A Dream of Empire

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Alanna

Catriona, Imperial County of Catriona

13

th

of Sunfall, 1282

D.f.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

It was a day like any other in the City of Mages. Alanna had just returned to her townhome from the College, having assisted a fellow sorceress in her studies, only to find her infant son left alone in the main hall. Deep laughter, light giggles, and the occasional moan could be heard from up the stairs; she knew what had drawn her lovers' attentions away from the babe.

Alanna shook her head with a smile, plopping down on the chair beside the infant Talos. At least he wasn't crying; in fact, it seemed the more months he gained, the less he felt the need to. She picked him up, laughing gaily when she noticed his happy emerald eyes. She brought him lovingly to her chest.

"Did mommy Cass read you another story? Is that why you're so happy?" she cooed, rocking the babe ever so gently. The infant only replied with the most adorable giggles. Alanna briefly wondered how the babe would take having two mothers as he grew older, and was capable of speaking Elvish.

Alanna thought back on the past week and a half since Talos' return. It had been a heavenly time for her, him, and Casiama. Alanna's wishful thinking with the elf in the forests of Falinor had now turned to stone-cold fact in the fires of lust and love. Secrets were now shared openly, their desires told without a second thought. It seemed nothing could get in between the trio any longer, now that they-

A double-knock on the door. Alanna glanced towards it, gently setting Talos back into his crib with a smile. She briefly checked her dim reflection in a window and straightened out her dress, then casually walked to the door to greet her guest.

Alanna opened it to find a girl dressed from neck-to-toe in black, keeping her hands clasped behind her back. Alanna judged the visitor harshly within a second, and attempted to find a fault on her innocent visage. She found none.

"Good tidings, sorceress," Alanna greeted warmly, casually placing a hand on the doorframe. She attempted to hook into the visitor's mind mid-salutation. "How can I be of assistance?"

"Hello. Is Talos home?" the sorceress replied, her words soft as rain. Alanna's smile deflated in an instant, and her brow furrowed. She already despised the girl's beauty, just in those four words.

"And... who are you?"

"Tatiana Vittori. I'm his friend," the sorceress in black answered softly. Alanna looked her up and down again, leaning further against the doorframe. She wasn't capable of reading the sorceress.

"I'm Alanna. His lover," the enchantress retorted. She wondered where this Tatiana hailed from; it was unlikely she was Catrionan, as Alanna would have noticed one so...

fair.

"College?"

"Redstone. You?"

"Catriona," Alanna replied instantly. She had never visited Redstone, but played on that she did. "Class?"

"Seventy-seven,

egregia cum laude

. And you?"

"Twelve-eighty." She would have attached a Kinglish title to her year, if she had one. "Abjuration?"

"Transmutation," Tatiana replied, softly and unreadably.

"Oh." The answer came as a bit of a shock to Alanna, though she tried not to show it. "Aren't you going to ask me?"

Tatiana finally gave her a half-smile. "What school did you study, enchantress?" Alanna couldn't prevent the slight tilt of her own head, her widened eyes, the soft sigh escaping her nostrils and mouth. She attempted a last-ditch effort to pierce Tatiana's thoughts.

"Don't take my shield personally, Alanna. It's always active. Is Talos home?"

Alanna squinted at the repeated ask. Talos

was

home, but she needed to have a talk with him first.

"He... isn't," she replied hesitantly. "I can relay a message?"

The girl in black glanced skyward, towards the bedroom of the townhouse, pondering her reply. Alanna felt a pinch of anxiety when her gaze returned to her, finding Tatiana just as unreadable.

"Tell him I'll be at the Gilded Cauldron, on Mummer's Lane until sunfall. Tatiana Vittori."

Alanna nodded. "Sure. Sure, I'll do that." Tatiana smiled politely, giving her a casual wave as she turned about.

"Thank you, enchantress," she replied with back turned, already striding down the cobblestone street.

-=-=-

Alanna bounded up the stairs towards her bedroom, barely sparing a glance for her son as she passed him by. She heard Casiama's giggles through the doorframe, but opened the door anyway.

Casiama was splayed out on the bed, naked, her perky tits currently being devoured by a ravenous Talos. Their eyes met instantly, and a grin was shared.

"Alanna! Help me fight him off!" she giggled shrilly as Talos continued assault. Alanna stepped into the room.

"Um... in a bit. Talos?"

Three more kisses on Casiama's nipple separated him from her ask. Talos laid on his back, naked, manhood hard as stone, piercing eyes fixed on her. His wide grin disappeared at the sight of her.

