(Continued from Ch 57, Snubbery)


The Chronicles of Rapina
Chapter 58, Memories


After sneaking through the cafeteria to the yard and
then going through the girls' building to the library,
Bellany spent a couple of hours pouring over additional
books on mathematics.  She came down to lunch a little
late and took very little because of the church brunch
she had, had earlier.  However, she did make sure she
got a piece of cherry pie.  Cleopatra absolutely loved
cherry pie.

"Hi Cleo." Bellany smiled.

"Hello Bellany.  You are sure not eating much today.
Are you trying to loose weight?" Cleo asked.

"No, but there was a brunch at church today so I ate
not long ago. I will save these biscuits until later in
case I get hungry.  It looks like you are nearly done.
I really cannot hold all of this.  Would you like a
second piece of pie?"

Cleopatra smiled brightly and took the extra pie.
"Thank you Belle."

"Don't mention it.  I am just glad it will not be going
to waste," Bellany winked.

"No it will be going to waist instead." Cleopatra
grinned.

Lunch passed quickly over small talk and soon the two
girls finished and went outdoors for their after-lunch
stroll.

They secluded themselves in a thicket created by
several large flowering bushes.  They had found the
thicket earlier in the week while scouting for the
mysterious man in rags.  They seated themselves on a
makeshift bench Bellany had created from several rocks
and a few dead tree limbs confiscated before the
gardener found and disposed of them.

"As promised I feigned a grand interest in Mortaebius
and got the priest of Barraff to let me attend a
service," Cleo said.

"Your family worships Barraff the god of commerce?"
Bellany asked.

"Of course.  We owe him a great deal." Cleo smiled.
"You would not believe who I saw over there at the
temple of Mortaebius.  There were so many important
people.  Headmistress Vargrend and Headmaster Bristol
were both there and so was Mayor Eagan.  I recognized a
few of the instructors as well.  After the service, I
was able to talk to Guardian Moore.  He is the
reverend.  Sure enough, he let me borrow a couple of
books.  I told him they had to be meaty and difficult
or they would not hold my interest.  He loaned me this
prayer book and this book on bylaws and rituals.  Which
would you like to see first?" Cleopatra smiled.

"Umm... how about the prayers?"

Cleopatra handed Bellany a large leather bound book of
prayers.

Bellany grinned.  "Reverend Leland would die if he
could see me looking through this prayer book.  Oh
thank you so much Cleopatra!  It is so difficult for
vindy girls to act up."

"You are welcome.  Read all you want.  I brought some
homework."

"Okay I will give this a good looking through."
Bellany was silent for quite sometime as she casually
pretended to look through the book while actually
reading it as rapidly as she could.

"There, I got that history assignment done.  How is the
book?"

"Oh it is wonderful.  There are so many prayers in
here.  Here is a good one:

'Hail Mortaebius sovereign of the dead, wisdom of ages,
steadfast in thy eternal sepulcher.  The trials of the
living rob me of rest; the frantic pace of life makes
anxiety of my peace.  My thoughts are muddled, my
perspective myopic, yet the toils of the day have
hardly begun.  A sign I pray the, to rest my soul, a
sign I pray the to calm my nerves, a sign I pray the to
restore thy wisdom to my troubled mind.'"

"Aaah!" Cleopatra pointed at Bellany in terror.

"Wha?" Bellany lifted both arms and looked at herself
trying to figure out what about her was frightening
Cleopatra.

"Prruck, hok-hok-hok-hok-hok," called a voice from
behind her.

Bellany turned and saw a large raven perched in a
nearby tree.

"Hok-hok-hok-hok-hok," Bellany imitated. "Want some
biscuit?" Bellany asked the raven.

"Cleo, calm down it's just a bird for heaven's sake,"
Bellany said.

Bellany took a biscuit from her pocket and held it out
to the bird.

The bird eyed the biscuit but did not move.

Bellany moved very slowly until she could reach the
limb.  She poked the biscuit through a twig on the
branch and then backed off.

The raven advanced and soon began tearing at the
biscuit with its sharp beak.

