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From: "Stasya T. Canine" <stasyatk9@juno.MUNGED.com>
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Subject: {ASSM} new <*> Chryslin and Arleta - alternate reality - Promoted Pawns (furry M/Vixen nosex) Stasya T. Canine
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Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2006 02:10:03 -0400
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Chryslin and Arleta
Promoted Pawns
by Stasya T. Canine
----


I watched the passengers disembark.  Arleta was at my side.

"There are a lot of Bards and Mages aren't there?"

I nodded absentmindedly.  "My parents said most of the Masters living on
Terra would be arriving with them, for our wedding."

"For *our* wedding?"

"I'm afraid so."

"You didn't tell me..."  She trailed off into silence.

The crowd had shifted to reveal two figures.  One was a human male.  Average
looking, the only thing unusual about him was the blue cloak he wore.  With
him was a vixen.  She wore a cloak that looked like spun gold.  Over one
breast was a symbol I knew well.  The symbol of a Bardic Master.  Two large
Irish Wolfhounds flanked them.

Arleta regained her voice.  "Who are they?  The only place I've seen a Bard's
symbol like hers is in the museums.  And that Mage's cloak.  I've never seen
that pattern before."  I heard rather than saw her slight frown.  "How did
they get them to let the dogs through quarantine?"

"My parents."  I chuckled as a guard tried to admonish my parents and get
them to let go of the dogs' leashes.  "They're playing games.  Watch."

"Let's go meet them."  I chuckled at her stunned look.  "I didn't think
they'd wear their official robes."

The small group was slowly moving in our direction.  Just before they stepped
through the arch in front of us, a woman in a plain dress walked up behind
them.

"Enough is enough.  Be nice."  Her voice was firm and filled with her own
amusement.

The dogs stood up, placed their front feet on the guard's shoulders, and
started to lick the startled woman's face.  There was a slight shimmer and
when it cleared, two striking women stood where the dogs had been moments
before.  One of them was wearing a traditional cloak I was sure Arleta would
recognize.

As the guard gaped in astonishment, they took their leashes from my parents'
hands, curtsied, and then flanked the woman who had ended the confrontation.
"We aren't dogs.  We're paying passengers."  I recognized Cathy's tones. "May
we pass?"

Arleta started giggling.  "Shape-shifters."  Then she grabbed me and turned
me to face her.  "One of those two is wearing a copy of 'Runner's Cloak'.
Chryslin?  Just *who* are your parents?

"Merlin and Lady Chrystal.  Perhaps you've heard of them?"  I couldn't help
my grin at her shock.  It hadn't been easy to hide my secret from her.  "The
shape-shifters are my half sisters, Becky and Cathy."

"Becky comes by hir cloak honestly.  It was given to hir when the coyotes
made hir a Master.  Cathy is hir twin and an old style Terran Mage."

Arleta caught the subtle pronounciation difference.  "Hir?"

"They're true hermaphrodites."

"The other woman?  Who's she?"  She grimaced slightly.  "She ordered them
around as if they were errant children."

I was lost in my own thoughts and didn't hear Arleta's question.  "I didn't
think she'd come.  She seldom travels off Terra."

"Chryslin.  You didn't answer my question."

"What?  Oh.  I was just wondering about her being here, is all."

Arleta reached up and forced my head to face her.  "Who is that woman?"

"Oh.  I thought you would have figured that out by now."  I smiled wryly.
"She's part of my history though, not yours."

"Chryslin..."  Her voice got low and dangerous.

I relented.  "She's Lady Kay - 'The Lady of The Lake', and 'Keeper of
Merlin's Castle'."

Before she could react I stepped through the arch.  "Come on."

"Excuse us.  These folks are our guests."

The guard slowly turned and when she recognized us as Bards, she nodded
slowly.  "Unusual guests you folks are meeting."

"My family.  Allow me to introduce my mother and father, Lady Chrystal and
Merlin, my half sisters Becky and Cathy, and my co-mother, Lady Kay."

