(Continued from Ch 61, The Fallen Angel)

The Chronicles of Rapina
Chapter 62, A Breath of Autumn Air


After Monday's Ballroom Dancing course, Bellany was
still smiling about Elliston being caught by her own
trap.  At the beginning of her midday break Bellany
stopped at the library to check mail and was surprised
to be handed a letter bearing Baronet Norwit's seal.
She grabbed it, thanked the librarian and rushed off to
her room to read it.  After a silent prayer to
Mortaebius, she broke the seal and began to read.
-------

Friday October 25, 724

I talked to your mother about the Jordells.  I made her
aware that Trinadar Leafwhisper is not just a rapier
trainer; he is a living legend, a priceless treasure
that outshines her finest jewelry.  A few hours
training with Leafwhisper at a tournament would be
worth the same money as a week's worth of labor from
most craftsmen.  She is not comfortable with a Lady
studying swordsmanship.

She reminded me that Red Jack has been terrorizing
Eastern Avengene and since he is a disowned Jordell,
she has misgivings about the family.  Red Jack has had
a profound effect on river commerce for years.  My
investments in business in Hartmoor have been doing
better since Red Jack went north to terrorize Eastern
Avengene but I feel badly for the families there along
the river.  Red Jack also appears to be traveling at
night and there are rumors that he is sometimes using
undead monsters as troops or that his men are cursed
and part undead.  Thus far he has evaded or destroyed
every trap Lord Avengene has set for him and has made
living along the river extremely hazardous for the
people of Avengene. He has also slowed our repair
efforts on our forts since moving supplies up the river
from Li'Yieraun is now very difficult.  Bristol will no
longer allow large groups of travelers from Avengene,
thus I have organized an overland convoy to move
supplies from Turnmoor through the elfin forest of
Liaern for the Baronety of Norwit.

Red Jack's actions no longer make sense for a man who
is terrorizing commerce in order to give the Jordells a
monopoly over river trade.  Most commerce goes on west
of the elfin forest but Red Jack has been found
exclusively in Avengene north of the forest.  We
believe he has gone mercenary and is now working for
the Church of Mortaebius.  This could mean that the
Jordells are Mortabius sympathizers; however it may
mean that they do not control Red Jack, which is what
they have been saying for years.

Your mother agrees that we may never know the truth
about the Jordells; however your mother is a daughter
of Avengene and knows her manners.  Without her by my
side I would never have survived my early years as a
peer. We cannot afford to snub the family of a count
that has done you a favor.  It would be unmannerly.
Therefore your mother and I have agreed to allow you to
train under mister Leafwhisper.  I have sent a formal
letter to the Jordells accepting their offer and
thanking them for their gracious hospitality.

Good luck,

Lord Darl Norwit

Lady Eleanor Norwit

P.S. To be able to train under mister Leafwhisper is a
dream that few students of the rapier would even
consider possible.  Although your mother would surely
slap me for it, I encourage you to spend as much time
with him as possible.  Most swordsmen will never see an
opportunity like this in spite of an entire lifetime
spent as a student of the sword. -Daddy
-------

Bellany screamed with joy and jumped up and down.

Wednesday afternoon, the athletes returned to the
Bristol Academy.  Bellany was surprised to find a
Jordell herald waiting outside her history class on
Wednesday afternoon.  She could not recall ever having
seen a male other than Constable Herrington in the
girls' building.

"Lady Norwit?"

"Yes?" Bellany asked.

"Lord Jordell has sent me to deliver this message.
Lord Jordell says that if you wish to supplant your
ballet class with a longer swordsmanship class under
Trinadar Leafwhisper, Headmistress Vargrend will grant
you permission.  You may come with me to Jordell Manor
or we will wait until after your ballet class is over
if you prefer."

Bellany raised her eyebrows.  She had been led to
believe that Headmistress Vargrend seldom changed class
schedules once they had been set up during the summer.
To change one in the middle of a semester with an
hour's notice seemed impossible.  It was obvious that
the Jordells wielded considerable power.

"I will miss ballet, but I would like to switch to
swordsmanship," Bellany said without hesitation.  "Come
with me.  I will get my cloak and we will be off."

The herald followed Bellany upstairs.  She gave a
Charles Norwit smile to each of the many girls who gave
her a venomous look.  Before she knew it she was
getting out of the Jordell coach at Jordell Manor.

"Welcome Bellany," James Jordell said as she came
through the door.

"Thank you Jamie, it is so good to see you.  How did
the tournaments go?"

"The man I faced in Caranarvon was not half bad.  He
was a lackluster swordsman but he was such a hunk."

Bellany giggled.  "At least he had something going for
him."

"Oh he did," Jordell breathlessly assured her.

"I hoped you would bring me over tomorrow, I never
dreamed it would be today, and that instant schedule
change.  It was amazing," Bellany beamed.

"Headmaster Bristol knows his manners and his school
budget." Jordell smiled.  "I have had another training
outfit created for you.  Go right in there and the
servants will help you dress.  Your father was much
more enthusiastic than I had predicted.  He must be a
student of the sword," Jordell said.

Bellany nodded.  "Yes he is, even if mother is not.
I'll be right out."

After she got dressed she was brought to what must have
been the large chamber Jordell trained in.  There were
rows of pillars along either side of the room and
markings on the stone floor.

"Just how serious would you like to be about this
course?" Jordell asked.

"I was inclined to be serious, but daddy added a
postscript to the letter he wrote.  I think mother saw
the first part but not the postscript.  He suggested I
spend as much time under Leafwhisper as I could, which
means I am allowed to be extremely serious.  Could we
do three very long lessons each week, perhaps on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays?  Maybe on the other
days we could just do a shorter session just until
dinner." Bellany said.  "I will need Sundays and
tournament days off. "

"Milady, I had no idea you were that serious.  A team
mate would do no more than that," Jordell said.  "Do
you think you have the stamina?"

Bellany nodded.  "I'll never be any good if I do not do
the work."

Jordell nodded.  "Can she do it?" Jordell asked his
instructor.

"Most human Ladies would be hard pressed, milord, as
they get limited exercise but there are elfin women who
could keep up with such a regimen and I noticed when
you sparred with Lady Norwit weeks ago that she lasted
well.  It is possible.  I will assess her with a test
of strength and stamina."

"Very good, it would not do if her physique could not
support her enthusiasm.  I will check in later to see
what you have found out."  Jordell turned to Bellany,
"Good luck Bellany."

"Thank you Jamie," Bellany said.

In spite of the luxurious surroundings, Leafwhisper did
not offer a sedate lesson.  First he had her stretch in
every imaginable way to see how flexible she was.  Then
he had her perform calisthenics and lift weights to
determine her strength.  He was not a stern teacher but
he was inexorable.  He said little but Bellany noticed
that he did smile at times such as when she pushed up
from a headstand.  When he was finished with the
exercises he took her on an hour long run through the
beautiful big trees that stood on the grounds north of
Jordell Manor.

It reminded her of the run she had taken with the
pirate recruits but she had been in pitiful shape back
then.  She wished she had more power in her reserves,
but at least she was doing better in that regard.  Mary
provided her with a tiny bit of energy most nights and
was capable of giving her more if she could just get
Amorra's Channel to work better.  Timothy was an
occasional help, and using her drain spell on stallions
in the stables also helped her out on Sundays.  Since
she was in much better physical condition than she had
been at the start of her pirate career, she did not
bother with magic; she simply kept up Leafwhisper's
brisk pace and was happy that she could do so.

When they returned from the run, Bellany sat down to a
brief dinner with Lord Jordell and then began training
with Leafwhisper until about eight. She bathed and
dressed with the help of several servants and was ready
to leave at half past eight.  It had been grueling but
wonderful.  Lord Jordell and Trinadar Leafwhisper
escorted her to the coach beneath a full moon.

"Trinadar said you are worthy of the rapier team even
if they are too stuffy at the academy to let a woman
join," Jamie said.

"Thank you Trinadar and thank you for having me, Jamie.
It was a lot of fun tonight.  The Jordell grounds are
beautiful this time of year, even if it is getting dark
early.  Towards the end of the run I just had to follow
Trinadar.  I knew he would be able to see even when I
could not."

"I am so glad you still live after that first lesson,"
Jordell daintily wiped his brow with the back of his
wrist for emphasis.  "Trinadar tests the mettle of his
students rigorously before he designs their programs.
I was so worried when you decided to take the serious
road.  I was all set for a boost to my social life but
when you went all serious on me I was sure you would
wash right out."

Bellany giggled.  "No need to worry Jamie, I exercise
religiously.  I am also trying to learn elfish.  Thank
you again for having me over Jamie, and thank you for
assessing me Master Leafwhisper, it was grueling but it
was fun too."

Leafwhisper bowed.

The coachman pulled a lever and the steps lowered.  He
then jumped down from the driver's seat and opened the
door as Jordell spoke.

"The pleasure was mine and Trinadar's, Bellany.  It was
so delightful to watch you squish those girlish
stereotypes.  Trinadar will see you again tomorrow.  A
coach will be waiting after your history course."

"Thank you Jaime, few men would enjoy my squishing
stereotypes, but I am glad someone does".  Bellany
winked at Jamie.  "Farewell."

"Farewell," Jordell said.

Bellany took a couple of the steps and turned back to
Trinadar who stood slightly behind Jordell.  She
deliberately glanced up at the moon and then back at
Trinadar "Theau Lunea, Trinadar," she said.

Trinadar smiled and bowed.

Bellany smiled as she sat down.  Coachman Stevens
closed the door.  She could barely see Lord Jordell and
Trinadar Leafwhisper conversing in the moonlight as the
coach clattered down the road.

When she got back to the dormitory she ran up the
stairs beaming and went into her room.

"Bellany, I have not seen you all day; Where were you?"
Mary asked.

Bellany smiled and hugged Mary.  "I was over at Jordell
Manor.  I am getting rapier lessons from Trinadar
Leafwhisper!  It is like a dream come true.  I can
hardly believe daddy gave his permission, but I am
beginning to see that the Jordells have an
extraordinary amount of clout.  Things they want to
happen just happen.  Headmistress Vargrend cancelled my
ballet class in the middle of the term and is allowing
me to take swordsmanship instead.  I can hardly believe
it!  It is entirely out of character for her."

"That is extraordinary, Headmistress Vargrend never
changes schedules in the middle of the term."  Mary
thought for a minute.  "Perhaps it is because the
Jordells are big contributors to The Bristol Academy.
Headmaster Bristol might be afraid that the Jodells
would pull their funding if they felt the academy had
snubbed them."

Bellany nodded.  "It does not hurt that Lord Jordell is
to be a count, either.  He could ask Baron Bristol to
tell the academy to mind their betters, and Baron
Bristol would do just that.  Count Jordell is the
prince of the shipping industry and Barons along the
river are dependent on trade."

Mary nodded.  "I am happy for you."

"That is sweet of you Mary.  I don't know how you put
up with me.  I am out doing gods knows what all evening
and you are still glad to see me.  Tonight it was tame,
but you know you can never count on that," Bellany
said.

Mary nodded.  "I know you like men, Bellany.  You gave
me plenty of warning about that.  Plus I was with you
at the Jordell ball when there was practically a line
to dance with you.  I will not always be a carefree
school girl but at least with you as my roommate I will
have memories to smile about when I am older."

Bellany kissed Mary.  "Thank you, Mary.  I am glad you
understand.  My schedule is going to be a little rough
with all the swordsmanship time I will be spending, but
I should always be home for bed.  Mondays, Wednesdays
and Fridays I shall be arriving about the same time as
I did tonight.  I need about a half hour to finish up
an assignment for the Trivium, but I should be ready
for bed by lights out.  I certainly would not want to
miss contemplating purity and chastity with you."
Bellany giggled.

