The three companions established a new campsite and prepared the end-of-day meal, quickly eaten, an excited buzz unspoken, shared between them. Charis fetched the messenger’s pouch. She stored the silver ring and bronze loop within to prevent early absorption of the items, allowing Dione to control the when. Charis remembered her pain, particularly the silver circle when she accidentally absorbed the three items she gained a couple of months ago. Charis thought Dione could absorb the bronze loop first during the day and then the silver ring the following night, except walking while your toe throbbed in pain would be, well, painful.
Charis showed Dione the bronze loop first, surprised by the face she pulled. Slightly flushed, head down, a smirk playing across her lips.
“I know where to place the bronze loop.” She stared at the bronze loop, unable to look at Charis. “When you need to look away from a naked person, like Otonia, you tend to look down, so I noticed Otonia’s bronze loop many days ago.”
“Well, naked is best. No rush for the morning chamber pot, and all your clothes air out while you sleep,” quipped Otonia.
Otonia’s face was dead serious. Charis and Dione broke out into bouts of snickering laughter, shared a look, and then fell silent. Both scanned their surroundings, being boisterous while trying to remain hidden, which was not the best plan. Dione slipped the bronze loop over her right foot’s big toe and stomped her foot back into her stylish leather boot. The pair recently liberated from a log cabin full of choice.
“Don’t gainsay it until you try it, is all I can say,” scoffed Otonia as she sauntered off to water the horses.
Charis returned her attention to Dione. “The silver ring needs to be placed, and your finger is too small and easily spotted there if someone looked for it.” Charis glanced after the disappearing Otonia. “So, we think your breast would probably be best.”
“I am not sure. Does it have to be inside me?”
“They seem to prefer to be, although the bronze loops aren’t really,” Charis said.
“My breast?” Dione’s face slightly flushed.
“As you discovered, mine is behind my nipple,” said Charis.
Dione slowly undid the laces tying her shirt and, looking around, revealed the flesh of her breast.
“Although seeing your nipple…” As she sized the silver ring above Dione’s nipple. “It probably won’t…” Charis finished lamely.
“Too small, I know.” Her head dropped. “They are normally fuller and perkier, but starvation changes some things.” Dione hitched her chest, about to sob.
Charis inwardly cursed her lack of awareness and hugged Dione. Their heads rested side by side, and Charis endured the tears rolling down her neck, a reminder.
“I am sorry, sister. I don’t know your pain, but I am more than ready to listen.”
Charis felt Dione take a deep breath.
“It was horrible. They started by slapping me, not just once, but many times during the day and then they would throw some food on the floor, and the only water I could drink was what they threw at me when I would stink too much,” she sobbed.
Charis just held her, and later, when Otonia returned to them, Charis waved her over to join them. She thought it was a mistake when Dione stopped talking, but as Otonia wrapped her arms around them, she continued.
Charis, being young, felt an affinity with Dione, and as she told more of her ordeal, Charis bawled with her and held her tighter. Otonia, although slightly older, wasn’t immune to the sadness either. When Dione finished, Charis still held her long after. Cried out, Charis then kissed Dione lightly on her forehead and lightly swept away some of Dione’s light brown hair from her face with her slender fingers.
“I am sorry I went on and on,” Dione wailed, sweeping her hair away from her face, “but I couldn’t…”
Charis placed a finger across Dione’s lips. “We are sisters. We will always be stronger together.”
“Thank you, my sisters.”
“We are a three, Charis, Dione, and Otonia,” declared Otonia.
Even in the dark, they could imagine the smile on Otonia’s face by hearing the joy in her voice. It took some time, lying quietly side by side, staring at the night sky, but eventually, they fell asleep. That was until just before dawn when Dione woke both her sisters, moaning, her toe in pain. They held her again, and eventually, just in time to break their fast, the pain faded. Otonia laughed, and it wasn’t until Charis and Dione looked they discovered why. Dione had slept through the night with her petite breast naked to all.
“Well, just a few more clothes off, and you will equal me. Although I wait until I am indoors, I am not as brazen as you.” The fun, in her words, is plain. Dione playfully punched Otonia.
“Well, all I know is we were to finish a task last night, and only half got it done,” Charis said.
“I am sorry, Charis.”
