's plenty of time if you want to begin courting her," Dravon said. "I'm sure Kerrith didn't wait that long before he started courting Selene." Kerrith smiled wanly and took a long sip from his cup to hide his sudden discomfort. He sometimes wondered exactly how much his commander knew about how he had met Selene. He had to force his hand to relax and release the handle of the cup.

"She's-" Tancred started to say despite himself. She's wild, like a bird, no, a dragon, he thought. Nothing could tame her or capture her. She's free. And she's willing to give all that freedom up for you, he thought furiously as he looked at Jaric. Tell him, Tancred through to himself. Why should I wait fifty years? Just let it slip about her and Duke Quiton. How she really got that position at the College. He'd shun her for sure and Solyma and I could spend forever together. But she's so happy, he thought. So happy that she'd give up so much to be with her knight. Her late nights out, a different man or woman each night. She isn't even drinking as much. Just a few words and we could be together- "-she's very nice, isn't she?" Tancred heard himself saying and hated himself for it. "I think you should ask her out." He shook his head and stood shakily. "Excuse me, I think the sun is finally getting to me." He staggered away without hearing their goodbyes and collapsed into his carriage, pulling the door shut after him and sitting in the warm darkness.

***

"I hope he'll be alright, he's a decent fellow," Jaric said as he watched Tancred stagger away. "He is a vampire, isn't he?"

Dravon looked up from his lunch and finished chewing. "Yes, he is. Over three hundred years old, I believe," he said. "Oldest one I know of. At least, the oldest one living in a city."

"How does he stand the sunlight like that?" Jaric asked. "I thought sun was deadly to a vampire."

"Normal ones, yes," Dravon said. "He's old enough and powerful enough to walk in the sun, at least that's what I hear." Dravon drank from his cup and wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Not too many vampires left these days, there used to be many more in the days of the Unification. But they just disappeared into the night." He snapped his fingers. "Like that. I don't even think any more are created."

"How sad," Jaric said. "To be the last of your kind."

"I wouldn't feel so bad for him," Kerrith said. "He leads a life most of us would envy."

"Wine, women, and song, eh?" Dravon said with a laugh.

***

"Oh, Selene, dear, you've been moping about ever since you came home," Elisa Arrowsmith said. She sat on the bed beside her daughter and stroked the young woman's hair. "It's that...man of yours, isn't it?" she said with a sigh.

Selene lifted her head from the pillow and rolled over onto her stomach to stare out the window beside her bed. The setting sun filled the walled yard behind the house with golden light. She had loved to play in that small garden when she had been a child.

She had come home to visit after the term at the College had ended. But all she had been able to think about was Kerrith. Away from Corannon she hadn't been able to see if he had written to her.

"I-it's nothing, mother," Selene said sadly as she closed her eyes and buried her face in her pillow.

"I hate to see you like this," Elisa said as she continued to stroke her daughter's hair. "You're so sad, you've never been this way."

"I'm older now," Selene said. "I just miss him."

"What kind of man leaves his woman behind all the time? This Kerrith of yours is away more than he's with you! Your father would never have dreamed of leaving me behind when he went on a trip."

"He's a Knight of the Shield! He can't drag me along when there might be fighting," Selene said, her voice rising as she sat up on the bed and looked her mother in the eyes.

"What fighting? You said yourself that he never fights anyone on these patrols, he just rides through villages."

"He has to check on them to see if there is anything they need help with, that's his duty," Selene said. "If they need a dispute settled they ask him. If a thief has been breaking into homes he catches it. The last time he went out he rescued a man from a river. He helps people." Selene looked down at the faded quilt that her mother had made so many years ago and ran her fingers over the soft cloth. "He helps people," she said softly.

"Helps the village maidens with their virginity," Elisa said harshly. Selene gasped and turned her head, her hand flying to her mouth to stifle the sobs threatening to break free.

She felt ashamed for doubting Kerrith but at the same time she wondered. They had never made love after that first night in Willowsrun. He had always said that he wanted to marry her before they bedded each other again. But what if he had just tired of her and was keeping her dangling for her father's money? Why did she feel this way? Why did she love him so much that it hurt? "Oh, Selene, I'm sorry," Elisa said as Selene's shoulders began to shake silently. "I didn't mean that."

"I know," Selene said as she wiped at the tears seeping from her eyes. He loved her, he had to, he said so. He had sworn an oath to always love her. And a Knight of the Shield would sooner die than betray their oath. They would sooner die. Gods, how I miss him, Selene thought to herself as she felt her mother embrace her tenderly, rocking her as she had when she had been a little girl.

"Why don't we go to the theater tomorrow when your father gets home? We can have a nice dinner together," Elisa said softly. "He's bringing a son of one of his associates, he lives in Corannon. Maybe you two can be friends."

"Yes," Selene said, "that sounds good."

***

"Are you happy to be home?" Solyma asked as the carriage rolled up the slight grade it had been climbing for the past few miles.

Penelope stopped looking out the window and blushed. "Yes," she said with a bright smile. "It hasn't even been a year, but I've missed it so much."

"What about you, Ismene?" Solyma said. The other elf girl looked up and shrugged her shoulders.

"It will be nice to see my parents again," she said. "But I'm not the same as when I left. I think I'll try to travel again."

"There it is!" Penelope cried out excitedly as the carriage crested the hill and emerged from the forest that surrounded the capital of Taladros. She was leaning out of the carriage window to catch a glimpse of the city and would have fallen if Solyma hadn't caught the back of her dress and hauled her back. "Altennos!"

Solyma joined her in the window despite herself and leaned out, grabbing onto the roof of the carriage to steady herself. The city lay before them, filling the valley below and spreading towards the north while it rose up the gentle slopes of a large hill.

Red clay tiles shone from the roofs of the buildings, gleaming like jewels in the afternoon sun. The streets were orderly, each of the larger roads traveling careful and straight paths through the city while dozens of smaller streets meandered through the city. Throughout the city were patches of brilliant greenery from carefully tended parks and the flash of streams flowing among the buildings. Small arched footbridges crossed the streams in some places while level bridges crossed them at junctions with the main roads.

"I'm home!" Penelope cried out happily as she waved to a trader's wagon passing them in the opposite direction. Solyma smiled with her and looked up to the roof of the carriage.

"Hasn't changed much since we were here last, has it?" she asked Hector.

"Not that I can tell," he said calmly. Solyma noticed that he had changed into his good plumed helmet and had polished it until it gleamed like a mirror.

Solyma laughed and ruffled his plume before pulling herself out of the carriage and up onto the roof. She settled back among the luggage, basking the warm sun as the procession of carriages, horses, and wagons began to descend into the city.

"There's the palace!" she heard Penelope yell from below. Solyma looked up towards the glittering blue and white castle perched on the flattened peak of the tallest hill in the city. Hundreds of pennants fluttered from the dozens of needlelike turrets dotting the building. Every color under the sun flew from the castle in honor of the return of their beloved princess.

The castle itself was beautiful, a wonder of architecture that was easily as large as the royal palace in Corannon. Crafted from shimmering blue and white stone, the effect was to make a watcher wonder where the castle's turrets ended and the sky above began. In the center of the castle rose the throne room, placed at the top of the castle to float above the city and forest.

Just to the west of the castle Solyma could see the glittering waters of the Hiali Illuios, the Lake of the Moon. Supposedly a gift from the first king of Taladros to his beloved, the lake had been sculpted from the earth by weaves of incredible power. Now it was the source of the dozens of streams and rivers that meandered through the city.

The procession slowed slightly as the Knights at the head entered the city through the main gates. Carved from a rich, golden wood, the gates were shaped like a delicate arbor of vines arching over the main road. The detail was magnificent with details down the the flowers budding on the vines carved in meticulous detail. Solyma smiled as the carriage passed under the arch of vines and into the city, already the carriages were surrounded by throngs of elves shouting greetings to Penelope.

"Ethen tias so, melodios!" Solyma heard the elves shouting as they smiled and waved.

"Ethen tias so, ielodiosi!" Penelope called back, the only thing keeping her from jumping out of the carriage to embrace her people was the ever watchful presence of Laros. What was it they were saying? Solyma thought to herself. Be well today, princess and citizens, she thought as her elven came back to her slowly.

"Wow," Solyma said as a group of young elven men threw bouquets of flowers towards the carriage. Most were meant for Penelope and were fielded by Laros's lightning quick hands, but one arced high over his head and landed in Solyma's lap. She looked into the crowd and was pleasantly surprised to see a slender elven man of Penelope's age blowing her a kiss with a wink. She laughed and winked back at him as she ran a hand through her hair. "I missed this place," she said to Hector.

Chapter 4 : Birthdays and New Beginnings

"What's wrong?" Hector asked as Solyma suddenly hunched down out of sight underneath the carriage's window. They were just entering the main courtyard of the palace as Duke Quiton and Dravon were being presented to the Queen of Taladros. The Queen was standing at the top of the short flight of stairs that led to the main entrance of the palace. Solyma smiled at Hector and the two elven girls sharing the carriage while trying to look relaxed.

"Oh, nothing," Solyma said as she tried to sneak a peek over the edge of the window. There was a brief jolt as the carriage pulled up in front of the main entrance to the palace and the sound of a footman approaching it. "Say, did that man who threw those flowers look familiar to you?" Solyma said suddenly. Hector looked blankly at her. "He looked like- oh, damn-" Solyma muttered as the footman opened the door and placed a small set of stairs in front of it.

"Your majesty, we have arrived," Laros said with a bow to Penelope as he offered his arm to her. She smiled at him and took his arm in one hand, her skirt in the other, as she stepped out of the carriage and onto a forest green carpet laid there for her.

"Are you coming or should I just bring your meals out here?" Hector said as Ismene left the carriage escorted by the footman.

"I'll just wait a bit," Solyma said as she peeked out the door. Penelope was warmly embracing an elven woman who looked perhaps thirty in human years. They shared the same golden hair and exquisite facial features. A shining crown of pure platinum studded with three emeralds of extraordinary size was set atop her hair. "Queen Amadrin," Solyma sighed and managed to supress a leer at the thought of having both mother and daughter in her bed. "Damn!" she cursed as she ducked back around the door.

"Solyma?" a rich and beautiful voice, perfectly suited for a mezzo-soprano at the Corannon Opera, said from outside the carriage. "Is that you?"

"Yes?" Solyma said weakly as she slowly got to her feet and stumbled from the carriage.

"It's been so long," Queen Amadrin said with a slight smile. "How have you been?"

"Very well, your majesty," Solyma mumbled, managing a clumsy curtsy when Hector nudged her in the back. Damn skirts, she cursed silently as she rose.

"No need for that, Solyma, we're friends, aren't we?" Queen Amadrin said with a slightly larger smile. Penelope gave her a puzzled glance as the queen extended her arms to Solyma. "Come now, give me a hug."

"Yes, your majesty," Solyma said in a small voice as she hesitantly walked over to Amadrin and gave her a quick hug. Solyma gasped in surprise when Amadrin pulled her into a close hug, their breasts pressing together for a long moment before the elven queen let her go. Solyma felt heat rising in her face when the elven queen let her hand slide over Solyma's bottom and then gave it a pinch.

"Penelope has told me all about what you have done for her," Queen Amadrin said to the furiously blushing Solyma. "Please, come visit me later after the official business of state is completed. I wish to thank you personally." With that, Queen Amadrin nodded to Solyma and Hector before entering the palace with Penelope and Laros by her side.

"Oh gods," Solyma mumbled as she collapsed onto the stairs leading to the main entrance. Several lesser nobles being escorted into the palace by a high ranking servant gave her odd looks as she cradled her face in her hands. "Out of the kettle and into the cooking fire," Solyma moaned.

"Solyma," Hector said tiredly. "Perhaps we should let this gentleman escort us to our quarters before you decide to make a scene."

Solyma peeked out through her fingers at a elven man dressed in palace livery standing in front of her. He seemed totally unperturbed by her behavior and politely bowed as she rose.

"May I escort you to your quarters? They are located in the west wing with a beautiful view of the lake," he said.

"Yes, please," Solyma said as she stood and managed to regain some composure. She followed the servant as he led her into the palace, taking a side hallway to avoid the clumps of Corannite nobles being escorted to their quarters. Behind her she heard the sound of the rear guard of the procession riding up and leading their horses to the stables.

"What was that scene about?" Hector whispered to her as they climbed a flight of wide marble stairs up the fourth floor of the palace and turned down a wide hallway.

"Remember when we were here last? Twenty years or so ago?" Solyma whispered back. "And we left very suddenly?" Hector's usually blank featured helmet managed to look even more blank. "Yes," he finally said slowly. "What did you do to her?"

Solyma sputtered in anger and waved her hands wildly, nearly striking a passing maid. "I," she said loudly, "I did nothing to her!" Solyma looked around and lowered her voice as she leaned over to whisper to Hector. "I was just looking around the palace when she..." Solyma looked at the servant walking a few paces in front of her and lowered her voice even more. "She- we- had a relationship."

"These are your quarters," the servant said as they stopped at a polished wooden door at the end of the hallway. A stained glass window at the end of the hallway let in rays of delicately colored green and blue light. "Your luggage has been brought here already, there will be a formal reception tonight. Until then you may go anywhere you wish, if you need any assistance whatsoever any of the servants will be happy to help you. There is a bell pull if you wish to contact them from your rooms. This is your key," he said as he handed Solyma a key about as long as her hand. "But do not worry about your posessions, they are perfectly safe even with the door unlocked." With that he bowed and turned to leave.

"A relationship?" Hector asked as Solyma opened the door and stepped into the room. "Solyma?"

Solyma was staring at the pile of wooden crates neatly stacked in the corner of the spacious and sumptuously furnished living room. "What are those?" she said absently as she closed the door behind them.

"Your wine collection, you wanted me to bring it for some reason-" Hector said.

"Oh, yes, sell it when you can, will you? But give a couple of bottles of the good stuff to the queen and save another couple for me," Solyma said as she headed towards the bedroom.

***

"I see the humans have already arrived," Loradros said as his carriage pulled up to the palace's main entrance.

"Yes, my lord," Derwin said from his seat across the carriage. "There is a dinner scheduled for tonight. You will be expected to-"

"You are telling me what I am expected to do?" Loradros said evenly as a footman opened the door for him.

"N-no, my lord," the human said nervously. "I was just-" Loradros laughed uproariously and slapped Derwin on the shoulder.

"Derwin, you need to learn to appreciate a good joke," Loradros said as he stepped out of the carriage. He glanced back into the carriage and Derwin felt his heart stutter when he saw the elf's eyes. They were as cold as the glaciers to the far north and carried all the threat of a knife to the throat.

"Of course, my lord," Derwin managed to say.

***

"Ah, well, we're having pasta tonight so you won't need that," Duke Quiton said lightly as he reached over and picked up a silver knife by Solyma's plate. "Excuse me, could you take this?" he said to a passing servant. "No need to risk someone getting cut, is there?"

Solyma barely noticed as Adelard began to chat with her idly. She glanced around the long table placed lengthwise along a platform at the head of the dining room. Queen Amadrin was to her right at the center of the table with Penelope to the Queen's right. Tancred, Kerrith, and Jaric were to her left past Adelard while Dravon was seated beside Penelope.

Taladrosian dinners and events were notoriously informal. If the same dinner had been held in Alathan or even Krisephyr, there would have been a strict seating arrangement by sex and station. In Taladros, honored guests generally sat at the same table as the Queen with everyone else seated according to when they arrived at the dinner, much to the dismay of a few Krisephyrian nobles attempting to be fashionably late.

Solyma had been hoping to be one of those late to dinner and seated at the far end of the room, unfortunately, she had been called on by the Queen's first bodyguard and brought to the dinner on time.

"You're so quiet tonight, Solyma," Amadrin said in a soft voice. Solyma jerked and flushed when she felt Amadrin's hand sliding up her leg. She bit her lip and felt her hand tighten on her fork as Amadrin slid her hand between Solyma's unresisting thighs. "I missed your company so much."

"Please, Amadrin," Solyma managed to say in a quavering voice. "We can talk-" she barely managed to stifle a gasp of pleasure as the elf woman rubbed her quim through the fabric of her dress and underwear, "-later."

"You all right, Solyma?" Tancred said from down the table. Solyma glanced at him and narrowed her eyes at the leer he had plastered across his face.

"Er, you do look a little flushed," Adelard said, inching his chair away from Solyma. "Have you been drinking much?"

"Yes, have you had too much to drink?" Amadrin said with a slight smile. Her fingers pressed more insistently against Solyma's quim. She raised one perfect eyebrow slightly as Solyma grabbed her wrist and reluctantly pushed her hand away.

"I think that I'm just tired from the journey," Solyma said, her breathing hard.

"Then you must join me after dinner, we can relax together," Amadrin said with a smile.

***

"Solyma, what was that all about?" Hector said in a low voice as he and Solyma hurried back to their room after dinner.

"Nothing," Solyma said in a quick voice. "Nothing at all."

"She was fondling you under the table."

"How did you see- I mean, what do you mean?" Hector stared at Solyma until she finally cracked. "Alright! Alright! The last time we were here, I had snuck into the palace, just to look around, of course..."

~~~

Solyma pinched her nose and barely stifled a sneeze as she crawled through the narrow air ducts of the Royal Palace of Taladros. She felt her hair catch on some sort of outcropping and hissed in pain as she tugged it free.

"I'm cutting it as soon as I get out of here," she muttered to herself as she tried to wrestle her waist-length copper hair back into some semblance of order. She groaned and continued to crawl along the air duct, checking her map every so often by the light let in by ventilation grills. "The Queen's chambers should be a hundred feet or so down this way," she said to herself as she turned to her left and crawled down another duct.

"Solyma, where are you?" she heard Hector say in her head.

"Um, just looking around the city," Solyma whispered back.

"Why are you whispering?"

"I'm, uh, watching a play," Solyma said and stopped to look at a grill set in the bottom of the duct. What she saw made her palms sweaty. "I've gotta go, our luggage is packed, right?"

"Yes, it is, but why-" Hector said before Solyma severed the link between mage and familiar.

Solyma quietly brought her face closer to the grill and licked her lips at the sight below. She could feel steamy heat rising from the room below, a bathroom, and felt sweat beading on her brow, although not only from the heat. Below her was a sight few had seen, the Queen of Taladros taking a bath.

Solyma pressed her face against the grill and watched as the elven woman leaned back against the edge of her bathing pool, her long golden hair loosely bound atop her head. Her full and deliciously shapely breasts could be seen half-submerged in the steaming water, her smooth and slightly golden skin flushed with the heat.

Barely conscious of what she was doing, Solyma reached down and fumbled with her breeches, tugging them open and shoving her right hand into her underwear. As the Queen stretched out in the water, her breasts rising as she placed her hands behind her head, Solyma began to rub herself furiously. Solyma froze for a second as the Queen looked upward but relaxed when she realized that the elven woman's eyes were closed.

Solyma panted quickly, biting her lip to keep from groaning, as she imagined having the Queen's face, those delicately slanted eyes, a straight and graceful nose, and full lips that were beautiful and lush without being wanton, between her legs. She imagined sucking on the elf woman's breasts, their bodies pressed together in the steaming water as-

Solyma yelped in surprise as the grill gave way, spilling her upper body into the room. As the Queen opened her eyes and stared at Solyma in surprise, her eyes widening at the sight of Solyma's hand jammed down her breeches, Solyma began to lose her balance. She tried to pull her hand free of her pants and fell headfirst into the room as the motion set her completely off balance.

Solyma sputtered and panted for breath as she surfaced from the pool, thanking the gods that she hadn't broken her neck in the fall. She tensed for the inevitable scream and call for the guards as she wiped her soaking hair from her eyes.

"And who are you?" a sultry mezzo-soprano voice said.

"I- what?" Solyma said in surprise as she watched the elven Queen modestly covered her bare breasts with her arms, at no time showing any embarassment. "Solyma van Dolceis," Solyma said without thinking.

"Ah...Solyma," the Queen said with a smile. "Why were you spying on me in the bath?"

"Um," Solyma said, uncomfortably aware that her stiff nipples were easily visible through the soaking fabric of her shirt. "I was cleaning the ducts but I think I took a wrong turn somewhere-" she started to say before she was interrupted by the Queen's rich laughter.

"Come over here, Solyma," the Queen said. "You're not human are you?"

"Er, no," Solyma said, amazed that the Queen could tell the difference. Her race was superficially the same as humanity and a weave of illusion should have covered any remaining differences. "I'm a succubus."

"I've heard many legends about your people," Amadrin said as Solyma waded through the pool towards her. "Are they true?"

"Not really," Solyma said. "Your majesty," she added belatedly.

"Don't worry about such honorifics," Amadrin said as she reached out and pulled Solyma closer by her shirt. "So you're not a sexually charged race of demons who try to seduce anything they can? How...disappointing," she breathed as her eyes slowly traced over Solyma's soaked shirt and easily visible breasts.

"They aren't, I am," Solyma said in a distracted voice as she stared at the Queen's uncovered breasts. Were her nipples hard or was that her imagination?

"Ah, good, good," Amadrin said. "Why don't you show me? I could be convinced to let you go without calling my bodyguards."

Solyma looked around nervously and licked her lips again. "Why don't I just immobilize your with a weave and sneak out of here on my own?" she said in a cautious voice.

"Because," Amadrin said with another smile. With that, Solyma felt magic snapping into existence around her. She tried to summon her counter-weaves but the Queen was far too skilled. In seconds she felt her clothes being torn away from her body as she was lifted into the air to float, stomach down, in front of the Queen.

"I-I see," Solyma said as she felt her arms pulled straight out from her body and her legs spread apart. "Hey, stop that!" she yelled as Amadrin idly reached up and began to run a finger around Solyma's left nipple. Solyma closed her eyes and moaned in pleasure as she felt herself lowered to the edge of the pool on her back, her lower legs dangling in the steaming water while Amadrin crouched by her side, her elbows resting on the edge. She stared down at Solyma with heavily lidded eyes as she lightly stroked Solyma's stomach. Solyma gasped again and stared upward when she felt the elven woman's fingers stroking the patch of hair between her thighs. Her eyes widened and she arched her back when Amadrin's fingers slid slowly into her.

Solyma reached up and grabbed at Amadrin's shoulders as the elven woman moved up out of the pool and crouched over Solyma's body. Solyma closed her eyes as Amadrin leaned down and kissed her, first softly, then more fiercely. Solyma ran her hands up the damp skin of Amadrin's shoulders to bury them in the queen's thick mass of soft hair.

Solyma moaned when she felt the elf woman's body collapse onto her's, their breasts pressing together. Solyma sighed as Amadrin broke the kiss and began to trail her lips down Solyma's cheek and neck, lightly nipping and kissing until she reached Solyma's breasts. Solyma cried out and managed to bite back any more screams to keep the guards from bursting into the bathing room. Amadrin's teeth scraped over Solyma's stiff nipples, eliciting a shuddering groan through her clenched lips.

The elf woman's lips continued to work over Solyma's body, kissing and sucking at her breasts. Solyma moaned softly as Amadrin lay beside her on the warm tile floor, the elf woman's hands caressing Solyma's breasts as they kissed.

"Your breasts," Amadrin whispered as they broke from their long kiss, "they are quite large for an elf. I don't think I've ever been with a woman like you."

"Thank you," Solyma said weakly as Amadrin continued to squeeze and knead her breasts. The elf seemed to be quite enamored of them. "I'm not going to get into trouble, am I?"

"We'll see about that," Amadrin said with a sly smile as she lifted Solyma into the air with a gesture and lowered her into the pool. Solyma found herself kneeling in facing the edge as Amadrin sat in front of her. The elf's shapely legs gracefully swung up and onto Solyma's shoulders as the elf leaned back on her hands. "I may be convinced to let you go with a reprimand if you are sufficently...contrite."

"Promise?" Solyma panted. Not that I mind, she thought to herself smugly. I came for a pile of royal jewelery and I got to fuck the Queen, not a bad trade off. Gods know I've done worse.

"You have my word as Queen," Amadrin said with a smile as she leaned forward and ran one hand across Solyma's cheek and patted it gently. Solyma leaned forward, trying hard to mask her eagerness, and began to lightly kiss the insides of Amadrin's thighs. The elven Queen shuddered delicately as Solyma moved closer, her hands resting on Amadrin's thighs for support.

Amadrin looked down at Solyma and stroked the woman's coppery red hair with one hand. Solyma glanced up at the elf woman and smiled as she leaned forward, her nose brushing against the incredibly soft hair between Amadrin's thighs. Amadrin moaned loudly as Solyma began to lick softly at her quim, the succubus's tongue flicking over Amadrin's clit. The elf woman reached down and brought one of Solyma's hands up to cup her breasts as she lay back on the floor and placed both hands on Solyma's head.

Solyma continued to lick at Amadrin, gently sliding her tongue along the elf's quim before lavishing attention on the woman's swollen clit. Solyma felt Amadrin's hands clench at her hair as she took the elf's clit into her mouth and began to softly suck on it. Solyma continued to lick and suck on Amadrin's quim until she heard the elf woman cry out in a long, low moan. A gush of sweet tasting honey flowed from the elf's quim into Solyma's waiting mouth...

~~~

"I don't think there was any reason for you to go into such graphic detail," Hector said disapprovingly as Solyma changed into a pair of breeches and a loose blouse.

"Well, it was."

"Was what?"

"Sweet. I swear to Liaya that I've never tasted anything like that. Except maybe Ismene. She was similar but there was just something-"

"A simple, "I seduced the Queen of Taladros in order to keep from being thrown in jail' would have sufficed."

"I did not seduce her!" Solyma said as she laced up the front of her blouse and tied her hair back in a severe ponytail. "She seduced me!"

"I'm sure she did," Hector said patronizingly.

"Don't use that tone of voice on me!" Solyma yelled as she checked her appearance in the mirror. As plain as she could manage without using magic.

"Yes, mistress," Hector said in the same tone of voice.

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Solyma said as she pulled the tails of her blouse out of the waistband of her breeches, letting them drop down to cover her bottom. "If I didn't know better I'd think you were going to be watching and pleasuring yourself."

"Not that I'm able to, even if I wanted to," Hector said. "Why are you making yourself look more dreadful than usual?" he said as Solyma mussed her hair.

"So she doesn't get any ideas," Solyma said.

"Oh, so I'm supposed to believe that you don't want to be naked in her bed by the end of the night?"

"Yes!" Solyma said, a little too forcefully.

***

Kerrith swung the practice sword in a smooth arc terminating at the target dummy's head. The smooth lacquered wood of the sword shone under the warm glow of the magical lights strung overhead throughout the training hall. He took a half-step backward and lunged, the sword stabbing out to catch the dummy in the chest.

"You're very good," Ismene said as she walked onto the floor of the hall and stood next to the dummy.

"Thank you," Kerrith said as he wiped the sweat from his face with a towel. "Did you want a lesson, Ismene? You're a very promising student. If you ever need a job, I'm sure the Shield would be willing to accept you as a candidate."

