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Pillar of White Flame
© 2015 by Walter Reimer
This is a sequel to The Gray Tower, which is a sequel to The Black Chapel. It’s not really necessary to read the previous two stories, but they provide important plot points and great yiff, so you’re missing out if you don’t. Just saying.
Art by
whitearabmare
_______________________
Part 17.
“He accuses his sister of being seduced by an Adept of the Order,” Duchess Rolna snapped the next day, “and to make sure he has another opening to attack, he also accuses them of having consensual relations.” She glanced up from the message. “Are you sure he never learned to be a surgeon, Falra? He’s cutting legal points so fine I can barely see them.”
The Queen chuckled despite herself. The canine noble had come to the Keep shortly after breakfast. Her husband had gone back to sleep after his meal, so she had welcomed Rolna, and listened with an incredulous expression on her face as the charge was read to her. “What legal point is he making?” she asked.
The canine smiled wearily as she poured a cup of tea and added a dollop of honey. “I was up half the night reading about it. No fun, I can tell you.” She took a sip, made a face and added a bit more sweetener before replying, “The point he’s arguing is that, while inverted relations like the ones he’s accusing Trasta of are permitted, it’s only supposed to be widely practiced by those adherent to The Twins.”
“I see,” Falra said.
“But, since the Order worships no gods, their activities - by definition - are beyond the scope of the Pantheon, and are therefore blasphemous,” Rolna summed up. She picked up a bread roll, split it, and smeared butter on the still-hot inner surfaces. Taking a bite she said with her mouth full, “That’s the point he’s making.”
The Queen stared at her. “That’s the law?” she asked.
Rolna nodded and swallowed before saying, “Yes,” and she raised a finger, “but in actual practice the Pantheon sort of winks at it. Luli and Valla, for example. I’m sure that if you asked any soldier at random they’d tell you they’ve taken it up under the tail at least once.” The two women chuckled a bit.
“I remember a Spring Rite party at the Twins’ temple back home, before I married Aroki,” Falra mused. Her ears reddened slightly. “Very, ah, instructive, as I recall. Maybe I should have a private chat with Trasta about this young woman.”
“I’ll leave that to you,” Rolna said. “Now, how’s Aroki been doing?”
Falra paused in the act of pouring another cup of tea for herself. “He’s been getting better,” she said judiciously, “thanks to Master Ast. He’s agreed, very grudgingly, to use his magic to help Aroki.”
“But the latest word I’ve heard was that he’s still sick.”
“From what Master Ast says, to go too fast could,” and the elk doe frowned, “kill him. So he’s taking one tiny step at a time, and believe me, nothing can persuade him otherwise. I’ve never met a more stubborn man.”
“Really?”
The doe’s ears twitched and she grinned. “Well, apart from my husband and fawns,” she amended as the two women laughed. “It’s little fawn steps though, although Aroki hates it – oh, and Rolna dear?”
“Yes?”
“Please, my dear, for the love of Azos and Perrin – don’t ever let slip to Meki that Master Ast’s helping the King. I’d never hear the end of it.”
Rolna smiled and nodded. “Agreed, Falra.”
***
Halvrika smiled as a peal of bells reached her ears, the nearby temples ringing the Sunrise Paean to the Pantheon. She had awakened about an hour before, to exercise and clean up, and now she was almost through with her breakfast of bread, dried fruit and hot tea. She cradled the cup against her cleavage and listened to the bells for a while longer.
A long bath later, Halvrika found herself again in the central hall of the Keep, among a group of merchants and petitioners. She bowed with them as Duke Evoli entered. The dark-furred fox greeted the gathering before stepping down from his throne to mingle and listen to what each person had to say.
She waited patiently until he wandered over to her, and he acknowledged her bow with a nod. “Good morning, Adept.”
“Good morning, Your Grace. I have that report for you,” and she reached for the leather message pouch on her belt.
He raised a paw, and she stopped. “Not here,” he said, pitching his voice for her ears. “There are too many eyes.”
The raccoon sow nodded and asked, “May I request an audience later, Your Grace?”
“You may,” he replied in an amused tone. “Check with Chamberlain Varri. I think I have some time free before lunch. My mate and my mother will be returning with my daughters.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” It made sense. The Duke wanted to some personal time alone with his family. He wandered off as she bowed, and she edged backward to take a position against the nearest wall.
