by Gerard Bond
“Thank me for what?”
“For setting everybody straight. Those few words you gave us each back at Cholandra were just right.”
Dark blushed a little,
“Normally I wouldn’t say anything but Justin’s petulance was pissing me off.” Dark pinched Justin’s cheek and they all giggled.
“Ho!”
The call came from the prow of their boat, it was ready. Dark looked at her companions, gave Keera a hug and whispered,
“Keep him safe.”
As they pulled apart Keera gave her a wink. Justin stood there waiting, sort of raising his arms, but Dark didn’t respond. He felt a little uncomfortable. Dark then raised her arms to him,
“Sorry baby, just giving you shits and giggles,” she said smirking.
They embraced and Justin smiled. After they pulled away, Dark looked at him directly in the eye,
“Now you just go down there to the boat and shake hands with Vaughn, hear me?”
Justin stood to attention and very officially responded with a ‘Yes milady.’ They all walked to the gangplank and Dark motioned to Vaughn to come to them, which he did. Justin shook hands with him and wished him well, Vaughn replied in kind. Keera moved forward and gave him a quick hug and a peck on his cheek and Vaughn retreated back up the plank with Dark behind.
Once on board, the two of them leaned on the rail and waved as they cast off. The boat moved away slowly at first, the sail raising, it picked up the breeze and disappeared into the night.
Raz stood at the shore watching the boat pull away from the jetty. He didn’t have the heart to tell them they had a snowball’s chance in summer of finding a ship in the middle of the ocean. Well he sure as shit wasn’t going to keep fighting Dark either for God knows how long before he relented. He knew she wouldn’t have given up, it was simply easier to let her go. He knew she would come back either with Wollfen in tow or if he wasn’t rescued, she would come back with blood in her eyes and when that happened, he had every intention of releasing her against the enemy.
Memories came back, of another time, a wife he had. Song was her name, she had been a nightclan woman herself, a heart of fire and a woman of firm beliefs. She had been willing to die for Raz, which had always been clear. Song had loved him like he had never been loved before and she had lost herself in him. She was strong willed and single minded, no woman or any other person for that matter ever came between them. She was there by his side through thick or thin traveling the high seas with him. Song was into all he was and they shared everything, he had loved her so much for it.
Then that fateful day had come when he had lost her. A pirate ship had heaved to during the night and they had gotten into a sword fight in the narrow confines below decks.
Back to back they fended for each other, Raz had been losing to two very good swordsmen and at the end he had lost his sword, Song throwing herself in front of him, fighting and losing, she was run through by the two pirates, he had retrieved a sword but it had been too late. He had charged them in a blind rage quite happy to die with her right there and then, but it wasn’t to be as his own men dispatched the two pirates from behind. Kneeling down he had cradled her and shed tears, watched the life leave her, eyes glazing over and she was gone. He hadn’t cared who was watching when he cried. She had become the one thing in his life he had truly cared about.
After that, he gave up the sea and had taken the post here to live out his days watching the world go by. Now for better or worse, he would do his duty for these people and he had no qualms about dying for them if it meant he got to be with Song just a little sooner.
Back on the boat, Dark started to feel a little queasy after hitting the open ocean and the boat had started rocking, what was wrong with her? She looked to Vaughn and he looked back, then seeing her pale pallor he realized she was getting seasick,
“We need to take you down below and get you a bucket, you are going to have a rough two days.”
Dark feeling nauseous now could only nod her head, she let herself be led to bed. She lay there for awhile lost in the rocking of the boat. Sweat started to break out on her brow. Then all of a sudden she tilted over the edge and puked into the bucket, oh she felt like shit.
CHAPTER THREE
DESPERATION
Nightwing and Loranda sat in their tent. It was mid afternoon the day after they had arrived and there had been no sign of anybody to call upon them to see the King. Boredom was setting in and they really didn’t know what to do, just sitting there and not doing anything on the off chance they would be called.
“Do you suppose he will see us today?” commented Loranda.
Oh the gods, she hoped that they would be seen soon, she was going stir crazy. Nightwing looked up. She had been watching a row of ants marching across the canvassed floor on some great odyssey. It was a more exciting life for them than what she was having at the moment.
“I really can’t say and if we complain, then there is a real chance that it will delay proceedings even further.”
Loranda swore. That made Nightwing smile, Loranda didn’t swear that often but when she did, it usually was a good one.
“Tell me my love, did you learn that word from a bunch of sailors and if so, what were you doing with them at the time?”
Loranda looked at Nightwing smiling at her, gave her a hard look and walked over to her.
“I’ll just have to show you.”
Nightwing took in a sharp breath and giggled as Loranda straddled her legs and sat down. Looking deep into each others eyes Loranda moved forward opening her mouth and sliding it over Nights. Gently kissing, Loranda slid her fingertips through Night’s hair causing her to shiver. Loranda took one of Night’s lips into her mouth and lightly sucked, running the tip of her tongue along it and tasting. Then she slowly slid a hand down into Night’s top and cupped a breast feeling its soft warm skin. Nightwing let out a low moan, her own hands on Loranda’s thighs sliding up inside her
dress, feeling her firm muscles and as she did Loranda squeezed Night's nipple. Night gasped a little in pleasure and moved further up Loranda’s thigh searching and reaching for her crotch.