Ismene cocked her head and smiled slightly. "Thank you," she said as she turned to face the dummy and ran her hand over the battered wooden surface. "As for a lesson," she paused and looked over her shoulder at Kerrith.

Kerrith blinked in surprise as she undid the laces of her dress and let it fall from her slender shoulders to the polished wooden floor. She turned, wearing only her thin, diaphanous chemise and walked towards him, her hips swinging as she reached up and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You can teach me many things, I'm sure."

"Ismene, please!" Kerrith said sharply as he pushed her hands off his shoulders and took a step backward. "That kiss was an accident. I should have never let it happen."

Kerrith watched apprehensively as Ismene let her arms fall to her sides and her head drop. He took a half-step forward, trying to figure out what to do when he saw her body begin to shudder as if she were weeping. "Ismene, I'm sorry. You're a beautiful woman, but I'm in love with someone-"

"I know," Ismene said as she raised her head. Kerrith's eyes widened when he saw the mirth dancing in her eyes. "Gods, I know. I don't know what I'm doing anymore. Look at me!" she said as she laughed. "I'm trying to seduce anything I can." She bit her lip and her laughter faded as she stared off into the distance. "You look sort of like him. The hair and body," she said suddenly with a faint smile. "How long do you think it would take to get to Cielcroix?" she finally asked after a long pause.

"A few weeks, maybe less, depending on the weather," Kerrith said in confusion. "Why?"

"There's someone I need to talk to," Ismene said with a smile. She turned and picked up her dress, holding it in front of her in a semblance of modesty. "Now, let me change and you can give me that lesson."

***

"Um, hello?" Solyma said as she stepped into the royal chambers and heard the bodyguard shut the door behind her. She glanced back at the door and swallowed nervously at the sound of the lock clicking. "Your majesty?"

"In here, Solyma," she heard Amadrin call out. From the bathing room.

"Ah, hello, your majesty," Solyma said as she nervously stepped over to the door and peeked in. She closed her eyes for a second to regain her composure at the sight of Queen Amadrin lying in the bathing pool and then stepped into the room. "How are you doing?"

"Foreplay, Solyma? Not like you, not like you at all," Amadrin said as she stood and slowly waded across the pool towards Solyma. Billows of sweet smelling steam rose from the heated water to collect in the warm air of the room. Already Solyma could feel herself sweating from the heat. "Come, take off those clothes and let us get reacquainted with each other. It's been too long."

"Your majesty," Solyma said, fending off Amadrin's amorous hands weakly. "I can't."

"And why is that?" Amadrin said with a tilt of her eyebrow. "Playing hard to get is not like you at all."

"Believe me, if things were different, I'd want to," Solyma said fervently as she stared at Amadrin's nude body, the elf's skin gleaming with sweat and water. "But," she paused and took a deep breath, "I'm in love."

"Really? With whom?"

"Jaric. Jaric D'Allovet, he's a Knight of the Shield from Corannon," Solyma said and suddenly felt as if a window in her soul had been opened, allowing a fresh breeze to blow for the first time in so long. She smiled broadly, knowing that she probably looked the fool with her clothes plastered to her body with sweat. "I'm in love," she said again, feeling the words in her mouth. "I'm in love."

***

"Splendid night, isn't it?" Dravon said as he walked across the broad stone terrace towards Jaric.

"Yes, sir," Jaric said as he got up from the bench he had been relaxing on and saluted.

"Ah, no need for that, we're off duty," Dravon said as he sat down with a groan of relief. "All that riding, I'm not as used to it as I was," he said with a smile that flashed his white teeth in the moonlight.

"We did ride hard, sir," Jaric said as he sat. He glanced to the west and the splendor of the moonlit lake beyond the gardens of the palace. "I'm tired myself."

"It's not just that," Dravon said as he leaned back and watched a couple by the lake, no more than silhouettes at that distance, walk side by side. "I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Sir, you're barely ten years older than me," Jaric said solemnly.

"You're right, I suppose I just feel that way sometimes. There aren't any wars, thank all the gods above," Dravon said as he leaned forward and ran a hand through his short cropped tightly curled hair. "You weren't around for the last bit of skirmishing with Kilasat, were you?"

"No sir, I didn't join until a year after the fighting ended." Dravon nodded and continued to watch the far off couple.

"That's good, those skirmishes were always nasty. Good soldiers, those Kilasatians, damn good in the open. Some good men too. Damned shame to have to fight them." Dravon sighed. "I'm just glad that they finally signed another peace treaty." The Guardian Knight stood and slapped Jaric on the back. "I've got to head off to bed soon," he said as he stretched his arms over his head. "But how are you and that professor doing, what's her name? Sally?"

"Solyma, sir," Jaric said as he stood. "I don't know if we're really anything. I mean, I like her. A lot. But-"

"Still haven't begun to court her?" Dravon said with a smile.

"No, sir."

"Well, do it soon. Life's too short to waste. We're having a wonderful party day after next, dance with her. Bring her out here to enjoy the view," Dravon waved at the gardens, lake, and forest beyond, all shining under a nearly full moon. "Go for a walk by the lake. I've seen the way she looks at you, she'll say yes."

"I- yes, sir," Jaric said with a crisp salute.

"That wasn't an order, Jaric," Dravon said with a sigh. "Just some advice." He looked up at the stars far overhead and pushed his hands into the small of his back until there was a satisfying crack. "Life's too short, you hear me, Jaric?" he said with a wave as he turned and began to walk towards the palace. "Life's too short!"

***

"Are you happy to be home, your majesty?" Laros said as he and Penelope walked slowly by the shore of Hiali Illuios. "You've been quiet."

Penelope nodded and looked back out towards the lake. He stopped when she did and watched as she continued to stare out at the lake.

"Do you know who my mother chose for the Teliaos?" she asked, her voice faint.

"Yes, your majesty," Laros said. "She chose Lord Loradros."

"And?"

Laros hesitated. "I don't know what you mean, your majesty," he finally said.

"It's too much to hope that you'd be jealous, isn't it?" Penelope said.

"Your majesty?"

"The Teliaos used to be the way for a young woman to choose her husband," Penelope said as she wrapped her arms around herself and sighed. "The dance was the first part of their marriage."

"But it's just a ritual today, your majesty. No one expects you to marry Lord Loradros."

"The Teliaos is supposed to be sacred."

"Yes?"

"I don't want to dance with him. I don't even like him," Penelope said, painfully aware that she sounded like a spoiled little girl. In truth she really hated him. He had eyes that were like cold glass unless he was leering at you like you were a piece of meat. She'd also heard the stories about how he treated his servants, like they were somehow less than him.

"I'm sure your mother has a good reason for choosing him," Laros said as he shifted his weight from foot to foot. He watched as Penelope's shoulders sank and then tilted her head back to gaze up at the stars. Her golden hair shone like silver in the moonlight, the faint breeze wafting a lock of her hair across her cheek.

"I'm sure she does," Penelope said with a glance over her shoulder at Laros. "Let's go back inside. I'm tired."

***

"Are you sure you don't want a massage?" Amadrin said as she handed Solyma a tall glass of chilled wine.

Solyma hesitated and then said, "No. Thank you."

"So the wild Solyma has fallen in love," Amadrin said as she sat across the card table from Solyma and picked up a deck of cards. "A foot massage? Maybe? No?" Amadrin shrugged and looked down at the cards. "And with a knight, no less." Solyma shrugged and took a long sip from her glass.

"Deal the cards," she said.

***

"-and then I threw my spear right at the dragon's eye," Tancred said to the elven maid doing the wash. She glanced up at him through the steam-filled air and smiled quickly before going back to pedaling the twin treadles that powered the washing machine. Tancred paused for a moment to admire the elven girl's legs, firm and toned from her daily bouts of pedaling. Her skirts were tied up above her knee to allow her to pedal freely and her skin was damp with sweat.

"At the last moment, I realize that the dragon isn't attacking us," Tancred continued. "So just as I'm throwing, I change my aim and miss the dragon by a hairsbreath." The maid smiled quickly again. "Not many people can do that. Of course, I'm not like many people." Tancred smiled his most charming smile and leaned back in the wooden folding chair he was sitting in. The elf girl smiled again and he leaned forward. "So, when do you finish with your chores?"

Tancred was interrupted as another maid walked into the steamy laundry room and said something in the elf's musical language to the pedaling maid. The girl looked at Tancred and then back to the newcomer before responding. They both giggled and hid smiles behind their hands.

"So, who's your friend?" Tancred said with another smile. His smile faltered as the two elf's said something to each other and giggled again. "You don't understand anything I'm saying, do you?" he said. The maid operating the washing machine smiled politely and gave him a blank look. "I'll just be going," he said as he stood and folded his chair. He managed to walk out of the room with a semblance of dignity, only slightly spoiled by the peals of laughter coming from inside the room.

***

"Do you have a...Lord of Shadows?" Solyma said as she glanced over her cards at Amadrin.

"Throw your net," Amadrin said with a grin. Solyma cursed as she reached out and plucked the top card from the deck. "So, what's your man like in bed?"

"I-we, we haven't done anything," Solyma said as she hid behind her cards.

"Oh, come now," Amadrin said with an amused smile. "Tell me! It's been ages since Odryas died. I haven't laid with a man since. I rather miss it."

"I mean it," Solyma said. "We haven't done anything. He hasn't even kissed me." Solyma set her cards on the table and glared at Amadrin as the elf woman bent over with laughter.

"You're joking?" Amadrin said when she regained her breath. She glanced at Solyma's face and shook her head. "You're not."

"No," Solyma said as she finished off her third glass of wine.

"I'm so sorry, Solyma," Amadrin said with a barely suppressed smile. "Why haven't you dragged him into some dark corner and had your way with him?"

"I don't do that!"

"Anymore."

"Yes, anymore."

***

"Good, watch where you put your feet," Kerrith said as he retreated from Ismene's sword. "Keep them apart, don't lose your balance!" he shouted as she overextended and allowed him to knock her practice blade to the side. He ducked in the opposite direction and tapped her on the back with his blade. "You'd be dead now."

Ismene shook her head angrily as she straightened up and resumed a ready stance. A few loose strands of her golden hair were sticking to her forehead. She wiped her arm against her forehead and took a few deceivingly delicate steps foreward before launching herself at Kerrith. The knight lurched backward and knocked her blade up, barely avoiding a nasty cut to the head. Ismene continued to press the attack and forced the off-balance man to the edge of the fencing circle. "Ah, I yield!" Kerrith said as he tottered on the edge and fell backwards onto his rump with a laugh. "Skilled fencing, Ismene. I think we could find you a place in the Knighthood if you ever wanted one."

"Do you mean that?" Ismene said, her eyes wide. "I thought only humans were allowed."

"There's nothing in the charter that says that," Kerrith said, taking her proffered hand as he staggered to his feet. "It's just that so few of the other races fight for the Krisephyrian army." He stretched his arms above his head. "There are a number of dwarves in the infantry and one or two elves that I've heard of, but that's it."

"Times are good, I suppose there isn't much call to run off and join another kingdom's army, is there?" Ismene said as they collapsed onto a wooden bench running alongside the wall of the training room.

"True," Kerrith said as he wiped his face with a towel. "No wars in-" he paused and thought, "a hundred and seventy-one years. Not since they signed the Treaty."

"My parents told me about that," Ismene said as she leaned against the wall. "Kilasat and Krisephyr were fighting, right?" Kerrith nodded.

"Nearly two hundred years of on and off fighting. I'm glad I wasn't around for that." He stood and ran a hand through his sweat-damp hair. "Care for one more match before we call it a night?"

***

Jaric jerked himself upright at the sound of someone scratching at his door. He stared towards the bedroom door and could make out the doorknob moving in the dim moonlight shining through the window.

"Hello?" he called out, wondering if someone had mistaken his room for their own. "Is someone there?" He watched as the doorknob turned and the door slid open slowly. A shadowy figure stepped into the room and closed the door behind it. "I think you have the wrong-"

"Jaric," Solyma said. "I've wanted to do this since the moment I saw you."

"Solyma? What are you doing here?" Jaric said as he reached for his shirt. Solyma remained silent as she lifted a small bust from its place on a pedestal by the door. She hefted it for a moment and turned back towards the door. Jaric jerked in surprise when Solyma brought the bust down on the doorknob, knocking it from the door. "Why did you do that? Now we won't be able to open the door from this side," Jaric asked as he started to get out of bed.

"Exactly," Solyma said with a grin as she dropped the bust onto the edge of the pedestal, ignoring it as it toppled to the floor. "You're not leaving until I say you can."

"Solyma, I-I don't think this is proper-"

"Damned right this isn't!" Solyma said with glee as she advanced on Jaric. "I sure hope you've got as much stamina in bed as you have out of it," she said as she shoved him onto the bed.

"Solyma, I'm not sure what you mean," Jaric said and then gasped as Solyma began to pull off her blouse. He closed his eyes and tried to scrabbled backwards until his back bumped against the headboard as he heard the sound of clothing being dropped to the floor.

"Thank you," Solyma said as Hector drifted out of the shadows and obediently picked up her discarded clothing.

"Oh, I'm happy to serve you, mistress," Hector said with an obsequious helmet bob and salute. "Anything you want, anything at all, I'll get it for. Nothing too great or too small for my mistress."

"Mmm, get Penelope and Amadrin, will you? I want them here too," Solyma said as she pressed her index finger to her chin in thought. "Make sure they're wearing lingerie. And bring something to tie everyone up with."

"You wanted us?" Amadrin purred as she stepped up from behind Solyma with Penelope standing next to her. Both were wearing matching white lace lingerie including stockings, garters, and bustier. Amadrin still had her crown on.

"Not just yet," Solyma said happily as she pecked each elf woman on the lips. "I want him first," she said as she pointed to Jaric with a smile like a cat with a bowl of cream. He still had his eyes closed and was huddling beneath the sheets like a frightened virgin on her wedding night.

"Solyma-" Jaric protested as she slid into bed beside him and ran her hand over his chest. He opened his eyes nervously and gulped when he saw her wearing only a half-shift and some skimpy underwear. He groaned and reached out to pull her into a close embrace as their lips found each other.

They lay beside each other on the bed, Solyma's hands tracing circles across the muscle of Jaric's chest and stomach. She panted and moaned into his mouth as his hands slid down her back and cupped her bottom. He squeezed her gently before running his hands down her shapely legs and then back up again. When they finally broke their kiss they were both breathing heavily and starting to sweat. Jaric smiled up at Solyma and sat up slightly to kiss her forehead before he fell back and buried his hands in her tumbling mass of coppery-red hair.

Solyma rubbed herself against Jaric, her hands caressing his skin as she pressed her body against his. His hands were strong but gentle as they roamed over her body, sliding over her bare shoulders to gently squeeze her breasts through the thin cotton of her half-shift.

"Yes, gods," Solyma moaned as she threw her head back and pressed Jaric's face to her breasts. She could feel him kissing the tops of her breasts as his hands slid up beneath her shift to caress her breasts. Each motion of his hands sent a jolt of delicious pleasure through her body as she shifted herself to straddle him. She could feel the hardness of his cock through their underwear as she felt him pull her shift off. His lips kissed the soft skin of her breasts before he began to run his tongue over her nipples-

"What?" Solyma gasped in surprise as Jaric grabbed her hands and flipped her over onto the bed beneath him. She smiled in delight and kissed him, her legs wrapping around his waist as she felt her wrists pinned to the pillow above her head. She smiled when Penelope and Amadrin climbed onto the bed to hold her wrists down.

"Oh, Jaric," she said in a sultry voice, "I didn't know you liked it so rough."

"I'm going to ravish you, my- Solyma!- dear," he said.

"Oh gods, do your worst!" Solyma moaned as she kissed him again and frowned. "Your lips are so cold, Jaric, let me warm them for you."

"Solyma!" someone yelled in a muffled voice. "Solyma!"

"What?" Solyma moaned as she blinked groggily and opened her eyes.

"Solyma, will you let go of me?" Hector said. Solyma looked down and saw she was clutching Hector to her breasts. His helmet was covered with...something. Something wet and sticky, anyways.

"Sorry," she mumbled as she sat up and let him go. She glanced around and stared at the tangled mess of sheets on her bed. "What happened to Jaric? Where is he?"

"Jaric? I should hope he's still in his own bed," Hector sniffed as he grabbed one of Solyma's blouses and began to dry himself. "Of all the indignities," he muttered. "I come in here to investigate your disgusting noises and I find you flopping about like a landed fish."

"What?" Solyma said. She blinked again and looked around the bedroom. No trace of Jaric but ample evidence of wine bottles. "What happened?"

"Solyma! You get so drunk that you can't even remember staggering in here well after midnight? Poor Queen Amadrin had to help you into bed. It was absolutely shameful."

"But Jaric was right here-"

"And plan on making another familiar if you want some sort of sex toy," Hector continued to say. "I, for one, will have nothing more to do with slaking your desires! The gods gave you your own hands for a reason!" He was still ranting as he floated out of the bedroom and slammed the door behind him, enough to make noise, not enough to risk damaging the wood. Solyma gave one last, slow look around the mess of sheets and bottles and groaned before slumping back into the bed.

***

"Are you well, Solyma?" Jaric asked in a worried voice as Solyma sat down across the dining table from him. "You're so flushed, are you running a fever?"

"No, no, I'm fine. I just ran up here a little too fast," Solyma said as she reached for a platter of fried potatoes. "Too hungry, I guess." Her stomach said otherwise as she spooned a helping of the potatoes onto her plate. One glance at them sent her stomach into gyrations suitable for any of the ladies of the night back around Corannon's harbors. She turned her gaze back up toward Jaric and felt a different sort of churning in her stomach, something unfamiliar and almost terrifying.

She blinked and looked away as she felt her heart start to race from the thought of kissing him. Why was she feeling like this? She'd never been this disoriented around anyone, man or woman before-

"Solyma? Ah, it is you, my dear," a pleasant male voice said from behind her. "How long has it been? Twenty? Thirty years? Far too long in any case."

Solyma froze like a deer staring down a hunter's arrow. Her eyes slowly moved up from her plate to Jaric's face. The knight was smiling in a puzzled way at the person standing behind her.

"Solyma, who is this?" Jaric asked as he stood and extended his hand to the person behind her. Solyma could see them shake hands. The newcomer's hand was slender with long, fine fingers perfectly suited for playing music.

"I should think to ask the same question," the voice said. "Menelaus Tamrasyos, Aphas Sielos."

"I'm sorry, I'm not as fluent in Melosaos as I'd like," Jaric said.

"First musician," Solyma said, still staring down at her plate.

"Well, aren't you going to give me a hug?" Menelaus said with a smile Solyma could hear. She stood stiffly and turned to face him with a sigh. He had been the one who had thrown the flowers. He looked the same as he had twenty-five years ago. He still wore his light brown hair in a shoulder-length ponytail. His eyes still were the same shade of mouth-watering brown.

It was with less than total reluctance that Solyma embraced him. Her stomach lurched as he swept her up in his arms and twirled her around with a firm kiss on the lips. His hands were busy sliding down her back and began to lightly grope her bottom as she was set down on the floor. What was it with elves and groping in public?

Solyma blinked as he finally set her down, barely noticing his hands. She was about to say something regarding his lack of manners when she saw the look on Jaric's face. His cheeks were red and the muscles in his jaw were visible as he ground his teeth together. And there was something in his eyes that she had never seen before, a longing that she had grown too familiar with seeing in the mirror only.

"Oh, Menelaus, it's been too long," Solyma said with a nervous smile. She turned her head away and blushed. "And t-thank you so much for those flowers." Over the elf's shoulder she could see Jaric flush an even deeper shade of red. Roll the dice, she thought with a sigh. Maybe anger would get him to finally say something. She was getting rather tired of pretending to be the helpless maiden, but whatever worked...

Chapter 5

Solyma yelped and reached down behind her to pull Menelaus's hands away from her bottom. "Please, Menelaus, don't touch me like that," she said as she squirmed in his arms, managing to move a lot without actually doing anything.

"Solyma, wha-" Menelaus began to say as Solyma jerked herself out of his arms and backed away until she bumped up against the table.

"I've said before that I don't appreciate your advances, Mr. Tamrasyos," Solyma sniffed. Menelaus stared at her for a moment and twitched when he saw her wink at him. His eyes flicked over her shoulder towards Jaric and then back to her face.

"Well, we'll see what you think once we're back in my room," Menelaus said in an overly dramatic voice. "My lovely," he added.

"Go away," Solyma hissed. "I never want to see you again."

"Solyma, is this person bothering you?" Jaric said as he walked around the table. Menelaus's eyes widened slightly when he realized exactly how muscular Jaric was compared to him.

"Oh, yes, Jaric, he is. He's been such a pest, I've done my best to be rid of him, but-" Solyma let her head fall as she fluttered her eyelashes at Jaric.

"Get rid of this oafish human and let me show you what a real lover is," Menelaus said slowly as he watched Jaric's face redden. Solyma's breath hitched as she turned and rushed towards Jaric, throwing herself into his arms as she buried her face in his shoulder. "He's so horrible," she gasped, and began to shiver delicately.

"You'll be thanking me when we're done?" Menelaus said and then took a hurried step backward as Jaric gently moved Solyma to the side and approached him.

"How dare you speak to her like that!" Jaric snarled, loudly enough to attract the other diners in the palaces dining room. "Apologize at once!" Menelaus smiled weakly at the sight of Solyma waving with glee at him. "I, I'm terribly sorry," Menelaus said. "I must have had too much to drink," he stammered as he turned and fled from the room.

"How disgraceful," Jaric muttered as the elf retreated from the room. "I can't believe he would be in such a position."

"Thank you so much, Jaric," Solyma said softly as she walked over to him and placed her hand on his arm. "How can I ever thank you?" Jaric reddened and stuttered something about his duty as a knight before Solyma sighed and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.

"I-I-I don't think this is entirely appropriate," Jaric said, looking around the dining room at the other diners. Although not at all uncomfortable, he thought to himself as Solyma pressed her body against him. He immediately flushed an even deeper red and cursed himself for thoughts unbecoming of the knighthood.

With obvious reluctance, he slowly pushed Solyma away. He cursed himself even more furiously when he saw how flushed Solyma was and how heavily she was breathing. Obviously he had horribly embarrassed her with his crass behavior. He was acting no better than that elf.

Solyma was trying to control the beating of her heart when she saw Jaric spin on his heel and rush from the room. Was he going after Menelaus? No, she thought as he turned in the opposite direction that Menelaus had gone. Then why was he leaving?

"That was lucky," Menelaus said from behind her. "I thought he was going to beat me to a pulp. You really like those dangerous types, don't you?"

"Oh, shut up," Solyma snapped. Best case scenario, she had so aroused him that he was running back to his room to jerk himself into insensibility. But she hadn't really felt anything like that. Worst case scenario was that he was disgusted by even the hint of forwardness from women. "Damned knight," she muttered. Why should she spend so much time and energy trying to attract him? There were plenty of good lovers who would be willing to fall into her bed at the snap of her fingers.

"Solyma?" Menelaus said, waving his hand in front of her face. "Hello?"

Tancred had been eying her for the entire trip. Even Adelard would probably let lust overcome his fear if properly motivated. Ismene wouldn't be averse to having a romp in bed. And there was always Amadrin. A shiver ran up Solyma's spine when she remembered some of the long nights she had spent with the Queen of the Elves after falling into the bathing pool.

"Hello?" Menelaus said again. "Solyma!"

"What?" Solyma said irritably. "Don't yell in my ear like that."

"So do you want to go back to my place now?" Menelaus said with a hopeful smile. "You didn't get that knight with that scheme of yours so-" He stopped mid-sentence as Solyma snarled and shoved by him to stomp out of the dining room. "-why not," he finished.

***

Solyma stared at the two dresses hanging across the bathroom as she soaked in the bathtub. Sweat trickled down her forehead as she slouched back in the white porcelain tub and let her chin sink into the water.

"I like the one on the left, myself," Tancred said from behind her. Solyma grimaced as he folded his arms on the edge of the tub and looked down over her head at her. "It's very nice with the-" he made a cupping motion in front of his chest.

"What are you doing here?" Solyma sighed as she slowly sat up and turned around to face Tancred. He grinned at the sight of her naked body in the tub. Solyma crossed her legs and leaned back with a frown on her face.

"Just thought I'd visit," Tancred said. "You know, I like it when you have your hair up, it makes your neck stand out."

"Don't tell me you have a neck fetish, I thought that was a myth. And how did you get in here?"

"You have a lovely neck, Solyma," Tancred said as he slid over to her side of the tub and sniffed her hair. "Among other things."

"I told Hector to keep everyone out," Solyma said.

"Air ducts. You know, I heard about Jaric. Why don't you forget about him now?" Tancred smiled and leaned closer as his hand dipped down into the water to stroke Solyma's stomach. "He's a virgin, you know. Wouldn't know the first thing to do if you managed to get him into your bed. Probably come in his pants too."

"Go away," Solyma said as she shoved Tancred back from the tub. "I don't care what you heard. How can you tell he's a virgin, anyway?"

"Smell, my dear," Tancred said as he dried his hand on a towel and stood in front of the mirror. He wiped the condensation with his sleeve and checked his hair and teeth before turning back towards Solyma. "Virgins smell different. Sort of...minty."

"Minty?"

"Yes."

"He's really a virgin?"

"Definitely," Tancred said with a smirk. "I just don't understand why you like him so much. He's just another muscle-headed basher."

"He's more than that," Solyma said as she stared at the wall. "He's-"

"Bah, romance," Tancred said. "Well, when you're through trying to get him into bed, let me know. This sweetness and light act is getting tiresome." With that he bowed and puffed apart into a cloud of mist barely discernible from the steam filling the room. Only a slight motion of the air set him apart as he floated up into the air duct and out of the room.

"Hector!" Solyma called out as she slid around in the tub to study the dresses again.

"Yes?" Hector said as he opened the door and floated into the room.

"Which do you like more?" Hector paused to study the dresses.

"The one on the left seems to be more your style," he finally said. "Especially how your breasts would be hanging-"

"Why does everyone say that?" Solyma said. "I don't dress like some cheap tart!" Hector was silent. "An expensive tart, maybe," Solyma finally said. She glared at Hector as the helmet and gauntlets somehow managed to have a coughing fit.

"They would both look good on you, Solyma," Hector finally said. "But judging from past preferences in dress-"

"Fine, fine, I know what you're trying to say," Solyma said as she slumped back in the bathtub. "Which do you think Jaric would like more?"

"I'm sad to say that I don't know the knight that well."

"Just guess."

"Seeing how he has continually frustrated your admittedly blatant and disgraceful attempts to seduce him, I would say that a more...modest dress would be his preference."

"You could have just said, "the one on the right'." Hector remained silent. "Oh fine, thank you," Solyma said. "Go polish your helmet or something."

