Nalcara's Shacles

Then

Guard Captain Korina Tarnhoff reined her horse at the gates of the huge manor house. There was no reason to subject the animal to the cobblestone drive, so she dismounted and began the trek to the front door. She cut an imposing figure in her armor. Tall and graceful, she strode forward, cloak billowing out behind her. Her helmet obscured most of her face and all of her short, rather wild, blonde hair. Her reflective breastplate had needed a little modification to account for her impressive chest, but she rather enjoyed that. Many of the men she trained with often had their eyes in places not conducive to sparring.

She arrived at the front door and rapped sharply on it several times. There was no immediate response, and she was about to knock again, when there was a clatter of movement and a voice from inside.

"I'm coming!" The voice cried. "Be right there!" There was some rustling and bumping from the other side of the portal before an eye-level panel popped open revealing a girl's face with green hair. "Sorry." She Said. "This place ain't built for gnomes. Had to get the ladder. What can I do for you?"

"I am Guard Captain Tarnhoff." Korina announced. "Is The Lady of the house available?"

The green-haired gnome eyed the shiny armor. "Uh, not really." The girl Replied. "But for a guard captain, she might clear her schedule. Come on in. I'll take ya to the lounge, and go ask her." The panel shut, there was some shuffling and a click, before the door swung open.

Korina was pleased to hear there was respect for the guard even this far from the city. She entered the manor, taking a cursory look around as she did. The only other creature apparent was the gnome who barely came past the Captain's knee.

"My name is Sini Glitterwheel." The girl said with a slight bow. "Right this way please, captain." Sini led her guest down a short hall and through an open door. To a comfortable looking room with two armchairs and a couch arranged around a fireplace. "Hang out here for a bit while I go dig up the boss. If I see the housemaid on the way, I'll send her in to offer refreshment."

"That won't be..." Korina tried to decline, but the gnome was already out the door, The Captain sighed and settled into one of the plush armchairs.

It was a short time later that a woman appeared, introducing herself as Jean, and carrying a tray with cups and a pitcher. She was built very similarly to the Captain, though not quite as tall, and wearing a snug black-leather dress. She poured out a cup of some sort of juice with chunks of real ice in it. Korina was to astonished to refuse. Where did they get ice this time of year?

"Will there be anything else, ma'am?" The maid asked with a smile.

Korina swallowed a mouthful of the delicious liquid. "No, thank you. I--" she paused. "Is that your normal uniform?" She eyed the large metal rings sewn into the leather curiously.

"No, ma'am." Jean Replied cheerfully. "Unless we're expecting company, the mistress lets me dress as I wish around the house. Fortunately I wore clothes today."

"You... what?" Korina was unsure she heard correctly and was still formulating a response when a new woman breezed into the lounge.

She was wearing a flowing satin dressing gown with dark shoulder length hair, loose and tousled. She scanned the room, finally settling on the tray and pitcher. "Ah, excellent! Thank you Jean. That will be all. We'll ring if we need you." Turning to Korina, she smiled. "Greetings Captain, and welcome to my home. I am Lady Larenia Silver. I apologize for my appearance. I was not expecting company and did not think it appropriate to keep a Captain of the Guard waiting."

"Of course, Lady Silver, And I am Captain Tarnhoff." She paused, meeting the other woman's gaze. "Would you have kept a lower ranked guard waiting?"

"I would have put on more than a dressing gown, yes." The Lady answered with an impish smile. "Now, Captain, what can I do for you this morning?"

"We have a missing person." Korina Replied. "Her last known location was your residence on Moonday, two days ago."

"Oh my." Said The Lady. Her grin vanished and she raised an eyebrow. "I hosted a gathering on Moonday. Some of my closest friends and associates. May I ask who is missing?"

The Captain pulled a piece of parchment from her belt pouch and read from it. "A half-elven woman. One Narani Shonebright. A local courtesan and cleric at the shrine to Calistria."

The Lady relaxed visibly. "Ah, I was concerned for a moment. Nara is here and safe. I left her company to meet with you."

Korina tilted her head. "She's here?"

"Yes." The Lady Replied. "She stayed after the party and is currently captive in my dungeon. I can take you to her if you wish. I assume you'll want to speak with her."

"I would, yes." Said the Captain. "And we can clear all this up quickly. Always a relief, of course, when a missing person is..." The Captain was halfway to her feet when she froze. It had been slipped so innocently into the conversation that it took a moment to register. "I'm sorry, what?"