Her ringed tail brushed against something that wasn’t a stone wall, and she turned to see Zhef looking down at her. The skunk had a smile on his face. “An’ all tha’ magery ye say ye have, an’ ye coodna see a wee mephit ahint ye?” he asked in a quiet tone.
“I-I didn’t see you there,” she said. “My apologies.” She was close enough to him that her nose sampled his scent, her nostrils flaring a bit.
He saw her sniff. “Och, dinna fash yerself, lass.” He leaned back a bit, resuming a stony-faced position of attention. Only his eyes showed any animation as he went back to looking for any potential threats to his liege-lord.
His gaze traveled back to Halvrika, and he winked at her.
The sow winked back and moved away to watch the rest of the court session. When the gathering broke up, she joined a short line of people who felt that they had more business to conduct. At the end of the list was Varri, and the goat smiled at her when she stepped up to him in her turn. “Adept,” he said, “you didn’t have to wait on line. You’re not a petitioner; you’re a guest of His Grace.”
“I am? I mean, I didn’t want to put myself forward,” she said hastily. The others behind her stared at her curiously as she added, “His Grace mentioned that I should request a private audience with him sometime before lunch.”
Varri nodded and consulted his copy of the Duke’s agenda for the day. “The hour before lunch is open,” the goat said, “and in future, Adept, if you wish to speak to the Duke, you may approach me.”
“Thank you, sir.” The raccoon bowed again and left the great hall, aware of the eyes on her.
She made her way to her room by a different route. Having explored the Keep through her Sight, she decided to use her physical senses this time. Halvrika was walking along a cloistered passage when she abruptly turned, facing south as her eyes glowed.
Following Master Maffa’s teachings, she went about with at least a fraction of her awareness firmly in the Sight, in order to detect traps or concealed dangers.
But this . . . she’d Seen this before.
Against the pervasive glow of the Writ was a single spike of power. Before she could concentrate on it fully in order to divine its composition, origin and purpose, the flare guttered and died, leaving Halvrika gripping the carved stone railing with an irritated look on her face.
She resolved to report the phenomenon to Master Marok that night, after dinner, and she made her way to her quarters.
Chama was making the bed as she entered. “Hello, Halvrika,” the ermine femme said cheerfully. ”Did you sleep well?”
“Hm? Oh! Yes, I slept very well. When will the Temple having its worship day?”
“It’s today,” the maid said as she smoothed out the bed linens. She gave the raccoon a coy look as she added, “I was wondering if you’d like to go with me tonight.”
Halvrika smiled. “I’d be honored.” Ignoring the ermine’s protests, she helped finish making the bed and straightening the room. Chama blew her a kiss as she left the room with the washing in her arms.
The raccoon closed the door and extended a paw toward the small chest by her bedside. The ward she’d cast on it came undone and the lid opened. A bundle of parchment lifted out of the box and came to rest on the bed as Halvrika took a seat on the blanket. She had a bit of time before her audience, so she decided to go over her notes.
Much of the information she’d found in the documents she’d taken from the Black Chapel had to be pieced together, and so far (to her disappointment) there hadn’t been any actual spells described. Instead, Jeresh the Black seemed to delight in writing stories, dropping one thread and taking up another until there were several accounts all running together.
It still gave her a headache when she remembered the effort to piece just one of them together, but she chuckled to herself, recalling her surprise when she’d finally assembled his account of how he’d enslaved the Earl of Pygram.
Jeresh the Black was apparently a skilled seducer, and delighted in recounting his conquests in explicit detail.
***
“You wanted to see me, Mother?” Trasta asked as she entered the room. She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before she sat down.
“Yes, I wanted to talk to you, my dear – alone.” Falra busied herself with preparing two cups of tea and slid one over to her daughter. “How are you and Chassi getting along?”
Trasta blinked. “We’re fine, Mother. Chassi’s mother has asked us to visit, in fact – she wants to meet me.”
Falra nodded. She spooned honey into her tea and stirred it as she asked quietly, “How does that Adept – what’s her name, Hringurhali? – feel about you and the Earl getting married?”
The elk doe froze and stared at her mother. Valla, protect me, she prayed before replying, “ When I spoke to her last she was happy for me. Why?”
