the Leathermines

Back to Chapter 27

 

Laun had made her way back to the green room.  Most of the things she had collected were already in traveling cases and chests.  She sat and thought.  She wrote only a few messages and gave them to the servant waiting to take them away.  She then wrote a message to Falmir.

“Lord Falmir-

“You have just sent me away.  We may never see each other again.  Not a threat. Not a promise.  It is just the way of things.

“I have need to tell you a few things.  Some may make things clearer.  Some will muddy the waters more.

“Firstly, Bregnan.  He has claimed responsibility for many deaths.  Not just for your coup.  He was the one who poisoned and killed your sister.  He used the same poison that killed Lady Hellon, and almost me.  He is deadly, and I fear he will go after me again to make sure you do not have any hinderances in your reign.

“Second, I was brought up as a slave.  You sent my mother into the hell of disownment, but Salam-Dir was there to take her in.  Lady Hellon knew you were my father and taught me.  Not as much as I should know, but she did not know she was going to die.

“Third, and last, Engrid knows of much of my talents.  She knows I am trained.  Ask her directly how she knows and she may tell you.  She does not know all, or who trained me.  I have to tell you that if I had been presented to you with my jeweled dagger on me, you would not have lived more than another breath past giving the sick ransom to the man who brought me to you.  He would have been on the floor with you.  Ask Engrid what the jeweled dagger is, and she may show you one.  If you see it, you will be dead.

“I have tried to be forthright with you.  I was not playing on your heart when I said I could love you.  You would have been a good father.

“Laun Dresden, Lady Salam-Dir.”

She read it over and was satisfied.  It mixed real and false to the point where even Laun was not sure where it started and ended.  She let it dry before she folded it in half and wrote ‘Falmir’ on it.  She laid it on the desk and held her head.

Evening was almost there.  The sun was creating long shadows on the ground and the clear sky was still bright blue.  She could see the haze of smoke hanging above the city below and the tent was already gone from the green.  The trails to and from the area she had held her little court in would be grown over within a week, nothing to show that she had been there.

She knew she had made an impression on people while she had been in the Palace.  Some of it was good, some of it was bad.  Laun glanced over at Gem who was reading one of the Midlands history books.  She was one of the good things.  Hazalam came around the screen holding a fresh pitcher of milk.  He was another.

Laun sighed.  It had been comfortable there, even with the tensions and restrictions.  The Hawkwell estate would be different.  She had been there for the Festival, the coup.  It would look different.  And she would be alone.

No, Laun told herself.  She would insist that her people, her servants, would be with her.  That little buffer against the world would keep her together.

Laun stood and started to pace a little.  It helped with her feet, but also with the type of energy that she had.  She was very nervous.  Playing at being Falmir’s foil had come naturally to her.  She would not have that at the estate.

Her hands went to her stomach.  She would be safer?  Falmir did not want to understand how the greyworld worked.  She was sure he had partaken in the prostitutes of the red scarves, possibly hired thieves from the broken key.  He did not understand the assassins.  From the stories she had heard of the various Masters from Geralk, Master Blue, the Lady Engrid Pearl, was one of the nastiest.  It would not take much for her excellency to tap an apprentice to kill her.

Laun looked at Gem again.  She had kept an eye on her new ward and had not seen any attempt to communicate with Engrid.  But, then again, Laun was not always as observant as she would like to seem.  Most of what she did was misdirection and feeling out what she did see.  She was not always right, but her average was impressive.

She knew enough of the underlying politics in the Palace to know that no one trusted the people from Rosemond.  The Council General most of all.  The nobles were trying to keep their titles and holdings, as well as their lives.  The nobles from outside the Palace were desperate to keep the Rosemond eyes from them.  The few Rosemond nobles she had seen who had been put in place of the Midland’s nobles seemed harried and did not last in the Palace more than a few days before they had to go back to their ‘gifted’ lands.

Laun smiled slightly.  She was being sent away for Lady Engrid was pushing for Falmir to dispose of her because of the people defending Salam-Dir.  Whatever she had done in her few months being their Lady seemed to have helped them survive.  The ransom money helped, too.

Laun still had flashes of wanting Silar’s heart or other internal organs in her hand.  It was not as strong as it was.  Knowing he had risked everything to be with her the night of the reception had warmed her heart.  His submission helped, too.

