The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight

Donald Allen Kirch

The Misadventures of Ka-Ron the Knight
Copyright © 2010 Donald Allen Kirch
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in Canada by Carnal Desires Publishing, a division of Double Dragon Publishing Inc. of Markham Ontario, Canada.

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from Double Dragon Publishing Inc.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Carnal Desires Publishing
PO Box 54016 1-5762 Highway 7 East
Markham, Ontario L3P 7Y4 Canada
http://double-dragon-ebooks.com
http://double-dragon-publishing.com

Cover art by Deron Douglas
www.derondouglas.com
ISBN-10: 1-55404-746-3
ISBN-13: 978-1-55404-746-8
First Edition March 31, 2010

Also Available as a Large Type Paperback

Book One of the Nown World Chronicles

For

Kathy Reilly

Who never knew I loved her&

Until now.

CHAPTER ONE

Ka-Ron, who was the bravest of knights, from the township of Teal, in the kingdom of Idoshia, closed his eyes in ecstasy, as the woman on top of him enveloped his manhood. Her warm mouth inflamed his senses, and helped erase away the horrors of war - wars during which he had been raised, and taught to fight for both Kin and King. His body quivered as the intelligent woman's tongue brought to his attention sensitivities he had forgotten that he possessed.

It was indeed good to be home.

The knight's hands played with the woman's long hair, as her head slowly rose up and down. He smiled at her, as she looked up at him with dark brown eyes, wanting nothing more than to please him. At the corners of her mouth, Ka-Ron could see a smile forming, informing him that as a man, he was successfully completing his partnership - she was also enjoying him.

"Keep at your task, good woman." Ka-Ron whispered, gently.

Excited, tenderly grabbing hold of him more tightly with both mouth and hand, the woman continued her duties.

Ka-Ron moaned in pleasure.

Outside, the sound of children playing echoed through the tiny bedroom's shuttered windows.

The woman changed her position, allowing Ka-Ron the pleasure of enjoying her round and plump bottom. Squeezing and humming away, Ka-Ron again closed his eyes - he was truly a blessed man.

It had been a long road getting into this woman's bed.

In the entire kingdom of Idoshia, there was no braver knight than Ka-Ron. In the ranks of the Errant-Knight, there was no one more famous, nor feared. His love for his kingdom and King was only surpassed by his love for the females, which he helped to protect. He was a ladies' man, and he had survived as many romances as he had battles.

He was a striking figure. Over six sticks in height, Ka-Ron had blonde hair, always cut to the shoulders, and definitive pale blue eyes. He had no body fat, and prided himself on the fact that there had never been a time he was not in the highest degree of physical perfection. His armor, almost as impressive as his masculine prowess, had to be specially made, just to encase his muscularity. He was a handsome man.

As handsome as he was, he was deadlier with the sword.

Soldiers and warriors of lands unnamed trembled in fear upon knowing that Ka-Ron the knight was among them, preparing for battle. For, it was known, when Ka-Ron unsheathed his sword, it would not be put to rest until its thirst for blood had been completely satisfied.

For now, Ka-Ron was escaping the day in the arms of Kym, the daughter of the local Wicca Master - a woman of the "Arts." He had known this woman since the days of his youth, where they would both pass the days, after their studies, by playing in the wheat fields of the Xows. This action alone showed their township that both children were destined for great things!

The Xows were a nomadic race, which had settled in the outskirts of Idoshia several seasons ago - some theorized at least seventy seasons back - and, locust-like, attacked and stole from Idoshia's citizens when times were hard. They were most known for stealing the kingdom's women when her men were away at war. Fighting the Xows had kept Ka-Ron away from his lands - away from home.

When Ka-Ron finally came home after six seasons of fighting, creating new glories and gaining new territories for his King, this knight was surprised to run, once more, into the arms of his childhood love, Kym.

"Who is this man who comes to grace my family's ale hall with his mighty presence?" Kym had said, for she had grown to become a fair maiden of noble and admirable features.

"Kym?" Ka-Ron said, his eyes elevating and enjoying what he was gazing upon. "Can it be the same pig-tailed girl I played 'bugs' with as a child?"

Bowing, Kym said, "The same."

Ka-Ron's eyes had beheld the prettiest and most inviting woman he had ever seen. Kym had once been awkward, skinny, and as charming as a dry stick in the mud. Now, after years of good fortune, Kym was fair, with long dark hair, brown eyes, and full lips of the finest red, a handsome fullness of body, and a scent that begged for the smell of a man's. She was a vision made for the act of love, and Ka-Ron, hungry himself for the touch of a lady, was more than happy to oblige.

For Kym, since the day of her seventh season upon the world, had loved Ka-Ron with all her soul. Many a night she prayed and hoped to have the fullness of him between the warm mysteries of her legs&for his touch to break the evil coldness of her nights. She longed for him to lick away the dew of her sexual fields. All of this she had prayed for, hoping that Nature herself would listen just long enough to provide her with that one, all-powerful chance to provoke the spells of love. All of this she had hoped for, and, by chance, she had gotten it all!

Kym's hands toyed with Ka-Ron's pubic hairs, as she stopped just long enough to let out an exhausted sigh. She was enjoying the chance to love the greatest man and warrior of her age, but more important, she was enjoying the gift of sharing herself with a man she loved. Ka-Ron could sense this, and to a certain extent, it frightened him. It frightened him more than did facing a wall of savages.

Ka-Ron did not believe in love. He believed in only the moment.

"Here!" Ka-Ron said, rubbing Kym's head. "Allow me to get on top."

The lovers shifted in their positions on the bed.

Now, on top, Ka-Ron fed his hungry body by doing his own sucking on Kym's healthy bosom. Tracking the tip of his tongue on her two tan aureoles, biting softly upon her nipples, hard from their excitement, and burying his whiskered face into the middle of her velveteen breasts, enveloping his face with the heart of her bounty, the knight was completely lost in his lust. Kym moaned as he invaded her womanhood, as they both became one.

"Oh, Ka-Ron," Kym moaned, grabbing at him and wrapping her long sweaty legs around his lower back, silently praying for him to continue his actions. "I love you."

Ka-Ron's muscles tightened as his eyes closed. His excitement had reached its peak, and he released himself into the fond wet storm of Kym's sex. He moaned, faintly hearing the truthful confessions of his partner.

Kym moaned, tightening her thigh muscles. She also sprayed wet juices upon the worn-out sheets of her bed, gladly joining Ka-Ron in his lustful cries of satisfaction. The man quivered inside of her as she tightened.

Ka-Ron opened his eyes, gently resting his face on top of her breasts. He was covered with sweat and the careworn signs of worry.

"Kym, I am not for you." Ka-Ron finally said, wiping beads of sweat off Kym's cheeks.

Kym said nothing. Her breathing was heavy.

Ka-Ron and Kym separated. As he left her body, Ka-Ron heard the woman give out one last cry of pleasure.

The sheets were well worn, bloodied, and smelling of sin. They had served their purpose well, and Ka-Ron left them as fast as he had originally attacked.

There were happier things to concentrate on, now!

Today, there was to be a feast in his honor.

Today, Ka-Ron was to meet his King.

"Do you not share my desires in all of this, Ka-Ron?" Kym asked, covering her breasts.

Silent, Ka-Ron sat at the edge of the bed. He was not the kind to use women for the simple act of what a woman did for a man - he was a knight after all! He thought of himself merely as a man who took his pleasures as they were offered. Life as a knight, was a dangerous business - there was no time for family unless one was willing to lay down his sword for good. Try as he might, Ka-Ron knew that he was not the kind who could do that. And, still, there were "other" matters...

So, he sat in silence. He told no lies. He told no truths.

"Ka-Ron?" Kym pleaded, her voice seemingly ringing with the sounds of desperation.

Ka-Ron closed his eyes, in silent pain. He now knew that his coupling with his childhood love had been a terrible mistake. He wished that he could take it all back.

He looked around the humble living quarters, and saw items belonging to a Wicca Master of the High Arts. Tomes filled with spells, charms, and curses long forgotten by the rest of civilization were left in the able hands of those who studied the various arts. Charts of stars, the motion of planets, of high tide charts and low tide charts, of what makes an animal an animal, and what separated nature from man - all these fascinating and alien things attacked Ka-Ron's senses.

All these things belonged to Kym's mother, Kai.

Kai, although a mystery to most citizens of Idoshia, was known as a great witch and had even been summoned by the King to cast spells of all sorts. This hard-sought woman had even been known to cause the fall of nations. Whatever one thought of Kym's mother, they all respected her. Her power and skills demanded the emotion.

"What of your mother these days?" Ka-Ron finally asked, breaking a silence of beats.

Kym huffed, allowing one pain to be replaced by another.

"Mother is away." Kym stated, hurt. "I do not know where."

"Perhaps doing the King's bidding?"

"Perhaps."

"I have always feared your mother." Ka-Ron confessed. "She is a lass of great power and wit. One I would gladly wish to have on my side in battle."

"She is&" Kym paused. "Formidable."

"Yes," Ka-Ron stated in full agreement. He rose, putting his armor on.

"Where are you off to?" Kym asked, absently allowing her hands to fall, revealing her breasts.

Ka-Ron turned and looked at Kym's womanly charms and beauty. In his eyes, she was indeed a bounty worth holding onto. He ached at the thought that he was not the man to provide her with the life she needed and deserved.

"I am off to a jousting tournament," Ka-Ron stated proudly. "The King is holding a feast in my honor, and in honor of those who fell in battle fighting the Xows."

"Then you are deserving of your time in celebration." Kym agreed, "For I have heard of your deeds, and realize that I am being judgmental and selfish with your time."

Ka-Ron, forgetting for a moment that he was playing with a woman's heart, bent down and kissed Kym with a loving and passionate wave of emotion. He hugged her and caressed her cheeks, holding her face close to his. His nostrils picked up the insanely sweet aroma of her heaving breath, which assaulted his face in nervous rhythm. Realizing what he was doing, he slowly, and quite tactfully, pulled himself away. Still, he did his noble best to allow the woman the chance to keep her romantic moment. It was hers after all, and it was not within his right to steal it away.

"You are still a wonder to me, Kym." Ka-Ron said, parting from her. "And you will be fond in my hearts until they stop beating. That, I give you my oath on."

An awkward pause filled the space between the two. Kym stared, watching almost on autopilot, as Ka-Ron turned, clamping his armor onto his body. The knight tried his best to ignore the tears starting.

"Fond?" Kym wept.

Ka-Ron eyed his sword, sheathing it. "I am quite fond of you, indeed."

"But I love you...Ka-Ron," Kym whispered. Her tears were all too painfully clear, and did not pass the attention of the brave knight. His constant irritation was beyond Kym's understanding, which appeared to add more degrees to her suffering. "I love you," she repeated.

"I am sorry," Ka-Ron said, solemnly. For he truly cared about this woman's feelings. "I am a man of war." He tried to explain. "I fight so that others may have what I plainly cannot."

"And, what is that?" Kym's words dripped with pain and sarcasm.

"For a woman such as you, by their side," Ka-Ron explained. "I make that possible. I make that a right for others to enjoy."

"And you cannot?"

Ka-Ron paused for a long time. "No."

"Why?"

Ka-Ron laughed a huff of disbelief. "Kym, would you want to bond with a man who, at any moment, could be called on by King or Priest to protect lands half-way across the globe, and who may never return?" Ka-Ron paused. "This is no way to reward love. This is not the way of a true man who loves his family. True, there are those who take the risk, but, I will have no one for whom I care pay the price. This is my mindset, dear woman. I am a knight, and a soldier of my King's will. This fact is not only my lifestyle. It is also my first and truest of loves."

Kym grabbed Ka-Ron's sword hand, her eye makeup clearly ruined by the tracks of her tears. "I would be willing to accept your risks, your dangers, and the whim of your king or priest. Love does not come with a guarantee, Ka-Ron. If you vow to protect those who seek its fruits, you of all people know that life rarely has a happy ending. All one needs is courage, and you have that in abundance!"

Ka-Ron, looking into the torn eyes of his childhood love, almost caved in. With all his heart, he wanted to sweep Kym off her feet, pledge his love, and to do nothing more than to spend the rest of his life in loving bliss, caring and providing for his lady fair. But in his hands, he held his sword - the eternal struggle of the peace-loving warrior.

"Kym, I remember the torment&the hell&my mother went through as my father lay dying in battle&"

"Your mother and father gave birth to a noble son," Kym interrupted. "Can we do any worse?"

"Kym&" Ka-Ron huffed, clamping the last of the buckles and leather strings of his armor. "I will love you&always."

Hearing these words, a dangerous hope invaded Kym's features.

"But I will do it as a man in battle," Ka-Ron continued, "hoping that one day you will find a good and honest man, who will love you in ways that I clearly cannot."

"But&"

"Enough!" Ka-Ron's voice rose in frustration. "I have said what nature of man that I am, woman. That is sufficient!"

A deadly silence filled the room, and, for a moment, Kym neither said nor did anything. Like a pale ivory statue, she just looked up at Ka-Ron. Then, as if a veil of evil had passed over her features, she started to smile. This action, more than any other, had caused Ka-Ron's mind to fill with fear.

"I will change your&views." Kym stipulated.

Ka-Ron wanted to stop - to pause just long enough to slow this bad moment down - to analyze what words he and his lifelong friend had just exchanged. He held no malice toward Kym. He wanted and valued her views. Indeed, he had promised Kym's mother to protect her daughter from all this world's dangers. And this he had done!

"Kym, I must leave for my honorary feast." Ka-Ron said, pointing helplessly towards Kym's main door.

"Then go," Kym suggested coldly.

"We will talk of this?" Ka-Ron asked, curious regarding Kym's state of mind.

"We&will."

Ka-Ron controlled his breathing. A warrior's most valuable asset was his ability not to panic and also not to run from a confrontation. He needed those skills at the moment, for he was dealing with a woman's love. In a normal man-woman situation, Ka-Ron believed that love was for those he was sworn to protect. However, this was different. This was home. This&was family.

"Kym&?" Ka-Ron whispered. His hand instinctively reached for his sword.

"Go!" Kym's eyes filled with both tears and disgust. Her hands angrilydirected Ka-Ron to the door.

The knight had no other choice but to go.

Ka-Ron accepted the situation for what it was. Repairs could, and would, be made later.

"For what is it worth," Ka-Ron stated, backing toward the main door, "I would like to thank you for your simple, if not learned, pleasures."

Kym's eyes turned cold.

Ka-Ron knew that what he had said, was a mistake.

The damage was done.

"I bid you a good day."

Ka-Ron had rarely known fear, but he felt it, greatly as he passed beyond the door, out into the hot Idoshian suns. To the knight's surprise, he found that his hands were shaking. To the gods! Ka-Ron's hands never shook. Not once in the horrors of battle!

Inside the hut, he heard the unmistakable sound of Kym's weeping.

The knight's brow began to shrink, turning dark, lonely, and shameful.

A gentle if not forceful tap knocked Ka-Ron aside, bringing his concentration back to the world of reality. Blinking his eyes open, Ka-Ron saw his faithful horse Echoheart looking at him with soft dark eyes.

"What is that you say, my dear friend?"

< You are running late! >

Echoheart was a proud, if not noble steed, from the Farm of the Eleven Winds. From his stable, known throughout Idoshia, came the fastest, most faithful, and bravest of steeds. Echoheart was the fiftieth descendant of Theyoka, the First Mount of the First King. Ka-Ron's horse was almost as famous as he was.

"You are right in your request that I boldly continue," Ka-Ron huffed, doing his best to pay attention. "Today, I have acted the fool. And, I have no logical retreat from what I have done."

< Did you and the woman couple? >

Ka-Ron glared at his horse with surprise. Amusement once more returned to his strong face.

"What do you know of human coupling, Echoheart?"

The horse shook his head up and down. He was impatient and wanted a nice purple apple.

< There was a woman at our stables who confessed stories& >

"In what manner did she speak?"

< She told of her loves, wanting to be one with&nature. >

Echoheart's head bowed. His eyes held a great sadness.

"Oh," Ka-Ron was solemn. "I have heard of such women. They are indeed kind, but they are tragic souls. Worthy of your knowing, dear friend."

Ka-Ron approached his horse, patting him along the side of his right ear, where he loved to be caressed. There was stiffness in his stance that the knight soon became aware of.

Echoheart turned his head, and seemed to be studying his master's eyes. The act caught Ka-Ron by surprise.

"I have dishonored this house, Echoheart." Ka-Ron's voice was almost a whisper. "My need for a woman's counsel has caused me to break her hearts. I did not wish for that to happen."

< You are a noble Man. I know this, for I have ridden with you in battle. I cannot believe that you could have created the acts of which you speak. Perhaps, there was a misunderstanding of the level of coupling involved? >

Ka-Ron had to laugh.

< What humors you so? >

"That I, Ka-Ron, seek love advice from a horse!"

The knight turned his eyes back toward Kym's hut, and studied what he saw.

It was a quiet, simple home built of gopher wood and containing two levels. Shutters were made from pine tin and decorated with seven windows of various sizes. It was said that Kym's mother requested that none of the windows be the same size. A porch made the front of the home an inviting place in which to relax from the harshness of the home as a whole. Many nights, as a boy, Ka-Ron had played on that porch, with Kym. "Bugs," an Idoshian version of combat in game form, had been their favorite pastime. Everything about this house was why he had become a knight. Since he did not have a family, this had been his home.

< Again, I say, we are running late. >

"We are leaving, my friend."

Echoheart remained remarkably quiet during the ride through the dark woods as they proceeded towards the center of town. Ka-Ron used to joke with his field officers - his horse was the most talkative one on the planet. The only time his mouth stayed quiet was when his rider was atop him in battle. Ka-Ron found himself, sometimes, in direct competition with his horse's battle cries, as he himself shouted curses to the fallen.

"Echoheart, I must ask you&"

Before Ka-Ron could finish his thought, a couple of bandits attacked his mount, knocking the knight to the ground. His horse, knowing what was soon to come, left the battlefield.

This was not turning out to be a good morning.

CHAPTER TWO

< Xows! >

Ka-Ron fought back the pain that was gathering inside his ribs. Blinking his eyes, trying to see past the mist of surprise, he noticed a tree branch rocking in the wind above him, about seven sticks in height. His having been knocked out of his saddle by a simple highwayman's gadget was an ungodly thought. The humility of the whole affair was enough to enrage any warrior.

The Xows were not a handsome people. Those who usually require the labor of others never are. From what Ka-Ron could surmise, there were two. Both were male, and reeked of never taking the time to bathe.

"We caught us a juicy one, Tak!" one of the Xows said, fighting back a sickly cough. Spitting out vile phlegm, he watched the sticky blue substance splash to the ground, smoking. To the gods! It stank of death.

"Shut up and get his horse."

Ka-Ron thought it militarily sound to play dead.

"He looks unwell."

"Bak, go get the horse," The one named Tak ordered. He seemed to be the leader.

Ka-Ron immediately started taking in the ground around him. He was on the incline. This meant that he held the high ground, which was about the only thing going his way today. The two Xows appeared to be unhealthy and underweight, which meant that Ka-Ron had the attack advantage, as well.

"It is a lovely horse, Tak. Should be several good cooks and stews from this one, I wager."

< Ka-Ron? >

The knight had to hide his face, or the Xows would have caught him laughing. The level of disgust in Echoheart's voice was hysterical.

"He is a fat one!" Tak responded.

The Xow Leader turned his back towards Ka-Ron.

That was his last mistake.

Ka-Ron's face turned serious - all humor was gone.

To the gods! This is just too easy.

Ka-Ron placed one hand on his sword, and the other he directed towards Echoheart. He motioned towards the horse, using a hand language he had once learned years ago, while in battle. The knight was instructing Echoheart to trample the Xowapproaching him.

Echoheart shook his head up and down, digging his right front foot into the mud below. This was the horse's signal that he understood what Ka-Ron had wanted from him.

Quite stealthily, Ka-Ron rose to his feet.

"Once we are done with the horse, I want carnal pleasure from the man," Bak said, coughing up another morsel of phlegm.

"Impossible," Ka-Ron barked. "I play hard to get."

"Not with me!" Tak yelled in defiance.

The Xow Leader turned to face Ka-Ron, and unsheathed his sword. Reaching into his muddied vest, Tak pulled out something the knight was surprised to see - a Ronin battle-ax!

"Oh! You brought some toys," Ka-Ron chuckled. "Tell me, where did you Xows ever come across a Ronin Warrior?"

"He was my pup for three summers," Tak bragged. The Xow started waving the ax through the air, and he did it with great skill and accomplishment. "You have already been claimed by Bak, or I would focus my pleasure on you. You would be good for at least five summers before you would be meat for the eating."

Ka-Ron swallowed hard, studying his target. Ronin Warriors were a hard-disciplined lot who made Idoshians seem decadent by comparison. In battle, Ka-Ron had known the Ronin. They were not ones to be taken prisoner lightly.

< I'm going to pound this asshole's brains into pudding! >

Again, Echoheart's comments made Ka-Ron smile.

The Xow Leader took the innocent expression as a personal insult.

"Damn Idoshian scum!"

Bak, having heard his leader cry out in rage, turned his back toward Echoheart, focusing all his attention on Tak. By Xow standards, these two seemed quite attached and loyal to the other - if ever a Xow could be loyal, that is.

"I'm going to cut off your head and use it as a chamber pot!" Tak cursed.

"Honey, hush." Ka-Ron whispered, winking at the Xow.

Ka-Ron momentarily looked toward Echoheart. The horse was ready, paying close attention to his master. The knight shook his head in confirmation, ordering the horse to attack.

Bak never saw it coming.

Echoheart rose to his hind legs, yelling as loud and high as his voice would allow. This last caused Bak to turn and face him, bewildered. In Xow colonies, horses were as cattle were in civilized nations - food, nothing more. To have a horse as a companion or transportation were alien thoughts to a Xow.

This last helped Ka-Ron.

"Now, Echoheart!"

The horse pushed forward, allowing his front legs to land squarely onto Bak's ribs.

Bak fell backward, grabbing his chest. Ka-Ron could see that his horse had made its mark - two deep holes were visible, bleeding dark blood through Bak's cloak and vest.

Ka-Ron pulled his sword from its sheath.

The sword Ka-Ron carried was like no other. Thicker than most swords, his was destined never to break or chip. Made from an alloy which had fallen from the heavens, Ka-Ron's sword was forged by a master craftsman from the Borean Heights. The Boreans believed that in order to carry a sword, the man must accept that it must posses a part of his soul. So, Ka-Ron's sword was thicker than most, because it contained a hollow inner chamber, containing, per Borean legends, part of him. The outside of the blade was just as impressive.

Boreans also believed that to be killed by their swords was also an honor. Per the legends of the land, as a warrior died, what he saw would shape his afterlife. So it was the sacred duty of each and every Borean blade craftsman to make damn sure that as a victim died, he was heartily entertained.

The carving on the blade Ka-Ron held told the story of Ra-Tallah, a tradesman from the gold coast of Zabre. As one read the carvings from hilt to tip, Ra-Tallah was a rich nobleman who held the wealth and crowns of many lands. Still, in his wealth, he was alone. So, he called upon the compassion of his gods to help him find a mate. The figures all showed this in six pictographs - and that was just the right side.

On the left - Zabre was angered that such a nobleman as Ra-Tallah would turn his back on his people and lands. While on his journey, all of Ra-Tallah's possessions were taken and given to his rivals. His land was thrown into chaos. Ra-Tallah went through pains, ambush, and humiliations looking for his mate. He failed. Upon returning home, he discovered that those he had trusted had ruined him. Put in a community prison and left there to die, Ra-Tallah pleaded with his gods to end his life. He placed his head into his hands, crying. Deep in self-pity, he felt a soft hand came from nowhere, offering love where there had only been pain. Ra-Tallah found his true love. He lived the rest of his days a peasant, forever in view of his former castle. But he was a happy man.

Eight pictographs were on the sword's left, but in none of the story was the wife of Ra-Tallah mentioned by name, nor was she ever given a picture, other than her careworn hands placed gently upon Ra-Tallah's face. This last was left to the imagination of the sword's victim. For them to decide what manner of heaven to both take and name.

Ka-Ron loved his sword, and he was certain that it also loved him.

The Xow Leader attacked Ka-Ron with lightening speed. The knight was quite impressed with him, so, in honor of his skill and promise, he did not kill him right away.

Echoheart rested. His victim was of no danger.

Swords clashed, and Ka-Ron did his best to make sure that he was in command of the battle. His back was screaming in pain - quite possibly an aftereffect of his fall from his horse. Pushing the Xow Leader away from him, Ka-Ron hit the man with the handle of his weapon. This last caused the Xow's face to explode in a stream of blood, splashing into his eyes, blinding him momentarily.

Here was the knight's chance!

By pure instinct, Ka-Ron took his sword, positioning it the way his old masters had taught him, and started to spin his body counter-clockwise, like a madman seeking sanity.

The Xow cried out in terror, dropping both his sword and battle-ax.

< To the Gods! >

Echoheart tapped his forefoot in satisfaction.

The Xow Leader's head pivoted from its home, leaving the unfortunate man's body and thumping to the ground. It rolled several feet away, only being stopped by a stump of a rain tree, cut down seasons ago. Several insects were already starting to stake a claim on the head's bounty.

Ka-Ron's body shook with pain. He was again victorious.

< We still have business over here, Ka-Ron! >

The knight fought the pain growing in his back, and pulled himself up on his feet, with the help of his sword.

Ka-Ron had forgot, momentarily, about the other Xow.

Bak, the Xow who had wanted to roast Echoheart, held onto his wounded chest cavity, coughing up blood and phlegm. It was obvious to Ka-Ron that the man would not live unless he made it back to a Xow encampment.

"Mercy," Bak pleaded. Snot was dripping from the Xow's nose. Tasting the salty flavor of his own juices, the Xow's tongue started to lick away at the treat. The mere sight of this made Ka-Ron's stomach turn. "Mercy for me, brave knight."

"Why should I even consider it?" Ka-Ron's temper abated as he brought the tip of his sword to rest upon the surviving Xow's pulsing neck.

"Because!" the Xow pleaded.

To the Gods! Ka-Ron wished to kill this man. Who was he to think the world owed him a living? Who were the Xows to think that hard working, hard sacrificing, and hard hurt beings, doing nothing more than trying to earn their keep, owed anything to him? With one thrust of his sword, the knight could take this life. He would gain so much pleasure in the sound of a gurgling death and the spray of Xow blood upon his face. But, he could not abandon his oath: Never attack those who have surrendered unto you.

"Xow, if you have gods, pray to them this night."

The knight pulled his sword away from Bak's neck. The Xow started to laugh a surprised, arrogant laugh.

"I was put off by your attack."

"My hearts ache for you!"

"I demand a meal in compensation for the one you have taken from me this day, by not allowing me to kill your horse."

< To hell with this one! >

Ka-Ron held up a controlling hand. Echoheart calmed himself. The knight sheathed his sword.

"Go and inform your people of the deeds performed here this day." Ka-Ron instructed. "Tell them of your defeat."

"And who shall I say inconvenienced me?"

"Ka-Ron of Teal, Errant-Knight to the Kingdom of Idoshia."

The Xow jumped to his feet. How he was still able to live, the knight could not even begin to understand. However, it had been Ka-Ron's unfortunate experience to learn that social parasites always seemed to survive where nobility and honest endeavor seemed to fail. It was not magic, but, unfortunately, it was the way of the world.

"Ka-Ron," Bak repeated the name in astonishment.

"Be gone!" Ka-Ron barked.

Like a scared child threatened by a legendary bogey, Bak cried in terror as he thumped his way through the thick forest trunks. The trees themselves seemed to separate in contempt, giving the Xow a means and path to head home. A breeze seemed to follow the Xow, taking the reek of his presence with him as it passed.

< That was fun. >

"We are late, my friend." Ka-Ron approached his horse, rising again back into his saddle. "The King will not understand."

Both horse and knight again headed toward the direction of the town.

Ka-Ron&?

There was a cold wind, which seemed to come from out of nowhere and everywhere. It blew with a fierce aim. It had within its makeup the power of revenge. A revenge that the knight recognized but could not understand. It was a thought of hate. It was an act of forlorn agony.

It scared the hell out of him.

"Kym?" the knight said to himself, hearing the voice.

Ka-Ron turned Echoheart back in the direction from which he had come, back toward Kym's hut. Deep inside him, he had the urge to head back home. He had the desire to see Kym once more. There was a sense of danger - of desperate urgency.

"No," Ka-Ron shook his head, trying to disbelieve what his instincts told him were true. "This is all just in your mind, sir. Celebration is what you need. Distance and time will heal the woman's wounds."

With that, Ka-Ron and Echoheart went about their way.

CHAPTER THREE

Kym closed her eyes, fighting back the tears of agony. The bitter taste of the Nuvonean Hemlock was almost too much to take. To the Gods! Her throat felt as if it were on fire. The room started to spin. Quite suddenly, she discovered that her equilibrium was off, and she could no longer stand.

Ka-Ron&? She passionately prayed.

If her calculations were correct, it would not be long before her lovely man came into the room and saved her from her sacred act of sacrifice. A sacrifice she would be willing to make again and again, in order to win the love of her brave and noble knight.

"Ka-Ron, I need you," she whispered. Her voice was barely audible.

Waves of pain attacked at her chest. Breathing became almost impossible. Darkness prevailed.

Ka-Ron never came.

CHAPTER FOUR

Kai was as beautiful as she was powerful. Her charms were those given to a goddess, and just as dangerous. Scattered throughout her past were men who forgot that she was a Wicca Master. Broken hearts and damaged feelings were the legacy of her long years, for a witch could never fall in love - that would be her undoing. This did not mean that she did not enjoy the company of men. Men had their purpose. They served a vital function in the circle of life.

She rubbed the dust from her eyes, glad to be once more in Idoshia. Over the distant horizon, she could just make out the humble skyline of Teal, her home village. Home. The word had almost become alien to her.

There were problems in the Ronin Nation that required her attentions. The king wanted to attack Hispania, while Idoshia, her strongest ally was involved once again with the Xows. Although Kai held no interest in politics, for it was the inertia of fools, this could not be allowed - Hispania was a stabilizing influence in the region. And, it was the only nation, which contained the powerful element known as lamirite. This substance held within its mysteries the power to clean water so it would become drinkable.

The negotiations were hard, and took several months, but things finally went her way. Kai was able to bring peace, fragile as it always was, back to the region. She was also pleasantly surprised to discover that Idoshia was also, once more at peace.

There was an element, moving with the wind that concerned the Wicca Master. It seemed to change, growing darker, as she approached the city. Even her horse, Raven, could feel it. Raven, trained by her master, was an accomplished psychic in her own right.

< Something is&wrong. >

Kai swallowed hard. "I sense it, Raven."

The village of Teal held great joy in Kai's eyes. The world was changing. It was turning towards the magic of machines, drifting farther and farther away from her kind arts. Mankind was no more seeking the magic of the moment. The moment, instead, was being studied by man and then exploited for his own selfish betterment - no matter whom or what was damaged. Soon, Kai feared, her time and usefulness would be at an end.

Teal, however, seemed to be the only pocket of sanity left. Here, farmers prayed to nature, hoping for a better crop. Here, lovers used potions and charms to enhance the possibilities of happiness. Here, a hero could rise from nothingness, and not be burdened by politics or debts. Here, magic still reined.

The city held only one main street. Shops and stables lined the citadel, complimenting each side of the avenue with great care. Children played well in the many acres of grasslands and parks. A Town Barker could be seen on the Council Stump, a remnant of a gigantic rain tree, which had once towered above the city seasons ago. Now, it was used to express the will of kings and priests. This time, however, the Barker was just expressing the gratitude of the King, for his subjects had suffered hard in their last victory.

Kai drank this all in with great joy.

"Some things never change." she mused.

< Change is a constant in the universe. >

"It should not be, in some cases." Kai rebutted. She kicked Raven's sides, ordering the animal to quicken its pace.

Both turned off the path, away from Teal, toward her home.

The feeling loomed again. The fear. The...desperation!

Ka-Ron&?

Raven stopped. Something frightened the horse, and it started to rear back on its hind legs. For one of the few times, Kai could not understand what the animal was saying.

"To the Gods, Raven! What is it?"

A cold wind attacked the Wicca Master. Within its roar, the witch could hear the mental scream of her own blood. Kai's eyes turned toward her house. Her heart beat faster.

The home looked as ordered and as humble as it had when Kai left it long ago. Everything was as it should have been. The dust-tail broom was where she had placed it - next to her favorite motion chair. The drinking pond for the birdfish was still wet and inviting. The shingles on the roof, orange with mold, still needed to be repaired. All was comfortable. All gave signs of&home.

Still, Kai could not find the courage to get off her horse and enter.

The time had passed, and dusk was soon approaching. Kai dropped off her horse and headed for her home. Her heart was beating fast - she knew something was wrong.

Upon entering the house, the witch held her breath.

All appeared normal.

"Kym?"

She took off her coverings and entered the front meeting room. Her home had longed for her presence, and Kai felt that. She smiled. The house had missed her, and she was thankful for that, at least.

"Kym? It is your mother, child." Kai paused, looking toward the child's sleeping room. "Are you&up?"

There was a whiff of herb in the air. Kai picked up on that right away.

"No," Kai whispered.

Kai instinctively held her hands close to her hearts as she entered her child's room. Beyond the herb scent in the air, there was also the smell of a man. The Wicca Master controlled a proud smile - her daughter was growing up.

On the bed, in the middle of the room, lay Kym. Her eyes open, cold, and void of life. She was desperately staring off into some unknown void, glancing out her sleeping room door. Kym's right arm was stretched outward, hoping to embrace some unknown desire Kai could not

Kai dropped to her knees. Her legs no longer had the strength to hold her.

"I have been away too long." Kai cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

There was a bright light that the witch saw out of the corner of her eye. Kai turned her attentions to the floor at her daughter's hand.

A parchment.

A note!

To the Gods! I have erred in my judgment&

My exit from this world is near. I can no longer hold on&

I can no longer walk in a world where the one I love does not share the same desire. So, in the tradition of the Wicca Women, I have moved on, seeking the love of the gods, since men are untrustworthy.

To my mother I&

The message ended.

In her desperation, Kai flipped the parchment over, hoping that there was more on the opposite side. There was nothing. Kym had passed before she could finish her thoughts.

Next to Kym's left hip, Kai noticed the overturned bottle of ink. In her daughter's hand was a quill.

From the road, leading up to Kai's home, the air started to fill with the enraged screams of a mother in mourning. Raven, and all animals that could, ran in fear from the site. Trees, healthy and strong, began to wither and die. A river nearby dried up, killing all the fish. Dark clouds began to build and brood.

"Ka-Ron!" Kai screamed.

CHAPTER FIVE

Before Kai left her home for the last time, she had a chance to read through her daughter's journals. This was not a breach of privacy, as it would have been perceived in other parts of the world. In fact, it was an ancient Idoshian tradition, held in the highest regard. Journals fall apart and turn to dust, but if those who had loved put the last thoughts of an Idoshian to memory, immortality was certain. The last thing Kai wanted for her daughter was oblivion.

The pain was under control.

It was the rage Kai had to battle.

Kym had loved Ka-Ron deeply. Kai had become well aware of that. She had known Ka-Ron since he was a child. Kym and Ka-Ron had been inseparable as children. Where one would start, the other would certainly conclude. There was a special bond there that Kai had spotted, and had enhanced by casting the most powerful "friendship" spell she could muster.

This was all her fault.

Truer still, it was Ka-Ron's, as well.

The lights had been extinguished for three turns of the moons. This was also an Idoshian tradition. For in order for Kym's essence to be escorted to Tarshish, it had to be dark. In the darkness, the King of the Fairies would come and guide her daughter to the next life. Kym had been wrapped in the same tweed cloth she had been born upon - the circle of life was complete. One could not have a mortal end, unless her beginning surrounded them.

"Good morrows on your journey," Kai said, her shaky hand barely touching Kym's feet. "Fondly think of me, and be there upon my journey. I will seek your guidance when it comes my turn, little lamb."

Kym's face was covered with a glimmering veil - the same Kai had used to bewitch her father. Kai's father had also been a knight - an Errant from Hispania. Noble and dark. The spell was a hard one, causing memory loss after the copulation.

All for naught.

"Ka-Ron will...pay." Kai vowed.

It did not take long for the fire to spread.

Kai left her home, using it as a chariot for her daughter's release from the mortal world. Heat blew upon her face, evaporating Kai's tears before they reached her cheeks. A clattering of wood soon caused the humble roof of her home to collapse.

< It is done? >

Kai turned to see Raven standing, head bowed, behind her. The witch was touched, noticing tear tracks in the horse's eyes. Raven had also lost a family member.

"It is done." Kai responded, turning to pat Raven on her nose.

The horse desperately moved closer, wanting to comfort her master.

"Her spirit has risen."

Raven tapped the ground with her right front hoof in approval.

"We are going to town."

< What is there to do? >

Kai stepped up on her saddle, righting herself. She paused, thinking for a long time before she spoke again.

"Revenge, I should think."

The fires of her home began to die. There was no sadness. Kai knew that she would not be returning. In her travels, she started to ponder up an appropriate spell worthy of Ka-Ron's crime.

CHAPTER SIX

Jatel was known for being the finest squire in all of Idoshia. His family had come from an honorable house, which had fallen after a civil war in the nation of Illium. An ancestor of Jatel's had sought shelter in a barn, which had belonged to Ka-Ron's father's father. Seeing that Jatel's house had fallen, and that there was no hope of its rise again, Ka-Ron's patriarch accepted Jatel's blood into that of his own. As a matter of honor, Jatel's house swore complete allegiance.

He was a humble man, which was quite uncommon with most squires. There was no arrogance about who he was, his station in life, nor was there ignorance. Jatel knew his place, and never in his services did he cross that particular line. He had short, dirty-blonde hair, puffy cheeks, and was slightly overweight. Woman really never paid attention to him, for he was cursed with an awful case of commonality. He was far too pleasant a fellow for the ordinary barmaid to consider him sexually.

Still, there was no truer friend if you were a damsel in distress. He was attentive and always willing to help. The one factor of attraction in his favor was his eyes. The rare encounters he had with the fairer sex were because of his bright blue eyes. Blue eyes were practically unheard of! Get a woman drunk, sit her in front of Jatel, and she would gaze into his calm blue eyes until doomsday. It was his gift. It was also his curse.

He was busy polishing Ka-Ron's saddle. Although Echoheart was resting in the king's barn, Jatel knew that his master would require an honest attempt from his squire, to help maintain his professional "gleam."

The barn was particularly comfortable, for a barn. Huge in scope, it was the largest stable Jatel had ever encountered on his travels, and he had been halfway around the globe. Wherever Ka-Ron had traveled, in whatever war, Jatel was there at his side. He had often mused, would the women who called him "sweet" and "kind" be surprised that he intimately knew the horrors of war? Would they gasp in surprise to learn that his hands were just as bloodied as his master's?

It didn't matter.

He was still&alone.

Echoheart mumbled something, but Jatel could not understand what the beast was saying. He had tried to learn the language of the horses, but true to his Illium heritage, he was tone deaf. One needed tone if he were to understand the horse.

"I know! I know!" Jatel said, smiling at the horse. "Your master has been away far too long. He should be here soon. The suns are setting."

In truth, Echoheart was hungry, and had just wanted an apple.

The sounds of happy couples could be heard through the walls of the barn. Jatel's steady hand stopped his polishing. He turned his attentions in the direction of the joyful sounds. He closed his eyes, dreaming.

The women of Idoshia were indeed more alluring than those of his home fields could ever be. Their laughter was the breath of angels. Their touch was heaven's ecstasy.

"Sometimes I wonder why the gods allow me to live, Echoheart."

Echoheart grumbled in his frustrated isolation, glaring at a bucket, far from reach, full of apples.

"How I dream of the day when I become a noble knight, such as my master," Jatel mused, leaning against Echoheart. He started to brush the horse's back, momentarily making the horse forget his hunger. "On that day, I will stand with Ka-Ron as an equal, and we will win the day. Oh, for the gods, I hope for that day to be soon!"

The giggles of the passing maidens continued to haunt the squire. He was a lonely man. Lonely to the point of pain. Unlike Ka-Ron, who only had to grasp and a woman was at hand, Jatel's singularity had been years in the making. Jatel had reached an age where the appeal of being home, having a wife at his side and love in his bed was not a frightening one. However, Jatel had sacrificed a lot to be where he was. There were no regrets, but there was the cold reality of the lonely night.

"For the Gods, I need a woman's counsel," Jatel whispered.

There was a stirring in the barn.

The squire was not alone.

***

Kai had been watching Jatel, and studying. She felt sorrow for him, because she knew that his talking with Echoheart about his lonely situations, was an honest one. So honest, in fact, that she felt a hint of embarrassment. This was too private a matter to fall victim to eavesdropping.

Upon seeing Kai in the light, Jatel straightened himself, bowing respectfully. "I beg pardon, my lady. I did not see you enter."

"Please," Kai placed her hand out in friendship. "I mean you no discomfort. Continue with your duties."

"I am caring for my master's horse."

The kind openness of this simple man was enough to make Kai giggle. Never in disrespect - for this kind of man was a jewel of escape to any troubled female intelligent enough to treasure his sort. She searched the man for any sign of guilt - guilt connected with her daughter's death. There was none. This man was nowhere near Kym when she and Ka-Ron had coupled. His actions were like him - innocent.

"My lady?" Jatel inquired, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Sir?"

"Are you troubled?"

Kai cleared her throat. "Where is your master?"

Jatel pointed in the direction of the town coliseum. His chest swelled with pride.

"My master entertains our king." Jatel paused, turning to the attractive woman with concern. "My lady is Idoshian, is she not?"

"She is."

"I thought as much."

"Really?" Kai asked. Her brow arched with curiosity. "How did you know?"

Jatel's stare shifted down to his shoes. He was clearly embarrassed.

"Come now," Kai said. "It cannot be all that bad."

"It is not."

Kai moved in closer. Echoheart started to stir in his stable. The Wicca Master gave the horse a hard stare. Could the beast be sensing her true intentions?

"Then, tell me, how did you know of my origins?"

"From your beauty, my lady."

A flush invaded Kai's features. Anger momentarily left the field of battle, to be replaced with genuine female amazement.

"My&beauty?" Kai repeated.

Awkwardness took over Jatel's calm exterior, causing him to retreat next to Echoheart and continue with his duties. The squire started to polish Ka-Ron's saddle once more.

Kai gazed at the squire as a woman would, trying her best to size up a man. He was alone. As solitary as misery could make one. Given better circumstances, this squire could have been a lovely distraction. Kai could cast a spell, allow this find to love her, and they could get lost in lust together. Both would have a wonderful adventure, and both would have enough stored memories never to be lonely again. But that was never to be.

"I will find use for you, kind sir," Kai said, smirking.

"My lady?" Jatel asked, confused.

"In time, squire. In time." Kai directed Jatel's attentions once more in the direction he had pointed, towards the coliseum. "What of your master?"

"Oh, I beg forgiveness."

"No matter."

"My master, Ka-Ron of Teal, has been the light of triumph all day today."

"Indeed?"

"True, my lady." Jatel stopped his polishing. "He has won most of the jousting, and had conquered the jaws of a hungry lion."

"A lion?"

"True!" Jatel's face glowed with pride. He shook his head with the honesty only seen in the eyes of a child. "The lion had not been fed in days. That was the glory of the fight. If the lion had won, his reward was a feast."

"And what would Ka-Ron, your master, win?"

"A kiss from our Queen."

An awkward pause seemed to separate the two.

"And, did your master succeed?"

"He truly did!"

Kai smiled, "You love your master?"

Jatel's expressions turned puzzled. "Ka-Ron has given me a life filled with honor and adventure. Without him, I would have been nothing but a town joke, or worse! Indeed, my lady, I care deeply for him."

Kai flashed the squire an evil grin. "That is good. This shall work out quite well for the two of you, I think."

"My lady?"

"In time, squire. I promise."

Echoheart began to tremble in fear. This last statement was not beyond Jatel's sense to comprehend. Something was wrong. As of yet, the squire could not tell what. Yet again, he wished he could understand the language of the horse.

For an instant, Jatel had looked away from the lovely lady to calm Echoheart.

"My lady, please, forgive this horse. He&"

"I shall return, dear squire."

A breeze swept through the barn.

"My lady?"

Jatel found to his amazement, that he was once more, alone in the barn.

He returned to his duties.

***

"Jatel! Some drink for me."

Ka-Ron entered the barn sweating like a guilty man at temple. He had had a wonderful jousting and had returned with the honor of obtaining a kiss from his Queen. The King, proud of his knight, gave Ka-Ron a golden staff of triumph and an honorable rest. Idoshia was at peace, and it was time for Ka-Ron to enjoy it. Although he would do his part to accept the king's honor, he knew from experience that peace rarely lives up to the expectations of others. Sooner or later - quite possibly, sooner - someone would challenge the ways of nations, and another war would loom its head over Idoshia's people. Ka-Ron would practice, and he would be ready.

Jatel had obtained a barrel of spicy beer during the tournament. Years of service had caused the squire to know that once his master was finished for the day, he would be thirsty. Before Ka-Ron had taken off his helmet, Jatel was there, holding up a mug.

"Ah, good!" Ka-Ron said, beaming. He took the mug of beer with a nod of gratitude. "You are a wonder, my dear friend."

Jatel bowed, taking three steps back.

Ka-Ron, drinking his beer, noticed Jatel's actions. Once more, the Errant-Knight found his beer both pleasing and bitter. In his mind and in his actions, Ka-Ron considered Jatel his equal. Indeed, he considered the man his closest friend. Several times, his squire had saved his life. He, in turn, had repaid that debt by saving Jatel's.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron said, lowering his mug. The knight had drunk his beer too fast, and tried to combat an approaching burp. He failed. "You need not take steps back. We are brothers, you and I. Have we not seen the fear of combat together?"

"Yes, master."

"And stop addressing me as master!"

Echoheart started to become jumpy, hearing the voice of his owner's rising in anger.

"I am who I am, sire." Jatel tried to explain. "Could you stop being a knight?"

"No," Ka-Ron's features turned solemn. "I suppose not."

Jatel returned to his duties. Finished with Echoheart's saddle, he started to repack their supplies. This time, he would be at Ka-Ron's side in case the Xows decided to seek revenge for the knight's action earlier in the day. Jatel suspected that no action would be taken, for the Xows were not loyal to one another, but there were exceptions.

"Kind squire," Jatel heard the whisper behind him.

Startled, the servant dropped a looking glass. He turned, noticing once more the seductive features of his mysterious female visitor.

"My lady!" Jatel fumbled, stuck between wanting to show respect to his visitor, and picking up his master's looking glass.

Kai moved from the shadows, beaming a kind smile to her startled admirer. "Apologies for my not letting you know that I was still here. I wished so much to meet your master, Ka-Ron."

Jatel shook his head in understanding.

"He is here, my lady."

Kai turned, glancing at Ka-Ron. She let out a gasp of surprise. She had known the Errant-Knight since he was a boy. In the pleasant eyes of her mind's past, Ka-Ron was an innocent, who never seemed to separate what he could eat from what he could not. There were times, when the Wicca Master had to explain to Ka-Ron, the child, that no matter how hungry he was, he could not eat mud or tree bark. Now, however, Ka-Ron had changed. As a woman, she could see and understand why Kym had allowed her hearts to be conquered. Ka-Ron had become as handsome as he was considered brave.

"He seems to be a walking vision of both strength and beauty," Kai mused.

Jatel let out a tired sigh.

This last caught the attention of his guest.

"What pains thee, squire?"

Jatel waved his hand in the air, silently.

"I insist you inform me."

"My lady did not visit to hear my sorrows."

Kai placed a hand on Jatel's shoulder, facing him. "I am a woman of the Wicca. I shall help and learn from you. So, please, educate me."

"I am at the mid-point of my expected life, my lady. I saw the way you marvel at the sight of my master, and it brings the point of the matter close to heart."

"I did not mean you any disrespect, squire." Kai pointed out.

"This I know, my lady." Jatel stated, holding back the pain in his voice. "I am ordinary. I am worth ignoring. This is not disrespect; it is just the way of the world. I am lonely. I seek a mate - a woman who could love me for&just me. I am a failure in love's arena, and it is a bitter pill to swallow."

Kai's face brightened with revelation. Jatel did not understand the sudden burst, but, to his credit he was both respectful and all attention.

"I have found a solution, dear squire." Kai stated, controlling the formation of an evil smile. "I will help thee."

"How, my lady?" Jatel's voice dripped with sarcasm. "I am a squire."

"We learn by doing."

"I wish we could."

Jatel turned away from Kai, picking up the looking glass he had dropped. To his relief, the thing did not break.

Kai saw her chance. She reached in her robe's pocket, pulling out a pair of hair snippers. With lightning reflexes, she clipped off a piece of the squire's hair.

"Lady?" Jatel said, reaching for his hair in surprise.

"Be careful of idle wishes, squire." Kai warned, placing both snippers and Jatel's hair in her spell pouch. "When they come true, most are not prepared to handle them."

"I will bid you a good night, my lady." Jatel said, securing his master's gear. "I seem to be growing tired of playing host today."

Kai said nothing. Her invasion had been complete.

The squire left the barn, nodding silently towards his master. Ka-Ron seemed to treat his servants with equality. This last seemed to cause Kai's rage to grow. How dare he care so much for those he employs than for those he loves.

The time had come.

***

Kai approached Ka-Ron, who was busy eating his dinner. Before he had retired for the night, Jatel had provided his master with a fine roasted hawk. Vegetables, rose melons, and steamed bread garnished the meal, which was topped off with a barrel of wine. The Wicca Master needed some of the knight's hair, and she had to get it when his guard was down. Although powerful, she respected Ka-Ron's skill, knowing full well that he had the ability to kill her if he wanted to.

With her hands shaking, both out of fear and rage, Kai reached into her spell pouch and pulled out her hair snippers. Everything became a blur as she darted toward Ka-Ron's beautiful long blonde hair and snipped off a tiny portion.

The sensation did not escape the knight.

"Hey?" Ka-Ron stopped his eating, rising. His face was a cross between anger and confusion. "What manner of solicitation is this?"

Kai bowed low, trying to hide her face.

She was not successful.

"Kai?" Ka-Ron beamed. "Is that you?"

Kai cleared her throat, blinking her eyes sharply. She would have preferred to wage war with the Errant-Knight on equal terms - where it would both shock and hurt at their zeniths. But, sometimes, one cannot pick where war will break out.

"It is I." Kai stated, rising. She gave the knight her warmest, if not the best controlled smile.

"It does my hearts good to see you, my lady!"

Ka-Ron did something Kai had not expected. He hugged her. His massive arms enveloped and crushed her towards his ribs with heartfelt warmth. This made her anger grow even more. Damn! The nerve of the man.

"You have&grown." was all Kai could bring herself to say.

"Thanks to your kind wisdom." Ka-Ron added. "Come! Sit! Tell me of your adventures in the world." He offered her some of his meal. Kai kindly refused.

Ka-Ron did not see the Wicca Master place his hair in her spell pouch. Nor did he seem to care. The knight loved this woman, as one would cherish his mother.

"I have just arrived home." Kai said, warming her hands by the fire.

"I too! From a wondrous battle. Peace has been our victory."

"I have come to finally teach my daughter the ways of the Wicca." Kai shot Ka-Ron a hard, controlled, stare.

In the stable, nearby, Echoheart started to become restless.

Ka-Ron's face fell. He started to escape by glancing into the fire.

"My lady, I have brought shame to your house."

"How so?"

The Errant-Knight buried his face into his hands. This was agony to him. How could he tell the woman, who had practically raised him, that he had broken her daughter's hearts? This was not the way to repay a home, which gave him shelter after his parents had died. This was, perhaps, the hardest thing Ka-Ron ever had to do.

"There is a matter with your&daughter." Ka-Ron began to explain.

"Kym?"

"Yes. I have broken her hearts." Ka-Ron paused. "This was not my intention."

"You&used her?"

Ka-Ron's eyes filled with both shock and insult. His body language made his horse react.

"To the Gods! I did not!" Ka-Ron rose, towering over Kai. Instinctively, his hand reached for the hilt of his sword. "I&misunderstood."

Kai placed her hands in the hip pockets of her skirt. She was becoming so enraged that she had started to shake. She wanted to hear everything from Ka-Ron's point of view, knowing that the effect from a male's egocentric perspective would help the spell, later on.

"Please, sit." Kai instructed.

< Do not trust this one! >

Kai shot an evil glance toward the horse. A mysterious force seeped from the borders of Echoheart's stable, surrounding the creature. With one last gasp of air, the horse was rendered silent. In Ka-Ron's perspective, his horse was just grumbling, falling asleep.

"Explain the reason for your misunderstanding." Kai's voice was almost an order.

Ka-Ron's features turned soft. His eyes could not seem to look up from the fire.

"After I returned to Teal, I stopped by your family's ale bar. It was a familiar place - one of pleasant memories. I had seen enough of war, even with the Xows." Ka-Ron paused. "I wanted a sense of home."

"Funny way of showing it!" Kai's rage was losing its control.

Ka-Ron's features changed. He studied Kai's face. "What has happened?"

Kai's body began to shake. She glared up at the knight, trembling. Without warning, the Wicca Master began to scream, wail, and cry uncontrollably. Her feet began to pound the ground, and she lashed out at Ka-Ron in vengeance.

The knight was beyond words.

All he could do was allow the woman to attack.

"What has happened, my lady?" Ka-Ron's voice became softer, almost a whisper.

"Kym is&dead."

Shocked, Ka-Ron let go of Kai, backing off.

"You lie!" the knight shouted. Ka-Ron's eyes began to tear.

Kai fell to the ground, looking up. "She&is&dead."

Ka-Ron froze, trying to make some sense out of the madness he was hearing. He had wanted to turn back. He had wanted to go to Kym's embraces and take away the pain he had caused. He had wanted to visit with her and make right what had been wronged. But, he shook it all away - the guilt was all in his head. Or, that is what he had thought.

"She called to me, and I ignored her."

Kai gawked at Ka-Ron not believing what she was hearing.

"You&heard her?"

"A voice in the wind, my lady." Ka-Ron explained. "I had thought I was hearing things. I had left Kym alone, and she had been quite upset with me."

"You ignored a soul call?"

Kai approach the fire and started to open her spell pouch.

"Oh, you will pay, knight."

Ka-Ron's hand instinctively went for the hilt of his sword. He stood, holding out a warning hand. "Kai, please, do not make me an enemy of yours. I would not have the hearts to strike."

"I will!" Kai shouted.

The Wicca Master pulled out the strands of hair she had taken from both Ka-Ron and Jatel. Weaving them together, she made them one. Ka-Ron could see that the woman was praying over her actions.

"Woman, I am warning you!" Ka-Ron started to pull out his sword.

Kai paid the knight's threat no head. She was working on primal emotions - those of a mother in mourning for the life of her child. In her left skirt pocket, she removed a knife. It was small, almost dagger-like. Its blade was made of a black alloy Ka-Ron could not identify. It was ancient, and it had carving on both sides: Wicca symbols of the highest order.

"No, Ka-Ron, I will&educate&you!"

At lightening speed, Kai cut the palm of her hands, throwing the knife and the intertwined strands of hair into the blue tongues of the fire. As her hand gushed out a trickling stream of blood, she added her substance to the flames, turning them an unusual color of reddish-orange. Never had the knight seen a fire of crimson red - it was just unheard of!

"To the Gods!" Ka-Ron whispered in fear. He took his sword and aimed it at Kai's head. The mad woman had to be stopped.

"I shall take from you that which you hold quite dear," Kai started to say. Her voice vibrated with both pain and vengeance. "No more will you break the hearts of womankind. Their burdens you will share."

Ka-Ron let out a battle roar. He raised his sword. His aim was sure, and he intended to strike.

Kai turned her hands out toward the advancing knight, splashing blood all over him. Her curses were fast. Her magic was swift.

The knight could not understand what was happening to him. He suddenly discovered that he had lost the ability to walk, let alone run. Every muscle in his body rebelled and cried out in pain. The scream he heard echoing through his mind was his, and as he dropped his sword, he became aware of the fact that his body armor was falling off of him in pieces.

"I shall enjoy this." Kai giggled, insane.

It was the last thing Ka-Ron heard before he passed out.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Ka-Ron woke to find himself resting on the stable floor. His muscles ached with a misery he had never encountered; accept for those rare occasions when combat had taken a turn for the worse. There was a slight feeling of awkwardness, as he noticed a strange weight pushing down on his ribcage. He thought that perhaps he was coming down with a cough.

His body armor lay around him, cast aside in many pieces. Ka-Ron soon remembered his encounter with Kai, Kym's mother, and town Wicca Master. He remembered her informing him that his lifelong friend and companion had taken her own life. He remembered the pain of loss.

"Oh, my Kym," he whispered.

A hand went to his mouth.

Something was terribly wrong.

The knight noticed his hands. They were small, soft, and not even close to belonging to a man. Long fingernails, painted a rose pink, wiggled at the end of his digits.

"What the hell?"

Ka-Ron rose from the ground, inspecting his new clothing. To his horror, the man was wearing a dress. And, he was wearing it quite well!

"What the hell!" the knight repeated.

Panic flashing in his mind, the knight remembered that he had been trying to stop Kai from successfully casting a spell against him the night before. He inspected the ground at his feet. There were no signs of blood. He noticed his sword lying on the ground. His blade was clean.

Ka-Ron looked at his feet. Both were poking out from the hem of a skirt. He was wearing dress shoes - woman's shoes!

"To the Gods!" Ka-Ron cried. From deep inside him, he heard the voice of a fair maiden. "What has happened to me?"

The knight rushed over to his traveling mirror. It was kept by his bunk, which was next to his horse.

The reflection looking back at the knight was not that of his own. Ka-Ron's confused eyes gazed at the image of one of the most beautiful and desirable woman he had ever seen! Black, shoulder length hair, full lips, blue eyes, fair skin, childbearing hips of the most seductive and full luxurious breasts. He was a vision of femininity.

"Please, my lady, do not be me looking back through the mirror," Ka-Ron pleaded.

The knight paused, noticing that it was his lips moving to the cadence of his speech. Again, his hand went to his mouth in surprise. He could not believe that Kai would have been so cruel.

"I am&a&woman." Ka-Ron said after several beats of silence.

The knight's body began to shake uncontrollably. His hands started to caress his stomach, and Ka-Ron was doing it against his own will. It was as if his body had a mind of its own. His eyes widened as he tried to stop himself but couldn't.

New sensations - sensations he had never encountered before - began to flood his mind. Two immediate emotions caused his actions to quicken. A warm heat invaded his stomach, causing an aching between his legs. Wetness invaded his world. The knight soon discovered that he had lost his center of gravity. In trying to walk, his legs seemed longer, functioning differently - unusual compared to the way he was accustomed to using them. Second, there was a tingling feeling coming from his chest and nipples.

"Aaaahhhh!" Ka-Ron moaned, startled at the outburst.

He placed his hands on his new female breasts. They were certainly ample. Any man would have killed for the pleasure of holding them. But, these were his breasts! This was real. This was not a dream. As much as the knight had wished he was imagining the whole affair, he was not.

The breasts began to swell, slightly.

"So&good." he cooed. He glanced down at his chest, silently admiring the huge breasts his hands were exploring. They were almost the size of a man's head. Ka-Ron marveled at just how perfect they were.

A shock shot up his legs, causing him to move in a spasm of some sort. There was a tightening of muscles at the bottom of his stomach. A desire to maintain that spasm ensued. Ka-Ron's hands started to twist his nipples.

His eyes rolled back into his head, and turned white.

Ka-Ron of Teal, Errant-Knight to the kingdom of Idoshia fell and passed out upon her bunk.

She had just experienced her first multiple orgasm.

CHAPTER EIGHT

Ka-Ron woke from a deep sleep, sighing with relief. With the suns shining in her eyes, smelling the familiar and fresh fragrances of a stable, the knight was certain that what she had experienced was a nightmare - just a silly dream. She was in her bunk, covered with a bearskin blanket, and silently laughing.

The laughing stopped when she had an itch on her chest and reached up to scratch it.

"Oh, no," she moaned miserably. "To the gods, no."

Again, as if by remote command, her hands came to life, grabbing each of her breasts. Her mind became flooded with pleasures and senses to which she was quite alien. A delightful and sinful sneer formed on her countenance, as she began to play with her chest. It had never occurred to the knight that a woman received so much pleasure from the simple act of contact. The nipples of her newfound femininity became incredibly sensual. By simply touching them, she caused waves of heat to explode down her body and end at her toes. Her tongue started to itch with curiosity. What it would feel like to place one of her pink, hard, nipples into her mouth?

"What has happened to me?" she whispered, terrified.

It did not take long for her body to react to her thoughts, which also seemed to have a command beyond her own. Sweet feelings of cold shivers spread up and down her back, as she placed a nipple in her mouth, sucking on her breast like a hungry child. Her hips began to swing side to side, rocking the bunk. A wetness that she seemed to fall in love with exploded between her legs, and she started to feel some of the spasms, which had caused her to lose consciousness before.

"I can't stop!" she cried. "Someone, please, help me!"

Ka-Ron let out an uncontrollable moan, as one of her hands left her breasts and probed down towards her womanhood. As a man, the knight knew how to stimulate a female in his love arena. But as a woman: Ka-Ron's knowledge of arousal was elementary at best. However, she was enjoying herself expertly. Someone else had to be guiding her. It had to be Kai.

"Kai," Ka-Ron pleaded. "End this. To the gods, woman, I loved your daughter."

Rational thought seemed to escape the knight's head. She raised her skirt and spread her legs, allowing intimate invasion. She cried out in rapture, experiencing the waves of warmth mixed with an almost poetic pain. Ka-Ron was a woman now, but she was also a virgin. Of course she was! She had never known a man.

The pleasure was almost maddening! One finger, then two. She spread her legs out more, causing the skirt of her dress to rise. Her legs were free, and her womanhood was visible to any that happened to walk into the barn.

"Stop! Stop! St&" Ka-Ron's words sank to the boundaries of her bunk. She paid attention to the subtle up-and-down motioning of her hand, not realizing that the other was pleasuring her by stimulating her breasts. "Faster!" she found herself whispering. "Faster!"

Echoheart, speechless for the only time in his life, stood gawking at the strange woman in his master's bed. If the King himself had handed the horse an apple, he would have been too dumbfounded to take it.

The barn filled with the sounds of a woman's love-screams.

***

When Jatel woke, he was pleased to find a new sword and a basket of rare fruits and oils waiting for him in his room. These last were compliments from the King! The ruler of Idoshia had just wanted to make sure that the squire of his bravest knight had not felt left out of yesterday's celebrations. A proxy of the King had been sent to present his best wishes to Jatel, thanking him for both his services and his sacrifices. The King was indeed a noble leader, to have taken the time to recognize such a humble subject of his kingdom. Jatel wasn't even Idoshian! To help add to the occasion, the innkeeper was so moved by Jatel's honor that he added to it, by providing the squire with five bottles of his most-prized wines! Jatel's vision was blurry, at best, due to his celebrating. Honor was rare in a world judged solely by the moment.

The suns attacked the squire with the force of a Xow invasion. Jatel covered his bloodshot eyes, battling the hangover as he ventured towards the barn. It was to be an ordinary day. A day of rest.

Or, so the squire had thought.

In truth, after this day, his life would change forever.

His ears picked up the sounds of a woman screaming. The sounds were coming from the barn.

Upon entering the stable, the squire's attention was drawn to his master's bunk. It was from the bunk that he discovered the origin of the woman's screams.

The woman was the most beautiful thing Jatel had ever laid his eyes upon. His hearts skipped a beat as he admired the woman's charms, for lack of better words. For it would be hard for any normal man not to admire a female, who, upon first glance, was spread-eagled on their master's bunk, half-naked, pleasuring herself. The woman, too involved in her rapture, was also playing with her breasts, and was paying Jatel no mind.

"Someone, please&" the woman begged, closing her eyes as if she were in prayer.

As the woman opened her eyes, they, in their desperation, made contact with Jatel's.

Then, it happened!

Jatel could not begin to understand the feelings that welled up in him, but they were good feelings - that he knew. The woman's eyes were complex, deep, and a lovely blue. She was Idoshian, of that, he was quite sure. The woman's attention was concentrated on him. Her glance was both pleading and kind.

Her hands left both breasts and intimate explorations, to exhibit surprise and cover-up. She bolted out of the bunk with such a start that her breasts both wobbled and heaved from side to side. From the Gods! She was a vision to ignite even a dead man's lust!

"Jatel, thanks be that you are here!" the strange woman said.

The young man was taken aback, and became quite concerned at the fact that the woman knew him by name. Now, Jatel had become quite lively with celebration the night before, but never in his days had he ever been cursed enough - or, lucky enough - to forget an encounter with such an enchantress.

The woman moved closer.

Jatel's nostrils filled with the woman's scent. She was heaven on two feet. Sweet flowers of the most fair sort invaded his senses. Perspiration started to form on the palms of his hands as he tried his best to avoid eye contact. Instead, his line of sight fell upon the woman's huge chest - breasts barely able to keep their ample real estate within the confines of her simple dress. With one swift inhalation, she would burst forth, becoming a welcome sight to any hungry babe or lonely male.

"My lady," the squire said, bowing. "If we have met, please, forgive my sudden ignorance, but I&"

"My lady?" the woman huffed, containing what sounded like an ironic giggle. "Is that how you address your master?"

"Huh?" Jatel said, controlling himself as quickly as he had said the word.

"Jatel, it is I&Ka-Ron."

"What?"

"I have been placed under a witch's spell." Ka-Ron softly grabbed her breasts, squeezing and then lifting each one separately. She let out a controlled sigh of delight. "A spell of the worse order."

"What manner of madness is this that I am hearing?" Jatel demanded. He looked around the barn, noticing that his master's body armor was scattered all over the ground. "Why would any witch want to do such a thing to Ka-Ron, my master and commander?"

"Because of Kym." Ka-Ron softly said. Her face lowered so that her chin rested on her bosom. Jatel thought he saw the beginning of tears coming from the woman's eyes. "Kym, my young love, is dead."

"Dead?"

"She took her own life, because I was not brave enough to take her love."

"Ka-Ron?" Jatel glared at the female in front of him.

"Jatel, I&"

Ka-Ron stopped. She froze for several seconds, doing nothing more than stare at her squire.

"I find this all too amazing and unusual to believe, young lady." Jatel stated. He ventured deeper into the barn, and picked up Ka-Ron's body armor. After placing all in a concentrated pile at the foot of Ka-Ron's bunk, he turned his attentions towards his master's sword.

Ka-Ron, standing, noticed her clothing for the first time, in great detail. She was wearing a common woven dress - Kym's favorite. It was a gray weave, with bright blue borders at the bosom and a white apron tied at the waist, accenting the front of her skirt. And, the dress was tight. Too tight.

"If you are my master, why would you leave your sword out in the open? Out where the elements could attack it?" Carefully, Jatel placed the blade back into its sheath. The squire placed the sword next to Ka-Ron's body armor.

"I have been somewhat&occupied, Jatel," Ka-Ron barked, looking down at her armor sadly. "Besides, I am currently too small to wear any of this, and I am quite sure that I would not have the strength - being that I am now a woman."

Ka-Ron noticed that her breasts were pushing hard against the buttons of her dress, and could, at any moment, pop the front open. Her legs were too long for the skirt she was wearing, and would become beacons for any man that would happen to glance her way. Upon walking, she noticed that the center of her gravity had changed, and that she wobbled every now and then, being not quite comfortable with the manner in which her hips seemed to wiggle. This bothered her very much, considering that she soon discovered that she had a rather round and gifted ass!

"I find myself in an awkward position of requiring your services, during this little mishap of mine, Jatel," Ka-Ron said, placing her hands on her ass and rubbing it. A flush made her cheeks turn crimson. "It is amazing how sensitive a woman's body is."

Jatel soon noticed that the woman claiming to be his master had moved dangerously close to him. The squire also noticed that she was breathing heavily, and that her nipples were poking out visibly. She had glanced down at his manhood, and had noticed that her closeness soon caused him to become greatly excited. And, he was!

"Jatel, I am not in control of myself."

"The&spell?"

Ka-Ron nodded her head. Her long bangs fell down, covering up one of her eyes. Her full lips were soon wet, being licked several times by the woman's welcoming tongue. A sweet odor came from her mouth, making Jatel's mind go dangerously blank. All he could hear was the sound of his hearts beating in his head.

Ka-Ron moved in closer. Both she and the squire paused, as their lips made contact. Instinctively, Jatel's hands wrapped around Ka-Ron's waist.

"I remember!" Jatel blurted out.

Ka-Ron's lips opened upon Jatel's. Her eyes seemed to be focused on only one thing. "Remember&what?"

"There was a woman here in the stables last night, after your games. She cut off some of my hair, disappearing after your arrival."

"Your hair?" Ka-Ron whispered. Her hands started to rub Jatel's back, pulling him closer. Logic tried to turn its wheels in her mind, adding up all the details, but honestly, all that she could think of was how wonderful Jatel's body felt against hers. Her breasts smashed up against his chest. To the Gods! She was so wet.

Jatel was not alien to strange feelings himself. Since he had first looked at the woman claiming to be Ka-Ron, he could not seem to make eye contact with her. Try as he might, his fears made him avert contact. As she seemed to move closer towards him, a hunger built inside. He was trying his best to keep from gaining an erection, but to no avail. Ka-Ron had become a pure vision of feminine and erotic excitement. No man would have been able to resist her charms.

"Master, I&" Jatel had started to say.

Ka-Ron's response towards Jatel's fear was surprising to her. Normally, she would laugh at his clumsy ways when around a female, but she was now the female. She could feel his sex throbbing through his pants, and wanted nothing more than to continue pressing against him. Still, another part of her mind was repulsed towards these feelings, and wanted to push him away and beat the bastard to death.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron whispered. Her face was an inch away from the squire's. She licked her lips. Her gaze never seemed to leave those of Jatel's blue eyes. She felt funny. She was short of breath. Her face started to feel warm. She was extremely nervous. Her breasts began to swell, slightly. She started to feel a wet trickle drip between her legs. She bit her bottom lip and found herself letting out a sorrowful moan.

Jatel seemed to sense a war raging in the eyes of his master. Ka-Ron seemed to be fighting the strange female urges growing inside of her, but, unlike his experience of most wars, Ka-Ron was losing this one. Her enemy was more powerful and indeed more ingenious. Her breathing became more excited, and the squire's hunger to "know" her grew as well.

Little did the squire know that he was as much a victim as Ka-Ron.

"Take me," Ka-Ron whispered, kissing Jatel.

"Wha&" The squire's comment was cut off abruptly by Ka-Ron's attack. Her full lips locked onto his, and as soon as he felt the full warmth of her invasion, his lips parted, his mouth opened, Ka-Ron's tongue entered, and both his and his master's embrace became as one. Quite comically, Jatel waved his hands into the air, not really knowing what he could do and could not do. After all, the man was kissing the most beautiful woman he had ever known - and one that used to be a man!

Ka-Ron's mind was a whirlpool of heat and frantic emotion. A certain hunger grew inside of her, as both she and Jatel exchanged tasty fluids, sweet and mysterious. Her body quivered as the squire's hands left their clumsy flight, landing squarely onto her ass. As if an invisible button had been pushed, she arched her lower back, allowing Jatel's hands to do their work. Several times, she had to pull away from her kiss in order to catch her breath. Another thing Ka-Ron soon discovered about being a woman - orgasms were plenty! Sex was not needed for a woman fully to enjoy her doings. The brave knight, fully clothed, knew that she would soon have to obtain new, clean, undergarments as soon as possible.

From the corner of their shared vision, both Ka-Ron and Jatel headed toward the bunk.

"Master, I&" Jatel tried to say. He clearly seemed moved and embarrassed by what he was doing. He seemed to be under control by forces alien to him.

"Just shut up, for now," Ka-Ron ordered. Her hands, trembling with excitement, reached down toward the squire's rope belt, which held his pants up. With a flick of a wrist - and expertly attacking fingers - the belt was aborted, and the pants became a victim of gravity.

With a giggle, the knight fell onto her bunk, dragging Jatel down with her.

"Oh, I want you," Ka-Ron stated as she wrapped her long legs around Jatel's waist and lower back. With her thighs, she tightened her grip around the man, pulling him intimately closer. The knight screamed in delight as her body reacted to the slight touch of Jatel's manhood against her wet and inviting sex.

Both gazed into the other's eyes, pausing, for only an instant.

Jatel's hands, without waiting for permission, grabbed at Ka-Ron's dress, ripping the already fatigued weaving apart, baring two wobbling breasts and causing the knight to gasp in rapturous surprise. Ample, pink, and velveteen to the touch, the man moaned with ecstasy as he began to devour one of his master's aureoles, sucking hard on the woman's nipple. With his other free hand, he grabbed hard at the woman's lower back, playing aggressively at Ka-Ron's ass.

Too involved with what they were doing, and enjoying themselves to great extremes, neither was aware of the fact that someone was watching.

That "someone" was laughing.

***

"Is this not the sweetest coupling I have ever seen?"

Ka-Ron's mind was filled with fog. She was breathing heavily, and was only interested in what Jatel was starting to insert between her legs. The knight had begun to smile, brightly, as she gave in, spreading her legs further apart. There was a happy hunger inside of her that seemed to consume her entire world.

Then, she heard a familiar voice.

Kai's voice!

"Ka-Ron the knight, conquered by her squire." Kai's voice dripped with irony. "How the mighty have fallen."

Ka-Ron's eyes blinked hard. Her will was once more her own.

"Jatel?" Ka-Ron said, noticing that her legs were apart and pointing into the air. A sudden chill came over her, as she noticed her breasts, free from their dressings, wobbling for her squire to enjoy. "Get the hell off of me, boy!"

Jatel, as if breaking free from a spell himself, soon realized how close he had become to being Ka-Ron's first lover. He sprang himself off the bunk and thrust his manhood back into his pants, which seemed quite tight at the moment.

"Master, I&" Jatel's eyes stared down at the ground.

Ka-Ron, buttoning up what was left of her dress, glared hard at her squire. She was both enraged and confused. Enraged that her squire would so thoroughly take advantage of her, and, confused at the fact that she wanted him inside her with the greatest of passion. So, in her defense, she slapped the living hell out of him.

"Damn you, Jatel!" Ka-Ron said, crying. "How could you do this to me? How?"

"Master, the feelings and invitations were mutual, I assure you."

Ka-Ron glared hard at the squire. She grew excited by the fact that her nipples were still sensitive as she cupped her hands over her left breast. Jatel had ripped her dress beyond repair. She turned her head away from the squire, embarrassed by her sudden smile in his direction. Her newfound emotions told her that soon they both would pick up where they had just left off.

"Do not judge your squire harshly, Ka-Ron," Kai stated, walking to the center of the room. The Wicca Master stood only five sticks away from the confused knight. "He is also a victim of this spell."

"My lady?" Jatel huffed, looking at Kai and feeling confused.

"Oh, please, forgive me, young squire. But, what better love for our mighty Ka-Ron, than a man who is afraid of women?"

"I am not afraid!" Jatel rebuked and insulted.

"What have you done to us?" Ka-Ron asked, silently motioning Jatel to retreat.

Kai paused, admiring her work.

"To the gods, Ka-Ron," the Wicca Master stated. "You are indeed a beautiful woman. Quite attractive and&lustful."

Ka-Ron glanced down at her body. "How long am I to stay this way, Kai?"

"Oh, forever." Kai laughed. "Can you think of a better way for you to suffer? To know what it means to be an object of desire people take for granted?"

"This is hell to me, Kai," Ka-Ron pleaded.

"I know." The witch's face turned solemn.

"And what of Jatel?"

"He will love you until you die." Kai explained. "With each passing second, your love for each other will become so strong that neither would be sane without the other. He will hunt you down until he makes you his own."

"You are mad," Jatel whispered, pulling up his clothing. "Why would you do such a thing?"

"For my daughter."

"Madam, I loved your daughter."

Ka-Ron forgot herself, and dropped her hand away from her bare breast. The thing bounced and wobbled as she approached the witch, trying her best to state her case. All Kai could do as she watched Ka-Ron's naked body perform for her, was laugh.

"What must I do?" Ka-Ron asked, pleading. She once more covered herself.

"Your lack of concern for my daughter's welfare was the reason I have changed you, Ka-Ron. You have to prove your worth to me."

Rage started to build in Ka-Ron's eyes. She spotted her sword out of the corner of her eye, and bolted into action.

Not knowing what his master had intended, Jatel was knocked to the ground as Ka-Ron's body became a flash of action, passing him and reaching for her sword.

"Damn you, woman!" the knight yelled. As she placed the sword in her hands, she tried her best to perform the simplest of maneuvers, but soon discovered that the size of her beautiful breasts soon got in the way. Ka-Ron was not familiar to moving around in a woman's body, and had not yet adjusted to the ways of female combat. If the scene had not been so painful to watch, Kai would have laughed.

Ka-Ron stopped, realizing that she had cut herself on her right shin. Tears started to well up in her eyes as she dropped her sword, discovering that it was useless to her in her present state. She grabbed her breasts, screaming in fury at her helplessness.

"I cannot live in this manner!" Ka-Ron cried.

Kai sneered.

"I offer you a challenge, knight." the Wicca Master stated.

"What?"

"Find me."

Ka-Ron wiped her tears away. "What do you mean?"

"You and your squire must find me."

Jatel gave Kai a curious laugh. "But, my lady, you are right here."

"No, squire." Kai laughed. "I am not."

A wind blew through the stable, and like a puff of smoke, the Wicca Master disappeared.

"I leave you with a tutorial spell, dear knight." Kai said, laughing. "Something to help you with your future&development."

The witch's laughter slowly died away.

Ka-Ron and Jatel were once more left alone.

Ka-Ron's body started to quake.

"Oh, Jatel!" she said, holding onto her chest. "What is happening?"

Jatel approached his master, noticing that quite subtly Ka-Ron's features seemed to be improving slightly.

Ka-Ron gawked down at her breasts as they began to grow larger, rounder, and indeed more pleasant to the male eye. Not so much, but enough to cause both breasts to be bare and bouncing, with the clothes ripping free. The knight even noticed that her hair was longer, hanging down at her hips. Her hips! They even appeared to be rounder, her ass more sensitive, and her need for "company" ever more irritable.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron said, terrified, "I need your help. We have got to stop this mad woman."

"We shall form a quest, sire," Jatel promised.

"Oh, Jatel!" Ka-Ron opened her arms and enveloped her squire with a kiss. She buried his face deep in the warmth of her breasts, and started to take off her dress.

"Master, you are not thinking clearly," the squire warned.

"Let me take your sex," the knight whispered, as she went down on her knees in front of Jatel.

"Ka-Ron! No!"

The knight tore at Jatel's pants, ruining the button fasteners as she grabbed at his penis, pulling the excited organ out with her delicate female hands. Ka-Ron glanced up at Jatel, confused. Her body gave all the signals of wanting him, but it was in Ka-Ron's eyes that Jatel found the truth.

"The spell!" Jatel stated, realizing what Kai had done to the knight. "Kai is making you perform this way."

Ka-Ron licked up one side of Jatel's manhood, and then down the other, causing the young man to lose some of his footing. He also seemed to be under some control. As much as he tried to stop Ka-Ron, his body would not allow it. His erection became more pronounced, and Ka-Ron attacked his sex with the same fury she had used in battle.

A tingling entered Jatel's body as his eyes rolled white. Ka-Ron was skillful at her new station in life, and it had been a long time since the squire had received such a lesson. His hands explored Ka-Ron's long silky hair, wrapping it within the fingers of his hands. He found himself forcing Ka-Ron's head to move faster, harder, and deeper. Her mouth was a magnificent adventure for a love-starved man!

Then, within a beat, a release, and with a tightening of muscles, it was all over.

Jatel let go.

Ka-Ron accepted all.

Afterward, Ka-Ron froze - Jatel's penis still in her mouth. Her tongue seemed to toy with the tip of the squire's organ, then, as if tasting terrible food. spit it all out in a disgusted huff.

Ka-Ron pulled away, spitting and wiping her face clean.

"To the Gods! What have I done?" she cried.

Jatel broke free, wrenching his exposed sex away from his master. He also looked down in terror. "Master, please&" the young man pleaded.

Ka-Ron started to cry, balling herself up under her bunk. Was this how she was to spend the rest of her days? As a stable woman? Kai did state that she and Jatel were bound in this curse. Would she act this way around other men?

"Keep away from me, for now!" Ka-Ron screamed.

Hurt flashed across Jatel's face as he backed away from Ka-Ron.

She reacted instantly.

"Jatel, please!"

Both came together in an embrace the other could not seem to find the strength to break. Ka-Ron fought the urge, but she glanced up at Jatel and kissed him passionately.

"Master&"

"No," Ka-Ron ordered. "You will call me by name."

"Ka-Ron, we need to start packing."

"Packing?"

"For the quest."

Ka-Ron shook her head, giving the squire a sly smile.

"One thing I know, Jatel&"

"And what is that?"

"This will be&interesting."

Jatel shook his head in agreement.

"But, first, I need a new dress."

Jatel tried his best to remain logical, but, after so many years of loneliness, and after so many years of dreaming, to have a woman such as Ka-Ron in front of him, performing intimate adventures, was far too much for the man. Part of him wanted to succeed, to help bring his master happiness, but, as a man, he couldn't complain. He was enjoying himself!

CHAPTER NINE

It did not take long for Ka-Ron to find herself a new dress. She bought the finest dress in all of Teal - scarlet with yellow borders on both bosom and skirt. As a token of respect, the dressmaker even provided the knight with a pair of shoes and undergarments. Ka-Ron was so impressed with the fit that she bought another of the same make. The dressmaker closed his shop early.

After the change in clothing, both Ka-Ron and Jatel gathered up their gear and took their horses.

The men of the town were enchanted with Ka-Ron. As she passed, they all ogled her and silently wished for her company. They gazed upon her figure, her charm, and her grace with envious eyes. All of them wanted to know and possess her. Truly, if she were to remain in her station for the rest of her life, she would never be left alone or ignored.

However, Ka-Ron only had eyes for Jatel.

This fact, alone, confused her to all else.

Jatel tried his best to avoid eye contact, still. During the saddling of their horses, he ignored the lustful stares he received from his master. Indeed Kai was correct in the threat that her wicked spell would start to form a love-bond between the two. He tried, desperately, to ignore Ka-Ron's hands reaching for and playing with his hair. Several times, he was even successful in dodging a few well-blown kisses in his direction. It took all his concentration not to return her favors in kind, for he was as crazy for her in his lust as she was for him. He wanted her.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron said, glancing over the back of her horse. "Do you not want to&couple with me?"

"Master, you are not yourself."

Ka-Ron's face formed a charming pout. The bright red of her dress did nothing to hide her fantastic form. As she heaved and huffed, her huge breasts rose up and down, causing Jatel's blood to stir.

"Where are we off to, then?" the knight inquired.

"To the local clerics."

"Why?"

"Kai is a Wicca Master."

"So?"

"If she is to travel, and if she requires payment for her adventures, her journey must be cleared by the local authorities," Jatel tried to explain. His hearts started to quicken, realizing that Ka-Ron had moved Echoheart closer to Jatel's horse, so that it would be easier for her to gaze into the squire's eyes.

"Jatel?" Ka-Ron asked, leaning so close that her lips almost touched his.

"Wha& What? Master?"

"Please forgive my forward manner. I am not well."

"Nothing shall be said of this," Jatel suggested.

Before either knew what they were doing, a long kiss ensued.

< A lady should ride sidesaddle. >

"Echoheart!" Ka-Ron said, her voice raised. "Shut up!"

The horse huffed.

Teal had only one temple. The village was too involved with survival and the curse of the Xows to ever consider building another. There had been talk of inviting new cults into the fold, but the King was not one to encourage rivalry with the gods. Simple. Functional. Respectful. That was the theocracy of the day.

The temple was Gothic in appearance. Built by the finest craftsmen imported from the faraway land of Byzentine. It was believed by any whom had half a mind, that if the Byzentines built a building, it would stand forever. They were truly the best masons on the planet. The temple itself proved that - it was over seven hundred seasons old!

Jatel's gaze left the temple for only a moment and landed on Ka-Ron's face. His mind turned itself over to the lovely way the suns shone on her kind features. Her tender cheeks seemed to blush, realizing that the squire was thinking of her in kind and forceful ways.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron whispered, giggling softly.

"Yes, my love?" Jatel said the words, not realizing their importance or impact.

Ka-Ron paused. For how long? She could not say.

"Kindly help me off of my horse."

"Ah&" the squire blinked.

They kissed again.

As a woman, Ka-Ron discovered, rather quickly, that kissing was more than a reflection of one's passion. It was an absolute. She had the advantage of performing the act from both sides. As a man, kissing was an attack upon the woman's hearts. It was a way for a man to get past the poetry of love, right to the act itself. As a woman, Ka-Ron learned that kissing was indeed more. It was the fire behind the passion. It was the steam behind the wet embrace. And, surprisingly enough for her, it was a new instinct, which upon touch, could allow her instantly to know what men were thinking - a portal into her lover's mind. It both overwhelmed her and scared her to death. On the battlefield of desire, women were the better soldiers.

Jatel pulled himself away, gulping down the waves of wonder he was starting to feel. If such actions by his master were to continue, he would begin to forget his station in life. True feelings were rising to the surface. Dangerous feelings.

"You should be the one who speaks with the clerics, Ka-Ron."

Ka-Ron smiled with glee. "You called me Ka-Ron."

"Master...does not seem appropriate."

< Someone shoot an arrow into my mouth. >

Echoheart trotted up toward the temple's steps.

"My horse seems to be&uneasy, young squire." Ka-Ron said, realizing that it was time to investigate the whereabouts of Kai.

"In all haste, Ka-Ron, the clerics respect the divinity of women. It is correct for you to inquire."

Nodding in agreement, Ka-Ron got off her horse.

***

The inside of the temple was decorated in early "Third Kingdom." At the time of its creation, there was a fascination with death. The planet was going through one of its most disastrous periods in history. The Coughing was spreading throughout the lands, causing not only the fall of kingdoms, but also total and complete chaos. One race, the Nowns, were completely wiped out. "Third Kingdom" architecture was evident of these times, by allowing artists to recreate heavenly scenes of paradise upon the world. Huge murals of skeleton-like angels, wings spread and dripping with blood, stood smilingly accepting the people rushing towards them. The temple's altars, at either side of the building, were made from the bones of victims of The Coughing. This sickness created more bodies than the local graveyards could hold. It was poetic that most ended up as foundations for temples. A central fountain, gushing out red-colored water, which symbolized ancient blood spilled in the creation of the temple, sanctified the holiness of the place. Indeed, if it had not been for the decimation of the Nowns, or The Coughing, the village of Teal would never have been built as a way station between two dying plague cities.

The place totally gave Ka-Ron the creeps!

"Enter, kind woman, and wonder," a monk whispered, bowing in Ka-Ron's direction.

The monk was clearly a deformed and tortured soul who could never have survived in the real world. Teal's temple was famous for finding productive lives for those cheated at the time of their births.

Ka-Ron also remembered the advice with which her squire had provided her: the clerics of this temple worshiped the divinity of women. Since the cure for The Coughingwas discovered by a woman, the clerics treated all women as vessels of divine knowledge - hence the reason that all Wicca Masters were female. If the knight were to receive any honest answers, she would have to use the charms of her new body towards that endeavor.

"I wish an audience with the High Cleric," Ka-Ron announced, smiling brightly.

"He is a busy man, dear creature," the deformed monk suggested. He was hideous in nature - hunchbacked. Saliva dripped from the corner of his mouth as Ka-Ron caught him peeking at her ass.

"Then my presence will brighten his day."

The monk bowed, heading off deeper into the temple.

The Head Cleric appeared minutes later, patted the deformed monk on the back, and silently thanked him for the information of his latest visitor. The cleric was young, of a handsome stature, and appeared more knightly than a man of service to the gods. He noticed and admired Ka-Ron's appearance - they were both wearing crimson garments.

"I am told that you are in need of my services. My name is Darnak. How may I help thee?"

"Cleric Darnak," Ka-Ron asked, "Is there a place of privacy? Somewhere that we may talk?"

"All is known to us, child. We walk with all the gods."

"It's your monks that I am worried about, kind sir."

Darnak paused for a moment, glancing down at his servants.

"Of course." The cleric pointed toward a black door at the end of the chambers. "Do me the honor of being my guest."

Ka-Ron bowed and followed the cleric, passing the blood fountain, the bone altars, and the rows of silently praying visitors and monks.

***

"You are who, my child?"

"Ka-Ron, Errant-Knight."

Darnak paused before he spoke. Ka-Ron could see that the man was trying to see if she were at all insane. The cleric shook his head in study.

"I'm a simple cleric, my dear. At our last encounter, Ka-Ron was repeatable explanation of her a man, and of bulkier stature than your lovely presence."

"I was a man," Ka-Ron explained, frustrated at the current state. "A member of your order has turned me this way. I wish to have an audience with her, in order to correct the&misunderstanding."

Darnak placed his hands together. Silently, he sat at a chair near his writing desk.

The priest's quarters were both dark and comfortable. The walls were painted a blood red, with a slight tint of black. Rare ivory woods lined the details of the place, allowing one to think they were in a wealthy man's living space. However, upon further study, the tiny holes in the carpet, the creaking windows, and the mice droppings gathering in the corners of the room showed the reality of the situation. This had been a happy home for a wealthy member of Teal's community - now, a humble home for the priesthood. Quite possibly a donation to help honor a family member's passing into the next world of existence.

Ka-Ron took a place near the room's only window, feeling the warm light of the suns fall upon her breasts. Her hair shined brightly, catching the attention of her audience.

"The Wicca Master, who did this, was indeed quite skilled in her craft." Darnak said, studying Ka-Ron. He cleared his throat. "May I know&"

"It was Kai."

