The walk down the dusty road to Avashire seemed impossibly long. They had grown accustomed to traveling at speed on Lilly's back and found the change unwelcome. The closer they got to Avashire the busier the road became. Farmers traveled on small carts, bringing wares into the city, while women with baskets went to go shopping.
Some of the people took note of Lilly’s eyes, and a man here or there took notice of her looks. None dared approach or say anything as she walked flanked by a priest and priestess of Ulustrah.
Lilly spent most of the trip clinging to Gersius's arm and leaning into him. He smiled as her thoughts invaded his, and heard her as if she was speaking out loud.
“I want you out of that armor,” she said in his head.
“What happened to dragons don’t do that?” he joked.
“Dragons have no idea what love feels like,” she replied. “Nor any comprehension of human intimacy.”
He smiled and stole a glance at Thayle feeling strange to be having such a conversation silently beside her.
“Don’t you start thinking about her,” Lilly teased. “She’s mine.”
He chuckled, drawing a glance from Thayle, and he quickly got control of himself.
“I thought we agreed to share her?”
“I will share her with you because she's mine!” Lilly replied.
Gersius nodded as Lilly tried to make her voice in his head sound dragon-like.
“Remember what we discussed, Lilly. I am agreeing to this only because we both feel the same way, but you are not free to love whoever you want,” he said.
“I know!” Lilly cried back loudly in his mind. “You don’t need to keep reminding me.”
“I only remind you because I know you do not understand,” he said.
They spoke of this before in temple of Eastgate, but so often he found Lilly's mind wandering. She felt loved and understood its purpose but had no concept of how to limit it. She expressed love freely and often openly. He warned her about keeping her feelings under control and that some displays of affection needed to be private. More so, Lilly didn't understand why she couldn't love others. He tried to explain the varieties of love one had with friends, family, and lovers. To Lilly, love was love, and she had to agree to let Gersius guide her when she failed to understand.
She squeezed his arm tighter, making him glance down at her.
“I love you, Lilly,” he echoed in her mind causing a smile to spread on her face. She leaned into him, making him drift to the right a bit before he steadied himself. He could feel her swirl of emotions across the bind as if they were his own. The link they shared made him wonder if they were the same being.
“I love you too, my husband,” she sent back.
“You like calling me that,” he silently pointed out.
He saw her smile again and glance away. He could feel her surge of emotions as she blushed.
“I like knowing I belong to you,” she replied. “I like it when people address me as your wife.”
“My beautiful dragon wife,” he added, causing her smile to widen.
“Who would ever believe a dragon would fall in love with a man?” Lilly asked.
“Thayle did,” he replied. “She never doubted it.”
“Ayawa sure doubted it,” Lilly said.
“Ayawa’s people have a story of a great fall that was caused by some union of dragons and men. Here people suffered terribly for it and were nearly wiped out. She carries a great concern of what our relationship might mean,” he said.
Lilly sighed, and Thayle glanced over at her.
“Is everything alright, sweetheart?”
Gersius felt the massive surge in joy Lilly felt whenever Thayle called her sweetheart. It made him wonder where it was all going to lead. They were on a path of war and death that would reform the empire. He had to bring Lilly into that world to establish the empire, but was it right to bring gentle Thayle?
“I’m fine,” Lilly said. “I just miss my husbands kiss.”.
“Nothing is stopping you from enjoying a kiss,” Thayle said.
Lilly smiled, and thoughts of kissing flooded his mind as she turned to look at him. He stooped as she turned and pressed her lips to his. Again the bind flooded them with the joy they each felt. He focused on who he was and how much he loved her as that love flooded through him. Sometimes feeling her excitement mix with his own was overwhelming, and he struggled to keep control.
As their lips met, he heard her in his head again.
“I can read your thoughts,” she said silently. “You are thinking of me in bed later.”
“I can read yours too,” he replied. “You are hoping it will be much sooner than that.”
She laughed as she pulled away and returned to clutching his arm and leaning into him as they started their walk again.
“You two are funny,” Thayle said.
“We are funny?” Gersius asked with a raised eyebrow.
Thayle shook her head as she smiled.
“You both denied what you felt for so long. Now that you have finally admitted it, you can't get enough of each other. Look at what you both delayed with your foolishness.”
“I suppose you are right,” he said. He wondered how things might have changed if they had admitted their love sooner.
“I think they would not have been as beautiful,” Lilly replied in his mind.
He smiled as he realized she was listening to his thoughts.
“This is going to take a great deal of getting used to,” he replied silently.
She smiled and leaned her head over to lay it briefly on his shoulder.
“I love knowing how you feel about me,” she said silently back. “I can’t imagine not being able to feel your love.”
“Do not worry,” he replied. “I intend to love you forever.”
“You promise?” she asked.
“I already did, I told you, Lilly. I am never letting you out of the bind again. You are mine and always will be.”
The excitement that burned at him across the bind made his heart race. As they walked down the road, he sent Lilly mental imagines of gently making love. He felt her shock and desire radiate back as she clutched at him all the tighter.