Laun sat on the bench and looked out the window.  A slight breeze had started up and she could see the cooking fire haze being moved about over the city.  She could also see that all the streets had people on them.  The clearing of streets because of the soldiers had stopped.  Laun wondered if it was because the soldiers had become friendlier or if they had stopped patrolling.  The Capitol City was too big not to have the soldiers, it had to have been a change in how they were treating the people.

There was a scratch on the door.  Hazalam went and escorted Ithian in.

Ithian bowed to her and stood.  He was in full court garb, from his polished boots to the gilt-traced gloves in his hand.  It made Laun feel very plain in her linen tunic and woolen slippers.

“You are fancy tonight, Ambassador.”

He nodded and said, “I have come to escort you, Lady.”

Laun looked at the travel chests and sounded sad as she said, “I thought I was leaving tomorrow.”

Ithian glanced around and said, “Oh!  No, my Lady.  Your Father has given me permission to escort you to the Embassy.”

Laun flashed through several things.  It would be different.  She was tired.  It would be out of the Palace.  Falmir was sending her into a trap.  She would be able to be with Ithian one last time.

The ambassador’s face dropped slightly.  “Laun, do you not wish to go?”

She shrugged.  “My last night here in the city and I am offered a small adventure.  I do wish to go, but I would have also liked to have been asked before being shunted off onto you.”

He colored slightly.  “You do not have to-”

Laun tilted her head, stopping his placation.  “It would change whatever plans you and Falmir have tried to put into motion.  Let me find the outside slippers and I will be ready in a moment.”

Ithian motioned and one of his black liveried servants came forward.  “This is to be low-key.  If you would...”

A hooded cape of black was presented to her.  Laun smiled.  There was heavy sarcasm as she said, “With the eyes in the Palace, this will keep mouths from whispering?”

“The King insisted.”  Hazalam had the sturdier outside slippers and Laun was covered in the black in a moment.  Laun looked to her servants and Ithian nodded.

“Take your tabards off before you leave the room.  Gem, your hair-kerchief.”

Five figures dressed in black went through not-so main ways through the Palace to a side entrance where an unmarked carriage waited.  They rode off the Palace grounds and into the streets of the Capitol City.

Laun could hear the people through the drawn curtain.  She could smell the cooking meats and stale ale, and the people.  Calls from merchants and between people let Laun know that the city was doing well.  It did not sound like this when she had gone through as Silar’s captive.  It now sounded...happier.

The carriage turned several times, the street noise changing.  Laun’s back was starting to tell her that the vibrations of the vehicle were not good for her.  By the time the carriage had stopped and the door to the cabin was opened, Laun was in pain.

They were inside a walled yard, the solid wooden gate still being swung closed as Laun was being helped down.  It was a tidy place, a few trees, a small lawn and mostly gravel and stone making paths to the building in the center.

It was not the largest private house.  Laun had stared at one in an estate up against the Palace green for a month that looked like it was easily three times as big.  But this was well kept and had an air of moderate wealth, not the gilt of extreme spending.  The setting sun was bronzing the top of the tiled roof, a natural highlight to the brick and stone building.  Laun held Ithian’s hand and walked slowly past several more black dressed servants and into the Embassy.

The main hall seemed to be big enough to hold a reception such as the one for Lady Engrid, but not quite.  She saw doors to rooms off to either side and a staircase at the end.  It was clean and polished, nothing really standing out of the room.  The cape was taken from Laun and Ithian helped her walk towards the stairs at the end.

He paused and Laun looked at a painting on the wall.  It was the only one, and she thought she could see why.  It was of a man, sitting on a throne and with a large dog at his feet.  The royal throne was draped with an ermine cape, the slack hand on the arm with a signet ring that seemed...familiar, but was not the Rosemond device.  It was subtle, but the Rosemond device and crest was both on the man’s chest and behind him in the painting, the dog had a bright green collar, the color Dreng had flown with the Midlands crest for over a generation.

Laun saw the painted eyes.  The same blue as Ithian’s.  Nothing else of the painted monarch looked the same, but those eyes were strikingly similar.  Laun had a small smile and put another piece into place about the Ambassador.

Ithian did not say anything.  He continued on and Laun followed.  The flight of stairs had a landing halfway up, a window bench along a view of a garden and glass house.  She saw where many of the flowers she had been given had come from.  Ithian pulled slightly and Laun continued at his side.