"Just a bird?" Cleopatra asked incredulously.  That is
not just a bird, Bellany it is huge.  It has got to be
the biggest raven I have ever seen.  It must weigh ten
pounds.

You are exaggerating; he could not weigh more than
three or four pounds. He is healthy though.  Look at
his feathers they are so shiny."

"Gods Bellany you just read a prayer to Mortaebius and
huge raven dropped out of the sky and perched in the
tree behind you.  Don't you find that strange?  The
raven is a symbol of death you know.  It is Mortaebius'
sacred bird."

"I suppose it is a little strange, but I am certainly
not going to write my mother about it.  I would be
grounded forever.  Please don't tell anyone.  I am sure
it would get back to reverend Leland and he would burn
me as a witch or something."

"Are you a witch?" Cleopatra asked.

"Oh I wish I could do spells, doesn't every girl?  The
fact is I can't even get near a book on alchemy, let
alone magic, so how should I know if I have any hidden
talents?"

"Maybe we should name him." Bellany said.

"Who?" Cleopatra asked.

"The raven of course, silly," Bellany said.

"Well you could name him Sky or Cloud or Wind or
something since he came out of the blue.  Or how about
Deeth or something since he his sacred to Mortaebius,"
Cleo said.

"Hmm, clouds are much too white to name a raven after."

"There are dark clouds like the ones in storms," Cleo
reminded Bellany.

"He is beautiful, don't you think?" Bellany asked.

"Yes in a creepy sort of way," Cleopatra said.

"Oh come on Cleo, he and this prayer book are the most
excitement we have had all week."

"Gods you are right, Bellany.  A bird and a book are
the best we can do?" Cleopatra asked.

"Welcome to Vargrend's prison for girls," Bellany said,
giggling.

"How will we top this?" Cleopatra asked.

"We probably will not be able to, I mean the raven is
so cool, but I had another idea about ways in which I
could be naughty..."
--------

Bellany walked quietly into the library and disappeared
behind some bookshelves.  It was late enough that the
librarian had gone home for the evening, and only a
couple of her student assistants remained.  After the
assistant went by with her cart full of books to be re-
shelved, Bellany walked casually to a table where she
set down the large art book she was carrying while
looking briefly at another book.  She picked up her art
book again and continued to her usual table where she
opened the art book and began reading.  Earlier in the
evening, Cleopatra had the librarian retrieve several
books from the boys' side, including one on alchemy.
She went back to her room about half an hour later and
left the books on the library table.  A few minutes
later Bellany had arrived.  Bellany had spotted the
book she knew would be on the table and had
clandestinely picked it up beneath her art book.

Every alchemical symbol and concept seemed to unlock a
memory.  The hundreds of hours she had spent perfecting
the skeleton team that created healing potions began
flooding back into her mind.  With those memories, she
remembered bits and pieces of magical theory and the
magical exercises she used to do while supervising her
skeleton crew.  If the memory of the time she spent in
Thane's laboratories was locked in the vault of her
mind, then the text on alchemy was the skeleton key.
Bellany was so glad Mary Duffy worked in the library in
the morning rather than the evening.  If the current
assistant knew what Bellany was reading, she would be
cross, but Mary would never let her hear the end of it.

The later it got, the fewer people remained in the
library.  From about nine to half past eleven when the
library closed, it was nearly deserted except for one
or two librarian's assistants and a few die-hard
scholars.  Rapina smiled at one of the boys' assistants
through the bars. She could not help the little tug she
gave his lust.  It had been far too long since she had
been with a man. Besides she was feeling so proud of
herself for dreaming up the plan that had brought back
such a large store of memories.  Cleopatra had come
when it was busier.  The assistant who had given Cleo
the alchemy book had gone off duty just before Cleo had
left.  As long as no one was too nosy about what
Bellany was reading behind her art book it was a
perfect plan, and Cleopatra could not be blamed.