Falra sipped at her tea. When she put her cup down, Trasta sat up. It wasn’t her mother sitting across from her any longer, but the Queen of Shuga. “I want – no, expect – a truthful answer from you, Trasta, because I need to know. Are you and this Adept lovers?”
“Mother – “
“Trasta. A truthful answer, General,” Falra snapped.
The younger doe nodded.
“How long has this been going on?”
Trasta took a breath. “She told me she loved me back when we were in school. We were good friends.”
“I see. What changed for you?”
“She was . . . attacked, defending Engery. She nearly died.”
“She did not seduce you?”
Trasta shook her head, her voice caught in her throat.
“But you have had sex?”
Gods, this is uncomfortable. Trasta nodded.
Falra touched a finger to her chin and thought for a moment before asking, “You say that you had sex with her after she defended Engery against attack. Could that be considered a reward or compensation for services to the realm?”
Her daughter blinked. “I – Valla’s Spear, Mother, I – that’s an interesting thought. It never occurred to me.”
The Queen nodded, and the atmosphere changed back to a mother and her daughter. “Trasta, I’m know I’m not supposed to tell you this – or interfere in another adult’s personal life – but your brother has sent another statement of charges to Duchess Rolna,” and she described the fine point of Shugan law that Meki was basing his case on.
When she finished, her daughter gave a very unladylike snort. “He’s really grasping, isn’t he?”
Falra matched her snort. “You’ll have to submit to the Court of Nobles – “
“But – “
“No buts, Trasta. Answer truthfully about you and this Adept,” and the younger woman’s ears perked at the stress her mother placed on the word, “and you should come through the hearing all right. Then, I think, you and Chassi should go to Repor and meet your future mother-in-law.” She smiled. “More tea?”
Trasta blinked for a moment before giving a little start and passing her tea cup to Falra.
© 2015 by Walter Reimer
This is a sequel to The Gray Tower, which is a sequel to The Black Chapel. It’s not really necessary to read the previous two stories, but they provide important plot points and great yiff, so you’re missing out if you don’t. Just saying.
Art by
whitearabmare_______________________
Part 17.
“He accuses his sister of being seduced by an Adept of the Order,” Duchess Rolna snapped the next day, “and to make sure he has another opening to attack, he also accuses them of having consensual relations.” She glanced up from the message. “Are you sure he never learned to be a surgeon, Falra? He’s cutting legal points so fine I can barely see them.”
The Queen chuckled despite herself. The canine noble had come to the Keep shortly after breakfast. Her husband had gone back to sleep after his meal, so she had welcomed Rolna, and listened with an incredulous expression on her face as the charge was read to her. “What legal point is he making?” she asked.
The canine smiled wearily as she poured a cup of tea and added a dollop of honey. “I was up half the night reading about it. No fun, I can tell you.” She took a sip, made a face and added a bit more sweetener before replying, “The point he’s arguing is that, while inverted relations like the ones he’s accusing Trasta of are permitted, it’s only supposed to be widely practiced by those adherent to The Twins.”
“I see,” Falra said.
“But, since the Order worships no gods, their activities - by definition - are beyond the scope of the Pantheon, and are therefore blasphemous,” Rolna summed up. She picked up a bread roll, split it, and smeared butter on the still-hot inner surfaces. Taking a bite she said with her mouth full, “That’s the point he’s making.”
The Queen stared at her. “That’s the law?” she asked.
Rolna nodded and swallowed before saying, “Yes,” and she raised a finger, “but in actual practice the Pantheon sort of winks at it. Luli and Valla, for example. I’m sure that if you asked any soldier at random they’d tell you they’ve taken it up under the tail at least once.” The two women chuckled a bit.
“I remember a Spring Rite party at the Twins’ temple back home, before I married Aroki,” Falra mused. Her ears reddened slightly. “Very, ah, instructive, as I recall. Maybe I should have a private chat with Trasta about this young woman.”
“I’ll leave that to you,” Rolna said. “Now, how’s Aroki been doing?”
Falra paused in the act of pouring another cup of tea for herself. “He’s been getting better,” she said judiciously, “thanks to Master Ast. He’s agreed, very grudgingly, to use his magic to help Aroki.”
“But the latest word I’ve heard was that he’s still sick.”
