2 comments/ 4168 views/ 4 favorites Twins of Trallis: Squalls By: xelliebabex Authors note: This story is a continuation of a series and as such may be hard to follow if you have not ready the previous Trallis stories. I hope you enjoy this one though. Thank you once again to Mrs Wolf whose proofreading skills are invaluable to me. Chapter 4: Dancers in the Storm The entreaties to interview Nyx continued throughout the evening following the strange magic of the storm dancer's globe. Iken gave in to only one demand, and that was to grant Mahan and his men permission to leave the fair and take Nyx with them. Having only a vague idea of the chaos that surrounded her appearance before the council of nine, Nyx only cared that her beloved Mahan seemed in a darker mood than he had been during the preceding month since leaving his own oasis city. She was kept under guard night and day within Mahan's tent and while accustomed to her master's imprisonment, his sense of urgency and wariness concerning her welfare unsettled her. It was with a sense of freedom that she donned the heavy concealing robes he insisted she wear when travelling and left the great fair as the morning sun touched the far horizon on the third day after her dance. They travelled hard that first day and as the rest of the women sat in a small cart, she rode along behind Mahan on his horse. She had never been on a horse before in her lifetime, and she could not quite become accustomed to the rolling gait and the constant movement required keeping pace with the beast below them. When they stopped that night Nyx was hurt and in pain from the hard days ride. She tried to hide the pain and discomfort from Mahan but the simple act of sitting beside the fire to eat caused her to grimace. Always aware of his tiny dancer, Mahan waited until she had finished eating and picked her up in his arms carrying her to his tent. He lay her down on the soft hides and cushions away from the sight of his men, he tenderly massaged oils into the aching muscles of her back and legs. She relaxed under his tender care, and when he lay down with her in the end she embraced him as only a lover in need could, kissing him deeply. "Thank you my Mahan," She whispered softly and rolled with him as he lay above her and entered her gently, holding her close. They moved together as one and seemed to relish each other's soft sounds, each in their own way dancing in the other's arms as he came without the usual roar or her equally resounding cry. It was soft and gentle as if finally Mahan knew she was his alone again. The peace between them did not last. The following day a party of horse lords caught up with them. The speed of the horses from Cavalia was legendary, but even the generals were surprised with the speed at which they had caught them. Dashing for cover in a close by corpse of scrubby trees the men prepared to fight. A voice called out from the horse lord's band of riders. "I just wish to see the girl for but a moment," an obviously female voice sounded. "Please, just a few moments and then I will go, I will come alone if you will grant this, my riders will stay where they are." Mahan rode forward from the safety of the trees. He held his sabre in an attempt to ensure they knew he would not hesitate to use it. "We want no violence, please I must see her just once, I have ridden for three days to see her once before the end of the fair, please Sand lord grant me this audience." The feminine voice beseeched him. "Come alone if you dare," Mahan replied unmoving. A slim figure on a small white horse rode forward to the disgruntled murmurs of her men. "Bring her," Mahan shouted over his shoulder, and Nyx was taken by the arm and almost dragged out to the space between the two contingents of men. Stepping from his horse he put a hand on the back on Nyx's neck wrapping his fingers around the soft skin. They stood silently as the woman from the other band of riders approached. Pushing back her hood Kerys looked at the girl she had heard of from a messenger bird at first and then from a hasty conversation with her brothers and husband. She wanted so desperately for the rumours to be true, they had to be true, she almost shook with anticipation. Kerys held her breath as she reached out to tilt the face of the small girl before her up and look into the dazzling green eyes. Mahan growled and Kerys lowered her hand before achieving her goal but the girl looked up with her own curious eyes, and Kerys let out an explosive breath, "Hello child, I am your Aunt Kerys. I would very much like to visit with you for a little while and tell you of your mother. If you are permitted to speak, I would like very much to know more about your life too." Trying to be sensitive to girl's caste and that of her Master she tried to slow down the words that came out in a rush of excitement and consider their effect. Kerys knew she looked into a version of her sister's face, so much like her own daughter and yet with the same stoic acceptance of everything around her that Dana always possessed. Calm and content, Kerys would have said, but she did not know of this girl's life at all, only that she was a slave and an exquisite dancer. She appeared to be well cared for, and her eyes held a sparkle that told Kerys that Nyx was not unhappy and for that she was truly grateful. Nyx said nothing instead she looked up at Mahan, "Leave your men and your messages to loved ones, you alone may travel with us. We will be stopping at the Falcon Oasis, tell your men to return to your husband with the message. He will find you there safe and unharmed as he returns from the council deliberations. Rest assured; no harm will come to you, you have my pledge and oath as a council member and Iken's second. Kerys smiled and nodded at Nyx before turning to Mahan, "As you wish but could I bring one of my men with me, it would be unseemly for a Princess of the nine realms to be unaccompanied whilst in the company of soldiers from another realm unless you plan to take me prisoner, which may have complications all of its own." Mahan nodded with a grunt and Kerys returned to the band of warriors that had accompanied her. She selected a storm dancer who was well skilled in the arts of magic as well as fighting and sent the others back with messages for Kehan and her brothers. She then turned and walked slowly back to the men of the sand realm, linking her arm with Nyx, Kerys smiled, "That wasn't so hard; I thought I would have a dreadful time convincing your Master to allow me to talk to you, and now we will have a day or two to talk with each other and find out about the world we each live in, It will be such fun!" The enthusiasm with which Kerys now spoke was genuine and Nyx smiled shyly in return. Nyx was startled and unsure by the words of the woman who held her arm. Was this woman really her aunt? It couldn't be, could it? This woman wore jewels and fine clothes and