The Chronicles of Valen Ch. 43
“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.
*Let Sleeping Paladins Lie*”
Argali scoots closer to look at Deekin’s drawings, “Argali likes it. It looks like a nice place. What is it?”
Morrighu shrugs, “I’ve been charged with building a temple to my goddess.”
Argali nods, “When it is built, Argali will recommend that anyone purchasing weapons take them to your temple to have them blessed.”
Morrighu looks surprised and then pleased, “I am glad you came. I didn’t get a chance to really talk to you yet.”
Argali rolls her eyes, “That dandy Sobrey will no doubt be over as well. Argali just wanted to be sure you are well. Argali won’t stay long. You should send word when you will be having visitors again. Argali thinks she heard Valen say three days. Besides, Argali must go back to her shop. A closed shop doesn’t sell very much and Argali must eat.”
Morrighu hugs her and Argali kisses her lightly on the cheek.
With a quick squeeze of her hand, Argali is gone, leaving Morrighu and Deekin to work out some of the finer details.
~*~
Argali arrives downstairs and sees that Sobrey has indeed joined the group waiting to see the paladin. She sneers at Sobrey and ducks out before Valen can really talk to her. Sobrey hovers near the back of the crowd, obviously agitated. Valen looks up and Sobrey motions him over. Johann sees Argali depart after sneering at Sobrey and grins at Krisstinna.
He mouths at her from across the table, “Now it’s my turn.”
Valen moves out of the crowd as Johann heads up the stairs. Sobrey latches on his arm and steers him out of ear shot from the crowd around the table.
Valen frowns at him, “What’s so important?”
Sobrey is practically dancing with excitement, “I found it!”
Valen isn’t sure what he’s referring to, so he looks confused. This gets him an exasperated look from Sobrey.
Sobrey gestures excitedly, “The mirror. The thing that she asked me to find. I found it.”
Valen nods patiently, “That’s good, Sobrey.”
Sobrey rolls his eyes, “I left a message, you know. She asked me to.”
Valen nods again, “That’s very nice Sobrey. I’m sure she’ll appreciate that.”
He starts to turn away, but Sobrey grabs his arm again, “That’s not all. I got a message back.”
Valen freezes for an instant and then turns to face the effete wizard.
For just an instant, Sobrey chokes under the intensity of the gaze, but manages to stammer, “I got an answer. She’s coming. She’s coming here with Imloth and Tebimar.”
Valen, thinking quickly, says, “Not a word of this to anyone.”
Sobrey bobs his head in agreement, “I’m not sure how the city would react to a lot of drow.”
Sobrey starts to push his way up the stairs, but Valen stops him, “Not a word to anyone and least of all her. I don’t want her knowing about this for a few days yet.”
Sobrey looks crestfallen and starts to turn to leave, but Valen stops him, “Don’t worry…I’ll let you tell her.”
Sobrey brightens at this, “She is well? The ones at the table said you carried her in and that a healer is with her.”
Valen nods, “She’s well enough. Tired and in need of better food, but well enough.”
Sobrey practically dances back out of the tavern.
~*~
Johann raps on the door and Morrighu calls for whoever it is to enter. Johann sighs and squares his shoulders. Delivering criticism to a friend is never easy.
He enters and finds Morrighu lying on her side pointing and some drawings while the kobold makes changes.
He stands there shaking his head, “Valen will be up next you know and it would be wise if you put these up before he gets here.”
Morrighu grins at Johann, “He asked me for them. He told me to draw up what I want and said that he’d take care of it while I rest. I still feel like I should be doing more.”
Johann shakes his head, “If it will help, I’ll take him out scouting for a location. Just how big a temple are you building?”
Morrighu grins impishly, “The temple itself isn’t that big.”
Johann rolls his eyes and holds out his hand, “Let me see the drawing.”
Deekin hands it over and low whistle escapes Johann, “I see what you mean. That’s a big piece of property. I’m not sure you’ll be able to find that in the city limits.”
Morrighu nods, “I think that I can. There are some slums over in the Docks district — over off Fish street. I hate slumlords almost as much as I hate slavers. Cheap, safe housing shouldn’t be that hard to come by.”
Johann sighs, “I know the place. Those buildings are atrocious. There is only one problem. Putting your temple there will displace all the poor who live in the slums. What of them?”
Morrighu shrugs, “Valen will just have to find something to do with them until the housing is built.”
Johann looks at her puzzled, “Until the what is built?”
