Nexwave Erotic

The Hollywood Madam

“*Preface: *

This is a work of fiction. All characters are simply a figment of my imagination. If one of the characters seems familiar, it is only because you are a well read individual possessing good taste.

*Dedication: *

To my special gal, she knows who she is. ”

Part 1:

Chapter 1:

It was another of those sparkling San Diego days. The sun was shining, and a pleasant sea breeze was coming in off the Pacific .It was one of those days that you read about in the travel books. Around this time of the year, we get days, which can only be described as having sea breezes, which make the palm trees sway, and the temperature ranges in the 70’s.

Over here is, the Del Coronado Hotel, which is a famous historical landmark around here. Over there is, the North Island navel station, and that is where they train the Seals. Those guys are some tough dudes, which you do not want to meet on a dark night in wartime. Orange Avenue is the main street in this part of town, and here is where I grew up.

My name is Jasmine Jones, but all my friends call me J J. I guess that I am kind of popular around here especially with the guys. I guess I’m good looking at least that’s what the guys tell me. I am a little tall at five foot and seven inches. When I wear my high heals, I’m five foot and ten inches tall. I have long raven black hair, and my eyes are the color of emeralds. At least, that’s what some guy told me once. After he told me that, I figured that was worth a good blowjob in the back seat of his car. I measure out at 38 - 25 - 35, and I am about 135 pounds in weight. I am about to turn 19 years old soon.

I have been studying drama in school. I want to become an actress, and I plan to go into show business. I guess it’s because my parents used to be in show business a long time ago. My father was an agent, and MY mother was a showgirl. Unfortunately, neither of them hit the big time. It’s all right anyhow, we are doing pretty well because daddy is a real estate broker, and he makes a lot of money. For example, daddy bought me one of those little red sport cars, which come from Germany. Mommy said that I would get into an accident in that hot rod, but daddy said that he thought I could handle it well enough. Well, I may be getting a little ahead of my self. I want to tell you a little about my self so that you will understand what I am about to tell you. You may choose to believe it or not, but I know what happened to me.

Well, I guess you already know all about this kind of stuff, but I’ll tell you anyway. When you are a pretty girl in high school, all the girls hate you because they think that you’re going to steal their boyfriends. As far as the guys are concerned, they just want to fuck your brains out. Like that time in Health class, the teacher was talking about methods of protection from pregnancy. The teacher was showing us a bunch of condoms. She even told us about how they used to do it in the old days. The teacher told us that women would tie a ribbon around a peace of sponge, and they would insert the sponge in their pussys before they had sex with their husbands. Well while all this shit is going on, all the so called good girls are making believe that they are embarrassed. At the same time, all the guys are growing a forest of woodies.

My boy friend at the time grabbed me after class, and he told me that he would pick me up that night for a date. I had been going out with this son of a bitch for a couple of weeks, and he was giving me the big come on. Until that time, he was being a nice guy not trying any thing.

So that night, he takes me for a ride in his car. While we were driving, I asked, ” Where are we going? “. He tells me, ” You will see when we get there. “. The next thing I know, he pulls into this deserted road in the middle of nowhere. He pulls up and parks. I figure o k so he wants to make out. From what was going on in class this afternoon, I figure he must be a little horny just like all the other guys. All of a sudden, he starts grabbing me under my dress. I tell him to stop being so rough. Then, the son of a bitch slaps me across the face real hard.

He tells me that if I don’t put out I’ll be walking home. I think to my self O K I’m fucked. I’m in the middle of nowhere, and I am in a car with some crazed fuck head. So well, it was not like I was a virgin trying to hold on to her cherry. I look at the fuck head, and I start coming on to him like a whore who has not been fucked in a year. Just as I am going at this jerk, the strangest thing happens. The lame gets off me, and I notice that he has a frightened look on his face. For the life of me,I don’t know what’s wrong. Then, I see it. The fuck head has lost his hard on.

Well, I could not help myself. I just started to laugh. The more I laughed; the jerk became more self aware of his dead dick.

All the way home, the jerk is threatening me. Telling me that if I tell anyone at school about what happened, he would make me regret it. Of course, the very next morning at school, I told everyone about what he tried to do to me. I also told them about his dead dick. For all that day and for some time after, everyone was calling the jerk by his new nickname. You would hear them call him D D for dead dick. Also, all the girls at school were going around telling a running joke about the sponge and the ribbon. I guess it was because of what the teacher was talking about in health class that day and how all the guys were getting woodies. The girls would say after that time,” don’t forget your sponge “.

Chapter 2

This is what I kind of mean. Even though you are a good-looking girl like me, you still have trouble getting the right guys to go out with you. The nice guys are some times too shy to ask you to go out on a date. So then, you are often stuck with these ego driven nincompoops who are in their own minds God’s gift to women. I once had a heart to heart talk with my mom about this sort of stuff. She was telling me about how it was when she was in show business. She told me that show business is crammed full of those types of guys. This was when I told my mom that I was thinking about going into show business myself. She said, ” Honey in show business a woman is nothing but a peace of meat “. She began to explain to me that only the women who knew how to handle those kinds of guys were the women who became successful in show business. She told me that I was a very pretty young woman, and Those guys in show business are going to come after me like hungry lions after fresh meat. One of the reasons that I was never that successful in show business she remarked was because I was unwilling to put out for every Tom, Dick, and Harry.

I told my mother that I was bored with my life as it was, and I wanted more out of life than to be just a housewife with a gang of kids. She told me that if I was really sure that if that is what I wanted I will have to learn how to handle those men in show business, or else I would turn out just like all the rest of the women who became studio sluts and the like.

Well, I knew that my mother was right about those unsuccessful women. They usually became little more than paid whores put out by the big shots from the studios. I vowed to my self that I would not become one of those women even if I had to marry one of those ugly fat rich guys who has enough power to put you into the best parts with out no questions asked. I was determined to become successful in show business. The trouble is I never seem to be able to meet the right guys even though I am kind of a knock out once I put my mind to it. You know, I fix myself up with some make up and some nice clothes and a new hair do, and I stand out from the other girls. You notice me especially because of my long black hair and my green eyes, not to mention my nice pair of tits.

Chapter 3

I got to thinking about what my mother told me. So that night, I decided that I would take a look in my parents keep sakes from show business. They had some old trunks full of stuff, which they kept in the storage. I don’t know what I was looking for, but I started going through all the old stuff. There were articles and pictures from shows that my mother was in. There was not much about my father mostly because he was an agent and not a performer. I have to say that my mother was a looker. From her showgirl pictures, she looked damn good. I never thought much about it, but I guess that I must have gotten some of my looks from my mother. There were those green eyes, and She had a nice pair of tits when she was young.

I made myself comfortable by sitting on the floor in the storage. I began to read through the stuff in the old trunks. Some of the stuff went back a long time. In fact, some of the stuff went back to the 1920’s and 1930’s. Most of the people in the pictures were unfamiliar to me. Then, I came across a show bill from the old days. I wondered why this was in here. Fay East sex goddess of the age brings to you the show of the age. Featuring Fay and her muscle man review. Along with the show bill there was an 8 by 10 color picture of Fay East herself. The picture showed a blue eyed blonde wearing a long floor length Black lace gown. It was cut low in front to reveal a great pair of tits. In addition, she was wearing a matching broad brimmed hat and carrying a matching parasol. She topped off this killer outfit with what looked like a double strand diamond necklace; The upper strand of diamonds hung closer to her throat while the lower strand of diamonds supported a large pear shaped diamond which hung down almost into her cleavage. To go with that pigeon egg sized rock, She wore a couple of shoulder dusters which terminated with a matching pear shaped diamond. No doubt, this babe had style.

Next, I came across another picture showing Fay East standing next to a little girl. There was an autograph and inscription, which read to my little lost cousin. Fay was still wearing that killer outfit, but there was something familiar about the little girl. As I looked closer at the little girl in the picture, I started to notice that the little girl had green eyes. Could this little girl be my mother? If it was my mother, what was she doing with this sex goddess?

It was at that time that I decided to ask my father to help me to get an audition. He had not been in show business for a long time, but he still had some connections in the business. It was mostly because he had bought and sold some houses for the people in show business.

So then, I put all the stuff away and put it back into the storage. I was still curious about the little girl in the picture with Fay East, but I decided not to say anything about it. Besides, I did not want my parents to know that I was snooping around in their stuff.