she, Nyx, was just a slave girl, a good dancer true but still just a slave girl. She had never had close female friends aside of her adoptive mother Neema, and she was grateful that Mahan stayed close, a heavy hand resting on the nape of her neck. Mahan watched the woman. He had calculated after hearing her introduce herself as the girl's aunt that the woman would offer Nyx as much protection as he could alone and between them the warriors of Stolle, who were his main concern, could be thwarted. If what the rumours had said were true, it was the last lord of Stolle who had stolen the mother of his tiny dancer and brutalised her until her death. Mahan shook his head disgustedly once again that his people were seen as villains for having a slave caste when, in fact, the slaves of the Sand Lords were treated better than the free women in several other realms. From the small copse of trees where that had stopped briefly, Mahan set a thundering pace down through the great valleys of sandstone and never ending dunes. By nightfall, they had arrived at the Falcon Oasis to thunderous cheers from its inhabitants. Mahan had been away some time and as Lord of this city oasis he was welcomed back as a hero as always. Despite herself Kerys was impressed with the man's standing in the city, he was obviously well loved which told her he was a fair ruler if nothing else. She was given a large tent and attendants and allowed time to settle in and refresh herself in the bathing pond she found in the middle of the main room. It seemed so foreign to her but then she laughed at herself, she was in a foreign land. She had prepared herself and was readying to leave the tent when a grizzled and scarred warrior appeared at her door and invited her to accompany him to the private tents of Mahan, the lord of Falcon Oasis. Kerys was pleased to know his name before she arrived in his home; formal introductions had not been a high priority when she had first met him. She wondered how fast her husband and brothers would ride to her rescue and hoped she would have the time she needed to find all she wanted to know about the girl. Kerys followed the sand warrior to the large tent of the oasis chieftain and found him lounging in a divan with the girl she believed to be her niece kneeling quietly at his feet. The warrior nodded before leaving the tent and Mahan beckon Kerys and her man forward. "I too, would like to hear more about the past of this girl though I am still unconvinced you will find any proof that she is the one you seek. We are, however, willing to listen to your story and perhaps she will answer questions if you have any for her, but bear in mind she remembers almost nothing of her life before she came to Zantasee, the land of the Sand Lords." Kerys bristled under the male dominated rule of this world but she understood it would do her no good to argue over things she could not change. "Thank you for granting me an audience," she responded carefully, "I am very keen just to speak with the girl who may be the niece I was searching for. I miss her mother so dreadfully. We were twins you see." She attempted a further explanation of why this was so important to her. Her eyes dropped to Nyx, and she smiled in what she hoped was a friendly way, "The only direct question I have for Nyx is to ask if she is happy here, but I would expect she would not say otherwise with you sitting in on our little chat." "I believe she is happy. I will admit she could be happier at times but then that is the way with all people. At times, we must endure situations that are not of our own making to get to the sweeter moments life gives us." Mahan answered for Nyx, who looked up at him with obvious love in her eyes as he spoke. "Well said," Kerys congratulated the man, "and it is obvious from even the way Nyx looks at you that she is devoted to you and I have no intention of petitioning you to give her to my care but I would very much like to get to know the girl herself. In a show of compromise and her willingness to obey traditions in this realm, Kerys stood and walked toward Nyx kneeling down opposite her so she could look into her face. A face so much like that of the sister she had lost, so much like her own. "You look so much like you mother did when I last saw her," Kerys spoke directly to Nyx as Mahan looked on. I would like to tell you the story of your mother and our family and how we believe she was lost to us. Would you like that?" Nyx looked up at Mahon, who had nodded imperceptibly before turning back to Kerys and saying quietly, "If you wish I would like to hear your story, but we do not know if I am actually the girl you believe me to be." Kerys smiled, but said nothing in response to the girl, she knew in her heart, to be her niece with every fibre of her being. She put her hand above her head and her companion, a young Storm-dancer by the name of, Reeve, placed a scroll within it. "This," Kerys presented the scroll before unfurling it "Is the well-known story of the Legend of the Summer Storm Dancer." She did not start to unroll it instead she placed it on the ground before her. "When I have finished telling you the true story of this legend in my own words you may keep this scroll to remember it and think about what it means for you." Mahon frowned down on the Princess of Solaris dubiously; he had heard the legend; he doubted that there was a man, woman or child in all of the nine realms who had not heard the legend but as they say legends are nothing more than rumours brought to life by poets and minstrels. Still he was interested to hear it from the woman's mouth and judge the authenticity of her words for himself. Kerys began by recounting the love of her parents, their courtship and subsequent marriage. How her mother right until the end of her life was treated as an outcast by the village that Kerys had grown up in and how she had discovered her powers during a particularly tempestuous storm. It was with sadness in her voice that she spoke of how they had only each other after that as the village children became afraid of the power Kerys held in her hands, and poor Dana was tainted by that. Kerys stopped and looked at her two person audience and lowered her head. It was hard to recount the night her parents had died, and her brothers were also almost lost due to the treachery of one woman. It was difficult to talk about the abduction of herself and Dana and subsequent trial at the council of the nine moons. Moreover, it was difficult to try and relate how much she and Dana had been two halves of a whole in those turbulent times. How much they needed and relied on each other and how much Kerys had let Dana down, not realising that she had abandoned her when she pursued her powers and found the love of her life. She had not seen how much the fact that only Kerys holding the power of the storm had affected Dana and damaged her perception of just how valuable she was to