“I think we have expended enough energy on that activity for a while.” said Otonia.
Both Otonia and Charis pause as amused they watch Dione inspect herself.
“Do you think Fertility Month has made a difference, the food or the attentions of my present company?”
“Oh, perky and full!” said Charis. Dione blushed red a little, even though she was the one that drew her sister’s attention to her naked body and in particular her small, although now perky and full breasts.
“Well the months are named so there must be a reason, maybe we should ask the elder if we ever see her again.” said Otonia.
“I suspect the food and the exercise myself, Dione.” said Charis.
“Possibly, but, well it has been a long time, so you know, I could be mistaken, but I think my overall self is actually slightly better than before.” Dione looked up and glanced at Charis and Otonia for their comment. They both just smile and then Charis breaks the admiring silence as they watched Dione squirm just a little under their gaze for long enough.
“We need to avoid some distractions and see how we can move our bronze loops, although we probably need to think where we can put them if we do move them? They are large, although the one on Dione did shrink a little to meld.” said Charis.
“The ear is the most obvious place, but easily discovered and is how we have detected those that would work against the common good, so that would be the last place.” replied Otonia.
“We place nose rings in our cattle.” offered Dione and they looked at her and laughed.
“Well while it isn’t a good option, it does make us consider the sight of the three of us wearing the rings openly in the same place or way. Unless we are some special family or wild women it would be too obvious for those looking for us and everyone would know about the ringed women.”
“So hidden it is then Charis and the only place we all have free is a breast.” offered Otonia.
“That was extremely painful with the smaller silver ring as you both know, so if we do free the bronze loops from our toes, when we do place them in our breasts we better be far from town and take turns so we can help each other through the pain.” suggested Dione.
“Perhaps fate has already determined where they should be. Can you imagine the mayhem we could accidently cause if the full power of the bronze loops were mishandled because we don’t know how to control them or are distracted with an idle thought or wish? Perhaps every woman would fall at our feet and every man would give us unwanted attention at the slightest interest or invitation from us. Perhaps it is no co-incidence that the agents who wore these where men, to influence men and seduce women to their purpose.” suggested Charis.
“Then I propose we practice!” declared Otonia. At their questioning looks she demonstrated by wrapping Dione around her small waist with her legs, so her toes were as close as possible to the back of Dione’s head and while looking into her eyes she spoke an invitation.
“Make love to me sweet Dione, kiss me with the passion you feel for me!” said Otonia without intent or will. It was an experiment of her own to see if she could separate the words from the will and it seemed so.
“Yes, flexibility to bring your legs up and around in case some brute is holding you down, we definitely need to practice that often and with as many real life examples as possible!” agreed Dione.
It was well and truly night by the time they finished their practice and hunger became a more important imperative. They dressed in their other set of clothes and ventured downstairs to the common room of the Inn. Their table was free and no sooner did they sit at it, food and drink was served.
“Innkeeper has me on watch for you, so as soon as I see you I serve you. It’s all good, hot and tasty with a cool cider to wash it down.” The serving girl bowed slightly and left.
The storyteller in the common room, telling tales for his supper started to tell a tale of times of old when magic was common and the priests of the gods wielded miracles that rewarded the faithful and where seven threes joined to combat evil. Each town would raise a three being a sacred duty to defeat evil where ever it was found. At its end all the patrons of the Inn clanked their mugs together or crashed them into the table they were sitting at, in applause for a tale well told.
As they retired to their room Charis signalled a halt and put a finger across her lips. She checked her dagger and turned to confirm Otonia was doing the same. They approached the door to their room as silently as possible; it wasn’t locked being slightly ajar and she was about to slowly push it open to see further into the room.
Then the door opened and the washwomen jumped as she was surprised to see Charis looking at her, dagger in hand.
“Back and sit on the bed!” Charis wasn’t being pleasant, with their privacy being invaded.
The washwomen, was about to speak and quickly decided to obey the instruction given to her first. She looked up at Charis, lips drawn back in fear, waiting to see if she would be asked any questions or just killed.
Otonia and Dione entered the room after Charis, closed the door behind them and then searched the room for any others or anything out of place. Satisfied, Charis then decided the interrogation could begin.
“Why are you in our room, the truth please?”
“I came to drop off your dresses; they are hung up in the wardrobe. One Thumb let me in, I told him I was working for you and you would like the surprise, honestly.”
“My father once told me that people who told you their answers were honest invariably were trying to convince you. If a statement was honest and truthful, it didn’t need that fact pointed out. So I ask you again; why are you in our room?”
Charis positioned the dagger close to her face to encourage truth and show a possible consequence if she was looking to lie again. Otonia confirmed the dresses were in the wardrobe.
“Shall I call One Thumb to see if he indeed let you into our room?”