"What's wrong? Who was at the door?" he asked.

Alanna squinted. If he were playing coy, he was damned good at it. She pointed towards the street outside as she swayed towards the bed, her two lovers sitting up straight at her advance.

"Tatiana. Who is she to you?"

Talos furrowed his brow, scooching towards the edge of the bed. "Just a friend. Met her in Villjord three months back, and in that valley two weeks ago."

Alanna nodded, sitting on his lap as soon as he was seated at the edge of the bed. Talos knew her well enough that she would want to see the memories for herself, immediately indexing them verbally for her. Casiama's hand met her thigh.

"Tatiana is here?" the elf asked softly, still smiling from the ravagings of a minute ago.

"Give me a moment," Alanna sighed, shutting her eyes.

"Alanna, she's the one who-"

"Hold on."

Sure enough, thoughts of Tatiana flooded her mind instantly. Cloudgazing, stargazing, shared meals, hours upon hours of conversation, much failed seduction. Alanna delved further, reliving Talos' adventure in Villjord last season. She opened her eyes after a minute, groaning softly.

"Funny," she said dryly. Talos rested his face on her back. "She looks

nothing

like your memories of her, Talos."

"So?" he replied into her dress.

"Nothing. Just explaining why I didn't recognize her," Alanna lied. An enchantress' textbook called it

cognitive bias

, a fairly common disorder that she hadn't seen in Talos' memories so far. Talos could know the truth in an instant if he wanted to. Perhaps he already did.

"Mm. Get up so I can, uh, get decent."

"I didn't invite her inside."

Talos smirked, wrapping his arms around her waist and pecking her on the neck. "Oh."

"Oh? Don't be so smug," Alanna chided him, feeling his complacent joy over her childish jealousy. Inviting a friend in for drinks or food was an expected formality in the western Empire, after all.

Talos didn't bother replying and instead fell back onto the bed with her, gripping her waist tightly. Alanna had no chance to react to Casiama's quick hands, undressing her in a flash of light.

Talos threw her to the mattress face-up, between him and Casiama. Two pairs of hands descended on her voluptuous body in an instant, giving Alanna the escape or reassurance her lovers must have figured she needed.

"It was about time you joined us anyway, slut," Casiama giggled, running her thin fingers up Alanna's thigh, staring into her eyes. Talos took hold of Alanna's attention a second later, pushing her cheek towards him to give her a passionate kiss on the lips. Her anger fell away in an instant with her lovers' simple efforts.

Alanna let out a soft moan into her man's mouth as she felt Casiama's lips fall on her womanhood. She pushed away from him, smiling. "I should have never taught you that word, Cass," she sighed, already rocking her hips against her feminine invader.

Casiama grinned, licking up her folds just once. "Why? It is so fitting for you."

"But I'm... not a slut," Alanna moaned sluttily, gripping the elf's head as she dove onto her wettened slit once again. Talos lowered his attention to Alanna's massive tits, sucking on one of her nipples as he pinched the other playfully.

Casiama brought a hand to Talos' manhood as she worked Alanna to a climax, giving him the occasional tug. His pleasure certainly wasn't the focus of her attention.

"Oh gods..." Alanna sighed, squirming under her lovers' assault. "I love... uhn... you guys!"

Casiama soon popped off of Alanna's clit, replacing her lips with fingers. Alanna moaned, thrusting her hips against them impatiently, as her hand fell away from Casiama's hair.

"We love you too, slut," the elf cooed softly, listening to the songs of a girl lost in desire. She would bring the enchantress to a quick orgasm, then another before allowing her respite.

-=-=-

Following an unplanned, yet not at all unexpected hour of love-making, Talos finally readied himself to head to the Gilded Cauldron to meet Tatiana. Casiama conjured her man's favorite set of light armor for him, darkened leather which protected him from neck to toe. She, still coming off her wondrous high, toyed with him in front of Alanna.

"So, my everything. Are you off to seduce Tatiana now?" Casiama asked him playfully, remaining naked atop the bed. Alanna huffed.

"Cass you can't just...

whore

our man out to get your stones off," the enchantress declared with a righteous fury.

"Get my...?"

Talos casually fixed his collar, flexing his neck. "Not planning to, Cass," he replied dryly, although he wanted to laugh at her joke. "But I'll probably be back with her soon. Do try to be decent, eh?"

"Hold on. I'm coming with you," Alanna said, willing herself to her butt with as much momentum her exhausted legs could give her. Talos turned towards her, shrugging.