their family. She had not seen the warning signs that anything was amiss. She had not realised how much her wedding would impact the woman she held dearest in the world and when news came of her apparent suicide she had almost dashed herself off the cliff itself in her grief and guilt. "This is the part they will not tell you in the written legends. I stood on top of that wall, looking down into the sea, anguish and guilt eating at my heart with the pain and loss I felt at losing my twin. It was at that moment that I realised my heart beat double time. I could feel a sense of panic, of running, travel and fear." She looked at their confused expressions. "I could feel her, I knew Dana was alive and in danger. She had not killed herself. My heart beat so fast each time I tried to connect with her spirit. I begged everyone to search the city to stop the people leaving the city, but no one would listen, they thought me distraught and hysterical but I knew, I knew she was alive." "My husband eventually found the truth or at least tried to respect the sincerity of my words and sent out search parties and seekers to find any information. It took many years but eventually your adoptive mother, freed from slavery, made her way to the village of my childhood and found the healer, Hohepa, who still lives there with one of my brothers. Upon hearing her tale, they brought her to me." Kerys finally let a tear blink from her eye as she admitted that she knew her sister had died when she heard the news from the woman. Kerys recounted how her beloved sister had died in childbirth in the castle of the Dread Lord of Stolle, Gerahn and how a physician had smuggled the baby girl out to a fellow physician in the foothills. "The rest of the story matches your account Nyx," she said her voice cracking slightly with emotion. Taking a moment and clearing her throat, Kerys looked up at her audience hoping to have touched them but they only looked back with unreadable expressions. Finding herself still unable to speak after recounting her sister's death both fictional and real Kerys once again raised her hand above her head, and Reeve stepped forward placing a several large tiles in her hands. Once again, as she had with the legend, Kerys placed them on the ground before Nyx separating them out to show exquisitely painted portraits. Kerys smiled as she stroked the surface of the portraits. "These were painted by a man who knew Dana and I our whole lives. At the time when we had come home after our abduction he painted these. They are the real people behind the legend I have told you." She pointed to each as she named Baden, Rhys and herself before letting her fingers touch the edges of the portrait of Dana. "This is a portrait of your mother when she was about your age." Despite herself, Nyx leaned forward to look properly at the portrait. She had listened to her would-be Aunt's story impassively not wanted to show any emotion or accept the woman's words without hearing what Mahan believed first. It was to him she owed her loyalty; it was he who cared for her, kept her safe and loved her, it was Mahan that she loved, the woman claiming kinship was a stranger to her. "May I," Mahan grunted indicating the last portrait startling Nyx who looked up at him wide eyed in astonishment. He had not been happy having to entertain this woman and Nyx wondered if he was giving her story serious consideration. Confusion swept over her; she had been prepared to dismiss the incident easily but now as she looked up at her Master she wondered if she could truly be related to the family of legend. "Of course," Kerys picked up the tile and handed it carefully to the chieftain. The resemblance was striking and again Mahan looked at the lady. "There is resemblance it is true," Mahan said guardedly, "It is still no real proof, and I would now ask a boon of you as I have been so accommodating." "Of course," Kerys nodded. "The girl will stay here as will your man, you will walk with me for a few minutes as we talk of this boon," Mahan said not really asking but telling Kerys what will happen. Turning to Nyx he smiled, "You may ask questions about this legend from him," Mahan indicated the young storm dancer that had accompanied Kerys. "I believe, with his strong resemblance to the Lady Kerys, to be your would-be cousin." The young man did not hide his shock nor did her argue to assumption; instead he looked to Kerys who laughed and nodded. "My men will stand guard at the door, but they may talk alone," Mahan instructed more for Nyx's benefit than anyone else's. Mahan walked expecting Kerys to follow which she did within a few metres he entered another tent that was hung with strange boards around the walls. Running her hand over one Kerys felt the crystallised sand and looked at his questioning. "They have the effect of muffling sound, it is why I brought you here to talk. Do not be worried, I mean you no harm, I am not ordinarily a violent man but my temper is short, and I find myself wondering why you would persist in handing over a girl you suspect of being your sister's child to the very people who killed her mother?" "I am what?!" Kerys spluttered her eyes wide as she tried to comprehend what he was saying. "It is my understanding that your mother was of the sea people and your father was a horse lord and yet you grew up in Cavalia rather than Solaris why was that?" Mahan asked trying to make the woman see the error in her judgment. "It is because that was my father's village of course," Kerys still had not understood his meaning. "Now let's say your story is true. Who would Nyx's father be and where would she be taken?" Mahan lead her along the path to enlightenment. "Oh God! Oh no! We couldn't let that happen, not again," Kerys paled significantly. "So I ask you once again. If your story is true, why do you persist in finding proof that will result in handing over a girl you suspect of being your sister's child to the very people who killed her mother?" He could see her eyes fill with tears as she grappled with what she had been told happened in the council tent and the interest of the men of Stolle in the girl also. Gerahn was dead, were they to take her she would be killed without doubt for being of his blood as she cannot quietly exist in slavery as banished female members of his court might." Twins of Trallis: Squalls "Oh God, oh God, you have to protect her, I will help you! I must tell my brothers to stop!" Kerys was quickly becoming hysterical as the full impact of her actions became clear. "Calm yourself. She is quite safe here with me, and I will protect her with all I have at my disposal," he smiled. "Even had you found your proof I would not have given her up easily to the men of Stolle." Mahan reassured her and saw her relax. "You must go and rest now but I ask you to consider if finding this girl you seek is worth sending her to the same fate as her mother. Withdraw your petition