(Continued from Ch 58, Memories) The Chronicles of Rapina Chapter 59, Inmates Bellany repeated the magical exercise in her mind, focusing on an ever-smaller particle just in front of the sermonizing face of reverend Leland. She half wished she could curse him rather than just ignoring him by doing mental exercises that she remembered from her apprenticeship in magic. Yet, she knew she must keep up appearances if she was to get along in the fold of the vindicator. She glanced at Mary next to her. She felt sorry for the girl. Mary really believed the words reverend Leland spewed yet the more time she spent around Bellany, the more difficulties she had with her own sexual nature. Mary had started the week trying to ignore her attraction but by the end of the week Bellany noticed how Mary always appeared to help her dress and at times her hands lingered. The depth of Mary's longing had steadily increased since the day she had first met Bellany. It was as obvious to Bellany as her lust sense, but she realized Mary herself tried every method she knew to rationalize what she did and to sweep her nature under a thick rug of denial. ------- "Therefore I say unto you once again, creativity is of the vindicator, but to use such a gift for sin is a most heinous crime in the eyes of the lord of justice!" Reverend Leland finished off his sermon on the second Sunday of Bellany's education at The Vargrend Academy for Girls. This sermon had started well. It had praised creativity. Then it had degenerated into a nonstop guilt-fest about the many ways one could use creativity for sin. From the sermon, one could easily have concluded that creativity was too dangerous to use at all. Leland's words were wasted on Bellany; she knew far too much to be a good little automaton that did not think for herself. Nevertheless, Bellany was glad when the sermon ended. She had read the two books from the church of Mortaebius and they had done their work. She had remembered her patron deity and more prayers than were contained even in the meaty volume that Cleopatra had borrowed from the temple. Bellany also remembered many rituals, including the rite of consecration. She was a deaconess of Mortaebius and a member of a secret order, The Order of the Shroud. She was a spy yet, if she was on a mission, she did not know what her mission was. Something must have gone terribly wrong to put her into her present situation, or perhaps she had merely been lucky to escape her former life. Was it right to be homesick when formerly she had spent her life working with undead monsters? She now had the chance to be a noblewoman. So far, she had got off to a very bad start because of the feud between Bristol and Avengene. Bellany got up and filed out of the sanctuary with the others. The buzz of conversation amongst the parishioners picked up as soon as she got out of the room. "Milady Bellany, it is good to see you again. I enjoyed the ball last night a great deal. I hope Bristol did not spoil it for you completely," Sir Steefl said. "What Bristol did hurt, but I still had a good time, thanks to you Sir Steefl. You kept me busy on the dance floor, and I got to watch all the people. I was even able to engage Lord Jordell in conversation, but Bristol was unhappy about that. Charles arrived, having already left the church to retrieve Loyd Carnarvon, Brad Bostwick, and Vernon Saint Varlans from their respective chapels. Charles clapped Abraham Steefl on the back. "Have you told Belle about the conversation Jordell had with Bristol at the ball? Charles grinned. "Nay, such delicate matters should not trouble a lady's ears," Steefl said. Charles chuckled, but at that moment reverend Leland passed and Sir Steefl spoke to him. "Congratulations on a fine sermon, reverend," Sir Steefl said. "It was especially good considering the rumor I have heard from the girls side about a creature in rags. Do you think it could be such a monster as you described last week in our study group haunting the keep to this day?" "Thank you Sir Steefl. Such creatures are said to exist until destroyed, but I am sure what you heard was simply a story made up by the girls to scare one another. Such a creature on academy grounds would be a serious breach of security. It would endanger the children of the peers of the realm. Just the same, I will caution the headmistress to check her crypts should this man in rags prove more than a story." "Of course, Reverend," Steefl agreed. After the reverend passed Charles whispered, "Abe, what was that all about? Did you learn something at that study group last Sunday that you have been holding out?" "Reverend Leland went easy on the Bristols last week," Steefl whispered. "There is a old account of Bristol keep. It was said that there Baladus Vargrend made an evil pact that caused the dead Bristols and their retainers to arise as all manner of undead monsters who then destroyed the enemies of their family." "You mean the academy is a former spook factory?" Charles asked half seriously. "Yes according to one account," Sir Steefl replied. "That's quite a change going from churning out dead minds full of worms to young minds full of wisdom. If the story is true, I would say we owe those Vargrends an award for white-washery. That has the makings of a great ghost story for around the campfire." "What campfire?" Bellany asked. "It's just a tradition. Lord Caernarvon likes to get the guys together after tourney practice some Saturday nights." Unwittingly Bellany stuck out her lower lip in a pouting expression. Charles chuckled, "You would not want to sit around the campfire with a bunch of sweaty guys anyway, Belle." Bellany raised an eyebrow. "Oh of course not," she said, her voice dripping sarcasm. "How would I preserve my chaste reputation if people knew I had spent time cavorting about campfires with young warriors? "Eh, I see your point," Charles grimaced. "I spend most of my time pretending to be something everyone knows I am not. I find it absurd," Bellany snapped before she realized what she was saying. Celibacy was getting to her. Bellany put her hand over her mouth. "Sorry Charles. It is just the imprisonment getting to me." Charles nodded. "It's okay Belle. I would be in worse shape if I never got out." "Good day young lords," Lieutenant Herrington said as the constable emerged from the throngs of other vindicator worshipers. "Lord Norwit, here are those posters you asked for. I appreciate the interest you young men have taken in bringing the enemies of Avengene to justice. None of the constables here in Bristol seem to be interested in posting these since the Baron worships Mortaebius. They do nothing in my office but collect dust." "Thank you Lieutenant. It is no problem at all. My friends and I travel frequently. We never miss a pretty face, so there is no doubt we would spot Barter in a crowd." "Of course, it was a fine idea you had Lord Norwit. Now that the service is over, I must return to work. Farewell young lords, milady." After the lieutenant was safely out of the church and Sir Steefl had excused himself to go to his vindicator study group, Charles led the others to the chapel library. Once inside the library Charles shut the door. "Here they are guys, official Brianna Barter posters just as I promised. I think you asked first, Vern, the rest of these guys are copycats. Charles handed the first poster to Vernon Saint Varlans and then began handing them out to the other young men. "May I have one too, Charles? I am attending an enrichment course on drawing and painting a few nights a week after supper. If I get good enough, I will make Vernon something a little more elaborate than the poster that just shows her face." "Of course, Bellany, there are plenty of them here. Vernon can't need more than six or seven for those cold winter nights. I will keep these others in reserve. Just let me know when you need an unsullied copy Vern." Charles chuckled. Saint Varlans blushed. Bellany took the wanted poster and looked at it. The likeness was quite good. Obviously the Avengenes had spared no expense when finding an artist. "I should head over to my room and put this away before it gets all wrinkled up," Saint Varlans said. Are we still on for some extra practice today? "I am up for it, Verne. We have a tournament coming up next Saturday. We had better get in every hour we can," Charles said. The other men nodded. "Okay, I'll catch you guys on the field. Goodbye Lady Bellany," Vern said pointing at the ceiling with his thumb as he left. "Goodbye Vern," Bellany said with a warm smile before tuning back to the other young men. "Will there be a ball after the tournament?" she asked. "There always is, Belle," Charles said. Caernarvon shook his head. "Bristol is throwing the first ball this season. Technically Lord Jordell could since he holds the highest social rank but the tradition is for the Bristols to hold the first ball each year. After that it is usually the Eagans and then the Jordells." Bellany frowned. "Bristol would not even let me crash her ball." "Crashing balls is not healthy anyway," Eagan said. "Lieutenant Herrington and his men are very serious about keeping the riff-raff off of Emerald Lane and that means anyone not on the list of invitations. Sometimes ladies get away with it by claiming some unattached gentleman on the list as their date. Certain unscrupulous ball-throwers have even been known to invite extra men who realize they are not to come just so that extra women who are to come can be invited," Eagan grinned at Caernarvon as he said, "unscrupulous." "Then again some just put extra women's names on the list. It depends on a lady's reputation how she wants it done. Some of the guys do not know whom they are going to bring until the last minute but most know. Only a few of the ladies coming are not on the list. Choosing an unattached man who is also on the list as your supposed date requires inside information," Eagan said. Bellany nodded. She realized how strict Herrington was. He was a former officer of Avengene and he took his job as the lieutenant of the constabulary seriously. "And you might be privy to such information?" Bellany asked. "My father usually throws the second of the tourney balls. I would have access to that list," Eagan said. "I see, so really it depends on who is throwing the ball. You can choose your crashers as well as your invites," Bellany said. Eagan nodded. "You can also say who is not invited, so beware of balls thrown by Bristol, Gransward, Rose and the other emerald ladies who are tight with Bianca Bristol. Bellany smiled. "Thank you mister Eagan." Lawrence Eagan smiled. "Don't mention it milady. You are one of the three B's of Vargrend's. Most of us guys would be happy to have you up to our balls if it weren't for Bristol's social maneuvers. Bellany giggled. Charles grinned. "Good try Lawrence. I used to be able to sail one after another of those over Belle's head and she never got even one of them. Since the orcs I have not been able to get even one to fly over her head. She's ruined." Bellany smiled. "Are you sure I am a B, Lawrence? There was some doubt last week." "That was before we got an inside source to talk to your roommate," Loyd Caernarvon said. "I am surprised she actually said anything," Bellany said. "She was reluctant at first, but once our source got her talking she practically sang in praise of your beauty." Caernarvon chuckled. Bellany rolled her eyes. "We better get going, Belle. We will all see you at the tourney this coming Saturday. Are you going to compete at anything?" "I certainly will not be in the poetry contest," Bellany frowned. Reverend Leland is encouraging the vindicator ladies to compete in the baking contest. I might do some sweet bread but I will probably just mingle. Maybe I'll do something musical at a later tourney but I have not really relearned everything I knew about music yet. Is it possible to mingle given my lack of social standing?" "You will be fine there," Eagan said. Everyone comes to the tournaments from the lowliest scholarship recipient to the mightiest lord. See you there. We had better get off to practice." "Goodbye Lawrence, goodbye Lord Caernarvon." "Farewell milady," Caenarvon said with a bow. Bellany smiled, "Farewell Loyd. Good luck in the joust. Charles, I'll be cheering for you at the crossbow events." "I am counting on it. Goodbye Belle." Charles waved as he and the other young men left. "Goodbye