Hector sniffed once and floated out of the room, managing to convey hurt without a face, shoulders, or even a body. "And stop that pouting!" Solyma called after him as he shut the door. She sighed as she looked at the dress on the right again. Simple, expertly sewn, conservative, attractive. "And boring," Solyma muttered. "Barely any cleavage. No leg," she paused and looked the dress up and down again. "But I've done better with worse," she said with a smile that bordered on predatory...

...and scratched under the heavy nun's habit she wore, quickly looking down as the line moved forward. The Daughters of the Silver Water were a small group of devotees to the elven twin gods, Talas and Taleh. They spent most of their time performing good works and traveling the countryside preaching the glory of their gods. Generally unknown outside of Taladros, their numbers did contain a few non-elven converts.

Solyma scratched under the habit again and wished she could have found a sect that didn't place so much value on chastity and purity of the body. Along with the smothering habit she had to wear a headscarf which was almost certainly messing up her hair. Almost any group of nuns worshiping Liaya, Krisephyr's goddess of love and life, would have been dressed in whatever they wanted. Usually the less, the better.

"And what can I do for you today, Revered Sister?" one of the polite young guards at the gate asked Solyma as she reached the gate of the Taladrosian Royal Mint.

"Oh, I'm here to speak with the commander about minting a commemorative coin for the sisterhood," Solyma said, her eyes never quite making contact with the guard's.

"Of course," the guard said as he checked his list. "Sister Sally?"

"Yes, that's me," Solyma said.

"Then go right on in," the guard said with a smile. "The commander's office is on the top floor at the end of the hall." Solyma bowed and thanked him with a shy smile before walking past him into the first floor of the mint. "What a waste," the guard said to his companions as they watched Solyma climb the stairs. "Didn't think there were any humans in the Sisterhood though."

Solyma walked slowly down the third floor of the mint, her head bowed as she passed a guard coming from the commander's office. She took a last glance around the hall and saw no one as she knocked on the office's door.

"Come in," she heard from the other side of the door. "What can I do for you?" the commander, a rather imposing and very handsome elf in his late middle ages, asked as she entered.

"Hello, sir," Solyma said, keeping her head bowed. "I'm here as representative of the Daughters of the Silver Water."

"Ah, yes, your group wanted a special coin minted?" the commander said as he looked up. Solyma could feel his eyes flicking over her body even through the heavy fabric of the habit.

"Yes, your eminence," Solyma said.

"Please, call me Tindros," the commander said. "Have a seat."

"Thank you...Tindros," Solyma said. She glanced up and made eye contact with him for a moment before looking back down again, a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"Do you have the plates for your coin?"

"Oh, yes, they're right here-" Solyma reached into her handbag. As she was pulling the small plates of metal out, they caught on her handbag and dropped onto the rug. "I'm sorry, I'm so clumsy," she said as she knelt and began to fumble for them.

"Here, let me help," Tindros said as he knelt beside her and helped her pick up the remaining plates.

"Oh, thank you so much," Solyma said as she shyly handed the plates to the commander. Their hands touched for a moment and Solyma stared down at them before reluctantly drawing them away.

"Is there anything else you wanted?" Tindros said a little while later after she had finished signing the appropriate forms.

"Oh, um, do you think-?" Solyma said and stopped. She looked down and bit her lip. "No, no, it's nothing."

"Please, whatever I can do to help I'll do," Tindros said.

"Do you- do you think I could see where the plates will be stored? It's just that we've spent so much time on having them engraved-"

"I would be delighted," Tindros said as he stood and moved to a tapestry hanging behind his desk. "We keep all our plates in a safe here," he said as he moved aside the tapestry and used a hidden panel to slide aside a section of the wall. "It's a ten digit combination lock combined with a key lock," he said as he turned the knob and slid his key into the lock. "Without both, the safe won't open."

"That's so ingenious!" Solyma said as she stood beside him and watched him open the safe. She could see the neatly stacked rows of plates that were used to mint the official coins of the kingdom lying within. "I'm sure our plates will be safe now." She smiled shyly again and touched Tindros's shoulder. "Especially with someone like you guarding them."

"Thank you, Revered Sister," Tindros said with a smile. His eyes widened when Solyma leaned forward and kissed him.

"I'm so sorry!" she breathed, her face scarlet, as she turned to rush out. "I-I just couldn't help myself, I'm sorry."

"No, no, it's nothing to worry about," Tindros said as he placed his hand on her shoulder. "You're a very beautiful woman, Sister."

"Oh!" Solyma said with an even deeper blush. She held her hand up to her mouth and giggled as she looked at Tindros. "Thank you so much for saying that, but I know I'm not beautiful."

"But you are," Tindros said as he moved closer.

"I-I am?"

"Yes, you are."

"Really?" Solyma said in a small voice as Tindros backed her against his desk and took hold of both of her shoulders.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I shouldn't do this but I can't help myself-" With that he leaned forward and kissed Solyma deeply, his arms wrapping around her body. Solyma resisted for a second and then melted into his embrace, her arms hesitantly embracing him.

"Oh, Tindros, I don't know-" she started to say.

"Shh," he said as he looked into her eyes. "Don't say anything." Solyma moaned as he ran his hands over her back and around to cup her breasts through the fabric of her habit. She leaned back, her arms moving to support herself on the desk as Tindros kissed down the curve of her throat to the base of her neck.

"Oh, oh, Tindros," she whimpered as he began to hike up her habit. She leaned forward and raised her arms to let him pull it over her head, tangling with her headscarf and letting her hair fall free, before dropping it to the floor. Solyma blushed and looked away from him, her arms crossing in front of her breasts as her coppery hair fell down across her shoulders to the desk.

Tindros took a moment to admire the woman before him. He hungrily gazed at her full breasts trapped behind her shift and her long, stockinged legs. He half-growled as he leaned forward again and pulled her hands away from her breasts while kissing her again.

Solyma moaned into Tindros's mouth as one hand ran down her flank and slid underneath her shift. She gasped and jerked when he slid it down the front of her underwear and began to caress the outside of her quim.

"Please, please be gentle," she moaned as he rubbed her lightly and slowly edged a finger into her quim.

"I will, I will, my dear," Tindros whispered in her ear as he continued to press his finger into her. Solyma gasped again and clutched at his shoulders as he pulled her shift off. She slipped off the desk and stood as he backed away before slowly inching her underwear down her legs. She began to remove her stockings but stopped when Tindros said, "No, I like how you look in them."

"Oh," Solyma said and blushed again. "Do- do you still think I'm beautiful?"

"Oh yes," Tindros said as he stared at her bared breasts. He licked his lips at their motion when Solyma breathed heavily and took a step closer to him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to kiss her, stumbling back to bump into the wall. He let go of her with one hand long enough to open his breeches and pull out his cock, ignoring the sound of metal clinking somewhere.

"Be gentle! Be gentle!" Solyma whimpered as he lifted her back onto the desk and lowered her down to the surface.

"I promise I will," he said as he parted her trembling thighs and stepped between them.

Solyma closed her eyes, her lips slightly parted as she panted for breath, and felt Tindros step between her legs. The fabric of his breeches brushed against her inner thighs as he leaned over her and caressed one breast with his hand, his fingers lightly stroking her nipple. She cried out as he took her breast into his mouth and began to suck lightly while his tongue licked at her flesh.

Solyma cried out in pleasure, her back arching off the desk, when Tindros slowly eased himself into her. Her stockinged legs moved up to wrap around his waist, urging him deeper as he continued to suck at her breast. Her hips pushed against him as his cock slid deeper into her, her breathing coming faster already.

"Take me," Solyma breathed as she balled the fabric of his shirt in her hands while bucking her hips up against him. Tindros moaned and moved up to kiss her again while placing his hands on both sides of her body. Solyma moaned in time with the movement of his cock, her cries growing louder and more urgent as she continued to meet each thrust of his hips with her own. "Ooooh, it's so big," she whimpered as his thrusts sped. "Yes, yes!" she cried out as he moved one hand to roughly squeeze and knead her breasts. She felt herself jerked across the surface of the desk as he continued to thrust into her, his breathing fast and hard as he leaned back and put his entire weight into each thrust. "Yes!" Solyma screamed as she felt herself come, her quim squeezing at his cock. Tindros looked down at her with a smile as his thrusts continued. He groaned one last time and bent over her as he slammed into her and came, his seed shooting deep into her...

"Keep doing that and you'll go blind," Hector said as he peeked in the bathroom door. Solyma's eyes snapped open and she slowly pulled her legs back into the tub from where they had rested on the edges. She made sure Hector wasn't watching as she slowly eased her fingers out of her quim and slouched back, her breathing gradually slowing.

"Now if only Jaric would do that," she sighed as she stared up at the ceiling.

***

Ismene stopped and stared for a moment at the small, neat house tucked away in a back lane of Taladros. The stuccoed walls were still painted a faint green. A small bed of red tulips still grew along the edge of the garden by a white fence. And her mother still was tending to her herb garden under the kitchen window.

"M-" she started and stopped, watching as the elven woman hummed to herself and clipped a bunch of basil free. "Mother?"

"Ismene?" Edimece said as she spun around and smiled. "Ismene! It's you!" she said as she rushed down the garden path and through the gate to pull Ismene into a close hug. "It's been so long. And you don't write enough!"

"I'm sorry, Mother," Ismene said as she returned the hug and buried her face in her mother's shoulder. "I'm glad to be home," she said and found herself sobbing in relief, the tears, pent up for far too long, soaking her mother's blouse.

***

"The Queen has been expecting you, your excellency," the royal bodyguard said to Asgrim.

"I'm sorry to keep her waiting, I expected to be here yesterday but there was some trouble with the weave," Asgrim said. Instead of his heavy suit of armor, he wore a simple suit of the style popular in Corannon. His hands, faintly transparent black shadow, adjusted the collar of his jacket and made sure that his credentials were present in his breast pocket.

"It is no trouble at all, your excellency. The Queen does not have much use for elaborate formality," the bodyguard said with the barest hint of disapproval. "She greeted all the diplomats at dinner last night." The bodyguard's eyebrows furrowed as they approached the Queen's chambers on the top floor of the palace. "Nothing like what would have happened when the King was still alive." He nodded to the two other bodyguards standing outside the Queen's chambers and knocked.

"-I love him!" a young woman's voice shouted from inside the room. Asgrim stiffened and looked around uncomfortably at the bodyguards. They seemed to share his discomfort although they controlled their faces expertly. "Why does it matter if he's my bodyguard?"

Another, quieter, voice answered, the words to low to be made out through the door.

"I don't care! I love him! Doesn't that matter at all to you?"

More words were spoken that Asgrim couldn't make out. He stepped back in surprise when the door was flung open and a young elven woman rushed out, tears running down her face.

"I'm sorry for that," Amadrin said to Asgrim as she stepped out of the room and motioned for him to enter. "My daughter is-" she stopped and sighed, "-young." The Queen motioned for Asgrim to seat himself and waved the bodyguard out of the door. "I'm pleased that you've arrived," Amadrin said as the door closed.

"Yes, your majesty, as am I," Asgrim said. He paused and wondered what to say next. If this were the court back in Kathaln he would have known what to say. If this were Kathaln, he would have never been invited to sit. "I-"

"Don't worry about the informality, Asgrim of Takrask," Amadrin said with a comforting smile. "My husband enjoyed the formality of the ancient court. No doubt you would have been more comfortable meeting him. But I've always felt that too much formality impedes a free discourse."

"Yes, your majesty," Asgrim said and coughed. "As ambassador from the Empire of Kathaln and representative of His Divine Majesty, Emperor Natenue, I present myself to you for approval." With that, Asgrim reached into his pocket and withdrew the slender envelope containing his credentials before handing them to Amadrin.

"Thank you," Amadrin said as she took the envelope and opened it. Asgrim watched her blue eyes move as she read the piece of paper contained within and set it to the side. "Asgrim of Takrask, I accept you as ambassador from the Empire of Kathaln and welcome you to the Kingdom of Taladros."

***

It was well past midnight when Solyma walked down the quiet halls of the palace, a bowl of still steaming chili in one hand and a bottle of cider in the other. She hummed a popular drinking song to herself as she walked, idly swinging the cider and occasionally tossing and catching it.

"Good evening, Solyma," Amadrin said as she emerged from a side hallway. "Are you still awake for any particular reason?"

Solyma jerked to a halt and had to lunge for the cider, nearly dropping the chili in the process before she regained her balance. "No, your majesty," she said. "Just getting something to eat."

"Really?" Amadrin said as she stepped closer, her gown swishing along the rug behind her. "You're not on the way to some romantic tryst?"

"N-no," Solyma said. "Why do you ask?"

Amadrin smiled and moved even closer. Solyma closed her eyes and swallowed when she realized she could smell the queen's expensive perfume wafting around her. "I heard that you and your knight were-" Amadrin grinned and ran one hand up Solyma's leg, "-seen in a...compromising situation."

Solyma stared at Amadrin for a second, not even feeling as the elven woman stepped closer and rested both hands on Solyma's waist. "No- I mean, he tried- I mean," Solyma stuttered as she shook her head. "We were hugging. And he wouldn't even let me do that for long."

"Oh Solyma," Amadrin sighed as she smiled gently and reached up to hold Solyma's chin. "To be in love again." Amadrin shook her head with a smile and leaned forward to kiss Solyma on the cheek. "I'm afraid all my power and influence won't help you win this struggle, my dear."

Solyma nodded as Amadrin smiled and drifted away down the hallway, her perfume hanging in the air for a moment, a silent reminder of her presence. Solyma looked down at her food and sighed as she shook her head and resumed her journey back to her rooms.

***

Amadrin stopped by a window looking out onto the gardens and the lake. She leaned against the wall and watched the moon glitter on the waters of the lake, a brilliance so bright it seemed almost solid. How long had it been since she had gazed at this very scene with Odryas by her side?

"Penelope is growing up so fast," she whispered to the moon and lake. "How you'd rage if were here. You were always loved your etiquette and protocol." Amadrin sighed and allowed herself the small luxury of creasing her forehead in thought. "But neither of us would ever have the strength to deny her anything, especially love." Amadrin straightened and placed one hand against the cool glass of the window. She sighed and found herself thinking of Solyma as she gazed on its waters. It had been on a night like this...

~~~

...that they had gone out to walk by the shore of the lake.

"Why are we out here?" Solyma asked as Amadrin gently pulled her by the hand. "These damn mosquitoes are horrible."

"Do do this," Amadrin said as she leaned forward and kissed Solyma. The elf woman gently pulled Solyma closer and ran her hands down Solyma's back to caress her bottom. Solyma moaned into Amadrin's mouth as the elf slid her hand around to the front of her breeches and slid her hand down.

"Gods," moaned Solyma as she felt Amadrin's hand sliding into her underwear. "Out here? What if-" she sucked in a sharp breath as Amadrin began to caress her quim, "-someone sees us?"

"No one will see us," Amadrin whispered as she continued to stroke the outside of Solyma's quim. "Everyone is indoors keeping away from the mosquitoes." The queen smiled as Solyma groaned in pleasure and leaned forward on her.

"You're amazing," Solyma whispered as Amadrin's fingers slowly curled up into her. She groaned again, her breathing coming in sharp pants already, when Amadrin pulled her hand free and turned to walk towards the lake. Solyma shook her head and trotted after her, barely suppressing the urge to tackle the elven woman.

"I think a swim would do nicely," Amadrin said as if this were a normal summer day and Solyma were just a friend. "Don't you think so?"

"Anything to get your clothes off," Solyma said as she reached up and around Amadrin to cup the elf's breasts. Amadrin smiled, her face shadowed in the moonlight, as she turned her head to kiss Solyma. The elf woman pulled away for a moment and reached up to undo the laces of her gown. Solyma watched, her tongue sliding over her lips, as Amadrin undid the laces of her gown and slid the silk off one shoulder, then another. Her skin glowed in the moonlight as she shrugged and sent the gown in a cascade to pool around her ankles. Solyma moved forward, entranced by the sight of Amadrin's breasts, so full and perfect, in the moonlight, her nipples hardened by the summer night air and something else.

"Ahh, your turn," Amadrin said as Solyma bent and began to kiss her breasts. She reached up and stroked Solyma's soft hair, her hand tightening when Solyma took a nipple into her mouth and ran her tongue over its stiff surface.

Solyma paused from her tender ministration to pull her shirt over her head and shuck her breeches. She kept her eyes on Amadrin, loving how the elven woman's eyes were glued to her body as she slid her underwear down her legs. She smiled back at Amadrin as the elven woman took her hand and led her into the cool waters of the lake. She shivered for a moment and then forgot all about the temperature of the water as Amadrin waded towards her and kissed her again.

Solyma kissed Amadrin back, her arms wrapped around the elf's waist. She moaned into Amadrin's mouth as she felt Amadrin slide her fingers back into her quim. The elf woman pulled her into waist deep water and pushed her back so that she was floating with only Amadrin's hand holding her up.

Solyma gasped, her head splashing water as she clutched at Amadrin's arms. Amadrin smiled and bent over to suck and lick at Solyma's full breasts while her fingers plunged deeper into Solyma's quim. Solyma's coppery hair was soon soaked and stuck to her forehead in heavy locks as she splashed and jerked in pleasure from Amadrin's touch. Each slow thrust and caress of Amadrin's fingers sent rolling waves of searing pleasure through her body. Solyma's face was flushed and she was sweating despite the cooling effect of the lake's water.

Water beaded on Amadrin's pearly skin, catching the moonlight like diamonds as she leaned forward to kiss Solyma and felt the other woman come around her fingers. Solyma's cry rang out over the lake as she jerked herself up in the water and clung to Amadrin, her body trembling and quaking from the force of her orgasm.

The two women kissed tenderly, their breasts pressing together as they stood in the shallow lake water. Amadrin nuzzled Solyma's neck as she listened to Solyma pant for breath. Her fingers continued to stroke Solyma's quim, gradually increasing their pace until Solyma was clutching to her like a spar on a storm tossed sea. Solyma raised one leg over Amadrin's hip, letting the elven woman push her fingers even deeper inside of her. Solyma's breath was deafening in Amadrin's ear, each of her gasps sounding almost pained as Amadrin slowly brought her to the brink of another shattering climax. Amadrin gave one last thrust of her fingers and pulled Solyma against her as the other woman screamed in her ear and bit down on her shoulder from the force of her climax.

"I'm sorry about that," Solyma said between pants as they lay in the shallow water near the shore.

"I'm sure I can find a better use for your mouth," Amadrin said as she rolled over and straddled Solyma's waist. Water dripped from her breasts onto Solyma's body as she leaned forward and kissed the red-headed woman again...

~~~

Amadrin sighed and rested her flushed forehead on the cool window pane. Solyma had been so much fun to have around. And, she thought, having a warm body with her in bed was something she missed dearly. Amadrin stood up straight and and composed herself. No use pining for the past, at least not now, she thought. She was about to turn and walk away from the window when she spotted something by the lake. Amadrin's eyes narrowed minutely at the sight of the faintest extra glimmer by the lake, the glow of moonlight on metal.

***

Tancred walked along the lake, his boots kicking at the occasional unlucky bit of vegetation and mourning his lack of companionship for the evening. A particularly tempting elf woman, a lower level functionary or something, had canceled dinner to go shopping for a dress for the celebration tomorrow.

He lifted his head at the faintest scent of soap and flowers, finally looking towards the servant's quarters. A light still burned in one of the windows of their rooms. His eyes, even at this distance, could make out the haze of condensation on the glass. Some maid taking a relaxing late night bath before retiring. Most of the servants had been given the day off for the birthday celebration tomorrow. They would have spent most of the evening preparing their clothes for the feasts and parties that would fill the city and palace.

"Probably pining for a lusty elf man to share her bed," Tancred mused as he watched the window. "Or maybe a lusty elf maid," he said with a grin. "Or both- eh?" He turned as he smelled the unmistakable scent of weaponblack. "Assassin," he said with a smile as he turned to follow the scent. "Something to do at last."

***

Amadrin watched as a faint ripple sped through the night air towards the window, a faint patch of darkness that didn't match the night. Straight and true, the ripple flew towards her with a speed that the human eye wouldn't have been able to follow.

***

Tancred broke into a silent run when he heard the faint click and louder creak of wood as a bow was released. His eyes scanned over the underbrush by the lake, finally focusing on a glint of light shining off the trigger of a crossbow held by a man dressed from head to toe in black.

"Assassin!" he yelled as he dove towards the man, catching the assassin before he could turn to face his attacker.

***

Amadrin watched as the bolt smashed into the window, for the barest fraction of a second she could see each spider web crack as the bolt pressed against the glass and then shattered it. Glass exploded in razored shards around her face as the bolt flew towards her head. She could see every detail, down to the very grain of the black lacquered wood. The light from the hallway behind her shone dully on the bolt's head, illuminating the faint difference in color where the assassin had applied the weaponblack with a lighter touch.

***

Tancred rolled through the underbrush with the assassin, feeling a dagger stabbing three times in his ribs before he had time to blink. Any living man would have been mortally wounded from the stabs.

"Poisoned," he grunted as his hand blurred out and grabbed the blade of the dagger. "Not taking any chances, are you?"

The assassin froze for split second and in that instant betrayed his inexperience. Tancred lashed out and caught the assassin by the throat as he lurched to his feet. "How disappointing," Tancred grunted as he hoisted the assassin off the ground. "I've known some good assassins. Things have really gone downhill since the guild was destroyed."

The assassin thrashed in Tancred's grip, his feet smashing against Tancred's face and throat in two expert kicks. Tancred growled and smashed the assassin headfirst into the soft dirt, kneeling on the assassin's back as he examined the dagger and tucked it into his belt. His head jerked around when he heard faint footsteps behind him.

Tancred jerked his head to the side and felt a sword blade cut into his cheek as it stabbed towards the assassin below him. Out of pure reflex, Tancred snatched the blade as it brushed against the assassin's neck and pushed it to the side to stab into the earth. As soon as he let go he cursed loudly as he felt the pain in his cheek and hand.

"Who are you?" Tancred hissed before he could control himself.

"Lord Gamenos Loradros," the elven man standing behind him said, an unsheathed rapier in his hand. "And you are both dead, assassins."

***

Glass lay scattered across the stone and carpet of the hallway, each shard shining in the light of the lamps as Amadrin's bodyguards raced up, their boots crunching on the glass. They came to a silent halt by the window, the swords in their hands drooping as they stared at Amadrin.

***

"I'm not an assassin, you idiot!" Tancred hissed as he hopped to his feet and faced Loradros. "I'm the one who kept him from getting away." He looked down at his injured hand and swore. "You nearly killed both of us!"

"That was the point," Loradros said as he continued to stare at Tancred. His cool eyes never flickered once as Tancred picked up the assassin by his collar and hoisted him over his shoulder. "No assassin can be allowed to live after they have killed a member of the royal househould."

"What's happening?" Laros yelled as he ran up, his sword in hand. Penelope wasn't far behind him although he seemed troubled that she was there. "Tancred?"

"I caught the assassin but this lunatic tried to kill us both," Tancred said as he gestured towards Loradros.

"Lord Loradros," Laros said as he sheathed his sword. "Tancred is a friend of the kingdom, he helped save the princess's life and has rendered services to other citizens. I am sure that he is not an assassin."

"It's true!" Penelope said. "Tancred wouldn't do something like that."

Loradros stared at Laros for an icy second and then turned, his sword dropping back in its sheath. "Very well," he said. "I shall take your word, your majesty," he said to Penelope. "You should watch yourself, corpse," he said as he turned to leave. "One such as you has no place in this kingdom."

***

"Your majesty, we're sorry," sobbed the kneeling bodyguard. His dagger was out and poised over his heart. The other bodyguards were in a similar position as they knelt in the hallway, their heads bowed.

"Stop that melodrama this instant," Amadrin snapped as she stared at the bolt floating a half inch in front of her eye. "I wasn't in danger for an instant and you well know it." Her right hand was raised, palm towards the window, the threads of a weave floating in the air around it as she studied the bolt. More glass, caught in her weave, was frozen in mid-air around her head in a sort of gleaming crown. "I don't know how I put up with you," she muttered loudly, her words slightly spoiled by the affection in her voice. "Go check on Penelope," she said as she plucked the bolt out of the air and sniffed the tip. Poisoned. "And go collect the assassin, I think that vampire friend of Solyma caught her."

***

"What happened?" Dravon said as he walked into the palace's infirmary.

"Some assassin took a shot at the queen," Tancred said, wincing as the healer, a pretty elf woman, tied the bandage around his hand. "They've got him in the dungeon."

"Anyone hurt?" Dravon asked.

"Just me," Tancred said with another wince. "That Lord Loradros tried to kill the assassin after I had grabbed him. That guy is insane, I don't know how he keeps his title."

"He's been around for a while. His family has always been among of the most powerful in the kingdom." Dravon paused. "But how did he manage to hurt you?"

"Spelled sword," Tancred grunted as the healer finished with the bandage. He tried to catch her eye and failed miserably. "It's been a while since I've hurt. I forgot what it felt like."

"Are you going to heal?"

"Yeah, I just need some blood. I'll head down to a butcher's shop tomorrow. Is the celebration still on?"

Dravon nodded. "They'll be extra security measure taken. I'll send Jaric and Kerrith around to help out too. Queen Amadrin is interrogating the assassin now. Maybe she'll find out something."

***

"This is a very nice crossbow. Triple pulley clockwork mechanism, superb balance," Amadrin said as she lifted the crossbow to her shoulder and sighted down its length. "This telescope, is it Alathanian?" She closed one eye and looked through the telescope mounted on the crossbow. "Quite ingenious, you would have hit me right between the eyes." Amadrin sighed and set the crossbow back down on the table before taking a seat and looking at the assassin chained to the wall. "Would you care to tell me who hired you?"

"I don't know," the assassin said, her soft voice quivering. "I-I never saw the man."

"You are very young to be an assassin. There is no way you were a member of the guild before its destruction. Who trained you?" Amadrin stood and walked over to where the assassin sat against the wall, her hands chained above her head. The assassin was indeed young, no more than two decades old at the very most. "Come now, the law calls for your execution. I would prefer to keep someone as young as you alive. Life in prison is better than death, isn't it?"

"I trained myself," the assassin said. She flinched when Amadrin took hold of her chin and turned her head upward. Amadrin studied the assassin's blue eyes and sniffed her dark brown hair.

"I believe you," she said as she stood. "You were excellent in technique but lacking experience. Didn't you know I could stop that bolt?"

"No," the assassin said as she stared at the floor. "I wasn't told you were a mage."

"And you didn't think to do any research, did you?" Amadrin shook her head. "Such a waste," she sighed as she turned away and began to walk out of the cell. "I hope that something better than death can be found for you."

***

Solyma smoothed the skirt of her dress and twirled experimentally in front of the full-length mirror. The dress billowed nicely and wouldn't, despite her best dizzying efforts, rise above her calfs. There was no way her dress was going to accidentally blow up over her waist.

"Hector!" she yelled over her shoulder. "Where's my invitation?"

