The Path Back
Noah awoke the next morning to find Shannon clinging to him tightly. After everything that had happened during Knight's Day, her shaken heart drove her to seek Noah and Valia's comfort. They spent the night immersed in passion, helping alleviate her anxiety. Rather than getting up, Noah stayed there for a few minutes, holding her close and stroking her hair, with his gentle affection causing her to stir like a flower opening its petals to the rising sun.
"My Lord," she murmured, doing everything she could to get even closer to him.
"Good morning," he whispered, kissing her.
"Well, don't the two of you look adorable?" said Valia, entering the bedroom, as naked as when she went to sleep. She climbed back into bed, but instead of lying beside Noah with him in the middle as they usually slept, he curled up against Shannon, sandwiching her between them. "How'd you sleep?" she asked as her hand slid under the covers and caressed Shannon's soft skin.
Shannon hummed from Valia's touch. "Wonderfully."
"You sure seem to be in good spirits now," said Noah, his hand slipping between her legs.
Shannon began to pant as their gentle caressing became more daring, with the sensual flames of the previous evening once again coming alight. As Noah and Valia's lips found her supple breasts, she began to whimper happily while their fingers entered her and fought for space in her pussy. Her hand grasped Noah's member, solid with morning rigidity and waiting for her to fulfill her duties. She got on his lap, his cock entering her and finding the reservoir of seed he had deposited the previous night. Having just woken up, she wasn't quite ready to start bouncing, so she took it slow and gentle while watching her Lord and Lady share a passionate kiss to welcome the morning.
They had just gotten started when there was a knock on the front door.
"Who in the world could that be?" Valia asked, annoyed.
"That's not the knock of someone coming to make an arrest. Maybe if we just don't answer, they'll leave," replied Noah. However, the knocking continued and refused to be ignored. Noah grudgingly got out of bed and put on a robe, making sure his erection wasn't pointing out. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
"My Lord, let me," said Shannon.
"No, you stay there. I'll finish you off in just a minute." He went downstairs and answered the door, finding a royal messenger there.
"Sir Noah, your presence is requested at the palace by Sir Berholm and Sir Tarnas." He handed Noah a notice of summoning, and Noah skimmed it. It didn't say he was in trouble, only that he was needed.
"Very well, I'll be there as soon as I can."
Noah shut the door before the messenger could say anything more and then promptly returned upstairs, where Valia and Shannon were waiting for him. After a thoroughly lustful cavalcade, Noah, Valia, and Shannon got dressed, had a quick bite to eat, and made their way to the palace, where they met Berholm and Tarnas in the War Room.
"Multiple assassination attempts were made on Prince Seraph last night," said Berholm.
"Assassination? Did you apprehend the culprits?" Valia asked.
"Most of them were drunk. One of them was a mage, barely able to stand, launching fireballs at the prince's window and calling him a beastman lover," said Tarnas.
"That is neither surprising nor dire, so why call us?" Noah asked.
"Because that is merely a fraction of the people with a bone to pick with the prince. Fortunately, you managed to prevent a riot during his speech, but after you left, plenty of angry people were still directing their wrath at Seraph and even tried to attack him. Sir Tarnas and I have decided that he is not safe in Colbrand."
"Is he really in that much danger? Don't you have guards for that kind of thing?" Shannon asked. Berholm and Tarnas both glanced at her but said nothing. Though she wasn't invited to this meeting, it was too late to object.
"It's not the public you're afraid of; it's Ziradith, isn't it?" Noah surmised.
"Correct," said Tarnas. "Though he has regained a small amount of his original power, Seraph's still at the level of an average paladin. He also has no militaristic or domestic achievements, a tainted record on top of being humiliated in the arena, and his speech last night angered a lot of people. At the moment, Seraph is more of a liability than an asset, both for our side and Ziradith's. We can't hope to put him on the throne, not as long as Galvin is alive, and Ziradith knows this, but he also remains a potential threat to her, and a source of criticism from the public. He's a weapon she can't use but can be used against her, meaning if she has any sense, she'll try to get rid of him, perhaps turn him into an example or a martyr for her cause."
Noah rubbed his chin in thought. "Regardless of the demerits, he's too important of a piece in this game to risk losing. I told Ziradith I'd give her a chance to prove her quality to rule, but that's only until she screws up. We'll have to hold off on removing her and Galvin until we can turn Seraph into a worthy candidate, someone the people will back. There is only one way to do it."
"Find a way to return his powers," said Valia.
"I've been trying to do that for a year. The embers remain, but the fire refuses to burn," Tarnas growled.
"Maybe you need a different approach," said Noah.
"Is Galvin still not awake?" asked Valia.
"No, which is another problem we have to worry about," said Berholm. "It should be possible for Seraph to use the Wassengel manacle if the need arises, but considering Ziradith's threat, I'm hesitant to remove it from Galvin's arm. Noah, what did you do to him?"
"I inflicted pain that wouldn't leave a mark, but it was no different from what I did to the guards in front of him, so unless they're comatose like he is, the problem resides elsewhere, likely due to Ziradith's mind control, or perhaps its absence. However, the fact that Galvin is indisposed may be a stroke of luck, at least regarding Seraph. Ziradith said she could control the Wassengel, either through Galvin or by using his blood as a catalyst, but there is no way to know how well she can do it, if she was even telling the truth. If the Wassengel can't be activated under present circumstances, then Seraph is our one remaining hope for using it, to us and Ziradith. She likely won't make a move against him, at least until Galvin is awake."
"And until then?" Shannon asked.