Charles," Bellany said. Bellany looked over the books in the chapel library but nearly all of the titles brought a grimace to her face. She was sure there would be some books on elfish or music that she could read in the library of the academy. She would go there instead. As she emerged from the library she saw one of the parishioners point Abraham Steefl towards her. He thanked the lady and rushed over to see Bellany. "Lady Bellany, I am so glad I caught you before you left. I had been putting it off, but reverend Leland reminded me that I must use the same courage in life as I use in battle. I know some would think ill of me to ask you whom they deem a fallen woman, yet I too have fallen at the hands of the orcs. Abraham traced one of the scars on his cloven face. I wonder if I might carry your favor in the jousts this season. Even if I were not a vassal of your father I would consider it an honor." Bellany hesitated a moment and then escorted the knight into the library and closed the door. "Sir Steefl, I would be honored. Yet I must caution you, I have no problem appreciating courtly love from a fine and noble man such as yourself, but do not loose your heart to me. I will break it." Steefl looked crestfallen. "Is it because of my face?" "I wish it were that simple. If only I could tell you Abraham, but I cannot. Your faith would instruct you to make reverend Leland torture me for what I am. I have healed but my scars are a part of me now and they are as irrevocable as the ones on your face. I am only telling you this because even if I have no virtue, I do have honor." Steefle looked confused. "Milady I do not understand." "I cannot tell you more, Sir Steefl, without bringing Leland's torture down on myself," Bellany said. "Milady you have my word as a knight. What you tell me here will be kept in the strictest confidence," Steefl said. Bellany frowned. "Very well. By your standards I am a very bad girl. I doubt that I will ever marry unless I find a man who is as I am and would regard what you must believe to be vice as a virtue." "Milady?" Steefl asked, his confusion unabated. Bellany sighed. "The problem is that I cannot be faithful to any man, Abraham. If I say more you will be obliged to preach a heartfelt sermon that will make you feel better but will do nothing for me but make my scars bleed." Steefl grimmaced. "You have my affection, Abraham. Your faith as a paladin will not allow you to take its full measure, but what of it you feel comfortable with is yours. As long as you do not try to make me into something that I can no longer be, we will get along just fine. I will trust you to keep your word both letter and spirit, Sir Steefl, on your honor," Bellany said. "It will be as if this conversation never took place, Milady." "Thank you Sir Steefl." Bellany embraced the knight with genuine affection. She hoped what lust slipped out would not adversely affect him but she felt him shudder and realized that she had all but driven him to tears. "I am so sorry, Abraham. The chaste lady that Charles told you about last year is dead. We can mourn her but no one can bring her back. I cannot imagine a paladin would want to wear the favor of the fallen angel of Vargrend's. The insults you would suffer would be withering," Bellany said. "If your virtue is dead, milady, let it rest in peace. Yet you said yourself that you still have honor. I will fight for your honor," Steefl said. Bellany blinked. It was her turn to be confused. "Well, I guess you shall have my favor then, Sir Steefl," Bellany said. "Thank you milady," The knight said as he bowed and left the room. When Bellany arrived at the library, she found she had mail from Bernadine Belgado. The letter was an invitation to Bellany to tour the clothing stores of the town of Vargrend with Miss Belgado. Bellany shrugged. She certainly was not doing anything important Monday evening. She might miss her enrichment drawing class but attendance was not mandatory. She wrote back that she would be happy to accompany Miss Belgado. ------- Bellany closed the art book she was reading a bit harder than she needed to. She punctuated the act with a few choice words in orcish that would surely have landed her in detention if she had not said them under her breath in a tongue no one seemed to understand but her. If she thought about it, she would have admitted she was irritable due to celibacy, but she chose to keep it out of her mind for the moment. She was glad to have got out with Dina Belgato the previous day, but she had sworn herself to secrecy as far as revealing what they were up to and with whom. It was now Tuesday and she had finished the book on magic that Cleopatra had left out for her and had gone on to finish the art book that she had concealed it with. Even the boys' library at the Bristol Academy For Boys had books on magic that were usually irrelevant to actual spell casting. Nevertheless, Bellany was determined to read everything they had in order to leave no stone of memory unturned. The library was just about to close. She put the books she had read in the return carts and left for her room. Mary was not in. Bellany smiled and launched herself at Mary's dresser. Carefully she opened the bottom drawer and removed the key that Mary kept there so that she could open the library each morning. Bellany sat at the keyhole to her room peering out until she saw the librarian's assistant pass and knew the girl had closed and left the library. Bellany ghosted out of her room, closed the door, locked it, opened the library door with Mary's key, went in and locked the door behind her. "Hello Timothy," Bellany said softly as she approached the bars and looked over at the male librarian's assistant as he tidied up. "Uh hi." Timothy blinked as if he were trying to make sure Bellany was not an apparition. "I probably should not stay too long since we might be missed, but for a few minutes at least we can have a little fun." Bellany smiled as she tugged Timothy's confounded lust more strongly than she had meant to. She tried to maintain her sweet expression and not let her hunger scare the poor boy away. He flew to the bars as if shot from a catapult, reached through and grabbed her. His kiss was awkward but electric. Inside of two minutes he was doing much better. He caught on quickly from her example. Bellany held his butt with one hand while squeezing him and pressing him against the bars. His erection felt as hard against her abdomen as the bars. She stepped a half step back from the bars and undid his belt and buttons so that she could reach in and grab his erection. He was panting like a wolf when Bellany raised her dress, turned around, slid her panties down, bent to touch her toes and pushed her bare rump against the cold iron bars. She reached behind her and guided him in. Then she took his hand and rubbed his fingers against her clit while he pounded the bars behind her. It took only a few minutes for him to build to his peak. She drew on his energy savagely as his first orgasmic contraction pumped a jet of his sperm into her. She gasped and forced herself to relent for half a second only to let loose of her control for a fraction of a second with each fountaining contraction of his orgasm. He cried out, but softly, as he spent with power he had never known. Bellany wrestled with herself and finally managed to relent, letting his orgasm subside after several times the usual span. She had taken more from him than she had meant to, but not dangerously so. Bellany turned and kissed him again and then whispered warmly in his ear as she tugged on his lust, "Sorry for using you like this, Timothy. Not being a virgin, I tend to start climbing the walls if I go too long without a few good men." Timothy grinned stupidly although Bellany knew he had to be quite bright to have a scholarship to the Bristol Academy. "It's okay, I really enjoyed it. I have been going crazy too," he said grinning from ear to ear. "I hope we can do this again from time to time when opportunity knocks, but you never know how the comings and goings of my roommate will play out," Bellany whispered. "Ooo!" Bellany jumped. "Damn that ghost!" Bellany whispered vehemently. "Lady Weepins seems to have a vendetta against me. Timothy chuckled in spite of himself. "It's not funny! She really has it in for me. She's right here on my right and she loves to jump at me and give me chills. Bellany looked to the left. "Do you suppose she is trying to push me? Lately her chills seem always to come from this side. Timothy looked in the opposite direction as he got himself buttoned back up. "Maybe she wants you to go to the stairs." "What is in there?" "It is a spiral staircase about ten feet in diameter. We are only supposed to go down one floor to the offices or up one floor to the stacks where books not in the library are stored. Above that is the entrance to the smaller tower atop the keep. That is Headmaster Bristol's quarters. Below the offices, there are three more doors. The first is a basement, the second a dungeon, and I am not sure about the third, but judging by the Mortaebian symbols I would say it's a crypt. Maybe Lady Weepins lives in the crypt." "You might be onto something there, Timothy. Does the library key work on the doors to the staircase?" "No, but you can get into the girls side of the librarian's cage with that key. The key that opens the staircase doors hangs on the bars that separate the boys' and girls' sides of the cage. In order for my door to the stairs to unlock, your door to the stairs must be locked, and vice versa. Since there is only one key, only one side has access to the stairs at a time. Since the doors are solid and fit tight, you cannot hand the key back into the cage. That prevents the boys' assistant and the girls' assistant from being on the stairs at once." Bellany frowned. "That's too bad. I thought maybe Weepins was helping us get together without the bars, but perhaps she just wants to take me down to the crypts so she can eat me." Timothy chuckled. "Maybe so." "Oh well, I suppose we had better go before some nosy soul figures out what we have been up to. Lets make sure no evidence lingers on the floor," Bellany said. Timothy inspected the floor and wiped it with a cleaning cloth he had been using before Bellany arrived. Bellany carefully looked at the bars on her side. She had her nether lips tightly closed and was deliberately holding Timothy's seed within her, lazily pulling every bit of the life force out of it. "Could you inspect the back of my dress and the hem?" Timothy nodded and made sure Bellany was presentable. "Thank you. That was marvelous, but we had better go." Timothy stood at the bars and reached in. "We could do it one more time." Bellany danced out of his grasp. "I would love to, but there is too much risk. We need to get out of here so we can do this again another night with none the wiser. Farewell!" Bellany whispered and quickly retreated through the library. She remembered the first time she had taken a bath with Rames. It might have helped if bars had separated them just as they separated her from Timothy. Bellany got to the library door and peered out the keyhole until she was sure the hallway was clear. She quietly unlocked the door, checked the keyhole a second time and exited the library, locking the door behind her. The door to her room was thankfully the closest door to the library. She slipped in and greeted Mary who was getting ready for bed. "Good evening Bellany, I was surprised you were not here when I got in." Bellany immediately started removing her dress. "Oh I was just downstairs for a bit. How did your day go?" "Fine. The library was slow so I got some of my homework done this morning and was able to attend a vindicator study group this evening. I would have asked you to come but I know you probably would not have wanted to. Some of the girls are worried about your lack of faith." Bellany smiled, "They needn't worry about me. I have art and reading to busy myself with." Bellany made sure to keep to the dim light and keep her legs together, brushing them together to smear any semen across her skin before taking her dress off completely. As usual, Mary was all about helping her. "But that is no substitute for faith," Mary said. "Faith is a sore spot with me right now, Mary. Please leave it alone. I do not want to get into an argument with you or to make you stop speaking to me for