They went to the right and to a small corridor with several doors going off of it.  The last door capped the corridor off, not more than half the length of the grand hall below.  Ithian opened and held the door for Laun and she had a rush go through her.

He saw her hesitation.  “Please.  You can trust me today.”  Laun smiled and went in.

It was both a large room and a small room.  It was long, one wall with an odd grille on it that looked out over the hall below.  The bed in the room was large and seemed to cut the room in half.  There were little places about the room that seemed staged, and Laun could see how Ithian usually seduced his marks.  A small raised hearth was on one wall, a small stick fire laid with a kettle over it and a very rough style of mug placed on a wooden tray beside.  Several low couches and chairs were around the room, blankets and pillows seemingly draped as if someone had just gotten up from a nap.  His vanity was covered with little pots and jars and a huge mirror next to a rack of clothes, a cloth supposed to cover the finery pulled back as if there hadn’t been time to replace it.

Ithian stood inside the door to his chamber and watched Laun.  When it looked like she was going to sit at one of the low couches, he moved to it and pulled back the coverlet on it.

“Thank you.”  Laun sat, the couch soft and plush under her.  It made her want to lay down.  She followed her body and was against the rounded arm of the couch, a thin pillow beneath her head.  Ithian sat on a small stool next to the couch and leaned in to her.

Ithian had a crooked smile as he said, “It usually takes until after evening meal for this to happen.”  He kissed her and his hand was on her waist.  Laun’s arm was around his shoulder, her hand against the back of his head.

Several minutes went by as they kissed.  They parted and Laun saw a small flush on his face.  She ran her hand down his cheek, fingertips brushing his lips before she dropped her hand.

“What is your plan for tonight, Ithian?”  Laun’s voice was quiet and she did not feel the need to play games.

He flushed slightly more and said, “To enjoy the night with you, if you would permit.”  He drew his hand up her side and to her breast.  He cupped it through the fabric and leaned in to kiss her again.

Laun pushed her chest out slightly and enjoyed the feeling of his hand on her.  She caught his tongue in her mouth and sucked on it, Ithian’s hand gripping her slightly harder for an instant in response.  She let his tongue go and they danced together in each other’s mouths.

They were both breathless as they pulled apart.  Ithian’s mouth went down her chin and throat, his teeth catching her skin as he breathed heavily.  Laun heard the stool go out from under him as he knelt forward to get to her neck.  His teeth scraped on her skin and then his breath was in her ear.  It was warm and cold and gave her the shivers.

“What would you like, my Lady?”

Laun had several responses that came to the tip of her tongue.  She gasped as his mouth sucked on her neck, the sensations wonderful and dangerous.

Her whispered response was, “For you to be between my legs, giving me pleasure as you give yourself pleasure.”

He smiled as he looked into her eyes.  “Such a simple answer.”

“I am a simple girl at heart.  Perhaps you can teach this simple girl something tonight?”  She blinked at him and she knew that her innocent look was not working on him.

Ithian’s smile turned into a little sneer.  “I am not sure there is anything this teacher could teach to the student under him.”

Laun blinked, but it was slightly different.  “We are thinking about this too hard.  Just make love to me.”

Their mouths met again, hands roving over each other.  Ithian pulled on Laun’s skirt and had his hand under her hem.  It was not rough, but a strong hand that went up her leg and to her ass.  His fingers kneaded into her flesh as he pushed his mouth firmly into hers.  Her arm was again around his shoulder, her hand catching the back of his hair, encouraging him.

His hand went up her back and she felt the scrape of his fingernails back down her skin.  She arched her back as far as the couch and her belly would allow.  Her head went back and the pillow supporting her head fell to the wooden floor below.  She sucked in air through her teeth and sighed out again as his face went to her cleavage.

He nuzzled through the linen, lightly biting her nipple through the fabric.  He laid his head on her breast and said, “You have entirely too many layers on, my Lady.”

Laun smiled and said, “I agree.”

He helped her off with her garments and then she uncovered his body.  He stood in front of her as she sat on the low couch and she took him into her mouth, kissing his manhood wetly and deeply.  He had his hands on her head, his own face pointed to the ceiling.

It did not take him long to try to make her stop.  “My Lady!  Let me pleasure you, too.”  She looked up his body and saw something in his half-closed eyes.  He stroked her hair and knelt in front of her again when she released him.