Morrighu points at the drawing, “Part of that is to be housing. We just need somewhere to put all people until it’s ready for them to move in.”
Johann shakes his head, “You chide us for arming our enemies but you waste good gold on building houses for the poor.”
Morrighu gives him a pointed look, “I am tasked with trying to persuade more people to worship my goddess. If the temple puts a solid roof over their heads and offers them honest work, might they not be more like to offer up a prayer of thanks now and then?”
Johann shakes his head before he departs, “It’s your goddess. We already have enough theology not to agree on. I won’t add fuel to fire. I will talk to the priests though. If either of them get wind of this, they’ll want to do it.”
~*~
Valen sits at the table, staring into his ale mug, with conversation swirling around him while his heart hammers. The Seer is on her way with Imloth and Tebimar. It’s almost too much to hope for.
Deciding that she should have finished eating by now, he heads up the stairs and lets himself in. He leans against the door, tail lashing idly, taking in the scene. Morrighu is propped up in bed, her hair blazing against the crisp white of the pillow covers. Deekin is sketching something frantically. Johann is studying a drawing and the healer looks rather amused by it all.
Valen clears his throat and Johann colors slightly, “I would assume that my time limit is up.”
He bows quickly to Morrighu and leaves, tossing the drawing on the foot of her bed.
Valen walks over, picks it up and looks pointedly at Deekin, “What is all of this?”
Morrighu blushes furiously, “You said to draw what I want so Deekin and I have been doing just that. We were just finishing off the finer points. Do you know if any one here casts bronze? I think bronze doors will really set off the stone I have in mind.”
Valen shakes his head and looks at the kobold, “Little one, gather up all your things…No, take the books too. I don’t want her working on this when she should be resting. Take the drawings downstairs so we can study them.”
Deekin gathers up all the papers and books and scampers off to the taproom.
He sits carefully on the side of the bed, “You are going to rest. I’m going to have a long talk with a couple of healers. It’s been pointed out to me that I don’t know much about what keeps humans healthy and what makes them ill. Since I am to see to your welfare, this is a failing I plan to rectify shortly. Promise me you will do what they say.”
Morrighu sighs heavily, “I will stay in bed for the next two days. I don’t promise to like it though.”
He leans forward and whispers in her ear, “Not all of your time in bed need be an onerous burden. I think I can devise a way or two for us to pass some of the time. Surely you recall Lith My’athar.”
Morrighu blushes and giggles in response before throwing her arms around his neck and whispering back, “I also seem to recall something about an opulent bed, too.”
Valen blushes a bit, “Hmmm…if you are a very good girl and go sleep, I will see what I can do.”
She nods and slides down further into the bed, “Will you stay with me for a while?”
He sits with her, as she makes herself comfortable and the healer in the corner surreptitiously casts a sleep spell on the paladin. Soon, her eyelids droop and then close as sleep comes. He stays with her for a moment longer, before planting a kiss and pulling her covers up.
He whispers to her, “Mau Gwerthfawr Unau” just before he leaves and she smiles in her sleep.
~*~
He returns to find the group at the table in awed silence as they pass the kobold’s sketches around the table.
Durnan looks up at him, “A temple this lovely, on it’s own, would likely be successful. A temple this lovely, founded by her, it’s nearly guaranteed.”
Valen sits and pulls the drawings toward him so that he can study them. The first one he picks up is a sketch of the overall layout, showing where everything is positioned and it’s relationship to each of the other things. There are practice areas, quarters, and even a cloister.
He picks up the next drawing and it details the gardens — placement of the pond, the waterfall, trees, paths and the like. It seems more like an oasis in the desert than a temple complex. It also seems more like a park than a place where so many will live.
He sighs and takes up another drawing. This one is of the mosaic that she wants to cover the outer wall. It’s a looping stylized design of wolves and crows, part of which he recognizes from her tattoo.
Valen gives Deekin a very pointed look, “Where did you see this?”
Deekin grins innocently, “Boss shows Deekin where to find it on her armor.”
Valen nods absently, still studying the drawing, recalling where he last saw that design. He grins to himself since it definitely wasn’t on her armor.
The next one is the detail of a mosaic she wants to cover the inner side of the wall. Quickly he flips through the remaining drawings. It’s a very detailed set of instructions on how to work the symbols of her goddess into the architecture and ornamentation on all of the buildings.
He chuckles to himself shaking his head, unsure as to how much, if any of this he can get completed in the next three days. It seems terribly detailed to him for some property they haven’t even found as yet.
