The Chronicles of Valen Ch. 41
“Disclaimer: Valen, Nathyrra, The Seer, and several of the other characters are the property of Bioware. If you’ve played the game, you’ll recognize them. The rest is the invention of my twisted little imagination, including Morrighu Badb and the goddess she serves.”
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*Sparring With Heroes *
Mhaere brings out some more food, things she knows will tempt the other paladin’s appetite. Looking at her closely, as she sets the dishes down, she can see a transparency to her skin she dislikes. Her sister paladin seems — insubstantial, almost ephemeral.
She thinks Valen’s idea to put some of the weight back on her quickly is a good idea. She’s not sure what his full plan is, but she’s certain that it’s in the paladin’s best interest.
She knows that Morrighu would be angry if she knew about the scullery boy scampering up the Street of Silver even now, toward the temple of the war god Tempus.
Mhaere has sent him on an alternate route, hoping that he can beat the pair to the temple without being seen by Morrighu.
Valen looks at Mhaere, “We’ll be walking to the temple, so no need to arrange a carriage.”
Inwardly, Mhaere heaves a sigh of relief. Since the boy must come back through the market square, Mhaere has given him a few coins and told him to pick up some things she can always use.
If Morrighu spots him on the way back, it isn’t such a problem since, as long as he is far enough away from the temple, she can say she sent the boy on an errand.
Mhaere heads back to kitchen, smiling to herself. Damisil gives her an odd look and follows her into the kitchen.
~*~
Valen turns to Morrighu and grins, “So, are you done eating yet? Perhaps I should find you an entire pig to consume? Or an elephaunt?”
Morrighu burps, much to his amusement.
He grins at her and shakes his head, “I’m not sure you’ll be ready to practice.”
She nods at him, “Oh, yes, I will. I’m quite ready to tie your tail in a knot but that may have to wait a bit until my breakfast settles. I’d like to see who’s there.
While we may not agree on strategy and tactics, I have a couple of friends there you haven’t met yet. I don’t know how much of a challenge they’ll be for you to spar against, but you should meet them.”
He heaves a sigh, “How do you know them, or do I want to ask?”
She grins at him, “I haven’t gotten that far yet. All you know about is how I came to be a paladin in the first place and how I came to serve Morrighu. Let’s just say that there are a few gaps in the story as yet and we’ll leave it at that for now. I don’t want to get ahead of myself or I think all I’ll do is confuse you.”
He nods and stands, picking up his package.
As she takes his arm, she looks at him curiously, “I haven’t asked you what’s in that yet.”
He smiles at her, “I brought your blind helms and our practice weapons.”
Morrighu looks at him, shocked, “You’ve carried those all this way?”
He nods, “I had planned a slightly different…private celebration at the Seer’s Temple. Since they were necessary for what I had in mind, I had them in my pack. When that devil teleported you into the Valsharess’ castle, I still had them.
I hadn’t had a chance to put them away. Everything else just happened so fast, I…I didn’t know what else to do with them.”
Morrighu cocks a brow at him, “What exactly did you have planned?”
He blushes furiously, not wanting to tell her. He thinks to himself, “If I tell her, it will only add fuel to the fire. If I don’t, I still have a surprise for her later.”
Outwardly, he smirks a bit, still blushing and says, “Hmmm…I think you will just have to wait and see. I had planned to have the Seer perform the wedding and that’s all I’m going to tell you.”
She looks up at him with her own smirk, “It was something naughty, wasn’t it?”
He sighs, refusing to answer and they walk on in companionable silence for a while.
He spots an odd looking building and points, “What is that?”
She shrugs, “The people here build strangely. Many times the shop keepers build their shop so that they can live atop it. You have the family on top and the business on bottom. I suppose it’s easy to get to work in the morning.”
He keeps walking, “My love, which way are we going? The street seems to be coming to an end. I’m not sure which way to go.”
She looks around before pointing, “This is the Castle Ward and we’re going to the Sea Ward. I could draw you a map when we get back. I think that might help you get better oriented. We can prowl around the Castle Ward tomorrow.”