"You don't have to."

"Talos."

"I'm not telling you no. Just be aware that I'm also not going to defend you if you two start up. You know my rule about mages."

Alanna glanced towards Casiama, who was smiling sweetly as she rested on her side. "You wouldn't defend your soulmates over her?" Alanna angrily retorted.

Talos smirked. "Not if it could be avoided. But, if you are coming... do

try

to be kind? She's delicate."

Alanna groaned, finally finding her feet. "What's she to you?" she asked again.

"You saw. She's just a friend, who originally had the wrong idea about me. An idea which has been resolved, mind you, and I won't be stopped from seeing her."

"He also finds her pretty," Casiama added with a giggle, forcing the man to roll his eyes.

"It's

all

magic, Cass," Alanna sneered, "I wager she looked nothing like that at birth. Transmuters are like that. They'll fix every

little

flaw on their bodies."

"A bit ironic, coming from you," Talos smirked.

"Ugh! I swear, if we hadn't just..." Alanna trailed off, placing a hand on her hip. Talos smirked, but ultimately decided not to reply. Casiama filled the somewhat-awkward silence that came after.

"Honey, let me go with him if you are so worried."

"And you, Cass. Why doesn't this bother you?" Alanna squinted. Casiama shrugged, smiled, and rolled towards the enchantress to return her clothes.

"She is good, Alanna."

Alanna wrinkled her nose. "

I'll

be the judge of that."

-=-=-

The Gilded Cauldron, just beside the natural land bridge to the College of Catriona, was a well-known haven for sorceresses of all types. Even during its off-hours, half of the tavern's four-dozen tables were occupied. Talos, first and foremost, located Tatiana, who was seated alone in a corner of the tavern. Succeeding in that endeavor, he then stopped by the bar. The bartender - a sorceress, judging from her red silk clothes - noticed him instantly, and greeted him far friendlier than Alanna appreciated. He ordered whatever drink a

Sapphire's Rose

was, the day's special. With a smile and a nod, the bartender grabbed a sparkling glass with one hand.

With her other, she summoned three shot glasses in mid-air, then three separate bottles of liquor to join them four feet above their heads. Pouring all three liquors simultaneously, she then willed the shot glasses lower, then poured them by spell into the crystal in her hand. A small blue fireball was then conjured onto her thumb, which she flipped into the drink to set it alight it instantly. She cooled the flame with a hastily-conjured arc of ice, willed into being with a brisk wave of her hand.

The bartender tilted her head with a smile, looking into Talos' eyes as she pushed the drink his way.

Talos pursed his lips, nodding. He pretended to not be at all amazed by the show, likely a failed endeavor. He fished a silver Imperial from his coinpurse, flipping it towards the bartender before taking his drink.

"Keep the difference," he said coolly, taking Alanna's arm in his as they made their way to the corner of the tavern. Tatiana smiled at him as they approached, looking as pretty as ever.

"Tatiana," Talos greeted with a nod, squeezing Alanna against him. "I heard you've already met Alanna?"

"I have. Good to see you, Talos," she greeted light as rain.

"And you," he replied with a smirk.

Talos pulled a chair from out under the table, offering it to Alanna with a chivalrous palm. She took it, and just as Alanna was scooched in Tatiana herself rose from the table, offering an eager hug for Talos. Alanna watched her touch her man for three seconds before they parted, taking their own seats.

Talos spoke first, obviously attempting to diffuse the thick air surrounding the table. "So. The Gilded Cauldron? I thought you didn't partake in narcotics

,

" he accused with a smirk, taking a swig of his luminous-blue drink. He inhaled through his teeth when he set the glass down, likely finding it far more rich than he anticipated.

"The words of a man who hasn't yet tried the duck," Tatiana giggled, glancing towards Alanna before returning her gaze. "Ready for Dun Aysla, Talos?"

"Something like that," he replied, resting his boots on the table after another sip of his drink, giving less of a grimace this time. "Meaning, I haven't prepared whatsoever. You?"

"Ready as I'll ever be. Even brought my own books this time."

"Hopefully something more appetizing than

The Subjugation.

"

Tatiana giggled, nodding. "

Creatures of the Second Age

and

Planeswalker

. Enough material for a week, if needed."

"Nice. I myself might finish

Subjugation

on the boat ride over."

"Oh Talos, you read ever so slowly." More giggles from the sorceress in black.

Alanna frowned, not realizing she was glaring at her man. "Um, dear? Why didn't you tell me about this trip to Aysla?"