“Ahem!”
Loranda spun off Nights lap and stood up in one swift movement, looking at who it was. Both girls’ faces turned to shock at once, it was the Queen!
“I am sorry my Queen!” They both blurted out at once, looking at each other and then bowing their heads, their faces turning red.
The Queen looked each of them up and down. Both were wearing court dresses generously supplied by the King’s Counsel. The Queen commented,
“I hope that the matters of state are not too unimportant for you?”
“Please my Queen, we do apologize profusely. If we had any idea you would be coming, um, we would have prepared.”
The Queen decided to let them off the hook.
“Well for my part I usually do come announced. It matters not to me who you are with only that you be discreet, especially in a King’s court.”
That was a bit hypocritical. The Queen had seen plenty of debauchery in the King’s quarters from time to time and while she wasn’t a part of it she certainly was no stranger to it either. Then again, these two did not need to know that. They were perfectly tame by the King’s standards.
“You have been waiting for counsel with the King with news of great urgency?”
“Yes my Queen and it is of grave circumstances that we wish to speak.”
The Queen addressed them now and spoke firmly,
“Whatever it is you have to say, say it now to me and I will decide if and when it is to be acted upon.”
Nightwing nodded and began to speak but the Queen cleared her throat and nodded slightly towards the chair.
“I am sorry my Queen I am still a little flustered, please take a seat.”
“Take your time to sort yourself.”
The Queen sat herself down and waited. Nightwing collected her thoughts and spoke. She told of th
e towns they had seen burnt four days before and of the large numbers of troops plus also the colors they wore. Then she spoke of what Wollfen had set in motion all in service of the Kingdom.
The Queen for her part took it all very seriously. She knew the colors of the troops that Nightwing spoke of, Isogorreans, but here in the Kingdom? Well they had to be, Nightwing couldn’t have made it up and gotten them so right.
Nightwing sat there patiently waiting as the Queen brooded over their information. Maybe she could offer some help of some kind? Loranda sat back and watched. Finally the Queen looked at them.
“I have come to a decision. What you know must be forwarded on and be acted upon, which is why you will NOT see the King,”
Nightwing and Loranda looked on aghast, what was she saying?
“Furthermore I am going to press you two into service of the crown. You are to ride henceforth with the seal of the Queen and with the power to take control of resources as needed to enact the orders I give you. Do you understand?” They nodded meekly eyes wide. “You are to report to Prince Alard. You know of him?”
Loranda spoke,
“He is your eldest son and Admiral of the Navy.”
“Yes my child and he is also my husband’s favorite of the two princes and as such is able to act with a lot of autonomy. You will fall under his command and it will be up to him to decide what to do with the information you have. You will obey him without question and you will use the authority I give you in service to him. And please know this, my son will act and act quickly. You may trust him to do what is needed.”
Both girls nodded in unison.
“Now I must be off, I am needed to kiss the ass of a few dignitaries, good day.”
The Queen rose and left, leaving two women with their mouths gaping.
Did she really say ass?
After the Queen left an official entered and stood by. Nightwing motioned for him to speak. Nodding the man spoke,
“I have organized a fast boat to take you to Prince Alard who is now northwest of here on the high seas occupied by Naval maneuvers. I have also taken the liberty of preparing you clothing suitable to the position of Counsel to the Queen.” Counsel?
The Queen was moving fast, with an official title they would be able to speed processes up very quickly.
“Very well thank you, what time will this boat by ready to embark?”
“It shall be ready to sail on the morn.”
“Thank you, could you tell me, however, what my official title will be?”
“As Counsel to the Queen, specifically you will address yourself to others as ‘Lady Nightwing’ special counsel to the Queen.”
Lady Nightwing, had a nice ring to it, she could get used to this.
“So it is Lady Nightwing and Lady Loranda?” The man looked across at Loranda hesitating.
“Uh.” Nightwing spoke again, this time more firmly.
“Lady Nightwing and the Lady Loranda…correct?”
“Yes milady, it shall be so.”
“Then you may leave and make preparations as need be.”
“I thank you milady.”
He bowed and removed himself reversing towards the flap of the tent.
Loranda turned to Night and smiled.
“I can’t believe you have managed to keep a straight face all this time with half your boob hanging out.”
“What?”
Night looked down, when Loranda had removed her hand she had also helped lift some of her breast out and while nothing showed except for a little extra skin, it was obvious she was lopsided. Going red, Night lifted her top away from herself and shook. While adjusting, Loranda walked away telling Night,
“Waste of tiiime.”
Night looked and Loranda had unhooked the back of her dress. It fell away to reveal her naked body. With that Loranda stepped through another tent flap into the rear room where the bed was. Night followed picking up the dress forgetting everything else for now; there were quite a few giggles from behind that flap.