Johann takes a swig of ale, “I promised her that I’d take you out scouting locations. I know the area that she’s considering. ”
Mhaere walks up and sets a plate down in front of Valen. She puts a gentle hand on his shoulder, “She’s not the only one that’s been on starvation rations. I smelled those things she brought back with her. I don’t think I could have eaten them at all.”
Valen shrugs and then mimics Morrighu, “When that’s all there is you eat and are grateful that you at least have something.”
He looks at Johann, “Do you think that you can help us find someone to build this? She seems to know exactly what she wants.”
Johann chuckles and points at him with his tankard of ale, “When does she not? She has another task for you though. Since what she plans to do will displace so many, she is concerned that they not be left without a place to live. Where ever her temple ends up, you have the unenviable task of finding places for them to live until the temple housing is ready for people to move in to.”
Valen consults her drawings again and looks at Johann, “How many will this displace? And for how long?”
Johann shrugs, “It will depend on precisely where it’s placed. I don’t know how long it will take to build what she wants. I’ve never seen anything like it. What’s that on the side of the building?”
Deekin pipes up, “Boss called it a lift.”
Valen studies it more closely, “It looks like an adaptation of a crane.” He looks at Deekin curiously, “Is it supposed to be part of the building?”
Deekin shifts uncomfortably under the combined stare of the group, “Yeeeees. Boss said that how people gets up and down in tall places.”
Valen sighs and looks at Deekin, “What do you mean, tall places?”
Deekin shrugs, “I tells you what Boss said. Just like you stacks up pancakes, yous stacks up houses. Boss says this one be six high. Boss says it only way to gets everyone in small space. You cannot goes out, so you goes up.”
Valen goes back to her drawings again and his jaw drops. Not only will she be housing all the people that she’s displaced, but a rather significant number more. He had seen the balconies that run around the building, but had assumed that they were merely some architectural ornament.
Now, they take on new meaning to him. People will be walking and sitting on them. Awed suddenly, he realizes why they are so wide. He’s seen neighborhoods where people sit on door stoops and apparently so has she. It’s wide enough for people to still sit and others to walk past them comfortably.
The wall will protect the compound, keeping anyone from entering except at the front entrance. The trees, when they are grown, and the wall will block out the rather seedy warehouse district that’s near the docks.
Sifting through her notes on the temple complex he comes across some notes about building a tunnel to supply fresh water into the temple from the mountains. He hadn’t realized just how ambitious a project this is.
He looks across the table suddenly, “Krisstinna, I think I might have a job for you. Any of your family interested in digging a tunnel?”
Krisstinna rolls her eyes, “My friends call me Kris and we’re dwarves, boyo. What do you think we do in our spare time? Knit?”
Valen grins but says her name carefully, “Well, Kris, perhaps you should take a look at this? She has notes here about building a tunnel to bring in clean water.”
Kris looks the notes over, “Hmm…there’s more here than that. There’s other tunnels leading out and dumping in the harbor. Seems it’s not only fresh water, but a disposal system too.”
Johann shakes his head, “That’s going to be expensive.” He gestures widely at the drawing, “All of this is going to be expensive. It should be scaled back. Surely there some budget?”
Valen sees Nathyrra grinning and both of them start laughing, having seen the contents of her pack. The rest of the table just looks confused.
Valen sobers and looks at Johann, “Let’s just assume that money is no object. I suspect that she has the finances well in hand.”
Kris looks at the notes and rough sketches, “I think I can find out some of the information she wants. She’s looking for distances, elevations, tides, currents. Why not just bring in the water with magic? Surely that would be cheaper. You could pay to have a priest from one of the nature gods come and supplicate a spring.”
Valen shrugs, “I’m sure she has a reason for it, but you’ll have to ask her what that is.”
The group at the table sits discussing the drawings and notes for some time. Mhaere collects the plates but hardly gets a notice from anyone but Durnan since they are engrossed in working out the details of her instructions.
Finally, Tamsil interrupts, “Valen, the healer sent me to fetch you. It seems that she’d like her bath.”
Valen is snatched back suddenly to the present and looks around realizing that it has become dark. The others at the table also take note of the time.
Kris taps Durnan on the shoulder, “Can you quarter the healer here for a few nights? I’d like to have her close by just in case.”
Durnan nods so Kris and Johann take their leave of the group.