A shudder of nervous emotion started to overwhelm Ka-Ron as she noticed, for the first time, Darnak studying her. She noticed the warmth of the suns upon her, and the tingling of her cheeks. Ka-Ron did not like being the center of attention in this manner. She started to feel quite emotional. The knight wanted, more than anything, to be safe and sound, surrounded by the strong arms of her squire, Jatel.

"I am sorry, Ka-Ron." the cleric said, slowly rising to his feet. "Kai is no longer in Idoshia."

"Where is she then?"

Darnak smiled lovingly. He reacted fondly towards Ka-Ron's panic, clearly seen projecting from her attractive features. "She does not tell us. Our order recognizes her abilities, and knows that she goes where needed. She has never given us cause to question otherwise."

"Then I do not know where to begin my quest." Ka-Ron stated to herself, looking down at her confused and empty hands.

"Do not lose faith, my daughter."

"Please, do not address me so!" Ka-Ron's voice turned shaky.

"Ah, you are mad at me."

"No," the knight explained, calming herself. "I had hoped to turn back&"

"You should feel honored."

"Honored?"

"You are now a holy vessel," Darnak explained. The cleric approached his visitor, placing both his hands gently upon Ka-Ron's shoulders.

Ka-Ron turned, noticing that her close proximity had sexually stimulated Darnak. Darnak's tight-fitting garments showed that he had become fully aroused and ready for coupling.

The curse, again, took hold.

Ka-Ron tried to speak but found her lips moving silently. A voice wanted to push its way out, demanding satisfaction, results, and a return to normalcy. But none of these things happened. The knight's mouth turned dry and her whole body began to quake.

"I am honored to have you, child." The cleric stated as he moved both his hands under Ka-Ron's garments.

Before the Errant-Knight knew what she was doing, she had kissed Darnak. He tasted wonderful. His embrace was like nothing she had ever encountered.

"I am proud to serve," Ka-Ron mumbled.

Warmth invaded the knight's senses as she broke free of Darnak's embrace. Common decency called for Ka-Ron to raise her dress back up over her shoulders and leave the temple, but her new body had hungers she, as of yet, could not satisfy. Instead, she continued the cleric's work, lowering her garments even more, allowing the dress to fall, and stopping only at the beautiful curves of her bountiful hips.

Her eyes brightened with ecstasy as she rubbed her breasts together, feeling their separate worlds merging into one. A devilish smile started to form on her face, realizing that her nakedness had caught the cleric's full attention.

Darnak could not resist.

With a delightful moan, the cleric invaded Ka-Ron's body, burying his face deep into her breasts. She giggled with glee as she wrapped her arms around him and played with his long brown hair. Ka-Ron's body tingled with anticipation. She felt the volume of her chest increase, as she grew more and more excited.

The cleric sucked at her nipples, enjoying the gifts Ka-Ron had to offer. Warmth invaded her senses, making it impossible for the knight to think clearly.

Ka-Ron surprised herself, as she forced Darnak back, away from her.

"Have I offended thee, child?" the cleric said, gasping for air. His face was covered with sweat. His clothes were ready to come off.

Before she knew what she was doing, Ka-Ron's hands started to reach for her hips, allowing her dress to completely fall off, disrobing her entirely. The sunlight broke free of the clouds and gleamed brightly upon her body. Her delicate body's hair seemed to create a heavenly aura around her features, as she stood naked against the full-length glass.

With a certain playfulness, Ka-Ron directed Darnak's attention down towards her hips. The knight started rubbing her hips, slowly moving towards the center - towards her womanhood. Her long fingernails, brightly painted rose pink, manicured, and beautifully sculptured, ran through the thick mound of hair.

"I am not in control of my actions." Ka-Ron warned. The sun shined on her mound, exposing a slight glitter of moisture seeping from her loins.

Darnak smiled at Ka-Ron, taking her face into his hands. "The gods have made a gift of you, my child."

Before the knight could begin to react, she found herself kissing the cleric with great passion and haste. A fever invaded her thoughts, and all she could comprehend was the need for pleasure. Was this all a part of the spell? Ka-Ron could not bring herself to understand.

The cleric removed his robes.

Ka-Ron's body trembled. Her legs gave way, and she found herself on her knees at Darnak's feet. Try as she might, she could not speak. She wanted to cry out for Jatel, for she knew that in an instant he would come to her aid. At this thought she smiled and was consumed by a strange hunger for her squire. She did not understand the need for Jatel, but to her amazement, she did not find herself fighting the idea either.

Darnak brought reality back into Ka-Ron's frame of mind, by stroking her long luxurious hair. The cleric was good at making a woman feel special. Ka-Ron, from being a man once, knew the act - he was guilty of the act himself on more than one conquest. To the gods! She would never do such things, ever again.

Mindless and full of lust, Ka-Ron concentrated all of her energy on the man's sex. Her hands grabbed hold of Darnak by the hips. Try as the woman might, she could not stop her assault upon the organ. With eyes closed and mouth open, Ka-Ron made her attack.

***

Jatel ventured into the temple with great curiosity. He had never been in a house of worship, and since Ka-Ron was overdue, his curiosity got the better of him. Truth be known: he was worried about his master.

The squire tried to reason out his new obsession over Ka-Ron. He tried to convince himself that as his master's squirehe had the sworn duty to be at her side in times of danger and distress. He tried. However, the only motivation Jatel truly had was to be in Ka-Ron's presence once more.

"For the gods!" Jatel whispered, noticing the great paintings of angels and death lining the walls of the temple. "What manner of&"

A loud cry came from the far end of the building.

Jatel thought he heard his master's voice.

Members inside the temple, drinking sacred water from the center fountain, turned their heads towards the cries. Again, the temple filled with the sounds. It was indeed, the cries coming from a woman.

Jatel's soft features turned hard.

He grabbed for his battle dagger and charged towards a small door painted black.

***

When Jatel entered the room, his eyes burned with the flame of rage. How dare anyone lay a finger on his master! He would seek revenge and satisfaction for his lady fair.

Then, Jatel saw reality.

Ka-Ron was on her knees, breasts exposed, fully enveloped in the act of pleasing the cleric. Her mouth hungrily engulfed the man's entire member as she moaned with the greatest pleasure. The knight's arms were wrapped around Darnak's hips, and her hands explored his ass.

Ka-Ron was&crying.

In all the seasons, Jatel had known Ka-Ron, he had never seen his master cry - it was believed that the knight was above the act. But, true to the emotion, Ka-Ron was giving a top performance.

In her act of satisfying the cleric, Ka-Ron turned her eyes toward Jatel, and upon making eye contact, he understood His master was not enjoying herself. As much as she had wanted to, and as hard as she was desperately trying, Ka-Ron was not satisfied.

Jatel dropped his dagger.

All he could do was stare.

Ka-Ron's eyes never left his. As the knight continued to do her duty towards Darnak, she glared at Jatel, noticing that his love was being projected at her. The squire was not ashamed, nor was he awkward in his attempt to make his feelings known. And, in the knowing, Ka-Ron's performance upon the man of faith improved in its delivery.

Darnak started to moan in ecstasy.

Ka-Ron's hands ventured down towards her womanhood. With Jatel in her mind, the woman began to masturbate.

Tears continued to track themselves down upon the knight's soft cheeks, as she began to moan. With strong emotions, Ka-Ron explored once more the new and alien experiences of being a woman.

"Dear Ka-Ron, no," Jatel whispered.

Darnak's body began to quake, as he continued to thrust himself in and out of Ka-Ron's mouth. His hands took hold of the knight's long hair, wrapping long strands of it up, holding her captive - at his command.

Ka-Ron, realizing that the cleric was approaching the peak of his performance, began to work harder, as if to squeeze every bit of pleasure out of him. Still, her eyes never seemed to leave those of her squire.

"Ahhhhh!" Darnak cried.

The man of faith pulled himself out of Ka-Ron's mouth, causing the knight to look up at him in confusion. Having only been a woman for a short time, he failed to realize that there were still a few surprises left in the act of lovemaking.

Ka-Ron pulled her hands away from her womanhood.

Darnak, in his final act of appreciation, ejaculated all over Ka-Ron's face and breasts.

Jatel gasped.

Not expecting this, Ka-Ron froze. Semen dripped from the knight's face, and in her disgust, she cried out. Her hands shook as she looked down at them, clearly dripping with the juices of her sex.

"Jatel?" she whispered.

"I am here, Ka-Ron."

Darnak, realizing that another had entered the room, put his priestly robes back on, assuming his relaxed nature as a man in service to the gods. His face, however, betrayed the nature of his job - he was dripping with the sweat of lust.

Jatel reached into his shirt, taking out a washcloth. As he knelt down, facing his master, he wiped away all the cleric's semen while smiling into Ka-Ron's eyes. There was something projecting from his master that Jatel had not seen before. Could it be&shame?

"What manner of hell have I fallen into, Jatel?"

Jatel did not know what to say. All he could do was look deeply into his master's eyes, continuing to wash her lovely face. Unblinking, Ka-Ron returned his stare with equal love and attention.

Ka-Ron took Jatel's hands, placing them upon her naked breasts.

"Master?"

"Take me, Jatel."

Jatel's actions were interrupted by Ka-Ron's passionate kiss.

The squire's hands instantly left his master's body, and comically flapped in the air. Judging by the deep emotions, Ka-Ron was expressing, and by the equally ambitious returns from Jatel, an observer would conclude that both appeared to be enjoying the moment.

"Children?" Darnak whispered. "You must stop this."

Jatel and Ka-Ron froze, staring up at the cleric.

"I understand the nature of this spell." Darnak explained. He motioned his hands towards Jatel. "You, sir, are also affected. We need to speak of things. Things very important, if your quest is to succeed."

Jatel pulled himself away from Ka-Ron's wonderful lips. A string of saliva dangled between them.

"I am also a victim?" Jatel asked, surprised.

"You love this&woman, do you not?" Darnak smiled.

The squire was confused; having to face the question the cleric had asked him. His mind was a jumble of contradictions. Jatel honestly had no way of answering - until he gazed into the eyes of his master.

Ka-Ron looked frightened. Her face was pale, and it appeared as if the knight was breaking out in a cold sweat. With her hands shaking, Ka-Ron started to pull her dress over her breasts, allowing herself the comfort of being fully clothed once more. From time to time, her eyes darted from the dress and sought answers in his eyes.

Jatel felt something, and was surprised to discover that he was holding one of his master's hands.

"Do you love her?" Darnak repeated. Patient, the cleric sat behind his writing desk, placing his hands together in a tranquil triangle.

"Yes, sacred priest," Jatel confessed uneasily. "I love her."

Jatel wanted to gaze into Ka-Ron's blue eyes but found he had not the strength to venture his attention upwards. All the man could do was look at her hands, which tightened their grip over his.

Ka-Ron's face brightened and her breathing became a flutter of excitement.

"Of course you do." the cleric laughed. "For that is the true nature of the spell."

"Please explain," Jatel urged. Both he and Ka-Ron took chairs in front of Darnak's desk.

"Kai is nothing if not complete."

"She is evil," Ka-Ron added.

"No, dear knight." Darnak assured. "Just grieving."

"How can you call what she has done to my master innocent?" Jatel asked, his face starting to redden by the sheer anguish he projected. "She has taken away the only anchor of this man's&this woman's life."

"And she has provided you with yours."

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel paused.

"Come again?" the squire asked.

"Revenge must have been at the heart of what Kai demanded," the cleric paused, looking at Ka-Ron. "You were wrongly blamed for the death of Kai's daughter. In the order, we speak with the gods, and we know the truth. I was not involved in the meetings, but we tried to convince Kai otherwise. But there was no counsel strong enough for her pain."

"Then, the temple was aware of&" Ka-Ron had started to say.

Darnak held up a hand in interruption.

"Oh, yes. A monk would have been sent to you in the morrow, as a warning to your safety. Sadly, Kai was swift in her actions."

"And quite cruel." Ka-Ron added. "How am I to protect Idoshia should the Xows decide to attack us once more?

Darnak gave the question some thought. In finding no answer, the cleric shook his head to the negative. "I do not know the answer to that, my child."

"We need to find Kai," Jatel grumbled.

"My son, Kai has done you a favor. While punishing Ka-Ron, here, she used her curse to serve you."

"In what manner of perverseness is this?" Jatel raged.

"She has provided you with a lifemate."

Jatel reached for his hair, remembering the woman from the barn. Before his master's transformation, Kai had taken a strand of his hair. The squire remembered confessing his loneliness to the Wicca Master.

"Oh, no!" Jatel whispered.

"Yes, of course." Darnak responded, shaking his head with fatherly understanding. "Still, you should not blame yourself, so. A Wicca Master must, by her very nature, help in the course of her actions. When you confessed of things most private to her, you opened the doorway to her plans. It could have been done no other way."

Jatel looked down at his master's gentle hand, still resting in his own. He found his gaze in Ka-Ron's direction soothing, happy, and everything he had ever wanted out of life. He found the strength to look up, expecting to see rage and blame glaring towards him, but all he saw was love.

"I do love you, Ka-Ron." Jatel confessed. This time, he was the one whose body shook.

"And I love you, Jatel." Ka-Ron caught herself in the middle of a schoolgirl's giggle. "I want you more and more."

"And, so, is the nature of the spell." Darnak was pleased to see that both were starting to understand the arena they had entered. "Understanding the spell is half the battle, after all."

"Where is Kai?" the squire inquired.

"She is not in Idoshia."

"That much is certain, or I and my master would have encountered her by now."

Darnak let out a tired huff. "It is too bad that you do not see the honor Kai has bestowed upon you, Ka-Ron. I do not know where Kai has retreated. However, during this time of the year, she usually goes to The Fire Mountains, across the Seas of Tyme, on the other side of the Nown World."

"The Fire Mountains?" Ka-Ron's voice sounded strained from fatigue.

"That is the least of your worries, brave knight." the cleric explained. "You will be forced to do things you would not normally do. And, I am sure; Kai will intervene every now and then, contacting you and making your suffering greater by degrees."

"Has she not done enough damage?" Jatel's voice matched that of his master's.

Ka-Ron rose to her feet. She tightened her free hand, turning it into a fist.

"We thank you for your information on this matter, Head Cleric."

"I thank you for your&offering, dear child."

Darnak rose to his feet, opening the door.

Ka-Ron took Jatel's other free hand. She kissed the man on the cheek.

"Master?"

"I am sorry for your pain, Jatel."

Jatel only beamed and caressed Ka-Ron's dear face. "It is not all that unpleasant."

"There is a danger you two should know."

Both turned to listen to Darnak.

"This is a blood spell. Its breakage, usually, comes at the cost of someone close to you. Please, keep that in mind."

Both left the temple with troubled minds. They did, however, have a destination for their quest. And, as they say, it was a start.

***

< I see that you are still a woman. >

Echoheart's observations went unanswered. The horse continued its trek toward the outskirts of the city.

Ka-Ron gazed from the corner of her eye, the silent form of her squire. Jatel had become exceedingly quiet since their exit together at the town temple. Her feelings for Jatel were now concrete: she loved him. If someone had told her before the change that she would become who she was, and would fall for Jatel, of all people, she would have killed them with her sword. However, now, she could not venture one moment forward unless her squire was at her side.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron asked.

"Yes, master."

The knight pulled at Echoheart, causing the horse to stop.

"Please, do not address me by that title, ever again."

"I apologize." Jatel bowed. "I do not mean you discomfort."

Ka-Ron moved her horse to be side to side with Jatel's. She took the young man's hand, kissing it. "You could never&"

In shock, Jatel took his hand back.

Ka-Ron grasped at the air, wanting the return of Jatel's hand.

"Jatel, I love you."

"You do not, sire. You are the victim of a cruel misunderstanding of events."

"I love you!" Ka-Ron shouted, almost crying. "I am genuine in my responses. I know what I know."

"And I love you, Ka-Ron."

They kissed.

Some men in the village witnessed the event. Both Ka-Ron and Jatel were aware of their amusement, and could hear each man as they stated how blessed and lucky Jatel was to have such a prize.

"We need to find a ship," Jatel stated, pulling himself away from Ka-Ron. He was finding it difficult to breathe. His excitement clearly visible to Ka-Ron.

"A ship?" Ka-Ron hungrily glared down at her lover's crotch.

"If we are to travel to The Fire Mountains, we will need use of a ship."

The suns were starting to set. Ka-Ron was tired, and her body seemed to ache from all the activities it had undergone. It was strange to the knight that she would be so sore. Her male body was at its peak of performance. Perhaps there was something more to being a woman than she had first believed.

"That we will, dear," Ka-Ron agreed. "But, for now, we have need of lodging."

Jatel shook his head in agreement.

CHAPTER TEN

Idoshia had only one port. It was ancient. It was known for its sailors. It was also man-made. For both Ka-Ron's and Jatel's good fortune, the port also belonged to the village of Teal.

Ammadon was created during the time of The Coughing to help make Teal's birth as a way station a success. A major requirement for a way station was a port of call. With a port, Teal was a blessing. And, it was due to the geniuses of the ancients, that the port existed at all. Huge armies of soldiers were used to dig out the harbor, allowing the Seas of Tyme to flood into the man-made gulf. The port was a fantastic achievement.

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel, however, saw only what was in front of them.

Ammadon Harbor had changed since the time of its creation. It was still important to Teal and Idoshia, but it was also quite dangerous. Piracy was rampant, and so was slavery. Although Idoshia had no slaves of her own, the politicians of the land turned their backs, allowing others to profit from their vile actions. It was the only fault Ka-Ron ever found in his king.

Three types of ships sailed in the harbors. One was called Sys'shalls. These were merchant ships. Huge seashell-shaped sails, nine in all, drove the ships. They were family vessels, allowing wives the luxury of traveling with their husbands. Then there were the Naughts: battleships loaded from bow to stern with cannon and swords and crowned with golden sails made of the finest woven steel. Luxuries on these ships were rare and greatly coveted. The last classes of vessel were the Anubi. These ships were created for exploration. These ships, by simple glance, looked similar in size and shape to that of the Sys'shall-class vessels. One major difference, however, was their six-deck high superstructures. The explorers on these vessels believed in comfort. They loved their jobs and rarely left the world of their confines.

This last was the kind of vessel Jatel was looking for.

The harbor was surrounded by a city built for mercantile activities. Ivory clad buildings betrayed the roughness of the harbor, by allowing travelers the comfort of seaside retreats. Travelers from across the globe would rent out apartments and beach homes, so that they could watch the slave parades and auctions. These auctions would take place in the town center, making it almost impossible to travel during the day. So, of necessity, Ammadon also became a tourist trap.

***

It promised to be a glorious morning.

Ka-Ron found herself amazed, watching the slaves as they approached their temporary living quarters. Most of the slaves were male, and, because of that, they were naked. Nakedness promised docile behavior. Since most slaves were unfortunate warriors who chose the wrong king or nation to fight for, they were regarded as dangerous cargo. Anything used to make them helpless or to help take away their spirit was considered a blessing.

Ka-Ron considered being a woman a blessing. For her, in her current state, the view was quite pleasurable.

"Enjoying the show?"

Embarrassed, Ka-Ron avoided eye contact with her squire. Out of good taste, she refused to answer the question.

Her life had changed considerably.

One of the changes she could not get used to was the staring.

Men lined the dirt streets of Ammadon, grinning from ear-to-ear, lusting over Ka-Ron's features.

"I do not like the way they look at me," Ka-Ron declared. Echoheart was slowly trotting along, and was quite complacent. Strange, for Echoheart.

Jatel gave his master a protesting glare. "Ka-Ron."

"It is true," Ka-Ron rebutted. "They act as if they have never seen a woman before."

"After glancing at you, my dear, they realize that they have not."

With this last comment, the knight stopped her horse and smiled deeply into Jatel's eyes. She was indeed acting more and more like a woman. The knightly warrior was fast becoming a thing of the past.

"Do you honestly think so, Jatel?" Ka-Ron found herself rising up and down slightly on her saddle. Her face was red from blushing. Ka-Ron, the warrior, blushing!

"Your breasts are the size of rose melons, dear!" Jatel remarked, laughing. "Male or not, people are going to stare."

On this last, Ka-Ron had to agree. Tilting her head from both right to left, and knowing full well that Jatel was glancing at her from the side of his vision, she proudly grabbed her breasts and lifted them, squeezing slightly.

"I hear no complaints from you, sir."

"And you won't."

Ka-Ron was surprised to feel a hand land softly on her thigh. It was Jatel's.

"I am off to find a vessel." Jatel glanced out towards the harbor. "I will try for an Anubi ship. They have the best sailors."

"Why not a Naught?"

"Nonsense!" Jatel explained, shaking his head. "You will be raped more times than either of us can count, and that will be before we leave the harbor." Stopping his horse, Jatel got off. He pulled out a small bag of gold. "No, we need an explorer ship."

"As you wish, dear."

The squire glanced up at Ka-Ron and gave her a wonderful blank stare. Ka-Ron's body flushed with a strange warmth as she wondered what the man was thinking. It had become quite a curiosity to Ka-Ron to discover that since her change to being one of the fairer sex, she was preoccupied with wanting to know what her lover was "thinking." As a man, her thoughts of her conquests were the farthest damned thing from her mind. Such polarized changes in her curiosities made the diplomacy of love quite fascinating, if not rewarding.

"I will return shortly."

Ka-Ron watched as Jatel walked away, marveling at the magical way his ass moved.

***

It suddenly occurred to Ka-Ron that she had never used a privy as a woman. This sudden truth became apparent after she had drunk three rose melon drinks before leaving the inn in which she had rested on the prior night. One thing was certain: the feeling of having to relieve one's self felt identical, no matter what sex you were. Ka-Ron just had to work her mind around the outward differences.

The knight was pleased to see that Ammadon had followed the good example of Teal and neighboring villages, in installing sanitation plumbing. This last was a new invention, borrowed from the Nowns - the unfortunate race killed off seasons ago by The Coughing. Taboo kept most people from visiting the dead cities, but investigations had proved that the Nowns were an advanced people with usable ideas. Plumbing was one of those ideas.

"At least I won't have to empty the bucket," Ka-Ron mused.

The woman entered a stall separated from the next by a thin wooden wall - a novel idea also suggested by the Nowns - and started to pull down her undergarments.

A cold wind blew up her dress, causing her to shiver. No matter how many times her sex organs were exposed to the elements, Ka-Ron couldn't get over the fact that they were so damn sensitive.

"Ohhh!" Ka-Ron said under her breath.

The knight sat on her stool, centering her attention on both the hole her ass was hanging into, and the sensation of urinating as a woman. It really felt no different. It was the same draining effect - no big deal. The only pleasurable thing was the fact that she could sit. To stand, at this early hour, was unthinkable. Still, there was a calming influence that she would not have experienced if she had been doing this simple act as her former self.

Finished, Ka-Ron began to stand up.

"Do not forget to clean yourself," A woman's rough voice whispered.

Ka-Ron took the advice and cleaned.

"Many pardons," Ka-Ron said to her unknown friend. "I am new at traveling, and the excitement of the day was in control of my nature."

There came no response from the other side of the stall's wall. Shadow play, however, informed Ka-Ron that she was not alone. Perhaps she was waiting to use the privy? The knight cursed her selfishness. Raising her clothes, she adjusted them for appearances' sake.

Ka-Ron left the stall.

"I am sorry if I have&"

The knight's flesh began to crawl, as her hearts, Ka-Ron was sure, skipped a beat or two.

"Kai?"

The Wicca Master was sneering at Ka-Ron, sticks away from the knight's face. Her whole appearance was strange. Gone were the warm, inviting eyes the young knight used to stare into as a boy. Gone was the friendly stature of a noble and wise woman. All that seemed to radiate from Kai was the sorrow and pain of having lost a daughter.

"It would not be wise to seek me out, child." Kai stated.

Ka-Ron tried to say something, but her horror was in total control. She glanced out the only window in the building, hoping to spot Jatel. It was far beyond her to realize that she could protect herself - she was, after all, an Errant-Knight.

"Do not follow me to The Fire Mountains," Kai said her voice a solemn hue of warning. "It was not right for my order to inform you where I take my leave."

"P-please," Ka-Ron finally said.

"Oh, the knight speaks."

"Change me back."

Kai laughed. Not a giggle, not a chuckle, but a full comedic roar of surprise.

"But you are such a beauty, my dear."

The Wicca Master paused only long enough to notice the knight's current state of appearance. Kai started to see errors.

"What have you done to yourself?"

Ka-Ron trembled, glancing down at her dress.

Although still beautiful, Ka-Ron knew that wear and tear had started to take their toll. The huge breasts she had were stretching the edges of her dress. Dirt clung to the bottom of her skirt. Lastly, Ka-Ron was not wearing the paints and colors for a woman of her age and beauty.

"I am still learning."

"Of course you are!" Kai's voice calmed her and sounded sincere.

That made Ka-Ron urinate all over herself.

"Do not&" Ka-Ron started to say, pausing only after the embarrassment of being so frightened.

"You are nothing but a mess!" the Wicca Master shrieked. Kai shook her head in disgust. "Look at the beauty I have given to you, being wasted by your ignorance. You do not wear striking colors, your dress is a mess, and you aren't even wearing a corset!"

Ka-Ron turned towards the window.

"Jatel!" she shouted in desperation. "Jatel! Please!"

Kai laughed. "Ironic. You, the most-skilled knight in Idoshia, begging for your squire to come to your rescue. The change is complete. You are a woman."

Ka-Ron found herself reaching up, her hands pleading.

"Let me do my part to help you maintain your best appearance, my dear."

In terror, Ka-Ron fell back into the stall, landing squarely on her bottom. Try as she might, she could not escape Kai's attention. Her hearts were in her throat. To the Gods! What more could this evil viper do to her?

"Lovely you are and lovely to see. Constantly perfect and delightful you'll be!"

Kai poured a concoction of liquids out, surrounding the knight with both their properties and odors. Striking a match, she set the entire privy ablaze.

The fire was not ordinary.

Ka-Ron wanted to scream, realizing that the blue flame engulfed her body, but she remained calm. Something was happening. But, to the knight's amazement, it was not the pain of burning. In fact, Ka-Ron was starting to feel quite delightful.

Perfect.

"Oh, my!" Ka-Ron whispered.

The knight's body soon became engulfed in a bright globe of light. Although it was morning, and the suns were still below the horizon, the inside of the privy shined with light as lovely as the noonday. Ka-Ron's body began to both itch and tingle. Her dress became tighter - better fitting - and the cut of her clothes conformed exactly to the shape of her body.

Her face became brightly painted, and the paint helped magnify her beauty. Rouge and hints of softer colors brought out both eyes and lips. The hand that had placed these cosmetics upon her aura was done with an expert touch, but they were not Ka-Ron's. Where she had once been lovely, she was now beyond ignoring.

"Please, stop this!" she pleaded. Ka-Ron took a deep breath, reached up to grab a support rod in the stall, and raised herself to her feet.

To Ka-Ron's surprise, she found herself a little taller and perfect in stance. Glancing down at her feet, the knight discovered that she was wearing brightly polished shoes, feminine in nature. High heels and open-toed, the shoes allowed her toenails to peek out, brightly painted and manicured to match those of her fingers. Her fingernails grew outward, more than they had been, proving that the rest of her former self was completely and forever gone.

"Truly, you are quite beautiful, brave knight." The hate and sarcasm dripping from Kai's words were too horrifying for Ka-Ron to challenge.

"Kai, you were like a mother to me." Ka-Ron pleaded.

There was no reply. The Wicca Master closed her eyes, concentrating. She was completing the next phase of her spell.

"Lovely in shape, and lovely in speech, Jatel's love will be yours, easy in reach."

Fright had caused Ka-Ron to start heading towards the privy's door, but the knight was soon stopped by an invisible force, which violently pulled her back into the room, shaking her body as if it were in a mad dog's mouth.

Ka-Ron's body was becoming sexier, firmer, and rounder.

"To the Gods! Kai! Please, stop this!"

For a moment, Ka-Ron thought she saw a moment of pause forming in Kai's eyes. She blinked, noticing the pain she was putting the knight through, but all that disappeared when she started to remember the loss of her daughter, and the pain and emptiness of having buried a child before her time. All her humanity took a backseat to her anger. She was nothing now but revenge.

"I think not!" the Wicca Master proclaimed.

A quiver of uncertain sensations traveled the length of Ka-Ron's body.

"What have you done?" Ka-Ron asked, panic clearly visible on her face.

"More than you want, child."

The knight found it hard to concentrate. All her thoughts were fired up and focused on only one thing - Jatel. Try as she might, wanting nothing more than to run out of the town privy, all she could think about was her squire. How his eyes seemed to twitch with uncertainty every time they looked at her. How his cheeks flushed when he scanned her body - not realizing that she had noticed. How he walked. How he ate. How he kissed!

"I&I&" Ka-Ron started to say. Her hands started rubbing at her breasts.

"Sorry," Kai stated, her voice dripping with comical sarcasm. "You were saying?"

The knight wanted verbally to attack the Wicca Master. She wanted to scratch the bitch's eyes out with her new fingernails, brightly painted a passionate pink.

But all Ka-Ron could think about was embracing Jatel.

"I am hungry for the love of my squire," Ka-Ron absently proclaimed. Her comment was not directed at Kai.

Ka-Ron moved in her improved body, laid upon her by the witch's curse, and discovered to her horror that not only was her appearance amplified, but so were her feelings and desires.

"Jatel!" Ka-Ron cried, closing her eyes and praying.

The knight's hands started to roll over and around her breasts. What manner of spell was this? How much further into hell was Kai willing to make Ka-Ron sink? Before Ka-Ron could answer the questions, her legs quaked, and she almost lost her footing. The juices of her sex dripped down both legs, as the knight moaned in delight.

Ka-Ron had suffered yet another orgasm.

Kai had started to laugh, covering her mouth. "I shall leave you to your quest, then. Somehow I do not believe your mind will be focused on the deed."

The Wicca Master disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Ka-Ron was once more left to face her new reality.

"Jatel!"

With her hands touching, squeezing, and exploring her body, Ka-Ron tried desperately to stop. But, as before, while the curse was still new, her hands had developed a mind all their own. The more she tried to control them, the more desperate they grew in trying to satisfy her womanly hungers. Ka-Ron's brain started to burn with an ever-growing desire. All the knight could focus on were Jatel's masculine charms. His embrace&his scent&his eyes&his&

From Jatel, there was no response.

"Okay," Ka-Ron surmised, "I'll do this without him."

In the excitement of the act, Ka-Ron lost her footing and fell back into her stall. Her ass hit the floor with a loud thump, causing pain to spark up her backbone. She let out a little face of discomfort, allowing it to fade because she had more immediate things to do.

The woman pulled her skirt up, towards her lap.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes, taking in several deep breaths.

This was so shameful! That such a knight as herself should have to perform these acts in order just to think clearly. Still, some were a silent joy to her. That part of the curse was still confusing.

With her index finger, Ka-Ron moved past the warm sensitive parts of her sexuality, into the darker, wetter, depths of her soul. To the Gods! This felt wonderful and quite alien. No matter how many times she penetrated, it was always like the first. There was pain. There was the rush of hormones. There was the act itself. And, finally&the reward!

One Finger.

Then, two.

Nothing?

Ka-Ron opened her eyes and looked down at her crotch. She had up to half her hand inside her, and was feeling nothing! What was going on here? She was enjoying herself. She was feeling every thrust, every retreat, and every subtle quivering of her fingers. Her bright red, blood-engorged organs were ready for release. She could feel the buildup. She could feel the pressure growing inside of her to let loose her passion. But nothing other than the painful buildup happened. And, what was worse, it would not - could not - subside. The romantic flow was going in one direction, and even if Ka-Ron stopped masturbating, the knight knew it would continue at the same level, until she could find the key to her satisfactory release&Jatel.

The wind started to pick up with an electrical presence.

< Only Jatel, my dear. >

The voice was that of Kai.

"To the Gods! What have I done?" Ka-Ron asked herself. She could not control herself. She closed her eyes, adding another finger to the choir.

Her hips started to shake. Ka-Ron knew that she was near. She started smiling, giggling, and breathing faster. In pure instinct, she spread her legs farther apart. Her sex was a dripping fountain of anticipation.

Then, again&nothing.

Her "course" of love was missing the cursed final element.

Ka-Ron opened her eyes in panic. She could not move. She could not close her legs. She could not withdrawal her hand. She simply&could&not!

"JATEL!" she screamed.

Ka-Ron could not stop masturbating!

***

Jatel had been successful. He obtained a ship. A ship that fit his and his master's needs. But, more importantly, it was a comfortable Anubi-class vessel. The Captain had made arrangements with the squire to see both him and Ka-Ron put on the ship later in the sun. The ship would sail that night.

Their quest was soon at hand.

A certain satisfaction beamed from the humble squire as he packed up their horses. Jatel was concerned. Upon returning to the horses, he could not find his master anywhere.

"Where did Ka-Ron go off to, Echoheart?" Jatel hastily looked both left and right, as he gave Ka-Ron's horse a well-deserved purple apple.

"JATEL!" a woman's voice seemed to shout from nowhere.

The squire dropped his things, allowing a small sack of apples to roll off in all directions.

"Upon my oath, Echoheart, that sounded like Ka-Ron's cry."

"JATEL, PLEASE! I NEED YOU!" It was clearly Ka-Ron's voice.

The squire turned, looking towards the city. A slave train was trotting by, causing the air to be filled with the sounds of stomping, tired feet. Jatel also noticed a gang of sailors calling after the local women of the night, hoping to buy a pleasant memory to help them set sail on in the morning. The suns were setting, and the light of the town was definitely becoming poor.

"Where the hell is Ka-Ron?"

Echoheart shook his head.

< This guy is hopeless! >

The horse stepped forward and pawed the ground.

"What is it, Echoheart?"

The horse pointed his nose towards the town's privy. He grumbled, clearing his throat. The animal then shook his head up and down, motioning the squire to head off in the correct direction.

"JATEL! PLEASE!"

Jatel ran towards the privy. "I am coming, sire!"

Echoheart shook his head in embarrassment. Trying to avoid eye contact with the local villagers, the horse pretended to eat another apple.

***

Jatel approached the town privy, feeling the familiar aura of magic in the air. A small crowd of people had gathered outside the building, which was about the size of a small barn, and just as strongly constructed. It had been built just ten seasons before as an experimental program meant to help control the spread of sickness in the community.

"There is a lady in there!" one of the children said, pointing towards the privy.

Jatel took in a deep breath, passing those who would only look, becoming the only one brave enough to enter.

"Ka-Ron?"

The privy, Jatel had noticed, was divided by four wooden stalls. Between stall two and three, there was a divider wall. This, of course, was to help separate the men from the women. All was state of the art.

"Ka-Ron?" Jatel's voice was barely a whisper. He found himself shaking. He never shook! Not even in combat.

A woman could be heard, crying.

Jatel followed the sound.

His glance landed on a pair of female legs, which seemed to be protruding from under stall number three's tiny door. The feet were twitching, and seemed to be both seductive and evenly shaped.

Yep! That's Ka-Ron, the squire surmised.

Jatel opened the door to Ka-Ron's stall.

On the floor, Ka-Ron had her dress up as far as the stitching would allow. With her eyes closed, she was diligently masturbating. Half her hand was up her sex, trying desperately to achieve the goal of personal bliss. As hard as his master was trying to reach that goal, it was obvious by the tears on her face that Ka-Ron was losing the battle.

Again, the squire could feel the sensation of magic in the air.

"Kai did this to you, master." Jatel whispered.

The squire soon noticed Kai's work. He marveled at the improved curves in the knight's seductive hips. He noticed the full lips that Ka-Ron was biting in her frustration. To the Gods! He noticed her breasts! Could they get any bigger? He paid close attention to Ka-Ron's personal beauty, which seemed to appeal greatly to him. Her inner woman. The woman the squire had always wanted to love. The woman that was meant only for him. That is what Ka-Ron had become.

Jatel stepped back, ashamed.

He had an erection to rival any man's.

Ka-Ron opened her eyes.

All she saw was Jatel's excitement.

***

More! More! Go deeper!

These were the only thoughts going through Ka-Ron's mind, until she heard the gentle squeak of the stall's door opening. She knew someone was watching her, and tried the use that knowledge, that excitement in the humiliation of the thing, as a means to achieve her bliss. But, in the nature of Kai's curse, this was not to be.

Upon opening her eyes, she noticed the concerned and a little horrified eyes of her squire - Jatel.

Ka-Ron stopped.

She wanted to smile, rise to her feet, and kiss him. It was a strange sensation for an individual who had once been a man. But she could not fight the battle lines drawn by her hearts. Ka-Ron, Errant-Knight, from the township of Teal, loved this buffoon of a man, and she could not, upon her life, explain why.

"Jatel&I&"

Before the woman could finish her sentence, she happened to glance down at the man's crotch and noticed his erection.

A hot flash engulfed her body. She rose to her knees, grabbing at Jatel's hips.

"Master?" Jatel asked, awkward in his stance.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron started to breath uneasy. The knight found herself pushing her nose into Jatel's pants, smelling him. "I want you&now!"

"Master&I have acquired a vessel. We should&"

Before the squire could finish, Ka-Ron used her frantic strength, given to her by a desperate need, to rip open the flap of the man's clothing.

In a whirl of sexual need, Ka-Ron gazed at Jatel's sex as it hung in the air. For a moment, she was disgusted by the sight of it, for, in her normal state, it was not the object of her desire. However, facts were not needed when one was both the harbinger and victim of a witch's curse. One only had the sad fate of following the desires changed for her benefit.

The knight closed her eyes, and engulfed the desire before her. With her hands, shaking from the want of fulfillment, she gripped harder, pulling Jatel closer towards her.

Jatel, now in the eye of the storm, could only stand there and enjoy it.

There were certain thoughts that flashed through Ka-Ron's mind as she continued the act of pleasing her lover. She wondered if they were thoughts common to most women, who, in their act of love, enjoyed their own performance of the task. She kept in mind the positioning of her hands. How they grabbed at Jatel's hips, how they caressed him, and how they seemed to render his emotions stable. She focused on the amount of pressure her mouth was using. How she could enhance her own enjoyment, sucking and devouring the feast before her. Try as she might, however, she had not the courage to open her eyes, gaze up, and see the eyes of her lover, which she instinctively knew gazed down upon her.

As the taste of salt invaded Ka-Ron's mouth, and as she achieved personal bliss, her soul and that of her squire's bonded. There was a serenity there that the knight had never known before. A warm natural feeling that was both satisfying and frightening. Frightening, because for the first time, Ka-Ron cared no whit about finding Kai and reversing the spell. She was starting to accept her fate&her womanhood.

Then, a soft hand touched her head and rubbed her long hair.

Ka-Ron was so overwhelmed by her feelings that she started to cry.

The woman shifted her head, allowing Jatel to venture further and deeper into her mouth. She teased him with her teeth, softly scraping the gentle parts of his manhood.

"Fair woman, continue your task," Jatel softly whispered.

Ka-Ron's head was drunk with giddiness! To the Gods! She was happy.

She felt magnificent!

What Jatel could not see, and what Ka-Ron was only now beginning to feel and was becoming aware of was the way her colorings, placed upon her face, were regenerating somehow. She could feel, and insightfully knew, that with each thrust of her full lips upon Jatel's manhood, they were maintaining the bright red hue meant to obtain a man's attention. As her tears streaked down her cheeks, the black lines highlighting her eyes were not affected by the damaging salts coming from her tears. Kai was correct. The improvements of the spell would not allow her ignorance to damage or ruin her looks.

Ka-Ron pulled away from Jatel's sex for only a moment. She took in a satisfactory breath. "Jatel, I love you," she proclaimed.

Jatel lost all strength in his legs, and gently lay on top of his master. He placed his hands under Ka-Ron's body, and started kissing her neck. Ka-Ron's eyes raced, causing her eyelids to flutter wildly.

So it was, on the floor of a public privy, that Jatel, a humble stable squire, deflowered Ka-Ron the knight.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The world was different now.

When Ka-Ron opened her eyes, she glanced up at the dirty gray roof of the town's privy, realizing that she had been in a deep sleep for about a cycle. She was also fondly surprised to discover that Jatel was sleeping on top of her, his head nestled between her huge breasts.

"I have lost my innocence this day," she softly whispered. There was both astonishment and regret in her tone.

Her hands absently started to play with Jatel's hair, as the squire continued to sleep. Ka-Ron discovered that her fascination for her friend had deepened. Every little move, twitch, and moan the squire made in his sleep appeared to cause great amusement in Ka-Ron's reaction. She felt totally alive and amazed at his presence. Was this what it felt like to be a woman in love? Ka-Ron tried to fight the feelings, but they were too fantastic. She had never felt so alive!

Jatel snored, softly, and shifted his weight.

Ka-Ron giggled as she gazed, noting the sheer innocence of her lover. This was her moment, and she wanted to savor it as much as possible. Again, she had to wonder, how many women had studied her, during her sleep, when she had been a man? Was this a "female" thing to do? Had Kai given her true "female" feelings, or, were these coming from her true nature? The knight's mind was a battlefield of contradictions.

She noticed that Jatel had lowered her dress, thereby making her more presentable, before he had ventured into unconsciousness. The squire knew that they were in a public place, and did not wish to dishonor their moment by allowing others to see Ka-Ron's nakedness. She kissed the sleeping squire on the head.

"Jatel?" she whispered.

The squire stirred. No sign of awakening.

Ka-Ron giggled again. It was fun to giggle. She never giggled as a man.

The knight played quite briskly, with Jatel's hair.

"Jatel, it's time to get up."

The squire slowly opened one eye and scanned the area around him. He was tired and quite drained. This Ka-Ron knew - she had been a man. She knew what energizing and tiring feelings went through a man's head after waking from the act of love-making. Jatel would be both groggy and fulfilled.

"How is my lady fair?" Jatel asked, softly kissing Ka-Ron's left breast.

"Your lady fair wants to get up off the privy floor."

Jatel blinked the sleep out of his eyes and glanced up at Ka-Ron. "You look wonderful this morning." he stated, smiling.

"Of course I do." Ka-Ron agreed. "It's all part of the curse."

The squire shook his head.

"Jatel?"

"Yes?"

Ka-Ron paused, smiling. "Get&off&of&me!"

"Oh!"

The squire rose to his feet and offered Ka-Ron his hand. Accepting, the knight rose to her feet.

"I do not know how women can walk around with these things!" Ka-Ron huffed, adjusting her breasts. "They are too damn big."

Jatel cleared his throat. "They seem all right to me, my dear."

Laughing, Ka-Ron slapped Jatel on the top of his head. "You would say such a thing, you ass."

The serious look that crossed Jatel's face caught the knight's attention. Jatel's seriousness caused the woman to breathe heavier, and she was concerned.

"What bothers you, Jatel?"

"Where we are going, we will not need the use of our horses."

Ka-Ron's eyes widened.

"Echoheart."

"Echoheart," Jatel repeated, realizing that the knight understood his worries.

"You two have never been separated before." the squire pointed out. "This will hurt him, I think."

Jatel was brutally correct. Echoheart had never known a day of his life without Ka-Ron at his side. The animal was quite prideful about that fact. Ka-Ron could see the logic of leaving him behind. After all, how was a battle horse to survive, if he were forced to live in a stable at sea? The sea was no place for a creature such as he.

"Where would he stay, then?" Ka-Ron asked, almost breaking out in tears.

Jatel wrapped his hands around his master's waist, and kissed her gently on the forehead. Ka-Ron's body tingled.

"I know of a ranch down the slope, near the harbor docks, where both horses, yours and mine, will be kept until our return."

"And what if we never return?"

Jatel's face flashed a sudden surprise. Ka-Ron, herself, held back her own. This was the first time in her life that the knight ever considered failure as a viable option. The squire, realizing that Ka-Ron was so worried, lightly lifted her chin, so that his eyes could make full contact with her own.

"We&will&return."

Ka-Ron was overwhelmed by an urge to kiss her man. This she did, losing all concept of time.

"Hey!" a voice inquired. "You going to be in here all day?"

Both squire and knight broke free of their kiss, realizing that there were others waiting to use the privy.

"Let us go and perform this unpleasant act," Ka-Ron stated, swallowing hard.

***

The task was unpleasant but necessary. Echoheart had refused to retreat. He reminded Ka-Ron that it was in his true nature to protect his rider - to die even! But Ka-Ron was strong in her convictions. She fed her horse as many purple apples as his stomach could take. The knight hugged her horse, kissing him several times on the nose.

Echoheart and Jatel's horse were soon gathered up by a group of field hands, who knew Jatel from their shared labor. They promised that the horse would be taken care of. It was understood if Ka-Ron did not return for them, they would be delivered to his estate in Teal.

"I will miss you, my dear friend." Ka-Ron cried.

Echoheart was too moved to do anything but stare at her with his brown eyes. He blinked wildly, trying to hold back tears.

After a long period of time, Jatel stated that it was time to report to their ship, which would be leaving soon.

Ka-Ron waited.

Echoheart was silent. His head bowed in shame.

"This is good bye, then?"

The knight turned away.

The horse noticed that Jatel had to hold his master up as she walked away. Her crying echoed in his ears.

< Ka-Ron, I love you! >

Echoheart started his own quest, never knowing if his master had even heard his words.

***

Ka-Ron and Jatel's approach to the harbor was a quiet one. She was still hurting from the pain of separation, and could not seem to bring herself to look anywhere but at her feet. Her spirits were down, and there seemed no way to bring them back up.

Jatel was alone at how to raise them.

"Ka-Ron, you know this is all for the best."

The knight silently shook her head in agreement.

The suns were lighting up the sheen on her lovely hair, causing it to gleam a bright shade of electric blue. This sight had caused several of the men working along the harbor to stop their duties and gaze. She was indeed lovely!

Jatel stopped walking.

"Jatel?" Ka-Ron asked, turning to face him. "What is the matter?"

The squire gazed upon his master.

"I am a wonderfully blessed man." he said. "I have the chance to fulfill a quest. And&"

There was an awkward pause of beats.

Ka-Ron started to fidget with her dress, noticing, for the first time, the lustful stares she was receiving from the sailors in town.

"And&?" the knight inquired.

"And I am quite in love with you."

At first, Jatel felt that saying what he had said was the wrong thing to do. Ka-Ron's utter surprise at his confession seemed to point to that. She seemed to be a statue. Quite motionless.

"Do you mean that?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't."

Ka-Ron walked toward her squire.

"Silly fool, you do know this is all caused by the curse?"

Jatel smiled devilishly. "Then, may I never recover!"

Ka-Ron found it hard to breathe. Her pulse began to quicken, and moisture started to invade her undergarments. All she could think about was coupling.

"Oh, crap." Ka-Ron teased.

"What?"

"I'm longing for you&again!"

"It's the curse."

"And, squire, may I never recover!"

Both kissed, passionately, to the cheers and regrets of the surrounding sailors.

"Now!" Ka-Ron said, breaking the kiss. "Which one is our vessel?"

Jatel pointed. "There!"

The Anubi ship Raxziel was a wonder to behold.

A crew of at least ninety maintained her and allowed her captain to enforce his will. Several men were climbing the lines, scraping her, and washing her down. She stood almost seven levels above the waterline. She was made of the finest gopher wood. Polished to an ebony sheen, she sparkled like the jewel of the sea she was. Seven sea-shell-shaped sails, made of the finest woven metal, bristled and filled with purpose, as a strong wind passed by. Battle guns stood at the ready and gave the ship a militant persona that did not fail to catch the eye of the observing knight.

"This is our ship?" Ka-Ron reconfirmed.

"The finest Anubi ship I have ever encountered," Jatel stated, starting their walk once more. "Also, it was the cheapest in price."

"I told you no price was too high."

"True," Jatel agreed. "However, sire, it does not hurt to look for a bargain. The captain of this vessel has a soft spot for pilgrims and quest-seekers. Why not use that to our advantage?"

Ka-Ron gave Jatel a cunning smile. "Have I a trader in my ranks? When did you become such a level-headed business man?"

"How else could we obtain so much during our battles?" Jatel held back a laugh. "You are quite expensive during times of war, and it was my duty to help maintain your family's good fortune. Should another have been in my place, you would have warred yourself into great ruin."

Ka-Ron, humbled, took hold of her squire's hand. "Then there is reason for us to celebrate&later."

The smells of the sea were rife near the dock. The Anubi ship had the unfortunate happenstance of being next to a whaling ship. The whaler had a successful tour, bringing back with it several barrels of oil and packs of salted fish. Near the end of the vessel a huge Kraken was being towed. Its lifeless corpse rotting in the suns, and sea creatures eating in its wake, caused the waters around the Anubi ship to reek of death. The labor of Man cared not for the concerns of the passerby. Children required love and food from parent. Sailors demanded a chance for better things. And, civilization would not halt its advance. All these had to become paramount over the rights and concerns of the individual.

Ka-Ron and Jatel endured the odor.

A lone figure stood at the passage door of the Raxzeil. Dressed in fancy silks and brightly colored leathers, he appeared more Circus Barker than sailor. He was absently carving away at a piece of wood, paying no particular attention to his surroundings. He was an old man who had not allowed age to take away his youth. So, it could be said that he appeared to be younger than his age should have allowed. He seemed to be a stranger to a razor, and had a sufficient amount of stubble growing upon his chin. No one would have ever guessed that he was a captain.

"Captain Hathaway?" Jatel inquired.

Captain Hathaway glanced upward, allowing his knife to stop midpoint. He smiled, showing his guest that dental hygiene was the least of his worries. Brown rotted teeth greeted both Ka-Ron and Jatel.

"Would I have the pleasure of meeting Jatel of Illium?" Hathaway asked, offering his hand.

Jatel paused, briefly, noticing tar smeared upon the captain's hand. Suppressing his personal disgust, he shook hands with the sailor.

"Ahh!" Hathaway laughed. "Good! You pass the test."

"Test?" Jatel asked, confused. "What test?"

"It is the custom of this ship and this crew not to take aboard those who know not the pleasures of a hard life. You saw the tar. And you were not afraid. I respect that. You know what it is like to go a night without sup. Welcome ye aboard my fine ship, sir."

The captain paused, gazing upon Ka-Ron for the first time.

Hathaway dropped his knife.

"Upon my soul, sir!" the captain expressed, absently wiping at his clothes and hair. "What is this glorious vision I see before me?"

Jatel's cheeks blushed a little with pride, and he started to stand taller. "This, captain, is my wife&Ka-Ron."

"Ka-Ron? Is that not a man's name?"

"Her father had a sense of humor."

"Ah!"

Ka-Ron stepped forward, offering Hathaway her hand.

Hathaway responded in kind. However, being a seaman of old, romantic, with just a flair for the dramatic, the man got to one knee before he kissed her upon the hand. His eyes never left those of the knight.

"Tis a pleasure to know you, dear lady."

"I'm sure," was all Ka-Ron could bring herself to say. Deeply moved by Hathaway's honest enchantment for her, the knight had a problem clearing her throat. An incredible warmth traveled through her entire body.

"Captain, have we a cabin?"

"Have you a cabin, sir?" Hathaway laughed. His jovial tone was a contagious one, causing both Ka-Ron and Jatel to join him. "Nothing but the finest for my passengers. I offer you the use of my First Officer's."

"Oh, no!" Ka-Ron protested. "We do not mean to intrude, captain."

"There is no need to worry so," Hathaway explained. "He has no need of it. You see, he is dead."

"Sea duty?" Jatel inquired.

"No. Knife fight." Hathaway shook his head with regret. "Good officer, that one."

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel remained silent. What could they say?

"The Raxziel welcomes you on board."

Captain Hathaway gestured towards the ship's entrance with a flourish of a camel trader.

"This is going to be a long trip, Jatel." Ka-Ron whispered.

From the upper railings of the vessel, Jatel could see several men glancing down upon Ka-Ron and her appearance. These were honorable sailors, who had dedicated their lives to the art and science of exploration. However, a man is still only a man. Like all creatures, he had needs and wants. With such a lovely woman as Ka-Ron in their ranks, could they avoid temptation?

"I believe you are right, sire," the squire agreed.

The interior of the Raxziel was luxurious. Teak furnishings and ivory panels greeted the two passengers, as Captain Hathaway showed them to their quarters. Plush red carpeting accented marble floors. Brass railings were secured to the sides of each hall and passage. Oil paintings hung on each wall, invading the senses and helping the mind to forget.

Ka-Ron could see by the look on the Captain's face that he was enjoying the amazement projecting from herself and her squire.

If one were never to set foot off the Raxziel, one would not miss the outside world. She was indeed an island to herself.

Three decks and half the distance of the ship, Hathaway opened Ka-Ron's cabin door.

"My Lady, a word." Hathaway took off his hat. He was nervous and uneasy. "This here is a well-ordered ship. My crew's the best I have been able to obtain over the seasons, but&"

"Captain, what are you trying to say?"

Hathaway turned to Jatel, his eyes stern.

"Sir, I suggest you keep your woman in her cabin."

Ka-Ron's face flushed with a crimson wave of anger.

"May I inquire why?"

"My Lady, you are a&well&a woman."

"Could you not tell by the tits?!" Ka-Ron's hands rested upon her waist. "May I ask, Captain, am I not a guest on this ship?"

"Yes," Hathaway's manner was sincere. "However, you are also the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. And, my lady, I have seen plenty."

Ka-Ron's features began to soften.

"I am only looking out for your well being, miss." the Captain paused. "My men are men of the sea. They haven't known the company of females for quite some time. You would be like a steak to a starving man, to them. I wish you no harm while under my protection. So, miss, please, heed my warnings."

Ka-Ron smiled, and this time took Hathaway's hand. His face flashed surprise when she kissed it and offered him comfort.

"Captain, I thank you for your concern. However, should the encounter arrive, I am well-trained, and can look after myself."

Hathaway shook his head with understanding, placing his hat back upon his head. The long orange and purple feather hanging from it bobbled up and down as he went back up the hall.

"Then I shall trouble you two no more," he said, waving a friendly gloved hand behind him. "Safe journey! Safe journey! Dinner's at eight bells."

Ka-Ron caught herself in a giggle.

"What an unusual man." Jatel said, silently offering the cabin to his master.

The quarters did give the impression of having been lived in by a man. Socks were littered all over the floor. Papers that should have been signed and filed away were scattered all over a huge marble writing desk. And, to help give the room a little character, the bed was left disheveled and dirty.

The only light coming into the room was by its huge crystal windows. The marble writing desk was above the main flooring, separated by a wooden loft, which had tiny steps leading up to it. The bed was a huge feather-filled bag of some sort, which happened to take up about half the room. Bookcases and odd chairs seem to take up the rest of the living space. A fountain worked in the corner, filling the room with the pleasant fragrance of flowers.

All in all, a good room.

Ka-Ron giggled once more.

This time, Jatel had noticed uneasiness upon his master's face.

"You keep doing that." he said, closing the cabin door.

"And, for the life of me, Jatel, I know not why."

Before the squire could react, she giggled again.

Ka-Ron turned, facing her squire. She was rubbing herself, and she was doing it quite suggestively!

"Ahhhh," Jatel had started to say. "Should I leave?"

"Jatel." Ka-Ron's voice was filled with fear. "I cannot control myself."

The squire could only watch at what his master was doing. He cursed Kai and hoped to one day ram a sword through the Wicca bitch's heart.

"OH, Jatel&" Ka-Ron moaned.

"Ka-Ron, please, take heed with regard to what the Captain had to say."

The knight shook her head, slowly taking off her dress top. Her undergarments and corset were the only items holding in her nakedness. Her eyes projected a seductive innocence that would have driven any man to ecstasy.

"Jatel, I want you." Ka-Ron moaned, jumping into the middle of the feather bed.

The squire could feel himself becoming quite excited. Like Ka-Ron, he started giggling. There was a sudden flash of heat, and, before he knew it, his clothes hit the deck and he was diving onto the feather bed as well.

"Ka-Ron, it's the curse again."

"You keep saying that!" Ka-Ron huffed. She started kissing Jatel's neck, wrapping her legs around his lower back. "Are you going to love me or not?"

What could Jatel do? His flesh and Ka-Ron's merged into one.

Ka-Ron's eyes closed, as she felt the wonderful waves of sensation hitting her. Moaning and accepting everything Jatel had to offer, she cried out as she relaxed even more, spreading her legs farther apart. There was so much more to making love when one was a woman. So much more pleasure. To the Gods! Ka-Ron was starting to hope that the ship they were on was a slow one.

"More!" she whispered. "More!"

Jatel was lost in the loveliness of the moment.

Neither seemed to realize, or care, that the ship was starting to move.

***

Jatel's eyes popped open with a start.

"Wha?" was all he could bring himself to say.

The ship was well out at sea, and the room was pitching and rolling to the pulse of the ocean. The crystal windows were bringing out all the beauty of the morning suns, and the rich woods and furnishing invaded the senses. But that was not important to the squire at the moment.

At the moment, Ka-Ron was sucking on his sex.

"Mmmmmm," the knight was mumbling. Her deep blue eyes gazed up at Jatel, making him feel like a god. He stroked her long black hair, and caught just the slightest smile rising out of the corner of her mouth.

His senses were magnified tenfold by the pleasure his master was putting him through. He could feel the delicate stroke of Ka-Ron's mouth as it explored every inch of his manhood. His skin was electrified by the gentle embrace of the suns' life-giving rays. His inner thighs rejoiced as they felt the ample properties of the knight's wholesome breasts as they bobbled back and forth as she sucked up and down. Her mouth was indeed a wonder.

"Ka-Ron," Jatel whispered, checking the cabin door to see if it had been properly locked. It was. "You must stop what you are doing."

Ka-Rom gave her squire a devilish smile, clamping down harder, and sucking even more. Her passion could not be controlled, and she was sure the squire would approve.

"Ahhhh!" Jatel moaned in delight. His hands grabbed and clenched the silken sheets atop the featherbed.

Ka-Ron's only other response was allowing Jatel to slip out of her mouth, just long enough for her to take in a breath of fresh air. Then, after catching her much needed oxygen, the knight kissed the crown of his member, slowly allowing the organ to sink, once more, into the warm and wet recesses of her personal enjoyments.

"Ka-Ron&please&stop."

The squire's body started to tighten, his jaw clenched, and before he knew it, he ejaculated into Ka-Ron's mouth. In his rapture, he barely noticed his master swallowing what he had to offer, and sighing with great delight.

Ka-Ron shifted her body to lay squarely on top of his.

She gently kissed him on the cheek.

"Good morning." Ka-Ron whispered.

Jatel could not respond. His body was still coming down from the emotional high. His brain was still aflame with the passions Ka-Ron had created inside of his soul.

In short, the squire was alone in a fog of emotional hell.

"Ka-Ron," Jatel whispered.

"Ah, he speaks," the knight joked, kissing the squire on his breast. "I just love the feel of your chest hairs upon my lips," she said, giggling.

Jatel had wanted to speak, but on hearing his master giggle and shift her hips playfully upon his midsection while moving up and down upon his body, he became like any man in the same situation - his lust seemed to govern the moment.

She was indeed a beauty. Ka-Ron had been turned into everything and all Jatel had ever wanted from a woman. She was brave, loyal, beautiful, and greatly desirable. If a man turned her down for any reason, it was because that man no longer had a pulse. The electric touch of her skin next to his was a magnetic storm of both pleasure and contradictions. Her hair danced in the air, and touched his face with the softness and delight of fairy dust upon the souls of the lost&a heavenly mist which caressed far better than any comfort offered in an inviting glass of ale.

In time, Ka-Ron finally looked upon her squire with the eyes of reason.

She became puzzled.

"Jatel, what bothers you?" Her tone was careworn.

"Ka-Ron, this has been both a dream and a nightmare for me."

"Jatel, I love you." the knight softly huffed. Her smile showed her sincerity.

"You are my master!" the squire yelled.

This last caused Ka-Ron to jump up from her relaxed condition. Her expressions were those of a lost child.

"I do not understand&" Ka-Ron's voice lowered to a whisper.

Jatel rose from their bed, trying his best to control his anger. He saw the hurt in Ka-Ron's eyes and the thought of it seemed to kill just a little bit of his own soul, but, this had to be said. A family oath to the honor of another house demanded it.

Ka-Ron did her best to hide the pain.

"Speak," she ordered.

"We cannot continue this way," Jatel pleaded, almost to the point of tears.

"But&I love you."

"No," Jatel stated, humbly putting his hands together in prayer. "You do not. It is this damn curse&this spell. That is what you love. That is what I love. It must be stopped."

"But&I&" Ka-Ron lowered her face, looking squarely into her lap. The brave knight, known the world over for both her bravery and courage, began openly to cry.

"There is an order to things, Ka-Ron." Jatel tried to say. His voice was growing horse, battling his own pain.

"Jatel&?"

How long the squire had just stood there, looking down upon the tear-streaked eyes of his master, he could not say.

"This is not right, Ka-Ron."

Jatel found himself collapsing upon the featherbed. His eyes, like those of his master, betrayed the seriousness of the moment. He was also crying, realizing that no matter how hard he tried, he could not stop loving this fantastic and beautiful woman.

"We are in this till the end, my dear squire." Ka-Ron stated.

Jatel raised his hands in a helpless gesture.

"Powerless&" he whispered. "Powerless."

They soon embraced.

***

Ka-Ron knew that her squire was correct about their current predicament. It was wrong of her to keep sleeping with an individual, who in normal circumstances she would have nothing to do with. She knew he was right in the belief that his honor was being compromised. But, as the suns gleamed down upon his soft features, showing his troubled brow, kind disposition, and loving manners, all she could think about was the pleasure of coupling once more.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron playfully whispered, "I cannot help myself."

Jatel glanced up at Ka-Ron, noticing the familiar smile, playfully projecting itself upon him once more. He shook his head, trying his best to wipe away his personal misery.

Absently, Ka-Ron started to take off her corset, revealing her breasts once more for the squire to enjoy. His hands attached to them as if propelled by an invisible magnet.

"Curse me, Ka-Ron, for I am as you are. I love you, as well."

"Dear squire," Ka-Ron playfully suggested, pointing down towards her womanhood. "Could you&please?"

While Ka-Ron positioned herself to lie comfortably on her back, Jatel ventured down towards her hips. His hands expertly explored her treasures. He was shaking his head, and slightly laughing. Ka-Ron surmised that his ironic laughter was his final surrender to their shared situation.

"All will be well once we find Kai," the knight promised.

Warm sensation attacked Ka-Ron as she started pulling on her own hair. Her lower back began to arch, and the woman found herself moaning uncontrollably.

"Oh, baby!" she blurted out, rolling her eyes.

Jatel performed his task expertly, allowing his tongue to explore regions of her body she didn't know she possessed. Ka-Ron was confused, at one point, as Jatel was enjoying himself. She started closing her legs upon his head, pushing him further into her mysteries. Instinct seem to take over, making sure that the squire was closing the performance with a standing ovation. At one point, Ka-Ron jumped up, thinking that she had urinated all over her lover's face. She had not. She was just experiencing a rather intense orgasm.

"We can only be what the fates allow," Jatel whispered, raising his eyes to those of his master.

Ka-Ron shook her head in agreement, smiling down at the man between her legs. "Yes, now, continue with your task, young man."

Jatel obeyed.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes, lost in love.

Outside, the crew of the Raxziel did their best to remain discrete.

CHAPTER TWELVE

The Raxziel wasn't too far outside the protection of the harbor before Captain Hathaway realized that they were being followed. He ordered the apexes of the sails opened for full windstream. He ordered extra oars to be lowered into use by those below decks. And, he ordered gunmen to take their posts on the ship's masts. All the precautions a man of his experience could provide.

All he could do now was to wait.

"You think them pirates, captain?" the helmsman inquired.

Squinting, Hathaway looked at the tiny black ship on the horizon.

"Pray they are pirates, son." Hathaway's voice turned hard.

"What else could they be in these waters, sir?"

The captain remained silent.

"No," the helmsman stated, to himself more than to anyone else. "They be not&slavers."

Hathaway ordered the seaman to silence his thoughts. "I have heard rumor of their return to these waters."

"They have not sailed in these waters since my father's father's time."

"I fear that they have returned."

As the men of the ship performed their duties, far below deck they could hear Ka-Ron crying out in pleasure. Her angelic voice echoed with the delight she and Jatel were experiencing. Some, more lonely than curious, momentarily paused, listening with a deep jealousy.

This last did not fail to catch Hathaway's attention.

"The woman could act more civilly."

"She is a bounty, is she not, captain?"

Hathaway shook his head in complete agreement.

A red lantern was placed near the entrance to the hall leading towards their passengers' cabin. Hathaway had placed the lantern there as a courtesy and a warning. No man was to approach that part of the ship, should they see the red light.

"The ship's a-rocking, captain." the helmsman stated, trying his best to control the wheel. "The sea is brutal this sun."

Hathaway let out a dry laugh, meekly pointing towards the red lantern. "You sure it's just the sea, seaman?"

It took a small while before the helmsman got the comment, but, once the light of understanding entered the old man's eyes, both he and his captain had a wonderful laugh.

Hathaway, however, never took his eyes off the black ship.

***

Jatel watched in awe as his master arched her back, lifting her long hair over her head, and smiled down at him in a pleasing manner. The gentle rocking of the ship aided her motions as she tried her skills at becoming one with the squire. Her movements were like heaven, and her skills at the ways of making love were matchless.

It was all the squire could do to keep his breath.

For cycles Ka-Ron and he had been making love. Their appetites for each other could not be quenched.

"Jatel&" Ka-Ron whispered, as she bent down, allowing him to gently suck on her nipples. Both grew incredibly pink and sensitive with Jatel's touch. Her ass moved up and down his sex, causing her to moan uncontrollably.

Jatel's eyes shut, as he also began to moan in Ka-Ron's ear.

The quivering of his body, as he realized that he had achieved the same level of bliss as she, caused Ka-Ron to giggle yet again. She had never felt so alive. There was an immeasurable joy welling up inside of her, unlike anything she had ever experienced as a man. The fulfillment of her lover had become her paramount goal. When he was happy, she was happy. Perhaps, Ka-Ron thought, this was the essence of being a woman. Was it? Only time would tell.

Jatel opened his eyes and gave Ka-Ron a long and profound stare. It was unlike any other gaze the squire had ever projected.

This, above all, caused her to worry.

"What?" the knight asked, rubbing the bottom of Jatel's chin with her own.

"Master, I&" Jatel became nervous.

"Speak, Jatel."

Ka-Ron, realizing that the moment of loving had passed, pulled herself off Jatel and rested by his side.

"What if we succeed?" the man asked.

"Then we succeed. All will be as it was."

Jatel's eyes started to well up with his own tears. His body began to shake. Ka-Ron was mortified upon realizing that the man was silently crying.

"No&Master, it will not&be&as it was."

"Jatel&?"

The squire swallowed hard, closing his eyes.

"This goes beyond the spell, Ka-Ron."

She cupped his face.

"In what manner?"

Jatel opened his eyes. "Master, I do&love you so."

Ka-Ron, Errant-Knight to the Kingdom of Idoshia, felt a sharp pain rip through her chest, causing her to lose her breath. Her pulse quickened, and she found it quite hard to look her lover in the eye. A great well of strong emotions rose to the top, making her feel both dead and quite alive. Her tears fought for their own right to run.

The knight could not form the words.

So, being wise, she remained quiet.

***

The name of the black slaver ship was Skree. She was a dirty, forgotten, and totally feared vessel of the sea. Great spirits were few on her decks, and freedom was nowhere to be found within her belly. She was nothing but rotted wood and sails, meant to make a profit off the sweat of those she carried. A floating blasphemy meant to do nothing but destroy.

So, it was only fitting that her captain be a Xow.

The Xow studied the Anubi-Class vessel ahead of him, and knew from experience that its captain was aware of his intentions. He silently laughed as he retracted his looking glass and placed it in his belt.

Below decks, screams of agony and unanswered prayers to gods who no longer listened echoed outward. Their sounds were like music to the captain's ears. He cherished his way of life.

"Strike the colors." the Xow Captain ordered. "Prepare for combat."

***

Ka-Ron lay on the bed, watching Jatel as he put his clothes back on. The squire was saying not much of anything, but his silence spoke volumes. He did not want Ka-Ron to change back.

"Jatel?" Ka-Ron asked, rubbing her stomach.

The squire failed to respond. He continued dressing.

"Jatel," the knight pleaded. "Please, answer me."

Jatel's shoulders sank.

"Sire, I betray my oath every single time I look at you."

"It's the spell from that evil woman." Ka-Ron tried to reassure him.

"No! It is not." Jatel was on the brink of tears. "I love you. I love your touch! Your eyes! Your smell! And, the gods damn me for being a man, your breasts!" he paused. "I could love you until I die, and even for an eternity afterwards."

"Then you just love me for my appearance."

Jatel turned, looking into Ka-Ron's eyes.

"For the gods! No! Ka-Ron, I love you for you." He walked over to the foot of the bed. "You are still the bravest person I have ever met. I love you for&you."

"You've said that twice."

There was a long, awkward silence. Neither allowed the other's eye contact to stray.

"Then we are a couple?" Ka-Ron inquired.

"Until your quest is finished."

"If we fail?"

"Then I will remain at your side."

"Always?"

Jatel shook his head with confirmation. "Always. On this I swear."

Ka-Ron wanted to pull herself over to him, grab him by his belt, drag him back into their bed, and love him once more. She had never felt so close to someone before, or so safe.

Their actions were sidetracked, however, by a violent series of explosions to port, and the ship being tossed about wildly. Above deck, several men shouted orders and conveyed panic to each other. The cabin echoed with the thundering sounds of dozens of sailors running about. The effect was enough to cause the oil paintings on the cabin walls to fall onto the floor, and for Jatel to lose his footing and land his face squarely between his master's legs.

Trying to regain his composure, Jatel looked up at Ka-Ron, embarrassed. His face was covered with the woman's excitement.

"Jatel, if you had wanted to do that," the knight joked, holding back a bold smile, "all you had to do was ask."

Again, the room filled with the sounds of attack.

Jatel looked up at the cabin's ceiling.

"They sound as if they need some help, sire."

Ka-Ron looked around the room. "Where is our armor?"

Jatel glanced back at his master.

"Shall we?"

Ka-Ron shook her head in agreement. For the first time since she had been changed into a woman, she was starting to once more feel like a knight of the blood.

"We shall!"

Both exited their cabin.

***

The attack on the Raxziel was brutal and well-calculated. She took three salvos midship, and one to the bow. Anubi-ships, having to deal with the unknown, because they were all exploration vessels, contained collapsible walls. The sailors on board did their best to contain the flooding. It was an uphill battle, but the incoming water was brought down to a trickle.

"Get some men up on the gazer-deck!" Captain Hathaway ordered. His face was an expression of controlled horror. He always knew that one day a slaver would cross his path, but in all his visions and daydreams, he had always pictured himself quite older. "I'll be damned if I get captured to become some wealthy bastard's door pet!"

The sailors scurried both bow and stern, some actually colliding with the other. The ship shook with power as several rebellious volleys thundered from the exploration ship's lower decks. The men did their best to protect both ship and captain.

Hathaway laughed. To hell with all that! The men were fighting to protect their own asses from the slave master's auction block. And, who could blame them?

The slaver ship aimed higher, striking at the heart of the Raxziel. With a fiery snap, and an even more painful shower of wooden splinters, the three main masts, holding the sea-shell shaped steel sails, collapsed. At best, Hathaway was looking at three phases in a nearby port for repairs.

"They got the wind-drive!" a fellow sailor announced.

Hathaway gave the man a surprised and insulting look. "You think!"

The ship was dead in the water.

"Here she comes!" someone yelled.

A dark shadow fell upon the Raxziel. Each sailor could feel the cold touch of his own personal destiny.

"Men!" Hathaway shouted. "It's every man for himself now. Live free or die!"

The men raised their swords in a victorious shout.

As the Skree came alongside, both Ka-Ron and Jatel made it to the main deck. The squire was dressed in his battle gear, while Ka-Ron, too small to wear hers, only carried her beloved sword.

Both soon realized that the fight was over before it had even started.

Then again, they had both been in this type of battle before!

***

"My Lady, what are you doing up on deck?"

Hathaway approached both Ka-Ron and Jatel. Panic was clearly visible on his face.

"You look like you could use a hand," Jatel stated, unsheathing his sword.

"Are you skilled in war, sir?"

Jatel huffed, dryly. "Can a fish live in water?"

Hathaway accepted the squire's claim. However, as he looked upon Ka-Ron's shapely form, his expression changed. "You, my lady, should go below. I do not wish to see you harmed."

Insulted, Ka-Ron looked up at the captain.

"I may be your last hope, captain."

Hathaway laughed. "We shall see, miss. We shall see!"

Jatel prepared himself for battle.

"Will you be able, sire?"

Ka-Ron held her sword outward. She swallowed hard. "I only hope that my tits don't get in the way."

Both ran out to join the battle.

It did not take long for Ka-Ron's sword to find someone to play with.

The Xow Captain could not count how many heads he had managed to chop off during his attack. He did not care. He did, however, evaluate each and all of his victims - the ones he killed were ones that would fetch no profit. He loved the hunt. It was the closest he would ever get to home.

"Bring me more blood!" the Xow shouted.

Bodies littered the decks, all bleeding out their life force. Freedom was too high a price to pay in order to keep from wearing chains. The Xow could not understand. Life made slaves of us all. The only difference between master and servant were the titles.

The two forces clashed heavily amidships, near what was left of the main mast. The Raxzeil's men fought the Skree's.

Ka-Ron stood above the Xow Captain, stalking him. Her eyes were keen. Her hearts were calm. And, other than noting an irritating wind blowing up her skirt, she was all concentration.

The invading captain had no idea that he was a target.

With sword raised, Ka-Ron attacked.

"What the&?"

The Xow captain hit the deck. His nose started to bleed. His face had banged against the hard-polished woodwork.

"Who dares?"

The Xow turned, facing his attacker.

Ka-Ron, with one eye covered by a seductive strand of her beautiful dark hair, stood with her sword above her head, pointing straight into the chest of her invader. She was still wearing the bright red dress she had purchased back in Teal, and, because of the spell placed on her by Kai, her make-up and appearance were at their most-perfect. She was a vision!

"Do me the honor of getting the hell off this ship," the knight barked, her beauty magnified by her growing anger.

The men fighting between these two momentarily stopped. Was the Captain of the Skree being challenged by a woman? And, what a woman! Men glanced at Ka-Ron, looking her both up and down. One man, captivated by her beauty, couldn't wait and started to yell out suggestive comments. This last caught Jatel's attention, allowing him something to say on the matter. He threw the man overboard.

"Listen to me!" Jatel said, wiping his hands. "This woman is mine. Anyone who wants her will first have to talk with my sword."

The Xow Captain growled. He started walking towards Jatel.

Ka-Ron's sword flashed in front of his face.

The Xow paused.

"If you wish to talk with him, you first have to go through me."

"Well, and, why not?" the Xow Captain replied.

The Xow sneered as he took off his Captain's Cloak, handing it to his second without acknowledging him or glancing in his direction. The totality of his facial expressions were focused on Ka-Ron, who dared not flinch or deviate from her target. The tip of her sword stayed incredibly concentrated on the Xow.

"Master?" Jatel whispered. Fear was heard in his voice.

"Squire," Ka-Ron stated, allowing the seriousness of her tone not escape the ears of her lover. "You forget yourself. I, personally, taught the Queen the feminine arts of Ki-Qui."

"Ki-Qui?" Hathaway inquired. His eyes kept darting from the invading Captain to that of Ka-Ron's brave stance.

Jatel smiled. The squire hit himself, softly, upon the forehead.

"In the ancient days of Idoshia," Jatel explained, "the women of our kingdom fought along side of their men. They were fierce warriors, as cruel in combat as they were gentle in love. The warring tactic they used was called Ki-Qui. In the ancient tongue, the words meant "Spinning Death."

Hathaway said nothing. He silently thanked the squire for his explanation with a grateful bow. The Ship's Captain was certain that Jatel meant well, but clearly, the expression of worry on his face showed great concern about Ka-Ron's future. He stretched out his arms, ordering his men to give Ka-Ron all the room on deck she would ever need.

The Main Deck cleared itself for the battle that was soon to begin. Not only did the living respect what was coming, but the dead were also moved by hands wishful for a fair field of battle.

"I will use your breasts as wine sacs!" the Xow Captain bragged. He took several steps backward, swinging his sword through the air.

"And I will have your balls for earrings." Ka-Ron retorted, smiling.

The Xow Captain raised his sword above his head, slanting it at a jaunty angle.

"Ahh!" Ka-Ron said, "You are using the classic assault of the armies of Caffeh. A noble start."

The Xow said nothing. His eyes narrowed.

"Captain," Ka-Ron said, not looking away from the Xow. "My apologies."

For an instant, Hathaway had no idea why Ka-Ron had offered up her apologies. In his eyes, she was doing nothing wrong. In his eyes, she was protecting the honor of her man - a noble endeavor, if there ever was one! He was soon to see why she thought it best to give sympathies.

With one hand on her sword, and the other on her dress, Ka-Ron ripped her dress top off, revealing the full beauty of her appearance. Gasps of wonder came from all on board, including the Xow.

Jatel knew this was coming.

"Captain, the female of our lands fight bare breasted." the squire tried to explain.

Ka-Ron's beauty made it impossible for anyone to hear.

"Let us make war." Ka-Ron whispered.

The Xow Captain took only one step forward.

Deep in concentration, Ka-Ron challenged herself to remain calm. In her teaching of the Queen of Idoshia the knight always stressed the importance of remaining calm. Women had a tendency to rule their actions by the fire of their passions. This made them volatile - valuable in war. A man used calculations and rage when in war - both unpredictable in battle. If one were to engage unpredictability and rage, passion was an end to the argument. Ka-Ron hated to admit it, having once been a man, but women had a natural ability to protect that which they honored or loved. Could a warrior ask for anything less?

Again, the crew gave way, giving both Ka-Ron and the Xow Captain all the room they needed. This was indeed a novelty. No one had ever seen a woman weld a sword at a Slaver Captain.

"I'm going to own your soul." the Xow Captain warned, scanning Ka-Ron's body. A sneer formed upon his face. "Then, I'm going to own you."

"Blow me," was Ka-Ron's response.

From the corner of her eye, Ka-Ron saw Captain Hathaway and his men taking bets on the outcome.

"Five to one on the fair lady," Hathaway challenged, writing odds down on a piece of paper. "Any takers?"

One brave sailor counter-offered.

"Seven to one on the Xow!"

All froze, giving the unfortunate one a hard and isolated glance.

"Well, you know&" the sailor fidgeted. "Free enterprise, and all that."

"Place your bets!" Hathaway barked.

The deck sang with both anticipation and capitalization.

Ka-Ron broke her concentration only to smile in the amusement of the thing.

That was when the Xow Captain struck his first blow.

"Oh, shit!" Ka-Ron huffed, blocking the attack.

The Xow's attack was both hard and calculated. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Ka-Ron thought as she countermanded the blow. The damn scum was just waiting for the right moment to strike. His strength was fantastic, and the knight discovered far greater than that of a woman's. Brute force was not on her side. She would have to rely on her wits to overcome this shit-storm.

The crew of the Raxziel started to shout, giving the sailor arranging bets against Ka-Ron an evil look. Hathaway was gathering up the monies, making sure that all sides were honest.

Brave and loving Jatel was positively a nervous wreck.

"Die! You bitch!" the Xow shouted.

The force of impact upon her sword caused it to sing out in a shimmer of agony. An agony she had never heard it shudder before. She opened her eyes, bit down on her bottom lip, and struggled with all her passion and power, finally realizing that, on this day, she was not going to die. That raised her hopes immensely!

"Ka-Ron!" Jatel shouted, his voice filled with great concern.

The shout brought the knight strength.

Forced on one knee, Ka-Ron pushed the Xow's weapon away from her face. Her arms were on fire. Her back ached with the song of impending doom. And her ass was becoming a distraction because of a curious itch. The salt air was irritating the rug burns, which had been placed there by Jatel in the indulgence of their passions. Damn!

Another curious sensation hit her. She was becoming seasick.

The knight slowly rose to her feet, pushing the Xow Captain's blade back upon himself. She was breaking out in a cold sweat. He, on the other hand, was smiling. A subtle laugh came from his struggles.

"I have all day, love."

Ka-Ron's eyes opened. She paid little attention towards her queasy stomach.

"You are toying with me!" the knight shouted.

The Xow winked at her, confirming her suspicions.

"Jatel!" Ka-Ron yelled, posing an empty hand in the Squire's direction. "My other sword, please!"

The squire responded with lightning speed. A flash of steel, and a loud thump in her hand, Ka-Ron backed away from the slaver captain, welding two swords. Her face was filled with rage.

"No one makes a fool of me, dear sir!" Ka-Ron huffed.

"You are worse than a fool," the Xow laughed. "You are nothing but a woman."

A hush filled the ship. Hathaway and his men let out a low moan, knowing quite well that the slaver's remark had hit a sensitive spot. Any one who had any limited experience with women knew, quite well, that you do not bring up sex in a competition with one of them. To do so invited disaster.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes, as if in prayer. She bent her knees, placing both feet in a single line. Her arms were extended outward, making her look like a top about ready to spin.

"Captain," Jatel whispered, sneaking up behind him. "Take your men off this deck to the command deck above."

"Why?" the Captain inquired.

"Just do it," the squire insisted. "Then, when I call, get ready to take your vessel back."

Ka-Ron began to spin the swords in each hand, making them appear to be nothing but steel blurs. A curious breeze was created by this effect, making it feel almost inviting.

The Xow Captain watched Ka-Ron in great amusement.

Ka-Ron began to hop up and down.

"What in blooming hell is she doing?" Hathaway asked.

"Her duty," Jatel replied, beaming.

Ka-Ron bowed her head, resting her chin upon her breastbone. She glanced towards the left, allowing her eyes to focus, solidly, upon that field of vision. The knight then tilted her hips to match the momentum of her body. If asked to speak, or to explain what she was doing, at this point, it would have been impossible for her to do so - her concentration would not have allowed for it. Indeed, if a medical practitioner were to hear the beating of her hearts, he would have heard close to nothing!

The surrounding slavers backed away from Ka-Ron, thinking her mad.

Ka-Ron started to spin counter-clockwise, with herself almost becoming a blur.

"To the gods!" Hathaway whispered. His confusion showed honestly to Jatel as he looked at the squire in amazement. "She knows the arts of the invisible!"

"No," Jatel stated, shaking his head negatively. "She is still there, Captain. It is not called "The Spinning Death" for nothing."

On the defensive, the Xow Captain lowered himself even with the ship's deck, pointing his sword outward. He could not see Ka-Ron, but he could hear her. A strong humming sound was coming from her swords, which, were spinning in an opposite direction from her.

"All hands attack!" the slaver captain ordered.

Hathaway took his sword out, moaning, miserably. "Gods! I curse the day my father met my mother. For by the end of this battle I will be either in chains or close to my death."

"That could happen any day, Captain-friend," Jatel suggested, pulling several daggers out from his vest and armor. "We must each fight for the end of the day. That is the way of the world."

Hathaway said nothing. He only ordered his men to the attack with a tired moan.

Before any could take action, several slaver sailors exploded into nothing more than a cloud of pink mist. One by one, limb by limb, seemed to evaporate and dissolve before any other action could be taken, as if the gods were so insulted by their existence that they all called the sailors back to the shadows and nether regions from wince they came.

"It's black magic!" someone cried.

"No! It's Ka-Ron," Jatel reassured them.

The Xow Captain was not so amused.

"I shall find you, woman!" the salver captain sneered. He squinted his eyes, concentrating on the air around him. He waited. Held his breath. And waited some more.

Then, he shivered once, and attacked.

With a scream, the Xow Captain approached the ship's helm and hacked away at the huge wooden wheel. He was mad with rage, and appeared to be slicing away at the air.

Then, for no reason, he paused.

Like a statue, the Xow stood with his sword pointing up toward the suns.

The fighting stopped.

All eyes were on the Xow.

A gull, looking for a place to rest, innocently perched itself upon the slaver captain's right shoulder. It did not rest there for long.

As a huff of surprise came from all the men, the Xow Captain's body collapsed, hitting the wooden deck and breaking into several bloodied pieces.

At almost the same time, a blur of flesh and steel came to a dizzying halt.

Ka-Ron stopped spinning. In her exhaustion, she dropped her swords.

"Sire!" Jatel yelled. He managed to catch her before she hit the deck.

Hathaway, smiling ear-to-ear, spread the winning bets out among his men. He was more than happy to do the duty. "All hands! Let's show our guests the door."

Ka-Ron, exhausted, meekly opened her eyes to see Jatel's panicked features gazing down upon her. To the Errant-Knight's surprise, Jatel was crying.

"Are you all right?" she whispered.

"Got something in my eye, sire."

Ka-Ron smiled. "Of course."

The crew of the Raxziel found a new energy in their defiance. With the Captain of the Skree dead and in several pieces, they knew the threats from him were no more. And, a slaver ship without a captain was truly a pathetic thing.

Blood sprayed upon the deck like a ship caught in a maelstrom.

"Should we not help our boarders?" Ka-Ron whispered. She was low on energy, and could barely keep her eyes open. Ki-Qui had the ability of doing that.

"Are you up to it?" the squire asked.

Ka-Ron kissed one of Jatel's hands. "My love, when was I ever not prepared for battle?"

Jatel shook his head. "You are impossible!"

"Of course."

Both rose to their feet and joined the fight.

With the taste of blood in her mouth, Ka-Ron's energy level improved. She was once more able to wield a sword. Before she turned and disappeared into a wall of slavers, she gave Jatel an order. "Go to our cabin and get my armaments."

Jatel followed his orders.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Jatel ran down several flights of stairs until he reached the door to his and Ka-Ron's cabin. The door burst open, and the squire bolted through it with thunderous speed and determination. Upon pausing, the man found his hands shaking uncontrollably. Exhaustion and stress caused his knees to give way, and the man literally collapsed upon the threshold.

"For the gods! I am in love with a mad woman," Jatel whispered.

The man's senses returned to him, however, and he reached out to gather Ka-Ron's armaments. These consisted of leg daggers, leather coverings, and a few more battle swords.

He was indeed proud of her performance. It was her first since losing her manhood. Still, Jatel cared for Ka-Ron and did not wish to light a funeral fire in her honor any time soon.

There was a feeling about the room.

Jatel sensed it.

Also, there was a scent of sulfur.

The men above, on deck, chanted a battle cry that caused the squire to liven up his pace. His master needed his aide, and he intended to be by her side until the last blow. Jatel wiped the sweat off his brow and turned to join the fight.

Kai stood inches away.

Her gaze locked with Jatel's.

"For the gods!" the man cried, backing away more out of surprise than fear.

The Wicca Master sneered down at Jatel, allowing herself to grow in size. She towered higher than any man he had seen in battle. She was a devil to reckon with.

The squire squared his jaw, bit down on his fear, and unsheathed his sword.

"Dear woman!" he shouted, "I fear you not."

"Dear man," Kai countermanded. Her amusement only added to Jatel's frustration. "If I were you, I would fear!"

The stateroom filled with a powerful wind, not unlike that of a crazed hurricane. Jatel found it hard to stand. A foul stench filled his nostrils, and he had to swallow hard his breakfast, which, in his disgust, was coming back up for air. Still, these were simple tricks taught in the ranks of Idoshian combat. He would live.

Jatel prepared his sword.

He raised his shield.

He gave his weapon a powerful thrust.

Nothing. He hit nothing.

"What manner of evil is this?"

"There is no evil here, Jatel." the Wicca Master stated, gazing down upon the squire.

"Then why punish my master so?"

The witch laughed. She clapped her hands together and sat upon the cabin's bed, allowing the moment to become relaxed. Her action caused Jatel to lower his sword. It appeared, quite shockingly, that she had not appeared to do harm.

"Punish?" Kai questioned, rubbing her lower lip seductively. "It appears, dear sir, that you are enjoying yourself quite well, I dare say."

Jatel lowered his gaze, embarrassed.

"You speak not?"

"I serve my master." Jatel rebuked, holding his sword in defiance.

"You mean, you take her until she moans your name in female ecstasy."

"Yes," Jatel stated, his voice trembling with shame. "All to your design."

Kai paused. The Wicca Master closed her eyes hard. Was this regret the squire was seeing?

"I see the error in it all, young squire." Kai stated, her breath heavy. "This arrangement is all so&one-sided. Don't you think so?"

Jatel started to slowly back step. Looking over his shoulder, he started to retreat back through his cabin's door. Kai, noticing Jatel's movements, and anticipating his retreat, cast a silent spell, causing the cabin door to slam shut.

"We have both come too far for retreats, dear sir," the Wicca Master dryly laughed. "I think it time for the mighty Ka-Ron to receive a treat, of sorts. Don't you?"

Jatel had never known so much horror as he did in that eternal moment.

Not knowing what else to do, and understanding that he was both out-matched and over-powered, Jatel dropped his sword. This last surprised Kai.

"So, you are a thinking man."

"I know when I am facing a superior enemy." Jatel explained. "Do not confuse my surrender with weakness. For, if I could, I would run you through!"

"I will not mistake anything with you, squire." Kai stood back, hugging the cabin's walls. "Time to conclude our business, I think."

Jatel swallowed, hard.

"A man who enjoys the company of a woman, such as you, should never have to worry about not pleasing them." Kai started to rub her chin, thinking. Her eyes flashed with revelation, and she had to control the ironic laughing rising up in her throat. "A man should not have to worry about being dry as a bone. This is something you will never know again."

"On, no." Jatel moaned.

"Ah, hah!" Kai retorted. "You will always be at the ready. You will always desire the company of your&master."

Kai disappeared in a puff of orange smoke. Her laughter, however, stayed just a little longer, echoing in the squire's ears.

Jatel hated the sound more than he had feared it.

The squire opened his eyes, somewhat surprised at being alone.

"Now, what the hell was that all about?"

After a few silent moments, Jatel thought it best to go about his business. He shrugged the whole event off, hoping that the unpleasantness was behind him.

He was wrong.

A strong electrical shock invaded and traveled through his body.

"Ahhhhh!" Jatel cried. The pain was of such a force that it dropped him to his knees.

