Night of Lust

Despite the bloodshed Caderyn had faced over the past week and the prospect of darker days to come, he couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of the flags displayed on the tower before them. In a stark contrast to the name of the duchy, the flags of Wolfgate bore neither a wolf a gate. Instead the banners of the border-keep displayed a headless swordsman with colorful flowers bursting from his neck.

"Every time," Vienne said with a soft chuckle of her own. "So predictable. Ever since we were children, you always made that same little laugh with every ride across the border."

"It wouldn't be as amusing if the people of Wolfgate could get their story straight about why they use that heraldry," Caderyn said. "I've heard a hundred different tales."

"So have I," said Pelagia, her freckled face warming with a bright smile to match his own. "The most fitting one, I think, is that when Wolfgate was still a true kingdom, its first king so loved nature that when he died in battle, flowers sprung up from his corpse and spread across the land."

"I heard something similar," said Gwion. "Except it was a

curse

which caused those flowers to leak from his body. He stole the daughter of a forest spirit and was punished for it."

"I liked the one about the dashing young prince who slew his tyrannical uncle, planted flowers on his grave, and plucked those flowers to woo his bride," said Vienne. "Grim, bloody...and yet romantic."

Tessandra threw her head back and laughed, her silky blonde hair flailing.

"You're all so gullible. Those contradictory stories are just part of the fun. It's tradition in Wolfgate for bards to each make up a different reason for the heraldry. I doubt even Duchess Chera herself knows the truth. It's all nonsense, all a mummer's farce, and everyone in Wolfgate is in on it."

"Ah, but I'm sure some start to believe their own silly stories," said one of her fellow bards.

"Makes me wonder, though," Gwion said, frowning at the little tower and its strange, fluttering banners. "Maybe Tessandra's story is the one that's made up. Maybe there

is

a true story out there and someone concocted that it was all a lie. Another part of the game."

The big man snorted and furrowed his brow.

"The thought makes my head spin, just thinking about it."

"With a brain as small as yours,

every

thought makes your head spin," Nolmvar said, before bursting into laughter.

Gwion gave the northlander a playful glare, and their ride towards the border continued. As Gwion and Nolmvar led most of the column across the sturdy stone bridge, Caderyn looked to his sister.

"This is where I must turn back," she said. "But I'll look after things in Ravenmark and Utresk. You..."

She lowered her voice.

"You stay on the hunt. I will see what else I can turn up here. And..."

Vienne's lips quivered as she reached out to grasp his wrist.

"Stay safe." The sorrow fled her gaze. "Something's changed in you since the last time we saw one another. A change that I quite like. You're still a fool who chases pretty things..."

Vienne glanced over at Tessandra and Pelagia.

"And yet there's something else there. A new strength. A new purpose. And I should very much hate it if something cut that short."

Caderyn's chest swelled with pride, taking strange solace in his younger sister's praise. Leaning forward, he kissed her on the cheek.

"Give Tancred my greetings, sister. And look after yourself."

After another squeeze of his hand, Vienne turned her horse away. Two dozen Ravenmark knights followed her. Rather than rush across the bridge to join his companions, Caderyn kept his horse still and watched until Vienne vanished over the horizon.

Would that be the last time he saw his sister? Would the conspirators find a way to strike at her? Would they make another attempt on his life during the trek to Tsannor?

Ugly questions chased after him like hungry wolves as he turned his horse about so he could catch up with the others.

"Any news of trouble from Jadewall?" Caderyn asked the border guard as he handed over the passage-toll.

"No, my lord," said the guard, before counting out the silver pieces.

"We've been expecting two friends of ours," said Tessandra. "A plump, gaudily dressed bard named Paolo, and an old knight from Fellhaven named Sir Delwin."

"A group of jesters and bards came through about a week ago," said the soldier. "And a merchant caravan with some mercenaries from Fellhaven crossed yesterday. Can't say I recall anyone by that exact name or description, though."

Earlier, Caderyn had ascribed the delay of the two men to the weather or perhaps to flooding of the bridge. But they should have caught up with the pilgrims by now. Why was their delivery of gold to that aggrieved farmer taking so long?

He and Tessandra shared a worried glance.

"Has Paolo ever...run off before?" Caderyn asked.