for Nyx's release, let it go, and I will allow you to visit regularly." "I could try, but I fear Badan and Rhys may seek the proof for reasons of vengeance not family reunions," Kerys was calmer now and thinking more clearly. "We must protect the girl at all costs as this plays itself out." Looking at him seriously Kerys considered her next words carefully, "Thank you, for showing me the possible outcomes my need to know of my sister's fate could bear. I see now that while I do not understand it or in any way condone slavery, I can see you love her deeply. A man who only cared for a valuable, albeit pretty and talented slave, would not have spoken to me as you have. I appreciate you sharing your wisdom with me." "I will not give her up easily. She belongs to me," Mahan said sensing he had won the support of the woman before him to end this crusade for proof of Nyx's parentage. Satisfied he stood and guided her back to his own private tent and her son. "You will have dinner with us after you have rested," Mahan said stiffly and nodded to the guards who escorted them back to their own tent. Picking Nyx up he took her to the bed and stripped her of her clothes before standing back and letting her undress him her mouth following her hands as they revealed each part of his skin. He allowed her to spend significant time on her knees worshiping his cock and balls with her mouth enjoying the soft fluttering of her tongue and gentle kisses until he was so hard he could barely stand it anymore. "Come dance for me, my tiny dancer," he pulled her with him as he lay on the bed and positioned her to straddle his thighs leaving her poised above his cock. Cooing softly, she rolled her hips slightly and raised her hands sinuously above her head as she slowly impaled herself on him. Her coos turned to a purring melody as she continued the sensuous rolling movement of her hips and shoulders her hands telling a story of love as she wove them through the air and over his broad chest. Her breath quickened, and her melody changed as her movements became more rapid as she fucked the man she loved with abandon enjoying the feel of his hands as they stroked her body and helped set the pace as she rode him harder and faster. Mahan let out a feral growl and rolled her to her back pinning her beneath him and pushing her knees up to her chest before pounding into her giving vent to his own need and feeling her thighs tremble in pleasure. They came, each of them crying out within moments of the other, and they lay in the contented glow of spent lovers for long minutes after regaining their breath. Only after he had fully satiated his need to possess her fully did he ask of her conversation with Reeve. Satisfied that little of substance had been discussed he left her to clean and refresh herself before the evening meal and sought out his captains for news of any that followed them. ***** Allora In the waning heat of the harvest season, Allora danced her way across the green to the home of the physician to meet Clio. Life was good. She was a queen beloved of the king and deferred to by all. She came and went as she pleased, she looked over her shoulder at her minder and revised that thought to almost as she pleased and best of all she was able to see Clio every day. Allora had grown into her role as the new queen, at first uncertain and unsure of every move, her husband's obvious joy in being with her gave her confidence where she had previously had none. She missed him immensely each time he left the city high in the mountains of Stolle, but she consoled herself by spending much of her days with Clio and Nahn, who helped her navigate the minefields of court politics. With the relative freedom Clio had gained as an assistant to the physician as well as the respect she earned from the guild masters as an apothecary she had been able to do the things her previous life had trained her for and in an effort to help the new queen, whom she thought of as a daughter, she had sent messenger birds out seeking a snow flake dancer to teach the girl properly now that her talent had shown itself. A middle aged woman had arrived from the borderlands, near the people of grasslands. She had lost her husband as a young woman and been captured by slavers along with her daughter. Free for many years she had found no trace of her daughter and had returned to her homeland and the people she had left behind after her husband's death. She was a dancer, bringing snow to the foothills, freezing the ponds and filling the lakes with the much needed additional water that failed to trickle past the dams of the Castle fortress in the high hills. The woman had shown shock and surprise upon meeting the young queen of Lord Arimus, or Prince Ari as he was more widely known. Introduced as Rowena she was given a place within Janus's home, Clio wanted to be able to keep the dancing quite secretive and everyone knew that the walls of the palace had ears and eyes everywhere, so each day Allora danced across the common green to attend the lessons followed closely by Nahn and Jorlando, who were a constant presence in her life. Entering the infirmary, Allora immediately hugged Clio and curtsied to her dance mistress. She had been told time and time again that she shouldn't curtsy but here in this place it showed due respect to the woman who left her home to teach the novice dancer. They began, as always with the novice exercises, and Allora quickly warmed up in the heavy silk dress she wore. The movements needed to be precise for her teacher, but Allora found more joy in allowing the movements to flow together rather than be precise and separate and stilted. She did not say anything though as she practised and endured all the criticism of her lack of grace with sweetness and a smile for she knew she was lucky to have the life she now had rather than slaving away in the kitchen with the groping and fondling of the kitchen master and his helpers. No snowflakes appeared even though the weather had begun to turn cold, not even an early flurry had come along to help her believe she could once again make the tiny snowflakes she had before in her own room. It was as if this woman was stopping her from touching the moments of happiness that the movements brought her that were simultaneous with the magic of the snow. It was as they walked back across the common green that Nahn asked the girl why she looked so sad and thoughtful that Allora smiled and shook her head, "Do not worry Nahn, all will be fine I am sure, once Ari comes home again." "This seems a little more than just missing your husband girl, you were fine until you went to dance with that woman," Nahn had not liked a stranger being brought in to tutor Allora regardless of Clio's reassurances. Nahn would be sure to speak to Arimus about it upon his return, which she calculated would be within days if everything went as planned for the council of the nine. Nahn