"In your handbag," Hector said as he floated in with a slender gold and silver necklace. "I found the necklace you wanted. You shouldn't have shoved it in with your snacks, it was covered with jam."

"Is that were I put it?" Solyma said as she tugged down the bodice of her dress. Even with her best efforts she couldn't get more than a hint of cleavage. "Sorry, I was in a hurry when I packed." Solyma looked at herself again and sighed. The dress was the faintest blue, almost a the color of cream. The skirt swished nicely when she moved and she had to admit she liked the dress. Even if it did have too many ruffles for her taste. "Do you have my gloves?"

"Right here," Hector sighed as he handed her the long matching silk opera gloves. He winced when Solyma jerked them on as if they were coarse leather work gloves. "Solyma, please," he said as he reached out and began to adjust them. "The seams aren't lined up correctly."

"Sorry," Solyma said as Hector fiddled with her gloves. "I don't like them. They're too tight," she said as she began to pull them off.

"They are supposed to be this way," Hector said as he slapped at Solyma's hands. "Otherwise they wouldn't show off the shape of your hand and wrist."

"Why is anyone even going to be looking at my wrists?" Solyma complained. "It's so much simpler when they're just staring at my-"

"Solyma!" Hector snapped. "This is a ball. Not some tawdry debauch. You have to look like a lady. Even if you aren't," he muttered under his breath.

"I heard that," Solyma said as she grabbed her handbag and checked its contents. "Where's my sandwich?"

"You are not taking along a sandwich to the ball," Hector said.

"But there's never anything good to eat!"

"Solyma, you-" Hector waved his hands in the air and gave up. "Just try to keep from spilling anything on your dress."

"Please, Hector, I'm not some little girl you need to look after. I just don't see the need for all this-" she waved her hands at the dress, "-stuff." I wouldn't need to wear any of this at a real party, Solyma thought to herself as she let Hector fuss over her for a while longer. At least not for long, she thought with a smirk. "That's enough, let's get going," she said.

Chapter 6

Solyma paused just inside the entrance to the Grand Ballroom and stared. Two maids, dressed in their best clothes, brushed past her, giggling in excitement as they joined the festivities. Maid and noble alike mingled, talked, ate, and danced beneath a banner embroidered with Penelope's name and the royal crest, a brilliant green maple leaf. Dancers swirled across the dancefloor in time to a sweeping waltz played by Taladros's city orchestra.

Solyma spotted Menelaus leading the orchestra with his playing and caught his eye as she stepped further into the ballroom. He smiled back and nodded at her before returning his full attention to his music.

"Solyma, good to see you here," Kerrith said as he walked up. His dress uniform was a close-fitting dark blue jacket with a red collar over a white shirt and a matching pair of dark blue breeches, all pressed and creased to a razor's edge. The uniform fit well, although the dark colors didn't do anything to help him seem any warmer. The knight nodded to Hector and her before continuing on his way.

For a moment Solyma wondered if he was actually mingling with the guests and behaving like a normal party-goer, but then she spotted the slight bulge of a collapsing baton under his shirt. Her suspicions were confirmed when he paused to speak with a guard and then stepped out onto the balcony to check it.

"I guess he never stops working," Solyma said to no one in particular as she let an usher lead her to her table. She took a deep breath when she saw that she was being led to the Queen's table.

"Good evening, Solyma," Amadrin said as Solyma approached. "Please, have a seat."

"Thank you, your majesty," Solyma said as she sat, Hector floating in above the chair beside her. "How is the celebration going so far?"

"Wonderfully," Amadrin said with a smile as she leaned over towards Solyma. "It appears," she said in a whisper, "that your knight has arrived." Solyma jerked her head around towards the entrance and realized she was licking her lips.

"Oh, really?" she said, trying her best to feign coolness. "How nice-" she stopped in mid-sentence and bit her lip when she saw Jaric. He was wore the same dress uniform as Kerrith but where Kerrith only seemed stiffly formal, even cold, Jaric seemed to radiate some aura of attraction. Solyma felt her hands clench as the two elf maids she had seen earlier stared at Jaric and swooned when he walked by and nodded absently to them. The dark colors only served to make him seem more alive as he walked through the ballroom and paused to take in the sights.

"-sight," Amadrin said with a hint of amusement.

"Hmm? What?" Solyma said without looking away.

"I said, he is quite a sight." Solyma glanced over at Amadrin and saw an amused smile.

"Oh, yes. I suppose he is. I must have a thing for uniforms," Solyma said as she forced herself to turn back to the table. "So what are we eating?"

"Sir Jaric?" Amadrin said as she half rose and looked over Solyma's head. Solyma froze at the sudden image filling her head. "Will you join us?"

"I'd be honored," Jaric said as he moved around Solyma and sat down. "Hello Solyma," he paused when Solyma looked into his eyes. "You look-" he trailed off as they stared into each other's eyes.

Solyma felt her heart racing as she looked into Jaric's eyes. Their deep brown depths seemed to fill her world until she felt as if her heart would burst from her chest. "Solyma?" Jaric said, breaking the spell as she leaned forward to kiss him. "Are-are you all right? You seem a bit flushed."

"Oh, yes, I'm fine," Solyma said as she managed to look away. "It must be the heat in here, it is a bit stuffy."

"It must be all these people," Amadrin said with a faint smile on her face. "Perhaps you'd like to retire to your room? Maybe get out of those tight clothes for a while?" Solyma whipped her head around to stare at Amadrin. "Sir Jaric, would you care to help Solyma with her dress once she is back in her quarters? The people who design these fashions can be so dreadfully cruel. And maybe a good full body massage from you too?"

Solyma stared at Amadrin and took some comfort at the sound of Jaric's choked intake of breath. "Your," he stammered, "your majesty-"

"Oh, hush," Queen Amadrin said with a broader smile. "I suppose that as queen I am not allowed to joke?"

"No," muttered Solyma as she looked down at her empty plate and listened to her stomach growl.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" Amadrin said with a deceptively sweet smile. Solyma was saved from answering by the arrival of Penelope and Laros. The two elves took their seats on Amadrin's side of the table, neither of them saying much more than a polite greeting. Solyma watched in quiet surprise as Penelope reached down under the table and pointedly took Laros's hand in her's before letting them rest on the table.

"Penelope," Amadrin said in a quiet voice, "we discussed this matter earlier." Solyma glanced at Jaric when she saw how the queen's hands tightened for the briefest instant on the tablecloth.

"Yes, mother, we did," Penelope said, her head barely lifting to look into her mother's eyes and daring defiance. Beside her, Laros shifted uneasily in his seat, his body stiff and straight.

Poor guy, Solyma thought to herself as she reached out and poured herself a glass of water. She didn't envy his position between Penelope and Amadrin. Solyma looked back at Amadrin when she heard the elven woman sigh.

"We shall talk about this tomorrow," Amadrin said. "But for now," she said as the first course, a light selection of fruits and delicate crackers, arrived, "let us eat."

***

Kerrith leaned over the balcony railing and peered down at the ground two stories below. Several guards marched by, their leather armor almost silent as they peered into every dark corner. Farther away from the ballroom, a mounted squad rode by at a quick pace, their crossbows nocked and lying across their legs.

For a moment he wondered why he was going through the extra effort to secure the ballroom. In all likelihood the palace guards had done a better job than he, someone unfamiliar with the area, could ever do. But the work concentrated the mind and that let him ignore the music and the sounds of revelry from inside the ballroom. He grunted and shook his head as he turned and moved on to the next balcony.

***

"Tancred, Tancred, come over here and join us, my good man," Duke Adelard Quiton, newly appointed ambassador to Taladros, called out. Tancred glanced towards the table where Solyma sat with Jaric but it was already full with the arrival of Dravon and Kerrith.

"It's an honor," Tancred said as he walked over to the Duke's table and seated himself. Some of the Duke's assistants and a host of already drunken hangers on were already there. A rather comely looking woman smiled at him and he felt a foot running up his pant leg. "And a pleasure," Tancred said with a smile.

***

"What a splendid feast!" Dravon said with a bright smile as he wiped his mouth. "The best I've ever had, and I've had a lot. Did you enjoy it, Kerrith?"

"Yes, sir," Kerrith said. In truth he hadn't really tasted the paper thin slices of venison or the century old wine from the best elven vineyards.

Solyma hadn't tasted the food either. At least not since Jaric's foot had brushed against her's during the third course. He had apologized, of course. She had been almost insanely grateful when Dravon and Kerrith had shown up and sat, forcing everyone to sit a little bit closer to each other. She hadn't thought up of a good excuse to get her shoes off and her foot in Jaric's lap though, not yet.

"Can we dance now?" she asked, eagerly eying the orchestra that was returning from a short break. It had been years since she had danced last. While usually she didn't care much for it, the prospect of dancing with Jaric, especially one of those deliciously slow and sultry Collamnite dances, had her fidgeting in her chair.

"Not just yet," Amadrin said as she turned to look at Penelope and then rose. "The Teliaos will commence."

"The what?" Solyma whispered to Kerrith as Penelope, Amadrin, and Laros rose from the table and walked towards the dancefloor. "Are we supposed to follow them?"

"Yes," Hector said as they all stood and followed.

"The choice of the princess?" Solyma said, her mind struggling to translate the archaic melosaos.

"Something like that," Hector said.

"It's a ceremony for choosing a husband," Dravon said. "Used to be anyway."

"Now it's just something that girls do when they come of age," Kerrith said. They stopped behind Amadrin at the urging of her bodyguards and watched as the rest of the party-goers gathered around the dancefloor.

"Have you chosen your husband?" Amadrin said as if she was reading from a holy book.

"Yes," Penelope said from beside her, her eyes not looking at Laros.

"Then choose the one you wish to share yourself with," Amadrin said, her voice clear and ringing out across the ballroom. Solyma watched as Penelope slowly walked to the center of the dancefloor and turned slowly, looking at all the faces surrounding her. There was a barely audible murmuring from the elves when she stopped and looked at the floor and then up at the ceiling.

"What's going on?" Solyma whispered to no one in particular.

"The entire ceremony is worked out in advance," Hector said. "Usually the girl dances with a friend of the family or an uncle."

"But I thought it was to choose a husband."

"It was, but now most girls don't marry until later in their life and they choose on their own anyway. The ceremony is just something to do."

"So why is everyone getting so upset?" Solyma said as the murmuring became louder.

"The daughters of the royal family are supposed to dance with whomever their parents chose for the honor," Hector said. "I think Lord Loradros is supposed to dance with Penelope. He's the most powerful of the nobles."

"How do you know all this?" Solyma asked.

"Unlike some," Hector sniffed, "I spent my time wisely the last time we were here."

"You read about Taladrosian dances?" Hector was silent. "So what's the problem? She dances with him and then we all get to dance, right?" Solyma said as she looked around at the audience gathered around the dance floor. Directly across from Amadrin she could see Lord Loradros, his clothing tasteful and refined. His gaze was cool as he watched Penelope but Solyma saw a glint of something in those eyes, was it possessiveness?

Solyma tapped her fingers against her arm when she saw that other knight, what was his name? Mathieu or something, he was the son of Adelard, leaning over to say something into Loradros's ear. The elf lord smiled for a split second and nodded at the human sharply before returning his gaze to Penelope.

"Will you accept my hand and dance with me-" Penelope said, looking at Loradros and then stopping. There was a murmur and a few gasps of horror from the crowd when she turned and faced away from Loradros to look at Laros. "Will you accept my hand and dance with me, Teledios Laros?"

"That girl," Amadrin said in voice so quiet and with a face so unchanging that Solyma almost missed it. But she could hear the slight difference that signaled exasperation in the woman's voice, she had heard that tone more than she would have liked the last time she had been here.

For a moment it seemed that Laros would refuse, but then he bowed deeply and stepped out onto the dancefloor to meet Penelope at the center. Across the dancefloor, Solyma could see Loradros's face twist in a split second of rage before it settled back into a cool stare. Amid a growing murmur from the crowd, he bowed deeply as Penelope curtsied. They both turned and did the same towards Amadrin before Laros took Penelope's hand in his and placed his other on her slim waist.

Solyma glanced over towards Menelaus and saw the elf shrug before he and the rest of the orchestra began to play. The music was the only sound in the ballroom as Laros and Penelope began to drift along in a slow waltz. What was it? Solyma wondered. Something or other and Dragon?

Whatever it was called, Penelope and Laros seemed not to care as they danced. Solyma watched as Penelope looked up into Laros's eyes and whispered something. The elven man blinked once in surprise and smiled before saying something in return. Penelope's face broke out into a brilliant smile and she laughed in delight as Laros swung her into a quickening dance.

As if sensing the couple's mood, the orchestra changed from the slow and stately waltz into a quicker song, something that stirred Solyma's blood. As she listened to the music she thought of a summer night and amorous trysts in the warm air.

Laros and Penelope's dance grew even faster as they drew closer together, his arm circling her waist and pressing her against him as she entwined her arm around his neck. Their faces were barely an inch apart as they spun across the dance floor, Penelope's dress billowing around her legs. As the music throbbed even faster, its heart containing a quick beat that made Solyma think of a summer downpour.

The couple danced past the still silent audience, uncaring and joyous as they spun each other through the air. Penelope's hair came loose from its combs as she spun and twirled, her blonde locks floating as she and Laros came together in a dance that was increasingly intimate and sensual. Solyma smiled and moved closer to Jaric. The music had grown as heated and intense as any night of lovemaking she had ever had.

Penelope arched back, Laros leaning forward, his lips almost brushing over the curve of her neck as he let her fall back until her hair brushed against the polished floor. Her face was flushed and she was breathing heavily as she rose back up and spun around Laros before coming to rest in his arms, her back pressed against his chest and both of them panting.

"Wow," Solyma said as the music stopped. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Menelaus wiping sweat from his forehead. "That was incredible," she said to Jaric.

"Yes," Jaric said weakly. Solyma grinned when she saw how red his face was. Looking around, she could see that the dance had affected most of the guests in the same way. Even Kerrith looked a little more alive than usual.

Applause surged up from the audience as Penelope and Laros curtsied and bowed before approaching Queen Amadrin. The Queen nodded to Laros and placed her hand on his forehead in the ceremonial blessing of the head of the family to a prospective suitor. Solyma could see as the woman's forehead creased for a second when she saw her daughter. But the crease disappeared immediately as Amadrin reached out and hugged Penelope warmly.

"We'll discuss this later," Amadrin said with a faint smile. "Now amuse yourself while I deal with Lord Loradros."

"Yes, mother," Penelope said with another curtsy. Laros bowed to the Queen as she swept away across the rapidly filling dance floor towards Loradros.

Solyma watched as the two elves retreated from the dance floor to their table and sat, their heads close and their hands clasped together on the table in front of them. As she watched she saw Laros gently disengage his hands.

"Poor girl," Solyma said to no one in particular. "Eh?" she looked around at the sound of a metallic ping against the wooden floor of the dance floor. With the throng of people around it was impossible to see what might have made the noise. But who was that human there? Pale faced...arrogant...he seemed familiar, someone from Adelard's entourage? Maybe another professor at the College? No big deal, she thought as she turned to Jaric and smiled. "Jaric, would you care to dance?"

"I, er," Jaric stammered before Solyma grabbed his arm and pulled him out onto the dance floor. "Solyma, I don't know how to dance."

"Fine, just hold on and follow my lead," Solyma said as she placed his hands in the proper places. After reassuring him that, yes, he could put his hand on her waist while they danced, she managed to teach him a few basic dance steps. "You dance well for a beginner," Solyma said during a slow waltz. And I wonder what else you do well..., she thought to herself.

"Oh, thank you," Jaric said. He tried to back a way a bit when Solyma moved closer only to find her moving after him until they almost bumped into another couple.

"Stop running," Solyma said as she tightened her grip on his shoulder. "Are you afraid of me?"

"No, of course not!" Jaric said. "I just, er-"

"Want to be proper?"

"Yes! That's it," Jaric said with a sigh of relief.

Solyma sighed and shook her head as they continued to slowly dance. "Jaric, would you care to go outside for a moment? It's so stuffy in here," she finally said with a smile.

"Oh, of course," Jaric answered. Solyma lead him off the dance floor towards the tall windowed doors to the balconies that lined the west side of the ballroom. Neither of them said a word as they left the noise and warmth of the ballroom for the cooler night air and the faint chirping of crickets. The moon was low on the horizon, its light reflecting off the calm waters of the lake.

"Oh my," Solyma said as they walked over to the edge of the balcony. "It is a bit chilly out here, isn't it?"

"Would you like to go back inside?" Jaric said, already turning to leave.

"No, I like it out here," Solyma said. "Would you put your arm around me? That would keep me warm." She thought for a moment and ruled out the, 'Oops, I dropped something blowjob' ruse that had gotten her into the bed of Alathan's ruling prince and, incidentally, past those pesky locked doors that guarded his quarters and the treasury.

"Oh, I," Jaric trailed off into blushing stammering.

"It's alright to do that," she whispered as she moved closer. Jaric's arm slowly raised and awkwardly was put around her shoulders. Solyma sighed and nestled closer to him, moving with him as he backed away until he was trapped in the corner of the railing. She could feel his heart pounding as she pressed herself against him and looked up into his eyes. "Do you want to kiss me?" she said in a soft voice.

Jaric looked down into Solyma's emerald eyes and swallowed. His heart wouldn't slow and his head was spinning as if he had drunk too much. Her lips were parted ever so slightly as she rose on her tiptoes and leaned forward, her arms wrapping around her neck as she drew him down towards her.

"Yes," Jaric said as he gave up and let her pull him close. Their lips were almost touching and he closed his eyes, wondering why he hadn't done this sooner.

"Then kiss me-" Solyma said, a smile quirking her lips as she closed her eyes too.

She was cut off by the sound off shattering glass and screams from inside the ballroom. Both of them turned towards the doors, arriving just in time to see the hideous shape of some sort of half-dragon, half-mantis beast land in a shower of glass. It snarled at the retreating guests and lashed out, pinning an unfortunate Kilasatian delegate to the floor with one of its long blade arms while its tail lashed out like a whip to send a soldier skidding back across the floor.

Guards rushed forward, their spears at the ready as more soldiers rushed into the room. Solyma pulled Jaric down as the beast knocked aside a thrown spear, sending it hurling inches over both of them and covering them with bits of glass.

"Dammit," Solyma said as she stood and shook glass off her dress. "Dammit!" She watched as one of the Queen's bodyguards charged at the beast with a spear. The bodyguard slid under the beasts arms and used the butt of the spear to vault himself onto its back. Before the monster could react, he had the spear reversed and was driving it down into the base of the creatures neck. The beast roared and swiped at him with its arms as he jammed the spear deeper.

"What is that?" Jaric said in amazement as he shouldered the doors open and fumbled with untying the peace knot on his sword.

"A kistrath," Solyma said as she followed him. More soldiers were rushing up with spears and bows as the crowd was directed out of the ballroom. "Looks like he's dealt with it," she said as the monster gave one final roar and slumped to the floor, blackish blood spilling from its mouth and the wound on its back. "So why don't we go back to what we were doing-"

"There you are, Jaric!" Dravon yelled as he ran up, his sword drawn. "Keep an eye out for more of those-"

Dravon cursed as more glass showered down from the ceiling followed by several more of the kistraths and at least a dozen ropes. "Get the ambassador to safety!" he yelled at Adelard's escort. He ducked as a flight of arrows were shot down through the windows, a few ricocheting off the dancefloor.

"Where's the Queen?" Solyma said with a sigh as she tipped over a table and ducked down behind it. Taladrosian soldiers with bows were forcing their way through the screaming and panicking crowd. She peeked over the edge of the table and ducked back at the sight of lightly armored figures sliding down the ropes carrying crossbows and swords. "And where'd these people come from?"

"Her bodyguards and Lord Loradros were getting her out," Dravon said. "Do you recognize their uniforms?"

"No," Solyma said as she took another glance at the figures descending into the ballroom. Their dark clothes were featureless. No sigils or crests could be seen. She swore and jerked back as a crossbow bolt hissed by to fly out into the night. "We've gotta get out of here, I count at least forty, not including those monsters."

"Right," Dravon said, "Jaric, grab that end of the table, we'll need the cover."

***

Tancred glanced down at the broken wine bottle in his hand and then back up towards the monster standing in front of him. "Wonderful," he muttered as the thing ran a long tongue over its needle-like teeth.

He had been enjoying his food and had definitely been getting somewhere with the pretty elf woman sitting next to him. He had just been about to suggest they go outside and maybe have a quick fuck in the bushes. But then these things had shown up along with those assassins...

Tancred sighed and threw away the broken bottle before ducking under the kistrath's arms and diving to the side. "You'd better taste damn good," he said before he dodged to the side and slammed his fist into the kistrath's snout. It reeled back for a second before charging at him, its arms slashing and stabbing. Tancred felt his shirt tear as a blade caught on it. A second later he was flung backwards as the thing caught him on its backslash.

The vampire struggled out of the wreckage of a ten courses of dinner, a fully set table, and an elaborate floral centerpiece, his eyes flaring with a bluish light. "You'd better taste really damned good," he snarled as he charged at the kistrath.

***

"Where's my mother?" Penelope said as Laros turned away for a moment to tap out a quick sequence on the herringbone woodwork wall panel.

"She's already out," Laros said as the panel slid back to reveal a dim and narrow brick passageway. "Now we have to get you out of here. We can't know how much of the palace has been compromised."

"But-" Penelope said as she turned and looked at the chaos filling the ballroom. The palace guard were locked in a vicious melee with the monsters and assassins. As she watched, a court mage unleashed a weave that blew most of the flesh off one of the monsters, only to fall as a crossbow bolt hit her. "Solyma!" she yelled as she spotted the woman hiding behind a table carried by Jaric and Dravon.

"Hey Penelope," Solyma called back, motioning for Jaric and Dravon to head towards the elf. Solyma popped up over the edge of the table and threw an arc of lightning that grounded in one of the assassin's swords, sending him to the ground. She turned with a fireball at the ready when something dropped down behind her.

"Careful with that," Tancred said. He was covered in blood and his clothes were in shreds around his body. "We getting out of here?"

"Yes," Dravon said as they reached Penelope and he let the table drop with a grunt. Sweat was shining on his forehead and he sighed. "Has anyone seen Kerrith?"

***

Kerrith jerked around and raised his bloody sword to strike at the person he had backed into. He stopped himself, his eyes wide with surprise, when he saw Ismene standing there, a sword in her hands. Her dress was a mess and her face was spotted with blood.

"I decided to come to the party," she panted and then lunged past him to bury her sword in an assassin's chest.

"I'm glad you're here," Kerrith said simply as he moved around to cover her back. He glanced over his shoulder at her and saw Dravon and the others gathering by the wall. "Head towards them," he said as he parried a charging assassin's sword and kicked the man in the stomach, doubling him over before he brought his sword down on the man's neck.

***

"Well, I've been to worse parties," Solyma muttered as they crouched in the undergrowth of the forest to the north of the palace. "Right Hector?"

"I suppose so," Hector said. "But the only one I can think of-"

"Well, they were having a party to celebrate my execution, so it still counts," Solyma said.

Laros hissed at them to be quiet and she reluctantly sank back down to the damp and clammy ground. They had gotten through the secret passage and outside the palace without any trouble, right now they were just trying to find the queen. The nearby spray of a waterfall wasn't helping anything. Solyma shivered silently and wished she was wearing pants instead of just her dress. She knew she was probably ruining it beyond all hope of repair. Blood she could get cleaned out, the same with mud, sap, dirt, grease, and soot. But all of them at once? And she had actually grown to like it, even if it was too concealing for her taste. Well, she thought as she looked down at herself, it wasn't too concealing anymore. Her skirt was torn to shreds and a long rip had been taken out of the bodice.

She glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the group. Jaric and the other knights crouched at the ready near Penelope while Tancred sat high above them in a tree. Ismene, her dress in worse shape than Solyma's, was whispering with Penelope.

Maybe if I get him over here..., Solyma thought to herself as she looked at Jaric. But he and the other knights were deep in conversation, probably trying to figure out what had just happened. She sighed and went back to looking at the waterfall. It seemed familiar to her somehow...oh, yes, it had been a trysting spot for her and Menelaus the last time she had been in Taladron. Shame she couldn't have used it with Jaric.

When had she last been here? she wondered...

***

Solyma cursed as she stomped through the undergrowth of the forest. Even with the canopy of trees overhead she could still feel the blazing noonday sun. It was the middle of summer in Taladros and anyone with any sense was staying indoors.

"I could be in the palace," Solyma muttered as she swatted viciously at an innocent tree branch. "They've got it nice and cool in there. I could be eating grapes and reading. But no, I'm out here tramping through this mosquito infested forest to meet you." She waved her hands furiously at a butterfly unlucky enough to fly by. "You're not that good of a fuck, Menelaus."

Just as she was about to turn and stomp back to the palace, Solyma emerged from the forest and into the glade surrounding the Whistling Waterfalls. On certain days of the year, usually in spring or fall, the rocks around the waterfall would channel wind like pipes and play simple tunes. Years of careful carving by the musicians of Taladros had created an orchestra of sounds in from the rocks. "Which explains why Menelaus knew about this place," Solyma said as she slumped to the ground underneath the shade of a large maple. "Where is he?"

She glanced around the glade and swore under her breath before she saw the figure standing underneath the spray of the waterfall. She could barely make it out, but from the build it had to be an elf. And since only one elf had invited her out here- Solyma grinned like a wolf as she shucked her boots and wriggled out of her sweat soaked clothes.

She dove into the glade, the waterfall easily masking what little noise she made, and began to swim beneath the surface towards the waterfall itself. A few feet from it she stood, her coppery hair darkened with the water, and waded towards the waterfall, the chilly spray feeling wonderful on her skin.

As she approached the figure, still concealed by the waterfall's spray, she crouched until her chin was just barely above the water and snuck closer. She was blinded for a second as she passed underneath the waterfall but she could still see the pale skin of the elf in front of her. Soft light diffused through the curtain of water behind them and making this grotto behind the waterfall a welcome shelter from the heat. Blinking furiously to keep the water out of her eyes, she grinned and leaned forward to run her tongue along the elf's back.

"Ooh, Menelaus!" she heard someone, a female someone, yell over the hiss of the waterfall. "I thought you'd never get here!"

Solyma blinked as she shielded her eyes from the spray and stood. Standing in front of her with her back turned was an elven woman, probably just reaching marriage age. The woman had her head resting on a shelf of rock, her eyes closed and content smile on her face, and was close enough to the rock wall to avoid most of the falling water. Her dark blonde hair was plastered to her slim shoulders and trailed all the way down into the waist high water. "Aren't you glad to see me?" she elf woman called out.

As an answer, Solyma moved closer and ran her hand up the woman's flank, trying to imitate Menelaus's firm touch. The woman cooed in pleasure as Solyma moved her other hand between the woman's thighs and pushed her fingers into her quim. Menelaus might have been good with his tongue and hands, but he didn't show much appreciation for beating around the bush, so to speak.

