What REALLY happened to Imoen (a novel)

[Galadria]

Kaltia, you should be nice to Attalus. He defended you in the Cafe (and Jerome and Lioness) when Calethis and some of the others were badmouthing you. I know, 'cause I was in the room when he did it. Now, something special. I haven't decided to include it in the book. If there is to be a book.

On the last night before Attalus returned, Galadria went to bed to find Noemi already there, dressed in a provocative silk nightdress. She stood over the bed tapping her foot crossly. "Nice try, Em," she told her giggling sister. "Go get on some decent clothes, and I'll let you stay one last night."
Noemi quickly trotted to her room and came back in more modest wear. She scooted under the covers and snuggled against her sister. "It was just a joke, Gal." she said timidly. "Are you mad?"
"Why would I be mad, silly?" she replied, running her hand through Noemi's hair. "I know your sense of humor by now. Surely you didn't think that I was going to jump into bed and kiss you passionately."
"Well, no," Noemi answered honestly. "I can't quite see you doing that. I just wanted to see the look on your face. I had a lot of second thoughts when I heard you open the door, though. I nearly ran off, but by then it was too late. Gal, can I ask you something personal?"
Galadria selected a red lock from the hair that she was stroking and yanked it, gently. "Em, when do you not ask anything personal? Sure, though I don't promise to answer."
"When you and Attalus got married," she asked timorously, "were you a virgin?"
"Yes, I was, nosey," her sister answered with an indulgent chuckle and a harder tweak. "Why do you want to know?"
"Well," she answered, "I wanted to tell you that I lied, or maybe misled you the other night. I wan't a virgin when I got raped. I'd had sex before, lots of times, with men at Candlekeep."
After a pause, Galadria replied, "Well, Em, as I recall, you didn't really answer the question. Why did you want me to know that? It's really none of my business who you've had sex with, though I admit I'm a little relieved that that creature wasn't your first experience. I know that Morgul and Tenny, that artist, were your lovers after we moved here."
"I just wanted you to know that I have had sexual experience," whispered the little redhead. "That's why I know that what I feel for you is real love. I really want to be with you. I know that you don't want to make love to me, and that's all right, like I said. But you seem to think that I don't know what I'm talking about. I do. When I lie here, next to you, I feel something I've never felt with a man. I feel loved back. I tried to love some of them, and, like I told you, it never felt right. Just feeling your body next to me gives me a warmth that I've never felt anywhere else, right in my heart. Some huge vacuum seems filled. I think that I'm talking about my soul. It wants you, all the time. Just laying here with you, I feel complete and happy, like I never was before, no matter how good the sex was. I love you, Gal, and I want you to take me seriously. Please don't tease me about it. It's the most important thing in my life."
"Em, You should know that I always take you seriously," the dark mage said in reply, absently running her fingers through the red hair again, "even if I do tease you. After all, you tease me all the time. But I have been very worried about you. That's serious, isn't it? Of course, you feel loved back, lying here with me. I do love you, and you know it. But, what is love, anyway? When you were ... a prisoner, I nearly went out of my mind. That's the longest we've ever been separated. Every time that I see you, I feel a little twinge of happiness that I have you back. I like to talk with you , banter with you, tease you. I like the sound of your voice. I like it that you live here, and not off someplace where I couldn't see you every day.
"I don't have sexual fantasies about you like you say you do about me, but I know that I don't mind sleeping in the same bed as you, or cuddling you. Is that being in love? Maybe. I like to kiss you, too. Is that sexual? Maybe, in a way. We've always done these things, since we were little. Perhaps we are just used to being physically close and affectionate. In your case, since you have had those awful experiences that I, thank Tres, have not, you seem to have grown to depend on them more, and place more value on them. Perhaps being with a man reminds you too much of the bad times, and makes you anxious.
"Anyway, when you have trouble or if you are sad or lonely, tell me. It hurts me when you feel that way, and, if I can help, I want to know. Attalus wouldn't mind sleeping alone once in a while. You can cuddle with me to your heart's content. I'm not going to have sex with you, I'm sorry, I really don't want to. But. I find that I do like having you here in bed with me. It makes me happy in a way that I can't describe. Maybe I'm happy because I'm making you happy. Maybe I am a little in love with you, too. How's that, sweetie?" She kissed the delighted Noemi on the cheek.
