They flew on a windless summer night. The heat from the ground lifted their bodies higher into the starry sky. The nightflyers scanned the landscape, searching for the torchlight and the rooftops of the Kingdom of Red Oaks. They had been here before, generations ago, tasked with finding a pure and untouched princess. That ancient flight started the War of Oaks, a battle that lasted more than three decades. This time their instructions were clear. Take the royal girl, do it quickly, and do it without notice.

A deal had been struck between a member of the House of Red Oak and the Emperors man of war. The Emperor's man of war paid that person to keep the palace guards entertained while the nightflyers completed their task. The Kingdom was now in plain sight of the nightflyers, they could hear the music of the Solstice Ball, and could make out the torches burning inside the palace grounds. Each nightflyer dove silently into a nearby lake close to the palace gates. When they surfaced on the shores they no longer took the form of a nightflyer. Instead they appeared as as three aristocratic women from the province of Cragsdoon. The three women approached the castle gates carrying baskets of night jade, a sweet smelling flower that could only be collected on summer nights like this one. The night jade was neatly bundled and tied with red silk ribbons. As they approached the castle the palace guards opened the gates to the women, the heady fragrance of the night ade trailed behind them. The scent of the flowers gave the guards a joyous high. "Good evening my ladies, welcome to the Solstice!" one guard shouted "Where might you be going with those blooms this evening?"

"To the ball, the king has requested the blooms for his guests, and a very special bouquet for the young crown princess." said one of the ladies.

The guards waved the women through the gates. The night jade had cast its intoxicating spell. As the three women walked to the ballroom they handed small bouquets of night jade to each guest they encountered. Soon the entire court was celebrating the Solstice under the influence of the flowers magical perfume. The women found Sertilda surrounded by Jaxus and his guards, each offering their hand to her for a dance. She was enjoying the attention of the men when one of the ladies approached her.

" Sertilda?” The woman said in a deep and almost unfeminine voice. Sertilda looked up. "Come with me." The woman commanded.

" Who are you?" Sertilda asked.

"Saspar, the third flyer of Cragsdoon Province." The woman said as she handed each of the guards night jade blossoms. "Enjoy strong men, by the king's request."

"Ah yes, I have been expecting you." Sertilda said.

"Excuse me, my dear knights and guards I shall return shortly. These kind noblewomem request an audience with yours truly," Sertilda smiled. Giddish as she left the group of men behind.

She showed the women up a winding stairwell and to a chamber just a few doors away from where Kitty was sleeping. She opened a door leading into an empty handmaiden's room and shut the doors behind her. Seratilda glided over to the three women. The open neckline of her beige dress sparkled with the tiny glowstones as she moved about the room. She received the dress from the Emperor's man of war, It was regal and gave her the appearance of authority as she spoke to the nightflyers.

"Have you brought me the portion of gold?" Sertilda asked.

"We have," said Saspra.

" And where might it be? you know, no gold, no princess."

Saspra looked at the other two women with disgust, her nightflyers heart could not stomach the idea of such a family betrayal. Her society was loyal to each other, and the family was unbreakable.

" Well?" Sertilda said drawing out theword.

Saspra turned back to look at the plain woman in the dusty colored dress. "Once you have delivered the princess to us, the gold is yours. I will give you instructions on where you can find it"

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"There is one guard outside Kitty's chamber, he is the last obstacle to pass."

" Then use your feminine charms to distract him, you seem quite talented at that, I am sure he will succumb to you and the blossoms of night jade. Just like your flock downstairs."

Sertilda took the blossoms from Saspra, and gave Saspra a hard stare. "I am a crown princess as well, and not a street tart." She retorted.

"If you want the hoard of Sid, I am sure you will find a way to distract the guard. Do whatever you must, so that we may enter the child bride's chambers."

Sertilda was starting to feel the effects of the flowers, the thought of her reward, the gold of Sid's Hoard, was more than enough motivation to seduce Kitty's guard. The guard stood silently at Kittys door, he was a stout man with thick lips and a belly that had seen too many meat pies and ales. The king had placed him at Kittys chamber because of his years of combat experience nd sword skill, and because the king wanted to protect his young daughter from the prying eyes of youthful knights and court boys.

Sertilda undid a few more buttons at her neck line, winked at the nightflyers and floated out of the chamber with night jade blossoms in hand.

"Good evening, dearest Kront, how does this night find you?" Sertilda said to the guard as she approached him.

"Good evening, my lady, very well thank you." Kront replied. Sertilda leaned into Kront, her round supple breasts in full view of the guard as she lightly brushed his nose with night jade.

"Isn't it the most delightful scent?" she asked

" Yes My lady." Kront said. "its sweet smell is quite nice." Sertilda dragged the flowers across her breast and beckoned Kront to follow her. He resisted.

"My lady, you have had too much sweet wine this evening."

She traced his lips with the blooms and pulled her neckline further down exposing even more flesh. "Kront, would you not like to join me for a Solstice dance."

"No My lady, I have the young princess to look after tonight, and you are not yourself. ' Kront refused, He stood firm in his place.

" Awe Kront, it is a night for celebration, my sister is fine, sleeping soundly I am sure. I have always been quite fond of you." She traced her cleavage again with the night jade and held his gaze.

"I am not a dancer my lady, I regret that I must decline." Kront said, ignoring Sertilda's advances.

This was going to be more difficult than she thought. But Kront was slowly starting to show signs the night jade was affecting him, his eyes now dilated, he speech less commanding. She grabbed his hand and with it lifted the hem of her ballgown. What she would not do for the gold, she thought to herself. Kront responded with surprise and Sertilda quickly leaned into him, pressing her breasts against his chest, kissing his thick lips. They tasted of salt ham and sour cheese. She felt her stomach reel with disgust but she persisted and soon Kront could no longer refuse. The night jade had taken over both of them. "Come with me Kront, my chambers are not so far. "

Kront intoxicated with the scent of flowers followed her. She stopped in front of the handmaidens chamber and pushed Kront against the door. Kissing him passionately, she pounded her fist once on that door signaling to the nightflyers they could finish what they had come for. Then she led Kront away.

The Nightflyers found the young princess nestled in her down bed cover, she was innocent, pure. Her face was fresh and flush with sleep. Saspra laid a bouquet near the princess to ensure that she would sleep the entire journey to the Chaco. They lifted Kitty from her bed. One of the nightflyers stepped out onto the balcony and looked for palace guards. there were none. In the corner of Kittys room, neast to the balcony, was a large silver mirror. Two of the nightflyers stepped into it. The reflective properties of the mirror, just like that of the lake, allowed the nightflyers to return to their original form. One nightflyer flew from the balcony and circled above the castle. The other remained in Kittys chamber. Saspra lifted Kitty onto the back of the remaining nightflyer and tied her and the blanket to the shoulders and torso of the nightflyer. Once Saspra finished, the second nightflyer flew from the balcony. Saspra had one more task to complete before she joined her sisters. She walked through the castle halls looking for Sertilda. She listened. Music and singing and intoxicated cheer from the main gallery filled the halls. One sound stood out among all the others. From behind the door closest to her, she heard heavy grunts punctuated with moans and an occasional squeal. Sertilda. She swung open the door and found Kronts bare buttocks pumping wildly between Sertilda's legs. Sertilda lay moaning and writhing with pleasure. So vulgar was this plain noblewoman, Saspra thought, and to give up her sister for glowstones and gold. Saspra threw the sealed envelope on the floor that contained the instructions to the location of the Hoard of Sid. Sertilda did not see Saspra, Kront never turned to look, he continued pumping and groaning lost in the scent of night jade.