the next three weeks after I yell at you for acting like my mother." "Sorry," Mary apologized. "I am sorry too, Mary. Some fights are best left un- fought." Mary nodded. "The September nights are going to start to get chilly soon." "Yes we have been here only two Sundays and already it is mid month. I am going to miss all the strolling around the grounds I do with Cleo once the weather gets bitter. What happens to the tournaments in the dead of winter?" "Oh, they stop them by mid December. After the Winter Solstice festival there is a long dry spell until mid March when the tournaments begin anew. Sometimes they will actually reschedule them for midweek and give us a half-day off the next day when the weather is too inclement to hold them on a Saturday." "Oh that's nice," Bellany said. "Of course we have to attend classes on Saturday, but that is not unusual during the times when there are no tournaments," Mary said. "The worst part about mid winter is that, in spite of the stoves and fireplaces in the building, it is still dismally cold. I wound up sleeping with my roommate all last winter. It is not uncommon." "If you sleep with me you will be sleeping at your own risk." Bellany smiled. "Oh I never do anything untoward," Mary said. "Well as long as you don't start anything, I should be okay. If you do start something, you are in big trouble, young lady," Bellany giggled. Mary shook her head. "You are so bad, Bellany." "Yes I am. We should get to sleep though. The clock is sounding ten bells now. The hallway monitor is no doubt here and will soon be all ears." Mary nodded. "Goodnight Bellany." "Goodnight Mary." ------- It must have been half past midnight when Bellany awakened and remembered that Mary's key to the library was still in the pocket within her dress. Thanks to Timothy, she did not feel particularly tired. She slipped out of bed and into her slippers. It was nearly pitch dark in the room. Only the smallest amount of light leaked under the door from the candelabras in the hallway. Bellany slowly felt her way to her closet. Once she had the key from the dress and was feeling her way to Mary's dresser, she had a thought. She crept back and snatched the single candle and its holder from her nightstand then made her way to the door. She waited at the keyhole for a moment until the monitor's measured footfalls passed. She strained to hear the monitor's feet on the stairs and then quietly opened the door, slipped out and closed it behind her. Before she knew it she was in the library with the door locked behind her. Aside from a few windows, the library was also totally dark, but she had lit the candle from a candle in the hallway. She made her way to the librarian's cage and opened it, then searched for the key to the staircase. She found it, opened the door and peered inside. The spiral stair went both up and down. She decided on up first. The crypt would be locked but she knew she could open the door to the stacks. After carefully re- locking the door to the library in case Headmaster Bristol was to pass it on his way up to his quarters, she began to ascend. The next door she encountered led to the stacks, the floor above the library where the old and restricted books were stored. Bellany closed and locked the door behind her. She found a dusty candelabrum and set it on a small table as far from the door as possible. After looking over the signs on the many venerable bookshelves, Bellany began to understand the way the stacks were organized. She had looked at the card catalog and remembered the call numbers for some of the magic books she had read most recently thanks to Cleopatra. She went to the area where the catalogued books on magic were stored and found several others in a boxed off area of the shelf labeled, "For special reports only." Bellany could tell by the covers alone that the books were old yet exceedingly well made. She grinned like a pirate. She took them all to her table and began to glance through them to determine which would be the most valuable to her. One she recognized the moment she started to read it. It was a book on theory. Guardian Thane had a copy of it in his library. It discussed certain principals of magic using simple spells to illustrate the applications and workings of the theories explained. Bellany read feverishly while looking out the slit of a window at the stars trying to determine how late it was getting. She did not want to take any chances, as she knew Mary rose early to open the library. If she did not get back on time, Mary would find her key to the library missing. Bellany wished she had her own key. That way she could claim to have risen early and left so as not to disturb Mary. Perhaps she could make an impression in sealing wax and take it to Cooyman. He had said he worked in steel. At one point shortly after she arrived, she heard what must have been Headmaster Bristol making his way up the stairs. Thankfully, he passed without incident. Bellany was glad she had set up her reading as far from the door as possible. She worried that someone would notice that the candles on the old candelabrum had burnt down considerably lower than they had been. She decided to go directly to the part of the book that used the bluelight cantrip as an illustrative example. The little globe of light was perhaps the second magical effect she had learned after having her breakthrough with an energy drain spell. She had also used the globe on many occasions including while she was with the orcs. She needed it now if she were going to avoid using the candles up completely. She wished she had a stronger light spell. Before her accident, she had learned all of the cantrips she could find and was ready to move on to spells of greater power. Thane had been pleased that she was able to master cantrips from such a broad number of theoretical categories. He felt that his own magic was too specialized on necromancy because he had lacked the library for a broader approach over the years he had taught himself magic. She rushed through the less relevant areas of the volume and managed finish it by just a little past the time that she felt she should get back to her room. The memories it had brought back were tremendous. The blank areas in her mind that the books on alchemy had failed to jog were coming back nicely. She put the books back on their special shelf in the order she had found them. She replaced the candelabrum in its old spot and left the room, locking the door behind her and creeping down the stairs with just the stub of her single candle left in its holder. Curiosity got the best of her and she continued down the stairs after passing the door to the library. She then passed a door that probably led into the offices. After descending further she peered through a barred window in a door that probably led to a basement. The next door probably led into the dungeon but her vision could not penetrate the gloom through the barred window by more than about six feet. "Aah!" Bellany stifled a scream as a savage chill ran up her spine. Bellany ran headlong forgetting she was on a stairway for a second. She stumbled, jumped down six stairs and threw up her arms just in time to bounce off the stone wall, loose her balance and tumble down the final stairs to the bottom. The candle went out as it hit the ancient floor. For a moment she felt as if she had been dropped into a dungeon. She shook uncontrollably on the floor. "Noooooooo, she wailed, and the ghost struck again, with savage fury. Reflexively, Bellany moved to fend off her attacker as the many months training in unarmed combat took control. Her left hand hooked into something. It felt almost as though she were grabbing and in so doing tearing through a spider's web. Fear bolted up her arm like a chill, yet it was not her fear. "Shame on you Lady Weepins!" Bellany growled in a low yet forceful voice as she shook the delicate structure in her hand. "From now on you will behave! I did not appreciate the way you made me take those last stairs. The new scratches and bruises from that fall really hurt. I would have got up and run strait into a wall if I had not been so shaken. Now I am blind in this darkness without a candle because of you." Bellany pushed the ghost forcefully away from her and released her. It streaked away from her and disappeared. Bellany went to feel the last place she had sensed the ghost with her palm. It was a door, the door to the crypts, no doubt. "You may be able to walk through that crypt door, lady ghost, but I cannot," Bellany whispered. "I can feel it has a keyhole." Bellany tried the key to the staircase to no avail. The key to the library did not work either. "Neither of these keys work and I really need to get back before Mary wakes up." Bellany gathered her wits. She could try to feel her way all the way up to the library and back to her room but she did not like the idea. Instead, she expended the last of her stores of power gleaned so recently from Timothy to heal her bruised nose, the bruise above her left eye and the scrape on her chin. The side effect of releasing the energy into her facial area was a modest influx of alertness. She began to attempt the bluelight cantrip, a little too feverishly at first. After what seemed like half an hour of fruitless attempts the familiar globe of wan blue light burst into existence only to fade out again as she transferred it to her left palm and held it aloft. "Gods!" Bellany blurted. The illumination had not gone out at all. When the ball hovered over her left palm it had simply gone black. The frightening thing was the head and shoulders of the apparition she now clearly saw sticking through the door to the crypt. The ghost was a conglomeration of silvery lines encapsulated in a slightly bluish nimbus. The hues of the nimbus changed and undulated not so unlike the halos that surrounded moaning skeletons. The chest area of the ghost appeared to be damaged. The silvery web work was twisted and frayed. By the flowing silvery hair, Bellany realized that the ghost must indeed be a lady. "I can see you clearly now with my eyes and this black light, Lady Ghost," Bellany said over her shoulder as she got up to began to mount the stairs. "You are mistaken if you think I am your enemy. I must be gone; dawn is far too close. We will speak again. I cannot hear you but I can now see you gesture or nod." Bellany turned, grabbed her candleholder and practically ran up the stairs. Bellany shifted the ball of light to her fingertips so that it would become visible blue. The black light was very like Thane's vision in darkness spell but not as powerful. The black globe had allowed her to see the ghost well enough, but not the walls. She remembered seeing skeletons while she was under the influence of Thane's vision in darkness spell. The un-life force of skeletons outlined their bones with delicate webs of silvery lines similar to those she saw looking at the apparition she had left behind. The difference was that the ghost's lines were not tied to a skeleton but simply took the shape of a non-corporeal entity. Once she had opened and locked the doors into and out of the girls' side of the librarian's cage She made her way across the library and waited at the keyhole of the library door. It seemed an eternity before the hall monitor walked down the steps at the other end of the hall. Bellany slipped out of the library, locked the door and slipped into her room. She replaced the key in Mary's drawer and crawled to her bed. She had barely situated herself under the covers of her bed when the hall monitor knocked for Mary to wake up. "Thank you," Mary said blearily. Under the covers, Bellany let the globe of blue light sitting on her right palm wink out of existence as she released a silent sigh of relief. ------- "About 235 years ago a struggle for control over the village of Augustana river towns, particularly Rosehaven took place. Who can recount for me the political postures of the various factions in the River Rose Wars?" Miss Griffin asked her temporarily rescheduled history class, her sharp nose bobbing with precision. "Miss Dryer?" "The powers were, Warlord Bristol a power north of the Augustana river, Warlord Brickner, a power south of the river and Mayor Rose, a power on the river. Each wanted to control the town of Rosehaven thereby gaining revenue from river trade," Dryer said. Mayor Rose controlled the town at the beginning