That evening Night and Loranda took great pleasure in their last meal in camp. It was a lavish affair of roasted venison glazed with honey and herbs. The roasted vegetables were particularly tasty. The second course consisted of baked rabbit with a concoction of spices and cheese that proved unusual to the palate. The food on offer was much more than they could eat and there was desert as well, but they had overdone it with the Venison and were already very full. Loranda did give serious consideration to the sugar glazed pudding with applesauce on offer.
The next morning they made their way out having changed into the travel clothes given to them by the Tailor, he had his own mobile shop with the King’s caravan. They didn’t talk much as they walked out to the beach. It wasn’t far and they rejected the horses on offer, it seemed a little ridiculous for a distance of 200 yards.
Nightwing suddenly thought of Wollfen. They had been here two nights and not a word from him. She hoped he was fine, but she could feel nothing of his presence at all. There was nothing for it though but to stick to the plan. Get the word to those that mattered and get things happening, tomorrow that should begin.
As they came out onto the beach, the water was placid and the morning sun’s rays glittered across it, there was just a hint of a breeze. Looking back over her shoulder, Night wished she had come down here during the day before and spent some time here. She loved the beach and the water, at least they would be on it very soon. The two of them stepped onto the jetty and walked the short distance to a medium sized sailboat approximately 40 feet long and crewed by a dozen men. It would easily see them to the Admiral on the morn. Loranda leading the way stepped up the gangway.
The first mate was waiting at attention to one side at the end and as they stepped down he greeted them with a firm nod and ‘Miladies’. The gangway slipped away and he immediately called for cast off, they were on their way.
“If you would step this way, the Captain of this vessel would be pleased to meet your acquaintance.”
First mate Kai was clean cut, handsome, well tanned and lean, very nice Loranda thought. Looking at Night who shook her head Loranda turned back and rejected the offer.
“I am afraid we must graciously decline the Captain’s kind request but we had a very long night and will need our rest for tomorrow.”
It was a lie but hey they weren’t really interested in entertaining the Captain to sate his own personal desires.
Kai nodded,
“Very well, if you will follow me I will show you to your quarters and will inform the Captain that you will not wish to be disturbed.”
The rest of the day was spent in their cabin and they napped some as well as chatting for most of it. The time passed uneventfully.
Later that night Loranda stepped out onto the deck. It was very quiet apart from the sounds of the waves cutting off the bow. She nodded to each of the guards on deck as she walked towards the front. There she leaned over the railing and occasionally felt some mist from the spray catch her face. It was delightful. Looking around there wasn’t anywhere she could sit as everything was wet here, so she held onto a rope, closed her eyes and felt the movement of the boat as the breeze blew through her light clothes and against her face. Her fingers were getting cold from being wet but she didn’t mind. She had never been on any kind of watercraft before in her life and she was lapping up the experience.
“Too tired to sleep milady?”
Loranda looked around, it was Kai the first mate.
“Not really.” She smiled back, Kai nodded and smiled too.
“Yes, well if you knew the captain you would realize how lucky you were to turn down his offer. He is a rather boorish man who would have tried to work his ways on you with a lot of drink.”
“Sounds like a fate worse than death.” giggled Loranda.
Kai couldn’t help but let out a loud short bark of a laugh and stifle it just as quickly.
“You have no idea.” He winked.
Loranda lo
oked him up and down. While Nightwing was her partner it didn’t mean she didn’t find men attractive and Kai was certainly that. She had first noticed when coming on board. Loranda continued to flirt.
“So am I any safer with you kind man?”
Kai was a little hesitant, how far could this go? He leaned forward very close to her face and quietly replied.
“If you join me in my private quarters I am sure I could treat you like a perfect gentlemen.”
Loranda smiled again, time to put a stop to this.
“I am afraid that is an impossibility and I am sure you have a girl of your own in port I dare say.”
He probably had a few women in a number of ports by the way he was acting. Again Kai smiled.
“Touché, you have me, I must admit though, it has been a short but very pleasant time I have spent with you milady, may your evening continue on as it has.”
Then he turned and walked away. Oh damn it she had scared him off and she had enjoyed the company too.
The next day both Nightwing and Loranda awoke to an invitation for breakfast with the Captain. He certainly was insistent. They reluctantly accepted, not wanting to be obvious. Having dressed in their formal clothes, Nightwing and Loranda were led to the Captain’s day room and were ushered in. There they found a rotund balding man with bulging eyes smiling, well, more like leering at them.
“Good morning to you sir, we thank you for your hospitality.”
Nightwing bowed her head and Loranda curtsied, not because she didn’t know the proper etiquette but simply because she was in one of those frightfully funny moods of hers. Nightwing could see this was going to be an interesting breakfast with Loranda taking the piss. She hoped the Captain wasn’t an arrogant buffoon.
While watching Loranda with a queer look he extended his hand,
“Please be seated Lady Nightwing and Lady Loranda. It is an honor to have you at my humble table.”
Nightwing politely nodded again and went to sit down. Loranda replied with a,
“Yep no problems, what’s to eat?” And plopped herself in a chair next to Night.