Rapina was so pleased with herself.  Last week she had
recalled a great deal of her time with the orcs and
more details had come to her since then.  She had
remembered Jooldig and the armorers.  Yet she knew
there was more after her experiences with the armorers
that refused to come back to her.  The books on
Mortaebius had brought back a veritable treasure trove
of memories about Graveston Isle, her lover Rames, her
mentor Thane and Uhler, the imprisoned troll shaman
that she had tended.  Now she was remembering more
about her life with Thane and Rames and about her
apprenticeship in magic.  How could she have forgotten
her love for magic?  It had fascinated her ever since
she had been a little girl.

Suddenly Bellany jerked upright.  She peered over her
book and shrugged at Patricia the librarian's assistant
across the room while mouthing, "Lady Weepins."  The
ghost had taken her by surprise once again.  She slid
the book on alchemy into her lap and kept it face down
while she began to look around with her ghost hand.
"Why are you bothering me," she said in a very low
voice to the apparition she could only sense with the
palm of her left hand.  "I can feel you with my hand
but I cannot see or hear you so why bother me Lady
Weepins?"  After a while the ghost flitted away and
Bellany went back to reading her book.  When she was
finished she simply put the art book and its secret
companion into two separate carts full of books to be
re-shelved and then left the library.  She had a
feeling that the evenings leading up to the ball would
find her in the library reading much more interesting
books than the rules for vindicator worshippers
allowed.
-------

"Announcing Sir Abraham Steefl of Norwit in Avengene
and Lady Bellany Norwit of Avengene," the Harold called
out.  As Bellany strolled down the stairs into the
cafeteria building, she realized the evening was not
going to go as she had dreamed.  The staff of the
academy had done a fine job decorating the cafeteria
and gymnasium with autumn colors and the trappings of a
bountiful harvest, but Bellany knew that this was just
a prelude.  The great estate houses of the Emerald
Families hosted the _real_ balls and by the looks on
many of the faces, this would be the first and last
ball she would ever be invited to.  Hers would no doubt
be the same as the lot of the commoners at the academy
on scholarship.  Few were invited to the balls thrown
by the Emerald Families.

There were so many scowls on the faces of those
attending. Many looked away from her and whispered
comments to one another.  It was just one more level of
humiliation added to the heaping helping she had
received during her first two weeks in school.  Most of
the young women and wealthy parents who had attended
were obviously against her.  In vindicator attire they
quietly berated her for being overly modest, for
soundly closing the barn door after all of the horses
had got out.  Had she come in the white evening dress
that Bianca Bristol was wearing she was sure those
attending would have maintained that the neckline
pointed out what a harlot she was.  The fact was that
she had nothing more provocative than the autumn gold
dress she had worn.  All of her finery was hideously
boring.

She overheard a few remarks about Abraham's face and
him being the best she could do.  People could be so
cruel.  She knew she was not the kind of woman who
could be the dutiful wife of a worshipper of the
vindicator, let alone a paladin but it still bothered
her that they would talk of him in such terms.  After
all he nearly carried the school on his back during
tournaments.  He was a passable dancer.  If, during her
ballroom dancing class, she had not been reminded of
much of what Guardian Thane had taught her, she would
have been worse off than he was. She was careful not to
tug on his lust.  She did not intend to fight against
his beliefs.  He was far too immersed in them, just as
was Charles' mother.

Charles frowned as he looked at the reactions to his
sister as he approached her from a corner of the dance
floor.  She was much more interesting than she had been
when she was younger, why couldn't they see that?  The
orcs had been bad but the ordeal had changed her for
the better.

"Bellany, Abe, great to see you," Charles said.  In a
lower voice Charles whispered, "Word is Bristol has her
snub locked down on you with every bit of her social
clout, Belle.  No one will dare dance with you first
because they know what the social cost would be to them
and their families.  Abe doesn't count because he is
father's vassal and he would have to dance with you
even if he did not want to.  It is his knightly duty.
No one can fault him for that.  At least no one who can
take him," Charles winked at Abe.  "Then again no one
can take him other than me with a crossbow at 60 paces
so I am not expecting anyone to protest him escorting
you."

"I hope it is not spilling over on you, Charles.  Are
the women shunning you?" Bellany asked.