She grins up at him, “I’m actually hoping that I can get a builder for my goddess’ temple from the Order of Broken Blade while we’re here today. I want to see if he’s still alive. If so, I’ll offer a hefty donation to these hard-headed fools and see if they take it.”
He laughs, “Calling them hard-headed fools is hardly the best way to gain their cooperation.”
She laughs lightly, “That may be true, but you’ll notice that I’ve done it here, where there are none to take me seriously. I only call them hard-headed fools because of their stubborn insistence in arming their own opponents.
It is very backward to me and all I know of war. An unarmed opponent is easier to defeat. Why deliberately make your own opposition more difficult?”
He shrugs, “Surely they do not do such a thing.”
She nods vigorously, “Oh, they do. If you are sure you will win, it only means more casualties - on both sides usually. If you are not sure you will win, why tilt the odds futher against yourself? Since it involves unnecessary loss of life, this is where I truly begin to take issue with their philosophy. I know that they follow the edict of their god, but I still cannot see the right of it.”
He ponders this for a moment, “What is it about this that bothers you so?”
She heaves a sigh, “The idea of winning a war involves some concept of victory and what kind of a victory leaves even one more than is absolutely necessary upon the field of battle once the sun sets?
I may sell the lives of those that follow me into battle but the cost will be as dear to the enemy as I can make it. I do not arm my enemy so that he can do me and mine more damage.”
Valen nods, “You are protective of those that follow you.”
She nods, “I have lead men into battle since I was seventeen. I have seen what comes of bad generalship. Graveyards are full of generals’ mistakes. Those are hard harsh lessons. I decided early on that I would extract a gallon of blood from my enemy for every drop that me and mine had to shed.
I do not fight unless the issue has been forced to that point and they have refused to surrender, but once the fight is on…”
He watches as her voice trails off and she looks increasingly grim.
Hoping to jolly her out of the sour mood she seems to fallen in, he leans down and whispers in her ear, “If you don’t stop being so grim, I am going to kiss you right here in the street. And think that you called me the dour warrior.”
She sighs at looks up at him, “I do seem a bit grim lately, even to myself.”
He shrugs, “I would rather see you smiling. It’s a truly lovely smile. What has put you in such a mood?”
She smiles at him but it seems forced to him.
She shrugs, “I am a bit concerned about the nature of this gift from the Lords. I suppose that I will just have to wait and see. Perhaps you and Durnan are right. Perhaps it is nothing.”
He thinks for a moment about what to mention next, hoping to distract her.
Finally he says, “What is this Order of the Broken Blade you mentioned?”
She smiles, “They are the followers of Tempus who are too injured to fight any longer. Since they cannot fight, they take on support roles. They tend to be quartermasters and the like.
A few of them, though, take on other roles. There are one or two here who are competent architects and builders. I haven’t talked to them in a while and I don’t know how they’d feel about being involved in erecting a temple to another deity.
Still, if they are not willing to take up the task, they can probably help me find someone appropriate.”
He nods, “So you are here with ulterior motives. Matron-mother indeed.”
She smiles at him, “I suppose that I am, although that would mean that I’m supposed to beat and starve you. I seem to recall something about keeping you naked too.”
She gives him an arch look, “So far that doesn’t seem to be the case at all. You look well fed and well clothed to me and you don’t seem to have been beaten lately.”
He laughs as they start up the temple steps, “I don’t recall anything but a few vague threats.”
He holds the massive temple door for her and she steps into the cool dim interior. The only light is a skylight located directly over the altar. It takes a moment for her eyes to adjust from the brightness of the mid-morning sunlight.
One of the guards looks at her, surprised and whips of his helm, “Morrighu, I’m glad to see you. Why didn’t you tell us you were coming?”
She smiles at him, “Johann, just the person I was looking for.”
Johann grins at the pair, “I had heard you were back in Waterdeep again, but I wasn’t sure if you were seeing visitors yet. So, who is this and where did you find him? I’ve heard the wildest stories.”
She rolls her eyes, “Johann Aurel, this is Valen Shadowbreath and my soon to be husband. Tell me what you’ve heard and I’ll tell you if it’s true or not.”