Solyma knelt in the water, careful to keep her breasts or hair from brushing against the elf woman and spread the woman's thighs. "Menelaus?" the woman said and started to turn around. Solyma nearly inhaled some water as she quickly pushed the woman back to face the rocky wall. "Menelaus? If you think you're going to bugger me without at least letting me-" her words were interrupted by a small squeak of pleasure as Solyma began to run her tongue over the elven woman's quim. "T-that's more like it," the woman said as she leaned further forward and pushed her bottom back towards Solyma.

Solyma swept her hair back from her face, tying it in a rough knot before leaning in closer to lightly kiss the woman's quim. She smiled as the elf woman shivered, and not from the cool water splashing down behind them. Solyma continued to lightly kiss the woman's quim until the elf groaned and thrust her hips back further. "Please, Menelaus, don't tease me," she whimpered.

Solyma grunted, making it sound as masculine as possible and buried her face in the elven woman's quim. Her tongue slid into the woman's quim as she reached up to clutch at her bottom, spreading the cheeks and softly kneading the warm flesh. Solyma was nearly knocked onto her own bottom when the woman suddenly jerked her hips back, bucking against Solyma's face. "More, please, more," the woman groaned as she lifted her head off the rock shelf and started to turn to look back.

Solyma shot up out of the water and pushed the woman's head back down while slipping two fingers into the elf's quim. "Oh, yes, be rough with me," the woman moaned as Solyma gave her a smack on the bottom for good measure. Solyma knelt back down and moved her fingers to tease the woman's clit while her tongue slid in and out of the woman's sopping quim.

The woman shuddered and moaned each time Solyma's fingers brushed against her quim. Her slim hips began to buck rhythmically as Solyma spread her thighs even further and slipped her fingers in alongside her tongue. It seemed that the elven woman's nectar was flowing almost as freely as the waterfall to Solyma. Unable to control herself any longer, Solyma began to rub her own clit in time with her fingers in the elven woman.

The elven woman also seemed to be losing control as she began to cry out, her voice high and musical. Solyma felt the woman's quim tighten around her fingers as the woman screamed out her climax and slumped against the rock for support. Solyma gently pulled her fingers free and licked them clean before kissing the elven woman's quim one last time.

"That was wonderful, Menelaus," the woman said, her voice still quavering from the effects of her orgasm. "You can do whatever you want to me."

"Really?" Solyma said before she could stop herself. The woman's shriek was louder than the hiss of the waterfall.

"Who are you?" the elven woman screamed as she backed up against the rock wall shrank against it. "What did you do with Menelaus? Menelaus! Help me!" the woman screamed, her eyes jerking wildly as she tried to find the elven lover she had thought she had. "What did you do with him?"

Solyma grimaced as she uncovered her ears slowly, not sure if the elven woman would start screaming again. "I didn't do anything," she said. "I was supposed to meet him here too and I found you instead so..." she trailed off and smiled her most seductive smile. It didn't seem to have the intended effect as the elf woman began screaming for help again...

***

"We're moving," Laros whispered, interrupting Solyma's pleasant daydreaming. "I believe that the queen is moving towards the waterfall. In any case, it is a defensible position. We leave now."

Solyma glanced back and saw that one of the bodyguards had appeared without making a sound. "Fine, can you tell if anyone is following us?" she whispered back. A bloom of fire high overhead that lit the entire forest with a flickering and harsh glare answered her question. As the fire slowly floated back to the ground, she could hear the sound of armored figures crashing through the undergrowth and headed straight towards them.

Chapter 7

"Hurry up!" Solyma shouted to Hector as another crossbow bolt whistled by her head. "Dammit, dammit, dammit!" she cursed as she furiously cranked the windlass of her own crossbow. "We need help and we need it fast!" She screamed in anger as another bolt whipped by, slicing a neat red line in her shoulder. If they were using poison on these bolts, she was probably dead several times over. "Penelope, can't you keep these things off us?"

"I'm sorry," Penelope said, her voice tight. "We weren't taught how to stop crossbow bolts, just thrown objects, I-"

"Just do your best," Solyma said as she began cranking the windlass again. She glanced over the log at the dark forest. Jaric was out there, as were Tancred, Kerrith, Dravon, and Laros.

Tancred was making the most noise. She could hear him showing off from here. But the others were silent. When they had slipped off into the forest, each of them had been surprisingly silent. She had always thought of the Knights as bashers in shining armor. But they had been almost as quiet as Laros. Soon after they had set off to slow the relentless advance of the mercenaries following them, Solyma had heard screams and cries from the mercenaries.

"How are you doing?" she said as she glanced over at Ismene. The elf girl had taken a bow from the cache hidden in the forest for this very possibility. As far as Solyma could tell she was a good shot.

"I'm fine," Ismene said as she popped up and let another arrow go. There was not answering scream. She might have killed her target too quickly for him to cry out, or maybe she had just missed. In either case, Ismene didn't hesitate as she ducked down and nocked another arrow before firing again.

Solyma was about to rise and fire again when a dark shape leapt over the log, a longsword in one hand and a dagger in the other. He didn't say a word as he kicked at Solyma, knocking her back and leapt onto her, his dagger ready to strike. She brought the butt of the crossbow up into his gut, knocking him off her. She had her crossbow pointed at him, ready to take him prisoner, when Ismene calmly slid her dagger across his throat.

"Gods, Ismene," Solyma began to say as she looked at the elf girl. She'd seen soldiers who'd killed with more hesitation than that. She stopped when she saw the girl's hands shaking as she stabbed the dagger into the dirt to clean it and slid it back into its sheath. Solyma shook her head and turned to Hector. "Have you gotten through yet?"

"I'm trying," Hector said calmly. Solyma could see the weave of magic that infused his helmet, gauntlets, and monocle glowing in the night. A rhythmic pulse of magic jumped from the weave pointed to the south. Each pulse meant Hector was trying to contact the large crystal scrying array in the College at Corannon. "But they are blocking my attempts."

"You've got the Crystal of Valkersan!" Solyma yelled as she turned and popped up over the fallen log they were sheltered behind. She grunted as she shot a bolt at a dim shape deep in the forest and yelled in triumph when it fell. "You can't handle some mercenary spell-tossers?"

"They outnumber me, Solyma," Hector said reproachfully. "There are at least ten mages of some strength out there in the forest." As if answering Hector's statement, a blazing ball of fire rose in the air over the forest, casting a bloody light over the combatants below.

"We need to find the Queen," Laros said as he hopped over the log and crouched down by Solyma. If he had wanted to he could have cut her down without her noticing he was there. "We're keeping them from advancing but they keep bringing up more soldiers."

"How's Jaric?" Solyma asked without thinking.

"We're all uninjured, it's lucky we reached the cache before they caught up with us," Laros said. "But the Queen and her bodyguards may not have been able to."

"Dammit, Hector, find Amadrin and make it fast!" Solyma yelled.

"She's a half mile to the south, across the river that feeds the waterfall," Hector said a few seconds later. "She's alone- troops are closing in and-" Hector paused. "She is injured slightly."

"Where are her guards?" Laros said in a low voice as he picked up a quiver of arrows and slung them over his shoulder. "Are they dead?"

"I cannot tell, someone is trying to keep me from seeing anything else," Hector said. "Only one mage, but they are very skilled. And powerful." He paused again. "I believe he is an elf."

"How do you know?" Penelope asked from the other side of Hector. "That-that can't..." she trailed off, young as she was, she had had enough training in the ways of politics to know that there wasn't much that was impossible. "But there's never been an assassination attempt in the history of Taladros. Never! We're not like those-" She stopped and looked away from the humans. "-humans," she finished, her face a deep red.

***

Kerrith grunted as he heaved the assassin over his shoulder and into the small clearing strewn with blood drenched bodies. His boot slammed into the assassin's face as he stabbed downward, cleanly stabbing the assassin through the heart.

He glanced around at the clearing, noting that the bodies wore the same outfit as the other assassins he had been fighting. Someone else had gone through here before him. His sword flicked up to the ready as he heard someone breathing harshly.

A survivor, Kerrith thought as he stalked across the clearing. He looked down at the still living man and hissed through his teeth in horror.

***

Too many dead, Amadrin thought grimly to herself as she ran through the forest. Her long gown trailed behind her, the fabric managing to avoid every clutching branch and snagging bramble in her path. Her bodyguards, Dravon, and Matthieu were all probably dead after they had been cut off from her by a series of conjured walls of fire and acid.

"Penelope," she murmured to herself. She froze and crouched, the only sound the gentle fall of her gown around her. She narrowed her eyes and spun at the sound of a branch brushing against metal.

The crossbow bolt splintered against her conjured shield, the wooden and metal pieces floating in mid-air. The assassin, his face dark with some sort of makeup, said nothing as he pulled a long sword coated with a sickly yellow poison and leapt for her.

In mid-leap Amadrin flicked her wrist towards him, sending the shards of the bolt flying towards him and piercing his body in dozens of places. He let out a blood curdling shriek as the poison on the bolt's head started to work its way through his shredded body.

"Who hired you?" Amadrin said as she kicked away his sword and knelt by his head. "Tell me and I'll give you a quick death. Remain silent and I'll make sure you die slowly."

The assassin gurgled and hissed as he writhed on the ground. His mouth worked and he shuddered, blood spilling past his lips. "Lord-" he started to say and then shuddered, his teeth crashing against each other. "Lor-"

Amadrin leapt back as a bolt smashed into the assassin's face, silencing him forever. The elven queen snarled and let out a weave of magic that smashed trees and undergrowth to splinters before it turned an assassin into a cloud of red mist. Without even a glance at the dead assassin at her feet, Amadrin turned and continued to run deeper into the forest.

Tancred fell through the air silently to land on the back of one assassin. His claws had neatly cut the man's head from his neck as Tancred twisted and kicked off to jump at the other assassins. Before the first man's head had hit the ground they were all dead, their blood soaking into the earth.

Tancred growled deep in his throat as he licked the blood from his lips. He could feel all those old emotions coming back. The thrill of the hunt, the exultation of a kill, and the ecstasy of the blood. He ground his teeth together and forced himself onto his feet, standing straight instead of hunching over.

He looked down at his hands and clenched his fists until the claws had receded, leaving fingernails badly in need of a manicure in their place. Snatching up a sword from the fallen men, Tancred leapt back into the trees, his form a shadow that soon disappeared into the night.

***

"Loradros," Dravon gasped as blood bubbled on his lips. "He stabbed me in the back."

"We'll get you to a healer, sir," Kerrith said as he tried to staunch the wounds covering Dravon's body. "We've all seen knights injured worse than you survive."

"You're a good boy, Kerrith," Dravon rasped. "I-I don't think it was just Loradros. Matthieu was supposed to be watching my back." Dravon's eyes went unfocused for a moment. "His boots, I saw his boots...he didn't fight them..."

"Sir, sir!" Kerrith said as Dravon coughed again, blood flecking the front of Kerrith's shirt.

"Leave me, Kerrith," Dravon said as he forced himself into a sitting position. "I'll give you time to find the queen. Get out of here, get out of the country, it's not safe for any of you."

"No, sir, we need you, Krisephyr needs you," Kerrith said as he helped Dravon to his feet. "I'll stay."

"Bad tactics, Kerrith," Dravon said. "I don't know how you passed your tactics course. I wouldn't get ten feet like this."

"But sir," Kerrith said, knowing the older knight was correct. "Yes, sir."

"That's a good lad," Dravon said and grinned. "Now hand me my sword and shield and prop me against that tree. I'll give them a good fight."

"I know you will sir," Kerrith said as he helped Dravon to a tree on the edge of the clearing. "Adramas be your shield."

"Adramas be your shield," Dravon said as he lifted his sword. He paused for a moment and pulled a small silver shield of Adramas from around his neck. He looked at it for a moment and pressed it into Kerrith's hand. Blood gleamed black on the silver, a void in the midst of light. "Give this to my brother, it was our father's. Now get going."

"Yes, sir," Kerrith said, snapping off a parade salute with his sword before turning and disappearing into the forest.

"We'll kill him too," Matthieu said as he stepped into the clearing with Icarii by his side.

"Of course," Icarii said. "Now, what about this one?"

"Do you have the spine to fight a dying man, Matthieu?" Dravon hissed through bloodstained teeth. "Or are you going to be the coward that you always were?"

"There's nothing cowardly about pragmatism, Dravon," Matthieu said and motioned with his hand. Crossbow bolts flew through the night, the sound of their impact echoing through the forest.

"You've betrayed your oath and country," Dravon said as he staggered forward and leaned on his sword. His shield began to throb with light as he raised it before him. "And you'll be damned for it."

Light flashed above the forest as Dravon raised his shield and fell to his knees. Matthieu turned and fled with the assassins as the light grew ever brighter, making the trees and ground smolder everywhere it touched. There was a heartbeat of pure silence and then a roll of thunder shook the ground as light exploded from Dravon's shield, consuming everything in the clearing and stabbing upward through the night sky, a brilliant lance of pure white flame that shone for a breath before disappearing just as suddenly.

In the clearing, there was only a perfectly circular crater cut out of the forest. The ground glowed red and cracking pops filled the air as it cooled. And alone in the center of the crater stood a single sword, undamaged by the heat and shining with a last hint of light before going dark forever.

***

"Your majesty," Laros said as he knelt on one knee. "I'm relieved that you are safe. The others?"

"Cut off from me," Amadrin said as she looked around at the motley group gathered in a hollow made by some fallen trees. "I'm sorry Jaric."

Jaric nodded grimly and pulled the bandage on his thigh tight. Kerrith had been separated from him during the fighting back in the forest to the west. And now the news of Dravon and Matthieu...

"Where are we going?" Solyma said as she finished ripping bandages from her dress. "North-east? If we can get into the hills and mountains they'll have a hard time tracking us."

"Yes," Amadrin said as she gently hugged Penelope close to her. The poor girl had seen more killing in a few hours than many elves saw in their life. "I still do not know whether this is an invasion or coup, but we should be able to find sanctuary in Alathan."

"It's a coup," Solyma said. "Hector figured out that one of their mages is an elf. Powerful one too." Amadrin nodded and sighed. Who could it be? An attack of this magnitude would have required much planning and access to the capital.

"Loradros," Amadrin said to herself and sighed. She had expected an assassin's knife in the dark from him, not an uprising. And those beasts he had been using, he didn't have the skill or power to summon and control such things. So he must have help too-

"There are more assassins on the way," Hector said. "They're coming up from the east."

"How many?" Solyma asked.

"At least twenty," Tancred said as he slid out of the underbrush and pushed Laros's and Jaric's swords to the side. "I killed a few but they were moving fast, I thought you'd like to know."

"Let us go," Amadrin said. "We'll try to cross the river, we should be able to prevent them from following us across."

***

Ismene stared up at the night sky. Her heartbeat was fast but calm, as if she had just finished swimming from the dock at Cielcroix to the channel buoy at the mouth of the harbor. But I haven't been swimming, she thought to herself as she touched the bow propped up next to her.

Around her lay the bodies of men, men who had been trying to kill her and whom she had killed in turn. Their blood had stained her dress and covered her hands. And still, she was calm. She turned her head at the distant sound of men moving through the undergrowth. Would she kill again? And would she feel anything at all?

***

Amadrin stared across the river as Loradros emerged from the forest and sighed to herself. How she hated being right sometimes. He nodded his head mockingly at her as his assassins slowly crept down to the riverbank, crossbows and swords at the ready.

"You are surrounded, my lady," he called out. From behind her, Amadrin could feel the ripples in the forest's lifeforce that were the metal clad assassins. Dozens of them were in front, dozens more behind. And one lucky shot with a poisoned bolt could kill her or any of the others. "Surrender and I'll spare the lives of your...friends."

"Of course you will," she murmured to herself. She could see Laros hovering near Penelope, his eyes flicking from the forest behind them to the assassins across the river. "Very well, I surrender."

"Your majesty, no-" Laros started to say before she cut him off with a sharp look.

"You're insane! Or an idiot!" Solyma hissed, ignoring the horrified looks from Jaric and Laros.

"Isn't that required for royalty?" Tancred muttered.

"He'll just kill you and then kill us!" Solyma continued after ramming her elbow into Tancred's ribs.

"Trust me," Amadrin said with a faint smile. "Laros watch over Penelope."

"Meet me in the center of the river, I will go with you when I am satisfied that my companions are safe," Amadrin called out. As Loradros waved his assassins back, she stepped lightly out onto the water, holding her skirts up to keep them from dragging in the river.

"He's going to kill us all," Tancred said as he cleaned blood and other things to horrible to contemplate from under his fingernails with a dagger.

"Then why is she doing that?" Jaric said. "We have to go after her-"

"Be quiet human!" Laros hissed, pulling Jaric back into the underbrush. "The queen does as the queen will."

"But she's your queen, how can you let her go?" Jaric hissed back.

"Where'd Solyma go?" Tancred asked no one in particular.

"What?" hissed Jaric as he looked around frantically. "Solyma!"

"So good to see you again," Amadrin said to Loradros as he splashed towards her, the water up to his waist, a faint quirk to her lips. "Is there anything in particular that you plan to do to me? I hear ravishing the queen is quite popular in romance novels these days."

"I have no intention of contracting frostbite, your majesty," Loradros said, his handsome face marred by an ugly smile. "Now, if you will come with me- eh?" he looked to his left up river at a dark silhouette under the water. He began to draw his sword as it drew closer and yelled when he saw what it was. "Kill them all!" he screamed as Solyma rose out of the river, water streaming down her body, her dress stuck to her like a second skin.

Solyma dove forward and slammed her shoulder into Loradros's stomach, knocking him back into the river as she reached for her dagger. She flung it forward, burying it in his shoulder as she shifted to a double handed grip on her sword and swung at his head. Solyma heard a hiss in the air and jerked back with a curse as a bolt flew by to kick up a fine spray of water as it hit the river.

More bolts flew by overhead, aimed at the others hidden across the river. Solyma could see the threads of magic gathering around Amadrin as the queen raised her hands, wind whipping her skirts around her legs, and brought her palms up towards the river bank. A curtain of water erupted skywards, thundering up and down river until the river was divided in two.

"You all right, your majesty?" Solyma said as she shook water from her hair and looked at the roiling wall of water that cut the river in two.

"Yes, Solyma, thank you," Amadrin said. "We must leave at once, the spell will not last for long."

"What?" Solyma shouted over the thunder of the water. "I can't hear you over the-" she stopped and looked over at the bank of the river. Jaric and Laros were running towards them, their swords out and waving-

Solyma ducked into the water as a sword swept over her. She twisted, water frothing around her as she struggled to get her footing back on the slick riverbed.

"Your tricks won't save you, my queen," Loradros yelled, his voice barely rising over the thunder of water, as he stood over Solyma, his sword in one hand, a loaded crossbow in the other. Solyma dove to the side, hand crawling, half swimming down river as Loradros slashed at her with his sword. She rolled to the side and parried his sword as he chopped down, forcing her under the water.

"Away with you, Loradros, trouble us no more," Amadrin said as she hurled out a twisting web of magic that caught Loradros and sent him flying through the air to crash into the river a hundred feet away.

"We must leave," Laros said as he stepped between Amadrin and Loradros. "We'll have time to deal with him later."

"I'm getting sick of this river," Solyma snarled as she stood up, coughing and wiping her eyes. "What say we get out of here and find a nice inn with a big firepla-"

"Get down!" Jaric yelled he leapt for Solyma. She started to duck and fell as a bolt slammed into her right shoulder, its head protruding from her front. "Solyma!"

"You bitch!" Loradros said as he threw his crossbow away and began to wade back upstream. He snarled as arrows from Ismene's bow began to fall around him, forcing him back. He parried one with his sword, growling as the wooden splinters fell around him. "Die!" he screamed as he threw a sickly green ball of fire towards the riverbank. Plants in the path of the fire withered and shriveled to a grotesque decaying mass while the water turned black with contagion.

Solyma stared up through the water as Jaric tried to lift her from the river. The roaring of the wall of water was muted beneath the river's surface, sounding as if it were a far away thunderstorm. She could feel the poison racing through her system, already she had lost all feeling in her right arm.

"Jaric," she tried to say, her lips moving silently under the water.

"Solyma! Solyma!" Jaric yelled as he pulled her out of the water and looked in horror at the bolt jutting from her shoulder. He began to pull her onto his shoulder when Loradros slammed into his side, his sword flashing.

Solyma fell back into the river with a faint smile for Jaric. Such a wonderful man, she thought to herself as she drifted slowly towards the waterfall. The water reflected and scattered her sight, a hundred Jarics and Laroses seemed to be fighting with a hundred more Loradroses. Magic filled the air as Amadrin filled the night with fire and ice. Loradros disappeared in the roiling storm of magic reflected in the water.

The water no longer seemed cold to her. She could feel the round stones of the riverbed bumping against her fingertips as she was pulled along even faster. It was almost like flying, she thought with a smile. Solyma saw Jaric looking at her as he splashed after her, his mouth wide in some cry that she couldn't hear.

"Goodbye," she said with a faint smile as she raised her hand to wave. Then sound came back, a thunder that filled her ears. And she was flying.

Chapter 8

Matthieu staggered down the river bank clutching at what remained of his left arm. His armor had fused to the charred mess of his arm, turning it into a nearly unrecognizable mass of metal and blackened flesh. "Did you kill them?" Matthieu snarled, feeling the skin on the left side of his face cracking as he spoke.

"No," Loradros said, his voice flat. "You didn't do your job."

"I did my job!" Matthieu said, ignoring the pain speaking caused. "I killed that shit-eating pox, you were supposed to finish the job!"

"You didn't kill him," Loradros said as he turned to face Matthieu. His fine clothes dripped water and bore scorch marks on their front. "You wounded him and ran when he destroyed himself. That gave them time to get to the far side of the river."

Matthieu looked out at the river where water still ran red from the corpses of dozens of assassins killed by magic and blade. Their bodies clogged the river like some obscene dam. He had heard the sound of magics being hurled back and forth in the night, the noise drowning out the roar of the waterfall nearby.

"I'll finish the job," Matthieu said. "Where did they run to?"

"They're still there," Loradros said as he waved to the far side of the river. "I can sense them in the woods.

"C'mon, sis, wait up! Sis! Wait up! C'mon!" Solyma panted as she scrambled up the trail towards her sister and Greize. "You said you'd take me when you went to pick apples!"

"Will you go away?" Asalya snapped as she turned towards her younger sister. "You're such a pest!"

"You promised!" Solyma yelled. "You promised, you promised, you promised!"

"Asalya, don't be so tough on her, she's just a kid," Greize said as he touched Asalya's shoulder. "We can let her pick the apples and sneak off..." he said in whisper.

"No! I don't want her tagging along!" Asalya said as she shook off his hand and tossed her head. Her brilliantly red hair, darker than Solyma's short cropped hair, flashed in the late afternoon sun. "Go home now, you little brat!"

"I hate you! I hate you, I hate you!" Solyma screamed as she stomped the ground in frustration and burst into tears before running back down the trail towards the village.

"That was mean, Asalya," Greize said. "She's your sister."

"She's a pest," Asalya said as she watched her gawky little sister run back home. The sun was starting its slow descent towards the western horizon on the far side of the valley. Shadows cast by the modest collection of buildings in the valley were growing slowly longer. Further to the north and up the side of the mountains, the great bell of the nunnery clanged out afternoon prayers. "Besides, I don't want her seeing what we're going to do," she said with smile.

"Oh really?" Greize said as he wrapped his arms around Asalya's waist and pulled her closer.

"Yes," Asalya said as she leaned forward and kissed him. After a long kiss she slowly pulled away and smiled again. "Let's go pick some apples."

Kerrith felt the water numb his feet as he stood in the shallows of the river. He could barely feel the weight of his sword in his hand as he watched Mathieu step out of the trees across the river.

"Surrender and you'll be granted a quick death," Kerrith said as he raised his sword and shield and stepped deeper into the icy water.

"I was going to say the same thing," Mathieu smirked back. His face was a ruin and even the slight motion of speaking broke the crusted and charred skin. "I'd be lying, of course."

"As if anyone would ever trust one such as you," Kerrith said as he and Mathieu moved towards the thigh deep water at the center of the river. "I see you've cast away your shield, I thank you. Now I won't have to strip it from your bloodied corpse."

"What need have I of some trinket bestowed on a mass of fools?" Mathieu said as he lifted his sword higher, letting Kerrith see the black shine of the metal in the moonlight. "This blade is a true weapon, not some silly piece of armor." Mathieu slashed the blade through the water and grinned at Kerrith with his scarred face as the water blackened and thickened into sludge around the sword. "Forged with death, tempered with corruption," he continued as he lifted the blade. Slime dripped down the length of the sword as Mathieu took a grip with both hands and faced Kerrith. "A weapon not seen for ages. A weapon which is more than enough to kill vermin such as yourself."

"You dare make pacts with the dark powers?" Kerrith said as he shifted his grip on his sword. "I look forward to the day when they claim your soul for their larder."

"A day which you will never see," Mathieu said. They stood still for a moment, the only sounds the rushing of the river and the crashing of the waterfall. Moonlight gleamed silver from Kerrith's armor and a dull black from Mathieu's burned face and corrupt blade. For a moment there was peace, then blade clashed against blade.

"That's it, that's it," Asalya breathed softly as Greize rubbed her quim lightly, his hand up her skirt. "Keep doing that-" she broke off as an apple bounced off her head.

"Hahah!" Solyma yelled from behind a nearby apple tree. "Asalya and Greize were kissing! Asalya and Greize were kissing!" she said in a sing song voice.

"You brat! I'm going to kill you!" Asalya yelled as she struggled up onto her feet, nearly tearing her skirt as Greize tried to pull his hand out from under it. Another apple bounced off her head while Solyma laughed again.

"Nyah! You can't catch me!" Solyma yelled as she threw one more apple at Asalya before turning and scrambling away through the orchard. "You're going to be in trouble when mother finds out!"

"Keep breathing for her," Amadrin said as Tancred filled his lungs with air and breathed into Solyma's mouth. "Not too fast or hard."

Jaric looked around at the faces of the others while he pressed down rhythmically on Solyma's chest. He'd seen the same technique used to save other drowning victims, but all his healing classes had been on battlefield patching, not resuscitation.

"Is she dead?" Penelope said softly. Try as she might, she couldn't discern much more than a glimmer of life in Solyma's body, no more than the plants that grew along the waterfall pool.

"No," Tancred said as he took another breath and breathed it into Solyma. "She isn't. Not yet. Damn you, why wouldn't you let me change you?"

Solyma met Greize's eyes over the urn that held Asalya's ashes and felt more tears welling up in her eyes. Greize looked lost as he fiddled with the wedding ring on his right middle finger. He and Asalya had only been married for a few years before she had taken ill.