Soon after that, I approached my father, and I popped the question. I asked him if he could help me with my plans to go into show business. Well of course, he was unsure about it. He said that he would talk to my mom first before anything could be done.

Then came the big sit down. My parents and I talked about me going into show business. Well, they talked and I listened. My mom was unhappy with the whole thing. She was quick to remind me about the little talk which we had. Of course, my father had no idea of what we were referring to. They were very supportive, but they were not sold on the idea. They begin to tell me about how hard is to get along in the business. They told me that when they were in the business, they tried as hard as they could to become successful only to find themselves behind the 8 ball. I was not sure what ” behind the 8 ball ” meant, but it sounded like a real bummer.

I began to make my case to them. I told them that I am a big girl now, and I have to make something of my self. My parents have always been supportive with me, and I did not want to lay it on them too hard. They always have been good to me, but they have sheltered me too much. Still, I was going to tell them that if they would not help me; then, I would make my own way. Daddy was a sweet heart. Jasmine darling he said if you have made your mind up. Then what else can we do except to help.

So it came to pass, I had an audition and a possible job up in Hollywood. Of course, my mom was frantic with fear. She said, ” I suppose she’s going to drive that little red hot rod up there. “. Daddy assured her that every thing is going to be all right. She will meet some people that I know, and they will take good care of her. This was the big day. I loaded what I could into the hot rod as my mother called it, and I set off for the big time.

Part 2

Chapter 4

The traffic on the I- 5 interstate is always a bummer at rush hour. So, I decided to set off at the end of the afternoon rush hour. I planned to drive up to Hollywood in the evening to beat the traffic. As luck would have it, there was some kind of accident up ahead. I didn’t get far before I realized that I was being detoured. I was not prepared for any thing like this. I mean who reads maps anyway? I loaded up the car with the things, which I thought that I would need. Yaw, you guessed it. The Last thing in the world that I thought that I would need was a map. The car radio was describing one of those traffic nightmares. It seems that a large gasoline tanker had jackknifed across all four lanes of the northern bound I-5. I knew that I had passed these- 78 turns off already. So, I knew that I was somewhere between San Diego and L A. I had taken the 78 on my way out to the desert in the past. One thing that I knew was that you could get lost on these back roads in the mountains.

I soon found myself following one those damned roads into nowhere. To make things more difficult, it was beginning to get dark. If you have never driven these roads which are in the mountains east of L A and San Diego, I can tell you that there are some death defying turns and drop offs which will scare the shit out of you.

I had been driving for what seemed to be hours now. God only knows where I was. To make things even worse, it was now starting to drizzle. Up in the mountains around here the weather can change in a hurry and turn nasty. FUCK! How could it be raining when it was a sunny day when I left San Diego? Well, I know this sounds like chicken shit, but I was starting to get worried. The road was getting worse by the moment. The damned road was getting hard to see, and there were sharp inclines and turns at the bottom. I was moving along at a good clip when I felt the tires let loose. I had just come down one of those steep inclines, and the road broke hard to the right. Have you ever seen one of those Grand Prix races where the guy loses control and starts spinning out? The car started to spin around and around as I went off the road. Thank God, It was a flat patch of ground, and not one of those about to die one thousand foot drops. The car careened into the trees, and I smashed into some thing hard.

I know that I must have hit my head because my head was throbbing to beat the band. I could feel where the seat belts crushed me from the impact. I must have hit the steering wheel because I could see a bruise just above my right eyebrow when I looked into the rear view mirror. I must have passed out and been sitting there for a long time because it was starting to get light. It had to be around five or six o’clock in the morning. Let me tell you that I was feeling like shit big time. My body ached. My head hurt, and I had to take a wicked piss.

I unloosened my belts, and tried to open the door. The dammed thing was stuck. It was at that time when I noticed that my car was in bad shape. I had hit something hard for sure. My left rear fender was mangled, and it looked like that I had cut down one of the trees. I am thinking to myself. If that tree hit in the front of the car, I would be a dead duck. So then, I make my way over to the right hand door so that I can get out of the car. Thank goodness, the door opens with just a strong push. I get out of the car and stand up to check for more damage. First, I rub my hands all over my self to see if have any more wounds or broken bones. I find that I am a lucky gal. It looks like that I am going to walk away from this thing. I take another look at the car, and I am stunned at what I see. The dammed car is totaled. WHOLLY SHIT! How did I survive that?

Chapter 5

So, where the fuck am I? I look around to find that I am in the woods somewhere. All around me are mountaintops, and this spot appears to be a small valley. As I’m looking around, I see something through the trees. I check twice to make sure that I am not seeing things. I start to walk in the direction of what looks like a house. As I get closer, I see that it is a house, but it looks like one of those bunkhouses that you see in the old cowboy movies. It is big, and it looks old and worse for the wear. I could envision twenty or so ranch hands living and sleeping in it. Well, this is California, and they did have cowboys here didn’t they? The trouble is that the place looked abandoned. I thought that I would try knocking at the door, but now that I can see it up close, I was sure that nobody was home. What the hell, I will try the door, and see if I can get in. So, I turned the door handle, and I gave it a shove. I’ll just see if any one is home.

What I was about to see was just amazing. I had seen pictures of places like this in the history books but not like the history books in school. It may have been a bunkhouse at one time, but this place had been remodeled to serve a very different purpose. It consisted of a large room. In the center, there was a very large round bed. Off to the far corner, there was hanging from the ceiling a swing. On the other wall, there was a wet bar which doubled for a kitchenette. Through out the room there were various love seats and couches. The room was decorated with a black rug and most of the furniture in the room was a shade of burgundy. Most of the wooden furniture including the bar was made of mahogany. As I walked through the room, I noticed a hall, which led to a very luxurious bathroom. Having to take a wiz, I made myself comfortable. I noticed a large bathtub. You could fit at least two or more people in it.

It was easy to see that whoever owned this place had to have a ton of cash to be able to afford it. I do not know about building houses in the middle of nowhere, but you got to realize that it is not a easy task to get running water into one of these places which are in the middle of nowhere. I mean to say that there was a lot of care taken to put this place together.

I decided to snoop around the place to find out who owned this house. I noticed a dressing table and mirror located on the far wall not far from the bed. I figured that it was as good as any place to begin looking. So, I sat myself down at the dressing table and started going through the draws. It must have been woman’s intuition because when I opened the top right hand draw I found a package of letters and documents. This told me that it was a woman who owned the house. It is like a woman’s code, we seem to know where a woman would put things. I began looking through the papers. They appeared to be letters and legal documents. Most of them dated as far as back as the 1920’s and 1930’s. Moreover, they seem to belong to a show business personality. I was busy reading some kind of a legal contract when I felt something in the room. I looked up and there in the mirror was a woman. Standing just behind me and to my left was someone that I recognized. She was a blue eyed blonde wearing a long floor length Black lace gown. In addition, she was wearing a matching broad brimmed hat and carrying a matching parasol. I couldn’t miss that double strand diamond necklace and its’ pigeon egg sized rock.

He laughs, “I suppose it shall be well enough then. Let us meet your family.”

Morrighu moves out to sit by the fire with Valen next to her. She leans her head against his arm, where it rests lightly around her shoulders. A few minutes later, she hears crunching in the snow and Feya steps into the circle of firelight. Morrighu gives Valen”s hand a squeeze as she stands to greet him.

She hugs him warmly, “Well met, my brother.”

Feya doffs his helm and Valen finds himself looking into puppy-dog brown eyes behind some rather thick glasses.

Feya grins at Morrighu, “So, this is the tiefling that has you so entranced.” He turns to Valen, “Since she”s apparently not good at introductions, I”m Feya. And you are?”

Valen chuckles as Morrighu blushes lightly. Valen extends his hands, palm up, in greeting, “I am Valen Shadowbreath. Greetings to you, Feya.”

Feya places his hands on Valen”s briefly, “Greetings to you, Valen.”

Feya sizes him up, “I”m given to understand that you”re quite the warrior.”

Valen nods silently, uncertain as so where the line of inquiry is leading.

Feya grins, “Good, she needs someone to practice with. My expertise is magic, not weapons. Nemhain is not skilled enough to challenge her and neither is Macha.”

Valen laughs, “I am not always certain that I am up to the challenge either. She bests me as often as not when we spar.”