Nathyrra stretches with a feline grace that catches the eye of one of the bar patrons. Nathyrra spots him start to leave the bar and head in her direction so she retreats her room before the drunken surfacer jaluk can do something disgusting, like slobber on her.
Deekin grins, “Yay! Boss is awake. We can be finishing drawings.”
Valen pats him on the head, “Not to tonight Deekin. I will see to it that you get a couple of hours tomorrow, but that’s all. She needs to rest.”
He asks Mhaere to send up two trays of food before he leaves Deekin at the table to gather all his things yet again to see about Morrighu and her bath.
He returns to the room to find Morrighu stretching in center of the bed and he smiles at this, leaning against the door.
He winks at Graciella, “Would you excuse us? Durnan has arranged for a room for you here, with us. I’ll call you if she needs anything. You might want to get some dinner and some rest, yourself.”
Graciella inclines her head and slips away quietly, leaving the pair alone.
Valen sits on the side of the bed and strokes her hair, “How are you feeling? More tired than you thought, since you’ve slept all afternoon.”
She yawns largely, much to his amusement, “Sleeping so much is really tiring. I suppose all of you were right and that I should rest for a while. I do feel better”
He grins at her, “It’s nearly time for dinner and Mhaere is brining you a tray. I thought we’d eat and then see to your bath.”
He leans in, cautious of the sharp points on his armor, and cups her face, kissing her cheek and nuzzling her ear.
She sighs and taps him on chin, “You need to get out of that shell. How am I supposed to put my head on your shoulder?”
He sighs and nods, “If you will behave, I have a surprise for you. One I think you’ll like.”
She grins at him, “So does that mean you’ll change now? I found your robe in all the things that came from Nelkaush. That reminds me. I want you to promise me that you’ll go there tomorrow and fetch that girl. I don’t want to see her beaten again because we waited to long to fetch her.”
Valen nods, “I know that you said that you wanted to get her and I had thought we’d go there today, but then all of this happened. Besides, I found something else when you were sorting through our treasure trove I’d rather wear.”
He goes to the dresser and takes something out and goes behind the screen to change. While he’s changing, Morrighu continues to talk to him.
She shrugs, “I know, but I do still want you to go get her. What they do to her…it isn’t right. She’s as timid as a mouse because if any of the customers say anything about her, she gets another beating. I cannot imagine that they have hired her and treat her so.”
Valen speaks to her from behind the screen, “What do you intend to do with her, once I have her?”
Morrighu laughs, “I intend to put her to work, pay her a wage, and teach her how she should be treated, as well as a few other things before I set her free.”
Valen steps out from behind the screen, dressed in loose dark green trousers and a comfortable-looking lighter green pull on shirt. It’s a more nicely done and slightly more substantial version of the silks they wear under their armor.
Morrighu looks at him and nods in approval, “It’s nice. I like it. ”
He sits on the edge of the bed and scoops her into his lap and buries his face in her hair as he rocks her slightly. She twists slightly in his arms and begins planting small, nipping kisses on his neck.
He sighs contentedly, pleased she is safe and seems to feeling better. Just then a knock sounds on the door, and he pries her loose, setting her back on the bed. He cracks the door and checks, but its only Mhaere with the trays of food.
Mhaere winks at him, “I have everything ready.”
Valen blushes slightly but nods and takes the trays from her. He carries everything into the room and lays out their trays before taking Morrighu hers.
He sits across from her, “We looked at the drawings Deekin made. It’s all very impressive. Kris had a question for you. She wanted to know why you didn’t just have one of the clerics supplicate a spring instead of digging a huge tunnel to bring in fresh water.”
Morrighu arches a brow, “She’s got you calling her Kris already? She likes you. As for the answer to her question, I wanted a water source that isn’t ground water. Ground water can easily become contaminated and a source of plague.”
When they were again seated on the leather couch, celebrities would occasionally stop by to say hello to Jenna. The majority were musicians, however there were also several actors, actresses, and singers. They partied the night away with Jenna until finally they retired at 4am, returning to their hotel room and quickly falling asleep in each other’s arms.
The next morning after checking out, they returned to the conference center where they crated up The Chair and arranged for it to be shipped home. They then headed for the airport to catch their plane.
At the airport their flight was overbooked and since they had no particular plans, they accepted a first class upgrade to take the next flight, which was only 1 hour later. After they took off, they noticed that first class was empty except for themselves and one other couple. After the stewardesses had finished the beverage service, they noticed the female go to the restroom at the front of the cabin. A minute later they saw the man enter the same restroom. They discussed how neither of them had ever joined the “mile high club” and how this might be the perfect opportunity. Five minutes later the man returned to his seat with his hair a little less neat than it had been previously. Another minute passed and the woman returned to her seat.