“It was time well spent, sister. Today, we can travel closer to town and attend to the silver ring at dusk. You are much more important. You both are. Never doubt that. I can never…”
Charis turned away from them both then. It must have been from listening to Dione last night, her emotions still raw. She teared up and couldn’t stop.
“We will not die, Charis, we promise.”
Somehow, they both spoke the words together. She turned to face them, betrayed by the two tear tracks running down her cheeks.
“You had better not.”
She marched past them, heading toward the horse picket. Her intent was clear, to groom the horses, which didn’t need grooming. She crashed to the ground as both Otonia and Dione tackled her.
“You don’t get to walk away from our love. We are sisters together and know you best, your loss, the pain it causes and the fears you hold. We understand and will be careful,” Otonia said.
“You are my family now. I have no other, so you don’t walk away hurting,” whispered Dione.
With determination, Dione climbed over her pain, adding, “I know of the pain and took my first steps to heal last night, I think, so we are here for you now and always.”
Charis said nothing; she didn’t need to, as the three companions now lay side by side watching the sun rise slowly in the east.
---
Otonia reached over Charis to poke Dione in her arm, lying back quickly, smirking. Dione protested to Charis, and the peace broke. After serene sky gazing followed by playful wrestling middle of the morning passed them by when they eventually broke their fast, packed their camp and led their horses further along the Spur. High on the Spur, traversing shallow valleys slowed their progress towards the Town of Hillperch. In contrast, the number of travellers on the trail below them increased. Probably more locals thought Charis. She didn’t notice any look up to the Spur; if they did, their gaze didn’t linger. By late afternoon, they were in shadow as the sun journeyed behind the Spur.
At this camp, they set close to a small stream, deliberately ending their daily hiking early to enable convenient refill of their water skins and water the horses to help with their recovery. The grasses were also plentiful, so their care of the horses became easier and recovery more certain.
At dusk, after the evening meal, Charis asked Dione to place the silver ring on the underside of her breast. Charis then bound it in place using one of the many breast bindings they always carried. The ring was much larger than the silver circle. Charis wondered if Dione’s breast was a suitable location after all, given her still recovering body. Her thoughts tumbled over until they finally reconciled. They would stay until Dione could move the ring by force of will, like the elder insisted Charis did.
They settled into the night, with Charis and Otonia close to Dione, in case she needed their help like the night before. Not much time passed before Dione whimpered. Charis and Otonia held her and spoke to her; the pain would remain for a while, and then once her body absorbed the ring, the pain would subside, they assured her.
“I am in so much pain, sisters. I would welcome you slicing off my breast.”
Her hands cradled it in some forlorn hope of easing the pain. They held her and whispered the pain would pass with time.
Charis and Otonia had discussed the possibility of Dione’s pain and agreed they wouldn’t call upon their combined bronze loops to influence her. Both wanted their friendship with Dione to develop naturally and flourish without influence. They discussed the alternative and determined the price was unacceptable, given they considered themselves a family of three. That needed to be enough.
Then Dione screamed. Did the scream echo off the side of the spur? Did everyone now know where they were? Otonia reacted first. She kissed Dione passionately on her lips to distract her, which silenced her for an instant due to surprise. Dione pulled her mouth away. Then she reconsidered and returned Otonia’s kiss.
After some heavy petting, she pushed Otonia away.
“It is not you, Otonia, the pain. I know my flesh is being torn to make way for it.”
“Suck on this glass stopper, Dione.”
Dione quirked her head, and before she could refuse, Charis wiped it on the inside of her cheek.
Silence followed.
“What did you do, Charis?”
“I hope I found and used the elder’s ointment, the sleeping one. Given Dione is now quiet, I think I have.”
Charis and Otonia lay on either side of Dione, trying to sleep.
Early in the morning, all three woke up exhausted from different causes. Dione was the first to wake, sunlight shining on her exposed breasts. She dimly recalled tearing her shirt off at the height of her pain. She sat up slowly and peered at her breast. Heavily bruised on the underside, the dark contrasting against her light skin tone. In a slight panic, she woke Charis and Otonia and initially felt odd as they inspected her, gently lifting and shifting her breast.
“I am so sorry, Dione. The size of the ring...” Charis faulted slightly. “I didn’t realise.”
“You knew it would be difficult, though?”
Charis couldn’t look at Dione, so Otonia changed the subject.
“Do you remember my kiss? It distracted you while Charis found the elder’s ointment, which seemed to help,” she said brightly.