"-may the gods take this soul to their bosom, to fly free above, and to know no more sorrow or suffering," the Headmistress of the nunnery said. "Liatha take this soul and grant her peace, Liaya look down on those who live and grant us peace." The Headmistress nodded to Greize and stepped away from the urn.

Greize took the urn in his trembling hands and stepped out to the edge of the cliff. Far below them, the village could be seen in the fading light. In the west, the sun was a sliver above the mountains, it's last rays shining from the tears coursing down Greize's cheeks.

"Liatha take this soul," he said in a halting voice as he raised the urn. "Asalya, I love you." With that, he opened the lid and swung the urn in a wide arc, scattering Asalya's ashes to the wind.

Solyma sobbed and scrubbed at her eyes with her sleeve, feeling her mother and father crying behind her as well. Through a veil of tears she saw Asalya's ashes flying away on the wind, higher and higher until they disappeared into the sky.

"Goodbye, Asalya," Solyma said between sobs.

"Be careful, Solyma," her father said as he patted her on the shoulder and watched her climb onto the coach. "Your uncle will be able to look out for you, you remember his address?"

"Yes, father," Solyma said as she fiddled with the hem of her traveling cloak.

"Write often," her mother said.

"I will."

"Everyone ready?" the coach driver asked as he climbed aboard and took up the reins.

"Y-yes," Solyma said as she leaned back in her seat and watched her father close the door after her. "I'll miss you."

"We'll miss you too," her mother said, fighting to hold back tears. "Dress warmly and don't associate with those bad elements."

"I won't, mother," Solyma said with the best smile she could muster. "I love you!" she called out to them as the coach started to move.

"We love you too!" her father called out as the coach picked up speed and began to move down the road. "Take care!"

"Goodbye!" Solyma yelled, leaning out the window and waving until the coach crossed the small stone bridge and the village sunk out of sight behind the rolling hills.

Solyma stared upward at the massive structure of the Citadel towering high above the city of Vorchrest, her mouth hanging open in wonder.

"It's so big," she breathed to herself as she slowly walked through the crowded marketplace. It seemed as if everyone in the city was shopping today. She had seen types of demons that she had never seen before. Shadow demons, their forms constantly shifting as they walked through the crowds, a giant mantis carefully picking his, or her, way through the throng with a basket hanging from one arm.

"I'll show you something else that's big, girlie," a voice said from nearby. Solyma stopped and turned, clutching her cloak around her.

"W-what do you mean?" she said in the firmest voice she could muster. A rough looking man and his friends were leaning against a wall with a dice game in front of them.

"I got something big for you, right here," the man said while he grabbed his crotch and jerked his hips at Solyma. As she backed away in horror, her hand over her mouth, another grabbed her shoulders from behind and reached down to pull up her skirt.

"Show us what's under there, lass," he said into her ear as he kissed her neck and pulled her skirt up higher. Solyma shrieked and elbowed the man behind her before breaking free and running out of the market, her cheeks flushed and burning, the ruffians' laughter ringing in her ears.

Were all city-dwellers like those horrible men? she thought to herself as she reached the end of the mile long marketplace. She could still feel herself blushing as she walked down a quieter street lined with pleasant looking townhouses, the piece of paper with her uncle's address clutched in her hand.

"Here, here it is," she said to herself as she stopped in front of a palatial house, easily twice the size of the mayor's house back home. She sniffed and scrubbed the beginnings of tears from her face as she tried to regain her composure.

"Excuse me, miss," a man's voice said from her side. Solyma yelped and jumped back into the street, her heart pounding.

"What do you want? Don't touch me!" Solyma shouted as she fumbled in her bag for the small pocket knife she kept to peel her apples. "I'll, I'll call the constables!"

"I am the constables," the confused looking man standing in the middle of the sidewalk said after looking around the empty street. "At least, I will be. Why, miss? Is there something wrong?" His pointed ears and high cheekbones along with a reddish tint to his skin marked him as a Kass. The seemed to stand even straighter as he looked around the street. "Have ruffians been bothering you?"

"Well, yes," Solyma said as she slowly let go of her pocket knife. "I-I was in the market and these horrible men said these horrible, horrible things to me." She felt herself shivering at the memory and clutched her cloak more tightly around her. "They- they tried to look up my dress."

"Those animals," the man said as he turned towards the market. "Such behavior cannot be tolerated in this city! I will not tolerate it! As a provisionary-constable-in-training I'll make sure that they cease their loutish activities!"

"Wait, it wasn't so bad, I mean they left me alone after I-" Solyma started to say as he trotted off down the street, truncheon in hand. "You never told me your name!" she called out after him. "And I never told you mine," she said softly.

"I'm glad that you decided to stay with me, Solyma," Leceres of Takrask said as he poured himself a drink. The aging shadow demon sighed, the edges of his humanoid form rippling as he did so. "I'm terribly sorry about Asalya, I'll miss her. Would you care for a drink?"

"So will I," Solyma said. "Um, no, I don't...I don't drink."

"Well, more for me then," Leceres said as he tossed back his drink and poured another. "I had the servants set up the upstairs guest room, it's quite nice, I'm sure you'll like it. Have you thought about what you're going to here?"

"I," Solyma started to say and then shook her head. "I just wanted to get away from Merersburg. Too many memories."

"Well, there's no shortage of work for a smart young lady like yourself," Leceres said. "I'm sure I can find you a job working as a clerk or secretary somewhere. Have you done any clerical work before?"

"I helped out at the monastery for a while," Solyma said. "I know some herbs and I can cook very well."

"Well, I know that the constable's station needs another cook for the dining hall," Leceres said. "How would you like to work there?" He frowned, though Solyma couldn't really see any change in his expression, she could feel the difference in his face. "Too many men about though," he said to himself. "Have to do something about that..." He shook his head and looked at Solyma. "Well, I'm sure it will work out."

"I'd be happy to work there, uncle," Solyma said. "When would I start working?"

"I'll get you started on Liayasday," Leceres said as he walked across the study and flipped a page in a book. "Yes, yes, that will work splendidly."

"Sir?" a servant said as he poked his head into the room. "There's a rather dirty young man here to see you. He ‘says' that he is a constable in training."

"What? Well, very well, send him in," Leceres said. "Solyma, this may take a while, why don't you head up to your room? If you need anything the servants can help you."

"Thank you, uncle," Solyma said as she stood and turned to leave.

"Hello, miss," the man from outside said to her as he was escorted in by the servant. His face was bloody and his lower lip cut. His right eye was circled by a nasty looking bruise and his knuckles were still bleeding slightly. "Have no fear, those ruffians won't be bothering anyone anymore."

"Oh," Solyma said as she looked at him in horror. "Thank you...but you're hurt. Did they do this to you?"

"It's a price of duty, miss," the man said with a smile on his battered face. "They took the worst of it, I'm glad to say."

"Corporal Rahem Tadek?" Leceres said.

"Yes, sir! Corporal Rahem Tadek reporting as ordered, sir!" the man said as he snapped off a salute and managed to only groan slightly from the pain.

"I take it you two have met?" Leceres asked.

"Yes, uncle," Solyma said as she turned to look at Leceres. "He was very helpful and kind when I met him outside."

"Yes, I'm sure," Leceres said in a flat voice. "Corporal, why are you in such a state?"

"I disciplined a group of ruffians harassing young women in the market, sir," Rahem said. "They attempted to resist arrest so I was forced to use force on them."

"Sir," the servant said, "there are several rather unseemly looking men tied to the front gate. Should I cut them free?"

"Those are the ruffians, sir," Rahem said with a broad smile.

Leceres sighed as he walked over to the window and stared down at the group of bloodied men tied to his gate. "Those are the men who harassed me, uncle," Solyma said as she looked at them. "They said some awful things."

"Very well, corporal," Leceres said. "Go get cleaned up, Malit, show him to the washroom." Rahem saluted once again and turned to follow the servant. "And corporal, welcome to the Vorchrest Constabulary."

"Thank you, sir! I'm sure I will enjoy my work here!" Rahem said as he gave yet another sharp salute and turned to go, but not before Solyma smiled at him. He nodded to her on the way out and gave her a short bow before he turned to leave.

"He'll be stationed in the constable's station, Solyma," Leceres said. "You'll be seeing him everyday, do you still want to work there?"

"Oh, yes, I would," Solyma said, trying to hide the eagerness in her voice and failing utterly.

***

Kerrith snarled as he whipped his sword around in a cut at Mathieu's knees then slammed his shield into the fallen knight's face. Mathieu screamed as the cracked and burned flesh on the left side of his face split open, blood trickling down his neck.

"Murderer, betrayer," Kerrith hissed as he stalked Mathieu back towards the rushing waterfall. Thigh high water splashed past their legs, the current swift enough to carry them over the edge if they lost their balance. The bloody water ran around their legs, the coppery stench of it filling the night.

"Weakling," Mathieu snarled back as he spun his blade into an overhand strike that glanced off Kerrith's shield with a spray of blue sparks. "You've chosen the wrong side." He ducked to the side as he parried Kerrith's sword and slashed back, trying to gut the knight. His blade caught the hanging links of Kerrith's chain shirt and tore through them like wet paper, barely missing flesh.

***

Solyma blushed and giggled as she hesitantly leaned forward to kiss Rahem. She flushed an even deeper red as his hand clumsily squeezed her bottom and smiled nervously at her.

"You, you look really beautiful tonight," he stammered as their faces hovered barely an inch apart. His golden eyes darted around before looking into her's and then looking away again. "Your, um, your hair...it's really, um, pretty."

"T-thank you," Solyma said as she slid a bit closer to him on the sofa. Their thighs touched as the fire in the hearth snapped and hissed. Solyma bit her lip and closed her eyes, her hands shaking as she reached out and held Rahem's shoulders. She could feel him shaking too as he leaned forward. She gasped as her breasts pressed against his chest and his hesitant breath warmed her lips. She moaned in a high pitched voice as Rahem kissed her more insistently and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Are...are you going to take me?" Solyma said in a quiet voice when their kiss finally broke. She laid her head on Rahem's firmly muscled shoulder and nuzzled his neck with her lips. "I don't think I'd mind," she finally said in a shaky voice.

"But..." Rahem said into her ear as he held her close. "We're not married, we've only known each other for a few months now."

"I know," Solyma said as she buried her face in his shoulder and squeezed her thighs together. She wanted him so badly that her hands were trembling as she leaned back to look him in the face. "I mean, if you..." she trailed off and felt herself blush. "I'm, I'm sorry," she blurted out as she tugged away from him and slid off the couch, her hands smoothing down her dress. "I should go home, my uncle will be worried."

"But Solyma," Rahem said as he stood and adjusted his breeches before following her towards the front door of his modest two-story house. He reached out and grabbed her shoulder as she opened the door, spinning her around to face him. "Solyma, I," he said and then leaned forward to kiss her again.

Solyma moaned into him, her body pressing against his and her hands clutching his waist. She wanted to give in, wanted to behave like the women in the books, not like the women in her village. Why should she wait until they were married? Why should she ignore the want she felt?

"I'm sorry!" she cried out as she pulled away and covered her face with her hands. "I just can't, not now! Not yet!"

"I'm sorry, Solyma," Rahem said as he gently moved her hands from her face and kissed her forehead. "I love you and I'll wait as long as you want me to."

"Thank you," she said as she sniffed and hugged him again, her head resting against his shoulder. "Thank you. I love you too, Rahem," she said.

"Just promise me we'll see each other soon," he said to her as she walked down the front path towards the garden gate.

"I promise," Solyma said as she backed towards the gate, a broad smile on her face. "I promise."

***

Kerrith blocked Mathieu's slash with his shield and slammed the pommel of his sword into the fallen knight's head. Mathieu staggered, barely managing to parry Kerrith's slashes and stabs.

He snarled to himself as the jolt of Kerrith's strikes lanced up his arm and threatened to shake his blade from his hand. Seizing it again with both hands, he lunged forward, forcing Kerrith back. As Kerrith floundered in the water, Mathieu chopped down, shattering Kerrith's sword.

"You're dead now," Mathieu grinned as he advanced on Kerrith, his point in line with Kerrith's stomach. "And I'll make it slow."

Just as Mathieu slashed again, Kerrith whipped his arm around and hurled the pommel of his sword at Mathieu, catching him just above the eye. As Mathieu staggered back, Kerrith roared and lunged forward with his shield, slamming into Mathieu's stomach and shoving him back.

Mathieu stared in disbelief at Kerrith as he windmilled his arms in a desperate effort to keep from being swept over the lip of the waterfall. He still held his corrupt blade in his hand as he tilted slowly back before finally disappearing over the edge.

***

Solyma leaned back on the bed like the woman in the book, her face flushed a bright red as she looked up at Rahem. She swallowed nervously and gave him a nervous smile as she slowly parted her thighs. She flushed a deeper red when she realized that he was the first person to ever see her quim like this.

"Are we doing this right?" she said in a quiet voice as she looked over at the picture again. She had bought the book at a small store tucked behind a restaurant down by the docks. The woman behind the counter had said nothing as she had counted out Solyma's change, but the smile on her face had been enough to send her scurrying back to the small house she shared with Rahem.

"I hope so," Rahem said as he moved between her legs and bent over her. Solyma gasped as she felt the tip of his cock brush against her thigh. She still wasn't quite sure that she could ever take anything that big inside her, all she had ever used were her fingers, and even then only rarely. "I love you," he said as he looked into her eyes. Solyma smiled up at him and propped herself up on her elbows to kiss him.

"I love you too, husband," she said with a giggle. Three hours since the wedding had ended and she still hadn't gotten used to calling him that. "Do you think it will be like in the stories?" she asked as she slowly lay back down and looked up at him.

"I hope not," Rahem said as he leaned down on his elbows and kissed her throat gently. "I don't want the neighbors to hear us. And you're not married to another man, are you?"

"What? No, of course not, Rahem," Solyma said indignantly. "Oh, you mean how the husband always walks in afterwardsssss..." she trailed off, her mouth wide as she felt Rahem's cock pressing against her quim. "Oh, please, put it in," she gasped as she reached up and grabbed his shoulders. She spread her legs wider, glancing over at the book to see how the woman in the pictures positioned herself. Maybe I should do that, she thought as she saw how the woman had her leg up over the man's waist. But then Rahem began to push himself into her and she lost all ability to think.

***

Loradros stared at the bloody wreckage of his mercenaries. Dozens of them had been killed by only a few. And the queen and the princess had slipped out of his grasp. He ground his teeth together as he turned away from the bodies. He would use his contingency plans, he always had contingency plans. But his plan had been so perfect, how could have a few muscle headed thugs and a slut sorcerer fouled them so much?

With a low hiss between his teeth, Loradros finished the spell and stepped through to the portal into the ballroom. Behind him, the bodies began to decay and putrefy at an incredible pace, their flesh liquefying and staining the ground as their bones softened and oozed into the muck. Within minutes, all that was left of them were stinking patches of blackened grass and stained earth.

Solyma hummed softly to herself as she sliced the tomatoes for dinner. Rain pattered gently on the window over the kitchen sink as she carefully slid the tomatoes into a pot already half-full of onions and chunks of beef.

The rich, heady smell of the sauce filled the small kitchen and floated out into the front hall as Rahem opened the door and took a deep breath. He smiled as he undid his weaponbelt and hung it and his truncheon from a peg by the door before setting his coat and hat aside.

"It smells delicious, love," he said as he wrapped his hands around Solyma's waist and hugged her. She seemed so delicate sometimes, he thought to himself as she laughed and continued to knead the dough for the pasta.

"You always say that," Solyma said with a smile as she turned her head to kiss him.

"Well, it always smells delicious," Rahem said as he began to undo the knot of her apron. "They say that the longer you let a sauce simmer, the better it tastes."

"Oh really?" Solyma said as she left the dough on the cutting board and turned within Rahem's arms. Her hands left trails of flour on his shirt as she rose on her tiptoes and kissed him again. "Didn't I say that?"

"Maybe," Rahem said as he slid her apron off over her head and let it drop on the kitchen table. His hands were already pulling up her dress as she pulled his shirt out of his breeches and slid her hand under it to slide across his chest. Solyma smiled as she felt Rahem pulling her underwear down her hips and stepped out of it as it tangled around her ankles.

Solyma gasped softly as she felt Rahem's hands cupping her bottom and lifting her onto the kitchen counter. She jerked as the cold tile pressed against her bottom and moaned as Rahem knelt between her spread thighs. I'm so glad we bought that book, she thought inanely as Rahem's breath washed over her quim. She tightened her grip on the counter as he pushed her housedress further up her legs until she was bare from the waist down. Her legs rested on his shoulders as she leaned back, her shoulders pressing against the wall, and looked down at him.

Solyma gasped again and tightened her thighs around Rahem's head as his tongue gently pressed against her quim. His hands held her thighs steady, his fingers gently squeezing, as he ran his tongue along her quim, lightly teasing her clit with each stroke.

"I love how you taste," he said as he gently spread open her outer lips and ran his tongue along her. His fingers lightly trailed over the inside of her thighs as Solyma bit her lower lip and squeezed the edge of the counter even more tightly.

She moaned as she felt him nuzzle her quim and kiss her inner thigh before slowly licking his way back to her quim. She jerked her hips up at him, whimpering as she wrapped her thighs around his head and tried to pull him even closer. His lips were teasing her, his tongue dancing across her quim, but not going any further no matter how much she tried to make him.

"Please," she moaned as she let her head fall forward, her golden-red hair falling down across her thighs and his head. "Please..."

Solyma shuddered in pleasure as his tongue finally touched her clit and began to slowly lap at it. He kissed her quim, spreading her lips with his tongue and slowly worked his way up to her clit before lightly rubbing it with his lips. He slowly moved back and forth from pleasuring her clit to sliding his tongue deep into her quim while his fingers gently stroked around it. Solyma felt her legs jerk and tighten against his back as he slowly pressed his tongue against her clit, making her feel as if her body would explode from the pleasure. She was gasping for breath now as he began to work his tongue across her clit while his fingers pushed deep into her. Each touch of his tongue and fingers sent jolts of pleasure through her body and made her gasp with pleasure.

Solyma looked down at Rahem and watched as his head moved between her thighs. She could feel the sweat dripping down her face as she panted for breath and bucked her hips against his face. She let her head fall back and arched her back as she felt herself moving closer and closer to climax. His tongue moved hot and insistent against her, pushing her closer to the edge with each long stroke until finally she screamed with wild abandon and jerked her hips against him, her legs pulling him tight against her as she shuddered and twisted on the counter.

Solyma panted softly, her hair in disarray as she let go of the counter with trembling hands and let her legs slide off of Rahem's shoulders. She grinned weakly at him and placed her hands on his cheeks as he stood up grinned back at her. She leaned forward to kiss him and hesitated when she saw her juices covering his lips and cheeks.

"Sorry," he said with a sheepish grin, "let me wash my face-"

"No," Solyma said as she pulled him closer and wrapped her legs around his waist, "it's fine." Rahem stared at her with wide eyes as she leaned forward and kissed him, tasting herself on his mouth. But in a second he didn't care and was kissing her back, his arms holding her close to him while the sauce continued to simmer. "Ooo...I taste good," she said with a wicked little grin that made Rahem gape in wonder. "I'm sorry," she said with a blush. "I'm being awful, aren't I?"

"Well," Rahem said as he smiled at Solyma and kissed her again. "I, I think I can handle you."

"Oh no!" Solyma said as she slid off the counter and ducked under Rahem's arms. "I hope it hasn't burnt," she said as she started to stir the sauce with a long-handled wooden spoon.

"Hmm...then we could order in," Rahem said as he stood behind Solyma and rested his chin on the top of her head. He laughed as Solyma swatted him in the chest. She had never let him order in while she was capable of cooking.

"Here, taste this," she said as she pushed the spoon towards his mouth.

"Mmmph, good," he said as she wiped a bit of extra sauce from his chin. "As always."

"Then let me put the dough through the cutter and we can start the pasta," she said as she hurried over to the dough and began to push it through the wire slicer into long strips of pasta. "And go get cleaned up," she called over her shoulder with a smile, "I don't want to sleep with someone dirty."

***

"Delicious," Rahem said as he spooned up the last of the sauce left on his plate. "Absolutely delicious." He smiled at Solyma across the table and reached out to hold her hand in his. "Good news," he said.

"Really?" Solyma said. "Oh, did you get the promotion?"

"Yes," Rahem said with a broad smile. "I've been promoted to Lieutenant. They're assigning me my own squad of recruits."

"I'm so happy for you!" Solyma said as she jumped up and leaned across the table to kiss him. "I knew they'd see how dedicated you are."

"It's all thanks to you," Rahem said as he pulled Solyma closer to sit on his lap. "If you hadn't spent all that time in the library finding me those law texts, I don't know how I would have passed the examinations."

Solyma blushed as he pulled her closer and squeezed her waist. "I don't know what I'd do without you," he said in a quieter voice as he stroked her cheek with one hand. "It's like I've found a part of me that I never knew was missing. You make me, you make me feel more alive than I ever have."

Solyma wiped her eyes and kissed Rahem on the forehead as he held her. "I'm glad I came to the city," she whispered as he rested his head on her breast. "You opened the world up for me. There's so much that I want to do with you, I want to spend the rest of my life with you as my husband."

"What do you want to do, Solyma?" Rahem said as he looked up into her eyes. "I'll take you anywhere, do anything for you, just name it." Solyma paused and looked down at him as she shifted on his lap, deliberately rubbing her bottom against his cock. She smiled softly as she felt him hardening under her and kissed him again.

"I think," she said as she half-stood and swung her leg over to straddle him. "I think I'd like you to-" she trailed off and draped her arms over his shoulders.

"What?" he said quietly as he slowly ran his hands up and down the curve of her back. "Anything."

"I'd like you to do the dishes," she said with a grin as she kissed him again. Rahem laughed and kissed her back as he hugged her close to him.

"Ah, Solyma," he said as he looked into her eyes. "I love you more each day." He turned his head and coughed embarrassedly. "Well, I do," he finally said. He said no more as Solyma kissed him, her hands reaching down to untie his breeches.

Rahem's hands began to yank up Solyma's dress as she furiously worked at the knot tying his pants, finally growling and snapping the string before she yanked his breeches open. He gasped into her mouth at the touch of her hand on his swollen cock and groaned as she rubbed her quim against it.

"You didn't put your-" he managed to gasp before she raised herself up and slid down, impaling herself on his cock. They both panted for breath, furiously kissing as they yanked, pulled, and tore each other's clothes off.

Solyma tossed Rahem's shirt back over her head to land unnoticed on their dishes. She heard the fabric of her housedress ripping but couldn't bring herself to care as she helped Rahem tear her bodice open and let him yank it down to her waist, leaving her wearing only a shredded piece of cloth around her waist.

She groaned and wrapped her arms around his head as he leaned forward and began to to lightly suck on her breasts. She panted loudly and let herself slide further down his cock as his tongue slid around her stiff nipples and his teeth rubbed against them.

"Yes," she moaned as he ever so lightly bit down on her breasts, scraping his teeth against her pale skin before sucking furiously on her pink nipple. She could feel him groaning into her flesh with each motion of her hips against him. She began to ride him, her legs lifting her up and dropping her down onto his cock while she pressed his head against her. She could feel him sliding deep inside her, stretching her with each thrust and making her breath come even faster as he began to caress her other breast with his free hand.

His other hand moved down her bare back, his fingers tracing along her spine, to cup her bottom. He began to help her as she rode him, his strong arm helping to lift her and his fingers digging into her bottom as he helped to pull her down onto him.

"Like that, yes," she moaned as she covered his hand with her's and urged him to squeeze her breast even more strongly. "Yes, please, harder," she gasped as his hands tightened on her. Her breath began to come in a high-pitched gasps as he began to jerk his hips up in time with her, their bodies smacking together.

"Do you want," he managed to grunt out as their bodies rocked together, "do you want me to be rougher?"

"Yes!" Solyma cried out. "Yes, be rough!" She cried out in pleasure, her head tossed back and her long golden-red hair spilling down her arched back. She ground her hips against him, trying to get him as deep as possible with each of his thrusts. She began to scream with each thrust into her as she slammed herself against him and was thrust back against in turn. Sweat dripped down her body, making her skin shine in the candlelight.

Solyma writhed atop Rahem as she felt his hands clutching at her waist and helping her up and down his cock while he continued to suck and bite at her breasts. She could feel the reddened marks on her body from his fingers digging into her as she lifted her legs from the floor and wrapped them around his body and the back of the chair.

Her cries began a incoherent stream of moans and near-squeals as she held onto Rahem's shoulders. His cock was pounding up into her, its rhythm too fast for her to follow anymore. All she could do was hold on as she bounced up and down on his cock, her body arched forward to pressed herself against him.

She could feel the skin of her stomach rubbing against his chest and the feel of his faint stubble rasping against the sensitive skin between her breasts until finally she gave and gasping, choking cry and dug her fingernails into his shoulders as she slammed herself against him over and over, head spinning as she came furiously. She heard him gasping too, his hands sliding up from her waist to clutch at her shoulders as he pressed himself deep into her and gave a last few short thrusts, each time, gasping for breath.

Solyma couldn't speak in the aftermath of their frenzied lovemaking. All she could do was twine herself about his body, her cheek pressed against the top of his head as he continued to softly kiss and suck at her breasts while his hands stroked the sweaty skin of her back.

"Oh, that was wonderful," she managed to finally gasp out, still trying to regain her wind. Rahem could only nod in response as he leaned back and looked up into Solyma's green eyes.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he said in a worried voice, the effect only slightly spoiled by his gasping for breath.

"Of course not," Solyma said as she leaned forward and kissed him. "I think, I think I like it when you're rough like-" she gasped as she felt the chair tilting backwards. "Oh, shi-" she managed to say while the chair tilted further back and slowly gained speed despite both of their flailing arms and legs.

"Ow," they both said in the wreckage of the chair.

***

"Rahem," Solyma said, her voice almost too faint to be heard. Jaric looked back at the woman he carried on his back and nearly tripped on one of the many rocks that littered the narrow animal trail switchbacking up the mountain.

"Eyes on the trail, meat," Tancred snarled from behind him. "You drop her and I'll drop you off this mountain." Jaric narrowed his eyes at the vampire but turned his head away from Solyma and continued to follow Amadrin up the trail.

"I should be carrying her," Tancred said as they turned around another switchback and started up an even rougher section of the trail.

"You're too cold," Amadrin said from up ahead. "She's going into hypothermia already, I can't use my magic on her until we find a sheltered place that I can ward. Otherwise any good mage would be able to track us. Body heat is the only thing we have left."

Tancred muttered something under his breath and tore off the sheath banging against his left leg. "Useless," he said as he stared at the simple blade and almost threw it off the trail, stopping at the last moment to sling the swordbelt over his shoulder. "I'll scout ahead," he said as he turned to the cracked rock face to their right and jumped up, his fingers finding purchase in cracks to small to see.

Amadrin watched him climb for a few seconds. He barely used his legs, instead just pulling himself up the rock face faster than a normal person on a ladder could have. She watched as he reached where the trail doubled back above them and disappeared over the edge, only to reappear further up the mountain, his arms still hauling him ever higher.

