by M. Gregg Roe
♦ ♦ ♦
It had stopped raining in the morning, but the muddy conditions slowed their travel. They reached the Valena River and headed west. Audrey could see Fisherton in the distance on the other side of the river. She told Saxloc that she wanted to speak with him, and the two of them were soon walking well behind the wagon.
“What’s our topic today?” he asked with a smile.
“My moving out when we get back.”
His smile vanished. “You’re serious about that?”
“Yes. I will be moving in with Kora. For a while, anyway. I’ll eventually find my own place.”
“Audrey, I really wish you wouldn’t. I still want us to have a romantic relationship.”
“So do I, but it’s time for me to go. I have been living off your parents’ generosity for nine months. I’m very grateful, but I can fend for myself now. And I can tend to my own education.
“Saxloc, just because I’m living somewhere else doesn’t mean that we can’t see each other. I may still come over to help your mother too.”
He sighed and then glanced at her. “I can see that you’re serious. How are you going to earn a living?”
“Not by becoming a courtesan. I know that’s not for me now. I’m going to ask Grasapa if I can start doing some teaching for her. I’m also going to continue to do sewing work for Desires as long as I can. They pay fairly well.”
“All right. You have definitely thought this through.”
“I’m also going to continue to go adventuring,” she added.
He hesitated as he thought about it. “That wouldn’t work with a regular job, but it probably would with what you are describing. Can you get by without a regular job?”
“I’m not sure. If I can just pay rent to Kora for a while, then it might work. I just don’t know.”
“What about another job where you work on your own? Can you make dresses for a living?”
Audrey sighed. “Maybe in the future. Right now, I’m too inexperienced and too slow. But it’s not a bad suggestion.”
He was silent for a moment before saying, “Audrey, if it doesn’t work out, then I want you to come to us for help. You’re practically family now. I’m pretty sure my mother likes you more than she likes me.”
Audrey burst out laughing. She was touched by his words. She grinned at him and said, “In that case, you move out, Saxloc!”
♦ ♦ ♦
It was warmer and lightly raining when the caravan arrived at the Temple of Kyran in the late afternoon. The six of them climbed down out of the back of the wagon and began to walk toward the front of the temple. The guards opened the temple doors, and Ariel came running out. She hugged both of her parents and then began to excitedly talk with them. Audrey, Saxloc, Gabriel, and Hankin continued on into the temple, where Alessandra and Siljan were waiting.
“Welcome!” said Alessandra. “Thank you for returning as requested. Isadora and Aliva are already in Glasston making preparations. We will have a meeting tomorrow morning to brief you on what we have planned. Siljan, please show everyone to their rooms.”
“Fine,” Siljan replied, sounding annoyed but smiling. She led them to the hallway that ran across the back of the temple. She pointed to the right and said, “Gabriel and Hankin are in the same room as before.” The two of them promptly nodded at each other and headed off in that direction.
Siljan gestured at the door closest to them. “Dulls and Grasapa will be staying in the guest room, so you two will have to be in a small room too. I’m assuming you don’t mind.”
Audrey decided to speak up this time. “Actually, we are having some issues. Could we have separate rooms?”
Siljan furrowed her brow and frowned. “I didn’t know that. We were planning on you staying in the room that Aliva has been using. It’s got two small beds. The only other free bed is Isadora’s unless one of you wants to sleep with Alessandra.”
“That’s fine with me,” said Saxloc with an eager look.
Audrey elbowed him in the ribs. “I’ll take Aliva’s room. I want to see what she’s been sewing. Put Saxloc in Isadora’s room for now.”
“But I want to sleep with Alessandra,” pouted Saxloc.
Siljan laughed. “If you two can still joke around like that, then you’re definitely still friends. Good. We don’t need any more trouble around here.” She walked off down the hall, with Saxloc following.
Audrey went into Aliva’s room. It contained two single beds, two nightstands, and two small wardrobes. The nearest bed was covered with rolls and piles of fabric. It was obviously the bed that Aliva wasn’t sleeping in. The wardrobe near it was empty, save for a single dress. Audrey hung up her cloak and removed her backpack. She carefully transferred all of the fabric to the bottom of the wardrobe. She hung up all of her clothes except for the ones she was planning to change into. Then she went to the washroom at the end of the hallway, cleaned up, and changed.
When she got back to her room, she pulled out the dress that had already been in the wardrobe. She noticed a small piece of paper pinned to it with her name on it, and she realized that it must be the dress that Aliva had promised to make for her. It was predominately dark brown, made from a soft and unfamiliar fabric. There were accents in yellow, orange, and red that make her think of Autumn. The front had a broad and deep scoop cut, the sleeves were short, and the skirt looked like it would extend to just below her knees. All of the edges of the dress were irregular, and Audrey realized that they were mimicking the serrated edges found on some types of leaves.
She examined the dress closely. The seams were all expertly sewn—far better than she could have done. There was something very odd about the dress; rigid material of some kind had been sewn into it from the inside in many places. She spent quite a while examining the bust area, but it was incredibly complex and baffling.