The guard curtsied slightly.  "An unusual family.  Enjoy your stay here
folks.  Now, I'll return to doing something useful rather than playing games
with a couple of shape-shifters.  Someone is going to hear about not
informing me of your presense and alternate forms."

Cathy spoke up.  "Nobody knew.  Don't blame them.  We're also the family
bodyguards and we traveled as humans."

The woman nodded slowly.  "Effective.  Still, I think I'll see if there isn't
some way to counteract that particular skill of yours."

Becky chuckled slightly.  "If you discover it, let the coyotes know.  They
haven't been able to - yet.  If it makes you feel any better, so far as we
know..."  Shi was looking at me and I shook my head slightly.   "We're the
only Terran shape-shifters."  Shi finished.

"I'll keep that in mind."  The guard curtsied again and walked away.

"Bodyguards?"  I asked my sisters.  "You aren't usually that open about those
duties."

Cathy never stopped hir restless scanning of the area.  "It prevents problems
before they start."

Vel's voice was firm.  "Not here.  Let's get to someplace more secure."

I looked at my dad and he shook his head.  I shrugged.  "This way then.  It
isn't far to the local Hall and our quarters."

He looked at Kay.  "Good enough?"

What was going on?  I'd never seen them so nervous.

Kay stood perfectly still and closed her eyes. Finally she reopened them and
looked at me and Arleta.  "Check the currents."

I shrugged.  "If you say so."  She had to know that a Bard is always aware of
the currents.  She must have realized what I was thinking because she smiled
slightly.

Arleta and I both made careful checks of the area.  Nothing unusual.
"Nothing."

To my surprise, Kay sagged slightly in relief.  "Good.  Let's go.  I can't
keep this up much longer."

When I started to open my mouth to ask what was going on, Cathy stepped up
and placed hir hand over it.  "Later."  Shi let go and then shi and Becky
shifted.  They flanked Kay and waited.

With my mom and dad next to her... Kay felt she needed the extra protection
of my sisters?  I decided I didn't really want to know what was going on
until they forced it on me.

"Would you rather place-shift?"  Kay shook her head from side to side
emphatically.  No.  

"Ok.  Let's go.  It's only a few kilometers.  We'll walk."

We made it to our quarters and I welcomed them in.  "Plenty of room and we
have security spells set.  Make yourselves at home."

My dad smiled slightly.  "Not yet."  He and my mother faced each other.  To
my surprise, He started chanting in ancient Rabelaisian and my mother started
a Celtic chant in counterpoint.  They built to a climax and at their final
words, touched palms in the greeting of mates.  I felt a surge in power that
knocked everyone except the twins to their knees.  The twins only staggered
slightly before they steadied themselves again.

As we stood up, Arleta made the first comment.  "What was *that* all about?"

Mom and dad unlaced their fingers and turned to face Arleta.  Mom smiled.  "A
security spell we've been working on."  She turned slightly.  "Kay?"

Kay nodded and then sagged.  The twins braced themselves as her hands sought
their backs.  Finally she took a deep breath and straightened.

When she held out her hands and the air shimmered slightly, I backed away.  I
*knew* what was going to happen.

'The Sword of Power' appeared across her upturned palms and raw power filled
the room before she commanded it to return to the sword.

"Here?  You summoned it here??"  I couldn't help my outburst.

Kay's face was pale and her smile was wan.  "No.  I didn't summon it.  I
shape-shifted it and carried it.  I also hid its power."  Mom walked over to
hold Kay up while she continued.  "It wasn't easy."  She slumped and the
sword fell to the floor.

"KAY!"  My dad's shout was filled with horror.

I was frozen in shock.

As mom held Kay, the twins shifted to human form so they could help her. Once
they held Kay between them, mom relaxed a bit.  "She fainted.  She's weak but
otherwise ok."

Dad fell to his knees and sobbed with his relief.  "I thought I'd lost her."
I'd never seen his eyes so haunted.

I was so focussed on my dad that I barely noticed mom's slight gesture in
Arleta's direction.  Things just didn't make sense.  Kay *never* needed any
support.  Mom is one of the most powerful Bards I've met.  Dad is well...
Dad.  