“No, please, you don’t understand. I didn’t have choice; he has my mother and threatens to hurt her or worse if I didn’t search your room.”
“What are you searching our room for?”
“Anything, everything, something that will tell him who you really are and why you are here and where you could possibly be going.”
“So who is he?” asked Otonia eager to find out how they came to be in danger.
“He is a sponsor, who wants to know if you are competition or not.” Her voice wavered as she spoke.
“Competition for what, explain? You will need to educate us farm bumpkins, in detail!”
“The trial of three is about to begin, you know the trial, the winning team then goes to Parium representing Hillperch in the twenty-one.” she explained.
“No, you need to explain more.”
“He has sponsored the winning team for the last five years. The winners and their sponsor are basically provided for the next year. Once the year is up they must go back and win their title again to be provided for another year. It has been noticed that you are a three. A three that share a room together, eat together and well, when sleeping make certain noises together. Two or more of these activities are typical signs of a three that is going to contest the trial.”
She paused to see if they were offended in anyway and since they weren’t she assumed they were a three even if they denied it.
“The only problem is you don’t carry any weapons and as a three you are allowed to carry your weapons in the Town in the week before the trials so you can practice. He hasn’t seen you practice, so he can’t spy on your weapon skills, so he is even more paranoid now thinking you are so confident that you don’t need to practice. He is becoming unbalanced so he knew my mother is in your employ and she is being threatened so I would investigate.” She started to sob.
“Well you can tell him we don’t know about the trial, the three and we are here for a holiday from the trail.” answered Otonia.
“Wait.” said Charis, tapping her middle finger on her chin, “let’s think about this. We do make a fairly good team and to go to the city and be kept for a year sounds like a very good future. So what are the rules of this trial, exactly?”
“The trial is to the death or surrender. To the death is only won when all members of the other team are dead, so five could die to leave a winner. Once a death occurs that becomes the only way to win. Only one need to surrender in a team and the team loses. So it is possible no blood is actually drawn and a team loses. Your weapons will be blunted so to kill is difficult, but possible and normally very horrible. Can I go now? Please?” she begged.
“You need your report don’t you? What are you going to say when he asks you what you have discovered?” Charis held up her hand as she didn’t expect an answer.
“Well ladies are we willing to possibly put our lives on the line for a possible year of carefree living, given the rules tend to favour surrender?”
“Who will be our sponsor?” asked Dione.
“We could ask One Thumb!” laughed Otonia.
“Can I assume that having a sponsor or not is optional?” asked Charis.
“Well yes, but he sees it as important, to ensure the three train to defend their honour the next year.”
“He would, that way he doesn’t have to train any replacements, just needs to ensure none are too old or worn out. And he continues his carefree life; he doesn’t even have to risk his life in the trials.”
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“Well I am in Charis but leave it to you.” volunteered Dione.
“As I.” said Otonia.
“So it is decided. You must tell your bully that while you didn’t see any weapons but daggers, you hid in the hallway outside the room when you heard us saying goodnight to the Inn Keeper. You stayed long enough to overhear us talk about the trials and how this was our second Town and we needed to succeed here because we didn’t have time to be present at another trial in another town. You then needed to leave as more patrons returned to their rooms.”
“Yes, I will tell him exactly that.”
“Don’t worry, he wants to have his fears confirmed and we may be able to put a little extra coin into your mother’s hand for the dresses as reward.”
“Thank you, thank you I didn’t expect such kindness when you first found me. Thank you.” At Charis’ encouragement she quickly left, door opened, door closed in quick time.
“Now, we need to secured our weapons from the Gate Captain and ensure we enter our three in the trial.”
“Just wondering, what is my weapon? It sort of slipped my mind that I don’t really have a weapon, no throwing knives and no bow?”
“Dione you have the best most unexpected weapon of all! Something no other team thought they would be facing. You will be roping them like cattle! With a bit of luck the first one you rope will surrender in surprise!” They all laughed at that possibility, could that actually happen?
“We need to visit Temple Street to find a scribe, so I am sure that such a holy event will have some representative from one or more of the temples, so we will make enquires.” said Charis.
They decided the next day would be busy so after some playfulness they were asleep and looking forward to it.
+++
Their fast was broken in the common room and they left immediately for Temple Street. They each held a letter of introduction, each inscribed with a male name and their plan was to change this to the feminine form of that name. Dione picked a letter to a Merchant, his trade name suggesting he sold and purchased livestock. They did consider scrapping off letters, but they needed to add letters also so they couldn’t complete the task even if they wanted to.
“Don’t look now. I think we have someone following us. I could be mistaken of course, I do this better in the wilds, but there is a common face I seem to be able to observe every so often.”