Audrey stripped to her underpants and began putting the dress on. She soon found that the underpants had to go too. The dress was definitely tight, and it felt like it was groping her breasts, but it fit her perfectly. She walked over to the mirror mounted on the wall next to the wardrobe and gasped. Her waist looked amazingly thin, and the lines of the dress really complimented her hips. But it was the bust that was really startling. Her breasts felt secure, but the dress was pushing them up in a way that made them look both larger and insecure—as if they might pop out at any moment. The dress wasn’t exactly comfortable, but she was thrilled by how she looked wearing it. Aliva was an absolute genius!
She opened her door and walked out into the hall. She went down and knocked on Saxloc’s door. When he opened the door, she promptly pushed past him and motioned for him to close it. He obeyed, staring at her with his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.
Audrey spread her arms and twirled around once. “What do you think?” she asked.
He leered at her. “That look’s amazing, Audrey! It suits you. That’s definitely an Aliva-made dress. It’s positively diabolical!”
She laughed and said, “Yes. It’s not very comfortable, but I could certainly wear it long enough to attend a party.”
“Can you wear it when we do our experiment? I want to take if off you.”
Audrey gave him a saucy look. “Only if you’re good. You’ve seen enough for now. I’m going back to my room.”
Saxloc looked disappointed, but he promptly opened the door for her. She stopped in front of her door and spotted Siljan down the hallway. “Siljan!” she called out. “What do you think?”
Siljan walked up grinning and said, “Nice! I’ve got a demon dress too!”
Audrey went back to her room, changed into normal clothing, and laid down to rest. She definitely wanted to speak with Aliva about the dress. If she could learn to make dresses like that, then she really might be able to make a living sewing dresses. Then it hit her: Desires would probably pay a fortune for demon dresses. That was definitely something to think about.
♦ ♦ ♦
During dinner, Silja
n proudly told everyone that she had helped cook the food. Hankin promptly grabbed his throat and pretended to choke and die. Siljan seemed more annoyed than amused by his antics.
After dinner, Alessandra asked Siljan to take care of cleaning everything up. Siljan scowled, but she dutifully obeyed. Alessandra then told Audrey that she wanted to speak with her, and the two of them were soon sitting in Alessandra’s bedroom.
“Thank you for going to visit Violet,” said Audrey.
“You are welcome, Audrey. It is unfortunate that she cannot travel at the moment, but I do not foresee any problems. Violet is healthy and her mother is quite experienced in these matters.”
“I’m still going to worry until the baby is born and I know that they’re both okay. I just can’t help it.”
“I understand. I know she is your oldest and best friend. She reminds me of you in many ways. After all of this is over, I plan to institute regular visits to Farmerton and Merryton, making use of the caravans. So Violet should have at least one or two more visits before the baby is due.”
She smiled her relief. “That sounds wonderful, Alessandra. Thank you.”
“Audrey, what is happening between you and Saxloc? Siljan told me you are staying in separate rooms.”
She pursed her lips briefly before admitting, “We’ve been having some problems.”
“What kinds of problems?” she asked seriously. “Tell me what has been occurring between you two since you were last here, and I will offer what advice I can.”
Audrey smirked at her. “Do you want to cast a charm spell on me first?” She knew a lot more about magic now.
“I do not think that will be necessary this time,” she replied with an embarrassed look. “We know one another now.”
Audrey spent the better part of an hour describing the ups and downs of her relationship with Saxloc, as well as their attempts to date other people. She was completely honest and included everything she thought relevant. When she finished, Alessandra sat quietly in thought for a while.
“Audrey, you have done an excellent job of describing recent events, but I have some additional questions.”
“Okay,” she replied, feeling slightly worried.
“Saxloc told you that he loves you. What about Erwin?”
She lowered her eyes. “No. He hasn’t.”
“And you are not certain if you really love either of them. Correct?”
“Yes.”
“Audrey, there is a fundamental difference between Erwin and Saxloc. Erwin is someone that you occasionally meet for a romantic encounter. He may or may not be someone that you could tolerate living with. On the other hand, you live in Saxloc’s house and see him daily. And you go on adventures with him. That is placing far more stress on your relationship with him.”
“I’ll be moving out when we get back,” she pointed out.
“Yes, and that may help. But there are no guarantees.
“Audrey, the kinds of problems that you are describing are not uncommon. Especially for young couples. Most women are more interested in romance than sex, while men—especially young men—tend to be the opposite. It is going to require compromise from both of you. You need to find a middle ground.”
Audrey chewed on her lip while thinking about it. “That’s what we’ve been working on,” she finally said.
“Good. Then keep doing that.”
“Alessandra, Erwin and I always do a lot of—I think it’s called foreplay—beforehand. Is that why it’s better with him?”
“Foreplay can certainly help, but so can experience. And some people are simply more skilled.”
“Okay. I’ll talk to Saxloc about it, but not until after the mission.”
Alessandra nodded. “Good. It is very encouraging that the two of you are still talking and working to solve your problems.”
“Okay. Thank you for the advice, Alessandra.”