Feya laughs, “What is that like?”

Valen rolls his eyes, “Usually it”s painful. I”ve ended up on my back with her foot on my chest before. I made the mistake of telling her that she was half my size and could hardly hurt me.”

Feya laughs, “That certainly sounds about right. She”d take that as a challenge to do better.”

Valen nods in agreement, “She seems to take most things as a challenge.”

Feya looks grim for a moment, “Yes, which is why this place is so hard for her. She feels beholden to challenge Mephistopheles but he”s not here for her to fight. Instead, she must make do with lesser opponents in order to reach him. It”s rather like the time she won the tavern.”

Valen looks intrigued and gestures for him to continue, “I have not heard this story.”

Feya chuckles, “Ah, she owns a tavern in Neverwinter. She won it in a fight. The owner put it up as a prize to anyone able to defeat a series of opponents, including himself. She bested them all, one after another until she was able to face the owner. She wanted to fight the owner straightaway, but he rather wisely refused. He wanted to try to weaken her with his underlings. None of them was able to inflict enough damage on her to weaken her appreciably. When the time came to fight her, he tried to weasel out of it, but she called him out in his own arena. He had his pet mage outside the arena casting buffing spells on him, but it didn”t do him any good. Despite the fact that he had rigged the fight, she still beat him.”

Valen laughs heartily, “Why have you not told me about this, my love?”

She rolls her eyes, “For the most part, I do not have good memories of Neverwinter. Having run into Ari here has been difficult enough. I prefer not to think of Neverwinter. It always makes me sad.”

Valen puts an arm around her shoulders and gives her a quick squeeze, “Aribeth has returned to Tyr and is a paladin once again because of you. You should not be so sad.”

She sighs heavily, “I have done so much killing in order to protect others. It feels sometimes as if I am drenched in blood. I met a monk in Neverwinter, one of the Order of the Long Death. His name was Grimgnaw and he said…he said that bloodshed follows me and it does so to such a point that I have even become interesting to his Order. That is a terrible statement, if you know anything about those that worship the Silent Lord.”

Feya laughs, “What did Nemhain tell you about despair? You must not give in to this place, sister. You have never sought violence in all the time I have known you. You always offer to let your opponents surrender to you. You simply do not let them run rough-shod over those you defend. Now, turn your mind to other things. You have finally found a mate, and one that is worthy of you. You should be pleased since your searching is at an end. Be happy about that at least and stop this terrible despair. You will find a way to best this devil yet.”

She swallows hard, chastened, “You are right and I know it. It is kind of you to come here and remind me.”

Feya steps forward and hugs her again, “I must be going, my sister.”

Feya releases Morrighu and, to Valen”s surprise, hugs him as well. Feya looks up at Valen, “Keep her mind occupied. Not a simple task, I know, but I trust that you will find a way to manage.”

Feya grins and with a wave of his hand, fades from view.

Valen looks at her speculatively, “Now how am I to keep you occupied? Perhaps if we play a game, that will keep you distracted.”

Morrighu looks surprised, “What kind of game?”

He laughs, “I will say something and you have to tell me the first thing comes to your mind.”

Morrighu shrugs, “Very well, if that is what you wish, I will play.”

He grins at her, “Close your eyes and tell me about…the sky.”

She obediently closes her eyes and sighs, “Your eyes. The color of your eyes reminds of the skies at home. They are just the color of the sky at the horizon on a clear summer day.”

He chuckles a bit, “That was not what I expected, but it seems a valid answer. Tell me about…trees.”

She laughs lightly, “I remember climbing them as a child. Trees are green, though and that always makes me think of your armor, although, it”s more the color of grass or growing wheat and not really tree leaves.”

He chuckles and blushes lightly, “Does everything make you think of me? Surely there are other thoughts in that lovely head of yours.”

She opens her eyes and grins at him, “You occupy an inordinate portion of my thoughts. In answer to you question, though, yes, nearly everything makes me think of you. I was hoping that you might have brought the cards and that would be the game we played. I suspect though that this wind would not be conducive to a card game. We”d spend all of our time chasing the cards about. Surely there are other games you know that we might play.”

He shakes his head, “I have never been much of one for games, and most of the other games I know are barracks games, played by soldiers between battles. They are not…suitable. Nearly all of them are dangerous and those that aren”t involve drinking. I never did participate in them much, unless there was some prize I wanted badly. Going into battle already wounded was often a death sentence in Blood Wars.”

Morrighu grimaces, “I did not mean to make the mood so grim. We were doing so well. Surely you have some happy memories, even if it is something small.”

He grins, “There is one thing that I recall about my mother. She used to always bring me some kind of candy every evening, when she”d return from work. One day, she brought me some taffy. I”d never had any before so I put the whole chunk of it in my mouth. I got my mouth stuck shut and I recall being very angry at my mother at the time for laughing at me, but it”s quite funny now.”

Morrighu laughs, “I can only imagine you with your mouth stuck shut. I”ve seen it stuck open a couple of times, and that”s pretty amusing. Stuck shut would likely be even more amusing.”

Valen frowns at her in mock dismay, “Oh, it”s amusing, is it? What about that amuses you so?”

She grins at him impishly, “You generally have some comment to make on nearly everything. Seeing you struck speechless, it…well, it”s just funny since you are so normally so vocal about everything. Like the night we spent in the wizard”s tower, I know that you recall it. It was when I told Nathyrra that I apparently wasn”t destined to die a virgin after all. Watching you turn colors and sputter was funny.”

He arches a brow at her, “Hmmm…I shall take that under advisement when I get to meet the rest of your family. Perhaps by then, you won”t be and I”ll be able to announce that to them.”

Morrighu laughs, “Valen, I doubt that you”d have to announce it. I suspect that they”ll know. It was all that Feya could do not to blush around you.”

Valen looks at her curiously, “Speaking of Feya, what did he have to say about me?”

She giggles, “He said that he likes you. He thinks you”re suitable and quite probably well suited to put up with the other Three, since they”ll likely be frequent visitors. He told me that I”ve done well, with you and that he hopes he does half as well.”

Valen laughs, “High praise from your kin. I was concerned that they would disapprove in some way.”

Morrighu shakes her head, “No, they quite approve of you. For some reason your insistence on making a proper job of it seems to be a big selling point in your favor, despite how it frustrates me.”

Valen laughs, “I know it frustrates you. It frustrates me at times, too. The core issue is that I don”t know how long we”ll be here. I will not risk your safety until we have seen to this devil and his machinations. It will be over soon enough and when it is, we”ve agreed to talk about that then. When the time comes, I have already sworn to you that you may have whatever you wish from me. If you want a wedding, you shall have it. If you do not, you shall have that as well. As long as you are safe and near, I am content.”

Morrighu grins, “I shall have to think about what it is that I want, I suppose. When I have decided, I will let you know. I know that as long as you are safe and near, I am content as well, at least for now. I know that we are trapped in the Hells, but this day, with you has been a gift.”

Valen looks at her curiously, “Why do you call it a gift?”

She laughs, “Despite the cold and wind, it has been peaceful otherwise. I have had my fill of sleep, there is plenty to eat, and, most importantly, you have been with me most of the time.”

Valen chuckles, “So, that was the most important part of it, that I was here? Since I also seem to occupy your thoughts to the near exclusion of all else, I would say that you are likely irreparably smitten with me.”

Morrighu pokes him the ribs playfully, “Yes, it was the most important part of it. You need not look so pleased with yourself, though. I would say, given the care and concern that you show me taken with the way you read the slightest change in my movements or expression, that you are equally and just as irreparably smitten with me as well, my patron-protector.”

He laughs, “I have been meaning to speak to you about that. Since we are no longer among the drow, do you wish to make any changes to our…ummm…arrangement?”

Morrighu looks startled and then nods, “I do.”

Valen looks at her, taken aback, “Have I done something? What is it that you wish to change?”

A sultry smile spreads across her face as she leans forward to kiss him, “You know precisely what it is that I wish to change, but that seems to be a conversation for another day.”

He can feel her giggling as she kisses him, so he breaks off.

He looks down at her and smiles, “Off to bed with you now. Your watch is over. When you wake, will you be ready to move on or shall we stay here a bit longer?”

She shrugs, “That depends on Nathyrra. If she is ready, then I am as well. If she is not, we should let her rest a bit more.”