"Really, Gal?" she answered excitedly, "You're not just saying that? Oh, Gal, I'm so glad! Can I kiss you, too?" At her nod, she kissed her thoroughly, and hugged her tightly. "Oh, it's no wonder that I love you, so. Nobody ever had a better sister, or lover, either. One of these days, you'll see."
Galadria looked at her fondly. "I said that I'm not going to make love to you, and I mean it. But, yes, in a way, I am your lover. I don't ever want to do without you. Maybe the reason that I was angry when you took up with Morgul was jealousy, that you were so passionate about him. So, now, go to sleep. No more kisses tonight. You get too excited. Good night, my little love."
Galadria soon drifted off to sleep, but Noemi did not, She wanted to digest this astonishing declaration. Galadria enjoyed kissing her. She liked cuddling with her. She was jealous of her! She scooted closer to her sleeping sister, her arm around her waist. She wanted to record every possible sensation: the feel of her body beneath the nightdress, the sound of her even breathing, the smell of her. As always, Galadria had a sweet scent that remnded her of hay, somehow. She inhaled, deeply. Subtly, she moved her arm until it barely touched the bottom of Galadria's breast, and hugged her closely. Gradually, she slipped into a blissful dream of herself and her sister on a long-ago picnic, making daisy chains for each other, inelegant circlets of yellow, green and white looking vivid in the dark, dark hair and her own red locks..
When she awoke, Galadria was still asleep, the morning sunlight bringing the scar on her right temple into sharp relief. As always, her stomach turned slightly at the sight of the scar, the result of Smaracus' knives. Tres alone knew what he had been trying to do when he made it. She softly traced the triangular mark with her finger, bringing the mage to quick wakefulness. Seeing her sister's earnest face, she smiled. "Morning, Em. What on earth are you doing?"
Noemi grinned back. "Just looking at your scar, and being sorry that it's morning, and that we have to get up. Wanting to tell you how much I enjoy snuggling with you. Seriously, Gal, why don't you have that scar removed? Doesn't it hurt? I know that mine did until I had old Erakoln cure them."
Her sister fingered the place on her temple. "Yes," she responded slowly, "it is always cold and numb. But, I keep it to remind me of your scars at his hands, deep within you. I would be ashamed to have it removed when you hurt all of the time, inside, from what he did, and what I allowed him to do. I am deeply ashamed of fleeing that place without you."
Tears sprang to Noemi's eyes. She clutched Galadria convulsively, burying her face in her sister's bosom. "Oh, Gal! All for me? You don't have to do that, silly. You didn't 'allow' him to do anything. You didn't know that he had me, we were in seperate parts of the building. Anyway, what could you have done? He had me locked in a cell with a magical lock. You did right, getting help and coming back to get me. What if he had caught you, all alone? He might have killed you, and we would both be dead, now. You surely don't think that I blame you? It was him torturing me, not you. Please don't blame yourself. Without you, I'd be dead or worse."
Galadria's eyes were remote as she hugged her back, stroking her hair. "Sugar pie, it's not your forgiveness that I need, though I am glad that you do not blame me. It's mine. I cannot forgive myself that I could possibly have done something to help you, and that I did not. It means little that I can comfort you now, when I might have spared you the whole ordeal."
"Gal," Noemi cried. "Will you quit beating on yourself?" She pulled out of her sister's grasp and looked at her sternly. "You were unconscious for days, while he was already torturing me. I know, he used to take me and chain me to a chair and make me look while he did things to you, including that scar. Even if you had awakened with a map to my cell with a gold key attached to it, he would still have done all of those things. Anyway, this is me that we're talking about, and I won't allow you to use me to keep on hurting yourself. That causes me pain, so what do you think you are accomplishing? You are hurting yourself and me. So stop it and have that scar removed."
Galadria smiled, a little. "Well, well," she responded lightly, "the apprentice reproving the Mistress."
She still appeared reluctant, so Noemi shook her a little. "Yeah, Gal. Listen to me this one time. I'll admit that there were times when I would despair and think that you'd never get there, but those were rare. I never thought that you were out there and weren't working to free me. It gave me hope. I was never mad at you, and I still am not. Smaractus did those things. He's guilty of crimes against both of us, not the least is which we have these feelings between us. Let's just be glad that we have each other. I promise not to dwell on the past if you don't. Okay?"
"Well, all right," she sighed. "I well know that we can't talk each other out of these feelings, but, you are right, we do have each other, and we are alive and free, as I so often say." She kissed Noemi on the mouth . "All right, you win, I'll get the scar removed. Now, let's get up."