Johann leans toward the pair conspiratorially, “I’ve heard you came back with a drow, that you practice black magic, and that Mephistopheles himself bowed to the power of your magic, that you travel with a kobold, and that you’ve sold your soul to the devils, and another million ridiculous things. I was going to say that I heard that you have even taken a demon as a lover, but, oddly enough, that part appears to be true.”
Valen shifts uncomfortably for a moment until Johann begins to laugh at the tiefling’s discomfort.
Once he laughs, Morrighu begins to giggle and Valen finds it to be quite contagious.
Morrighu wipes her eyes and gestures at Valen, “I did come back with a drow and a tiefling. I still have the kobold — he made the entire trip with me. The rest of it is patently untrue. The only magic I have is what the gods grant me. You what it is to be a paladin.”
She points at Valen, “He says that I spent too much time amongst the drow and that some of their ways rubbed off on me. I will say that when you deal with plots, counter plots, and counter-counter plots, it’s hard not to start doing some plotting of your own.”
Johann grins at Valen, “Well met.”
Johann sizes Valen up, “So, what do you do? I know she’s a paladin, but I don’t see any insignia on you, at least not any I recognize.”
His hand strays to the hilt of his flail, “I do not worship any god. However, I have some small skill with this.”
Johann arches a brow at him, “If you travel with her, it’s likely more than some small skill. Still, I suppose I shall see once we get you on the practice ground.”
Johann halts for a moment and turns to Morrighu, “That is why you came here, isn’t it? I just assumed…”
Morrighu nods at him and Johann looks immensely relieved to Valen’s amusement.
Johann grins, “You know that there’s someone else here who will want to see you. She’s out back and she’s a bit miffed because you haven’t been by to see her yet.”
Morrighu darts off, apparently familiar with the temple, leaving Valen alone with Johann. Johann watches Valen watching Morrighu and grins to himself.
Johann smiles to himself, thinking that it’s about time she found someone.
He looks at Valen, “Your messenger just left. We had to sneak him out through the kitchen. It seems that he took his time getting here.”
Valen heaves a sigh, “I owe you my thanks for that.”
Johann nods, “I didn’t understand what you were up to until I saw her. She’s lost a lot of weight. We won’t push her too hard. We may not always agree on theology, but most every one here likes her.”
While they follow in Morrighu’s wake, Valen asks Johann, “How do you know her?”
Johann sighs, “I don’t know what she’s said to you, or not so I’ll just tell you plainly. The first time she came here to spar, I tried to talk her into accompanying me to dinner. She invoked an edict from my god, used it to demand my sword, and then proceeded to beat me with it, still in the sheath.
When I asked her what she was doing, she said something about an object lesson on why not to arm those you are about to fight. That’s when I decided I really didn’t want to have dinner with a madwoman.
Do you know that she healed me right after that? I had not a scratch to show for it. I’d like to say it didn’t affect me, but I catch myself giving anyone I’m about to fight the worst armament I can manage and still fulfill my oaths.”
Valen laughs heartily, “I have had to listen to her lectures on more than on occasion. I’m glad I haven’t been the subject of any of her object lessons, though I’ve seen her administer a few. You just happened to hit on a topic she feels strongly about.”
Johann shakes his head, “Is there a topic she doesn’t feel strongly about?”
Valen shrugs noncommittally, “She is a paladin. Things are…rather cleanly divided for her.”
Johann leads Valen to a door and he opens it. The two men go out side and Valen spots Morrighu sitting on a crate talking to a dwarf.
Morrighu hears the door and gestures for them to come over, “Valen Shadowbreath, this is Krisstinna Mineshadow. She’s another paladin.”
Krisstinna looks up at Valen and back to Morrighu, “By the beard of the All-father, he’s big! You weren’t teasing me this time.”
Krisstinna gestures at another crate, “Sit down and let me have a look at you. I’m liable to get neck strain or fall over backward, just trying to look up that far.”
Biting his lip to keep a straight face, he obligingly sits on the crate, which groans slightly under his bulk.
The dwarf circles him and then walks back to Morrighu, “Well, I only see two problems with him, girlie. He’s got horns and a tail.”
Morrighu grins back at her, “Really? I hadn’t noticed that about him at all. Perhaps you should look again.”