“While in unbelievable pain, I remember your passionate kiss, Otonia.” Dione fidgeted, uncertain. “I see now how Charis and you, well, appreciate each other.”
Charis struggled to look at Dione. “I know of no other way. I am sorry.”
“I am thirsty.” Dione jumped to her feet abruptly and strode to the stream.
When she returned, they quietly broke their fast, with only polite pleasantries spoken between them.
“We need to stay another night,” Charis announced.
Both Otonia and Dione looked at her, faces blank.
“I need to teach Dione how to move the ring within her body. It saved me once. It could save her, and this may not be the last item she gains, so she needs to learn to move and hide them within her.”
Otonia and Dione accepted the dictate and worked to make the camp more comfortable, although Dione devoted much effort to ensuring nothing touched her right breast. She also felt a certain dread about moving what had inflicted so much pain, hiding her anxiety from Charis and Otonia. Convincing herself, she needed to follow their lead, their assurances.
They tended the horses, watered from the stream, then moved on to new grass and groomed. When the sun was behind the mountain spur, and they were in its shadow, Charis began the lesson. She copied the elder exactly, as she knew nothing else.
The ring was much larger than the silver circle and buried deeper in Dione’s small, bruised breast. It also remained a ring when forced to move, whereas the silver circle tended to un-circle and moved like a snake. Attempting to move the silver ring triggered extreme pain. Charis stopped the lesson. After much effort and pain, Dione shifted the ring slightly in her breast and then returned it to its original position with less effort and pain. She could sense the flesh in her breast stretch and drag, resisting the attempted movement.
Dione reached for Charis and hugged her for some time.
“I know you mean to teach and help me, but I cannot stand the pain. It hurts even now when at rest,” Dione whispered, in despair, pleading.
“We will stay another night to allow Dione a chance to recover, and it will probably be dark before we make the town gates if we leave now, in any case. I am sorry, Dione. I will not ask this of you again. It was stupid to make you try. I… I hope you can forgive me?”
Dione spent the rest of the afternoon grooming her new horse, testing to see if the silver ring made a difference beyond the normal person and beast relationship, trying to justify the pain she suffered. Charis approached and gently hugged her. They didn’t share words, only heartfelt sobs. For her part, Charis silently wished Dione good health and well-being and was doubly determined to protect her from as much pain as she could. A warmth grew in Charis’ breast in response.
By evening, they settled in and slept well. By morning, the three found themselves locked in a three-way embrace of arms and legs with Dione in the centre. A heart-rending act of comfort and apology, renewing their bond as sisters and releasing some of the tension given their recent experiences together.
After breaking their fast, Charis and Otonia discussed their sleeping arrangement with Dione. Her being young and while her recent introduction to men was genuinely horrific, that didn’t mean she automatically liked women now, or at least they didn’t think so. Dione wasn’t sure either. She would need to meet a man that respected her first. Until that happened, if it ever happened, she would embrace their love as sisters, and if that developed further, then she would consider that if and when it happened. Charis was relieved Otonia led the discussion this time, as she proved the most accomplished of the three in matters of the heart!
Charis further thankful Otonia and herself didn’t need to use the bronze loops, as their use would have confused their relationship. The bronze loop’s influence on relationships explained why the carriers were always loners. They used the bronze loops as tools to gain an advantage, to manipulate and achieve their evil purpose. Charis wondered if they used them amongst themselves. Would that be just as evil in some contexts? If the use influenced their relationship beyond what most thought was normal or against a person’s nature, for example. Just as clearly, the certainty that they would place themselves at a tremendous disadvantage if they surrendered them. She just wondered where their use would lead them.
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Dione led the way down the mountain spur to see if her new mount performed any better, given the silver ring melded into the flesh of her right breast. She didn’t ride the horse across any burrows or over soft ground, although they went carefully, so she couldn’t determine if her skill or the silver ring or both made any difference. When they broke from the fields onto the trail, they needed to follow it some distance as it wound around most of the island spur the town perched upon.
Once around the island spur, a small village came into view, probably more of a hamlet. Two buildings dominated; the Wanderer’s Arms Inn and the adjacent stable. From there, a stone paved road gradually snaked up the front slope of the Hillperch Spur. The road provided secure footing for all traffic, mostly farmers carting in produce but also important people, itinerants and travellers of all kinds. Three young ladies on horseback, trailing a spare horse, while unusual, only gathered occasional glances when they were in another traveller’s way and no more.