[Kaltia]

I'm really touched, gal, that's such a sweet scene [img]smile.gif[/img]
I wasn't trying to be harsh to the doctor either (after all, if I ever end up in texas, he could be the one who has to deal with me) I was only teasing [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Galadria]

I know it, sugar. So does he. Some more:

Finally the great day arrived, and the cavalcade filed out of the House of the Dome, through the streets of the city, out the South Gate, and onto the road. Odo and Attalus led the band, mace and sword by their sides. As they paused after cresting a rise to allow everyone to catch up, Odo rose in his stirrups to take a deep breath. He then turned to his comrade, and said, "Great to be back on the road, old man, and no damned mountains to get in our way this time."
Attalus smiled at his friend. Odo didn't stay any place very long. Travel and adventure were his passions, along with his beloved Cythera. He answered, "Not for a while, anyway. Gal says we will have to cross some before we get to the Taliburnan Desert. But for the next couple of weeks, it's all relatively flat. Again, we seek our fate abroad. I like it well enough but I'll allow that coming home grows sweeter every time."
Odo bellowed a laugh, then shook his head. "Sign of advancing age,old man.You'll be in the sere and yellow before you know it. Enjoy your strength while you've got it. The time to settle down is far over the horizon."
"If we come back at all," Attalus said soberly.
His friend looked at him in surprise. Usually, Attalus was the most optimistic of the group. "We always come back," he said with certainty, "Think of all that have opposed us,and their fate. Remember the time that that dragon, what was his name? , hit you with his wing and slammed you into the wall? I thought you were dead, but a minute later, there you were, carving away at his knee with that toothpick of yours." He shook his head in mock amazement..
"His name was Sasquua'tt," the blonde knight replied mildly, " and you're mistaken, that was the day I got Corhydas." He had found the huge sword in the dragon's hoard, and he still remembered his blood dripping on it, just before he realized what he had found.
Odo pretended to remember,"Oh, that's right. What did you carry, that day?"
"The big hammer," responded the knight, absently. He had never liked that weapon and had never named it. It just never felt right, though gods knew that it could do damage. He had sold it, immediately and never carried any large hand weapon but Corhydras again. They continued along the winding road that led through the foothills south of the great city." How about Starshine?" he asked, since they were talking about weapons. Starshine, Odo's great mace, had been with them when they met, oddly enough, not far from there. The big knight smiled reminiscently, recalling Odo's challenge ringing in the twilight as he, Galadria, and Noemi had approached him for the first time.
Odo siezed on the topic.with enthusiasm." You know, I had Starshine made from a fallen star."
"So you have often said," the other replied,"but you never told me when, or where, you found it."
"My father and I," the stocky man said," were wandering in the forest north of Tamir. We were hunting gnafl." This was a small horned woodland creature, much prized for its excellent flesh and beautiful pelt.. "We met our guide, who, in the course af the hunt, told us of the star that had fallen the previous night, in his sight. He said that it had come crashing through the trees just east of where we were. Since the hunt was not going any too well, and the place not too far, we visited it, and found the star lying in a pile of splintered trees and tumbled dirt. My father had the guide dig it up and took it home as a curiosity, the only prize of our trip."
Attalus grunted symphathetically. He was no stranger to fruitless hunts.