He chuckles, “Neither of you is willing to admit that you need to rest, but I think that you”re ready and that she will be as well. When my watch is over it will be daylight again, and we should probably get moving.”

She sighs, “I know, but I”m not really ready for that just now. I would love to have more time to spend with you, but I would have it be in better circumstances, preferable somewhere that we don”t have to keep watches.”

He grins at her, “Somewhere that comes equipped with a large opulent bed, perhaps? I seem to recall something about such a thing along with several activities to keep us occupied. Perhaps you don”t recall but I do. It seems to have had something to do with how I used to address you. I”ve changed that, but you haven”t said anything about it.”

She grins, “I noticed it and I consider it to be rather nice. Is there anything you want me to call you?”

He shakes his head, “As long as you say my name with that tiny catch in your voice, I am content.”

Morrighu looks at him puzzled, “My voice doesn”t catch when I say your name, Valen.”

He laughs, “Yes, it does, just the tiniest bit. It did just then, my love.”

She shakes her head at him but he laughs, “Oh, you think not? I”ll have you to know that it has since we were on the Isle of the Maker. It”s not anything that anyone else would likely notice. Just as almost no one would take that lazy feline gait of yours as a threat or know when you”ve been injured. I, however, know you better.”

She frowns at him, “What is it that you think you know then?”

He grins, “I know that when your gait shifts to that seemingly relaxed stride that you are at your most dangerous. I know that when your blocks and strikes are not as fluid as water, you are hurt. I know that your jitters always come after the fact. I know that I am probably the only one you allow to comfort you. I know I am the only one that let hold you while you sleep. If you will kindly go to sleep, we will leave in the morning.”

Morning comes and Valen is there when she wakes.

She sighs, swimming in his clear blue gaze, “A thing a girl could get used to…waking up to those blue eyes of yours.”

Valen chuckles as he kisses her lightly on the lips, “And a good morning to you as well, my love.”

Nathyrra, already awake and packed, sits by the fire and teases the pair, “Come on you two and let’s get moving. Unless of course, you need me to keep watch while you bed her, Valen.”

Valen blushes ferociously at this and gives a grinning Morrighu a dark look as he backs out of the tent. He begins packing up their campsite while Morrighu readies herself to face the coming day. Soon they begin scouting this latest area in which they find themselves.

Valen shrugs, “I do not see a way past this, and I see no other way from this place, unless you are willing to try scaling the walls of the canyon we are in. They are steep, though, and we are not properly equipped for it. I think your door would be a better idea. I”m not certain that we”d be able to climb out of this place with some better gear.”

Morrighu turns to Nathyrra, “Any thoughts from you?”

Nathyrra also shrugs, “I am for anything that means I do not have to scale another wall of ice. Even though I do not have your heavy armor to content with, it”s still not a simple thing for me. I find it hard not to be knocked off by all the wind.”

Morrighu nods and draws her blades, heading for the door.

Valen puts a hand on her shoulder, “Are you certain?”

She shakes her head, “I am not, but I see no other possible way. Let us walk the path that is laid out before us.”

He nods and unslings his flail, taking his place at her side leaving Nathyrra to bring up the rear. She moves swiftly through the snow to the door and steps through it. No sooner than she does, she is confronted by a chest which reaches out and snatches all of her clothing. She is left speechless in outrage, while the chest darts off.

Valen and Nathyrra watch in amusement, as Morrighu, clad only in her underclothes and her helm, brandishes her blades at the creature, “Come back here, you, and face me!”

Valen bites his lip to keep from chucking as she begins to shiver and curse the creature. Nathyrra, however, has no such reservations and howls with laughter. Valen recovers enough to remove his cloak and drape it around the shivering paladin.

She stands there, hopping from foot to foot in the freezing temperatures, “Gah! That stupid creature! I must get my armor back!”

Valen grins at her, “You were looking for a way to raise our spirits. You seem to have found one, my love.”

Morrighu looks at him and rolls her eyes, “Go ahead, and laugh. Had it been you, I”d be howling with Nathyrra already.”

Morrighu sighs heavily, “I suppose that I have some things in my pack that will do until I can get my own things back. First the damnable drow come and try to steal my things and now some silly chest has run off them. Ooo, wait until I get my hands on that filthy little beast! I”ve seen scarier things in old chamber pots!”

Valen laughs heartily while she rummages through her pack, pulling things out to wear. She spots the Red Dragon scale armor so she dons that, along with another belt and cloak. She hands Valen back his cloak, “While this isn”t what I”m used to, it will do for the moment. Do either of you know what that thing is?”

Nathyrra nods, “I do and it is no simple matter to kill it. It is a mimic that seems to have taken on the form of a chest. Let us go and see if we cannot get your armor back from it. Can you not just call it back to you?”

Morrighu shrugs, “I tried that. My goddess might be able to retrieve it herself, but I am loath to call her into this place. I fear that she might become trapped here as well. In all honesty, I would prefer to see if I cannot retrieve it myself. I would not relish telling her that I”ve lost it. I”m in enough trouble with her already over hasty and unwise decisions. At least I had my blades drawn so I”ve managed to keep them.”

Valen laughs, “Red is definitely not your color. If I thought it would fit you, I would let you wear my armor instead. We”ll get your things back.”

Morrighu nods and strides foreword, looking for the mimic. She immediately runs into a force wall that blocks her path. She removes the ring, to get a better look around and notices that the force wall seems to have disappeared. She probes the space in front of her delicately with the tip of one of her blades. When it passes where she was unable to previously, she steps forward until she comes to the next force wall.

She puts the ring back on, to see if the arrows are able to offer any guidance. To her dismay, there are no arrows. She turns to say something to Valen and inadvertently steps past the markers for the force wall. She stops and looks around. With the ring on, she can see some of the force walls and she carefully notes their location. She removes the ring and looks around again. All of the walls appear to be in different places. She plays with the ring a bit more, taking it off, and putting it back on.

She looks at Valen, excited, “Hah! I think I have found our path through this place. The walls here seem to be tied to this ring somehow. Some operate when I have it on, while others operate when I take it off. If I can”t see them, I can pass by.”

Valen nods, pleased, “Good. We are that much closer to getting your armor back.”

She nods, “I see a chest over there. I wonder if that”s not our little friend.”

She takes off at a jog, popping the ring on and off her finger to reach the chest she mentioned.

When she reaches it, the chest is only a chest. Oddly, she notices that it is only visible when she”s wearing the ring she got from the Sleeping Man. She puts the ring back on and reaches down to open a chest that neither Valen nor Nathyrra can see. Valen and Nathyrra look at each other questioningly until Morrighu begin pulling items out of the chest. She pulls out a suit of armor, some potions, and a wand.

Morrighu turns to Nathyrra, “Can you identify these for me?”

Nathyrra examines the items and identifies them and then shrugs at Valen. Just as Morrighu is stowing the items in her pack, a bolt whizzes past her head. They all turn to look and on a neighboring platform are a bunch of Azer gem miners.

One of them shouts to the others, “Bloody mimic’s trapped another berk. Let’s get ‘em!”

Valen suppresses a chuckle as Morrighu”s shoulders square and her head lowers slightly.

She shoulders up her pack and turns to Valen, “Did I mention that I hate being called “berk” yet? I find it to be quite rude. I also don”t appreciate being shot at.”

An arrow clanks harmlessly off her armor while she speaks to Valen and he sees her eyes narrow through her helm. He groans inwardly thinking that this does not bode well for the Azers and turns to follow her into combat. She makes good time through the various force walls and he”s hard pressed to keep up with her. Finally, she makes it to the platform where the Azers have arranged themselves.

As the Azers move around the trio warily, one calls to the rest, “Har, this berk should be good eating.”

One of the others calls back, “”Better than rats, that be sure…”

From behind her, Morrighu hears, “Keep ‘em surrounded!”

She laughs at this, “You cannot be serious. Surrender and I will let you live.”

The leader of the Azers shakes his head, “We”ve not had a good meal in a long time, berk. Nice of you to drop by.”

Morrighu drops her stance and strides up to him, punching him the face.

As he lies on the hard stone floor with his nose spouting blood, she leans down to look him in the eye, “DON”T CALL ME BERK! I DIDN”T TAKE IT OFF THAT DAMNED DRAGON! I DIDN”T TAKE IT OFF GRU”UL AND I WON”T TAKE IT FROM YOU EITHER! IS THAT UNDERSTOOD?”