of the conflict but his power did not reach far beyond Rosehaven. "Good. Of these powers, who had the strongest army?" Miss Griffin asked. "Miss Gransward?" "It is thought that Warlord Brickner had the most soldiers, but Warlord Bristol's army was not a lot smaller. Each numbered something over two hundred men, whereas Mayor Rose had less than half those numbers in a town that was not heavily fortified." "Good. Either Warlord had the power to take the town of Rosehaven. Then how did Mayor Brandon Rose survive as an independent? Miss Rose?" "He played one Warlord off against the other. He was a diplomat as well as a businessman. Unfortunately as the town grew so did its value as a prize." "What else was at steak besides the town of Rosehaven, Miss Rose?" "Religion. Warlord Brickner was a follower of Rom the righteous, god of light. He thought that the worship of Mortaebius was dark and that all should worship his god of light. He felt the bloodthirsty Bristols had perverted the darkness further. In a way he thought he was a holy warrior, but he wished to supplant all other gods with his own. "Good. How did Warlord Brickner attempt to skew the odds in his favor? Lady Bristol?" "He planted a spy among Warlord Bristol's men and attempted to wrest Bristol Keep from the Bristols as we, ah they, had wrested it from the Crabetts," Bianca Bristol answered. I have always thought it ironic that the followers of a righteous god of light would use such tactics as Lord Brickner did. "Go on, how did his plan go?" Miss Griffin asked. "Around midnight, the spy let soldiers of Brickner into the courtyard around the keep that currently houses the academy offices, of course it looked different back then. He was letting those soldiers into the keep itself when a guardsman of Bristol realized what was going on and raised the alarm. The warriors of Bristol and Brickner fought each other to a stalemate that ended with the Bristols holed up in the upper part of the keep with the Brickners below. The narrow doorways and corridors made fighting difficult since one man could hold off many when the quarters were very close." "What tactic proved decisive Miss Norwit?" Miss Griffin asked. "Fear, Miss Griffin," Bellany said, resisting the impulse to yawn. It was not that she found the material particularly boring, but she had sneaked to the library stacks the night before to read two more of the special books on magic. She had decided not to look for Lady Weepins as she felt it important to remember her magical training before dealing with spirits. At least she had made that excuse to herself. Perhaps the real reason was that her episode earlier in the week had scared her more than she liked to admit. "Explain further Miss Norwit," Miss Griffin said. "Several of Bristol's men were not pinned in the upper part of the keep, but were hiding in the lowest part of the keep, the crypts. They were led by Baladus Vargrend, the son of Alistair Vargrend. Baladus was a priest of Mortaebius. He was a scholarly man who had spent many years in the south being trained by priests in the Mortaebian Order of Death's Peace. Baladus used the resources at his disposal in the crypts and dressed himself and the men who hid with him like spooks. They surprised the Brickner officers while they were conferring about their next move to root out the Bristols above. The spooks were successful at striking terror into the hearts of the Brickners. Bron Bristol, a mighty warrior, was the first son of Warlord Bristol and Lady Elaine Crabett. At that time he was the Bristol heir apparent. When he heard the screams from below, he led an attack on what had now become their enemy's rear, for the spooky opponents now occupied the attention of the Brickners. Surrounded and terrified, the Brickner soldiers were defeated, but Bron was killed in the battle. Lord Bristol's second son, Terrance Bristol, was not as fine a warrior as Bron but took after his mother. He was cultured, educated and proved to be a fine diplomat. After both armies were weakened in the battle at the keep but before Mayor Rose knew the full impact, Terrance quickly negotiated a solution. He offered to give Rosehaven its own charter much like a southern city. Although the town would share revenue with Lord Bristol, it would have its own independent mayor elected by its own town council. Mayor Rose believed that it was the destiny of his town to become a city like the cities of the south. He felt that he could work with Terrance Bristol and the idea of a charter pleased him, thus an alliance that defeated Lord Brickner was born." "Very good Lady Norwit. What is it Miss Hadrian?" Miss Griffin asked. "Miss Griffin, I know Headmistress Vargrend is busy, it being the day before the tournament and all, but when you switched class periods with her, did she ask you to keep an eye out for the man in rags? If you can sneak to the window on your left... Griffin darted to the window as if she already realized what Miss Hadrian was getting at. "Goodness it is not just a story after all. Raise your hand if you saw the ragged man out the window." Miss Griffin said. Nearly one third of the hands on the right-hand side of the room rose. Bellany half stood to behold the creature, then sat back down as he disappeared into the bushes. _Was the man in rags a ghoul? He had certainly looked like a ghoul, but the day was just dawning and it was still too dark for details._ "I have nothing against reenactments of historical events, but this prank has been unconscionably blown out of proportion. Take a break, young ladies. I will be back shortly. I do not appreciate whoever is trying to bring an outrageous version of history to life. The constable must be dispatched to round up the man in rags." Miss Griffin left the classroom in a rush. "Who was that in the rags?" Glenda Gransward asked. "More like what was that?" Miss Hadrian asked. "Well it was not a ghost. The ghosts seem to stick to the library," Bellany said. Bianca Bristol stared daggers at Bellany but said nothing. "It looked like a zombie," Cleopatra Gleton said. "I thought zombies were slow. It moved rapidly, especially once it realized we had spotted it," Miss Hadrian said. "Maybe it is a wight or a ghoul." "It was a man dressed up as a ghoul," Bristol snapped. "Bristol might be right. I don't think real undead would be outdoors when the day was starting to dawn." Bellany said. "Why Norwit, it is good to see you have some sense." Bristol scoffed. "The orcs pounded quite a lot of sense into me," Bellany said before covering her mouth with her hand. "Bacon for brains with Nor a wit," Gransward giggled. "I assure you my brains are fine. Thankfully most of the orcs pounded elsewhere," Bellany said. "Oh my heavens, Norwit! You shameless harlot," Bristol squealed. Bellany shrugged. "I am sure nothing I could say could compare with what you have already imagined. I hear someone even made up a dread disease that I am supposed to have although I am perfectly healthy. Some are so pure as to have no idea what orcs might do to a woman but that seems the exception, not the rule." "It is still quite dark this morning, but I suppose it would be strange for a genuine undead to be out so close to day," Miss Hadrian said, still hanging on to the former topic. Then as an afterthought she added, "What really happened to you Lady Norwit?" "If I despoiled your virgin ears with that, Headmistress Vargrend make me suffer daily whippings and five years of detention and frankly I have been through quite enough of that sort of thing already," Bellany said. She could tell some of the girls were very curious. "Don't you cry when you think about it?" Miss Hadrian asked. "I suppose I might if I remembered it better. Thankfully the bits I do remember are softened by the wreck the shaman's spell made of my memory while nearly killing me," Bellany said. "Do you ever wish you had died?" Bristol asked. "No, I was lucky to have survived and I feel lucky even when you ladies are picking on me and abusing me," Bellany said. Some of the girls looked quite embarrassed but Bristol simply stuck her nose in the air. "A harlot deserves the scorn of her betters." ------- The sun was just a rosy promise in the east when people began arriving at the academy for the first tournament of the year. This tournament was against The Rosehaven School for Boys. Unlike most mornings, there was no rush to get finished with breakfast before the boys were scheduled to eat because on the morning of a tournament all were allowed to eat together. Instead of the usual strict segregation, there were chaperones and monitors ensuring that the young men and women minded their manners. Although there were some mixed groups, it was surprising how many tables consisted of all girls or all boys with a visiting parent or two thrown in for good measure. Bellany scanned the cafeteria as she entered. Charles' red hair was not difficult to spot in the crowd. He was sitting with his friends, many of them athletes or emerald boys. She was glad to see them, but irritated by the stony stares and whispered remarks of the ladies. Usually she would not let them bother her, but on occasion, her guard slipped a bit and this morning was one of those occasions. She resented what Bristol was doing to her socially because it kept her away from social contact with men, men who she wanted more with each passing day. She could not tug their lusts too obviously. Instead, she avoided Charles while caressing the boys around him with her need. Charles rolled his eyes when most of his friends' heads turned abruptly as Bellany strode into the cafeteria. "Gentlemen, gentlemen that is my sister you are staring at." "Oh, sorry Charles," Saint Varlans said breathlessly. A few of the other boys murmured apologies as well. Nevertheless, most of them seemed unwilling to take their eyes off his sister. "Mom would die seeing you men slobber all over yourselves in spite of Bellany's neckline coming up to her ears. On the other hand, It is amusing to see all those proper ladies turn green with envy at your collective reaction to the entrance of the fallen angel of Vargrend's." Charles chuckled. In a lower voice, Charles went on. "It is a pity we cannot get Belle to dress a little less conservatively. If the ladies get the idea that vindicator dresses are what draws a man's eye we are all in for some grave disappointment." "Gods save us from vindicator fashion," Jamie Jordell said as he briefly stuck his finger down his throat as if to puke. The other boys laughed. "I thought you never looked at the ladies, Jamie," Charles said. "You don't have to look to be revolted by those mockeries of fashion that Eleanor Norwit dresses Bellany in. They draw the eye and severely punish it." Jamie held his nose for emphasis. "The fabrics are sometimes passable but the cut seems bent on accentuating a lady's ugliness. Yet she still grabs the attention of more young men than I can imagine. I am so jealous," Jamie feigned distress. "Why don't you bring her over to eat with us Charles?" Lord Carnervon whispered. She is your sister and you haven't seen her since last Sunday. The ladies will not be able to say a thing about it if you invite your own sister to sit with you." Charles grinned. "Carefull with Bellany Loyd, if a man she likes tries to take advantage of her lack of virtue, she would likely to set his bedclothes on fire." "Charles!" Caernarvon said. Charles chuckled. "I may be her brother, Loyd but I am not blind. The whole orc thing changed Belle completely. I never used to catch her looking at men the way she does now. She sometimes tries to hide it but I am no idiot when it comes to reading people. I cannot shake the feeling that I have one baaaad sister. I cannot defend her virtue in the traditional sense, and I don't plan to squeal on her if she wants to be a little naughty. On the other hand, if any man is fool enough to force her or hurt her, I will nail his balls to a wall with every bolt in my quiver and think of the consequences later." "Don't worry Charles, you can trust me and I think that goes for every man at this table, am I right?" Lord Caernarvon asked in a whisper. There was much nodding and murmuring of assent. "Vernon discrete-gentleman Saint Varlons at your service Charles," Saint Varlons bowed in his chair. Charles shook his head and chuckled. "You guys sure know how to inspire a man's confidence. I'll go fetch Belle. She seems