"I can't believe we're leaving," Penelope said from behind Jaric. "It looks...it looks so normal from here." Laros put his hand on her shoulder and she rested her hand on his. They were looking south over the forest towards the palace. It was still lit for the celebration, white and golden lights burning like stars. But she could see the blasted crater in the forest where Dravon had given his life to buy them a few minutes of time to escape. And the river that wound towards the waterfall where Solyma had nearly been killed.

"We'll return soon, Penelope," Laros said. "A coup is dependent on removing the rulers permanently. The longer we are free, the harder it will be for Loradros to remain in power. I'm sure that the generals are already moving to keep him from consolidating his power."

"But why can't we just go back now?" Penelope asked. Her words were punctuated by pants as they continued to climb. "Mother could transport us back into the throne room, I'm sure."

"We don't know the situation, dear," Amadrin said. "I'm sure Loradros must have had more of a plan than just hoping to kill us and seize the throne for himself." She paused and smiled at her daughter. "Don't worry, the generals know to keep their troops in the barracks. Loradros will not be able to use the military against us."

"Unless he has allies there," Kerrith said in a low voice. "How sure of your general's loyalty are you, your majesty?"

"I have no doubts in their loyalty to me and the kingdom," Amadrin said. "They have nothing to gain from having a madman like Loradros on the throne." Her head snapped up as a few pebbles bounced down the cliffside. In an instant, weapons were drawn and the beginnings of a magic gathered.

"There's a cave at the end of this trail," Tancred said as he crouched on the trail above them. "Then things start to level out, it'll be pretty flat from here until we start hitting the Bones. But by then we'll be able to get on a highway, we could be in Alathan in a month."

Chapter 9

Solyma's eyes were still closed and her breathing shallow and irregular when the fire was finally started. Tancred had found them a small cave, once an animal den, but now long unused. It would be a tight fit for so many people, but a single fire would easily warm it and the others were already gathering brush to keep the wind out.

"Will she live?" Jaric asked as he watched Amadrin move her hands in circular motions over Solyma's still body.

"I...hope so," Amadrin said with a frown of concentration on her face. "The poison is strong and the wound deep. Alone, I would be able to heal either. But both of them make this extremely difficult." She dipped her hands and made pulling motions as blackened clots of blood rose from the wound in Solyma's shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Jaric asked with more than a trace of fear and wonder in his voice.

"I'm trying to extract the poison from her blood," Amadrin said as she made another pulling motion and more clotted blood rose from the wound to join the others hovering over Solyma's body. "But I can't take too much of her blood at once." She gritted her teeth and Jaric could see the sweat dripping down her forehead. "I think someone used magic to make this poison, it's a miracle that she survived at all." More blood rose out of the wound followed by a greenish vapor. "Stay back while I dispose of this," Amadrin said as she made another motion.

The blood and vapor swirled and gathered together before dropping into the fire. A foul smell filled the cave for a moment until a conjured breeze swept it outside. "That's all I can do for now," Amadrin said. "We need to let her rest and restore herself before I can tend to that wound."

"Thank you," Jaric said. "I don't really know how to tell her this, but-" he trailed off and Amadrin could see him blushing. "I think I've fallen in love with her. I always thought my duty would come first, but there's something about her, the way she lives life and revels in it." He clenched his fist and hit his thigh. "I don't even know if she has someone in her life or not. I don't even know where she was born or if she has family." He sighed. "But I want to know. I want to."

"Then ask her, knight," Amadrin said with a kind smile. "Solyma is a loving person and I'm sure she will return your love if you offer it to her."

Just outside, standing guard with the others and waiting for Amadrin to finish with Solyma, Tancred's hearing caught Jaric's words. Nothing, not even Laros's keen eyes, saw the momentary blaze of anger that swept across his face and ignited his eyes.

***

Solyma breathed the smell of the cherry blossoms as she spun through the dance, her light training sword dipping and swaying with the motion of her body. She rose on one foot, her arms outspread and paused for a second before slowly sinking back down and swaying into a long circular sweep of her sword.

Her breathing quickened as she moved into the second set of the dance, her motions quickening as she spun and leapt through the small yard behind her house. She dipped and jumped, her legs spinning cartwheels as she sank low on the ground and swept her sword across the grass and then brought it up parallel to her face. One more graceful leaping kick and finally a flip with a half turn to bring her to the end of the dance.

"Wonderful," Rahem said as he leaned against the doorjamb and smiled at her. "You're a natural."

"Thank you," Solyma said as she wiped sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand and set the light wooden training sword back in its sheath.

"How many lessons have you taken?" he asked as he stepped out into the yard and stretched. The spring had been wonderfully mild with cool mornings and warm evenings that seemed to go on forever. Two years since they had been married and he loved her even more, he thought as he sat on a small wooden bench beside her flower garden.

"Just five or so, Master Shavas is a wonderful teacher," Solyma said as she sat down next to him and leaned against his shoulder.

"I'm glad you went," Rahem said. "Things are getting...tense in the city with the raids. There've been more riots and murders in the last month than all of last year. I hope it will calm down once the Emperor deals with the Ilchites."

"You'll be careful, won't you?" Solyma said as she curled up closer to Rahem and felt his arm around her shoulders.

"Of course I will," he said with a smile she could hear. "I have to come home to you."

***

"Cushion her head!" Amadrin snapped to Tancred as Solyma writhed on the floor of the cave. They had forced Jaric's belt between her teeth to keep her from biting her tongue and Tancred was doing his best to keep her from striking her head against the floor.

"What's happening?" Jaric asked frantically.

"She's having a seizure, you idiot," Tancred growled as he tried to keep his folded cloak under her head. "How long until you calm her down?"

"I'm doing my best," Amadrin said as she continued the weave over Solyma with the help of Penelope.

***

Solyma screamed and struggled against the hands holding her wrists. "No!" she screamed again as she twisted and pulled. "He can't be, he isn't! He's supposed to be home, he's never late for dinner. Never! Let me go, I have to get home, dinner- dinner- I need to-!"

"Solyma, please," her uncle said as he kept a firm hold on her. "I'm sorry."

"He can't be," Solyma sobbed as she slumped against him, tears coursing down her face. She clutched once more, weakly, on her uncle's chest before she collapsed to her knees. "He can't be dead. I don't- I won't-" she said. "Are you sure?" she sobbed as she covered her face with her hands.

"Yes, I'm sure. I saw him with my own eyes," Leceres said as he knelt by her and rested his hand on her shoulder. He had had to do this too many times over the years, had had to face too many new widows.

"Why? Why was he there? He wasn't supposed to be on duty today," Solyma said as she scrubbed the tears from her face and slammed her fist into her uncle's carpet.

"He was in the market when the riot broke out," Leceres said as he gently lifted Solyma onto the couch and poured her a stiff shot of brandy. "The Ilchites say that he was helping them get away from the mob when-" he paused and handed her the brandy. "When someone stabbed him."

"Why did he have to be so stupid?" Solyma said dully as she took a deep gulp of the brandy. "He was always doing things like that."

"His job-"

"-his job, I know," Solyma said. "That's why I love him." She looked up into her uncle's eyes and slumped forward, her hands cradling the glass. "Should I say 'loved' now?" she said faintly as she stared at the fire.

***

Jaric sighed as Amadrin tightened the bandage around his left wrist. "I didn't think she was that strong," he said to no one in particular as Amadrin knotted the bandage.

"I suspect it was the seizure," Amadrin said as she sat back against the cave wall and brushed off the front of her dress. "You'll be fine, she didn't manage to break anything. Just make sure you keep that bandage tight and keep from moving your wrist."

"For how long? I can't use a shield like this," Jaric asked as he scooted around and leaned against the wall besides Amadrin. Solyma was sleeping fitfully, still occasionally whimpering and saying words in a language that Jaric couldn't understand. The fire had been banked for the evening and only Tancred was outside on guard. The others were trying to get what sleep they could before leaving in the morning.

"Not too long," Amadrin said. "A few days, less if I can work on healing it. I would tonight, but Solyma drained me." Jaric nodded and tried not to stare at the visible circles under the queen's eyes.

"Alathan, then what?" Jaric asked in a quiet voice he watched the smoldering embers of the fire.

"I contact my embassy there and the Prince," Amadrin said. "Once I'm able to contact them, I will be able to refute whatever Loradros has told them about the attack."

"What did he hope to gain by staging such a blatant attack?"

"He most likely wished to kill me and Penelope in a particularly gruesome and public manner, thus securing support for him as he ascended to the throne. I imagine he would blame either Alathan or Collamnus for the attack and declare war."

"Why would he want to go to war?"

"Collamnus has had possession of some mineral and fishing rich areas just to the north of our border, Alathan has its mineral wealth and the Prince's workshops. Either would be a prize to seize. Or perhaps there is another reason or no reason at all, Loradros was always a hard one to read."

***

"There was a reason why I stopped running around adventuring," Solyma said as she slogged through the rain damped undergrowth of the pine forest. The air was warm and humid from the afternoon thunderstorm that had swept across them with the speed and fury of a Vorchrestian chariot team. "I had a very nice tower, did I ever tell you about it, Jaric?"

"No," Jaric grunted as he pushed a low hanging branch out of his way and wiped sweat from his forehead. Everyone was soaked with sweat and rain water. Most were too miserable to speak except for Tancred who seemed to be enjoying his unlife and its benefits immensely. While the others were surrounded with mosquitoes and itching from bites, Tancred walked without trouble or sweat. "You never did."

"I miss it, Hector would bring me breakfast in bed and I'd eat while watching the forest outside my window," Solyma said as she swatted at a mosquito. "The forest was a lot nicer than this one, less insects for one thing."

"We never would have had to leave if someone hadn't decided to try her hand at summoning," Hector said from behind Solyma.

"That was a mistake," Solyma said.

"Oh, yes, a mistake like taking that young woman and-"

"Quiet," Solyma snapped.

"-tying her to the-" Solyma turned and lunged at Hector just as he dodged back out of reach and floated up into the branches.

"I should have made that crystal into a rod!" Solyma yelled up at him after she tripped and clawed her way out of the underbrush. "At least I could have gotten some pleasure out of it!"

"Yes, I've got a pair of leather gloves in your bag which say otherwise," Hector said dryly.

"What's he talking about?" Jaric asked. Solyma glared at Hector before she turned to Jaric and smiled sweetly.

"Oh, nothing, just business between mages and familiars," she said. "Now, did I ever tell you about the time I saved the kingdom?" She grimaced as Hector's laughter floated down from above her.

***

"What, Kerrith?" Solyma said drowsily from her makeshift bedroll. The emergency caches that they had plundered hadn't had much in the way of amenities. Weapons, armor, and rations, yes. Good bed rolls, blankets, and pillows, no. What whomever had stocked the cache thought was a bed roll made Solyma think of an old burlap sack.

"We're going scouting," Kerrith said, a shadowy shape against the stars poured across the sky.

"Take someone else," Solyma said as she rolled over onto her stomach and buried her face in her arms.

"Jaric and Laros need to stay here and guard the camp, Penelope doesn't know how to scout," Kerrith said.

"Then take Tancred or Ismene, they're good at sneaking around. Or Hector, take Hector. Dammit, don't even bother, just get him to look around himself. He's a gods be damned scrying crystal with a helmet."

"Ismene and Tancred are already gone, they're looking for the trade road," Kerrith said as he knelt by Solyma and pulled the top layer of the bed roll off of her. "And Queen Amadrin says that using magic to scout might attract attention."

"Fine, fine," Solyma groaned as she rolled over and sat up. "Where are we going?"

Kerrith pointed to the east where, up the slope of the mountain, could be seen a bright speck of light, unwavering in the darkness of the night.

***

Solyma stepped into the hall and looked around in silence. Pillars carved from the mountain and inlaid with veins of gold and silver supported the vaulted ceiling high over head. Shadows flickered and played among the tops of the pillars, even the dozens of braziers and torches were unable to completely dispel the darkness lurking around the edges of the hall.

At the end of the colonnade, seated upon a simple wooden backed chair, was a woman. She was slender and tall, her pale gold hair softly gleaming in the light of the braziers that flanked her. She looked up as Solyma approached, the hood of her white silk robe falling back onto her shoulders to reveal her finely chiseled features.

Green eyes shone in the firelight as the woman smiled and stood before bowing deeply. "Welcome, oh saviors," she said in a bitter voice.

"And who are you?" Solyma said as she lowered her sword and looked around the hall. "Nice place you've got here."

"Deshala," the woman said with a smirk. Solyma stopped and looked the woman up and down.

"Am I supposed to know who that is?" she asked as she sheathed her sword and leaned against one of the pillars.

"No, I should have known better than to expect a demon whore to know about me," Deshala said as she sat back down in her chair and slowly crossed her legs. "You may approach, knight," she called out to Kerrith.

"You're bowing to her?" Solyma said. "She's just some jumped up mage living in a fancy cave!"

"She's the God-killer, Solyma," Kerrith said in a low voice as he stepped closer to Deshala and saluted.

"How do you know? Because she says her name is-" Solyma waved her hand at Deshala.

"-Deshala," she said.

"-yeah, Deshala," Solyma finished.

"Her face is known to every child on Alderest," Kerrith said in a soft voice as he looked at the woman sitting upon the simple chair. "Everyone knows of the five God-killers, the ones who ended the wars of the ancients."

Solyma snorted and tossed her head before wincing at the pain in her shoulder. "I could look like her too," she said as she spun a quick weave about her face. Deshala's face had replaced her own as she smirked back at the woman on the throne.

"It has been a while since I last saw my face," Deshala said as she stood and walked over to Solyma. "I suppose I must prove myself to you?"

"Not really, we're just wasting our time here. We should be leaving," Solyma said and then yelled in shock as she felt the weave around her face evaporating. "Very nice counter, Deshala, but I could-" she fell to her knees in shock as she felt the power radiating out from the woman standing in front of her.

Solyma clenched her eyes shut as weaves formed and spun themselves out of the air at the command of Deshala. Light from their power blinded her, leaving dancing spots of color on her vision even after the magic had run its course. Eyes watering, Solyma stood shakily and looked at Deshala again.

"Fine, you could be this Deshala he's talking about," Solyma said in an unsteady voice as she saw the weaves that had been concealed beneath thousands of layers of magic. The weaves were of a strength she had never seen, even among the court of the Emperor of Kathaln. They coursed through and over Deshala's body, weaves of strength, speed, power, health, and protection. "How long did it take you to learn to do that?" she finally managed to say.

"Centuries," Deshala said as she let the weaves cloaking her power settle back around her body. The countless threads of magic entwined about her faded into invisibility as she walked back to her chair and sat.

"How old are you?" Solyma asked as she ran a hand through her hair and discovered that her shoulder no longer hurt. "You did that?" she said as she flexed her arm.

"I am five thousand, five hundred, and seventy-one years old," Deshala said with a faint smile. "And yes, I did that."

"My lady, we apologize for intruding upon your sanctuary, we did not know," Kerrith said.

"Um, yeah, sorry about that," Solyma said. Best not to upset a person who was called a God-killer. "We were hoping you were Alathian patrol."

"You're quite close to the trade road, I can give you directions to it and the nearest guard post," Deshala said. "But before you leave, I would speak to you of the future."

***

The screaming woman was starting to get on Tancred's nerves when her companion finally got her to quiet down. He supposed he shouldn't have swung down out of the tree like that, especially in the state that his clothes were in. But that was no reason to start screaming for a guard patrol while hitting him with the horsewhip.

"So, is this the trade road?" he said as the woman's companion, a tired looking grandmotherly-type, finally wrestled the whip out of the woman's hands.

"Yes," the older woman said as she eyed him suspiciously. "Are you a bandit?"

"That depends if you have anything worth stealing," Tancred said with an easy smile that set off more screaming at the sight of his teeth. "Sorry, inappropriate joke."

"I should say so," the older woman said as she finally pushed the younger woman into the back of the wagon they were riding on. "Who are you and why did you drop down in front of us like that?"

"My apologies, I am Tancred Guiscard, Lord of Shadow Waters Manor," he said as he brushed some of the worst offending dirt off his tattered shirt. "I'm terribly sorry about my appearance but I was out hunting when I lost my horse. And fell down a cliff into some water and then had to fight off a bear and a mountain lion." And it's all true, except for the horse part, Tancred thought to himself as he smiled again, this time without showing teeth.

"And you're a Dathuz," the older woman said with a scowl.

"Please, please, that's such an outdated term, madam," Tancred said with a shake of his head. "I'm a simple vampire, it's been ages since I've even thought about flying around in the forest to sup from young maiden's necks."

"I'm not giving you a ride to the next guard post, noble or no," the older woman said as she tugged on the reins and urged the horse around Tancred and up the road. "But it's just a few miles up that way, I'm sure you can walk it."

***

"What? Where are-" Solyma said as she sat up in the damp undergrowth of a drainage ditch. She glanced around and saw Kerrith staggering to his feet. A two-handed sword, it's blade shining like a sliver of ice, was stabbed into the paving stones of the trade road in front of him. A scabbard made out of black leather inlaid with silver lay beside it. "What's that? And how'd we get here?" Solyma brushed off the seat of her pants as she stood and felt the fading buzz of weaves. "Deshala must have portaled us."

"Do you remember what she told us?" Kerrith said quietly as he stepped up onto the road and looked at the sword. It was almost as tall as he was. "I-" he paused and reached out for the sword, his hand stopping just before touching it. "I don't-"

Solyma watched as his face contorted in sudden pain and horror. She reached out to him and then drew back when he snatched up the sword and held it aloft before him. "I agree!" he screamed out to the sky. "I'll do it and may my soul be damned!" With those words he stabbed the sword back into the road, splitting the stones like they were made of porcelain and sinking the blade almost to the hilt.

"What did you agree to, Kerrith?" Solyma said quietly as she fingered the hilt of her sword and carefully stepped closer to him. "Kerrith?"

"Leave me," he said through his teeth as he sank to his knees and bent forward to rest his forehead on the pommel of the sword. "Just leave me be."

"I wish I could do that," Solyma said as she knelt by where his shield lay in the drainage ditch and picked it out of the mud. "But we need your sword. We're being chased by assassins, remember?" She held out the shield to him. "Come on, let's get back to the others and tell them we've found the road. The sooner we can get to Alathan, the sooner we can end this mess."

"Give this to Selene, you know her?" Kerrith said as he stood and dug into the pouch at his waist. He pulled out a small velvet covered box and held it out to her. "Tell her, tell her-" he stopped and closed his hand around the box. "No, better that I keep it. I'll give it to her myself. Tell her I'm sorry, tell her that if I don't return that she should-" Kerrith stopped again and picked up the sword, its blade hissing as he drew it from the stone. "She should love again and live for herself."

"And why can't you tell her this?" Solyma asked irritably. "Or just send her a letter maybe? If you're going to break off whatever you have with her, the least you could do is tell her yourself."

"I have to go," Kerrith said as he slid the sword into its sheath and slung it over his back. "I hope I'll see her again. Just tell her, please. As a favor to me, Solyma."

Solyma sighed. "Fine, fine, just take this shield, it's heavy," she said as she handed over the shield. "I'll tell her as a favor to you. You didn't tell anyone about the whole summoning fiasco. But after this we're even, I hate getting involved in this type of relationship. You start off giving someone a message to meet someone else at the fountain and pretty soon they've got you feeding them poetry while they hang around some tart's balcony."

"Thank you, Solyma," Kerrith said as he picked up the shield and slid it onto his left arm. "May Adramas watch over you and guard your path."

"Err, thank you. May Shilek watch your back in the filthiest of taverns or something," Solyma called back as Kerrith moved off down the trade road. "That's not the way to Alathan! Hey, Kerrith!" Solyma swore as the knight moved off the road into the forest, somehow managing to keep his new sword from tangling in the undergrowth.

"What's his problem?" Tancred asked from the drainage ditch on the other side of the road.

"How long have you been there?" Solyma asked without turning.

"Long enough to hear that disgusting bit of sentimentality," Tancred said as he climbed out of the ditch. "Oh, Solyma, please, please take my message of eternal love to my beloved!" he said as he rolled his eyes. "From what I hear, she's getting rather lonely with him being off at work all the time. I guess rescuing the damsel in distress from the horrible mage will get you far, but he'd better bring her some flowers soon." He glanced over at Solyma. "You're actually going to do it?"

"Sure," Solyma said as she eyed Tancred's muddy clothes. "I owe him that much. Let's get back to the others, I want a hot bath and decent meal tonight."

Chapter 10

Bradley grunted as he set down the pile of scrolls and sheaves of paper onto the table at the front of the lecture hall. He dusted his hands against his robe and poured himself a glass of water as he walked over to the podium and looked up at the students seated in the hall.

He nearly dropped his glass at the site of a full hall of students, a rarity for required courses and something he'd never seen in an optional class like this one.

"How many of you are here for Applied Geometrical Principles in use of Magic?" he called out. A forest of hands rose. "Well, I'm Professor Bral-Throsk, Professor van Dolceis was called away on personal matters and won't be teaching this course-" He broke off from writing his name on the chalkboard at the sudden sigh that went up from the students.

He turned around and studied the students. They were unusual, too attentive, too awake for a morning class. He rubbed his beard with one hand and then tugged it. And almost all of them were men.

"You're here because you thought Professor van Dolceis was teaching, aren't you?" he said. No one answered though a few had the grace to look sheepish. "Well, she isn't-" he stopped and stared a student wearing a hood in the first row of desks. "You there, no hoods in class."

The student slowly pulled off their hood, revealing a balding pate with a fringe of stark white hair, neatly combed down, an occurrence even more rare than a full class of students. "Professor Pitcaris? Lezek?" Bradley said as he walked across the open space at the front of the classroom. "You're faculty! Why are you here?"

Professor Pitcaris mumbled something and fiddled with the thick glasses lying on his desk in front of him. "And you don't wear spectacles," Bradley said as he narrowed his eyes and picked the glasses up. Pitcaris might look and sometimes act like a doddering old professor put out to pasture, but it was all an act. He was still sharp as a razor and his eyes were better than Bradley's by a mile.

Bradley kept looking at Pitcaris as he put the spectacles on and then wished fervently that he hadn't. Pitcaris appeared to be sitting nude at his desk along with a lecture hall full of other nude students.

"See through spectacles?" Bradley said quietly as he set the spectacles back in front of Pitcaris, trying very hard to forget what he had just seen.

"'s good idea," Professor Pitcaris muttered as he stared at his desktop. "You don't get many professors who look like her," he said as he made some arcane cupping and stroking motions in the air. A few students sitting nearby made affirmative noises until Bradley glared at them too.

"Is there anyone here who came for the class, not for the professor?" Bradley called out. There was silence and a single hand rose slowly in the back of the hall. Bradley squinted up at the student and yelled, "Put your hand down and quit ass-kissing, Mitters." Just as slowly, the hand lowered.

"Fine, who was here only to ogle Professor," Bradley put an emphasis on that word, "van Dolceis?" Another forest of hands sprouted up, including, Bradley noted with some faintly lewd thoughts, the few young women in the lecture hall. Bradley looked down and saw Professor Pitcaris's liver spotted hand raised in the air. Bradley sighed and walked back to the table at the front of the hall and gathered up his papers. "Class dismissed."

***

Solyma looked around uneasily at the guards riding in formation besides the carriage. She knew it was only an honor guard sent by the current Prince of Alathan, but she'd been in too many similar situations to be entirely at ease with them.

"Thank all the gods, spirits, and demons of the world that we got here," Tancred said from his seat across from Solyma. "Assassins chasing us, mercenaries trying to hunt us down, coups," he said, "next thing you know, there'll be another dragon after us."

"Does Alathan have any dragons?" Solyma said idly as she looked out the window and watched the broad, sloping plains that made up most of the land around Alathan. She could see sheep grazing on the grass, still green at this altitude even though it was the middle of summer. Further off in the distance were cows and even further were the peaks of the Judgment mountains.

The rounded, old peaks of the Judgment mountains marched off until they disappeared into the mist and haze far to the north. Map makers said that the mountains disappeared far to the north of Collamnus, becoming flat plains of scrub and ice. And beyond that? Solyma wondered. Some said the glass door that the gods stood watch over, others said that you would begin to descend back into warmer climes if you kept going. But most said that there was ice, ice, and more ice.

"Perhaps," Amadrin said quietly. Penelope sat across from her besides Tancred. "I do not think they make themselves known."

"Guess we're safe from them," Solyma said as she slid down and let her chin rest on the window sill. "So all we have to do is get a message out to Krisephyr and let them know that you're still alive?"

Amadrin shrugged gracefully. "Perhaps that will be enough to make Loradros flee. But if he chooses to fight, with his mercenaries or perhaps those who have taken up his banner, I will need to raise an army to reclaim the capital and see that he is removed from power." The queen smiled. "But I do not think that will be necessary, Loradros knows that he cannot stand against the combined armies of Krisephyr, Alathan, and Collamnus, if it comes to that."

"Hard to get an army to go home once you invite them in though, isn't it?" Tancred said.

"Yes, which is why the threat of foreign armies will be left a threat," Amadrin said. "I believe that I have enough supporters in the Royal Army to take the capital back from Loradros and his mercenaries."

"Your Majesty," a man, an officer by the plume on his helmet, said through the window. "We've reached Alathan. I've sent word ahead of your arrival and the Prince says that he will meet you at the palace."

Amadrin nodded to the man with a cool smile as he rode off towards the head of the column. Solyma watched him go and then leaned out the window to clamber up onto the top of the carriage with Laros. Ever watchful, the elven man's eyes were constantly moving from one possible threat to the next.

"Sell you some fine fruit, miss?" a vendor at the side of the road called out as he walked along to match the pace of the carriage. "We've got lovely apples and pears!" Solyma watched as he raised a handful of fruit towards her.

"An apple!" Solyma called out as she flipped the man a coin. He threw back two apples and nodded his appreciation as the procession rolled on by. "Very nice," Solyma said as she chewed. She held one out to Laros. "Want it?"

"No, thank you," Laros said. Solyma was about to reply when she heard the horns sounding their arrival in the city. She leaned back against their luggage and watched as the walls of Alathan grew closer. Dark stone quarried from the mountain was fit in a jigsaw puzzle to make the famous walls. Each block interlocked with the blocks above, below, and to either side of it, making the walls the strongest in Alderest.

The walls themselves were forty feet high, at least, Solyma thought as they drew closer. Ballista and catapults were mounted at intervals and she could see the forms of Alathanian crossbowmen patrolling the parapets. With a sound of a waterfall drowning out the scrape of metal on metal, the polished steel gates to the city swung inward, revealing the main street of the city.

Thousands of people crowded the streets of Alathan as the procession rolled inside. The noise of the crowd talking, yelling, and laughing created a din which Solyma could barely hear over. All around her were merchants selling their wares and vendors hawking food to the customers. Perched above the rest of the city was the sprawling palace of the Prince of Alathan with its own set of impressive fortifications. Above those walls, Solyma could see the sparkle of windows. She wondered if the prince was watching them right now.