Jatel fought the urge to escape into unconsciousness. Sweat poured from his body like a raging waterfall. Helpless, he gazed down at his hands - they were shaking like that of an old man's.

"What's happening to me?" the squire whispered.

Jatel's ears started to notice the sounds of tearing cloth. In his confusion, pain, and terror the squire was unaware of the fact that his bodily mass was growing. His muscles were starting to rip through the humble stable clothes that he was wearing. He was gaining the body of a well-developed knight.

His hair grew twice its length and thickness. Indeed, he had never seen such a crop of hair before! Only, perhaps, upon the head of his master.

As fast at it had fell upon him, the pain stopped.

Jatel blinked and opened his eyes wide.

***

Ka-Ron had come to appreciate her long fingernails. In fact, they were superb in combat. Several times, she had blinded an unfortunate pirate by scratching out the bastard's eyes. It made hand-to-hand unpredictable.

"You broke a nail!" Ka-Ron screamed, backhanding an unfortunate Xow.

Upon the death of their captain, the pirates' will to fight had dissolved into chaos. With no command left to guide them, their aims were seriously in question. So, it did not take long for Hathaway and his men to round up, confine, and claim victory.

Ka-Ron was doing her best at crowd control.

"Damn Xows! Will you not ever learn?"

The knight, realizing that she was still naked, reached for her dress.

As Ka-Ron dressed, she heard several surprised gasps come from the men around her. Some gasps, it seemed, even came from the pirates.

"Ka-Ron," Hathaway stated, pointing back toward the cabin entrances.

"What?" the knight asked, buttoning up her dress.

"Your lover appears to have thrived in the light of combat."

Ka-Ron turned.

Jatel stood at the doorway, holding her sword and amour.

"To the Gods!"

Jatel had indeed changed.

His stance was at least several sticks higher than he had been before. His face had grown hard, and his body fantastic in both bulk and muscle. In point of fact, Ka-Ron marveled that her squire had resembled her male perspective before the moment of her physical change.

Jatel had become a knight!

"It was Kai," was all the squire could say. He fidgeted in his stance, knowing full well that he was bursting out of his clothes, and that nothing upon him seemed to fit right.

There was something else.

Ka-Ron could not put her attention to it, but, it was there nonetheless.

"She did this to you, then?"

"Of course." Jatel paused, looking around the deck. "Was victory ours?"

"More than that, my good man!" Hathaway shouted. The captain had to fight the good cheers of his comrades. "The pirate ship has been sunk, and these brave survivors have volunteered to become part of our cargo."

A nervous squirm spread through the pirate ranks.

"Have no fear," Hathaway laughed, showing the pirates a confident gloved hand. "I was joshing. This ship is no slaver."

Ka-Ron slowly approached her squire. Her excitement, in accordance to her nearness, seemed to increase with each step.

"Are you in pain?" she whispered. The knight placed a shaky hand upon his cheek. She, now, had to reach up to look at him.

It was his voice!

Each time her ears heard it, Jatel's voice attacked her with a cerebral force the woman found hard to resist. Kai had made it possible for Jatel to fully seduce her with just the simple sound of his utterance!

"I seemed to have arrived too late with your sword, sire," Jatel whispered.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes, realizing that she was exploding inside herself with lust and female satisfaction. Her shaky hands probed her squire's new body, marveling at the tone, shape, and warm invitations it seemed to project towards her senses. She played with his hair, not able to take her eyes off of him.

"Master, this is Kai's doing." Jatel paused, himself not able to stop touching Ka-Ron. "Let us not&indulge her."

Ka-Ron was not able to hear.

Reason was no longer an option.

"Jatel&I&"

Before the man could respond, Ka-Ron stretched, grabbe hold of his shoulders, and kissed him.

Hathaway and his men let out a festive cheer.

Jatel could not help himself.

Ka-Ron's eyes beamed a knowing stare.

"Race you back to the cabin?" she inquired.

"You've read my mind."

"No," Ka-Ron said with a sly wink. "I felt your&mind."

Jatel's face reddened.

Both disappeared behind the ship's cabin door.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Ka-Ron started to giggle uncontrollably as both she and Jatel jumped onto their bed. The knight was still covered with blood and scars from the failed invasion, but Jatel did not mind. There was no hesitation, now, in his enjoyments. There was, however, a difference - a difference that surprised him, but pleased his master instantly.

"Oh, Jatel!" Ka-Ron roared, sliding down upon his manhood. "It seems that you have grown! Everywhere!"

His master's eyes widened with sinful lust.

"The curse," Jatel tried to explain between grunts and thrusting. "It's the curse, sire."

Ka-Ron could not respond.

Lost in the embrace of lust, both Jatel and Ka-Ron entered a world full of nothing more than the simple pleasures of the young enjoying the touches and intimacies of each other. With his eyes closed, enjoying the kisses of his master, Jatel unsnapped the rest of Ka-Ron's clothing, allowing the woman to just simply shift her hips so as to discard her garments. Hearing her joys and her happiness caused Jatel to try harder. Nothing mattered to him but her sincere contentment.

Sweat poured from their bodies, mingling into a pool of passion.

Ka-Ron's body began to spasm, causing her legs to spread farther apart.

"To the Gods, Jatel!" she screamed, her hands clawing away at the sheets.

The knight started to take control, rolling over, attacking from the top.

Jatel, smiling ear-to-ear, allowed the attack.

As the light cascaded through Ka-Ron's lovely dark hair, Jatel caught himself between breaths, solely admiring the sheer beauty and innocence of the moment. And, for the first time in his life, he was happy.

Ka-Ron moaned in satisfaction, rubbing her hips tightly against Jatel's. With her eyes still closed, the knight reached out, grabbing Jatel's empty hands, filling them with the ampleness of her own breasts. Upon contact, Jatel's hands grabbed her velveteen flesh, squeezing and fondling. Ka-Ron moaned, almost screaming. The squire could no longer contain himself.

Both screamed, celebrating their union.

Ka-Ron, with one last spasm, collapsed upon Jatel's chest. Exhausted, but still loving, she started to roll his hair upon the ends of her fingers while admiring his essence.

"Oh, I could do this all day," she whispered.

Jatel took a look at the angle of the suns. "I think we have, sire."

Both started to laugh.

The ship had returned to the normal sounds of sailor challenging sea. Several ropes were heard straining against the winds, and boot thumped against wooden deck. Both Ka-Ron and Jatel thought they heard Captain Hathaway informing a slaver about what he intended to do with them if they failed to clean the blood off of his deck. All was indeed back to normal.

"We need to dress, I fear," Ka-Ron suggested.

The knight moved to separate herself from her squire.

"Jatel&" Ka-Ron's eyes first filled with amusement. Then, quite slowly, they flashed panic.

"What's wrong, sire?"

"I cannot undo myself from you."

This last, did cause Jatel to laugh uneasily. "Nonsense, woman."

To prove her point, Ka-Ron held Jatel down, and tried to get off of him. She failed.

There was an awkward moment when neither reacted.

"I am unable to leave," Ka-Ron finally whispered.

Jatel remembered Kai's comment of the curse being "one sided."

"Kai." the squire said.

Ka-Ron moved her hips, and started to enjoy herself once more. She moaned and had within her amusements the sounds of personal combat. Jatel got the firm impression that this last was not of Ka-Ron's doing. He started to initiate motion himself, not all aware of what he was doing. Again, the two were in love's embrace.

"Ka-Ron, we need to stop."

The knight cried out in passion. Her face dripping with sweat, "Jatel, I fear that I cannot!"

Jatel took matters into his own hands.

"Allow me on top, sire."

"Gladly!" Ka-Ron stated, her face flashed amusement.

Both turned in the bed.

If the situation hadn't been so alarming, Jatel would have joined in the amusement. But, try as he might, he and his master could not separate. No matter how many times he tried, he would pull himself out just enough to have some unknown, mysterious force, push him back in.

"This is all just too sick!" Jatel moaned.

"Faster! Faster!" Ka-Ron hummed, obviously lost in her lust.

Jatel, at first, was shocked. Upon closer examination, however, he noticed that Ka-Ron was crying. Her face was projecting pure pleasure in the whole affair, but her soul was in torment.

"Master?" the squire questioned.

"I can't stop, Jatel." she whispered. Her body quivered. "Why is Kai doing this? Haven't I been punished enough?"

The knight wrapped her legs around Jatel's hips. She closed her eyes, turning her face away, too ashamed to face her lover.

Jatel's brow was sweating as well. However, his was not the sweat of lust. His was the anger of feeling so helpless. Although he truly loved Ka-Ron, he could not forget that this woman had once been a man. And not just any man, but a man of action and integrity! He was the personal favorite of the king. When Idoshia needed hope, they called on Ka-Ron. Now, this same person was forced into the submissive universe of a woman. Now, this enlightened soul was reduced to loving a common stable squire. Jatel's heart swelled with pain for Ka-Ron, and he determined himself to help change her situation for the better.

"For the Gods, I will not allow this to continue!" Jatel shouted, collapsing upon the bed.

Ka-Ron wrapped her arms around Jatel, trying her best to kiss him.

"Master, you must try to stop."

"I cannot," Ka-Ron cried.

"Ka-Ron," Jatel whispered.

There was a tone to the squire's voice that had caused the knight to pause. She opened her eyes, looking into his. Jatel knew, through her confused haze, that he was breaking through. That he was countermanding the spell.

"You&must&try."

The constant love-making slowed.

"I&" was all Ka-Ron had managed to let out.

The Raxziel shook with a violent attack. Something, unknown to either Ka-Ron or Jatel, had struck the ship's starboard side. The energy was so terrific, in fact, that both of them slid off the bed, landing on the port side of their cabin in a rather painful bump.

Something had gone terribly wrong.

***

"Tork!"

Captain Hathaway's men scurried up and down the deck, doing their best to remain calm and to keep their ship from sinking. At the same time, Hathaway was regretting the fact that he wasn't a land-loving farmer.

"Captain, it's&Tork."

"I have eyes, dammit!"

Hathaway grabbed hold of the ship's wheel. His quartermaster was dead.

"Set the slavers loose!" he ordered, turning the wheel to the left. "If they can keep us afloat, they are freed."

A sailor on deck opened the caged hatch where the remainder of the Skree's crew were put. Like roaches in the night, they scurried on deck. Confused and surprised, they joined their captors in their duties, realizing they were all in paramount danger.

Hathaway dipped his boots into a pool of blood, stopping at the base of his ship's wheel. The unfortunate quartermaster's head lay between his feet. He was the first victim of Tork's amusement.

Tork was a living legend in these waters. Waters that all sailors knew were dangerous, but, all did their best to play the odds. Also, these were the only waters one could sail through if they ever wanted to venture towards The Fire Mountains.

"Curse my mother for ever showing me the oceans!" Hathaway grunted, battling both ship and sea. "Move to evade!"

Tork was a sea dragon. Sea dragons were rare.

This particular dragon was exceedingly dangerous, due to the fact that it possessed the mind of a child. In a rather particularly disastrous battle, seasons ago, Tork subjected himself to a nasty head injury. Since then, the beast had been completely harmless. Harmless that is, on everyone but sailors. Tork, it seemed, got rather amused at sinking ships. The sea dragon liked the way sailors splashed about in the water.

Tork was not trying to attack the Raxziel. He only wished to see Hathaway and his men swim.

"Sails at full wind speed, Captain!" a sailor yelled from one of the recently repaired masts.

Hathaway glanced upward, giving the wind a general salute.

From the corner of his eye, Hathaway noticed a wall of sea green scales coming his way. His hands remained tight upon the wheel. His duty was clear. However, someone forgot to order his fear in the same noble actions - his fingers turned a cowardly white as all the blood left both his hands.

"Sweet Gods protect us," the captain whispered.

"PRETTY PRETTY SAILS!"

A sea dragon is unlike your average dragon. They were still part mammal, part reptile, and part bird, but they were also fish. They do not breathe fire, nor do they attack with it. Instead, they spray water. And as any sailor could tell you, water is a dangerous weapon.

Unlike its cousins, the sea dragon had no wings. It was strictly a sea-bearing creature. Instead of wings it had huge fins and dorsals, which navigated it as easily through the depths as wings did its counterparts in the air. Instead of whiskers, it had tentacle-like feelers. These feelers were used to enhance their eyesight and, curiously enough, their sense of taste.

Tork was busy licking and sucking on a few of his whiskers as he watched the Raxziel evade.

Hathaway's ship looked both too slow and quite small.

Tork clapped his hands, half the size of his huge legs, which allowed him to stand high in the water. His constant sucking at his whiskers made him talk loudly.

"SPALSH FOR ME IN THE WATER!" Tork ordered. "SPLASH. SPLASH. SPLASH."

The wind was nowhere to be found.

Hathaway, looking up at the sea dragon, let go of the wheel.

He knew that he was doomed.

Tork hit the main deck of the ship, instantly snapping all her masts. The steel-woven sails collapsed with a chime. Sailors rained down upon the decks, breaking arms and legs. Some were fortunate enough to land in the water.

Tork was enjoying himself.

With a swipe of his coral-infested tail, the sea dragon opened a hole in the Raxziel's hull big enough to slide a castle through.

"Gods damn that dragon!" Hathaway yelled.

The men started to leave the ship. All were doing their best not to become Tork's next victim.

"LET'S PLAY!" the sea dragon giggled.

***

The wave of ice cold water poured into Ka-Ron and Jatel's cabin, waking them from their injuries. Both tried to avoid the oncoming water, realizing that it had become quite impossible for them to move efficiently, given that they were still attached and could not break apart.

"What's happening?" Jatel asked, wiping his hair away from his face.

"We're sinking," Ka-Ron barked.

The squire tried with all his newly-given might to pry himself from the fruits of Ka-Ron's hips, but to no avail. The water level was close to their waists, and if they were to survive, a quick solution had to be found.

"What&" Ka-Ron blurted, changing her course of thought as fast as she had uttered the word. "How are we going to walk?"

"Wrap your arms around me, and hold tight," Jatel ordered.

Ka-Ron complied.

Jatel found himself in quite a pickle. One, he could drown in his cabin. Or, he could suffocate in the ample universe of Ka-Ron's chest. In her fear, the knight failed to realize that her grip did not allow for air to reach Jatel's lungs.

Jatel, doing his best despite being both blind and oxygen-poor, rose to his feet.

The squire tried to speak, only producing some huffing mumbles between Ka-Ron's breasts.

Ka-Ron, on the other hand, rolled her eyes, enjoying the whole affair.

"Oh, Jatel, I love it when you bury your face in me."

The water continued to rise.

***

"There's something you don't see every day." a sailor stated, pointing past his captain.

If there were anything powerful enough to cause Captain Hathaway to refrain from climbing down the side of a sinking ship, it would be the site of a naked man and woman walking up-deck, still involved in the arts of love. Hathaway's mouth popped open in bewilderment.

"Keep loading supplies," Hathaway ordered his men.

The crew, including the unfortunate slavers, were getting into the ship's long boats and heading out to sea. Tork had done about all the damage he could, and was now only lightly toying with the lifeboats. The dragon attacked the first boat to leave, stopping when he heard the terrified screams of the sailors he killed.

"SAILORS CRY. VERY BAD." The sea dragon let out a loud burp. He was hungry. Sea dragons always burped when they were hungry.

Jatel and Ka-Ron headed toward Hathaway.

"Ah, you guys&" Hathaway stopped. He couldn't find the words.

"Oh, Captain Hathaway," Ka-Ron stated, as if this were normal.

Jatel continued to stumble. The squire fought Ka-Ron's flesh, doing his best to grab a little air. Every now and then, he peeked out, and allowed himself that time to breathe.

"No time to talk," Hathaway explained. The captain looked out to sea and watched his men row away.

His attention was brought back to Ka-Ron, who was enjoying the love-making Jatel was doing to her in his movements to walk.

"Listen, mate&" Hathaway said, tapping Jatel on the shoulder. "I love my woman too, but are you not going a bit far in the showing?"

The water started to flood the ship's galley, causing a huge explosion aft of the vessel. A fire soon erupted, adding yet another sense of danger to an otherwise crappy day.

"Then again&life's short. Carry on."

Hathaway jumped off the side of his ship, splashing in the cold waters below. He found one of his long boats, and was pulled aboard by members of his crew.

Jatel and Ka-Ron were now alone.

Tork, it seemed, became quite bored. He rolled over, allowing the yellow blubber of his stomach to show towards the suns. In warming his belly, he would be able to venture into the deep without any fear of freezing. As he warmed his underbelly, he hummed long-forgotten songs, not really paying that much attention towards the Raxziel, which was slowly dying, making her final plunge in the waters surrounding him.

"STUPID SAILORS!" the dragon huffed.

***

Tork was lost in the simple delights of sun warming, when he was awakened by the most curious sounds. He was sure that it could not have been the sailors he had played with. They were long gone in their little-little-boats. He rubbed his belly, opened the flaps of his ears, and listened keenly.

The sounds were coming from the throat of a woman. Of that Tork was sure.

The sea dragon rolled over, dipping beneath the sea. Only the tip of his snout and his brow remained above the water.

"MORE TO PLAY WITH!" the dragon mused.

Upon investigating, Tork discovered a curious sight.

A man and a woman, floating upon a door, making love. Tork smiled, almost allowing a giggle to escape from his mouth. What a delight! He had never witnessed human love, and was prepared to eavesdrop. Still, there was that child-like quality the dragon carried with him that innocently pulled at his conscience, telling him in plain terms that he should close his eyes and turn his head. This was private stuff, not to be toyed with.

But it was also good fun. Any self-respecting dragon never turned down fun.

The humans appeared to be too involved in what they were doing to notice the huge shadow Tork projected. Nor did they seem to care about the water turning colder. The sea dragon had tried to get their attention by waving his tiny arms in the air, and letting out a humble grunt, clearing his throat.

Nothing.

Tork patted his fingers on his chest, watching.

"What to do?" Tork whispered. "What to do?"

Tork moved in closer.

"EXCUSE ME&"

Ka-Ron, upon seeing Tork's face, started to scream. It was a comical thing to watch the two of them. The sea dragon got the impression that they were "stuck" together. What an interesting situation, if not quite embarrassing.

Jatel was the first to speak.

"What are you doing here?" the squire asked, his voice trembling.

"OH, JUST FLOATING BY," Tork stated, as he cleared his throat. His gaze kept averting itself as he realized that the humans were naked. "ARE YOU NOT COLD?"

"We are," Ka-Ron huffed, cupping her breasts. "Can you not help us?"

Tork shook his head.

"CANNOT!" he paused, looking around. "THOSE ARE THE RULES."

"Rules?" Jatel questioned.

"RULES OF DRAGONHOOD," Tork explained, floating once again upon his back. "RULE 16: MAN IS QUITE CAPEABLE OF HELPING HIMSELF. DO NOT INTERFERE!"

"But you sunk our ship." Ka-Ron challenged.

"THAT'S RULE 3: A DRAGON MUST DESTROY!"

Both Jatel and Ka-Ron gave each other a disbelieving look.

"UNION RULES," Tork stated. "YOU UNDERSTAND?"

"Quite." Jatel shook his head.

There was an awkward silence between the three for quite sometime. Tork never took his eyes off the woman, for she was quite striking in her appearance. The sea dragon was not into human women, but he admired her lines. Still, there was "something" about her.

"DO YOU PERFORM THE MAGICAL ARTS, BY CHANCE?"

"No," Ka-Ron said. "I am a knight-errant."

"A WOMAN?" Tork giggled. Silently, he looked at Jatel for an explanation.

"I am her squire."

"I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF A WOMAN KNIGHT." The sea dragon scratched at one of his whiskers. "I DETECT A MAGICAL AURA ABOUT THE TWO OF YOU."

Ka-Ron started to cry.

This above all caused Tork to feel both surprised and hurt. He did not mean to cause the sweet woman harm. Frantically, the sea dragon tapped his hands in the water.

"PLEASE STOP," Tork pleaded. "PLEASE STOP."

Jatel placed his arms around Ka-Ron. The knight collapsed, burying her face in his chest. She cried even more.

"WHAT AILS HER?"

"She has been through a lot." Jatel tried to explain, his own eyes starting to tear.

"WHAT IS WRONG?"

"She was the victim of a terrible curse."

"SO BAD FOR HER." Tork shook his head.

The seas were starting to act up. There was a storm brewing in the clouds, and Jatel could sense, even by his brief acquaintance with the water, that their door would not be buoyant enough to sustain them through it. He had managed to retain most of his master's armor and sword, but these would be like anchors once the water started to rise.

"Is there any way you can help?"

"SORRY," Tork said, his lower lip pouting outward.

Ka-Ron began to cry louder.

Tork's hands moved up to his long neck, nervously playing with his scales.

"PLEASE, ASK HER TO STOP."

"I cannot," Jatel explained. "The pain has finally hit her, and it is all coming out. If only we could retire someplace where my master could have some privacy."

Tork's eyes blinked open. Suddenly, he had a revelation.

"PRIVACY?" the dragon repeated. "I CAN PROVIDE THAT MUCH!"

To both Ka-Ron and Jatel's horror, Tork grabbed hold of the door they had both been floating on, and brought it up close to his face.

"What's the meaning of this?" Ka-Ron demanded.

"I AM PROVIDING YOU PRIVACY." Tork innocently blinked his eyes.

With that, the sea dragon opened his huge mouth, dropping both Ka-Ron and Jatel into the deep darkness of his throat.

"Noooooooo!" both Jatel and Ka-Ron screamed as they disappeared.

Tork burped. It was a satisfying swallow.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Ka-Ron opened her eyes to find Jatel passed out and drooling on her breasts. She fought her grogginess, trying her best to remember the events that had just recently happened. Had she and Jatel been swallowed by a dragon? Were they dead? In any case, she was alive and breathing. This was something she had not expected.

The knight blinked her eyes, trying to maintain their focus.

Stars?

Was Ka-Ron seeing stars?

If she and her squire had indeed been swallowed by a dragon, why would she be seeing stars shining above her? There was also what appeared to be a moon. Granted, it was only one, but it was still a moon.

She reached under her bottom and discovered something more surprising.

Dirt!

She was lying on some kind of firmament. There was substance here, and it went way beyond the biological insides of a living creature.

"What&" the knight said. "Where are we?"

In the distance, Ka-Ron thought she heard the sounds of both insect and bird. She noticed that they were resting comfortably near what appeared to be a small grotto. Tiny illuminating fish skipped to and fro as the water showed the presence of an incoming tide.

"Jatel?" Ka-Ron whispered. Reaching up, she gently shook the squire.

Jatel moaned slightly, as he blinked himself back to life. His eyes reflected the horror of remembrance, and instinctively he grabbed hold of Ka-Ron. It was obvious to the knight that her squire was recalling the dark falling they both went through when Tork had swallowed them.

But were they still inside the dragon?

"It's all right," Ka-Ron reassured Jatel as she gently embraced his face. She found herself kissing him passionately. She was so happy that they were both alive.

"Where are we?" Jatel inquired.

"I have no idea."

Jatel tried to get up, but he was soon disappointed to discover that both he and Ka-Ron were still connected.

"This appears to be a small countryside."

"Appears."

Jatel's face flashed confusion. "I have never seen this place before."

"I think we are inside the dragon, Jatel."

The squire let out a nervous laugh. "Nonsense. Why would there be a skyline, if we are in the belly of the beast? How could we breathe?"

"Good questions, all," Ka-Ron acknowledged.

Jatel paused, looking Ka-Ron in the eye.

"We're still&"

Ka-Ron grunted, readjusting her bottom so that she could rest more easily.

"Yes, I can feel that." She paused and cupped Jatel's face. "I am sorry."

"What have you to be sorry for?"

"That you have to suffer at my expense."

Jatel shook his head, not saying a word. Instead, he tried to remove himself from his master. In doing so, the cruel magical force that had originally brought them together forced him back in, and both moved with a vengeance.

"Here we go again." Ka-Ron huffed.

Jatel closed his eyes, deciding that it would be less painful if he did not try to fight what was happening.

Ka-Ron started to cry.

"This is becoming painful."

"I know."

Both quivered.

Pain exploded throughout their bodies.

"I cannot stop, Jatel."

Ka-Ron looked up to discover that the squire had passed out, his exhaustion having taken its toll upon him. Still, his body continued to move, causing Ka-Ron to wrap her legs around him tighter.

In her agony, something caught her attention.

A campfire!

They were not alone in this strange world.

In the distance, at least a good sun's walk away, Ka-Ron had spotted a small fire. There were others in this place. Others who could provide both aid and answers.

Ka-Ron's body quivered with both pain and delight. Her eyes rolled white. Before she could react, think, or formulate anything else, she also joined Jatel in the mists of forced sleep.

Around the two of them, a fog had started to rise.

***

Several times, while Ka-Ron was unconscious, she got the impression that she was being moved. Her mind would not allow her the act of opening her eyes, for her body and mind were still in the course of healing. One goes through a lot when one has been swallowed by a dragon.

Ka-Ron's eyes finally opened. She fought the pain of a terrible headache.

"Jatel?"

Ka-Ron discovered that she was lying on a travel bed, fully clothed, and without Jatel connected to her. Thankful, the knight rubbed her tired stomach and lower abdomen with genuine relief.

Jatel, sleeping on his back, buried deep in warm covers, was oblivious to everything. He also appeared to be fully clothed and out of danger.

Ka-Ron rose from her bed wearing a light blue dress with red lining around her skirt. It was a perfect fit, and with the help of her curse, it allowed all to admire her full curves and beauty. She wore shoes, which were more comfortable, and of course the best undergarments she had yet to experience. Whoever her host was, they were kind and had wonderful taste.

Ka-Ron heard a stirring, and noticed Jatel waking from his sleep. Upon his face she beheld the same confused and delighted looks she had expressed. The squire also noticed his clothes and the comfortable way he found himself in his waking.

"How&?" Jatel had started to state, but was soon cut off by Ka-Ron's silent but strong hand.

Nearby, both noticed a cabin. Made of both wood and tin, it stood about two stories high, and resembled a humble Idoshian home. In fact, the habitat looked so much like Kai's home that Ka-Ron found her hands shaking. Still, in all its resemblance, the home could not be that of Kai.

In the back of the home, there stood a huge vessel of some kind, which appeared to be still under construction. Its shape resembled that of a great ship, but that would have been unusual, considering that the thing was nowhere near any body of water. Why would someone bother to build a boat that could not sail?

Jatel uncovered himself and noticed the fine clothes he was wearing. His new body and muscle mass made him look grand in Ka-Ron's eyes. Her newfound womanhood marveled at the way Jatel's shirt and jacket wrapped seductively around his broad shoulders and strong arms. The knight's face flushed a warm red as she took notice of the way his ass appeared in his leather pants. Embarrassed, she cleared her throat and avoided eye contact.

"What is happening here, sire?"

"It appears that we have an ally."

Jatel motioned his hands from his body to hers. "We have clothes, and we appear to have been saved from Kai's latest attempts to ruin our lives."

"I am thankful for the rest," Ka-Ron nervously stated. She looked up at Jatel, noticing that he was admiring her form in her new clothes, and that he nervously played with a strand of her hair.

Jatel moved forward, placing his arms around Ka-Ron's waist. She closed her eyes, as if on automatic, waiting for him to kiss her.

Nothing happened.

Frustrated, Ka-Ron opened her eyes. "What is it?"

"I smell food being prepared."

The knight sniffed the air. Jatel was correct.

"It smells like a meat soup." Ka-Ron licked her lips. "I could use some of that."

A noise of clanging pots was soon heard coming from behind the knight. Both crept up to a nearby fur tree and peeked beyond the small ridge they were on.

Nearby was an individual who had his back turned toward Ka-Ron and Jatel's resting place. He was busy washing table vegetables of some kind, and had not been made aware of the fact that his guests were now awake. Darkness kept his identity a secret.

"It appears to be our host," Jatel stated. He peered through the darkness, trying his best to scout ahead. "I see no one else by his side, sire. He appears to be alone."

Ka-Ron noticed her sword sitting up against the same fur tree. With a cautionary eagerness, she unsheathed the weapon.

"Then let us go and make our presence known."

"Indeed."

Both took off their shoes, wishing not to be heard as they approached this mysterious individual. By all accounts, the strange figure in front of them appeared not to be paying attention. Instead, he was more interested in the keen ingredients he was preparing in his soup.

The mystery man was wearing a thick gray cloak. His head was covered with the cloak's hood, making him appear to be hunchbacked. He was not, however. Ka-Ron could tell. He was just involved in the making of his meal, and he was using his nose to guide his tastes.

Ka-Ron pointed her sword at the figure, ready to strike.

"Since you have the biggest knife," the figure said, not turning to face Ka-Ron, "why don't you cut up the lava carrots?"

Ka-Ron stood, dumbfounded, her sword frozen in midair.

The figure seemed unaffected by Ka-Ron or her sword. He continued his cooking. He moved only when he added ingredients to the pot.

"I demand that you show yourself."

"Demands are unnecessary," the figure continued. He picked up a huge slab of meat, from an animal Ka-Ron could not identify, and added it to the boiling pot at his side. "We are both prisoners here."

"Where is here?" Jatel asked. The squire moved ahead of Ka-Ron, wishing to do his part in protecting her.

"Why, inside the dragon, of course," the figure said, chuckling. He shook his head in a rather disapproving manner.

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel looked at each other.

"Are you saying that we are in the belly of the dragon?"

"As if that were not obvious!"

The figure turned, facing both Ka-Ron and Jatel. Lowering his cloak, he glared at them both with bright purple eyes. He was of middle age, bald, and keenly built for a man of his age. He wore one silver ring upon his left hand, and had no other distinguishable marks, with the exception of one. Upon his forehead was a tattoo: three mystic rings resembling the known layers of the universe.

This was the tattoo of a wizard.

"Allow me to introduce myself," he said, controlling an obvious smile. "My name is Keeth."

Ka-Ron and Jatel took a step back, having noticed Keeth's tattoo.

"You can put your rather impressive weapon away," Keeth suggested, trying to ignore his visitor's fear of him. "I mean no harm. I am not that kind of wizard."

Ka-Ron lowered her sword.

"Forgive us our manner, wizard." The knight bowed with respect. "My squire and I are on a quest and are indebted to you and your aid."

"Your&squire?" Keeth's eyes narrowed.

There grew an awkward pause among the three.

"You say that we are still within the belly of the beast, sir?" Ka-Ron repeated.

"Fascinating creature, is he not?"

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel shook their heads in agreement.

"Why do we see stars? Why is there ground? Why are we still&here?"

Keeth's frame straightened with excitement. As he tried to explain their shared situation, he noticed that he was still holding a lava carrot, which he had been cutting up for their stew. Rather awkwardly, the wizard placed the vegetable back upon his worktable.

"Tork is indeed a fascinating creature," the wizard explained. He started to pace, pointing his hands both up and down, asking his audience to follow his wisdom. "As far as I have been led to discover, this sea dragon has an Inter-dimensional Time-Space Disbursement Zone! Right in the heart of its stomach." Keeth paused, rubbing his hands together in excitement. "It is extremely rare."

"Oh, that sounds rare, all right," Jatel huffed. He turned to his master, giving her a 'this guy's crazy' look.

"Could you explain that one to me, one more time?"

"Certainly," Keeth said, finding an old tree stump to sit upon. "As you and your squire were being swallowed by the dragon, the space between the molecules of your body shrank. The deeper you went, the smaller the two of you became. Then, I theorize, we all shifted into an inner-dimension, where this little world seems to exist - right within the same time and space as the dragon."

"Then, we are no longer in the dragon?" Jatel asked.

"No," Keeth corrected. "We are still here. But, Tork does not know we are here. You see?"

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel looked at the other, puzzled.

"No." they stated in unison.

"Ordinary people," Keeth huffed in frustration.

Jatel discovered that he could not seem to take his eyes off the wizard's tattoo. It was like no other he had seen before.

"You have an interesting marking upon your forehead, sir."

"Thank you, son," Keeth said, beaming. "Excuse me. Your accent&are you not Illium by birth?"

"Yes," Jatel stated both shocked and amused. "You have been to my land?"

"I was there before the fall of the last royals, if that is what you mean."

"Damned Xows," Jatel cursed. "They shall be the ruin of us all. But, back to your tattoo, sir."

"Yes. My master provided it, when I completed my training. It represents the three phases of the universe."

"Three phases?" Ka-Ron asked.

Both his guests took a seat before him, allowing Keeth the comfort of knowing them. This was fantastic! The wizard had been alone for so long that he had almost forgotten what it was like just to talk with someone.

"Yes!" Keeth explained, pointing at his forehead. "They represent creation, existence, and destruction."

"Fascinating," Jatel said, looking around at Keeth's home.

Uneasily, Keeth cleared his throat.

"It was I who discovered the two of you."

"Oh?" Ka-Ron found herself grabbing Jatel's hand for comfort.

"I cast a spell separating the two of you so that you could wear clothing once again." Keeth paused, nervously humming. "Did you two do this horrible thing to yourselves?"

"Of course not!" Ka-Ron insisted.

"Thank you for your help, sir," Jatel added, trying to calm the knight down.

Ka-Ron was indeed in a temper. She kept battling the urge to get up and leave, and the pure thankfulness she had for Keeth's concern. Anyone could clearly see that she was close to a mental collapse.

Keeth felt it right to provide them with a warning.

"Do not celebrate too soon," Keeth said. The wizard got back up and headed towards his worktable. "There is something about this dragon that will only allow my spells to last three suns. Soon, you will be bound again. Consider this a well-deserved rest."

Upon hearing this bit of bad news, Ka-Ron hit her hands against her knees, and did her best not to cry.

She didn't succeed.

"Madam, I will endeavor to try!" Keeth reassured.

Ka-Ron ignored Keeth's remarks, and pushed Jatel away from her. The squire was doing all that he could to help the knight remain calm.

"Useless!" Ka-Ron cried. "Useless!"

Keeth remained silent, doing his part to control his curiosity.

Ka-Ron finally took hold of her emotions, and dried her eyes.

"I am sorry, dear wizard." the knight said, wiping her nose. "I have been through a lot."

Keeth pointed to Jatel. "You addressed this man as your squire."

"Yes," Ka-Ron confirmed.

Keeth shook his head, trying to put all the pieces together. "Not that many females in this world are knight-errants, if I may be so bold to say so."

"True."

Another long awkward moment.

Keeth picked up a stick and started to draw images in the sand. Doodling. Thinking.

"Who has done this to you?" the wizard finally asked.

"Done what?" Jatel defended, silently ordering Ka-Ron to sit back, saying nothing.

Keeth looked long and hard at Ka-Ron. "You are a most lovely woman. Painfully lovely. I have lived a long time, and I have never met a woman with your bountiful charms." After pausing, he said, "So, I'll ask again, knight - who has done this to you?"

Jatel rose.

"You knew?"

"I'm a wizard, young man," Keeth stated. "I didn't fall off the carrot cart just yesterday."

"A woman who was like my second mother did this to me," Ka-Ron confessed.

"Sire! No!" Jatel shouted. "We know not this man's intentions."

"Oh, sure!" Keeth huffed. "I purposely had myself swallowed by a sea dragon, ending up here, just so that I can steal your coin purse. Grow up, young man. Know a friend when you see one!"

Jatel sat back down, feeling quite stupid.

"Continue, please." Keeth's eyes turned soft from the asking.

"It is a dreadful curse for a knight to be under," Ka-Ron tried to explain. "In my acts of omission, I was blamed for the death of a woman. The only daughter of the local Wicca Master."

"Ah! A Wicca Master," Keeth mused, rubbing a thoughtful hand against his chin. "This explains much."

"In her rage, the Wicca Master took away my true form, changing me into this&" Ka-Ron motioned her hands around her body. "What you see before you."

"Then, when born, you were a man?"

"Correct," Ka-Ron stated. "I was known as Ka-Ron, Errant-Knight to the kingdom of Idoshia."

Keeth's eyes widened.

"Even in the belly of this beast, I have heard of you." he bowed his head. "It's an honor to have crossed your path, sir."

"We were on a ship, heading for the Fire Mountains," Jatel explained. "We believe that this Wicca Master is there."

"What are your intentions?"

"Confront her, sir!" Jatel roared, angry. "Confront her, and beg forgiveness, in the hope that the softening of her heart will reverse the spell."

Keeth studied Jatel. "You love your master. Do you not?"

Jatel turned uneasy.

Ka-Ron's hopeful stare in Jatel's direction did not pass his keen observations.

"It is all part of the curse, wizard."

Ka-Ron's eyes turned sad and a little watery as she lowered her head.

"Is it?" the wizard asked.

"I have suffered much, dear wizard." Ka-Ron concluded. "I want my identity back. I want, once more, to carry out the duty of protecting my lands from her enemies."

"Who says you cannot do that as a woman?"

Ka-Ron's face turned sarcastic. "War is no place for the gentle sex."

"Obviously, you never had to face a woman's wrath," Keeth chuckled.

Jatel hid his face. The squire was laughing.

Ka-Ron ignored what her squire was doing. Leaning forward, she asked, "Is there anything you can do to help return things to normal?"

Keeth quieted. His face turned serious.

"I believe I can help in some way," he stated, stoking the campfire. The flames were burning a bright blue. Insects alien to both Ka-Ron and Jatel lightly screamed and dove into the fire, gladly giving up their lives. "But truth is important here. Ego will not cure this curse. It will only worsen the pain."

"Agreed!" Ka-Ron said, cheered.

This time, Keeth studied the squire. A silent pain crossed his eyes.

"This is, after all, a very complicated thing," Keeth said.

"In what manner?" the knight asked.

Keeth grunted, uneasy. "An oversight on the Wicca Master's spell seems to have surfaced."

Ka-Ron and Jatel looked at each other, befuddled.

"You two love each other." the wizard explained.

There was an awkward moment of silence.

Ka-Ron and Jatel looked deeply into the eyes of the other.

Both laughed.

Both turned silent.

"It is true, then?" Keeth asked.

"I believe&"

Ka-Ron gave Jatel a longing look.

"Yes!" Jatel concluded. "I do love her."

"Then I will help," Keeth stated. He headed back to stir his stew. "But, we should all eat first. Spells have a way of draining vital energy from those involved. So, who will aid me in the preparing of the meal?"

Ka-Ron raised her hand.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

"This has to be done with a quick hand."

It took Keeth a long time to rummage through his personal items, hoping to find the right knife for the job. If the knife were not correct in the actions needed, the wizard explained that his deeds could disrupt the atomic field surrounding their little world, collapsing it upon them.

The wizard's shaking hand rested itself upon the spongy wall of Tork's stomach. "Grab hold of something. This will harm him, some."

The wizard plugged his dagger into the dragon's side, allowing a great deal of blood to pour out into a golden bowl he held in his other hand. As predicted, Tork responded with gusto. He flinched, causing all within his unknown little world to shake in a violent response. Jatel was almost knocked to the ground.

Almost immediately, all three were attacked by a most horrible stench. The wizard had prepared himself, but both Ka-Ron and Jatel were taken unaware. The squire, upon smelling the horrid odor, released his breakfast in a violent upheaval.

"Yes," Keeth relayed. His eyes never left the golden bowl he was holding, making quite sure he got his quota of dragon's blood. "Nasty sort of stuff, is it not?"

"To the gods!" Ka-Ron whispered, her hands covering her nose and mouth. "It is more horrid than the rotting of flesh."

"Still, no truer magical substance exists in this or any other universe."

The wizard removed the bowl, allowing the blood to spray upon the ground. Upon doing so, the blood transformed into a new patch of grass both green and inviting - proving Keeth's theory of dimensional transference. Ka-Ron and Jatel marveled at the sight.

"Amazing!" the knight said, trying her best to control an almost childlike excitement.

"And, observe," Keeth said, directing his guests' attention towards the knife wound.

An ugly scar began to form. The wound would have killed any mortal creature. It was about the size of an average man's fist, for the knife used was designed to harm a dragon. Slowly and subtly, Tork's flesh moved in upon itself, stopping the spray of blood, and appearing, by all evidence never to have known its original pain. It was as if Keeth's episode with the knife had never taken place.

"This is the secret to a dragon's immortality," Keeth explained. He studied the contents of his bowl. "Ahh! It appears that we do have enough to both start and help the two of you."

Ka-Ron and Jatel exchanged happy glances.

"Still," the wizard warned. "As with all my spells here, this could only last under three suns. Please, keep that in mind."

Again, Keeth had noticed a certain painful expression cross the face of Ka-Ron's squire. Quietly, he placed his hand upon Jatel's shoulder, causing the young man to stop and pay attention.

"Young lady," Keeth said, "could you, by chance, attend to the fire, whilst I converse with your squire about duties and attentions I will need from him?"

Ka-Ron gave both men a curious stare.

"All is correct, child," the wizard reassured her. "Have no worries."

With that, Ka-Ron nodded and proceeded back towards the campfire. Her body language stated clearly to Keeth that the knight did not wish to venture on, but, to her credit, she continued with her journey.

Jatel's eyes fell upon the wizard.

Keeth put up a warning finger, waiting for Ka-Ron to travel outside of earshot.

"What is all this, then?" Jatel inquired.

"You care."

Jatel blinked his eyes, hard. "What?"

"You care for her, don't you?"

"Of course!" Jatel started to pace. "I am her loyal squire, and have been so for several seasons. I have always been by her side, and will continue to do so."

"You care for Ka-Ron as a woman, do you not?"

Jatel's eyes filled with rage.

"Just what are you intending, wizard?" The squire controlled his wrath.

Keeth spoke with caution.

He knew he was treading on sacred ground.

"Young squire, I mean neither you nor your master any disrespect." Silently, Keeth motioned Jatel to join him. Both rested on a fallen tree. "Still, your heart is in crisis here. I would be less than a wizard, if I did not see this."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning," Keeth paused, placing his hand upon Jatel's shoulder, "you love this woman. The one you are both trying to recreate into the former form and identity of your master."

Jatel remained silent. He looked down at his shoes.

"Your silence speaks with more eloquence than you ever could."

"I have had a very lonely life," Jatel finally confessed, almost whispering the words.

"And, admiration itself has never been in doubt between both you and your master. Correct?"

"Ka-Ron is a great warrior," Jatel stated, his face flashing both pride and amusement.

"And still you wish to help." Pausing, the wizard studied Jatel's face with wonder. "You would give up all this curse has given you, just so your master could once more have what she has lost."

There was a long pause from Jatel.

"Yes," he finally confirmed. Jatel trembled a little in the saying. "Her happiness is more important to me than mine."

Keeth took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly. He shook his head with understanding, and, for a moment, realized that there were still things in this universe he did not quite understand. And, that thought alone was indeed reassuring to him.

"I do not believe I have ever met a person of your salt, Jatel. I admire you, sir." He patted Jatel's shoulder. "We should start back to camp. Ka-Ron will worry."

"Yes, she will."

The wizard allowed Jatel to venture ahead of him, while he fell behind admiring the couple as they once more reunited at the fire. Ka-Ron took hold of Jatel's hands, looking up into his careworn eyes, admiring all. Keeth was curious: What part of Ka-Ron really wished to return to her former self, and what part longed for Jatel's embrace on a cold night?

In any case, the wizard knew that these people and their quest were what he had been waiting for.

***

Ka-Ron pulled out her hip dagger and reached for a strand of her hair.

"How much do you need?" she asked.

"About a finger's length," Keeth stated, making sure he never stopped stirring the dragon's blood.

Closing her eyes, Ka-Ron cut off a lock of hair.

"Is this enough?"

"About," Keeth agreed, continuing his stirring. "Drop it in the contents of the bowl, please."

Ka-Ron placed her hair in the bowl, hearing the acidic blood claim it with a small hiss. The knight controlled the smile forming on her face, after looking into the sad eyes of her squire. This last did not escape the attention of the wizard.

Both Jatel and Ka-Ron were anxious to reverse Kai's spell, due to the fact that Keeth's attempt to keep the two of them apart was about to run its course. If something were not done before the setting of this internal world's sun, both Jatel and Ka-Ron would again find themselves attached and unable to halt their desires to make love. Although a delightful situation, Ka-Ron had pointed out, in the long run it was an exhausting affair.

This could all end, if Keeth were successful.

"What ails thee, squire?" Keeth inquired, noting Jatel's troubled brow.

"It is nothing."

"Speak up!" Keeth ordered. "I am not above the criticism of others."

"I just feel that the one who cast this spell should be the one who reverses it." Jatel pleaded to Ka-Ron, "Sire, please, think greatly about your actions."

"I have," Ka-Ron agonized. "I want what I was, Jatel. I what normalcy, again."

"At the cost of what we have found in one another?"

"What we found was discovered while being the victims of a cruel spell."

There was a long pause.

Keeth continued his stirring.

"Surely not all, Ka-Ron?" The look of pain was quite obvious.

Ka-Ron started to fidget. Her gaze grew uncertain.

"Jatel, I was not meant to be a woman."

"You know what is best, master."

Jatel walked away from the fire. The knight greatly wished to follow after her squire, but she was stopped by a silent commanding hand, coming from Keeth.

"Leave him." he ordered. "He is quite entitled to feel the way he does."

"I know&" the knight's voice trailed off.

"He loves you."

"I know that, as well."

"And you wish to continue with this? Knowing what you know?"

Ka-Ron looked down upon her body, realizing that her new dress was showing way too much of her impressive neckline. Absently, she pulled at the cloth, hoping to cover what she felt was inappropriate.

"My destiny is to protect the kingdom and people of Idoshia." the knight struggled to say, her voice giving away her inner pain. "I cannot do that in this form."

"How can you think so little about who you are?" Keeth's concern almost had caused him to stop stirring. He corrected himself.

"Let's just get on with it." Ka-Ron ordered. The knight was on the verge of crying. She forced herself to turn away from Jatel, not able to look in his direction.

"So be it." the wizard stated. "We shall begin."

Keeth stopped his stirring.

A cool breeze blew across the site the wizard had chosen, giving both comfort and calm to the situation. Jatel stood, with his back to the event, because he did not wish his master to see the tears forming in his eyes. He was happy in the fact that his master would be turning back to normal, but saddened by the fact that he would be losing a fond lover. This he could not accept, for the latter meant more years of servitude and loneliness.

The wizard put on his most holy cloak, containing ancient writings and spells of protections. He had asked both Ka-Ron and Jatel to explain the circumstances behind Kai's spell, her motives, and her beliefs. He asked Ka-Ron to repeat all that she could remember. He requested that Jatel volunteer all that Kai had stated to him, and came up with the answers towards the reversal of the curse.

All was ready.

Jatel closed his eyes, waiting.

"Ka-Ron," Keeth instructed, "Stand here."

The knight stood between a fur tree and a scale bush. Under her feet were highly shined bloodstones. Ka-Ron's nerves were being pushed to her limits. She could start to feel the ebbing of Keeth's helpful spell to keep her and Jatel apart. She could feel the subtle wetness of her loins returning - feeling the need, again, for her lover's body and company.

"Let's get on with this, wizard." Ka-Ron whispered. "I feel the spell leaving my body, and the wanting returning."

This last caused a stir from Jatel's frame, but he still kept his back turned from his master.

"I am doing my best, brave knight," Keeth sneered. "Have patience. Have courage."

After Ka-Ron had taken claim on her appointed spot, Keeth bowed down, pouring the contents of his bowl in a circle of dragon's blood at the knight's feet. He started humming ancient ritual songs, causing the elements of nature and magic to form a perfect union in what needed to be done. The wizard placed the bowl at Ka-Ron's feet, allowing wind, dirt, water, and air to mingle in what was left of the bowl's contents.

The knight and the squire started to hear words coming from the wizard's mouth, but could not seem to understand or recognized their origins. His words were so ancient and so powerful that only those vaguely concerned with godhood would seem to care or take notice.

Keeth stopped only long enough to pick up a burning stick from their campfire.

"As in the stars, so upon the ground!" Keeth finally uttered.

Jatel opened his eyes in horror, remembering.

"My hair!" the squire shouted. "We forgot my hair!"

Before the squire could turn and warn his party, Keeth took the burning stick, lighting the blood ring he had laid around and at Ka-Ron's feet. The concoction of dragon's blood, hair, essence of both manhood and womanly fruits, ignited into a blood fire of the purest light.

Ka-Ron, for better or worse, was in for a rough ride.

Wicca spells were hard to break.

"Keeth!" Jatel yelled, shaking the wizard from his trance. "You must stop!"

Ka-Ron opened her eyes, trying her best to peer through the bright flames and energy building up around her. Try as she might, she could not hear what Jatel was saying, but, from the sheer panic on his face, she could guess that it was important.

Her squire was grabbing at his hair and yelling at Keeth. The wizard seemed confused at first, then, slowly, turned toward Ka-Ron, looking at the knight with confused horror. He shook his head, as if reconfirming a sad fact to the squire.

"What's going&?" Ka-Ron had started to say. She moved towards the fire. Touching it, she was attacked by a wave of pain that ran down her entire body.

"Do not attempt to walk outside the blood ring!" Keeth warned.

"I can hear you, now," the knight stated, fighting the pain.

"You touched the fire wall," Keeth explained. "That allows the communication."

"My hair!" Jatel yelled to Ka-Ron. "We forgot to add my hair to the formula, Ka-Ron." Jatel's face was red with panic. He reached up, cutting a piece of hair from his head with a knife, and tried to add it to the bowl in front of his master.

"It is too late, my son," Keeth warned, stopping the squire.

A bright light, almost blinding, engulfed Ka-Ron.

"What's happening?" Jatel asked.

"The spell will need time to think, lad." the wizard explained, pulling Jatel back.

"Will she die?"

"No," Keeth guessed, rubbing his hands together. "I do not believe so. Things will just be&interesting&for a sun or two."

"Interesting?"

Before Keeth could do anything else, both he and Jatel's attention was turned to Ka-Ron. The knight was engulfed in a globe of fantastic light.

Ka-Ron could feel the change.

She was becoming taller.

She was becoming less round.

She&he&was coming back!

"It's working, Keeth!" Jatel shouted, slapping the wizard on the back with excitement. "My master is returning."

Then, everything went wrong.

Like the snapping back of a rubber band, Ka-Ron's body shrank, became rounder, sexier, and indeed more female than it had been. Her hair grew longer, her lips fuller, her hips wider, and all looked as it had. The spell remained in place, as solid and as dependable as the tick-tock of a clock.

"Nothing!" Jatel shouted, "She is as she was."

Keeth rubbed his chin with great thought. "This Wicca Master was quite clever in her casting of this spell. I will have to rethink our situation."

"Our situation?" Jatel paused. "You aren't going to do a damn thing, sir."

"Language, young man!"

Ka-Ron collapsed.

***

Jatel's eyes widened with concern. He started to slowly walk backward. Away from where Ka-Ron had collapsed.

"Ah, Keeth, is it suppose to do that?"

The bright orb of energy left the knight's body, heading straight toward him. No matter what he tried, or where he went, it would not deviate. The energy was looking for a new home, and it was starting to claim Jatel.

"Young man, I would be cautious!" the wizard suggested. "These things need time."

"You dumb wizard! What have you done?"

Keeth threw his hands in the air. Frustrated, he walked back to his worktable. He opened his books, hoping to find an answer to all of this.

The bright light engulfed Jatel.

A blood ring soon appeared.

The blood ring ignited into a fire.

"For the gods! What is all of this?"

Jatel grabbed at his temples. His body felt as if it were on fire.

***

"Jatel?"

The squire blinked his eyes open, soon realizing that he was lying on his back. Both Ka-Ron and Keeth were smiling nervously down upon him. He had a headache the size of a snail-ox and every joint in his body was killing him. There was a subtle feeling that the young man could not put his finger on. An invasion of sensations that were nice, but alien to him.

Something was different.

"We were greatly concerned for you&son." the last word came out as a controlled laugh. Keeth was doing his best to keep a straight face.

Ka-Ron gave the wizard a harsh glance.

"Jatel, are you all right?" she asked, kneeling down.

"I think so&" his voice trailed off as he heard its timbre.

Jatel's throat started to dry and constrict. The voice coming from his mouth was not his own. In fact, it sounded&

"What's happened?"

Jatel darted up.

Upon his chest there was a strange weight. Instinctively, he reached up, horrified, cupping a pair of female breasts. His long hair fell into his eyes, and as he brushed the lock away, he noticed his hand.

It was the hand of a woman.

"I'm afraid we have a lot to talk about&son," Keeth said, sitting down at his worktable.

Jatel's body started to shake. It did not take a genius to notice that the man was terrified.

"Perhaps you should look into a mirror, Jatel," Ka-Ron suggested.

"Ahhh&" was all Jatel could bring himself to say.

Jatel blinked his eyes several times, hoping that what he was seeing was an illusion. He rubbed his temples, hoping that the beautiful woman starring back at him was someone else.

"What has happened?"

"I fear you have been turned&partly&into a beautiful woman." Ka-Ron tried to explain.

Jatel noticed that he was wearing one of the dresses provided to Ka-Ron by Keeth. It fit the squire quite well. He was not as well-rounded as his master, but he would do in a pinch. He was brunette, brown-eyed, and quite impressive. He placed a shaky hand up to his full lips, hiding them from view. He was elegant in his appearance - his colors and paintings that of a female of high standard. He turned, admiring his fullness of bust, and also, the round heartiness of his new ass. His legs were long and curvy - he knew this because the dress had a low-cut skirt - and he was wearing a pair of high heels. He couldn't seem to get over the fact that his feet were so small. He had always had big feet.

After the shock of it all, he remembered what Ka-Ron had said.

"What did you mean by 'partly' turned into a woman?"

Ka-Ron turned to the wizard.

Keeth fumbled, and moved his books around, but only ended up shrugging his shoulders.

The knight rolled her eyes.

"Come at me!" she ordered.

Before Jatel knew it, both he and his master were kissing. And, what a kiss! Like Ka-Ron, he learned that women were the more enjoying of the two when embraced in a kiss. His body exploded with new and enjoyable sensations. However, there did remain one all-familiar feeling.

The front of Jatel's skirt started to constrict.

Ka-Ron separated from the squire, making both their lips smack.

"That's what I mean." she explained, pointing down toward Jatel's crotch.

As beautiful and seductive as Jatel was, he had, jutting out from the front of his dress, the largest erection that any man could have possessed.

In the definition of fact: Jatel was still a man.

***

"A very curious and terrible, situation," Keeth stated, reading into his vast volumes of books and texts. The wizard was doing everything he could not to look at Jatel. Every time he did he had to control the urge to laugh. "It should clear itself in less than a sun."

Jatel, upon hearing this, sighed with relief. In the meantime, however, he was about to have a most unique experience. One that would certainly help him understand his master's situation.

The squire started to relax against a fur tree, not really paying close attention to Ka-Ron.

The knight was leering at him.

"Jatel, you seem to have yourself in a rather deep quagmire."

"Uh-huh," Jatel said, trying his best to ignore the curious weight and temptation of his new breasts. The young man wanted to touch them, as all men would secretly want to, but he was too confused and tired to let himself give in.

"I must say, you are quite the maiden."

There was a tone in Ka-Ron's voice that sent warning chimes through the squire's mind. Jatel glanced up, noticing a look of controlled seduction entering his master's eyes. He turned both nervous and terrified at the fact that Ka-Ron was interested in his current form.

"Master?" the squire asked. His voice started to tremble. "What are your intentions?"

Ka-Ron innocently shrugged. Her advancement did not falter. She had upon her face a rather male-like sneer which caused Jatel to feel a slight knot of excitement at the base of his stomach. His throat tightened even more, and he found his brightly painted fingers fumbling with each other.

"Master!" Jatel shouted, "What&what&what&what&" he stammered.

"Oh, Jatel," Ka-Ron cooed. She started to play with his long hair. "What a fetching young maiden you have become!"

"Temporarily have become," he pointed out, straightening his dress.

"Still, I find you pleasing&given the situation."

Jatel's world started to collapse.

Ka-Ron leaned in, kissing him.

"Master! Master!" Jatel said, finally breaking the kiss.

"What?"

"This is not&"

"Not what?"

"Well, natural."

Ka-Ron paused, her lips again within reach of Jatel's. The knight found herself caught in the middle of a giggle.

"I'm a girl who used to be a guy, seducing a guy with the body of a girl."

There was a long, awkward pause.

"Point taken," the squire gulped.

They embraced.

This time, Jatel did not hold back.

Ka-Ron attacked her squire's new body with the skill of a general. Her lips smothered Jatel's, causing the confused young man to fight back. Their tongues wrestled, allowing each to enjoy the simple wet pleasures of human contact.

Ka-Ron pulled back, catching her breath.

"I thank you, Jatel."

"Thank me?" Jatel opened his lovely eyes wide. His new doe-eyed expression did not escape the subtle enjoyment of his master.

"For allowing me to feel like a man again."

Jatel looked down, realizing that his lover was playing with his breasts. The squire found himself in a rather "female" reaction. He started shaking his head.

"Don't you guys play with anything else?" Jatel mockingly said.

"Nope," Ka-Ron said, winking.

Keeth looked up from his books, giving both his guests a slight grumble.

"Our host is objecting." the knight stated.

"Let him."

At this, Ka-Ron gave her squire another smile.

"You may retire in there." Keeth said, pointing towards the open window of a room in his small home.

Ka-Ron and Jatel were more than happy to take up the invitation. Without a word of protest, each surrendered to their desires and took up the wizard on his hospitality.

"In the morn, we have a lot to discuss." The wizard dove back into his studies.

***

Ka-Ron awoke both satisfied and well-centered. She and Jatel had embraced and enjoyed each other into the night. She was sure that the wizard got little if any sleep. Jatel proved himself to be a screamer in his new form. His lovely female features brought out sides of the squire that Ka-Ron was both shocked and pleased to find. As a woman, Jatel was quite educated in the arts of oral sex. As a man, he pleased Ka-Ron to the point of making the knight pass out several times. Ka-Ron repaid the gestures with all she had.

By morning, the tiny sun inside the dragon had decided to shine right into Ka-Ron's eyes, waking her before she could become rested. She wiped the crusting out of her eyes, feeling Jatel up against her bottom. She turned to kiss him and soon noticed that he was back to normal. Normal in the sense that he was now all male, and that the muscle bulk and long hair given to him while on board their ship were gone as well.

Jatel was back to his normal self.

"Hello there," Ka-Ron whispered. Bending down, she kissed his ear.

Smiling, the squire hummed a satisfied tune. The man was not yet aware of normalcy being his again, and he looked silly in his little blue dress. Raising Jatel's skirt, Ka-Ron performed her task at making the squire's morning the best that she could.

Ka-Ron did not gag. She did not think twice about what she was doing. Nor did she care what others may say, or how they would judge her. The knight engulfed her man's essence with a warm and sincere caring.

Ka-Ron, errant-knight to the kingdom of Idoshia, was in love.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

"It was only a matter of time," Keeth stated, closing up his books.

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel were treated to a wonderful morning meal, prepared, cooked, and superbly decorated by the wizard. He seemed quite delighted with the fact that Jatel was back to normal, and he responded in kind when he noticed Jatel's original appearance, minus the muscles and long hair. Keeth went on to say that he approved of Jatel's original appearance - his imperfections added to his character.

Uneasily, Jatel and Keeth made peace, and all was forgiven.

While eating, both the knight and squire realized that Keeth was busy putting away all his things. He gave his guests the impression that he was preparing to go away on a journey.

"I will be leaving this place," Keeth bragged.

"May I ask how, sir?" Ka-Ron inquired, sipping the last of her rose melon juice.

"After your meal, I will be happy to show the two of you."

So, with that, Keeth continued to place his books in little trunks and boxes, loading them into some mysterious place in the back of his home.

Jatel, it seemed, ate little. He kept moving his shirt around as if it were too tight. At least, that was Ka-Ron's first impression.

"You miss them, I think," Ka-Ron said, smiling knowingly.

Embarrassed, Jatel stopped. "I do not."

Ka-Ron scooted closer to her squire and patted him on the knee. "You were a lovely woman, Jatel. But I prefer you like this."

"And you?" Jatel asked his face serious. "If you have accepted this form, why do we continue with the quest?"

"A quest is a quest, squire."

"I suppose so."

The knight turned solemn for a moment. "Jatel, how would Idoshia and our king survive without me?"

On that Jatel could not answer. He lowered his gaze, concentrating on what was left of his meal. This was indeed a problem too big for one squire to involve himself in. All he did know was that this was a big adventure, and he was going to ride the course. No matter what the cost, he would stand beside his master.

"I am with you, sire."

With that, Ka-Ron kissed her friend.

"I know," she said. Her hand rubbed the side of Jatel's face. "Eat up! You have a lot to do today, I wager."

"Yes, sire."

Keeth exited his home, letting out a tired sigh. "I hate moving. To pack up and tear out roots is always a depressing episode in the life of a caring being."

"We are moving?" Ka-Ron asked.

"Not exactly," Keeth said. The wizard motioned for his guests to follow him. "Please. I have something to show you."

***

Both had seen it before, when they had first entered this world. Both were aware of the huge structure behind Keeth's home. But, after the happening of so much, the object had been momentarily forgotten.

"This is the Argo," Keeth said, waving a proud hand in its direction.

The Argo was unlike any vessel the knight and her squire had ever seen. It was a ship of some kind that they knew. However, her lines were not like any sea-going ship either could recognize. She was totally constructed out of wood. There was no iron, copper, gold, or even ivory. The ship consisted of only two tiny masts, one bridge deck, one anchor, one rudder, and safety barriers that wouldn't keep an infant from falling over. The whole thing was big enough, maybe, to hold a crew of ten. Mysteriously enough, her center feature seemed to be a string of odd-looking levers to the starboard side of the ship's wheel.

Jatel's response was less than enthusiastic.

"What the hell is that piece of crap?"

"I'll have you know, squire, that I have labored over this ship for the last ten seasons." Keeth looked a little insulted.

"You need a few more, I think."

"Jatel," Ka-Ron whispered, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"My family is from mariner roots," Keeth explained. "I gathered up all the wood I could, cut each plank, and hammered her into shape. I have added a few surprises to her lines, which should prove useful in our escape."

"Escape?" Ka-Ron and Jatel shouted in unison.

"You know a way out?" Jatel asked.

"I have a theory," Keeth bragged. "But let me show you my ship."

The wizard opened a small gate inviting all on board.

"Strange that you only constructed her from wood alone," Ka-Ron added, lightly adjusting her weight by jumping up and down. "A wooden deck makes for a rather light vessel. Her buoyancy should be quite impressive when she's filled with a full cargo."

"She has other surprises," Keeth stated, pointing up at the masts. "Take a look at her sails."

At a flip of a switch, several white strips of cloth fell before them, self-strapping themselves to their respective stations. Both Ka-Ron and Jatel started to laugh.

"What's so damn funny?" the wizard demanded.

"Cloth?" Ka-Ron huffed. "Who puts sails made of cloth on a ship?"

"I do!"

"They'll rip at the first signs of wind," the squire stated.

"They are treated with juices from our dragon's scales," the wizard insisted. "They are as strong as woven steel, I assure you."

"As you say." Jatel gave his master a nervous, if not dubious, glance. "Cloth sails. What a novelty."

Ka-Ron silently put up a controlling hand, ordering Jatel to keep his thoughts to himself. If only for the moment, Jatel complied, uplifting his hands in peaceful surrender.

"You stated that we have the option of escape?" the knight inquired.

"The Argo is a multi-functional vessel." Keeth explained, taking his place at the ship's wheel. He pointed toward the row of mysterious levers near him. "With these clever devices, we can conquer any obstacle."

"How about termites?" Jatel joked.

"Enough!" Ka-Ron ordered. Her eyes turned hard.

Jatel stood, silent.

Ka-Ron's turned soft. Silently, she apologized to her squire, hoping that not much of his ego had been bruised.

"What is your plan?"

Keeth smiled. He rubbed his hands together and kicked his heels with excitement. At one point he seemed to have the joy of a small child, suddenly being allowed the center of attention he so craved.

"Oh, I knew you two were the adventurous type."

Jatel tiredly pointed towards Ka-Ron. "She's a knight&"

"Of that I am quite sure, sir."

The wizard quietly motioned his guests closer towards him.

"We are going to fly out!"

Ka-Ron and Jatel suddenly froze. Both blinked, hard.

"Fly?" they seemed to say all at once.

"Fly," the wizard reassured them.

"And how will we do this?" the knight asked.

"We will start by burning my cabin."

Jatel let out a frightened laugh. "Burn the cabin?"

"Is there an echo?" Keeth grunted. "I am not mad, by no means, my friends. I am sincere. I promise to the both of you my services and friendship. I will also travel with you and share my interests until your horrible spell is broken."

"We could use a wizard," Ka-Ron insisted.

"All right," Jatel said, controlling a smile. "Let's get underway."

The wizard fixed one last meal, allowing both Ka-Ron and Jatel to share in his plan. It would be risky. It would be dangerous.

***

Once Ka-Ron and Jatel got around the subtle differences about Keeth's ship, he gave them a through tour. He pointed out several interesting contraptions he was rather eager to try. The wizard was a clever tinkerer. Of course, Keeth added, having several seasons alone with nothing better to do, one was bound to let his imagination go wild.

The Argo was, perhaps, the best vessel to achieve the impossible.

Keeth was glad that his newfound friends accepted his offer. And, like any general training his troops for battle, the wizard made sure that they both understood what he had planned.

Of course, most of it was all theory.

"I have it under an educational assumption that Tork, during his younger days, experimented in land roving. This, meaning he swam closer to the shore than the norm." Keeth paused, pointing toward a dense tree-line at the Argo's port bow. "The dragon swallowed several farm houses and trees in his adventurous days. Most have landed in those areas of the mountains beyond."

"Where is this all leading to, if I may ask?" Ka-Ron grabbed a spyglass from her belt, extending the device so that she could properly see the woods towards which the wizard had been pointing.

"In theory, Ka-Ron, if we set ablaze some of the ruins and cause Tork some discomfort, he may just start coughing."

Ka-Ron lowered her spyglass.

"Coughing?"

***

Tork wasn't one to venture towards the inland populations, but he was getting bored. It had been several seasons since he had visited the great fishing villages lining the ebony coast. Some of the cities feared his return, remembering the days before his accident, when he used to eat their cattle and other stock. Yes! It had indeed been some time.

Tork was also thirsty.

One village in particular - the Sea Dragon had long forgotten its name - had been known for producing a fine vintage of fish wine. The liquor had been known to calm the heart and delight the palate. Indeed, the wine had successfully captured the essence of the sea.

This is what the Sea Dragon desired.

As Tork approached the fishing village, he was assaulted with both spear and cannon fire. The respective navies and pirate ships were horrified at beholding his return. Simple-minded as the dragon was, he could not understand why the people fussed so - all he wanted was a drink.

"FOOLISH, FOOLISH, PEOPLE!" the dragon roared.

With a flip of his tail he sent several ships carrying flags of nations the dragon cared nothing about bursting into flames. Those were soon claimed by the sea. Hundreds of bodies floated upon the foam. Land soldiers filed along the great wooden docks, producing even more cannons and arrows, hoping to retard the dragon's advance.

"TORK THIRSTY!" he demanded. "BRING FISH WINE."

The dragon playfully splashed the water, anticipating the immediate results of his demand.

Tork paused.

He started to feel a pain in the side of his chest. At first, it was only an irritant. Then, in waves, it started to become quite unbearable.

Smoke started to rise from his mouth.

This was a rare thing for a Sea Dragon.

***

Keeth started to tie off the wheel of the Argo. Everything was going as planned, and the escape was starting to take shape.

A furious blaze had grown from the fires Jatel and Ka-Ron had set in the fields and mountains to the port side of the ship. A wind was fanning the flames, causing the entire night sky to fill with a blue haze of destruction.

"What happens now, wizard?" the squire asked. He was covered from head to toe with black soot. He was a sight to behold - that was for sure!

"We wait," was all the wizard would state.

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel gave the other a concerned glance.

"We need to do more than that, dear sir," Ka-Ron suggested kindly. There was a hint of worry in her voice that requested just a little more information than the wizard was prepared to give at this time. "If we do not move soon, we will start to burn."

"Things are not as they appear," Keeth suggested. "Patience, dear knight. Have patience."

Ka-Ron, frightened, could feel the heat of the advancing fires. Her careworn face projected this concern when she focused on Jatel's face.

"Give it a chance, sire," was all the squire could bring himself to say.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes, holding her squire tightly.

Both did their very best to hold down the volumes of their prayers.

Keeth started to project a course.

He was ready!

***

Tork felt a tiny trickle coming from the corner of his mouth. At first, owing to its being so subtle, the sea dragon had assumed that the sensation was just that of sea water. However, the pain in his side grew at an alarming rate, and it also seemed to migrate. His throat was causing him serious injury. So it was with the greatest of terror, that Tork soon noticed that he was bleeding internally!

"WHAT AILS ME?" The dragon coughed as he slammed his tail down on another unfortunate ship.

The people of Nation's Harbor, the unfortunate beach town Tork had chosen to visit, were losing most of their means of livelihood. A platoon of visiting soldiers, who had enjoyed their fine hospitality and young women, thought it best to help protect the establishment. They soon regretted their actions.

Tork's pain had caused him to change his calm ways. Soon, nothing but angered determination gleamed through his eyes.

The sea dragon spit out the last of his blood, aiming his confused frustration upon the advancing army.

None would survive.

***

Keeth, Ka-Ron, and Jatel's world soon revolved around the advancing wall of blue flames that quickly surrounded the Argo. The wizard's actions had made the ship prepared for whatever awaited it. It was with full relief that Ka-Ron discovered that the wizard had made the ship unable to catch fire by applying a fine cellular lining he had obtained from the dragon, upon the decks of the Argo.

"All is going as planned, my child," Keeth stated, paying close attention towards the row of levers and switches he had constructed next to his ship's main bridge wheel. "The dragon is starting to feel badly, I fear."

Ka-Ron's eyes widened with both remembrance and horror.

"My sword! My armor!" she said, trying her best to control the panic.

"What was that you said?" the wizard inquired, tying down the ship's wheel.

"I left my sword and armor in your house, wizard." The knight turned, looking at Keeth's home, which was starting to smoke, not yet catching on fire. "I must go retrieve them!"

"They are just items. Easily replaced, my child."

Ka-Ron turned, giving Keeth a deep and disappointing stare.

"They are my sword and armor, sir. I must have them."

As the knight kept her eye on the advancing wall of fire, she noticed that Jatel had retreated to the lower decks of the ship, quite probably making her living quarters more livable. She, momentarily, smiled - Jatel thought more of others than himself. That was, after all, his noble charm.

"Keep my squire here on board, wizard," Ka-Ron headed for the Argo's gangplank. "I shan't be long."

"Ka-Ron, this is madness!" Keeth shouted, to no avail.

"Wizard," Ka-Ron huffed, turning just long enough to make eye contact with him, "This is my sword."

Ka-Ron exited the Argo, heading toward the wizard's smoking house. Keeth was quite sure that the edifice was more than ready to burst into flames.

"I shall never understand the knightly mentality," Keeth said as he shrugged and shook his head.

The fires were fantastic!

Hot winds with the force of an attacking army kept Ka-Ron from her simple task. At least, under normal circumstances, traveling from ship to house and back, would have been simple - just under ten heartbeats of time.

These were not simple times.

Trees started to uproot and tip over as a result of the changing environment. Once down on the ground, the dry tops of the fur trees ignited into another fiery torch, adding energy to the advancing chaos.

Ka-Ron found herself, finally, at the entrance to the house, and her sword and armor lay within an arm's reach. Half the wall, opposite, was starting to ignite, proving to the knight the folly of her actions and the need for her instant retreat.

"Not without my sword!" Ka-Ron challenged.

Crawling forward, tiny steps at a time, almost on all fours, Ka-Ron finally filled one hand with the familiar firmness of steel and blade. She found herself laughing, relieved. She was genuinely in fear of losing her life.

Ka-Ron turned, aiming once again toward the Argo.

Blue flames blocked her way. There would be no choice for her but to burn.

"No," she pleaded, unsheathing her sword. "I will not exit this world in such a manner."

A wave of heat with the force of seven Xows pushed the knight back into the wizard's abode. She could react with nothing more than a tiny female groan of acceptance - she had no energy left.

Ka-Ron passed out, into the world of dreams.

***

It had taken Jatel only a few moments to realize that his master had forgotten her sword and armor. While setting up Ka-Ron's personal effects in her cabin, the squire cursed himself for being so absent-minded as to have allowed such an unforgivable thing. He had reminded himself, during their original carrying out of the wizard's plan, to have the knight's sword carried on board, but, like all servants, he allowed the events to outweigh the deeds.

"Wizard!" Jatel inquired, arriving on deck and not spotting his master. "Where is Ka-Ron?"

Keeth had placed the heavy hood of his cloak over his head, doing his best to protect himself from the heat. He turned towards the squire, towering over him by the very height of the bridge deck. Angrily, he pointed towards his home, only now succumbing to the blue fires.

"She has ventured out to retrieve her sword, of all things." he paused. "Can you imagine that?"

"Damn!" Jatel cursed. "How long before we venture outward?"

"It's all up to the dragon, my dear fellow."

"What if he refuses us the honor?"

"Let's not think negatively, dear boy."

Jatel braved himself up, and ran towards the ship's gangplank. He ran, his eyes closed, for Jatel was deathly afraid of fire, towards where he hoped Ka-Ron had ventured. Several times the young man had tripped, falling, his hands plunging through half-burnt corpses of bull-deer and toads. The heat was beyond comfort, falling quite close to absolute torture and death.

"Ka-Ron!" Jatel yelled. He tried opening his eyes, hoping to catch a glimpse of his master venturing his way, but the wind and force of the fire had grabbed at the squire's instincts, keeping his vision limited at best. "Master! Shout out and I will find thee!"

Jatel climbed up a wooden platform, and started to grab at his lungs. He felt that he would soon burst into flames himself. Coughing smoke from his mouth, Jatel could feel a trickle of blood dripping from his chin. He cursed himself for his limitations and cried out to the gods in sorrow that he no longer had the strength to continue.

"No!" the squire cried out. "Ka-Ron, I love thee!"

The wind left Jatel's lungs causing him to slap face down upon a wooden floor. As his hand joined his body in the resting, he barely felt the soft lump of his master's thigh.

Jatel's eyes blinked open.

"Master!"

Through the blue haze and smoke, Jatel could just barely make out the pleasant form of Ka-Ron on the floor of Keeth's cabin. In her hands were both her sword and armor. If anything else, she was prepared to die like the knight of Idoshia she was.

"You are a stubborn mess, sire." Jatel coughed, fighting the urge to laugh.

With all he could muster, the young man pulled at his master's body, finding the strength to raise her over his own shoulders and rest her on his back. He heard a faint moan come from the knight, allowing him the pleasure of knowing that she was still alive. With that newfound knowledge Jatel rose to his feet, placing Ka-Ron's sword in his left hand, and her armor in his right.

By the time Jatel had made it back to the Argo, Keeth's home was no more.

***

The Men, Women, and Children of Nation's Harbor looked up at Tork with surprise. The Sea Dragon was well into the successful destruction of the harbor town, and well within the total destruction of both army and navy, when the creature suddenly stopped, frozen. Tork remained in the deep, halfway out of the water, looking like an odd statue erected to the gods, as if to mock the event that had just taken place.

Those who could ventured toward the harbor - or, what was left of it - and questioned if the creature were still alive.

The most surprised, out of all, was Tork himself!

He wanted to move, but found that it was no longer in his power. In fact, he was horrified at the possibility that the tiny humans had devised a weapon that could do this to him.

One last wave of pain, however, informed the creature that it could not have been the harbor people. It could not have been the ships. And, it could not have been the soldiers.

Tiny cracks, insignificant at first, started to appear upon Tork's chest, looking so much like a rash seeking attention. It was not painful or irritating. It was just there. Soon, even the harbor people began to notice the curious occurrence, and some with caution.

The Sea Dragon began to vibrate like a crystal goblet.

To the horror of all, Tork's entire chest exploded outward. Chunks of the dragon landed on the few remaining ships in the harbor, totally flattening the decks, breaking both mast and man.

Cheers echoed through the entire harbor.

"Hooray! Hooray! The dragon is slain!" the voices stated.

The only one not cheering was Tork.

***

Ka-Ron's eyes popped open and she coughed out a tiny cloud of smoke. Above her, doing his best to keep from vomiting, Jatel was sooted up, and his hair was quite disheveled. The knight was surprised to find herself, once more, on the decks of the Argo.

"Jatel? Are you well?"

It took a while before the squire could answer, but, after an attack of coughing, and a sly smile aimed directly at his master, he said, "After a fashion, sire. But do not do such a thing ever again, I beg of you."

Ka-Ron soon became aware of the events lost to her in her fire-induced slumber.

"Jatel, you ventured out into a fire&to obtain&me?"

"I would walk through hell for you, sire."

Ka-Ron's cheeks began to warm, and her smile could not be conquered. The knight found that her hands shook as she reached up to wipe soot off Jatel's face.

"Oh, Jatel, that's so sweet!" the knight gleamed.

Both found themselves in the middle of a passionate kiss.

The Argo began to shake.

The entire universe, it seemed, joined in the convulsions.

"Ah, guys&" Keeth shouted from the bridge's wheel. "A little help here!"

The night sky started to quiver like a mirror. The tiny optical splinters of light, which seemed to resemble stars, began to expand. Some spidered outward, connecting with their neighbor, causing the effect to cascade. In no time, the sky exploded upwards, revealing a bright hole.

An escape!

A terrible wind started to fill the Argo's sails. Much to the surprise of all, the cloth sails held. Keeth even smiled a little with as much pride as the universe would allow a wizard to hold.

"As I had conjectured!" Keeth shouted with defiance. He gestured his fist in the air savoring the moment.

"What?" Jatel inquired.

"The prolonged heat of the ongoing fire changed the molecular membrane of the dragon's ultra-verse."

"Huh?"

"We are leaving, young squire." Laughing, Keeth took hold of the ship's wheel.

Like a bolt from a bow, the tiny ship started to rise, pick up speed, and shoot out, once more upon the Nown world.

Jatel helped Ka-Ron up, and both ran to join their wizard-friend on the bridge.

"Keeth, you did it!" Ka-Ron said, patting the wizard on the back.

Keeth was busy battling the wheel of his vessel, trying his best to keep it at a steady course. He turned, looking at his two passengers with a mixed gaze. He was just as surprised and overjoyed as they seemed to be.

"All well and good, my child," the Wizard said, "But we still have one little problem."

"What is that?" the squire inquired.

"We are still airborne. And we are not heading toward ocean."

Ka-Ron and Jatel ran to the bow of the ship.

Below them, approaching rapidly, were the gray soils of the harbor town.

The Argo was about to crash!

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

"To the gods, wizard! Do something!"

Ka-Ron and Jatel's fear was only surpassed by Keeth's laughter. Upon hearing the wizard laugh, both knight and squire looked at the other in concern. Had they, all along, placed their fate into the hands of a madman?

Nation's Harbor grew closer and closer, as the Argo proceeded downward into an arc.

Still, Keeth continued to laugh.

"He's as mad as a piss-rat!" Jatel declared.

"Need I remind you children that I am a wizard of the highest order?" Keeth asked, pulling his hood off and allowing himself to enjoy the fresh air. "I would never do anything that would willingly hurt those who trust me."

"You turned me into a woman!" the squire challenged. Jatel kept switching his concentration from the wizard to that of the advancing landscape. It was quickly becoming possible to define house from tree - they were getting that close!

"And, did you not enjoy it?" Keeth challenged.

Jatel said nothing.

Ka-Ron gave her squire a knowing smile.

"Let me explain," the wizard said.

"Explain fast!" Ka-Ron warned.

The wizard walked over to his row of switches and levers, near the bridge's main wheel. He was starting to enjoy both the attention and the fresh air - it had been many seasons since he had either.

"Once, while bored, I peered into the future - other dimensions - spotting several inventive delights that had caught my eye. I have incorporated each in the building of this vessel."

"Then start incorporating something," Jatel yelled.

It was now becoming possible for both the knight and the squire to be able to count the windows in each house towards which they were venturing. Ka-Ron's nails were starting to sink into the soft wood of the ship's railings. Jatel was a nervous wreck.

Keeth pulled down a lever.

Upon pulling the lever, the Argo responded instantly. The ship shook with a guttural sound, which was so powerful that it almost suspended the free falling ship in midair.

"Oh-oh!" everyone heard Jatel say.

The cloth sails retreated back into the tubular cases in which they had rested, on the masts. The masts themselves slid downwards, shrinking and folding into the ship's main deck. The wizard, admiring all, skipped around the bridge deck enjoying the show. For countless seasons, inside the sea dragon, he had visualized these devices running and performing their tasks. Now, reality on his side, he was overjoyed to witness their implications.

The main hold of the ship popped open. The cargo hold folded, and properly joined the masts, going somewhere below deck.

From deep within the cargo hold, the ship started to cough out a huge canvas. The sounds of hissing gas started to fill the ears of the Argo's crew. The canvass, as it came out and over the main deck, began to grow in mass, heading towards the sky. The canvass soon took both shape and identity, becoming a huge balloon with fins of some kind projecting from both front and back.

"For the gods!" the squire commented.

"Indeed!" Ka-Ron agreed.

Both the knight and squire were soon witness to a miracle.

The Argo stopped falling!

The ship stabilized and started to hover.

"I have never seen the like, wizard," Ka-Ron marveled, her face beaming with joy. "Well done, sir!"

"It is as if we were an island in the sky," Jatel said, looking over the side of the vessel. The ship was now starting to rise.

The Wizard came forward from the ship's wheel, pointing to all four corners of the ship's hull.

"Pray, I draw your attentions to the four points of the hull."

Doors soon opened in the corners of the hull, where the ship dropped huge mechanical chunks of metal, which, upon implementation, began to ignite, cough, and sputter themselves to life. Huge single pieces of wood shaped oddly and for the purpose of spinning, began to move so fast that neither the squire nor knight could keep them in their sights anymore. A powerful force came from these objects, and the wizard's guests seemed to know that their world had never seen the like of these machines before.

"What are they?" Ka-Ron asked.

"These are the heart of the Argo." the wizard explained. "They are known as engines. With these, we can pilot the ship almost anywhere."

And the wizard's word was true. No matter where Keeth pointed the ship, it would respond to his command with lightening speed.

"Do you have a course in mind, brave knight?" Pausing, Keeth gave Ka-Ron an almost knowing glance.

Ka-Ron found herself turning and directing her attentions towards Jatel. The sad squire knew that developments were making it quite easier for his master to succeed with her quest.

"The Fire Mountains, wizard." Ka-Ron ordered. "With the greatest haste!"

"The Fire Mountains it is, then."

The wizard turned the wheel three times to the right. The Argo responded with a severe arc, deepening its claim to the clouds.

Jatel turned from Ka-Ron, not wishing to let his master spot signs of disappointment.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Ka-Ron kept her eyes closed.

Jatel lay on the deck of their cabin, with his arms roughly secured around both of her thighs, while she, squirming as little as possible, had positioned herself above his generous mouth. Her squire was deeply at work, pleasuring her in the most intimate of places. Ka-Ron found herself so concentrated with the ecstasy she was experiencing, that she forgot that Jatel had needed to breathe. Several times, the careworn man had found himself gently tapping upon her stomach, silently suggesting that she back off. With a playful gasp of air, Jatel blinked his eyes several times, smiled, and continued with his pleasurable duties.

The knight found herself moaning, uncontrollably, as the squire ventured into rather female waters, exploring the mysteries that lay in the deep. She spoke intense acknowledgments, telling Jatel that he was good at his work.

Reality, such as it was, always had a way of ruining the moment.

There was a slight knock at the cabin door.

Ka-Ron opened her eyes, pulling away from her squire in a huff.

"Yes?"

"Sorry to intrude, child," it was Keeth. "But I require rest and need the services of your squire."

"So do I," Ka-Ron playfully whispered, messing up Jatel's hair. "He will be with you in a moment." The knight let out a disappointing gasp as she retreated from the cabin floor and adjusted her clothes.

Ka-Ron sat on the side of her bed, brushing her long hair.

"I am quite surprised to learn that doing this, Jatel, gives me great pleasure."

"Well, and why not?" Jatel stated, buttoning up his pants. "You are a woman, after all."

"Yes," the knight confirmed. "Still, there are a few things I am missing."

"Such as?"

The knight paused. She stopped her brushing. The squire noticed a crimson blush showing slightly upon his master's cheek.

"I miss&pissing as a man."

"What?" Jatel chuckled, joining his lover upon the bed. Absently they both started to hold hands.

"Truly," Ka-Ron confessed. "There is much work to being a woman."

Jatel gazed upon his love, for a silent moment, admiring both her beauty and bravery. He did not know if he could have survived such changes as those afflicting his master, but he was sure that Ka-Ron was capable of almost anything. He was sure that she would survive all of this, much to his own heartbreak. He softly cupped Ka-Ron's face, by the chin, causing the woman to gaze upon him with curiosity.

"You perform your tasks with great efficiency, sire."

Both kissed.

After a while, Ka-Ron pushed her squire away.

"The wizard has need of your services."

"And you?"

Ka-Ron beamed a cunning smile, "The sun is still young, squire."

Realizing that they were both the victims of duty, Jatel reluctantly agreed, rising and walking away from his master with a tired laugh. He waved without turning to see that Ka-Ron responded in kind - which she did - and left the cabin.

Ka-Ron continued with the brushing of her hair.

The knight stopped, realizing that she was alone, and stared at herself in a mirror. "You have done well, as a woman." she softly stated to herself, touching her gentle lips.

"Well, indeed." a voice said, invading her thoughts.

The temperature in the cabin began to change, causing Ka-Ron to see her breath. The knight studied the room from the perspective of her mirror, but could see nothing out of the ordinary. She tightly took hold of her brush, turning the pointed handle around, in case she had need of a weapon.

Ka-Ron turned to view her intruder.

Kai stood in the dark corner of the cabin, studying her victim.

***

The knight could feel the blood leaving her face. Her ability to savor, or at least, to prolong her sense of fear was more acute than a man's. Why this was, the knight could not explain. Perhaps, it was just an instinct that came with being a woman. This was not for Ka-Ron to say. She only knew that she was more terrified at that moment than she had been while in the middle of any battle. Here, when facing the Wicca Master, the knight knew that she was greatly outmatched.

The death of her daughter was starting to show on Kai. Indeed, the woman had lost weight - more than would be considered healthy or beautiful. She teetered on unstable legs which showed great fatigue.

"Any success I have had, thus far, is by your design." Ka-Ron finally stated, motioning for his guest to take a seat.

Kai noticed the knight's curious stares.

"You must forgive me, brave knight," Kai stated, as she slowly sank into the soft comforts of a nearby chair. Her condition had made the piece of furniture appear several times larger than its occupant. "I am going through the tear-walk. This is a mourning process most in my order go through, when there are sins attached with the death of a loved one."

"Sins? What sins?"

"Mine!" Kai blurted out, glaring hard at Ka-Ron. "For knowing you!"

"But you were like my mother," Ka-Ron corrected. "How can love and the raising of a child be considered a sin? You did what both fate and the law of the land required."

"My sins come from allowing you to know my daughter."

Ka-Ron's heart began to ache when she soon noticed that Kai's cheeks were marked by endless tears. She placed her brush down upon the bed and tried her best to appeal to the woman's better nature.

"Kai, end all of this."

The witch shook her head. "Your squire would object."

"I need to be able to protect my people, woman," Ka-Ron pleaded. "My squire included."

"He loves you." Kai stated, smiling. "You are aware of that, are you not?"

Ka-Ron smiled. "I am aware."

"And, I fear, you love him?"

The knight remained silent. She cast her eyes down toward the cabin's deck.

The Wicca Master's face flashed awe.

"The plot thickens, I fear."

"Again, fruits of your work."

There was a long pause between the two. Kai, it seemed, was oceans away. Her thoughts were, perhaps, going back to the burnt-out ruins of her home. Perhaps she thought about the cold earth of her daughter's tomb. Ka-Ron thought about the hopes of regaining the life she lost as both an errant-knight, and that of a man.

"Kai, please&"

The ship made a hard turn to port, causing rays of sunlight to invade the room. The effect was quite charming, and did not go unnoticed by Kai.

"You are heading toward The Fire Mountains," Kai whispered weakly. Turning from the porthole, she gazed hard into the knight's face.

"That is my quest." Ka-Ron confirmed. She was starting to turn quite nervous. There was a level of hate growing in the Wicca Master's eyes that made the knight uneasy. Hate more vile that just that of a grieving mother.

"You do not care whom you hurt, do you, knight?"

"What?"

"I just told you that your squire loves you, and you still choose to travel halfway around the globe to find me."

"I need to be who I was," Ka-Ron confirmed, rising off the bed in a defensive stance. "I care for Jatel. That is no lie. But, Kai, I was born a man. I was born to be an errant-knight. I will have that again!"

Kai started to speak, but soon paused.

It was the pause that concerned Ka-Ron.

"You still have a lot to learn, brave knight." Kai's voice dripped with vicious sarcasm.

"Do not&" the knight had started to say.

The ship straightened her course, and the rays of the suns retreated from the cabin. All was again dark and mysterious. Ka-Ron started to feel the cold returning once more.

"It is not right that you should be having so much fun without paying the price for your endeavors." Kai stated, taking her place once more in the corner of the room.

"Kai, by the name of my order, I beg you&"

"It is rare that a knight of Idoshia begs," Kai mused, "Even more rare is the mention of his order. I am honored to have caused you, of all, such distress."

"Kai!"

The Wicca Master put up a hand, causing the knight to crawl onto the bed and lie perfectly still. Ka-Ron tried to struggle, but, again, her body refused to follow her commands. Several times, the knight gasped in pain as she attempted to force herself off the mattress.

"It is time to start paying the toll." Kai waved her fingers about, causing the wind to etch out a spider web-like construction, aiming all of her powers at Ka-Ron. The sight was beyond the knight's understanding - she had never encountered the like before. "What is a woman's, is now all yours."

A dark blanket enveloped the knight, stifling out a terrified scream.

Kai disappeared in a cloud of smoke. The cabin was filled with her laughter.

Ka-Ron's body started to react.

The knight started to feel extremely warm. Her body started to shiver.