Mary smiled meaningfully.  It was the kind of smile she
would have been incapable of just a couple of weeks
ago.

-------

There was no question that the new schedule was
grueling.  Bellany was only able to attend her art
class twice a week at most and that was assuming she
always managed to stay caught up with her homework.  To
do this she was forced to spend much less time with
Cleopatra after lunch. This did not bother Cleo too
much because it was turning colder and the thicket was
less hospitable for conversation.

Bellany's biggest worry was that she did not know when
she would find time to work on her magic.  Somehow she
needed to expand her days.  She needed men, and she was
not able to avail herself of them.  Although she was
getting some energy from Mary, Timothy and from
draining stallions on Sundays, she would probably need
that just to assist in healing sore muscles from her
hours of workout and swordsmanship practice each day.
Until she could fix her problem by finding a way to see
men on a more regular basis, she would just have to do
what she could to practice her magic.  She streamlined
her workouts so that she would have a little time for
homework or additional magical study in the morning.
She also continued casting every cantrip and spell that
she could just after the start of her morning workouts.


Refining her Amorra's Channel spell became her first
magical priority and telekinesis was her second
priority.  She made sure she always had a number of
prospective improvements to Amora's Channel ready to
try on Mary most every night. She had been practicing
the Ash Kinetics Cantrip for less than a week but made
sure to begin training herself to do the verbal and
somatic components for the next more difficult
telekinesis spell, Telekinesis I or Floating Feather.

On Friday she had her second long swordsmanship lesson.
Her brother Charles and Vernon Saint Varlans had come
over to Jordell manor about an hour before dinner to
watch her train.  When she was done with the first half
of her lesson they had all dined together.

"It is great to see you again, Belle," Charles said.
"James says you are essentially the second member of
the rapier team since no one tried out for it this
year.  I have been watching.  Is it possible you could
already be better with a sword than you were this
summer?"

Bellany smiled and shrugged.

"You are right, Lord Charles.  I have known many
students but Lady Bellany has an extraordinary memory,"
Leafwhisper said softly.  "She enjoys the melodies of
the elfin system of swordsmanship.  The harmony within
improves daily".

"Vindicator's skull, no wonder you are doing so well
Belle.  I remember when I thought all that musical
swordsmanship was a little crazy, but that's the way
you liked it.  Now you've got a real trainer who knows
all that musical stuff and you are in your element,"
Charles said.

Trinadar nodded.

"Trinadar is a great teacher.  I love that he is
teaching me mostly in elfish too," Bellany said between
mouthfuls.

"That's a relief.  I thought that was all swordsmanship
jargon and that I was seriously ignorant," Charles
said.

Bellany laughed, "Not at all, many of the words and
concepts would have made sense in the common tongue.
Sometimes I have trouble following but Trinadar repeats
things in different ways and I was able to read more
about elfish in between dinner and art class last night
and after Mary went to sleep for about a half an hour.
I have a lot more to learn.  This new schedule is
crazy; I have so much to do and so little time to do it
in."

"You are living like an athlete, Belle.  I'll see if I
can get dad to spring for a research assistant for you.
Mary is here on scholarship. I think she has done some
assisting for noble ladies in the past.  If dad will
provide the silver she would be perfect for you because
you room with her."

Bellany nodded.  "That would be nice."

"It is odd to watch a woman at the sword.  A dress sure
makes a woman look different," Saint Varlans said.

"Oh it is all in the undergarments, Vernon," Jordell
said.  "For a dress you have a lower neckline and
undergarments that push the bosom up from below, but
for an exercise outfit it is best if a woman binds her
breasts tightly to her chest, especially if she has a
generous figure as Bellany does.  Constant jostling
takes an untoward toll on women's breasts.  Her
training garments are designed to prevent her from
losing her youthful figure."

"Oh, I am glad you know all about ladies'
undergarments, James, otherwise who would protect
Bellany's ... uh assets."  Saint Varlans smiled.

Bellany blushed.

"A host who knows nothing about fashion is hardly a
host," Jordell scoffed.
The clock struck half past six and Bellany stood up.
"It was good of you to stop over Charles and Vern.  I
am so glad you are back at the academy after those
tournaments at other schools.  I will talk to you at
the tourney breakfast tomorrow.  I have to get back at
it.  Thank you Jamie," Bellany kissed Jordell on the
cheek.

"Oh it is my pleasure," Jordell said.

Charles got up as well.  "Thank you James.  I promised
myself I would practice tonight since I threw that
match in the county of Jordell while we were away.  I
will catch up with you guys tomorrow at school."

"You are always welcome Charles.  Farewell until
tomorrow then," Jordell said.

"See you at breakfast, Charles," Vernon said.

Charles gave Bellany a hug, nodded to Vernon and
Jordell and left.

When she resumed her lesson, Vernon and Jordell watched
her practice from the sidelines and talked softly.
Vernon bid her farewell shortly before the end of her
lesson.

When she was finished she thanked Trinadar and retired
to take a bath within the princess suite.  A chamber
orchestra was playing in the sitting room as she came
in.  Servants helped her undress and let her into the
room with the large sunken bath.  She knew she could
have had servants to wash her, but she had told Jamie
that she preferred to wash herself.  In truth she did
not, but she knew that it would be difficult for her
not to seduce anyone who was washing her naked body.

"Choo!" Bellany sneezed as the door closed behind her.
The bath was scented but that was not what had made her
sneeze. She lifted her head but smiled and kept it
moving as if looking around.  There was a decorative
grille in the upper corner of the room.  Because of the
cunning construction of the grille and the placement of
the candelabra in the room, she could not see anything
untoward.  She did not need to.  Her lust senses told
her that Vernon Saint Varlans and Lord Jamie were
watching her.

She walked over to the tub, her full breasts quivering
as she moved.  She stepped down the steps into the deep
bath and washed her hair, face and neck.  Then she
stepped back up the steps and began to lather her body
with scented soap.  She started with her feet and legs,
rubbing the soap in with long sensuous strokes.  She
then took the back brush and scrubbed her back.
Afterwards she turned towards the grille and lathered
her shoulders, underarms and breasts.  She swirled her
soapy index fingers around her areoles and lightly
pinched her nipples once they had perked up.  Bellany
smiled to herself as she sensed a continuous increase
of lust from behind the grille.  After her breasts she
soaped up her midriff and then she turned and washed
the high cheeks of her rump.  She finished by lingering
on her labia, pleasuring herself for the benefit of her
secret audience.  When she sensed a peak in the output
of lust from Vernon, she walked back down the steps
into the bath and rinsed off all of the soap.

The servants told her that Jamie had accompanied Vernon
on his ride back to the school and had bid her farewell
if he was not present when she departed.  Yet when she
got into the Jordell coach, she found that Jamie was
already in it.

He placed his finger over his lips and she remained
silent until they were on Emerald Lane.

"How was your bath," Jordell whispered.

Bellany smiled.  "It was wonderful, but you knew that."

James put his hand over his mouth, "I did?" Jamie
grinned.

"Remember how I broke the ambush of the highwaymen?"
Bellany asked

"You felt them looking at you from the bushes?" Jamie
asked.

Bellany nodded.

"Your little bath drove Vernon mad with lust," Jamie
said.

"I would have liked to have taken care of that, but I
am guessing you did.  I had a little fun improving our
social lives, but I think you had more fun." Bellany
grinned.

"You are so bad," Jamie squealed.

"Birds of a feather..." Bellany said.

"Me bad?  That's just a vicious rumor," Jamie giggled.

"I would have preferred having someone in the bath
washing me," Bellany said.

"But you told me you preferred to wash yourself," Jamie
said.

"Well yes but that was just because I did not think you
would appreciate me seducing your servants.  There is
no sense in having someone wash me if that is all they
are going to do."  Bellany smiled lustfully.

Jamie clutched his chest.  "Goodness milady where is
your virtue?"

"I prefer virtuosity to virtue.  It is a lot more
fulfilling," Bellany said tickling Jamie's lust.  "He
may need a little practice but I believe Vernon has the
right assets to make a good lover," Bellany said.

"He is a delicious young man." Jordell slurped.  "You
aren't just being bad to get on my good side are you?"

"Oh so I can convince you to marry me?" Bellany rolled
her eyes.  "Goodness be realistic, Jamie.  I hold no
illusions about marriage.  I am a barren and besmirched
granddaughter of Avengene.  Your parents would have to
be beyond desperate to contemplate allowing such a
thing even if both of us for some reason wanted it.  I
do not know you well enough to want it and I do not
hold out any hope that such a thing could happen.  Even
if your parents lost their minds, I doubt Lord Avengene
would bless such a union considering your Uncle Red
Jack's recent activities.  I spend time with you
because I enjoy your company.  You are intelligent,
naughty and sometimes outrageous.  Besides, I think
there are much more immediate and practical reasons for
us to be seen together," Bellany said.

"Oh really?" Jamie said.

"Yes, you set them up yourself, You have said I would
improve your social life and it is easy to see that you
have improved mine since you broke the Bristol snub,
but the arrangement could have longer term benefits for
both of us beyond just using me as bait," Bellany
smiled.  "If the other young men think that I am your
girlfriend then they can only borrow me.  No single one
of them can feel like he owns me because you outrank
all of them.  Yet everyone knows you seem to prefer
men, so they would probably figure they could get away
with borrowing me without getting you angry."

"Oh but they would owe me one," Jamie said smiling.

Bellany laughed.  "Yes, I suppose they might think they
would owe you one, especially if you put on the right
attitude.  That is just their perception, however.  I
don't mind letting them believe that for your
advantage, but if this arrangement is to work, I need
you to see that I am my own woman.  You seem too
naughty to be satisfied with only one man and I am the
same way.  I like to have fun with men for much the
same reasons you do."

"Lust?" Jamie asked.

"Yes," Bellany nodded succinctly.

"You are far too honest to be a Vargrend's girl.
Perhaps you inherited a measure of common sense from
your father.  Does he like men?"

Bellany giggled.  "I've never really thought about
daddy having at it with the soldiers.  If he ever has
he certainly has not let me in on it.  Maybe you could
ask Charles."

"Oh your brother is such a handsome morsel," Jamie
smiled.

Bellany nodded.  "We have an arrangement.  Neither of
us is to know if the other is naughty.  As long as we
do not know, mother and daddy can never get it out of
us.  That is why if you wind up having fun with
Charles, I would like you to keep it a secret from me.
He seems to be doing well enough lately.  He is able to
get dates with emerald ladies in spite of me."

"Very well, mum's the word on Charles then.  He is
charming and confident.  Were it not for his ability to
take insults and setbacks in stride he could not
possibly succeed, but he can and therefore he will.  It
does not hurt that all of the men are infatuated with
his sister either.  You have no idea how often they
talk about the Fallen Angel," Jamie said.  It used to
be the three B's of Vargrends.  Now it seems to be an
"A" and two B's."

"Is that why you decided to invite me to train with
Leafwhisper?" Bellany asked.

"Gods no, that was just an ulterior motive.  If you had
no talent I would never have wasted Trinadar's time.
He is the best of the best.  Even I cannot afford to
insult him.  However he thinks the world of you.  How
could he help himself? You are an excellent student and
as reserved as he is, he is still a man."

Bellany smiled, "I have a weakness for elves.  They are
often so sweet."

"They are, but Trinadar is very professional and
attempting to seduce him is not worth the risk of
losing him as a sword master."

Bellany nodded.  "I will not make any moves on him."
The Jordell coach came to a halt.  "I guess we are
here.  Thank you for another fine lesson, Jamie."
Bellany kissed Jamie on the cheek.