The Azers halt in their attack and one looks at Valen, “Wot she talkin” “bout?”

Valen laughs as he tells about her encounters with the Quarry Boss and the Tavern Keeper. The Azers snicker as Valen tells them about her threat to Gru”ul and then laugh outright as he tells about her twisting the nose of the dragon.

When he”s finished telling the stories, the Azer chief looks at her from his place on the floor, “Well, since you ain”t a berk, I guess you ain”t on the menu. Anyone who can back down that damned dragon as you called him is ok by us.”

He sits up, still holding his nose and starts barking orders, “Shoat, get the booze. Hokou, catch us some rats. Dier, find stuff for these ber…folks to sit on.” He starts pointing, “I”m Eip, that”s Choama, and that”s Aebe.”

Morrighu still looks angry but introduces herself, “I am Morrighu. The large tiefling is Valen and the drow is Nathyrra.”

Dier scrambles up with empty chests for Eip and the trio to have a seat on. Shoat returns from a distant part of the room with a brown crockery jug and hands it Eip. Eip pulls the cork, wipes the top with his arm, and takes a swig from the jug. He passes it to Morrighu and eyes her carefully. She sniffs it experimentally and then grins. Valen rolls his eyes as she takes a good pull from the jug and passes it to him.

He looks at her curiously, “What is it, my love?”

She grins at him, “Well, I suppose I shall get to see how well you hold your liquor, Valen. Its whiskey and not bad at that. Could use some aging in an oak barrel, but I imagine that those are hard to come by around here.”

Valen takes a cautious swig and nearly chokes. His throat tries to close, his eyes water a bit and he nearly wheezes as he passes it to Nathyrra, “Careful with this stuff.”

Nathyrra looks at the jug askance and pretends to drink a small amount before passing it politely back to Eip.

Eip takes the jug and shouts to the other Azers, “Hokou, hurry up with those rats. Choama and Aebe, make yourselves useful. Go help him.”

Morrighu waves him off, “No need to put yourselves out on our account. The whiskey is sufficient hospitality. I would like to ask you some questions though.”

Eip nods, “You don”t like rats, then? That”s ok…leaves more for us. What did you want to ask?”

Eip takes a pull off the jug and proffers it to Morrighu. Valen rolls his eyes as she takes the jug and another large swig. She proffers it to Valen, who declines politely. She turns to Nathyrra who likewise waves her off.

She hands it back to Eip, “I wondered if you might be able to tell us about the creature that lives here, the mimic.”

Eip nods, pulling from the jug again, “Aye. I can tell you a thing or two about it. We came here for the gems, but so did it. It likes the gems a lot, seems to be all the blasted thing lives off of.”

He passes the jug back to Morrighu, who drinks from it again while he continues his story, “Bloody thing hates us, and hates the rats since we take both take gems. There”s things here that make gems and spew “em out all over.”

Morrighu hands the jug back to him and Valen watches her with concern to see just how much she”s imbibed.

Eip drinks again before going on, “We”ve had trouble getting in there, so the only gems we get are the ones the rats bring. That”s only if we can get to the rats before the bloody mimic. If it gets them, it kills them and eats the gems.”

Eip proffers the jug again and Morrighu starts to wave him off but his face darkens so she takes the jug and drinks from it. Valen notes the exchange and becomes ever more watchful.

Eip, rather in his cups, looks Morrighu over, “You look like a resourceful lass. How”s about I cut you a deal? We won”t eat you if you can find a way in to where the gems are?”

Morrighu laughs, “Eip, you”ve already agreed not to eat us, which shows remarkably good judgment on your part. We would not go to the slaughter willingly and even as drunk as I am now, I”m still a match for more than you have here to say nothing of my companions. Valen is quite capable is his own right as is Nathyrra. I would however like to find a way to kill this mimic. It has some things of mine and I want them back.”

Eip leers at her, “For a price, I could tell you how to do it.”

Morrighu looks at Valen, “I think I”ll let you handle this.”

Valen”s eyes flash red as he leans forward and growls at Eip, “Tread carefully, Azer. That is my mate you speak to.”

Eip, even in his rather drunken state, takes in Valen”s eyes and he reverts to obsequious groveling, “Begging your pardon. I had no idea that the two of you…that you and she…She”s a paladin and you”re a tiefling…how was I to know…? Paladins usually hunt your kind. Your kind usually hunts paladins, for that matter.”

Valen relents somewhat, “I can see where that might be confusing to you, but it is not a mistake I will tolerate twice.”

Eip swallows heavily and nods, “Enough has been said on the matter already, I”m sure.”

Morrighu grins at Eip, “Besides, as much as you hate this mimic, if you knew of a way to kill it, you would already have done so.”

Morrighu reaches in her pack, “Just to show you that we aren”t unfriendly, I have something here…something you might like, Eip.”

She pulls out a flagon of ale from the tavern in Lost Souls and waggles it at Eip. Eip”s eyes widen as he realizes what it is that she offers him. His mouth hangs open in an awed “o” while she passes the flagon to him, “If you like this, you should go to Waterdeep some time. Stop by the Yawning Portal and tell Durnan that I said to buy you an ale. Durnan makes a far better than decent brew.”

Eip nods appreciatively as he holds the flagon reverently. He looks up at Morrighu, “You carried this a long way and you”d just…give it to me?”

She nods, frowning slightly, “It is customary, where I”m from to give your host a small token.”

He looks at her, “This is no small token. I know where this tavern is. It”s many weeks walk from here.”

She sighs, “I know, but we”ve traveled a lot of the distance thanks to Nathyrra”s teleportation spells so don”t make more of it than it is.”

Eip nods, considering her words as best he”s able in his current state. After a while, understanding dawns in his face and he realizes that the trio before him is extraordinary in many respects. He sighs, “I am glad that we didn”t fight you, I think that…I think we might not have won.”

She nods, “I know that you would not have. I don”t like to hurt people, but I will not stand idly by and allow my companions to be harmed. I would not let you hurt either of them, even if it means killing all of you.”

Eip looks around to see what the other Azers are doing, “That sounds almost like a threat.”

She shrugs, “I”ve had enough whiskey to be brutally honest. It”s not meant to be a threat; it”s merely a statement of fact. I”m not trying to provoke you. You can ask Valen, I prefer not to shed blood unless I am forced to.”

Eip peers at Valen who nods, “That”s true. In fact, I have chided her for it more than once. It is my considered opinion that her stubborn insistence on offering surrender even to those who are in the process of attacking her puts her in some danger. I would keep danger as far from her as possible. Despite all of my objections, she persists in this simply because she feels it is her duty to do so. She feels that it falls within one of her oaths, which means she will shift the planes themselves in an effort to carry it out. My objections mean nothing and when I press her about her personal safety…”

Valen laughs, “Do you know what she tells me? She tells me that if she wanted to be safe she”d have taken up knitting by the fire instead of being a paladin. You have no idea how frustrating it is for me to see her risk herself so when so few actually surrender to her. In all the time that I have known her, I think that you might be the first. Let me see.”

Valen begins thinking out loud, “The driders…no, they didn”t – not any of them and there were several groups. There were the drow scouting parties, but they didn”t either.”

He sighs, “Speaking of drow, I”m sure you offered to let the Valsharess but she wouldn”t. I know the illithids did, but refused to stop attacking, so I don”t really count that as surrender. I don”t think you offered to let the beholders surrender, but I don”t recall them giving you much of a say in the matter. I don”t think you offered to let the vampires surrender did you?”

Morrighu shakes her head at this, “No, never with the undead and never with slavers. I would not even have attempted to negotiate with illithids had the Seer not made me promise to do so.”

Valen nods as he continues, “The golems just wouldn”t listen. The duergar at the Isle of the Maker refused and you offered more than once. Now the Maker, I don”t think you offered, but he was a lich. Sabal and her cohort of Red Sisters refused your offer. Then there were all the summoned creatures in the wizard”s tower, but I don”t think most of them were able to accept. The balor lord refused you though. Am I leaving anyone out, my love?”

She nods, “You have left out the medusa and the priest of Talona, who did surrender. The doom knights and several tribes of trolls who did not surrender. For some reason, which I fail to understand, people do not often see the need to surrender to me. I do not know if it is because I”m not physically intimidating or if it”s because I”m female and they feel this might somehow lessen them. In any event, he”s listed off most of the major and minor skirmishes we”ve had in…what is now…the last two going on three months. Out of all of those groups, the only ones still living are those that surrendered to me.”