Then, there was the pain.

The knight felt an incredibly building heat, centering around the area of her sex. A dull pain, stabbing, almost throbbing, with its own rhythm and ebb. The pulse of pain cascaded through her entire body. Upon moving from the bed, she felt a sensation one could only confirm as liquid. A feeling of blood flowing, sticky, and not wholesome.

With a shaky hand, Ka-Ron looked down at her womanhood, seeing that she was now lying in a pool of blood. She was feverish. She felt cold. Anger slowly grew inside; cursing the moment she had ever met Kai.

"You bitch!" the knight cursed.

Ka-Ron was going through her first woman's cycle.

CHAPTER TWENTY

"Wha?"

Ka-Ron awakened quite suddenly, owing to feeling a series of soft slaps upon her face. She had been asleep for several cycles - of that, the knight was certain. The suns had gone down, and there was the look and feel of a calm night.

"Ka-Ron," Jatel said, his voice signifying panic. The squire's hands were going everywhere, messing up his master's clothes. "Ka-Ron, you're bleeding!"

"What?" she repeated, her throat scratchy and dry.

"Where's the wound, sire?"

The knight looked down, slowly rising. She was pleased to discover that she could now move from the bed. She had forgotten about the pool of blood, and became, at first, just as horrified and surprised as her lover. Keeth soon entered the room, holding a goblet of water. The wizard's face held just as much panic as Jatel's. Ka-Ron got the impression that both men did not understand what was happening to her, and had thought the worst.

Ka-Ron was genuinely moved.

"Jatel&Keeth&there is nothing to concern yourself about."

"Sire, you are bleeding."

Ka-Ron took hold of Jatel's hands, freezing him in his frantic search. Keeth continued his trek, giving the knight her water.

"This is all by Kai's design," Ka-Ron explained, drinking the water.

"Kai!" Jatel repeated. "She has caused you more pain."

"Yes," Ka-Ron stated, making a tired and painful face. "A pain that will go away, and return, I fear."

Both men looked confused.

Ka-Ron showed her bloodied palms, explaining. "She has given me a woman's cycle. I have just had my first."

It took a moment for the news to sink in.

"Eeewww!" both men said, almost in unison.

Ka-Ron rolled her eyes. "My heroes."

"Why would she do such a thing now?" Jatel asked, helping his master out of bed. He gently brushed the bangs out of Ka-Ron's eyes and kissed her.

"The curse has reached its next level, I fear," Jatel stated, gently rubbing his master's cheek.

"Perhaps&" was all Ka-Ron could bring herself to say.

Keeth had retreated from the cabin, only to return with a pair of unusual glasses. Kneeling down facing the bed, he placed the glasses upon his face. Instantly, telescopic lenses popped outward, allowing the wizard to investigate the large pool of dried blood.

"Yes!" the wizard proclaimed, his excitement clearly heard. "No doubt about it. This is indeed blood from a woman's cycle. Fascinating! Cycle blood from a woman who had once been a man. Interesting! To say the least."

Ka-Ron and Jatel said nothing.

Both, only smiled, rolling their eyes.

"There is a danger now, my child." Keeth stated, taking off his glasses.

"And what is that, wizard?" the squire inquired.

"There is now the threat of&well&motherhood."

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel separated.

"Do you mean I could have a child?" Ka-Ron asked as her face filled with both shock and amazement. "But I was once a man! Is that possible?"

"Dear, you're fully capable, from what I can see here." The wizard absently pointed back towards the bloodied sheets.

"Damn that evil woman!" the knight shouted.

"Yes," Keeth agreed.

Not knowing what else to do, Ka-Ron started to weep.

The wizard, awkwardly, decided it was time for him to leave. "I shall provide clean bedding and shall leave the two of you to your&rethinking of the situation."

Jatel silently nodded to the man, accepting his kindness in both his and his master's name.

"Master, all will soon be well."

Ka-Ron turned from Jatel, wiping away her tears. "I have cried more in these few suns, than I have my entire life. I hate the feeling, Jatel. I want it no more."

The squire did not know what to do. How could he even remotely know what his master was going through? What would it be like to have your whole identity suddenly reversed? To have your way of life, which all take for granted, changed and become alien? All Jatel knew, for sure, was that he loved his "woman" and wanted to comfort her in any way possible.

"Master, I am so sorry," the squire stated, walking up from behind and wrapping his arms around her waist.

Ka-Ron responded. She laid her head on one of Jatel's arms, cupping them at the elbows with her warm hands. She hummed a soothing tone, as she accepted his embrace. Both rocked slowly back and forth.

Before either knew what he was doing, they had landed upon the bed.

***

Staring at herself, Ka-Ron brushing her long hair and studied her reflection in the mirror. Her mind was filled with puzzlement. She did not know down what path her life was taking her. She had always prided herself upon being able to plan clearly where and when she would be, not ever having to care, or think, about the why. For the first time in her life, there was no focus.

This was to be expected, she had told herself. After all, normalcy would not be hers again, until she was turned back into a man.

Into a man&

She played with those words, never taking her eyes off her reflection, enjoying the soft and soothing strokes of her brush. She mulled the words Kai had offered, about breaking her squire's hearts with the successful completion of her quest. As if on cue, Jatel grunted a few times and turned upon his stomach. The knight could only smile. Lately, everything the man did seemed greatly to amuse her - even his common tasks. The way he grumbled when forced to do a chore he hated, the way he laughed, and, most importantly, the way Jatel gazed at her, when the squire thought she wasn't looking.

Her life was becoming quite complex.

"You have done well as a woman," Ka-Ron repeated, only lip-syncing. There were no sounds coming from her mouth. She did not wish to wake her squire.

A thought entered the knight's mind - the first time she had ever considered it - that she was indeed a beautiful woman. She took great comfort in those thoughts, and found it surprising, given that she never turned back. Could she live her entire life as a female? It wasn't really that bad. She admired the attention. She appreciated the curiosity. And she enjoyed the love-making. What was there to even consider?

Duty.

That simple word kept coming back to haunt her. Her king relied upon her courage and her skills in battle. Without her to lead Idoshia's armies, what would become of the stability of Teal? She could not live with herself if the village of her fathers fell into the hands of the Xows.

"I must proceed," Ka-Ron whispered. "My nation needs me."

For now, however, the brave knight needed her rest.

Ka-Ron turned to her bed, realizing that the excitement of the day had taken its toll upon her.

There was a tightness about her stomach, which suggested that her body was still reacting to the final stages of Kai's spell. She found herself laughing, when she realized that her breasts and grown a little, causing the buttons of her nightshirt to pop open a little.

"Big breasts do nothing to me but hurt my back, Kai," the knight whispered, getting between the sheets with her squire.

It did not take long for Ka-Ron to fall asleep.

What the knight of Idoshia failed to realize, was the nature of Kai's final spell. It completed the cycle of her curse upon Ka-Ron, who she accused of causing her daughter's untimely death.

The knight's breasts began to leak a yellowish-brown liquid.

More buttons began to "pop" in the night.

Ka-Ron was too deep in her sleep to know.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Ka-Ron woke to the warm welcome of sunshine invading her cabin. The Argo was still floating in the heavens, easily taking both she and her squire to their predestined ends. All was well.

The warmth of the bed's covers was just too much for the knight to deny. Ka-Ron smiled and snuggled close to her sleeping lover. His warmth was all she required to forget her troubles.

"Oh!" Ka-Ron whispered, her face flashing discomfort. "What was all that, then?"

The knight was feeling a "bumping" sensation coming from her stomach. She surmised that it had to be something that she had eaten. However, she suffered also from a certain heaviness and fatigue, which suggested just the opposite - that she had not been eating enough.

Jatel rustled himself awake. He hummed a tune of satisfaction, discovering that Ka-Ron had placed her arms around him. Gently, he kissed one of the knight's hands.

"Many a season I have dreamed to be in such a place," Jatel whispered.

"What do you say?"

"I have dreamed of the time when, upon waking, my sun starts such as this," Jatel shuffled, turning to face his master. "To be in the arms of a beautiful&"

Ka-Ron's face beamed with happiness as she awaited the finalization of her squire's words. Flattery seemed to work wonders upon her disposition, and made all hardships seem that much smaller. Again, the knight's concentration was interrupted by the "bumping" coming from her stomach.

"For the gods!" Jatel said, almost horrified. The squire slowly rose and retreated away from the bed.

"Jatel? What ails you?" Ka-Ron asked, her hand reaching out for comfort.

Jatel's features turned almost to a panic, for there was something in his sight that terrified the man. Of that, Ka-Ron was quite certain. In reaching out to comfort him, the knight's attention turned toward the discomfort of her body. She felt odd, and was only now discovering the realities of her situation.

"To the gods!" Ka-Ron screamed. "No! Gods, no!"

The knight's breasts had indeed grown more, not by much, but enough to bust open the remainder of her nightshirt's buttons. They were both heavy and wet. Her nipples had turned an attractive tint of brown and quite sensitive too. In grabbing one, Ka-Ron was quite surprised to discover that it was loaded - spraying out an incredible fountain of milk.

"This cannot be&" the knight's voice trailed off to almost a whisper.

"I will get the wizard, sire." Jatel almost broke his neck running from the room.

Alone, Ka-Ron pulled down the bed sheets, discovering the origins of her discomfort.

Ka-Ron the knight was at least six lunas pregnant!

***

Keeth chewed nervously, upon the end of his pipe, while he knelt down and studied the enormous belly of Ka-Ron the knight. The woman, herself, was holding up quite well - that is, after the wizard had provided the most powerful relaxant pill his powers had the skill to muster. The drug was the only thing that kept the knight from screaming.

Upon discovering her condition, Ka-Ron screamed as loud and as long as her constitution would allow - and she had quite a constitution. After her silence, came the tears. It took both men to get her off the bed in her cabin. Each time she had tried it on her own, her bulbous stomach kept her from reaching her goal. All the knight had managed to do was waddle like a duck from left to right, causing both men to smile and chuckle.

So, after a fashion, Ka-Ron stood upon the main deck of the Argo, silently rubbing her huge stomach, unable to ignore what was growing inside of her. Jatel, although quite calm and quiet, appeared to be controlling his own demons. Cocking his head, the wizard admired the squire's strength, for he knew that if given the chance, Jatel would have need of the same relaxing drug Ka-Ron was now enjoying.

"Is this an illusion, then?" Jatel asked, hiding his shaking hands behind his back.

Keeth shook his head after placing a hand upon the knight's soft stomach. He searched deeply with his powers for an answer to the squire's question. The response he received was more than real, for the child growing within had decided to kick the wizard's invading hand with a great defiance.

"Oh!" Ka-Ron stirred, rubbing her belly. "This one's a kicker."

The wizard shook his head in agreement. Clouds of smoke rose from his stern countenance as he continued with his curious studies.

"Oh, dear no, sir," Keeth said, "This is certainly real."

"You think!" Ka-Ron retorted, her eyes full of rage.

"But she appears six lunas into her&" Jatel could not bring himself to say the word. "How can all this pass in just one night?"

Keeth silently counter-questioned with a "Are you serious?" glance upon the squire.

"I do not know how this could have come to pass," the knight said, covering herself.

Puffing on his pipe, Keeth gave the woman a knowing glance.

"Oh, miss, I believe that you do."

"And what is that supposed to mean?" Jatel challenged.

"Nothing more than the fact that you two are at it more than a flock of red hares!" Raising his voice, the wizard pushed the squire away from him. "And it would not be wise to challenge me in such a manner again, young squire!"

"We&we&" Jatel tried to counter, but soon trailed off. The truth was impossible to combat.

"I apologize, dear knight and squire." The wizard bowed. Upon the old man's face, clearly, was the emotion of deep regret. "It has been some time since I have talked with real people, and I am short upon my graces."

"No need to explain, wizard," Ka-Ron said. She sat down on a nearby bench, exhausted. "We all have our little faults."

Jatel kept his distance, watching the wizard. If the wizard were to verbally attack Ka-Ron, he would be ready to confront him. Ka-Ron was deeply touched.

Keeth continued smoking his pipe. His eyes never seemed to leave the knight, studying anything and everything. For the longest time, Ka-Ron knew that the old man was looking at her stomach. She could feel the wizard's very concentration upon her skin, as she, every now and then was moved by the subtle kicking that was continuing to grab at her attention.

"Are you comfortable?" Keeth emptied his pipe, finally breaking his silence.

"I do not feel unwell."

"That is good!"

"And the importance of all of this questioning?" Jatel asked.

"I thought that would be obvious," Keeth said. "Her spell, thus far, has not hurt. I was just curious to know if that had changed."

Jatel huffed but surrendered.

Keeth bent down on one knee, silently asking the knight's permission to apply his hands to her body. She gave that permission, and was surprised to experience the wizard's gentle touch. The wizard's hands rubbed Ka-Ron's stomach, while his eyes remained closed. He was, Ka-Ron surmised, exploring with his mind, not his senses.

"This is unlike any magic I have ever encountered, my child. I am amazed at the child's speedy growth."

"Still&there is no pain." Ka-Ron stated, adding her hands to the rubbing of her stomach. The knight said nothing, but she thought that her stomach had grown even more since her sitting down. Her skin was tight and was starting to itch. When she had a free moment, she would change her dress - her top was soaked with dripping milk.

"This is dark arts at their worst," Keeth whispered.

"This once, I agree, wizard."

Keeth gave Ka-Ron a long, silent gaze. "There is a spell I could try that could relieve you of this burden."

Ka-Ron stared long into the wizard's eyes.

An incredible sensation came over the knight. While the Argo continued her trek through the skies towards their shared destination, Ka-Ron became aware of everything. She felt the tiny kicking, and subtle movement of the being growing inside of her, and it was wondrous! The feeling was more fantastic than she could ever have surmised. There was a joy there, inside of her, that felt more right, more intimate, and more godly than any she had ever encountered in her old life. She was becoming a mother. And, to the knight's complete surprise, she was enjoying it.

"No, Keeth," Ka-Ron whispered. "I think not."

The wizard was taken aback. Ka-Ron realized that she had given a response he did not expect. That made her even surer of her choice in the matter.

"Child, I do envy you."

"How so?"

"You are the bravest soul I have ever encountered," the wizard said, chuckling tiredly. "And take it from me, love, I have encountered quite a few. You, perhaps, are the only true "man" alive."

"Speak for yourself!" Jatel huffed from the bridge deck, insulted.

Keeth and Ka-Ron smiled.

"I shall leave you to your thoughts." Keeth soon joined Jatel at the ship's wheel.

Alone on deck, Ka-Ron tried her best to feel rage. She tried to feel hate toward Kai, and the terrible thing she had done to her. She tried. But hate was not what the knight felt.

She was happy!

Her hands paused over a spot on her stomach, feeling the tiny bumping of a baby's kick. Her whole body responded, and it was a terrific feeling. For one brief moment, Ka-Ron remembered honestly why she had become a knight. One brief moment, when upon hearing from a practitioner of the medical arts that it would be impossible for him, as a man, to father a child&one horrible moment, when as a young man he had had stolen from him that chance to be a father, to have a family, to be normal. When one loses all of that, all that was left for Ka-Ron was honorable service and an honorable death.

That was why she could not accept Kym's love.

Ka-Ron knew that Kym wanted to have children.

She knew that Kym wanted a family.

Ka-Ron, with all her bravery, honor, and love could never provide those things. She had been rendered unable to provide seed.

That was the knight's true fear. Her true shame.

She turned, slowly, with her back facing both Jatel and Keeth. She did not wish to allow them to see her face.

Ka-Ron was crying.

She was going to give life to a child.

She was going to have a family!

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The sound started out as an innocent squeak, at first. Then, as the mileage was added onto the Argo, the noise became both loud and frightening. In fact, the ship started to shake and shimmy so much that Keeth, who had been knocked from his bunk, came running out onto the main deck in a panic.

The wizard had soon discovered that his vessel had suffered some damage while leaving Tork's body. There had been several planks and levers along the ship's side which were in dire need of repair.

They had to land.

"There is a village ahead, I remember, which will serve quite well as a resting post," the wizard stated, looking at some old navigational charts he had drawn while living in the sea dragon. "Nice people. They mind their own business."

Jatel looked over the shoulder of the wizard and studied the maps himself. A troubled look ran across his face, for he was not familiar with the territory in which they would land. He gazed out at the approaching land, appearing only now at their bow, and drew Keeth's attention towards it.

"Wizard, the maps say nothing about the lasting fog."

"Fog?"

Keeth folded up his charts following the squire's inquiring finger. As Jatel had claimed, the valley was covered with a thick gray fog. There was nothing of this revelation that foretold of danger or anything negative. It was just a fog.

"Strange that a fog would persist in this weather," was the wizard's only comment.

"Then, we land?"

Keeth shrugged his shoulders surrendering to the situation. "We have no choice in the matter, young squire. If we are to reach the ultimate destination of your master's quest, we must make repairs."

"Agreed." Jatel's voice rang with both caution and acceptance.

"Then man the wheel, Jatel," Keeth ordered, walking up to his mysterious levers and switches. "We shall land in the city of Cibola."

The wizard pulled up one lever and activated two more.

The Argo shook with another series of odd clicks. As both gears and locks were put into action, the ship's lines began to change once more.

All at once, there came the slow and steady sounds of escaping gas.

The four devices the wizard had called "engines" started to point their shiny noses towards the ground. The incredibly fast and spinning pieces of wood, which Keeth had stated were responsible for their ship's foothold in the air, hovered and spun upward above the Argo. Again, the great wooden ship amazed her passengers by once more defying the laws of the physical world.

The ship hovered above the town of Cibola like a self-contained island in the sky.

"Prepare for landing." the wizard shouted, flipping yet another switch.

From the keel of the ship, there extended four circular pods which resembled a horse's hoof. These, the wizard explained, were landing pods, which would allow the Argo a comfortable berth while being repaired on dry land.

Descending through the fog, the tiny wooden vessel's "engines" caused several animals and birds to flee in havoc. This was quite understandable by both Ka-Ron and Jatel, because the devices did create quite a sound when placed on full power by the wizard.

"Squire, look over the bow and instruct me on a final position."

"Right you are, sir." Jatel's feet sprang the young man to action. Upon reaching the bow, he turned, momentarily, to spot Ka-Ron projecting a smile in his direction. He responded in kind.

"Keep to your task, squire!" the wizard ordered harshly as he took the ship's wheel.

In ancient times, Cibola used to be a part of the Nown nation. Upon that race's sad demise, it suffered in the void for a long and unmeasured time. Now, after hundreds of seasons of being abandoned, there were people in her once more. Keeth had explained that the city was a mixture of dwarf, elf, and human. It was a hub for traders, hunters, and those seeking solitude in a world slowly shrinking by progress. Cibolans were a good and private people, worthy of respect.

As the Argo bumped and settled, the ship landed.

"Ah! We are here." Keeth said.

All that greeted the crew of the Argo was silence

***

There was much to call familiar about Cibola. In many ways, the skyline resembled that of Teal's. A simple hamlet, upon first glance. There did exist amongst its streets the glory of the Nowns. Keeth pointed about the city, instructing both knight and squire to pay attention to certain lanterns which hung about the corners. These, according to the wizard, were safety warnings, informing pedestrians when it was allowed to cross the street, not having to worry or look for advancing carriages and wagons.

The buildings themselves, at least the original ones, had need of no maintenance - they were built of unknown material that never chipped or decayed. The great plague which had extinguished this ancient and noble race left behind them both mystery and wonder.

"We shall start repairs after we sup," the wizard stated, licking his lips.

Jatel gave the village an uneasy glance.

This did not escape Keeth's attention.

"What worries you, squire?"

"Where are all the people?"

Keeth looked out into the fog. He was somewhat surprised that no village officials were there to welcome them, or, at the least, to protest their landing. The wizard was quite confident that it wasn't everyday that a vessel such as the Argo had come to visit.

"It is puzzling."

All three peered over the ship's starboard bow.

All that seemed to move was the fog.

There was an uncertainty that seemed silently to attack each of them as the wind softly shuffled past. It was like accidentally walking into a funeral, not knowing if one should accept fate and stay, or challenge happenstance and leave.

"Supper is what we need for now," the wizard suggested.

All three turned from the sleeping village.

The Argo's larder did not disappoint.

***

Ka-Ron no longer walked. She waddled.

Both Jatel and Keeth had lowered themselves down on rope benches, doing what they could to repair the Argo. There was a lot more damage than the wizard had first surmised. Several holes, one the size of a horse, were in dire need of patching. However, on the bright side, several of the sea dragon's scales were deposited in the hull, giving both knight and squire shields when needed in battle.

Jatel stopped his hammering when he heard his master's footfalls.

Ka-Ron had become...enormous!

The knight's belly had swollen much since breakfast, and was now so huge, that it became quite impossible for her clothing to contain her. Ka-Ron had to add cloth to both her bosom and her skirt. Her face was more round and her features engorged with motherhood, but there was an inner light which, at least in Jatel's eyes, made her more attractive to him.

She, on the other hand, felt quite different.

"I am no longer in the position to protect myself in war." the knight cried.

Jatel had to spend several cycles in bed, holding his master, trying his best to keep her from crying.

Now, hearing his master struggle on deck had caused the squire to bow his head in shame. There existed in Jatel's mind a guilt - he had caused all of her suffering. He was responsible.

Keeth did not fail to see all of this.

"What haunts you, squire?" The wizard looked up at Jatel, who was hanging several sticks in height above him, fighting several nails he had placed in his mouth.

"This was never meant to be."

"Of course, it was never meant to be, my son," Keeth grunted. "It's a curse. Curses seem to work that way."

"Be serious." the squire rebutted.

"I am nothing but, my son." Keeth paused, his features softening. "Do not torture yourself so. It would all be to folly if you tried to reason this whole affair out. There is no logic; there is only the reality of the now."

"Wizard, I am as ready to become a father as my master was to be a woman. I am trained for combat and service, not&diaper changing."

Keeth returned to his hammering. Given a cycle, the Argo would once more be ready for flight. He was quite aware of the fact that the young man beside him was frightened out of his mind. Then again, so was any new father.

"Jatel, sometimes life just&happens." The wizard paused, and then said, "Ka-Ron loves you. I have seen it in her eyes when she thinks nobody is looking. I realize that the two of you have been placed in a hell I could never understand, nor could anyone else if he were going through the same thing. But, son, cherish the love that has been built from this. Love is a precious and beautiful commodity - quite rare in the universe. Indeed, it's more powerful than any curse or spell cast by wizard or witch."

"And all that ends when my master is turned back to normal."

"Then, by all that's right and true, cherish it while you still can!" Keeth put his hammer away and rose to stand eye-level with the squire. "If you refuse yourself this, then you will regret it the rest of your life."

"But, I have sworn&"

"Do you know why most of us become wizards?" Keeth interrupted, frustration clearly ringing in his voice. "So that we can try to create that one moment of total clarity, while hoping above hope to know what you have already been given. I beg you...do not ignore it!"

Both men could hear Ka-Ron moving above, on deck, and decided to call their repairs off for the sun. Jatel shook his head in agreement with what the wizard had said, but his eyes and inner self seemed to betray the sage's advice. Keeth was well aware of the fact that Jatel still refused to give up his personal blame in this matter. The wizard chalked up the emotion connected with the foolishness and folly of being a young man.

Upon reaching the ship's deck, both men were soon greeted by a terribly worried Ka-Ron. Her gaze was concentrated on the nearby village. A village that still remained silent and quite alienated from their sudden and unexpected landing. There appeared to be no fires, no traffic, and no noise coming from Cibola.

That above everything else worried the knight.

"Ah, Ka-Ron, we were just discussing you." Keeth stated, brushing off his robes. "How are you faring?"

"I'm swelling up like a wine sack." Ka-Ron's hands rubbed her belly, which appeared well into its seventh luna.

Jatel took up the rope benches and remaining lines. The squire noticed his master's hard stare at the town.

"What bothers you, sire?"

"The town," Ka-Ron stated, leaning against the ship's railings. "Why have we not been visited? Surely a knight appointed to insure the safety of the people would have made inquires by now."

"Perhaps they are a calm, private people."

"Jatel, even I would have made inquires should this vessel had landed outside of Teal."

Jatel shook his head in agreement. Ka-Ron would have.

"Could this be a plague village?" Jatel asked Keeth.

The wizard shook his head and pointed towards a nearby field. "Not possible. See the flock of cattle nearby? If there had been a plague, they would have been the first to fall. Sickness works that way. First, it attacks the lower forms of life, and then works itself up to elf, dwarf, and man."

"Then why the silence?"

"Are there Xows nearby?" Keeth inquired.

Both Jatel and Ka-Ron shook their heads.

"This is not their territory," Ka-Ron answered.

"No," the squire agreed. "Xows do not travel this far north. They favor southern weather."

"Curious&" The wizard's eyes narrowed. He peered out toward the main gates of the city.

"Something?" Ka-Ron asked.

"Perhaps, brave knight," the wizard retorted. He took from his robes a spyglass, and peered through it. Both soon noticed that the wizard's hands were shaking.

"Keeth, something is there, is it not?" Ka-Ron's face reflected the wizard's worry.

Keeth slowly retracted his device and placed it back in his pocket. "It appears that we have guests."

From the dank levels of the fog, which still appeared to envelop the village and all that lay around it, there appeared two mysterious figures. One was taller than the other, but the other's short statue did not lessen the impression of both power and confidence. Both were dressed as forest folk. Both appeared to be heading toward the Argo.

"Well, well, well&" Keeth stated excitedly.

"What?" Jatel and Ka-Ron had asked, almost in unison.

"An Elf with a Dwarf. Quite rare."

"Why is that?" Ka-Ron asked.

"Dwarfs have sworn a blood oath against the Elf Kingdoms, sire."

"Quite true, young squire." The Wizard was surprised. "You appear to know more than I give you credit for, son. I congratulate you!"

Jatel, not really knowing if the wizard was giving him a compliment, silently nodded. Ka-Ron, realizing Jatel's uneasiness, gently kissed him on the shoulder, hoping that her action bolstered his confidence.

"We appear to be the target of their inquiry," Keeth added.

The Elf and Dwarf got closer to the Argo, momentarily stopped by a flock of mountain horses that were running nearby. From the deck of their ship, the crew noticed the Dwarf pointing up towards them. The Elf, slow and cautious, as all Elfin folk were, nodded in agreement.

Both visitors took out weapons for protection. The dwarf had a simple ax; the Elf produced a device resembling a sling.

"Hold!" the Wizard commanded his hand up in warning. "What be your business with us?"

Both Elf and Dwarf turned, gazing into their partner's eyes, as if searching for the correct way to start up a conversation. The Dwarf passed the honor to his taller friend.

"Are you, sir, a citizen of this village?" the Elf's voice was quite enchanting. Not the voice of one who appreciates command.

"We are not." Keeth was curt.

"Have you word of a team of dwarfs coming this way in the past few phases of the suns?" The dwarf's voice shook with panic.

"No. We just arrived."

There was an awkward pause between the two parties.

"Perhaps you have seen a small troop of Elves nearby?" the Elf finally spoke, worry in his voice as well.

The wizard stepped back a little, soon realizing that these new arrivals were not here to start a fight, or bring trouble with their presence. They had among them the plain look of disaster.

"What has happened to thee?" Keeth finally had to ask.

Both Dwarf and Elf exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Allow us to become acquainted with you, kind wizard." The Elf bowed. "My name is Rohan, and my companion on this mission is known as Dorian. We are mountain folk looking for kin that have become missing while traveling through these parts."

"We have seen no one while landing upon this spot." Ka-Ron leaned over the railing.

"Thank you, dear lady." Dorian shouted back at the knight. Both he and Rohan gazed at the Argo, not really knowing how to take it.

"Is this a ship?" Rohan asked, trying his best to hold back a smile. "For if it is, the ocean is quite far away"

"This vessel is indeed a ship, and we have no need for water at this time."

"Hmmm. Curious," the elf stated.

"I seem to remember a custom of these parts, which states that food and drink should be given to travelers on their quests." Keeth said.

"True!" Dorian shouted up, rubbing his long beard with anticipation.

"Then come aboard!"

A rope ladder was dropped from the ship, allowing the Argo to receive her guests.

Both Rohan and Dorian proved to be as evasive as they were curious. Upon boarding, both were greeted handsomely by their hosts. Both ate well, for both had been without food and water for several suns.

While sharing their meal, the crew of the Argo learned much of their guests.

Rohan was on an imperial quest from the Weedwoods, quite concerned with a troop of missing elves, last seen approaching Cibola. Upon reaching the nearby village, they sent word back home, never to be heard from again. It was not even known if the elves had made it to their destination.

"Were the missing of your kinsmen known for their dedication?" Keeth asked.

"Some were among the best warriors in our armies," Rohan added, biting into the drumstick of a griffin.

If there was an accurate word to describe Rohan it was thin. For an elf, he was quite thin, almost awkwardly so. He stood higher that Keeth or Jatel, and appeared quite able to protect himself. His dress was simple, consisting of black-and-green tanned leather. He carried several small knives and a bow. A sling upon his back showed several arrows. Like all elves, Rohan was kind of a neat freak. Several times he unconsciously cleaned up after himself and his dwarf partner.

"A fine table you set, wizard!" Dorian hailed, gulping down the last of his wine.

Dorian stood almost half the size of Rohan. The top of his armored head barely tapped off at the elf's belt. However, what the dwarf did not have in size, he carried in bulk. He had massive muscles and a keen eye meant for combat. His huge ax, which was almost as tall as he was, lay by his side, ever ready for the attack. Dorian claimed to be a gatherer of shine stones and an expert at all forms of mining. His quest consisted of discovering the whereabouts of his kin, who had sent word of distress, only to fade from memory once they entered the neighboring village. There was evil business in Cibola, and he was the only member of his tribe free enough to inquire.

Like all dwarfs, Dorian was unaware of his bad table manners. He held in his beard more food than he was readily consuming. His long beard dangled near his ankles, tied off at the end by a decorative bow. This last, said the dwarf, was so that his beard would not block his view while in battle.

Both were good company.

Ka-Ron soon noticed that Rohan was looking at her quite earnestly. The knight found that she could not eat. Ka-Ron had always hated being stared at while she ate.

The uneasiness did not pass the attention of Rohan.

"Forgive the curiosity, my lady." Rohan bowed. "Do you not notice my bow?"

All stared at the elf's bow. It was glowing a bright red.

"Rather&nice." Ka-Ron said, drinking a little of her rose melon juice.

"It is an enchanted bow."

Dorian rolled his eyes, tired. "Again, with the enchanted bow!"

Rohan gave his friend a silent glance.

"The bow glows red when faced with powerful magic."

Ka-Ron, Jatel, and Keeth looked at each other, uneasily.

"At first, I considered the presence of the wizard, here," Rohan stated, bowing with respect towards Keeth. "However, upon encountering the magi, the bow continued to glow."

"Fascinating, elf!" Dorian huffed, pouring himself another cup of wine. He rolled his eyes, playfully winking at Ka-Ron.

Rohan studied Ka-Ron.

"I believe, dear lady, that you are the cause of my bow's proclamations."

Ka-Ron sat uneasy, her eyes lowered to her lap.

"I meant no disrespect," Rohan said.

"None is perceived." Keeth raised his hands, hoping to calm all at the table. "My friends, our lady here is the victim of a Wicca Master's powerful spell."

"Wicca Master!" Dorian yelled, fear being extinguished by a loud burp blasting from the dwarf's mouth.

"Ka-Ron, here, used to be a man."

Both elf and dwarf gawked at Ka-Ron with fascination.

"You are a&man?" Dorian asked, his bottom lip dropping. The dwarf squinted, as if studying a rare diamond. "Lass, you are the most fetching man I have ever laid these tired eyes on. This cannot be!"

"Oh, I fear they are telling the truth, my friend." Rohan stared at Ka-Ron with sad eyes, as if the elf was able to share in the knight's inner struggles and pain. "This is indeed quite real. I meant no ill will to you, Ka-Ron."

"None has been taken, Rohan."

"Then, I am quite relieved, and ask your forgiveness."

Dorian rolled his eyes, continuing with his eating. "Hmmm! Elves."

There came a curious moment that all at the table saw. All except Rohan, who slowly started to eat his meal. A meal that was as simple as Rohan was mysterious. A meal of white meat, oats, and just a little wine.

For the longest moment, Dorian appeared to be staring at Rohan in a rather provocative manner. Not an ordinary stare, but one consisting of isolation and, curiously enough, hunger.

At first, Jatel and Ka-Ron did not know how to take the Dwarf's staring and considered the act humorous. Keeth, upon noticing his friend's reaction, diplomatically pleaded with them to control their comical urges. He, on the other hand, stared on. If this was what he thought it was, they were all extremely lucky.

All ate the remainder of their meals in silence.

"When is the baby due?" Dorian finally asked.

Ka-Ron dropped her spoon and gave the curious Dwarf a stern look.

"Dorian!" Rohan snapped, his eyes narrowing with anger.

"What?" the Dwarf protested. "What did I say?"

Ka-Ron tried her best to get up, but was stopped by the bulk of her growing stomach, which looked close to full term. It ripped a hole in the front of her dress, exposing her navel. Embarrassed, the knight broke out in tears. Finding her strength, she rose from the table.

"Ka-Ron..." Jatel tried to say, rising to meet her.

"Shut up!" she cried, rubbing her belly. "Just shut up."

The woman didn't feel like being the center of attention. Waddling, she headed back to her quarters.

Rohan turned to the wizard, clearly embarrassed.

"My dwarf companion meant no harm. He is just curious."

Keeth said nothing. He shook his head, acknowledging the elf, but could not bring himself to speak. He too realized that Ka-Ron's delivery was fast approaching.

Dorian rose from his meal.

"I was not trying to&"

Before the Dwarf could continue, all were stopped by the howl of a furious wolf. Its cry echoed throughout the vessel, causing the very timber to shake with fear.

"What was that?" Keeth asked.

"That, my friend," said Rohan, "was the cry of the vampire."

Both Jatel and Keeth paused, turning to look at the elf.

"Excuse me?" Jatel asked.

"The vampire." Rohan's face was stern and serious. "He is in control of these parts. The fog is of his doing."

"Ridiculous!" the Dwarf laughed. "Vampires? Foolish elf, those are creatures of myth. Told to children to frighten them. They only exist in nether tales, and such."

Rohan said nothing. It was hard to convince those who would never believe. Instead, the elf only stood, holding his glowing-red bow, staring out one of the Argo's open portholes.

Outside, the wolf continued its long and lonesome song.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Ka-Ron's heart raced as she ran into her quarters and slammed the door behind her. She was crying, but they were not the tears of frustration, nor were they from embarrassment as the elf might have thought. She was overjoyed to the point of crying. It was really going to happen!

She was going to have a baby.

The knight approached her dressing mirror and removed her clothes. This didn't bother her - she had no more dresses that could fit her, anyway.

Naked and pregnant, the knight rubbed her swollen belly, unable to stop the tears. She found herself laughing - responding to the sudden hard kicking she received from the tiny person inside of her. The fantastic feeling of euphoria was almost too much for her to take.

"In a hurry to come out?" Ka-Ron whispered to her baby. In the realization of her actions - talking to the unborn babe - Ka-Ron laughed even louder. There was something innocent in the moment. There was something beautiful. She wondered if all women felt this way at such a moment.

The knight hugged her stomach.

There was a small tapping at the door, which Ka-Ron in her moment did not hear.

"Hello, sire?"

It was Jatel.

Before both knew what they were doing, or gave the matter any thought, they stood holding each other. Ka-Ron continued to cry and dry her eyes on her squire's shoulder.

"Please, inform our guests that I was not offended."

"I do not think that will help," Jatel said, laughing dryly. He kissed the knight on the forehead. "The dwarf's practically eating his own lips."

"No, he's not." Ka-Ron could not keep from laughing.

Jatel wrapped his arms around his love.

"Jatel&"

"Yes?"

"Have you thought about our child's name?"

The words caused the squire pause. He pulled away and studied his master's face. She was serious! She was going through with this. There would be no wizardly intervention here. This was the real deal.

Jatel was going to become a father.

"Ka-Ron, we need to talk."

"What are we doing now?"

"Sire&"

There was a tone of shame echoing in Jatel's voice that did not sit well with Ka-Ron. Whether it was shock or curiosity, the woman pulled herself away from him and looked deeply into his eyes.

"What?" Ka-Ron finally asked.

"I feel shame when I see you in this way."

"Way?" Ka-Ron's anger started to rise.

For his own safety, the squire blocked his master's way to her sword.

"Jatel&" Ka-Ron's voice trembled. "What is wrong?"

Jatel's lips trembled. There was a taste of bile fighting its way up to the surface. He did all that he could not to look her in the eyes.

"I am not&" his voice trailed off to a soft whisper.

"Not what? Brave? You're the bravest man I have ever known."

"No, sire."

"Then&what?"

"I am not worthy enough to be the father of your child."

A frozen pause took hold of the knight as she tried to make her mouth work. Try as she might, the words would not come out. Tears started to well up and her hands made fists.

Jatel closed his eyes, waiting for the storm to strike.

Ka-Ron exhaled, softly.

"Why?" was all the knight could bring herself to say.

"My family is from a fallen house."

"Who cares!" Ka-Ron ironically giggled. "I'm a woman who used to be a man. You think that's going to give me any clout back in Teal? If we fail in this quest, I am a plain woman. There will be no parades or honor waiting for me."

"You have saved Idoshia more times than I can count."

Ka-Ron moved closer to her squire and grabbed her breasts. "That may be, but this is all the world will see!"

Grabbing his master's shoulders, Jatel gazed deeply into her eyes.

In them, now, there was no shame.

"All I see is the man."

Ka-Ron let out an awkward laugh. "Well, Jatel, there are some bath houses I wouldn't say that in - openly, at least."

There was an awkward, long, pause.

Neither moved.

Ka-Ron's lips began to quiver, and then exploded with laugher. Jatel responded in kind, and both soon learned that it did no good to think of honor, family, or position. They were soon to become parents.

A child cared not for such things.

All that mattered was the moment.

"I am a fool," Jatel agreed, surrendering himself to both his love and to fate.

"Yes," Ka-Ron agreed. "But you are my fool."

"It is of foolishness that I come to tell you about, sire." The squire turned, picking up his swords and battle knives.

"Where are you going?"

"The elf and dwarf wish to investigate the nearby town," Jatel explained. "I have agreed to go with them. They talk of strange events and creatures. To tell the truth, I'm bored&"

"Bored?"

"Phase upon phase, locked inside the belly of a sea dragon, it causes a man to become crazy with the thirst of adventure."

"And I'm not entertaining enough for you?" Ka-Ron put her hands upon her hips.

"Sire, I will be back before you miss me. This I promise."

Ka-Ron's face was masked with concern. Inside her, the baby kicked, bringing her attentions back to what was important.

"Maybe you should put on a gown, or something." Jatel added.

Both kissed.

"Sire?"

"Yes?"

"What do we do when Kai turns you back into a man?"

Ka-Ron smiled. "We play out that battle when it is handed to us."

Jatel shook his head in acceptance.

***

The walk to Cibola was longer than it had looked from the deck of the Argo. Of course the elf felt no fatigue. Elves usually did well on long missions. Dwarfs were just as enduring. Jatel, on the other hand, had the wear and tear of an experienced man - he hated to walk. He did it only because he had to.

Upon leaving the Argo, both Rohan and Dorian were disappointed that the wizard would not be joining them. The unknown was always less formidable when faced with the magical arts. Keeth claimed that if they were ever to leave this valley safely, the ship had to be repaired. So, it was with a heavy heart that the wizard returned to his work, hoping to have all repaired upon the scouting party's return.

Jatel agreed with his counterparts. They could have used the wizard's skills.

The fog was thick, and impossible to see through. Jatel could not see a blocking tree until the smell of its moss was close enough for his nose to feel. Both Dorian and Rohan, however, seemed to walk through the mist as if it were nothing but a cool breeze.

The squire did all that he could to keep from bumping into things.

"Why won't this fog disperse?"

"The vampire needs its rest," Rohan explained. "The suns' light is its enemy."

"It is held down by his will, then?"

Rohan arched an eyebrow. "Perhaps."

"You do not know then, do you, elf?" Dorian challenged.

Rohan did not accept the challenge. He walked forward and said nothing.

It was only natural that Rohan would take the lead. He was the tallest and the one most familiar with the surrounding woodlands. He held within his person the "feelings" of his environment. Like most elves, he could sense a trap long before the others could smell one.

"The fog knows that we are here," Rohan whispered. The elf's hand rested upon one of his knives.

Jatel glanced at Dorian, soon realizing that the dwarf kept his gaze upon the elf as if Rohan was the arrow in his personal compass. Dorian mirrored every single twitch and cause resembling that of the elf. If something were to attack, the squire knew that they would be prepared. For that, Jatel relaxed.

It was his biggest mistake.

Cibola had at its center a huge marble fountain. Six horses raised in battle accented the circumference of its basin, causing what could be nothing less than a fantastic display of spraying water. Gold, silver, and brass outlined the fountain's borders. Truly, it was a wonder.

Upon noticing the village's fountain, Rohan put his hand up in a warning gesture. There was something afoot, and he was not sure of what it could be. The village was as silent as a tomb, with only the shriek of the wind adding any spice to their ears.

"What is it?" Jatel asked, leaning forward, whispering into the elf's ear.

Rohan turned, giving the squire a blank stare. He knew not what it could be, but, he was sure that it was there. And, above all, both the squire and the dwarf knew, that whatever it was, it had frightened the elf.

"Rohan!" Dorian's voice echoed with urgency. "Your bow."

The elf paid attention to his sidearm.

The bow was glowing.

"There is evil here," Rohan whispered. "Be ever at the ready, my friends."

All drew their weapons. This was no longer just a fact-finding mission.

When in battle, Jatel knew that one could not rely on his sight. So, as a matter of survival, he learned to "see" with his ears. Eyes were great, but they all too often were blinded by blood, dirt, or severed flesh. He and his master were trained to use their other senses as a means to go where pupil and iris could not.

The squire held tightly to the handle of his sword.

"Rohan. Dorian. We are not alone."

There arose a sound that none in the group expected to encounter.

It was the sound of a woman, and she was crying.

Dorian was the first to spot her.

"Near the fountain!" the dwarf shouted, his speed was fantastic for being so small and bulky.

At the base of the fountain, barely visible through the fog, there was a small wisp of white. As the three moved in closer, they discovered that the crying sound was coming from this figure.

"It's a woman!" the dwarf stated.

"What the hell is she doing outside?" Rohan asked, reaching for his water sack. The elf poured out some water, allowing a rawhide rag to soak up an ample supply. With great caution, he started patting the unfortunate woman's forehead.

"Who is she?"

"She does not wear the clothes of this region."

The elf's last comment worried Jatel. For if the elf did not know who she could be, where did that leave him?

Still, there was something about the woman that made Jatel move closer.

At first glance, the crying woman appeared to resemble a corpse. Her hair was a bone white. Her skin was as dry and brittle as tissue. All three were afraid to hold onto her with any kind of applied pressure - she appeared to be that fragile.

Appeared&

The woman opened her eyes.

Jatel's world&his universe&came to a halt.

The woman's eyes were the darkest red. So dark and dank that they alone stank of both death and bile. With invisible hands, they held the squire, not even allowing him the luxury of a simple scream. The frail woman parted her lips, revealing a pair of polished fangs. Her tongue was as black as sackcloth, and her breath was of the grave.

"Come to me." she whispered.

Jatel had heard stories of such creatures. In his native land, there was the story of the Mamuud: a creature so in love with all things dead, that if a man even breathed in her direction, they would die. With all of his fiber, the squire tried to tear his gaze from the undead thing calling him, but he could not. The effect he experienced was like that of tasting a rare but wonderful wine. The feeling was so original, that his experience as a warrior offered no defense.

Both Rohan and Dorian pleaded, keeping their distance, but Jatel continued his trek toward the beckoning corpse.

"So, cold," the woman whispered. "So&cold."

Jatel lowered to almost half an arm's reach.

The wisp of white was the thin dress the unfortunate woman was wearing. It appeared to be the only source of clothing, for all three in the scouting party could see through the cloth effortlessly. The woman, apparently seemed beyond the means of caring.

"Come to me," the woman whispered again to Jatel.

Jatel compared what he was seeing to that of a Mud Cobra stalking a gull. It was commonly known that if a bird looked into the eyes of an attacking snake, it would be so frozen with fear that the unfortunate victim would appear to be as stiff as a statue. That is how the squire felt, for, try as he might, his mind remained helpless.

As the woman placed her hands upon his neck, the squire shivered from the cold. He had known death, and he was sure that this woman was as close to death as any corpse could be.

"Kiss me," the woman whispered.

Whether it was a fear of death, or sport from the chase of the hunt, Jatel regained his ability to fight.

Too late&

"Madame, I&"

Before Jatel could finish his sentence, the strange woman attacked his throat. Great waves of pain sparked through Jatel, as two long fangs buried themselves deeply in his flesh. With all his might, the young man tried to pull himself away, but with every second, he became weaker while his attacker became stronger. Blood sprayed from his open wound, only to be slurped up by his attacker.

As the warm blood entered the woman's system, a strange reaction took place. Her hair became a bright red. Her skin took on the texture of a young, robust woman. Her frailty ebbed away, being replaced with a youthful and firm appearance. Her beauty began to shame even that of Ka-Ron.

"I am whole again!" the woman cried, breaking away from Jatel's neck. Her rapid breathing was that of a willful lover pulling herself away from a satisfied encounter. Absently, and quite slowly, the woman licked her lips clean and wiped the blood off her face.

Jatel, weak and pale, collapsed on the cobblestone.

"See to the female," Rohan ordered the dwarf.

The elf, realizing that time was important, picked Jatel up and started running back towards the Argo. Dorian picked up the woman, threw her over his shoulder, and did his best to keep up with the elf. He cursed the idea of investigating the village. Every other step seemed to cause the woman harm, as her head bumped several rocks on the road.

"Still think this is all make-believe, dwarf?" Rohan asked, never looking behind him.

Dorian said nothing.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

The unfortunate woman's name was Molly. She was a wineswoman, who was known, so she claimed, for being able to create the sweetest-tasting vintages in these parts. She tried her best to hold her head up high - tried to show her pride. But that was hard to do, when upon boarding the Argo, Ka-Ron took one look at Jatel. The knight screamed and cursed, and it took the combined force of both Rohan and Dorian to keep her from cutting off Molly's head.

"You damned bitch!" Ka-Ron yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. Her battle with the elf and dwarf caused her to rip the last of her decent clothes. The knight didn't care. All she saw was Jatel, lying on a wooden table, with blood all over his face, looking so close to death's door. "What have you done to my man!"

Molly could not look anyone in the eye.

The woman cried as she removed the last evidence of her crime against the squire by wiping thick blood off her chin. Every fiber of her being wanted to lick the blood off her fingers, and why not! It was what she needed in order to survive. It was her right to survive. No one would do it for her. Still, there was an inherent sorrow for her victims.

Molly hadn't been this way all of her life.

She had once been human.

"I&am&sorry." Molly whispered.

"Fuck you and your sorry!" Ka-Ron raged.

Keeth waved his hands over Jatel's neck, trying his best to maintain the look of panic he projected.

"How is he, wizard?" Rohan asked, pushing Ka-Ron into a corner.

"Just keep her quiet!" the wizard yelled. "I need time. He has lost way too much blood. I feel there is an infection here that even my magic has no hold over."

Molly hid her face, both hurt and ashamed.

Ka-Ron dropped to her knees. Her body shook with a violent tremor&so violent that she began to get sick upon the deck of the ship.

"Dorian! Water!" the elf ordered.

Breaking free of Ka-Ron's attack, the dwarf ran to the other end of the ship and returned within the blink of an eye with a pitcher full of water. His hands shaking, Dorian offered a cup to Ka-Ron. At first, the knight refused.

"Only if Jatel drinks from it first," Ka-Ron cried.

"Madame, he cannot," Rohan softly implied. "He has his own battle to fight. You, on the other hand, have to look out for that soldier in you, who cannot fight back. You have a child you must attend to."

Logic was an impossible force to ignore.

Ka-Ron drank the water.

Keeth continued with his magic, hoping above all that he was doing the right thing. The squire's condition was unlike any the man had ever seen before. By all accounts, Jatel appeared dead. He had no pulse. There was no aura. There was nothing there but the bulk of his body. The only thing that kept the wizard at his job was the fact that Jatel was glaring up at him, blinking his eyes. Corpses do not blink! So, logically, there was a life force within the boy trying quite hard to make the wizard aware of its presence.

"Hold on, son!" the wizard prayed. "Keep within my reach, and I promise that you will see the morning suns."

Ka-Ron's fight weakened. Her eyes closed. She passed out.

"Knockout drops?" Rohan questioned.

"Knockout drops." Dorian confirmed.

The elf gave his companion a questioning look.

"They are safe for the child, I assure you."

Rohan's features relaxed.

Keeth approached the sleeping knight and checked on her vital signs. He exhaled deeply. The wizard was exhausted.

"How does the squire fare?" Rohan asked, gently picking Ka-Ron up from off the ship's main deck.

"Touch and go, my friend." Keeth poured himself a cup of wine. "I have done all that I can for now. Only time and the boy's own will to live can help him now."

All eyes turned to Molly.

It was time for her to tell her story.

***

Molly had lived with her father. She stated that he had become quite muddle-headed after the passing of her mother several seasons ago, and had needed assistance in running the family business. Both she and her father were known for the inn they hosted. Molly was also known for her wine. So, it was not surprising to see all walks of life enter. Molly weakly giggled in the telling of her father. He was a kind man. Not too handsome, but kind of heart. He relied on her to turn the inn's profit, and if left alone to account for his own actions, the business would have gone under ages ago.

For Molly's father was also known for his charity.

It was during one of these charitable times when SHE walked through the door.

Molly never knew her name. She only knew, from the minute she laid eyes on the dark-haired woman, SHE was nothing but a wraith of destruction.

The mysterious woman, for lack of a better name, Molly called "Raven-haired."

"Raven-haired" was the first step to her village's misery.

The unfortunate woman, Molly had explained, touched her father's hearts right off and was offered a job as a barmaid.

Time would later prove the importance of her father's mistake.

"Raven-haired" was a disciple of Count Voslow.

"Count Voslow?" Keeth inquired, "Never heard of him."

"Pray that you never meet him, sir." Molly whispered. "Evil has nothing on him. He is rotten to the core. Everything he touches dies, only to live by his command."

"Sounds like a charming fellow," Dorian huffed, joining the wizard in his wine drinking.

Molly returned to her story, realizing she had all their attention.

As explained, "Raven-haired" was a pawn employed by Count Voslow, who had become a hermit nearby in an ancient castle long-abandoned. Not much was known of him - only that he had lived an incredibly long time, and, perhaps was an immortal. There were even rumors that he had once been a general in the imperial army of the Nowns.

Cibola was ripe. Full of blood. And his for the taking.

It took some time, but soon the bodies were being discovered. It did not matter what sex, age, or station the victim was. The killer was completely democratic. Upon discovery, it was learned that each victim's blood had been completely drained from his body.

Molly's father was soon drafted to seek out and discover who the killer was.

"Was there not a constable or an errant-knight of the village?" Rohan had asked, handing all in the group a cup of red tea. The wine was used up.

"We were a poor village, mister elf." Molly paused, her eyes projecting both pain and pity. "An inn keeper and pastry chef were all we could afford."

Molly sipped her tea.

She explained that her father, although not a man to investigate crime, was a fast learner. He had managed to gain certain confessions from several victims before their deaths, about Count Voslow. It was curious that he had been seen nearby, or that his hunting parties were in the woods, when many an unfortunate was discovered bloodless and dying.

It was also strange that the Count, in all the seasons he had stayed near the village, had never once visited a pub or restaurant for a meal. Indeed, no one in memory could recall the Count eating at all. He was never seen in the daylight, he was never seen at church, and he avoided others like a plague.

"What became of your father?" Keeth asked. The wizard rubbed his chin, giving his guest an uneasy look. He knew the woman's answer before she spoke it.

"I don't know. And I thank the gods for the ignorance."

Molly explained her father's disappearance - of how he had confessed to the township about his suspicions about Count Voslow. He had asked several men in the village to help form a brute squad, but none volunteered. Being a man of honor, Molly's father ventured out alone. It cost him everything.

"What of this 'Raven-haired' woman?" Dorian inquired, brushing his beard.

"Ahh!" Molly laughed, hauntingly. "She played her role out, all right."

The vampire explained about the agony she went through when her father's disappearance went from suns, to phases, to lunas. Almost a whole season passed, but there was no word from him. Molly had not only given her father up for dead, she had almost given up all hope.

One night, while closing up, she heard a faint scratching at her door.

"Raven-haired" was lying on the cobblestone, in front of the inn, with her dress torn open at the front. Molly's eyes opened in horror, realizing that this unfortunate woman had been raped. Or that is what she had first perceived.

"He's mad, love!" the unfortunate woman had told Molly. "He's keeping your father as a pet."

"How do you know this?" Molly asked.

"I have seen him with my own eyes, love."

So it was that Molly closed up shop, and headed up toward Count Voslow's castle.

The rumors about Count Voslow were epic. He was a rather bloodthirsty soldier, but hailed as a great liberator of his people. His people, Molly explained, were what was once known as the Nown Nation. It was said that when in battle, Voslow drank the blood of his victims with his meals. It was said, that because he loved war so much that he angered the gods.

Then came the most mysterious part of Molly's story. As a punishment for angering the gods, they placed a curse upon Count Voslow. They, according to both rumor and legend, made the staple of his diet that which he enjoyed to taste. The gods cursed his vanity by making him a blood drinker. So, after the Border Wars, the Count was seldom seen in public. This only solidified the rumors and superstitions of the local folk.

In time, the Count took residence in Mull Garden, an ancient, abandoned castle in the hills nearby. So old and forgotten was this castle that no written records existed explaining the birth of the castle or its history. No one had lived in the edifice for ages.

A perfect place for a vampire.

"Woman," Keeth said, trying his best to hide his laugh, "there are no such things as vampires. They are "hill talk:" tales told to frighten children."

Molly opened her mouth, showing the three her long vampiric fangs.

"Hello! Female vampire here!"

Both Dorian and Rohan choked on their tea as they hid subdued laughter.

Keeth beckoned the woman to continue with her tale.

Molly explained that she had decided to visit Mull Garden to see if her father was indeed held prisoner within. Along the way, wolf, bat, insect, and worm battled with her, pestering and blocking her way. Something was trying to stop her approach to the castle, and it did a good job, almost convincing her to turn back towards town.

Almost&

Upon reaching the castle, Molly knocked on the huge wooden doors. To her utter surprise, Count Voslow himself was there to greet her. He wasn't the monster she had thought him to be. He was handsome, kind, and at times, rather humorous. Molly was paid every civilized courtesy. She was even given the best guest room in the castle. It was three days before she knew that she was in any kind of danger.

Molly soon noticed that the castle was always deserted during the morn - she had free rein and could explore to her heart's content. But, at night, the castle was ablaze with activity. Molly always spent these hours in her room, and it was always locked. One night, however, she rigged her door so that it could not be locked, and soon ventured out into the night. She should have stayed in her room and left the next day, as planned. But she didn't.

"People say that there is no hell," Molly whispered, her eyes focused on the small fire in front of them. Her body started to tremble, and it was not from the cold. "They are wrong, gentlemen. I have walked through it."

In the castle, Molly was witness to a blood bath. She had heard, several times, the sounds of parties, music, and people laughing. Now, she had a chance to see those people.

Molly saw vampires drinking blood and feasting on dead and bloated bodies. All were enjoying the sport of killing their unfortunate prey. Some had sexed openly, not caring who were watching. Above it all was Voslow, sitting in his chair, remotely smiling - lost in thought.

Molly was safe until he saw her.

Voslow was more embarrassed than angry. She could see that in his eyes. He roared like a madman, demanding to know who had neglected to see to his guest. A trembling servant stepped forward. Voslow grabbed the unfortunate man and ripped his neck open. Voslow drank most of his blood, throwing what was left of the servant to the floor, for others to eat. It was then that Molly decided to escape.

It was far too late.

Count Voslow took Molly, dragging her by the hair, to a high tower room. To her surprise, he cried while he raged. Molly was under the impression that although a demon, Voslow was noble in his hearts - a victim of his own station.

Molly was thrown into the tower room, and was not fed or given water for four days and nights. Her world was nothing but darkness, hunger, thirst, and the squeaking of rats. Always, she felt that "something" was there, in the darkness, watching.

"Was it your father?" Rohan asked. There was an understanding - a pain there - that the elf seemed to project with some passion. This caught the eye of everyone, especially Dorian.

"No," Molly confirmed, closing her eyes with the saddest of regrets. "I never found my father. To this day, his fate is unknown to me. I pray, and assume, that he was killed. I hope he was killed."

There was a long, awkward pause.

Rohan returned his steady gaze to that of the crackling fire.

Molly continued with her story.

On the fifth sun, Molly awoke to the smell of cooked food. An entire table had been prepared. Lost in her hunger, she feasted. "Something" was there. "Something" that was more hungry than she was.

Count Voslow stepped from the darkness to admire Molly's hunger. He was dressed in his best battle uniform, looking so much like the brave knight that he had once been. He wanted her to see who he used to be.

In her admiration, Voslow attacked and drank most of her blood.

Then, as if haunted by a sad unknown, if not private memory, Voslow stopped. He realized what he had been doing and started to cry out in agony. Molly compared the actions to that of a child who had done something quite terrible, was appalled that he had ever done such a thing, and then tried to backtrack, hoping to put right what had so badly gone wrong.

Voslow cut a deep wound into his right wrist and pushed Molly to take from it.

A power took hold of Molly, and before she knew what she was doing, she, like her attacker, was drinking blood from another being's body. At a certain moment in her attack, Voslow ordered her to stop, and she collapsed onto the tower room's floor. She did not wake until later that same night.

Molly found the castle empty.

Terrified that Voslow would come back, she fled, not realizing that it was already too late.

The damage had already been done.

***

No one commented.

All just stared into the fire.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Jatel's eyes blinked open with barely enough energy to hold their own. Hope soared - this was indeed a good sign. Leaving the fire, Keeth guided and escorted the squire to his quarters. There was still much-needed rest and healing for the young man to go through, and the wizard was not going to risk anything.

"Take good care of him." everyone heard Molly say. The woman lowered her head, not having the heart to stare Jatel in the eyes.

The squire's alertness peaked upon hearing the voice of his attacker.

This, above all, caused the woman great shame.

Both Rohan and Dorian did their best to ease the woman's inner sufferings, but, and rightly so, Molly was far beyond comforting. This was of her doing, and she knew it. Although much of a victim as Jatel, she was still responsible for her own actions. There could be no excuse.

The elf, dwarf, and vampire continued to lose themselves in the dying embers of their fire.

Yet another morning was about to begin.

No one paid close attention to the surrounding fog.

***

When Ka-Ron finally awoke, her thoughts focused on three things: Jatel, the female vampire, and her sword.

The knight was as quick as a streak of lightening.

Before Rohan, Dorian or Keeth could move a muscle; the pregnant knight jumped up, grabbed her sword, and ran up on deck. So enraged was she that she failed to notice Jatel laying on the bed next to her. He turned on his side, never waking, not realizing the fury Ka-Ron was in.

"Where is she?" Ka-Ron demanded, exploding upon the deck.

Molly, turning, saw the knight's sword searching for her flesh, but she never moved a muscle. Like a terrified swimmer trying to make a hungry shark ignore him, the vampire stayed as calm and as still as a mill pond. Closing her eyes, she waited for the fatal strike.

The tip of Ka-Ron's sword found its mark.

"I'll give you the chance you never gave my love," Ka-Ron said. Her voice was barely above a whisper, but shook with both conviction and rage. "Why should I not kill you right now?"

"Ka-Ron! No!" Keeth pleaded. The wizard was stopped by Rohan, who gave the learned man a cautious shake of his head.

"These are dangerous waters we are in, wizard." Rohan whispered.

"Knight, pray! Know what you are doing here." Dorian cautioned, rising his own hands in self-defense.

"Why should I not kill you?" Ka-Ron repeated. Subtly, the knight moved minutely forward. The tip of her sword cut deeply into the vampire's flesh.

The wound hurt.

Molly opened her eyes and fought back the instinct to freeze her attacker with her stare. The vampire knew that her attacker was only doing what she would have done in similar circumstances. Ka-Ron was acting only out of pain.

"You cannot kill me, woman," Molly challenged. "So much the pity."

The vampire put her hands in the air and surrendered.

Ka-Ron swallowed hard, and for an instant envisioned pushing her sword through the vampire's soft, feminine neck, so as to see the vile creature's eyes expand in agonizing horror, as she realized that she was about to die. All this ran through the knight's head. With keen eyes, Ka-Ron moved forward, her sword still embedded into Molly's flesh. She breathed heavily. Her muscles tensed.

The vampire soon challenged her.

"All you have to do is push, knight." Molly's eyes didn't blink. The vampire was serious.

Ka-Ron was at an impasse.

Could an errant-knight willingly kill an unarmed woman? No! Not even if she sincerely wanted to. Not even if the bitch honestly and irrevocably deserved it.

Ka-Ron dropped her sword.

Everyone took a relaxed breath.

Ka-Ron started to cry.

Molly, realizing that she was the cause of all of this, could only meekly, step forward and wrap her arms around the crying woman. What surprised the vampire more than anything was the fact that the knight, in her agony, held her back, using her shoulder as a means to seek both comfort and to cry upon.

"Now, there's something you rarely see in this universe." Keeth said with wonder.

"What is that?" asked the elf.

"Honest and sincere forgiveness."

"Ahhh," the elf softly responded.

The moment was fleeting.

Ka-Ron's body shook violently. Letting go of the vampire, she pulled herself away with great horror flashing upon her face. Instinctively, the knight grabbed at her stomach. Her stomach, showing signs of violent movements, swelled to that of a woman at full term - eleven lunas.

"To the gods! What is happening to me?" Ka-Ron asked.

Molly turned a questioning gaze to that of the wizard. Keeth darted forward, almost knocking Rohan to the deck. Both the elf and dwarf looked on in awe.

"What manner of magic is this woman under?" Dorian asked, looking up at the elf for an answer.

Rohan had none. Still, from the corner of his eye, again, he saw Dorian staring at him in a manner he found quite uncomfortable. Rohan swallowed hard, but dared not glance in the dwarf's direction. He found the stare frightening and wanted to preserve the knowledge that he did notice it and wanted to play the ignorant victim.

"Ka-Ron, I believe that it is the time."

Ka-Ron glanced at Keeth with wide eyes. "So soon?"

Before the wizard could say or do anything, Ka-Ron's body quivered again, causing the knight to scream out in agony. On the deck, between the knight's legs, there now existed a puddle of water and blood.

The baby was coming whether Ka-Ron was ready or not.

"Yes," the wizard stated, trying his best to control his panic. "I think it's time."

"This isn't supposed to happen to me," Ka-Ron huffed, fighting back the pain. "I was a man once."

Keeth shrugged his shoulders, not really knowing what to say.

"Well, we learn by doing."

The wizard noticed a spot on the deck where Ka-Ron could lay down. He guided the woman over, having her prop herself against a barrel, which he tipped over onto its side. The knight started to sweat.

"Keeth," Ka-Ron said, screaming once more as another wave of pain hit her. "I have been trained to fight in combat, I have been train to be brave, but&"

"But what?"

Ka-Ron's eyes projected true and honest panic.

"I don't think that I can be a mother."

The wizard gazed down upon the knight's stomach. Her dress was ripped up to her pelvis, and as more water and blood came from her, he shook his head with utter helplessness.

"I don't think we have much room here for second thoughts, my dear."

Ka-Ron screamed again.

Molly had been left alone by the fire while the elf and dwarf were doing their best to see to their new friends. Rohan, at the bow, had been gathering up some loose sails, hoping that the wizard could use them as bedding, when he noticed the Argo's immediate surroundings.

Deep in the surrounding fog, there moved a mindless horde. With desperate hands reaching up towards the ship, and hollow eyes focusing on each member of the Argo's crew, twenty wraiths licked dried lips. They appeared to have once been members of the village. Of that, the elf was certain. The clothes on each undead body were native to Cibola.

"We appear to have company," the elf warned.

All took notice.

All except Ka-Ron and Keeth.

They were busy.

Dorian and Molly soon joined Rohan in his observation of the approaching group of men. The vampire shook with disgust.

"These are Count Voslow's men."

"Vampires?" the dwarf inquired.

"Yes," Molly agreed. Quite nervous, the woman started to rub her neck. "They are nothing but the mindless undead. Puppets. Voslow wishes to know our intentions."

"That's easy." Rohan said. "We wish to leave him alone."

"Sadly, elf, he will not leave you alone."

"Then, what are our options?" Dorian asked.

Molly looked down at the tiny dwarf. She softly smiled, admiring Dorian's attempt to peer over the ship's railing to gain a better view of what was happening. She prayed a silent prayer hoping the best for him.

"Options? We have none."

"Then it is a fight Voslow is seeking?" Rohan's eyes filled with concern.

"Yes."

Ka-Ron was heard screaming once more.

Ka-Ron's world had exploded into an everlasting war with pain - more pain than the knight had thought possible for a man to endure. Her whole world shrank to the next attack of pain.

"Remember to push gently, my dear."

"I am pushing! I am!"

Ka-Ron's focus became her feet. Straight up in the air, bobbing to and fro, with Keeth's smiling face between them. Occasionally, after the pain subdued, he gently rubbed her stomach. His hand seemed to probe her progress, and the knight thought she felt a subtle warmth coming from the aged hands.

"Remember the breathing method I instructed you to use," the wizard coached.

"Wizard, the pain is just so much."

"It is meant to be, my child. This is life being made. That never comes easy."

The knight gave out one final scream.

"Jatel!" Ka-Ron yelled, her face turning a healthy shade of frustrated red.

"Push!" the wizard ordered.

With incredible strength, Molly picked up a huge iron pot and placed it upon the fire. Rohan started adding more logs to the flames, hoping to quickly make the fire hotter and stronger.

"Hot tar?" Molly asked.

"Hot tar."

Dorian started pulling out a number of long arrows and adding cotton and wool to their tips.

"And lighted arrows, my dear." Dorian started to hum a simple tune. "We will have a grand time welcoming our new friends, hey, lass!"

Rohan shook his head.

The elf could not help but control himself from laughing.

On the ground, the danger got much closer. About half of the advancing undead started grabbing hold of the Argo's landing gear. The men snarled, howled, and slowly started to climb their way up the ship's hull.

"Rohan! We have company."

The undead invaders crawled up the hull of the ship, getting closer and closer to their goal. In the distance all on board could hear the advancement of dozens more. Count Voslow was going to do all he could to gain hold of his newest visitors.

"It's me." Molly suddenly realized. "Voslow is after me."

"Why would he worry so about you?" the elf asked. Rohan poured hot tar into buckets, placing them near the side of the ship.

"I escaped," Molly pointed out. "I have control of my mind. Most who turn into a vampire are mindless zombies, such as these attacking us. Intelligent vampires are quite rare."

"Then what are Voslow's intentions with you?" Rohan asked.

Before Molly could respond, Ka-Ron cried out in pain once more.

"I feel he wants of me that which your friend is performing as we speak."

"But&" Dorian stared uneasily. "It has been told in the tales that vampires are incapable of having children. They are beings with dead seed."

"I can only guess, my dear dwarf."

The mindless vampires continued their trek up the Argo's hull. There was no chance of their hurting or causing damage to the sides of the ship - they had not the power or force needed. As Rohan and Dorian peeked over the railings, several vampires soon noticed their stares, stopping only long enough to snarl and show rotting teeth. Saliva dripped from the invading vampire's mouths, giving all on board the impression that Count Voslow cared not for his people's feeding. They were all going insane with hunger.

That small fact raised the danger.

"When attacking them, my friends, aim for the left side of their chest. That is where their hearts are. Then, after your attack, you must cut off their heads." Molly joined both the dwarf and elf in filling up buckets of hot tar. Rohan started lighting the tips of several arrows.

They were as ready as they could be.

"Dorian!" Rohan yelled, "You go to starboard."

"Right you are, sir!"

"Molly, you take the stern."

The female vampire held four buckets of tar, running off towards the rear of the vessel. Rohan placed an arrow in his bow, closing one eye.

"May the gods be with us," Rohan prayed, letting the first arrow fly.

"Aye, elf. Aye!" Dorian agreed, pouring a bucket of tar.

Keeth momentarily looked up from Ka-Ron, ignoring one battle while studying another. He had overheard Molly state that, besides the army of vampires climbing up the Argo; several more were coming from the dark streets of Cibola.

"Keep breathing, my dear, while I try to even the odds here."

The wizard closed his eyes. He whispered ancient words taught to him by elders, of light bending light, irresistible forces coming in contact with immovable objects, of time and space, and forces in motion. Projecting his will, the wizard cast his spell.

"Let it be, now!" Keeth shouted.

Around the Argo there instantly appeared a bright blue orb. The entire ship was imprisoned inside. There was no way in the Nown world that anyone, other than another wizard, could enter or leave the ship.

The air started to take on a metallic taste.

"I have stopped the swarm of vampires," Keeth informed all on board. "I shall stay with Ka-Ron. You will have to destroy only those inside the orb."

The wizard turned his eyes back to Ka-Ron.

Ka-Ron's face was drenched in sweat. Her face reddened with each painful push.

"Ka-Ron, I can see the child's crown."

"When will it all end?" Ka-Ron huffed. The knight was almost on the verge of collapsing.

"Soon, my dear. Soon." The wizard held both the knight's hands, instructing her to place each foot on his shoulders. As the knight pushed, he focused, pulling. "Keep breathing in the manner in which I have instructed you, my child."

Keeth closed his eyes, trying his best to ignore the sounds of war going on around him.

The knight's body quivered once more. A spray of water, fluid, and blood. A subtle weight filled Keeth's hands, increasing the Argo's crew by one.

The wizard found it impossible not to shout for joy.

"You have a fine son, Ka-Ron," the wizard proclaimed.

Ka-Ron collapsed, finding to her amazement that she had not the power to stop herself from crying. Several times she tried, echoing the slightest of smiles and laughs.

"A son." she whispered.

Taking a dagger from his cloak, Keeth cut the baby's cord, thereby separating him from his mother.

"A few more things to do," Keeth said as he wiped foam off the baby's body and noticed that the child had bright purple eyes - a rarity! "What shall be his name?"

"En-Don," Ka-Ron stated, smiling. "After Jatel's father. A true and faithful servant to my house. A name worthy, I should think."

"En-Don it shall be." Keeth held the child up towards the stars. "Behold! En-Don, son of Jatel and Ka-Ron. Know the universe and all shall be yours!"

En-Don performed his first cry.

It was a noble effort.

Rohan and Dorian were too busy to share in the wonderful moment. The dwarf, having cut off the head of his twentieth vampire, was soaked head to toe in undead blood. The elf was running himself ragged, shooting arrows in all directions, hitting each of his victims in their hearts.

"Rohan!" Molly shouted as she threw several vampires off the stern of the ship. "I need your help."

Rohan stopped just long enough to spot Molly.

The female vampire had held her own, but after running out of boiling tar, she found herself outnumbered and surrounded. In each of her hands, she held an unfortunate invader, and snapped their necks like twigs. At the bottom of the hill, just below the Argo, Molly had created an impressive vampire graveyard.

Still, there was only so much that a female vampire could do. Molly was surrounded by at least twenty of her fellow undead. At her best, she could only kill half of them. She had also been wounded. A daring vampire zombie had managed to pierce a hole in her side that would have killed any other woman.

"Molly!" Rohan shouted, grabbing a handful of arrows. "Hold tight! I'm on my way."

Dorian looked up from his pile of dead vampires, only to give Rohan a shocked look.

"What about me, elf?"

"You are holding your own." Rohan explained, running down the deck. "Molly is not."

"To hell you say, sir!"

Dorian huffed, cutting off the heads of two more unfortunate vampires. As the severed heads bounced on the deck, he kicked them off the Argo as if they were unofficial game balls. The dwarf had no time to gloat - three more undead creatures climbed up the walls of the ship.

Keeth, although a peace-loving being, had seen enough.

The wizard went to his cabin to retrieve a "weapon" he had created during his many seasons entrapped inside Tork. The "weapon" was a sight to behold. A huge canister rested upon the old man's back, as he ventured back on deck. He saw a group of vampires holding their own at the bow of the ship. Dorian was doing what he could, but there was only so much responsibility a dwarf could endure.

"Dorian!" Keeth yelled as he pointed what appeared to be an iron stick in the dwarf's direction.

"Yes, wizard?" The dwarf spit blood from his mouth after cutting off another vampire head. He found that he had to duck and take care, for the heads were starting to drop at an alarming rate. It wasn't so much that he was good at his job; it was just that the vampires were not.

"I would suggest that you get out of the way." the wizard warned.

"Huh?" Dorian asked.

Keeth lit a small candle, lighting the tip of his "weapon's" iron stick. Like a lamp in the darkest cave, a tiny fire flickered at the end of his device. Keeth adjusted his shoulders, trying his best to conform to the weight of the thing.

"Dorian! Move!" Keeth shouted.

Without thinking, the dwarf heeded the wizard's advice. Dorian dove under a capstan, hoping it would provide enough protection from whatever it was that had so concerned the wizard.

"I revoke all invitations, you undead bastards!" Keeth closed his eyes, almost praying. "Here we go!"

Keeth aimed his "weapon" at the advancing horde of vampires heading towards him. After Dorian had retreated, the vampires backtracked in confusion for a moment, suddenly noticing, and suddenly realizing that Keeth seemed a more attractive target. They knew that an old man could not achieve the results of both the elf and dwarf. So, slowly but surely, they all aimed their undead plans at the wizard.

However, Keeth had other intentions.

Squeezing a small trigger from underneath his "weapon's" iron stick, the flammable liquid he had devised sprayed out from the tank hanging upon his back, ventured through the hollow cavity of the iron stick in both his hands, ignited via the small flame at the end of the stick, and spat the furious fire of a dragon out upon the unfortunate vampires.

"Take that, you uncouth ruffians!" Keeth shouted, swinging his "weapon" from port to starboard.

The invading vampires at the bow of the ship turned into a screaming wall of both fire and agony. From the corner of the wizard's eye, he kept his attention on a pressure gage, which if unsupervised, could cause his "weapon" to explode upon his back. As things developed, however, all went as planned. As several of the burning vampires fell overboard, the wizard tried to come up with a name for his new device.

"Ahh! Take that!" Dorian shouted, jumping from under the ship's capstan. Several times, the dwarf discovered he had to continue his retreats. Keeth's device almost caught him a few times. Dorian found to his horror that some of his beard had been scorched!

Molly and Rohan found themselves alone on deck. After witnessing the fate of their fellow undead, most of the remaining vampires retreated from the decks of the Argo.

"They have no stomach for fire," Molly explained. She found herself smiling up at the wizard in pure admiration. "I get the impression that this is not the first time our wizard has fought the powers of evil."

"He would not be a wizard, if that were the case," Rohan suggested.

Keeth, after realizing he had no more targets, released the trigger, causing the flame to stop. He breathed heavily as he looked at his invention with both pride and wonder.

"Worked rather well, if I do say so myself." Keeth laughed nervously.

"What the devil is that thing?" Dorian asked, almost afraid to approach the wizard.

"Oh, just a little something I invented to pass the time," Keeth said, taking the heavy tank from his back. "I am having a terrible time trying to concoct a name for it."

"How about projectile fire destroyer?" Rohan suggested.

The wizard rattled the name around a little. "Sounds catchy."

"You could almost posses the power of a dragon." Molly said, catching her breath. She, like Dorian, was covered from head to toe with blood. Rohan, being his elfish self, was spotless.

"That was the idea, my dear."

Several confused moans rose up to all their attentions, as Keeth placed the heavy tank upon his back once more. He sighed, regretfully, suddenly remembering something that seemed to pass the logic of his peers.

"What's all that?" Dorian asked. The dwarf pulled out a dagger almost as tall as he was.

"That is what's left of our undead guests." The wizard explained. He pointed up towards the bright blue bubble still surrounding his vessel. "They are all trapped in here until I release the anti-enforcement wall."

"Oh, is that what you call it," Molly said, wiping blood from her hands with her tongue. The female vampire smacked her lips, appreciating the liquid.

Keeth spent the rest of the night, using his "weapon" as a means to free all the remaining vampires from their own personal hells. By the time he was finished, the air smelled of rot and sweet burning meat.

It was not surprising to discover that the remaining undead army outside the bubble were ordered to retreat. Most had done so without an order, relying on what was left of their mortal fears of fire to aid them.

Molly, Rohan, and Dorian had a chance to notice Ka-Ron and her newly arrived son, En-Don.

"May he grow to be remembered," Rohan said, gently patting the newborn's soft head.

Ka-Ron, exhausted, bloodied, and soaked with sweat gently held her newborn son, crying uncontrollably. Her hearts, if they could, would have exploded with the overwhelming feelings she experienced. She had brought a new life into the world - a living soul that was partly her and partly Jatel. She tried to express what she was feeling in words, for she wanted all around her to know and share in her happiness, but she could not. So, in honor of the moment, all she could do was hold En-Don close to her bosom, wiping what was left of his birthday residue off his innocent face. The wizard provided the new mother with a cotton cloth of the purest white, to help her preserve the moment. Ka-Ron, like her mother, would save this cloth, giving it to En-Don as a token and wonderment of the day.

"I think that there is one here who should know that he is now a father," Keeth suggested, pointing towards the door leading to Ka-Ron and Jatel's cabin.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes, doing her best to help control the pain. After just having a baby, the knight discovered, painfully, that walking was not her best skill. Both Rohan and Dorian helped her up, and took her towards the cabins.

En-Don, it appeared, took all the excitement in stride. Rather grumpily, the newborn smirked and wiped chubby fingers across his nose and mouth, wanting, it seemed, nothing more than a few cycles of uninterrupted sleep.

The knight of Idoshia sweetly kissed her son goodnight.

Ka-Ron stopped when she found herself standing in front of Molly.

Everyone held his breath.

"Vampire&" Ka-Ron stopped herself, changing her use of words. "Woman, you have done me and mine harm. Pray hard, that come the dawn, there is still hope for my Jatel."

Molly said nothing. She only bowed respectfully.

The knight continued her trek towards her cabin doors. Both Rohan and Dorian gave each other deep and concerned looks. This animosity between the knight and the vampire were far from a respectable closing.

"Take heart, child," Keeth whispered to Molly. "You have only heard the woman's pain. Once she gets to know and understand, you will have the chance of winning her respect."

"I highly doubt that, wizard." Molly stated, controlling her urge to weep.

***

Jatel found that his hands trembled.

The squire fought the urge to vomit. His last attack by Molly had taken a lot out of him. He felt weak, sick, and remarkably happy.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron whispered, her eyes filled with tears. "Meet En-Don, your son."

Jatel had been too weak to rise from the bed, so Ka-Ron lowered herself and their child so that father and son could formally meet. Jatel gawked at Ka-Ron with both horror and fascination. He wanted to reach out and take hold of the little babe in front of him, but he could not. There was a fear inherent with most new fathers, which led Jatel to believe he may hurt the child.

"My son?" the young man said as his eyes widened.

"Yes," Ka-Ron confirmed. "En-Don is his name."

Jatel gave his sire a long and loving kiss. "It is a good name."

"Indeed."

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Ka-Ron's sword never left her sheath. When Jatel woke in the morning, he appeared as good as new - more, in fact! He was excited about his new son, he was full of energy, and he was alert. If it were not for the unseemly scar Molly had caused upon the squire's neck, one would never know that he had come quite close to death.

"Thank the gods," Ka-Ron whispered, cupping her hands up to her forehead in prayer.

"Do not be thanking the heavens just yet, my child."

Ka-Ron turned to face Keeth, who had just put away all his crafting tools. The wizard had spent the latter part of the night repairing his vessel. The Argo was once more ready for the voyage ahead.

"What worries you, wizard?"

"The question should be, Ka-Ron, what should be worrying you."

"Explain."

Keeth let out a dry laugh. "Your squire was attacked by a creature of the night. He is in great danger of becoming&"

Everyone on deck paused. No one seemed to fully grasp what Keeth was trying to say.

Jatel walked out on deck. He blinked his eyes, shading them from the strong rays of the morning suns. He had tried to eat some of the morning meal placed before him by the wizard, but found to his surprise that he was not hungry. For the first time in his known service to Ka-Ron, he refused a meal.

"Good morrow," Jatel stated. He walked up to Ka-Ron, kissing her on the base of her neck.

This last caused Keeth some concern.

The fear did not pass from Ka-Ron's awareness.

Molly was below decks, and quite asleep. Several moments before the rising of the suns, she begged her hosts for a dark and forgotten part of the ship to retire until sundown. At first, all were hesitant - it was considered bad luck to formally invite a creature of the night into one's habitat. But Molly had served well in the last battle. Where all were concerned with their safety, they realized it was also a great taboo not to help a fellow warrior.

It was decided by all that Molly should find her rest and sanctuary in the oil room, a small but extremely dark area, near the engines, gears, and fantastic machines hidden deep within the Argo's hull. The vampire was both touched and appreciative that the wizard was able to produce an oblong toolbox, which she could rest in until the approach of night.

With their vampire friend taken care of, all thoughts and worries focused on Jatel.

As mentioned before, Jatel's attack held no evidence upon his current appearance. He appeared alert, healthy, and happy to be a new father. The squire spent several moments of the morn gazing into the angelic face of his son. While Ka-Ron rested, healing from her ordeal, he amazed himself with the simple miracle he and his master were able to produce.

And, as mentioned before, the squire lacked any appetite.

This last worried the wizard.

Ka-Ron turned giving her returning squire a kiss. Her hands trembled with deep concern. As the knight broke the kiss, she studied Keeth's concerning glance.

"Speak your mind, wizard," the knight ordered.

"We have, at most, five suns before the hunger starts to take over our young squire. Then, he will become quite as our unfortunate friend sleeping down below. Jatel will cross over to that of a vampire&unless&"

"Unless?" both Rohan and Dorian asked.

"Unless we can find a way to destroy Count Voslow."

There was a long and uncomfortable silence on deck, during which only the wind seemed to have the courage to speak.

"I'm all new to this kind of thing," Dorian blurted out, uneasy. "How does one kill a vampire?"

Keeth shook his head. "My teachers would revoke my title, knowing that at this cycle of my life, I would be chasing ghosts and ghouls. I am a wizard of science; my knowledge in folklore is limited at best."

"Then how do you come to the conclusion, that in order to save Jatel, we must destroy another?" The elf's eyes were both cold and calculating.

"I have discussed this with Molly." the wizard explained. "Who else would know how to kill a creature of the night?"

"Question is; is she telling the truth?" Dorian huffed. Nervous, the dwarf kept switching his ax from left hand to right.

"Your point, dwarf?" Keeth asked, squinting his eyes in study.

"Voslow, however evil, is still one of her kind," Dorian pointed out. The tiny man peeked over his shoulder, looking in the direction of Molly's place of rest. It was as if the dwarf was convincing himself that it was indeed safe to discuss such matters. "People stay loyal to those they associate with. That is all that I am saying."

"In most cases, Dorian, I would agree with you. But, keep in mind, before Molly was a vampire she was, and could still be, just a woman. She remembers what it was like to eat, love, and walk in the suns. These are things she would kill, and sacrifice for once more, if only she could perform them again. Her existing life was forced upon her. It was not a rite of birth. That fact alone will be Count Voslow's undoing."

Dorian grumbled.

"Then I repeat the question, wizard. How does one kill a vampire?"

Keeth rubbed his forehead in frustration.

"According to Molly, there are as many ways to kill a vampire as there are vampires."

"What are you saying, wizard?" Ka-Ron asked, still holding tightly to her squire.

"There are vampires who feed on fear. There are those who feed on youth. And, of course, there are those who infuse themselves with blood." Keeth paused, looking off in the direction of a nearby mountain range. "Once we discover Count Voslow's weakness, we will then know how to destroy him."

"Could we not do what we did last night?" Dorian asked.

"Those unfortunates were of a lower order, Dorian. Molly explained that the longer a vampire exists, the more opportunity it has to evolve."

"Wonderful," Rohan stated as he rubbed his hands together. It was starting to get rather cold.

"Do not be down, my friends," Keeth pointed out. "We still have hope. We still have five suns to find a solution."

"What happens to Molly?" Ka-Ron asked. Upon mentioning the female vampire's name, all on board the ship could detect the knight's hatred for the woman.

"She has sworn an oath of loyalty to all on board, including you, Ka-Ron." Keeth motioned all to follow him up to the bridge deck. The wizard was preparing the ship to get underway once more.

"Can we trust her?" the knight inquired.

"I believe that we can."

Keeth noticed the disgust sneaking from the corners of Ka-Ron's mouth.

"Child, it does no good to hate. Molly attacked Jatel out of instinct. One cannot condemn instinct. You might as well condemn life. The woman feels remorse for her actions. Give her a chance."

Ka-Ron mulled the idea around in her mind, saying nothing. Instead, the knight shook her head to an uneasy acceptance.

Jatel, seeing this, again kissed his master upon her forehead.

"I feel it time that you see to our son's breakfast, sire."

Ka-Ron huffed out a tired laugh. "Jatel, we have had a son together. Could you please stop calling me 'sire'?"

"Not even to my death&sire."

Everyone laughed.

Having said her goodbyes, Ka-Ron returned her attention to her child.

"You are a lucky man, young Jatel!" Dorian said, resting an arm upon the line of levers near the ship's wheel.

"Truly," Rohan agreed.

"Gentlemen, we must make way to the castle known as Mull Garden." Keeth pulled several levers down and one upwards. "Do either of you two know where such a castle is?"

Both Dorian and Rohan pointed starboard.

"Then we seek that direction, lads."

Closing his eyes, Keeth moved his hands in the air with both purpose and concentration. He whispered thoriums, truisms, and equations best left to secular and learned men. Clapping his hands together with a firm motion, he opened his eyes.

"It is done!" the wizard stated, proud of himself.

The blue bubble around the Argo popped, leaving behind it a strong odor of metal and static.

The ship was free to navigate.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

"This ship is a wonder!"

Keeth and Jatel could only smile at the innocent child-like amazement coming from the elf. Jatel could understand the emotion. However, it was rare when something caused the stoic expressions of an elf to become almost mortal in their projections.

As the Argo changed shape, and as the huge balloon filled once more with "lighter than air" gases, both Rohan and Dorian kept gawking at both ship and wizard. As the ship rose to the air, both, Dorian especially showed signs of concern. What could go up could almost certainly crash back down.

It took a while for both elf and dwarf to get their "air" legs.

"Mull Gardenlies to our starboard," Dorian repeated, pointing towards the two largest peaks of the Cibola mountain range. "Between the peaks of Alton!"

Keeth spun the ship's wheel towards the mountains.

It did not take long for the Argo to respond.

Below, on the ground, staring up with hungry eyes, what was left of the township of Cibola looked on as the strange airship grew smaller and smaller.

***

Alone in her cabin, feeding her son at her breast, Ka-Ron also experienced new, wondrous things. Softly she held onto the tiny body of En-Don, as he suckled his mother's milk. Her hearts swelled with a happiness she had rarely experienced before.

Ka-Ron now had a family.

More important: En-Don had both a mother and a father.

The knight winced as she realized that her child's impressive hunger was causing her nipples to become ultrasensitive.

"My child, please," Ka-Ron whispered, kissing her son upon the forehead. "Be kind to your mother."

Having shifted her son's weight, Ka-Ron soon noticed something quite curious. En-Don seemed a little heavier than before. Was the slight difference just the nerves of a new mother? Upon occasion, as a servant of the people, Ka-Ron had witnessed new parents calling on town healers for no reason other than to soothe their own fears. Was she now caught in the same game? It did not seem to matter at present. It was better for a baby to gain weight than to lose it. So, the knight continued with her feeding.

A chill soon filled the cabin.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes with a familiar huff.

"Hello, Kai," the knight said, tired.

The Wicca Master walked from out of the shadows marveling at the sight of Ka-Ron breast-feeding her child. The woman started to giggle. It was not a happy response.

"Behold! The brave knight, breast feeding," the witch stated as she took a seat in a nearby chair. "Bet that's gotta hurt."

"It does," Ka-Ron said, allowing herself to smile at the comment.

"How do you bear it?"

"With love, Kai."

"Ah&love."

An undercurrent of hatred oozed through the meaning of each of the Wicca Master's words. She still seemed quite destroyed by the death of her daughter, and still seemed to lay most of the blame upon Ka-Ron. The knight tried to sympathize, but enough was enough. Things had changed dramatically.

Ka-Ron was now a mother.

"He is a dear one, isn't he?" Kai said, leaning over to peek at En-Don.

"He is," Ka-Ron agreed solemnly.

Kai gazed into the knight's features. "It seems my punishment was not so severe."

"Kai, please do not harm this child."

"I would do nothing of the kind, brave knight." Kai looked hurt.

"I should hope not. En-Don is an innocent in our affairs. I should not like to see him suffer for something that was not his fault."

"Sins of the father, eh?"

"What is your point?"

"Do not enjoy motherhood too much, brave knight. There will be pains for you, but not applied by me, this time. Men can still bring you more pain than I can conjure up."

En-Don let out a loud burp as he stopped his feeding only long enough to breathe. His sudden and quite loud outburst caused both women to laugh, surprisingly. There was a magical moment between witch and victim as they both shared in the innocence.

Kai lovingly touched En-Don on the head.

"He is a dear, isn't he?"

Kai's features turned sad. The Wicca Master closed her eyes, moving her hands in the air.

Ka-Ron's grip upon her son tightened.

"No, Kai!" the knight pleaded, tears starting to fall from her eyes. "Your battle is with me. Only with me! To the gods, woman, do not hurt my child!"

Kai opened her eyes, for only a brief moment, savoring the agonizing pain she was hearing from the knight's pleas.

"Dear knight, I am not through with my lesson."