"I'll take you to her straight away." Said The Lady, rising. "Sini is with her now."

Korina straightened to her full height. "No, what did you say about a dungeon? 'She's captive in my dungeon' you said"

"Oh! Yes I did." The Lady Replied with a smile. "You see, Nara lost a wager to me Moonday evening and her forfeit was to be my captive until dinner tonight."

"Your captive." The Captain's expression was stern with a slight frown. " And she agreed to this? What was this wager?"

"On a separate contest between two of the other guests." Replied The Lady, apparently without concern. "You can, of course, ask her yourself and rescue her if need be."

"I will do that." Said The Captain icily. "Now take me to her." There was only a slight pause before she remembered her manners. "Please."

"Of course." The Lady's smile was unperturbed. "If you'll follow me."

It was a short walk to a sturdy metal door that stood unsecured. Korina followed her hostess with a scowl and a confident stride until she crossed the threshold. Then her step faltered, her brow knit, and her jaw relaxed. And though she admitted it to no one, she later realize that if it had been a trap, at that moment, she'd have been easily taken. She gaped in awe of the room and all the devices of imprisonment it held. And she turned quite pale when she saw the dungeon's' other occupants.

Sini was present, as Lady Silver had said, sitting in a chair near a large barred cell. But in the cell, was a woman. An entirely naked woman. She had her back to the bars of the cell; her wrists and ankles affixed to them in a comfortable sanding position. There was a strap. Around her head securing a leather device over her lower face and a pronounced point to her ears, indicating that this was likely the missing half-elf.

Sini looked up at the two newcomers, The her eyes flicked to the near by prisoner's exposed backside. She turned back to her boss with a bright but nervous smile.

Larenia grinned back. "Nara, we have a guest! It appears someone noticed your absence and reported you missing!"

"Hmph?" The woman in the cage turned her head to look over her shoulder revealing a soft-looking panel gag of brown leather. She had pale skin and dirty blond hair that did not quite reach her shoulders. Her one visible brown eye widened when it fell on the guard Captain and she grunted, pulling ineffectively on her restraints.

"She just wants to ensure your safety." Cooed Larenia. "And, I imagine, ask you a few questions." She glanced over to the slack jawed Captain. "Nara, Captain Tarnhoff. Captain? Narani Shonebright."

Korina finally collected enough thought to speak. " Um, yes. A... pleasure Miss Shonebright. I'm glad... to see you, um, alive and well."

Narani grunted and mumbled, casting a baleful one-eyed glare at Larenia.

"Oh, um, yes." Korina stammered, authority slowly creeping back into her voice. "Remove her gag, please."

"Of course Captain." Larenia purred. She stepped forward and, with one hand, deftly pinched a clasp on the gag's strap and pulled it free of her captive's head.

"Why, Lara," Narani said smoothly, once she was able to speak, "If you'd have told me you were expecting company, I'd have thrown something on." She tugged fruitlessly at one wrist. "Or perhaps not."

"Are you in need of assistance, Miss Shonebright?" Asked the Captain.

"Call me Nara, Captain. I think you've seen enough of me to call us familiar." The half-elf Replied. " And, contrary to appearance, no, I need no assistance. I got myself into this mess, and I trust Lara to eventually release me from it."

"I... see." Said Korina. She paused, looking around. "Is this... a regular occurrence for the two of you?"

"I don't know about regular." Said Larenia. "Nara has occasionally been unable to depart after a Moonday meeting. But nary a meeting goes by without someone in chains. Myself included."

"Moonday meeting?" The Captain inquired.

"Of the Moonday Women's Society." Narani supplied. "Some associates from the area. We often share a meal. Trade contacts an information. And, more often than not, retreat to Lara's dungeon in various stages of restraint and undress."

"Would you care to join us sometime, Captain?" Put in Larenia. "You are certainly a local woman of some influence. The imprisonment is, of course, voluntary, though I will say that if yo wish to participate, you will be expected to take your turn in chains."

The Captain had to lift her gaze from the prisoner's bare behind to reply. "I... uh,perhaps I w-would like to observe a gathering. To make certain everything is above board, of course."

"Wonderful!" Exclaimed Larenia. "Sini will get you the details on your way out. And speaking of, now that you've found your quarry, will there be anything else? I should get back to entertaining my prisoner. I mean guest."