When the gates of the city came into view, they walked up like any traveler and tried to enter.
The gate guards wore a vibrant white shirt emblazoned with a red sword emblem over simple mail armor, with no helmets. They carried swords and short spears as they stood watch beside the gate. People flowed in and out, and they seemed to ignore everybody until they saw Lilly.
“Hold it!” one of the men said, coming to stand right before Lilly and stare at her eyes. He was of average build and was old enough to have some gray in his thinning brown hair. He had a pocked face and squinted with one eye.
“What's wrong with her eyes?” the man asked, pointing to Lilly.
“She is a priestess in training. I have a spell on her to help her learn to see the auras,” Thayle said.
“Yer all from the temple of Ulustrah then?” The man said as he took note of the armor they wore.
“We are,” Thayle said
“Alright then, that will be all,” he said and stepped aside.
They passed through the gates and into the city proper while Thayle wore a pleased smile.
“I am impressed,” Gersius said, drawing a smile from Thayle. “Your suggestion worked perfectly. You are very resourceful.”
“I have my moments,” Thayle said as they entered the streets of the city.
Avashire was a modest city with roads paved in cobble and walls of smooth stone. The houses were tall, with many reaching three or even four stories. Most were white plaster with thick oaken beams. Some few were stone and even fewer brick. Wooden and slate roofs abounded, and some buildings had beautiful stone domes. Nearly all of the buildings had glass, and stained glass could found on more substantial structures.
Many of the streets were lined with tall, slender birch trees. In other places, space was intentionally set aside for parks and gardens. Window boxes full of flowers or herbs decorated many a house, and their sweet smell drifted in the breeze.
The people, for the most part, dressed well and Gersius could feel Lilly's amazement as she studied them. The women of the city wore long dresses, often decorated with ribbon or lace. Many wore hats with wild plumage and long trailing feathers. Jewelry was everywhere, and Lilly finally pulled away from his arm to stare at the rings and bracelets of the women.
A few people took notice of them, many staring at Lilly as they passed. Gersius was aware her eyes drew the most attention and hoped it would lead to nothing but passing curiosity.
“So we made it here. Where do we go now?” Thayle asked.
“There is an abbey to my order here. I need to go inside and ask to see High Priest Lengwin.
“And what was your plan to get in?” Thayle asked.
“What do you mean?”
Thayle glanced at him. “Were you planning to walk up to the guards and tell them Gersius was here to see High Priest Lengwin?
“I had not given it any thought beyond getting here,” he admitted.
Thayle looked at his armor, and a smile crawled across her face.
“I have another idea,” she said. “Turn around so I can get your helmet out of your pack.”
They were forced to ask for directions three times but finally found the abbey. It was a stone block fortress looking building that was practically square and soared up four floors.
As expected, four men in full armor and wearing red sashes of Astikar stood at attention at the large double doors.
Thayle approached them with a proud, dignified grace to her step and stood before the men with Gersius wearing his helmet following behind holding Lilly by the arm.
“Greetings Priestess one of the plated guards said as Thayle arrived. “How can Astikar serve you?”
“I am Grand Priestess Thayle of the Temple of Ulustrah. I request an immediate audience with your high priest Lengwin,” she said in a formal voice.
“I will inform the High Priest of your request immediately. May I inform him of the nature of your request?” he asked.
“The girl suffers from a rare magical affliction. I believe the High Priest may be able to help me with some information that will lead to a cure.”
The men all looked at Lilly and took note of her glowing eyes.
“I will go and inform the High Priest at once,” the man said bowing and running through the doors into the temple.
They stood at the doors with the three remaining guards who were muttering and pointing at Lilly's eyes. Gersius overheard them as they discussed what they thought might be the cause.
When the door opened again, it was a different man who appeared. He was tall with a shaven smiling face and red hair chopped so short you could see the curve of his head.
“I am brother Varnus. I am honored to meet you, Grand Priestess Thayle. I am here to take you to the High Priest,” he said, throwing the doors wide. “Please come with me,” he added as he turned and led them inside.
They were ushered into a grand central room that went all the way up to a ceiling three stories high and was ringed by balconies. Red banners hung down from the highest balcony stretching to the lowest ones with gold emblems of Astikar's star. The floors had carpet runners of red trimmed with gold, and the stone walls were decorated with tapestries and paintings.
He took them to the wall on the right and up a flight of stairs.
“The High Priest was most surprised to hear a Priestess of Ulustrah was the one requesting assistance with a cure,” Varnus said as he led the way up another staircase to the third floor. “You will forgive me, but your order isn't known for its work in healing and cures.”
“The girl is the daughter of a personal friend, so she is of special interest to me,” Thayle said as they climbed yet another flight of stairs.
Brother Varnus showed them to a sturdy wooden door bound with brass strapping and knocked firmly before opening the door to peek in.
I have brought them, sir,” he said to an unknown person in the room.
“Bring them in! I can't help unless I can get to her,” a voice called from inside the room.
Brother Varnus opened the door and waved them in.