"You are quite welcome.  Thank you for being such
heavenly bait tonight.  You had poor Vernon shaking
with desire," Jamie giggled.

"He was not the only one.  I must get back to my room
so that I can contemplate purity and chastity with
Mary," Bellany smiled.

"Goodness have you been working on miss innocent?"
Jamie asked.

"Mary would not want me to say, but you are welcome to
guess the next time you see her." Bellany grinned.  "I
will see you tomorrow morning at breakfast if you are
there or at the rapier event if you miss it."

Jordell nodded.  "Farewell Belle."

"Goodbye Jamie."

Bellany hopped down the stairs of the coach.  "Thank
you Coachman Stevens," she called out waving to the
coachman.  The gate monitor opened the inner gate to
Vargrend's for her as she approached and within a few
minutes she had made her way up the stairs to the third
floor and her room.

Bellany shut the door to her room and walked over to
Mary who was sitting at her desk working on an
assignment.  Mary looked up from her chair.  "You
always smell so good when you return from Jordell
Manor," Mary said as she reached up and pulled Bellany
down to her for a brief kiss.

"Jamie always has the servants draw a bath for me.
That way I can wash up at the end of my lesson.  I feel
much cleaner than before I started swordsmanship under
master Leafwhisper."

"You smell great.  I have always loved your natural
scent, but the scent Lord Jordell put in the bath is
complementary."

"Thank you Mary.  I had better get to work so that I
will be ready by lights out."

Mary nodded.

Bellany sat down at her desk and began writing the
answers for her history assignment.  She finished and
then began writing an essay for the Trivium. She
finished the essay about five minutes after the hall
monitor came by announcing that lights out was in
fifteen minutes.  She might have been late for bed but
after getting undressed she just shoved her nightgown
under her pillow and climbed into bed naked.  Mary did
not even bother to get into her own bed.  She preferred
to sleep with Bellany.

The hall monitor knocked twice and then opened the door
to peek in.  "Sleeping together?" She asked.

As the door opened, Mary turned over so that she had
her belly to the bed and was looking away from her
roommate.  Bellany raised her knees slightly and
clutched at the blankets as she felt her roommate's
hand slide up over her hip.

"Yes, I get cold easily.  Mary has very considerately
volunteered to keep me warm," Bellany said.  Beneath
the covers Mary clamped her hand over Bellany's mound
and slid a finger in.

"That is sweet of you Mary.  You girls have a good
night," the monitor said.

"Good night," the girls said in unison as the hall
monitor closed the door.

Mary moved closer to Bellany and snuggled her, still
working her fingers over Belle's mound and her middle
finger inside.  Bellany squeezed Mary's finger within
her.

"You are so considerate to keep me warm and wet, Mary,"
Bellany whispered as she nuzzled her roommate's earlobe.

"It's my pleasure, Mary whispered.
-------

Mary got up early the next morning to help with the
tournament breakfast.  For the first time in days,
Bellany had time to work on her magic.  She had made
some good progress on Amorra's Channel the night before
and was confident that she could continue to hone the
spell to a fine edge.  Her priority this morning was
Telekinesis I, Floating Feather.  She abbreviated her
workout and cast only Finger of Shadow, Fleeting
Stench, Tuz and Globe of fog, her illusion and
conjuration spells.  She had confidence in her ability
to cast darkness spells and she could not practice many
of her other spells because they required a subject.
She worried about her lack of a trustworthy subject to
practice magic on, but as yet she had no practical plan
to remedy the situation.

After working on the spell for a couple of hours she
found that she could get a tiny piece of down to move.
It was not exactly a feather, but it was a start.  She
practiced casting the spell several more times until
she had learned it well.  The casting notes said that
telekinesis required a great deal of usage practice to
get the maximum power that a given spell was capable
of.  She thought that she might use the spell to slowly
move the hair of people who sat in front of her in
classes.  This would allow her to practice all day.
All she had to do was learn to maintain the spell while
taking notes.  She knew it would be tricky but she felt
that she could get the hang of it.  When she was
finished she penned some additional casting notes in
her coded spellbook and rushed off to breakfast.

When she arrived at breakfast Charles left the table
with his friends and came to get her.  As he left she
could see that the emerald boys clustered around Vernon
and Jamie and began whispering among themselves.
Bellany would ask Jamie what they had been talking
about later.

"Oh come now, you should all be happy," Jamie said.
"You know I prefer men for light-hearted fun.  If she
had decided to settle with one of you men then the rest
of you would be entirely out of luck, but she is a free
spirit, that is why I think she likes me.  We naughty
people have to stick together, you know."

"But if you have her then none of us will get a
chance," Carnarvon whispered.

"Nonsense, I cannot blame men for being men.  She is a
beautiful woman.  Since I haven't the inclination to
please her in the way you men seem to want to, there is
no reason my good friends cannot.  There is not a
problem so long as you are discreet and are not
presumptuous enough to steal rather than borrow her."

"How do you know she will go for that?" Vernon asked.

"She takes rapier lessons at my house several hours
every day.  I am getting to know her rather well.  She
and I mostly agree on which of you men are the hot
ones." Lord Jordell smiled.

"What about Belgado? Aren't you two an item?" Brad
Bostwick asked.

"Bernadine and I are drinking buddies.  She is not
naughty in the bedroom like I am.  Were it not for
alcohol, I might guess she was going to spend half her
life as a virgin.  She is a beautiful woman to have on
your arm.  You are welcome to pursue her if you like,
but mind your manners and do not take advantage of her
while she is drunk.  She is not a naughty girl.
Bellany, on the other hand is no girl.  She is a woman
and it oozes from her every pore in spite of those
ridiculous dresses her mother puts her in, don't you
think?"

"Gods yes," Saint Varlans whispered.

"You can say that again," Carnarvon said.

"Anyhow you have nothing to worry about.  She is too
much woman for one man anyway.  You may catch as catch
can, just do not presume to make the Angel your
exclusive property.  She has done her time as a slave
and comes to us now as a free spirit, something that
Vargrend's has a severe lack of.  Also you mustn't
breathe any of this to Charles.  He and Belle have an
arrangement of ignorance concerning the indiscretions
of one another so that no matter how much their
insufferably conservative parents might grill them,
neither will know the naughty secrets of the other."

The young men nodded.

"If you would like to come by and watch her train, just
let me know.  Even in a training outfit with her
breasts bound tight I am sure you will still find her
delicious to look at."

"How often does she train?" Carnarvon asked.

"She trains until just before bedtime on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays and just until dinner the other
days of the week.  She is off on, Sundays, holidays,
and tourney Saturdays, of course," Jordell said.

"Wow, is she any good?" Lawrence Eagan asked.

"She is astonishing.  She is more skilled than most of
you and my swordmaster is very impressed with how
rapidly she picks things up.  He believes her to be a
formidable student."

As the boys talked, Bellany filled her tray and then
went with Charles to their table.  Their conversation
changed suddenly as she arrived. After she greeted all
of the emerald boys and sat down, the conversation
turned to various opponents to be faced in the day's
events.  The consensus was that the academy they
opposed had few exceptional athletes.

Bellany was busy deciding which events she would
actually go to and how much time she might have to
practice her magic between events.  She always went to
the rapier event, the joust and the crossbow event.
She decided that perhaps she should also go to the
broadsword event since that was the one that Vernon
competed in.  The rapier and broadsword event were
being held indoors in the morning.  The crossbow event
was to be held outdoors just before lunch and the joust
was to take place in the afternoon.

After breakfast, servants converted the cafeteria into
an arena of sorts for the rapier event.  People packed
into the building to watch James Jordell compete
against Dracken Dunstable from The Academy of Spring
Dell on the northeast side of the Barony of Jordell.

Dunstable was not a handsome man.  The match between
Jordell and Dunstable was noiseless save for the sound
of the clashing blades.  Jordell did not taunt or play
with his opponent yet he won easily, scoring three hits
in less than three minutes.  Bellany smiled.  She
imagined she might be able to hold her own against
Dunstable since she had lasted about the same amount of
time against Jordell before she had started training
under Leafwhisper.

Vernon Saint Varlans had to work much harder to defeat
his opponent at the broadsword.  Saint Varlans'
opponent scored the first hit and it seemed Vernon was
playing catch-up thereafter until the very end.  By the
time his match with Brandon Springer was over, Saint
Varlans was sweating profusely.  A well-timed feint
narrowly won him the match.

Mindful of the strain recovering from her rapier
training put on her reserves, Bellany snuck into the
stables during the two-handed sword event and used up
nearly all of her magical energy doing drain spells on
the stallions.  There were more to choose from with so
many visitors to the tournament.  The result of the
drain spells was a bit messy but put a grin across the
fullness of her lips.  She missed Starstruck.  The
drain spell was neither as efficient nor as
overwhelming as the rush she got from soaking up his
energy using the traditional method.  Starstruck also
did not require the expenditure of precious magical
energy in exchange for the life force she used to
rebuild her aching muscles more rapidly than was
humanly possible.

She knew Leafwhisper would be glad to move her training
along at a slower pace but she realized that training
under him was a once in a lifetime opportunity.  She
did not have the luxury of learning at a leisurely
pace.  She was moving as rapidly as was humanly, or
perhaps a bit superhumanly possible.  It was a little
dangerous since she was sure Leafwhisper would notice
how unusual she was, but he seemed to like her and she
felt the learning would be worth the risk.  She hoped
she could find a way to glean more power and accelerate
her pace beyond its current limit.  Without Mary's
contribution and her improvements to the Amorra's
Channel spell, she could not have hoped even to move as
quickly as she currently was.

Subsequent to leaving the stables, Bellany snuck to the
thicket with Timothy Evin.  After getting roundly
thumped by Timothy, she rushed off to see her brother
compete.  When she arrived at the site of the crossbow
events, Peter Patel was there.  He ushered Bellany to a
seat in the stands.  Bellany countered the glare of
Bianca Bristol with her best rendition of the Charles
Norwit grin.  She witnessed Charles narrowly outscore
Erol Fobs.  Both Charles and Erol did consistently
better than their opponents and solidly won the day.

Mister Patel invited Bellany, Lord Carnarvon and Erol
Fobs to lunch knowing that the boys would stay behind
until the end of the longbow event.  He told the
chaperones that he was taking Bellany to the luncheon
at his manor and that he would send the coach back for
his son Paul and several young men who would be
attending.  They were agreeable since this meant
Bellany would not be riding in a coach full of young
men.

Bellany took a moment to freshen up in her room and
then boarded the Patel coach in front of Vargrend's.
She sneezed as she entered the coach. Although he was
sitting across from her, Peter's lust was a powerful
tingle in her nose.  She grinned and nearly laughed as
she watched the middle-aged man's face gain color as
the coach moved out of the courtyard.  The way she
tugged and caressed on the poor man's lust did nothing
to improve his composure.  He was trembling by the time
they got past the constable's checkpoint at the
beginning of Emerald Lane.  Once they were past this
point he bolted to her seat and began kissing her
madly.  She giggled as she squeezed his rump and began
to kiss him affectionately.

Patel could not wait.  When she pulled his erection
from his breeches he eagerly pulled her dress up and
drove it into her wanton cleft, pumping and panting
like a winded stallion.  Bellany eagerly took what he
had to give, and after a brief moment where they had to
recompose themselves to rush through the manor to the
secret bedroom, she made love to him again.  She was
not sure how he was going to hide the stupid grin he
was wearing at lunch, but she hoped he would make an
effort.  For her part she put on her gracious yet
enigmatic smile.  She hoped Charles would not suspect,
or at least that he would keep it to himself if he did.