had been a dancer herself and had begun teaching Allora the dance of the snow maiden before Clio had sought a more professional dancer to tutor the young girl. There was something not quite right about the whole situation and Nahn had voiced her objections more than once. Allora though loved Clio like a mother and trusted her implicitly so never complained when asked to do something by the old kine. Allora and Nahn walked back to their apartments in silence each lost in their own thoughts. She sat at the desk and picked up the last letter she had received from Ari. She missed him. She had been his queen only a few short weeks before he left for the council. Her life with him was one of magic and wonder and her early life of drudgery in the kitchen and secret meetings in the shadows of the trees that bordered the green with Clio seemed to be a distance memory now. She smiled as she thought of how Ari had taken her from the kitchen, protected her identity and loved her in a way she had not known was possible before. In turn, she loved him and tried her best to please him and do as he asked. Ari kept no other mistresses even though as lord of the realm he should be siring sons. Instead, he seemed content to live in isolated happiness with Allora within this apartment until the demands from his council that he find a suitable bride and marry, moved him to make a momentous decision. He had fought his councillors tenaciously to have Allora granted lands and title, so that they could wed. She had been terrified, knowing she could never live up to the expectations placed upon the Lord's consort, but he was unmovable in his determination. Adopted legally by the physician Janus, she had taken his name and the title of a lady of the realm, that the physicians newly granted title and position afforded them. She had watched the ceremonies from behind a screen on the closed balcony of an alcove on the upper level of the great hall with Clio and had squeezed Clio in a tight hug as she smiled down on the man who had been so kind to both of them. Janus was now the Duke and as such held title to lands within the southern mountain region of Stolle. A brilliant man, he had aided Ari when the killing had started, and the revolution of the sons of Gerahn had begun. Janus and Ari had waited and watched as the many brothers of Arimus killed each other in their desperate need to be the last man standing or suffer an undignified death far below the castle proper in the dungeons. It was well known throughout history that as a new lord took his place within the realm of Stolle that any other claimants to the throne did not survive to raise their own army to come against him. Any surviving female relative were often bound to slavery and sold to distant realms. So it was that as Ari waited anxiously building his small loyal men into a small battle ready force and recruiting trustworthy men from his vanquished brothers forces Janus and Clio both had come to him with a strategy of their own. They had brought the Guild masters of the castle town to Ari's side. They no longer fixed armour, shod horses, or fed adequately the men who were loyal to the remaining brothers of Arimus. It was only with this help that, in the end, Arimus came to the throne of the realm in a bloodless coup that left all others in no doubt that he would be a far better candidate than his sadistic and vengeful father who had ruled for the last several decades undisputed. She smiled as she traced his fine scripted handwriting with a finger still unbelieving that the Lord of the realm was her husband, and he treated her so well. A small common kitchen slave, he had paid the kitchen guild master dearly for her and then taken her from everything she had ever known. Immediately upon acquiring the slave he sought he had begun to teach her to please him, to hold herself as a lady would, she studied the arts and the pragmatics of court ritual and celebrations. In short he had begun preparing her to be his perfect queen from the moment he took possession of her. Long forgotten in the recesses of her mind was the knowledge that he was her half-brother, both sired by the dread Lord Gerahn, it always seemed as if Arimus believed she had been born out of Dana by some immaculate conception. It was only at times when she wondered what she was doing here at all that the thought niggled at her and once again she wondered at the morality of the whole situation not that she had many choices in the situation. They were careful; no one knew of their familial relationship outside of their inner circle. As far as the realm knew there were no surviving daughters of Gerahn. Her upper arms were constantly covered with the latest fashion for the women of the snowbound mountains of Stolle. No one should ever find out, but care needed to be taken which told her that it would not be looked upon favourably. She knew her mother was a much loved woman and desired by many including Lord Gerahn, who had kidnapped her from her family and treated her abysmally before she died giving birth to her daughter. She missed Arimus dearly and wished fervently that he would come home. She missed him even more at times like this when she was feeling conflicted. He was so decisive and clear and would tell her what she must do. She didn't like to complain, but the woman hired to teach her dancing seemed to be holding her back, and she knew that if Ari could see the stilted and jerking pace at which the new woman made her run through the dance movements that he would insist she stop and thereby take the brunt of Clio's disappointment. Allora wasn't even sure that Janus would be happy that Clio had brought a virtual stranger into their lives and given her free access to Allora and her body as such in a way that she may see the brand on her arm as she changed into costume or moved within the dance steps. Allora considered this as if for the first time and considered wearing a bandage on her arm so as to disguise the mark further being able to explain away the mark as a recent candle burn or some such. She laughed at herself; she had not been so paranoid in months. At least not since she had come to the upper floors of the castle and become Ari's mate. She was the queen now, but she could never get used to the thought, let alone call herself that. She smiled as she readied herself for the evening. She removed the heavy dress with Nahn's help and began the long process of unlacing the corset and stockings so she could slip into one of the beautiful silk night gowns given to her by her husband. She had lived almost her whole life as one of the lowest members of castle caste system; she had worn rags and slept on straw. The idea of owning things was still in many ways very foreign to her, and she preferred to say that the things that she had or wore were things Ari had given her to use and essentially, in her own mind, they still belonged to him. Life for a