The room was well appointed with furniture. Ornate dark wood bookcases covered most of the left wall. A large desk of the same material sat near the back wall with a decorative plated glass window behind it. A long table sat alone on the right wall with three wooden chairs.
In front of the desk were four more chairs, but these had high backs and a thick red cushion on the seat. Candelabra stood in every corner holding four candles each. Paintings of knights adorned the wall where the bookcases did not cover. A suit of armor on a stand stood in the corner to their right, it was all metal plates in silvered grays and trimmed in gold trim with a blazing sunburst on its shoulder.
It was the man behind that desk that was the most interesting. He stood up as they came in and barely managed five foot seven. He wore long blond hair that ran down his back in a tail. Dressed in a simple robe of red and gold, he smiled at them. His young face with hazel eyes gave him a kind and thoughtful expression.
“Grand Priestess Thayle,” he said, coming across the room to take her hand. “It is so good to meet such a high ranking representative of Ulustrah.”
“I appreciate you taking the time to see me High Priest Lengwin,” Thayle said, giving him a slight bow.
“Of course. How could I turn down the chance to help one who has a magical affliction? I am surprised you didn't go to the temple of Vellis. They are more skilled than even we are in such matters,” he said, taking a few steps to look at Lilly. “I see,” he said, Inspecting her eyes. “What magic could cause such radiance?”
“High Priest Lengwin,” Thayle said to his back as he bent down to look into Lilly’s eyes.
“Yes, Grand Priestess?” he replied while still studying the glow.
“There is nothing wrong with the girl's eyes. I used it as a pretense to get past your men so I could speak to you in private about a matter of dire secrecy.”
Lengwin stood straight and glanced at her a moment. “But the light?” he said, pointing to Lilly's eyes. “Surely there is some magic involved here?”
“It can easily be explained later. For right now I need you to forgive me, and let me tell you why we are really here,” Thayle said.
He looked at Lilly’s eyes one last time then stood up tall and took a very indignant look on his face.
“Very well, since you went through the trouble of deceiving your way in here, I will listen to your explanation,” he said, walking up to her to look her in the face.
“He can explain everything you need to know,” Thayle said, pointing to the helmeted man beside Lilly.
High Priest Lengwin turned to look at the man as he took off his helmet.
“I do hope you remember me, Lengwin,” Gersius said. “I have gone through a great deal of trouble to reach you.”
“Gersius!” Lengwin said.
There was a long moment of silence as Lengwin locked eyes with Gersius.
“So the butcher of Whiteford has come to my Abbey,” Lengwin said, shaking his head. He paused for a moment and then walked right up to Gersius and embraced him. “I never believed any it for a second!” he said as he stepped back beaming a huge smile.
“Oh, thank Ulustrah!” Thayle gasped.
Lengwin turned to face Thayle his smile still broad.
“No doubt you and your order have seen the truth of the matter,” he said.
“We have, Gersius has been to see Prime Arlin, he has his full backing,” Thayle responded.
“A good man, your Prime. I have had the honor of meeting him once.”
Thayle nodded and smiled.
Lengwin turned to face Lilly. “And what of your mysterious companion whose eyes glow like blue fire?” he asked, walking over to her.
“I am Gersius's wife,” Lilly said, taking Gersius’s hand.
“His wife?” Lengwin said a look of surprise on his face. “Well congratulations man!” he roared, bouncing back to Gersius to clap him on the shoulder. “Such a radiant beauty too. I am jealous Gersius, very jealous, but come you must introduce us.”
Gersius smiled and squeezed Lilly's hand as he introduced her.
“High Priest Lengwin, this is Lady Lilly, the ice dragon and my wife,” he said.
Lengwin's smile froze on his face as Gersius introduced her.
“Ice dragon?” he said, raising his eyebrows and his smile disappearing.
“It’s why her eyes glow,” Thayle said. “When she takes a human form, her eyes continue to glow for a little while.”
Lengwin was silent as his mind tried to process what was said. When he couldn't make the words fit, he stumbled out a question.
“So…so you do have a dragon?” he said, looking from Gersius to Lilly. “And you are his wife?”
“I am,” Lilly said. “I love Gersius.”
“And, and you can take this form?” Lengwin aked, studying Lilly.
“I can, whenever I wish to take it,” Lilly replied.
He stepped back and looked back to Gersius.
“Gersius, on your honor before Astikar you are not trying to deceive me with this! She really is a dragon?”
“I swear to you, High Priest Lengwin, on my honor before Astikar. Lilly is a dragon, and she is my wife.”
“So this is the dragon they say you attacked Whiteford with?” he asked while taking a step back. “Can I see her? Can I see her dragon form?”
“Now may not be the best time. Your office is not that big,” Gersius said.
“Of course,” Lengwin said reeling in shock.
He took a moment to look at Lilly as his mind worked. His smile returned to his face as he shook his head.
“Gersius, Gersius, Gersius, if ever there was a man who could do the impossible it was you. But even you have outdone yourself to marry a dragon.”
“We had quite a bit of help from the Grand Priestess,” Gersius said.
He looked to Thayle who blushed a little at the compliment.