Ka-Ron, helpless, cried openly, doing all that she could to shelter her child. She tried her best to block the witch's view of En-Don, hoping against all hope, that if she continued to block Kai's way, she would be able to brunt the worse of the Wicca Master's doings.

Ka-Ron, of course, was quite wrong.

"May your child love the milk from its mother, and grow strong."

Nothing happened.

For several moments, all Ka-Ron could do was hold her son to her chest as tightly as she could, keeping her eyes closed. Upon hearing the witch state her warnings and statements, the knight subdued her fears, waiting for the attack to begin. When nothing happened, she found herself too terrified to open her eyes. So, for several beats of her hearts, Ka-Ron the knight prayed to the gods for the simple strength to just open her eyes.

En-Don, quite oblivious to the danger, let out another satisfying burp.

Ka-Ron, struggling each blink of the way, slowly opened her eyes.

She and En-Don were alone in their cabin.

Nothing happened.

"Oh, thank the Gods!" Ka-Ron found herself laughing out loud. She hugged her son with a satisfying relief. "I do not know what I would do if she hurt you."

Ka-Ron sought to kiss En-Don on the forehead.

Something stopped her.

En-Don started to cry.

"Oh, no!"

The room got quite cold. Again all daylight crept out of the room as if forced to leave. Something else was taking over and it needed the dark to continue its evil work. Frantically, Ka-Ron tried to call for help, but soon discovered that she had not the strength to scream. Her voice was elsewhere. Her focus was on her son.

En-Don was feeding, again.

"My, you are hungry," Ka-Ron whispered.

En-Don, as a babe, saw his simple duty and continued nibbling at his mother's breast. With both hands, chubby and innocent, the young lad grabbed hold with an unnatural force.

"Ow!" Ka-Ron winced. "Save some for later, all right?"

En-Don continued.

It had been several cycles since the knight had seen her squire, and she was starting to worry about his condition. She wondered if the Argo was anywhere near the castle they had been heading towards.

"Time for mom to go talk with the natives." the knight stated, readying herself to get out of bed.

En-Don would not oblige.

Ka-Ron, to her horror, could not separate her son from her breast. The harder she tried, the more milk the babe drank. The reaction was becoming quite painful.

"Oh, no!" Ka-Ron cried, "En-Don, please, you must stop."

The babe continued his feeding.

A tingling sensation ripped through Ka-Ron's entire body. She noticed that the room had become so cold that she could see her own breath shooting out of her mouth, as if on a cold winter's night. The dark of the room grew deeper and Ka-Ron found herself praying for candlelight.

She opened her mouth, hoping to cry out for help.

Her voice was nowhere to be found.

Again, the knight gently pulled at the child. And, again, a hungry force drew En-Don closer to Ka-Ron's chest. The knight tried to scream, soon realizing that her breasts were swelling with milk. It was quite impossible for such a tiny creature as her son to drink so much, but he was. Where it was going and what it was doing to him was beyond the knight's intelligence to figure out.

Again, Ka-Ron tried to cry out.

To the knight's horror, a liquid substance poured from her lips, showering her son and causing damage to the bed. Ka-Ron was producing so much milk that her body could no longer contain the substance.

"Gaggggggggrrraggghhh!" was all Ka-Ron could muster.

Before Ka-Ron drifted away into unconsciousness, the knight thought she could feel her son getting heavier.

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

"Oh!"

Ka-Ron woke to a normal cabin.

The constant creaking of the Argo's wood attacked her senses. The cabin was once again warm and inviting. Rays of sunlight beamed down on the soft rugs decorating the floor, causing the knight a moment of reflection. Had all this just been a horrible dream? She had heard stories, growing up as a curious boy, about Idoshian women being cursed with nightmares and curious fears after the birth of a child. Had she just experienced the same?

She heard a sound coming from the corner of the room.

The same corner Kai had attacked from.

Ka-Ron relaxed.

Her intruder was Keeth.

Even half awake, Ka-Ron knew that something was wrong.

"Keeth?"

The wizard had such an expression upon his brow that it had caused Ka-Ron to pause. Her hands held tightly upon her bedclothes, not wanting to let go. Her cabin, it seemed, was quite normal. No milk stains. No soaked sheets. Nothing. Even her breasts were of normal size.

"Keeth, why are you&"

The old man held up a hand, causing the knight to stop in mid-sentence.

The room stank of earthweed. Obviously, while in her sleep, the wizard had passed the time by smoking. A small cloud of pipe smoke hovered above his head, making the old man appear to be almost god-like in his patient waiting. However, there was a silent pain beaming from Keeth's eyes that made the moment more awkward than it should have been.

Both had wanted to say something.

Neither knew how to start.

The Argo made a sharp turn to starboard, allowing the rays of the sun to transverse the entire length of the room, shining upon the wizard's countenances. He had blood-red eyes showing the knight, that, unlike her, he had a sleepless night.

"What could any man have done to make one suffer as much as you?" Keeth whispered, returning to his pipe. The wizard closed his eyes, trying his best to escape in a few clouds of smoke.

"What is going on here?" Ka-Ron demanded.

"My dear," Keeth said, tapping his pipe clean. "You must prepare for a shock. A lot has changed since you have slept."

Ka-Ron gave the room a quick inspection.

Nothing.

She explored her own body.

Nothing.

She even gave the wizard a quick up and down gaze.

Still nothing.

"This Kai woman has a lot to answer for, I wager," Keeth mused, scratching his beard, fighting off a tired yawn.

"What are you trying to say?" Ka-Ron stopped. "Where's En-Don? Where's Jatel?"

Keeth grumbled, saying nothing.

"Keeth," Ka-Ron demanded, "I wish to see both my son and squire, now."

"All right," the wizard agreed.

An uneasy knot of discomfort rose in the knight's throat as she watched the wizard walk to the cabin's door and open it. The bright rays of the suns attacked Keeth, casing the old man to place a protective hand outward so that he could see the others on deck. To Ka-Ron's taste, the others were standing quite too close to the cabin's door. As if the others had been close by, just waiting for the proper time to enter.

Things seemed quite dark.

In fact, they were worse.

Jatel entered.

Ka-Ron relaxed.

The faithful squire's eyes connected with those of his master and lover. In them they held a pain Ka-Ron, as of yet, could not understand. Like Keeth, before, the knight got the impression that her squire was itching to talk - to burst out some unknown tomb of information Ka-Ron needed to know, but was quite uncertain as to its delivery.

"Jatel?"

"Sire, we must talk of&"

"Where's En-Don?"

The knight heard a rustling of heavy armor.

A stranger entered the cabin, standing close behind Jatel. Upon entering, Ka-Ron noticed her squire's reaction. Jatel lost all color from his face, and Ka-Ron was quite sure that the reaction had nothing to do with the attack connected with their vampire guest.

Ka-Ron's blood began to boil.

The stranger was wearing her armor - carrying her sword.

"Who in the hell does this man&"

The knight stopped.

There was something in the man's face.

The young man, dressed fully in Ka-Ron's old armor, looked to be no more than thirty seasons of age.

Ka-Ron noticed both Keeth and Jatel. Neither could bring themselves to look at her.

The young man brushed a strand of hair from his eyes, clearing his throat. He stared at Jatel, panic clearly written upon his face. Jatel, encouraging the man forward, silently ordered him to explain himself.

"Hello, mother."

Ka-Ron choked on her tears.

The young man was En-Don!

"How," Ka-Ron tried to say, her panic overwhelmed by her fascination. "Keeth&how?"

"Mother, I do not mean disrespect to your station," En-Don said, his hands behind his back. "Father said it was quite allowable for me to wear your armor."

Ka-Ron stared at her son. She had no words to offer him. He was now a full-grown adult. There was no need for her to hold him. No need for him to seek the comfort of her breast. No need to seek nourishment. As a mother, Ka-Ron suddenly realized the harshness of Kai's curse.

She had lost all.

"En-Don, you look quite&regal," the knight whispered, wiping away her tears.

"Please, do not cry," En-Don pleaded. Bending down on one knee, the young man took Ka-Ron by the hand.

The knight looked up at Keeth with concern.

"It appears that En-Don's intelligence, vocabulary, and skill with the sword are complete."

"It's true, Ka-Ron," Jatel stated, proud. "I have had a few rounds with him, and he is your son when it comes to the art of combat."

"So much the better." Ka-Ron said, embracing En-Don.

"They speak the truth, mother. I do not know how I come to do the things I do, but when I have to, the knowledge is there." En-Don's face beamed with amazement. And why not? He was only a few suns old in life. Everything was so new for him.

Realizing this, Ka-Ron placed her hands on her son's shoulders. Her former armor fit him quite well. He looked the part of a true and noble knight. She noticed that her son had strapped her sword to his side. It looked both regal and normal - as if the deadly weapon had been and always would be ready at his side.

"We will be at Mull Garden in a few cycles, Ka-Ron." Jatel informed his master.

"Then I should prepare."

The knight rose from her bed. Soon, she discovered that she was once more slim and healthy. There were no pains, and no evidence that she had just had a child. In fact, if a wizard were to inspect her, he would never have guessed that Ka-Ron had ever had or carried a child.

After getting over the amazing fact that she was fully healed, En-Don handed his mother a new dress.

Ka-Ron the knight had returned to her original feminine beauty.

A voice, perhaps Rohan's, yelled information from the bridge deck.

Mull Gardenwas in their sights.

"Shall I give you your sword, mother?"

"No, my son," Ka-Ron stated, buttoning up her dress. "You shall keep it for now. Should I need assistance, though&"

"I swear to come to your aid!"

Ka-Ron could not help but smile. In her son's attempt at bravado, she saw her youthful self in his eyes. She placed a loving hand upon En-Don's cheek, too moved to say anything.

All headed out on deck.

"Ka-Ron," Keeth said, pulling the knight back into the room.

"Yes, wizard?"

"There is a danger."

Ka-Ron swallowed hard.

She was all attention.

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

Count Voslow sat upon his throne with his eyes closed. He focused all of his attention on what his other senses were feeling. The constant dripping from the ceiling - how long it had been leaking? Even he could not say. The smell of rot forming along the west gate - the mold was becoming an incredible obstacle. And of course, there was the crying and the screaming coming from his courtroom. Between the desperate praying and the frantic pleas for help, the Count heard their blood move through terrified veins, and felt the heat of panic fill his castle with a vibrant energy.

The Gods forgive him&he loved it!

In mortal life, he had been a bold and noble figure. He had been respected, feared, and worshiped. These were the things he still held onto with an iron will, but they no longer served the purpose of his people. They now only existed to serve him. His handsome features held within them an incredible pain&so profound and so obvious that no mortal could bear looking on them. He was also tortured with the crystal clear memory and feeling of what he once had been.

This was his personal torment, and it was sweet.

A tickling sensation invaded the world of his right hand, causing the vampire to open one eye, lazily. Voslow was surprised to discover a sand spider trying to lay eggs between his thumb and forefinger. The idea that a living being considered, even for an instant, to create life where there was only death, was an ironic if not quite comical thought. The spider, about the size of a grape, burrowed its body halfway into the Count's dead flesh before he reached over and popped off its head. Stifling a giggle, Voslow licked the insect's juices off his fingers and returned to his nap.

What the vampire tried to ignore, if only for a moment, were the pitiful cries of those caged at his feet. In the Grand Ballroom of Mull Garden, where Voslow used to celebrate military victories when he had been human, there were row upon row a caged villagers waiting. Between pleas and tears of frantic horror, these caged individuals were to become a snack, meal, or happy entertainment for the Count. It really didn't matter what they were to him anymore. At his age, even food was boring.

"Your Excellency&"

Voslow lightly smirked at the sound of Anton, his loyal servant and feeder of his caged little treats.

Anton was a coward.

He had been the mayor of Cibola. All that needed to be understood of Anton was that he had a great fear of death and an insane fascination with pain. These two qualities made him a valuable tool. Whenever something needed to be done, and owing to his limits Voslow could not do them, Anton proved himself quite valuable. The Count did not trust this vile excuse for a man, but he did not underestimate him either. Anton was evil.

"What is it, Anton?" Voslow cleared his throat and gulped down the bloodied foam which had formed inside his gullet. Village people left quite a disgusting aftertaste.

"There is a missing house guest."

"What?"

Voslow opened his eyes, trying his best to blink away the need for sleep. Like most vampires of his order, he needed little rest.

"A guest&" Anton cowered at Voslow's feet. The man hid his head like a child expecting to be slapped. "She is gone from the castle."

Voslow made it an important point to treat each of his guests with a regal and honest comfort. Even when the Count was mortal, he was known for setting a good plate. Of all his mortal coils, being a good host was still a prideful thing to him.

"You have lost a guest?" Voslow rose from his throne. "Which one?"

"I believe you called her Molly."

Voslow's eyes widened. He remembered her - the one who made him feel embarrassed. The one that caught him feeding.

"Why was I not informed at the moment you first suspected?"

Anton raised his hands in desperation. "Master, I tried to bring her back. I ordered a flock of your followers to hunt her down. None have responded. Master, I fear that she has destroyed them all."

"Of course, she has," the vampire retorted, sneering pridefully. "I knew that when she turned she would become formidable."

Laughing, Anton agreed with his master. Still cowardly, he felt some degree of danger leaving the air, and started to raise himself to eye level with Voslow.

That was Anton's fatal mistake.

Count Voslow grabbed his little toady by the throat and squeezed the air from the terrorized man's lungs. As Anton's face turned an attractive shade of green, Voslow bared his sharp teeth. A shower of hungry and anticipating saliva started to drip down each fang.

"You have disappointed me, Anton." Voslow's voice started to throb with anger. "I do not tolerate disappointment."

"Master, I beg you&consider my service to you."

"Yes!" the vampire laughed. "Let us consider that."

"Thank you, my sire."

"You betrayed your people, your village, and your soul, just to save your pathetic life."

Anton did not respond. He was too busy trying to breathe.

"Anton, you have no hearts."

The pale man's eyes gawked wide and horrifically at his master, as Voslow tore his hand through his ribcage, ripping out one of his hearts. As he pulled the bloodied organ out, Anton screamed. The sound was music to the vampire's ears.

"Now, clean up this mess," Voslow said, releasing Anton and admiring his new snack. "And, pace yourself, Anton. You have only one heart left. Circulation of the blood is important. Only you can look out for your health."

Anton closed his eyes, licking away the shower of blood that came up from his mouth. As the wound around his chest filled in and healed, he took a silk rag from one of his pockets and wiped up the mess his master had made. If Anton had not already been a member of the undead, he would have surely died.

"Yes, Master."

"And save the blood."

Anton gave Voslow a look of surprise.

"You never know," Voslow explained. "Waste not, want not."

Anton shook his head, agreeing.

The Count returned to his cold, rotting, and wet throne. He closed his eyes, innocently flopping Anton's bleeding heart from hand to hand. Voslow licked his lips and bit into the organ as if it were a fresh piece of fruit. He chewed.

The castle stirred with awareness.

Voslow opened his eyes.

Something was coming toward the castle. Something the vampire had never seen before.

"And what is this?"

In the sky, several leagues away from Mull Garden, there was a flying machine of some kind. It appeared to be made of wood, and held its ground via a huge balloon or gas-filled tank unknown to Voslow. The ship seemed to be heading near the castle.

"Hmmm," Voslow mused. "This looks like fun."

The vampire closed his eyes, patiently waiting.

If anything, destiny was a subtle thing.

CHAPTER THIRTY

Keeth's hands held tightly to the Argo's wheel. As his ship slowly approached Mull Garden his features filled with troubled thoughts. Long ago, the wizard had trained himself not to judge a castle by its outward appearance, but, this time the old man held onto his childhood instincts. Mull Garden was not a good place.

Ka-Ron walked up to the wizard while softly stroking her flat stomach. It was quite obvious to Keeth that the knight appreciated having a trim and combat-ready body once again. Still, Keeth did admire Ka-Ron's female lines. And, as masculine as it sounded to him in his own mind, it was a cherished treasure to have something beautiful to gaze upon.

"So, that is where we are heading?" Ka-Ron whispered.

"Mull Garden," Keeth said. "Home of the first revolution."

"Keeth?"

The wizard was rather amused by the look of startled curiosity he was receiving from Ka-Ron.

"In her day, this castle held a rather strategic importance in the Nown nation."

"Interesting," Ka-Ron remarked. "During a time when we have less to worry about, wizard, I would like to hear the story."

"Ah!" Keeth said, turning the ship's wheel to coincide with their destination. "Said and done!"

Smiling kindly, Ka-Ron patted the wizard on the back.

"See there, Ka-Ron!" The wizard pointed towards the approaching castle. "See how Mull Garden is situated. See how it appears to be the center of this part of the universe. It sucks in all the goodness and light, killing both on contact." The wizard paused for a long time. "This will not end well."

"Yes, but wizard, it will end."

Keeth shook his head in agreement, pulling several of his special levers.

Slowly, gas started to escape from the Argo's huge balloon.

The Argo prepared to land.

***

Jatel found himself becoming more and more fatigued. At first, he surmised that he was still recovering, but no matter how at ease he appeared to be, or how well he followed Keeth's instructions, he constantly felt awkward and out of place. He tried to get some sleep by closing his eyes on his bed, but sleep would not come.

He awoke with a terrible pain.

Deep within his stomach, he felt the pain of hunger. He could not understand why, because before he retired to bed, he had tried to eat. As before, since Molly's attack, his hunger for food was low. He did seem to enjoy drinking a little wine given to him by Rohan. The elf did state that the beverage had been blessed by elfin wizards.

"For the gods! I feel so wrong," the squire stated, getting up from his troubled sleep. Walking over to a basin, the man splashed some water upon his face, hoping that its simple pleasures would calm him.

Jatel noticed his reflection in the mirror.

In horror, he slowly backed away.

In the mirror, Jatel noticed that his eyes had changed. They had become a bright red, and were glaring back at him with a remarkable power.

Jatel was becoming&

***

Molly felt the change.

She had been spending her time with both Rohan and Dorian, who had prepared a small meal all to themselves. The female vampire had encountered Ka-Ron briefly, but maintained her distance out of respect and a wish to survive. Molly could clearly sense Ka-Ron's distrust and hatred. She had been assured by Keeth that given enough time and success of their mission, the knight's feelings would ebb. Molly, being a realist, did not believe that to be so.

However, things were about to change.

"What is it, Molly?"

The vampire turned to notice Rohan's gentle eyes studying her. The elf was curious but had the good sense and manners to control his questions. Dorian, on the other hand was not so subtle.

"Tell us!" the dwarf demanded. "I am not too tolerable of secrets, my dear."

"So I can see," Molly whispered. There was an urgent energy in the air which seemed to grab at her like an invisible hook. "You will excuse me, please."

Rohan silently motioned with his hands, giving swift permission.

Molly headed towards Jatel's quarters.

I hope that I am not too late.

Molly had prepared a small bag of oils, herbs, and blessings for what lay ahead for the squire. Mindful of her own suffering, Molly was determined to make sure that Jatel's crossing over would be less stressful. She knew that everyone was working hard, and were quite dedicated to helping Jatel, but their goal was not practical. In case they failed, Jatel had to be fully prepared to live out the rest of his life as a vampire.

Molly opened the cabin door, noticing that Jatel was on the floor covering his eyes.

He did not look good.

"So," Molly whispered, "It has started."

Jatel looked up at Molly. His eyes were now fully blood-red.

"What is wrong with my eyes?" Jatel asked.

"They have entered the blood fever," Molly explained, helping Jatel up on his feet. "Do not worry. They will turn back to normal after your first feeding."

"Feeding?"

"You are becoming like me, Jatel." Molly's voice rang with a pure sadness.

"I'm hungry," the squire said, his voice both shaky and low.

"I know, Jatel."

There seemed to be a magnetic force pulling Jatel towards Molly. He seemed to hang on her every word - her every movement.

"Why do you affect me so?" Jatel finally asked.

"Because, in the scheme of things, I am now your master. Or, if you prefer, your mentor. If you cross and stay this way, we will be bonded throughout eternity."

"Then, let us hope my Ka-Ron succeeds," Jatel paused, swallowing nervously. "I did not mean that the way it sounded."

"I know, Jatel." The vampire softly laughed.

Jatel was going through "the pains." This was the most serious phase of the vampiric change. This was when the mortal body started to shut down, requiring only the elementary system to help maintain nourishment and waste management. All other systems would one by one start to retire, relying on magic and things most foul to keep the body going.

Jatel started to shake uncontrollably.

A flash of agonizing pain coursed through his body.

In his frustration, the squire reached out and grabbed onto anything he could to help subsidize the pain.

"Uh?" Molly said, uncomfortably.

Opening his eyes. Jatel suddenly realized that he had grabbed one of the vampire's breasts.

"Molly! I'm so sorry." Jatel's eyes bugged open like a startled school boy's.

"That's&that's all right, Jatel."

Both stood frozen for quite some time.

"Jatel?"

"Yes?"

"Let go of my tit, please."

Jatel pulled away from Molly as if his hand were on fire.

"Sorry."

"Don't mention it."

The cabin door opened. Ka-Ron peeked in.

"Ka-Ron!" both Molly and Jatel said in unison.

The knight walked in, giving the vampire a harsh but controlled stare. She could sense an uneasiness as she entered, but could not understand it. Jatel uncharacteristically placed both his hands behind his back.

Molly's amused and awkward stare at the squire did not go unnoticed.

"Keeth has informed me that you are providing medical care for my squire."

"That is correct," Molly showed Ka-Ron her bag of oils, spices, and spells. "He has entered the second phase."

Ka-Ron reacted to Jatel's eyes.

"Don't be alarmed, Ka-Ron," Molly tried to calm the knight. "They will soon change back to their normal coloring. I went through the same phase. As terrible as they may seem, there is no discomfort."

"But I heard Jatel cry out."

Molly shook her head in agreement. "There is some pain, but it is&bearable."

"What can I do?" Ka-Ron asked, her eyes softening.

"You can destroy Count Voslow in three suns," Molly said. "That is Jatel's only hope at a normal life."

"Done, my lady."

Molly turned, arranging the oils and spices on the cabin's bed. Ka-Ron placed a hand upon the vampire's shoulder.

"I was wrong about you."

Molly looked up at Ka-Ron with wide eyes. She was so surprised that she could not bring herself to speak.

"Thank you for helping my squire."

Molly, slowly, shook her head in thanks.

"What if we fail?" Molly finally brought herself to say.

Ka-Ron didn't answer. However, there was a dark finality resting in the back of her eyes, which seemed to speak volumes. Molly's vampiristic instincts informed her that if Jatel fully crossed over, and if Voslow were still alive, Molly would not live to see another moon rise.

***

"Now, how does that spell go?"

Keeth stood at the ship's bow, trying his best to remember an ancient protection spell. He had most of it in mind, but there were subtle hand movements that went with the equations and paradoxes, that could provide ample barriers against all incoming forces. Unfortunatly for him, it had been several seasons since he had used it, let alone kept it in mind.

"Think hard, wizard!" Dorian suggested. The dwarf sat by a fire, doing what he could to sharpen up his ax. "We shall have need of all help, I fear."

While Jatel was going through his own hell, the men of the Argo prepared to enter theirs. Each did what he could.

"Whatever you provide, sir, will be appreciated." Rohan was busy assembling new arrows for his bow.

Again, Keeth noticed the dwarf giving Rohan a curious stare.

"It is my intent to help you along with all that I have," the wizard promised.

Both elf and dwarf shook their heads in praise.

"I offer my sword up!"

All eyes turned to En-Don, who, dressed in his mother's armor, looked the part of a knight-errant.

The bow of the ship filled with controlled laughter.

"What do you know of war, boy?" The sarcasm dripping from Rohan's words was thick.

En-Don smirked, trying his best to control the hurt flashing across his face. Life and the emotions which came with it were still new to him. To help hide his uncertainty, the young man pulled out his mother's sword and began sharpening its blade.

"I know nothing of war, elf," En-Don agreed. Anger freighted the young man's voice, but to his credit, he stayed focused upon his blade. "But I know enough about honor to compensate."

"Well said, sir!" Keeth added. The wizard retreated as fast as he had given his opinion, returning to his little mind puzzle.

"You have been alive for less than a phase, little man," Rohan rose to his feet. His cold elfin eyes focused unquestionably upon En-Don. "What would you know of honor?"

"Rohan?"

"Dear sir?"

It was obvious to Rohan that his comments did not set well with his other comrades. En-Don was new to the world. That was a fact no one could deny. But to place such faith in an untried being was foolhardy.

"You question my abilities?" En-Don asked, still not taking his eyes off his mother's blade.

"I question any child who thinks he can rush into war, just to play at soldiering."

Dorian grunted and closed his eyes.

Keeth turned away, paying way too much attention toward his spell-making.

Rohan realized he had made a mistake.

En-Don stopped sharpening his blade. "I understand your doubt, sir. But, be assured, that through powers that even I cannot understand, I am quite capable with a blade, and I am no stranger to the arts of war."

"You barely understand the concept of the color blue, let alone the taking of another's life." The elf's features turned hard.

En-Don rose from his seat.

"Now, fellas, let's not do anything hasty!" Dorian stated. Worry and concern clearly projected from the dwarf's face. "Rohan, remember, we are these people's guests. It is not our right to cause more havoc than havoc can do on its own."

The elf's face remained as cold and mysterious as it always had. However, upon one private moment, Dorian saw Rohan give him a quick glance, and then, quite slowly, quite calmly, the elf winked at him.

The dwarf relaxed.

He understood.

"War is very serious business, my boy." Rohan continued, glancing up into En-Don's challenging stature. "I have no stock in those who talk bravery while never having tasted from its vineyards."

En-Don's face turned hard.

"Perhaps I could learn something from the winemaster?"

Subtly, Rohan started to smirk.

"Come, young one! Let us stomp some grapes."

Both men took out their swords.

"Show me!" Rohan challenged.

The elf took up the high ground on deck. That was the first thing En-Don had observed. He did not know how he knew, but he did seem to know that was a bad thing.

"I do not wish to hurt you, Rohan."

"Pain is life, my friend."

"Then, we shall have at it!"

En-Don rushed forward, slamming his mother's blade into that of the elf's.

Rohan closed his eyes, and prepared himself fully for the force of the blow. No fool himself, he knew, just by En-Don's size, that the force of his attack would be a respectable one. As their swords made contact, the elf was startled - he slid back a good foothold!

"How am I doing so far?" En-Don inquired.

"Fair," Rohan barely whispered.

En-Don knew that he had knocked the wind from his friend, but some unknown knowledge told him not to count upon such a thing. There was a certain flinch growing upon the elf's right cheek that seemed to speak volumes to the boy.

Suddenly, Rohan's eyes blazed open.

"Oh, oh," was all En-Don could bring himself to say.

The elf ducked down, barely being missed by En-Don's counter attack. Rushing forward, Rohan kicked at En-Don's knees, knocking the young man to the deck. En-Don had only one move - perform the Illium thrust guard.

"Giving up?" Rohan gloated. The elf's breathing showed his fatigue. "So soon?"

"Idoshiansdo not give up, Rohan."

The elf raised his blade.

En-Don took action.

The young man instantly went toward the ground, rocking his body in a counter-clockwise maneuver. As he hit midpoint, he switched his sword to his weaker hand. In doing this, the blade became reversed - its sharp end facing En-Don.

"Be careful not to kill the child, Rohan," Dorian shouted.

Rohan looked toward the dwarf.

En-Don saw his chance.

In a lightening flash of steel, En-Don jumped to his feet, swinging his sword to stop just near the elf's main arteries in his neck. If En-Don had not turned his mother's sword, he would have successfully beheaded the elf.

"Hold!" Rohan shouted. The elf's eyes were wide and concentrated quite hard upon the shaking blade at his neck. "You have won the day."

En-Don relaxed. He bowed his head in respect to the elf's own skill. Rohan was not an easy warrior to beat.

"Will the wine master concede that I am from a good vintage?"

"I concede," Rohan stated, wiping sweat from his brow. "That magic, like science, seems to have its own system of justice"

"What do you mean?" En-Don's eyes turned hard.

"Since your mother cannot use her skills, trapped in the body of a woman, what better justice is there, than allowing her magical offspring the ability to protect himself from the physical?"

"Well said!" Keeth added.

Dorian rushed to his friend's aid, handing Rohan a cup of water and a small rag with which to refresh himself. There was an urgency in the dwarf's actions which showed all, especially Rohan, that Dorian was greatly concerned.

"Do not think less of yourself, elf," Dorian said, his face gleaming with pride. "You did well. As you stated, En-Don is of magical beginnings."

"Many thanks, dwarf."

Again, En-Don and Rohan stood toe-to-toe.

"En-Don, son of Jatel and Ka-Ron, I would be honored to fight at your side, should such a time arise."

Both shook hands.

"This is a good thing." the wizard meekly said. In his joy, Keeth knocked Dorian to the deck and patted the small dwarf on the back.

"Dear wizard!" Dorian yelled, finding it quite difficult to wobble his way back to a good footing.

Everyone helped Dorian up.

None were able to keep a straight face.

En-Don beamed with pride.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Ka-Ron found that she could not concentrate. From time to time, she kept looking back up toward the Argo, deeply concerned. Her whole body was in silent rebellion. This was all wrong! She could not explain why she felt this way. All the knight could understand was that she did not like leaving her son behind.

"He is in good hands, Ka-Ron," Jatel whispered.

"I know," Ka-Ron stated, but her eyes clearly held within them the silent pain of separation. "I just don't like leaving him with&her."

"We will be back before you know it, sire."

All this while still traveling down the Argo's gangplank.

The knight's fears were silently reinforced with friendly pats on the back by Keeth, Rohan, and Dorian. All could sense her inner pain and frustration, and to an extent, Ka-Ron was starting to understand Kai's pain. Her leaving En-Don alone with a practical stranger was something she had to do if she were to help Jatel out of his situation, but still, the pain was there.

"I fear he will miss us, Jatel."

"Naturally." the squire agreed. "Life causes these separations so that we may learn to treasure the times we are together."

Ka-Ron smiled upon hearing her squire's words.

"When did you become such a philosopher?"

"When I became a father."

Ka-Ron embraced his friend and lover, side-hugging him.

When choosing a place to land, Keeth could not have picked a more foreboding or interesting place. The Argo was deep within a bog. Swampy waters had caused the ship to sink almost to normal hull level, if the ship were in floating mode. However, the Argo's landing pods were fully extended, and due to the soft muddy surface, had slowly sunk to what appeared to be normal seagoing conditions.

Around the course of the bog, between the many rotting corpses of animals and unfortunate travelers, amongst the moldy tree trunks, weeds, and fungi, there appeared to be remnants of a once vital civilization. Little did these new arrivals realize they had parked in the middle of what used to be the royal sailing pond of Mull Garden. These bogs used to be the main waterways between this dead kingdom and the rest of the Nown world.

Crumbling granite walls, long overgrown and forgotten, peeked out every so often, reminding all here that there used to be "something." And nothing was more interesting or depressing as the reminder that things do fall apart, if given the time and opportunity to do so.

In the distance, near the kingdom's horizon, there existed a graveyard of ancient ships. Some appeared new, or at least, only a couple hundred seasons old. Most were mere skeletons of their former selves&old, rotting, with the smell of death all around them&floating in water so dank and dreadful that even the native fish refused to dwell there.

"Keeth," Ka-Ron asked, noticing the ancient fleet, "what are those?"

The wizard followed the knight's pointing finger.

Upon noticing the graveyard of ships, the wizard immediately turned away from it. He shook with a fear rarely seen my one who practices magic and science.

"That is the lost fleet," Keeth whispered, hoping not to catch attention.

"The lost fleet?" Rohan repeated. "And, may I ask, why are they lost?"

"It is a good thing to fight away evil," Keeth tried to explain. "It is a bad thing to do it only for personal gain. Those ships carried an army of sailors once employed by a visiting prince who wanted to obtain Mull Garden."

"What became of them?" Jatel asked. His gaze focused on the graveyard.

"It ended badly for them, young squire," Keeth explained.

"Legend has it that Count Voslow was responsible," Dorian added. The dwarf was using his ax to hack away at the brush in the way. "He cursed them all upon their mortal deaths, to remain forever at their posts, waiting for the day when he would release them."

"You mean that they all still live in their ships?" Ka-Ron asked.

"No," Keeth explained. "Nothing alive is still there. Imagine, dying, and never being allowed to rest. No, brave knight, there are things in this universe far worse than death."

"Agreed!" the dwarf said, cutting down a huge bloodthorn bush. As the unfortunate tree splashed down into the gray waters of the bog, a small colony of dung beetles scattered, swimming away to parts unknown.

Keeth paused, raising a cautious hand into the air.

"Behold! Mull Garden."

The ancient castle peered down at the advancing party with an awareness that seemed to attack all of them to their core. The unnatural green tint of the stones which composed the makings of the main fortress is what had originally given the structure its name. It had once been an important crossway for several of the ancient Nown cities, providing a place of commerce and rest for both king and peasant. It had also been a stronghold of freedom, for during the time of The Coughing it was held by those who defended the living from the dying.

All this is one building.

Now, nothing but death.

A light blinked to life inside the castle. In one of its many towers - no one had ever lived long enough to count all of them - a bright candlelight beamed outward, as if to acknowledge its arriving guests.

"Something" was aware!

"Is that supposed to happen, wizard?" Rohan asked, nervously reaching back toward his quiver of arrows.

Keeth tried to respond, but his own curiosity, mixed with the instinct to survive, caused him to remain mute.

The front gates of the castle slowly, loudly, and quite unexpectedly rattled, separated, and then opened.

"Wizard?" both Ka-Ron and Jatel asked in unison.

A figure soon stood at the gate, waiting.

"It appears that we are expected," Keeth surmised. His voice belied the calm appearance of his features.

Rohan's hand grabbed for an arrow.

Dorian held more tightly to his ax.

Both Jatel and Ka-Ron moved closer toward each other.

Nothing happened.

The figure continued to wait, with its hands clasped in front.

***

Count Voslow studied the small group of people approaching his castle. He was well aware of the wizard. He paid considerable attention towards the elf and his bow. The dwarf was of little consequence, but&

Who is this magical creature?

The group walked up the drawbridge of Mull Garden expecting all hell to break loose. The Count laughed at their surprise - the honest surprise of prepared warriors coming in contact with the forces of "nothing."

Voslow could not but be amused.

Rude as it was, the sound carried.

"What is so damned funny?" the vampire heard the dwarf whisper. Dwarfs were courageous if not stupid creatures.

The wizard took his place as head of the group. As they all approached, Voslow laughed louder. He had seen and experienced much in his long life. He could not understand, even at his age, how with each and every season, the "hunting parties" which always came, wanting to destroy him, seemed to grow more and more pathetic.

Voslow's eyes scanned the body of the approaching female.

The vampire cleared his throat.

"So you have come to kill me," Voslow stated, bowing to his guests. "This is a good thing. I have had such little practice at being dead."

The wizard and all his party stopped their walking. The Count got such amusement at playing with the direct approach. This was something he would have to save for later suns, when future "hunting parties" decided to pay another visit.

"Ahhhhh, greetings," the wizard said, being uneasy. As an afterthought, the old man bowed to the Count.

Such an idiot.

Voslow's stare could not seem to break away from the curious eyes of the woman. She was quite beautiful&more so than Voslow had ever seen. There was an unknown force flowing from this female that the vampire found both odd and new. He tried to ignore her, but her lovely features seemed to call after him.

Voslow bowed, inviting all in with a steady sweep of his hand.

***

Molly bit at her right thumbnail, silently watching En-Don practice at his sword. She studied him as the young man swung his sword over his head, from side to side, over and under each arm, hitting and avoiding moving targets he cleverly had placed on strings and levers. He was both fast and fantastic.

He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

Try as she might, the female vampire could not seem to take her eyes off his ass.

"When mother returns, I hope to show her my improvements," En-Don bragged. In his bragging, the man forgot to take into account a small ball he had placed at the end of a string - it hit him upon the back of the head, bouncing off. En-Don rubbed his head in comical embarrassment.

Molly said nothing.

She only stared.

"Molly?" En-Don asked, turning to face her.

The vampire looked up, startled.

"Yes?" she asked, jittery. "What's wrong?"

"What were you studying?" En-Don asked.

Molly could not seem to bring herself to look En-Don in the eyes. She felt as she had as a child, when her mother had walked into her room, catching the young woman doing things best left in the private places of one's life. Still, these things and feelings were normal. Why should one feel so guilty? Why should one feel so ashamed?

"I was keeping an eye on your&rhythm." at the last, Molly could do nothing but smile.

"Oh?" En-Don asked, moving closer. "Is that important?"

"Without rhythm, all else is folly."

En-Don gave his head a satisfactory shake. "Then I thank you for your tutelage, Molly."

The vampire held tight to her urge to strike. She wanted this man more than any craving she had ever encountered. Her needs even seemed to go beyond her curse. All her desires were female. All her wants were indeed those of the living.

"You may continue," En-Don stated, getting back to his studies.

Molly's eyes continued.

What kept her from attacking? Fear and common sense.

"His mother would kill me," the vampire mused. "It would break the trust her friends have in me."

There was also the fact that En-Don was only a couple of suns old. In reality, if he were born of normal circumstances, this man she coveted would be a swaddling babe. How could one attack such innocence?

"How could one deny himself so much?"

Molly moved forward.

She would worry about En-Don's parents later.

"En-Don?" Molly stated, loosening a couple of snaps on her blouse.

"Yes, Molly?" The young man's eyes were both curious and open.

The young woman fidgeted with her long red hair, and found herself blinking her eyes. If she were not under his spell, Molly would have laughed if it had been any other woman. Love was not a thing to be toyed with in such a manner. She knew that. However, at the moment, Molly was not thinking with her mind. Her concentration erupted two sticks lower.

"What do you think of my blouse?"

Calmly, the young man glanced at her garments. He noticed, quite plainly, that the woman's breasts were practically hanging out of her clothing.

"It is a fair garment."

"See anything you like?"

En-Don looked down at Molly's breasts, but the emotion in his eyes did not change. His hands still absently played with the hilt of his sword.

"Yes, I do." the young man replied.

Molly's hearts began to race.

"But I am not hungry at this time. Thank you, Molly."

Reality, unfortunately, set in.

Molly buttoned up, and returned to her harmless watching.

***

As the small group from the Argo followed Count Voslow deep inside his lair, several members turned curious eyes toward the wizard. Keeth was just as startled as they were.

"Why is this madman cooperating with us?" Dorian whispered. "Does he not know we are here to kill him?"

"Curious, is it not?" Rohan added. The elf continued to hold an arrow in his right hand, ready to apply it to his bow, if need be.

"I do not understand this," the wizard stated, scratching his head. "I do not understand this at all."

Count Voslow continued to guide his guests deeper into the castle. It was quite obvious that the vampire could hear what they were saying. Whispers, thoughts, and anything of the subversive was within the senses of the undead. Voslow, for the time being, just seemed not to care.

Mull Garden appeared to have been a beautiful home once. In the distant past the mold, cobwebs, and collapsed walls held within them the power to control nations. Dull remnants of gold-flaked paint, the finest ivory, and artworks lost to the passage of time attracted their observation.

Voslow made it a point to stop several times, allowing them all to share in the building's former glories.

"For those who are interested," Voslow said, pointing a long and bony finger beyond his grasp. "There is the chapel."

The castle chapel was unlike any seen by outsiders. Like those in most ancient castles, this chapel had been built during the time of The Coughing. And, like most chapels, this one was built from the bones of those taken during those dark times. The doors of the chapel, however, were quite different.

Carved proudly upon the huge wooden door, leading into the prayer chamber, was a stoic figure of a knight. This last caught Ka-Ron's eye, causing her to gasp in both wonder and surprise.

Her emotion caught the eye of the vampire.

The vampire's emotion caught the eye of the wizard.

The figure carved upon the chapel gate was brave, riding upon a horse which reminded Ka-Ron of her beloved Echoheart. In the knight's right hand, raised triumphantly above his head, was a flaming sword. At the feet of the horse were hundreds upon hundreds of the fallen.

Everyone who saw the image knew who it had been.

It was Count Voslow.

"A small vanity," Voslow said, forbidding himself the enjoyment of the honor. "It is of little importance."

"It is a most remarkable likeness, sir," Ka-Ron stated, lowering her eyes from the vampire's hungry stare.

"Hmmmm?" Voslow mused, glancing over his shoulder nonchalantly and allowing himself a momentary glance. "Indeed?"

The vampire continued his walk, motioning his guests to follow.

They walked past great halls, past important meeting rooms, and long-forgotten museums holding even more forgotten historical treasures. Mull Garden was a decaying memory of the Nown world's past. Books, paintings, furniture, statues and devices that would confuse even the most educated wizard - all was for the taking.

The only thing in their way was Count Voslow.

The crew of the Argo continued cautiously to follow their host, marveling at the tarnished grandeur of Mull Garden. Voslow pointed to an occasional curiosity here and there, if only to help entertain himself. It was quite obvious to all who were studying the vampire that eternity had been a high price for the Count to pay. He was utterly, completely, and absolutely bored.

The halls got dark.

Voslow put out his hand, stopping all.

Ka-Ron, who had been paying more attention to what she was looking at than at where she was going, accidentally stepped onto a half-eaten and completely rotten corpse of a lava rat. The tiny creature had been discarded after fulfilling Voslow's hunger many suns ago.

Ka-Ron retreated from the rat and backed up into Jatel's arms.

Voslow mildly chuckled at the revulsion the bloodied corpse produced.

"I apologize, my lady." Voslow lit a torch. "Maid's day off, you understand."

With illumination, Voslow focused everyone's attention upon a set of huge golden doors set in front of them. The doors were several hundred sticks in height, appeared to be quite ancient and curiously enough, seemed to be the only items in the castle that appeared both clean and in prime condition.

"To the gods!" Dorian stated, glancing up at the doors. "What are these?"

"I have often stared at these figures, wondering the same thing." Voslow stated, raising the torch so that all could clearly see.

On each side of the doors were several chapters' worth of ancient text. They told a substantial story, but alas, no one could read the language anymore.

"This text is pre-Nown, is it not?" Keeth asked, his features reflecting the intellectual mystery of the moment.

"I believe you are correct, wizard." Voslow's eyes turned to look at Ka-Ron.

Ka-Ron noticed.

There were two figures carved on the doors. One was a man, the other a woman. Both had their backs facing one another, and held in their hands swords. The man's was a simple sword. The woman's was in flames. Although not facing each other, they were not enemies. The woman, clearly peeking at the man from over her shoulder, held a satisfying smile. The man's gaze was skyward, as if challenging the gods for his right to claim her. In the far distance, at the center of the doors, was Mull Garden.

"I have always wondered about this scene," Voslow explained. "I honor this door for the mystery it helps create in me. It makes me&wonder."

Keeth studied the door. The wizard absently scratched his beard.

"I can provide you some understanding."

"Oh?" Voslow turned away from the door, giving the wizard his full attention.

"The name of the woman's sword is Evandore. It is currently enshrined at the Royal Palace in Hispania."

"And...the name of the woman?"

Keeth searched his memory. Ultimately, all the wizard could do was shrug his shoulders in ignorance. "All I know is what I have seen, sir. The sword was rumored to have belonged, once, to a brave queen who freed many lands in her time from the forces of darkness. She was both beautiful and famous for her keen sense of justice."

Voslow mulled the story around in his mind. The vampire shook his head in agreement, liking what he had been told. He turned back to study the doors, knowing them now in a better light.

"I often wonder if she faced death with her eyes wide open."

"I am sure that she did, Count."

Voslow remained quiet for a long time.

No one had the discomfort or bravery to question the pause.

"Anyway&" Voslow finally said, waving a hand at the shiny doors.

The mysterious figures soon parted, allowing the ancient doors to open.

Beyond the doors, there lay a great banquet hall. Although decayed and rotten in some places, the room was not as badly neglected as the rest of the castle. Everyone in the group got the clear impression that this room, like the golden doors before them, held a sentimental value to the vampire.

"I offer to you my services, as your host," Voslow said, bowing.

Dorian was not at all shy. "Is that lamb I smell?"

A huge wooden table several sticks in length, occupied the center of the hall. Great oil lanterns hung from the ceiling, filling the air with a fragrance of cedar and pine. Tapestries, paintings of long-forgotten battles, and stained glass windows impacted the senses of all.

And, as the dwarf had surmised, a feast to fit an army awaited them.

"Please," the vampire stated, offering the hall to his guests.

Dorian and Rohan were not shy. Food, especially the free kind, was hard to come by. When traveling, you ate when you could.

"Something is not right," Ka-Ron whispered to Jatel.

Both the squire and wizard made worried eye-contact.

Voslow sat, quietly, watching as the others ate. It took some time before all enjoyed the meal. Some, mainly Ka-Ron and Keeth, waited. They studied their friends, whose hunger was mightier than their caution. When it was proven that the food was both safe and plentiful, all dug in. As they enjoyed themselves, a sly and tired smile formed upon the face of the vampire. What he was thinking, musing, or ignoring, for that matter, was anyone's guess.

"You are here to kill me, are you not?" Voslow finally asked, breaking his silence. His eyes peered at Keeth, expecting an answer.

The wizard gulped down some superior vintage. The satisfying sting of the wine caused his body to warm to the pleasant after-effects.

"Count, we have come to seek&"

"I can fix this problem of yours," Voslow offered, his hands extended in a gesture of cooperation. "Jatel's curse can be easily released. There does not need to be any bloodshed."

"That would be fine, Count," Ka-Ron said. "How do you propose we do that?"

The vampire's eyes narrowed. His constant staring at Ka-Ron was starting to take its toll upon the knight. Several times, for reasons she could not bring herself to understand, she found that she was becoming curiously aroused by his attention. Voslow, although quite dead, was a handsome man. Ka-Ron had slowly become appreciative of the simple appearance of men, suffering from her curse, and like any normal woman, was now completely influenced by a gentlemanly touch. She did not wish to make this personal point clear to Jatel or her friends - they would not understand. In truth, Ka-Ron was enjoying the prospect of staying a female.

Before Voslow could respond to the knight's question, a young woman entered the room carrying a plate of fruit, cheeses, and more wine. All were finished with their meals, but Voslow was of the class of royalty which believed collective talk still required some kind of beverage and stimulation. He was far beyond these simple pleasures, but he was not crude enough to expect his guests to be.

The servant poured out the wine and was quite taken by Ka-Ron and her beauty. It was obvious to all that the girl was frightened. Her hands shook and she was doing all that she could to keep from crying. Her tears, however, betrayed the forced smile she projected.

"Thank you," Ka-Ron beamed, taking the glass of wine from the servant girl.

The servant was obviously a woman who had lost all interest in male bonding, for her attention towards Ka-Ron was more concentrated than the norm. Ka-Ron had heard of such women, and had even traveled through entire nations that had no need for the warm touch of a man.

"Woman!" Voslow yelled, darting up from his chair.

The servant's attention was not to the Count's liking.

In her fear, surprised by Voslow's rare show of emotion, the servant woman accidentally split wine all over Ka-Ron's dress.

"Insolent bitch!" the vampire raged.

The servant woman dropped her entire tray and shrank to the floor in terror.

"It is nothing to worry about, Count." Ka-Ron insisted.

The vampire was beyond hearing. Thundering over to where his servant was cowering, Voslow had managed to obtain a small dagger. Even to Ka-Ron, his intentions were clear.

There seemed to be only one penalty for mistakes under Voslow, and that was death.

"No!" Ka-Ron ordered. A strong hand stopped the Count.

Voslow looked at Ka-Ron with puzzled confusion. "No?"

"It was an accident." Ka-Ron explained. "It is not the end of the world."

"She ruined your meal," Voslow explained. The vampire's eyes turned red as he glared down at the unfortunate woman. "I treat my guests well."

"Then, you would be doing me a service if you let her live."

Voslow's mouth opened with a snarl. Saliva dripped down his razor-sharp teeth. The knight could sense that he wanted to attack the woman at her feet, desperately holding onto one of her ankles, knowing that Ka-Ron was her only hope at life. The Count was hungry for flesh, and desperate for blood.

Still, something clicked. Something kept the vampire from striking. Whatever it was, the knight was thankful for it. For, if forced to defend, Ka-Ron knew, from both instinct and experience, that she had not the strength to stop him from achieving his goal.

"I will do as you say, madam." Voslow bowed. His features held the hate and discomfort he was feeling with great honor. "You are my guest. And, in my house, to an extent, the guest rules."

"I thank you for your courtesy, sire." Ka-Ron bowed.

Dorian was heard giggling as he tore off a healthy hunk of undercooked lamb from a sizable leg he was eating.

Voslow stepped closer to Ka-Ron.

Rohan reacted.

"Don't!" the elf warned. As fast as it would take for another to blink, the elf had reached behind him, placing an arrow into his bow, and took aim at Voslow's hearts. If the vampire were to move, he would not move far.

"Rohan!" Keeth warned, pointing a restraining hand into the air.

"You risk much, elf," Voslow said, his face lit by a mischievous grin.

"So do you!" Rohan stated, closing one eye and taking his aim.

Voslow backed away.

Ka-Ron exhaled in shock.

Jatel ran to his master's side, embracing her in relief.

"Apologies, Count." Keeth bowed.

Voslow raised his hands, backing away. He returned to his chair, keeping a side glance on Rohan, who followed him with his bow.

The meal was defiantly over.

It took sometime, but Rohan relaxed and put away his bow.

Voslow found it all quite amusing. In point of fact, it was the most fun he had in over twenty seasons.

"Count," Keeth finally said, "You were about to explain how we could obtain our goal without bloodshed."

"Yes?" Voslow agreed, placing his hands upon his chest.

"And how do we accomplish such an altruistic feat?"

Voslow glared at Ka-Ron. "I wish to have an heir."

Jatel noticed the friction between the vampire and his master.

"Who will provide you with this heir?" Jatel asked, slowly rising from his seat.

"Ka-Ron, that is who."

Shocked, Ka-Ron, bowed her head and concentrated on the wine stain on her lap.

"You will do nothing of the kind." Jatel harshly warned.

"Perhaps," Voslow accepted.

Keeth, silently, requested Jatel to take his seat. The expression on his wise features assured the squire that he had an ulterior motive.

Jatel agreed under protest.

Again, the table was attacked with an awkward silence.

Dorian, however, continued to attack his savory leg of lamb.

Dwarfs.

"I was not always as you see me," Voslow tried to explain. The vampire caught something out of the corner of his eye, and paused for a few beats. There was a lava rat nearby, scratching around the foot of his chair. With lightening reflexes, the vampire picked up the rat, bit its head off, and drained the unfortunate creature of all its life force.

"Disgusting!" Jatel stated, averting eye contact with Voslow.

There wasn't a person at the table who did not feel like getting sick, with the sole exception of the dwarf.

Voslow chuckled a little as he threw the dried up lava rat onto the floor.

"I apologize." the vampire said, wiping the blood from his lips. "They sustain me."

"I feel so sorry for you," Ka-Ron whispered, barely heard by those at the table.

"You do, my lady?" Voslow asked, "Truly?"

Ka-Ron shook her head in agreement.

"Hmmmm," Voslow grumbled.

"Got anymore wine?" Dorian asked, burping.

Rohan passed a bottle to his friend, but he gave the dwarf a harsh look. Dorian, in his own defense, poured out a glass of wine and shrugged his shoulders.

"You were saying, Count?" Keeth said, trying his best to change the subject. The wizard silently motioned the rest of his party to remain quiet. There was a desperation in his movements which seemed to go beyond common curiosity. So, in order to see where this was all playing out, everyone responded in kind.

"I was once a man of unquestionable honor," Voslow stated. His eyes showed great sadness. "In some parts of the world, I am celebrated as both hero and liberator. I have led many armies into victory against superior enemies. By some regards, my enemies have even praised me for my actions against them!"

"Count Voslow?" Ka-Ron asked, still not having the power to look him in the eye.

"Yes?"

"How did you become a&"

"Vampire?" Voslow concluded.

"Yes."

Voslow's eyes glazed over, remembering the first horror: the means which had claimed his mortality&the thing that had made him a monster. He projected so much inner torment that all at the table could feel it.

"I do not remember her name," Voslow stated, clearing his throat. He squirmed in his chair, trying to find a comfortable position in which to finish his story. "She had black hair, long and silky. I compared her color to that of a raven's."

At the mention of her "raven-colored" hair, all at the table flashed each other a disturbed look, remembering "Raven hair" from Molly's stories. Could they be one and the same?

"Ah, I see you have heard of her," Voslow mused. "She survived?"

"We have heard of such a woman, Count." Keeth explained, "From a friend of ours."

Voslow shook his head slowly, thinking. "She is of no matter to me. When alive, she was nothing but a user." The vampire paused, curious. "I thought I had killed her."

All at the table gave the vampire a shocked look.

"It was the only way I could&thank her." Voslow explained.

Dorian burped after finishing his meal.

All eyes turned to the dwarf in amusement.

"Good meal," was all the dwarf could bring himself to say.

Voslow smiled at the comment.

The vampire continued the evening with stories about his former battles. It was quite obvious to all that it had been a very long time since the vampire had shared such events with his guests. And, indeed, it had been some time since he had guest who were curious enough to listen.

Dorian, however, seemed to be paying more attention to Keeth than to his host.

The wizard, motioning his hands under the banquet table, appeared to be weaving a spell of some kind. Surprised, the dwarf peeked around the room, wondering if any other people were aware of Keeth's actions. No one appeared to notice.

But, he did!

"What are you doing?" Dorian whispered to Keeth.

The wizard surreptitiously glanced at his host. Voslow was in the middle of a story, pantomiming a great battle, pretending to have his sword in his hand. He was a good storyteller - no one was paying attention to what he and Dorian were doing.

"I am trying to cast a spell," Keeth explained. His hands were giving off a green glow, which he tried to hide by placing them under the table, wrapped inside his robe.

"I know that," Dorian agreed, whispering a little lower. "What kind of spell are you trying to weave?"

Voslow caused a low roar of applause from the rest of the party. It was obvious that the vampire's stories were having their desired effect. A great amount of joy beamed from Voslow's features.

"I am wishing to read the vampire's mind." the wizard explained.

"For what purpose?"

"If he can betray his resting place during the day," Keeth said, looking up at Voslow to see if it was safe. It was. "Killing him will be easy."

"Then you still plan to go ahead with it all?"

"Of course!"

"Then, what of his statement, saying that he can aid Jatel with the ending of his curse?"

Keeth gave the dwarf a sad glance. "Dorian, even without reading Voslow's mind, even I can tell that the man is lying."

"Oh." the dwarf said, sad.

Dorian brought Keeth's attention back to the table.

Voslow had been staring at them for some time.

All eyes turned toward the wizard.

"I sense...magic." the vampire stated, his eyes starting to glow an angry red. "Who gave you the right to start casting anything?"

"Count, I&"

"No magic!" Voslow yelled, rising from his chair.

The banquet hall's lighting started to grow dark, fitting the mood of the host. Voslow threw a napkin down upon his table and started walking toward the wizard. He flashed his fangs, allowing all at the table to remember that he was a force to reckon with.

"Wizard, what are you doing?"

"Count Voslow, I apologize for&"

The vampire took hold of the wizard's robes and raised him into the air.

"There shall be no magic while I live within these walls," the vampire yelled. "Magic has done enough damage here, as far as I am concerned."

Rohan rose from his chair.

Again, faster that a wink, the elf had an arrow aimed at Voslow's hearts.

"Do not harm him." the elf calmly stated, pulling back upon his bow. The elfin weapon glowed a fiery red. Whatever was happening in the room, Voslow was correct in his assumption. There was magic involved here.

"You do risk much, elf." The vampire moved closer to Rohan.

"If you wish to see the next moon rise, vampire, let that man go."

"Rohan!" Ka-Ron warned. "Do not make such statements unless you are prepared for the actions behind them."

"I am prepared, knight," Rohan stated. "He will not harm the wizard as long as I am here, alive, and able to fight."

Voslow paused.

"I see that I grow tired of company this night." Voslow turned to stare into Keeth's frightened face. He noticed that the wizard's hands were free of magical discharge. Whatever he had been conjuring, the old man was too frightened to continue. "I will bid you all a good night. Beyond these halls there are several empty quarters. Pick your own resting places."

The vampire let go of Keeth, allowing the wizard to drop to the floor.

With a gust of wind, and before the blink of an eye, Voslow disappeared.

The crew of the Argo were now alone.

"What do we do now?" Jatel asked.

"We kill a vampire." the wizard said.

***

Molly could feel the fire growing inside of her. Her eyes stayed glued to En-Don, who was continuing to learn the art of the sword. He was practicing hard, and was sweating out his frustrations. Molly, lost in her lust, was doing all that she could to ignore her impulses.

It was not working.

En-Don continued to break vases and attack small rubber balls, slicing and cutting his way through imagined battles. The young man's eyes were as keen as his skill to wield his mother's sword.

Molly had built a small fire, trying her best to hide her hungry eyes behind the rising flames. To her agonizing shame, she wanted this man, and her moral dilemma was not helping her at all.

By all appearances, En-Don was a consenting adult. This much was clearly certain. If the two of them were to meet on the street, Molly would assume that En-Don were who he seemed to be. But, the seeming ended when the female knew of the man's origins. En-Don was still a babe. He still maintained that special innocence associated with the quite young. How could she take that away from him?

En-Don started to create more obstacles on which to practice his swordsmanship. Upon doing so, he bent over several times, picking up shattered fragments of clay pots, cleaning the deck.

All logical thought left Molly's mind as she focused her eyes upon the young man.

"To hell with principles," the vampire huffed, rising from the fire. "I'll just have to deal with the guilt later."

En-Don did not know it, but he was about to enter a rewarding but quite dangerous arena.

"Molly, I was thinking about your&" En-Don turned to face Molly. The young man stopped, surprised.

Molly's eyes held a certain look which seemed to pull at the core of En-Don's being. He was quite confused. In his hands, he held clay fragments from his practicing. But, try as he might, he could not seem to make his hands work the way he had wanted them to.

"I fear you have a more pressing battle ahead of you, En-Don."

"How so?"

Molly started taking off all her clothes.

En-Don found it quite hard to concentrate on his appointed tasks. As the woman got nearer, and as each garment of her clothing hit the deck beneath them, he became more and more tense. Still, he couldn't drop what was in his hands.

"En-Don, today you become a man."

Molly kissed the object of her conquest.

En-Don emptied his hands.

***

There was an insane need shouting inside the mind of the vampire as he struggled not to die. It had been at least a full phase, seven long suns, since he had tasted the nickel-like tang of another's blood. He barely remembered what it was like to feel normal. He had once been a humble storekeeper: a man who sold rare and unusual trinkets to passing strangers. He had always given them something to talk about when they returned home. He had loved his job and had done it well.

My guts are on fire! I cannot take this anymore!

From the corner of his eye, he saw a fire. Where there was fire there was life. And, where there was life, there was blood!

His hands would not stop their shaking.

His ears rang with a constant whining.

His mouth was so dry that his spit started to feel like grains of sand rolling around the insides of his mouth.

In his mind, however, there was the instinct to attack.

There was the audacity of hope.

***

The two on board the Argo were not aware of the danger they were in. All they seemed to care about was the exploration of each other's bodies. En-Don kissed Molly with the focus of a zealot. Molly was quite surprised to discover that the young man's instincts on lovemaking were quite adult for his real age.

Molly explored En-Don's body, quite aware of his arousal.

He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

"Molly," En-Don asked, kissing her on the base of her neck. "What is happening to me?"

"Nothing that hasn't happened to any other man, my love."

"Molly."

"Yes, dear?"

En-Don pulled back and looked at Molly's breasts. He held in his features quite an evil smirk.

"I am hungry now."

Molly beamed. "Then take me."

En-Don buried his face deep into the vampire's chest.

Molly closed her eyes in ecstasy, feeling each and every squeeze, nibble, and lick with great delight. There was nothing more fulfilling or pleasurable than being touched and enjoyed by the one you love. Still, love was a feeble word for what Molly felt.

They knew nothing about the danger climbing up to the ship's main deck.

***

His name had been Farrow.

As he peeked over the railing of the strange wooden ship, Farrow smelled the act of passion before him, which allowed his hunger to grow even more. It was only by a sheer act of will that the vampire had not attacked upon his first glance. He had been momentarily shocked into pausing when he realized that he had invaded a private moment between two people.

Blood! Need their blood!

The vampire tried to swallow. He could not.

As the two young people continued with their embracing, Farrow climbed up and over the ship's railing, hoping that the subtle splashing of his wet feet would not catch their attention. The bog was indeed quite a task for him in his current state of decay.

The couple did not hear him.

Farrow did all that he could to keep from laughing. His mind played out the scene before him. He would startle the young ones. The man would try to protect the woman. He would kill the man. Then, the woman would cry out in her fear. The fear would make her hearts beat faster. Faster beating hearts meant hotter blood.

Farrow could not wait.

"Mine!" he snarled.

En-Don and Molly parted upon hearing a new voice.

"To the gods! What are you?" En-Don asked, backing away from Farrow.

"He's got blood fever," Molly warned. "Take care, En-Don."

Farrow tilted his head upon hearing Molly's voice. She was like him. Of that he was quite certain. Had he intruded upon another vampire's feast? If so, there would be enough for the both of them. Of that, he was sure.

"Give me of his blood, sister," Farrow pleaded.

Molly, for an instant, felt great pity for her fellow undead. She had been like him when En-Don's father had crossed her path. Farrow's object of desire, however, was her new love interest. She would face a fleet of wooden stakes before she would allow En-Don to become as she.

"Over my undead body," Molly stated, placing herself between En-Don and the hungry vampire.

Farrow played out the scene in his frenzied mind. He blinked hard, trying his best to see past the tracers and white spots his tired eyes were producing. He was becoming quite weak. If he could not seek blood soon, he would collapse, being too sick to move. All that would be waiting for Farrow would be the coldness of a grave.

"Mine!" he shouted, trotting toward the young man.

Stepping forward, Molly tried to stop the vampire.

Farrow, crazed, hungry, and quite mad, had the strength of five vampires. Desperation was not only the unknown commodity of the living. The undead had use for it as well. The vampire grabbed Molly, raising her above his head, and threw her towards the bridge. Molly landed near the ship's wheel, unconscious and unable to help.

En-Don was on his own.

"Tasty!" Farrow giggled, his claw-like hands scratching and grabbing the air with anticipation of the meal to come.

En-Don did not falter.

His eyes, momentarily, fell upon the limp body of Molly. Her red hair covered her face, and it appeared that all life had left her body. Then, realizing that she was already dead, the young man relaxed. He soon noticed that Molly was indeed breathing, but at a subtle and slow rate.

"She lives," En-Don whispered.

Farrow bared his fangs and lurched forward.

The young man, still unable to explain why he knew all that he did about combat, reacted to the hungry vampire's lurch. He lifted an iron glove, hitting the vampire upon the bridge of his nose. En-Don closed his eyes to help guard them from the spray of blood. He could hear Farrow's nose breaking. He could see the discomfort he was causing. And it bothered him not in the least.

Farrow screamed and grabbed his nose. Vital blood - blood that he could not afford to lose, fell from his nostrils. In his hunger, the vampire licked at his lips hoping to recover the reddish liquid he had lost in his first volley of combat.

"Insolent brat!" Farrow huffed, opening his eyes, blinking, and fighting the pain. "You will pay for that."

En-Don unsheathed his sword. "Vampire! I call you to battle."

Molly stirred.

Upon hearing her moaning, En-Don turned his eyes to her attention.

Farrow saw that moment as the one to strike.

En-Don's eyes gawked with surprise, as his weight suddenly shifted and he fought to stay upright. Upon his back, giggling and salivating, Farrow tried to bury his fangs into the young man's neck. His mother's armor, thank the gods, kept the vampire from reaching his goal.

"Juicy! Heh-heh!" Farrow cried, attacking En-Don's neck like a crazed snake. "Juicy!"

Fighting the terrible pain in her body, Molly tried her best to gain a footing upon the ship's deck. Only one thing upon the globe had the power to stop a vampire, and that was another vampire. Farrow had just the amount of insanity needed to cause the woman serious damage. Molly's eyes began to focus.

"No," she whispered, seeing Farrow attacking her love.

With all her feminine fury, Molly screamed a war cry and rushed headlong into the battle.

En-Don would not face his enemy alone!

***

Ka-Ron kept her eyes closed as Jatel kissed her softly upon her neck. Her eyes swam in their dark enjoyment, as her squire continued to stimulate and explore. Jatel's hands, sometimes strong and sometimes not, squeezed her breasts, causing the knight to moan softly.

"Ka-Ron," Jatel softly whispered in her ear. Rather playfully, he started to nibble and suck on one of her earlobes.

This last caused a fire to explode inside of the knight.

As if she were attacking a Xow, Ka-Ron cried out in delight as she grabbed hold of Jatel's shoulders, causing him to turn upon the bed. As the mattress playfully bounced up and down, the squire accepted his reversal of position, allowing his master and lover to be on top. Ka-Ron played at her hair, having discovered that her man loved the sight of her raising her arms up to her head, and allowing her breasts to become victims of gravity. There was a smile of absolute surrender upon Ka-Ron's face as she slowly opened herself up to all the possibilities of the night.

Jatel and Ka-Ron became as one.

"Perform well, my squire," the knight begged, lowering herself for yet another kiss. It was in the kissing in which she found most of her enjoyment. For, in realizing that she was pleasing her partner, she seemed to feel and taste things in her passions with more sensitivity.

"Oh, my brave love&faster. Faster!"

Again, the mattress bounced.

Again, Ka-Ron's world exploded into waves and waves of joy.

Then, as fast as it started, everything simply stopped.

"Wha?" Ka-Ron opened her eyes. She was more surprised than annoyed.

Jatel was silent.

Jatel was asleep.

"Well," Ka-Ron said, now fully annoyed. "He sleeps."

The knight pulled herself out and off of her squire. She did not curse him, for she knew that he was still weak from his attack with Molly. So, she lay upon her back, naked, softly rubbing her belly, trying to allow sleep to claim her.

The room, however, was aware of her.

Ka-Ron and her party had spent quite some time trying to decide what rooms to take. Count Voslow had vanished, and after several cycles at the great banquet table, they soon realized that they were all alone in the castle. Still not knowing where the vampire rested, Keeth used his magic in order to find a focal point in Mull Garden that was somewhat safe.

"Oh, Jatel, I do love you so." Ka-Ron whispered, falling asleep.

Again, the room was aware.

If Ka-Ron had been awake, she would have seen a rather odd wisp of air entering her room, via the only widow. The fog-like substance seemed to have a will of its own. Traveling the course of the floor like a snake, it floated up to the bed. Climbing the bed, it got under the covers.

The fog stopped and hovered above Ka-Ron.

Ka-Ron, feeling a weight upon her body, meekly smiled, for she was starting to feel the strong hands of a man.

Jatel must have changed his mind.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron whispered.

"I think not, madam."

Ka-Ron's eyes blinked to life.

Her body turned tense.

The knight, seeing Count Voslow upon her naked body, fondling her and kissing the sides of her neck, started to scream.

Voslow took it all in stride.

"I love a woman with spirit," the vampire said, laughing.

Voslow placed his knees between Ka-Ron's legs, spreading hers apart.

Ka-Ron, overcome, fainted.

***

Dorian rubbed his troubled stomach while his two companions silently laughed at him. Walking back and forth in front of Ka-Ron and Jatel's door had taken its toll upon the little dwarf.

"I did not eat too much!" Dorian insisted, challenging the laughter.

Rohan, not wishing to spend all night fighting, raised his hands in surrender.

"The lamb was quite good," the wizard admitted, chuckling.

"Oh, shut up!" the dwarf belched.

Rohan made a face. "Yes, wizard. Quite good."

"Shut up, will you!"

Keeth and Rohan exploded into laughter.

They could not guess it, but, under his own grumbling, yelling, and apparent discomfort, Dorian was laughing - as much as a dwarf's own honor would allow one to laugh, that is.

The castle began to creak and moan, allowing the shadow of seriousness to replace the sounds of mirth. The three companions sobered up returning in course to their duties.

"Keeth, may I ask&"

Before the elf could finish his question, all three were stopped by a woman's scream.

"That was Ka-Ron!" Dorian shouted.

The wizard turned to the door and reached for the knob.

Upon rushing in all three saw a terrible sight.

"Upon my nose," Dorian prayed, his voice shaky and that of a whisper, "what is going on here?"

"I&I&" was all Keeth could bring himself to stutter.

Rohan reached for his bow, pulled, and aimed. The elf closed one eye for targeting.

Upon Ka-Ron's bed, the knight had her legs open, with toes pointing toward the cobweb-infested air. She was moaning, but not with delight. Her hands buried themselves into the moldy sheets of her mattress, hoping above hope to find a weapon of some kind.

"Help me!" she screamed. "To the Gods! Do something, please!"

On top of Ka-Ron, as naked as she appeared to be, was Count Voslow. It was clear to all that the vampire was having his way with the knight.

Jatel, next to the both of them, appeared to be asleep.

"He could not be sleeping through all of this!" Dorian insisted, turning to the wizard for some answers.

"He must be under a spell," Keeth surmised. The wizard rubbed his chin, trying to think of a solution. "I know of a spell used by counseling wizards in Amadodd."

"Then use it!" Rohan and Dorian shouted in unison.

The vampire began to moan in enjoyment, continuing his attack upon the knight. Ka-Ron tried her best to break free, but found that the more she glared into the vampire's eyes, the more futile and weak she became. With a blink of his eye, Voslow made her desire him. Try as she might, her loins would not stop their functions. Try as she might, her body was no longer under her control.

Ka-Ron closed her eyes in shame as she felt another delightful explosion of her sex envelop her body. She quivered uncontrollably.

Keeth had managed to come up with a solution.

He cast his spell.

Nothing happened to Ka-Ron.

The violation continued.

"Ah, stupid wizard!" Dorian huffed, "He's still raping her. Your spell did nothing!"

"Nothing, you say." Keeth smiled, directing all their attentions back toward the bed. "Observe."

Jatel started to stir.

His eyes opened.

The squire was now aware.

"Young woman, you are good for me." Voslow laughed, moving faster upon the knight. If a vampire could moan and enjoy the warm feeling of a woman, the Count was soon getting the most of his measure.

Rohan saw Jatel stirring.

"Jatel!" the elf yelled, aiming his bow at the squire. "Catch!"

With a flick of his wrist, Rohan let loose his bow.

The arrow, picked personally by the elf, was a sleek silver piece of artwork created by his people and village. It had always served him true. It had never missed its mark.

Jatel heard Rohan's words and remembered his training.

The squire sprang up so fast, without any warning, that even Voslow's actions were slowed by Jatel's speed.

As the arrow flew through the air, it approached Jatel at a blinding flight. Jatel soon flung his hands outward, stopping the silver blur that was the arrow in mid-air. The squire winced in pain. He stopped the arrow, without the luxury of gloves, causing some of the skin upon his hands to burn. Shrugging the pain aside, Jatel recoiled from the force of the arrow's flight, taking upon him full control. As fast as he recovered, he turned, plunging the highly polished tip of the weapon deep into Voslow's back.

The vampire screamed in agony.

"A fair and good hit, my boy," Keeth proclaimed.

"Get&off&my&woman!" Jatel screamed. Pulling the arrow out, the squire stabbed the vampire several more times. With each squirm and scream, he found the strength to continue.

Ka-Ron, upon hearing the words shouted by her man, beamed. Although Voslow continued on with his violations, not missing a stroke, the knight's eyes stayed focused on Jatel.

"She is mine," Voslow insisted. The vampire let out a contemptible giggle, responding towards Jatel's several stabs into his back. "And, you, sir, are missing your mark."

Before Jatel could respond, Voslow reached up with his right hand and slapped the squire off the bed, across the room, and forcing him to bounce off the opposite wall.

"Oh, he'll feel that one when he wakes, I wager," Dorian said, rubbing his beard with frustration.

Both Rohan and Keeth gave the dwarf a hard glance.

"What?" Dorian replied his hands up in honest argument.

Ka-Ron let out another plea for help, as the vampire took hold of one of her breasts and sucked on it with an unlimited amount of desire. Voslow laughed. He was enjoying his conquest.

"Wizard," Rohan yelled, his frustration clear. "Do something!"

Keeth added up what he was seeing. Jatel was only now starting to rise from his wounds. He and his friends were too far away. Voslow continued to violate Ka-Ron upon the ancient bed.

His options were few.

Then, the wizard saw the answer!

"Something is about to happen, my friends." Keeth suggested, weaving his hands together in magical combat. "Be assured, our dear knight will be saved."

"About time!" Dorian huffed.

"Oh, shut up!"

Voslow let go of Ka-Ron's breast, feeling the electricity forming in the air. Looking over his shoulder, he noticed that the wizard was working up a spell. Ka-Ron let out another moan as she released passionate energy, making the moment that more enjoyable to Voslow.

"Work on this, wizard," the vampire said.

With a flick of his wrist, and little more from his will, the vampire conjured up a swarm of insects. Their aim, to buzz around the wizard, elf, and dwarf, making their life more complicated.

All three covered their faces. The insects attacked with a great fury. Dorian, at one point, almost passed out. The bugs had gathered so thickly upon his face that the little dwarf found it almost impossible to breathe.

"Is this all a part of your plan, wizard?" Rohan asked, pulling several slimy bugs from entering his ears.

"As a matter of fact, yes! Yes, it is, my dear elfin friend."

"Ahhhhh!" was all Dorian could bring himself to say, spitting a bug out of his mouth.

It had been a great many seasons since Count Voslow had felt so alive. Quite enjoying himself, the vampire buried his concentration into the soft and moist universe of his current prey. Ka-Ron's wonderful body was a source of great delight. Such wonders had become quite alien to the vampire&so lost in the back of his mind that he almost found the lovely feelings of enjoyment and intimacy to be quite painful. Voslow was surprised to find himself crying, remembering, if only for one solid instant, what it had been like to be a man.

A wave of crippling pain flashed through Count Voslow's body. He found himself screaming in agony. In abstract terror, the vampire looked down upon Ka-Ron the knight.

The woman's eyes were both open and focused. In her hands, she was holding onto the silver arrow used by her squire to gain the vampire's attention.

"You&cannot&" Voslow tried to state, his voice barely that of a wisp of bad air.

The vampire could feel the blood leaving his hearts. Voslow noticed that the knight had hit him with a fatal blow. In her hands she held the arrow, but the point rested deep within his ribcage, between the hearts.

"Get off of me," Ka-Ron softly demanded.

Voslow's face contorted in both surprise and agony. He tried to respond, but found he no longer had the power. The Count suddenly remembered an old folk tale, about one seeing his life pass before his eyes at the moment of death. Voslow saw nothing. All that was there was blackness and dust. This, above all else, terrified him.

"No!" Voslow shouted. He started to pull himself away from Ka-Ron.

Naked, violated, and filled with rage, the knight followed her attacker. With each retreat Voslow made, the woman forced the silver arrow deeper and deeper into his body. Ka-Ron's eyes met his, matching revenge with his terror. It was a sick and twisted sort of dance.

"I have lost much in my life," Ka-Ron said, her face now starting to drip with Voslow's blood. "But you, sir, are about to lose everything. I damn you, sir. Damn you to the darkest point of the nether regions!"

Ka-Ron made one last thrust.

The arrow came out the other end. A part of Voslow's spine poked out with it.

The vampire feebly made it to his feet.

"You cannot kill me." Voslow laughed.

The vampire turned his attentions towards Keeth and his friends.

"He still lives!" Dorian said, wielding his ax before him. The dwarf was ready for combat.

"I thought you stated that silver would kill this one?" Rohan reached for another arrow, pulling back on his bow.

"Silver is supposed to kill him," Keeth proclaimed, taken aback. "At least, that is what it had stated in the ancient texts."

"Ancient texts?" Dorian and Rohan shouted.

Voslow pulled out the arrow.

"Well, that's what they said," Keeth defended.

The vampire let out a triumphant scream, baring his fangs at the three. He gave the impression to all that he wished to walk toward the wizard and his comrades, for what they all knew would be uncertain tidings of discomfort. He put a foot forward.

Voslow's advancing foot, before it hit the ground, collapsed in upon itself, turning to dust. The vampire froze.

"There's something you don't see everyday," Dorian giggled.

Voslow fell to the floor. His body lost all substance. He became nothing more than a harmless pile of mildew and dust.

He was, for lack of a better definition, quite dead.

"Did we just win?" Dorian asked in a whisper.

"Don't hex it, dwarf," Rohan said.

As the wind blew what was left of the vampire away, sunlight exploded into the halls, rooms, and dungeons of Mull Garden. The castle seemed to come alive with a vibrant life force. Deep inside the castle walls, bells were heard. The chapel came to life, and birds returned to the surrounding trees.

"What has just happened?" Rohan asked, his hands outstretched, taking in the bright rays of the suns.

"I thought that would be obvious," Keeth proclaimed, quite satisfied with himself. "The castle is celebrating the release of Voslow's soul. Evil as he might have been, he loved this place. And anyplace worth its mortar and brick would not deny happiness and peaceful rest to a loving master."

"Is he at rest?" Dorian asked, somewhat doubtful.

"If he's not, dear dwarf, then I fear for his current condition."

The wind stopped, leaving nothing of the vampire.

Jatel fell to the floor.

"Jatel!" Ka-Ron shouted, only now getting the strength to leave her bed. The knight ran to her squire's aid, silently ordering her team to stay back a respectful distance.

"I feel a fire inside of me, sire."

Ka-Ron turned a worried eye towards the wizard, while at the same time comforting Jatel.

"He is becoming normal once more, child," Keeth explained. "Nothing more."

The squire shook as if suffering from a high fever. Every muscle and fiber of his soul began to rebel against the ways of the normal world. His vampiric nature was slowly dying. His eyes, once bright red with undead blood, turned a cold black, and then slowly faded back to their normal colors. The fangs that were growing in his mouth dulled and retreated back into the confines of his jaw. With sweat dripping from his brow, Jatel looked into the careworn eyes of his master and lover, seeing only love and concern.

Jatel reached up with his hands still shaking and aching from change, and kissed his lover with the passion and longing of a normal man.

"Ah," Dorian huffed, "Don't those two ever stop?"

The danger, as it was, had passed.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

En-Don slowly stepped back as the body of the vampire screamed and raged in a fiery pain, only to land upon the deck of the Argo as a pile of ash and bone. Molly quivered behind the young man as he guarded her from the undead beast's futile attack. In Farrow's last charge, the young warrior had remembered something his father had asked him&something about plunging his mother's sword between his hearts, should the wizard's attempts to save him fail. If such a manner of attack could bring down En-Don's father, would not the same tactic work upon another?

"You have killed him, En-Don," Molly shouted. The woman hugged and kissed the back of En-Don's neck.

"Obviously," En-Don added, not at all understanding the female vampire's emotions.

Molly gently grabbed En-Don by the hands and pulled him towards her sleeping quarters. There was a predatory glance in her eyes that En-Don recognized but could not bring himself to understand.

"Molly, I hear a chapel bell in the distance," En-Don said, pointing off into the horizon. "Perhaps our friends have succeeded."

"Perhaps."

"Molly, where are we going?"

"You shall see, my love." Molly's voice was strangely soft and inviting. "You shall see."

En-Don did not understand.

Having closed her cabin door, Molly gently took off her clothes. En-Don, with eyes wide open, sat upon her bed, watching as each garment hit the deck. His mind was clouded. His eyes did not want to blink. His breath was uncertain and as rapid as a rabbit in flight. When the woman approached him, naked, his defenses failed. He allowed her the first volley of attack. He allowed her to remove his armor. He allowed her his mother's sword.

"Molly," En-Don whispered as he took her by the waist.

"Be calm and take what is offered."

Both kissed and fell to the mattress.

En-Don did not understand what he was doing, but he enjoyed doing it. Naked and quite honest to the world, he allowed Molly the time to play. And he, liking it, had decided to let her do as much as she wanted to. En-Don saw Molly moaning, moving up and down, holding on to him with a passion as alien to him as the act he was currently performing. There was an honesty there beyond age and truth, but as clear as any satisfaction sought in the wisdom of the thing. En-Don's mind could not wrap itself around the event. And for once, he was quite afraid to touch her - in fear of ruining the moment. So, he remained, surrendering to his and her joy, as one.

Then, as sudden as it had started, they stopped.

Molly's face started to flash a small instance of confusion. At first, there was an innocent twitch in her left cheek. Then, she closed her eyes, wincing in an uncomfortable wave of pain, which appeared to come from out of nowhere, and had no intention of stopping.

"Molly?" En-Don asked, grabbing hold of the woman's arms.

"En-Don, something's wrong."

Before the young man could react, the vampire screamed in agony, rolled off of him, and landed on the floor. She continued to scream and ended up quivering in a fetal position. All color left her face. Her eyes turned a foggy black. She looked as weak and feeble as she had when Jatel first encountered her.

"Molly! Molly!" En-Don screamed, tears filling his eyes. He looked around the room, confused, helpless, and feeling quite defenseless.

Molly stopped.

She appeared dead.

"No!" the young man screamed.

En-Don rose and put a shaking hand to his mouth. If his mother and father were there, watching him, they would have associated his reactions to that of a small child, who, upon breaking a priceless relic belonging to his parents, would stand helpless, surrendering to the fates. En-Don had never been so terrified. Had he been the one to snuff out Molly's life force? He was quite aware of his magical birth. Was he a poison to vampires? Did he cause this?

Hell had no darkness worse than what grew in En-Don's heart.

Then, suddenly, Molly took in a long gasp of air.

She was breathing!

"I&am&alive." Molly whispered.

With great joy, the young man grabbed hold of his lover and could not express the relief he was feeling. In his excitement, he almost choked Molly to death. Quite fast, the woman pulled her overjoyed friend from around her neck.

"En-Don," Molly said. "He's gone from me."

"Who?"

"Voslow," Molly exclaimed, laughing. "I'm free! I'm a woman again. The vampire in me is gone. I no longer have the hunger. I'm free!"

En-Don kissed Molly upon the cheek. "I am happy for you."

Molly, feeling the love for En-Don in a more natural way, embraced the naked man, and directed him back to their shared task.

"We were in the middle of something, I think," Molly whispered, kissing En-Don's chest.

"Yes." En-Don confirmed.

Again, the two played.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

"What shall become of us now?" Dorian asked.

After the death of Count Voslow, and Jatel had been judged cured of his curse, the crew of the Argo thought it best to leave Mull Garden to the fate awaiting it. They were all sure that the castle would be taken care of once again, and rightly so, the memory of Count Voslow, the hero and knight, would, in time, be as rewarded.

"Well, since Jatel is cured, and nothing ties us here," Keeth stated, leading the way back to the wet bog in which their ship rested, "I believe we can again venture toward The Fire Mountains, so that Ka-Ron could confront her Wicca Master, changing everything back the way it had been."

"Yes," Ka-Ron agreed.

"Yes." Jatel said sadly. "Just as it all was."

The squire gave his master a long and uneasy side-glance.

Ka-Ron started to fidget.

"Yes," the wizard smiled, rubbing his hands together. "It's all been quite an adventure."

"The best," Ka-Ron whispered, turning her eyes to the ground.

Keeth read much in the unspoken language going on between the knight and her squire, but, to his credit, he allowed the observations to pass. These were uncertain waters for a wizard to swim in; after all, a wizard's life was not a life of passion. His was a need to know&to understand. Love, although a powerful force in the universe was too confusing a matter for him to perceive.

Rohan stopped. His attention was drawn towards the Argo.

"What is it, Rohan?" Jatel asked.

The elf could not bring himself to speak. For, when facing the unknown, an elf was just as flabbergasted as his human counterparts.

"Look!" Dorian pointed at Rohan's bow.

The bow, resting upon the elf's shoulder, started to blaze red.

All turned back, focusing upon the Argo.

The ship looked as they all had left it. There appeared to be nothing out of place. There was a fire burning bright upon the deck, but other than that, all was as it had been.

Still, there was an uncertainty in the air.

"Kai!" Ka-Ron finally said.

Upon the mention of the witch's name, Jatel became quite defensive. He knew that if the woman wanted to reach his master, there was really nothing that he could do to stop her. But, like all men who care, he felt better in the mere performance on an attempt to provide comfort.

This did not pass the attention of the knight.

"Calm yourself, young squire." Ka-Ron stated kindly. The woman held Jatel's hands tightly. "We are not without a plan, dear sir. We have rather worthy friends who have all known the sting of battle."

"Kai has her magic, sire."

"Sadly, Jatel, that is all she has."

Jatel, in an act of solidarity, kissed his master upon her forehead. If nothing else, he wished to offer comfort, in hopes that he himself would become less burdened with his own insecurities.

Above the Argo, there appeared a mystic storm of some kind. There came from the dark growing clouds a thunderous laughter. Upon hearing the voices, everyone in Ka-Ron's party turned his attentions towards Keeth.

Keeth had no idea what was going on.

"Well, wizard?" Dorian asked.

"Well, what?"

The dwarf pointed his ax up toward the growing clouds. "Have you some answers for us?"

"Nope," Keeth shrugged. "Nothings coming to mind."

Both Dorian and Rohan gave the old man a harsh glance.

"Some wizard you are," Rohan huffed. The elf started pulling arrows from his back pouch.

"Just because I'm a wizard, that doesn't mean I have an answer for every talking cloud we run across." Keeth rushed forward and headed towards his ship.

"I think you pissed him off," Jatel said, laughing softly.

"Oh, I'm pretty sure he's pissed," Ka-Ron added.

"So what!" the elf concluded.

The entire team followed Keeth.

The bog's water felt different to everyone in the group, as they had to wade in the giant ancient sailing pool in order to reach the ship. At first, the bitter cold of the water reminded all of their first encounter, but, as their bodies became used to the bog, the difference became apparent.

The water was aware.

As if controlled by an invisible hand, the water started to churn, bubble, solidify, and take on shape.

"Great gods! What is all this?" Dorian shouted, his head just barely above the waves.

"Hold on, my little friend," Rohan added, offering his hand for the dwarf to take.

"Take care of yourself, elf!" Dorian barked. "I'll manage."

"You'll drown."

"Then I won't have to worry anymore!"

Rohan laughed. In his mirth, he patted Dorian's head and played with his hair. In doing so, everyone within the group, in their own little ways, started to realize that Dorian's response was unlike that of any other dwarf's. Dwarfs, by their very nature, do not like to be touched. They are as solitary as monks. If a dwarf ever showed emotions, other than gruffness and spite, it is usually towards a fellow dwarf.

There was more than gruff and spite in Dorian's eyes.

That much was clearly apparent.

"You will do well, dear friend." Rohan laughed. "Come! Let us investigate."

A wall of water rose above the Argo, taking on solidity. By sheer volume, the water made the ship look like a tiny toy left behind by a troubled child who felt himself late for dinner.

"Upon my nose, what is that?" the dwarf asked, hopping up upon a stone to gain a footing. It took all Dorian's attention to help tear his eyes away from those of his elfin friend.

In the form of water, fish, seaweed, and sand Kai stepped from the wall of water. Her projection glared down upon those who stood before her.

"Total elemental projection of one's astral being!" Keeth surmised. "A cheap trick if ever I've seen one."

"Huh?" was all Ka-Ron could state, looking up at Kai's giant facsimile with both trepidation and a sad sense of inadequacy.

"So," Kai's voice thundered. Her mouth appeared to be made out of several loose tree limbs and coral shells. Upon looking closer, the crew of the Argo could see a school of fish swimming within the confines of her chest.

"Before words are cast," Keeth interrupted, holding up a warning hand. "I wish to know your intentions."

"Intentions, wizard," Kai said. She cocked her watery head to one side. "Why, I intend to make our brave knight suffer as much as any mortal can, and if I have to kill you along the way, well, I'll consider that a bonus."

"Looks like we're in trouble," Dorian grumbled, taking root upon his rock.

Silent eyes told the dwarf to keep his thoughts to himself.

Reluctantly, Dorian took the advice.

"This woman is under my supreme protection," Keeth warned.

"Then, wizard, start protecting!"

With a wave of her hands, Kai caused the bog to boil up in response to her orders. Huge hands came from either side of the pool. Their aim was to smash the small party where they stood.

Keeth clapped his hands together.

"I call upon the universe to listen to my pleas," Keeth prayed.

"Oh, please! Give me a break." Kai laughed. "Where did you learn your skills? A carnival?"

"I call on the power of energy; folded by the speed of light, and compounded by the natural laws of forces in motion. Hear me!" Keeth's face became as pale as a dead man's. Whatever he was planning was taking quite a lot out of him. "Bring forth my wrath and focus it upon the elemental force before me. In the name of my masters, my teachers, and my own inner god, I command thee! Attack!"

From Keeth's hands, there came forth a bright ray of energy. It radiated outward into all directions, until its power was focused upon the elemental image of Kai. With all his concentration, the wizard directed his magic towards the heart of the beast.

As the energy ray attacked Kai, the Wicca Master laughed.

"Great Wizard!" Kai mocked, "Is this the best you can do?"

"Not by much, madam." Keeth turned his attention to Rohan. "Would you be so kind as to shoot a silver arrow into that, Rohan?"

The elf needed no other coaching.

In a flash, he reached, pulled, and aimed an arrow at Kai's image.

"You will not!" Kai insisted.

Upon hearing the threat, the elf smiled.

"Witch, you do not rule me," Rohan stated, letting the arrow go.

The silver arrow launched, and its flight made its mark within the center of Kai's watery chest. In doing so, Rohan was quite amused at the fact that he had managed to stake two swimming fish within the school spotted earlier. The arrow stayed its course, floating in the icy water.

"Back to you, wizard, the elf said, putting his bow away.

Keeth called up more energy, focusing his attention now on the storm cloud Kai had used to announce her arrival. He remembered simple teachings of his earlier years. He remembered the facts about water.

"Wizard," Kai laughed, only mildly reacting towards the invasion of the arrow. "Your powers are nothing compared to mine."

Keeth would not listen. Instead, he concentrated all of his attention upon the cloud which continued to hover above Kai's elemental image. After a while, a spark came from the cloud. The spark continued to grow in both size and power. The wizard started to move his hands and fingers with a purpose. The words coming from his mouth were so low, that those around him thought he was just muttering to himself.