As they approached the gate, the primary duty of the guards required them to disarm anyone trying to enter the town. The wall at this point was only a gatehouse with a small length of stone curtain wall to either side. In fact, if it wasn’t for the guards at each end of the unfinished curtain walls, anyone could have just walked around the gate! The start of a more extensive planned wall.
The guards asked about their business, and Charis advised she needed to meet with her Master’s agent to be escorted to the city. They accepted their reason for entering well enough but still required them to deposit their weapons at the gatehouse for collection when they left. Then Dione joined the conversation and tossed her gold coin in front of the guards. A guard asked her to secret the coin away and insisted they would need to talk to the Gatehouse Captain.
A grizzled old veteran, clearly occupying his retirement job and therefore determined to perform his duty diligently as his days of swinging a sword in anger were over and best left to younger men. After inspecting the gold coin, he accepted they were agents of the Magistrate or at least favoured by the Magistrate. The Captain ordered Otonia to conceal her knives. Charis still needed to surrender her bow, although she could keep her dagger if she hid it. Dione didn’t carry any weapons, so it didn’t matter to her. He also pointed out the stables close to the gatehouse and advised all must stable their beasts there. The City’s rules permitted none within the town walls proper.
They noticed that the town did, in fact, have a wall. It was much older and must have only surrounded the town proper, whereas the new one surrounded the entire island spur, including the town and its immediate surrounds, which were now built upon. It would make the town difficult to assault when completed, as no army could assemble before its walls. They would have to march in file up the road to the very gatehouse that now stood to repel them. Before they left the Gatehouse, Charis asked about an excellent inn and a competent Scribe and where to find them.
Stabling the horses was the first order of business, and since only one stable existed near the Gate and, given no choice, they paid the asking price. The owner was fully aware of his location and the demand. Finding the Inn was the second order of business, the Faithful Friend as recommended by the Gatehouse Captain. Apparently easy to find, near the Town Common, just outside the old Town in front of the walls, recently built and well appointed. They could see a Scribe in the old Town behind the walls on Temple Street.
Gate Road linked the new Gatehouse to the old Gatehouse in an unerring straight line. The road was two wagons wide and paved with stone; this morning, many carts and people made their way to and from the different gates. As they walked closer to the Old Gate, the farm lots immediately past the New Gate gave way to completed or near-completed new buildings. They looked at each other when they noticed a stable being built midway between the two gates. Probably because of the smell, or the eventual smell of such an establishment, the stable foundations stood well back from the road.
The completed buildings provided shop fronts for many human essentials: clothes, shoes, tools and the like. No making shops, though, so no dressmaker and no blacksmith, for example. Keeping the Gate Road clear of mess, deliberate and planned, which surprised the three arrivals given the stable currently under construction and the smells it would share with the immediate neighbourhood.
At the end of the Gate Road, the first building beyond the Old Gate, Charis propped, eyes wide open at the grand and fine Inn of the Faithful Friend. Dione, the farm girl, dropped her jaw. Occasionally, people, probably new to Hillperch like them, would stop and gawk, shake their heads and move on. Otonia smiled widely, appreciating the two country bumpkins and their reactions.
“I would be concerned walking in with dirty shoes!” Dione sighed, inspecting her boots.
“Yes, I think we will find another. Perhaps I should have asked for affordable and clean when I asked about an inn?” Charis replied.
They strolled through the Old Gate, escorted by a pleasant fragrance of flower scent, the townsfolk about them upbeat. The gates stood drawn open, and no guards stopped them. On either side, they ran the length of the wall, well-tended flower beds, a welcoming smile. On the other side rested probably the former best inn in Town, named the Knight’s Rest.
Showing its age, now well maintained rather than gaudy, an inn more in line with what they required, without worrying too much about dirty shoes or boots. As soon as they crossed the threshold, the most cheerful, balding man greeted them, large although not overweight, with a broad smile flashing his white teeth.
“Welcome, most welcome, young ladies! Be assured that you will have your privacy, hearty food and drink at the Knight’s Rest for as long as you stay.”
“What would you charge three ladies to share a room for possibly a week, maybe more?” Charis enquired.