“I only did what my order does and helped them find love,” Thayle admitted.
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“Indeed, I knew Ulustrahs flock was skilled the arts of relationships, but this is a triumph! However, as much as I want to flatter you all with pleasantries, you didn't come all this way to introduce me to your wife,” Lengwin said.
“No, we did not. I came here because I need your help to get Lilly to Calathen,” Gersius said.
“Ah yes, the prophecy. The return of the dragon knight. Why else would you have sought out a dragon?” Lengwin said more to himself as he walked away from them.
“You will no doubt find the gates of the city barred to you. That is if you could even reach the gates,” he said his back to them.
“I hope to avoid more bloodshed, but I am going to take the city by force if necessary,” Gersius said.
“And I suppose you need men and support from me to do it,” Lengwin asked.
“I need far more than that,” Gersius said his voice dire. “I need you to challenge the Father Abbot for stewardship of the order and take his place,” Gersius said.
Lengwin stood tall, his back still to them as his head nodded. He turned back around to face them all.
“Such a thing cannot be done without just cause,” Lengwin said in a stern voice.
Gersius nodded his head, “Would you care to go for a walk, High Priest Lengwin?”
“A walk?”
Lengwin walked with them through the gates of the city waiving at the occasional passerby who recognized him as they went. They talked only briefly as they wound their way out into the country and turned down a dirt track into a large cluster of trees.
“So why all the secrecy then?” Lengwin asked.
Gersius went to Lilly and took her hand. “We need to show him. We need to show him what they did,” he said to her.
“I understand my love,” Lilly said, stepping back. “Thayle, will you help me?”
“Of course, sweetheart,” Thayle said, moving to help her get undressed.
The women went behind a large tree, and Thayle returned a moment later with Lilly's clothes in her arms.
“I don't understand?” Lengwin said as the air behind the tree filled with white mist.
Lengwin’s jaw fell open as the mist suddenly grew into a vast obscuring cloud of white that swirled like a storm and sounded like a fierce wind in the branches.
“You may want to shield your eyes,” Gersius said just before a white flash filled the air.
Lengwin blinked to clear the spots in his eyes as the mist drifted into the clearing. The sound of branches scraping against scales drew Lengwin’s gaze up. A great horned head with burning blue eyes and a large mouth full of dagger-like teeth crawled out of the mist.
“By Astikar, she is a dragon!” Lengwin stammered.
A blue clawed hand shook the ground as she stalked toward them.
“You wanted to see my dragon form,” Lilly spoke, her dual voice chilling his blood.
“It...it...it is very impressive,” Lengwin whispered his face transfixed on Lilly's enormous head.
“Be calm, High Priest,” Lilly said, “I would not harm you unless you threatened my loves.”
Lengwin nodded but made not a sound as he stared at the dragon that loomed over him.
Gersius put a hand to the man's shoulder to steady him. “Think of her as the woman in your office. See her as the gentle soul that I call my wife.”
“Of course,” Lengwin said as he got control. “So what does this have to do with the Father Abbot?” Lengwin asked, unable to take his eyes off Lilly.
Gersius recounted the story of his mission. He explained the loss of his men, the condition he found Lilly in, and all subsequent events leading up to Whiteford. When the story came to Whiteford, he told Lengwin of how the Father Abbot promised to heal Lilly’s wings. Lengwin looked confused and failed to grasp the point. Lilly took over the conversation, her voice dripping with sadness and rage, as she described the horrible scene where Dellain hacked her wings off instead.
“The monsters!” Lengwin said in a sickened voice as he shook with disgust. Together they filled him in with the rest of the details. He learned how they tortured Gersius for her name and how she broke free by transforming.
“So you have her bound then?” Lengwin asked.
“In a manner of speaking,” Gersius said.
“A manner of speaking?”
“Lilly and Gersius are both bound, each one to the other,” Thayle said. “They share a love like no other.”
“Amazing!” Lengwin exclaimed. “You are bound to the dragon?”
“I am,” Gersius replied.
“And she is also bound to you?”
“I am bound to Gersius,” Lilly replied her dual voice sounding powerful.
“It is nearly impossible to believe!” he said again in a confused voice.
They covered the details of the escape through the city and the unfortunate casualties.
“He has made quite a big deal of it. Letters were sent to every city leader, ruler, petty official, and religious order. He went to great efforts to describe the scene of carnage left in your dragons wake.”
“She was just trying to escape,” Thayle pleaded.
“I understand, Grand Priestess, but many will not,” Lengwin replied.
Gersius told him of the suspicions of Tavis and Ayawa. He explained the military campaigns and the apparent knowledge the enemy seemed to possess.
“Could have been a spy in the order. Somebody close to the Father Abbot,” Lengwin argued.
“My letters could have been intercepted and copied, but nobody knew about Lilly and her valley. Nobody but myself and the Father Abbot,” Gersius replied. “He is the only one who could orchestrate these events. He is the only one who knew the secret route I planned to take in and out.
Lengwin lowered his head and shook it.
