“And if I am?” Niranene bashfully batted her blue eyes seductively.
“So which is it?” Lily asked.
Niranene took the bait in asking “Which is what?”
“Are you with child or has Marlin become your betrothed or perhaps both?” Lily asked straightforwardly.
The head healer of the entire city went scarlet.
Silence came from all others until Niranene spoke in a whisper but in the quietness it was like a shout. “He asked me to marry him and I said, aye. And nay, I’m not pregnant.”
The silence shattered.
The entire group became chattering in a frenzy. Congratulations were given and too many questions could be kept up with. Lily laughed when her healer friend gave her a cold look, but in all honesty Niranene couldn’t be mad at the moment. She was glad the secret was out.
When all quieted for a moment Lily also stated “Love is in the air this day. Seems like everyone’s passionate life is proceeding splendidly.”
“And that means?” The gorgeous Maria asked, grinning like Shade when he’s on the hunt.
Her eyes drifted to Allahandra’s who went completely white-eyed, especially after all other eyes turned hungrily upon her. Returning her dark eyes to Lily’s purple she dared “You wouldn’t!”
“I don’t need to for the others already have a guess.”
Maria came to the correct conclusion immediately “So have you and Rakkian finally ended your stalemate and chosen to join forces?” She added emphasis by raising a delicate and seductive eyebrow.
Allahandra’s sigh was all the answer they needed and another frenzy began.
Just as the gathered and fully satisfied women began preparations to part ways Allahandra added just before she left “Maria, it is now apparent that Lily is ready. Do your thing and I cannot wait to see the final results.”
Leaving the inner-gate of the palace, Lily walked beside Maria, on the way to her shop. Unsure of how the contexts of the queen’s words were meant Lily just had to ask “What did Allahandra mean, I’m ready? For what is it I’m ready for?”
Maria’s rosy red lips turned up in a secretive smile. For nearly a minute she watched as the taller woman with the purest white hair struggle with annoyance. Eventually she said “Before we met for the first time on Allahandra’s private deck, she asked me to do something very special. Usually what she has requested costs my customers two gold pieces, but this is an exception.
“My oldest, childhood friend has been very patient and I can see now why she asked this of me. You’ve asked before what my item was and is capable of, but I couldn’t tell you until you were ready and in the right mind to accept such an offer.” With a single, well kept fingernail she brushed it down Lily’s left arm, every pronounced scar made the fingernail vibrate violently down the entire way. The thousands of self-inflicted scars made Maria’s nose wrinkle. “Allahandra told me you wished to become more ladylike?”
“Aye, I do. But why did you just feel my scars?”
“Because they must go.” She said shortly.
Lily stopped in her tracks and wrinkled her brow in confusion. “And just what is that supposed to mean?” She asked defensively. “Other healers have said they could remove my scars, but they never were able. Apparently my sword prevents other items from lifting the blemishes. Don’t you think I’ve tried to not look so ragged before the man I love? Though he doesn’t balk at the sight of the old wounds I was always self-conscious of them around him. Especially since…”
“So you would remove them for him?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Aye,” She said instantly, but quickly added “but also for myself.”
“Why?” The beautiful woman asked.
“Because for so long I did it to keep people away, especially men.” Lily confessed since not many were nearby. “I had horrifying experiences growing up that are hard to talk about and the only way I found to distance myself from others was to mark my arms to threaten or disgust any pursuers. That was until I came here and befriended so many.
“Since then I’ve wanted to look like other women do, but it isn’t easy with my background and reputation. I have killed more than you know and I’ve come to believe that the reasons no one is able to remove my scars is because my victims don’t wish them to go away. Each slash is my penance to them and they wish for all to see my disgrace.”
“Then why not cover them?” She simply asked while walking back towards her place of business.
Falling in beside, Lily looked down to answer. “It is part of me and only one person has truly ever seen past them.”
Reaching the grand store, Maria opened the door that was already busy with customers and released a clean fragrance her store always carried within. Several workers kept the business running without the owner present. Maria sold lady’s clothes for practically every occasion, near the front. Off to the side of the establishment was a section dedicated to cutting hair, trimming fingernails and toenails. The six main workers had utility items that kept women prim and proper; some has scissors or files, but all worked together. In the back of the large room were shelves that held makeup, soaps and beauty products that all of the women of the city covet. It was an effective business for three needs most women needed were all right here.
Only in the past three weeks has Maria allowed Lily to cut and style hair, but only to those that consented. It was easy to learn for she knew how to handle a blade and cutting hair was similar to a fight. To find the weak spot of a strong opponent you need to cut away only the excess. The only part she didn’t do was strike at the weakness for even in her first attempt the other girls were stunned at such skill. Before she was allowed to cut someone’s hair she was only allowed to wash the customer’s hair or sweep up the trimmings.
Never the one to want no more than was needed Lily only ever accepted the special hair-soap that Maria always had in stock.