The dwarf walks up to Valen and looks up into his face, “Well, she seems to think highly of you and that’s enough for me. What do you have to say?”
He chuckles, slightly embarrassed, “I think rather highly of her too. I’m not sure what I think of you, though.”
Krisstinna laughs heartily at this and climbs on to the crate next to Valen.
She props an elbow on his shoulder and gestures to Morrighu, “So tell me how you two first me? I’ll have to get the story from you because she always leaves out the good parts.”
Johann pulls up another crate and sits down, “I can’t wait to hear this myself.”
Valen sighs deeply and then recounts Morrighu’s arrival in the Seer’s temple.
Johann sits back, “So the first time you met her, she was as helpless as a kitten. That explains why she didn’t take a sheathed sword to you.”
Morrighu rolls her eyes at him, “Please, must you bring that up constantly? I healed you. It’s the only way I know to get you hard heads to understand why I dislike fighting with you.”
The dwarf looks at Valen, “No squabbling, you two. I’m talking to a handsome man. Now tell me, gorgeous, why girlie over there has agreed to keep company with the likes of you?”
Valen blushes again and gestures at Morrighu, “I think she’d better tell that tale. What man alive knows what lies in a woman’s heart? She loves me and I care not why. The mere fact of it is sufficient for me.”
Johann pipes up, “Well, if she loves you, then she perhaps she won’t be inclined to beat you.”
Morrighu locks eyes with Valen and both break into laughter.
Krisstinna and Johann both just look confused so Morrighu explains Nathyrra’s remarks on the proper care of males.
Johann looks at Valen, “Doesn’t that disturb you at all?”
Valen shrugs, “Only for a moment and only because I could swear she was considering it.”
Johann and Krisstinna both laugh while Morrighu shoots Valen an arch look. Valen only sits there smirking slightly.
Krisstinna nudges him slightly with her elbow, “So, if you don’t know why she chose you, perhaps you can tell me why you choose to keep her company?”
He nods, “That is a much easier question for me to answer. She is the most remarkable woman I’ve ever met in my life.”
Krisstinna nods, seemingly serious, “I can see where you might think so, but I doubt a big lug like you has ever been with a dwarf.”
Valen bushes mightily at this much to Morrighu’s amusement. Krisstinna leans around and looks Valen in the eye, grinning at him.
She bats her eyes coyly at Valen and nudges him, “So…care to find out if you like dwarves, big boy?”
Krisstinna looks over at Morrighu, “You don’t mind, do you? I promise to give him back when I’m done with him…mostly unharmed.”
Morrighu arches a brow at Krisstinna, “So, you think you can take my man, do you, you runt of a dwarf. Dwarves are the only ones who like their women with facial hair, like some freak in a circus.”
The dwarf makes a show of levering herself away from Valen and glaring at Morrighu, “Those are fighting words, girlie. Get your weapons.”
Morrighu laughs, kicks a rock in the general direction of the dwarf and gestures for Valen to hand over her practice weapons. He does and the two women trot off toward one of the practice circles.
Valen shakes his head, “Are they always like that?”
Johann nods, “They are…though I think Krisstinna’s a bit jealous of you. She not usually that…direct when she’s teasing Morrighu. The two of them are the worst practical jokers and they always seem to team up on some unsuspecting individual.
There used to be a merchant here in Waterdeep and he cheated Krisstinna. He cheated a lot of other people too, and the local judges wouldn’t do much about it. The man was selling semi-fake magic items.
They’d work a time or two but that was all. Since the properly authorities wouldn’t touch it, the two of them set out get revenge. Morrighu called it teaching him an object lesson. They had Sobrey pretend to invent a way to change horse dung into gold.”
Valen rolls his eyes, “I think I know where this is going.”
Johann nods, “Not quite where you think. Well, Morrighu arranged for this merchant to “overhear” them talking about Sobrey’s new invention in Durnan’s tavern. The merchant hot foots it over to Sobrey’s emporium and begs to purchase this thing.
Sobrey explains to him that he’s still not entirely sure how it works or even if it will work again. Well, the merchant won’t take no for answer so Sobrey sells him the small test version that he’s cooked up.