“Well, let us make his day and visit the Temples first. If this satisfies him, we can then see the scribe and if not we will travel to the Gate House and visit our friend the Captain and pick up our weapons and pretend to return to the Inn, exit by the kitchen and visit Temple Street again.” offered Dione.
Both Charis and Otonia looked approvingly at her and she smiled in return. So the plan was set.
They decided to start with the Temple of Judge, given he is the King of the Gods; it seemed natural that something as important as the trial would be his to command and organise. They didn’t manage to run into a certain magistrate, which was a relief. For a modest sum they gained their license, the right to carry weapons and told when to present on the Town Common. They decided to scribe their real names; they didn’t feel comfortable lying before the God of Judgement!
Charis detected their shadow again and followed the plan to pick up their weapons at the Gatehouse.
“Hail good Captain, we need our weapons please.” announced Otonia.
“Why would that be then?”
“We are to contest the trial and need them to practice with and by way of evidence I show you our writ to compete.” said Dione.
“Well I continue to be amazed by you three young ladies; first you wander in from only the Gods know where, on fine horses and with few weapons to really survive out there and now you have decided to contest the trial, which is the sole providence of a certain favoured town son and few have challenged him over the years, certainly not young whelps like yourselves, no offense. So welcome to your weapons and I hope you use your available days of practice to great benefit. May the Gods favour you and if I was a gambling man I would have placed a bet.”
Dione was careful to conceal her ropes, while Charis made a big show of retrieving her bow. As they walked back to their Inn they noticed that their shadow was no longer with them, they went through the Inn anyway and out by the kitchen door and then on to Temple Street. It was a good plan, regardless if they were being followed or not and to cover their passage through the kitchen they asked for food and threw the cook a couple of copper coins for apples and a round of bread.
They did not go into the richest or finest shop or the poorest looking shop. They tried to pick a workman’s shop. As they entered, the scribe was busy catching the last rays of the sun to copy a parchment. Their presence didn’t disturb him and when they tried to gain his attention with some well-placed coughs and scuffles he waved them to silence.
Charis held her ladies in place and waited, they found their dedicated workman. They just needed to see if he could be bribed and could keep it secret. He eventually broke from his task to gather candles and realised they were still there.
“We need some documents altered.” stated Charis.
“Altered?” he replied.
The three ladies crowded around him, this wasn’t to intimidate, this was to try and influence with their bronze loops. Dione procured a nearby high stool and tried to innocently position her legs to best advantage.
The documents were shown and the task explained.
“I see, you wish to be women on these documents and not men.”
“We realise the labour is the small part, the major cost would be for your silence.” informed Charis
“Agreed, the labour I offer for free, my silence I offer for a future favour, I am not so interested in coin but knowledge, so I may need you to fetch me something in the future for example, is that agreeable?”
“As long as we don’t have to steal or murder for you when we fetch that something. Is that agreeable?” replied Charis.
“Agreed then, return this time tomorrow and it will be done.”
They made their way back to the Inn in time for an evening meal and their favourite table. As they sat, the meal and drink arrived shortly after. There were a number of patrons looking at them and nodding by now. Then some extra drinks were delivered to their table and when they looked up they caught the occasional acknowledgement. Unable to solve the mystery themselves they stopped their barmaid and questioned her.
“Oh, all have heard of your challenge in the trial, which is big news. There are a few more teams but you are the mysterious strangers and wholly unknown. The other teams know each other well and unless something changes the usual victors will win again.”
When she left they seemed to realise they were no longer under any sort of cover. Their names and faces were becoming well known as each day past. They needed to ensure they at least fought bravely.
+++
They awoke the next day and broke their fast in the Common Room and then headed to the Gatehouse to retrieve their mounts and leave the town for some private practice. Once they rode down the winding stone road and reached the bottom of the spur the traffic began to disperse by the multiple trails and roads which met there. At the Inn, positioned so it would gather in this traffic, they stabled their mounts. They then found a nearby farm with a large enough barn to practice in. Charis discretely cast her alerts so they would detect any wishing to spy upon them. Charis carefully watched as they descended from the town and couldn’t detect anyone following them, so this was just an extra precaution.
Their secret weapon Charis explained was Dione and her roping. All they needed to do was force the surrender of one of the other team. They needed to practice for as many scenarios as possible and some tricks if they could think of them. Otonia arranged for food and drink from the farmer and that was the only interruption for the day. By the end of it their clothes were ringing with sweat and it raised another issue, they would have to dress for combat and supplement their leather pants with leather armour to cover torso, arms and possibly heads.
They collected their horses from the Innkeeper and paid for today and tomorrow in advance. The Gatehouse was closing for the night and so they needed to gallop to make it through before it closed. The Gate Captain was there, it seemed he held the gate for them and they wondered if this was his one and only home as he always seemed to be here.