"I am first crossbow of the academy and I beat my new
friend Erol Fobs, the man they brought in to shut me
down.  I know all the top athletes now, and that puts
me in the emerald crowd whether the Emerald Ladies like
it or not.  Some of the Emerald Ladies think I am hot,
which doesn't hurt," Charles smiled with an easy
bravado.

Bellany smiled, "You are a handsome man with a winning
reputation, Charles.  I am sure you will make them all
swoon."

Charles grinned.  "I am on it.  Speaking of which, I
have to get back to my date.  I invited Jennifer Rothe.
She is not a noblewoman but her father is a bigtime
banker.  She lives next door to Bianca Bristol."

Bellany smiled, "Okay Charles, go ahead and mingle, I
don't want the snub to rub off on you.  Have fun."

"I will," Charles said as he turned to make his way
through the crowd.

Bellany had plenty of time to sample the refreshments
and watch the lords and ladies dancing.  For a moment
she pictured them all as skeletons dressed for a
macabre ball.  It brought a smile to her face followed
by a frown.  _Could I really be that homesick?  How
could a place full of walking dead really be home?_
Bellany did not know, but she could not escape the
feeling.  She missed Thane; he had been like a father
to her.  She missed Rames her lover and martial trainer
as well.  At times her body ached for his touch.  Then
again after two weeks without a stud in her pasture she
was aching for sex.  She knew she would have to find a
way to defeat her prison if only for a few moments at a
time.

As the evening wore on, Bellany found that no one but
Abraham Steefl asked her to dance.  When the two of
them participated in dances that involved switching
partners, couples containing emerald family members
suddenly took a breather.  Steefle asked Bellany to
dance frequently as if trying to make up for the
omissions of others.  Yet, Bellany still got plenty of
time to watch Charles and the other attendees of the
ball.  Charles seemed to be systematically asking just
about every woman at the ball if she would like to
dance.  Perhaps he thought he could divine which of the
young women were likely to be naughty or perhaps he
just wanted to make sure the Bristol snub did not apply
to him.  The emerald ladies were reluctant to dance
with him but he actually managed to get a dance with
Bernadine Belgado and Natalie Rose.  In any case,
Charles was quite a charmer and nearly as good on the
dance floor as he was with a crossbow.

There was only one young man that she had to concede
was a better dancer than was Charles.  He was dressed
quite elaborately and was as handsome a man as she had
ever seen.  Bellany smirked as Charles and Belgado left
the floor after the chamber orchestra concluded another
work.  The young man she was watching was watching her
brother's rear although she was sure he had come with
Miss Belgado and should have been watching her.  She
was, after all, one of the greatest beauties of the
academy.  Oddly, his lust was directed at both of them,
yet his gaze was fixed on Charles. Bellany quickly
moved around the sidelines and came up behind and
beside the young man.

"Charles has nice cheeks.  Yet, wouldn't you say
Lawrence Eagan's pair is just as sweet?" Bellany
whispered.

The young man turned with an open-mouthed smile and a
lifted eyebrow.  "I noticed," He said.

"Quite a few of the young women have but they are very
subtle about it.  Yet, there are those women who would
prefer looking at the women if they were as bold as you
are.  Bellany lifted her chin to point towards Belgado.

"You have an astonishing eye for a vindicator girl."

"I am a retired vindy girl keeping up appearances.  I
could as easily act like the sole source of
entertainment for forty young orc raiders but you can
imagine how that would go over."

"Oh gods!  You scandalous whore!" the young man
whispered vehemently but his smile had broadened.

Bellany giggled. "You _can_ imagine it."

"Are you looking for a hot man?" Bellany asked.

"Always," the young man said.

"I know he is not as handsome as Charles but I think
Blaxton thinks you are a god as do most of the young
women here, but I imagine you cannot really trust the
women.

The young man cocked his head. "You must know who I am,
yet we have not been properly introduced.  I am Lord
James Jordell.  A pleasure to meet you."

"A pleasure to meet you too, Lord Jordell.  I am
Bellany Norwit, but I imagine you knew that already."