Gersius put a hand to Lengwins shoulder and continued. “The Father Abbot lied to me, betrayed the order, and is collaborating with the enemy. For what purpose I do not know, but it does explain why he is working so hard to prevent me from reaching Calathen with Lilly.”
“I can see the truth of it in your face, and hear it in your words,” Lengwin said.
He walked up to Lilly and hung his head before her.
“Lady Lilly, please forgive the servants of Astikar this great harm we have done to you. Let me try and make some amends for this crime.”
“I will consider it all forgiven if you can get Gerisus and I into Calathen,” Lilly said, staring down at the man with her eyes blazing.
He turned to face Gersius and Thayle.
“I will need some time. I must gather those I can trust and form a motion of dispute to be formally presented,” Lengwin said.
“I fear the Father Abbot will not accept your motion. He may well bar you from Calathen as well,” Gersius said.
“Outrageous! I am a high priest! He cannot deny me access to the city!”
“He was willing to lie to me, torture me, and then use me as a tool to incite terror. Do you honestly think he is going to sit back and let you file a formal complaint?”
“What do you propose to do then?” Lengwin asked.
“Right now Calathen is lightly defended. The bulk of its army is on the front with the Doan. Only the raven guard will be present in and around the city as will the local militias.”
“I know you said you would take the city by force, but do you really think you can?” Lengwin asked.
“I am hoping if we march with great enough numbers, the city will surrender without a fight,” Gersius said.
“The raven guard will fight. Dellain has no fear of combat or bloodshed.”
“I have a plan to deal with the raven guard, and I will deal with Dellain myself,” Gersius said his voice hard as stone. “I knew there was a rot in the order. I left instructions with those I trusted to scatter if they did not hear from me. Tavis and Ayawa are even now gathering them up.”
“So you have your own army?” Lengwin said with a smile.
“I have enough men and women to challenge Dellain and his butchers,” Gersius said.
Lengwin nodded.“I will get to work writing letters and dispatching couriers then. I will need a week at least to get some replies, and more time after that to organize,”
“I understand my friend. We could use the time anyway. We have a mission of our own we need to complete,” Gersius said.
“What mission?” Lilly said, turning her great head to look at Gersius.
“We are going to find that shrine,” Gersius said.
“The one the Numidel spoke about?” Lilly asked.
“Yes, that one.”
“But we need to go to Calathen,” Lilly corrected.
“You heard him, Lilly. He will need several weeks to get organized. We will use that time for you.” Gersius walked to her as he spoke and looked her in the face. “When Numidel saw your wings, he became very insistent that we go. He told me that if I loved you, I would take you there. He must know something we don’t. Maybe, there is something there that can help.”
Lilly considered his words and looked at Thayle, who nodded her agreement.
She thrust her face back to Gersius and glared at him.
“You owe me at least one night in your arms in a proper bed before we go!” she hissed at him.
Lengwin glanced at Thayle, “They really are married?”
“You have no idea how married they are,” Thayle responded with a smile.
Lilly changed forms, and they made the trip back to the city. Thayle explained the ruse used with the gate guards to get Lilly past them to Lengwin. He smiled at the cleverness of it and told her to keep using it. He would let it be known that they had come to him because the light was supposed to fade and he was looking into a way to correct it.
“It will help answer any questions,” Lengwin said. “And when it does fade, we can say it finally wore off.”
He dispatched a man to the Silver Chalice, the finest Inn the town had to offer, and purchased the best rooms for them and meals for several days.
With a parting handshake, the group set off to find the inn and a comfortable bed. They followed Lengwin's directions and quickly found the impressive building in a quiet part of the city.
The building towered up as tall as the Abby. Its ground floor was made of cut stone blocks that were polished smooth. The upper floors were made with dark wooden beams and plaster. The walls were broken up with wide glass windows made of small diamond shapes joined together with metal and tinted yellow color.
Inside, the common room had a tall ceiling that was crisscrossed with more dark wooden beams. Where they crossed metal rings hung from ropes and candles burned on the rings giving the room a soft glow. One wall was full of windows to the street, broken every five feet by a thick stone column that ran from floor to ceiling. The floor was made of polished tan wood and the round tables of darker reddish wood. The tables were waxed and oiled so that they reflected the candlelight. Every table had four or five chairs with high backs and thin cushions.
In opposite corners of the room were two massive hearths of mixed stones. One had a large black kettle in it, and the other had a series of small animals on a metal pole. A man in an apron slowly turned the pole with a crank as the meat roasted. It filled the whole space with a pleasing scent that made Lilly immediately hungry.
They sat at one of the tables near the windows because Lilly wanted to watch the people in the street. Gersius went to order food and drinks while Thayle and Lilly commented on what people were wearing.
Lilly ate something they called a chicken, that came with mushroom gravy. She enjoyed the food humming a little as she ate, but her eyes lit up when a full platter of fresh steaming bread was placed on the table. It came with a bowl of whipped butter, and she wasted no time reaching for it.
“Now this is how you treat your wife and her lover,” Thayle said as she nibbled on a round spongy disk called a sweet berry cake.