After lunch she returned to Vargrend's.  Bellany cast
Floating Feather and practiced maintaining it and
moving a bit of goose down while she transcribed pages
from her spellbook into the backup copy she was
preparing.  She planned to leave one copy with Baladus
in case the other was ever lost or destroyed.

When a fanfare sounded outside, Bellany knew the jousts
would soon start.  She put away her books and ran
outside.  She joined Peter Patel in the stands in time
to see Sir Steefl unhorse his opponent.  Lord Carnarvon
did the same shortly after she sat down.  It was
obvious that the opposing team was outmatched.  When
Steefl thundered down the lists to meet his second
opponent, the poor man's armor buckled badly and he
landed hard, bleeding profusely where some of his
sundered armor had lacerated his chest.  The leech had
him hauled off the field to his office.

From a seat near Bellany's, Charles pointed at the
injured man as he was hauled away.  "That is why I am
happy to be a crossbowman.  The jousters get plenty of
glory but every year there are injuries.  Broken limbs,
buckled armor and lance splinters through the eyes are
injuries commonly seen at the jousting event."

"Yes, you warned me about that this summer.  I am glad
that was not you or Abraham that they just hauled off
the field," Bellany said.

"I worry about Abe and Loyd every time they take a bad
fall.  Even the best jouster is not immune to injuries.
Skill helps but there is still more than a little luck
involved.  I have seen men break their necks or backs
when they fell wrong after being unhorsed.  The unlucky
ones live for a while.  They usually cannot move
anything below the break," Charles said.

Bellany grimaced.  "I hope nothing like that happens to
them.  Who are you bringing to the ball at Gransward's
tonight?" Bellany asked in order to change the subject.

"I will be taking Larissa Jordell, your date's sister.
That way I can keep an eye on mister naughty," Charles
said.

"He's more likely to be naughty with you than he is
with me," Bellany grinned.

"You are probably right, but you cannot be too careful.
He spends a lot of time around you.  I know he would
not be allowed to marry you, but I would not put it
past him to try to make you into a mistress," Charles
said.

"Mother would never go for that," Bellany said.

"Mom would have you locked in a convent faster than you
could say 'Praise the Vindicator.'" Charles said.

"I am sure." Bellany nodded.
-------

The ball at Gransward's was a masked costume ball on
account of Halloween.  In spite of the preponderance of
masks, somehow everyone still recognized her.  Her
dress did nothing to hide her figure even if she was
wearing a mask.  She could usually recognize people she
knew from their tones of voice or the look of their
bodies. If those methods failed she could usually
identify people she knew from the character of their
lust using her lust senses.  James Jordell was dressed
as a rather effete devil while Bellany was clad in
angelic white gossamer with winged shoes and wings upon
her back.  She was an angel, a messenger of the gods.
She was not sure when she was supposed to fall but she
guessed since her date was a devil, her fall was
implied.  Jordell was in high spirits.  Every time one
of the emerald ladies looked at Bellany with a mixture
of envy and scorn, he knew the dress he had created for
Bellany was another coup.  It seemed he could hardly
wait until he could begin dressing her in the colors of
winter. She was not sure what to make of Lord Jordell.
He loved to dress her up and she could feel his lust,
but he acted so convincingly as though it did not exist
that he almost fooled her.  There was no question that
he lusted for men, but he was more complex than he let
on.

The dinner at Gransward Manor was delicious and after
the last course people got up to mingle in the foyer,
to freshen up or to head for the dance floor. Bellany
made a beeline for the dance floor.  There were quite a
few men from the opposing tournament teams and not all
of the emerald ladies would dance with them because so
many of them were commoners.  Bellany was inundated
with requests when she was not dancing with Lord
Jordell.  Although she did not realize it, her skill on
the dance floor had improved because of the sheer
number of hours she had spent dancing during the ball
at the Jordells.  She told the men she could only dance
with one at a time but that she would be happy to dance
with each one of them by the end of the ball.  She
hardly took a break save to return to Lord Jordell so
that he would not think she was deliberately ignoring
him.  He, Brad and Charles seemed to be consuming
liberal quantities of alcohol, but as usual Bellany had
far too many secrets to drink as liberally as her
brother.

During one of her breaks checking on Charles and James,
Lady Gransward and Lady Daelrath came by.

"This is a marvelous ball Lady Gransward.  Thank you
for having me.  I know you would have preferred not to
allow me here, but I do appreciate being allowed to
come."

"Lord Jordell was right, when he said it would be
unmannerly not to invite you, Lady Norwit.  You are the
granddaughter of Lord Avengene, after all.  I am glad
you are enjoying the ball.  All the commoners seem to
want to dance with you."

"The peers frequently cheat the commoners of their
prize, if you have been watching, milady Gransward."
Bostwick said with satisfaction as he had recently
stolen Bellany for a dance.

"Yes, I suppose all of the men are swayed by Lord
Jordell's command of fashion."

"That is a magnificent dress, Lady Norwit," Daelrath
said.

"Thank you Lady Daelrath.  Jamie was the mastermind
behind its design," Bellany said.  "You look wonderful
as a Valkyrie, Lady Daelrath.  It is becoming of a
worshipper of Virtusar. "

"Thank you Lady Norwit," Bruhnhilda said.

"I know you ladies probably do not approve of Bellany
in white, but her fallen angel title gave me the
perfect excuse.  I will take credit for the lines of
the dress, but I have noticed that the men drool over
her even when she is wearing those horrid vindicator
fashions.  To put a woman with a body like Lady
Norwit's in such sacks is a crime against fashion and
nature.  I had this dress created to rebuff the lines
of her horrid vindicator garments and to tastefully
reveal just how heavenly her body really is.  That hack
Eleanor Norwit has designing her daughter's dresses
should be severely punished," Jamie said.

"You are having fun designing for Lady Norwit, aren't
you Lord Jordell," Glenda Gransward asked.

"Oh I am.  I enjoy watching the men salivate.  It is
such fun even when I am not the object of their
desires," Jordell said.

"Has anyone shown you to the freshening up room, Lady
Norwit?" Daelrath asked.

"No, I haven't any idea where it is.  I have been
practically imprisoned on the dance floor."

"Your endurance is positively unsettling," Gransward
said.

"Let me show you where it is.  Lady Gransward and I
have noticed that you have been dancing for going on
three hours now with hardly a break," Daelrath said.

"Thank you Lady Daelrath," Bellany said.

Bellany followed Bruhnhilda Daelrath through Gransward
Manor.  Bellany was tempted to tell Bruhnhilda who she
really was but it was much too dangerous.  It was a
shame that the one person Bellany actually knew at
Vargrend's could not know her true identity.

"Right through there," Daelrath said.

Bellany entered a suite only to hear the door being
locked behind her.  She was about to spin and check the
door when she saw two young men emerging from a closet
across the room.  One bore a passable resemblance to
the man in rags, while the other looked like a masked
scarecrow.  Their presence had to be part of a trap set
up by Bianca Bristol and if Daelrath had pushed Bellany
into it then that meant that Daelrath was allied with
Bristol.  She knew Thane would be happy, but Bellany's
small smile faded as the young men advanced.

Either the men were going to do bodily harm to her or
they were just here for her to get caught with when the
chaperones came looking for her.  If the young men
insisted that she had lured them into the room then she
was a loose woman and the chaperones would stick to her
like glue for the rest of the year.  If the young men
actually raped her they would get in big trouble.  In
either case her name would be blackened and Bristol
would have more ammunition to fuel the scorn of the
other young women.  Bellany needed to get out of here
before the chaperones missed her.  She raced across the
room to the windows but found that there was a
decorative wrought iron grille over them just as there
was over her windows at Vargrend's.  The men were
rapidly closing on her.

Bellany turned, smiled and sharply kicked the window
behind her, shattering the glass.  The young men
hesitated for just an instant because of the sound of
breaking glass as they went to grab her.  That was all
she needed.  She jumped to the side, pulling the mask
down and scratching the face of the scarecrow as she
did so.  She had never really been the kind of woman
who scratched, but it was a means of marking the man.

The man costumed as a ghoul caught up with her, grabbed
her from behind and pushed her towards the bed.  She
managed to grab the bed canopy and pull as he pushed
her down.  The ripping sound was very satisfying.  A
few seconds later, He turned her so that she was pinned
to the bed on her back but in the process she unmasked
him.

"Damn you're a hellion!" The man who had caught her
said.

Bellany thought about trying to seduce the young men
but there was not time; besides their lust was
strangely curbed as if they were afraid to actually bed
her.  No doubt Bianca had filled their heads with lies.
In spite of not making an effort at seduction, she
could feel the hardness against her loins as the young
man on top of her drank in her scent.

"Bianca and Glenda are just using you.  They chose
handsome young men, but they must have known I would
fight.  Isn't it obvious they don't really care what
sort of punishment their tools wind up enduring?"
Bellany asked.

"All we have to do is keep you here until the
chaperones arrive and claim you lured us into the
room," the man pinning her said.  He kissed her roughly
and wiped her lips against his cheek to make it appear
as if they had been kissing at length.

"The window is broken, the canopy ripped and his face
is scratched.  If the chaperones come in you will be
charged with raping the daughter of a peer. Are you
forgetting that Constable Herrington is from Avengene?"

The young man who was pinning her grimaced.  He tried
to pin both of her hands above her head with one hand
so that he could cover her mouth with the other but she
was simply too strong for him to manage the feat.

"This is Bristol and you are an Avengene.  A slap on
the wrist is all we are in for even if they decide you
were raped," said the scratched man who was now
standing next to the bed where his friend had pinned
her.

"If they spring you from jail with but a slap on the
wrist then you will face Abraham Steefl and Charles
Norwit with the backing of all of the emerald boys who
will be miffed that you've taken The Fallen Angel out
of circulation by making the chaperones stick to her
like glue."

"...We're not afraid of them," the man pinning Bellany
said but she could tell he was starting to regret doing
Bianca Bristol's bidding.

"You are attacking the date of Lord Jordell.  I am
under his protection.  If you do not get us out of this
room immediately so that we can pretend nothing has
happened you can look forward to having your families
ruined for the insult.  You will be reduced to begging
for coppers in the gutter before the end of the year."


The young man who had been pinning her suddenly stood
bolt upright and reeled as if stunned.  "She's right."

"Shit!" The other young man said.  "Are you sure,
Heath?"

"Slighting the Jordells is not done.  All it would take
is a word or two from them to the right people and the
businesses of our families would be finished." Bellany
stood up.  "I am not sure why Bianca hates me so much,
but there is no sense in you men becoming pariahs at
the Bristol Academy, let alone being stripped of your
fortunes just to give her another thing to insult me
about."

The men hustled her to the door.  One of them fumbled
in his pocket and brought out a key.

"Bianca said you were a diseased whore and that we
would be doing the other men a favor," The man who had
pinned her said.

"She says anything she can to turn people against me.
Obviously she needed a little truth to bolster her lies
and that was why she requisitioned your aid even though
it would have ruined you.  You needn't worry about the
other men.  I am barren but that is something the orcs
revealed rather than caused.  Otherwise I am perfectly
healthy.  Bianca is a spoiled child that needs to grow
up and see that people have value independent of their
usefulness to her."

The young men nodded dumbly.  A flash of realization
and disappointment crossed the face of the young man
who had pinned her as he realized she might not be
diseased after all.

The other man spoke, "I am going to slip out the side
door.  I do not want to have to explain the scratches
my mask does not entirely cover," The young man with
the key said.

Bellany nodded.  "I am sorry about the scratches even
if you did earn them.  I need to find the real room for
freshening up and this man needs to get that lip tint
off his face."