The Azer looks at her, shocked, “You”ve done all that in a matter of a couple of months.”

She nods, “I have been engaged in a war. A war which I won with the help of these two. The would-be great queen lies dead, the back of her army is broken, and her command center is in such disarray, her heir will not be able to assume control. As a result of winning that war, I am currently engaged in another war with a different foe that has risen up to try to fill the power vacuum opened by my removal of this dread queen. It is also a war I plan on winning. The stakes are even higher this time. Instead of a relatively limited dominion over a portion of a world, this war is engaged for the complete control of a world that my goddess has sent me to protect. Instead of some thousands being affected, thousands of thousands will die if I do not prevail. The whole of this world will be laid waste. Defeat is not an option – I must win.”

Eip sighs heavily, “Perhaps you can find us a way into where the gems are then.”

She nods, “I think I might be able to at that. I would however, ask a favor of you in return. I need to get my things back from this mimic. I will open the path for you, if you will help me find a way to defeat this mimic and retrieve my things.”

Eip considers, “That sounds like a fair bargain. Very well, we will take you up on it.”

She nods grinning, “Good, then let us be about it. I have an idea.”

She looks at the switches in the center of the platform. She can see two and places where they should be two more. She walks up to the two she can see and activates them. She slips the ring back on and the two that she activated disappear and two others appear.

She walks over to what looks like empty space to her companions and the Azers and pulls on a switch that they cannot even see. To them, she appears to be pulling on empty air, but to their surprise, the switches activate, coming together to form a beam that blows a wall out of their path. The Azers dance about briefly while Eip shouts for their attention.

He looks at the paladin, slightly awed, “We have tried for months to figure out how to pass that barrier and have been unable to. How is it that you are able to pass where others cannot?”

Morrighu grins at him, “It”s magic and that”s all I”m telling you.”

The mimic darts for the doorway that is now open and Morrighu pursues it. As she chases it, it stops in the doorway and turns to face her.

To her amazement, it speaks to her, “Me go gem.”

She growls in frustration, “You damnable little creature, come back here!”

The mimic takes the warning from her tone and darts through the doorway. Valen runs toward her as she runs after the mimic, through the doorway. Nathyrra and the Azers are hot on her heels, trying as best as they are able to keep up.

Morrighu chases it through into another large open area.

The mimic grapples away and from behind her she could hear one of the Azers shout, “Humph. Wish I could grapple around this damn place.”

She runs after the mimic to a central platform where she halts suddenly. Valen, who has been chasing after her, skids into her from behind. She grins at him over her shoulder, and then turns to find herself facing a large lever switch in the floor. Frowning, she looks around and sees a circular arrangement of statues which seem to be the anchor points for a force wall. Experimentally, she shoves the lever forward which releases a huge electrical discharge inside the force wall. Startled, she quickly flips it back off.

She looks at Valen, “Well, I think our trap for this creature is ready made. That certainly saves a lot of effort. Now, what do we use as bait?”

Choama steps up her and hands her a gooey pile of gems, “You use these. The machines in here spew them out and that bloody mimic eats them.”

The rest of the Azers are busily gathering up the piles of gems.

Morrighu shouts for Eip, “Eip, I need your assistance here, if you don”t mind.”

Eip looks up from stuffing several of the gooey piles of gems into his shirt and sees Morrighu gesturing for him.

He teeters over to her and is drunkenly congratulatory, “You have done it. We”re in the Hall of Gems! What do you need my help with?”

She nods absently, “Yes, well, about the mimic. I”d like to borrow your gems for a bit if you don”t mind. Choama has suggested that with the mimic”s fondness for gems that we use them for bait to draw it in to the circle here and destroy it.”

Eip frowns at her, “But…but I want to keep my gems.”

Morrighu rolls her eyes, “You can. I only want to use them for a little while, until we can kill this mimic. Once its dead, you can have them back. I promise I won”t keep them.”

Eip considers this as best he is able in his drunken state, “Everyone wants gems.”

Morrighu laughs, “I can assure you that I have enough of my own to content me. I have slain a dragon or two and raided their hoards. My gems however, do not seem to be of interest to this creature. It seems to only want the ones from here.”

Eip is still trying to think through her proposal when Dier, Choama, and Hokou start piling all their gems in to the circle. Morrighu takes a few of the gooey gem piles, and with a grimace lays out a short trial to draw the mimic in toward the central pile. When she”s done, Morrighu stands and shakes her hands, flinging the mucus-like goo off.

Valen chuckles at the face she pulls at having had to touch the slimy things. Morrighu notices him chuckling and walks over to him. She reaches out casually and wipes her hands on his cloak. Nathyrra laughs at Valen”s disgusted expression.

Valen frowns at her, “Was that really necessary, my love?”

She grins at him, “Since you found it so amusing, I thought I share some of it with you.”

Nathyrra gets a dark look from Valen and turns her head to hide her amusement. Some of the Azers have observed the exchange and they too are snickering, but quickly sober when Valen glares at them. Eip, in his drunken state, looks back and forth between the pair, confused. Uncertain as to how he should react, he grins good-naturedly.

Morrighu has been watching the mimic closely and out the corner of her eye, sees one of the rats making off with a pile of gems. Quickly drawing one of her blades, she dashes over to the animal and cuts it in half cleanly. The mimic continues to grapple around the chamber in a relatively random fashion but the Azers continue to gather up most of the gems and pile them into the center of the room.

Eventually, there are just too many gems for the mimic to resist. It grapples over to one of the gem piles that is farthest from the group. Morrighu gestures to all of them to back away as the mimic devours the pile of gems and scoots forward toward the next pile. It devours them and then tries to grapple another pile to it but drops them. It scoots ever closer to the trap in the middle.

Finally, in it”s quest for more piles of gems to devour, the mimic has approached the very edge of the trap. One of the Azers reaches for the handle but to Morrighu”s eye, it”s much too soon. The mimic isn”t close enough to be destroyed and she”s afraid that if the trap is sprung too soon they will only frighten it, not kill it. She smacks the hand, without ever taking her eyes off the mimic.

Eip withdraws his hand and pouts drunkenly at Morrighu”s back. The mimic scoots in and devours another pile of gems. It”s hovering on the edge of the force wall but not far enough in to be destroyed with any certainty. Morrighu waits patiently for the mimic to move further into the circle. After what seems like an eternity, the mimic makes toward the giant pile of gems in the center of the circle. It scoots completely into the circle and Morrighu pulls the lever.

The bard wrinkles his nose, “She asked you to meet and be friends with a man who had offered as nearly as I understand it, to marry her.”

The grizzled tiefling nods, “That she did and because she asked it of me, I did it. I never regretted it, either. I came, in later years, after watching Feya hunt for a mate, to understand what she tried to tell me that night. None of them had an easy time being members of the Four. She was never able to convey in words what it was like for them “in the places where we are known” as she put it. It wasn”t until much later, when we traveled to her home world, that I came to understand. When she told me that they were “hated and reviled”, I had no idea what an understatement of the situation that was. Ye gods! I have been in places where I was made to feel unwelcome because I am a tiefling. It was nothing compared to how they treated her and the other Three, though. I can see where it would make finding a mate nigh impossible and I understood why Feya offered himself. It was a logical solution to both of their problems. Fortunately for me, she “wanted a bit more than just a bond”. She wanted someone who truly loved her.”

The bard watches in fascination as a single crystalline tear creeps from the corner of the tiefling”s eye down his wrinkled cheek.

The tiefling sighs heavily, “I loved her. I love her still. Fool that I am, she loved me too.”

Maugrim gives a high-pitched and cruel laugh, “So Morrighu, our paths cross once again. But you will be relieved to know I no longer follow Morag and the Old Ones. Now I have loftier ambitions!” Maugrim continues to chuckle almost insanely, “Yes, much loftier ambitions now.”

Grimgnaw shoots Maugrim a warning look before bowing formally to Morrighu, “So, Morrighu, it seems the Silent Lord has finally claimed you. It is unfortunate you have ended up here in the Hells, however… since we are planning to take over.”