“Well, that would have to be the Queen's room. It has a queen-sized bed and two smaller beds, so you may have to discuss sleeping arrangements,” he finished with a friendly laugh.
“The price, well, could we say Sixty Silvers for the week?” he said.
“Throw in dinner. Basic fare would be good enough, and you have a deal,” Charis haggled.
“Being so young, you are new at this, which is my good fortune, but I am a fair man and will include a drink with each meal on the house as well.”
He whispered to Charis, “As a word of advice, start asking for more and then give up concessions.”
He then turned to them, “Oh, and before I forget, there is a bathhouse in the street behind the Inn. Tell them you are staying here, and they will give you a discount.”
“Welcome ladies to the Knight’s Rest!” he finished loudly.
Charis’ eyes darted about the interior as various patrons and bar fly noticed them.
At that, a boy took their saddlebags and asked them to follow him to their room. They tried to take the bags back to help, but at one look from him, they stopped trying. He placed them just inside the room and paused, looking at them. Otonia was the first to understand and plonked a silver coin in his hand. The broad smile in delight he returned showed she chose the wrong coin.
“Call me night or day, and I will be there to help however I can. Remember, call for One Thumb!”
He held up his two hands as fists, his two thumbs standing out proudly and his left-hand thumb slightly shorter, and then he left quickly, closing the door.
“Well, we have three beds. Who will claim the queen-sized bed?” Otonia asked.
“I think it is only right that the two lovers share the queen-sized bed. I know we are family, but you two are like a married couple, so that this farm girl will be happy with a bed of her own and covers! Never been in a bed with covers before!” Dione said, and then she dived to flop on her bed!
They settled in, and while they left most of their possessions in their room, they still held on to their coin and daggers. Their next stop was the bathhouse with a fresh set of clothes.
The lady of the bathhouse, welcoming and indeed, gave them the promised discount. She showed them an enormous bathroom containing eight large bathtubs, each carved from tree trunks, hollowed out and impressive. Privacy curtains could be drawn between each bathtub, so Charis treated them all to their bathtub and ordered a fourth so they could make a private room by pulling all the curtains back to see each other. One female attendant kept up the hot water and soap.
As the three companions finished, the attendant approached them to assist with towels.
“Excuse me, ladies, may I be so bold to suggest that you could dress so much better at a reasonable price? I know of a seamstress who, after the Gatehouse moved further out, hasn’t garnered the business she usually did and would be most willing to measure and dress each of you.”
“Who is this seamstress? And where is her shop?” Otonia asked using her most polite voice, the bath having refreshed her after scrubbing herself clean with soap and, of course, happy. Don’t forget happy.
“The seamstress is my mother, and she will visit you at the Inn if you wish.”
“Yes, would she be available mid-morning tomorrow? Tell her to visit the Queen’s Room at the Inn of the Knight’s Rest. Is that a good time?” Charis asked.
“As you wish, I will see my mother there and thank you.”
They arrived in time for an early dinner at the Inn and claimed a table with a wall behind it and an excellent view of the inn doors, just in case, not knowing why just trying to be careful and streetwise. True to his word, the Innkeeper supplied delicious, generous portions of roast lamb, stew sides, and apple cider to chase the meal down. Dione’s head swam overawed by the cider. Charis and Otonia escorted her to their room. This, by chance an ideal time to leave as more patrons arrived at the Inn for dinner proper. Since they weren’t regulars, each arrival scrutinised the three ladies, who were alone for what they didn’t know.
Charis and Otonia shared the queen bed and, encouraged by the warmth from the cider, enjoyed each other’s company, a tender embrace leading to a rapture of love and lust, falling asleep exhausted. Charis still found herself in a pleasant dream, all pain gone, surrounded by love and loving in this imagining warmed by sunshine and bathed in the fragrance of flowers.
Otonia awoke late into the night, early morning when Dione slipped into the queen bed.
“I felt lonely over there, and I can fit top to toe if it doesn’t disturb your sleep, which is how we fit many in one bed on the farm,” she said. Charis, still deep in her dream and Otonia, yawning, agreed and rolled on her side to go back to sleep.