This fool goes to every stable in town and buys up all the horse dung he can find. Mind you, Krisstinna has already been to see all of them and they’ve agreed to cut her in on what they make selling him the dung.
A few of them even tell the merchant that some wizard has been buying it and paying top dollar. They wring every last cent possible out of this poor fool. He gets home with his horse dung and proceeds to use the wand that he bought from Sobrey.
Well, Morrighu had Sobrey rig the wand so that the spell only works on the person using the wand. Everyone else can still see that it’s horse dung. So then the merchant goes out to try and spend his ill-gotten gains.”
Valen doubles over shaking with laughter, “So everywhere he went, he tried to pay with horse dung?”
Johann nods, “And Krisstinna got her money back and then some in the bargain.”
Valen howls, “Ah, justice was served indeed.”
Johann nods again, laughing himself, “The last anyone saw of the merchant, he was headed for Silverymoon and had been nicknamed “Lord of the Dungheap. The story traveled faster than he did.”
“Antoine - “hurry”..!”
“Impatient, eh… Hold on, Cara, just a little while longer…” With swift fingers, he opened the little packet and quickly sheathed himself. Pushing her thighs further apart, he moved deeper between them, gripping her hips with a powerfully certain arm and guided himself to her, to the soft opening awaiting him. She didn’t want any teasing and he knew it, pushing into her with earth shattering directness until he was fully enveloped within her hot, rioting flesh. “Alright, baby?” He crooned to her, steadying her with one hand as he paused, a throbbing potent presence inside her.
“Yes — “yes”. Just… “Move”!” Gasping with pleasure and urgent need, she dug her nails into his shoulders, reeling with the sensations - cold sink beneath her, the hardness against her…the heat “inside” her. She was trembling violently, and he gathered her closer, stroking her back, comforting her. Then he began to move. First restrained little thrusts that set off spasms of intense pleasure through her, cruelly beautiful delivered strokes that had her arching and climbing her legs up his to wrap around his thighs as best she could as she tried to move with him, to feed the wildfire of inferno that roared out of her control. Antoine gripped her bare bottom and pulled her to the edge of the counter with one quick tug, positioning her so that every thrust ground him against her exposed, straining little sexual nub…and the restrained strokes evolved. She felt the thick ridge of his penis head moving back and forth inside her, and all the tiny muscles within her clamped down in frantic pleasure, her voice confirming it with an elated gasp. He pounded into her and she felt like she was on fire, convulsively arching to meet his plunging hips as the ecstatic tension coiling in her loins at last violently flared out of control, flooding her every nerve ending with swelling, ungovernable pleasure. She could have wept from relief… except it wasn’t enough.
“Again,” She gasped, the orgasm still tearing through her. She heard, as if from a great distance, his deep ragged breathing as he dealt with his own self-control in order to pleasure her. “”More”.”
He did so with commendable bravery and gusto. And afterwards, she leaned against him feeling as weak as a kitten, the heavy physical satisfaction saturating every fiber of her being. But she knew it was only the quiet before storm - she still felt that restlessness, and to burn it off, she needed more… more of Antoine - hard and fast… slow and gentle. Slipping down from the counter, she restored her gown back to a semblance of order, creased as it was. She felt her pulse flutter back to life as she watched his easy, graceful movements, admiring each flex of muscle and twist of tendon as he discarded the used condom and clothed himself once more.
“So… were you able to clear your schedule for tomorrow? Can you stay the night?” Giulietta queried, her mind already jumping ahead, making plans that brought her a little involuntary shiver of delight.
“I am taking the 4 o’clock flight out tomorrow afternoon,” he began matter of factly, then sharpened his stare while softening his tone, “but until then, Cara… I am all yours. The usual arrangement…?”
“A-ha…” Giulietta unlocked the door and walked out. Antoine bent to pick up the filmy panties from behind the trash bin where they had somehow ended up, and as he followed her out of the bathroom, he tucked the undergarment into his pant pocket with a trademark grin.
The initial meeting…the negotiations, the contract and its fulfillment…the business of pleasure had just begun.
~ FINIS ~
… Maybe?
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