All was going according to his plan.

"And what is this?" Kai asked, amused. "Fireworks?"

"After a fashion, madam." Keeth giggled.

As fast as his laughter had arisen, Keeth's face turned stern. He thrust his hands outward, as if to command some unseen force just recently obtained. Again, a bolt of energy responded to his chantings.

From the cloud, bolts of lightening began to strike at the heart of the Wicca Master.

Kai reacted violently. Screaming and being pushed aback, the woman almost landed on the Argo.

"What have you done?" Kai asked.

"Never mess with a wizard who knows his way around electricity, madam."

Kai was hit again with another bolt of energy. This time, everyone with the wizard could see where the lightening struck. It was hitting the silver arrow, shot into her by Rohan.

Kai started to lose her shape.

Drop by little drop, the Wicca Master began to disappear.

"And don't come back!" the wizard warned.

Kai collapsed upon herself, letting out a scream of helplessness and outrage. Showering the Argo and her crew with an innocent rain, the clouds above the ship dispersed, and Kai was gone.

"Well," Keeth huffed with satisfaction. "That was interesting."

As the wizard trotted ahead, alone, Ka-Ron and Jatel stared long and hard into the questioning eyes of their elf and dwarfish friends. They mildly mocked the wizard, who appeared to be many years younger in spirit, having successfully prevented Kai from achieving her evil intentions.

"I think he rather enjoyed that," Rohan stated, securing his gear.

"I think he's mad," Dorian offered.

"Which is why we need him," Ka-Ron concluded.

All followed the wizard, having a greater confidence in his protection.

***

Upon boarding the Argo, everyone heard the curious sounds. They took on the suggestions of someone crying out for help. Then, as time passed, they sounded like a sort of shouting. Whatever their intentions, they were clearly heard by all.

"Molly!" Jatel said, running toward the cabin doors. "She could have been affected by the death of Voslow."

Ka-Ron joined her squire.

Upon opening their cabin door, Jatel and Ka-Ron found that their world just became a little more complicated.

***

The cabin door opened.

Both Molly and En-Don stopped.

Jatel and Ka-Ron stood still, looking stupefied.

In the shock of being caught in a rather intimate position, Molly let out a soft scream. As any decent woman would, she reached for a blanket and covered herself.

En-Don looked on, guilt clearly evident upon his face.

"Ah, sorry," Jatel stated as he quickly closed the door.

It took several beats before either Molly or En-Don reacted.

Both burst out in laughter.

"I think your mother hates me even more, now."

"Really?" En-Don's face mocked sincerity. "How could you tell?"

It had been some time since Molly had the feelings of a mortal woman. And, sitting atop such a handsome young man, with him deeply inside of her, she was in her own personal heaven. There was nothing better than this moment.

"Your mother's going to kill me."

"She cannot," En-Don insisted.

"En-Don," Molly said, beaming. "You'd come to my rescue?"

"Of course," the young man confirmed, grabbing her by the waist. "But that is not what I meant. I meant to state that it would be impossible for my mother to kill you, now."

"Why?"

En-Don grinned, kissing Molly upon her hanging breasts. "Because, my dear lady, I have her sword."

"My hero," Molly purred, enjoying.

Both continued with their lovemaking, knowing full and well that drama and persecution awaited for the both of them on the other side of the cabin door.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Jatel let go of the door knob as if it were on fire. He couldn't seem to shake the mental picture in his mind. His son, less than a phase old, was in bed, making love to a full-grown adult woman. And a woman who was a vampire, no less. As odd occurrences, this one took the cake!

Ka-Ron mumbled to herself.

"But&but&but&" the knight kept saying. A battle of wills, rules, and common sense were raging in Ka-Ron's skull, and no one had the courage to bring a halt to it.

"Sire," Jatel said, trying his best to calm Ka-Ron down.

Ka-Ron bolted. Backing away from everyone, she switched her attention constantly from her friends to the closed door of her cabin.

"He's still a babe," Ka-Ron cried. The tears coming down her cheeks spoke volumes. The pain was quite profound. "He is not ready for this! He barely knows his alphabet!"

"He seemed to know what he was doing," Dorian said.

Both Keeth and Rohan hit the dwarf with a tactful hand.

"What did I say?" the dwarf rebutted.

Jatel approached Ka-Ron, who, in response to his closeness, softly surrendered. She wrapped her arms around her love and wept. Glancing off towards his friends, Jatel calmly took hold of his master. He raised his eyes to the heavens, silently thanking them for his master's acceptance.

"I've lost my son even before I had a chance to know him," Ka-Ron cried.

"Nonsense," Jatel whispered, kissing his master upon her forehead. "In the long term, Ka-Ron, we will get to know him better."

"How?"

"What better way to know someone, than to see how they in turn love another?"

Ka-Ron gave in to the inevitable.

***

"Prepare to get underway!" Keeth shouted, stationing himself between the ship's wheel and his row of control levers.

Both Rohan and Dorian responded.

With ease, the dwarf pulled up the Argo's bow anchors. Rohan put the gangplank in place, and secured all the ship's lines. Each did his part to help the vessel get underway. All stood at a respectful distance away from both Ka-Ron and Jatel, who were still recovering from their parental shock.

Keeth pulled down on two levers and pulled back up on one.

Again the Argo clicked, vibrated, and rolled to life.

The ship became airborne.

"To The Fire Mountains!" the wizard shouted, turning the wheel until it could not be turned anymore.

Having cast one last glance towards Mull Garden, Keeth was happy to see a small group of villagers approaching the ancient castle. Once more, after the fear passed, people would live within her walls. Perhaps, just perhaps, her great history would be saved. The wizard went further with his assumptions: History was not through with Mull Garden. Her legacy continued still.

For Keeth, that was a satisfying feeling.

Ka-Ron sat silent upon Jatel's lap, glancing down at her tiny feet. Her shoes were ruined by the muddy waters of the bog, and there appeared to be no replacements. She waited for Kai's spell to take hold.

She was not disappointed.

Slowly, the stains in her shoes siphoned away. The tears and soiled marks faded as if a bad memory. Her shoes returned to their former glory.

For once, the knight did not curse the Wicca Master.

"Shoes are quite expensive in this economy," Ka-Ron mused to herself. "Better that magic replace them."

Her thoughts were interrupted by a kiss from her squire. Ka-Ron closed her eyes and beamed. Her position in Jatel's arms was not unpleasant.

"Better, now?" Jatel asked, nibbling on her ear.

"Somewhat." Ka-Ron turned her head, making Jatel's task easier to accomplish. "I knew this day would come, Jatel. To be honest, however, I imagined it seventeen seasons down the road."

"Hmmm&an interesting road, to say the least."

"An understatement."

The Argo disappeared from the Cibolan skyline, only to become a memory for storytellers, historians, and those seeking to thrill maidens on a foggy night.

***

Molly woke, blinking her eyes.

By all appearances, both she and En-Don had slept through the course of the morning, into the darkness of night. This amused her. After several seasons, being a vampire, she still was a night owl. Her mother was correct: bad habits were indeed hard to break. But, thankfully, that was now all in the past. For the first time, in a long time, Molly was hungry for food. She started to crave a fried piece of fish. She didn't care what kind it was, she only knew that is what she wanted to help start off her sun. Perhaps a warm glass of sheep's milk. Anything but blood.

En-Don snored.

Deep within his corner of the bed, Molly's love battled with the forces of the nocturne, and raised up one hell of a storm. It almost made the scene comical, if it had not been for the sweet fact that his ass poked out from under the sheets. That sight alone made the racket En-Don was causing somewhat bearable.

"Zzzzzzzzzz."

Molly winced at the noise.

"Oh, enough!" she playfully yelled, slapping En-Don upon his butt. "Wake up, my noisy prince."

"What?" En-Don's head popped up, and he searched.

"Time to rise and face the music, dear."

En-Don surrendered to the battle which lay before him. Although he was still new to this world, he was not naive enough to believe that his mother and father would accept his interest in Molly. Not even after her becoming mortal again.

The young man lowered his head and shook it in a troubled manner.

"We'd better," En-Don said, turning to face his love.

En-Don had all intentions of giving Molly a kiss, but, upon facing her, he was taken aback.

"No!" Molly screamed, placing a shaking hand outward, as if to order En-Don to keep his distance.

"Molly, what's wrong?"

The young man got up, strapped on his armor, and tried to approach his love. He could not understand why she kept avoiding him.

"Molly?" En-Don pleaded. "Tell me, what have I done?"

En-Don found his answer as she passed in front of a mirror.

"Dear gods!" the young man stated, placing a trembling hand up to his lips.

En-Don's mind raced as he inspected his reflection.

This was not who he was!

An aged man glared back at him: one well beyond even his parent's seasons. Gray hair sprinkled its way throughout his hair, concentrating the most at his sideburns. Wrinkles sprouted outward from his eyes, giving him an educated but rather dusty aura. He looked a man at least fifty in his seasons.

"I'm&I'm&old." En-Don mumbled.

Molly sat in a corner of the room crying.

It was all the woman could do.

***

"Is he well, wizard?" Jatel asked.

The squire held tightly to his master, who cried in his arms, shaking with both shock and anger. The shock came when she discovered that she was now younger than her own son, and the anger from wanting to behead Molly. Ka-Ron glared hard at the woman, who, like her, was crying for what had become of their young man. Molly had explained that she was no longer under Voslow's spell, and had become mortal again, but under the circumstances, nobody seemed to care.

All eyes were on En-Don.

"And you feel no discomfort or dizziness, young man?" Keeth asked, looking into En-Don's eyes with a candle and looking glass.

"None," the young man stated.

"You appear&healthy."

"Healthy, you say!" Ka-Ron shouted. "Look at him!"

"Woman, I am looking at him," the wizard barked. "Please, control your motherly urges."

"Keeth, what is wrong with me?" En-Don asked. "I am starting to look like you."

"Like me?" the wizard's eyes opened wide.

At En-Don's last remark, Rohan could not help but smile.

"I am looking old."

"With age, young man, comes wisdom," Keeth patted En-Don on the shoulder. "Start using it."

Silently, the wizard called Jatel and Ka-Ron over to one side.

"This is not good, my friends." Keeth's eyes could not look up at Ka-Ron's. "It appears your son is aging faster than anyone can stop him."

"Meaning?" Jatel asked.

"Meaning," Keeth said uneasily, "if he continues down his current path, your son will die of old age before the end of this luna."

Ka-Ron, not wanting to hear any of this, buried her face upon Jatel's chest. The knight openly cried out in pain. So much so, that no one upon deck seemed to know how to react to such a thing.

"Wizard, is there anything you can do to stop it?" Molly asked.

Upon hearing the voice of the woman who had attacked her lover and loved her son, Ka-Ron's eyes darted up at Molly, glaring at her with blazing hatred. Molly backed away, and took a safe position behind Rohan. It was clear to the woman where she stood in the scheme of things.

"To answer your question, young lady," Keeth meekly replied, "no. I know of nothing, but Kai, herself, who can bring a stop to this madness."

Again, Ka-Ron broke out in a painful series of cries.

"Why does this woman haunt me so?" the knight asked, softly beating her fists on Jatel's chest.

Jatel, fighting back his own tears, only gazed upward, praying to whatever god would listen.

Dorian, hearing all, stood upon the bow of the ship fighting an agonizing battle with his own demons. He knew well the spell under which En-Don had been placed. Several dwarfs, insulting wizards and witches through the ages had been placed under similar ones.

He knew of a cure.

He knew of the dangers.

It would be hard. It would be costly.

And, lastly, it could betray an honored and sacred secret.

"I know of a cure, dear friends," Dorian stated, his voice shaky and light.

All eyes turned to the dwarf.

Hope started to beam.

Dorian, however, had never been so terrified in all his life. What he was about to confess was for dwarfs' ears only. There had never been a story, legend, or myth involving anyone other than his own race. But he believed that what he knew could save the lad.

It could also, in the long run, make him a leper amongst his own kind.

It could kill him.

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

"Are you quite serious?" Keeth asked.

"Yes," Dorian confirmed. "I know of a cure."

Both Jatel and Ka-Ron did all within their power not to overwhelm the dwarf with questions. The dwarf knew that they were desperate, but,in his heart, he knew that what he was offering was right.

"Where is this cure?" Rohan's voice dripped with curiosity.

Upon hearing the elf's voice, Dorian stiffened. His gaze matched everyone's on board, but not that of his traveling companion.

This did not go beyond Rohan's notice.

"We call it The Fountain of Cures," Dorian stated, solemn. "In the abandoned mining village of Jah-Bul-On."

There was a momentary pause by all.

"Where?" everyone asked in unison.

Dorian moaned in annoyance.

"Why is it that everyone and all know of each elfin village or town," Dorian argued, "but, when I mention the name of a dwarfish village, that could get me killed or worse, no one cares!"

Silence.

Ka-Ron's eyes pleaded for the dwarf to explain.

"Jah-Bul-Onwas an ancient dwarf city, which sank below the waters before anyone could ever measure time. It was our crowning city. A virtual monument to the dwarfish mind."

"Then why doesn't anyone remember or honor it?" Rohan asked.

Again, Dorian avoided the elf.

"That is for the dwarfs only to know."

Dorian's curt answer caused those concerned to back off a little. In his adventures with the crew of the Argo, the little man had never barked with such anger before. And, as he had stated, this was both a sacred and dangerous bit of information he was offering. So, a little caution was mixed in with the respect.

"It was written that Jah-Bul-On was a treasure trove&a dream to any would-be miner or king. You name the mineral and it was there. We dwarfs were never so proud or rich. Then, after certain events, the city was claimed by the seas."

"Then the entire village is under water?" Molly asked, putting her arms around En-Don's waist.

"Yes," Dorian said. "But there is still a way into her inner chambers. And, it is there where we will find The Fountain of Cures."

"Sounds easy enough." Keeth chuckled.

Dorian shook his head. "No, wizard, it is not."

"How so?" Jatel inquired, rubbing his love's exhausted shoulders.

"The Fountain of Cures is guarded by a very powerful magic."

"What magic?" the wizard asked, annoyed.

Dorian took in a long breath. "Anyone who drinks from The Fountain of Cures will have whatever ails them, cured. However, there is a catch: In order to get to the fountain, you have to get by a demon named Baphomet."

"Baphomet?" Keeth's voice rang with recognition.

"A man-dragon, known for his powers to kill invaders with their own dreams, fears, or desires."

"Well, wizard?" Ka-Ron inquired.

Keeth remained quiet for some time, studying Dorian, and making sure what he was hearing was true. It was.

"I have heard of this demon, and of the fountain you speak, Dorian," Keeth said. He unrolled his robes, allowing his hands to come together in a solemn triangle. "As a matter of fact, I had always considered the stories nothing but childhood fables. That was, until, Dorian provided the name of the fountain's location."

"Then you believe this?" Dorian asked, both startled and somewhat relieved.

"Yes, my special friend, I believe."

Dorian glanced up at Rohan. His eyes blinked several times. When the elf looked down, the dwarf shuffled his feet, looking away as fast as he had advanced.

The incident did not pass without disturbing Rohan.

"Where is this sunken city, Dorian?" Jatel asked.

"Many suns from here, Jatel." Dorian pointed out beyond the ship's guardrails. "We must cross the Greenlands, over the Highaway Mountains, sail the Forgotten Sea, and entering her tidal waters. If the Argo can stand the journey, wizard, I can guide us there." Dorian paused, glancing up at Ka-Ron. "With your permission, madam."

"Why my permission, Dorian?"

"Our journey will take us several phases from your quest. It will be a great inconvenience placed upon you. So, I ask for your blessings."

Ka-Ron beamed. Bending down, she kissed the dwarf upon his head. "Dorian, where my son is concerned, there is no obstacle or burden. We go where you lead us, dear friend."

Ka-Ron turned and looked at her squire. There was a questioning glance in her eyes, as if she wanted to know his thoughts upon the subject. She had been a woman for so long now that it had almost become habit to seek out Jatel, look into his eyes, and ask for guidance. What the knight found when she did look did not disappoint her. Jatel was with her in whatever hope, miracle, or solution she could find.

"Save En-Don first." the squire whispered. "The rest will soon follow."

It was set.

Another adventure awaited the Argo.

"Ka-Ron," the wizard beckoned. "A moment, please."

Ka-Ron and Jatel responded in kind. More and more, they were acting as one. Keeth found their actions both amusing and reassuring.

"Yes, Keeth?"

The old man placed a careworn hand upon the knight's shoulder staring sternly into her eyes. "Ka-Ron, I need to inform you of something."

"Yes?"

"There is a danger here, child." the wizard insisted. "And that danger is to you."

This last caused Jatel to move in with concern.

"What is the danger?" the squire insisted.

"The more you remain a woman, Ka-Ron, the harder it will be to change you back. That is, I'm afraid, the nature of this spell." The wizard paused, projecting a certain helplessness towards his friends. "This trip could take away your chance to reverse Kai's curse upon you."

Ka-Ron's eyes turned troubled. She looked at Jatel and studied his face. The squire's concern was evident, but he hid it well. Calmly, Ka-Ron kissed Jatel on his hands.

"Wizard, we are talking about the welfare of my son," Ka-Ron said, beaming. "Male or female, I will not turn from his aid just to help myself out of a personal problem. We go to his aid, wizard."

Keeth shook his head with reverence. He took both young people in his arms. "It is quite an honor knowing the two of you."

Ka-Ron and Jatel bowed in respect.

"The honor is ours, wizard," Jatel proclaimed, tightening his arms around his lover. Ka-Ron hummed a rather satisfying song as she enjoyed the sudden affection.

"Dorian," Keeth said, turning his attention towards the dwarf. "The ship is yours."

"We will need to stop for supplies, wizard."

"I know a place nearby, along the way."

"Good!" Dorian giggled and rubbed his hands together. The dwarf looked as happy as a child on his birthday. He ran towards the ship's wheel, giving it a sharp turn counter-clockwise. "Let's have an adventure!"

The Argo responded in kind. Slowly turning away from the Seas of Tyme, the airship pointed opposite. Her path was now set towards a different goal.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

The time being late, almost all on board were asleep or getting close to the deed. Rohan, however, needed little of the mortal slumber, and chose these quiet times to study the stars. There was something in the heavens that called out to him. Although elfish, and although he was close to nature, Rohan's heart was in the stars. It was this simple desire which had caused him and his father to become alienated from each other for at least fifty seasons. Rohan loved his father. His only regret in life was that his father could not seem to find the sight of him pleasing.

Families.

"Lovely sort of night, this."

Startled, Rohan turned from the stern. The elf had thought he had been alone, and wondered who could have been clever enough to sneak up on an elf.

"Wizard," Rohan greeted him. Having bowed, he returned his gaze toward the stars.

"They are wonderful things, stars."

"I have loved them since I was a child."

"Indeed?" Keeth's eyes turned curious.

A pain flashed across Rohan's face, causing him to look away from his passions. The elf was troubled.

"A question, wizard."

"Anything."

Rohan started rubbing his hands together. "I have noticed Dorian's stares. From the time we hooked up, about half a season ago, he has been watching me like a hungry viper."

"I have noticed." Keeth ran a finger across the bridge of his nose.

"Then why has he been avoiding me since our return from Mull Garden?"

Keeth seemed to know the answer, but to divulge such a fantastic fact without proof, would make him look quite foolish. Quite foolish indeed.

"Perhaps he is just tired." the wizard suggested. "Remember, he is under great pressure, taking us to forbidden and taboo lands. He could be excommunicated from every respectable dwarf's home. Such a responsibility changes a person."

"Quite." Rohan gave the suggestion some thought.

"We should reach our place of rest by dawn," Keeth said, using his hands to measure out the stars. "I would take that time to have a talk with your friend. His camaraderie will be needed where we are going. An elf and a dwarf as friends is a rare enough thing. Please, Rohan, do not lose it on something as silly as a misunderstanding."

Rohan placed his hands together behind his back, and sank into deep thought. As the wind blew by the both of them, it caused long strands of Rohan's elfish hair to whip past and cover his features. It was hard for Keeth to study what was going through Rohan's mind. Still, the elf accepted what was offered to him with respect and gratitude.

"Your advice is not without merit, wizard."

"Thank you."

"Perhaps we are all just seeing things here." Rohan paused and looked into Keeth's eyes. "Still, I fear, there is something you are not telling me."

"I would if I could, my son."

Rohan mused the comments around in his eyes, slowly nodding his head. It was quite amusing to the wizard that each time the elf tried to look stoic or serious; he had to first fight the elements and the length of his hair.

Yes, Keeth was right about one thing: Rohan was a lucky elf.

Keeth listened to the four engines guiding his ship through the air. He patted the guardrail, as if the Argo were a living pet. He was quite proud of her results. The ship had performed way above his expectations.

"Looks like the time I spent in the sea dragon's belly was well worth it," the wizard said dryly. "I will need much more from you, my lady. Much more."

The wizard, seeing that he was the last one on deck, placed two special lock devices upon the ship's wheel, thereby turning the ship on "automatic navigation."

All slept soundly.

***

Several villagers, terrified beyond rational thought, started grabbing their flintlocks, loading them, and shooting up at the loud wooden beast that slowly approached their trading post. Pitchforks, lanterns, and fire torches competed with the rising suns, creating a rather macabre setting. No one passing by would ever guess that the name of their village was Pleasant Hollow.

Keeth stood at the ship's wheel, trying his best to guide the Argo towards a small clearing just east of the trading post. He was quite sure that the ship was small enough to fit.

Reasonably sure.

"Two more points to port, wizard," En-Don yelled up to Keeth. Both he and Molly were guiding the wizard from the front of the ship, while Dorian and Rohan did so from the back.

Keeth turned his wheel.

Two levers were soon lowered.

The familiar hum and rumble of the Argo's landing pods retracted and locked into place below the ship's hull.

Keeth ducked, feeling a lead bullet whiz by his ear.

"Rohan!" Keeth yelled, checking his ear for blood. "Set out the friendship flag, so that those ignorant ruffians don't shoot us down."

"Well said!" Rohan laughed.

Pointing towards the ship's flag box, Rohan ordered Dorian to pass the friendship flag to him. The flag itself was a simple white sheet with the ancient symbol for peace upon it. Any and all who were civilized knew that when the friendship flag was posted, an advancing ship, army, or knight had honorable intentions.

Too bad the villagers didn't know how to read flag languages.

Again the Argo was hit by a fleet of lead bullets.

"Not working, wizard!" Dorian yelled.

However, upon Keeth's showing the friendship flag, the villagers had a chance to see Rohan. The Elves were greatly respected in Pleasant Hollow. Elves were hunters. Hunters meant furs. And furs meant business.

An air of caution was observed.

The Argo's engines slowly retracted back into the confines of the ship's wooden hull, allowing the inertia of the lighter-than-air balloon to finish off the landing. As they came near to the land, Keeth pulled another lever, allowing the rudder to retract. If this were not done, quite possibly the rudder would get torn off. With the lighter-than-air balloon, the ship had a tendency to bounce several times before coming to a rest. Ruptured wood could be replaced. A copper rudder was costly and demanded respect.

"Here we go!" Keeth stated. The wizard motioned for all his company and crew to retreat towards the center of the ship. "Deactivating flight mode."

The wizard paid heed to the rising land, retracting and pulling his levers.

With a bounce, slide, and a skid, the Argo plowed through the soft earth, creating one hell of a ditch. But, in the course of the thing, it did both stop and land.

All was well.

"Who in the hell is driving this thing?"

That was until the town sheriff showed up.

The sheriff of Pleasant Hollow took great caution approaching the ship. A blind man could see that the law enforcer had never seen a ship like the Argo. Still, it was his job to enforce the law, and the trading post clearly had a "Keep off the Weeds" sign staked where the strange wooden vessel had chosen to land.

"Oh, oh," Keeth hummed, locking up the ship's wheel.

"Oh, oh?" Dorian asked. "You do have a transportation license?"

"I have been living in the stomach of a sea dragon for more seasons than I can count, dwarf. What do you think?"

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel did their best to keep a straight face as they helped the wizard lower a rope ladder for their new guests.

The sheriff, by all accounts was as unusual as the Argo was unique.

"Who's in charge of this&thing?"

All fingers pointed towards Keeth.

"Hello, Sheriff," Keeth bowed. "Sorry for the unsolicited arrival."

The Sheriff was an old man - quite a lot older than Keeth. He wore armor that even Ka-Ron had a problem identifying. His hat was of an unusual lining, folding into a triangle. In the center of the triangle was a hole, which appeared to have been placed there by a wandering bullet. He wore rusty leather and boots which appeared to be too big for his tiny feet. He was certainly odd.

"Why were you shooting at us?" Keeth tried to change the subject.

The Sheriff paused. "We thought you were a dragon."

"Stupid fool!" Keeth barked. "How many dragons do you know made out of wood?"

"Never saw a flying boat before." The Sheriff opened his mouth. A small dab of brown spit hit the deck.

"Charming," Molly whispered.

En-Don silently told Molly to keep her opinions to herself.

"Is this not Pleasant Hollow?" Ka-Ron asked.

"Sure is, miss."

"We came for some supplies."

The Sheriff laughed and slapped the sides of his pants. "Hot dog!"

"Where?" Dorian asked, looking around for an animal of some kind.

"I just meant to say you're the first customers of the season." The old man adjusted his unusual hat. "You going to buy a lot?"

"Perhaps," Keeth said.

"Going on a long journey?"

"Long enough," Ka-Ron added. The knight adjusted her dress top. Bouncing around on the ground had shaken a few things up inside her dress.

The Sheriff, hearing all that he had wanted to, walked over to the ship's guardrail, and waved his hand down to the people.

"Not to worry!" he shouted. "They're customers."

Everyone on board the Argo heard the people below cheer.

"Been a slow season," the Sheriff explained.

Keeth shook his head, trying his best to keep a straight face. It had indeed been several long seasons since the wizard had been in these parts - Things had changed.

***

After being left alone after the curious went about their business, Keeth had thought it best to start repairs. The Argo was an incredible machine which demanded constant attention. Grabbing his tool kit, the wizard ordered both company and crew off his vessel, kindly urging them all to seek enjoyment. Their trip to the sunken dwarf city would be a long and taxing one - better enjoy while the enjoyment was there.

While waiting at the ship's stern, Dorian had noticed a delightful millpond nearby. He so wanted to take a long swim and bath.

So, he waited.

Contrary to popular belief, the dwarf was the cleanest animal on the planet. They had carried the reputation of filth and grime because of their mining heritage. Find anyone deep in a coal mine, working thirty three cycles a sun, and he wouldn't smell like rose melons either.

As much as Dorian wished to do battle with a bar of soap, he waited for the proper time. This was important!

He was about to take off his clothing.

Bashful or not, he did not wish to be seen naked.

With Keeth waving him off, the dwarf was the last to leave the ship. Both Ka-Ron and Jatel had decided that it would be best to spend the day at the neighboring inn. It was a proper thing for the two of them to do. Even Dorian could see that. What better way for two who were so in love to spend a day away from their troubles, than to escape within a fine meal and company? What they were doing was a good thing.

En-Don, so concerned with his aging appearance, thought it best that he and Molly retreat to the countryside. They wanted some time alone to explore life's possibilities. This last made Dorian grin and giggle while traveling down the mud road towards the millpond. He wished that he was once more young and in love.

Dorian took a long and saddening breath.

Then there was&Rohan.

At the mere thought of the elf, Dorian started to sweat. He shook his head, realizing that it was not within his power to have the impossible. He didn't even know if he had the instincts to allow it!

The elf had approached him with a troubled face before he had known of the millpond. When asked what ailed him, Rohan had brought up the fact that Dorian had been avoiding him since their encounter with Voslow. Dorian shook his head guiltily, stating that the elf was not in error. Bending down, Rohan placed his hands upon Dorian's shoulders. His elfin eyes never left those of his comrade's.

"I am your friend, true," Rohan had told him. "Please, inform me of the wrong I have subjected you to, and I shall endeavor to rectify it."

Dorian had nothing to say.

"Please, dear friend," Rohan insisted. "Speak."

"I was ashamed of my performance at our last battle," Dorian stated.

"How so?"

"I just was."

Rohan laughed. It was indeed a sweet, magical, sound.

"Dorian, should anyone question your honor at Mull Garden, they will have to face my wrath. And that, my friend, will be their sorriest day. Of this, I resolutely swear."

Dorian accepted Rohan's pledge, and the wound was healed.

At least, that is what Rohan believed.

Dorian, for the first time in his life, had lied.

The wound was still there, and the pain of it was slowly killing him.

A cool wind whisked passed the dwarf's nose as he reached the millpond.

"So!" Dorian huffed. He found himself rubbing his hands together in excitement. "Here you are."

The pond was beautiful. Long abandoned, a factory of some kind lay to its west side. He had been told by a local that the factory had been closed when a husband had been suspected of killing his wife. The children of the village feared the old ruin, thinking the place haunted. Haunted buildings did not bother dwarfs, for they were all kin to ghostly spirits. As long as they allowed the dwarfs to do what they wanted, and posed no harm, the ghosts could haunt in peace.

Several black ducks, with their ivory beaks clamping shut, made disturbing noises as Dorian slowly took off his robes and clothing.

"Ahh! Too many straps!" the dwarf griped.

Keenly, his eyes moved, and he scanned everywhere. He did not want or need an audience.

Knowing that he was completely alone, Dorian walked out upon a wooden dock and jumped into the pond.

He was in heaven.

***

Rohan stood amongst the trees, listening to their stories. Few creatures in the world could understand the language of the trees like the elfin folk. He was amazed at the rich and full sagas to which the trees made him privy. One would think that the people of Pleasant Hollow had no lives, nor had they ever lived. People from huge cities and literal cultures often judge small town souls as "wanting" or "ignorant." To a certain amount of shame, Rohan had assumed as much after their encounter with the Sheriff. But, according to the trees, the law provider of this land was indeed an accomplished man. The Sheriff would, from time to time, walk out into the deep woods and sing. The trees shared a few of the songs with the elf, and indeed, they were noble and beautiful pieces, to be sure.

It was good to take time again to hear the sounds of nature. To be one with the world again. Reluctantly, on his travels, Rohan had forgotten to pay homage to his origins. This had been a mistake.

She waits for you!

Rohan opened his eyes.

"What?"

The trees turned soft. There was nothing in the wind, but the wind.

The elf turned his eyes up to the trees surrounding him.

"Why would you say such a&"

Before Rohan could finish the sentence, he heard a howl fill the air. Someone was having wonderful fun, and the volume of that person's joy caught the elf's full attention.

"This I must see."

So involved was Rohan that he could not bring himself to listen back at the trees. They, in their flocks, were rejoicing!

Rohan had ventured down a mud road, towards a millpond. At the millpond's center was Dorian, naked, swimming like a duck. The dwarf was in delight, spitting streams of water from his mouth, tickling his toes as he floated on his back, and picking dirt out of his ears with great delight. Never had the elf seen Dorian so happy or content.

"There's something you do not see every day," Rohan stated, his face beaming with surprise. In his whole life, he had never seen a dwarf near water, let alone submerged in it.

Dorian's world had been reduced to the hollow hum of the millpond's cold waters floating in his ears. It was a delight for him to finally be clean&to float, feeling lighter than air, and play as if he were young once more.

Little did the dwarf realize that he had an audience.

After a few quacks of a nearby black duck, Dorian squirmed, splashing in the water frantically.

Dorian realized that he was no longer alone.

"Who's there?"

Having cleared his throat, Rohan walked into the moonlight. Night was upon them all, and it was becoming more and more difficult to see. Only the light reflecting from the pond seemed to aid them.

"Dorian, it is I, Rohan."

The dwarf sank below the water, only showing himself from the nose and above.

"Do not bother me, elf," Dorian barked. "This is a private moment."

"It looks like a swim to me, dear friend."

Rohan took off a shoe and dipped a toe into the water. He shook his head as the millpond met with his own approval.

"A swim," the elf mused. "It has been a long time."

"What are you doing, now?"

Rohan gave his dwarfish friend a concerned look. Dorian was practically screaming. A hairy hand splashed out of the water silently begging the elf to stay where he was.

"Dear friend, what panics thee?" Rohan couldn't help but react comically to the total fear Dorian was projecting. He had known bashful people in his time, but the dwarf took the prize.

Dorian's eyes became white specks magnified by an unknown terror.

Rohan was taking off his clothes.

"Stay where you are, elf. I warn thee!"

Dorian started to splash violently in the water, doing his best to appear both dangerous and meaningful in his anger. Rohan could only laugh. The dwarf only managed to look like a wet fur ball.

"I am going to swim with you on this night, my friend," Rohan stated, folding up his clothes. "Get used to it."

"But&but&but&" Dorian stammered, almost to the point of tears, "you'll be naked."

"The same as you, my friend." Rohan said, "Nothing to be ashamed of."

"Ashamed?" Dorian's voice started to tremble.

Rohan jumped into the water and dove under its dark secrets.

At first, the elf indulged in the calm, cold, and wet universe the millpond had to offer. He swam around in circles, paying little attention to the violent splashes coming from Dorian's side of the pond.

Opening his eyes, Rohan tried to spot his friend, but the water was both too dark and dirty to see more than a few sticks in front of him. Several fishes swam up, popped their mouths open, and flipped notice towards the elf, reminding him that he was just a visitor to this world.

In the distance, however, a form took hold of his attention.

Dorian!

The elf had a playful thought. He would sneak up on his dwarfish friend, pinch him on the bum, and help him overcome his bashful fear of sharing millponds with friends.

This will teach him&

Rohan almost lost his breath from laughing at the thought of Dorian's wrath, once he ended up pinching him. Still, it was all in good honest fun. Rohan was doubly sure that after his anger subsided, Dorian would see the comedy in such a thing.

Something appeared odd.

And what is this?

Dorian seemed to sense Rohan's approach. The tiny dwarf seemed to have added energy, because he was splashing and kicking with great agitation. The dwarf was sincerely serious in guarding his privacy, of that Rohan was certain.

As the elf drew closer he gasped in horrific surprise.

In front of him, floating in the water, were two breasts&

And, when he looked lower, there was a&

Like an arrow from a bow, Rohan shot out of the water. He choked on the water he breathed into his lungs, and caused such a ruckus that all the black ducks squawked and flew away in fear. Fighting the pain in his chest, the elf turned slowly to face his friend.

Dorian floated in the water, remarkably still. His face showed shame, and his eyes were lowered.

Her secret was out.

"Dorian," Rohan said, his voice that of a whisper, "you're a&"

"Woman!" Dorian shouted. "And the next time a dwarf orders you not to jump in a lake with them, damn it, listen!"

In the entire Nown world, it was widely accepted that Dwarfs were born from the earth, which they mined, after sprouting forth as free spirits of rock and nature. Never had it been said the dwarf race had any women in it. But Rohan knew what he had seen, and through Dorian's roughness, long beard, and voice, he was plainly a SHE.

The elf continued to stare at his friend with terrified wonder.

"You are a woman," Rohan whispered to the dwarf.

Dorian sat in the mud, mortified. Tears streamed down her face and glistened in the top layers of her beard. This was such a disastrous thing. What was she to do? How could she face her peers, knowing that such a sacred thing had been broken?

"Rohan," Dorian cried. "What have you done?"

Things started to add up and make sense to the elf.

The exaggerated ways in which Dorian had felt protective, the comical sarcasm, and of course, the constant staring. Rohan had felt a peculiar "something" in the air for lunas now. That unspoken electricity one could never put a finger on, which hinted sometimes towards friendship. A strong pulling of wills, which, until Dorian's secret came into focus, had to be sidestepped - feelings that could not be labeled. Now, things were as crystal clear as the dawn.

Dorian was "interested" in him.

"A dwarf in love with an elf." Rohan mildly chucked at the sheer rarity of the situation. "Who would have believed?"

Rohan, slowly, started swimming towards his friend.

At first, Dorian became quite uneasy, realizing that Rohan was swimming towards her. She started looking around the millpond, as if she wanted to rush out and bolt away in shame. How could she face such a wonderful friend, with him now knowing that he had been so deceived? The dwarf was beside herself with incredible grief.

Still, there was a wonder in Rohan's eyes which seemed, above all else, to cement her to her muddy resting spot.

"So&" Dorian accepted. She closed her eyes.

She was about to go against all her instincts. If she could, that is.

It has, indeed, been a hell of a long time since I have done this!

In the dim moonlight, as if by magic, the dwarf started to change in both form and volume. Gone was her long beard and her harshness. She even appeared taller.

Dorian, now fully female, smiled. "This is my true form."

Rohan stopped his advance.

He gawked at the lovely vision before him, not even realizing that he had stubbed his right big toe. His blue elfin blood floated to the top of the water, not even fazing his sensitivities. Rohan was absolutely taken by Dorian's beauty.

Having cleared her throat, Dorian lowered its tone and pitch to that of her true condition. Her voice was as soft and gentle as her frame was vulpine and angelic.

"There are many questions." Rohan stated.

"And I will answer each and every one of them."

Both embraced.

A passionate kiss was exchanged.

The world changed&forever.

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Dorian was a strikingly beautiful woman. Not as voluptuous as Ka-Ron, by any means, but what she did have pleased the elf as he gazed upon it. In her true form she was almost as tall as he was - only off by half a stick in length. It must have taken an enormous amount of concentration to enable the dwarf to perceive herself as so short and stocky.

The dwarf's face was as soft as her voice was musical. Dorian had long, light green hair that fell to the arch of her back. Her emerald green eyes, big and bright, dominated her entire face. Her nose was so small that it was almost ignored, and her lips were as full and as inviting as a juicy turkey would have been to a starving man.

"You are staring at me again," Dorian softly stated, her head bowing a little in controlled embarrassment.

"I am?" Rohan said, jerking his head purposely away from the dwarf.

"I kind of like it, Rohan," Dorian said a soft hand landing into the elf's. "Please, continue."

Rohan looked down, realizing that they were indeed holding hands.

Who would have believed such a thing?

The energy between the two of them was quite powerful. Rohan could not seem to stop staring into his friend's fantastic eyes. Dorian's dwarfish powers seemed to pull at the elf like nothing else he had experienced in nature. Arching an eyebrow was all it took by Dorian, to once again enjoy the wet softness of her embracing kiss.

Certain deep emotions caused the elf to stir.

Dorian, feeling the elf's excitement, moved in closer.

Rohan took hold of one of Dorian's breasts.

The woman let out a seductive moan.

Rohan took hold, closing his eyes.

Reluctantly, both pulled apart.

There was a long, awkward pause.

"Why do dwarfs hide their women?" Rohan finally asked.

Dorian took hold of Rohan's hand once again, and both started walking.

"Before I start, may I ask you a question?"

"By all means." Rohan bowed.

Dorian was amused by the respect and attention the elf was bestowing on her, and giggled. "What have you been told about how Dwarfs are born into this world?"

"Well," Rohan, said, turning thoughtful, "Elves have believed for as long as the memory goes back that dwarfs were elemental creatures. That you were conceived and brought forth from deep within the earth. Dwarfs are carved out of the rocks, in which they love and live, only to take the place of another, carrying on the grand tradition of cultivating both mineral and mine."

Dorian gazed into the elf's eyes, living on each word he spoke. After Rohan paused, the dwarf broke her stare, giving him an understandable nod of her head. A brief wind blew by, causing her gossamer hair to float up and around her face. Dorian's well-manicured hand gently brushed her hair away as she continued with her walk.

Rohan meekly followed.

"It is a well-established lie, as you can see."

"But," Rohan said, stopping Dorian in his frustration, "why do you go to such elaborate schemes to hide your women? I do not understand. You are quite lovely. To hide you would be a crime against nature."

Dorian let out an amused laugh.

"Why?" Rohan insisted, desperate for an answer.

Dorian stepped up to the elf.

Again, they kissed.

"I still seek an answer, woman." Rohan stated sternly.

"And I seek another kiss as my price."

"Done, woman." Rohan's face melted into mirth. "Done."

Dorian's tongue was well-educated. Her kisses held both a tenderness and a hunger which pulled at the elf's hearts. Her hands slowly found their way down towards his bottom, and playfully squeezed. Although female, and still quite small, her hands held within them great strength and purpose.

Rohan could barely contain himself.

Both lost track of the time.

When they parted, dawn was not too far behind them.

"And now?" Rohan asked.

Wiping her lips clean, Dorian settled down.

Storytelling time.

"Your people and those of both Ka-Ron and Jatel's call the time period The Coughing. Am I correct in this?"

"Yes," the elf confirmed. "It was the great plague that almost extinguished all life. The Nowns, whom this world is still named after, were completely destroyed."

"Well, we dwarfs have always referred to it as The Great Sickness."

Rohan shook his head, accepting the simple but ancient logic of the thing.

"Many uncounted seasons ago, during the time of The Great Sickness, dwarfs were as normal folk, openly displaying male and female sexes. But, as the deaths added up, we soon discovered that our females were immune. We worked peacefully with our neighbors doing what we could to ease the sufferings."

"I see where this is going." Rohan awkwardly said.

"Yes. As the people tried to survive, they soon realized that their female populations were dangerously low. Without women to bring forth children, there would be no future." Dorian paused, picking up a long stick, playing with it, nervously. "Our men were not warriors at that time. They knew only the mines."

"There were&invasions?"

"Yes." Dorian started poking a small ant hill with the point of her stick. "The beauty of dwarf women was well known, and sought out - mostly by slavers. It was thought best to retreat deep into the earth for a generation, which we did, and come out with only one sex - male."

"Therefore, there were no more invasions."

"Precisely." Dropping the stick, Dorian once more gazed into the elf's eyes. Unlike most women, she had no need for blinking. She had eyelids, but they were only for protection. This ability gave her the illusion of a mounting an intense stare. "Female dwarfs became first a memory, then a fable, and finally, we were forgotten."

"But you must breed."

Dorian's face started to blush. "Yes. We breed."

"How is that maintained a secret?"

"Do you go around broadcasting what you're doing when you make love?" Dorian asked, projecting a sly smile.

"Well, no."

"Then, elf, take it from me, we govern ourselves under the same decent rule of privacy."

Rohan's brow turned troubled.

"Can dwarfs breed with&elves?"

The woman's stance started to buckle, and she momentarily stumbled, losing her footing. She regained her composure instantly.

"It is said that if an elf were to search his family tree, a dwarf slave-woman is there...somewhere."

"Oh." The elf turned silent.

"Rohan&I&love you."

The dwarf lowered her head and gazed down at her shoes. Rohan noticed that Dorian had closed her eyes, as if waiting for the fatal blow. It was not unlike dwarfs always to expect the worst in life. But in his travels he had learned that those who constantly seek the worst almost always hope for the best.

She would not be disappointed.

"I know," Rohan stated. "What shall we do about all of this?"

Bouncing up, Dorian gazing deeply into Rohan's features. She studied him quite hard and with all her attention.

"You do not protest?"

"How could one protest such beauty?" the elf asked, letting his outstretched arms express the way he felt.

"Upon my nose," Dorian cried, covering her mouth with shaky hands. "I have lived long enough to know a miracle."

"Indeed," Rohan barked, playfully. "What will the neighbors think?"

The woman jumped up and down, advertising to the elf all her "bouncy" parts for later enjoyment. They embraced in a loving hug and laughed for several beats.

Soon, it was time to return to the Argo.

***

"We must stop here, Rohan!" Dorian pleaded.

Both the dwarf and Rohan were within sight of the Argo. They could clearly see that the wizard was pacing the deck, waiting for them to return. Ka-Ron and Jatel were spotted at the foot of the gangplank, dancing. By all appearance, everyone seemed to be having a delightful time.

"It appears that everyone has struck up quite a delightful friendship with the local town folk," Rohan said. His features showed a light smile. He was happy over the fact that he was not the only one who had had such a magical night.

"Rohan," Dorian said, her voice sad.

"Yes?"

"I have to turn back."

Rohan's eyes turned careworn.

"Do you have to continue this lie?" The elf paused, silently directing the dwarf's attention towards their friends. "Even now?"

"One cannot change his life overnight, Rohan," Dorian pointed out. "And to stay this way would go against all that I have been taught, and most of what I have forgotten."

"How will we&love?"

Dorian beamed at the pure sound of frustration in the elf's voice. She understood. Her mother was the same way. Her mother loved being a woman, and hated the gruff image she had been forced to project while she was with her father, when they were out in public. Still, her mother did live for those private moments when the veils could be dropped, hoping above all hope to feel the joys of an honest love.

That was all they had to look forward to.

That was the life of a dwarf.

"We will love as all who have loved, my dear," Dorian promised. "With passion."

Before the elf could ruin the moment with logic, Dorian attacked him. Unaware, Rohan fell backward and landed upon his back. Both exploded into laughter.

Dorian bent down, showering the elf's face with her long green hair. She blinked her eyes a couple of times, using them to help maintain the male's focus. With great skill and passion, the woman kissed Rohan lovingly, passionately, and wholly.

Rohan's hands rubbed softly up and down the dwarf's back as she shifted from side to side, enjoying the firm wet universe that was their kiss. He had never been one to close his eyes while deep in desire, but he soon discovered that his partner was. Her gentle eyelashes became the focus of his attention, while the dwarf's tongue played a wrestling match with his. The elf was amazed that her saliva tasted a lot like honey. She was a treasure he would never let go of.

"We must enjoy what we have, Rohan," Dorian proclaimed.

Rohan started to breathe quite heavily.

The elf soon noticed that Dorian had raised the skirt of her dress.

The elf misunderstood.

"No, my love!" Dorian placed a hand on the elf's. Tactfully, she stopped him from unbuttoning the front of his pants. "Not now. We have friends who need the best of our help."

In frustration, the elf silently pointed at the Argo and then at the two of them hidden in the tall weeds. He scowled, as if to silently state, "But we are nowhere to be seen! Why not? Who knows when I shall see you like this again?"

Dorian understood, for her sex was informing her that she wanted Rohan as much as he wanted her. She would give up all her family gold to embrace him now, but, this was only a cheat. This moment was a proclamation, not a honeymoon.

This was the binge before the famine.

"I see my unborn children in your eyes," Rohan stated.

"Honey, just enjoy the moment," Dorian begged, kissing him. "For now, that is all that we can have. When this quest is through, I will take you to my cave, and there we shall work on having those children."

Rohan gave Dorian a satisfied smile.

"You must prepare yourself," Dorian warned.

A quick kiss was exchanged.

Both returned to their feet.

"I am ready," Rohan said. His face belied his words.

Adjusting her clothing, Dorian hid the fact that her nipples were as hard as diamonds. Rohan did not need to see her true signals - not so soon in the relationship.

Relationship! By my nose, I have a relationship.

The ground around the dwarf started to feel electric. A blue hue surrounded the woman. Slowly, the dwarf closed her eyes.

At first, Rohan saw the woman bloat, as if her flesh were decaying. Then, suddenly, her bones seemed to collapse. She shrank down to normal size. Her soft features turned hard. Her beard grew from her chin, becoming long full and quite dirty. Once more, she was Dorian, the male dwarf.

She was now a he.

"Let's find our adventure!" Dorian huffed, his hard and dry voice sounding as Rohan had first known it.

"Let's," Rohan said, letting his friend take the lead.

As if to destroy her beautiful true image, the dwarf bent down a little and let out a blast of foul gas from his shorts, leaving the elf to savor the sharpness of the air.

"Heh-heh-heh!" Dorian laughed, running towards the Argo. "Onward."

Rohan waved his hand in front of his face, trying his best not to breathe the odor.

"Isn't love grand?" the elf huffed.

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Keeth was doing all that he could to fight the sleep his body demanded. He had been at the ship's wheel now for three suns. There were problems on board the ship. Molly and En-Don had their first fight as a couple. Ka-Ron and Jatel were fighting depression. And for some odd reason, Rohan and Dorian were spending way too much time in the cargo hold.

Life on board a ship.

The suns were only now beginning to set. The mornings were starting to become shorter than the nights, so Keeth could sense that they were getting near their ultimate destination. The sunken dwarf city was in the southern hemisphere, and there, nights were longer.

"Dwarfs don't need the suns," the wizard yawned. "All they care about are their rocks."

A smell hit the wizard.

"We're close," he stated.

Below the Argo, floating half-sunk and dashed upon rocks and sand in various degrees of decay, were what was left of all those who were listed as "lost."

The Forgotten Sea was a graveyard of misery. A desert in the middle of an ocean, it was where all unfortunate vessels ended up, if they were stupid enough, or bold enough, to sail in these waters.

"Poor souls," Keeth said, turning the ship's wheel so that the Argo could fly by them.

These haunted waters had always been this way. It was a popular place for kings, church officials, and governments to send those who had proved to be a political problem. The Forgotten Sea was just that: a place in which to be forgotten.

On a happier note, it was the first landmark which told the wizard that they were close to their goal. For now, that was all the old man could think of.

The wizard knew that deep below him, there were those, with sad, sick, and defeated eyes staring up at the Argo. Eyes seeing the flying wooden ship, watching it pass high above them, seeking prayers for their salvation.

All folly.

The wizard made a silent promise: He would be back one day.

The Argo moved on.

She was two more suns away from her goal.

***

"Wizard?"

Keeth opened his eyes, discovering that he had been asleep at the ship's wheel for at least three cycles. He congratulated himself for anticipating trouble. Before he dropped off, he had placed the ship on automatic navigation.

Ka-Ron placed a caring hand upon the wizard's shoulder.

"Are you all right?"

Keeth smiled and shook his head in a positive response. "Just tired," he said.

"You should go rest."

The man was too old and wise to fight with the truth. He informed the knight of their passing over the unfortunate sea, of the graveyard of ships they had passed, and of his course change before they reached their final landmark. At that time, the wizard advised Ka-Ron to place the Argo in sea-faring mode.

Ka-Ron took it all in.

Keeth had started to walk away, but paused. He noticed something. Ka-Ron was wearing a new dress.

"Ka-Ron," the old man huffed, rubbing his eyes open. "You look marvelous."

"Why, thank you, Keeth." The knight gave her friend a polite curtsy.

"I must say you are appearing more and more to be enjoying your station in life."

"Well," Ka-Ron confessed, making sure that only she and the wizard could hear what was being said, "I must confess that I am not disliking it. I never knew how wonderful the feelings of love were, within the confines of a female body."

"Truly?"

"Yes!" The knight laughed. Ka-Ron placed her hands upon the huge ship's wheel, giving the appearance of a young child being allowed to be in control. "I sometimes think the universe made a mistake in allowing me to be born a man."

Keeth thought hard.

"Hmmm. That is quite possible."

"In what way?"

"Oh," Keeth nervously huffed, waving his hands at the silly notion. "Just an old man thinking out loud."

"Go get your rest, my friend."

"I plan to." Keeth yawned. "Are you and Jatel still fighting the sadness?"

"We are entitled to be sad," Ka-Ron pointed out, taking the straps off the wheel. "Parents should not watch their child grow old before their eyes. I worry about En-Don, my friend. I&" Ka-Ron started to cry, openly.

The wizard placed a strong hand upon the knight's face.

"If it is within my power, my dear, En-Don will live a rich and noble life. I promise this in the name of my order."

Quite touched, Ka-Ron kissed the wizard's hand.

"Go! Sleep!"

Keeth could not argue. His eyes were shut before he reached his cabin door.

***

Keeth had wanted to scream, but he had already hit the opposite side of his cabin wall, and knew that the expelled energy would have been a waste.

Upon entering his cabin, the wizard was wickedly attacked by an unknown but highly powerful force. Bouncing off the cabin wall, upset at the fact that he had broke his only mirror, the wizard could barely make out the smell of sulfur.

Keeth was being attacked by another wizard.

"Get up, you bastard!"

The wizard fought away the pain, and blinked the blood from his eyes. His back was killing him, and his feet hurt, but he wasn't going to give his attacker the satisfaction of seeing his discomfort.

He knew who he was fighting.

"Now, listen here, madam," Keeth stated, struggling to his feet. "It is not playing the field properly to strike a man when he is down."

Kai glared at the old man, laughing. Her projected image was twice her normal size. Her intention was to look both dangerous and intimidating.

Keeth was not amused.

"Wizard, you have stood in the way of my satisfaction long enough."

"There is little you can do, miss." Keeth patted the wrinkles out of his cloak, adjusting his hat. "Ka-Ron and her friends are under my magical protection."

"Protection?" Kai huffed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You and your magic are nothing but a joke."

"You are the joke!" the wizard yelled. He pointed a finger up at the Wicca Master, which caused her image to back off.

"Me?"

"Yes, you!" Keeth paused. His stomach was starting to act up via all the excitement. "How could you do such a thing to this woman?"

"She was responsible for the death of my daughter."

"Your daughter took her own life, madam, which goes to show her own faults in character."

A thunderous roar filled the wizard's room.

"Take caution, sir!"

"Your daughter only cared for her own comforts. Suicide is the ultimate form of selfishness."

Kai's face turned hard. She started to move her hands, wishing to cast a spell.

This fact did not pass Keeth's attention.

"Do not even think it!" the wizard warned.

"Your magic is weak, wizard."

"I am a wizard of a new art. I am a man of science."

"Science, indeed!"

Kai cast an evil-looking stream of orange energy towards Keeth. The wizard, in turn, started thinking up a counter-spell.

Now, Keeth's magic was based on his personal knowledge of scientific fact. As the two waves of energy collided with each other, all the old man could do was panic. He thought of calling his friends to his aid, but what help would that have done? So, he tried the basics.

"You are stalling, wizard." Kai laughed, feeling as if she was winning the fight. "I will reduce you to jelly."

Keeth lost his footing and backed up against the wall he had collided with earlier. He winced, realizing that his left foot had stepped on a jagged edge of his now broken mirror.

"Ah, drat!" Keeth cursed. "All I wanted was a little shut-eye."

"I am increasing my energy, wizard." Kai bragged. "I shall be the victor."

Keeth's eyes suddenly flashed with revelation.

"Energy!" he shouted. "Of course!"

In his first lesson as an apprentice, Keeth was taught that ninety-nine percent of a wizard's casting was nothing but energy. And in biology, there was nothing more energized than protein. And in a living body, protein was pure energy.

"Madam, what do you know about living cells?"

Kai flashed confusion.

"What? Cells, did you say?"

"Yes." The wizard moved forward. His beam overtook Kai's. "Cells are fantastic universes in themselves. In fact, I shall introduce to you the use of what has been labeled the Mitochondria. These fantastic entities help store and use the energy your body helps supply you with. So, in the intent to teach you both a lesson and stop this form of violence, I shall overload your magic with a good dose of adenosine triphosphate!"

Kai had no idea what Keeth was shouting at her, but in time, her magic started to fail her. In turn, the wizard's ray enveloped her image, knocking it down to the ground.

"You have beaten me," Kai whispered, horrified at the prospect.

"Not just yet, madam."

Kai started to feel quite sick. Defensively, she placed a shaky had up to her mouth. The woman fully expected to vomit.

When nothing happened, she looked at Keeth, confused.

"What have you done to me?" she asked.

"Nothing that a little exercise won't take care of."

Before Kai could react to the wizard's remark, she noticed that her clothes were becoming rather tight. And, for a Wicca Master who had been in a bereavement fast to start feeling snug in her clothes, that was quite unusual.

Kai was gaining weight!

"Wizard!" Kai screamed, horrified at her body changes.

Kai's body mass doubled, and then tripled! She was no longer the beauty feared and loved by men. She had become a blob of a woman, barely able even to cover up her breasts. Her stomach had several folds to it, and her chins hung massively down upon her jaw.

"You see, madam," Keeth explained, "I gave your cells so much energy that they could seem to do nothing with it. So, as any student of biology will tell you, if your body has an excess of energy, it stores that energy in the form of fat cells."

"I cannot be this way," Kai cried.

"Then I suggest that you concentrate on running it off," Keeth said, giggling. "Never mess with a man of science, madam. His wit will beat your magic, every time."

With a scream of fury, Kai disappeared.

"Good day, madam." the wizard huffed.

Keeth thought it best not to bother his friends with his confrontation. They all had better things to worry about. So, after cleaning up his cabin, the old man picked a rather ugly piece of mirror out of his foot, changed his robes, and took a nice nap.

He had earned it!

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

"There it is!" Dorian yelled from the crow's nest of the Argo's main mast. "Keep the course, wizard."

Keeth turned the ship's wheel to compensate for Dorian's directions. For almost half a sun, the ship had been plodding along in her water-ferrying mode, and Molly discovered that she had a bad case of seasickness. En-Don had been helping her with her ailments for most of the morn.

It had been a hard journey, but they were now close to their goal.

"So that's High Point Mountain," the wizard said, dumbfounded.

High Point Mountain, sometimes called The Needle of the World, was a lone sliver of rock in the middle of the ocean, not surrounded by civilization, dwellings, or life. It only stood, as a silent testament, for what lay below.

It had once been the peak of an incredibly tall mountain, but was now, for all purpose, a pillar of rock at least two thousand sticks tall, and less than one hundred sticks in width. A giant, with nothing better to do, could have pushed the whole edifice over with one good thrust - it looked that weak. However, it was one of the strongest points of any known upon the planet. Its obsidian black hue sparkled as the suns traveled through the skies. Birds would not land upon her cliffs or shallows in fear of being swallowed whole.

The Argo appeared quite small as it approached her shores.

Even the small shores seemed bleak.

"Look!" Rohan said, pointing towards the beaches.

Upon the banks of High Point Mountain there was a group of skeletons. All looked as if they had been a part of the sandy shores since the beginning of time. They were quite large for humanoids, and had incredible armor. Their grinning skulls mocked the approach of the wizard's ship, as if their graves were nothing more than a bad joke.

"Who?" Ka-Ron asked, placing a hand upon Keeth's shoulder.

"My lady, those were Nowns."

"Nowns!" Jatel and Dorian said in unison.

The skeletons were almost the entire length of the ship's main mast. They towered at least twenty sticks in length, giving the projected appearance of both power and knowledge - they did not disappoint.

"Savor this moment," Keeth advised. "For we are all witness to a rare thing."

"What was their purpose?" Jatel asked, joining his master in her fascination.

"Perhaps they came in response to The Coughing?" Ka-Ron suggested. "Perhaps they had heard of The Fountain of Cures?"

Keeth shook his head in astonishment. "We may never know."

"Sail the course, wizard," Dorian shouted, climbing down a rope ladder. "Until we come to the marker."

"Marker?" Keeth asked, turning the ship's wheel.

"Marker," Dorian confirmed, landing upon the deck. "A huge carving in the rocks. You can't miss it."

Shaking his head, the wizard followed the circular course.

It did not take too long.

The Marker was simply an arrow which seemed to point downward, its tell-tale point signaling to all that deep below the dark waters that there were wonders and ancient secrets worth taking.

The only thing that kept the greedy and the bold from the challenge was Baphomet.

"What do we do now?" Jatel inquired.

"We have to explore the ocean's deep, dear squire," Dorian explained.

There was an awkward pause.

"And how do we do that?" Rohan asked.

Keeth couldn't wait. He rushed over to his row of levers, pulling down four and raising three.

"Wizard?" Ka-Ron asked.

"Dear knight, you did not think that I had no solution to all of this?"

Ka-Ron placed her hands upon her waist and shook her head with admiration.

"I should think not!" the wizard huffed.

The Argo stopped in her waterlogged tracks. The entire ship began to rumble.

"What the devil?" Dorian huffed.

The commotion even brought En-Don and Molly out onto the deck.

"Mother? What is all of this?" En-Don asked.

Ka-Ron tried not to stare. At morning light, En-Don had aged even more. He was fast taking on the appearance of a man in his sixtieth season. He looked so old next to Molly, that if a stranger were to observe the couple, Molly clearly would have been confused for En-Don's grand-daughter.

"Keeth has another surprise for us, dear."

The masts of the ship folded, clanked, and dove under the wooden deck. Huge trap doors opened and closed, giving the Argo means to hide her sails. The engines used to enable her to be airborne popped out the sides of the hull and lowered themselves into the dark waters.

Keeth clapped his hands with a child's excitement.

"Damn! I know my stuff," he was heard whispering.

Huge clamshells rose from the stern of the ship, unfolding over and closing at the bow. As they expanded, the viewers saw picture-glass windows transverse the entire main deck. The Argo was now encased in a huge glass bubble.

"Wizard, this is fantastic!" Rohan stated. Momentarily forgetting his place, he kissed Dorian's check with great excitement.

The dwarf, flashing a look of terror, slapped at the elf. Rohan, queerly enough, corrected himself and kept his distance.

Keeth merely smiled at the incident.

Huge lanterns filled with a luminous fluid clicked to life, providing the crew with a means of seeing.

"This is wondrous, wizard," Ka-Ron said, feeling the warmth of the strange lanterns.

Both Rohan and Dorian joined their friend in amazement. Keeth, upon strapping down a hatch nearby, noticed something odd about his friend's clothing. Rohan's buttons on the front of his pants were buttoned wrong. Dorian's leather vest was on inside out.

"Curious," the wizard said to himself.

"This is amazing," Rohan stated. "What do you call it?"

Keeth took in some air, satisfied with the reactions he was getting.

"I call it an Underwater Transverse Vehicle."

Keeth tried to ignore all the blank stares he was getting.

"It is a boat that can swim under the water like a fish," the wizard explained. He walked over to his wheel and row of levers. "While underwater, we will all be safe and dry under this observation dome."

"You could almost call this a submarine." Dorian stated, taking his vest off and correcting it.

"Too technical a name," said Keeth as he let two more levers pull downward. "Besides, no one would remember that name. It has no ring to it."

"I liked it." Bending over, Rohan whispered into the dwarf's ear.

"Sounded good to me," Dorian reassured him.

In the lowering of two more levers, everyone observed certain vents opening up at the front and back of the ship. The sound of rushing water dominated the Argo's encased world, and Keeth had to calm both Molly and Jatel - both feared that the ship was in danger of sinking.

The Argo did sink, but her world remained intact.

Disappearing below the ocean's waves, the Argo became as graceful under the surface of the water as it had when it flew over the world. The luminous lanterns made the main deck glow an unearthly green as the dark wetness of the deep engulfed the giant clamshells. Fish of all sorts cleared a path as the tiny engines pushed the wooden vessel deep below Highpoint Mountain.

"Where to now, my friend?" Keeth asked Dorian.

The dwarf tried his best to contain his fear. Dorian had placed his hands in his pockets in the hopes that no one would notice that they were shaking wildly. Although he loved secretly to take baths, his fear of drowning was paramount.

"This is not natural, dear friend," the dwarf barked.

"Of course not. This is science."

Rohan calmed his love down as much as he could, trying his best to contain their shared secret. It was going to be a hard life for him, and he was willing to accept it. Still, Dorian was quite cute when he was terrified - when SHE was terrified.

"Follow the silver creek to the under hill, and then turn right at the two towers."

Keeth gave the dwarf a blank stare.

"Yeah. Sure. Like I've done this before."

"Give me the wheel, then."

"Mind that you use the see-all lens, Dorian." Keeth instructed.

The wizard explained to the dwarf in detail how to use the viewing screen that lowered before him. It was a sleek device, which was attached to a viewing lens that poked out the top of the clamshell. Underwater, one had to rely more on line of sight than on a general direction.

It did not take too long for the dwarf to learn the basics.

"How did you create such a thing?" Ka-Ron asked the wizard privately.

Keeth could only shrug his shoulders and laugh. "Child, I was inside that dragon for a long time. All I had to keep me company were my thoughts."

Dorian steered the Argo as she continued to dive and swim in the mysteries of the ancient deep.

CHAPTER FORTY

Dorian stayed at his post while others in the crew decided that it was time for a meal. The little man did his best not to break the wizard's fantastic machine. He only had to change course twice, in order to avoid scraping a few reefs.

Dorian enjoyed himself profoundly.

"Have dwarfs visited the city lately?"

The dwarf had been startled. He thought that he was alone.

"Upon my nose, wizard," Dorian huffed, catching his breath. "You frightened me out of ten season's of growth."

"I apologize, sir."

Dorian bowed, briefly, turning the ship's wheel to the right.

"We don't." He stated. "Dwarfs nowadays consider visitation the highest of taboos."

"Is the taboo based upon political or religious beliefs?"

"No," Dorian stopped turning the wheel. It was quite a sight to see the dwarf steering the ship, even if he had to stand on his tiptoes. "Because of the many deaths involved."

"Oh?"

"We ventured here on a regular basis once." Dorian explained. "In fact, it used to be celebrated as a right of passage. Then, Baphomet arrived. Too many brave dwarfs tried to have him evicted. Too many died."

The dwarf was close to tears. He found he could no longer concentrate.

"Dorian?" Keeth asked, his hand comforting the dwarf.

"My father died here."

"Oh, son, I am so sorry."

"Don't be," Dorian cheered up, forcefully. "If we succeed, my father's honor will be restored."

"Then, my friend, we must succeed."

"Yes."

Rohan was seen, off in the distance, sharpening up his arrows. He seemed to glance up toward the Dwarf. Doing all that he could not to show excitement, Dorian returned to his duties.

"Wizard!" the dwarf said, his voice trembling. "Behold!"

The Argo had passed a cliff of mines, called The Silver Creek by the dwarfs. After they passed the cliffs, they focused all their attention on a gigantic gate. The ancient doors had long since rotted away. Dorian had explained that the gates themselves were made from the finest teak available upon the planet. It took the craftsmen twenty seasons to create them. Each piece of wood was blessed and dedicated to the gods. Each door was engraved with sagas and dwarfish songs long since forgotten by even the oldest historians. These were the things of legend.

"Look, there! Closely, wizard," Dorian whispered.

At each stone framing, there were rusted piles of iron. Nothing spectacular.

"What am I seeing, Dorian?"

"The frames of the legendary gates." Dorian was trying his best to hold back his own excitement. "They are still there."

Keeth had called out all of his friends. Ka-Ron and Jatel were mildly interested. Both cared more about their son. Rohan approved of what he was seeing. It was said by Dorian that the mighty hinges were too technical for dwarfs to consider. Elfish craftsmen had to create the iron hangers and bolts. Rohan shared in the dwarf's pride - this was his forgotten heritage too.

Then, as they passed the gate, they saw The Guardians.

"Oh, dear," Dorian gulped. Frantically, he stared up at Rohan. There was an apologetic sense of panic between the two. "I forgot about The Guardians."

"What's the panic?" Jatel asked. "They appear to be statues."

Dorian turned to face the huge figures.

"They are."

Towering high above the great mountain city below, the Argo floated between two figures carved from the same obsidian rock as Highpoint Mountain.

The first figure was a dwarf. In one hand he held his pick. In the other he proudly held out a crystal of some kind. The dwarf's face held a proud stare, and it was obvious that at one time, it was considered quite an honor to work in the mines here. The crystal itself was not carved. It was genuine. It added beauty to the otherwise typical carving.

It was the second figure that created confusion.

The second figure was that of another dwarf lifting its arms up toward the heavens, offering a sacrifice of silver and gold. Huge rocks of both rare metals were lodged in the dwarf's hands, and if taken, could build an empire with their material worth.

"Dorian?" all on board seemed to ask.

The second figure was female.

"What is that?" the wizard asked, pointing at the female figure.

Dorian wiped sweat from his forehead.

"It looks like a woman," Rohan stated, eager for the curiosity to end. "Perhaps it is a visiting villager, offering a peace offering to the miners."

"That would make sense if she were facing the mountain city below."

Rohan turned to the wizard and gave him a blank stare.

"I have no other explanation, sir."

"Quite," Keeth acknowledged. The wizard turned back to the dwarf. "Dorian?"

"It is nothing," Dorian tried to say. "An artist's dream, perhaps."

"Perhaps&but, it is quite lovely."

The beauty of the dwarfish woman was lovely. Dorian knew the figure well. Her name had been Lorelei. She was the last dwarf queen.

All questions were put on hold as the ship glided past the two figures, over the city below, and towards the entrance of the mine. It had long been an established fact that dwarfs were not known for their artistic accomplishments. By their very natures, Dwarfs were practical beings. Buildings were built to house. Walls were built to protect and to halt. Bridges were built to cross.

Everything they were seeing destroyed those myths.

Jah-Bul-Onwas a wonder. Each and every brick, stone, and mound of earth were art beyond mortal accomplishments&great carvings of forgotten legends, ivory pylons creating fantastic bridges, and spectacular walls towering above humble homes that were not so humble. In ancient days, the dwarfs were an artistic people who felt with both mind and heart.

"Wonderful," Keeth whispered. "Wonderful."

Dorian was doing all that he could to keep from crying. He was that proud.

At the center of the city was the entrance to the mine. Several whales bellowed their songs as the tiny wooden vessel plotted a course into the heart of the mountain. Curious, one of the whales decided to follow the Argo. Its eyes admired the hypnotizing green glow coming from inside the ship. After a while the creature's curiosity dimmed, and he left the Argo, looking to breach for air.

"How far now?" Ka-Ron asked, joining the dwarf at the wheel.

"We keep at it until we see the lights."

"Lights," Jatel asked. "What lights?"

"Baphomet's lights. The demon advertises his domain."

"Why?" Rohan inquired, uneasy.

"He lives for conflict. He wants us to visit."

"Then we will not disappoint."

"Take heed, my friends," Dorian warned. "This will not be easy."

The Argo had entered a deep tunnel. Even as ancient as the carvings into the mountain were, it looked as if they had been done recently. The skills of the dwarves were incredible. After digging into the mountain, they reinforced their tunnels with a seamless glass-like lining. Whatever it was, it became lost to time. No such invention existed in this age with which to compare it.

In the distance, a dim light was seen.

"There it is," Dorian insisted, turning the ship's wheel to compensate. He looked up at the wizard, smiling. "I feel you should pilot from here, wizard."

"A pleasure," Keeth stated, taking the wheel.

"I have to get my ax." Dorian looked longingly up at Rohan.

"And I, my bow."

Both left the main deck.

"Is it just me, or have they been acting kind of weird, as of late?" Ka-Ron asked.

"Perhaps." Keeth gave his friends a knowing smile.

***

Upon closing the door leading to the cabins, Dorian paused. He concentrated, making sure that both he and the elf were alone. He could not explain how he did it; it was just a part of who he was in the universe.

They were alone.

And, so, she changed.

"Rohan, I'm terrified," Dorian cried, her true female voice ringing through. "I forgot about the statues."

"There's nothing to fear." Rohan took hold of Dorian. He was still shaken up by her transformation. It would take a long time to get used to that.

"They will see the bodies," the dwarf whispered.

"Bodies?"

"When Baphomet took over the fountain, he killed all the remaining dwarfs&male and female."

Rohan started to understand.

"Everyone knows that there are no dwarf women," the elf stated, as if rattling the thought around in his head. "Our secret will be out."

Rohan smelled the woman's hair. It was as pleasant as a dawning spring morn. He fought down the urge to love her, but his body seemed to be betraying his logic.

Dorian pulled away, amused by the fact that the elf had an erection.

"And what is this?" Dorian playfully asked with her eyes.

Rohan took hold of Dorian's chin and pulled her eyes back up to him.

"Our friends will not betray you."

"I hope that you are right," Dorian said, her hands rubbing the elf's sex. "I want you."

"And I you."

"We shall try for a moment, later." Dorian pulled away and changed.

Rohan gave his love a bad face, now that he'd have to see him again as a man.

"Come now," Dorian said as he grabbed his ax. The rough little dwarf pulled a bone out of his beard and tossed it over his shoulder to one side. Rohan guessed the object had to have been left over from an earlier meal. "We have a mission to uphold."

"Right you are, dear."

Both went back out upon the main deck.

***

The waves started to ripple. Then the ripple started to bubble. The Argo darted skyward, and blasted up, like an animal gasping for air. The ship continued to climb, until it was greater than halfway out of the water, then, slowly, it fell seaward, splashing huge waves as if proclaiming that she had arrived. Her entrance was a glorious one.

Too bad she hadn't an audience to appreciate it.

Her explosive entrance echoed through the meeting hall like a cannon explosion in a church. Salty waves cascaded from her simple wooden hull to splash forth upon the finest marble ever mined, carved, and set by mortal beings.

Bright blues and grays attacked the senses. Ancient glass windows, craving once more the warm rays of the suns, held back entire oceans, crystallizing into a dark deep black.

"Holy hell!"

The crew of the Argo turned to glance upon Molly, who gawked like an idiot in an art museum. Her expression matched the wonder of the entire crew.

She, of course, was the only one with the courage to express it.

"Sorry," the woman said, embarrassed.

"It's all right, my child." Keeth was just as dumbfounded. "I think you hit the peg with the mallet, there."

"Dorian," Ka-Ron asked, turning away from the guardrail. Her new dress showed off her feminine beauty more than anyone on board had been used to. The dwarf had to ask himself, was she accepting her new role as a woman?

"Yes, knight?"

"Where are we?" Ka-Ron looked up, marveling at the sheer brilliance in the hall's beautiful artwork.

The ceiling of the hall was spectacular - more impressive than any temple or church could produce: various dwarfs hammering into rocks, producing vast amounts of gold, silver, copper, jewels&other dwarfs, cutting, polishing, and rendering their earthly findings into beautiful treasures to be enjoyed by others. Above them, the clouds had parted, and the gods, themselves, looked upon the dwarf race, and they were pleased. Whoever the artist was who had created such a mural, he was not only a brilliant talent, he also had the right to be called a master.

Dorian looked up at the spectacular mural, wondering if anyone would ever know the name of the woman who had painted it.

"Ka-Ron, we are now in the center of the throne room." Dorian lifted his arms, casting his pride in all directions. "Here, the mighty dwarf kings ruled with both wisdom and great labor."

So overcome with joy in his ancient heritage, Dorian forgot himself for an instant, and took up Rohan's hand in his. Then, as if to play it off, the elf toyed with the dwarf's hair, as if to evoke feelings of fraternity and friendship.

"Where should we dock?" the wizard asked.

"Near the steps leading to the throne," Dorian suggested, lifting his ax and resting it upon his right shoulder. "If memory serves, the room containing The Fountain of Cures is just beyond the hallway, past the chapel."

"Then that is where we shall go."

Keeth pulled and lowered more of his magical levers.

The Argo became a normal seafaring vessel once more.

"Rohan," Keeth ordered, pointing toward the marble deck atop the grand stairs, half in the water, and half out. "Jump over to the main hall, and secure our lines."

The wizard did not have to ask twice. Even before the wizard had finished his explanation, the elf had sprinted up, over, and onto dwarfish territory. He marveled at the grandeur, while at the same time, taking hold of the boat lines, securing the Argo to her temporary berth.

The ship innocently bumped a few times, coming to rest on the ancient staircase.

"Ha!" the wizard laughed. "We are landed."

It did not take long for both Molly and Ka-Ron to get the same idea.

Both went back into the ship, in the cabins, and brought out En-Don. It was quite surprising to see the two of them working as one, considering.

En-Don was not looking good. As the curse seemed to progress, it was slowly taking away an innocent life. Molly was bearing up - love always had a way to help smooth out the ruffles. Ka-Ron was the nervous wreck.

Her son was looking like a man in his seventieth season of life. If both stood side to side, there would clearly be the mistaken notion that En-Don was the parent, or, in some eyes, the grand-parent. True, he still maintained a level of stamina, betraying his appearance. Molly's bedside mood contested to that. But, indeed, the man was looking quite frail.

"Thank you, mother." En-Don huffed, inspecting his armor. "I am quite capable of walking."

Ka-Ron let go, silently apologizing. Her worried eyes sought out Jatel, who, like her, missed nothing. Jatel signaled his master to calm down. Like all children, En-Don had to learn for himself.

The agony upon the knight's face was pure torture.

"Be quiet, sire." Jatel tried to calm Ka-Ron, walking up behind her, and rubbing her shoulders.

The knight rolled her eyes with a secret pleasure. "I thank you for the comfort, Jatel. I worry. I do worry for him, so."

"You would not be someone I would respect, if you did not, sire."

Ka-Ron paused.

She started studying Molly.

En-Don pulled out his mother's sword, wanting to wipe it down with oil, in case he needed it later for combat. Molly, trying her best to keep a positive face, aided Ka-Ron's son with all attention. Every so often, when En-Don turned his head, or when she thought nobody was looking, Molly betrayed the thoughts she was projecting. Molly was feeling the pain of loss. Slowly, cycle by cycle, her love was being put to an extreme test. Her eyes beamed happiness and sincerity each time En-Don looked to her for strength, but, Ka-Ron wondered, where could Molly turn?

Molly was alone.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron softly said, kissing Jatel's hands. "Look how she worries so."

"Molly?" Jatel said. "She's seems to be holding up well."

"She loves him." Ka-Ron's tone turned soft.

"Of course she does."

"I might have misjudged her."

Jatel stopped his task of rubbing Ka-Ron's shoulders, turning her to face him. The squire was quite beside himself with surprise.

"I am a fortunate man."

"Jatel, I was just&"

The squire, being quite adventurous, quickly placed his hand up to his master's lips, causing the woman to stop. Ka-Ron was all surprise.

"I have lived long enough to hear Ka-Ron of Idoshia state that she has made a mistake."

Each glared at the other for a long and silent moment.

Ka-Ron started to laugh. The sound of her laughter spread throughout the ship. It was one rare, and honest, moment to cherish.

"Dorian?" Keeth asked, waving the dwarf to stand by him on the bridge deck.

Both Rohan and Dorian joined the wizard.

"Yes?" the dwarf asked.

Keeth pointed out toward the greeting area, just east of the ancient dwarf thrones. "What are those, if I may ask?"

Dorian's eyes turned wide.

Throughout the ruins of the great hall, beyond where the Argo was currently resting, mummified bodies littered the floor. These bodies had the appearance of having just been assaulted and left where they had fallen. There was no evidence of foul play, war, or sickness. It just looked as if sometime in the ancient past, they just stopped - devoid of all life, their last agonizing moment forever frozen upon their faces.

They were all dwarfs.

Over half of them appeared to be wearing dresses.

Keeth gave the dwarf an inquiring glance: one that just could not be ignored.

"They are what remains of the greatest generation." Dorian answered. The dwarf bowed his head in respect and reverence.

"The greatest generation?"

"Yes, wizard. They are the remnants of those who lived here during the time that Jah-Bul-On reigned above the waters."

Dorian discovered that he was surrounded by all of his friends. He felt terrible, having to lie to them&having secretly to hide the greatest secret belonging to the dwarfish way of life.

"Some of the bodies look female," Jatel happened to say, looking out at the ruins.

"Elfish servants, no doubt," Dorian added.

This last comment had caused Rohan to glance down at his dear friend. The dwarf's eyes betrayed his gruff exterior. Dorian was in agony. He did not like the idea of lying. He was here to help a friend. He was here out of the kindness of his heart, and the boldness needed to give honest aid. Lying should have been nowhere in the equation.

Rohan felt deeply for Dorian's pain. He reached out, trying his best to hide the fact that he wanted to caress his face, but Dorian beat him to the punch. Turning away, Dorian cleared his throat.

The elf was left standing awkwardly, with his hand suspended in the cold air.

"Tell us, then," the wizard asked. "What happened here?"

"Ah!" the dwarf sprang to life. Like all of his race, storytelling was both a passion and an art. This he could do! "As I have stated before, the miners of this city were known to stand out amongst the dwarf race. They were, of course, skilled in almost all forms of mining, but, they were also known for their greed and ambition."

"Naturally," Rohan added, trying his best to recover from Dorian's slight.

"When the fountain was discovered, they all profited greatly from it. But the fountain was not meant for mortals. Baphomet, sensing the fountain, claimed it as his own. He caused all these deaths."

"Still, there appear to be quite a lot of female corpses here, my dwarfish friend." The wizard's glance was a long one.

Dorian did not look up at the old man.

"Well, we should prepare to get underway," Keeth continued, brushing his robes. "En-Don can no longer wait."

Everyone prepared.

From out of the room's darkness, there came forth an animalistic roar. Its savage sounds thundered throughout the ancient dwarfish ruins. Traces of dust knocked loose from the high etchings created a shower of debris.

"What in the blazes was that?" Molly asked. Upon hearing the terrifying sound, the woman found herself seeking En-Don's arms.

Dorian turned his attention back to the blackened hallways.

"Baphomet!" the dwarf uttered.

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

The Fountain of Cures couldn't really be called a fountain, in the traditional sense. More precisely, it was a huge bowl-like pool filled with cool crystal water. What made it a fountain, to the dwarfs, was the fact that a hole at the center of the bowl allowed the water to be recycled via an underground well.

"Tell me, Dorian," Ka-Ron asked. "What does Baphomet look like?"

Dorian paused, lighting several torches.

"I cannot say. Still, legend has it that he appears to each of us in the form we would recognize."

"How's that?" Rohan asked, accepting a torch.

"In the old stories, Baphomet uses the powers of illusion to keep his hold. He appears as a form you would love, hate, or fear. Anything he can use to trip your guard, he will do so." Dorian shook his head. "That is why my people fear him."

"Is there a collective fear that all dwarfs share, then?" Keeth asked.

"Yes, wizard." Dorian side-glanced Rohan. "That is why we have all given the beast the solitude he wishes."

The hallways were just as corpse-ridden as the throne room. Mummified grins seemed to peer out from the darkness, momentarily lighted by each of the group's flaming torches. Dorian kept his concentration away from the wizard, who, every now and then, continued to glance his way. Did Keeth know? Could he suspect?

Whatever the wizard may think, I will not openly betray my people.

Dorian kept his focus on the lighted opening before them.

"There's the fountain!" the dwarf said, his voice a whisper.

Everyone froze.

No one, at first, seemed to know what to do.

***

For countless seasons, he had slept in his chair. Having spared one dwarf's life - he couldn't even remember why - Baphomet had been told that his chair used to belong to a religious figure who had paid homage to the gods for their good fortune. It made for an appropriate rest.

Something moved.

Opening one eye quite lazily, Baphomet was amazed to see torchlight coming his way.

It was time to have some fun.

***

As Dorian had stated, the demon Baphomet made himself known to each of the group in a different form.

To Rohan, he was his father.

To Dorian, a hooded monk.

To En-Don, a giant spider.

To Jatel, he was Ka-Ron.

To Molly, he was invisible.

And, to Ka-Ron, Baphomet was her in her former self.

"To the Gods!" Ka-Ron huffed, gazing up at the beast with wonder and fascination.

"Who dares enter my domain?" Baphomet asked, rising from his chair.

It had been a long time since Ka-Ron had seen her true reflection. Her male image glared down at her with sharp eyes. Baphomet knew her weakness, and he knew it well. Only one person could beat her in combat, and that was herself.

"You are not allowed here!" Baphomet stated, pointing a strong arm out towards Ka-Ron.

"My son needs water from your fountain," Ka-Ron pleaded, unable to stop looking at herself as she used to be. To her amazement, the woman found herself attracted towards him.

"Do I care, woman?" the demon barked. He withdrew a sword, which seemed to resemble Ka-Ron's. "Now, leave before I take away the privilege."

"I have a plan."

Everyone turned to the dwarf in surprise.

Dorian, in turn, shuffled - he hated the attention.

"Speak up, dwarf," the wizard ordered.

"Baphomet has one weakness that I know of." Dorian leaned in, trying his best not to allow his voice to carry. "He is quite lonely."

"Well, aren't we all?" Jatel rebutted.

"Shhhh!" Rohan objected. "Let him speak."

Dorian turned his attention to Ka-Ron. She was what they all needed.

"Ka-Ron, how brave are you?"

"Enough," Ka-Ron offered. "What do you plan?"

"Take off your clothes." the dwarf ordered.

Jatel moved forward, threatening the dwarf.

"Now, wait one damn moment here!" the squire yelled.

Dorian held up his hands.

"Gentlemen, please, help me with the squire."

Both Keeth and Rohan pulled Jatel away from the group.

"I have a right to hear this!" was all Jatel said, before he was well enough away.

The scene would have been comical under different circumstances.

Baphomet paced the floor, waiting.

"Ka-Ron, you're one of the most beautiful females I have ever seen," Dorian continued, his gaze switching between Baphomet and Jatel.

"Thank you, I think."

"That is why I feel that if Baphomet sees you in all your glory, will give us the time we need." Dorian's brow was knitted in a knot of total concentration. "While he is gawking at you, Rohan will use his elfish skills to steal a cup of water from the fountain. I will follow him as cover."

"It could work," Keeth agreed.

"Yes!" Dorian cheered. "Once we get the water, and once En-Don drinks, we can leave this bitch to his own hell."

Ka-Ron looked up at Baphomet.

Practicing with his sword, the demon looked quite impressive as Ka-Ron's male half. She had forgotten how tall she used to be. How muscular. She squinted. Was her hair indeed that long once?

"There is a danger here, knight," the dwarf warned. With utmost concern, Dorian placed a caring hand upon Ka-Ron. "Baphomet is known for his ways with women. Once he takes you, there is nothing we can do until he is finished."

"Great, god-like male ego," Molly huffed.

Everyone paused and looked at the redhead.

"Hey, how come no one has asked me to strip?"

"Your job is to take care of En-Don," Keeth stated.

"All right, I'll do it." Ka-Ron agreed. "Wizard, please, mind Jatel. He will not understand."

"Right you are, miss."

As if they were all playing some sort of game, the tiny circle broke.

Ka-Ron started unbuttoning her dress. She found herself laughing at the entire situation.

"What's so funny?" Molly asked.

"If someone would have told me that I'd be taking off my clothes to seduce myself I would have called them insane."

Molly couldn't get the joke. For Molly, there was nothing there for her to see. Her only concern was En-Don.

Unlike everyone else, En-Don stood as far away from Baphomet as he could. The man found himself sweating and having a bad case of the shakes. He was terrified of the huge spider-creature which stared down at him with fireball eyes. A scary mouth with tiny little claws snapped at him, dripping green saliva.

"En-Don?" Molly asked, her hands barely touching the man's shoulders.

En-Don had discovered, quite by chance, that he was terrified of spiders.

"Molly, I don't want to be here anymore. Please, let us head back to the ship."

The genuine fear En-Don had projected confused Molly even more. She had been listening when Dorian had explained Baphomet's powers, but how could the demon be so right about everyone's weaknesses?

Why was she not affected?

"Baby, we have to stay until you drink from the fountain."

"Please!" the man pleaded. "I need to leave."

"Your mother is readying herself for battle. She will have need of your aid."

That fact seemed to help, some.

En-Don withdrew his sword.

"I shall try, my dear," was all En-Don could make himself say.

Upon the raised platform, where Molly saw nothing, and Ka-Ron saw her former self, En-Don saw the terrifying spider lashing out at him with long, powerful, and hairy appendages - all able to rip a man open without effort.

"Mother, hurry!" was all En-Don could say.

Ka-Ron, hearing the plea from her son, wondered what horror could exist to cause such a fear. Her son wasn't even old enough to know his likes, let alone his dislikes. Still, some fears were instinctive.

The knight placed the last of her clothing in a neat pile at her feet. To help with her tactics, she had kept her back turned away from Baphomet. For the first time, since her curse had been applied, she hoped that Kai's work was worthy enough for a god.

It did bring some satisfaction, seeing Jatel so concerned.

"Wish me luck," said Ka-Ron as she turned around.

"Victory, dear lady," Keeth wished.

"Baphomet!" Ka-Ron called out, trying her best to control her shivering. The room was remarkably cold, to which her erect nipples could attest. "I call to thee."

"Woman, know thy place," Baphomet threatened. He extended his sword, which was an exact copy of her own. The male version of herself began to adore her nakedness. The plan was working. "What is it you wish to ask?"

"I was wondering&" The knight tried her best to think of a way to attack. But this was her male self she was facing. He would know of her advances. He would know of her ways of war. He would be able to block, blow by blow, any tactic she would try, or be able to use. How could one defeat their own self?

"Wondering what, woman?" The demon looked rather bored.

One thing, above all, kept Ka-Ron going.

The demon was no longer paying close attention towards Rohan or Dorian.

If the elf were left alone, all would become successful!

"Are you&lonely?"

At first, Baphomet appeared confused. He stood there for several beats, a statue of frozen puzzlement. He moved his head around, up, and down. Could it have been he did not understand the simplicity of the question?

"Are you lonely?" Ka-Ron started moving closer towards the beast. She dropped her feet hard, hoping that the simple bouncing of her breasts would distract him&one of many new feminine weapons she had learned how to use over the course of time.

Baphomet's hungry eyes slowly scanned her.

"I am the giver and taker of life," the demon bragged. Picking up his sword, he spun it around in both hands. Tossing the weapon into the air, Baphomet whirled around, purely for showmanship, and caught the hilt of the weapon on its way back down. He intentionally pointed its razor-sharp edge at Ka-Ron's naked breasts. "Of course, I am lonely!"

Ka-Ron tried to remain calm. If Baphomet's sword was a copy of hers, then it was able to kill with a simple flick of the demon's wrist. The knight winced in pain, soon realizing that the sword was, innocently enough, cutting some of her flesh.

"Then&enjoy." the knight said, projecting her most sincere smile.

In the course of her life, Ka-Ron had encountered other females while in battle - females who would do questionable deeds just to stay alive. As a man, she couldn't wrap her mind around the way these women had made their choices. How could one sell herself so cheaply, just for one more day of breathing? How could it be possible to look at your reflection, knowing how sinfully you had sold your soul, without feeling a little twinge of regret?

Ka-Ron took a deep breath and allowed her mind to drift. With each step closer, she escaped into her thoughts, hoping above hope that Rohan and Dorian knew what they were doing.

Baphomet started to touch her.

Ka-Ron soon understood how "those other women" had felt.

It was not pleasant.

It was not sinful.

It just was.

Both Rohan and Dorian knew what they had to do.

"Grab En-Don," the dwarf ordered.

The elf, never questioning, turned towards En-Don. The confused man was still up against a faraway wall, doing his best to battle his deepest and darkest fears.

"En-Don," Rohan stated, offering the man his hand. "It is time."

En-Don would not respond.

"Molly, what is wrong with him?"

The redhead shook her head with confusion. "He has been this way since entering."

"It is Baphomet." The elf paused. "We will carry him."

Both Dorian and Rohan took the shaking man in their arms, carrying him as if he were a brother wounded in combat - which, in reality, was not far from the mark.

Both elf and dwarf focused on The Fountain of Cures.