Attending the bathhouse first to wash the sweat and dust off, they used the opportunity to check the bathhouse maid and ensure she and her mother were safe. They were told that all the dresses ordered would be delivered by tomorrow. They also asked about leather armour and where to acquire it. They left the days well-worn clothes with the bathhouse so they could be washed also. The spare set they each wore was certainly not their best but they didn’t stink.
The streets were lit with lamps, mainly outside businesses that were still plying for trade. Temple Street was the exception, being well lit as all needed to attend to godly matters and they would be welcome most times of the day and night. The Scribe received them well this time, as if the visit was an appointment rather than an impromptu interruption to his work efforts. The letters of introduction were completed and they all tried getting used to their new names. The scribe commented that the names didn’t really suit them, but then did that really matter.
The journey back to the Inn wasn’t eventful, although a little longer than it should have taken as they located at least two leather workers shops and one was opened to them when they knocked. Given their female shape the choice of armour “off the rack” was extremely limited as most leather armour was made to fit wearers without breasts. They were still able to outfit with Leather Helms and Leather Vambraces, although Dione was equipped with a boy’s set that was ordered and never collected. They were assured the pieces were top quality, the best in the town.
It was reasonably late when they entered the Inn. One Thumb ran their purchases up to their room while Charis, Otonia and Dione claimed their usual table. By the time they made themselves comfortable, food and drink was there. The plan was for an early night, so they could train for at least half the next day and then rest up their tired limbs and occasional bruises. As they were leaving a young girl approached their table.
“Excuse me ladies, I am the daughter of a renowned craftsman, who would be honoured if you would wear his gifts, which bear his maker’s mark in the forthcoming trial?”
Checking their knives and dagger respectively they agreed. They didn’t have far to travel, just across the road from the Inn. The young girl invited them into a non-descript building that looked like many others with no sign hanging from it and no hint of the trade being conducted there. The building introduced itself using a repulsive smell.
Before them was a middle aged woman, with lines of age on her faces. Her hands though drew immediate attention, there was strength there in calloused fingers and they were supported by muscular forearms.
“You were probably expecting to see a man. I apologise for the vague invite, normally when customers find a woman in my trade they laugh and find another. I usually sell my craft through another so I am hidden from view, now I feel is the opportunity for me to reveal myself.”
Charis, Otonia and Dione said nothing, what could be said? At least it wasn’t a trap.
“I took the liberty of acquiring your measurements from my good friend the seamstress and have modified some of my better work to hopefully fit, although time has been against me. I need to also tell you that you are highly recommended by my other friend One Thumb, although young he has a good nose for the special and that is when I started taking an interest.”
“We have not ordered and asked for any equipment though? So do you hope we will be impressed and pay you for your labours nevertheless?” asked Charis.
“No you misunderstand; these are my gifts to you. They have my makers mark on them and if you perform well and my work saves you from harm then others will take an interest and perhaps, just perhaps I can gain a reputation that transcends my womanhood.”
“We will be honoured to consider your gifts.” stated Charis.
“I have armour for most of your body, is it acceptable that I fit Dione first as her armour was the most easily modified from work that was started before I took an interest in you?”
“You know my name?”
“Ladies everyone knows your names, why do you think I make this offer.”
“But we are not proven in any way.” said Charis.
“That is true, but that is part of the mystery. If you listen to the stories being told about you, you ladies have already slain a hundred dragons.”
They all looked at each other and swallowed, they really needed to make sure they didn’t disgrace themselves.
Dione was asked to strip to her loincloth, her breasts on display, which Charis and Otonia felt unusually and surprisingly to them, possessive about! The good lady provided a cloth undergarment for her arms, chest and lower abdomen. Over this was a felt copy. To finish the outfitting she was encased in a moulded, harden leather breastplate, with enough shape to accommodate her smallish breasts. Attached to the breastplate were soft leather arms extensions to protect the felt.
The weapons in the trial are blunted, so the felt and the harden leather helps distribute the impact across the entire body she explained. She then removed the armour and asked both Charis and Otonia to fit it on Dione to ensure they understood the strap arrangements and would not need any other help.
The process was followed with Charis and Otonia and for both; the breastplate needed more shaping to accommodate their breasts comfortably. They would be ready in the morning as it was important some time was spent training in the new armour and she would send her daughter when all was ready.
---
“Do you think this is our fate?” asked Dione as they all lay on their shared bed.
“Given my original intention was to just escape the Baron, my journey is nothing I would have planned for myself.” replied Charis.
“Stop thinking and go to sleep, it is what it is, we need an early start in the morning, pick up some more armour, fit all our armour, train and then rest and prepare for a contest we know nothing about. Sounds easy when you speak the words quickly.” offered Otonia. They all laughed as saying it out loud revealed the folly of it all.