Reminds me of Vorchrest, Solyma thought to herself as the procession slowed as the guards forced their way through the crowd. But mainly humans here, some dwarves, some elves, a few of the wild folk who had moved to the city.

"Amazing," Laros said from beside her as they moved deeper into the city.

"This is nothing!" Solyma yelled back.

"This isn't the main market?"

"No! This is just where all the merchant's inns are! The real market square is that way!" Solyma said as she pointed up the street. Past the rise of the street and the crowds, Laros could just see where it opened out into a square. "These are just locals staying away from the crowds in the market square."

Laros looked around at the crowds of people filling the streets. "Is it like this everyday?" he asked. He'd never seen anything like it in Taladros. Only the busiest markets in Taladros looked like this.

"Nah," Solyma said. "It's a festival so everyone is stocking up for the weekend. Who wants to shop when they can celebrate?"

"What is the festival for?" Laros asked. He jerked back and caught a bunch of cheap beads that were being flung back and forth. Solyma snatched a string of them out of the air and blew a kiss to the man who had flung them. He smiled at her and yelled the name of an inn where he was staying. Solyma said nothing as the carriage moved on but she did wink and wave at him.

"I dunno," Solyma said as she waved to the crowd and got whistles and catcalls in return. "Probably some religious thing. Or maybe the Prince just paid for one to make the people happy. He likes doing that."

"You know the Prince?" Laros asked.

Solyma was silent for a moment. "Yes, you could say that," she finally said.

"Solyma, darling!" Ebrahim Tanteshal, Prince and Master Merchant of Alathan, shouted as the carriages pulled to a stop in front of the palace's main entrance. His bright white teeth flashed in the sun, contrasting with the dark brown of his skin as he walked towards the carriage and helped Solyma out. She looked around and sighed when he took her hand and softly kissed it. "Have you decided on my proposal?"

"Proposal?" Jaric said as he walked up to the Prince and knelt before presenting his shield, shrunk to the size of a fist, as his badge of service. "I'm sorry, your majesty," he said, a flush rising in his cheeks, "my manners escape me. I am Jaric D'Allovet, Third Ranked Knight of the Shield in service to King Donalus Audrin."

"Ahh, a Knight of the Shield," Ebrahim said as he motioned a man dressed in the traditional trousers and long coat of an Alathian court mage forward. The prince watched as his mage nodded and stepped back. "Eslan has confirmed that you do carry a true shield, Alathan welcomes you. Are there other knights with you?"

"No, your majesty, my superior officer has departed and left command to me," Jaric said, still kneeling.

"What happened to Dravon?" Ebrahim asked, looking up at Solyma and then around. "No, tell me later," he said as Laros hopped down from the carriage roof and lent his arm to Amadrin and Penelope. "Your majesty," Ebrahim said with a courtly bow. "You honor me with your presence."

"And you honor me with your words," Amadrin said with a smile as she returned the bow. "I am pleased to be visiting your fair city again."

"You do me too much honor, your majesty," Ebrahim said with a smile and another bow to Penelope. "Ahh, your daughter, I have never set eyes upon her before and I see that her mother's beauty is present in her as well."

"I believe she is spoken for already, Ebrahim," Amadrin said with a soft laugh. "Come now, we must talk of serious things before pleasantries."

"Of course, Amadrin," Ebrahim said as he offered her his arm and smiled. "We shall talk in the map room." As he walked by arm and arm with Amadrin, he turned to Solyma and said, "Please, enjoy my hospitality, Eslan will see to all of your needs."

"I am Eslan, court mage to Prince Tanteshal," the man called Eslan said as he stepped forward and gave a polite nod of his head. He looked over Solyma and the others stepping out of the carriages and tightened his lips at the state of their appearance. Tancred's shirt was in tatters, all of their clothes were spattered with mud, and Solyma was sure they didn't smell wasn't any better. "If you'll follow the servants," Eslan said, "they will show you to your rooms and see to anything you need."

As they followed the neatly but plainly dressed servants into the palace, Jaric fell into step besides Solyma. "What was the proposal the prince was speaking of?" he asked softly.

"Is that really any of your business?" Solyma said with an arch of her eyebrow. She laughed as Jaric flushed and began to stammer an apology. "You're still far too serious, Jaric," she said with a smile as she touched his arm. "I'll tell you later, I promise."

"It would be my pleasure to offer you and your friends sanctuary here in Alathan for the duration of this unpleasant...incident," Ebrahim said from across his polished mahogany desk. He rubbed his chin and stood. "Anything you need, I'll provide, Amadrin," he said.

"Thank you very much, Ebrahim," Amadrin said with a smile as she stood and gave a small bow which Ebrahim returned.

"Now that that's settled," he said as he turned to the immense window behind his desk and leaned his shoulder against it. The window ran from the floor to the ceiling of his study, a good twenty feet at least and just as wide. It had cost him a pretty sum of money to have the glass installed and reinforced. But the view was worth it, especially on days like this when the sun was gleaming off the peaks above Alathan and the air was clear of the haze from the foundries. "Would you care to tell me why you chose to flee?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about," Amadrin said.

"Oh really?" Ebrahim asked. "We all know you're powerful enough to make a good fight against any number of mercenary scum. Loradros might be a good mage, but he's nothing compared to you and I'm sure even Penelope would be able to take him. At least if the rumors of her skill are true."

"They are," Amadrin said as she walked around the desk to join Ebrahim by the window.

"Then why leave? You could have had this little coup settled a week ago if you had stayed."

Amadrin paused and studied the vista before her. The young mountains which made up Alathan jutted far into the crystal blue sky. Even during the middle of summer they kept a cap of snow which gleamed under the sun. Below those peaks was the city of Alathan proper. Her eyes, sharper than almost anyone's, could see the citizens moving through the markets and gathering in the main square where a stage had been set up.

"There was a taint on the men and beasts he was using," she finally said. Her keen eyes picked out a group of musicians and dancers as they climbed onto the stage and began to perform. "There was death and something else that I haven't felt before. It was almost like the Makath but it wasn't them, that I'm sure of."

"That's a relief," Ebrahim said as he leaned back and rested his hands on the edge of his desk. "Could it be the-" he paused and rubbed his temples, "-the, I can't remember what they were called off the top of my head. Some half-competent mage managed to breach the Dimensional Aegis and summoned some new form of evil." He shook his head and walked over to the shelves that lined the walls of his study.

Ebrahim walked back and forth studying the titles of the volumes on the shelves before finally rolling a ladder over to the shelf and climbing halfway up. He picked out a softbound sheaf of paper and opened it to a bookmark. "The Corthronos," he said.

"Possibly," Amadrin said without looking away from the window. "It's too early to be sure. In any case, I wasn't going to risk Penelope going against something as unknown as them." She glanced over her shoulder at Ebrahim, her golden hair catching the late afternoon sun sinking towards the horizon. "Did you hear of the incident down in Cielcroix?"

"A murder, wasn't it? A Krisephyran noble?" Ebrahim said as he slid the book back into its place and climbed down the ladder. "A servant did it, right?"

"That's true, in part," Amadrin said. "He had been experimenting with necromancy. He contacted a Dathuz and it managed to take part of his soul."

Ebrahim nodded silently and moved back by Amadrin. "Nasty business, what happened after that?" he asked.

"He...assaulted the tutor he had hired for his children," Amadrin said. "She was an elf, a friend of Penelope's. I should say that it was the Dathuz that was responsible. But he nearly managed to open the Portal of Tarakash before he was stopped."

"All that? My spies must be getting lazy, I heard nothing about the Dathuz. I'll have to make inquiries."

"That's not all," Amadrin said.

"Of course not," Ebrahim said as he sat in his chair and spun it around to face Amadrin. "There have been reports from all over Alderest of renewed outbreaks of necromancy. As if the Dathuz have found someone powerful and clever enough to encourage it. Kilasat had to send in the Imperial Army to burn down an entire city, reports are hard to get out of there, but it's said that only a few people survived out of a city of twelve thousand."

"Collamnus has had renewed activity in the Cold Lands," Amadrin said as she sighed and sat on the desk by Ebrahim. "They've had to increase the guards on the Dead Focii. Their army is readying to repel a full scale attack if necessary."

"And that hasn't been necessary since when? Fifty years after Tarakash tried his little invasion? A hundred?"

"Sixty years. Three hundred years ago."

"And just when all this is happening, a powerful elf lord happens to lead a coup against you with Dathuz-tainted soldiers." Ebrahim sighed. "I would have been happy if this would have waited another century. Or at least another few decades. I'm sure we'll have figured out a cheaper way to make those flying ships by then."

"My father saw the God's War," Amadrin said as she stared down into the city. "I fought in the war against Tarakash. I was there when we finally crushed the remainder of his forces and killed his generals. I saw the war between Krisephyr and Kilasat start and end. I will not see another war started. I will not see the land and people tortured by that." She stood and walked to the window, the last rays of the setting sun framing her as she turned to Ebrahim. "I invoke the promise your ancestor made to me, Ebrahim. Will you join the pact?"

"Ahh, no need for the formality, Amadrin," Ebrahim said as he stood and stretched. "I'd join even if my great-great-great-great to the fifteenth generation hadn't made the promise. War, especially war with the dead are bad for business. Alathan has always been a staunch ally of Taladros, we won't shrink from this fight." He smiled and reached out to rest his hand on Amadrin's hip. "Was it true that you had an affair with oh so great-grandfather?" he asked softly.

"Of course not," Amadrin said as she smiled back at him and moved closer to him. "I was married happily at the time."

"So I'm the first Tanteshal to kiss an elven queen?" Ebrahim said in a whisper as he drew Amadrin closer.

"I do believe you were the first human to kiss an elven queen," Amadrin whispered back. There was quiet for a moment as they drew closer together in the darkening room, broken only by the sound of rustling cloth. "We have more important things to do," Amadrin finally said when they broke the kiss.

"Unfortunately," Ebrahim said as they pressed their foreheads together. "Perhaps when this is all over you'll consider my offer?"

"Shouldn't you wait for Solyma's answer before you ask me? Or were you planning to make me your concubine?"

"Bah," Ebrahim said with a grin that was barely visible in the dark. "She'd never marry me, I'm sure she just wanted access to the treasury. And I'm sure I could find a way to marry two women."

"With an attitude like that, I think you can guess my answer," Amadrin said with a light kiss. "I must send my messages."

"Of course, of course," Ebrahim said as they walked to the door. He glanced over his shoulder at the dark sky. "One last festival dinner the storm comes, my queen?"

***

Solyma collapsed forward onto the bed, ignoring the chill from the bathwater on her shoulders. She shifted and buried her face in a down pillow before she sighed. It had taken them two weeks of hard marching to reach Alathan and her entire body was feeling the effects. A long soak had helped, but she didn't even want to look at her feet until she had had a stiff drink.

I should be dressing for dinner, she thought to herself as she jerked the towel she had wrapped around her and let it drop to the floor besides the bed. For a moment she lay still and then she burrowed under the covers. Just a nap, I'm sure someone will wake me when it's time for dinner, maybe Jaric will come in and find me like-, she thought and yawned, asleep before she could finish the sentence.

~~~

Low clouds covered the sky as a soft drizzle dampened the streets beneath the procession. Rahem's coffin, polished black lacquer reflecting the clouds overhead, leading the way. Solyma walked beside it, her left hand resting on the cool surface as the procession made its way to the cemetery at the edge of the city.

In the distance, thunder rumbled, the flash of lightning glaring off the coffin beside her. Solyma looked up for a moment and felt the rain on her face, each drop searingly cold. She turned at a hand on her shoulder and saw her uncle standing there as he squeezed her reassuringly.

The funeral had been a fine affair, fitting for a servant of the people who had died in the line of duty. Ranks of his fellow officers had held their swords over the coffin as it was carried slowly to the grave that awaited it, the dirt starting to turn to mud in the storm.

Solyma looked down at the coffin as it was lowered and closed her eyes, feeling the tears coming again as she let a handful of cherry blossoms fall onto it. When she opened her eyes the coffin was buried, nothing but a mound of dirt and a single black granite headstone.

She was alone in the graveyard then, no sound except for the thunder rolling across the river plains that surrounded the city. Then she wasn't alone, there were more coffins lying silently on the ground beside her. Each one was open and she could feel herself frozen with fear, not wanting to look inside them. But despite her fear, she could feel herself moving to look into them.

Solyma could feel her heart hammering inside her chest as the fear choked her throat. She tried to push herself away from the coffins, but it was as if they were moving towards her. They were rising around her, forcing her to look inside. Forcing her to see the cold, clay-like faces of Jaric, Tancred, Bradley, Ismene, Amadrin, Ebrahim, Kerrith, Laros.

More coffins surrounded her as she fell to the ground and tried to scramble away. But she was surrounded by them, more coffins filled with the bodies of her students, of her family, of everyone she had ever known.

Solyma huddled on the ground, her face buried her in her arms. She tried to reach out for her magic, to form the weaves that would blast away the horrible sight around her, but it wouldn't come. She could feel the coffins as they moved closer to her, then the damp touch of a hand on her shoulder, more hands trying to draw her into her own coffin. Then a familiar voice said her name.

"Rahem?" she whispered to the ground, her breathing coming in ragged gasps as the hands drew away, leaving only the sickly sweet smell of rot behind. "Rahem?" she said again as she dared to lift her head, only to see a rotted corpse dressed in the moldering remains of a constable's uniform, blood stained and covered with dirt.

"Come to me, Solyma," the corpse said in Rahem's voice and Solyma felt her stomach lurch when she saw the maggots spilling from its mouth. "I miss you so," the corpse said. "We vowed to be together, forever. Stay with me, stay with me," a soft voice whispered, the same voice that had been beside her every night so long ago. "Join me..."

~~~

Solyma's eyes snapped open and for an eternity it seemed that she couldn't breathe or move as she stared into the dark above her bed. Then she managed a rasping breath and lurched to her feet to stumble to the bathroom where she collapsed by the toilet and brought up everything she had eaten that day.

Later, as she pumped the water handle on the sink, letting the cold water splash over her face and mouth, Solyma felt herself crying for the first time in years.

"Solyma?" Jaric called out as he knocked on her door. "Solyma? They're saying that dinner is going to be served soon. Are you-" He stepped back when Solyma jerked the door open a crack and stared at him with bloodshot eyes.

"Go away," Solyma said.

"What's the matter, Solyma?" Jaric said. "Is something wrong?"

"Just...go away," Solyma said with a sigh at the sight of Jaric's confused and concerned face. "I need to be alone."

"Solyma, please, tell me," Jaric said. He drew back in surprise when Solyma sucked in a harsh breath and began to sob brokenly.

"You sound just like him, you look just like him," she said between sobs. "It's not fair."

"Solyma-" Jaric said as he reached for her.

"No!" Solyma yelled as she pushed him away. "I'm not doing this again, I can't do this again! I'm not losing you again! Get away from me, just leave me alone!"

The door slammed in Jaric's face and he could hear the locks being turned even as he knocked at the door and called through it.

Solyma could hear Jaric on the other side of the door as she leaned against it and slowly slid down to lean against it. How long would it take him to go away? she wondered to herself as the knocking finally stopped. She listened for footsteps, but all she heard was the sound of someone leaning against the other side of the door.

He's waiting for me, Solyma thought with a sudden smile through the tears running down her face. For a moment she wanted to throw open the doors and let him in, to tell him everything, to ask him to stay with her. But then the memory of Rahem's cold corpse in the muddy dirt came back to her.

Quietly, Solyma stood and wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. She dressed in silence and gathered her gear and sword before taking one last longing look at the door. She could see Jaric's shadow under the door, it would be so easy to just open it.

With a shake of her head, Solyma turned away from the door and walked to the window. In the city below she could see lights and hear snatches of music and laughter. With one final glance over her shoulder, Solyma climbed out of the window.

***

Loud music, inexpertly played, filled the tavern's common room. The doors and windows had been flung open on this warm summer night, letting the sounds of the festival outside mingle with the gentle roar of the patrons indoors.

Solyma watched the other patrons as they celebrated whatever this festival was about. Beer and wine were flowing freely and spirits were high. She signaled for another beer and idly watched the waitress, dressed in a short skirt and blouse cut low over her cleavage and high above her belly, dance through the crowd.

Solyma winked at the waitress and gave a nod to the seat next to her. She wasn't surprised when the waitress pretended not to notice and hurried back to the bar to pick up another order. The way things were going, the loss of a waitress to a customer wouldn't be worth the possible repeat business.

"Didn't expect to see you here," Tancred said as he slumped into the seat next to her and took a long pull from a wine bottle. "Thought you'd be enjoying the food up at the palace, it's a lot better than here, that's for sure. And the wine has to be better," he said with a grimace as he finished off the bottle and set it on the floor. Tancred looked over when he realized Solyma hadn't said anything in response. "Are you that drunk already?"

"What are you doing down here?" Solyma asked finally.

"Getting lunch, dinner, and breakfast," Tancred said with a wink. "Apparently I'm not the only vampire in town. I was over at the butcher's to pick up some blood and a few women wanted to know what it was like being with a vampire. I guess the other vampire is a woman and prefers men." Tancred paused drunkenly. "So I obliged them. I think I'm good for a week, at least," he said with a crooked smile.

"No one sent you?" Solyma said.

"What?" Tancred said as he gave a friendly shove to a drunken merchant who had nearly fallen on the table. "Who would have sent me? I haven't talked to anyone from the palace since I came down here. Why? Did you steal something?" Solyma shook her head. "Huh," Tancred said after a long silence from Solyma. "Hey, look at that barmaid, maybe we can share her later!" he said while he nudged Solyma in the ribs. "I'm going to go ask her."

Solyma watched as Tancred squeezed and shoved his way to the bar. She could see him talking with the woman in the short skirt, leaning in closer to whisper something. Then he bounced his coin purse in his hand and waggled his eyebrows at her. That got him a punch in the gut that made Solyma wince in sympathy while the barmaid started yelling at the bouncer. With a sigh, Solyma stood and made her way through the crowd just in time to see Tancred bounce off the sidewalk and into the gutter.

"In my days, a woman wouldn't turn down an offer that good!" he said to the discarded rinds of fruit and chicken bones in the gutter.

"You're too drunk if you thought offering to buy her for a night was going to get you anywhere," Solyma said as she hauled him to his feet. She gagged at the smell of his breath and stench on his clothes. "How much have you had to drink?"

"Twelve," Tancred said as he brushed dirt off his pants and straightened up.

"Glasses?"

"Bottles," Tancred said and fell back into the gutter.

***

Solyma grunted as she pulled back the covers and dropped Tancred into his bed before turning up the bedside lamp. She managed to disentangle his arm from her with some trouble and stood looking at him as he snored. He was handsome, she thought to herself. They had never had much more than a friendship, occasional, no, frequent romps in the bedroom...or kitchen, or bathroom, excepted. Still, he'd be around as long as she was, longer even. And she doubted anything would kill him.

"Are you who I'm looking for?" she whispered as she knelt by the bed and watched him snore. She sighed and let her forehead rest on the bed.

***

Never loving, never sharing your heart with someone, that was how you survived. Roaming the land, leaving the nunnery, using magic and a quick tongue to steal all that you wanted. Gaining a reputation throughout the empire, sharing your bed with any pretty or handsome body that you fancied. No connections, drifting from town to town, city to city, nation to nation. Until the day you were taken to the strange land across the great divide of dimensions.

A different land, unfamiliar, the smells faintly different, the sky just the wrong shade of red during the evening sunset. And the people, none of the myriad of races that you were familiar with. No drifting shadows mingling with giant mantises, only two skin colors and shades in between. No red skin, no burning eyes, only a few pointed ears.

But there is another demon, an exile. A vampire, savage, genteel, scoundrel, noble. The mage of supreme power and ambition, the one who accidentally took you up from that other place where you were so close to being caught. And you, a mage, a thief, a courtesan. Four of you, becoming closer than you ever thought you would. A new family. Until the bonds of friendship and family were tested, strained, and broken by the lure of power. And one of you died, only to return again.

A hundred years later, the demon gone to his penance of silence and chains. The vampire, faded away to become more human than not, spending his days and nights among the nobility of a far away city. And the thief on the road again, this time with a new companion who promises to never leave. A simple pair of gauntlets and a helmet that has been with you longer than anyone else.

***

Solyma opened her eyes slowly at the feeling of someone stroking her hair gently. She looked up and saw Tancred smiling at her.

"Sorry about that," he said. "Should have kept track of what dinner was drinking too."

"It's fine," Solyma said as she started to stand and stretched her neck. "I may as well get going."

"Are you sure?" Tancred said softly, his hand on her's. Solyma bit her lip as Tancred slowly drew her back down onto the bed, his arms wrapping around her waist. "It's been a while since you've spent the night with me."

She said nothing as he kissed her, gently at first, and then with more force as she kissed him back. The covers slithered onto the floor as he pulled her down next to him, his hand running up her side and gently cupping her breast through her blouse. His other hand pulled her blouse up and slid across her stomach, tracing slow, light circles on her body.

Solyma sighed softly as she kicked her boots off and stretched out on the bed, letting Tancred move above her as he continued to stroke and caress her body. His lips were on her neck, lightly brushing against the hollow above her collarbone and then down. Solyma lifted her arms as Tancred pulled her blouse off and then ran her hands through his hair as he bent over her.

"Damn," Solyma moaned as she felt his tongue on the skin of her upper breasts. His hands became more eager, squeezing her breasts as his thumbs ever so lightly brushed against her nipples. Solyma arched her back up against him, her heels digging into the bed. She gasped softly, her hands cupping his head as he began to lick, then suck at her hard nipples.

His teeth grazed her nipples as he alternated between her breasts, one hand caressing her there while the other slowly snaked its way down to her breeches. Solyma spread her legs without thought as his hand slipped inside her breeches, his fingers brushing over her as he curled them down to stroke her quim.

She groaned loudly as he slowly slid one finger into her, teasing her for a moment before sliding it back into her, his mouth and hand working at the same time. "Yes," Solyma gasped as he slid a second finger into her and raised his head to kiss her.

She looked down her body, seeing his saliva gleaming on her breasts in the lamplight as Tancred unbuttoned her breeches and began to pull them down her legs. She reached up and clutched at a pillow as he smiled down at her and let the breeches drop onto the floor, soon followed by her underwear.

Their eyes met and they both smiled as Solyma slowly spread her thighs for him. She whimpered and turned her head into the pillow as his lips brushed against her quim. It had been too long since she had had this pleasure, too long without someone. Solyma cried out again and bit her lip, trying to keep some semblance of control, as Tancred began to tease her with his tongue.

He lapped slowly at her, dancing around her clit even as she jerked her hips upward. He finally used his hands to hold her squirming and bucking body down to the bed as he continued to pleasure her, kissing the inside of her thighs as he ever so slowly worked his way back to her quim.

"You're delicious, Solyma," he said softly before his tongue began to slide into her and then up to brush against her clit. The contact was electric and Solyma cried out into the pillow as her hips strained against Tancred's grip. She felt his hands tighten, squeezing her in time with his tongue as he moved his lips up and began to lightly suck at her clit.

Solyma was panting and groaning deliriously as Tancred licked and sucked at her. She buried her hands in his hair, pulling him closer to her as she wrapped her legs around his head. Tancred gave up on holding her writhing body to the bed and moved one hand up to squeeze and knead her breasts as he slid two fingers into her quim.

Solyma was nearly screaming each time he pushed his fingers into her and ran his tongue over her clit. She was so close, but he was keeping her right on the edge, slowing his fingers and avoiding her clit just as she was about to come. But finally, as she nearly cried from the pleasure, he continued his deliriously pleasurable assault on her and increased his pace as Solyma thrashed beneath his working tongue and lips. With a last gasping scream, Solyma clenched her thighs tight around him, her body curling around his head as she shook and trembled with the force of the climax.

Before she could even finish, he was upon her, his cock pressing into her as he kissed her fiercely. Solyma's arms and legs wrapped around him as she bucked her hips up to meet his first thrust into her. They both gasped with the feel of it and remained still for a split second, Tancred buried to the hilt within her.

Then he slowly pulled out of her, drawing a trembling moan from Solyma, and then slid himself back into her. His rhythm started slowly and increased rapidly as Tancred began to lose control, losing himself to the pleasure and lust for the beautiful woman moaning under him.

Solyma clutched at Tancred's shoulders, one leg hooked high around her waist as she met each thrust of his with her own. Her breath came in shuddering gasps as his cock began to pound in and out of her. There was no finesse, no subtlety about their lovemaking any more, they were both consumed with the act as their bodies met.

With a high scream, Solyma arched her back and dug her heels into the bed, her arms tightening around Tancred's body. He gasped too as he felt her quim gripping him and almost lost control, barely managing to keep from thrusting into her and climaxing with her. He gasped again as Solyma turned and rolled to straddle him.

Her hair, gleaming copper in the lamplight, was damped with sweat as it hung around her shoulders. He could see the flush on her skin as she breathed heavily, her breasts heaving as she panted for breath.

Tancred moaned again as she began to slowly ride him, keeping him on the brink just as he had kept her before. Solyma was smiling rapturously as she pressed her hands against Tancred's chest and slowly moved herself up and down his cock, feeling her climax ever so slowly fading. She looked down and kissed him, feeling how close he was to coming.

With a smile that nearly made Tancred come himself, Solyma slowly lifted herself off of him and slid down his body, her breasts rubbing against his chest and stomach. She kissed his chest and looked up at him with a lustful look in her eyes as she rubbed his cock against her cheek and then quickly slid it into her mouth.

Tancred groaned and gritted his teeth with pleasure as Solyma slowly took him into her mouth. He could feel her tongue lightly touching his cock, then sliding around his head before she took him deeper into her mouth.

"I can't-" he gasped as she bobbed her head over his cock. "I'm going to-" Solyma looked up into his eyes as he came. Tancred groaned, his eyes closed as he thrust his hips up and reached down to stroke Solyma's soft hair. He could feel her lips around him, sucking and urging him as he spent his seed. When he was finally done, she looked up at him and licked her lips as she ran a hand through her hair. "Sorry about that," he managed to say weakly as she arched her back and stretched.

"I should get going," Solyma said as she stood and knelt to retrieve her clothes.

"Stay with me," Tancred said, more pleading in his voice than he realized. "I hear the nights are cold in the mountains."

Solyma paused for a second and looked over her shoulder. Her clothes clutched against her body, she leaned over and kissed Tancred. "I still need dinner and you don't count," she whispered as she slid her blouse on over her head and pulled her hair back. "I also need to think some things over, alone. I'll see you tomorrow," she said as she finished dressing and headed to the door.

"Solyma," Tancred called out as she was leaving. "I'll hold you to that," he said with a smile. Then the door was closing and she was gone, leaving him alone in the dimly lit room.