"No, that will be all." Korina replied, looking a touch flustered. "Thank you for you time, Lady Silver."

"Of course, Captain. Sini will show you out." Larenia nodded to the gnome, who then led the somewhat bewildered Guard Captain from the dungeon. When she was sure they were out of earshot, she turned to her captive. "That went well. Kasu really does have a good read on people. I wonder who she got to tattle on us."

"Anyone who frequents her establishment, would fit our circle." Replied Narani. "And I'm told Captain Tarnhoff is a regular. I can't say that I'm not anxious to see what's under that breastplate. But now that it's done, perhaps you could undo these binds?"

Larenia pulled the sash on her dressing gown and shrugged from her shoulders. "Yes, of course I'll release you." Sle slipped up to the bars to reach her arms through and wrap them around her friend's body. "Eventually."

Now

"Ah right, lass." Said The burly dwarven foreman. "Do this 'un like the last, an we'll 'ave yur windows hung an be outta your hair in ten minutes."

Sarah stood on the half competed second floor of her soon to be new home and shop. The Lady Silver had been helpful nearly to a fault, offering the services of her staff architects and an impressive discount on the majority of the building supplied. On top of that, once the design was finalized, she provided a full set of glass windows as a 'house-warming present'.

Sarah could not deny the assistance was useful. Lara's men did a much better job of hanging the doors and windows that she herself could have. And the architect corrected some flaws in her admittedly crude floor plan. Now, less than a week later the building was nearly complete. Just a quarter or so of the second floor was left; simple except for the large bay window overlooking the street. The street that held a crowd of thirty or so onlookers waiting to watch the new building finish building itself. "Right." Sarah muttered, looking out at the faces looking up at her. "No pressure."

"You'll do fine." Encouraged Jix, hovering nearby and holding up a blueprint. "You got the last one really close."

"Last one, Boss!" Terra exclaimed. She was standing near the edge of the building, holding a measuring stick in her out stretched arm for reference. "You can do it!"

Sarah took a deep breath. She hadn't expected an audience, but in retrospect, that was rather foolish. She took one last look at the plans and began the spell. Her arms moved fluidly as she sculpted the floor and roof from the raw materials she'd acquired. Reaching the outer wall, she used Terra's stick as a guide to properly size the frames. As the last molecule settled into place there was a smattering on cheers an whistles from the street below.

The foreman bustled foreword, tape in hand, to check her work. "Near perfect, lass!" He opined. "I dunnae suppose ye'd consider join' me crew, would ye?"

"Let's see how my shop fairs first, Mr Cormack." Sarah Replied with a weak grin. "Good to know I have options though."

"Well," Said Jix, dropping her blueprint on a work table, " This is home now. What do you think?"

"It doesn't feel like home yet." Replied Sarah. "Perhaps after some furniture and personal touches. And you?"

"Are you kidding!?" Exclaimed Jix. "I have my own mansion now! I love it!" It was true. Sarah had left an eight inch gap between the first and second floor and sculpted a floor plan similar to Shimmering Ponds in the space. To an atomie, it was now a massive lair. "It's thrice the size of my old family home, and that was pretty big. I'll still probably sleep with you, though."

"I'm with Sarah." Added Terra. "It's wonderful, but I think we're going to have to live here a bit before it feels like home. And we're going to stay at...um," her eyes slid to the work crew, "Lady Silver's tonight anyway, right? After the, uh, party?"

"Yes." Sarah shifted uncomfortably. "To meet the Lady's associates."

For practicality's sake, Jix and Sarah had not been bonded during the construction, but the atomie could read the disquiet on the mage's face. "We don't have to go."

"Yes, we do." Sarah countered. "Lady Silver has been quite generous, helping us get things going, and meeting her associates will help even more." She allowed herself a smirk. "And if I'm not mistaken, the two of you are quite looking forward to it."

Terra shared a glance with Jix, a half grin on her face. "You're... not wrong."

"Well, there you have it." Sarah moved to descend the stairs to the first floor. "But speaking of the party, Terra, I left something in the cellar for you."

"For me?" Terra followed, looking again to Jix who deliberately did not meet her gaze and was struggling to conceal a grin. "What is it?"

"It's in the cellar." Sarah Replied, causing Jix to snicker. "You'll have to go see."

Terra looked sideways at her companions but started for the basemen, visibly struggling not to run.

Jix watched her go, before turning to the Mage, raising her eyebrows.