The gigantic bowl of magical water grew nearer and nearer. The demon had been too busy with Ka-Ron to pay attention toward the fact that he was being cheated out of his leverage.

En-Don's feet took hold of the ground, stopping both Rohan and Dorian short of their goal.

"En-Don we must continue," Dorian pleaded, whispering.

Ka-Ron's son started to shake uncontrollably. He appeared to be under some kind of seizure. Whatever the ailment, both Rohan and Dorian could see the man was going through incredible pains.

En-Don collapsed.

Rohan tried to help the man recover. Upon doing so, he backed away, horrified.

En-Don, within the blink of an eye, advanced his appearance to that of a man in his final seasons. He looked like a man in his nineties.

"Rohan," En-Don meekly said. "I feel&strange."

Both Dorian and Rohan knew why. It would not be long before death knocked upon the brave lad's door.

"We must continue!" Dorian stated, picking the ailing man up. "Rohan, proceed towards the fountain."

Rohan nodded his head, understanding.

Behind them all, Baphomet was enjoying his conquest.

Rohan forged ahead, greatly admiring the knight's bravery. He accepted the fact that he had now become their only hope of success.

***

Baphomet wrapped his strong arms around Ka-Ron's tiny waist. His musky scent permeated the woman's nostrils, filling her with the instincts needed to mate. The woman had forgotten how powerful she had been as a man. The whole thing was extremely exciting, and, on a higher level, absolutely sick.

How could one be so excited to have sex with their opposite?

"I will have thee, woman," Baphomet stated, his face twisted into a sneer.

It was difficult not to think about all the women she had conquered over the course of time, with the arms that were now engulfing her. Ka-Ron found that she could not combat him. His sheer bulk made her feel tiny and insignificant.

"Yes," Baphomet laughed, kissing the side of the knight's sleek and sweating neck. "You will do!"

Ka-Ron found her world spinning as the demon hurled her down upon the marble floor. His hands, copied right down to the cut marks, cupped her breasts, making the woman moan in ecstasy. Deep in the center of her mind, she thought she heard Jatel screaming out her name, and that flint of hope gave her strength. She knew that somewhere in the fountain's chamber, her squire was going through several layers of personal hell, having to watch her go through so much just to help save their son. The knight swallowed hard, as Baphomet licked and took in one of her nipples.

Jatel would have to understand.

"So lonely&" Ka-Ron whispered.

Baphomet's attack upon Ka-Ron was all too familiar to the knight. These were the tactics she had used as a man. These were the exact "moves" he had used to take Kym.

The demon forced his knees between hers.

"Woman, prepare!"

Ka-Ron screamed in agony as the beast entered her.

***

"All this pain&all this sorrow&just for a cup of water."

With great stealth, Rohan approached The Fountain of Cures.

Baphomet had his back turned as he ravaged Ka-Ron.

There would be no better time.

The huge copper bowl shined brightly, as the candle light and fire from their torches sprinkled across the sacred water. Rohan could appreciate why the dwarfs worshiped the fountain. Being an elemental creature himself, he could sense that the fountain's bowl was natural. The copper lining her insides had been placed there by the ancient dwarfs as a means of respect, since copper was the rarest of metals. The copper had been crafted into thin sheets by hand&polished to perfection, treated, and made so that corrosion and the hint of green could never tarnish its glory.

All this, just for a fountain.

"Almost there," Rohan whispered to himself.

In the distance, the elf spotted Dorian comforting En-Don, who truly was taking his curse with courage. Ka-Ron's screams started to fill the room, and Rohan noticed Keeth having his hands full with the squire. Jatel's voice was as loud and full of pain as his master's. In all his life, he had never seen such pain for the caring of another. It raised his hopes for the mortal beings of this world.

Rohan pulled out a simple bone cup.

He leaned over, prepared to take some of the water.

"Holy&" Rohan whispered.

The elf froze.

Never had he seen such a horror.

Deep within the bowl of the fountain lay thousands upon thousands of bodies. Elf, Dwarf, Male, Female, and even a few Xows. All appeared as intact as the day that they had been slain. Drifting in the cool water. Alone. Damned.

Then, as if sensing a little water leaving the giant bowl, they all opened their eyes. Each, in turn, concentrated their focus upon Rohan.

LET US DIE! LET US DIE!

"To the gods!" the elf whispered, backing away in horror. "They live!"

The truth came to the elf.

The reason that no one knew of the fountain or the sunken dwarf city was that Baphomet never allowed anyone to leave. They were all still here, trapped within the giant copper bowl. Always aware, but never allowed to know. Forever alive, but never really allowed to live.

Rohan found his eyes filling with tears. How could any god allow such a thing?

One particular specter caught Rohan's eye.

She appeared to be a female dwarf. Unlike Dorian, in her true form, this female had short red hair and was dressed quite beautifully. At one far-distant time, she must have been quite the woman.

She seemed to plead to the elf. Her hands rose, floating with the others. In her misery, she thought it best to bribe. In her hands she held a brick of pure copper. To take the bar, the elf could know comfort and a trouble-free life. For one brief moment, Rohan connected with her mind. She wanted death.

"How can I offer that over which I have no control?" Rohan stated.

With the deepest respect, the elf closed his eyes, prayed, and then bowed his goodbyes.

It was the most difficult thing he had ever done.

The lost souls in the bowl closed their eyes, waiting.

ANOTHER WILL COME! IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME.

Rohan wept, openly.

"Dorian!" he shouted. "I have the water."

***

The demon pulled off of Ka-Ron with a satisfying grunt. As he grabbed a rag to wipe himself off with, he glanced at the knight with a curious nod. Ka-Ron only paid attention because the beast laughed.

"What's so damn funny?" Ka-Ron asked, wrapping her arms around her breasts.

"You were once a male," Baphomet said, laughing. It was quite odd to watch her male self standing over her, cleaning himself dry. The man's keen eyes once more scanned the body he so enjoyed conquering.

"Yes, I was," Ka-Ron confessed. "The way you have chosen to appear before me, now."

"No, knight," Baphomet corrected. "You chose this form for me. It was not I."

"Why would I want you to look like me?"

"Who am I to know the mind of mortals?" He started strapping some of his armor on again. He looked so much the way Ka-Ron remembered leaving Kym that fateful day.

Ka-Ron felt so cheap.

"Perhaps I did slight Kym, just a little."

Baphomet turned, only half-hearing what his prey had said.

"What was that you said, woman?"

"Nothing."

Looking over her shoulder, the knight noticed Rohan darting back toward the main hall, leading back towards the Argo. Molly, En-Don, and Dorian pulled back as well. Ka-Ron saw the dwarf giving her an "all-clear" signal.

"Then, we are done?" Ka-Ron asked.

Baphomet returned to his throne. He appeared to be asleep.

Ka-Ron thought it best to leave.

"Not so fast," the demon whispered.

The knight's body began to shake uncontrollably. She turned, facing Baphomet.

"There's just one more thing we need to speak about."

Try as she might, Ka-Ron could not call after her friends. She felt like a puppet being controlled by its master. There was nothing she could do but climb the stairs, join Baphomet, and sit upon his lap like a good little girl.

"You will stay here," Baphomet ordered, slightly tapping Ka-Ron upon her ass. "I have need of a creature such as yourself."

"But, my son&"

"Will die. Of that I am sure."

Baphomet started picking at his teeth. He did not care one bit for the pain or torment Ka-Ron and her friends had just gone through. All he cared about were his own pleasures.

"I will fight you."

Baphomet rolled his eyes, giving the woman a tired laugh. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Ka-Ron's features turned green.

Before the knight knew what she was doing, she puked all over the demon.

"Well," Baphomet said, vomit dripping off his brow, "I'll give you points for originality."

Ka-Ron fell from Baphomet's lap and landed upon the marble floor. She had no control of her body, as before, but this time, the knight knew what was happening to her. And, as before, she was just as terrified.

"Oh, no!" Ka-Ron cried, grabbing her breasts.

The knights breasts started to grow in size. Then, subtly, milk dripped from each nipple. Again, the woman vomited upon the floor.

"This is just delicious!" Baphomet started to laugh, understanding what was happening. "Superb entertainment."

"Help me, please!" Ka-Ron screamed, her stomach started to swell outward, becoming incredibly huge in size.

Ka-Ron was pregnant.

Again.

***

Rohan gave Keeth the cup of water.

"What do we do now?" Molly asked.

Keeth discovered that his hands shook. His battles with Jatel as he tried his best to keep the squire's concerns from messing up their goals had formed a challenging and exhausting task. Jatel had managed to keep his cool, and was now quietly waiting near the Argo. The wizard hoped that he would never again have to match wills with him.

"We let the man drink." Keeth handed the cup over to Molly.

Molly, taking the cup, gave it to her love.

Upon drinking the substance, En-Don's countenance began to revert. Over a period of perhaps ten heartbeats, his old and tired exterior faded. No longer was he an old man in his nineties. Again, the brave young man was a handsome lad in his mid-thirties. He would never know the joys of childhood, so much the tragedy, but he would not be rushed to the grave either.

"Wizard, we have done it!" Dorian laughed.

"Yes, we have. Now, let's go rescue our dear friend."

All eyes turned back to the chamber room.

Upon entering the hall, everyone was quite surprised to spot Ka-Ron on the floor, and Baphomet laughing at the woman from his chair. All except Molly, who still saw nothing.

En-Don withdrew his sword.

"Hey! That's my mother you're laughing at."

Baphomet, the giant spider in En-Don's mind, turned. Its bulky hairy body dominated most of the room. Toxic saliva dripped from its mouth. An unholy hiss came forth as it challenged the lad.

"Do not stop what I am doing here." the spider said.

Baphomet took its front legs, shiny and as sharp as a sword, and started to attack. Blow by blow, En-Don matched the demon's skill. Watching the evil spirit in the shapes projected to them in their minds, all were nothing if not amazed at the young man's skill.

Ka-Ron, between waves of pain, and trying her best to keep above all that was happening to her, watched her son with pride. Her male self struck him with his sword, and En-Don matched him at each attack.

"That's my boy," the knight stated, wrapping her arms around her stomach.

Ka-Ron couldn't get up. Her stomach had grown too big. So big, in fact, that it was hard to believe that she was carrying a normal-size baby. Then, slowly, the knight started to realize that she did not have sex with a man. Baphomet had made himself known to one and all in different forms. Who knew what was growing inside of her? All the knight could be thankful for was that Jatel was nowhere nearby to see all of this.

Absently, the woman started to rub her stomach.

"Keeth!"

The wizard soon joined his unfortunate friend.

"I am here, my dear."

"Wizard, is there a way we can reverse all of this?"

Keeth shook his head. "One cannot stop the acts of the gods, my dear lady. I am afraid you have to see this through."

Ka-Ron's water broke.

"I thought you'd say something like that."

"Sorry, love."

Ka-Ron was about to give birth.

Upon hearing Ka-Ron cry out in pain once more, Dorian and Rohan rushed to the knight's aid. Keeth silently instructed all of them to help with the task. Molly ripped a rag from her clothing and decided to wipe cool water upon the birthing woman's head.

This last did not pass Ka-Ron's attention.

Ka-Ron screamed.

Blood and water gushed from her body as her stomach continued to grow.

"Why is she having such difficulty, wizard?" Dorian asked.

"I have no idea." Keeth shook his head, disbelieving what he was seeing.

The knight's stomach swelled huge enough to hold a fully-grown man. And still it continued.

"What's happening?" Ka-Ron demanded.

No one knew what the hell to do.

En-Don continued with his battle.

"You do quite well, boy," Baphomet snarled.

The spider continued its attack against the knight's brave son. He had never had to use so much of his strength. He could feel the sweat pouring down into his armor, and knew that if fatigue had not overcome Baphomet soon, he would know the sting of failure.

"You will have nothing more to do with her," En-Don barked, picking up a spare pike nearby and stabbing it deep into Baphomet's spider image.

A scream filled the whole chamber.

The demon was bleeding.

"A good hit, son!" Dorian shouted, clapping his hands.

En-Don turned back to the wizard, giving the old man a hearty hand salute.

Ka-Ron screamed one last time.

Then, nothing.

No pain.

Just nothing.

"Are you all right, my child?" Keeth asked, checking the knight's condition.

"I think so."

"Look!" Molly said, pointing beyond Ka-Ron's legs.

No one knew what to say.

"It looks like an&"

"EGG!" everyone else said in unison.

"That's different," Dorian added.

Everyone gave the dwarf an angry eye.

"What?" was his reaction.

Ka-Ron's body turned back to normal. The woman vomited one last time before her body shrank. As happened before, the spell cast upon her by Kai made it appear as if she had never given birth.

Keeth helped the woman to her feet.

The egg was golden in color and flaked with little brown spots here and there. It was about the size of a horse, and just as bulky.

"What do we do with this?" Keeth asked.

It did not take long for an answer to arrive.

The egg started to shake, move, and crack.

"Whatever it is, my friend, it's hatching." Keeth stated, pulling everyone away from the thing.

Baphomet started to look at the egg with curiosity. In all the forms each were seeing him in, he appeared nervous. It was quite obvious that he did not expect this to happen. Since when did a warm-blooded creature lay an egg?

"What is this?" Baphomet asked, poking the thing with his hands.

Once the shell cracked, it exploded into several different pieces.

"Good heavens!" Keeth shouted.

Rising from the shell, there appeared a dragon-like creature - more snake than beast. Curiously enough, the snake was covered with purple feathers, and had under its diamond-shaped head a set of leather wings. Dragon or no, it appeared quite powerful, and it was pissed off.

"It's time for us to leave," the wizard suggested, panic clearly expressed in his actions.

"But, wizard," Rohan said, looking as if he wished to watch the birthing.

"We leave&now!" Keeth barked.

All headed back down the dark halls, heading toward the Argo.

Alone with the new dragon creature, Baphomet dropped his powers of illusion, allowing his foe to gaze upon his true form. In his true form, the demon was huge - over ten sticks in height. Half man, half goat, his horns took up most of his free room. Long and quite sharp, the demon's horns looked as if they had tasted blood many times in the past. He adjusted his head to make up for their height.

The dragon hissed. Huge fangs flashed. The new creature that Ka-Ron had given birth to continued to grow, becoming over thirty sticks in length. Flapping its wings the creature took flight.

There was no possible way that the new visitor could ever leave the room.

Baphomet's world became more complicated.

The demon roared in agony, knowing that through some quirk of fate, he had gained an ungrateful child. Both stood opposite against the other. Only one would rule in the end.

The creatures clashed in combat. Tooth tearing flesh. Horn impaling muscle. Hate fighting hate.

Destined to forever make war upon the other.

The watchers at the bottom of the fountain looked on, and in their tormented hearts, they all cheered. Season upon season, trapped, not being allowed to do anything but wait. Their hearts rejoiced in the idea of finally seeing their captor suffer&to recapture again the hope and promise of the fountain's gifts.

That was until the dragon's tail destroyed The Fountain of Cures.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Jatel paced the steps of the ancient throne room, waiting. He had heard Ka-Ron scream, and he had heard the roar of the two beasts. It took all that he had within him not to leave his post. Someone had to stay and watch their vessel, just in case there had been some hidden danger none of them knew about. The ship was safe, but the squire questioned the status of his friends.

"Jatel!" Rohan shouted, running out the dark corridor towards him. "Prepare to get underway!"

The elf did not have to order him twice.

Jatel ran up on deck, and prepared all that he could, making sure that all the lines were set, and that the wheel and levers were ready.

Everyone thumped up the gangplank.

"Father!"

Jatel noticed En-Don's recovered state. Forgetting for a moment that he was just a squire, the man bolted away from his post, and understandably embraced his son. The two were immersed in the moment.

"My son!" Jatel shouted. "You are well."

"Quite, my father."

Although there had been a breach of protocol, no one on board the Argo seemed to care.

As Keeth and Ka-Ron slowly walked up the gangplank, the latter being handled with kid gloves, the entire ancient edifice seemed to shake with incredible violence and energy.

"What's going on?" Jatel asked.

"Father, we need to leave with utmost haste."

The squire gave each member of the crew a curious glance. He stopped when he noticed the discomfort and self-healing pain coming from his master. Her clothing was only half on her person. And, by Keeth's remarks, something incredible had just occurred to which he was not privy.

"Sire, are you all right?"

"Well," the knight stated, taking a seat upon a pile of barrels. "Other than feeling as if I just pooped out a whale, sure&fine! I'm in the pink."

Jatel turned to the wizard, hoping for a clearer answer.

"Don't ask," Keeth said holding up a warning hand. "You wouldn't believe it in the first place."

"Okay."

"Wise choice, my son."

Again the chamber shook as several roars were heard.

"What the hell?" Jatel asked.

The dwarf city shook again. This time, the violence had caused several pieces of the sacred mural to crack and produce falling debris. The Argo had almost fallen victim to a bad case of "gravity poisoning."

"Prepare to get underway!" the wizard yelled.

"Lines have been pulled, and we are ready for ocean exploration." Jatel offered.

Keeth pulled and lowered his magical levers.

Again, the ship was covered by her clamshell apparatus.

Vents were opened, and the tiny wooden ship dived below the waves.

The only thing left behind was the destruction of a legend.

Molly kissed En-Don several times, raising the eyebrows of both his parents. An awkward moment arose when the young man had openly made the comment that he wanted to "play" with her once again. Judging by the crimson hue which suddenly appeared upon Molly's cheeks, the viewers decided that the woman wished to "play" as well.

"Take care of my son," Ka-Ron warned, trying her best to hold back an ironic smile. "That is all I will say."

Molly, realizing that she now had the blessings of both mother and father, kissed En-Don again with conviction and purpose. Not that either had been lost to her in her current endeavors.

Both disappeared behind a cabin door.

Ka-Ron could not shake the fact that she was being watched.

Keeth was studying the woman with a great amount of wonder. He tried to hide it with his piloting of the ship, but he was not that good at spying.

"What grabs at you, wizard?" the knight asked, finally buttoning up the last of her clothing.

"You, child."

"Why?"

"You have given birth to a dragon," the wizard stated, amazed at the fact. "Life must have an incredible destiny for you, Ka-Ron, to have done so much and have the luck to survive such a thing."

"I would like to believe so."

The Argo floated past the two statues they had last encountered. As they safely navigated between them, a thunderous blast of energy came from the mountain city, creating a wave of force. Upon making contact with the giant statues, the destructive shock caused both pillars of art to topple off their pedestals, dismembering and crumbling into useless piles of rock.

The ship barely managed to stay her course.

During all this destruction, each rock, wall, ancient home and statue tore at Dorian's heart. It was like watching a dream die before your eyes, and not having the power to stop it.

"Look at it this way," Rohan said, trying to offer comfort. "You and I have seen Jah-Bul-On. The fates can never take that from us. Ever!"

The dwarf city echoed one last time with the roars of Baphomet and the new dragon, and were heard again nevermore.

***

Upon surfacing, the Argo became sea-worthy.

The wizard did not need to ask their destination. The ship was pointed towards The Fire Mountains.

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel retired to a well-deserved rest.

Upon entering their cabin, they treated each other with an awkward silence. In the past several suns, in order to achieve their shared goals of saving their son, Ka-Ron and Jatel had been somewhat "separate." Now, allowed the luxury of intimacy once again, neither knew how or where to begin.

The knight sheepishly glanced at her squire as both lay upon their bed. The woman so wanted to feel the warmth of his hands upon her skin. More than anything, Jatel wanted to embrace and kiss the woman.

"I have done you wrong, Jatel," Ka-Ron finally stated, near tears.

"No, master."

The woman took hold of Jatel's face. In her eyes were both pain and anger. "Please, Jatel! Do not address me so." Pausing, only to glance into his eyes, she kissed him passionately. So engrossed was she in her actions that the knight cried out in sorrow, enjoying her role as Jatel's lover. "I plead with you, squire, love me."

Jatel paid heed to his calling.

In a darkened room, aboard a strange but ingenious ship, both Jatel of Illium and Ka-Ron of Idoshia became one once again.

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Dorian tiptoed down the ship's main hall, hoping to the heavens that no one heard him. He had prided himself on the fact that both he and Rohan had risen above suspicion, and that even the wizard had forgotten to inquire further on the "curiosities" he had seen, while in the sacred dwellings of what had once been Jah-Bul-On.

The ship's galley seemed to be the only safe place either could meet.

Dorian softly opened the galley's squeaky doors.

"Hello there."

The dwarf almost felt his heart explode, upon hearing the strange voice.

"It's only me," Rohan said, laughing.

Amused, the elf had disguised his voice, fooling his love. Rohan started to laugh openly, and with great mirth. It was rare to hear an elf laugh.

"You bastard!" Dorian spat, slapping the elf hard upon his ass.

"If you could have seen the look of pure panic upon your face," Rohan giggled, holding tight to his stomach. "Priceless! Priceless!"

"Fool!"

Dorian was all prepared to revert his outer appearance, for the sake of his new love. Rohan, on the other hand, had more ambitious motives.

The elf could not wait.

Rohan attacked his love, kissing the man in his current form. Comically, the dwarf waved his arms into the air, hoping above hope that the elf's tongue would not get any of his beard hairs in his mouth - dwarf's hair was too harsh to be entangled with the softness of another's tongue.

"Dear sir," Dorian purred, at last coming up for air.

The dwarf's beard melted away. Hard muscles turned into soft and supple curves. Female breasts soon replaced the illusion of armor plating.

He was now a she.

"I glory more and more upon seeing the true you," Rohan said, kissing her once more.

Dorian closed her eyes, feeling the weight of her lover as he fell upon her. Rohan's pants told more about his passion than the elf's way with words could ever do. The dwarf let out a soft cry of delight as Rohan unbuttoned the soft silk opening of her dress. As a hungry cat might pounce upon a saucer of milk, Rohan dug deeply into the dwarf's intimate treasures. Gently, he sucked at the woman's nipples, eagerly biting away at her flesh.

"I have to warn you, sir," Dorian said, pushing the elf's head deeper between her breasts. "Dwarfs mate for life."

Rohan came up for air.

"Then may love be my crime, and you my prison."

The dwarf started to cry, but, upon her face beamed the softest of smiles.

Rohan sank down, separating the dwarf's legs.

Dorian tried to say something, but was too overcome with anticipation. Her heart beat heavily. Her breath came fast.

The elf softly took in the woman's scent while he embellished himself in the most intimate of fashions.

***

Keeth kept looking over his shoulder.

The Argo was being followed.

Since their starboard turn near the Gull Islands, a small outcrop near the elfin nations, the wizard had been aware of their shadow. Matching course change with course change, the captain of the following vessel advertised the greatest of skills. The wizard would have to congratulate him upon his seamanship.

But that was for another day.

The wizard did not like being followed.

"Something, wizard?"

Taken aback, Keeth turned to see that Jatel had come out on deck.

"I apologize, wizard," Jatel offered. "I did not mean to startle you so."

"No mind," the old man said, patting his chest. "Ka-Ron is resting."

A telling smile, showing the memories of enjoyed love crossed the young man's face. But to Jatel's credit, he quickly removed the emotions.

"She is doing fine. Thank you for asking."

"Delighted." Keeth turned his eyes out upon the horizon. "Squire, we are being followed."

Jatel joined the wizard in his concerns.

"Friend or enemy, wizard?"

"I wish I knew."

"Do we at least know who is following us?"

"I had cast a looking glass spell, moments ago, just to answer that very question, sir."

"And what was your answer?"

The wizard let out a tired, if not surprised, grunt. "Elves, is what I came up with, Jatel."

"Elves?" The squire shook his shoulders. "Do they not prefer to stick to their own waters?"

"Indeed they do." The wizard pointed out, turning the ship's wheel towards a new course. "To be pursued by an elf captain is quite unheard of."

"Odd, to say the least."

Keeth peered out at the dark spaces between him and the elfish pursuer. "I think they are from Eulogia. A nation in the Weedwoods, if my memory serves correctly."

Jatel turned, giving the cabin doors a worried look.

"Keeth, Rohan is from the Weedwoods."

"I know." The wizard's brows moved awkwardly. "Which makes me question the honor of our friends."

"Think not, wizard," Jatel protested. "They could not&"

"I only mention the chance of a misunderstanding, squire. Not the fact that Rohan may be wrong in his stated credentials."

"I should hope so."

The elfin ship crept up on the Argo, boldly advertising its silhouette. The vessel was an impressive one, well equipped for a long voyage, if need be. There would be no possible way the wizard's ship could out-sail her. Whatever "ghost" was motivating the elf captain, he was dead set upon reaching his target.

With a puff of smoke, the pursuer made itself known.

The loud bang, which had accompanied the smoke, was from a signal cannon.

Respectfully, the elves were asking to come aboard.

***

Dorian let down the last of her guard.

In doing so, she revealed more of who she was.

Her light green hair grew longer, stopping right at her hips, which grew a little wider. Her breasts increased in size, rivaling Ka-Ron's. Her lips grew fuller, and her facial features turned even softer. Her hands took on a more fragile appearance, with long and defining fingernails - all were manicured to perfection.

This last confused Rohan.

"Dorian&a question, please."

The dwarf cupped her breasts and fell to her knees. She gave her elfish lover a sly and hungry smile.

"Anything you want, dear."

"How can you have manicured nails?"

"I never try to figure out miracles," Dorian insisted, pulling down the pants of the elf. Both were completely naked.

Rohan accepted her wisdom. He had better things to focus upon.

Dorian closed her eyes, opened her mouth, and started to concentrate.

The elf appreciated the effort.

The dwarf did her task well, bobbing up and down, enveloping all. She could feel all of the elf's passion and power as he continued to thrust himself into her mouth. His breathing was hard and steady, as his desire to please was paramount.

Dorian turned up a smile upon the corner of her mouth, glancing into the young elf's eyes, ensuring him that she enjoyed what he allowed her to suckle. With steadfast hands, she reached and rubbed Rohan's back, scratching him all the way down to his knees. At one point, he became so excited that the elf's legs gave out upon him, causing him to regain his composure by tightly grabbing onto Dorian's soft head. This only helped her more with her task.

The woman could stand it no longer.

"Rohan," Dorian stated, pulling him out of her mouth, "take me!"

Rohan had no choice in the matter.

The dwarf jumped upon her unsuspecting target, and both went swiftly towards the floor.

Dorian moved fast. Kissing her subject, she subconsciously positioned herself for penetration. Dorian's eyes widened, as the woman completed her objective.

***

The name of the elfish ship was The Willows' Breath. And by sheer size, craftsmanship, and power, she put the Argo to shame. However, Keeth was sure that the elf ship had only one purpose - that was the Argo's edge.

Jatel agreed with the wizard's assumption.

In any case, once the elfish vessel came alongside, her crew moved quite swiftly. Before Keeth or the squire knew it, the Argo had been invaded.

"Ever heard of elf pirates?" Jatel asked, putting his hands up into the air.

"No," Keeth said, quite surprised. "To take for profit would be an insult to most elves."

"Be quiet!" an elf sailor shouted, pointing a rather nasty looking sword at the both of them.

Most of the elves looked too clean and too healthy to be just plain sea folk. Most who took to the seas knew the risk. Sea life was hard, and relied more upon what a sailor could get, to what he actually needed. Malnutrition was not an unsurprising detail - even if the sailor was an elf.

"Once the captain boards, all your questions will be answered."

The elf sailor bowed with some respect. It was quite obvious to both the wizard and the squire that this particular elf did not like what he had been ordered to do. His troubled eyes betrayed the projected image he was trying to evoke.

"Captain upon the deck!" another sailor shouted.

All elves that could, snapped to full attention.

"Bet he's great at parties." Jatel whispered to the wizard.

Keeth had no comment.

The Elf Captain was tall. That was the first impression that the man gave. At least four sticks taller than Rohan, and he carried with him a sense of absolute power. Upon his stern features there was the look of a commander who was used to getting his way.

Dressed in the traditional military garb of the Elfin Royal Command, the Captain boarding the Argo studied all that he saw. It was plan to see he found the ship both fascinating and functional. This last was quite a thrill for the wizard.

The Captain stood before both of his prisoners, bowing.

"I am Rolmore," he said as he silently ordered all his men to lower their weapons. "I offer greetings and apologies for the actions I have just taken upon you and your vessel. Are you the commander?"

"I am," Keeth acknowledged.

"Ahh!" Rolmore forced at smile. "I admire your ship. It is quite efficient for being so small."

"It's been my experience, captain, that good things always are in small packages."

"Quite."

Rolmore paused, gritting his teeth. He appeared to be a man both under fire and tasked for time. He started to pace, studying each man before him. The elf had a habit of trying to clear his throat.

"There is a criminal of the elfin people on board, and we will have him." the captain finally blurted out. A great flash of relief hit him, letting go of the burden of his task. "I am authorized with letters of marque, which empower me to search your ship."

"Captain, please!" the wizard insisted. "We are all law-respecting on this ship. You need not act this way. By all means, we will corporate."

Rolmore smiled, nodding his head, "Duly noted."

The elf captain faced his men. With a simple twitch of his forefinger, he made his officers respond to his will.

The elves attacked the decks of the Argo with efficient speed.

It did not take too long for the sailors to notice that the galley doors were locked.

* * *

Both elf and dwarf had changed positions. Rohan was now on top.

Dorian moaned with delight as the elf dove deeper and deeper into her universe. He had never felt so alive, or so complete. Rohan had intuitively become aware of why the dwarfs treasured and hid their women. While as one, they both shared the same thoughts, the same desires, and experienced pleasure and sex as one. There were no words in elfish thought that could compare with the glory. They were actually sharing souls.

Dorian giggled.

Rohan could feel her muscles tightening.

There was a flash before their eyes, and then pure nirvana.

The elf collapsed from sheer exhaustion upon the woman's ample breasts.

Like any man, he buried his features between her velveteen globes.

"That was&" Dorian tried to comment.

Rohan shook his head, mumbling something. Instead, he ended up kissing her, gently, upon her breastbone.

All was right with the universe.

That was until the galley doors were kicked in.

Dorian reverted back instantly. It was pure instinct.

The elves just paused.

"Do as I have ordered you to&" the Elf Captain joined his men.

Rolmore was beyond words.

Sprawled out upon the galley floor, it appeared that Rohan and Dorian, two males, were discovered, quite uninvited, to be performing oral sex on each other. Some of the elves were so appalled at what they saw that they vomited upon the deck. Embarrassed, both Rohan and Dorian grabbed for their clothes.

"You changed," Rohan whispered.

"Of course! What would you expect?" Dorian started to cry, covering up the act with a fake wave of coughing.

The Elf Captain pointed at Rohan, his fingers shaking with rage.

"Get that elf out upon this deck," he ordered. "Now!

Rohan's world turned a bitter and painful shade of black.

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

Rohan fought the pain he felt. Barely able to see out of his left eye, his right was mashed up and bleeding through his swollen eyelid. He coughed up some blood as he was thrown to the main deck.

"Dwarf-loving scum!" one of the elf sailors shouted.

"Don't knock it," Rohan stated defiantly.

A circle of elves tried to change his mind by kicking the elf strongly in the back, stomach, and crotch area.

"That will be enough of that!"

The sailors snapped to attention as their captain marched passed them. Each elf stood with conviction, having realized the seriousness of his actions. It was not the elf way to execute hostile intent upon a prisoner of conscience. But, when they had all seen a kinsman in the arms of a dwarf performing things best left to those in private places, rage took the place of logic.

Rohan had broken a scared and ancient law: no elf shall ever love a dwarf.

While fighting with his pain, this was one of many thoughts that went through Rohan's mind. It was a stupid law. Or, at least, that is what he used to think. The dwarves did not have any females in their race. At least, that is what Rohan had believed before he met Dorian, and before the dwarf had had the chance to show him the greatest mystery upon the planet.

Now, swallowing his own blood, tasting the bitter taste of nickel on his tongue, Rohan argued with his logic while fighting the pain. Did his fellow kinsman hate him for breaking the sacred law? Or did they despise him because Dorian allowed them all to perceive him as a male? Whatever the answer was, he knew it to be below the principle of his race.

This could not be allowed!

"I plead to you, good elves, do not hurt him so," Dorian cried, himself now strapped in chains. The tiny dwarf had his fair share of cuts and bruises as well. Despite his height and weight, the dwarf did not go down without a fight. There were two huge elves who could contest to the fierceness of Dorian's will. Each heralded deep and dark "purple eyes."

"Do not harm the prisoners!" Rolmore repeated, walking up to and challenging one of his men. The captain glowered at his officer, silently warning the aggressive young elf that if he continued with his madness, his future would be in question. Bowing, quite against his will - forcing the movement - the sailor stepped back, leaving the prisoners alone.

The crewmembers of the Argo confronted their own preconceptions. They had seen Rohan and Dorian performing their acts upon the galley floor. Some were flabbergasted, while others saw it as unique. Keeth seemed to be the least surprised of the group, Ka-Ron, the most understanding. Who would better know the agony of love than one caught between the sexes?

All were called out for questioning once Rohan had been found.

"Captain, may I have a word with you?"

Rolmore looked up from the dwarf and noticed the wizard.

"Please, captain," the elf stated, motioning the wizard to join him.

"I am not a captain, sir." Keeth huffed. "There is no chain of command on my vessel."

"I meant no disrespect, sir." Rolmore bowed. "I still offer my apologies."

"Apologies, indeed!" Keeth roared, angry. "What manner of crime allows your subordinates to beat their prisoners? And, most importantly, what has Rohan done that requires such force?"

"Rohan is what you might call an outsider," the elf captain explained. "He does not stay close to the earth. He is not one with nature."

"And this is?" The wizard's voice started to carry. "So he walks to a different step. So what? Some of our greatest thinkers were ostracized by the powers that be."

"His mind is up in the stars," Rolmore stated, quite amused by the concept. "He refuses to serve his people, thereby breaking the law. He will be taken back to the Weedwoods, where he will face our king, his father, and The Council of the Twelve."

"Do you mean to say that his own father has issued the warrant?"

"Yes, wizard. I am sure that I have been plain about this." Rolmore's features turned hard. "And after what I have witnessed in your ship's galley, he will pay for his crimes."

"How a person loves is no one's business, except those they choose to share it with," Keeth protested.

"Do you stand against me, captain?" Rolmore asked in a challenging manner.

"I protest any idiot who thinks he can change things by imperial edict."

The elf captain tightened his grip, stressing the endurance of his leather gloves. A mental tug of war raged within Rolmore's skull, and the clues he broadcasted did not fail to grab at the wizard's perceptions.

Rolmore took on a cautionary breath, pointing a finger at Keeth, silently warning him.

"I will question these two on the deck of your vessel. I inform you of this out of respect, and recognizing that it is the law of the seas." Rolmore paused, "I warn you, do not interrupt."

Keeth grumbled, but remained silent.

Rolmore approached the prisoner.

The reaction the elf captain received surprised all of Rohan's friends.

"Rolmore!" Rohan cried, honestly happy to see the elf captain.

Struggling to get to his feet, Rohan outstretched his arms, wanting to accept the officer as an equal.

Rolmore, upon getting within arm's reach, backhanded Rohan, causing the elf to stumble to the floor.

"Do not talk to me, traitor!" Rolmore shouted, his voice curt and vindictive.

Rohan retreated inside his pain, and rested in a fetal position.

Rolmore, turning momentarily to gaze upon the crew of the Argo, flashed genuine embarrassment at others, not elfin, witnessing his outrage. He bowed to them all, hoping for an apology of some sort. One that did not come.

"I will allow all of you to walk freely on board your ship. You will follow The Willows' Breath as we start sailing back towards home. If anyone of you try to stop us, I shall offer you the same kindness I have showed the prisoners."

"Try it!" En-Don challenged, his hand reaching for his sword's hilt.

Rolmore did not say a word. He only stared at the brave young man, pointing a warning finger towards him.

Rolmore walked off the Argo's deck, back to his ship.

"Who is that guy?" En-Don asked, his gaze turning back to his parents.

"He is Rolmore," Rohan offered. "He is my brother."

***

As a formality, Rolmore thought it best to hold a "witnessing" before they reached elfin waters. A "witnessing" was an ancient ritual, which openly questioned an elf being tried for treason, so that an independent third party may know why he and his crew had acted in the way that they did.

It was a logical jurisprudence.

No one should have to make up false stories about the ways of the elf.

"What is going on here?" Ka-Ron whispered to Keeth.

"I think it's what my father used to call a comedy of errors." The wizard's voice sounded sad. "Only heartache will come of this."

Dorian sat in a small corner, bordered by two barrels. His hands were freed, and he was allowed the proper food and drink. After all tempers had been calm, both prisoners were treated with a tolerable amount of respect.

Rohan's eye had improved, and all were happy to see that his wounds were almost healed.

"Do you deny the charges the Imperial See have cast against you, Rohan?"

"How can I protest that which you have already perceived as a crime?" Rohan asked.

The elf captain raised his hands in a gesture of acceptance. If he could, for the record, get Rohan to admit he was held for crimes against the elfish state that was victory for half his battle.

There was still one "sensitive" area to cover.

Rolmore pointed to Dorian.

"Do you, Rohan, love that&thing?"

Dorian, bored, for he knew this was all a farce, started to comb out the matted knots in his beard. Upon hearing the elf captain refer to him as a "thing," the dwarf looked over at Rohan, blowing him a kiss.

The action did not cause a positive reaction among the elves.

Rohan, on the other hand, rolled his eyes and did all that he could to keep from laughing.

Rolmore was not so accepting.

"You, my brother, are nothing but an embarrassment and abomination to the elfin people, and I will see you hang."

There was a long pause, which only seemed to be magnified by the surrounding sounds of the sea.

"What has happened to you?" Rohan asked, mystified. "What has happened to father, to make him hate a son who loves the stars?"

"You are a traitor."

"I love my lands and people," Rohan shouted, rising to his feet.

"You are nothing but an embarrassment; and I will see you destroyed." Rolmore turned to look at Dorian, who was no longer taking this as a comedy. "You are&a&freak."

This last hurt Rohan more than the back slap from before.

Family blood was always the coldest when angered.

"Rohan."

All eyes turned to the dwarf.

Dorian stood, his hands fidgeting.

"Tell them," was all the dwarf could bring himself to say.

"I will not betray you in order to save myself."

Dorian softly smiled. His eyes teared.

"Tell them, my love."

Keeth leaned over and whispered into Ka-Ron's ear.

"Here comes the truth, I wager."

Ka-Ron's face turned hard. "You have not been withholding information, have you, wizard?"

The old man tried to change the subject. He wanted to watch what was happening. Ka-Ron, worriedly, allowed the wizard his entertainment.

Rolmore placed himself between both Dorian and Rohan. His temper was starting to boil again, made evident by his hands repeatedly flexing into fists.

"If there is a secret here, I demand to know it," the elf captain ordered, pointing back towards the dwarf. "Or, do you wish for him to be included in your sentencing?"

Waves of agony passed over Rohan's features. This was all wrong. He should not have to break a covenant of ages just to help save his own life. If he did this - if he crossed that line - neither he nor the dwarfish race could ever again re-cross it. How could he ever live something like that down?

Rolmore pulled out his sword, and pointed it at Dorian.

"I will know this secret, or your friend here dies."

Rohan turned all of his soul over to his love. Dorian stood defiant and ready to die. The elf was sure that his friend would face death with uncommon bravery. With a twinkle in his eye, and faith in his stance, Dorian bowed his head, giving Rohan a solemn nod.

TELL HIM.

"Dorian is, in fact, a woman." Rohan closed his eyes, shamefully.

"I knew it!" Keeth shouted, pointing a happy finger at Dorian. "I knew it!"

Ka-Ron looked at the excited wizard with surprise.

"Were you ever going to tell us?" the knight asked.

"Well," Keeth huffed. "I couldn't be sure. What if I were wrong? I would have really looked the part of the fool, then. One must always mind what others think. It helps."

"Could you say that again?" Rolmore asked, turning a harsh glance up at both Keeth and Ka-Ron.

"Dorian is a woman."

This last statement caused a rush of emotion to flow through the elfin ranks.

"There could be no such thing!" one sailor challenged.

"Dwarfs do not have females in their race." another cried.

"They are born from the earth. Everyone knows that!"

"Lies!"

"Kill him, now!"

Rolmore put up a commanding hand, calming his crew.

"My father never told me that my older brother had a talent toward fantasy." The elf captain laughed as he tightened his gloves.

"It is the truth," Rohan rebutted.

Rolmore let out a dry laugh, walking up to Dorian. Dorian, in turn, reflected a stern gaze.

"A dwarf woman, heh?"

Quite by surprise, Rolmore took his left hand and grabbed the dwarf by the crotch. Upon Rolmore's doing so, Dorian let out a vocal protest.

"He doesn't feel like a woman." Rolmore challenged.

Upon letting go of the dwarf, Rolmore was startled to feel a harsh slap.

Dorian had his satisfaction.

Blood started to trickle from the corner of Rolmore's mouth. Taking off a glove, the elf captain inspected his wound with amusement.

"Point taken, dwarf." he laughed. "Point taken."

"This is all true," Dorian pleaded. "Dwarfs have hid their women for a long time now."

"Then, why have we not seen one?" a sailor shouted.

"Because, you moron, we&are&hidden!"

This remark caused some of the crew to laugh mildly.

"Brother," Rohan stated. "It is true. Dorian is a woman."

Rolmore became intrigued. And nothing could stop an intrigued elf.

"I fail to believe that the cosmic winds would ignore telling me the fact that Dorian, here, is a woman."

"Perhaps you are going deaf," Dorian suggested curtly.

Rolmore paused, listening.

The elf captain paid attention to the creaking wooden planks in each ship. He heard the stories both ships had to tell&lonely and terrible episodes of a wizard going mad with solitude, while praying for a chance to rejoin society. It told of his love for his ship, and how he help birth it into this world. He listened to the oceans and their stories. All this he heard.

But for Dorian and Rohan, there was nothing.

"I cannot hear your truth here," Rolmore finally stated, returning once more to his task.

"Brother, stop feeling with your mind and start reaching out with your hearts," Rohan pleaded. "If the stars have taught me anything, it's that life is filled with unlimited possibilities."

Everyone waited for Rolmore's reaction.

It was so quiet you could hear a fish burp.

"Prove it," was all Rolmore could bring himself to say.

All eyes turned to Dorian.

The dwarf closed his eyes, concentrating.

Nothing happened.

"We're waiting!" the elf captain sarcastically yelled.

"Shut up!" Dorian barked. "This goes against all my instincts. Please, be patient."

"I have all night."

Again, the dwarf closed his eyes. He tried with all his concentration to relax. It was a hard thing to break all tradition, and go against everything you had been taught over the years. It was like asking a fish to breathe air.

"Dorian?" Rohan whispered.

"I'm trying," the dwarf said between gritted teeth. "Now, please, shut up."

An electric static started to fill the air.

Before everyone's eyes, the dwarf grew about a stick and a half in height.

Rolmore, in shock, quickly stepped back.

Dorian, the gruff, scruffy, grumbling, and dirty little dwarf was soon replaced by a poised beauty, a softness in the self, and she was of course female. She opened her eyes, tittering slowly, for the act to fight her trained instincts was exhausting. She presented herself in her true form.

"Marvelous!" one of the elf sailors was heard to whisper.

"Are you now convinced, captain?" Dorian asked.

Rolmore stood speechless. After a long time, he turned to look at his brother, and could now understand the love and passion Rohan seemed to carry in his hearts. The elf captain shook his head, understanding.

"In all my life, I never believed the secret legends," Rolmore whispered. As he approached Dorian, lightly touching her upon the shoulder, the captain seemed to laugh with wonder. "Do not hate the dwarf so, legends said, for a little of them is in each of us."

"Our races did know each other, once, long ago," Dorian said, and smiled. The intense stares she was getting from Rolmore, made the woman self-conscious, and she avoided prolonged eye contact. "Your brother is no traitor. He and I are prisoners of love."

Rolmore stared high into the sky, letting out a troubled exhalation.

"I am under Imperial Orders to bring him in," the elf captain explained. "He will have to stand in front of our father and king." He paused. "I have my orders, my lady."

Dorian looked up at her friends, and noticed their reactions. Still, in their amazement, the dwarf was surprised to find support. Whatever her form, she had proven to them her loyalty. They would stand with her. She would not be alone.

"Where Rohan goes, I follow."

"Indeed," Rolmore said, turning to his men. "Place these two in a cell aboard The Willows' Breath. Take off their shackles, and do not bind them. They will be treated with the utmost respect, and allowed the titles and privileges of their positions within the confines of their incarceration. Understood?"

The sailor didn't question the order. There was a moment of pause as he had seen Dorian's beauty. "It shall be done, sir."

"Excellent."

The chains were removed. Rohan and Dorian were allowed to embrace.

Rolmore and his men left the decks of the Argo with the prisoners.

***

"What just happened?" Molly asked, amazed.

All eyes turned to the wizard.

"Every time we seem to understand the world, along comes another mystery."

"You knew Dorian was a woman," Ka-Ron stated.

Keeth keenly nodded his head in the affirmative. "That was the only explanation," he stated. "Well, not the only one. But Rohan did not give me the impression he was interested in males."

The elfin ship took her position directly in front of the Argo, pulling the little ship with a strong series of chains.

Upon seeing this, Jatel walked over to the set of levers near the ship's wheel. The squire was quite intent on activating a few of the wizard's amazing machines.

"Not a good idea!" Keeth yelled, running to catch up with Jatel.

"Wizard, they have us, and are keeping captive two of our crew."

Keeth smiled, admiring the young man's desire to save a friend.

"Now is not the time. Save all options for later, son."

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

Jatel took his master to their cabin, all too aware that she was not in a good mood. The ship's motions were sluggish, due to the fact that the elf ship towing them sailed too slowly. And the constant "clank-clank" of the towing chains did not seem to help.

"Some quest, heh, Jatel?" The knight sat upon her bed looking quite miserable.

"There have been minor points of interest, sire."

As the squire joined his love on the bed, Ka-Ron meekly laughed gazing into his honest and forthright face. She held his hands and considered his loyalty to be the greatest treasure she had ever known.

"Why can't we just get to The Fire Mountains?" she cried, allowing Jatel to hug her. "It was only to be a simple trip."

"Simple trips have a curious way of becoming&complicated."

Upon hearing Jatel's reasoning, the woman burst out in laughter.

"Each time I seem to define who I am in this universe, you stir into the mix, making me more and more confused." Ka-Ron paused, her brow thinking. "Why is that, Jatel?"

The squire had no answer.

***

Molly stared out the porthole of her cabin, listening to En-Don prepare himself for bed. The fates seemed to have changed for the crew of the Argo. Things had been going their way for quite some time, and it did not surprise her that they had hit a few bumps in the road, although she, at one time, had been one of those bumps.

"Dorian appears to be so beautiful," she mused. "I wonder what could have been so horrible, that all dwarfs had to hide the simple fact that they love?"

"It seems that love is the only thing in abundance in this entire quest." En-Don dug deeply into the bed sheets.

"I wonder." Molly's eyes turned to her man.

En-Don gazed up at her, healthy, young, and whole. She had missed his stern features and his sly smile. Undressing, she giggled upon realizing that En-Don was becoming excited. There was really nothing she could do for now.

"Well, and why not?" the woman said, slowly walking towards her man.

Molly and En-Don escaped as only two young lovers could.

***

Trying to keep herself from laughing, Dorian listened to Rohan's snoring. They had been both taken to a well-furnished cabin, with bed, writing desk, a wall of leather books, and a dining table. There were thick curtains, comfortable chairs, and any color of candle one could conjure. Under different circumstances, the dwarf could have really enjoyed herself.

Rohan had suffered terribly for several cycles, before he ultimately allowed sleep to drape across his face. So, for quite some time, the woman lay there by Rohan's side, studying his face.

Rohan moaned, stirred, and appeared to be having an awful dream. He blinked himself back into the world of the waking.

"Hello," Dorian purred, softly running her fingers through Rohan's hair.

Rohan scanned the room, obviously having been too sleepy to notice his surroundings. "Are we&"

"On board your brother's ship?" Dorian finished. "Yes, we are."

"He is so full of anger."

"I was wondering about that, myself." Dorian got out of bed. "Why is there so much hurt between the two of you?"

"My&father."

Dorian had been wearing an elfish dress and corset given to her by one of the crew. Rohan thought she looked extremely attractive. The woman decided that the cabin was too dark. So, to help take her mind off their shared situation, she decided to light up a few candles.

"All this because you loved the stars?"

Rohan's eyes turned distant, and reflected regret. "The only reason I had decided to help look for our missing elves in Cibola was that I have a chance to study the heavens. My father has never understood my fascination."

"I am having troubles with that myself," Dorian said, blowing out her match. "Why the stars?"

"Ask an artist why he paints. Ask a soldier why he takes up arms. It's a calling of my soul, and I must follow it."

"Good enough for me."

The elfish ship seemed to be changing her course. There were several yells of orders, barely heard as they seeped into the cabin. The crew were dedicated and in quite a hurry to deliver their important cargo.

"Well, it's just my luck," Dorian joked, controlling a smile.

"What?"

"That I'd finally meet my prince, and that he'd be the black Xow of the family."

Rohan's eyes turned deep. He studied Dorian in her female clothes, and smiled. She was indeed a vision, but, if she were to continue with this fashion, someone would have to teach her how to wear elf clothing - her corset was on upside down and inside out. Still, she was a vision to behold.

"I love you very much, Dorian."

Before she had a chance to respond, the elf enveloped her lips. His kiss was a slice of paradise.

"The dress makes me look fat," Dorian whispered, keeping her face close to Rohan's. It was quite obvious that she wanted more attention before the night was through.

"You are not fat," Rohan insisted.

"There," Dorian stated, wrapping her arms around the elf. "See why I love you?"

Rohan mused: Women are always women, wherever you go.

So, the two of them, quite possibly living through the most traumatic day of their shared lives, discovered a rather enjoyable way to escape.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

The two ships soon approached an elfish port. While in the harbor, channeling up the river test, crowds of elves came to see the curious site of The Willows' Breath pulling such an alien and tiny ship as the Argo. Still, there were rough rumors that the incoming elf crew had on board a female dwarf. As with all who knew of Dorian's condition, many had never seen, known, or comprehended the fact that the dwarfs had females. So, in the nature of discovery, most of the elf officials ended up with one hell of a nightmare on their hands.

Beyond the excitement, elfish towns were peaceful and logical. Buildings, churches, and halls of government were blended in with tree, river, stone and earth. When looking calmly upon the village before them, without realizing that they were in elfish waters, the common eyes would have scanned past and forgotten everything. Elfish villages were made to be ignored.

Dorian had managed to sneak a peek here and there while she was being taken to Rolmore's quarters. At first, when asked to visit with him, neither she nor Rohan knew what to make of the offer. It was understood that Rohan's brother just wanted to have a talk with her.

"He will do nothing to harm you," Rohan had said. "He is an elf of honor."

The dwarf's curiosity turned to fear when she saw the hordes of curious elves lining the village's dock wanting to see the female dwarf. Word had spread far and wide about Dorian and her little curiosity. She had wondered, when her people discovered her betrayal, what would be their reaction.

"Yep," Dorian huffed, nodding her head with misery. "I'm in trouble."

It did not take long to navigate through the ship.

Before Dorian knew it, she was standing fast at the captain's door.

With swift action, the two elf sailors in charge of her knocked upon the cabin door and deposited their prisoner.

Rolmore sat at his desk, writing.

"Please, enter," he stated, not looking up.

Rolmore's quarters were not unlike hers and Rohan's.

They were well furnished. They were comfortable. They were elfish.

The dwarf was surprised to see that the captain's personal library was extensive. He had books of history, science, medicine, and carpentry. Amongst those tomes of knowledge, she saw several books of dwarf poetry. She, herself, had never seen a book dedicated in whole or part to anything dwarfs had done. So, seeing the four books of various sizes, she was curious.

"Would you like to take a seat until I am finished?" Rolmore extended a hand, pointing to a well-padded chair in front of his desk. Although a question, his undertone was that of an order. "Please."

Rolmore was writing away in his log book, with a stern and steadfast gaze. Obviously, the elf took his records seriously. After finishing, the captain looked up, exhaling with exhaustion.

"Sometimes I believe my paperwork will be the death of me."

At the offhand remark, Rolmore had managed to get a small smile from his guest.

The captain continued with his staring.

"You are holding too keen a glance for my taste, Captain," Dorian offered, her eyes cast down to her lap.

"I do not mean to be rude," Rolmore stated. "But you are quite a lovely creature."

"I thank you for that."

"Which is hard to say, given that I saw how you looked as a man." Rolmore laughed, trying to ease the tension.

"It has been a work of seasons, sir."

"Quite. Practice makes for perfection."

"Mostly."

The elf noticed the woman's misery and flashed a feeling of guilt. He was proud, in a way, that his brother was able to find such a woman. To have a lover who would sacrifice everything to see you safe was indeed rare&perhaps more rare than a female dwarf.

"Why am I here, Captain?" Dorian asked.

Rolmore smiled. By the look of controlled fear upon the dwarf woman's face, she clearly did not want to hear his answer. In short, he couldn't blame her.

"Your relationship has caused quite a stir throughout our kingdom."

"I am sorry to hear that."

"I cannot let it continue." Rolmore's face turned hard. He was once more the authoritative figure he had portrayed so well while on board the Argo.

"Could you at least tell me why?" The woman's voice began to rise.

"Traditionally, Dwarfs and elves are enemies. Dwarfs mine the earth. They take from her. They are not one with the land."

"That would be news to our farmers."

Rolmore paused.

"Yes. We farm. How did you think dwarfs eat? Pick up a rock, bite it, and start to chew? We cherish the earth as much as you do."

"An elf and a dwarf in love?" Rolmore barked, rising from his chair. "That would be like asking a fish to live upon the land. It can never be allowed."

"Why not?"

Dorian opened her eyes fully, allowing the elf a chance to see honestly into her soul. One could always tell who a person really was by gazing into their eyes. At least, that is what her mother had always told her.

Rolmore did.

The elf captain paused. "This cannot be allowed." the captain whispered.

"I will not leave Rohan's side." Dorian got up from her chair.

"Then you will be taken before The Council of the Twelve. Once you are there, and judgment is passed, not even the king can save you. I offer this only as a warning to you, for I wish you no harm."

In a huff, Dorian had started to leave.

When Rolmore wouldn't stop her, she paused.

"Something's not right here." she said, turning to face Rolmore. "Why are you telling me all this? You could just as easily dump me at your jail, and leave. Why, Rolmore?"

Uneasy, the captain stirred. "I offer you a choice."

"And that is?"

"An escape." The captain's voice was almost too low for her to hear.

Dorian started to smile. Perhaps Rohan's brother was more loyal to him than he had been projecting. Family blood, after all, was quite thick.

Rolmore read the expression upon the dwarf's face.

"Just you!" he stated, ordering the woman to sit back down. "If you were to escape The Willows' Breath, I swear that I will not recapture you. You could leave these woods and live out the remainder of your life."

"As a criminal," Dorian added.

"Who is not, at one time or the other, ruled by powers who own us?"

"I will not leave without your brother."

Rolmore studied Dorian's face for quite some time before he finally sat back down. He picked up his pen and started to write in his log once more. After several scratchings, he stopped, and then he closed his book.

"Then, my lady, you leave me no choice."

Picking up a small bell, Rolmore rang it. Upon hearing the peal of the tiny device, the same two elf sailors reappeared. Silently, Rolmore directed Dorian to follow his men. She was to be placed back into confinement.

"Dorian?" Rolmore asked, before the woman could leave. "You would rather seek death?"

"Rolmore, Rohan is my life. Freedom without him would be worse than prison."

The captain said nothing. His gaze did soften a little. There was more respect.

"Off with her, then!" he finally shouted.

Rolmore sat in his room for several beats, not really doing much of anything. How could he allow his brother to die? How could he allow his father to pass such a ruling, without even once arguing the point?

The cabin took on a dark gloom.

Again, Rolmore rang his bell.

"Yes, captain?"

"Send for my brother," Rolmore ordered.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

When Rohan was brought to Rolmore's cabin, the sailors were not so kind. Unlike Dorian, he was given chains. Unlike Dorian, he was taken through populated parts of the under housings of the ship - mostly through the crew's sleeping quarters. This was so others could express their opinion about Rohan's choice of a mate. There were those who didn't quite like the idea of a prince being a star lover.

The comments did not come without a little pain.

There was no need to knock this time. Rolmore opened the door.

"Come back when I signal you," Rolmore ordered.

The captain offered his brother a seat.

"I apologize for the conduct of my men. Rolmore offered Rohan a small glass of wine. "For purposes of morale, I have to turn the other way, you understand? A captain needs the support of his crew."

"Of course, my brother." Rohan rubbed his right cheek.

Rolmore took a chair opposite his brother and fought hard not to show any kind of emotion.

It didn't work.

"Why have you brought so much shame to our family?"

Rohan gave his brother a surprised glance. "I thought that it was understood that upon my successful completion to determine what had happened to our kinsmen at Cibola, I would be allowed to seek my own path."

"Do you honestly believe that father would give you up?"

"He gave his word."

"He's the king!" Rolmore shouted. "He would need you as his successor upon his death. You are a prince, after all."

Rohan sat quiet. His mind raced.

"Speak!" Rolmore shouted.

"I will not be a prisoner to a crown," Rohan stated. "I will not be a good little elf who has no life, walking a straight and narrow line. Rolmore, I have hunted. I have enjoyed the meal I have prepared with my own hands. I have seen shooting stars and skies no elf has dreamed ever existed. I have loved&"

"Let's not go into that right now, if you please!"

"In any case, my brother, I am not going back."

Rolmore's shoulders sank. "Then, there is nothing I can do. Father wants you back, and that obsession has caused him to go mad."

"Mad?"

"Do you think I would honestly follow an order having my brother killed?" Rolmore stood. His manner was starting to become worrisome. "If I had not followed those orders, he would have called out another. I let my crew abuse you, knowing that if it were another captain, you would be dead. I can live with causing you pain." Rolmore paused, his voice shaky. "I could not live with your death."

"Brother, I&"

"To make matters worse, you end up in love with a dwarf. But not just any dwarf - a female dwarf. This alone will cause The Council of the Twelve to be paranoid for at least ten seasons."

"She was a surprise." Rohan said, beaming.

"This is serious, brother!" Rolmore shouted. "We are to dock in three cycles. I need to know your intentions."

"I will stand eye to eye with father, and I will tell him I have my own life."

"Star gazing?"

"Star gazing."

Rolmore walked around his cabin and stopped at his impressive library. He tried to calm himself by looking through his many books. He was truly an elf caught in a terrible drama.

"We live in fear of our king, Rohan," he finally stated. "He had three soldiers put to death last season."

"For what reason?"

"They stood up for your name." Rolmore looked panicked. "Father has gone mad."

Rohan had no idea that his father was this far gone. He and his father had always been at odds. The only crime Rohan had been responsible for was being born breached. This alone caused his mother great pain. Rolmore's birth was more natural&more elfin.

"What about the people?"

"They follow their king."

Rohan could not believe what he heard.

"Brother, are you saying we should&?"

Neither elf could bring himself to say it.

There was an awkwardly long pause between them.

"Father needs to be taken care of, before he really does hurt someone." Rolmore's features turned sad. Rohan was surprised to see him near tears.

"Revolution?" Rohan asked, whispering.

Rolmore turned, facing his brother with conviction.

"Revolution," the elf captain confirmed.

***

Dorian sat alone in her cabin, waiting for Rohan to return. She had been crying for quite some time, and had to change her clothing in order to keep up the appearance of being strong, if only to help Rohan.

"How in the hell did I ever let this happen?" she cried, ironically laughing. "You had to go and fall in love."

She was starting to feel quite sick, and wondered if it had been from all the elfin food she had been eating. Elf food wasn't bad, just bland. Dwarfs were not afraid to pick up the salt.

Rohan had been gone for quite some time, more so than she had. All kinds of frightening images played out in her mind. Was her love being tortured? Was someone holding him down, and gently cutting away at his skin, just to make a point? The ancient stories told of how elves were quite good at torture before they became so civilized. Were the elves reverting to the old ways?

So many horrors haunted the woman. "Oh, Rohan," Dorian prayed. "Please come back to me."

The woman was again hit with a sudden case of nausea.

She washed her face, ate some of the casserole prepared by the ship's chef, and continued to wait. The food was strangely familiar. Overcome by her appearance, the chef tried his best to make Dorian feel at home by preparing for her the only dwarf meal he knew - lamb loaf. It was perfect! The elf was not afraid to use salt. The big surprise was that the elf knew how to make a warm mint gravy!

It was the first decent meal she had eaten in over a luna.

Again her stomach churned.

"Something I ate, I suppose," the dwarf stated, rubbing her belly and walking over to a standing mirror.

It had been quite some time since the dwarf had the luxury of gazing at herself in her natural state. She had forgotten how beautiful she looked. She started to run her fingers through her hair, relishing the softness and length. She took in a deep breath, and was satisfied at what she was seeing.

Her eyes began to twinkle.

"No!" Dorian said, backing away from the mirror in surprise.

She stood there, at the mirror, and this time she paid more attention.

Again, her eyes showed her the truth.

Dorian needed to see Rohan.

***

"We shall enter the Great Hall with the pretense of taking you to trial," Rolmore explained, his papers, maps, and plans laid out so that Rohan could study them.

"And what of father?"

Rolmore let out a dry laugh. "Oh, to be sure, brother, he will be there. He has paced the halls, late at night, telling any and all who would listen what he plans to do with you."

"I am still having troubles wrapping my mind around all of this, Rolmore. There hasn't been a revolution in any elf nation since before the time of The Coughing."

"It is a bad taste in my mouth as well," Rolmore insisted, gently slamming his hand down upon the desk. "But, father leaves us no other choice."

Rohan studied all the plans. Rolmore had secretly built up an army over the last several seasons, waiting for the right time to strike. With Rohan gone, he was the next in line for the throne. No elf would follow a "standard" citizen against the crown. But owing to Rolmore's royal heritage, the movement gained footing.

Rohan was greatly impressed.

"I never knew you could be so&"

"Bold?" Rolmore interrupted, smiling.

"The word I was going to use was...efficient."

Rolmore accepted his brother's praise.

"Now, upon your return to your cabin, I&"

The captain was interrupted by a knock at his cabin door.

"What is it?"

The door opened, and a sailor walked in. Behind the elf was Dorian.

"Pardon the intrusion, sir, but, this prisoner requested that we bring her here."

"Fine!" Rolmore shooed the sailor away.

Once the door closed, Rohan rushed to Dorian's side.

Both kissed.

Rolmore rolled his eyes.

"Once you're in sight of the girls, all focus is lost."

Dorian was quite surprised to see Rohan laugh along with his brother. Upon parting from Dorian's arms, the two elves patted each other.

"Rohan?" Dorian asked.

"I will tell you later," Rohan promised. "When we are back in our cabin."

"What brings you here?" Rolmore asked.

The dwarf started to fidget, and there was honest fear in her eyes.

"Dorian, what's the matter?"

"Rohan, you are to be a father."

Rohan froze. All he could do was stare.

Upon hearing the great news that he was soon to be an uncle, Rolmore poured out more wine, and rose melon juice for the lady, and prepared to celebrate.

"A father?" Rohan asked.

Dorian pat her stomach.

"Yes."

"It is a good omen, brother," Rolmore exclaimed cheerily, while drinking his wine.

Dorian seemed confused.

"It seems, my dear, we have walked right into the middle of a war," Rohan stated, kissing Dorian upon her forehead.

The dwarf stood speechless.

Rolmore nodded his head in confirmation.

"Ah, shit! I always have had lousy timing," the dwarf complained.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

It took all the magic Kai had to help her lose her weight. With each trail she walked, potion she took, and slab of fat she worked off, she learned to hate the wizard. In all this time, she knew not his name, but his face was forever burnt into her brain. Again, she was a vision of beauty.

The man on top of her had been seeking his pleasure all night. Several times she had to escape inside her mind, as he licked and played, and as he explored the mysteries of her sex. She performed mind games, mysteries she had yet to solve, and for a time, battled the urge to sleep - he was that boring.

"Tell me when you're able," the man huffed, his face dripping with sweat.

Kai beamed the most sincere smile that she could without vomiting on the idiot. He was a powerful man in these parts, and she needed his support if she were to continue with her plans against Ka-Ron. Her hatred had grown so large that she could no longer contain it on her own. She needed allies.

It was her plan to wreak havoc upon Ka-Ron's nation by bringing the Xows and Idoshia to war. If wind of this ever reached Ka-Ron's ear, it would end up killing her. For how could victory be possible without Idoshia's grand knight? The very thought of not being able to participate would kill her spirit.

"I love only you, sire." Kai stated, rolling over to hide her look of disgust.

The man continued with his pleasure.

Kai hated the touch of him.

Mother! Stop this!

Kai tried to fight the sense that she was not alone in the room.

Mother&please&

The Wicca Master looked over her shoulder, but she only saw the man putting his clothes back on. She tried to ignore the voices. She closed her eyes, hoping that sleep would conquer her.

"You do not rule me," she hastily stated to no one in particular.

"What was that you said?" the man asked, half in and half out of his clothes.

"I said that I will have your potions ready by morning."

"Then I will be king of Idoshia and Illium?" The greed in his voice was sickening. He started to laugh.

"Yes, I have so promised."

He did not need to say his goodbyes. He knew that he would get his way. After all, he had paid for the services.

"My revenge," Kai mused, still naked upon her bed. "Is it worth all of this?"

She could still feel the presence in the room.

The Wicca Master was not alone.

"Mother?"

Kai turned around looking at the room's only door.

Before her stood the image of her daughter, Kym.

"You are not here!" Kai insisted, pointing a shaky finger up towards the image.

Kym was there.

"Mother, I have been allowed to come down from my astral path and show to you the errors in your judgment," Kym said.

She looked happy. It was the first time that Kai had ever seen her so content. Perhaps, all the answers her daughter could not seek in this life had been answered for her in the next. Kym looked remarkably fit and fulfilled.

"Kym, why did you let a man do you in?" Kai cried, holding a sheet up to her breasts.

Kym's image only shook her head.

"My undoing was my own, mother."

"I have made Ka-Ron suffer for what he has done to you," Kai stated with pride. "Even now, he regrets ever knowing you."

"I know. Mother, my life was ended because of my own selfish reasons, not anything Ka-Ron may have done."

"Not true!"

A strong wind swept through the room.

"Mother, it was not Ka-Ron's fault. Would you believe that even after all you have done to him, he still loves you? He still honors the memories of living with us, of his first kiss under your house." Kym paused, amazed. "He still loves me."

This last caused Kai to gasp with surprise.

"I never knew, child."

Kym's astral image reached her arms out, as if to hug her mother. There was a hunger in her eyes, as if the young woman missed the feeling of live flesh pressed warmly against her own. This made Kai think that perhaps this simple feeling was not possible when one was gone.

"I do miss you, child."

"Mother, Ka-Ron told me what manner of man he was, but I would not hear him."

"What?"

"I planned my demise, and I let my selfishness get in the way of my life."

"Do not tell me these things!"

"I wanted Ka-Ron to come back and save me," Kym whispered. She held a shaky hand up to her lips. "But, my own denial got in the way. One cannot make a bird love one by placing it in a cage."

"Then, what you are saying..." Kai whispered, startled.

"Ka-Ron is an innocent."

Kai fell back upon the bed. She was as shocked as Kym had been miserable. If Kym was right, she had done the knight a great wrong.

As if she sensed this, Kym started to feel relieved. The guilt of hurting the knight was a terrible burden. Although one is always promised paradise in the next life, the spirit cannot ease their mortal burdens until they have been justified or, at best, corrected.

"When the time comes for you, mother, I will be there to guide you home."

Kym let her hands reach outward, and, before Kai could take hold, she was gone. All that remained was the coldness of the wind and the hollow feeling of the truth.

Kai had been responsible for a horrible mistake.

It was now time to set things right.

The Wicca Master was at ease. She was quite happy when she told the cruel little man with whom she had been sleeping that his dreams of conquest were over.

"Ka-Ron," she whispered to the winds. "I am coming."

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

The crowds along the docks grew with the knowledge that the "prince/traitor" would soon be paraded through the streets. Some elves were shouting "The Gods save the king!" or "Down with the dwarf lover!" In all elfin memory, no one could remember so much hatred. Most of the people just stood silently, unable to believe the drama that had been set before them.

Rohan looked out one of the ship's portholes, taking in the entire picture. A phase ago, he would have seen the dramatic problems set before him as a puzzle to solve - it was the elfin way to seek answers, after all. But, now, knowing that he was soon to be a father, all was different. He had to see the world with more responsible eyes. He had to participate in all of this, hoping above all hope, that in the end, he would help make the world right&if only for the future sake of his unborn child.

"Rohan!" a harsh voice ordered.

Rohan turned to stare into the eyes of his brother, Rolmore.

Two elf sailors walked in with him.

"You will leave me alone with the prisoner." the elf captain ordered.

One of the sailors stirred.

"Captain, the king&"

"The king is the king." Rolmore barked. The sailor he was yelling at stood over three sticks taller than Rolmore, but the captain's energy had caused the elf to express a moment of fear. If he had wanted to, the sailor could have taken Rolmore. "I am captain of The Willows' Breath. I rule here!"

With that, the sailors bowed, respectable

The door closed.

They were alone.

Dorian rose from a chair in which she had been sitting while hearing the elfish hate echoing from the other side of the bulkhead. She tried her best to keep her hands from shaking, but terror clearly projected itself from her features.

"Do they really hate me so?" she asked, trying to act bravely.

"If you live long enough, my lady," Rolmore explained, being himself quite scared, "You will discover that most people hate the idea of change."

"Then, my brother, they should really hate what we have planned."

The captain put up a warning hand, as he started nervously to pace the room.

"Do not joke so!" Rolmore started clearing his throat. "Several generals and their armies are waiting for my signal just outside the village gates. As far as our father is concerned, they are out doing war games."

Rohan turned away from the porthole. His face did not look like that of a confident revolutionary.

Rohan was scared to death. "Rolmore, do you believe that father would give up without taking his own life?"

Rolmore paused, thinking.

"To the gods, I pray it." He continued with his pacing. "I should not live well, knowing that in saving my kingdom I forfeited the life of my father."

"Nor I," Rohan gulped.

"Rohan, must it be so?"

The elf looked upon the face of his dwarfish love, and couldn't bring himself to answer the question. He had not seen his father's madness. If his father had indeed gone mad, it was his duty to follow through. Rohan wondered how all warriors of ages past had felt. Why was doing the right thing so damned painful?

"Perhaps it is the nature of the universe to put us all to the test," Rohan stated, giving his woman a passionate kiss.

From the other side of the door, they all heard the angry buildup of the crew's anger. This fact hit Rolmore quite hard.

"Brother, I must speak with you."

"Then speak." Rohan appeared remarkably calm.

He was nothing of the sort.

"Upon leaving this cabin, you must accept the fact that I am with my men." Rolmore's features betrayed a certain amount of agony. "I will end up treating you quite badly. You will have to face great pain, humiliation, and some bloodshed. You have my word that should your life be threatened, my orders keep you safe until you reach our father. So, if I stop my men from killing you, I will be well within my powers to do so."

"That's comforting." Rohan stated. He placed his hands behind his back.

Rolmore marched up to his brother and stared him in the face. The suffering the elf captain was going through was almost as powerful as the fear gripping Rohan.

"Rohan," Rolmore stated his voice shaky. "If there were any other way&"

Rohan grabbed Rolmore by his shoulders. It was a good embrace.

"Brother, I understand."

Rolmore turned his eye to Dorian.

"Lady, should one of my men even touch a hair on your knuckle, I swear they will not live long enough to brag about it."

"I can take care of myself, captain," the dwarf stated triumphantly.

Rolmore glanced at Rohan, who shook his head with conviction.

"Of that I have no doubt, madam." The captain started walking towards the cabin door. "No doubt."

There are people who believe that history is the recording of places, names, and events. They bore children by making them do repetitive memorization of times and political intrigue. But in all their scholarly pursuits, they are wrong. True history is nothing more than moments made manifest by destiny. Rolmore was starting to feel the tremendous burden of his "moment."

"May the gods be with you," Rolmore whispered.

He never turned back.

With a steady hand, the elf captain opened the cabin door.

***

Keeth read the letter.

The wizard had been using this down time to perfect one of his imaginative machines he had been trying to incorporate into the Argo's matrix. Certain little details were not working as he had planed, so, he was tinkering when he received a dispatch. The wizard was more intrigued when he discovered that the message had been delivered from Rolmore.

"Keeth, are you all right?"

The wizard bumped his head as he tried to look out from inside one of his engines. In one hand he held the dispatch, the other a wooden hammer.

Ka-Ron's careworn eyes greeted him.

"Ah! How may I help you, dear?"

"We were going to sit down for a late supper, and we missed your company."

"Very dear of you to think so." Keeth turned back to his work. "So many damned wheels in this one idea! Ah, I should have given it up." Keeth continued to hammer away.

Ka-Ron listened to the hammering and studied her friend. She knew desperation when she spotted it.

"Keeth," the knight said, gently touching the wizard's hand and stopping him in mid-swing.

Both were deep within the confines of the Argo's hull, about midship. It was quite a maze to walk in the tiny ship's under-housings. Most of the hull was made up of parts, wheels, and gears of the wizard's machines. Now, the old man was making the hull doubly packed by adding more. What Ka-Ron was worried about was that the man was blaming himself for what was happening to both Dorian and Rohan.

"It is not your fault." Ka-Ron insisted.

At first, the wizard jerked Ka-Ron's hand off his, and tried to focus on what he was building. Try as he did, Keeth could not get the hammer to move. He held it, in mid-swing, thinking about all the ghosts haunting him in the back of his mind - the man was caught in the guilty storm of "what might have been."

"They were under my protection, child," the wizard huffed, throwing the mallet to the deck. "I should have done more than just welcome the assholes on board!"

"What could you have done?" Ka-Ron asked. "Even if I, Jatel, and En-Don had fought them, they would still have won. Elves are that way. Their logic is sometimes quite...logical."

"Oh! You hit that one just right!" The wizard grumbled.

Keeth took out his dispatch and handed it to Ka-Ron.

"Read this, child. Tell me what you think."

Ka-Ron scanned the message. Her eyes betrayed her thoughts.

"Keeth," she said, softly rolling the paper back up. "That's the craziest thing I have ever read."

"Wonderful, isn't it?" Keeth agreed, rubbing his hands together in a child-like excitement.

"But, we can't just&"

"Listen to me, Ka-Ron," Keeth said, picking up his mallet. "We only have a window of at least two cycles before we can even begin to be of use in all of this. The key to everything relies on us getting this new machine to work."

Ka-Ron looked around at the huge edifice the wizard was trying to beat into shape.

"You know, there's one thing I have always meant to ask you."

"What's that?"

"Where in the hell you get all the parts to create these things."

The wizard paused, and gave the knight a wicked wink. "That's my secret, love."

Skeptically, Ka-Ron accepted the wizard's answer.

Ka-Ron sat quietly, watching the wizard as he banged away on his all-important "whatever-it-was." She didn't need to understand. She only accepted the fact that it was important and had to be done. Wherever possible, she handed the old man a needed tool, and assisted where she could with a complicated or bulky part.

Anything to get her mind off the problem.

***

Rohan fought desperately to blink the dirt out of his eyes. Both he and Dorian had been placed in shackles, and were being dragged to the Great Hall, where The Council of the Twelve and his father were waiting. He had been tripped several times. He had been spit upon and had dodged stones.

Dorian, on the other hand, seemed to remain untouched. She followed the elf, silent and terrified. Her hands were tied in front of her and her head was downcast. Rarely did the woman look up at those who shouted at her.

I must not lose sight of our goal. Wincing in pain, Rohan rose once more to his feet.

Behind him, making great sport, was Rolmore.

From the moment Rohan and Dorian were let out of their cabin, the elf captain did his best to play the part of an angered and furious elf. Sent by the king to help find a traitor, he made sure that Rohan's journey to court would be a memorable one.

He was the cause of Rohan's injuries.

"Seems as if we are bothering the prince," Rolmore shouted to the crowd. "Let us see if we can be just a little more entertaining."

The elf captain placed a boot in the middle of Rohan's back, launching him forward. Rolmore pulled back upon his brother's chains, causing the elf to fall backwards and land upon his bottom. What made the fall more exciting to the on-looking crowd was the fact that Rohan landed in the middle of a puddle.

Now, on top of everything else, Rohan was wet.

"Kill the traitor!" Someone in the crowd had yelled.

These were not elves. Not the elves Rohan knew.

Elves prided themselves for their natural abilities to remain both cautious and calm. These people were nothing close to the mark. Rohan had to wonder what could have happened to his father to help cause so much change in his nation's character.

There had been no wars. The crops and food stores were all full. The alliances between other elves and neighboring nations were all solid.

Rohan could not figure out the puzzle.

Through the glaze of his eyes, Rohan saw several elves, strangers to him, throwing up clenched fists and yelling in hatred and rage. What had the king said to all of them to make them hate so much?

Dorian kept her place alongside Rohan, helping when she could. Her face was marked by a stream of tears. Never in her life had she seen so much chaos and hatred. She dodged trash that was being thrown upon her by yelling citizens, whose own bigotry overpowered their curiosity in seeing such a rarity as a dwarf female.

"Dwarf whore!"

Both Dorian and Rohan were amazed to hear such a comment coming from the mouth of an elfin priest.

The priest appeared to be quite underfed. His ribs were showing through his tattered clothes. Like everyone else in the crowd, it appeared that he had missed several meals.

Dorian paused and looked up at the elf.

Caught between wanting to slap the woman and his own religious beliefs, the elf priest cast his guilty gaze aside. Timidly, he melted back into the crowd without saying or doing a thing.

Another stepped forward. He was a young elf, who was quite hungry. His mouth was dripping with an almost insane drooling.

"A female dwarf?" the boy yelled, twitching. "Impossible! It is a sham. The whole thing is a sham."

Stepping forward, the crazy elfin boy grabbed Dorian by the breasts. In her surprise, Dorian let out a terrifying scream.

"Feels real!" the boy yelled to the crowd. "Feels real."

Swooping in, Rolmore withdrew his sword. The crazed boy was decapitated and thrown to the street before he even had a chance to face his attacker.

Everyone froze.

All noticed the head rolling down the street and falling into a sewer vent.

"No one touches the female, by order of the king!" Rolmore shouted, placing his sword back into its sheath.

Dorian stood horrified. Her face was splattered with blue elfish blood.

Rolmore touched her on the shoulder.

Out of instinct, or fear, the dwarf pulled away.

"No one will harm you," Rolmore whispered. "Come."

Up ahead was the Great Hall. By all outward appearance, it looked to be nothing more than a granite cliff showered by a waterfall. However, upon the approach of Rolmore and his men, the waterfall parted, opening like two separate doors. Inside the falling water, there appeared an entrance.

Again, if a strange eye had been passing by, all they would have seen was the waterfall.

All entered.

Rohan was about to face his father.

***

Ka-Ron paced the main deck, waiting for the wizard's hammering to stop. She knew once that tell-tale silence had sprung, her troubles would soon begin.

The odds were sorely against them. Revolutions had a way of doing that to the righteous.

"No," she heard En-Don say, laughing. "Let me show you."

Turning, the woman watched her son.

En-Don took his sword away from Molly, who had been trying her best to oil the blade down. In some way, the woman wasn't doing a good job.

"You must treat a sword the same way you do a lover," En-Don explained.

Lovingly, her son took the sword from Molly, who by all appearances gazed back upon En-Don with the gentlest of intentions. The young man placed the sword in his hands with the traditional tenderness of a knight in love with his craft, and started to tap the blade down with special Idoshian spices. Being next to the two lovers, Ka-Ron noticed that her son had lit the appropriate lamps.

En-Don had done well.

"Is it true that most warriors believe that their sword holds a part of their soul?" Molly asked, taking hold of En-Don's arm.

"It is true." the young man confirmed.

Lovingly, Molly kissed the man's arm while watching with the wonder of a child.

"Of all things, is not love the best?" Ka-Ron mused.

She had done Molly a disservice.

There would always be bad blood between them, due to the way of Molly's introduction into their life, but Ka-Ron surrendered to the fact that the woman was good for her son.

"I've done it!" a voice shouted, coming up from the ship's under housings. "I have done it!"

The knight turned to see Keeth rising out from under his ship, still holding in his one hand the wooden mallet from before. But now, in his other hand, the wizard had a metal compass-like device that the knight could not recognize.

"Gentle lady, I have completed the greatest machine anyone upon this planet could conceive."

The knight glanced at the ship's sundial.

"Good thing," Ka-Ron stated, pointing at the clock. "We only have three-quarters of a cycle left for your plans to take hold."

"It was a challenge, Ka-Ron," Keeth beamed. "Especially the two cannons. Well! Enough of my babbling. Rohan and Dorian can now hold a little hope."

"Then, we attack?"

"We, my lady, attack!"

Ka-Ron closed her eyes and prepared for war.

CHAPTER-FIFTY

King Rakamore had once been a noble man. If he were to rise from his throne to state something, people would line the walls of his chamber just to hear a sample of his mutterings. He was, in a word, "good."

His passion for the betterment of his people was only surpassed by his ability to project both justice and logic. He was a scholar, a student, and believer in the preserving of history. He believed that, through the learning of the past, one could quite possibly predict the future.

And, it was in this scholastic pursuit of the past, that Rakamore had discovered his demise.

Several seasons ago, to help get his mind off the rebellious ways of his son, Rohan, the king thought it best to return to the outskirts of the ancient Nown city of Maagad. Rakamore was a skilled archaeologist. His digs were the talk of the court. Several of the modern-day inventions, which helped to make ordinary life less stressful, had been discovered by the king during his digs.

All upon the planet knew and trusted this man. But the days of trust were soon to be at an end.

Rakamore was a towering figure of an elf - over seven sticks in height, and somewhat skinny for a man of his race. He rarely ate - only enough to fit his needs to live. However, he loved his drink. He would often prefer a liquid beverage to that of the wholesome comfort of a plate of solid food. It had always been his way, so it was never looked upon as odd when the king had stopped eating. He was, after all, an honorable soul.

Where Rakamore separated himself from the rest of his kin was in the keen uniqueness of his piercing eyes. His left was white, and his right eye was black. No one could offer a logical reasoning for such a dramatic parallel of differences, but to gaze upon him as he studied his subjects, one often wondered what the elf was thinking.

He wore simple clothes. The only form of jewelry he would allow was the well-worn presence of his crown. It was, by his design, quite simple. The thing was three interwoven twigs encased in copper. Upon their designs were written the ancient whispers spoken to the gods, who held the power of creation.

It was because of his crown that Rakamore was insane.

While Rakamore loved the rediscovery of history, fear often stifled his curiosity. His hunger to learn more about the wonders of the Nowns had been limited by universal planetary law.

Nown cities were forbidden.

Rakamore had tested the viability of the laws by surveying the outskirts of Maagad. While digging there, the king had bent over and pulled out yet another mystery of the past. His crown had been blown off his head. It rolled into the deep and dark streets of the ancient village.

Several members of the king's dig party had offered to enter the great city in order to retrieve the symbol of their nation, but the king refused. In keeping with his remarkable character, he would not have others do what he himself was not willing to risk. After all, the courts would understand this one breach. Who would deny a king the rights to his crown?

So Rakamore entered the city.

Something became aware of his presence.

Something quite old. And something quite powerful.

It was a Lurker!

For a long time, the thing had been asleep, ready to be awakened by its masters. It was not aware of the passage of time. Nor, could it even understand the simple truth that all it had been bred for, all that it had known, loved, and protected, had already crumbled to dust and distant memory.

All that the Lurker knew was that it now had someone to which it could attach itself.

Rakamore entered the ancient city with both fear and a sense of adventure. Distant memory had never observed the recordings or observations of an elf entering a Nown city - he was the first. So, as with all believers in the preservation of the truth, Rakamore paid close attention and recorded everything.

A Nown city was not unlike that of the elf. It consisted of a black, non-reflective series of gigantic buildings, all designed and built for the fantastic height and mass of their race. Rakamore felt like a child lost at temple. He felt like someone was watching him.

The buildings, for lack of a better understanding, were aware.

It was they who awoke the Lurker.

Rakamore's crown had rolled up to what could have been a public water fountain. Its design and function was not all that alien to the elfish king. He would have liked to see if the ancient device still worked, but the thing's spout was too far up for the king to reach.

So, picking up his crown, Rakamore turned to leave.

That's when he saw it.

"Well," Rakamore smiled, "Who&what&are you?"

It was quite a little thing.

The strange animal had only one leg, on which it seemed to get around by hopping. Covered all over with a thick black fur consistent with that of a common house pet, the creature purred most of the time. It had no eyes or ears, but seemed to get around by using its tiny but efficient nose. The organ hummed - a sound separate from its purring - as it scanned its environment by constantly smelling. Two small arms extended from its circular body, all centered around a gaping mouth filled with tiny, razor-sharp teeth.

It looked quite helpless.

"Arp! Arp!" the tiny thing said, bouncing up and down upon its only foot.

"It is a joy meeting you upon my travels, little one," the king said, bowing.

That was the last "free" thought and action Rakamore would ever take.

The Lurker sensed the strange creature as an invader. It was its duty to subdue and control all enemies of the state. Once controlled, it was to seek out that creature's weaknesses, using them to both cripple and destroy.

When the creature turned its back, the Lurker hopped high, attaching itself below the base of Rakamore's neck. Quickly, it burrowed under the skin.

You are now mine! Invader!

Rakamore tried to scream, but found that he could not.

Like a puppet master, the Lurker controlled all. No one but Rakamore was aware of the takeover.

So, little by little, the king had started to change. A few new "experimental" programs here and there. A few reassignments of key elves. A subtle change in the Royal Guards and outer military patrols.

Enough to cause fear.

Enough to cause doubt.

Democratic governments were so easy to break, once the power had been handed over.

The Lurker did its job superbly.

***

"Sire?" the elf whispered.

Rakamore awoke with a start. He had been sleeping in his chair, unaware that his subjects had been waiting for over five cycles for him to reawaken. Grumbling, the elf tried his best to readjust his clothing.

"Yes?"

"We have word that Prince Rolmore has obtained Prince Rohan, sire."

Rohan? Rohan is the brat, is he not?

The king gave out a shiver. The words rammed through his head like a painful thunderbolt. His right eye started to twitch.

"Shall we prepare the court?"

"By all means, do."

Get up! I want to enjoy this!

Rakamore jerked from his seat like an injured animal seeking peace. His movements were deliberate and awkwardly clumsy. He appeared both confused and desperate.

Every muscle in his body rebelled against the thing. The elf tried to scream out that he was not in charge. He tried to beg the gods to take his life. He lived in a private little hell, realizing that he was allowing the monster inside of him to destroy his nation.

"Let's go and see the traitor!" the king mumbled.

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

Rohan blinked his eyes hard. He fought the urge to pass out as he spit both blood and teeth from his mouth. While fighting with the bulk of his chains, the unfortunate elf failed to see an oncoming fist from the angry crowd, until it was too late.

The crowd started to calm. Then, like a living sea, the people divided.

Standing at the end of the chaos was Rakamore.

Rohan glared up at his father.

"All of Eulogia welcomes you home, my son," the king said, bowing.

There was something about him that Rohan could not accept.

"Father?" the elf said, wiping caked mud off his vest. "For what reason do you treat me like this? I am your son. I am a member of the Imperial Court."

"And, having lived in the Imperial Court, have you forgotten the importance of protocol?" The king let out a controlled huff.

"Protocol?" Dorian was heard whispering.

Rohan straightened his back, and tried to appear courtly.

To everyone's surprise, the elf bowed to his king.

"Greetings, your majesty," Rohan stated. "I have the honor to inform you that my mission to seek our missing kinsmen has been of some success."

"How so?" Rakamore asked.

"Although our elfin brothers are missing and presumed dead, Count Voslow has been disposed of. He will no longer be a bother. I am quite sure our troubles in that area of patrol are over."

"Indeed?" The king looked pleased.

Dorian, upon witnessing such a display of proper etiquette, gawked at the two elves with a barely tolerable patience.

Rakamore's eyes turned to the dwarf.

"Is this the woman, then?"

"It is, sire." Rohan bowed.

"Truly a beauty." The king stated, bowing towards Dorian with respect. "I can see why you love her so. Such a rare thing."

Dorian's eyes widened with surprise.

As King Rakamore turned, she saw the Lurker.

"Rohan!" she whispered, frantically waving the elf over.

"What?"

"Do you not see it?" the woman pointed toward Rakamore.

Rohan studied his father. He saw nothing.

"Be calm," the elf reassured. "We are not even close to being out of danger."

"Why are you bothering with all of this?" the dwarf asked. "Get on with it!"

Rohan let out a laugh.

"Even with elves, there is a natural way to doing things. Rolmore knows when and how to strike."

"Upon my nose, I hope so." Dorian huffed. "Can we at least get these chains removed?"

Rohan bowed his head. "We were just coming to that part, my love."

"Oh&" Dorian turned awkward.

"Be brave, my dear."

Rakamore glared at the dwarf.

It can see us!

"Rohan, my son, the law is the law."

"Father?" Rohan's brow turned confused.

"No elf shall love a dwarf." The king reminded. "That is the law."

"The law is only secondary to my need for her love."

"Quite," Rakamore stood quietly for a few beats. "Rolmore?"

Rolmore put away the chains, allowing his brother and Dorian the privilege of free movement. He had been concentrating on a few well-placed elves high above the city, ready to give them the signal needed for their attack.

"Yes, father?" the elf captain asked.

"Kill the dwarf," Rakamore calmly ordered. Turning, he walked back toward the Royal Court.

***

Ka-Ron walked the entire course of the Argo's main deck, patiently observing the positions of the guards stationed upon the dock. Most were off the tiny vessel, paying more attention to the riots going on deep within the city. Neither the knight nor the wizard had ever seen an elfish township so chaotic. Something was going on here, and it wasn't something that could be so easily gotten rid of. Of that, both were sure.

"Is everyone ready?" Keeth whispered, joining Ka-Ron in her walk.

"As ready as they can ever be."