In the beginning of her feminizing lessons there was a difficult hurdle to overcome when one of the women realized it was Lily who worked there and knew she killed her parents three years ago. Lily tried apologizing, but it was Maria who was shocking. She stood up to the woman and said the past was the past and it should be left there. It was a heated debate that her new boss won, telling the vengeful woman that if Lily caused a problem she’d deal with it appropriately. To any others who didn’t like this she said they could go somewhere else to be seen, but every woman in the city knew Maria’s business was the best.
It got much better a week later when a young woman of forgiveness had Lily tend to her. Apparently Lily had taken the life of her cousin, but the woman gave a chance and she wasn’t disappointed. That one act of clemency was not wasted for other biased women began having her work on them.
Getting right to work, Lily began taking a waiting customer over to get a weekly trim. Proceeding to the back, the owner disappeared for a half hour before returning to the floor. Maria went to work the front desk to help any who came in.
Just as night began to take over, Maria announced “Ladies, it is time to clean up for the night.”
All went to work and soon all was in order.
“Lily,” Maria said after the other workers left and locked the door behind them. “please come with me for a moment.”
Shrugging, she followed the owner to the back and entered the back room for the first time. Maria rarely allows anyone in this room and no employee she’s ever asked knew either. It was a conundrum for so many.
Inside was a long, single table that was padded. It was rectangular and just the right size for a person to lay on. On the walls were jars of herbs and plants and on another sat a closed cabinet. A strange grating sound came from inside and it sounded heavy. The room held a pungent, but not unpleasant scent.
“What is it that you wish me to do?” Lily asked uncertainly.
Maria tossed her golden hair over her shoulder and turned around. “Why not much at all, I’m going to get rid of your scars.”
With a hand gesturing to the table she said “Please sit, but first remove your sleeveless tunic.”
With nothing to lose, Lily removed her top and Maria was interested with what she saw. Noticing as well, Lily poked a thumb at her item covered breasts and abdomen. The oil lamp reflected much of the warm liquid-like defensive item. Never once has she needed a breast harness of such uniqueness. “Not to worry, it will only protect me. It doesn’t have any actual offensive abilities.”
Nodding, Maria gestured again and Lily laid on her back.
Over at the cabinet, Maria opened it and her patient marveled at her item. At times looking like a four foot tall orange cube, the item kept folding in on itself, in every unnatural direction and at a quick pace. In order to stop it Maria merely placed a finger on the surface. The grating sound stopped with the cube. As she began talking, her item slowly started to shrink in size. As it shrunk, mulched vegetation could be seen beneath where the item once stood. “Lily, I will tell you what very few others know. My item is quite special. I can create practically anything with the right ingredients. All of the soaps and oils you see for sale in the store was created by my item. Most ingredients are easy enough to come by and others, not so much. I can blend and brew a number of concoctions and can use them for bringing harm as well as being beneficial. Merely adding the right recipe I can make soap, butter or practically anything imaginable.” She then turned around and the cube now fit in the palm of her hand. Orange flashes licked the walls of the room. “When the mixture is processed, the unusable waste is ejected from my item. And when I shrink the contents, it becomes more potent and concentrated.”
Lily watched warily as Maria lowered the malleable cube to show how the cube opened to show a grey, sticky looking paste. “This special blend is quite difficult to make and is the reason why it costs two gold pieces. The rare ingredient is a white flower than only blooms at night, along the border and near the roots of the Widow’s forest. Very few are willing to venture to such a place to find a particular flower.”
“Why is it so valuable?” Lily asked.
“Because in a concentrated form, it eats scar tissue while also leaving normal, pristine skin alone. It is strange that it does so, but it works like no other. What is also remarkable is that after the scars are removed it immediately heals the skin to how it should be.”
Lily smiled for hope in this blend. Confidence filled her voice and Lily didn’t need much else. “Go ahead and try.”
Warmth and a tingling sensation appeared on her shoulder as Maria applied only a thin coat of the paste. Lily watched in fascination as it quickly took effect. Scars that were coated began to bubble and recede, but no smell came from the site. It didn’t hurt in the least, but the area was redder than usual and more sensitive. When asked, Maria explained that it was because natural skin is more sensitive than scar tissue. Soon her shoulder was a naturally smooth and pink for the first time in many years. Before she could touch it she giggled in excitement and Maria took that as an approval and began coating both arms where only scars were visible. In her excitement Lily even had the scar on her thigh fixed.
Soon each and every scar was no more and she no longer felt so disgusting. She now looked like another beautiful woman her age. “All done.” Maria commented with a pleased smile and handed over a cloth to wipe off any residue.
Once the clear film was wiped away Lily felt soft, smooth skin on her arms for the first time in many years. Healed and whole, she caressed the fresh skin that had been eluding her for so long and no longer felt or looked unsightly. It was a miracle and she quickly dressed, feeling the fabric of her tunic on her shoulders in a new way.
Before running back to the palace to show off, she hugged and kissed Maria’s cheek, thanking her ever so much.
Dripping with sweat and excitement, Lily entered the double doors and saw Allahandra speaking with Travis and another of her advisors. All turned in her direction and could see what kind of a day she had. The queen called for a brief break and approached the giddy woman. Seeing the remarkable vanishing of her scars she said “Maria’s work is still the best. May I?”