to enjoy the company of my friends a lot, probably because just about all of them are men. Remind me to work on that problem starting with this tournament." Although she could not tell exactly what they were saying, Bellany got the gist of it as she watched discretely while filling her breakfast tray. Just as she was beginning to look for somewhere to sit, Charles stood up and came to her. "Bellany, It is good to see you. Why don't you come over and sit with me. I haven't seen you since last Sunday." Bellany smiled. "Thank you Charles, it is sometimes hard for me to find a table. All of the Emerald ladies are so busily snubbing me." "Don't worry about that Bellany. This is the first tourney of the season, Lords, Ladies and commoners alike will all be arriving here to have fun and watch the competitions. ------ Jamie Jordel smiled seductively at his opponent and swished his rapier in a come hither circular motion. Bellany grinned as she watched from one of the hillsides surrounding the natural amphitheater. The other young man was a touch taller than Jordell. He lunged too powerfully and Jordell stepped in and scored before his opponent could recover. Jordell's effete mannerisms and seductive taunts were obviously getting under his opponent's skin. The noblman's gay laughter taunted his opponent further with each mistake. By the end of the bout Jordell's opponent was red with anger and the young Lord seemed quite pleased with himself. ------- "Right here Mary?" Bellany asked. "Yes, but only a finger's breadth apart we must fit them all in. Thank you for helping, Lady Bellany. I know it is a snub not to be able to help officiate." Mary said. "Oh I understand the sentiment. Ladies do not want their husbands tasting pies tainted by the presence of a slave of orcs. Once the crowds come I had best make myself scarce or you will have no end of dirty looks," Bellany said. Mary sighed. "I wish it were really not that bad, but when Reverend Leland suggested that you officiate, he was struck down by cross ladies from the chapels of several different gods." Mary looked up as she heard the fluttering of wings. Oh! She said. "Mary do we have any food other than the contest pies? There are a few for sale. Give me one. I'll buy it later. I think I had better draw off the bird before he does something untoward to the pies." Bellany said. "Of course, good thinking. Mary handed Bellany a pie and began waving her arms around. I will play scarecrow but that bird is far too large to be a crow." Bellany nodded and scurried towards the hedges and trees holding the pie above her head. Once out of sight she set a piece of pie on a broad branch as high as she could reach. The raven immediately landed and began devouring the pie, taking time out to croak at her. Bellany giggled. "Nimbus you have to learn that all food does not belong to me and therefore to you. I'll bet you would have landed and sampled each of the pies, much to the chagrin of the contestants." "Wonk, wonk, pruk-pruk-pruk," The raven replied. ------- The snapping of pennons in the brisk breeze could barely be heard as the air vibrated with the thunder of hoof-beats. Two armored warriors charged towards one another, their blunted lances pointed with deadly intent. Bellany stood on her tiptoes trying to get a look over the shoulders of the commoners in front of her. Bristol had made sure she did not have access to the seat she should have had in the stands but she was not about to miss the jousts. Abraham Steefl was wearing her favor. If only he could see the irony in it. A cloud of splinters rose as a lance broke against Steefl's breastplate. He was nearly unhorsed but managed to right himself before his center of gravity gave way to ruin. His lance had slid off the breastplate of his opponent with far less fanfare than his opponent had created. Bellany cheered and then shouldered her way through the crowd. She had been looking for Cooyman and had spotted him on the other side of the lists. She barely saw Caernarvon unhorse his opponent as she came up behind Cooyman. She carefully looked around without appearing to look around. With any luck, the army of chaperones had their eyes trained either on the joust or on the stands seating the wealthy ladies. While the crowd occupied itself with the joust, Bellany spoke into Cooyman's ear in a hushed voice. "Good day, stranger. You know, it is a wonder any knight can go at lancing while trapped in an overgrown tin," Bellany said. The grin that briefly creased the armorer's face revealed he was no stranger, but such nuances would have been nearly impossible to pick out in a crowd. "A good armorer provides enough movement in those suits for fine lance handlin'. Ye need plenty 'o steel for protection but ye have to have enough freedom of motion ta get the job done." "Yes, freedom of motion seems to be the key here, otherwise no lancing would get done," Bellany observed. "Aye, every good armorer knows he must grant that freedom to his knight if he is to win. "What if another armorer developed a trick to grant his knight greater freedom of motion. Would you copy it even if meant that no one would know that you had done the work since it was in another man's style entirely?" "Ifn it made the difference 'tween drivin' a lance home and missin' entirely you bet I would." "Then your lancers are in capable hands," Bellany said as she clandestinely pressed an object against Cooyman's belly and halfway into his breeches. "I must make my way forward and see if I can get a better look at this contest. Steefl wears my favor. I must see how seriously he takes this whole notion of courtly love." "Heh, well I hope 'e likes that there courtly love. Seems like a whole lot 'o smoke with no fire ta me." "Shuush, you reveal you are no courtly poet but a practical tradesman," Bellany said. "Hehe aye! That I am," Cooyman replied. ------- Bellany peered out from the cover of the bushes. Mary had just announced the winner of the pie bake. Now many of the men were bidding on the winner's remaining pies. Suddenly she caught sight of Timothy. It had been too long since the night she had him through the library bars. She tugged on his lust and ducked behind cover. When she came back up he looked a little confused but began walking in her direction. She kept back and tugged on his lust again. In a few minutes, he was out of sight of any chaperones walking down a path. Bellany stepped out of the bushes with her finger over her mouth to let Timothy know not to talk. She took his hand and walked him down the path to the thicket she and Cleopatra had adopted. "We need to be very quiet. I do not trust those chaperones. Sorry I have not been able to get to the library," Bellany whispered into Timothy's ear. My roommate usually gets to bed early save on Tuesdays. Timothy nodded. "I could not believe you let me..." Timothy's whisper trailed off. "You didn't enjoy it?" Bellany whispered back. "No, no I, you, it was like a fantasy come true." Timothy whispered. "Do you do that with other boys?" "I am very naughty, Timothy," Bellany whispered. "Timothy stifled a giggle. "I noticed." "It mustn't get back to my mother though, or I am sure I will be doomed, so you must promise me that not even your best friend will know." Timothy nodded. "No one would believe me even if I told, but I won't." "Thank you, Bellany said, her hands already wandering over his chest. "Can I kiss your nipples? Timothy asked." Bellany smiled. "You men always want what you can't have. It is not that I would not enjoy it. It is just that vindicator fashion is so ridiculous I would have to take my entire dress off for you to get at my chest. We cannot risk that. It would take far to long to put me back together. Bellany had already worked her hands down to Timothy's butt. She could feel him shaking with lust in her arms as she slid her fingers between his legs from behind and caressed the base of his already hardened shaft. She kissed him and then stepped back and turned to hike up her dress. By the time she had her panties down and was ready for him, he had loosed himself from his breeches. He took hold of her hips and thrust his erection into her. It was good to feel his loins against her bare butt as he thrust. The library bars had reduced the impact of his thrusts and she rather enjoyed a bucking stallion. She took one of his hands from her hip and guided it to her clit. It was difficult not to moan just a little, but she dared not. His thrusts grew more rapid and forceful with each passing moment until she felt the ecstatic rush of his energy and the gush of his cum inside her. She wished she had more time for her own pleasure, but she knew one could not disappear for long before chaperones met and checked their lists of young women seen. After Timothy spent, she held him for a moment. She had winded him. She looked into his lusty eyes. "I wish I could stay to do it again but the chaperones would surely catch us. We must get back now or they will catch us and then they will watch me like hawks for the rest of the year. I will go north and you work your way South right away." Before he could protest, Bellany ran off. She would go to her room so that the monitor would see her and then she would return to the tournament grounds after freshening up. ------- The sun had passed its zenith perhaps three hours past and the crowds were still quite dense as the crossbow event unfolded. Bellany sat next to Peter and Paul Patel in the stands. Peter had been out of town since shortly after he had demonstrated his fetish for young women to her. By some coincidence, Headmistress Vargrend had attended when Mr. Patel invited Bellany to take a seat with his son and him for the crossbow event. Her presence had forced Bristol to behave although Bristol sat not far away in the row above Bellany. "Ooooooo!" The crowd gasped as Charles missed the scoring rings completely. "Charles Norwit holding at a score of seven for the match with two shots remaining!" The Herald announced. "Gods, poor Charles. He can be so erratic sometimes. He has made some magnificent shots but that one is really going to hurt him. If he does that again, it will probably cost him the match," Bellany observed. "He is a bit inconsistent, but he is young," Mr. Patel said. "Yet, he obviously has a great deal of talent. Does he practice often?" "As much as he can here at school, but he is not sponsored like Erol Fobs or many of the other athletes." "Sponsored?" Mr. Patel asked. "Bristol's family boards Fobbs and the longbow champion, Leaf Windwhisper on their estate. It is a common practice for emerald families either to have their own champion or to sponsor one from the lower classes in order to improve the academy's chances at tournaments. Sponsored athletes are spared the drudgery and chores of academy life and spend most of their time practicing at arms." Bianca Bristol interjected from behind, "Bristol has long sponsored archers, but we cannot be expected to sponsor an Avengene. How unfortunate that your brother will cost the academy its previously matchless standing in the archery events," "That would be tragic. Would you like to see the academy win in archery, Lady Bristol?" Mr. Patel asked. "Of course, why else would we be sponsoring the academy's finest bowmen?" Patel nodded. He had a brief whispered conversation with his son Paul as the team from Rosehaven took their shots. Bellany stood then sat again as Charles' shot struck the outermost ring. "Gods Charles," she said through her teeth. "It appears as though your brother is going to loose the crossbow event for us as I predicted," Bristol sneered. "Charles Norwit, with a one-point shot brings his long range score to 8 points Erol Fobbs, Charles' teammate, planted his shot in the ring around the bulls-eye. "You see Mr. Fobbs is much better. He should be the captain of the team," Bianca Bristol said. "Erol Fobs, with a three-point shot brings his long range score to nine points. The Bristol Academy total stands at seventeen," The Herald announced. "Now the Rosehaven School, with nineteen accumulated points will take their final shots." Bellany grimaced as the Rosehaven boys scored a one and a three point shot, thus bringing their combined total to twenty-three points. Erol Fobs fired and barely scored three points as his arrow stuck just inside the yellow ring. Charles stepped up to the line and fired as though he had not a care in the world. "Bulls-eye by Charles Norwit!" The Herald announced as the crowd roared its applause. Paul Patel wiped the sweat from his brow. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Charles Norwit and Erol Fobs, have come from behind to gain victory in the long range event by a single point!" By the time Bellany got through the throngs to congratulate Charles at least a dozen people had shaken his hand. "Congratulations! Gods Charles you know I calculate the scores. I could not believe you managed to win." "I believe in rising to the occasion," Charles said. Bellany smirked. "I knew that, but I wish you were less fond of tight victories." Charles groaned. "Congratulations on a very close win, Lord Charles," Peter Patel said as he and his son Paul shook Charles' hand. "Oh thank you Mister Patel." "How did it feel being behind there for a while?" Patel asked. "That sort of thing is never comfortable, but unlike Belle, I am often too lazy to do the math. I have only a vague feeling of how I am doing until the Heralds call it out. I try not to dwell on it overmuch and then when I step up, I enjoy the challenge," Charles said with bravado. "There are many challenges to come. I am sure Rosehaven does not have the finest crossbow team you will face. I talked briefly to Bianca Bristol, and she would like to see the academy win, but refuses to sponsor you because you are of Avengene. Paul and I talked this over briefly and we would like to offer you a place at our hearth. I will see to it that you have everything you need to become the finest crossbowman Bristol's Academy For Boys has ever known." "Really?" Charles asked. "Yes, it is customary for Emerald Families to have a champion or to sponsor one. Paul is here for the social aspects and as a prelude to studies in business management. This arrangement could work well for both of you. Paul could manage your academy business, and you could help him with social graces and getting to know the right people. I realize you are not the most popular young man at the academy yet, but I like your style, and I am sure your social fortunes will improve along with your skill with the crossbow," Paul Patel said decisively. Besides, Lord Avengene is now an ally of Lord Hartmoor and I am a citizen of Hartmoor's, largest city, Turnmoor. It is the least I can do after buying Lord Avengene's manor. "Wow a sponsored athlete, that would be great!" Charles said. "Good, I will talk to the Headmaster straight away. We will have a suite prepared for you, and I will find out who built the targets for the academy and have them duplicated for you on my estate. You shall have servants for reloading immediately and an instructor before the next tournament," Patel said. "That is great, Mister Patel. I really appreciate it. I will practice madly. My social standing depends on it, and Bristol is not being easy on us Avengenes of late." "Good, then we have a deal?" Patel asked holding out his hand. "Yes, thank you Mister Patel," Charles said shaking Patel's hand firmly. "It will be my pleasure, Patel said. I realize there is a Ball tonight, if lady Bellany can spare the time before she leaves perhaps we can have you moved in by the time the ball is over, all without ruining your night of festivities." "Belle?" Charles asked. Bellany shrugged. "I have nothing but time. The ball tonight was thrown by Bristol. You don't honestly think that she invited me." Charles grimaced. "She ought to have. You are the daughter of a peer. It is common courtesy." "Obviously common courtesy between Bristol and Avengene is in a state of disarray," Bellany said. "It is a wonder she invited you. Perhaps not inviting the winner of the crossbow event would earn her the sneers of the peers. It's okay, Charles. Let me help move you. It will take my mind off being snubbed. Perhaps with a little misdirection I can dine over at the Patels tonight rather than in an empty cafeteria with girls who would rather not have to sit with me." ------- "And where do you think you are going, young Lady?" Headmaster Bristol asked as Bellany strode into the Boys building shortly before the dinner hour. Bellany walked right up to the headmaster and looked him in the eye from less than a dozen inches away. "You know what I am doing, headmaster. I am a Lady Bellany Norwit here to supervise the moving of my brother Charles Norwit to Patel Manor. You signed the paperwork yourself earlier today. I am missing the last tournament events so that I can fetch Charles' things while the building is empty. I am leading an army of servants. If his things are to be moved to Patel Manor before the ball, I cannot afford to waste time. I require someone to open his room for me. "Oh and Headmaster Bristol, you said you would read my father's letter. You briefly tested my skill at mathematics. Bellany touched the Headmaster's chest with her finger, drawing on his lust with subtle forcefulness. I can make your students work like nothing else. The boys would try twice as hard if they knew they might score lower on a mathematics test than a girl. You must take advantage of this rare opportunity while you can. I want you to teach me mathematics." The headmaster looked like his head was coming unglued as lust, propriety and his own sense of authority and simultaneous fetish to be dominated warred in his mind. "Headmaster Bristol, I killed six unmannerly highwaymen to get to school this fall after surviving nine months as a slave to the enemies of Avengene. What reason could you possibly have for denying me my father's request? Headmaster Bristol cleared his throat, but Bellany locked her eyes on his. "I will talk it over with Headmistress Vargrend, in the meantime let me get that door for you, milady." "Good, thank you Headmaster," Bellany said a little patronizingly as she drew on the lust of the headmaster with so much power that the poor man stood breathless for an instant before practically running for the stairs. Bellany grinned at his back as he went to do her bidding. Mister Patel had found a way to crack open the door of Vargrend's Prison for Girls. With Charles in residence at Patel Manor, he would have an excuse to invite Bellany to have dinner with her brother. She did not know how often Mister Patel might be in town, but she suspected he would be here often on tournament nights, cementing social contacts with elder members of the emerald families. When she arrived at Patel Manor, Mr. Peter Patel was there, trying not to grin too broadly. Bellany smiled. "I can see why your businesses have prospered," She said. Patel chuckled. "It was you who provided the solution, and the more I think about it, the more brilliant the idea becomes. You were certainly the carrot that made this old mule move, but I can see many social advantages to this arrangement." Patel took Bellany's hand. "While the servants bear Charles' things to his room, let me show you what I have done with the house." Bellany giggled as she began to realize that the tour was nothing more than a headlong rush through the house towards a destination she could only guess at. Patel twisted a wall sconce in a chamber that served as a portrait gallery for relatives and famous people of Mister Patel's acquaintance. A panel hidden behind a lance-bearing knight mounted on a spirited stallion opened. Peter Patel ushered her into a candle-lit bedroom. "Did you think of me?" Patel asked. "I thought of you far too often." I thought of you, but you know how I am. My mind wanders from man to man when I have nothing real to focus on." Bellany turned her back to Patel. "You're not having second thoughts after all..." Bellany turned quickly and put her hand over Peter's mouth, drawing his lust into her through her hand. "Shhh, don't say something you would regret. There is a reason why I turned my back to you and it has nothing to do with what you were thinking and everything to do with vindicator dress styles." Bellany turned her back again. Patel groaned. "I am such a fool. I might have ruined everything with one great blunder of my tongue. I must remember my money does not impress but that is irrelevant since that is not why you are here. Bellany giggled. "Well said. You need never doubt the depth of my lust. I am here because I want you inside me." "And if you turn it is because your dress buttons in the back," Patel said. "Exactly. I do appreciate your sponsoring Charles, but you did that for your own reasons. Things like that will never be the reason I make love with you. I will be making love with you because you lust for me powerfully, and that is something I find nearly impossible to resist. Unfortunately, we will have to exercise a bit of self-control so that the school does not realize that my dinners with Charles are not entirely dinners with Charles." "That will be difficult," Patel said, as he unbuttoned Bellany's dress. "Yes, but as long as we maintain your sterling reputation, you will be able to invite me over whenever you are in town. If I arrive back to the dormitory late or anything untoward, they may begin denying your requests for passes," Bellany said, slipping her shoes off and kicking them towards a nearby chair. "Manipulation of your prison wardens will be a necessary evil, but one that I will address," Patel said as he slid Bellany's dress down over her hips. Bellany stepped out of her dress, tossed it over the chair then turned and smiled. "Vindicator undergarments are not the most flattering, but I am sure my roommate would report me if I wore anything less conservative. Bellany turned her back once again." "Your prison has eyes and ears as well as walls," Peter Patel said as he unlaced the vindicator corset Bellany was wearing. "Quite a few pairs, actually," Bellany said as she tossed her corset on the chair with her dress. She turned and began helping Peter out of his clothes. Only a few seconds later he was feverishly kissing every inch of her body. His fetish undeniably superheated his lust. "Your skin is so perfect," Peter said between kisses as he caressed his way down Bellany's body. More kisses followed. "You have no peer even among other young women. There is always a blemish or flaw, but it is as if a power resides in you to heal such things before they mar you beauty." Bellany smiled as Patel added to the flames of her lust with his kisses. She had never really thought about it that way, but it did seem that the extra life force she held within her had a positive effect on her health and the health of her skin. By the time Peter had kissed his way down one of her long legs and had come up the other she was so wet that she was thrusting her hips and Patel was licking his lips at the sight of her copious lubrication. When he kissed her wetness and teased her clit with his tongue, he had to hold her hips down to prevent her smacking into his mouth. Bellany moaned as Patel licked and licked until the pleasure became so intense Bellany squealed with orgasm. She touched his mind quashing the jealousy he felt when she eyed Caernarvon and other men by warping its power into a sense of pleasure at seeing just how lusty she really was. A touch of regret jabbed her for playing with his emotions, but she realized she was doing the sensible thing. Mr. Patel was far to powerful a man for her to allow his jealousies to blaze with the heat of his fetish. Instead she must insure that he be proud of her appetites, not jealous of them. Bellany had scarcely begun to come down from her orgasm when Peter lowered her onto the bed, mounted her and began thrusting like a madman. She grinned and began thrusting back in self-defense, catching him with her hips higher than would have been the case had she lain passively by. Peter thrust into her with gusto. He lasted considerably longer than most of the young men she had been with then spent lavishly just as another orgasm gripped Bellany's mind. As their minds touched, Bellany reinforced her earlier suggestion with their orgasmic rush fueling her power and then she floated down into afterglow. After a few minutes of snuggling, Patel led Bellany through another door into a room with a sunken tub. A hot bath had already been drawn for her. She enjoyed being washed by her lover. After leaving the bath there were hand picked servants to help her dress and afterward she was able to take a little time with Charles' things in his new room before she emerged from Patel manor cleaner than when she had left. Bellany hardly