"No, but if there was a festival, a wedding, or a tournament I could see him delaying so he could make more money." She smiled. "In fact, he might have done so to earn more coin to give to the farmer. He's a good man, almost to a fault, though he tries to hide it behind a veil of roguish charm."

While Delwin was a loyal soldier who would have followed Caderyn's orders to the bloody end, Caderyn also knew that he wouldn't have just abandoned the bard after they'd stopped to help the farmer. He might have stuck with Paolo to watch over him until they could both return to the pilgrimage route.

Knowing there was little they could do but ask around and hope for a reunion on the road, they pressed on.

As evening approached, they veered off the road in search of shelter. Although Caderyn had traveled those roads dozens of times during trips between Fellhaven and Ravenmark, it was Tessandra who guided them over a grassy hill and into a thin forest. After crossing a narrow stream, they pressed into a thicker part of the woods.

Gwion cursed, swatting away a branch that had brushed against his head.

"At this point I'm thinking we should have just camped by the road," he grumbled.

"Wait for it," Tessandra said, her smile gleaming as brightly as her hair.

The forest thinned and opened up into a glistening meadow of wildflowers. Rising from the splash of color was a half-crumbled tower, ringed by a low wall of dark stone. Caderyn's eyes widened as he recognized the architecture.

"An imperial fort," he murmured. "From the glory days of the old Empire."

Given how poor of a student he'd been, Caderyn had not learned about such architecture from his tutors. He was only familiar with the style of stonework because a similar ruin back home had been his favorite spot to take pretty young women. This ruin, however, was far larger and more intact than the one back in Fellhaven.

After dismounting, they split up and wandered amidst the ruins. Caderyn ran a hand over the moss-covered black stone, his mind conjuring images of the former grandeur of the fortress. More than just an architectural achievement, it had also symbolized safety and prosperity. Soldiers stationed at this fortress would have kept watch over the people of Wolfgate, defending against bandits, rebels, and raiders.

Pelagia stepped past him and into the wildflower-strewn courtyard. Vines stretched along the skeleton of the central tower, blossoming with red and blue flowers. Songbirds nested within the eroded black stone, chirping angrily as Pelagia wandered about.

"I can almost hear them," she said, smiling. "The soldiers. Training, drilling, laughing, gambling, fighting..."

The redhead turned and grinned; mischief glittered in her eyes, making him wonder exactly else she had in mind.

"And I daresay it's a perfect place for a rematch. You and I alone. No chaotic melee. Just us, our skill, and our fury."

Others gathered around, with some offering whoops of encouragement. Tessandra even started taking bets.

"We didn't bring any training swords with us," Caderyn said.

"A sorry excuse for getting out of a fight, my lord," Nolmvar said with a wild grin. "We have spears: easy enough to remove the tips and make some dueling staffs."

Knowing he'd never hear the end of it if he backed down, Caderyn sighed and nodded his assent. His companions cheered, perhaps eager for a bit of spectacle after the long journey. A friendly duel would also be a welcome distraction from the bloodshed that still lingered in everyone's thoughts. Pelagia paced in front of him, her dark eyes looking him up and down, clearly assessing him for weaknesses.

"Now are you going to insult my mother like you did during the melee?"

A blush splashed across her freckled face.

"Of course not, my lord. I still have not apologized enough for that."

Caderyn chuckled; perhaps he should have saved that question for the actual fight. Her embarrassment might have served as a potent distraction and could have given him an edge.

Nolmvar soon returned with the modified spears, tossing one to each of the combatants. After catching his, Caderyn offered a theatrical bow to the onlookers, imitating the way Tessandra would bow before one of her songs.

"Wipe that smug grin off his face, Sir Pelagia!" Tessandra shouted.

Staff at the ready, Caderyn turned to face his opponent. During their brawl at the tournament, he hadn't had much time to assess her fighting style, though he knew she was quick, fierce, and strong. Her prowess during the bandit attack had been notable indeed, for she'd saved his life with her savage mace-swings.

She settled into a fighting stance, her eyes growing cold and distant. Caderyn's gaze drifted up and down her powerful, athletic body. A little shiver went through him...

"No," he murmured under his breath. He couldn't afford to let his lustful vices distract him.

"Begin!" Gwion shouted, and the redhead darted for him, her staff blurring.