One of her legs was off the couch helping to support her as he had his head between her legs.  She was laid back on the couch and she had not thought it was possible for Ithian to be even better with his tongue and fingers.  This was the position he was used to and he was using it to advantage.

Laun felt her body responding quickly.  He must have, too, for he slowed down and had an evil gleam in his eye as he looked up at her.  “Trust me?”

She put her hand on his head and looked at him.  “Today.”

He smiled.  “I’ll be right back.”  He pulled the coverlet over Laun and got up.  She watched as he went to a chest at the end of his bed.  He pulled out a fabric roll, cradling it in the crook of his arm as he brought it back with him.

Ithian knelt and laid the roll down on the floor where Laun could not see it.  He made motions of untying it.  He seemed to be pulling something out and then he grinned.

In his hand was a work of art.  A clear glass cylinder with a bright red glass rose blossoming on the end.  It was beautiful and heavy and smooth.  Ithian’s eyebrow went up.

He moved the coverlet away from Laun’s groin and started to rub the glass on her inner thighs.  It was cold but warmed on her skin as he moved it.  He started to move it across her wet lips, turning the rose against her own woman’s flower.

Laun’s gasp turned into a moan as Ithian pushed and twirled the flowered dildo into her.  The cold of the glass was different and Ithian knew how to use it.  Laun grasped the back of the couch with one hand and put the other over her mouth.  The feeling was intense and she peaked as he started to lightly lick at her nub as he used the glass on her.

Even the orgasm was different as the unyielding glass in her vibrated back her own contractions.  She came the closest ever to screaming as the waves went through her and did not seem to want to stop.

Her head was hurting by the time he withdrew the glass.  She lay on the couch panting with her hand over her eyes.  There were small tremors that continued through her body and her legs felt shaky.

“My Lady...”  His hand was on her rounded stomach, smoothing circles into her skin.  “I hope you liked that.”

Laun kept her hand over her eyes but smiled, as many teeth showed as she could.  Her voice trembled as she whispered, “That was wonderful.  I can see why you keep it here.  I would never give it back.”

Laun felt his breath on her inner thigh.  He kissed her skin slowly, licking in circles.  “I guess I could show you something more.”  She felt a low humming sound from him and his lips were on her lower ones again.  She knew he was going to make her black out if he continued, but she didn’t want him to stop.  The pounding in her ears matched the rhythm of his hands and he brought her to the peak quickly, pushing her over the edge by pushing and pulling and biting as she wiggled under him.

She did not quite go under, but it took her a few minutes to recover.  Ithian had pulled the coverlet over her and was stroking her face and hair as he sat next to the couch.  He was watching her, some concern on his face as she tried to focus on him.

“You are not quite recovered, are you?”  His voice was low and soothing.

“Falmir does leave an impression.”  She smiled.  “As have you.”  She put her hand on his chest and felt his heart racing.

“You have made an impression, too, Laun.  My Lady, you are...  You are beautiful.”

If Laun had not already been flushed from her orgasms, she would have been blushing.  “Not many men have told me that.  Thank you.”

Ithian ran his finger across her lips.  “The ones who have not told you are either blind or...you distracted them before they could.”  He kissed her lightly.

Laun felt safe and comfortable.  She felt warm.  She felt loved.

“You seem to have been distracted.  I cannot bring you to the peaks you have brought me, but I can try.”

“We have all night, My Lady.”  He kissed her again, deeper with his flicking tongue.

She did not want it, could not suppress it.  A sob came out as they were kissing.

Ithian held her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.  “Have I hurt you?”

She shook her head.  “I may never see you again.”

He kissed her on the forehead, her eyelids and then her mouth.  “I know where you will be.  I will travel to see you.”

Laun smiled but also shook her head.  “Your duty is here.  You serve-”

“You, my Lady.”

Another sob came out.  She pushed at him and he released her.  She sat up and put a hand on his shoulder.  She looked into his eyes and shook her head again.

She wanted it to be so.  She wanted him-to be at her side, to be in her bed.  To turn from his home Kingdom and just be with her.  She knew it could not happen.

“My Lady-all I think of is you.  I wake and I see your face.  I eat and I taste your lips.  Your eyes make my blood rush through my veins.  Your-”

She sobbed again. She kept her eyes to his and said, “I think of you and I am happy.  You have brought me joy when I should have been in sorrow.  You are one of the best lovers I have ever had and I look forward to your touch every day.”  Laun shook her head and a tear went down her cheek.