"The room the ladies are using is that way. I am going
to get going too."

After trotting down the hall, Bellany saw a woman
coming out of the appropriate room.  Bellany did not
really need makeup.  She fixed dark circles under her
eyes and imperfections in her complexion by healing
them with life force gleaned from others but for these
formal occasions Jamie had insisted that she should use
some color.  After she fixed her makeup she rushed back
to the dance.

"Why Lady Norwit, you have decided to return to us,"
James Jordell said.

"We need to dance," Bellany said.

"We do?" Jordell asked as Bellany pulled him out on the
dance floor where she whispered in his ear as they
danced.  "Sorry for being gone so long.  Daelrath took
me to a false freshening up room, sent me in and locked
the door behind me.  There were two men inside."

"Gracious, I see Bristol has her allies doing her
bidding and has not changed her tune.  Did they..."

"I realized it was a trap, scratched one of the men's
faces, kicked the window out and tore the bed canopy
before one of them pinned me on the bed."

Jordell pulled Bellany closer.  "Ooo, you tigress!  Did
you beat them senseless?"

"No, I am not sure I would have won and even if I had I
am sure they would have compromised my appearance had
we had a bad fight.  I did not want anyone to know
about the incident or Bianca would have won so I
threatened them.  Having wrecked the room, my first
threat was that they would surely be charged with
rape."

"Yes, signs of struggle do lead do make it rather
obvious.  Did they let you go?" Jamie asked.

"Not right away.  They figured that since this was
Bristol and I am an Avengene that they would only get a
slap on the wrist.  That's when I told them they would
be facing Abraham and Charles."

"Hah, Abraham alone could take down most any two men at
the academy.  Your brother is not nearly the bruiser
that Abraham is but he is so handsome and charming."
Jamie feigned a swoon.

Bellany turned and curtsied as the dance continued and
then returned to Jamie's arms.

"Yes, but even Abraham only made them hesitate.  I was
getting a little desperate at that point.  Then I told
them that since I was your date I was under the
protection of the Jordells and unless they wanted their
families lowered to begging for coppers from the gutter
for the insult they had better let me go immediately."

"That was a bit licentious of you, but certainly
justified under the circumstances. What did they do
then?"

Bellany smiled.  "The one pinning me stood bolt upright
as if struck by lightning and they let me go."

Jordell squealed so loudly that half of the people on
the dance floor looked at him.  He covered his mouth
and then gaily waved their gazes away.  "Who were the
men Bianca selected for her little ploy?"

"I was able to unmask both of them so that I could
recognize them but they both said they were leaving the
ball when we left.  I think I have seen them before at
tournaments, but we were never formally introduced.
One was dressed as a scarecrow and the other as a
ghoul.  The scratched one called the unmarked one
Heath.  I remember because the scratched young man said
the name while reeling from the Jordell threat just
after the one who had pinned me stood up," Bellany
said.

"Ghouls are frightfully popular at this ball but I am
sure my friends and I can find out who Bianca used as
her tools.  I would not be surprised if they were some
of George Gransward's friends.  He makes no attempt to
hide his distaste for you," Jordell said.

"I am just glad the guys came to their senses.  I am
sorry I dropped your name." Bellany blushed.

"That's no matter.  What you said to them was
essentially true.  You are my date.  I would have been
offended had they contrived an event that would have
made the chaperones cover you more copiously than
vindicator fashion and those young men would surely
have been ruined if they had hurt you.  Your power with
men enhances my social life.  Obviously Bristol wants
to neutralize it and that is why she contrived this
little scene.  It is fortunate that you are such a
tigress, otherwise Bristol might have ruined my fun."
Jamie's face took on a mock pouting expression.

Bellany smiled. "I was not about to let her ruin my
chances at naughtiness without a fight."

Jordell smiled.  "You remind me of Daelrath, you are
such a war lady.  It is a shame that she has joined
Bianca's team.  You might have had a lot in common."

"After the priest of the vindicator raped her, I am
glad she has fallen in with Bristol.  It would have
been so pitiful if she and her father had continued in
his alliance with Avengene."

"Oooo, you say that as if you are glad she left the
fold," Jordell said.

"I am just glad she stuck up for herself.  You know I
am not exactly the model vindicator girl.  I play the
part as much as I have to in order to avoid the dire
consequences of being myself."

"Oh you poor dear you cannot be yourself," Jamie
crooned.

Bellany giggled, "I expect no pity from the prince of
social actors whose true face is at all times hidden."

"And you shall receive none.  Now, shush, you mustn't
reveal my game." Jordell smiled impishly.  "I am amazed
you are so cool after that little incident."

"I have endured far worse," Bellany said.

Jordell put his hand over his mouth.  "Yes of course,
please excuse me."

"You are excused, even though you knew exactly what you
were up to with that remark.  You test my temper as you
would test the temper of one of your rapiers," Bellany
said.

Jordell completed spinning Bellany for the dance and
pulled her back to him to continue.  "A good swordsman
must always know the quality of his blades," Jamie
said.

Bellany nodded.  "I would expect no less from a master
swordsman.  You know what is really scary is that
before the orcs, the act was not an act.  I really
believed I was the model vindicator girl.  I swallowed
it all without a clue." Bellany rolled her eyes.

Jordell smiled.  "Becoming such a besmirched woman of
the world has given you more character than all of the
colorful fluff around us.  That is such a delicious
irony."

"Thank you Jamie.  If I paid too much attention to the
faces of the women I would get the impression that my
character was that of rotting garbage." Bellany agreed.

"Nonsense, that perfume smells even more magnificent on
you now than it did when we arrived.  I hope you do not
mind that I picked it out for you," Jamie said.

"Not at all, I smelled the other choices and this one
goes much better with my natural scent.  I trust your
taste.  I know some women would be incensed thinking
that you were dressing them like the latest doll in
your doll house but Mother never taught me about
fashion beyond the trends set by the Avengene Ladies.
Now that the vindicator girl role is just a role I am
happy to have a friend who enjoys sharing his knowledge
of fashion.  The other ladies are not exactly eager to
spend time with me."

"Their loss is my gain," Jordell smiled.

Bellany smiled.  "If they did accept me, I suppose I
would be obliged to put away my rapier and act
'ladylike.'"  Bellany wrinkled her nose.

Jamie squealed.  "You act perfectly ladylike at formal
occasions.  I have not once caught you with your elbows
on the table."

"Well yes, I mind my manners for formal occasions, but
I would resent giving up things that they would
consider too masculine just to fit in.  I would never
fit in after the orcs anyway.  I think you and
Leafwhisper are far more interesting than endless talk
about faith, virtue and marriage."

"Don't look where I am not looking.  Bristol and
Gransward are looking at us as they speak," Jamie said

Bellany peeked and caught Gransward's look of
consternation and Bristol's look of intense scorn from
across the dance floor.  She smiled back at them with
her best Charles Norwit grin.

When his back was to Bristol Jamie spoke. "Several of
the young men will be going on a horseback ride
tomorrow after church.  Would you enjoy going?"

"Yes, I would love to.  I miss being outdoors," Bellany
said.

"I will have my sister invite you over to view the fall
colors," Jamie said.
-------

Reverend Leeland's sermon on the righteous wrath of the
vindicator was only made bearable because Bellany knew
she would be going on a horseback ride after Leeland
finished twisting the minds of his flock.  She wished
she could practice her telekinesis at church, but she
did not in case there was any chance that reverend
Leland was able to use clerical magic and thereby
detect the operation of any spell she might cast.  Even
if she had allowed herself to cast in church she
probably could not have done so because she had
expended all of her power skulking around the stables
draining stallions just before church.  There would be
no time for drain spells after church today with the
riding she had scheduled.

After the service she dutifully thanked the reverend
and bid Abraham, Charles and Mary adieu.  She was to
board the Jordell carriage in order to seem to be going
to view the fall colors with Bernadine Belgado and
Larissa Jordell.  When she came out into the courtyard
she saw the Jordell coach was waiting for her.
Coachman Stevens smiled at her and opened the door.
Sunlight glinted off her flame red hair just as it
danced across the scarlet leaves of autumn.  It had
warmed up to be what was probably one of the last mild
days of the season.

"Thank you Coachman Stevens." Bellany smiled.

"It is my pleasure, Milady Norwit," Stevens replied
smiling brightly.

"Hello Lady Jordell, Lady Belgado," Bellany said as
Stevens closed the door behind her.

"Hello Bellany," Bernadine said.

"Hi Bernadine, oh I guess I was stuck in formal mode
due to church."  Bellany feigned a yawn but then
smiled.

"The coachman seems to like you." Belgado said.

"I am very grateful to Coachman Stevens.  He takes me
to and from Jordell manor nearly every day.  I know he
is just doing his job but he is a very nice man,"
Bellany said.

Bernadine nodded.

"Are you sure you want to go riding with the men?"
Larissa Jordell asked.

"Yes of course.  I spent the entire summer on the back
of my father's Andalusian stallion. I miss riding.  I
brought my black riding dress."

"I don't really enjoy riding," Larissa Jordell said.
"Side saddles are so jarring."

"Side saddles are silly.  No one on a sidesaddle
escapes an orc on a decent horse unless the orc also
rides sidesaddle," Bellany smiled.

"You ride astride?" Larissa asked.

Bellany nodded.  "I am sure Daelrath does as well.  It
is a war lady tradition. Formerly daddy would not let
me, but he now realizes that it is far more important
to escape an orc or troll with your life than it is to
worry about the appearance of chastity."

"I suppose you have no worries about riding disturbing
your maidenhead," Larissa said.

"No maidenhead, no worries.  Good riddance," Bellany
said.

"Bellany!  You are so scandalous.  I would never be
allowed to ride astride.  Is it fun?" Larissa Jordell
asked.

Bellany smirked.  "It is quite fun if you sit right,
but the far forward seat is a little too obvious for
use in mixed company."

Larissa Jordell covered her mouth.  "I would be so dead
if anyone caught me riding astride like that."

"The whole idea is not to get caught," Bellany smiled.

"You are so bad," Larissa said.

"It is part of my Fallen Angel role.  I have to take
advantage of the title while I have it," Bellany said.

"I would surely loose my maidenhead and my family would
be scandalized.  I dare not disturb it," Larissa said.

"There is a lot even a maiden can do without disturbing
her badge of eligibility for marriage.  Don't you
think, Bernadine?"

"There is?  I mean there is," Bernadine said with a bit
of confusion.

Bellany cocked her head.  "You can technically remain a
virgin and have fun with a girlfriend.  Haven't you..."
Bellany trailed off.

Bernadine shrugged and blushed.

"We don't have to talk about it.  I should not have
assumed that you had experience with women," Bellany
said.

"Do you?" Bernadine asked.

Bellany smiled knowingly.

"But during our conversation at the ratings ball you
said that you were as innocent as your finery where
women were concerned," Bernadine said.

"I was, but time passes and I attend an all girls'
school.  Please keep my carnal knowledge of women to
yourselves.  I don't want anyone getting in trouble
because you suspect she may have fallen into The Fallen
Angel's bed whether she actually did or not."

Bernadine nodded.  "Of course, what was it like?"

"I enjoyed it.  Since I am not a maiden, I have less
guilt and worry concerning such pleasures.  It is a
small recompense for being anathema to most of my
schoolmates." Bellany smiled.

"What did you do?" Bernadine asked.

"What didn't I do might be a better question," Bellany
smiled.

"What didn't you do?" Bernadine asked.