"Years later," his friend pursued," when I had inherited the place, I met a wandering dwarven smith, who, when I told him of the star, grew excited. He told me that marvelous weapons could be made from such metal, if I had the coin. Of course, I did, so I asked him to make a sword. He just shook his head," Odo paused, laughing at the memory,"after handling the piece, and said that it didn't have the soul of a sword, but would make a wonderful mace. And so it has," he concluded, patting the weapon as it hung from his belt.
The knight smiled a little to himself. Actually, he had heard the story before, but liked to hear his companion's account of it. Men like them often like to hear the same tales, over and over, from their friends. It takes the place of all the hugging and kissing that their women indulged in, and seemed to make their friendship closer. They continued on, companionably.
The female element trailed along behind. They continually changed places, riding up and down to talk amongst themselves. Galadria turned to Cythera, who happened to be next to her, and said,."Look at them, trading stories like in the old days. How long, do you think, shall we be venturing forth like this?"
Cythera smiled at her. "I can't see us stopping, any time soon. Whenever any of us hears of some wrong to right, there we all are, on the road yet again. Dear Gal, people like us just aren't meant to sit at home and knit or study. Look at people like Elminster, always setting things to right, no matter how old. And, Gal, I don't think we will be breaking up, adventuring on our own. We work too well, as a team." She looked fondly back at Sefa, listening wide-eyed to one of Noemi's stories. "Even the newest member."
"Well," the dark mage replied pensively. "There are a couple of us that I'd like to know the location of."
Cythera patted her on the arm. "I know who you're thinking of. Bryno and Chorania. I wonder about them all the time. But Bryno said he had to return to the North, and Cho wanted to see the surface world. You can't be responsible for them."
"I know," her friend sighed, "but I worry about them so. Maybe, some day, they'll get in touch."
They continued on until, finally, near sundown, Attalus and Odo agreed on a campsite, ending the first day.of travel. That evening, around the campfire, Sefa sat next to Noemi. "Lady Noemi," she said, "how far is it to the Talaiburnan Desert?"
The redhead looked at her and smiled. "Two hundred leagues, Gal says. Two weeks travel, at the very least. Why? Do you miss the House of the Dome already?"
The girl nodded. "Why is that, do you think??" she wondered. "I've only lived there a few months. But, now, it's home. I like to just walk down the corridors, peek in the rooms, say hello to whoever walks by, watch Lord Attalus practice in the basement, lie on a couch on the roof and watch the clouds or the stars. I like to go into my room, and sit on the bed, and look at my things, just to know they are mine. I like to wake up in the morning to see the sun shining through my window. I just love it all, and you all. I still pinch myself to remind me that it's not all a dream."
Noemi's smile widened. "I know. I felt the same after Gal and the rest rescued me. Just looking at their faces gave me joy." She turned sober. "I'd wake up at night, though, dreaming that I was back in that creep's prison, and sit up screaming.. I'd recognize Gal's bedroll next to mine, and just touch it. I'd feel better right away."
"Lady Cythera said something the other day," Sefa whispered," about something the group did when you weren't there. Was that when that happened?"
"Yeah," the redhead answered,"that was when I was a prisoner."
Greatly daring, Sefa asked, "Was it just awful?"
Noemi compressed her lips, then got out. "Awful doesn't even begin to describe it. Can we talk about something else? How about your archery?. There's still enough light to practice a little. Get out your bow. You should be carrying it all the time, now. We could be attacked by bandits or wild beasts." Sefa ran to her pack and picked out the little bow and a few arrows. They went a little way out of camp and picked out a convenient tree and set to firing at it.