Talos parted his lips to speak but was interrupted by Tatiana replying first, causing Alanna to shift her glare. "He shouldn't have to. You've merged with him, have you not? As detailed in

Compassio

?"

"Excuse me?" Alanna squeaked.

Talos cleared his throat, shuffling his feet nervously on the table. "Sorry, Alanna," he said hurriedly.

"You sure know a lot about me, sorceress," Alanna accused angrily.

"Talos has told me much about you," Tatiana replied calmly.

"Really?

Really

? Because he's told me

nothing

about

you.

"

Tatiana shrugged indignantly. "He shouldn't have to."

Talos cleared his throat again, louder this time. "You feeling alright, Tatiana? You seem different today. You seem, er-"

"Poised?" Tatiana smiled, straightening in her chair.

"I was gonna go for 'inflammatory', but alright," he shrugged. "What happened to the... stammering?"

"

Gone

," she declared with a swish of her hand, smiling innocently. "As I recently found my courage," she paused, shifting her gaze towards Alanna, "on chapter forty-four of Sonja's Handbook."

It took a moment for Alanna to realize the girl was joking, but the enchantress eventually smiled. "A spell," she nodded in understanding.

"Mhm!"

"So, what?" Talos said gruffly. "You just turn into a firebrand without your anxiety to keep you in check?"

Tatiana pouted an unimaginably pitiful pout at the remark. Alanna realized why the sorceress had transmuted her visage the way she had, and actually caught herself subconsciously sympathizing with her. "No. Like I said. I-it's new to me."

"I think I liked you better without it."

Tatiana's eyes shot open. "I-I can disable it, Talos. Do you want me to?"

"Don't ask my permission," he shrugged casually.

"It... took me a week to learn this spell. I couldn't will myself here otherwise," she justified quietly. Alanna felt an immediate need to comfort the sorceress at that moment, knowing what Talos' eyes could do to a brittle soul. She reached out to her.

"Don't worry about it, Tatiana. I'm sorry for the way I acted earlier. I'm usually not so... argumentative."

"Yes," she nodded. "I apologize if you perceived any aggression in my words as well. I actually wanted to thank you at first, for retrieving the Mschuleft Catalogue. It's an honor and a surprise to meet their savior. When Talos told me, I simply couldn't believe it."

Alanna was taken aback by the sudden shift in demeanor, but didn't dare show it. "You're welcome. Hope you got something out of them, even though there wasn't anything on teleportation."

"Oh, plenty! I'm fluent in four schools, fortunately."

"Four? Really?" Alanna nodded with a hint of incredulosity. Tatiana smiled. "Four?"

"Well, four besides transmutation of course."

"Oh... really? What are the four?" Alanna asked through her teeth.

"Conjuration, abjuration, illusion, and a dabbling in restoration."

Alanna continued nodding with squinted eyes, wondering how this woman graduated in seventy-seven. "A dabbling," was all she could say. Tatiana pinched her forefinger and thumb together.

"A little bit."

"A little bit," Alanna repeated, "on chapter...

forty-four

of Sonja's Handbook?"

Tatiana shrugged. "The more you learn, the more you realize that a school's boundaries don't particularly apply to mastering new spells. They're arbitrary designations created by a committee, designed to make study simpler for students. You'll eventually grow to discount them."

Alanna spared a glanced towards Talos, who was only smirking with his feet still propped on the table. She produced quite the grimace when Tatiana wasn't looking her way, and silently commanded him to rescue her. Talos rolled his eyes.

"Tatiana," he said gruffly. Her gaze instantly shifted towards him.

"Yes?"

"Disable the damned spell."

-=-=-

Alanna and Talos left the bustling Gilded Cauldron after another hour of slightly-less-awkward conversation, and a meal of deliciously-cooked duck. They decided to leave for Dun Aysla on the following morning, and planned to meet up with Tatiana at the docks two hours after sunrise.

Alanna, in all her wisdom, decided to join Talos on his excursion. To see the island again, of course. Leaving Tatiana alone at the Gilded Cauldron, Alanna and Talos split off to prepare for the immenent journey. Talos was to ensure the horses would be looked after in their absence, purchase provisions for a short voyage at sea, and ensure the

Alessia

was ready to sail. Alanna only needed to check with her sister to ensure the babe Talos could be looked after for another weekend. She felt a bit guilty for the intrusion, having asked for the same favor only two weeks ago, but her sister was adamantly in favor of the situation.