Cursing, Caderyn reeled backwards, barely raising his staff to deflect her first blow. She adjusted, sending strikes lower to lash at his legs. Only a wild sidestep saved him, then he whooped with delight as a lucky counter-blow tapped against her shin, forcing her backwards and off-balance.

With a grin he seized his chance, pursuing her across the meadow of wildflowers. Recovering quickly, she countered with a brutal swing that nearly sent his staff flying from his hands. Before he could fully restore his grip, she came at him with all of her might, the staff thudding against his stomach and chest, with another blow coming within an inch of his chin.

He finally recovered and whipped the staff against her thigh. As she grunted, her advance faltered, giving him a chance to steady his feet and catch his breath.

The reprieve was short-lived. Pelagia pressed the attack. Their staffs clashed and clattered, filling the old ruin with sharp cracks and thuds. Other sounds sliced through the fray: laughter, cheers, and the rumbles of distant thunder.

The sky darkened as their duel continued, neither knight gaining the upper hand. Her brow creased in furious concentration, while Caderyn managed to restore his impish grin, hoping the impudent look would force her into a reckless attack and give him another opening.

Pelagia proved far too self-controlled for that, focusing instead on his movements rather than his silly attempts to taunt her. Her next advance forced him back, her staff slicing a mere inch from his chest, while a thrust skimmed along his cheek and battered his ear.

Thunder boomed once more. A mist of rain fell upon the combatants and the flower-strewn battlefield. Their audience scattered as the deluge intensified. Great streams of water ran over the roof of the ruins, soaking the others as they rushed for shelter.

Undaunted and undeterred, the two continued their duel. Even as thunder roared and lightning sparkled, their staffs thudded and clashed. Rain ran down Caderyn's face, mixing with the sweat and stinging his eyes. The knight turned into a blur before him. Desperate swings of his staff kept her at bay but he withdrew back towards the stone wall, hoping for a reprieve from the weather and her fury.

A wild swing chipped the stone beside his head, but Caderyn managed to counter, driving his staff into her thigh and forcing her back. She nearly slipped in the mud but steadied herself. Before Pelagia could counterattack, lightning slashed down a mere hundred feet away.

"Shall we call it a draw, lest the storm win the duel instead?" Caderyn shouted over the echoes of thunder.

Her eyes narrowed, then she cracked a grin and nodded. Together they ran for the nearest intact structure, slipping through the gaping maw of a doorway as more lightning flared behind them. The interior of the structure was blessedly dry. Moss, grass, and flowers clung to the floors and walls. Through the veil of green, Caderyn could just barely discern mosaics and paintings.

Still soaking wet and panting from their duel, Caderyn took solace in the fact that she seemed more interested in the mosaics than in resuming their fight. Pelagia approached the vine-covered wall and yanked some of the foliage away, exposing more of the mosaic.

It displayed a man in white armor and a gray cloak, wielding a golden spear. A crown of golden flowers adorned his head. Before him burned a pile of red banners and wrecked longships.

"Emperor Withgar," Caderyn murmured.

Pelagia soft laugh mingled with the thunder.

"Your sister mentioned how distracted you always were during your lessons as a child. I'm surprised you remember."

"I only recall him because I used to love pretending to be him when I was a child," Caderyn said, cracking a grin as he stepped up alongside her. "He was one of my favorites."

She leaned up for a closer look.

"He was the one who decreed that Fellhaven was to be split as a separate province from Jadewall, right?"

"No, that was the first Emperor, a few decades before Withgar came to power," Caderyn said.

That aspect of his dynasty's history was sharply clear, for the Imperial decree in question had contributed to the rivalry that still persisted to the present day. By taking power and land from Jadewall and creating the duchy of Fellhaven, the first Emperor had diminished Jadewall's power but had created new problems, as Jadewall still claimed rights over its old territory. Emperors, for all of their power, could still sow fractures that would ripple across eternity.

"But Withgar was a great man, by all accounts," Caderyn said, tearing away more vines to show more of his exploits, including the defeat of a Kovgaardian horde and the building of a great canal across Asparra. "He began as a lower-ranking noble who won the duchess of Wolfgate's hand in marriage after defeating an uprising against her. From there he climbed and climbed, eventually winning the election for the throne."