Valen, his hand straying to the hilt of his flail, moves closer to Morrighu in a protective manner. Grimgnaw turns to face him, “How well do you know this woman that you serve, tiefling? Once I traveled with the Hero of Neverwinter in a battle against Morag and the Old Ones, but that was long ago… During my life I was a servant of Death, the Silent Lord. I knew the name and face of all those who delivered souls to my master… those like you, Morrighu. In all your adventures, how many have died at your hand? A thousand? Ten Thousand? More? You have served the Silent Lord well, and you are well known among the Order of the Long Death. You are even envied by many of the members of my Order. There are few who strive to keep pace with you and some have even speculated that you are in fact a devotee of the Silent Lord though perhaps this is unbeknownst to you.”

Morrighu, having heard this from him before, shrugs and looks at him appraisingly, “You know that we seek a way out of this place.”

Grimgnaw nods, “Yes, I am well aware that you have carved a path through this place much as you carved a path through the Plane of Shadow.”

Morrighu shrugs, “You could help us. The situation might be mutually beneficial.”

While Grimgnaw considers her words, Maugrim breaks in, “Enough talk, Grimgnaw. Morrighu is a threat to us here. We must deal with her as we have dealt with the other spirits that opposed us!”

Grimgnaw holds up a finger to Morrighu to ask for her patience while he turns to deal with his underling. He snarls at Maugrim, “Maugrim, you swore your allegiance to me when the power of the Old Ones abandoned you. Do not forget that I am in charge.”

His underling duly chastised, Grimgnaw turns his attention back to her. Grimgnaw nods politely at Morrighu, “Pardon the outburst. It is…difficult to find good help these days. The problem is this - with Mephistopheles gone, there is a void that must be filled. This plane of Hell needs someone to rule. Those who swear allegiance to me will be rewarded… those who do not will be destroyed.”

Morrighu shrugs again, “There is another alternative.”

Grimgnaw looks at her curiously, “What would that be, Lady of Blood?”

Morrighu rolls her eyes at name he has given her, “You could come with us. We are well on our way to leaving this place. You could return with us to Toril.”

The Minotaur grunts something to Grimgnaw and he appears to consider it. After a long tense pause, Grimgnaw speaks again, “No, Morrighu, I think not. I do not doubt that you seek a way back to Toril or at least out of this place, but if there really was one, surely someone would have found it before you. You seek a mirage and we will not join you in your foolish errand. You are much too powerful. Your mere presence here is a threat. If I am to rule, I must destroy all who could one day oppose me.”

Morrighu shakes her head, “I knew that there was reason I left you at the Trade of Blades and never looked back. There was always something about you that didn’t sit properly with me. I think it was the fact that you were just really really creepy. Now I know why I was so happy to see the backside of you. You suffer from a condition common among really short men. You feel the need to rule, to be in charge, to make your power felt and lord your rulership over others who are larger than yourself.”

Valen bites his lip to keep from smiling at Grimgnaw’s look out outrage and fury. Grimgnaw comes at her with a Flurry of Blows but she dodges back, avoiding him. Nathyrra casts an empowered fireball while Morrighu casts a Turn Undead on Balpheron. Balpheron screams in pain and casts a fireball at Morrighu, which she ignores while she swipes at Grimgnaw with her blades.

Valen has moved to engage the Minotaur, since they are more equally physically matched. Koth swings at Valen’s head with his axe, but Valen bats it away with the upstroke of his flail, while he lands a hard blow on Koth’s arm with the down stroke. Crimson runs to the back of the room and fires at everyone with her crossbow. She manages not to hit anyone but Balpheron, who tosses a minor fire spell back at Crimson in annoyance. Crimson singes just a bit and her aim becomes somewhat wilder. The trio ignores her completely as they engage the enemies that can actually carry out a meaningful attack.

Maugrim hisses at Morrighu, “I have a score to settle with you, paladin.”

Morrighu laughs back at him, “Did you learn nothing the first time, Maugrim? While you have been here unchanging, my power has grown since last we met. Furthermore, I am still not severed from my deity while I have killed yours.”

Grimgnaw tries to take advantage of her distraction with Maugrim to attempt to attack her again. Using one blade to block Maugrim’s morning star, she brings the other one around and jabs at Grimgnaw, sticking him in the shoulder. Nathyrra moves in closer to Balpheron and casts Chain Lightening. The electrical discharge doesn’t harm Balpheron, since he’s a lich.

Nathyrra is hoping that it will help her companions make quick work of their opponents so that they can come to her aid against this lich. The Chained Lightening flickers between Koth, Grimgnaw, Maugrim and even reaches out to strike Crimson. Crimson howls in pain and tries to shoot at Nathyrra, but Nathyrra ducks in front of Maugrim who takes the bolt in an indelicate spot.

Maugrim, already wounded by the chain lightening, roars when Crimson’s misplaced bolt hits him in the rump. He turns quickly and, in a fit of pique, casts Destruction at Crimson. Nathyrra moves quickly away from Maugrim while he’s still concerned with Crimson. Maugrim reaches behind him and grimacing, tries to break the bolt off. Nathyrra chuckles and casts empowered Fireball again, catching both the lich and Crimson.

Crimson screams and then collapses. Valen and Koth have been circling each other warily, each probing the other’s defense. Morrighu takes advantage of Maugrim’s distraction to cleave him where he stands. While he’s partially turned away from her, attempting snap the bolt in his hip off, she draws back with one of her blades and makes a powerful down stroke carving him almost completely in two.

With Maugrim down, Morrighu can turn her full attention to the dwarven monk. Grimgnaw reaches out to make a Quivering Palm strike, but Morrighu leans forward, flipping her grip on blades. Grimgnaw makes his strike, but it’s against the sharp edges of her blades. He grimaces as he cuts himself rather badly on razor-like edges of her blades. Valen uses his flail to trap Koth’s axe and rip it from his grip.

He shakes his flail to release Koth’s axe from it and kicks the axe well out the area of combat. Koth begins backing away from the tiefling, hoping to escape, but Valen closes on him rapidly and brings his flail down on Koth’s head staving in his skull. He turns swiftly, after watching Koth fall, to assist Morrighu with Grimgnaw. The monk does not last long under the combined assault of the paladin and weapon master.

As a monk, he can block quickly but the pair continues to hammer at him and manage to land some of their blows. Each blow that they land weakens him further and without Maugrim to heal his wounds he goes down hill quickly. His blows become less accurate and his blocks become slower. Nathyrra is also making some headway with the lich. Her continued casting of empowered Fire Balls has begun to deal increasing amounts of damage while she has been able to shield herself rather effectively from his magical attacks on her.

Morrighu takes a moment from her combat with Grimgnaw to cast another Turn Undead at Balpheron. Normally such things have little effect on a lich of any power, but Morrighu is a rather powerful paladin. Her Turn Undead isn’t enough to kill him, but it does cause him quite a bit of pain. When she casts, he’s enveloped in yellow fire and screams as if it burns him. Nathyrra takes the initiative to dart in and strike at him with her poisoned dagger.

Morrighu glances over and sees that Valen seems to be holding his own with Grimgnaw so Morrighu quickly mumbles a prayer to her goddess to heal the lich. The lich screams again as both the poison and the healing spell take effect. Mumbling another prayer to her goddess, Morrighu turns back to Grimgnaw. A flush of healing and strength flow through the trio as Morrighu’s goddess answers her prayer.

The monk has turned to face Valen and now has his back to Morrighu. Since Grimgnaw is rather occupied with blocking Valen’s savage assault, he doesn’t notice Morrighu turning her attention back to him. Valen, however sees her, and gives her a slight nod before he begins to press his attack on the monk. She nods back in response and lets him drive Grimgnaw backwards, towards her while she waits with her blades ready.

When Grimgnaw is close enough, she skewers him from behind. Her blow is so forceful that Valen leaps backward to avoid her blades as they burst from Grimgnaw’s chest. Grimgnaw pitches forward as Morrighu struggles to remove her blades from his still twitching corpse. Valen, seeing her difficultly, reaches in and pulls them free for her. He hands them to her and no sooner than she gets her hand wrapped securely around the hilt of the second one, she sprints to Nathyrra’s side.

Valen pounds after her, readying his flail. The lich looks at his new opponent and whips out a scroll and starts to read.

Nathyrra recognizes some of the words of the spell and shouts to Morrighu, “Get out of there! He’s casting some necromantic spell!”