royal in Stolle was precarious at best, and she knew should anything happen to her new husband that her life would be forfeit or at best a life of slavery in the northern wastes or the land of the sand lords. Perhaps she thought it would be an adventure to travel so far away. It wasn't like she hadn't had experience with slavery like all the other noble women. Even though the daughter of a lord, she had been a kitchen slave, rejected and unwanted by all except her kine, Clio. Now she was wanted by all as a friend or companion but what she loved best was being with her husband. Each time she looked at him she saw the love in his eyes and felt the tenderness of his touch she knew that the love they felt was real and would blossom given the chance. Lost in her own thoughts she sat down at the dresser in her room to reread his last letter, smiling as it spoke of his love for her and for her to take care and not attend court until his return. If she didn't know better, she thought she might have been in danger of discovery as she had always been as a child. Her hand absently brushed over the scar on her upper arm. Allora tried to make sense of what the letter was trying to say, but she couldn't quite fathom why his words that had been trying to convince her over and over that she would always be safe now that she was his, had suddenly changed to warn her to be careful and stay hidden. Moving out into the sitting area, she smiled at Jorlando, one of Ari's most trusted men at arms who had been left behind from the journey to the council of nine deliberations in order to baby-sit Allora for which he had become surly and unfriendly. Still she smiled as she entered, and he nodded in her direction as did the man sitting with him who had arrived from the council with her letter that morning and had shadowed her journey to her dance lesson and back to the apartment in Jorlando's place. Considering the gruff man as she held the letter in her hand, she decided to speak, "Jorlando," she said in a quiet nervous voice, and he inclined his head toward her inviting her to speak more. "Did you get a letter from Ari last night when mine came in?" Once again he stayed silent but shook his head imperceptibly in the negative. "It's just that there is a change in how he writes to me; I can't really explain it as more than just a bad feeling I have, and..." she bit her lip considering how to explain the way she felt about the letter. "Well, you have known him his whole life and I thought maybe..." her thought died again as she spoke, and her voice trailed off. Jorlando held out his hand and said in a matter-of-fact tone, "If it's not too personal?" She handed over the letter and even though she knew it was probably not the right thing to do; she was grateful to share the burden with someone else and because of the constant presence of her new dance instructor she had not had time to speak privately with Clio this morning. Nahn saw nothing but the best in Ari and would probably have dismissed her fears that something was amiss easily. She watched the gruff warrior as he scanned the letter rereading several parts more than once making Allora blush. She looked away recounting some of the more personal things he had related when he had spoken of missing her in the letter. Jorlando grunted and passed the letter back. "Keep that safe, I will send for the messenger and see what else we can find out. You will stay with me from now on, no gallivanting off to dance whenever you please." His tone was abrupt and authoritative, but she let out a large breath realising that she was right, something was very wrong and all she could have done on her own was wait in wonder. With Jorlando's help though, she could find out more information and share the worry. She turned to put the letter back in her dresser. "Put it in with your underwear, not in the usual place. We don't want anyone seeing that if they come snooping, until we know what we are up against. It may be nothing but you are right, the letter has a bad ring to the words." He noted the lines of concern appear around her eyes and stood, "Do not worry little queen, I will not leave your side until the Lord returns." It was a formal way of speaking, but she guessed that was the warriors way of things. The following day the warrior followed her to her dancing lesson. He had refused to leave as she went through the warm-ups and motions of the beginning of the dance. Enraged he called a halt. "I do not know what game you are playing with the young Queen but that is no dance of this land, and I refuse to make her a laughing stock within the realm." Allora watched the colour drain from Clio's face and her tutor bluster before finding herself propelled from the home ahead of Jorlando, who gripped her arm tightly and forcibly walked her back to her apartments. Shouting for Nahn, he questioned the woman about how long that ruse of dance lessons had been going on. Why should they want to teach her something that looked so ungainly and uncoordinated when she had been a beautiful dancer. Nahn was smug in her opinions about the so-called dance lessons, and Allora stood open mouthed as they discussed the two women as if they were criminals. Jorlando had barred both Clio and Rowena from Allora's apartments pending further investigation into what had occurred. Twins of Trallis: Squalls The following morning, Gerhardt, galloped into the bailey, his horse heavily lathered from riding hard to reach the castle and check on the new queen. As loyal to Lord Arimus as his men at arms, Gerhardt had been promoted through the ranks of Ari's personal guard time and time again until he answered only to the men at arms and the Lord himself. Leaving the labouring horse with a steward, he gave swift orders that the gates be locked and that no foreigners be allowed to enter until he returned. He went swiftly to seek out Jorlando and deliver his messages. Leaving Allora with Bennet and Nahn, Jorlando left the room with Gerhardt upon his arrival realising that to have sent back a man such as he, something important was at hand. As soon as they entered the person guards room within the same hallway as the royal apartments Gerhardt handed Jorlando the letter saying, "I have shut the city gates to all foreigners. Some dark magic is at work me thinks." Jorlando raised an eyebrow at him but swiftly opened the short message and read it quickly. "Dark magic indeed," Jorlando said. Obviously Ari and Janus had said very little about the event at the council deliberations to the men. Ari did not say much more in his message except that a doppelganger of the queen had appeared from the realm of Zantasee and had caused tempers to flare between Stolle and the horse lords of Cavalia once more. "You were given other messages to deliver?" Gerhardt threw two small packets to the desk. There were two, one for Clio and one for Nahn. "Speak of what happened at council to no one. Go