"I'll be fine." Sarah sighed. "It likely won't be fun, but I'll make it."

"You want me to cast the spell?" Offered Jix.

"No." Sarah said firmly. "I expect you'll be the life of the party. That could be awkward if we're stuck together."

"Okay, but I'll be close." Said Jix.

Sarah was about to reply when they heard feet pounding on the basement steps. Terra charged back into the room with a wide grin. "When did you put a jail cell in the basement!?"

- - -

The familiar coach arrived in late afternoon to carry them to the manor, though it was a good natured coachman driving, not Sini. Inside, we're three passengers, though they only recognized Kasuri, from the 'Shackled Maiden'. The others were unfamiliar. The first was a lithe woman with dirty blonde hair and slightly pointed ears. She was undeniably attractive, but appeared almost average compared to the Amazon next to her. She was tall and blonde with visible muscle in her bare arms. Her chest strained at the simple blouse she wore, and a large sword leaned on the seat beside her. Actually, all three wore simple garments; knee-length shifts for the two smaller women, loose pants and the blouse for the Amazon. This was fortunate as Sarah's company didn't have much more that their traveling clothes.

As a professional hostess, Kasuri handled introductions. And while Jix was indeed a curiosity, Terra and the Amazonian Captain Tarnhoff hit it off immediately.

"Your mother was a sheriff?" The Captain seemed impressed. "How many men under her?"

"Well, seven regulars." Replied Terra. "But we called in the militia once for an orc warband. Then she had around three hundred."

"Quite impressive." Said The Captain. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you Captain."

"Ahem, well." The Captain's cheeks colored a bit. "In public, I must insist on Captain, but at Shimmering Ponds, call me Korina."

Sarah, meanwhile, was conversing with Narani Shonebright. "A cleric, courtesan, and councilor of Calistria? Impressive alliteration."

"A literary scholar? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised considering your profession." Returned the cleric. "And speaking of, I'm told you're looking for someone in mine."

"Y-yes." Stammered Sarah under Narani's cool gaze. "I'm going to, uh, need a divine caster for, uh, certain enchantments."

"I see." Said Narani giving the Mage an appraising look. "Perhaps we can arrange something to benefit us both."

Jix, meanwhile, had landed of Kasuri's knee and was staring up at her. "I was talking to the tall maid at Silver Lady's house. She says you like to hurt people."

"Hurt?" Kasuri raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps a little discomfort, but I would never injure my friends. Or their maids. Pain, however, is subjective, and some have a lower tolerance than others."

"Really." Said Jix. "And what if someone made you uncomfortable?"

"Are you offering?" Asked Kasuri with a sly grin. "Most of my associates are a touch too... gentle for my taste. Could you hold my attention if you had me in your clutches?"

Jix blinked and cocked her head. "I would try, if given the chance." She glanced is Sarah's direction. "Not tonight, though."

"Indeed." Purred Kasuri. "I have my victims for tonight arranged."

- - -

The Manor did not look more festive than usual, though there were extra carriages and wagons in the drive and horses, presumably to pull them, grazing in the yard. The party was dropped at the door and greeted by Jean. She wore a rather low cut and high hem lined maids uniform with a polished leather collar fastened around her neck.

"That particular collar indicates that she is to remain free tonight." Explained Narani. "Whatever else goes on, Jean will be available to assist if necessary and free the rest of us should things get out of control. We all take turns."

Jean's outfit seemed to be the fanciest in attendance. Of the fifteen or so women in the dining hall, all wore simple clothes. Either loose pants and a shirt, like the Captain, or a plain pull over dress.

"There are several reasons for the attire." Said Korina. "First, while bandits are rare this close to the city, plain clothing attracts that much less attention. Second, we are equals here regardless of station and we are dressed accordingly."

"And third," grinned Narani, "it's easy to remove and won't be missed if it ends up tossed in a corner."

"Until it's time to go home, right?" Asked Terra, to which she only received ominous chuckles in reply.

The Lady, by this time, had seen them arrive and hurried over. "Ladies! So glad you could make it! Kori, Nara, Kasu." She acknowledged each before turning her attention to Sarah. "Wonderful of you to join us, Sarah!"

"An opportunity I could not pass up." Replied the Mage. "Besides, Terra and Jix are looking forward to the coming... festivities."

"I hope we don't disappoint." Said Larenia. "But first, a light meal, and I'll introduce you around."