Charis arose aroused, sensually aroused. Dione, the source of her delight. She looked across at Otonia, who slept oblivious, snoring occasionally. Between gasps of pleasure, she smacked Otonia at random intervals in random locations, trying to wake her. She called to Dione to no avail, her mind focused, and her head buried. She could have slapped Dione, refraining because of her companion’s attentions and the pleasurable reward, selfishness overcoming her good sense. Plus, she thought to herself; she wanted Otonia to witness the goings-on to ensure Dione’s activity wasn’t part of her dream.
Eventually, Otonia awoke, surprised. She caught Charis’ delirious face between attentions and shrugged her shoulders in response. Dione’s head flicked once in answer to the shrug and immediately sort out Otonia, leaving Charis to wallow in bliss. Caught between the promise of delight and taking advantage of this change, instead of trying to bring Dione back to her senses, she chose the latter, much to her disappointment. The sight of Charis still lolling around in pure ecstasy stroked her fear of missing out.
Gaining Dione’s attention required some time, and even then, Dione insisted on continuing to kiss them both. Dione’s insatiable appetite continually interrupted their attempts at conversation, but eventually, after comparing observations, they pieced together her condition. They reasoned Dione must have fretted while alone in her bed, remembering her captivity and to find relief, she settled in a top-to-toe position in the queen-sized bed between them. Otonia dimly recalled agreeing to her request. She fell asleep, but only lightly, and dreamt of Charis and Otonia attending to her in the most pleasurable ways. Gradually a lustful urge built up, an overwhelming love and desire to make her dreams a truth, to join her family more wholly and intimately than ever before. Dione’s rapture, so singled-minded and unbreakable, happily continued with Otonia once done with Charis. At daybreak, Dione, utterly exhausted, fell asleep.
An aroused Otonia shook Charis awake. After a protest, Charis, bleary-eyed, questioningly stared at Otonia.
“What happened?”
Charis rubbed her eyes to wake up and answered, “The paired bronze loops, sleeping between both, my right toe, your left toe overwhelming. I am guilt-ridden because of her traumatic experiences, rescue from torture and the pain caused by the silver ring, not to forget her young age. We lead her astray and are responsible.”
Otonia pulled back the bedcover to reveal Dione in all her thin naked glory, nodding towards her loins.
“Compare you to her, me to her even.” Otonia splayed her legs to ensure an easy comparison.
“I see. So you think she is older than fifteen Death Seasons?”
“I think a small, scared girl used whatever she could to convince her two well-meaning rescuers to adopt her. I know farming folk grow up fast, but fifteen years and driving cattle and add to that her horsemanship…”
“She displays a luxurious crop, far greater than mine, rivalling your own.” Charis passed Otonia a cheeky smile.
“We will know for certain if she ever confessors her true age, although I suspect she will need to trust us a great deal before she does or by the next Death Season. A fifteen-year-old will continue to grow, and I will bet several coins she won’t grow much taller, most likely remaining at her present height.”
“You’re convinced she is older than fifteen, then?” Charis was still searching for assurance. She didn’t want to believe she led an underage child astray, even by accident or circumstance.
“Yes, her ‘skill’ is more than someone of only fifteen, and while I admit, my loins, yours and hers are the only comparison I have ever made, the similarity of hers to mine instead of yours, undeniable.”
Charis slowly nodded, convincing herself as much as agreeing with Otonia.
Otonia hugged Charis. “We need sleep while the morning is still dawning.”
---
A gentle and timid knock on the door woke Charis. She quickly wrapped herself in a bed sheet from one of the other beds, and as she walked to the door, she raced back to the queen bed and ensured the covers were over the naked sleeping bodies of Otonia and Dione.
Carefully opening the door, an older lady stood there, possibly old enough to have borne a certain bathhouse maid.
“Greetings, good lady. How may I be of help?” Charis whispered.
“My daughter suggested I attend to you and your two companions to dress you in garments more suitable to your positions. Was she correct?”
“Yes, we just need a moment.” Then she remembered some special help and called One Thumb. Within moments, the boy stood by the door.
“Go to the kitchen and see if you can find some cold food and drink, as it seems we have all slept past a respectable time of the day.” With that instruction, One Thumb left.
“Just wait a moment more, good lady, if you would.” Charis closed the door.
Charis hurried over to the bed and disturbed Otonia and Dione awake. She told them to be quiet when they thought of protesting. They hurried to be clothed, and Charis opened the door when ready.
If the seamstress thought anything amiss with their accommodation and familiarisation, she said nothing. Still, Charis didn’t think she would, as this commission would put food on her table, honest craft for fair pay. Charis planned to be generous with the money she gained from the agents they defeated and felt better when good folk benefited. The seamstress assured them she would work day and night and return as soon as possible. Charis sensed that the seamstress’ bathhouse daughter would need to assist her in meeting this promise.
After tipping One Thumb and paying for the food and drink, the three collapsed on the queen bed, joyfully tired. Although Otonia came closest to wearing a delicate dress, none of them owned a fine one! They asked the seamstress to use fine cloth for one for each and average cloth for two more for each. This luxury would be fleeting, an indulgence, really, but the coin was there, and they felt rich, at least for this month.
Starring at the room’s ceiling, Charis returned to discuss Dione’s delightful, though unexpected, behaviour. Checking to ensure they were both awake, she took delight in flicking Otonia on the ear to rouse her before she talked.
“So, Dione,” Charis said, holding back a giggle. “Explain yourself, please!” Charis concluded Otonia’s judgement was correct with Dione’s age. The alternative would have been difficult.
“What do you mean?” Dione was slightly worried, relieved when Charis finally giggled.
When she finished, Charis lent over and planted a long, passionate kiss on Dione’s lips. The bed trapped Dione, but she didn’t resist and returned the kiss.
“Was that by your own free will?” Charis asked.
“I think so. My emotions are so mixed now that I can no longer tell there is a line.”
“Would you two mind playing along a little longer? Otonia, could you shuffle back onto the bed properly with your head on the pillow? Dione, could you lay on the bed, top-to-toe, like you did last night? I will shuffle back like Otonia?”
They shuffled quickly into position and lay there, both Dione and Otonia eyeing Charis and giggling.
“Dione, how much do you love Otonia and I?”
“I love you both on many levels,” Dione stammered, surprised by the question.
Charis reached over to grasp Otonia’s hand and knowingly looked at her.
“I would like you to love us like you did last night. I would like you to prove your love,” Charis demanded.
“I need your love more, Dione. I still remember last night, so after you have proven your love to Charis, I need you to love me just like last night,” Otonia demanded.
Dione climbed onto the bed; stripped off her clothes, slowly at first and then with a flourish, throwing her clothes to the floor. She then found Charis and unlaced, untied, or unbuttoned her clothes so she could attend to her pleasure. Charis returned her attentions and whispered, kissed and cuddled to show ample proof. Otonia followed Charis’ lead, and the passion and lust receded from Dione, and she soon returned to her senses.
“Do you trust me, Dione, as I have an unusual request?”
“Yes, always.”
“Take our feet with the bronze loops about their big toes and caress and kiss them, please,” Charis requested.
Dione hesitated and then realised she agreed to trust Charis, so she gently reached for one and then the other foot. Charis and Otonia noticed Dione’s passion rise, looked at each other, and quickly withdrew their respective foot from her gentle grasp. Dione was instantly shocked and saddened until Charis and Otonia reached out and embraced her.
“I know why the strangers wear the bronze loops in their ears. There, they’re positioned close to influence those with whom they speak to and try to influence,” Charis gasping, not waiting for her loves to answer.
Both Otonia and Dione looked at her, questions across their faces.
“We have planted our best chance of help, as far away as possible, on our big toes.”
Charis grabbed them both, one in each arm, to hug.
“So, how do we move the loop to somewhere closer? Or do we learn to stand on one leg and ask them to hold the other?” Otonia suggested with a broad smile across her face.
“Both Dione and I have moved other items, although I fear the bronze loops are too large if the silver ring Dione tried to move is any guide. Also, Dione’s bronze loop doesn’t protect her much from the dual bronze loops we wear, Otonia.”
Dione’s face recalled the pain quickly, so they all accepted that as truth.
“Before we continue, I must say sorry to you, Dione. You see, the bronze loops that Otonia and I wear are a matched set, and together, their former owner used these with cruel, unshakable purpose and influenced many to their deaths or worse. I am concerned the family love you have discovered for me, and Otonia is being intensified by the bronze loops to be much more, probably more, than you intended.”
“While I can understand what you say, I have completely given my heart to you and Otonia, and I can’t think of ever breaking that love.”
Silence as Dione’s awkward confession stole all the conversation. Charis broke this by pouring each a glass of cider and winking. They laughed as they knew where cider could lead them!