"Good."

Ka-Ron's face betrayed her thoughts.

"You do not sit kindly with this plan?" Keeth asked.

"It is not within my nature to fight battles that do not concern me."

"War, my dear, concerns us all."

The knight shook her head, agreeing. "Just get this over with, wizard. I have an overdue appointment at The Fire Mountains."

Keeth stopped at the ship's wheel.

With a shaky hand, he pulled down his newest lever.

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

The elfin harbor began to feel the rumbling. Then, one by one, the sentries posted outside the Argo turned to notice the ship. On board, they could barely hear the cheerful laughter coming from the wizard.

The seas began to bubble.

Amazingly, the Argo began to rise out of the water.

Cargo holds and trap doors slowly opened, clicking and clanking away. The ship's wooden masts began to fold, lowering into the bowels of the vast under housings. A reinforced hut rose, covering the area of the bridge.

"Wonderful!" Keeth cheered. "She's working wonderfully!"

The wizard allowed himself his moment. It was, after all, such a marvelous achievement, given the fact that he had barely any time to plan, build, and perfect the damn thing!

With her bow pointed east, and her stern to the west, the Argo began to move north, sideways, out of the water. And when the tiny vessel ran out of water, she became land-worthy.

"Up she goes!" Keeth shouted.

The keel of the ship began to divide, and huge panels of her hull retreated into her sidewalls. Lowering and causing the Argo to rise were two huge oblong devices. Each held within them several wheels of various designs and sizes. Each looked quite capable of carrying the vessel on its own, but all wheels were covered with an enveloping set of tracks, which concentrated all the wheels into two vast machines capable of traveling upon any and all terrain. As the Argo continued to voyage up upon the elfin beach, these tracks left heavy indentations in her wake.

Try as they might, the elfish forces had nothing at their command, which could stop this monster!

"Get the general command!" one of the elfin sailors shouted, running out of arrows with which to assault the wizard's vessel.

Ka-Ron clapped her hands, and before she knew it, she had kissed Keeth upon the cheek.

"Keeth, you are a wonder!" the knight shouted.

"Yes. I often amaze myself."

The old man grabbed the ship's wheel and turned it fully to the right. After doing so, he pulled up another lever.

"Hold on!" he warned.

The "land tracks" momentarily paused, causing the ship to bump and sway upon its sudden stop. This had given an opportunity for several brave elfin soldiers to try boarding the vessel.

It was a bad idea.

The hull of the Argo started to pivot, responding to the sharp starboard turn commanded by the wizard. The bow of the ship slowly and quite noisily, and pointed toward the main venue of the elfin village. Whatever the ship had been turned into, the wizard had the desire to "drive" it down, through, and into the village.

Keeth pulled away at three more levers.

"Onward!"

Almost shaking herself apart, the Argo ventured forward. Although upon land, the ship was under her own power and sail. A constant clank-clank-clank-clanking echoed from deep within her wooden bowels. Huge puffs of smoke exited from her stern windows, making it almost impossible for anyone to see her as she passed.

"Get ready to do your business, knight," the wizard suggested. Delighted to see everything working so well, the wizard pulled down upon a rope that hung from the bridge's new fortified roof. Upon doing so, a loud whistle musically played a simple sound, informing all ahead that "something wonderful" would soon be approaching. At the very least, it would warn the unsuspected to get the hell out of the way!

"A call it my All-Surface Vehicle," the wizard proclaimed, folding prideful hands upon his chest. "This is so great!"

Several cannons fired at the Argo, but after unfolding and collapsing so many compartments, the wizard had reinforced the ship's hull, causing any and all cannonballs simply to bounce off the several thousand planks of treated wood.

No matter what the military tried to do, the ship was unstoppable.

***

Everyone around the king simply froze. No one could bring himself to obey the order.

Rakamore turned, appalled that his son hadn't carried out his command. He huffed, glanced down at Dorian, who was terrorized beyond words, and grabbed the woman by the throat.

"Rolmore!" Rakamore shouted, gritting his teeth. "I told you to kill this bitch!"

Rohan had seen enough.

Before their departure on board The Willows' Breath, Rolmore had provided his brother with a small set of weapons. These devices were hidden: carried within the circumference of his belt and waist. It had been explained to Rohan that most of the weapons had been designed, built, and perfected by the Elfin Intelligence Agency - back in the era of nationalized conflicts.

In any case, they were all quite handy.

Rohan reached for a portable bow and arrow device.

"You will back away from my woman!" Rohan yelled, pointing the dangerous weapon at his king.

"You dare&" Rakamore had started to yell.

"Let her go!"

Dorian was doing all that she could to keep her feet steady upon the ground. The king's grasp was so powerful, and he was so much taller than she was, that several times during her combating the situation she found herself airborne.

"Rolmore!" the elf king challenged. "Could you live, knowing that your brother could bear half-breed bastards that would one day rule both kingdom and elf? She is an abomination that must be taken care of now!"

"The only abomination I am aware of, sire, is the man who is currently wearing the crown." The elf captain fired a signal into the air with his bow. A silver bolt sparkled and whistled as it flew its prearranged course.

They have failed you! They seek your kingdom. Kill them! Kill them all!!!!

Rakamore grabbed at his head in pain. Again, his body started to quake.

"Father?" Rohan questioned, studying everything.

"It is the fever again." Rolmore explained.

In his convulsions, the king let go of Dorian.

Coughing and falling to the ground, the dwarf turned her terrified eyes over to her lover. Rohan's steadfast stare was all she required to gather whatever courage she needed to persevere.

"Stay with me," Rohan advised.

"Just one beat, my love," Dorian stated.

The woman tried to walk back toward the king, who was still struggling with his ailments. The elfin leader's arms flayed through the air as if he were a rag doll being punished by a psychotic god.

"What are you doing?" Rohan asked his love, quite amazed at her actions.

"I'm going to punch that son-of-a-bitch in the balls," Dorian huffed.

Laughing and shaking his head, Rohan pulled his love away to safety.

Rolmore looked on. Even he was impressed with the dwarf's courage. "How dare you threaten the crown!" Rakamore cried, his shaking now under control.

Upon seeing the signal, swarms of elves, faithful toward Rolmore and the democratic preservation of the monarchy, surrounded the soldiers of the Imperial Guard. Most surrendered. Most knew the motivation behind the coup and secretly approved of the maneuver. They had seen the madness of their king.

However, in each revolution, there are those who just don't get it.

Through a need to follow, or a desire to avoid change, they never seem to stop and question.

The king still had an army.

Order your men to kill these two, and the whole movement will collapse. Look in their eyes. See the false hope rising there. All you need is one disappointment - one kill - and your crown will be safe.

Order it!

Before the king could do or say anything, a thunderous sound enveloped the scene. Several trees and several nearby houses simply collapsed. Screams and shouts echoed throughout the streets as all were foreshadowed by an approaching hulk.

The Argo had made itself known.

Upon seeing the familiar wooden ship, both Rohan and Dorian jumped up and down, cheering. Again, that wonderful wizard of theirs had managed to pull off a miracle.

With several clanks and jitters, the bow of the ship shook and stopped within twenty sticks of the king.

"What in hell is that thing?" Rakamore asked, pointing wildly at the ship.

"That is my backup, sire," Rohan stated, grabbing a true bow and bolt of arrows. He felt whole again, now that he was fully and traditionally armed.

"There is nothing you can do," Rakamore shouted, making sure all around him could hear clearly, "that will make me surrender my crown."

Both Dorian and Rohan looked at each other.

"Keeth!" Dorian shouted upward.

There was a moment of silence.

"Yes?" came a voice from the Argo.

"Bring out the surprise package," the dwarf directed.

The entire bow of the ship filled with the sound of escaping air.

"What?" Rolmore asked, pointing at the Argo.

Rohan held up a comforting hand, calming his brother.

"The wizard is an old student of the noble arts," the elf stated to the captain. "Do not worry so. He is a worthy ally."

Once enough pressure was obtained in the belly of the ship, two square doors big enough for a horse to walk through slid open. Again, two huge sections of the hull pulled back and folded upon the other, adding to the ship's combative strength.

That is not what caused concern in the Imperial Guards' resolve.

The two long-barreled guns, which slowly poked out and focused their attention upon the king, did cause concern.

"I am within my rights to warn you, sir," Keeth stated, "that I am fully qualified to fire these devices."

With that said, each gun zeroed in upon the king, making him their target.

Falling into a rage, Rakamore screamed at the top of his lungs. He spotted a young boy, who was just staring at him - doing nothing - and made him the victim of his wrath.

"The blazes with all of you!" he screamed.

Withdrawing his sword, Rakamore decapitated the innocent elf and cut the remainder of his body to pieces. As each elf tried to stop the king, they too had a hand, arm, or leg severed as well. After a while, the crazed ruler was allowed to ensconce himself and his loyal guardsmen upon the landing of the Great Hall's staircase. With each advance of the group, Keeth maneuvered his ship's guns to follow the man.

There was no escape.

There was no way out of the toppling of this government.

But, in the end, who can convince a madman?

"I loved you!" Rakamore cried, almost pleading to his people. "I took care of you! And, now, you do this to me?"

The crowd had started to stir.

Nowhere in known memory had an elf king been treated so. No one, honestly, knew what to do next.

There was a moment of pause.

That was all the guardsmen needed.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

The Imperial Guardsmen of the Royal Court were the best elves of the military. Some had seen more combat than entire nations. Ka-Ron had fought alongside some of these men, and quite tragically, could identify most of them. They were all loyal to the core. They would not surrender.

"Jatel, prepare your bow!" the woman yelled, quickly picking up hers.

Ka-Ron saw the advance before anyone had a chance to react. She cursed herself for not having foreseen the tactic.

She would have done it, if given the chance.

Several guardsmen reached behind their backs, upon seeing the hesitation in the eyes of their fellow countrymen, and pulled out crossbow-like devices containing rope ladders. Half fired up at the Grand Hall. Half fired upon the Argo. They were planning a simple task of divide and escape.

"Molly! En-Don!" Ka-Ron yelled. "Get ready for trouble."

Both were too busy to respond. Molly stood loading up her rock slings. En-Don was seen pulling out his sword. The young man turned the weapon about in the air, warming up his arms for battle.

The knight let out a worried exhalation.

This was not going to be a good battle, Ka-Ron calculated, simply by the odds. They were outnumbered by at least fifteen to one.

"He will do well, Ka-Ron."

Jatel looked over at his master and flashed her a gentle smile. He was well aware of her worry. He sensed it as well. En-Don was not a tested soldier, as were both of his parents, but, the squire reminded himself of the fact, that, long ago, both he and Ka-Ron were once "new" to the arts of war.

The knight simply nodded, and aimed her weapon.

The Imperial Guardsmen did as Ka-Ron had predicted. Over half of them grabbed hold of Rakamore and headed to a more secure footing upon the roof of the Great Hall. The other half focused upon the Argo.

"Attack the invaders!" one of the Guardsmen yelled. "Save the king!"

As each Guardsman scaled the side and landed upon the main deck of the ship, he pulled out a sword and baton. It was their desire, while injuring an opponent with their swords, that the elves would finally disable that opponent with the baton. It was a useful and tasteless tactic of assault, time-proven in the arts of elfish war.

"Oh, shit!" Jatel yelled, spotting an elf popping up in front of him while scaling the side of the ship. Out of arrows, the man turned the butt of his weapon around and smashed the unfortunate elf's nose. The squire was sprayed with bluish blood. "That's one down." he joked.

Ka-Ron was shooting arrows as fast as she could load them. Although quite skilled with the bow, she preferred the sword. En-Don had taken the burden of the weapon, and she missed it - a lot. Three soldiers fell to their deaths, having realized that invasion of the Argo from Ka-Ron's post would not be an easy task.

The elf townspeople were just as divided as their armies. Loyal citizens towards the king ran with great panic upon the doors of the Great Hall. Some were even fortunate enough to find safety within the ancient elfin walls. However, most loyal subjects were surprised and horrified to hear Rakamore order the closing of the doors. If siege were to come, the king needed to guarantee the safety of The Council of the Twelve. At least, that would become the "official" story after all this was over.

The remaining townsfolk joined the forces of Rolmore.

"Attack the hall!" the elf captain charged.

A wave of hungry soldiers, with swords extended, gave out a furious yell as they ran up the marble stairs of their capital. Several generals upon fiery horses led those men, hoping to finish successfully. But, the ancient builders' skills were too good.

The doors held.

Upon the Great Hall's roof, the Guardsmen poured hot oils and dangerous acids down upon the unsuspecting horde. Screams of agony and curses of death rained upon those who dared to question the viability of the crown. The once beautiful gardens of the Royal Palace were now reduced to the bitter vocation of a graveyard.

All knew this was not going well.

"We are losing!" Keeth yelled.

"Shut up, wizard, and fire the cannons!" Molly shouted, knocking an elf out upon the deck. The redhead had an ugly cut across the bridge of her nose. Although no longer a vampire, she still retained some of her vampiric powers. She still had the strength of ten men, and even she was running out of ways to stop the guardsmen from invading the Argo.

"Keeth!" Jatel yelled, his voice sounding fearful. "Shoot!"

The wizard grabbed at his levers.

The Argo's guns moaned themselves to life.

The two huge pillars of iron slowly moved, focused, and aimed their destructive power upon the huge copper doors of the Great Hall.

The Guardsmen saw their chance and took it.

Three elves, grabbing explosives thrown to them from the soldiers guarding the king, rushed up to the ship's approaching guns. With calm hands, each placed fuses, set timers, and threw their weapons into the mouths of each gun.

Before Keeth could react, the Argo's bow exploded into a cascade of fire, smoke, and a rain of wooden splinters.

Ka-Ron and Jatel were knocked from their posts.

The Argo had lost her teeth.

***

We are winning the day!

Rakamore watched in horror as the bow of the Argo exploded. The ship herself remained mostly intact. However, if she were to ever threaten anyone ever again, the wizard in charge of her would soon have to replace his guns. The shrapnel from those guns, however, was most destructive.

Elves littered the grounds.

"How could I have let such a thing happen?" the king asked himself.

The Lurker heard the comment, and attacked.

Rakamore grabbed at his head, screaming. The pain was fantastic, causing the elf to teeter and fall to the floor. Several guardsmen tried to help the ailing king, only to be forced back to their grim duties by his commanding hands.

You do not comment! You do not think! You just&are.

The king, who had lost all emotion, rose.

"Continue with your attack," Rakamore ordered. "Upon completing it, bring me any and all survivors. After today's executions, I'm sure none will ever again question the position of the crown."

"Sire!" several elves responded. Most flung off the roof and headed straight into battle. A few stayed to protect the king.

The odds are certainly in our favor. Once this battle is done, we shall send others to awaken more Lurkers. Then, our mission can begin. Finally! A purpose!

The elfin king's eyes widened with horror and revelation.

"This is only the beginning," Rakamore whispered.

The tiny Lurker read the king's mind, and it allowed him "that" thought.

No one seemed to notice the tears falling upon the king's cheeks.

***

The crew of the Argo had their hands full.

At least twenty of the Imperial Guard had attacked the members of the tiny ship's crew. Even Keeth was doing his part to help protect the vessel. Ka-Ron and Jatel both were impressed with the old man's knowledge of hand-to-hand combat. The wizard had personally thrown two elves overboard, once they had invaded his bridge. One unfortunate elf, upon entering the hut covering the wheelhouse, earned the wrath of the wizard and became the victim of a sleep curse. Given enough time, the elf would wake and recover - in twenty seasons.

"Well done, wizard!" En-Don stated, pulling his sword from his last victim. "Now, let me have at them."

The young man had been a wonder. His skills had improved vastly since the last time he had been needed to help protect anyone. Both Ka-Ron and Jatel believed that his knowledge was given to him by the same spell which conceived him. So, in a small part, En-Don's fighting skill was due to Kai's evil. Had it been the first time that evil had been used in such a positive way?

"Sire!" Jatel stated, after punching the teeth out of an elf. "En-Don is shadow swording!"

Ka-Ron's eyes turn inquisitive. "I have never heard of the term."

"It is an ancient form of war, taught only to the knights of Illium," Jatel marveled. "He got that from me. He is fighting the way my father's fathers had fought."

Five elves surrounded En-Don.

The young man did not seem fazed by his grim surroundings. Instead, he stood in the middle of the circle of enemy combatants and closed his eyes. If he were to succeed, his eyes could no longer serve his purpose. They would betray him. If he continued to gaze upon five men surrounding his body, his brain would ultimately provoke him to lose. How could one outfight five?

So, En-Don escaped the outside world, surrendering to the mist in his own mind. There all he had to do was face the challenge of one - himself.

"Molly!" Jatel warned. "Back away."

Molly, having spotted the situation into which her lover had fallen, broke the necks of the two elves she was holding, and decided to offer her aid. Her face was covered with blood, and one of her eyes had swollen shut, via a nasty cut. She was certain the scar was permanent, and would require a patch, once it healed.

"He is not aware!" the squire stated.

Shadow Swording was indeed a lost art. In fact, En-Don didn't even know the name of the tactic. He only knew that he knew it. Listening to his inner voice, it was the only option left open to him, if he were to succeed.

The elves readied their batons.

"Hold!" En-Don yelled, his right hand extended in an open-hand gesture.

The elves paused.

It was all the opportunity En-Don needed.

Spinning his sword with his left hand, he constantly kept the weapon in flight. Two of the elves, amazed by his swordsmanship, were caught off guard and did not recover until it was far too late.

Blood splashed and heads bounced upon the deck.

En-Don moved a half-circle. His eyes never opened.

"Molly," Jatel stated, pulling the woman to safety, "he is not himself. He is only attacking what his sword senses, now."

Molly looked to Ka-Ron for answers.

"I have no idea," was all the knight could say, looking at both Jatel and her son with a sense of mystery. "It appears, Molly, that there is more to our men than we were first led to believe."

"Indeed?" Molly's face was all surprise.

The remaining elves tried their best to fool En-Don's senses by creating false noises and movements. Some did work. And En-Don's sword sliced through more air than it did flesh. But still, the young man continued with his fight.

Shifting from tactics devised in ancient Illium, En-Don flew straight into the arena of Idoshian glory. Upon opening his eyes, the man switched hands, spinning his sword in a way kindred to that of his mother's.

One more unfortunate elfish head bounced to the deck.

"Climb its sides!" a voice had shouted.

Curious, both Ka-Ron and Jatel inspected the sides of the hull.

What they saw was their defeat.

Several squadrons of guardsmen, more than fifty to a side, prepared to overtake the Argo.

"From the gods, Ka-Ron," said Jatel. "What do we do now?"

The knight could only shake her head.

There was nothing they could do.

"We have lost, I fear," Ka-Ron whispered.

Both she and Jatel dropped their weapons.

En-Don continued to fight.

His obstacles had been reduced to just two. Several of the other guardsmen, impressed by his skill, stood aside, allowing En-Don his victories. It was quite evident to everyone but the young man that his situation could turn brutal at any elf's whim. He was vastly out numbered.

"En-Don!" Ka-Ron stated her voice shaky. "We are done here."

"Never, my mother!" he cried. "I will not be the one who introduces your sword to the taste of defeat."

"Defeat comes at you upon many different levels, my son," the knight stated, her face filled with pride. "This is only one. Stand down."

En-Don continued.

His skill was at its peak.

His eye keen to each and every movement.

The fifth elf attacked.

En-Don, with all his skill and luck, had been paying attention to the fourth.

"En-Don!" Ka-Ron screamed.

The young man stopped himself in mid-swing and turned his attention to his mother. Ka-Ron was screaming, and his father, Molly, and Keeth were doing all that their combined strengths could accomplish to hold the knight in place. En-Don was so proud that his mother wished to share in his victory. He had convinced himself that he would save the final kill for her.

He felt the gentlest of pushes upon his back.

Curiously enough, En-Don lost all strength in his arms.

"Nooooooooo!" Ka-Ron cried.

The young man tried to say something, but found he had no voice. It was a curious sensation.

En-Don's sword dropped to the deck.

He had been impaled through the chest.

***

The Guardsmen were back in control.

With the elfin rebels rounded up, and the deserters of their own rank captured and counted, order had once more been restored. But at what a price? Severed arms, legs, heads, and hands littered the earth. Where there had once been tree, rock, water, and mortar, there was now only pain, suffering, and death.

None of this seemed to detour Rakamore from his insane laughter.

"So, you all thought to take my crown?" the king mused, still high on top the roof of the Great Hall. His men stood in front of him in the chance that an angry arrow could still fly, hitting its mark. "The only burden you will have is the gravestone atop your heads by end of day."

Between the isles of silence, the Royal Courtyard echoed with the pitiful cries of Ka-Ron and Molly. Both women were the embodiment of how each and every person felt about the miserable little war that had just been fought and lost. How could one plan so carefully, consider each and every turn, knowing full well the consequences, attack with eyes wide and open, and still lose? Both Rohan and Rolmore were chained, beaten and outcast.

The guardsmen placed them both with the other traitors on board the Argo.

"What shall we do with the wizard's ship, sire?" an elf asked.

"Keep it where it rests," Rakamore stated. "Leave it there as a lesson for all time - a testament to the folly of questioning royalty."

Bowing, the guardsman accepted the logic of his king.

Ka-Ron's cries continued.

Upon seeing her son stabbed through, the knight finally broke free of her bonds, tearing herself away from the safety of her friends. The knight took out a dagger and stabbed the elf who had pierced her son's flesh. It was the greatest feeling in the world for her, to see the utter folly of the elf's attempt to keep his life force going, once she twisted the dagger's blade inside his lower abdominal.

En-Don had fallen to his knees, spitting out huge amounts of blood.

"Mother, I&" His eyes rolled white, and he was out.

Ka-Ron thought that she just witnessed the death of her son. Alas, to the praises of the gods, she was wrong. Her son's soul was too strong to leave so soon.

Where there is life, there is hope.

"Someone, please, help my son!" the knight cried.

A brave elf stepped forward.

"Do not touch him!" Rakamore ordered.

Ka-Ron glanced up toward the royal madman.

"Sire, I beg thee! He is my son."

Rakamore giggled. "Tell you what," the king said, wiping the sweat from his brow. "When he dies, I will have him stuffed, as he lies, so that I can place his mummified body at the center of my dining hall. There, all my court will know the price of treason."

A disturbed murmur spread throughout the elfin populace.

Stop with the grandstanding. We have won. Shut up!

Rakamore stood silently listening to the pitiful cries of the knight as she wrapped her loose skirts around the face of her dying son.

***

Jatel stood next to his master, feeling as if his guts had been torn out of him with a spoon - and a dull one at that. All his life he had been kin to disaster. He knew how to deal with bad tidings, he knew how to ignore those who looked upon him as being low-bred, but, he could not look upon the ashen eyes of his son and accept the inevitable.

"Let me pass, my son." Keeth had stated. In his arms, the wizard held a bag filled with charms and potions.

Ka-Ron's eyes beamed with hope.

"If anyone can save my son, it is you," the knight exclaimed.

"I will do all within my power, and then some," the old man promised. He, too, was almost at the point of tears.

Everyone stood back and watched.

During all this drama, no one seemed to notice the approaching rain clouds. They were dark, rumbling and totally out of season. In elfin lands it only rained three months of the year - non-stop. This was the dry time.

The wizard continued with his work.

Opening his eyes, En-Don noticed the crowd gathering around him. He smiled up at each of them, wondering what the trouble was. Molly joined Ka-Ron by her side, and beamed what happiness she could towards her lover.

"What is the news, wizard?" the young man asked.

Keeth forced a kind glance upwards. His hands were too busy to stop.

"You need to pay more attention to those behind you, boy."

"A wise piece of advice," En-Don agreed, laughing and stifling a cough. A trickle of blood dripped from his nose. "I will take your observations under advisement."

"Good," the wizard huffed.

Ka-Ron turned prayerful eyes to those of the wizard's. He was never one to lie. And, try as Keeth might, he could not hide the look of panic rising upon his features.

"There's nothing I can do for him." the wizard stated. "He needs the services of a Wicca Master."

"There are none in these parts," Ka-Ron cried.

"Ka-Ron&" Keeth's emotions got the better of him. He started to shake. His voice was barely below that of a whisper. "I am sorry."

The dark clouds settled atop the Argo.

Keeth's eyes turned skyward. The wizard's face became puzzled. "This is something," the old man stated, slowly rising.

Lightening flashed outward, striking the spaces between the Imperial Guard and the wooden ship. Winds began to rise and all but rain seemed to be thrust upon them.

All eyes turned to Keeth.

"This is not of my doing," the wizard boldly stated.

The storm began to rise.

Again, the lightening flashes danced around the Argo. Whatever elfish forces that had been standing near the wooden vessel left, giving the thing all the room it wanted. No one in their right mind could argue with a bolt of energy and hope to win the battle.

Another bright flash blinded all.

Something had changed.

"Where are all the elves?" Dorian asked.

Everyone soon noticed that all the Imperial Guardsmen were gone. All that remained were the crew of the Argo. The only elves on board were Rohan and Rolmore.

Dorian, upon seeing that Rohan was alone upon deck, took up a sword and cut her lover's chains with one brutal assault. Rolmore, soon set free, thanked the little creature with a kind embrace.

"What is all of this?" Rohan asked.

"One does not look a gift-sheep in the mouth," Dorian stated, kissing the elf.

No one seemed to have noticed that the crew had grown by one.

Kai stood upon the bridge of the Argo.

"What a wonderful ship," the Wicca Master stated.

Keeth, upon seeing Kai, immediately started his attack. Powerful beams of energy shot forth from his hands, hitting the woman.

Kai raised up a hand, blocking everything.

"Wizard," she calmly stated, "I mean you no harm."

As quickly as he had attacked, Keeth retreated. Upon his face was a startling look of confusion.

"As before, I am not here, my friends," Kai stated. "However, I seem to have arrived too late to help you with your little war. No matter. In any case, I am here to help, nonetheless."

"Why?" the wizard demanded. "All you have offered so far is misery. Why the good shepherd now?"

Kai's features softened.

"Because, I am beyond my mourning, and I have seen the pain I have caused." The Wicca Master's eyes concentrated upon Ka-Ron.

The knight was not brave.

For the first time in her life, she knew how a coward felt. So terrified was she at how Kai could further ruin her life, that the woman urinated down both her legs. The knight turned to Jatel and hid behind him. The squire, in his shock, stood stupefied.

"Save me from her, Jatel," Ka-Ron pleaded. "She only seeks to make life more miserable. I cannot take it anymore. Please, hide me."

Kai gazed upon what she had done to the knight. Once brave and stout among all men. Once the fearful force capable of keeping the Xows at bay. Now, reduced to pissing all over herself and hiding behind a squire.

This was all her fault.

"Wizard," Kai softly stated.

Keeth was all attention.

"Is your craft seaworthy?"

"I believe so." Keeth shrugged. "There was some explosive damage at the bow, but I believe that only to be with the ship's weapons."

"Good. Listen to me. I am still within the confines of The Fire Mountains. I shall provide you with a vortex, whose destination will take you beyond the Tyming Seas and close to the township of Ur."

Keeth went over the directions in his mind. "That is close."

"Upon your arrival, hurry with great haste to my hut. There I will do what I can for the boy."

Ka-Ron was a nervous wreck. She continued to cry out loud.

"I am responsible, wizard." Kai's features turned soft. Her eyes stated it honestly.

Keeth believed her. "Life offers us all the tools we need for forgiveness," he said.

"Quite." The Wicca Master gazed out upon the people of the elfin nation. "There is great evil at work here, wizard. In time, we of the sacred arts will need to help these people."

"But not today."

"No, wizard," Kai's face filled with regret. "Not today."

Kai disappeared from the ship.

The crew was now quite alone.

Jatel tried to calm Ka-Ron down.

***

Rakamore did all that he could to halt the Argo's escape.

Once the vortex opened, the wizard turned the ship around, and drove it through.

Nooooooooo!

Upon seeing the ship disappear, King Rakamore killed over twenty thousand of his people. Just to make a point.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

Within the beat of their hearts, the Argo was enveloped, transported, and dropped back into the ever-churning waters of the ocean. The glowing vortex disappeared faster than it had first appeared. Keeth later stated that most magic seemed to work quicker, when it was in the vicinity of the wizard who had evoked it.

"Ocean ahoy!" Jatel yelled, spitting water from his mouth. The squire was completely soaked by an oncoming wave.

The wizard responded, pulling and lifting levers.

The amazing "tracks" pulled up into the ship, closing the hull. Trap doors sprang to life, allowing the ship's tall masts to unfold and beam brightly in the twin suns. Another flip of a switch and the cloth sails unfurled, filling instantly with reliable propulsion. They were underway again!

"Ah! It is good to feel the buoyancy of the watery green under us again." the wizard huffed, turning the ship into the wind.

"I have missed the waves, myself, wizard," Jatel stated, securing the ship's rigging lines.

Out on the main deck, Ka-Ron stood troubled. Everyone knew that she had been deeply embarrassed by her reaction when she had last seen Kai, but none judged her. Anyone who had been made to suffer as much as she had, by one individual, could have performed even more badly. But, Ka-Ron was a knight of the blood. She was born to combat fear, not to cower like an animal about to be slaughtered.

Ka-Ron's face was covered with both tears and shame. She ran to hide in her cabin.

Keeth gave Jatel a sympathetic glance.

"You have a great matter of your own magic to weave, squire." the wizard stated, securing the ship's wheel.

"This I know, wizard."

Shaking his head, Jatel headed off to face his master.

The battle ahead would not be a pleasant one for him.

Delivering the truth often wasn't.

***

"Close the door, please."

Ka-Ron winced as the bright rays of the suns lit up the cabin. Only Jatel's form, blocking the brightest of the two suns, had kept the knight from raising her hand for protection.

"Master, I have come for your counsel," Jatel stated, his voice formal.

Ka-Ron glared at the man, sad. "Jatel, I believe I instructed you never to refer to me as "master."

"In this conversation, the title fits, sire."

"Proceed," Ka-Ron surrendered.

The squire closed the door, as ordered. He watched as the woman he had come to love, and the master he had served faithfully all of his life, sit in darkness and condemn herself for her cowardice. How could he go forward and not cross his line of servitude? What he had to state required passion and independent observations. To do so, however, was a breach of the social order.

But, gazing at Ka-Ron's cheeks, seeing the stream of tears, feeling her shame and pain, and knowing of her love, he thought, To hell with society.

"Ka-Ron," Jatel said, sitting next to her upon the bed. "You judge yourself too hard."

"I was a babbling coward out there, Jatel," the knight cried. "In front of all our friends, I betrayed my honor, my house, and my king."

Jatel took hold of the woman's hand. "Look at me, sire," he ordered.

"Amongst the ranks of your friends, Ka-Ron, you are an unequaled success. Your house has never stood on more solid ground. As for your king, sire, I honestly believe that even he could not have endured what you have." He placed a hand upon his master's shoulder, which caused Ka-Ron to brush it with her cheek. "You have nothing to be ashamed of."

The knight stopped her crying. She tried, quite hard, to maintain a forced smile.

"How is our son?"

Jatel's face showed momentary sorrow.

"Keeth thinks him able to travel."

"Travel?" Ka-Ron's eyes contracted with confusion.

"We are only cycles away from The Fire Mountains, sire."

Ka-Ron looked up at her cabin's porthole in surprise.

"Yes, sire," Jatel stated, laughing. "Kai actually helped us in our escape. She is ready to forgive you. All is indeed quite well."

"Then our quest is almost over?" she asked.

Jatel nodded yes.

Ka-Ron gave her squire a hug.

"Then I am to be a man again?"

Jatel softly pulled away and said nothing. This did not escape the knight's attention.

"It is all for the best, Jatel."

"Yes, sire." He bowed.

Both sat on the bed for quite some time, just listening to the pitch and roll of the ship. Neither wanted to be the one who broke the silence.

After a while, however, Jatel just got up and left the room.

Ka-Ron was alone again, battling with her thoughts.

"To be a man again," the knight softly whispered.

***

The Fire Mountains had been named appropriately. A long chain of volcanic mountains, they were enveloped by a bluish flame, which never seemed to lose its energy. It was rumored that the chain of mountains had been accidentally set aflame by an ancient wizard. So, as a matter of payback, a Wicca Master had always been stationed there to help out the populace.

The Argo set her course to follow the northern ridge, leading them soon to the docks of Ur.

Molly had worked hard to keep En-Don comfortable. She had placed cool towels of water upon his forehead, kept him happy with wine, and offered both love and attention when they were needed. Dorian helped where she could, by offering comfort to Molly.

En-Don did not look well. His pallor and weak state made him worse than he actually was, but fighting the pain had drained his energy to the point where he could no longer afford to pay attention to the messages coming from his body. So, with great bravery, the young man just lay there.

Ka-Ron entered the room quietly, having defeated her own demons.

"Molly?"

The red headed woman darted to her feet upon seeing En-Don's mother enter the room. The knight softly motioned Molly to relax. She returned to the tending of the young man.

"How is he?" Ka-Ron asked.

"He comes and goes," Molly explained, changing out his bandages for fresh ones. "I fear his energy is low."

"Keeth states that he is well enough for travel."

"The wizard hopes for much, I think."

"He is a kind man who means well." Reaching for a wet cloth, Ka-Ron applied it to En-Don's forehead.

En-Don stirred.

"Mother?"

"I am here, son."

The young man fought to open his eyes. Even this simple act was not unlike a war to him. Upon his noticing his mother, he brightened and smiled. He was surprised, however, to discover both Molly and Ka-Ron in the same room together.

"How goes everything?" En-Don asked, his brow showing signs of curiosity. He coughed up some blood. Both women did their best to clean up the regurgitated stream.

Molly's hands shook. Ka-Ron calmed them. "Do not let him see you so, child." the knight whispered.

Molly nodded. She was quite surprised at the genuine affection shown by the knight.

"We are approaching The Fire Mountains, my son," Ka-Ron announced, beaming.

En-Don shook his head with pride. "Then your quest is near its end?"

"Yes."

"That is good," the young man struggled to say, fighting the pain. A lone tear streaked down his face. "For what is a knight without her faithful quest?"

"To you, my son, I am your mother, first and foremost."

"Aye," En-Don softly said. He surprised Molly by grabbing her hand, and startled the knight by placing the woman's hand into hers. "I wish you two to call a truce. Let there be peace."

The young man moaned a little and drifted off into sleep.

Ka-Ron and Molly stared at each other.

"I will never be able to forgive the way I attacked your squire," Molly had started to say, feeling totally awkward and open. "But I meant no real harm. It was either attack him or suffer an agonizing death."

"You are right," Ka-Ron stated, holding back a hard smile. "I will never be able to forgive."

Molly closed her eyes.

"But I can learn to forget."

The redhead gasped in surprise when Ka-Ron placed her hands upon her shoulder. "I would be the first to state, that most of my son's happiness is because he had the honor to know you. For that, I am eternally grateful. You are welcome in my household, and, from this day onward, you'll be like a sister in my eyes."

Molly and Ka-Ron found themselves hugging.

"It is done," the knight concluded, accepting his new family member.

There was a soft knock upon the door.

It was Jatel.

The squire was pleased to see the two women in a touching embrace. He was quite sure that should all this have happened when Ka-Ron was a man, his old master would have never forgiven Molly. Something had changed in the knight. Perhaps, the squire mused, it was the simple miracle of motherhood. Wherever, or whatever her motivation, he thanked the gods for it.

"Yes, squire?" Ka-Ron asked formally.

The use of protocol set the man aback. It had been quite sometime since the knight had addressed Jatel so.

"The wizard has informed me that we will be docking soon," Jatel said, his voice calm but sad. "Both Rohan and Rolmore have stated that they will carry En-Don's gurney." There was a long pause. "All is well."

"Very good," Ka-Ron replied, nodding. "See to our needs."

"At once." Jatel bowed, closing the door.

Molly could not believe what she just saw.

"Why do you talk to him so?" she asked.

"The quest is almost at its end, Molly." Ka-Ron explained. "He is to be my squire again, and that is all. Once I have been turned back into a man, I can put all of this behind me as a terrible nightmare."

"He loves you." Molly huffed.

"He loves this woman that I am, Molly," the knight explained, rising to her feet. "There is a difference."

"I seem to remember you loving him once or twice during our travels."

Ka-Ron paused, in mid-step. She shook off the comment as fast as she heard it. "It was all the manner of the curse, my dear. It's time to pick up the pieces, seek forgiveness from Kai, and move on."

"What of En-Don?" Molly protested, her voice gaining volume. "If your love with Jatel were false, what of your son? He is the fruit of that love."

Ka-Ron wanted to turn and face the woman. She wanted to slap her, and remind her that as a member of her house, Molly had no right to question the motivations of a knight.

En-Don moaned, shifting slightly in his bunk. It was obvious that the man was having a bad dream.

Ka-Ron smiled down at him.

She had a lot to consider, and Molly had only added to the matter.

"Molly, I was not meant to be this way. I was born a man."

"We are who we are," Molly retorted.

The knight paused and patted the woman on the shoulder.

"Again, I thank you."

Ka-Ron left Molly alone with her love. The woman could not bring herself to accept Ka-Ron's logic. She had seen the pain in Jatel's eyes. She could see the questioning in Ka-Ron's. Her only puzzlement in the matter was why they couldn't see the pain that they were inflicting upon each other.

In any case, Molly prepared En-Don for his journey.

***

The Argo dropped anchor at the docks. The township of Ur was within one sun's walk.

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

"The sailors I talked with stated that Ur is just beyond those cliffs in the distance, about a sun's walk," the wizard explained.

Jatel felt almost normal riding again upon the back of a horse. He missed his horse left back home, and knew that soon he would be sleeping next to the stubborn beast, once this adventure came to its end. He could hardly believe that the quest was almost over.

The squire's sad glance caught the eye of the wizard.

"What troubles thee, son?" Keeth asked, showing some difficulty in steering his horse.

"Ka-Ron has accepted the fact that all this will soon end."

"Of course it will end," the wizard huffed. "That is the nature of the universe. There is a beginning, a middle, and an end. So, what is the trouble?"

"Squire," Ka-Ron insisted. "I am in need of some drink, please."

"That is my problem, wizard."

Jatel broke ranks, and allowed others to pass him by. Upon spotting Ka-Ron, who stayed at the back of the entourage for En-Don's sake, the squire rode with his master. Ka-Ron placed out an empty hand, and it was instantly filled with a cup of wine. Ka-Ron nodded in appreciation, for Jatel was quite good at his job.

The wizard understood.

"How soon they forget," he huffed.

Having waited until Ka-Ron was finished, Jatel took the empty glass and rode back ahead.

"Tell me, son that you are not going to blindly let that woman forget who she has become?" Keeth's eyes turned furious.

"It is who she was that she wants to remember, wizard." Jatel turned defensive. "It is all good. Ka-Ron, as a man, was a noble master. I have no complaints. He was, and has been, a dear friend."

"You, my boy, are a fool." With that, Keeth darted his horse out, turned around, and trotted beside Ka-Ron's.

"Wizard?"

"Ka-Ron, are the knights of Idoshia fools?"

The knight was taken aback by the wizard's anger. She could not understand why someone of his rank would be so negative at such a time in their journey. Her son was about to be healed, and she to be given back the birthright that was hers.

"You know that we are not, sir."

"Sir? You address me as sir?" The wizard's anger rose. "By what right do you treat us all so? We are your companions and friends. The things and wonders we have shared!"

"I am an errant-knight, wizard," Ka-Ron huffed. "It is time I remember my place. And, if I should be so bold to say so, so should you."

Keeth reacted as if the knight had slapped him along the bridge of his nose. He had been genuinely hurt. He didn't say a word, or respond in a way he normally would have. Instead, he just broke ranks and rejoined Jatel.

"You see?" the squire grumbled.

"I cannot understand," the wizard said, ponding. "Could her slip of bravery and the regret of her cowardice have shifted her reality so much?"

Jatel played with the thought in his head, and ultimately shook it off.

"I cannot believe that, sir," Jatel stated, pulling back on his horse so that both he and the wizard could see eye-to-eye. "There is a greater fear at play here."

"Perhaps. One so obvious that no one can see it."

Jatel became interested.

"Go on, wizard?"

"It is not my place to say."

"You haven't been shy yet," Jatel reminded him, smiling.

"Perhaps, just perhaps," Keeth mused, "she is more male than we have been led to believe."

The squire looked over his shoulder and back toward his master. Ka-Ron and Rolmore were discussing something. He saw the knight laugh and pat the elf captain upon his shoulder.

"In what way, wizard, are we comparing her?"

"Like any young man who is suddenly faced with genuine love," the wizard stated. "She is running away to what she knows is&safe! It's pitiful, really. When will men learn that love is not the enemy? Fear is the only true enemy."

Jatel played the formula around in his mind, and it did make sense.

But how could he, a lowly squire, convince a knight of the blood he has been a fool? Answer: he could not. So, it was his duty as a squire to accept the situation and just do his duty.

"That which we are, wizard, we are."

"Son," Keeth huffed, "you just cannot give up so easily."

"I await my chance, sir." Jatel insisted. "That is all."

"Do not wait too long."

The matter was set aside for the moment.

En-Don required rest.

The party discovered a fresh stream and an oasis. It was thought best to wait over for the night, so that all could start fresh in the morning.

No one even considered that they were being watched.

***

The people of Ur had been going through some hard times. There was a curse in the land, making it almost impossible for any farmer in the region to grow crops. Most food had to be sailed in from neighboring nations. And, like most in hard times, they tried their best to make a profit. Goods and liquors were raised to prices no honest person could afford. Beyond the aegis of the Wicca Masters, hunger was an everyday fact here.

So, in order to make ends meet, some turned to highway robbery.

Upon spotting the small group of travelers leaving the strange but small wooden boat, Tur-Kel and his men spotted the best opportunity they had encountered in over a season. To have such a vessel, and keep to both elves and women amongst them, these few travelers had to have copper and food. It would be a grand target indeed.

The bandits followed their prey to the oasis.

Tur-Kel had once been the timid son of a bookshop owner. At best, he had been destined to take his father's place once the elder man had passed to the next world. Born to privilege, he was once a fat, awkward, and totally non-interesting brat ignored by most people and laughed at by women interested in more exciting treasures.

That is what Tur-Kel was.

After his father got killed by thieves, his store got burnt to the ground, and he himself got thrown out onto the streets after the funeral, Tur-Kel's eyes were open to the truth. One has what one can take. Only fools live with regret.

Like him, his men all had a sad story to tell. It was a sign of the times.

They were thirty in all, each one just as hungry as they were desperate for a way off the island. Tur-Kel did not trust any of them, but all had proven their use in thieving. In the end, that was all that was necessary.

"When do we strike?" a fellow thief had whispered.

"Be careful, fool!" Tur-Kel insisted, lowering his voice. "There are elves in their ranks. Elves have big ears, and they will hear us far before they see us coming."

The warning was not taken in stride.

"Be patient, my friend," Tur-Kel stated. "They will know they have guests soon enough."

With a wave of his hand, Tur-Kel gave the signal to attack.

***

Dorian noticed Rohan staring out into the darkness. The campfire glowed brightly. causing the surrounding area to become inhospitably dark. It often was curious to the dwarf how that odd fact had always worked itself out. The woman was getting quite used to staying in female form. What was more, she was enjoying it.

"Rohan?" Dorian asked, holding up a plate of food. "Are you hungry?"

"Thank you," the elf said, taking the dish.

Dorian beamed with genuine affection as she sashayed close to her love. As a matter of respect, Rohan wrapped his free arm around her, hugging and showing his support.

"I fear that En-Don is getting weaker," Dorian stated. "I hope all goes well for him."

"If it is his fate to live, my love, nothing will change the outcome." Rohan chewed his food, making a face. "Who cooked this?"

Dorian's face turned hard. "Your brother."

Rohan handed the plate back to the dwarf. He was finished.

"My brother may be a great military commander, but his ability to cook is not at the top of the list of his accomplishments."

The comedy did not pass either of them. Both broke out in laughter.

"Rohan?" Dorian asked, her hand grasping the elf's.

"Yes?"

"What shall become of the two of you?"

Rohan gave the answer some thought. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Mine is not the only elfin nation, you know."

"I know."

"We will seek allies," Rohan promised, kissing Dorian on top of her head. "We will attack. We will win back our freedom."

Dorian started to pat her stomach, which was starting to show the signs of a "baby bump."

"I want my child born in your house, my dear."

The elf was amazed at how "far" Dorian had come along.

"My dear, how fast do dwarf women have their children?"

"Some have had them in less time than a full luna, my dear. My mother took only six phases to carry me."

"What a wonderful world, to have such mysteries in it."

"Be warned, my love&" Dorian smiled. "Dwarves have been known to have more than one child per birthing."

"You are going to bring me vast amounts of worry, are you not?" Rohan joked.

Dorian popped up on the tips of her toes, giving Rohan a long and loving kiss. "I am your woman, dear. It is my job to make you worry."

Rohan let out an amused laugh.

Dorian gave him a wink.

Both were the first in the encampment to spot the thieves.

***

Tur-Kel sat, with flintlock in hand, watching as his men rummaged through each bag, box, and case the travelers had with them. Surprisingly, they found nothing but food, wine, and medical supplies. Each quantity of supplies would fetch a handsome price on the black market, but the combined worth of it all was barely enough to justify their raid.

"They give us nothing!" a member of the horde yelled. "Nothing but a dying man and an old wizard!"

All eyes turned to Dorian, who, by pure instinct, had reverted back to his male self. Tapping his foot and with his arms folded in defiance, the dwarf did not appear happy. Knowing he was being stared at, Dorian burped.

"Dwarves are known to carry gold, silver, and copper with them," Tur-Kel said, pointing his weapon in a challenge.

"Not on a quest, you moron!" Dorian yelled. "Oh, if I had my ax!"

This last caused Rolmore to giggle a little.

Big mistake.

The bandits started beating the elf captain, causing blue blood to drip from the soldier's mouth. In an act of surrender, Rolmore tried putting his hand up in the air, but the elf had been good sport&more so than anyone had in these parts for quite some time.

Tur-Kel himself was looking for something to do.

"Excuse me," a soft voice said.

Tur-Kel turned.

Ka-Ron curtsied. "Dear sir, we are on an errand of mercy. Please, we seek the Wicca Master Kai. We have been told that her hut is in the city of Ur. Are we in error? Have we broken some kind of ordnance?"

Tur-Kel did his best to control his reactions. The woman before him was the loveliest he had ever encountered. With his men watching, he knew he had to be bold.

"Unfortunately, my lady, these are hard times for us all." Tur-Kel raised his hands in bravado, causing all the bandits under him to respond with a rebellious yell. "In order to use this road, for you to travel to the city of Ur, you must first pay a toll."

Ka-Ron's face turned solemn.

"We are all unfortunate after traveling so far," the knight explained. "Perhaps, you can inform us of another less expensive road to Ur."

"Alas, this is the only road." the bandit leader said curtly, and laughed.

"We have no money."

"Then, you shall not pass." the bandit's harsh glance informed Ka-Ron that he was deadly serious in his statements.

Ka-Ron glanced at her son, En-Don. He was not looking well, despite the optimism of Kai's most recent alliance with them. The young man was doing a superb job at trying to appear in good spirits, but Ka-Ron was no stranger to the battlefield. She knew when death was circling its prey. En-Don needed the services of the Wicca Master, and fast.

"Sir," Ka-Ron pleaded, closing her eyes, "my son is in need of medical services. He needs to go to Ur."

"It is a pity for you," Tur-Kel blustered. "To be both broke and in need."

This last statement caused his men to laugh.

Both Rohan and Rolmore held tightly to their weapons. Each time a fellow bandit approached them, the elves challenged with a stern glare. Rolmore's injuries were starting to heal, but he could still feel the harm that had been applied to him. No one challenged the elves further.

No bandit had the courage.

Dorian, still camouflaging himself as a male dwarf, kicked at the shin of a bandit who dared to walk within his range of attack. The bandit cursed a few times, holding dearly to his injured leg. The dwarf held back a satisfied snort of mirth.

"Dear sir," Ka-Ron said, being desperate. Her voice trembled. "He is my only son."

The camp turned quiet.

Each could hear the desperation of the knight.

Tur-Kel still possessed a tinge of what had once been a good and noble soul. But the rumbling of his empty stomach had ruled over his hearts. It would not do for him simply to allow these people to pass. He had to get "something" from the bargain if he were to still lead his men.

Tur-Kel grabbed Ka-Ron by her chin.

This action caused Jatel to bolt forward from his group. Keeth tried his best to hold the squire back, but the bandit's actions had enraged Jatel so much that he was not open to sage advice. The squire acted from his heart.

"Let&her&go!" Jatel ordered.

"You protest?" Tur-Kel asked.

"I'll do more than that if you do not release her, now."

"You risk much."

Jatel took out his sword and pointed the weapon at Tur-Kel.

"And so do you!"

Several bandits took out hand-held flintlocks, new inventions that seemed to take most of the group by surprise, and pointed them at the brave squire. Keeth tried his best to calm Jatel. The squire was in real danger. One person, although backed by strong and honest morals, could not take on an army alone.

"Son, I beg you," the wizard pleaded. "Think of your son."

Jatel lowered his sword, but he would not surrender it from the steadfast fortress of his hands. A bandit did try to take it, and was briskly thrown to the ground.

Tur-Kel liked Jatel.

"You seek to protect this lass?"

"She is my universe, sir."

Upon hearing Jatel's words, Ka-Ron beamed with happiness. Almost to the point of tears, the knight's face showed her honest pride in her squire's bravery and proclamation.

"Indeed?"

An idea entered Tur-Kel's mind: a devilish idea.

"There is a service you can provide, my dear."

"Name it!" Ka-Ron said, desperate.

"Allow me the honor of your&company."

The bandits cheered their leader onward.

Tur-Kel raised his hand, silently ordering his men to cease.

"What say you?"

Ka-Ron paused. She was so sure that her life as a woman would be coming to an end soon, that she hadn't considered the fact that she would have to perform once more. However, all this was for the life of her son. What would be the harm in the doing? Life, after all, was more important than honor.

It took all of Ka-Ron's will to open her mouth. "If that is what it takes to save the life of my child, sir," Ka-Ron said, low in voice. "Then, lead on." The woman bowed, openly accepting Tur-Kel's existence.

"Ka-Ron!" Jatel shouted, his voice strong and enraged. "No!"

"Stay in your place, squire!" Ka-Ron ordered.

"Indeed," Tur-Kel advised.

If Jatel had been slapped in the face by his mother, he couldn't have projected as much pain. Slowly, as if recovering from the exhaustive energy of a bad dream, he surrendered his sword back into its sheath.

"Do not hate so much, son," Keeth whispered. "She does this for your son's sake."

The squire would not listen. Pushing a bandit away in defiance, the squire retreated into the woods. No one challenged his disrespect. Although bandits, the men understood Jatel's reactions. Still, they cheered Tur-Kel on, all being jealous of his conquest.

"Lucky bastard!" one yelled.

"When doing her, think of us!" another offered.

Tur-Kel took Ka-Ron, leading her towards privacy.

***

What was Jatel to do?

No matter how he had felt, or strongly believed, his master would always feel otherwise. Having gone through so much, only to be back slapped so far was humiliating, and it made the squire feel both isolated and deeply used.

"Ka-Ron&" he cried, sitting upon a stump.

The man was broken.

He had given his love nobly, only to have it harshly ignored and ripped away. Why would the knight treat him so?

"She did it for our son," Jatel tried to tell himself.

Was he being selfish? Was he putting his own pride above that of his son's?

It was time for him to face the truth.

He was&a squire.

Nothing more.

Meek, defeated, Jatel returned to his friends.

***

"Here!"

Ka-Ron turned, letting her hands reach out and remove her clothes. She did all that she could to look both relaxed and tempting. It was so easy for her to escape the reality of the situation by retreating into the fantasy of her mind. Her only focus was on how Jatel was going to take all of this. She had been treating him terribly, of late, but that was necessary. If she were to be turned back into a man, their relationship would have to change.

But all she could think about, besides the fact that the weather was too cold to be stripping in the woods, were the squire's proclamations of his love to her. His bravery. His unarguable affection.

It is best that he forget me.

Tur-Kel had removed his clothes and adjusted himself.

"My lady, let's start paying the toll." he smirked.

Ka-Ron got to her knees, taking considerations towards the man's sex. She closed her eyes, allowing her tongue to introduce suggestions of both activation and excitement. Enveloping his essence, she started to do her work.

It was a complete, absolute, and total invasion of herself as a person.

The pain was unbearable.

Ka-Ron started to cry.

"Get at it, woman!" the bandit ordered, taking hold of Ka-Ron's hair and forcing her to continue.

Fighting the pain, the knight sucked.

There was a force at work inside the knight, allowing her both to ignore and to stay focused at what she had to do. She bore in mind the fact that she was doing what was necessary for her son, En-Don.

Ka-Ron winced as the man shot deep into her throat the seeds of his own soul. He continued to hold her by the base of the neck, making sure that she performed correctly. Although an evil man, he knew what to expect from the women he used.

"Now, upon your back!"

Ka-Ron had only to obey.

Tur-Kel leered at the woman's beauty as he hovered above her body. He played with her breasts, and poked at her, finally kissing and enveloping her as a whole.

The knight continued with her tears.

"Jatel&" she whispered. "Oh, Jatel."

Had Ka-Ron been as evil? As a man, had she used women so?

For the first time, she seemed to understand the pain Kym had felt on that fateful day, so long ago. Ka-Ron seemed to understand the beating of a woman's heart, so much more.

And she began to reconsider.

***

Tur-Kel returned several cycles later.

Both he and Jatel exchanged harsh glances.

The squire, upon returning to camp, had been welcomed by his friends and invited to share the warmth of their fire. When he entered, none of the bandits, as brave and in control as they were, could seem to look him in the eye.

"Where is Ka-Ron?" Jatel asked Tur-Kel.

"She is back where I left her." Tur-Kel ordered his men to retreat back into the thickness of the woods. "She has paid the toll needed for you to go to Ur. Happy travels."

All disappeared.

The fate of their destinies was back in their own hands.

All Jatel could do was stare into the darkness of the woods, waiting for Ka-Ron to return.

An entire cycle passed, and there was nothing.

Keeth approached the squire.

"What is the matter, son?"

"Ka-Ron does not return."

"Perhaps she is waiting for you to rescue her again?" the wizard gently patted the squire upon the back.

Jatel lowered his eyes.

"I am only the woman's squire," he proclaimed, sad, and defeated. "She has no need for me."

Keeth's steady hand took hold of Jatel, causing the man to glance his way.

This was an unusual gesture on the wizard's part.

Almost hostile.

"If you believe such a thing, squire, then you are a fool," Keeth stated, his eyes focused and not blinking. "That woman loves you!"

"Go to her," Dorian pleaded, still in his male form.

Jatel took the advice and left the camp.

He had not ventured too far when his ears picked up the gentle sound of a woman crying. He quickened his step, deeply concerned, and quite beyond the realm of rational thought.

"Ka-Ron!" he yelled, running full speed.

No answer.

"Master! Please!"

Jatel saw something moving in the corner of his eye. He turned, heading toward a huge tree near a small lake.

"Ka-Ron&" the squire whispered, stopping.

The knight lay weeping, softly, uncontrollably, crouched in a fetal position. In her miserable state, she rocked back and forth, unable to stop. It was quite evident to Jatel that the reason she wasn't moving was because she had no sense of time. If she were left alone, he was certain that Ka-Ron would remain there, in her cold and desolate world, until she finally gave up and died.

This was no place for a knight of Idoshia to be!

"Ka-Ron&" Jatel softly repeated.

With great care, he continued his approach.

"Go away&"

Ka-Ron's voice fought between gasps of air and her wailing. She rocked to and fro, trying to hide her face under her arms and between her balled-up legs. She did not wish to see the caring eyes of her squire.

With shaky and loving hands, Jatel bent down to her and reached outward.

"Jatel, leave me alone."

It was more of a plea than an order.

Jatel stood aback. He was caught between the urge to hold Ka-Ron and also to follow her orders. But, even as a servant, he heard and recognized her pain. He understood her agony, and felt for her deeply. There was no way he was going to leave her, now. If it was indeed her fate to wither and die here, he would also sacrifice his life. Nothing would convince him otherwise.

"Jatel, please do not&" Ka-Ron begged. Her head sunk deeper inside her body.

"Sire! I am here for you." Jatel offered. "Your fate is now my fate."

"Then you are a fool."

"True," Jatel said, softly touching Ka-Ron's head. "But I am your fool."

Upon hearing his kind words, the noble knight cried harder and longer. A flash of regret, and then anger, flashed across the man's face as he suddenly realized that he was causing his love so much pain. But, what was the test of love, if not the test of pain? Jatel did not waver. He stayed.

"Master?"

Ka-Ron's sobbing stopped. Meekly, she turned her head, allowing one eye to peek out, fighting to see Jatel through her hair.

"How can you stand to even be near me?" Ka-Ron asked. "I am nothing but a whore."

Jatel reacted as if someone had slapped him.

Without thinking, he took hold of his master's shoulders and shook her violently out of her fetal position.

"Ka-Ron of Teal, you are wrong," Jatel argued, his eyes focused upon the crying woman. "You are a noble woman whom I have come to know and love. Nothing more."

The evil spell laid on Ka-Ron began to break. Suddenly, the world was hers again.

Softly, she hugged her squire. "Jatel, do not ever leave me again." she pleaded.

"Not for the world entire."

Ka-Ron and Jatel kissed, passionately.

It was at least another cycle before they parted and headed back to camp.

Jatel had helped his love to clean herself at the lake, put her clothes back on, and brush her hair out. All looked well.

Ka-Ron could not seem to drive her attention from her squire.

"I have now chosen the path of my destiny, Jatel."

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Ur was a simple village, consisting of grass huts. The people were known for their works in vases and herding of goats. They made their survival upon the great skills of both. The village was as vital to this land as Teal had been to Ka-Ron's. Both were crossways to bigger and greater cities.

Upon entering the village, Keeth inquired as to the whereabouts of Kai. Some of the villagers were curt and ignored the wizard. All in the town knew of the roadside bandits and how they had raided other villages using certain tactics not unlike that of the wandering stranger. So, most fled in fear of their lives.

It took some time, but one man who had the ability to seek truth above his fears, pointed in the correct direction.

"Kai lives within the boundaries of the cliff people."

"Cliff people?" the wizard asked.

"The cliff people are star watchers," the old man explained. "They seek wisdom from the sky gods."

"Star watchers?" Rohan had overheard. The elf's expression was beyond normal curiosity.

The cliff people did indeed live outside the main village of Ur. They were mostly ignored and left alone. Only once or twice a year did they get visitors: mostly those seeking replacements for their goat stock, or seeking new water containers.

It did not take long before Kai knew she had guests.

***

"Welcome to Ur."

Kai took one look at Ka-Ron, and knew what had happened. The Wicca Master bolted from her porch and took the knight by the hands. Ka-Ron's lost look of helplessness tugged upon the woman's heart.

"Dear child, are you well?'

"She was attacked by road bandits," Jatel explained.

The Wicca Master gazed long into the squire's eyes. She smiled at him in the same manner and ways she had used back in the horse stalls of Teal. She still liked what she saw when staring at Jatel, and knew of his sufferings as well.

There was a long pause between the two women. One, timid in her actions to move forward, the other burdened with regret. The others in Ka-Ron's group just stood watching. This was a much-worked-for moment.

"I am here to help you, child." Kai reassured. "I offer apologetic skills to help ease your sufferings."

Ka-Ron broke free of Jatel's arms.

"It is not I who needs your help, Kai."

The knight took hold of the Wicca Master's hands, directing her attentions to En-Don. Both elves carrying the young man were soon directed to take him inside Kai's hut.

The woman stopped both Jatel and Ka-Ron at her door.

"Stay outside," Kai ordered. "I will study him."

"He is our only son," Ka-Ron pleaded.

"And I will do all in my power to save him." Kai turned her gaze to Keeth. "Wizard, be watchful of your friends."

Keeth raised a confident hand. "It will be done."

Kai bowed.

Jatel and Ka-Ron were guided away from the hut by their friend.

"What will she do to him?"

"Study, my boy," Keeth assured him. "Study."

Kai closed her shutters, trying her best to leave the waves of pain and guilt behind. She had to reframe her own feelings in order to tune in to En-Don's. At first, she felt nothing. Some of Ka-Ron's violations by the road bandit permeated her senses, and she felt the rape from which the knight suffered. She felt the panic of the tall, red-headed woman, wondering about her future with En-Don. It was a tough battle just to keep from sweating.

"Child," Kai stated to En-Don, waving her hands above his body, "open your hearts to me."

It took time, but Kai soon discovered the truth.

Truth had a talent of stating more than it should.

* * *

"Ka-Ron, your son will soon die."

At first, the knight stood and stared blankly. Moving in, Jatel took hold of his master, expecting the woman to fall deeply into her grief. Nothing happened. All the knight did was meekly blink her eyes.

"Darnak was right," was all Ka-Ron stated.

"Darnak?" the squire questioned. Jatel gave Kai a worried glance. "You mean the priest back home?"

"He stated that this was a blood curse," Ka-Ron looked at Kai, sadly. "By its very nature, someone we both loved would have to die in order for the spell to break."

"To the gods! She's right." Kai held a hand up to her mouth. The witch closed her eyes with deep regret. "It is all my fault&the pains I have inflicted. All because I could not see the truth."

Jatel placed a caring hand upon Kai.

"So, En-Don is to die?"

Kai took in a deep breath, fighting back the urge to cry.

"He has lost too much blood for me to contain his life force," the Wicca Master explained. "As you know, blood is the conduit in which all life is sustained. He has lost more than I could reproduce."

"What of blood worms?" Jatel asked.

Ka-Ron's eyes filled with hope.

"Not even if we found a nest of pregnant ones, I'm afraid."

The knight broke down and cried. She turned, burying her face into Jatel's chest. With sad eyes the squire accepted the news.

"Can we see him?" Jatel asked.

"I have taken away all pain," Kai explained. "When he crosses over, he will go as a babe when it sleeps."

"I thank you for that, at least."

Kai opened the door to her hut.

Both entered.

Kai could not bring herself to join them. "I am to blame." the woman whispered.

Keeth, having been the victim of misjudgments and crimes he had never confessed to anyone, offered the Wicca Master his sympathy. Taking it, Kai cried upon his shoulder.

"You will heal, trust me." he said, knowing the truth of which he spoke.

Both Jatel and Ka-Ron were in the hut less than a beat before Molly rushed up towards the door, blasting herself in without so much as a permissive gesture.

"Who is she?" Kai asked.

"Someone else who is involved in this little drama of yours."

"A lover?"

"A lover," he confirmed.

***

En-Don had been told the truth before anyone else. Kai saw sure to that.

If she were ever to seek forgiveness, she first had to make certain that En-Don would be aware, and be able to seek out those in the next life. If he were ignorant to his fate, he could become forever lost, seeking spiritual shelter all over the Nown world: a fate far worse than that of Count Voslow's.

"Mother, I die hard." En-Don stated, fighting his difficult breathing. He was in no pain, but he had to work hard at living. "Do not stay that way upon my passing."

The man offered Ka-Ron his hand.

Timidly, Ka-Ron gently entombed the pale hand inside of hers.

"My son&" She tried to say more, but could not.

"Father, see to her needs," En-Don asked, his eyes softly looking upon the squire's. "She does love you."

"You do not need to state such things. I know."

"Then, it is good." The young man forced a cough.

A thunderous blast of light exploded into the room as the front door flapped open. Molly stood on the threshold, breathing heavily. Her eyes were wide with panic, and her breathing rivaled that of En-Don's in forceful labor.

"En-Don?" Molly cried. "It's me!"

The young man's face exploded with an inner joy.

"The one face I looked for is the last one I see." En-Don smiled.

Molly rushed by both Ka-Ron and Jatel, who backed away so that the two could have their moment together. The knight softly wept in her squire's arms as they watched the couple.

"What has the Wicca Master done for you?" Molly asked her eyes desperate for any good news.

En-Don reached for the redhead's hand, but was too weak to grasp it. Upon seeing what her lover was trying to do, Molly completed his task. She, softly, took the young man's hand.

"Molly," En-Don stated, "I am dying."

The woman paused.

"No," she whispered.

En-Don shook his head. "There is nothing the witch can do. She had taken away all pain, but other than that, I will not live long enough to see the morning suns."

Molly cried. She buried her face in En-Don's chest, moving up only to kiss and hug him.

Outside the hut, the sounds of children playing caught the attention of the young man. He was, after all, still the "real" age of a newborn. He enjoyed the sounds. He gave a long look of disappointment, as if regretting the fact that he had not had a normal life.

"I wish," En-Don stated, stroking a hand through Molly's hair, "that you and I could&play, one last time."

Molly tried to laugh. She only managed a forced smile and coughing between tears.

"Upon eternity's end, I will wait for you, my dearest love," Molly promised. She softly kissed En-Don's hand.

Fatigue took hold of the young man, and he started to fall asleep once more.

"You do that," En-Don joked, smiling.

En-Don fell fast asleep.

Molly held onto his hand for a couple of cycles before letting go. She had been comforted by both Ka-Ron and Jatel, and counseled by both wizard and witch. Her tears would not stop. She was beyond comfort.

"Some loves are like that," Keeth had offered, when both Ka-Ron and Jatel had exited the hut, leaving their son to his rest. "The pain is just as passionate as the pleasure."

Molly continued down the street, wailing beyond her heart's ability to heal.

It began to rain.

***

The sad time was near.

En-Don's breathing sounded like a terrible war between two wills. The one, trying desperately to keep hold of life - to cherish all that one held dear and sweet. The other, wanting to let go - to retreat into that blissful peace that was both terrifying and seductive at the same time.

All gathered round the young knight, honoring his life and character.

Despite his age, he was bravely going into his dark sleep.

"Dorian," En-Don whispered.

The dwarf, still camouflaged as a male, stepped forward.

"Yes, boy?"

The young man put out his hand, silently asking the dwarf to take it.

Uneasily, Dorian did as En-Don wished.

"Allow me to see you as you truly are."

Dorian awkwardly nodded. The dwarf grew in height, expanded, bloated outward, and deflated to become the wondrous female glory that she secretly was. Upon seeing this miracle, even Kai was astonished - she had never seen such magic.

"Is this to your liking?" Dorian asked, absently running her fingers through her hair.

En-Don smiled. "Behold! Beauty."

The young man started to cough. A small trickle of blood trailed down the corner of his mouth.

Kai stepped forward, hovering her hands above the man's body. All eyes fell upon her. She looked at all in the room, shaking her head negatively.

En-Don had lost all time.

"Dorian," the young man forced, fighting to say each word. "Promise me&"

"Promise what?" the dwarf asked.

En-Don fought the urge to die.

"Promise me that you will always remain in this form. Rohan will need the simple joy of beauty in the seasons ahead." En-Don paused, his eyes looking far away. "Promise&me&"

Dorian started to cry, realizing that she was losing a friend. Respectfully, she kissed the young man upon the forehead, causing him to smile weakly.

"Upon the honor of the dwarf kings, I so swear."

A golden light soon surrounded the dwarf, and a psychic explosion filled the room with a fantastic force. Dorian had made it possible for her to never change into anything&ever again. Her female form magnified, showing even more beauty and strength. All inhibitions were gone. She was as she had been born: a woman.

There was a long and sacred silence to help honor the moment.

"It is good," En-Don forced himself to say.

Meekly, the man called forth his parents.

Ka-Ron shook with a terrible fear.

"My son," the knight whispered, kissing his hand.

"I love you, mother," En-Don confessed.

"And I, my son, love you."

Jatel rubbed a hand upon En-Don's head.

"Safe journeys, my son. May your sword always be sharp."

En-Don looked as if he had wanted to say something, but he soon stopped. His eyes grew wide and his body stiffened. There was something he had become aware of that was far beyond the abilities of mortal beings. He seemed both frightened and excited about the things to which he was secretly a witness.

"Let us go beyond the hill and&" En-Don's voice trailed off.

The man's breathing stopped.

En-Don had passed into the next life.

Molly and Ka-Ron collapsed in their grief.

Dorian, Rohan, and Rolmore prayed to their gods.

Keeth wept openly, and Kai was beyond comfort.

"It seems that both you and the knight have another hard fact in common," Keeth had managed to state to Kai between fits of sadness.

"What is that, wizard?"

Keeth took hold of the tortured Wicca Master's hand.

Suddenly, the hut became incredibly small and dark.

"You both now know the pain of losing a child."

Kai's eyes shut.

Her pain was almost as great as Ka-Ron's.

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

The funeral was a short one. All very traditional.

En-Don's body had been placed on board a small boat, dressed in what had formerly been his mother's armor. Her sword was spared, and given back to Ka-Ron by the final wishes of her son. Under normal circumstances, all Idoshians were laid to rest with their weapons at the ready. But, since En-Don was not a knight, this last was allowed. The sword would serve as a constant reminder of her son's bravery.

The body was pushed out into the middle of the village's only lake and set ablaze. The fire was brilliant. All were assured that En-Don's spirit was rightfully taken up to the gods.

In their hearts, all knew that En-Don would be waiting for them on the other side - a helpful guide, always there when comfort would be needed.

Molly was allowed, with both Jatel's and Ka-Ron's blessing, to wear a white gown, showing all in the village that she was the young man's worldly love. The woman took her loss well. She cried, suffered, and shook with grief - this was to be expected. Dorian, now forever female, took hold of her, providing much-needed support. Both women cried.

The men bowed with respect.

Such was the way of the world.

***

"We have Allies in Tharsish," Rolmore stated, pointing his fingers upon a rolled out map. "We can start there."

Both Rolmore and Rohan had been spending cycles looking over plans of attack. Now that Ka-Ron had reached her goal, it was time to consider their needs to serve their people.

"Upon our arrival, the king of the land has promised us a supportable army."

"This is good, considering the force we will soon be facing."

Rolmore stopped. His eyes turned sad.

"What has become of our father, Rohan?"

Rohan placed a hand upon his brother's shoulder. Both had lost much over the last few suns. Their freedom. Their land. Everything.

"Dorian has informed me of a small creature that is attached to our father's neck, near the top of his back. It was her impression that the thing had control of him."

"I saw no such creature, dear brother."

"Rolmore, Dorian would not make up such a thing. Not when it is this important." he paused. "Perhaps the creature, not knowing of dwarf females, could not bring up defense against her?"

Rolmore rolled up his maps, thinking. "If that is true, the dwarfs could become important allies."

"True!" Rohan agreed. "We must consider them, at the very least."

"Your speech has merit, Rohan."

Dorian soon approached her newly-adopted family. She had changed her clothes and was now dressed in full female garb - a last respect to a fallen comrade.

"How goes the planning?" she asked.

Both elves looked upon the dwarf woman with wonder. She was starting to "show" more and more each day.

"Dorian," Rolmore asked, "how may we approach the dwarfs for their assistance in this matter?"

"They will be angry with me for breaking the trust," the dwarf advised. "I may find myself a wanted criminal for the doing. The fact that we hide our women has been a long-standing tradition. We must proceed with caution."

"Agreed," both elves stated.

"Well, my friends, it is time we say our goodbyes."

Both Rohan and Dorian turned sad.

"It is a hard thing to leave friends." Rohan stated.

"Perhaps," Rolmore agreed. "But they, too, will be affected by this war. We will have need of them as well."

The task was put into motion.

All went to pay final respects, and to say goodbye.

Ka-Ron and Jatel, knowing of their tasks, waited outside Kai's hut. The knight's eyes filled with tears: tears of sadness for her current loss, and for the grief of friends soon to part.

"Fair journeys to you," Jatel wished, his hand extended in salute.

Dorian and Ka-Ron hugged.

"Have you decided?" the dwarf asked Ka-Ron, whispering.

The knight shared the secret, talking into Dorian's ear. She pulled away from the knight, smiling. The dwarf seemed to approve.

"Then all is good." the dwarf replied.

Both women held each other's hands, secretly celebrating.

The men, of course, were both totally mystified and left out.

There was a small commotion on the outskirts of the village. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that a group of elves, refugees from their native lands, had gathered, hoping to join both Rohan and Rolmore in their cause.

After the initial surprise, both elfin brothers turned sad.

"It has begun," Rolmore said tiredly.

"So soon?"

"War has a way of sticking to its own timetable, brother." The sea captain respectfully nodded to both Jatel and Ka-Ron. "Come, my sister, it is time for us to leave."

"I hope the best for thee," Ka-Ron solemnly wished. She kissed Dorian on the cheek.

"And I you." Dorian returned.

For a moment, no one wanted to move.

It was as if each, seeking the right words and movement, relived each experience they had shared together. Friendship had a way of reflection that seemed most painful at separation.

Then, the moment came.

One of the elves from the refugee group threw up a warning hand. It was time to leave. King Rakamore's reach was growing both far and powerful. He had spies everywhere.

"We go, my friends," Rohan said, helping Dorian upon a nearby horse. "Until we next meet."

All bowed their heads.

In a cloud of dust, the elves were gone.

The woods helped in the way only nature could. All traces of their visit were covered over with leaf, twig, mud, and wind. Rohan and Rolmore had their hands full. And only time provided the appropriate outcome.

"They will be missed."

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel discovered that they were not alone.

Kai and Keeth had joined them in their pains of seeing a friend off to uncertain ends.

"Yes," Ka-Ron agreed.

Kai stood studying the knight. The Wicca Master seemed to know something that was only privy to the inner gray regions of Ka-Ron's own thoughts. What the witch saw was uncertain.

"I liked that young elf," Keeth mused, rubbing his fingers through his beard. "The woman, Dorian, has an important aura of destiny shining around her. I wager that we have not heard the last of that one. I am honored to call them both friends. They served well. And that, if anything, is a great tribute to have."

There was a long period of silent self-reflection.

Keeth cleared his throat.

"If you will all excuse me, I have to see to the Argo's refit." the wizard gleamed with pride. "The ship is faring quite nicely. I am thinking about adding a machine which will allow the passenger to explore the outer blackness of the in-between spaces of other worlds. I am so excited about the possibilities."

Ka-Ron could not help but be amused.

On returning to his ship, Keeth absently tripped over a root growing from a nearby tree. Picking himself up and brushing dirt off his clothing, the wizard awkwardly waved his goodbyes. Keeth appeared to be humming a childhood tune to himself and thinking.

Kai approached both Jatel and Ka-Ron with caution.

"Come," the Wicca Master instructed. "We have business to conclude."

A troubled expression crossed Jatel's face, which, to his credit, he controlled well. Upon seeing the expression, Ka-Ron took the squire by the hand. Her eyes met his.

"Hold," the knight requested. "Let us talk of this, please."

The Wicca Master listened. And, for the first time in a rather long time, Kai was delightfully surprised.

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

Kai helped Ka-Ron put on her new dress with shaky hands. Both were enjoying the moment, and had a chance to share certain delightful things that women, in private, could do. The morning was proving itself to be quite wonderful indeed. There was a pleasant breeze blowing in from the harbor bay, bringing with it a crisp feeling of life renewed.

It was a delightful way to have a wedding.

"So, you have made this choice, knowing full well, that once completed, there is no way back?" Kai asked while buttoning Ka-Ron's wedding gown.

The knight turned. "Dear woman, I love the man."

"Then, it is good."

Both hugged.

"At first, Kai, your actions were what they had intended to be: a curse. Then, little by little, the sufferings cause life to became more enjoyable. I felt more alive."

Kai gave the knight a puzzled look.

"I cannot explain it more clearly than that," Ka-Ron stated in response. "All I know was that each time I fell deeper and deeper into despair, there was Jatel. Never once did he question, and never once did he falter."

The Wicca Master held out a hand in caution.

"Dear child, he was also under my spell."

"At first," Ka-Ron took hold of Kai's hands. "At first, he was. But there are forces in this universe, I have discovered, that can break any spell. I will agree that you held him at the beginning, but, his hearts took hold, later, and he did not let go." The knight's eyes began to tear. "I do love him, Kai. As sure as I know that he treasures me."

"Then, my child, do not let go!" Kai pleaded with her, holding tightly. "True love, however improbable in a changing world, can never be allowed to go unnoticed. It is the most powerful spell known, and the most desired."

"Yes," Ka-Ron agreed.

"But, take heed, child," the Wicca Master warned. "Once married, you can never turn back into a man. You will remain a woman for the remainder of your life."

"Is such a fate so bad?" Ka-Ron asked, adjusting herself in her dress.

"I should say not."

It was time to get the wedding underway.

The ceremony itself was conducted simply, with just Keeth, Kai, and Molly in attendance. The whole thing was performed under a huge tree - the oldest in the village.

"One of the most sacred acts of a wizard or witch," Keeth solemnly said, holding an ancient book open in front of both Ka-Ron and Jatel, "is the bonding of two elements into one stable solid. Of all the acts and chain of events that evoke them, love is the greatest of mysteries."

Jatel stood, quite nervous and out of place, as Ka-Ron tugged at his arm. The squire had donned his combat armor - something he rarely did outside the arena of war. He looked taller, nobler, and indeed gallant. All were impressed.

"Perhaps it is right that no wizard or witch can create love. That is what gives the act so much power."

Ka-Ron's eyes met those of her lover. They were soft and accepting. There was something the knight had always wanted, and secretly waited for - a place to call home. Who knew that she could find it via a curse and the kind heart of a lowly squire?

"Ka-Ron of Teal, do you accept the love of this man?" the wizard asked.

"With all my hearts." Ka-Ron kissed Jatel.

"Jatel of Illium, noble squire to the house of Idoshia, do you accept the love of this woman?"

Jatel looked at his master and beamed. "I shall fight for her honor with my last breath. I would suffer for her happiness. I would die just to hold her hand."

Keeth chuckled. "A simple 'yes' would do," he said.

Everyone held back a laugh.

"Then, by the authority given to me by my kingdom, peers, and order, I bind the two of you into one solid element. May you both prosper and live in honor."

It was done.

Jatel kissed his master.

"I welcome thee into my hearts&husband." Ka-Ron whispered, almost in tears.

"And I you, mast&my wife."

To the last, Jatel was both loyal and true.

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

Ka-Ron and Jatel approached the Argo, hearing the telltale hammering of the wizard. He had been hard at work repairing the damage done by Rakamore's agents, and, of course, improving upon his fantastic machines. Both were amused and not really surprised that Keeth would be doing such a thing.

"Does that man ever take a day off?" Jatel mused.

"I think not," Ka-Ron stated, with her arm around her husband's waist.

After finalizing her spell upon the knight, Ka-Ron awoke the next morn to some startling surprises. Her features had calmed. Her curves had become more appropriate. Her features had taken on a softer complexion. She was, in a word, beautiful. This last was a wedding gift to both. The knight was quite surprised to discover that her love was more enjoyable now that her hearts were in control.

"Shall we go see if the good wizard can take us home?" Jatel asked.

Ka-Ron shook her head in agreement.

The wizard was, in fact, deep inside one of his colossal machines, beating away at a cog wheel with his wooden mallet. Cursing and yelling at the top of his lungs, Keeth was not aware of the fact that he had guests.

As he had stated, the wizard was working on yet another invention. This one, he claimed, would be able to propel his vessel above the very sky itself. He stated that there were vast "in between spaces" that separated the stars. The chance for adventure was beyond the imagination.

"Oh!" Keeth grew startled on spotting Ka-Ron gazing down upon him. He dropped his hammer. "I did not see the two of you."

"No harm, wizard."

Keeth crawled out and brushed himself off.

"Any word on Rohan or Dorian?" Jatel asked, concerned.

"I got post this morning that both were in high spirits. They're expecting a baby, you know."

Both Ka-Ron and Jatel silently acknowledged this.

"To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Wizard, we were wondering if you could transport the two of us to Idoshia."

"My dear, do you have to ask?"

Molly rushed into the room carrying a huge wooden box. Inside the container all could see various tubes and springs. The redhead was both startled and pleased to see the newlyweds. Having bowed, she rushed off to the other end of the ship. Her actions showed great haste.

Both Jatel and Ka-Ron gave the wizard an inquisitive glance.

"She is quite capable with her hands." Keeth said.

Jatel tried his best to hold back a laugh.

Ka-Ron slapped the squire, helping him in his endeavor.

"I think she wants to sign on as my assistant," the old man mused. "It has been quite some time since I have had a&pupil."

"Indeed?" Ka-Ron winked.

"It is far too soon for that, my love," the wizard stated, pointing a knowing finger at the knight. "She will be in mourning for quite some time. Your son was her first true love, and that is quite a challenge for even a young man to conquer."

"Still," Ka-Ron placed her hand upon the wizard's shoulder. "If you are willing to wait, I wish you good hunting."

Keeth gave the matter some thought, and betrayed his attempt to hide his interest by glancing off in Molly's direction. The redhead had no idea that she was once again a "wanted" woman.

"When shall you be ready to get underway?" Jatel asked.

"Tomorrow I add the "between spaces" rocket boosters," the wizard mused. "But all should be ready by mid-sun. Shall we say tomorrow night?"

Bowing, Ka-Ron pulled Jatel back with her.

"Until then, my friend."

As both exited the Argo, they exchanged curious glances.

"Jatel," the knight asked, as she trotted down the gangplank.

"Yes?"

"What's a rocket booster?"

"I have absolutely no idea, my love."

Ka-Ron turned to kiss her husband. She loved the way he paid close attention to her needs&the forceful way he guided her to his will, and the diplomatic way he handled his defeats. A wife's job was conflict, was it not?

Their honeymoon night had been lovely. And it was upon that subject that the knight had wanted to focus.

Kai had allowed them the comfort of her hut while she rested on board the wizard's ship. The Wicca Master was getting ready to move on herself. War loomed, and she wished to start forming Allies of her own, so that both she and her order would be able to survive the destructive outcome.

Things were changing.

"Jatel," Ka-Ron asked, "do you think this war will come to Idoshia?"

"Our lands do have minor elf lands nearby. Sooner or later, I see trouble."

"I hope not."

"Ka-Ron, you need not worry anymore. I am here to protect you."

Smiling, the knight hugged her man. She longed for a private moment: a moment where she could take Jatel's clothes off once more&a moment where his strong hands reached down to her bottom, squeezing slightly&for the force and feel of him entering her, again. She had all the normal feelings of a woman now, and all the responsibility. She was quite amazed at her overall powers.

"Let's go back to the hut," Ka-Ron suggested. The woman took hold of Jatel's bottom lip, ever so slightly, by biting into it with her teeth, pulling him toward the desired direction.

Jatel could only respond with a subtle grunt of pain, although it felt pleasurable.

Tomorrow would come at its own pace.

For now, Ka-Ron was in the mood for love.

***

Kai stood by the Argo waiting for both Jatel and Ka-Ron to approach.

Not that many people in the neighborhood of Kai's hut had gotten much sleep the night before. If there were people in the village of Ur who knew not of the newlywed's love, they heard that news shouted out loud, several times, during the course of the newlyweds' lovemaking. Still, no one took it negatively. New lovers always held within them passion to spare.

Awkward glances were to be expected.

The knight did her best to conceal the fact that all her muscles ached from fatigue. The woman could barely walk!

Jatel had his way with her more than once, and he hid a limp.

"I see that you are&rested." Kai spoke the last word with great irony.

Ka-Ron patted at her hair. She could feel a blush entering her cheeks. "I am finding my way around my new life."

"Indeed." Kai turned her attentions to Jatel. "Dear squire, it seems that you have found your wish, and it has been fulfilled. Treat her with love, and do not throw that love away. Once love is out of hand, no magic in the universe can recapture it."

The man thought about what the Wicca Master had said. As he did so, several children went playing in the fields, performing tasks and role-playing, acting as if at war, and performing other innocent rituals as children alone can do. He placed his hand in Ka-Ron's. There was no doubt about his love, and no need for testing.

"I thank thee, Kai," the squire bowed.

"I offer my services when you need them." Kai countered. She placed a hand upon the squire's head and looked deeply into his eyes. "There is a fire within you, young man, which points to a greater destiny. Take heed that when the time comes to act, you alone will know when The Watcher will strike."

Kai noticed the look of puzzlement given to her by all.

"Visions can be tricky things, my dears." she tried to explain.

Both she and Ka-Ron hugged their goodbye.

"Fair journey to you, Ka-Ron."

The knight held up her hand, correcting her.

"I have decided to change my name," she said. "A new name for a new life."

Jatel, Keeth, and Kai turned, and were all attention.

"What shall we call thee, child?" Kai asked, excited.

"Karen," she said.

"Well, then, Karen of Teal, wife to Jatel of Illium, I wish you...well."

"With love," Karen stated, "I hope to see you again."

The goodbyes were final.

***

"Prepare to get underway!" Keeth yelled, taking his position at the ship's wheel.

Several villagers, surrounding the Argo, untied ropes that had been attached to trees, or spiked into the ground with wooden stakes. This was a grand sight. After accomplishing his ship's long refitting, the wizard had entertained those who had helped him, by providing a show of the tiny vessel's many abilities. The ship had been flown from the nearby harbor, set down in a failed root field, and both parent and child were allowed to explore and wonder.

The ship appeared more "grown up." The wizard had reinforced the hull, making it more difficult for an outsider to scale or damage. He had added two more masts and six more sails, providing more thrust and speed when the vessel sailed upon the water. He added a new auxiliary wheel up near the bow in case of damage, and an extra set of "levers" in a non-disclosed place aboard ship, in case of forced invasion.

The lighter-than-air balloon had been enlarged, allowing the Argo to claim more from the sky. The machines which flew her through the atmosphere were eased by the introduction of two more engines on each side of the vessel.

When asked why so many improvements, Keeth simply stated, "Look at all the troubles we had, just on our first trip. What manner of curiosities will we come in contact with upon our second?"

No one could debate that simple logic.

Kai, waving her farewells with the villagers, had convinced most of them to pack up their belongings and join her in her trek to the other side of the planet, far away from the growing storm. Her sights were set upon the golden shores of Turin. It was there that the people of the Wiccan would make their stand.

"Lines are in, and at the ready!" Molly shouted, running to both bow and stern while giving the ship its final inspection.

The former vampire was doing well as Keeth's apprentice. Her passion for detail and sense of adventure were an added feature which made Keeth's job as master of the Argo more manageable. Still, from time to time, the woman looked amused, having spotted the wizard giving her more than an authoritative glance.

There was a silent love growing amongst these two.

A love that would soon flower into a fantastic adventure.

Both knew it. But both waited.

"Pulling back on engine. Ignite levers!" the wizard warned.

The curious engines of the ship sparked, choked, and exploded huge plumes of smoke as they vibrated to life.

"Sky ahoy!" Molly stated, pointing an excited hand upward.

The Argo took to the high places, floating like a gull. She was a wonder to behold.

"Turning fifteen points to port, heading back to Idoshia!"

Keeth turned his wheel.

All on board couldn't help but join the cheers, far below, as the people of The Fire Mountains wished them on their way.

Karen laid her head upon her husband's chest as both watched in wonder the miracle of modern flight. Jatel remained quiet. No doubt he was thinking about his explanations, once they returned home. He was concerned about how the royal classes would react to their "change in life styles."

"Karen," Jatel asked, still uneasy with his wife's new name, "what will the King think upon our return?"

"In what way would his opinion worry you?" the woman turned, looking up into Jatel's eyes. Her lips pouted out a little as she asked her questions.

"What would the people think of a lowly squire marrying a woman who had once been a knight of the blood?"

"I still am a knight of the blood," Karen interrupted, reminding her husband.

"All right," Jatel bowed, accepting the fact. "My point, love, is that they will see me as a digger of good fortune."

"How so?"

"You were a high knight, forced to become a woman, who I have now taken as my wife."

"And I, you, as my husband," Karen pointed out, almost angry.

Jatel paused, allowing the anger to pass.

"They will say you had no other choice. They will say that I saw an opportunity, and&"

Karen put a soft but stern hand, to Jatel's mouth. Her skin smelled of rose melon perfume. Her face was lined with makeup that she had been taught to apply by Kai. Her hair was braided in the traditional Idoshian way. She was everything a loving mate could hope for.

"They will say, Jatel, that you are a lucky man." The knight scanned the deck. Upon noticing that both the wizard and Molly were nowhere to be seen, she grabbed at the man's sex, rubbing it awake. "They will say that both of us are quite noisy and should be given a wide berth during the course of the night."

Jatel's eyes flashed with surprise.

"Dear woman!" he joked. "Is that all you think about?"

Karen bowed down, opening Jatel's pants with her teeth.

"Jatel," she said, coming back up for air. "Shut up. Take me to our cabin, and let's get to work at having some children."

The look of sheer determination upon the woman's face was enough to alter the course of an active volcano.

The squire cleared his throat, picked Karen up from off the deck, and headed toward their bed. Upon reaching the cabin door, the man kicked it open, and carried his bride over the threshold.

Karen, anticipating the night to come, giggled like a schoolgirl.

Both Molly and Keeth were left alone.

Molly, uneasy, placed her hand upon the wizard's.

"Looking for a woman?" the redhead asked.

Keeth, in his shock, glared at Molly with wide, uncertain eyes. He was sure that her pain of loss was still rather deep. Then again, relatively speaking, both hers and En-Don's love was still quite young. Was it wrong for a woman to seek shelter so soon? It was not for him to judge, for we all handle loss at varying degrees of determination.

"I'm considering the possibilities, my love," the old man winked. "Considering all the wonderful possibilities."

The Argo continued boldly upon her course.

Along the way, she would encounter many more challenges, get involved in a few revolutions, claim great victory, and perform the ultimate sacrifice.

But that is ANOTHER story!

Guide to the Nown World

How time is measured by those in the Nown World:

Beat = one minute

Cycle = a hour

Sun = a day

Phase = a week

Luna = one month

Season = one year

Other measurements:

Stick = the length from one's elbow to forefinger. About one foot

Shell = about an inch

Table of Contents

Book One of the Nown World Chronicles

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER NINETEEN

CHAPTER TWENTY

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

CHAPTER FORTY

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE

CHAPTER-FIFTY

CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

CHAPTER FIFTY-FOUR

CHAPTER FIFTY-FIVE

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

CHAPTER FIFTY-SEVEN

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE