Ambassador Botisa approached the truly massive estate. The grass was soft beneath his hooves, sinking slightly under his weight. The night was beautiful, but the city set him on edge. His skin tingled at the feeling of such unnatural masses of people together, all confined by walls. ‘How does anyone live without the steppes to run? How can anyone tolerate being confined like this?’ He wondered while he surveyed the estate. The massive building was vastly bigger than the great tents in which his people spent their nights. ‘But… it can’t move either. So that is a disadvantage. Of course the one who lives here is said to spend time away from it a great deal. Some of the two legged folk are said to have centaur spirits and prefer to roam the wider world uninhibited. If the stars favor me, this is such a one.’
He approached the door, coming up step by step, two guards hesitated when they first saw him, but after trading glances, they stepped in his path, from left and right, blocking the entrance. “Invitation, sir?”
“I have none, I have recently arrived in this city and I come at the suggestion of the Prince. He suggested that I might find mercenary companies of this city here tonight. I am Botisa, ambassador of the Wind Racer tribe.” The ambassador’s deep voice carried the authority of his office, and the soldiers barring his path briefly hesitated.
“Sir, if you’ll please wait while we verify this, I’m sure we can admit you.” The warrior said, and the ambassador nodded.
“I will wait.” He replied. ‘It wouldn’t bode well to begin by making demands of the guards of this estate.”
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Rasgen followed closely at Nua’s right hand. One eye went up and down her body from the side, he was normally quick to notice beauty, and objectively speaking, this was no exception. Though the false hand that took up most of her forearm and contained within it the power to steal life if what he’d heard were true, was a danger, he never felt from her a desire to use it on him.
Her face was focused forward, and she said nothing until they had gone up a set of long stairs and were walking down a lengthy hallway, well out of the hearing range of others. “About Ulmin’s death, did you really believe Lodira had nothing to do with it?” Nua asked finally.
Rasgen’s answer was quick and to the point, “No, I didn’t. I knew Lodira for most of my life, she was capable of being many things. Vain, self indulgent, impulsive, reckless, stubborn, vindictive, and petty. These things made her act out in ways that were often improper, often doing things even she herself knew she shouldn’t do. However, she was never truly cruel, and she pitied Ulmin as much as she resented him. She wouldn’t have killed the old man. What would be the point? If she’d wanted to do that, doing so years ago would have been more sensible.”
“I see.” Nua replied stoically.
“Whoever killed him, and the rest of his extended family, they’re to blame for her death.” Rasgen’s sharp featured face tensed visibly, “They killed her, and one day I’ll find the one who did this, and make them suffer for it. I loved her, you know, it wasn’t like with Sobella, but I loved her nonetheless.” Rasgen’s bitter voice stabbed at Nua’s heart.
“While I was gone, a letter came to me, begging for help, can I ask, my Prince, why did you let her go back? You’re the Prince of a great city, from what I understand, Shog’nai may be well defended, but it is not a powerful place. More than that, her family did not rule it. You could have just kept her here. Or put her somewhere safe at least. From my view, Prince Rasgen, it appeared you abandoned her for your own convenience.” Nua said bluntly.
“If you were anyone else… Duchessa Aiwenor, I would take great offense at that…” Rasgen said through gritted teeth, and then his face fell. “But as we are friends, I can tell you I feel I’ve done the same. I did try to protect her, maybe if she hadn’t left when she did, I would have forbade her departure, but she made the choice to go on her own. If she were more duplicitous, I would think she’d planned on doing so, as she was who she was. Well, I think she just woke up before me and decided to leave on almost a whim.” Rasgen felt his shoulders slump from his princely posture. “Letting her leave is one of my great regrets. All I can do now though is hope that her death was without pain.”
“Prince Rasgen, was she the sort to keep her word to someone who had done something for her, or was she the sort to betray a promise if it were convenient?” Nua asked with a grave, serious expression. She stopped outside a door and the Prince realized they had entered a very distant but familiar part of her estate, they were standing outside of her private office.
He reached out to touch Nua’s arm, and she looked up at him directly. “Nua, why are you asking about her so much? The truth.”
His lustrous green eyes were very close and filled with an intense interest. Nua did not throw off the hand on her arm, much to her own surprise, though she stared down at it for a moment before answering. “Please, the truth, Rasgen. Would she have kept, forever, the secret I entrusted the three of you with, that night?”
‘If he says yes… that is one thing, if he says no, his determination to find Ulmin’s killer means I will have to see to both of their deaths. That would be unfortunate.’ Nua reflected, and looked up at him, holding eyes green as spring leaves with eyes blue as the sky above.
Seemingly weighing the question, he finally chose to answer. “Yes… she loved Sobella. You took an enormous risk to at least give her revenge, to punish the ones who would kill her. Whatever Lodira’s many… many faults, someone who does that for someone she loved, she would never betray. Now I’m ordering you, as your Prince, tell me why you ask these things.”
Nua did not immediately obey, instead she drew out a key and unlocked her office door. She kept her eyes on the Prince while she did so, “It was something I needed to know, Rasgen.” The little click of the lock opening was the only sound for a moment before she opened the door and entered the room. “Tir, come present yourself.” Nua said, and Rasgen followed her within with briefly hesitant steps.
Nua stepped aside, allowing him to pass, ‘Who is ‘Tir’?’ He wondered briefly while Nua closed the door behind them, and a woman in one of the black and white maid outfits was standing up and approaching.
It took a moment for Rasgen’s mind to process what he was seeing, his jaw dropped as he recognized her. “Lodira!” He exclaimed and he rushed to where she stood, the former Contessa’s expression was a flood of happiness and she let herself melt into his arms.
Nua waited patiently by the closed door for the other shoe to drop. Tir turned up her face and met his lips with hers, his arms wrapped around her body and hers around his. The prince savored the feeling of her body pressed to him, her ample breasts compressed against his hard, masculine chest.
Tir felt overwhelming pleasure at his touch, and breathed in the scent of his musk that she had missed more than even she wanted to admit since she’d left him after their final night together.
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Nua let part of herself enjoy their passionate reunion, but kept her distance with her hands folded behind her back, counting down the seconds until the Prince understood everything.
“I was told you were dead… Lodira, I tried to find you, I got your letter, as soon as I learned you were to be sold I rushed help, to Shog’nai to find you! How are you alive?!” Rasgen exclaimed, then stopped talking when he saw Lodira’s hazel eyes water.
She put her hands to his chest, and gently pressed her former lover back. “Lodira is dead, my Prince, my Rasgen, my Rasgy… Lodira is dead. But I didn’t die, I was sold to the local Lur’gin office. I was ‘declared’ dead so I would never be connected to my… to Count Anton Valoisin. A little paperwork was all it took, and now?” She craned her neck up when they were a pace apart, revealing the collar of silver around her throat.
“Now I go by the name ‘Tir’. Her servant found me.” She gestured to Nua, “Not because she was looking, they thought what you did, but after she bought the Lur’gin, well…” Lodira ran through the events with him, leaving out nothing until she finished speaking. Her slender hand went up, touched just beneath the button of his jaw, and closed his open mouth for him. His teeth clicked together, and she let out a little laugh.
“So, now I am a servant in the House of Aiwenor, it isn’t what I expected when I met her, but… the mistress has been kind to me and her servants are patient in my instruction.”
At the word ‘mistress’ and the sight of her silver collar, Rasgen whirled on Nua with his fists clenched. “What is the meaning of this?!”
Nua’s face was flint in response to his sudden anger, “It is what it appears to be, Prince Rasgen, nothing more, nothing less. The woman you love fell into my possession, and I am reuniting you.”
“She’s your slave… is this some form of extortion…?” Rasgen demanded, only to stop cold when Tir’s arms wrapped around him from behind and she pressed herself against him.
“No! My Prince, she offered to release me! To set me up somewhere quietly in peace! Even to give money to me so I wouldn’t be beholden to anyone. I asked to stay!” Tir exclaimed, and Rasgen’s body relaxed.
“Then why…?” Rasgen began.
“Because as much as I have come to love Pas’en and those within it,” Nua answered with a voice as flinty as her face, “I don’t trust anyone here I don’t own. You said yourself, Prince Rasgen, you heard the cheers of my name from your palace. Not one free person did that. I trust my slaves, they are loyal. But other than you, my Teacher, and one other? No. Everyone else has either tried to have me killed or tried to use me. If she wants to stay in my estate, she stays in that!” Nua pointed at the collar of silver.
“Will you sell her to me?” Prince Rasgen asked, “Name your price, I will even give you the dowry I offered to pay for her if someone would take her in marriage!” Rasgen’s eyes were alight and intense, only for Tir to stop Nua from answering.
“Rasgen, no!” Tir exclaimed, tightening her body’s hold on his.
“What…?” He looked over his shoulder and then slowly stepped out of the embrace behind him, turning around, he took the hands of his former lover and held them tight. “You can’t really want to stay like this…?”
Tir took a long, slow breath and spoke, “She’s going to grant me revenge… I offered to stay, like this… yes, even like this, because I want something else more than my freedom. I want Anton to pay, I want my siblings to pay, I want Shog’nai to pay.”
“I can do that for you as well, and… meaning no offense to the Lady Aiwenor… I am a Prince, I can do that far more effectively.” Rasgen said firmly, though he was clearly relaxing as Tir’s comfort with everything was ever more obvious. “Let me buy you, Lodira… I have a cabin in the countryside, you can hide there, and I can visit you. I’ll take the revenge you want and…”
Tir began to weep. “Rasgen… my Rasgen,” she rubbed her eyes furitevely and put a hand on his chest, her fingers spread out around where his heart lay beating beneath his flesh, “I had the same dream. That I could live in a little cabin, that you could come see me, we’d make love, that I could give you children and we could have our own secret world where nobody could bother us. But it’s just that, a dream, just a dream.”
“I’m the Prince. I can make dreams come true.” Rasgen said resolutely and put a hand over hers that lay on his chest. She felt every single beat, and the warmth of his hand almost melted the icy resolve in Tir’s heart.
“That dream died when they put me in a cage, Rasgen. If word ever got out that you bought me, if I were ever discovered in your care? The other nobles would never forget it. Ulmin might have been a sour faced and sour tempered man, but he was widely respected. The massacre… you’re not above suspicion, are you?” Tir asked bitterly and Rasgen was forced to shake his head in denial.
“Exactly. The belief in my guilt destroyed my whole life, if they believe that you killed the Count and his family to steal his wife and make me yours? It doesn’t matter how well loved you are now, all that will vanish. Every noble with a beautiful wife, mistress, daughter, or anything else you might covet… they’ll turn on you. I won’t be the reason you die! And if you act against Shog’nai yourself? People will get suspicious.”
“Lodira…” Rasgen said quietly and her forehead pressed against his chest just below the neck.
“Lodira is dead, Prince Rasgen. She was a stupid Contessa who wanted only to be happy with the man she loved and enjoy the pleasures her life here offered. She died in a cage of a city and her family divided up everything she owned. I’m just ‘Tir’ now. A servant in the House of Aiwenor, who bears the memories of a dead woman and her longing for retribution on her betrayers.”
Nua’s voice was clear and calm, “I can execute her revenge for her. As far as anyone knows, I’m nothing but a noblewoman who has won some favor for services rendered. The fact that we are friends is little understood except by a servant or two of yours and mine alike. Nobody knows I have any reason to target anyone there. If a contract comes up that puts me against Shog’nai, I can do what you can’t, and simply ‘go’.”
“Why would you do so much for Lod-Tir. Why would you do so much for Tir? You barely know each other.” Rasgen asked with a narrow eyed look.
Nua snapped her answer out quickly, “Sobella. You know I grew close to her during our trip. I promised her I would look after the ones she loved. That would be the two of you.” A lump briefly formed in Nua’s throat that she forced back down before blinking away unwelcome emotions.
“Can’t you…?” Rasgen began, then stopped when Nua lowered her head.
“I am not proud of myself for this, but again, my answer is no. I will be blunt, I would sell her to you for a copper, the minimum price in this city, just to return to you someone you love. There’s no money I need from you, Rasgen. But she wants to be here and I will not compromise on that point. Too many turned on me too easily. I won’t harm her, treat her roughly, or give her anything she can’t handle. I promise you that, my friend.” Nua said and looked over to Tir.
“When your revenge is satisfied, if you want to go, my original offer will stand. I can build a place for you somewhere comfortable on lands of my own. You can live out your days in comfort, and if a certain Prince should favor the lands of Aiwenor for his hunting and respite? Well, what is that but a gift to a friend who has given me so very much already?” Nua opened her arms as if to embrace the cover story she offered.
“It might not be the dream you had ‘just’ as you had it, but it is something I can do for the last of Sobella’s friends… and call it an… apology, from me for the discomfort of your current position.” Nua remarked, allowing them to believe it was her unwillingness to keep a free adult servant.
Rasgen calmed much as it was all laid out for him, but one question still lingered. “What if it is discovered that she is serving in ‘your’ house, Lady Aiwenor?”
Nua shrugged it off, “I have a growing reputation for brutality, and I’m now the largest slave trader in the six great cities. She was sold to my company before I bought it. Nobody knows I have any true connection to her, or any real friendship with you. At worst, given my ownership of Sado and Kaiji, people will start to think I like to collect fallen nobles as my servants. Given my lack of a husband, some might assume that I’ve simply acquired her for more lecherous uses, and that might slow some of the marriage proposals at least.” Nua gave a snort of laughter, then gazed at Rasgen more seriously.
“But you, my Prince, if it is discovered that she has fallen into service in my house, must pretend you did not know, and do not care. Do not frequent my home in a way that would arouse suspicion. When you visit, I will of course provide… comfort, for the two of you if that is what you want. By which I mean a room, not myself.” Nua narrowed her gaze at the both of them, and they had the good graces to attempt to look innocent. Not very well, but there was an attempt.
“You have thought this through.” Rasgen said with quiet respect and a brief bow of his head. “Thank you, Nua.”
“It is something I could do, something Sobella would have approved of. Mostly, at least.” Nua replied and briefly closed her eyes to picture her shining smile when the wind caught her ink black hair and carried it behind her as they rode.
“I will return to the public eye, I assume most people are dead drunk and probably making a lot of work for my servants to clean up later, but it can’t be helped.” She crinkled her nose a bit in distaste. “I still can’t get used to that facet of this city.”
“Right… I will do my best.” Rasgen replied without a trace of shame, “Oh, and look for a centaur visitor this evening, he’ll be here hoping to meet with you and any other well to do mercenary leaders you may have invited.”
“I’ll do that, good night, both of you. I’ll send Kaiji up with a bottle of wine and a pair of plates, she can be trusted with discretion, and she’ll show you to a private guest room. Consider that space your own ‘private party’ for now.” Nua winked, and left them behind her to visit the great hall that she was sure was already a wreck from overenthusiastic Pasenian guests. ‘That takes care of that, I don’t believe he’ll care nearly as much about finding Ulmin’s killer now that he has his lover back. And that means I ‘probably’ won’t have to kill him. It’s funny, when I promised Sobella I would protect her friends… I wasn’t really thinking about protecting them ‘from me’. But it can’t be helped.’ She thought to herself as she made her way back to the laughter and music celebrating her elevation, and their all too temporary lives.