“I see you have accepted your title,” Gersius said.
“I tried to talk you both out of it, but you won't let it go, so I surrender,” Thayle said taking another small bite. “Besides, you seem to find some enjoyment in embarrassing me.”
“So this Grand Priestess stuff. You are not lying about that are you?” he asked.
“Lilly didn't tell you then?” she replied.
Lilly looked up from her bread with a ring of butter around her mouth.
“Tell him what?” she said.
“About our conversation in the dragon temple where I admitted what I was,” Thayle said.
“Oh, where you finally told me you loved me.”
“Yes, that. I also told her my true title. I am a Grand Priestess, and Governess Commander of the third company of Ulustrahs battle priests.”
“You left the Governess Commander part out!” Lilly said with a glare.
“Lilly, we were having a tender moment. I didn't think to mention it,” Thayle said.
“You keep another secret from me, and the next time I am alone with you in dragon form I will strip you out of your armor and tongue bathe you!”
Gersius choked on his drink and Thayle dropped her little cake in her lap in shock.
It took several moments for Gersius to get control of his laughter before he could continue questioning her.
“So...so you are a knight captain like me then,” he said his eyes running with tears.
Thayle fished cake out of her lap and tried to wipe off her armor.
“Yes, I am, well I was. I voluntarily took a lower rank and a simple assignment to a country shrine.”
“But you technically still hold your rank?” he asked.
“I do, but I never invoke it. Well not until today,” Thayle said.
“So Ulustrah has priests under arms then?” he asked.
“You saw the guards at the temple,” she pointed out.
“All faiths have temple guards. What I mean is your order maintains a combat-ready force it can deploy?”
“We do, but we maintain maybe one-tenth what your order does, and our blessings are far more defensive in nature.”
“Well, Grand Priestess Thayle, what other secrets have you kept from Lilly?” He was enjoying this little game as Thayle squirmed in her seat.
Lilly looked up from her bread to glare at Thayle.
“I have not kept any secrets! Hey! You're trying to get me in trouble!” she yelled at him.
“I look forward to being there when Lilly catches you in one more,” he laughed. He enjoyed it, even more, when Thayle glanced over at Lilly who licked a slice of bread in a long, deliberate stroke. Thayle's face blushed a deep purple as her mouth fell open. He could feel Lilly over the bind as she too enjoyed the game they were playing.
“It is good to know you can still blush,” Gersius said.
“You two are horrible. I am still watching for whatever game it is your playing. I know something is going on,” Thayle said with a firm glare at them both.
“Should I ask her now?” he heard Lilly say in his mind.
“No. Not yet. She is playing with us, and this is good, but she is not ready,” he sent back silently.
They sat at the table and spoke until Lilly finally demanded they go to their room and practically dragged Gersius away.
The next morning Lilly was delighted to learn they were going to spend a few more days in the city. Gersius took them shopping and made Lilly stand for another fitting. She fumed a tall, thin crow-like woman flustered about her taking measurements and making her stand in various positions. Lilly glared at Gersius the whole time until the woman finally returned with the material he recommended.
It was soft leather, dyed a deep royal blue, with other materials in whites and creams.
The woman wanted several hours to work on the outfit, so Lilly got a reprieve, and they went into a second shop where they purchased some simple tunics and pants for her to wear as well.
“Why can't I wear these all the time,” Lilly said.
“Lilly, you are beautiful. These outfits would not do you justice,” Gersius said.
They went on their way, giving the woman time to work on the outfit and visited other shops. They made a mandatory stop in a bakery where Lilly got a long crusty bread that she nibbled as they walked. Another stop was made at various dried good stores as Gersius prepared for the impending journey. They returned to the dressmaker later that day to pick up Lilly's new outfit.
Thayle made a low “Ooooh,” when they walked in and saw it on the wooden form.
The skirt was a vibrant royal blue with the hem trimmed in cream. It belted at the waist with a thin white band. The top of the dress split from the belt to the collar, the sides in the royal blue but the center strip was a beautiful white leather cut lower than her other dress and trimmed in white lace. The shirt went over her shoulders and ran down her arms to her elbows, all trimmed in more lace.
“That's for me?” Lilly asked, walking over to it.
“It is for you Lilly,” Gersius said.
The woman insisted Lilly try it on and Thayle and helped her into it. Lilly turned around in her new outfit, the blue color matching her eyes.
“Lilly, you look so beautiful in that!” Thayle said as Lilly twirled.
Lilly stopped and put her hands to her chest. I like it, but why are the tops of these exposed now?” she said, referring to her breasts.
“That was for me,” Gersius said with a smile.
Thayle hit him and walked over to help Lilly put on her necklace. The blue stone hung just over the centerline of her chest.
Thayle stood back by Gersius and admired the view. “Actually, I approve of the cut myself.”
Gersius glanced at her over the remark. He had a notion forming in his mind that might explain why Thayle rejected him in Eastgate. He didn't dismiss the simple possibility that she didn't care for him like that, but he suspected it was something more. Lilly suspected Thayle was keeping a secret. He hoped Lilly would eventually reveal it.