“That is part of my job, but you are welcome.”
39
‡ Mission ‡
Audrey woke up early the next morning, and she helped Alessandra and Siljan make breakfast for everyone. Siljan did a competent job despite looking like she was barely awake. Alessandra was serious, but also somewhat distracted. She was dressed more conservatively than Audrey had ever seen her, wearing a light gray dress that was almost dowdy.
After breakfast, Alessandra held the promised meeting in the dining room. Her expression was grave, and no one was smiling or joking.
“I will keep this brief,” she began. “Isadora will provide you with the details when you arrive in Glasston.
“The goal of this mission is to kill Morton, someone I have known since I was a small girl, and who has harbored unrequited feelings for me for many years. Morton has harmed or killed many innocent people. Maybe none of that would have happened if I had reciprocated his affection, or maybe I would simply have become his first victim.
“When I first came here to this temple, Morton disappeared from our home village of Maratana. When I next saw him years later, he was a Priest of Yalk, and he seemed like a completely different person. I had become the head priestess here, and we began to hear rumors of terrible things he was doing. He attacked this temple, killing most of those then living here and replacing them with changelings who took on their appearance and pretended to be them. I was able to use my magic to hide from them, but I was unable to save anyone else. Julien and Isadora were very fortunate to be away on temple business at the time.”
Alessandra paused and wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked both sad and wistful.
“That was when Gabriel, Siljan, Saxloc, and Hankin first came here. They realized that something was wrong, and they defeated the changelings and found me. We worked together to defeat the undead that had infested the temple, but Morton fled before we could capture or kill him. I am still very grateful to the four of you.
“Later, the four of you foiled Morton’s attempt to recruit an army to use for another attack on this temple, but he once again made his escape and disappeared. Now he has reappeared in Glasston. He has grown a beard and is now calling himself Magnus. He has rented a large house there, and there have been a number of suspicious disappearances, both among the poor and of visitors to Glasston. It is likely that all of them have now been killed by Morton and then reanimated as undead.
“I have no idea what Morton is planning, but something must be done. He and his servants must be dealt with. I want Morton killed, and I want his body destroyed so that he can never be brought back. There is simply no forgiving the things that he has done.
“When Aliva came here and I found out what she was, I saw an opportunity. The two of us came up with a plan, and she is in Glasston now, trying to get close to Morton. I cannot imagine Morton being able to resist her, but it is possible that he might realize what she actually is and harm her.
“Your job in Glasston will be to break into Morton’s house and deal with any undead or servants there. Ideally, this will occur just after Aliva has successfully seduced Morton, killing him in the process. Isadora will also be hiring mercenaries to aid you, as well as seeking the cooperation of the town guard.
“It is quite possible that Morton has allies that are keeping watch on this temple and anyone who travels to or from here. For that reason, I want the five of you to leave here tomorrow morning, using the same route that you would normally take to return to Rohoville. When you reach Merryton, you will instead continue east and north around the far shore of Fog Lake. By the third day, you should arrive at Glasston, where you will then go to the house that Isadora has rented there.
“Morton knows what all of you, save Audrey, look like. We have materials here that you can use to disguise yourselves, but you will not need to don your disguises until you are nearing Glasston.
“I thank all of you for returning here to help us. Please pick out your disguises and start preparing for your journey tomorrow. May Kyran watch over you and aid you in the following days.”
♦ ♦ ♦
After the meeting, Gabriel, Hankin, and Saxloc all went outside to practice. Audrey decided to use the bath, finding it empty when she arrived. She soaked for a long while, and then went back to her room.
Later that morning, she went to the kitchen and found Siljan cursing as she violently hacked at some carrots. “Alessandra is talking with Ariel and her parents, so guess who has to make lunch for everyone,” she complained. “And I’m supposed to take them their lunch in the guest room. And I have to fix lunch for all of the staff. Why couldn’t we have left for Glasston this morning?”
“I’ll help you,” offered Audrey. “What are you making? Soup? Stew?”
“I have no idea. Go see what kind of leftover meat or fish we have, and I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”
“I thought they were teaching you how to cook here as part of your training.”
Siljan grinned. “They are. I’m just a slow learner.”
Lunch turned out surprisingly well. They served a thick fish and vegetable stew, warm bread with butter, and baked apple slices. Siljan had actually known exactly what she was doing, and Audrey ended up serving as her assistant. Gabriel praised the food, but smilingly refused to believe that Siljan had been the one responsible.
After lunch, the five of them spent time looking through possible disguises. Siljan decided that she would just dye her hair and tie it back in a ponytail. The men all opted for facial hair of various sorts. Saxloc picked out a mustache and goatee that matched his sandy brown hair and then told her that he would also have her trim his hair when the time came to put the disguises on.
Afterward, Audrey and Saxloc put on their cloaks and went for a walk around the vineyards. She thought that it was a beautiful area, with the gently rolling hills and the nearby river. Saxloc was lost in thought as the two of them walked. When he finally turned to look at her and began to speak, she wasn’t at all surprised by the subject.