"Of course, everyone knows you. You are the fallen
woman, the walking scandal, the baronetess of bacon,
Baconetess Porkwit the porcine princess. Infamy is its
own reward." Jordell smiled.

Bellany giggled and then whispered, "Is that why you
pretend not to look at the women as well as the men?
Or is it purely for practical reasons?"

Jordell looked taken aback.  "Milady, I never look at
young women.  I haven't the least bit of interest in
them," he whispered with a grin.

"As you wish, Lord Jordell," Bellany whispered.  "I
suppose looking at women does not produce the shock,
enmity and hilarious squirms looking at the men does
either," Bellany grinned.

Jordell laughed.  "You mustn't reveal my game," He
whispered.  "I love men.  Shocking them simply makes it
all the more entertaining.  Do you really think Blaxton
fancies me?  I can usually tell but I have not noticed
him giving me the eye."

"He is very good at not noticing you when you are
close.  Actually, he is good at pretending not to
notice you farther away, but I can still tell.  You
would have to get him alone.  Even then, some men who
found you attractive would not act on it because of
their beliefs.  I know a girl here like that.  Men do
nothing for her but she hates herself for looking at
women.  It is a bit sad," Bellany said.

"That would not be you would it?" Jordell asked.

"I notice women, but my eyes tend to linger longer on
men."  Bellany unconsciously licked her lips."

"You predator!" Jordell said feigning fear.

"Yes I am, for the same reason you are. _Lust_,"
Bellany whispered.  "Every Emerald boy knows he could
not possibly be allowed to marry an orc slave wench.
They are not the only ones to whom that fact is
obvious.  That and their families want heirs.  I did
not get pregnant all those months entertaining the
orcs.  My credentials as a brood-mare are highly
questionable.  I have to act like a vindy girl to keep
my parents happy, but my heart is not in it."

"Your dress certainly is." Jordell held his nose.

Bellany doubled over giggling.  It took her a while to
come back to her senses.  "You should see the rest of
my wardrobe.  You would wither where you stood.  This
is the most alluring piece of finery I own, and the
lingerie beneath it is positively embarrassing."

Jordell motioned to Bernadine Belgado.  "Coming hither
is Bernadine Belgado.  "Bunny, this is the infamous
Bellany Norwit, as you can tell by her flame red hair.
She knew far too much about us without having talked to
either one of us.  I believe she is a dangerous slut."

"Achoo!" Bellany sneezed.  "Oh excuse me."

"Are you allergic to beautiful women?" Jordell asked.

Bellany reddened.  "No, I am as innocent as my finery
where women are concerned.  Well, maybe not quite that
innocent," Bellany said.

Jordell squealed.

"Astonishing that a vindy girl would admit to lust.
Don't look where I am not looking. I have been watching
Bianca Bristol's expression go from pouty to self-
righteous.  Now she's talking to Gransward about
whether we are discussing our favorite men.  We really
should oblige her.  After all, she called in several
social favors to make this evening go just the way she
wanted.  Which of the Emerald boys do you find most
handsome Lady Bellany?"

"You already know you are a handsome man.  You remind
me of Red Jack, but more refined and not quite as
burley.  Present company accepted, I think Saint
Varlans is the most handsome, although I guess Varlans
is not exactly an Emerald boy.  Eagan is cute, and I
like Carnarvon, he is a very solid warrior type,
although not technically as handsome as the others,"
Bellany said.

"Mmm, yes you do have fine taste.  Which one would you
like to bed?" Jordell asked.

"Just one?" Bellany asked under her breath. "If I am
going to fantasize about men, I am surely not going to
bed just one."

Jordell's mouth opened in horror.  "Gods Bunny, are my
ears clogged or is Norwit a shameless hussy?"

Bernading Belgado smiled.  "Are you intonating that she
could be a strawberry vindy slut, Jamie?" Belgado
whispered as she licked her full lips.  "Is that really
possible?"