As for the the twins...  From what I knew this was the first time in
centuries that they had actually acted as the family bodyguards.  Usually
they only assumed the role during ceremonial occassions.

While Arleta transfered some of her strength to Kay, I went over to my dad.

"You ok?"  Yes, I know it was a stupid question.  He was pale, shaking, and
on his knees.  What else could I have asked him?

"I will be.  Help me up.  I have no right to ask but..."  He trailed off.

I nodded and held out my hand.  He took it and I channeled some energy
through our contact.  I couldn't believe how weak he was.

He looked up and smiled wryly.  "Thanks.  Your mother and I have been helping
Kay as best we could.  That's why neither of us could help her when she
collapsed."  He held on to my hand and pulled himself upright.  He was
obviously still weak.

I jerked in surprise as an 'Elder's Chair' appeared behind him.  He sagged
into it and smiled tiredly.  "I asked the Hall for some help."

"I've never been able to work with it as smoothly as you and mom."  My own
smile was one of relief.

I frowned.  "Wait.  If you and mom set a security spell, how did you
communicate with the Hall?"

"As usual.  As far as the Hall or anyone else is concerned, nothing has
changed.  The 'spell' is one of misdirection.  We can speak freely but all
the Hall or anyone else will 'know' is that things are normal."

"Normal?"  I couldn't accept his calm confidence.  I gestured at the 'Sword
of Power'.  "That's a talisman.  The most powerful taliman in Earth's
history.  Kay brings it to Rabelaisia and you tell me that nobody even knows
it's here?"

Something else occured to me.  "With Kay passed out, are we going to just
leave it on the floor?"

My dad looked away from me and at my mother.  I felt something pass between
them before she reached out and hugged Arleta.  "People will see a talisman
and it will be the one they expect to see.  'Runner's Cloak.' "  

I nodded slowly.  "Ok.  I'm not going to ask how you managed to disguise the
power contained in the Sword."  I took a deap breath.  "You didn't answer my
question."

Mom's lips quirked into a small smile but her eyes were sad.  "There has been
an 'agreement' that was not of our choosing."

"Kay is no longer the 'Guardian of the Sword'.  Once the Sword touched
Rabelaisia, she is no longer allowed to handle or summon it.  Only the new
Guardian may do that."

She straightened and looked at Arleta.  "Since Kay cannot say the words, as
Rabelaisia's living embodiment it falls to me to say them."

"As Kay *saw*, her long task is finally over.  Earth will never need the
Sword of Power.  Power, once embodied, cannot be left for anyone to find.  We
have brought the Sword so its new Guardian may take up her duties."

Mom made a strange gesture as she faced Arleta.  I shivered as she, Kay, and
Arleta were surrounded by lines of power.  "Arleta.  Hold out your hands and
summon the Sword to you.  May you fare well in your new duties."

Arleta nodded slowly and then held out her hands.  "Come to me."  Her voice
was shaky but the tone of command was unmistakable.  The Sword rose from the
floor and drifted over to settle in her hands.  As it settled, the lines of
power left my mother and Kay.  They swirled around Arleta and then slowly
vanished into the Sword.

She looked at my mother.  "Now what?"

My mother shrugged.  "I don't know.  You'll have to ask the sword."

Arleta sighed and stared at the sword.  Finally she shook her head slightly
and smiled wryly.  The sword vanished.  "I had to work to get its attention.
It and the Hall were gossiping with each other."  She shook her head at
something she remembered.  "The Hall wasn't happy about your lack of trust
but it now understands and, more importantly, accepts that only we and it may
know of the Sword.  At the same time, the Sword was...  'both surprised and
amused' that something that embodies so much power could be, in its terms, so
'naive and innocent'."

She chuckled softly.  "I don't think my duties will be as anything more than
an 'interpreter'.  The two of them have agreed to guard and teach each
other."

-- 
Pursuant to the Berne Convention, this work is copyright with all rights
reserved by its author unless explicitly indicated.
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