take Nahn's place and send her to me," Jorlando scratch at a long healed scar on his cheek trying to read between the lines of his message. As Nahn entered he handed her the message. Allowing her bare minutes to read and take it in, he held out his hand, and she dutifully handed it to him. He read the short message: "Allora is not to go to court, tell her there is another outbreak of fever and confine her to her rooms. If she must leave make sure, she is heavily veiled so as to be unrecognisable. Arimus." "You understand the importance?" Jorlando queried. "Yes Sir," Nahn nodded, "But not why it must be." "Ours is not to question," Jorlando murmured. Picking up the second packet meant for Clio he weighed it in his palm. "Go back and tell Gerhardt I am paying a visit to Clio in the infirmary. He will stay until I return." "Yes, Sir," Nahn turned to leave the room and Jorlando went to seek out Clio, whom he did not entirely trust after what he had witnessed today. He strode with determined steps across the bailey to the home of Janus where he was sure he would find Clio and the fraudulent dance teacher. He did not knock, but mere threw the door open startling the women as they stripped cloth to make bandages for the infirmary. "It wasn't her fault," Clio stood looking Jorlando in the eye, "If Allora had have become more adept at the dances the storm dancers would have come for her. They can feel it in the air when someone draws power from the storm." "Get out," Jorlando addressed Rowena, "Go tend the sick or whatever it is you do here aside of cheat the lord and his lady." Rowena curtsied hastily and ran from the room surprised at her reprieve. "Sit!" he barked at Clio. "You have done yourself no favours lying to the Lady Allora and anyone else who asked about these supposed lessons. Yet, your excuse is not entirely lost on me," Jorlando tried to ease the way to what he truly wanted. "You have the opportunity to redeem yourself in my eyes and lift the bar I have in place at you entering the castle's upper floors." He pulled a small packet meant for her from his pocket, "Of course, I considered reading it myself before giving it to you as something of import seems to have happened at the Council of Nine but I will trust you to show it to me after you have read the contents. Do we understand each other." Clio nodded silently, and Jorlando handed over the small packet. Opening it, she took less than a minute to read the one sentence and hand it to Jorlando. He read: "Forgive me. I have put her in danger once again. We will be returning within the day, take care until we talk. Janus" "Explain," Jorlando barked at Clio, who sat and shrugged looking worried, tears forming in her eyes. Allora had made her life bearable over the last two decades, and now seemingly cut off from her, Clio was distraught. All she had ever done was try to protect the girl she thought of as her own and all these men seemed bent on doing was putting her in danger. She began to formulate a plan of her own to protect Allora from the stupidity of men. "Seems we both have to wait two days for our answers," Jorlando murmured, "The bar may be lifted but you will be supervised at all times when you see her until Lord Arimus returns. Rowena will stay too; the gates of the castle city have been closed for the time being." He walked from the home and returned to Allora concerned at the lack of information. ***** The final two days of the council of nine saw tempers flare as Lord Iken was seen as being duplicitous sending the girl back to her home before the fair was over. The arrival and subsequent departure of Kerys of the Solaris realm also seemed duplicitous, and accusations were dealt out easily as four of the nine realms fought amongst themselves over the fate of the tiny dancer. Ari was the first to have had enough of the bickering. He stood and addressed the council on the morning of the second day. "Silently pointing a finger at me and putting the guilt of the father onto his son, who has in a short time proven himself to be a fair minded and loved ruler within his realm is unfair gentlemen. Whether what my physician claims to know of the girl's origins is up for speculation, of course, but I am not the enemy here. Many of you knew me as a diplomat and statesman within your own realms and can judge my character yourselves," Murmurs followed this point of fact. "In the absence of a retraction or an apology which I am sure I will not receive from either Cavalia, such is their hostility, or Solaris, who now have blood ties with the Horse Lords, I will withdraw early from these deliberations and bid you all farewell until next year, where I am sure my physician will be able to furnish you with proof of his claims unlike the men of legend," Arimus withdrew from the tent and headed to where his camp was already packed and waiting for him. "They are so focused on the girl Iken has spirited away, I doubt they care much for your speech," Janus laughed, "But I think I may have come up with a workable idea to ensure both girls safety." The men of Stolle rode southward into the lands of Zantasee as Janus explained his plan. Eager to return home to his wife, Arimus, set a fast pace through the sand dunes that lined the free trade route that travelled from the great plain down through Zantazee. It was only as they approached the small tract of land belonging to the realm of Cavalia that the party slowed taking more care in scouting ahead into the grasslands for hostile parties. The camped for the night before the final ride home within the borders of Zantazee. Well past the rising of the moon torch bearing riders disturbed the camp of the men of Stole and Arimus sat ready for them thanks to his scouts. "Come in peace," Arimus shouted threateningly, "Or prepared to meet with the icy hand or death." "Be at ease," an equally deep and threatening voice intoned from the edge of the camp, "Peace it is and shall remain, I have come to talk to the Lord of the Snow Warriors." "Come forth and show yourself then. Drink with me," Arimus said formally in response. Five men of Zantasee entered the camp and sat on the ground before the campfire. Introductions were made briefly as Arimus recognised the man who had shadowed the erotic dancer who was the twin of his own wife. He considered the man as he spoke and wondered if perhaps he too were in as much in love with the dancer as he was with his wife. In truth, he would have liked time to speak to the dancer and compare the two but he was denied the opportunity by the man who had now invaded his camp. "Should you find proof that your story is the truth, even then I will not return the girl to the mountains of Stolle," the man said belligerently stating his reason for the late night visit. "The proof will only serve to put to rest the current accusations from the Horse Lords nothing more. I will of course give the girl an opportunity to plead for sanctuary