"I did not disturb her maidenhead for the same reason
as you and Larissa preserve yours.  She had no such
strictures placed on her where I was concerned so I had
a very pleasant time indeed."  Bellany stifled a sneeze
as she felt the lust of both Larissa and Bernadine
tickle her nose.  "If you two would like to invite me
over sometime, we could delve into this topic in more
depth, but perhaps you already know everything I do and
are just being modest."  Bellany smiled.

The girls rode for a moment in silence. The carriage
made its way past the guard checkpoint and began to
move down Emerald Lane.

"Oh gods I can't believe you out and said what you just
said." Bernadine marvelled.

"Jamie just loves that Bellany is such a tigress. He
says all the other young women at Vargrend's are balls
of fluff by comparison," Larissa said.

"He should talk," Bernadine said.

All three women laughed.

"One of the boys will be waiting for you in the Jordell
carriage house to spirit you into the woods so that the
constable's men do not see.  If you are going to change
you will have to do it in the coach," Larissa said
drawing the shades on her side.  Bernadine did likewise
on the other side of the coach.  Thankfully the Jordell
coach was quite large.

"Oh okay.  I am so happy Jamie got me some silk
underthings otherwise I would be so embarrassed.
Mother only lets me wear cotton and linen.  She says I
have no husband to show off for so I have no need of
silk."

Bellany began to undress.  Bernadine steadied her and
watched raptly.

"Cotton and linen?" Larissa asked.  "I would feel too
much like a commoner wearing that sort of thing."

"Yes, this black silk bustier is so much nicer than
what mother makes me wear," Bellany said.

"You look delicious in it." Bernadine slurped.
"You can tell she is an athlete, you really don't even
need the support, do you?" Larissa asked.

"Well, yes and no.  I need plenty of support for riding
because in the long run all the jostling would take its
toll, but my breasts stand up quite nicely on their
own."

"I look my best with support but Larissa can get away
without it," Bernadine said.

"Yes but my figure is not as generous as yours,
Bernadine," Larissa said.

"Maybe not but Bellany's is nearly so and she is so
firm," Belgado said.
"She is lucky, and she gets more exercise than both of
us combined.  Just look at her rump, I am so jealous,"
Larissa said.

Bellany squealed as Belgado swatted her rump.  Her skin
was flushed and her panties would soon be wet if the
girls kept up their scrutiny of her.  She quickly got
into her black riding dress and sat down.

"Sorry ladies the show is over... for now." Bellany
smiled.

"Aww, but it was just starting to get fun." Belgado
said.  "I hope this ride with the boys lasts a long
time and we are obliged to invite Bellany for a
sleepover."

"We mustn't.  She would surely corrupt us." Larissa
smiled. She continued in a whisper, "We have run out of
time to talk about it.  I am going to send Stevens on
an errand to get some lunch from the kitchen.
Carnarvon will be waiting inside the carriage house
with a horse for you.  You can get horsed and ride away
before the coachman returns." Larissa whispered.

The coach stopped and before Stevens could open the
door, Larissa poked her head out the window and spoke
up.  "We have decided we will not be stopping for lunch
after all, Stevens, but we would like you to pick up a
picnic for us in the kitchen," Larissa said.

"Yes milady," Stevens said.

Once Stevens was safely in Jordell Manor, Bernadine
smiled.  "Let me show you the carriage house, Bellany,
it is lovely," Belgado said as she pulled Bellany out
of the carriage and through the carriage house door.

Lord Carnarvon was within mounted on a dapple-gray
stallion.  He had a large black gelding all saddled and
ready to go. He nodded silently to Bellany and then to
the gelding.  Bellany mounted up and the two of them
rode out a back door.  Loyd Carnarvon set a brisk pace
across the yard behind the carriage house and through
the forest.  Bellany enjoyed the wind in her hair and
the muscles of the horse working beneath her.  It
reminded her of the warm days of summer.  She could see
that Carnarvon was circling back towards the road
through the woods that surrounded the yard around
Jordell Manor.

As they neared the road he stopped and motioned Bellany
to a halt.  "We must cross Emerald Lane here.  I will
check for patrols.  Wait here."  Bellany busied herself
situating her dress on the gelding's back.  After a
moment Carnarvon motioned her forward and they galloped
across the lane and into the forest beyond.  They rode
down a winding path through the forest for a time,
crossed a meadow and then stopped in a small clearing.

"The other guys should be along in a while.  We made
good time.  I was worried you might not be able to keep
up but I can see Charles' estimation of your riding
skills was as accurate as his estimation of your skill
with a rapier," Carnarvon said.  He dismounted and
spread a blanket on the ground.

Bellany dismounted and tethered her horse to a nearby
tree. "Charles has been known to stretch the truth
owing to his enthusiasm but stretching the truth about
me would sound too much like a tall tale," Bellany
said.  "It felt good to be back in the saddle.  I rode
most of the way here from Norwit but they don't let
Vargrend's girls ride."

"James said you really missed your stallion," Carnarvon
said.

"Yes, I have a soft spot for stallions." Bellany smiled
and sat down on the blanket.

"I feel bad about not inviting Charles, but everyone
agreed that if it had to be one or the other it would
have to be you. Charles would just have to practice his
archery today while the rest of us have our Sunday
afternoon off."

Bellany nodded.  "It is best this way.  Charles and I
try not to put ourselves in positions where we have to
observe one another's naughty behavior.  That way our
parents cannot drag information about one of us out of
the other."

Carnarvon nodded.

"Besides, Charles has already been on several rides and
this is my first.  It is my turn to have some fun."
Bellany smiled.

"Just how much fun do you want to have?" Carnarvon
asked.

"After being locked in Vargrend's for the past two
months, the sky is the limit," Bellany said.  "Just
think of me as one of the guys, only more like Jamie."

Carnarvon smiled.  "James is quite the slut it seems."

"Yes, he obvious likes to play with men, yet does he
ever tell the other men about his dalliances?" Bellany
asked.

"No, not as far as I have heard.  There are rumors but
James never tells tales.  He might make a leading
comment or two, but he makes them about all the guys so
it is impossible to tell."

Bellany nodded.  "He just likes to have a little fun.
I don't think he wants to get anyone in trouble about
it, including himself."

"He cannot marry a man or have children.  Neither can
I," Bellany said.

"But you are a lady," Carnarvon said.

"By pedigree, yes but I live in exile from my kind.
Virtue is a funny thing.  Others can take it from you
against your will and once you lose it, it is gone
forever.  I can no more marry a nobleman than Jamie can
but it is you noblemen I choose to spend my time with
rather than fawning over gentlemen whose parents might
overlook my lack of virtue because of my pedigree.  I
am sure your mother has warned you about women like me
and she was right.  It is just as dangerous for a
nobleman to become emotionally involved with me as it
is for a man to become emotionally involved with
Jamie."

"You don't want a husband?" Carnarvon asked.

"No.  I have already been a slave and being a wife is a
little too close to slavery for comfort.  Children
confuse the issue, but I cannot have children so my
slavery would be that much more obvious.  Mother
expected I would have trouble with sex after the orcs,
but she was wrong.  Sex is a force of nature. It is
slavery that frightens me."  Bellany shook her head.
"I am sorry for being so grave.  Being locked up in
Vargrend's is trying for me.  Nevertheless, I don't
want to hurt anyone, but I know I easily could."

"It is good of you to warn me, I am not sure what to
make of you, Fallen Angel."

"You worship Virtusar, do you not?" Bellany asked.

"Of course, all true warriors worship Virtusar,"
Carnarvon said.

"Then think of me as a concubine of Virtusar."

"But if you were a concubine of Virtusar, you would be
so wanton and tireless that it would take a god or a
hoard of heroes to satisfy you." Carnarvon said.

Bellany smiled sweetly but beneath her smile she
tingled every molecule of the noblemnan's lust.

Carnarvon gasped, and then grabbed her and began
kissing her.

Bellany embraced him and returned his kisses.

Between kisses, they spoke as they took breaths of air.
"I have a confession to make..." Carnarvon whispered.

"You do?" Bellany asked.

"...I am pretty sure the guys won't be here for a
while..." Carnarvon said.

"You are? ... Why?" Bellany asked.

"I think I gave them the wrong time..." Carnarvon said.

"...You think you did?"

"...Well I am sure of it now, otherwise they would
already be here," Carnarvon said.

"How long have we got?" Bellany asked.

"...A half hour, maybe forty-five minutes," Carnarvon
said.

"We had better hurry then," Bellany said as she undid
Carnarvon's belt.

Carnarvon looked surprised for a second and then
grinned like a pirate as he began to unbutton Bellany's
dress.  Soon he was kissing her nipples and caressing
her naked body.  She got his breeches down, grabbed his
erection and guided him in. He thrust madly until she
wrapped her legs around his waist and bucked him into a
powerful rhythm.  He thrust for several minutes and
then gasped and spent copiously.  Waves of orgasm
flooded his mind as if a dam had broken open above him.
When it was over, Carnarvon rolled over so that Bellany
was on top and panted for breath.  He had never come so
hard in his life.  He felt positively drugged with the
afterglow of lust.

"Gods Bellany, thinking of you as concubine of Virtusar
is going to be a lot easier than I thought," Carnarvon
panted.

Bellany smiled and deliberately squeezed his
diminishing erection within her as she tugged at his
lust.

He reached up and grabbed her around the waist.  She
leaned forward as he ground his loins into hers.  She
could feel his erection reviving after just a couple
minutes and began to ride him wantonly.  When she came
she touched his mind underscoring the conclusion he had
already reached.  The Fallen Angel really was like a
concubine of Virtusar.  Then he spent again.  This time
his whole body shook as orgasm pummeled his brain to
new heights of ecstasy.  When it was over he went limp
and groaned.

"Oooooooo gods Bellany!"

Bellany smiled greedily and looked into Carnarvon's
eyes.  "I am really enjoying this."

"If someone got raped, I am testifying it was Loyd,"
James Jordell's gay voice chortled from the path that
led into the little clearing. He was mounted on a very
expensive looking white stallion.

"Damn it James how long have you been here," Carnarvon
groaned.

"Actually I just arrived.  Had you not moaned like a
wounded bear I would have stayed in the meadow where we
were all going to meet.  It appears you took Bellany
further into the woods than you really needed to, but I
can see why."

"I am so sorry, James.  I know you are not into women,
but I had hoped to be a little more discreet about
borrowing Belle," Carnarvon said.

"Oh never you mind.  I," Jordell stopped in mid
sentence as Bellany looked at him.  "Oh gods, lady
lust!  Loyd, keep her away from me.  You've just got
her started.  She wants more!"

Bellany put her hand over her mouth.  "Oops, sorry
Jamie."

"You hussy!" Jamie squealed accusingly.

Bellany giggled.  "Unless you would like to join us,
Jamie, why don't you go back to the meadow and we will
be with you in a few minutes."

Jamie looked at Carnarvon.  "Believe me I am tempted
but the other men will be along shortly.  Bellany you
really ought to blush.  Heavens Loyd is more modest
than you are."

"Of course he is; you aren't staring at me." Bellany
laughed.

"Well you do have a point there."  Jamie winked at
Carnarvon, waved and sauntered back down the path
towards the meadow.

Carnarvon looked at Bellany. The kind of unreasoning
lust she had engendered in Rames during their first
tryst together was evident in his eyes.

"I would like to continue where we left off, but we
can't unless you want to perform before an audience,"
Bellany said.

Her words fell on deaf ears.  Carnarvon's erection was
already coming back.  He grabbed her torso beside her
breasts and teased them with his thumbs as he began to
thrust powerfully.  But for a small tug at the start of
his third orgasm, Bellany let him come naturally,
hoping that he would be able to compose himself.  Just
in case he could not, she kissed him and hopped off
abruptly and then began dressing.  "Hurry, the other
men are probably already here. "

With an act of will, Carnarvon snapped out of the lust
clouding his mind.  "You're right.  We had better get
dressed."