noticed the chill the autumn air had taken on since she had left Vargrends that afternoon. She hoped the prim expression she wore would conceal the delicious feeling of the power that was glowing beneath her skin. ------- "No you mustn't," Bellany whispered recoiling from her bed and jumping into Mary's now vacant bed. Mary looked across at Bellany from Bellany's bed. "But Bellany, aren't you cold?" "Yes I am cold but you cannot sleep with me Mary. You will be miserable," Bellany whispered. Mary climbed out of Bellany's bed and began sliding in with Bellany whereupon Bellany bolted from Mary's bed and jumped back into her own. Mary got up and stood over Bellany. "Don't be silly, I slept with Tammy Wells all last winter. Nothing untoward happened," Mary whispered as she slid into Bellany's bed. Bellany jumped out the other side of the bed and ran around to settle in Mary's bed again. "Tammy Wells is probably an innocent virgin with the barest shred of interest for men and none whatsoever for women," Bellany whispered. "Of course you could sleep with her. Believe me, you don't want to sleep with me, Mary. Something would happen. Then you would get all contrite and you would blame yourself or me, it does not matter whom and then your guilt would get so thick I could not stand it. Eventually you would wind up throwing your ocean of guilt at the feet of Reverend Leeland who would in turn send us both to separate convents to contemplate our sins. I think I would like to skip all that, thank you," Bellany whispered. Mary sniffed Bellany's pillow "See, you are sniffing my pillow," Bellany whispered. "What is wrong with that? I have always liked the way you smell," Mary whispered. "That is not a good sign," Bellany whispered. "It isn't?" Mary asked. "Men drool over that. They like to smell me, or my clothes and then they get ideas like dogs when they smell a bitch in heat," Bellany whispered. "Bellany, I am not a bore orc. I was just enjoying your scent is all," Mary whispered. "All right, all right, let's just get some sleep please." Bellany whispered. "I would sleep much better were I not cold," Mary whispered as she slid into bed with Bellany once again. Bellany jumped out of bed and approached the wood heater. "We could build a fire in the heater," Bellany whispered. "It is too early in the year, they are not stocking us with wood yet," Mary whispered. Besides, the fire always goes out before morning, leaving the room hideously cold." Bellany left the heater and climbed into her bed. "Well you don't want to sleep with me, Mary. It would become far too hot beneath the sheets and I really could not deal with a girl being in love with me and hating me for it because her soul was awash in guilt. Besides, you would want me to be faithful like a vindicator husband is supposed to be and that is impossibly against my nature." "Nonsense, Bellany. You are being positively paranoid. Nothing untoward will happen," Mary said as she got up. Bellany sighed. Oh all right, but either you leave your vindicator morals in the other bed, or you leave the instant you feel the slightest tinge of lust. Agreed?" "Agreed," Mary said. If I feel lust I will forsake your bed. Bellany lifted her blankets and Mary slid in and snuggled against her. "You see, this is so much better than being cold," Mary whispered. Bellany smiled. "You so love playing with fire, don't you Mary?" Bellany whispered. "Nonsense Bellany. Go to sleep." Bellany tried to put her body in neutral. She tried to keep her lust from reaching out to Mary. She felt she had achieved a large measure of success, except that each time Mary stirred or snuggled Bellany could not help the way her body responded to being touched. She resigned herself to letting Mary fall asleep so that she could sneak out of the bed and leave the source of distraction behind. Bellany napped as best she could for a couple of hours and then stealthily made her way to the drawer that held the key to the library. She waited until she could hear that the hall guard had completed her round and was headed down the stairs. Then Bellany left her room, and made her way into the library to sneak up the spiral stair to the stacks. There she read the pages of a book on magic making a game of scrolling her conjured ball of blue light back and forth between her fingertips to follow each line of the text. At one point she felt a presence but when she looked around she saw no one. She decided it must be nerves and continued her reading. She read at top speed for perhaps four hours. In spite of putting the energy from her lovers as firmly into storage as she could, it took her that long to get tired enough to feel she would be able to fall asleep when she returned to her room. When she did return she was able to sleep in spite of Mary. The sensation of soft lips being pressed against her own insinuated itself into her dreams and in her dreams she responded, pulling at the lust of her paramour and feeling it tingle powerfully down her spine. It took several minutes before Bellany realized that someone really was softly kissing her. She heard her roommate draw her breath in forcibly as she pulled her lips from Bellany's. "Ammora's breath, Bellany, even in your sleep you are not innocent," Mary whispered so quietly that Bellany could barely hear it. ------- "Drink seeps into a man's blood and steals his soul," Reverend Leeland sermonized. "The Vindicator has need of your soul, but you cannot give it to him if you have already given it to drink! Drink drains health, time, energy and attention. These are all things we need to raise families, realize goals and prosper under the righteousness of the Vindicator! Drink is evil! Yet people find it seductive. Why do people imbibe alcohol, what means does it use to seduce the unwary? Charles Norwit, stand up and tell us what makes alcohol seductive?" Charles' face reddened as he got to his feet. Leeland's sermon was hitting him right between the eyes. Bellany could tell he had a bit of a bellyache from his drinking at the first Tournament Ball last night. "Um, social lubrication," Charles stammered. "Yes, some believe that drink makes a person more glib, more eloquent, but have you ever spoken to a drunkard? Was he eloquent?" "Uh, no." "Alcohol is a beguiling spirit of evil! What other beguilements does Alcohol use, Lord Charles?" Reverend Leeland asked. "The euphoria of drunkenness," Charles said, lifting a finger. "Euphoria! Of course, the seductive power of alcohol lies in evil pleasure! Intoxication brings pleasure without accomplishment. Pleasure was meant as a reward for a job well done, but drink offers a form of pleasure as an enticement. The more often a man succumbs to such temptations and imbibes drink, the deeper demon alcohol sinks its talons into his soul! Soon he becomes so besotted with alcohol that he scarcely thinks of anything but his next drink! Mark my words well and heed my warning; alcohol will become a god to you unless you resist temptation and give your soul over to the majesty of the Vindicator! After the sermon Bellany found it difficult not to smirk at both Charles and Mary, Charles because he had obviously overindulged the night before and Mary because she had got more than she had bargained for when she had kissed Bellany in her sleep. Mary had been behaving as though she were alternatively walking on eggs or clouds all morning. "Charles! How did the ball go last night?" Bellany asked as she took hold of her brother's hand and led him through the throngs. "It was grand, Belle," Charles said as he and Bellany ducked into the church library for privacy. I wished you were there, but I knew Bristol would keep you out at all costs. Not only are you of Avengene, but you are the fallen angel of Vargrends." "Who did you take?" Bellany asked. "Deb Hartmoor. Her father is an ally of Lord Avengene," Charles said. "You sound as if it were a chore to take her," Bellany whispered. "She is not so bad if you get a few drinks into her, but even then she is prim and stiff. She ought to be your friend because of the Heartmoor-Avengene alliance but she is too much the virgin. She probably thinks you ought to be hidden away in a convent," Charles said shaking his head. Bellany rolled her eyes. "Just sort of boring then?" Bellany asked. Charles yawned heartily. "Hartmoor is a fine woman, but you know I have to play the field." Bellany giggled. "Who will you ask next time?" "I haven't decided yet," Charles said. I have my eye on Daelrath but so do half the men at the academy. How do you break the ice with a girl who is a friend of Brianna Barter?" "The guys were curious enough about Brianna to ask for posters, weren't they?" Bellany asked. Charles nodded. "That may be a good angle right there. Barter is a popular bad girl with the guys, so of course they are curious about her. They have certainly pelted me with questions. I could ask Daelrath about Barter and just be myself, curious and charming," Charles said with bravado. Bellany grinned. "Curious and charming Charles might have a chance. Then again it might be like me trying to take Bristol to a ball." Charles groaned. "I will take it slow. I will not ask her to this ball but a later one. This Barter idea might help but it is no love potion." "Are you enjoying staying at the Patels?" Bellany asked. "It is great Belle. I have a whole suite to myself. It is unreal. I am living better than I did at home. Mister Patel seems quite happy to have me there. Say do you think he has a crush on you?" Charles asked. Bellany smiled. "Since I have returned to civilization I have noticed a lot of men seem to have crushes on me in spite of the way mother makes me dress. Charles smiled, "She tries but that waif's figure you had as a girl is gone, and it is hard to hide the woman you have become." Bellany smiled. "I think Mister Patel will benefit from the arrangement, and you needn't worry if he has a crush on me. It is the nature of men to look and wish." "But you have no intention of granting such wishes?" Charles asked. Bellany giggled. "None that I can admit to my brother. For the sake of our parents you must be in a position where you can honestly say that I insisted that I did not do anything untoward with anyone. Otherwise you will either have to lie to mother and father or never ask me anything about anyone." "But Belle, that means if you are naughty I'll never know," Charles said. "True, but if you knew you would be obliged to stop me or face the wrath," Bellany said. You will just have to use your powers of perception and keep the results of your conjectures to yourself. "You have a point there, Belle. Knowing nothing is safer, just not as interesting." "Perhaps I will be able to tell you if I did anything naughty at school in a few years, but for now it is better that you just assume that I am as pure as driven snow." Charles laughed. "Well I know it is silly after the orcs, but the powers that be do not seem to have any other model for young women to follow. It is really stupid considering how many young Avengene women are taken by the orcs." Charles nodded. "I guess I had better get going, Belle. We are all going to take a ride on Caernarvon's estate then start practicing broadsword this afternoon." "I did not know you practiced with the broadsword." Bellany said. "In war, every man must know a variety of weapons. That is why we get together with the best wielders of a given weapon each Sunday and practice." "When will you be doing Rapier?" Bellany asked. "We usually put that one off. Jordell makes a lot of the guys uncomfortable, but it cannot be put off forever. Whatever else he may be, James Jordell is to be a count," Charles said. "Somehow I would like to get to that practice. I saw Jordell fight in the tournament yesterday. He is very good, but it is hard to tell just how good since he unnerves his opponents so badly he hardly has to work." "Jordell is no idiot. He was nearly undefeated last year," Charles said. "Nearly?" Bellany asked. There was a half elf from Liaern that beat him but the match could have gone either way. In spite of his foppery, the Academy is going to loose a fine swordsman when he leaves at the end of the school year. "This is Jordell's last year?" Bellany asked. Charles nodded. "No one else can touch him at rapier and it is not a particularly popular weapon save with elves and gentlemen of the cities. Jordell is the entire rapier team. When he goes they will