Gersius found Lilly a pair of black boots with a blue strip down the side that laced up to her knees in another shop and tickled her leg as he fit them on her.
They enjoyed another meal and spent some time in the inn. Lilly chilled their drinks, and she and Thayle shared a tray full of sweet berry cakes.
Gersius sat back and watched the two talk and play as they always did. He saw the bond that was forming, and he hoped he was doing the right thing. He still had a concern that he’d misread Thayle and that would damage their relationship. Still, he wanted to press Thayle to test his theory, and Lilly gave him the perfect opening.
“Two nights in a row with my husband,” Lilly said as she nibbled on her fifth cake. “I hope you're rested.”
“I am feeling a little tired actually,” Gersius said. “You should go to Thayles room tonight.”
Thayle dropped her cake into her lap at his words as Lilly started to laugh.
“That isn't funny!” Thayle said, trying to fish the cake out of her lap again.
“Oh come now, my lover, sooner or later you will need to earn your title,” Lilly said.
Thayle looked up at her going as red as her wine.
She snapped her head at Gersius, who was hiding his face with his hand to conceal his laughing.
“You have been coaching her on how to embarrass me, haven't you?” she scolded him.
“I may have made a few suggestions,” he said chuckling. He didn't want to reveal that he and Lilly were communicating silently.
“You have clearly made more than a few,” Thayle said, throwing a handful of cake on her plate.
“You are partially responsible for this,” Gersius said to her.
“I was trying to help you, not bait a seductress!” Thayle gripped. “Ever since you two bound each other, it's like she is a different woman. Her emotions flow like a raging river, and she has no concept of boundaries.”
“She has matured is all,” Gersius said as he began to worry he had gone too far. He could see Thayle was angry, and she was struggling to control her words.
“It's the binding link, Gersius! She is feeding off your emotions! You love her so strongly she is swimming in love, and she is sharing the overflow with me,” Thayle responded. “When you're sad or upset, she is far more controlled and reserved. When you're thinking about her or having a strong, loving emotion, she is like a prowling tiger.”
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Lilly said regretfully.
“I didn't mean it to sound like I was mad at you, Lilly,” Thayle said. “I love who you are, and I am glad you have broken through your curse to let your love flow freely. I am just not used to being pursued by another woman so aggressively, especially when her husband is sitting right beside her.”
“That is a problem for you?” Gersius said.
“Gersius, when you're a priestess of Ulustrah, you spend a great deal of time trying to repair relationships. Most have been torn apart because another person came between two people. I don't want to do anything that would damage your relationship with Lilly.”
Gersius took a deep breath.
“I appreciate all you have done for us, but I want to remind you that I can read Lilly’s thoughts and emotions. There is no secret or hidden motive. There is a part of Lilly's heart that belongs to you. Even if I were to command her not to love you, I would not get that part back. It would be lost forever.”
Thayle looked away.
“There is something more. You keep going back to the link we share. Every time this conversation comes up you mention the link,” Gersius said. He knew he was pushing, but the damage was done. He hoped he could drag out what was bothering her.
Thayle looked down at the table and put a hand to her face.
“I am envious of it. I wish I could share in it, not just the overflow Lilly likes to give me, but be a part of the actual connection. I wish I could find someone who could love me like you love Lilly. Somebody I trusted as Lilly does you. Somebody I trusted enough to let them bind me and keep me.”
“I did not realize you felt that way,” Gersius said with sincere sympathy. He began to see the pain in her face as it echoed in her words. She was much like he was, lonely and desperate to be loved.
“I have spent my whole life teaching people how to love,” Thayle began. “And here you two come along with a love that makes anything I have seen or taught look silly by comparison. I get to stand by and observe it, but there is no way for me to experience it.”
“You did get to be a part of it. It didn't start this way; you helped nurture it and make it what it is,” Gersius said.
“Which is why I love you, Thayle,” Lilly added.
“Yes, I watered and cared for a little flower thinking someday it would blossom. Well, it has. It blossomed into the greatest flower ever known, but it grew so tall I can only see what it looks like from underneath, in the shadow it casts on the ground.”
Gersius and Lilly exchanged glances as Thayle looked away with tears in her eyes.
“I am going to retire for the night. I wish to be alone,” Thayle said as she stood and left the table.
Gersius watched her go up the stairs then turned to speak to Lilly. “Lilly, go to our room. I want to speak to Thayle for a moment,” he said.
“Is Thayle alright?” Lilly asked.
“I think we have teased her too much and hurt her feelings. There is something deeper that is wounding her, and our efforts are causing her to feel the pain. I want to talk to her about it.”
“I will wait for you in the room,” Lilly said as he got up to follow Thayle.
Thayle sat down on the edge of her bed when there was a knock on her door. She knew who it was.
“What do you want, Gersius?” she said as she opened the door.
“Can I please come in and talk to you?” he said.
She opened the door and let him in, and he stood just inside the doorway.