By the time Bellany and Carnarvon made it to the
meadow, Lawrence Eagan had joined James Jordell there.
A few moments later Vernon Saint Varlans and Brad
Bostwick trotted up on their mounts.

"This was a clever way to meet for a ride.  Have you
got a plan for returning me?" Bellany asked.

"Of course," James Jordell said.  "The girls will be
covering for you and you will rejoin them later when we
spot the coach and stop for a chat."
-------
Bellany looked into the crackling flames of the fire
and reviewed her day as she paused in her story for
dramatic effect.  The day had gone by so quickly.  The
ride had been wonderful and being with a group of men
was such a treat after having been locked in the
Vargrend Academy for Girls for so many weeks.  The men
had been impressed with her skills in the saddle and
had made a contest of spotting a tree with leaves as
red as her hair.  Contrary to what she might have
expected from a normal man, Jamie smiled at her often
as if he were happy to see that she was as naughty as
he was.  When she returned to Jordell manor, she
rejoined Larissa and Bernadine for a game of croquette.
They had then attended dinner and afterwards the young
lords had built a fire and invited the ladies to attend
if they dared hear a few ghost stories.  After the
first few stories, Bellany had been cajoled into
telling a story of her own.

Bellany stood and continued her tale "...and to this
day whenever the leaves of autumn fall from the hanging
tree to congest and congeal in Brigin's brook, they
claim a swimmer.  His bloated body incubates beneath
the waters of Emerald lake.  With the worst of winter's
blizzards he rises and breaks through the ice.  The
winter wight is reborn to stab and slay and drink the
blood of the living! "  Bellany turned away from the
audience, crept a few more steps, clandestinely cast
her chill of fear spell and placed her hands on
Bernadine Belgado's shoulders from behind.

"Aaaaaaaaah!" Belgado screamed.

Belgado held her chest while Larissa and the young men
laughed wildly.

Bellany whispered "Thank you Bernadine," into Belgado's
ear before the din of laughter ceased and then reseated
herself.

"You've got quite a talent for the macabre, Bellany.
That was really scary.  Would anyone like to join me
for a walk along the Shore of Emerald Lake?" Brad
Bostwick asked.

"Heavens no!" James Jordell said.

Bellany got up and took Bostwick's hand.  "If we
haven't returned within the hour, send out a search
party." Bellany winked.

The waters of Emerald Lake lapped against the shore
propelled by a persistent yet mild wind.  Like most of
the estates, the edge of the back yard of Jordell manor
was a beach.  There was a boathouse and docks directly
behind the house.

Brad Bostwick pointed up at the gibbous moon.
"Beautiful, isn't it?  It will be full soon."

"Yes, look at the moonlight dance on the misty waters."
Suddenly Bellany was transported into her past.  It was
dusk and she had just completed what weeding she could
in the garden.  She stood looking out over the lake
from the cliff top when Rames came up from the abode on
Graveston Isle.  Rames watched the sun set with her and
then spread a blanket on the earth next to the row of
green beans and opened a book.  "Have you seen this
fertility ritual in the reading Thane assigned for
tomorrow's magic lesson?"

Rapina smiled.  "Of course, I read everything I can
find about sex magic.  I had seen that passage before
but read it again for tomorrow."

"Want to try it?"

When Bellany came back to her senses she was in
Bostwick's arms.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"Yes, just a memory fragment coming to port."  Bellany
tilted her head back and received a kiss.  She turned
and embraced Lord Bostwick, continuing to kiss him and
caress his lust with her power.  He pulled her towards
the docks and they got into a large rowboat.  Mist rose
from the lake into the cooler night air. Bostwick rowed
out into the lake and then pulled the oars up and came
to her seat.  They began kissing again.  Before long
she began to caress his rump through his breaches and
this prompted him to begin unbuttoning her dress.
After unlacing her bustier he kissed her throat and
then her nipples.  Before long they were naked with
Bellany laying on the largest of the bench seats in the
boat, her arms up grasping the gunwale as Bostwick
eagerly thrust into her wanton depths.  After a
profound orgasm, Bostwick collapsed atop her and kissed
her again.

"You were incredible," Bostwick said.

"I still am." Bellany giggled as she gave Bostwick a
squeeze inside her.

"You are insatiable." Bostwick smiled.

"Yes, but most men don't hold that against me."

"Damn, I wish you were not James' lady." Bostwick said.

"It is really a lucky thing that I am," Bellany said.

"It is?" Bostwick asked.

"It is.  Jamie does not mind that I have no resistance
to handsome men because he has no resistance to
handsome men either.  Were I another man's lady I would
have to attempt to be faithful.  I am pretty sure I
would not succeed for long and would soon be in big
trouble."  Bellany smiled.

"So you are a wanton thing?" Bostwick asked as he
tweaked her chin.

"You couldn't tell?" Bellany asked.

"Gods I could tell!" Bostwick said.

"Having been locked up in Vargrend's has not helped.
It is nice to be out of there for a while.  If it were
not for the education I am getting, I would just leave.
It is not like I am getting to know all of the ladies
of the realm.  They hate be because I am not a maiden."

"They have no idea.  If they knew how hot you are they
would probably find some way to make you go to a
different school," Bostwick said.

"I don't know what they are worried about.  No noble
family is going to let their son marry someone who was
captured by orcs and who did not have a child in spite
of it."

"Yes, but they must realize that any man you are with
is going to wind up comparing his wife to you after he
gets married.  They will be hard pressed not to come
out a distant second," Bostwick said, squeezing her
rump.

Bellany smiled and then propped herself up on her
elbows as she heard a whistle from shore.

"Oh goodness the mists obscure us.  They must think we
got lost."

"That would not be difficult.  We had better get
dressed and get back."

"On our way!" Bellany squealed, as she got dressed.

Before long she was back on shore and the girls
spirited her away for bed.
-------

Bellany relaxed in the scented bath of the princess
suite.  She smiled across the large, round bathtub at
Bernadine Belgado and Larissa Jordell as she stretched
a leg up out of the bath and wiggled her toes at the
ceiling.  Bellany was trying not to let on that
Lawrence Eagan and Vernon Saint Varlans were watching
from behind the secret grille but she was actually
waving at them with her toes.  No doubt Jamie was with
them but she could not feel his lust directed towards
any of the women thus she guessed he was not looking
out through the grill at the women as the other men
were.

"You have the legs of a dancer but I thought you quit
ballet," Belgado said.

"I did but I am doing swordsmanship here with Jamie's
teacher instead.  There is a lot of legwork involved,"
Bellany said.

"How could you take an interest in swordsmanship?  That
is so tomboy," Larissa said.

"I live on the frontier.  Swordsmanship is a very
practical skill for one who could be abducted by orcs
at any moment.  Besides I am so tomboy." Bellany
giggled.

"You are too beautiful to be a boy.  What were you
doing with Bradley Bostwick on the boat?" Belgado
asked.

Bellany smiled.  "Being naughty of course," Bellany
said.

"Aren't you supposed to be James' lady?" Larissa asked.

"Yes but Jamie likes men as much as I do.  I am sure
that is not news to you, Larissa," Bellany said.

"Not at all, our parents are infuriated by it.  They
are so adamant that he find a woman and get married.
Daddy got married late and has no grandchildren, or
insurance heirs.  I thought James was going to marry
you, Bernadine," Larissa said.

"I thought perhaps he would ask me just as a matter of
convenience, but you never know what is going through
James' mind other than how to have more fun.  My
pedigree is not the best though.  My father is the
Mayor of Rosehaven but he is not a nobleman.  You would
be a better choice, Bellany, had you not been
besmirched by orcs."

"But I am just the daughter of a warlord," Bellany
said.

"You are also a granddaughter of Avengene and that
means you are practically a Hartmour," Belgado said.

"And a Brickner," added Larissa.

"I am?" Bellany asked.

"Yes, a Brickner daughter helped found the Avengene
line.  She was married to the second son of one of the
barons of Hartmour.  It was not your usual warlord
takes an impoverished noblewoman as a bride story.  It
was more the case of a gifted second son who carved out
his own barony," Larissa said.

"Then Avengene is so much more powerful and populated
than Daelrath because the Baron had money and support
from noble parents.  I should have known that but my
memory from before the orc shaman's spell is so
worthlessly muddled," Bellany said.

"Daelrath is a more recent development.  Avengene has
been a barony for several generations," Larissa said.

"We should wash up.  We have school tomorrow," Belgado
said.

"I'll wash you if you'll wash me, Bernadine." Bellany
said.

"I can't pass that offer up." Bernadine winked at
Bellany.

"Gods you two, Bernadine didn't I tell you she would
corrupt us? "

"Speak for yourself, I'm being cleaned not corrupted."
Bernadine smiled.

Bellany could feel the young mens' lust building as she
washed Barnadine's breasts.  Belgado was nearly as tall
and broader than Bellany.  She had very wide hips and
was quite soft and busty.  She had black hair, almond-
shaped eyes and light olive skin.  Larissa Jordell had
a fairer complexion and was not as busty but she was
thinner and slightly shorter than Belgado.

Bellany spent more time washing Bernadine's breasts,
rump and thighs than she spent on her back because she
enjoyed the feeling of the men's lust tickling up her
spine.  Bellany knew Jamie must have been stimulating
them because their lusts were flaring up as she worked.
Bellany tried to linger but Larissa hurried them up,
but then both descended on Larissa and washed her from
head to foot.  Before they had finished she felt Saint
Varlans spend.  Lawrence was so close but the other
women were already leaving the room.  Bellany stopped
just inside the doorway to the bath and reached around
behind herself and squeezed her rump, then extended her
fingers between her legs from the rear to massage her
mound.  She smiled as she felt Lawrence's lust blossom
to full fruition as he quietly spent behind the
grillwork.

"Bellany, what were you doing with a woman that left
her a virgin?"  Belgado asked.  "Lie back, I'll show
you."  Bellany pushed Bernadine backwards onto the bed,
smiled at her, then nestled her head between
Bernadine's legs.

"Aaooh," Bernadine sputtered incredulously.

"Lick the nub but don't insert anything.  It's quite
convenient, really.  You can have wild orgasms without
anything inside you.  I think being filled adds
something but it is not necessary if you are worried
about your family's honor. "

"Ew Bellany that area is unclean," Larissa said; lust
nevertheless fixing her eyes on the scene.

"Nonsense I washed it myself and I was very thorough,
wasn't I Bernadine?"

Bernadine giggled. "She was."

"Oh gods that feels so good the way you do it Bellany.
I'm sure you could make it too hard and it would sort
of hurt but you seem to know just how much lick I can
handle."

"Perhaps she was not lying about being naughty with
women after all," Larissa said.

"Uuuh," Bernadine replied.  She followed that with
several minutes of soft moaning.

"Nshlatsflagusch," Bellany whispered unintelligibly as
she tongued Bernadine and quietly intoned her latest
version of Amorra's Channel.  It was a bit challenging
doing it in front of an audience, but the somatic
components were caresses which made it difficult to
identify unless a person was intimately familiar with
magic.

Bernadine stiffened and quivered, moaning loudly as she
came to orgasm.  A moment later Bellany glanced up and
decided she had better not continue until she had set
Larissa at ease.

Bernadine smiled dreamily, "Bellany, you are such an
angel between a girl's legs."

"A fallen angel," Larissa scoffed.

"Thank you Bernadine.  I just wanted to show you what a
wonderful pleasure it was.  I am not going to do
Larissa. "

"You're not?" Larissa said.