He and the redhead could hardly wait any longer for their turn. Less than 2 minutes after the female had left the restroom, he proceeded to the same restroom where he entered and waited for the redhead to join him. She must have been very impatient, as it wasn’t more than 30 seconds before she joined him. Of course it had been almost 24 hours since they had last had sex, almost a personal record for her. It could have been uncomfortable for them with his being over 6 feet tall, except for the fact that she was only 5 feet. The room smelled of sex, thanks to the previous couple. The redhead quickly undid his belt and pulled his pants down around his ankles while he unbuttoned his shirt. She then had him sit on the toilet while she removed the dress she was wearing.
She then sat on his lap similarly to how she often had in the club, except this time she inserted his hard cock into her wet pussy. While she rode up and down on her stallion, he gripped her ass cheeks firmly in each hand and pulled her into him. As the plane went through a patch of turbulence, they both came to a thundering climax. After recomposing themselves, he returned to his seat, followed shortly by the redhead. As they had each walked down the aisle to their seats, the other couple had watched them with smiles on their faces.
After the meal service was over, the redhead returned to the restroom. This time to relieve herself. After she had been gone about 3 minutes, he notice as the other female stood and walked toward the restrooms. He expected her to enter the unoccupied room, but to his surprise, she knocked lightly on the door of the room occupied by the redhead. The door then opened, she stepped in, and it closed behind her. It was a solid 10 minutes before either girl was seen again. During this time, each of the men kept their eyes on the door, occasionally casting a knowing glance toward the other. They each had a pretty good idea what was happening inside the cramped restroom. When the door opened, both women exited the room and walked down the aisle to their respective seats. As they sat down, they each kissed their mates passionately. Each man could taste the other female on the lips of his own girl.
After requesting a blanket from the stewardess, the redhead cuddled against him underneath it as she began to describe to him in vivid detail what had transpired in the restroom. As she did so, she also released his hard dick from his pants and stroked it. Obviously he was enjoying her account of the events.
Just as she had been about to leave the restroom, she had heard the soft knock at the door. She had thought it was him coming for a repeat performance. When she opened the door and saw the brunette, she was pleasantly surprised. The brunette asked her if she could join her. The redhead knew what she had in mind and the thought appealed to her so she welcomed her in before closing and locking the door. Once inside, they introduced themselves. The brunette said her name was Dawn and that she and her boyfriend had just joined the “mile high club”. The redhead told her that they too had just joined the “club.” Dawn then told the redhead that flying always makes her horny. With that bit of information, the redhead kissed her on the lips while planting her hands on the brunette’s ass. Dawn reciprocated by placing her hands on the redhead’s butt.
Quickly they both began removing the other’s clothes. When they were both naked, the redhead sat on the toilet while Dawn knelt on the floor in front of her and licked and sucked at her breasts. As she sucked her breasts, she also stuck two fingers into the redhead’s warm wet pussy. She then worked her way down until she could replace her fingers with her tongue. In her highly aroused state, it was only a couple minutes before the redhead came. It was then her turn to reciprocate so they switched places.
The redhead performed the same routine that Dawn had just done to her. It was only a couple more minutes before she made the brunette come. As they dressed, they got a little more aquatinted. It turned out that Dawn only lives a few miles from the redhead. When the redhead told her that they had been in LA at the AdultCon Expo as an exhibitor, Dawn told her that they had been there as attendees. When she asked what they had been exhibiting and the redhead told her it was a chair, the brunette exclaimed that they had seen the demo with Briana Banks. She told the redhead that she would really like to try The Chair and the redhead told her that she just might be able to arrange it. With that, they exchanged numbers before exiting the restroom together.
Just as he was about to come, she ducked her head under the blanket and caught his load in her mouth, not wanting to stain the blanket or his pants. After she rezipped his fly, he noticed for the first time that the other couple was also covered with a blanket. He also noticed that he could not see the brunette’s head. A minute later her head reappeared. Evidently she had taken a little longer than the redhead had in recounting their adventure in the restroom.
The remaining 20 minutes of the flight were uneventful. As the four of them where walking out the door of the plane, the stewardess told them that she hoped they had all had a good flight. In unison, with broad smiles on their faces, they all responded that they had.
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