“From what Master Ast says, to go too fast could,” and the elk doe frowned, “kill him. So he’s taking one tiny step at a time, and believe me, nothing can persuade him otherwise. I’ve never met a more stubborn man.”
“Really?”
The doe’s ears twitched and she grinned. “Well, apart from my husband and fawns,” she amended as the two women laughed. “It’s little fawn steps though, although Aroki hates it – oh, and Rolna dear?”
“Yes?”
“Please, my dear, for the love of Azos and Perrin – don’t ever let slip to Meki that Master Ast’s helping the King. I’d never hear the end of it.”
Rolna smiled and nodded. “Agreed, Falra.”
***
Halvrika smiled as a peal of bells reached her ears, the nearby temples ringing the Sunrise Paean to the Pantheon. She had awakened about an hour before, to exercise and clean up, and now she was almost through with her breakfast of bread, dried fruit and hot tea. She cradled the cup against her cleavage and listened to the bells for a while longer.
A long bath later, Halvrika found herself again in the central hall of the Keep, among a group of merchants and petitioners. She bowed with them as Duke Evoli entered. The dark-furred fox greeted the gathering before stepping down from his throne to mingle and listen to what each person had to say.
She waited patiently until he wandered over to her, and he acknowledged her bow with a nod. “Good morning, Adept.”
“Good morning, Your Grace. I have that report for you,” and she reached for the leather message pouch on her belt.
He raised a paw, and she stopped. “Not here,” he said, pitching his voice for her ears. “There are too many eyes.”
The raccoon sow nodded and asked, “May I request an audience later, Your Grace?”
“You may,” he replied in an amused tone. “Check with Chamberlain Varri. I think I have some time free before lunch. My mate and my mother will be returning with my daughters.”
“Of course, Your Grace.” It made sense. The Duke wanted to some personal time alone with his family. He wandered off as she bowed, and she edged backward to take a position against the nearest wall.
Her ringed tail brushed against something that wasn’t a stone wall, and she turned to see Zhef looking down at her. The skunk had a smile on his face. “An’ all tha’ magery ye say ye have, an’ ye coodna see a wee mephit ahint ye?” he asked in a quiet tone.
“I-I didn’t see you there,” she said. “My apologies.” She was close enough to him that her nose sampled his scent, her nostrils flaring a bit.
He saw her sniff. “Och, dinna fash yerself, lass.” He leaned back a bit, resuming a stony-faced position of attention. Only his eyes showed any animation as he went back to looking for any potential threats to his liege-lord.
His gaze traveled back to Halvrika, and he winked at her.
The sow winked back and moved away to watch the rest of the court session. When the gathering broke up, she joined a short line of people who felt that they had more business to conduct. At the end of the list was Varri, and the goat smiled at her when she stepped up to him in her turn. “Adept,” he said, “you didn’t have to wait on line. You’re not a petitioner; you’re a guest of His Grace.”
“I am? I mean, I didn’t want to put myself forward,” she said hastily. The others behind her stared at her curiously as she added, “His Grace mentioned that I should request a private audience with him sometime before lunch.”
Varri nodded and consulted his copy of the Duke’s agenda for the day. “The hour before lunch is open,” the goat said, “and in future, Adept, if you wish to speak to the Duke, you may approach me.”
“Thank you, sir.” The raccoon bowed again and left the great hall, aware of the eyes on her.
She made her way to her room by a different route. Having explored the Keep through her Sight, she decided to use her physical senses this time. Halvrika was walking along a cloistered passage when she abruptly turned, facing south as her eyes glowed.
Following Master Maffa’s teachings, she went about with at least a fraction of her awareness firmly in the Sight, in order to detect traps or concealed dangers.
But this . . . she’d Seen this before.
Against the pervasive glow of the Writ was a single spike of power. Before she could concentrate on it fully in order to divine its composition, origin and purpose, the flare guttered and died, leaving Halvrika gripping the carved stone railing with an irritated look on her face.
She resolved to report the phenomenon to Master Marok that night, after dinner, and she made her way to her quarters.
Chama was making the bed as she entered. “Hello, Halvrika,” the ermine femme said cheerfully. ”Did you sleep well?”
“Hm? Oh! Yes, I slept very well. When will the Temple having its worship day?”
“It’s today,” the maid said as she smoothed out the bed linens. She gave the raccoon a coy look as she added, “I was wondering if you’d like to go with me tonight.”