within the borders of my realm if she so chooses, and the council allows it, but I have no intention of removing a girl that clearly belongs to you regardless of what your lord Iken may want us to believe," Arimus said slowly and deliberately to defuse the threat within the man's words. The man grunted and studied the Snow Lord with interest, "And what of your physician?" "He will abide by my will though it will pain him to do so," Arimus said, not quite sure of how much he would tell this man. Janus had come up with a very plausible story for the birth of the twin girls and their subsequent separation. The only problem that could arise would be the brand scar on Allora's arm were it ever to be recognised but as Gerahn had no other surviving daughters he did not think it likely for any, but those of the Stolle castle to recognise it. "Why would a physician care for the life of a dancing girl?" Mahan asked, his hostility barely masked beneath the steady countenance. "She is his long lost daughter thought to have died in a civil war alongside the man and woman who cared for her," Arimus said almost too glibly as if this was a well-known fact. If the man before him was surprised he did not show it. "The lost sister of legend was the mother?" Mahan probed seeking out the truth of each story he had heard. "I do not believe so but then I was a much younger man at the time. I somehow feel that if, as the Horse Lords believe, Gerahn abducted the woman she would not have been given to another. The man was a breeder of sons," Arimus laughed good-naturedly, "I should know I buried all my brothers and found no sisters alive." "Perhaps," Mahan said giving no indication of his belief or disbelief of the story. "Gerahn branded all his daughters and sent them to the slave kennels. It was rare that any lived more than a few hours after branding. Those that did only lasted a few days if the kine was well trained," Arimus explained. "Kine?" Mahan grunted and nodded having seen the brands on women of the royal family after a ruler was deposed, and they had been sent into slavery. "A nursery servant, a wet nurse some might say," Arimus explained. "Have I satisfied your curiosity enough this night?" "I will come with the trade caravan in one cycle of the moon when it is at it's fullest again, to barter for the koumiss for my Lord. You will show me your proof," it was not a question it was a statement, and Mahan glared at Arimus. Arimus had finally had enough diplomacy; he was tired from riding hard all day, and this arrogant Sand Lord sat giving him orders. "Your trade caravan will be welcome at the castle of Stolle as always but be under no illusion that you can command me. I bare you and your girl no ill, but I am fast running out of patience with your company. This is a free trade road and as such I have the right to camp here unless you would perhaps enjoy explaining an act of war to the Council of Nine. You have taken enough rest from my men and I this night. Be well, Sand Lord." Standing Arimus left the bemused Mahan and returned to his tent. The Snow Warriors formed up into a guard before the tent each with their hand on their weapon watching the men of the sand carefully. Their leader whistled, and they faded back into the inky darkness. Raglan, the trusted man at arms that had accompanied Arimus to the Council of Nine entered the tent to give the all clear, noting the lines of worry on his Lords face. He, of course, was one of the few who knew the lie in the words he had told the Sand Lord, but he said nothing. Instead, he just stood in silence waiting for an explanation he knew would come. "The dancer," Arimus began and Raglan nodded, "I had no idea Allora had a twin, only Janus knew and he thought her long dead. What everyone should be told and know for a certainty is that, Janus is their father and his favourite slave was their mother. She died in childbirth and having two squalling babies to care for as well as attend the royal family was beyond Janus' capabilities. He sent the youngest to his friend, a fellow physician and his wife, to care for as they had just lost their own baby. Allora he kept with him bringing her up as a servant in the castle kitchens until her coming of age when she became my betrothed. Unable to marry a servant as the new Lord of the realm, Janus was given lands, and title from those of my deposed brothers and as we all know she now sits on the throne beside me as my lady." "We will need to replace the scar with another," Raglan said quietly understanding as Arimus did that this would be an issue if it ever arose. "It will take time to heal though. Longer than the cycle of the moon," He scratched his beard thoughtfully. "As always my brother you do not judge. We do not want a war with Cavalia over something done so long ago. We must make this believable to all who hear it. Leave no doubt in anyone's mind," Arimus said urgently. Now he had started down this path there was no going back because he could see no other viable solutions that would allow him to keep his love beside him. ***** The days following the disbanding of the annual fair and the council of nine, there was much activity between the royal houses of the realms. Lord Nadra of the Northern Wastes coveted the girl as a valuable possession to hold within the game of secrets and lies being played out in the south and east. He sent an envoy to Iken offering the girl and her Master sanctuary within the borders of his realm. The Ladies, Camille and Fia, had been mesmerised by the changing orb and had immediately petitioned Lord Toka to return two of their storm dancers so they could experiment with the power of the orbs. Lord Gabriel gathered to him bards from across the realms seeking information on the stone walkers of his land. Though not given to flight of fantasy, the scholarly man had dismissed the changing orb within the council in an effort to cool tempers and keep the deliberations on track, had none-the-less been intrigued by the occurrence and sought other such events in legends. Lord Haef and Lord Toka worked in concert, to put pressure on the besieged Lord Iken to release the girl to them. They sent countless emissaries to the desert realm and into the southern snow covered mountain to learn more information about the girl and the claims of the Lord of Stolle. It was here, before the snows of winter cut off the castle city from the low lands, that they began to hear the bards sing of a new legend of twin sisters. The news of this song, as well as the song itself, travelled widely during that long winter, and as spring arrived, each realm had petitioned to visit with the new Lady of Stolle. During the long winter, only Lord Ikeynui of the rainforest realm had stayed silent. Within his tree fortress, he had gathered his mist warpers to him. "The time of myth and magic is returning to the land and should we be successful in our endeavours; we shall rule them all."