"Well you will have to eat her and let me know if she
really is strawberry," Jordell giggled softly.  "Oh
gods, Bianca Bristol is coming this way," Jordell
whispered into his hand.  She looks so cross.  Just a
moment."  Jordel excused himself and diverted Bristol
to the other side of the dance floor.  Bernadine took
Bellany's hand and led her through the throngs of
people so that they could spy Bristol talking to
Jordell across the room.  Jamie Jordell was obviously
in his element.  His expressions were so innocent yet
so gay and this only seemed to fan the flames of
Bristol's anger.

Bernadine covered her mouth so that no one could see
her laughing.

"What is so funny?" Bellany whispered.

"Bianca is being rude, Jamie looks so hurt." Bernadine
whispered, her breath warming Bellany's ear.

"He knew exactly how she was going to act. I think he
made it even worse, the imp." Bellany whispered into
Belgado's ear.

"Jamie started in social circles from a very early
age," Bernadine whispered.  "He loves to toy with
people.  Bianca is making this far too fun for him.  He
will not talk to you again this evening or maybe ever,
but what Bianca just did was inexcusable, and he was
wounded loudly, so you never know.  He may not be ready
to put the strawberry doll away since you have proven
such an amusing plaything.  Goodnight Bellany, it was a
pleasure to meet you."  Bernadine smiled wetly at
Bellany before walking back into the crowd.

Bellany shook her head and went back to watching
people.  Bianca and Glenda definitely seemed to be
having fun ruling the roost.  Both had beautiful faces,
although Bianca had fuller more generous lips.  Her
body was somewhat more generous than Glenda's as well,
but that was only because Glenda was willowy with a
very brief figure. Yet her blonde hair made her stand
out in a crowd.

"Ah ha-ii," a young man stammered at Bellany's side.
Bellany recognized the librarians' assistant from the
boys' side of the library.  He seemed even more awkward
than ever.  She guessed that was because he was so
close to her.  He looked as if every cell of his body
were wriggling with anxiety.

Bellany smiled at him. "What's your name?"

"Uh Evin, ah Timothy Evin," He stammered.

"I am Bellany Norwit, a pleasure to meet you."

"I saw you in the library.  Is it true no one is
supposed to dance with you?" Timothy asked.

"Yes, Bianca Bristol has mandated that whosoever should
dance with me first shall be forever snubbed into
oblivion.  You would loose your customers for research
preparation and all manner of other nasty things.  Only
Abraham Steefl is exempt because he has to dance with
me since he is a vassal of my father.  I wish I could
dance with all the boys but they don't dare ask.

"That's not fair.  I - I was uh looking forward..."

"You are very tense.  Do you think you could pretend to
be tense around me even if you were not?"

"Uh why?" Timothy looked confused.

Bellany grinned.  She whispered in Tim's ear, "I know
what you need to calm you down.  It is a shame the
chaperones are as thick as fleas on a dog's back."

Timothy blushed crimson.  He seemed unable to say even
a single word.

Belany whispered in his ear, "You mustn't breathe a
word of this even to your best friend.  I am just a
naughty girl who dares not be too naughty with her
social equals lest her parents find out.  You know my
family would never allow me to marry a man unless he
were a nobleman or at least fabulously wealthy.  Yet
none would be the wiser were I to have a few discrete
little dalliances here and there."  Bellany tugged on
Timothy's lust.  It felt as though it were petrified in
place.  The boy's entire body was immobile with a
paralyzing combination of lust and shock.  You close
the library, right?"

Timothy nodded dumbly.

"My roommate opens the girls' side in the morning,"
Bellany whispered.  "If you can, make a habit of
staying five or ten minutes after the girls' assistant
closes and leaves at night.  Maybe you could do an
extra good job of tidying up and get some points with
the librarian.  I cannot be sure when it might happen,
but if my roommate is out at the moment when the
library is closed, I will borrow her key and sneak in
to see you for a few minutes.  The bars will be
annoying, but it is the best we can hope for."


This ends, Memories, chapter 58 of The Chronicles of
Rapina.
The story continues in chapter 59, Inmates.

Copyright 2004 by Rapina