Her room was a large windowless space with a high ceiling and the familiar oak beams. Her bed was large and dressed down with thick, cream-colored blankets, and half a dozen long pillows. She had a large desk, chair, and a small couch in white with red flowers on it set beside an oval table or redwood.
“Thayle, I have been trying to tell you that you are free to show affection to Lilly,” he began.
“No, Gersius! We can't go down this path,” she said, sitting on the edge of the bed.
“I am not threatened at all. Lilly does indeed care for you, and you are important to her.
“Gersius, I have seen this type of relationship a dozen times. It never ends well, and are often the hardest ones to fix. I should know, I have tried to fix all of them and, I might add, failed at it many times.”
“You have never seen a relationship like ours, Thayle. How many people have you counseled who could feel each other's emotions?”
Thayle folded her arms and went silent.
Gersius studied her and realized there was a nagging question he needed to ask.
“Why are you not married?”
“I have never been asked,” Thayle replied.
“I find that hard to believe. You are a beautiful woman. You are strong, confident, and highly accomplished. I also recall Prime Arlin asking you if you had reconsidered his marriage offer. So why are you not married?”
“I want to go to bed,” Thayle said.
“You do not like men do you?” he stated more than asked.
“What?” Thayle stammered suddenly standing and looking right at him. “How can you make an accusation like that?”
“You are a Grand Priestess. You could run your own large temple or command soldiers in battle. You have power and influence at your fingertips, yet you hide in a tiny little temple at the edge of a nondescript town. You hide and keep your rank and titles completely secret.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” she demanded.
“Your hiding from something, something you do not want to face. How hard is it to be a worshiper of a Goddess that encourages its members to marry and have children, but not want that for yourself?”
“You... you don’t understand,” Thayle stammered.
“I understand that you scorned your rank and hid away in a temple so small it only needed one priestess. You only left that place when you encountered a woman so fascinating you had to follow her.”
“Gersius, please! I don't want to talk about this.”
“You are so strong in your faith that you denied your feelings. You helped that woman learn about love and delivered her to my arms. Now you feel a sense of sadness and loss because you have to stand to the side and watch that love grow.”
Thayle turned away from him so he couldn't see her cry.
“Thayle, stop pretending you do not love her. I know you have said it, but I think you find it easy to say but hard to act on.”
“What are you telling me to do, Gersius, make love your wife?”
“I am telling you to love Lilly as she loves you.”
“Lilly doesn't understand love. She has no concept of boundaries! No understanding of social expectations! You should not encourage this! You need to teach her about the sanctity of marriage!”
“Thayle, tell me honestly, you prefer women, do you not?”
Thayle hung her head and folded her arms over her chest.
“I don’t hate men. You have to understand I deal with relationships. I see what happens in a relationship when a man does not value his wife. I see what they are capable of when the only use they have for women is what she can do in bed. I know not all men are like this but….” She trailed off and took a deep breath. “These families sometimes come to my temple. I see how angry and violent they become when I have to confront them with their lies.
“Some men do not understand the value of a woman’s love,” Gersius said.
Thayle let out a little laugh. “Women are just as bad; they do it with poisoned words and little gestures. They belittle their husbands and make them feel worthless.”
He studied her as she went quiet, and though she had her back to him, he knew she was crying.
“I feel safer with a woman. I want to love a man, but I am so frightened of what that will mean,” she said.
He sighed as he understood it, and wondered even more if he was doing the right thing. He decided to steer the conversation back to Lilly.
“But Lilly has caught your attention,” he said.
Thayle sighed. “Lilly is so innocent and honest. I find her childlike wonder of our world to be so heartwarming. She is also so direct and blunt. She sees no reason to lie. If you don't like what she has to say she doesn't care.’
“She can lie when she wants,” Gersius said.
“She only lies to herself. That night on the road, she lied over and over again about not loving you. When I spoke to her about letting you bind her again, she lied about that too, but those were lies she was telling herself.”
“So you are attracted to her then?” he asked, trying desperately to get Thayle to admit her feelings.
Thayle just stood there with her back to him and kept silent.
“Thayle, I know you are not going to take Lilly and run off to start a new life together. Nor can you do anything that would pull Lilly and I apart. I think you are hurting for love. I think you have been alone a long time helping other people find happiness, but never having any for yourself. I think you make the same kinds of excuses for yourself that I was making. That you are happy just the way you are, while inside you are suffering.”
He walked over to her and put his hand on her shoulder.
“I already told you, there is a part of Lilly's heart that belongs to you and only you. I think it is time you claimed it.”
“I can't,” she said with the shake of her head. “I can't.”
He let her go and walked back to her door.
“I am sorry, Lilly, and I made you feel this pain. I know it all too well myself,” he said as he shut the door leaving her alone.
He leaned against the wall outside the door. Here he was telling Lilly not to push things, and he was the one pushing. He made a mistake with Thayle, and he was going to rectify it. She wanted to love Lilly, but clearly would not, and her feelings about men would keep her heart distant from him. He needed to tell Lilly and cease their pursuit. He only hoped Thayle would find a love deserving of her. He hated to think she felt the way he once did. He hated to know she was in such pain.