“By all means.” Lily raised her arm so Allahandra could feel the renewed skin. Sensations were new and fresh as the memory of dull touch on scars was now heightened to a new, exciting degree.
They talked for a few minutes, but mostly Lily kept thanking her friend for finding a way to make her look and feel like a woman should.
Soon they had to part for the queen still had much to do.
Returning to her lavish bedroom Lily stood in front of the mirror for hours, nearly naked, as she marveled at how much of a difference she’s had since the vanishing of her self-inflicted scars.
The last thing she remembered saying before falling asleep happily was “This day would have been truly perfect for everyone if only you were here, Alex.”
During her dream she came up with a plan that caused her to blush.
***
Chapter 14
Weeks or months had passed, but Alex did not know exactly how much time lapsed for he rarely had time enough to exit the tower or hall, and only during the night at that. Usually he only went outside to relax and bathe in the nearby hot spring. Most of his time was focused on concentrating and controlling his Fire Touch under his grandfather’s ever vigilant eyes. The training changed subtly, but only one piece of it remained a constant. Shaping the boulder remained a tedious task without any hints or guidance from a master.
The seventh step was difficult to complete and it took many days that seemed to blur together. Two days after arrival Gerieg gave Alex a set of parchment thin fabric to wear and had him do several exercises. It soon became clear why he wore such clothes for the Fire Touch his skin radiated ignited them and burned away. Wondering why his normal clothes never combusted he asked and Gerieg said “Your clothes are more durable, but you moved quickly to keep the heat from building and igniting the fabric.” To see if it was true he took a small scrap of torn cloth and placed it in the palm of his hand and soon it began smoking moments before it went up in flames.
The thin clothes served as a constant reminder to increase strength while also adjusting heat output. Over thirty sets of clothes went up in flames, but the master was unconcerned and laughed, he had destroyed far more in his own youth.
Once the thin fabric stood a chance to be worn without going up in flames Gerieg had Alex catch small, head size, boulders while carrying a dummy stuffed with hay in one arm. The elder Furion threw stones with a speed only comparable to a volley of archers or thrown by a trebuchet or catapult. Acting and reacting by altering and regulating heat and strength was difficult at first. Catching or deflecting the projectiles were easy, but keeping the dummy from burning away was nearly impossible. Needing to keep it safe from an outside attack wasn’t the problem, protecting it from himself was.
When time passed and success became more frequent, neither clothes or doll had even been charred, did the next task begin.
Heat remained the same both day and night around the volcano, but in one part of the hallway was a hidden door, between two lichen covered spheres, that led to a frigid stream that would kill any other man for what Alex had to do. He had to submerge himself in the icy water, completely naked, and keep warm by running a constant amount of heat on his skin for another four-and-twenty hours. Regulating heat in that environment was nearly impossible, but after being stubborn, perseverance won out.
Then in a single day Gerieg taught his student how to almost quadruple the sensitivity of his own senses by focusing his heat to his nose to smell nearly as well as a Shadow Fang, heating the ears increases the hearing like them or in the eyes allows one to see like a Fury.
Other tasks were easier to complete, but one in particular needed patience above all else. Sculpting of the boulder took time, patience, strength and practice.
“I’m done!” He shouted in exhilaration.
Alone in the hall of the stone spheres that his pred
ecessors had made Alex dripped with sweat, but hardly tired or exhausted. Before him stood the boulder that he tediously spent uncounted hours tending to. In one hand was the only tool Gerieg allowed to be used and it was more of a guide. A lone piece of curved oak was made properly so that it could glide around the six foot sphere to show any irregularities that needed to be fixed. Only when each and every inch was perfectly round and smooth would the task be complete for the guide couldn’t lie nor would it make a mistake.
Dropping the guide, Alex caressed the soft surface that had taken so much to achieve. Still warm in places from smoothing with a softer output of heat, the perfectly symmetrical sphere felt almost like glass. Torchlight form eight surrounding stands gave the object a perfect light from all sides. With a slight gloss from intense heat, the entire boulder was coated evenly. Veins remained visible and ran throughout the stone at random, but because of the care and preparation the hand sculpting process made the work from ever falling apart, short from being struck in just the right place.
Foreign debris and particles had been worked out of the piece of traditional art. Standing alone, it was stone and only stone as the shades of grey could be the only things seen. Admiring his own work, Alex went over it one last time, making sure it was absolutely perfect. It was and he couldn’t wait.
Cleaning up his area, he swept all the stone dust and debris from around and washed the floor with a wet rag and a bucket. Then he washed the entire surface to make the work shine more vividly.
Once all of it was ready, he threw the dirty bucket out, but left the wooden guide nearby. Then Alex ran outside and took a quick and warm nightly bath.
Racing up the stairs he knocked quickly on his grandfather’s door three times. “Master, please get up.”
Increasing the heat to his ears he heard Gerieg’s soft steps land on the stone flooring and walk to the door. Returning his hearing to normal came moments before Gerieg opened the door and began rubbing his eyes. “It is the middle of the night.” He commented with a wide yawn and quick stretch of his limbs. “What is it you need of me?”
Furion's Trials (Book Two of the Items Trilogy) Page 27