Halvrika smiled. “I’d be honored.” Ignoring the ermine’s protests, she helped finish making the bed and straightening the room. Chama blew her a kiss as she left the room with the washing in her arms.
The raccoon closed the door and extended a paw toward the small chest by her bedside. The ward she’d cast on it came undone and the lid opened. A bundle of parchment lifted out of the box and came to rest on the bed as Halvrika took a seat on the blanket. She had a bit of time before her audience, so she decided to go over her notes.
Much of the information she’d found in the documents she’d taken from the Black Chapel had to be pieced together, and so far (to her disappointment) there hadn’t been any actual spells described. Instead, Jeresh the Black seemed to delight in writing stories, dropping one thread and taking up another until there were several accounts all running together.
It still gave her a headache when she remembered the effort to piece just one of them together, but she chuckled to herself, recalling her surprise when she’d finally assembled his account of how he’d enslaved the Earl of Pygram.
Jeresh the Black was apparently a skilled seducer, and delighted in recounting his conquests in explicit detail.
***
“You wanted to see me, Mother?” Trasta asked as she entered the room. She gave her mother a kiss on the cheek before she sat down.
“Yes, I wanted to talk to you, my dear – alone.” Falra busied herself with preparing two cups of tea and slid one over to her daughter. “How are you and Chassi getting along?”
Trasta blinked. “We’re fine, Mother. Chassi’s mother has asked us to visit, in fact – she wants to meet me.”
Falra nodded. She spooned honey into her tea and stirred it as she asked quietly, “How does that Adept – what’s her name, Hringurhali? – feel about you and the Earl getting married?”
The elk doe froze and stared at her mother. Valla, protect me, she prayed before replying, “ When I spoke to her last she was happy for me. Why?”
Falra sipped at her tea. When she put her cup down, Trasta sat up. It wasn’t her mother sitting across from her any longer, but the Queen of Shuga. “I want – no, expect – a truthful answer from you, Trasta, because I need to know. Are you and this Adept lovers?”
“Mother – “
“Trasta. A truthful answer, General,” Falra snapped.
The younger doe nodded.
“How long has this been going on?”
Trasta took a breath. “She told me she loved me back when we were in school. We were good friends.”
“I see. What changed for you?”
“She was . . . attacked, defending Engery. She nearly died.”
“She did not seduce you?”
Trasta shook her head, her voice caught in her throat.
“But you have had sex?”
Gods, this is uncomfortable. Trasta nodded.
Falra touched a finger to her chin and thought for a moment before asking, “You say that you had sex with her after she defended Engery against attack. Could that be considered a reward or compensation for services to the realm?”
Her daughter blinked. “I – Valla’s Spear, Mother, I – that’s an interesting thought. It never occurred to me.”
The Queen nodded, and the atmosphere changed back to a mother and her daughter. “Trasta, I’m know I’m not supposed to tell you this – or interfere in another adult’s personal life – but your brother has sent another statement of charges to Duchess Rolna,” and she described the fine point of Shugan law that Meki was basing his case on.
When she finished, her daughter gave a very unladylike snort. “He’s really grasping, isn’t he?”
Falra matched her snort. “You’ll have to submit to the Court of Nobles – “
“But – “
“No buts, Trasta. Answer truthfully about you and this Adept,” and the younger woman’s ears perked at the stress her mother placed on the word, “and you should come through the hearing all right. Then, I think, you and Chassi should go to Repor and meet your future mother-in-law.” She smiled. “More tea?”
Trasta blinked for a moment before giving a little start and passing her tea cup to Falra.
Category Story / Fantasy
Species Raccoon
Size 594 x 876px
File Size 91.6 kB
Listed in Folders
Hey, bats are always supposed to be evil and Halloween-ish. Might as well act the part.
Personally? Never understood why Sunlight was supposed to be 'good' and night was supposed to be 'evil'. I've never gotten sunburn at night. Nobody's ever burnt their retinas looking at the moon. Aside from being food for vegetables, what's so great about daylight?
Personally? Never understood why Sunlight was supposed to be 'good' and night was supposed to be 'evil'. I've never gotten sunburn at night. Nobody's ever burnt their retinas looking at the moon. Aside from being food for vegetables, what's so great about daylight?
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