Morrighu backs away hurriedly but Valen arrives and tears into the lich with his flail, heedless of his own safety. His first, indeed only, priority is to protect Morrighu. After their time on the Isle of the Maker, he’s well aware of her sensitivity to death magic or necromancy. The first stroke of his flail is an upswing that disrupts the elaborate gesturing that the lich needs in order to complete the spell.

Morrighu hastily mumbles a prayer to her goddess and Valen sees a yellow sheen envelop his flail. He grins as he swings, leaning in to the down stroke that smashes into the lich’s spine. The lich’s ribs shatter, but the thing is undead so Balpheron only shakes himself and begins again from the top. Fully enraged now, since the lich has sought to harm Morrighu, Valen swings again.

This time his flail has sufficient force behind it that it drives past the lich’s arms and makes solid contact with his chin. The additional force combined with divine damage from the Holy Weapon that Morrighu has cast damage the lich significantly. He drops the scroll and it rolls a little ways from him. Nathyrra quickly casts a fireball. While it lacks sufficient power to do much harm to the lich, the scroll is instantly consumed.

Valen takes the opportunity to batter the lich with his flail, bringing it down on his head several times in quick one-two strokes. Finally the lich’s skull cannot withstand the pounding and it crushes into dust. Valen kicks the rest of the lich into the near by cook fire.

The smell of burning undead soon fills the air and Morrighu coughs, “Gah! Undead or truly dead, they still stink!”

Valen looks around and determines that all of their opponents are dead. He turns his practiced eye to Morrighu and she appears to none the worse for wear to him. Morrighu begins looting the corpses and piling up their valuables. Since there are quite few valuables, Nathyrra sits next to her to identify them while she stows them in her pack.

As the women finish with each of the bodies, Valen smiles down at Morrighu, “If you will give me your ring, I’ll dispose of each of them. I was thinking that since this is out of the wind and cold, we might rest here, at for tonight. I know that Nathyrra needs to replenish her spells and this should be a good place for her to clean her armor.”

Morrighu nods and hands him her ring, “Here, I would rather not have to sleep with the dead nearby.”

She digs a pot out of her pack and hands him that, “If you could fill that with snow on your way back, she’ll need a lot of water to get her armor clean.”

Valen nods, taking the pot while he jams the ring back on to his pinky. He leans down and hefts the body of Crimson on to his shoulder before heading out the planar gate. He drops the pot by the gate and proceeds to the lava river, dumping her in with a loud splash. He returns to the gate, picks up the pot, packs it full of snow, and then returns to the cave. Morrighu dumps the pot into a larger cauldron she’s found somewhere in the cavern and hands it back to him. He repeats the process without incident until it comes time for him to dispose of Koth. He manages to lift the Minotaur but staggers under the sheer weight of his burden.

He lays the Minotaur back down and calls to Morrighu, “Come help me with this one. I’m not sure I can get him up the icy slope alone.”

Morrighu nods, takes some rope from her pack, and leaves Nathyrra identifying items as she comes toward him. Morrighu grins at him, “You mistake is in thinking you must carry him.”

She quickly ties the rope to his arms and begins pulling him toward the planar gate. Valen reaches out and takes up part of the rope, adding his strength to the pull and is surprised at how easily they are able to move the Minotaur. Together they drag the Minotaur up the slop to the edge of the glacier. Morrighu takes her rope loose and they roll him over the edge into the lava. As Morrighu stands there, looking sadly into the lava and coiling her rope, Valen approaches her.

He reaches out and pulls her to him in a gentle embrace, “I heard what that monk said to you, and it isn’t true you know. We’re not chasing a mirage or on a fools errand.”

Morrighu sighs heavily, “I know. I have heard what both the Reaper and the Sleeping Man have had to say. If we can find the Reaper’s True Name, he’ll send us back to Toril. If we can follow the path to the Knower of Names, we can get the Reaper’s Name. All we have to do then is return to Lost Souls, pass through the Gatehouse, and defeat the arch devil.”

She gives him a wry smile, “It sounds so simple and straightforward. What truly concerns me is another saying my people have. “Easy in, hard out.” We’re having a fairly easy time crossing Cania.”

Valen frowns at her, “We’ve seen a lot of combat. I wouldn’t call it easy.”

She shakes her head, “It’s been much easier than it could have been. We haven’t even had to walk most of the distance we’ve covered which has saved us a lot of hardship in this cold. We’ve passed most of the distance by hopping through conveniently placed planar gates and portals. None of the trials we’ve encountered has been horribly difficult. It simply cannot be this easy.”

Valen attempts to cajole her out of her mood, “I fail to see what you are calling easy, my love. You have woken the Sleeping Man, a planetar who has been sleeping here in Cania for eons. No one else has managed to wake him. Aribeth is a paladin again because of you. You have followed a path that has led past one of the guardians the Mephistopheles has left behind. You brought the three of us back from the dead. You have bested Gru’ul and that dragon at the tavern. You got us past the avalanche and blocks in our path. We will make it the rest of the way, Morrighu.”

He grins at her meaningfully and tightens his arms, “I, for one, intend to have my prize.”

Morrighu pokes him the ribs playfully and gives him an impish grin, “I intend to have my prize as well. I wonder what you’ll taste like with chocolate.”

Valen blushes at her statement but bends forward to kiss her, “I don’t know what chocolate tastes like, but I’m sure you’ll show me eventually.”

He nuzzles her cheeks, planting small kisses there until he feels her relax into his embrace. Once he feels the tension leave her, his mouth catches hers in an amorous and consuming kiss. He feels her surrender to him and he deepens the kiss. His exploring tongue finds the sensitive roof of her mouth. Delicately and tenderly, he traces the curves of it and swallows her small moans of pleasure.

He breaks off and grins at her slightly befuddled expression, “You may consider that a bit of a promissory note. There is more…so much more that I long to show you.”

Her smile up at him is slow and provocative, “Ahhh, my patron-protector seeks to claim the benefits of his position. They are his for the asking, but surely he is aware of this by now. At least I would hope that he is aware of this. If he is not, perhaps I must be more diligent in making him aware.”

He chuckles, “I am as aware of that as I am the other gift you have gotten from your goddess, your thrice-damned necklace. Any time I have ever seriously considered having my way with you or letting you have yours with me, some thing interrupts us. As often as not whatever interrupts us is dire and requires immediate attention. Rather than court some horrible disaster or calamity, I am willing to wait until your goddess gives me a sign that I may carry out my plans uninterrupted and unhindered.”

Morrighu laughs, “Let us deal with this devil and then we shall deal with my necklace. Perhaps, since they are master smiths, Rizolvir or Argali can remove it. I may have to petition my goddess to remove. It was she who hung it about my neck and it may require her hand to take it off.”

Valen chuckles, “That’s better, more like the paladin I know. Despair does not suit you, my love. Truly, there is no reason for it. Whatever is in our path, we shall overcome it. We will leave this place. From what you have told me, you have overcome just as great obstacles before. This will not be end of the Last Renunciate.”

Morrighu sighs and leans into him for a moment, basking in the comfort he offers her. For his part, Valen simply tightens his embrace a bit more and plants a kiss on the top of her head.

After a few moments, he looks down at her, “Come, my love, and let us get out of this wind. Our task here is complete and I would rather not give Nathyrra the chance to claim the larger of the two tents that your erstwhile companion left us.”

Morrighu nods and releases him, heading back through the planar gate to the camp. Nathyrra has identified and arranged everything for Morrighu to stow in her pack, while she’s been waiting for the two of them to return. She chuckles to herself to see that both Valen’s and Morrighu’s cheeks appear to be red from more than just the cold, driving wind.

Valen looks at Nathyrra grinning, “So, drow, which tent have you claimed?”

Nathyrra grins back, “Given your great bulk, I have kindly taken the smaller of the two. While I would find seeing you crammed into the smaller tent amusing, I doubt Morrighu would enjoy being wedged in there with you.”

Valen nods, grinning, “I can well see where she might find that uncomfortable, especially if I should decide to roll over in the night.”

He eyes Morrighu impishly before continuing, “You would not think it, but when she sleeps she seems to grow in size. She can easily take up two-thirds of the bed. I’m not quite certain how she does it. I suspect that she is really a dragon that is ensorcelled to look like a paladin during the day and that she expands to her full size at night in her sleep.”

Morrighu blushes and looks slightly shocked but the drow laughs heartily.

Tags: Stars, Story

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