The World of Alderest - VI - An Unexpected Journey - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

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 orgasm.

With a smile that nearly made Tancred climax 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 burst in her mouth. 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 twitched in her mouth and spent his seed. When he was finally done, she released him from her mouth and licked her lips as she ran a hand through her hair.

"Sorry about that," he managed to say weakly.

"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 turned. Her blouse was clutched against her body, as she bent and kissed Tancred. "I still need dinner and you don't count," she whispered. Then she slid the 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.

The End

---