Ithian kissed her on her cheek, licking the tear away.  “Don’t cry!  Please, let me make you happy.”  He took her hands and kissed the knuckles and put her hands on his chest.  “My Lady Laun, I am your man from this day-”

She pulled her hand from his and put it on his mouth.  She shook her head.  “You know it cannot be so!”

He kissed her hand and continued with, “From this day forward.  As you will-”

“No!”  Laun was rendingly conflicted.  Tears flowed down her cheeks and her heart pounded in her own chest as she felt Ithian’s thumping in his.  She was elated and yet the darkness ate at her happiness, telling her that it was all just a trap.

“As you will,” he held her hands in his and would not listen to her.  “I do.”

She collapsed against him and sobbed.  “I cannot accept it.  You know I cannot!  I want to so much...”

He had his arms around her and just held her.  He let her cry until she stopped sobbing.

He started to kiss her, not saying anything.  Her lips were salty from her own tears and her breathing was ragged.  He stroked up her body to her breast under the cover and held her swollen breast, rolling the nipple in his fingers.  She let his slight push lay her back down and he moved the cover off of her.  He positioned himself between her legs, supporting himself partially on the low couch, part on the floor.

His hands were all over her body.  Anywhere he had not thought to touch and he could reach, his fingers were there.  His manhood felt her heat, but that was not as important as feeling all of her under his hands.  Her hips and back and her knees and her shoulders.  He leaned forward and it felt like almost an accident when he pushed into her as he continued to touch her.

Her eyes were closed and her breathing was still uneven, but her gasps were of pleasure not despair.  He put his hand on her chest, between her breasts, and felt her heart.  He took one of her hands and put it on his chest.  Her eyes opened slightly and she barely shook her head.

He felt close.  Not just to his own peak but to her.  He knew she would reject him again, but he had to say it.  He felt his sac start to pulse and he started gasping out, “I will be yours...  From this day... Forward!  My Beloved!”  The flashing lights that took over his vision did not blur the look on her face that changed as his own orgasm triggered another in her.

He grunted and she moaned.  He dropped her hand and had to grab the back of the couch as he thrust the last of himself into her.  He had an unsteady feeling in his legs but did not want to withdraw, pushing himself against her to keep them together.

She still had tears welling and falling.  She looked at him and looked like she was trying to smile.  Her breathing came in sobs and gasps, his deep and rough as if he had been running for an hour.

She did a little hip wiggle and he was out of her.  He felt their juices go down his leg, hot on his skin.  He fell forward and his head was on her belly as his legs finally gave way.  He heard her breathing and the baby’s wet noises.

It took a few minutes for them to both catch breaths, and to move apart.  She moved her leg which made him move his arm and it led to them sitting next to each other on the couch.

Laun’s hands were inside of Ithian’s and she was looking at them.  There was more of a smile on her lips, but she still seemed sad, even after resting.

“Beloved, are you well?”

She nodded.  She looked up to his eyes and said, “Thank you.”

He smiled, but she did not.  “For what?”

“For showing me something I thought I might never have.”

He pushed her hair from her face and held her cheek.  “What did I show you?”

She smiled.  A real, open smile that he had not seen in almost a month.  “A life outside of the war.”

His heart dropped.  “There doesn’t have to be a war...  Stay with me, my love.”

She shook her head.  “You know I have my people.  I cannot leave them behind, forget them, even for you.”

He nodded and said, “Then I shall go with you.”

She shook her head again.  “You have Rosemond first and always Rosemond first unless you renounce your home kingdom.  I will miss you, my beloved enemy.”  She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

He was the one to shed tears.  She was right.  She had always been thinking of her household.  He was an official of Rosemond.  His kingdom was backing the man who had put himself as King of the Midlands.  She was fighting against that even now.

She tilted her head.  The thoughts she had raced through her and he could see that where her thoughts led her was not entirely a good place.  But, she smiled.

“Tonight has been out of place, out of time.  What has been said was said, willingly or not.  It stays here.  It cannot leave this room and cannot be known beyond us.”  She made motions to stand and his own legs almost failed as he tried to help her up.

“I think I understand.”

She nodded.  “The evening is early yet.  Shall we try the bed?”

Ithian stepped into her and took her in his arms.  Their tears mingled as they kissed.  They supported each other as they walked and the bed welcomed them for most of the rest of the night.

Traveling is hard, but Laun does it in Chapter 29