Bellany smiled, she knew Larissa would have put up a
fuss if she tried the direct approach.  Instead she
turned things around.

"You are much too proper.  I am not here to vex you."

"But..."

"Larissa you cannot imagine.  All I can say is that it
is no wonder all the boys follow Bellany around as if
they are in a trance."

"You don't need to try it, Larissa.  I've already
demonstrated the technique on Bernadine."

"But, that isn't fair."

"Oh all right then, just lie back and relax."

Bellany slipped her head between Larissa's silken
thighs and began to do her magic.  Larissa was quite
sensitive but Bellany could feel that and was less
direct with her ministrations until she had Larissa
writhing on the bed at the brink of orgasm.  A direct
lick and Larissa completely lost her composure and came
powerfully.  Bellany soaked up the energy.  It was so
satisfying.  She regretted not having a way to pull
much more of the delicious lust into herself as she had
with men.  There was nothing for it but to increase the
number of orgasms from which she supped.
-------

Monday morning was a happy one for Bellany. She bid
Coachman Stevens adieu and made her way through the
inner gate into Vargrend's.  Her smile vanquished the
scornful looks that a few of the other young ladies
coming back from breakfast launched at her to such a
degree that it left some of them wondering why they
were scorning her.  She had been chronically
undernourished for so long that she had nearly
forgotten what it was like to feel the tingle of lust
throughout her body.

She was so caught up in being happy that she failed to
see Natalie Rose sneak up behind her.

Grrrrrrrnk! Natalie Rose pig-grunted at the top of her
lungs while briefly grabbing Bellany around the waist.

Bellany jumped and squelched a squeal that had half-
escaped her lips. She turned on her assailant but Rose
had already stepped back into the doorway to Elloisa
Elliston's room.

"How perfect Porkwit.  You hear a pig grunt and you
squeal like a sow in heat," Bianca Bristol sneared from
just inside the door to Elliston's room.  Ellison stood
next to her nodding.

"Talas skt rrr Eee wall buruk yall mal yal l'bot!"
Bellany growled in orcish two inches away from Rose's
face before the girl skittered away.  "I haven't time
for your sick jokes, Bristol.  Good day ladies,"
Bellany snapped through clenched teeth before she
stormed off.  In spite of her orcish threat to give
Rose what she deserved, Bellany managed not to raise a
violent hand against the cruel ladies.  Instead she
stalked off to her room.  She was glad Mary was already
at work in the library because her usually subdued
temper had flared. The fright Rose had given her had
served to let loose Bellany's pent up frustrations
about the other girls.  Instead of ripping her room up,
she tore her spellbook from the shelf and began to
study the Touch of Fear Spell.  It was the next step up
from the Chill of Fear Cantrip.  If Bellany decided to
put the scare into Rose, the poor lady would not know
what hit her.

Bellany went to The Trivium slightly early and stood
just back from the doorway unobtrusively loitering.
When Bristol came in she was ready with the spell.  She
touched Bianca briefly on the shoulder as the young
woman came in but failed to get any effect.  "I did not
appreciate your siccing your dog on me earlier,"
Bellany said to cover the reason for the touch.

"You deserved it you orc slut," Bianca sneered.

Gransward was next but Bellany had no luck on her
either.  Somehow she was not shaping the magic quite
correctly.  When she caught sight of Elliston, Bellany
tried again but failed, yet after she had attempted the
casting, she smiled.  She was sure she knew what had
gone wrong previously.  When Natalie Rose arrived
Bellany conjured with more confidence and grabbed the
back of Rose's neck with her left hand, making sure the
numb spot in her left palm came in contact with the
girl's neck.  At first Bellany thought that she had
failed again.  Yet she was sure she had got something
to work.  Rose took two steps and then froze for an
instant.

Aahhhhhhh! Natalie Rose screamed.

The scream was not loud but even if Bellany had got a
substandard result she had still managed the first
casting of an important spell.  Bellany was about to go
into the classroom to jot down some casting notes when
she realized that it had not been a quiet scream so
much as it had been a hoarse scream.

Suddenly Rose took off like a bullet, running as if the
very claws of death had sunk into her neck.  On the
other side of the classroom she slammed into the
window, breaking several of the small panes before
rebounding off the cracked window frame and falling on
the floor in a shower of broken glass.

Bellany was appalled.  She entered the classroom and
headed towards the window where Rose had fallen to see
if she could help.

Rose's legs were still pumping as she landed throwing
glass in all directions until she gained purchase, got
to her feet and ran around the perimeter of the room
like the hounds of hell were on her heals.  Bellany
barely had time to turn around in order to watch Rose
fly out the classroom door behind her.
"What happened here," Headmistress Vargrend demanded as
she arrived.

Bellany opened her mouth and then shut it.  She had
touched Elliston from behind as the girl had passed
through the doorway into the classroom.  No one had
been in a good position to see the touch, and even if
they had it was innocuous enough if one discounted the
magic.

"Lady Rose took a horrible fright and ran wildly
through the classroom.  She crashed into the window and
then turned around and ran out," Bianca Bristol said.
"It was the strangest thing I have ever seen.  I cannot
imagine what could have frightened her to such a
degree."

"I felt a chill when I came through the door," Bellany
lied.

"Perhaps it was a ghost," Miss Hadrian said.

"I've had some monstrous chills in the library.  Thank
goodness I never lost it," Bellany said.

Headmistress Vargrend sighed.  "Ladies, report to room
two on the ground floor.  We will hold class there
while the custodian sees to this window.  I will be
along as soon as I can find Lady Rose and get her to
the leech's office."

Bellany rushed downstairs and tried to push the guilty
feelings out of her mind for long enough to write
casting notes.  She decided that it might have been a
better idea to grab with her right hand.  Channeling
the magic through her ghost hand had probably made the
fear spell more effective than she had intended. She
looked at her left palm.  As usual, the skin over the
numb spot was a little paler than it was elsewhere.

At lunch Bellany ate with Cleo and then went to feed
Nimbus briefly before returning to her room to throw
herself into her homework.  Today everything seemed so
easy.  Bellany finished early.  She had time not only
to read the Gentle Beast Spell but also to get the
verbal and somatic components down before running
outside with some food to try to find Nimbus once
again.  He was glad to have a second lunch.  Bellany
tried the spell on him several times but noticed no
changes in his behavior until the sixth casting.  He
seemed a little dazed and looked at her stupidly.  She
gently pushed her hand against his feet and he stepped
up.  She spent the next quarter hour talking to him and
gently petting him before he blinked and began talking.

"gwoork quork naaa nii nii," he said while rubbing his
head against the palm of her ghost hand.  Then he
fluttered off.

Bellany attended her swordsmanship lesson as usual and
came back home just in time for a bedtime tryst with
Mary. It had been a good day for Bellany, marred only
by the overly successful fear spell that she had cast
on Lady Rose.  She really needed a subject to practice
her spells on but the fear spell had shown that casting
curses on others was not without consequence.

That night Bellany stayed up after Mary went to bed and
began to study the Clinging Darkness or Gather Shadows
spell.  The spell was essentially an addendum that
would work with any of the various darkness spells.
What it did was cause the darkness to stick to the
target even if the target moved.  It could be used to
blind people by placing a patch of darkness around them
that would move with them when they tried to escape it.
It could also be cast on oneself for use as a sort of
invisibility spell.  When cast on oneself, however, one
needed a vision spell or she would be every bit as
blind as any person caught in a patch of darkness.
Bellany decided to savor her stores of lust rather than
expend any by staying up late and went to sleep after
studying the spell.

By the end of the week Bellany had learned to cast
Clinging Darkness in conjunction with the Sphere of
Darkness Cantrip.  She could make the Sphere cling to
one of her feet so that she could not see her own foot
in a well-lit room even if she walked around.  In
addition she had become fairly adept at doing the
Floating Feather telekinesis spell.  She usually sat
behind a girl with long hair so that she could practice
during classes.  It really took the magical wind out of
her sails to practice for a few class periods each day,
but the progress was worth it.  She knew that she would
soon be ready for the Floating Dart version of the
telekinesis spell.

On Friday, Jamie concluded her swordsmanship lesson
early and spent a couple of hours teaching her some
more advanced aspects of ballroom dancing.

"You're really inviting me to the ball again, Jamie?  I
love being your date but I am feeling a little guilty
about Bernadine.

"A Jordell does not settle for second best," Jamie said
exaggerating the tone of hauteur in his voice to such a
degree that Bellany had to laugh.

"Belgado is as beautiful as I am," Bellany said.

"Nearly, but she is by no means as naughty.  Carnarvon
and Bostwick are not saying anything specific, but any
fool can tell that they are both more besotted with you
than ever.  I thought that once they had bedded you
that your allure would fade.  I was so wrong."

"How do you know I bedded Brad Bostwick?" Bellany
asked.

"Oh come now, what else could have caused that idiotic
grin he was wearing when he came to shore?" Jamie waved
any doubts away with his hand.  "Carnarvon insists that
the Fallen Angel is like a concubine of Virtusar and
Bostwick agrees with him," Jamie said.  "The other men
are intrigued by you since they feel they actually have
a chance to bed you and after that performance in the
bath with Bernadine and my sister, Larry and Vern
positively drool whenever they see you."

Bellany smiled.  "I was worried Larry wouldn't make
it."

Jamie squealed, "You knew he was on the verge when the
other girls left, didn't you?"

"Me?" Bellany said innocently; "I just stayed behind to
scratch an itch."

"Larry loves your behind and that scratch was all it
took to set him off.  Vern and I agreed you did it on
purpose, just as you waved at him with your toes,"
Jamie said.

Bellany nodded, her eyes twinkling.  "I can't help but
notice when lusty men are spying on me.  It's a knack
of mine."

"I noticed but what about women?  Tell me why my sister
blushes and hits Bernadine every time she starts
carrying on about you?" Jamie asked.

Bellany shrugged innocently.  "We did some talking.
Perhaps Bernadine was impressed by my silver tongue."

Jamie rolled his eyes. "Just how much sleep did you
actually get?"

"I am not sure.  I lost track of time," Bellany said.
"I did really love the outing though, Jamie.  It was
the best day I have had since coming to Vargrend's.

"Trinidar noticed no ill effects in your performance
after your long night.  If anything he said you were
doing better than ever."

"That is good.  I was a little sleepy," Bellany lied;
"but I was also happier than usual and that probably
made up for it.  I get snippy if I do without for too
long."

"How can you get snippy when you have Mary in your
bed?" Jamie asked.

"I am like a concubine of Virtusar.  Didn't Carnarvon
tell you?" Bellany asked.

"He didn't have to, not after that look you gave me
while you were riding him.  Heavens I nearly jumped you
after that and I have no interest in women," Jamie
said.

"Yes, none whatsoever," Bellany said as she subtly
tingled Jamie's lust.

"You don't play fair, Lady Lust," Jamie said.  "I could
not possibly let anyone else take you to the ball.  If
I did they would think they owned you and then there
would be a storm of protest from the other men."

"True and I might also have to come in vindicator
finery," Bellany said and then she held her nose while
Jamie simultaneously stuck his finger down his throat.
Both laughed at one another's antics.

"That would be unbearable.  Tomorrow night's ball will
be held at Carnarvon's.  He wanted you as his date but
I am monopolizing you.  Just the same, I have it on
good authority that he spent the last two weeks
plotting and scheming a way to steal you without
alerting the chaperones."

"It should be a fun ball then." Bellany smiled.

Jamie squealed, "You wench!"
-------

This ends, A Breath of Autumn Air, chapter 62 of The
Chronicles of Rapina.
The story continues in chapter 63, Mistress Bellany.