Together they admired the mosaics, still sharply preserved despite the encroach of the wilderness and the passage of time.

"The way you speak of him...it is not just admiration. It almost sounds like you envy him. As if you dream of restoring his old titles and authority," Pelagia said softly.

"A distant, silly dream."

"A distant, silly dream that is worth pursuing, I think. And while I still think you have much to learn, in time I think you could become quite the Emperor."

Thunder churned outside once more.

Pelagia turned as Caderyn considered her words. Warmth flooded her dark eyes, and her freckled face glowed with a soft smile.

"And yet there is still much about you I do not understand. You undertook this grand pilgrimage to 'sanctify' yourself and yet you parted Tessandra's legs at the first opportunity."

"Ah," he said, raising a finger. "It was not the

first

opportunity. Perhaps the second. Besides..." He flashed her his most charming grin, an expression that had melted hearts across the Empire. "If I truly was my old incorrigible self, I'd have already tried to sweep you off your feet as well. See? I'm improving as a man."

She laughed and took a step closer.

"Maybe you're right. Tessandra did say that you were not...selfish. And that you encouraged her to flirt with me, just as you encouraged me to do the same with her."

"If I am to be Emperor, I will need to look out for the interests of my subjects," he said, spreading his arms and adopting a solemn tone. "That includes defending against barbarians, enforcing laws, and encouraging lustful mischief between beautiful women."

Shaking her head and laughing once again, Pelagia took another step closer. The adrenaline from the fight still lingered in his body, nearly forcing him to take an instinctive step back, as if they were still engaged in their duel. Water ran down her freckled nose, her jawline, and across a faint little scar on her chin that he hadn't noticed before. Wet strands of short red hair clung to her forehead. She was a rain-spattered mess...and yet so was he, and that had not diminished her interest in the slightest.

"She kissed me last night," Pelagia blurted, her eyes staring into his.

Caderyn wondered if that was a test, to see if the truth would send a jolt of jealousy into his gaze. If it was in fact a test, he certainly passed quite admirably, for his smile widened, causing her eyes to sparkle all the more brightly.

"She's damned good at that, isn't she?" Caderyn said.

When she stepped forward, he did the same. Their bodies were now mere inches apart. He could smell the rainwater clinging to her clothes, could detect the faint hint of sweat, could feel the warmth of her breath upon his chin, and saw the faint blush upon her freckled cheeks.

"Indeed," Pelagia murmured, her dark eyes drifting to his lips, then over his scarred cheek, then back up to meet his gaze.

"But that does present an opportunity for a different sort of duel," Caderyn said, reaching out and taking a gentle hold of her hip. She tensed for a moment before leaning into his touch. "Since you've kissed her...you could kiss me, too, and then choose the winner."

"I think all of us would emerge as the champions of such a contest," she said, her eyes once more falling to his lips.

"That doesn't make the contest any less worthwhile though, does it?"

Neither of them spoke. The ruin trembled beneath the force of another boom of thunder. Despite the churning storm outside, Pelagia's hand was steady as it rose to rest against his cheek. He'd been planning on letting her make the first move, but when she gently bit her lower lip, expressing a vulnerability he hadn't expected from the fierce knight, Caderyn could not help himself.

Leaning in, his lips brushed against hers: tender and careful, almost as if it were her first time. In response, her hands gripped his shoulders and she pushed him back a step. She laughed, eyes alight with amusement and irritation.

"You faced me in combat and fought at my side, and you think I am some frail, blushing maid who must be coddled?"

Hunger crept into his smile. His hands grasped at hers, yanking them from his shoulders. Keeping his hands tight against her wrists, Caderyn shoved her back against the moss-covered wall. She gasped, her muscles tensing beneath his grasp. Before she could retaliate, he tightened his grip and pressed her hands against the stone.

Given her ferocity and the strength of her athletic body, Pelagia probably would have wriggled out of his grasp if she wanted to. A fierce knee driven up between his legs surely would have done the trick as well. But the heat in her eyes and the needy trembling of her lips told him that was exactly where she wanted to be.

After taking a moment to stare into her dark eyes, he leaned in to flick his tongue against her lips. Leaning forward, she trapped his lower lip with her teeth for a quick bite; she was as fierce a lover as she was a fighter.