probably have to sponsor an outsider to replace him. Bellany's eyes took on a faraway look as she indulged a fantasy. Charles chuckled. "Now don't go wishing you could be on the team, Belle, you know they would never have it." Bellany frowned. "You are as good as many of the boys but most of them don't do a lot with the lighter blades. Jordell is an artist. It is too bad you can't get out. I'll bet you would enjoy sparring with him, just to see what it was like to come up against a real pro," Charles said. Bellany nodded. "That would be fun." "Speaking of fun, I better not miss that broadsword practice this morning. See you later sister." Charles gave Bellany a brief hug as he left. Bellany half followed her brother and wound up in the courtyard at about the time Charles and a few of his friends mounted up and rode off. Nearby she saw Reverand Leland gesticulating in a conversation with Headmistress Vargrend. Bellany crossed the courtyard to check the stables in hopes of seeing more of the young emerald men but their horses were already gone. When she came out the headmistress was walking to the offices and passed beside her. "The nerve of that man," She mumbled. "Has Reverend Leland now started sermonizing to you about the evils of your ancestors, Headmistress?" Bellany asked. "Just about. He admonished me that there are stories of a ghoulish figure cavorting about the grounds and suggested I give Lieutenant Herrington a key to the crypts. As if I would trust his loyal servant in my family crypts." "It is probably nothing anyway, although we saw the man in rags during Miss Griffin's history class the morning she traded class periods with you, Headmistress." "That is just the problem. This matter would not be nearly so bothersome if I had not received several reports about this man in rags. Our dance instructor, Miss Lesueuer sighted him during an evening enrichment class and a couple of the students reported encountering him while strolling. He chased them but left off when they made it to open ground." "You could check the crypts yourself," Bellany said. "Yes of course," Headmistress Vargrend said uneasily. "Perhaps Guardian Moore could help as well," Bellany suggested. "Yes, that would be wise. A guardian must know how to deal with both people and specters of the dead. I find Leland's insinuations ridiculous, but it will be worth a look just to get the fool off my back." ------- The next two weeks passed uneventfully since Charles and many of the other boys were away during the weekend at a tournament in Bostwick. Bellany missed Charles' bravado and his many handsome friends. She had to content herself with improving her drawing skills at the enrichment course she took in the evenings, and with her lunchtime conversation with Cleo. Nimbus, the raven that was the closest thing to a pet she had at Vargrend's helped keep her spirits up in spite of her gnawing hunger for lovers. Mary seemed to act much as she always had, but Bellany could not help but feel her roommate's longing. Mary's conflicted lust was an annoyance to Bellany and she tried to turn her senses away from her roommate. Bellany wondered if it was really fair for Bellany to sleep in a room with anyone, particularly a vindicator girl whose attractions were for women. After the weekend, Bellany received a note from Charles with his tournament scores. He and Fobbs had won again, although Fobbs had outscored Charles in more events than not. Bellany hoped that Patel's sponsorship of Charles would soon bear fruit. Meanwhile she wore herself out finishing the magic books in the library stacks. It kept her mind off her lack of lovers. The weekend after Charles' return marked the first tournament of October. The tournament Ball was to be held by Mayor Eagan. Bellany knew that the Eagans would not invite her. They were in the employ of the Bristols. They would be fools to go against Bianca's wishes. Nevertheless, Lawrence Eagan privately apologized to her the morning of the tournament and that made her feel a little better. Taking Timothy in the bushes that morning eased her gnawing lusts and made the tournament much more enjoyable. She regretted that Peter Patel was not in town for this particular tournament against an academy in The Barony of Gransward, but she was overjoyed when she spotted Cooyman in the crowd during the jousts. Bellany made her way to smith Cooyman just as Lord Caernarvon's opponent unhorsed him. A shower of splinters from his broken lance followed him to the ground. "Ouch, that knight from Bostwick will be hard to beat," Bellany said as she came up on Cooyman. "Aye, me hope is that Lord Carnarvon's bones are unbroken. The skeleton is the key to the workings of a knight and his armor." "It is?" Bellany asked. "Aye, ye take two knights with similar skeletons fer instance. They might not look much alike on the surface but it's what underlies the flesh that matters. If the basic skeletons of yer knights are the same, a skilled armorer could easily make a single suit of armor that would work fine for either lancer." Concealed by the press of the crowd Cooyman slid a hard object into Bellany's hand. Bellany slipped the key into a pocket within her dress. "It's Sir Steefl up next against this upstart that trounced th' Lord Caernarvon," Cooyman said. "Yes, I hope he does not find himself locked in the basement as Lord Caernarvon did. He bears my favor within his armor. I hope it proves the undoing of the knight that bars his way to victory." "Aye, yer favor is a powerful talisman, but if th' lance proves fickle, he be stuck in the basement fer sure." The clattering thunder of hoof-beats led to an explosion of wood. This time it was the opponent who felt the bite of the dirt as Steefl's charger hardly slowed. The knight of Avengene's unerring aim lifted his competitor out of the saddle and shattered his pride as if it were the splinters of his lance. "Thar's a good omen fer yer favor," Cooyman said. "Steefl grew up with a lance in his hand. My favor only strengthened the thirst of his lance for his opponent's impalement." "Hehe, aye skill is essential fer success. Everyman hopes his skills are sufficient to gain the treasures of life." ------- Hours after trading double meanings with Cooyman about the skeleton key he had made for her, Bellany had returned to her room and was helping Mary get ready for the ball. "Is he a good dancer?" Mary asked as Bellany helped her dress in one of Bellany's dresses that they had modified to fit Mary. Usually it was Mary helping Bellany into one of her dresses, but on this occasion the roles were reversed. Steefl had invited her roommate, probably because he was not allowed invite Bellany herself. "He will not step on your toes, but he is better with the lance than at the dance." Bellany grinned, as the double meaning was lost to Mary's virgin ears. "That is comforting. Do you think he only invited me because he could not invite you?" Mary asked. "Perhaps it is a gesture, Mary, but I am sure he would not invite you if he found you repulsive. Don't be too hard on him. He is a vassal of my father. I am sure it irks him that he cannot escort me to all of the balls because of Bristol. I think he feels it is his duty and paladins are very big on duty," Bellany said. Mary nodded. "I am sure he will be a perfect gentleman." Bellany yawned. "Yes, and it is a lucky thing since you probably haven't got a clue how to kiss a man and you probably would not enjoy it even if you did." "Gods stop it Bellany. It hurts when you say those things. It makes me afraid I shall never have a proper wedding." "I am sorry, Mary. Who am I to stand in the way of your choice to follow your religion over your nature? I should talk anyway. I would be worse for Steefl than you. At least you would never look at another man. I am sure I would do much more than look." "At least you would know how to kiss him. I haven't a clue. Would you teach me?" Mary asked. Bellany giggled. "I would be glad to teach you Mary but you would get far more than you bargained for if you got me started." Mary blushed. ------- When Mary returned to the dormitory after the ball it was nearly midnight and Bellany was fast asleep making up for some of the time she had spent reading about magic during past nights. She had gone to bed right after witnessing her brother and Fobbs trounce the competition. Charles had done as well as Fobs during this tournament and Bellany had seen that as a good omen. "Mary?" Bellany asked as the sounds of her roommate awakened her. "Yes, it's me back from the ball," Mary said. "Did you enjoy it?" Bellany asked a little blearily as she rousted herself and began helping Mary get out of her dress. The air of the autumn night was exceptionally chill. "Yes, I enjoyed the dancing. I took the course last autumn and it would be a shame not to use it. I went to a few balls last year. There were more young men of the vindicator and I was more popular. Now we are half what we were and you, the highest ranking of the vindicator ladies, are being snubbed. I thought I would never get out again, but instead I was out with a knight. A rather homely knight, but a skilled knight nevertheless." "And a paladin, don't forget," Bellany said. "Of course," Mary said. "Perhaps you would make a good wife for him," Bellany said. "I thought you said I would not make any man a good wife," Mary whispered. "Abraham is a good man but no woman would be attracted to him for his looks," Bellany said. "Oh I see what you are driving at." Mary sighed. "He does have good muscles, though not in the place I like them best," Bellany said. "Where is that?" Mary asked. Bellany patted Mary's rear. "Bellany!" Mary blushed. "You assed," Bellany giggled. Mary shook her head and groaned. When Mary had finished readying herself for bed, Bellany let her slide in beside her. "Aren't you going to protest?" Mary asked. "No, one of us might as well get a good night's sleep," Bellany whispered. "One of us?" Mary asked. "It has grown quite chill since I laid down for my nap this afternoon. The teeth of autumn are sinking into the countryside. If we slept apart neither of us would sleep well because we would simply be too cold. If we sleep together at least you will sleep well," Bellany said. "And you will not?" Mary asked. "I will sleep after a while but I find having others in my bed distracting. It beats freezing to death though," Bellany said. "Is it because of lust?" Mary asked. Bellany nodded. "I have no innocence to protect me from the snuggle-monster." "Is that what I am to you, a snuggle monster?" Mary asked. "Yes, you snuggle and you breathe in my ear but I am grateful you do not snore," Bellany whispered. "Well what would you have me do?" Mary asked. "Bellany smiled. Your virgin ears are not ready for that, Mary. We need to do what you want to do because it would not be fair to you to twist you all up into knots of guilt. Now go to sleep. You must be exhausted from the ball." Mary snuggled; she wrapped herself around her roommate and planted her lips near Bellany's ear in an exaggerated version of what Bellany had described. "Tonight I danced with many men. I had hoped to prove you wrong about me, but all I could think about when they touched me was you. Do you think that is wrong?" "There is nothing wrong with it or you Mary. It is just your nature and it is as obvious to me as the nose on your face." "I kissed you once when you were asleep. It made me giddy for a week. How can you have such an affect on me and men do nothing?" Bellany rolled over to face Mary. "I am swayed by everyone's lust and in turn I seem to have quite an affect on others. I have been trying not to turn you on, Mary, because of your faith but I can see I have failed miserably." If you were trying not to then what are you like when you try to? "Do you really want me to answer that question?" Bellany asked. "Yes." Mary whispered. Bellany let her control slide as her hand glided up Mary's leg to the base of her rump. She kissed her, engulfing Mary's lust with her own. "Oh gods Bellany, what is happening to me?" Mary asked as she trembled beneath Bellany's caress. "Only a virgin would ask that question," Bellany whispered, kissing Mary on the tip of the nose. "Go to sleep now, dear. I have no intention of robbing you of your innocence." ------- This ends, Inmates, chapter 59 of The Chronicles of Rapina. The story continues in chapter 60, Baladus. Copyright 2004 by Rapina