[Kaltia]

Aww, bless their little cotton socks!
Sorry, my chemistry teacher gave me a cold and I'm running out of elaborate comments [img]smile.gif[/img]
Will, I LOVE IT I LOVE IT I LOVE I DO! do instead?

[Galadria]

LOL, I'll keep posting it, I love your comments.

Cythera, curious, came over with her own silver-chased bow. "Good idea, Em," she approved. "I need to practice, too." They then alternated for a while. Sefa marvelled to see the accuracy that the little blonde achieved. Arrow after arrow thudded dead into places she would call in advance. Noemi, piqued, picked up hers and started competing. After a while, Sefa dropped out, unnoticed. She sat on a flat rock watching the two calling out, and hitting successively more difficult targets in the fading light. Finally, Attalus, the day's cook, announced dinner and they called it a night.
The next few days were uneventful. Sefa grew more accustomed to riding her little pony and began to enjoy herself. She refused to worry about the end of the trip. Living day to day was more fun. They finally sighted a small inn that they had visited before, and decided to spend a day there to let the animals rest. As they rode into the courtyard, they spotted a rotund man with side whiskers: He smiled hugely and boomed: "Visitors. And from the look of you, from Baldur's Gate. Welcome." They all dismounted and let the stablehands lead the horses away. Attalus approached the innkeeper, as he proved to be.
"Good morrow," the knight said in a friendly voice. "Stamos Joannes, isn't it? I am Sir Attalus. We have stayed here, before. This is my wife, Lady Galadria, and our friends. Have you rooms? We would stay for a day or so."
"Stay and welcome, my Lord." the man said cheerfully. "Yes, I remember you and your pretty wife, too. If my recall is correct, you took the large ground floor room. That, and others, are available. It's winter, and travellers such as you scarce. Come in and refresh yourselves."
They all trouped into the common room. A large fireplace filled one wall, with tables and benches scattered around. Attalus made arrangements and Sefa found herself sharing a room with her archery teacher. It seemed a fine room to Sefa, if not the equal of her beloved room at home. She and Noemi slung their knapsacks onto their beds, washed their faces, and raced to meet the others.
They all gathered at a big table before the fire. The winter wind whistled outside the windows as the wine went around and story after story told. Odo and Attalus predictably overenjoyed themselves, and when bedtime came, Cythera had to lead her husband to bed. He collapsed on it and at once began snoring. The blonde mage sat with a disapproving snort on the other side and started reading. She was just beginning to feel sleepy when a knock came at the door.
Cythera cautiously answered it and found the innkeeper with a wild- appearing figure. "What is it?" she asked curiously.
The innkeeper bowed. "My Lady," he said in a respectful tone. "This is one of our local tribeswomen. She has heard that a great healer was staying at my inn, so I thought of your husband. She says her child is sick, and begs his help. Do you think she could talk to him?"
The mage looked hopelessly at the sleeping hulk on the bed. If she knew anything, Odo was out for the night. "No," she said, "I don't think that the Baron will be much help this night. Perhaps I could be of service. I also have some experience in healing, particularly children." She smiled at the woman, who smiled shyly back.
The innkeeper seemed taken aback. "My Lady, these are barbarians," he said, "I could not allow your Ladyship to go amongst them on your own."
Cythera felt a spasm of irritation. She was, she felt, always being underestimated just because she was blonde and short. "My good man," she answered icily,"I am quite capable of taking care of myself." She turned to the woman. "Come, show me your child." They walked off together, leaving the innkeeper shaking his head.
The barbarian woman led her outside the inn to a tent pitched near the woods. The woman stood beside the entrance, motioning for her to go in. Within, a child was heard to be crying weakly. Cythera rushed in, and was immediately struck on the back of her head, hard. She slid into blackness.

[Kaltia]

Eek! *mutters about plot thickening*
Hey, I'm short and blonde(-ish) too...anyone underestimates me and I will not be held responsible for my actions

[Galadria]

LOL, then you should sympathise with poor Cythera, Read on:

Odo was finally awakened by pounding on his door in the predawn hours. He groggily opened it to find Galadria and Attalus standing fully dressed and armed. Shocked fully awake, now, he asked what was wrong.
"Cyth has disappeared," the dark mage answered tersely. "The innkeeper said she went off with a barbarian woman. Something about a sick child. Our host waited up for her and she has never shown up, and he woke us up. We've been pounding on your door for twenty minutes." After a quick look at the other side of the bed that assured him that his treasure was indeed gone, Odo hurriedly dressed and armed himself. He went back into the hall, noting that Noemi and Sefa were there, also.
"Which way did she go?" he asked the frantic innkeeper.
"They disappeared to the west, My Lord," the man tremulously said. "Please, my Lord, don't be angry at me. I tried to get her not to go, but she insisted."
"Heavens, man," Odo flung over his shoulder as they rushed out the door, "I know how she is. You couldn't have stopped her."
They gathered in front of the inn. Odo looked to the west and took from his pack a handkerchief that Cythera had given him. He put it carefully on the ground and waved his hands over it. "Little cloth, I had you from her hand that I love. Show me where she is now, that I may treasure you all the days of my life. Chelock, Raase, meiya."
The handkerchief, slowly at first, then more quickly, rose from the ground, hovered in mid air, then floated away at about the speed of a person walking. They followed, weapons at the ready. After about an hour's steady pursuit in the growing light, they came across a barbarian villiage. The cloth continued into it until it struck the wall of the largest hut, where it fluttered harmlessly to the ground.
A few people were around, so they hurriedly hid themselves. Galadria had no intention of blundering into some situation that they were not sure of and perhaps getting her friend killed. From a distance, they carefully studied the rude building. Attalus, for his part, sneaked to the other side of the village to see it from another angle. He returned, with news.
"Gal," he said, "I think that there's a way to get into there. There's a small window in back, with a tree growing next to it. I think Noemi might be able to get in through it."
They quickly shifted to the place that he described. Sure enough, there was such an opening, without panes or bars, that they could tell. Noemi regretfully shook her head." There was a time," she said ruefully, "that I could, but..." she waved vaguely at her bosom. Despite his concern, Attacus smiled. "But wait, Sefa could fit. She's little."
All eyes went to Sefa. She stuck out her jaw. "I'll go, if Lady Noemi comes to give me a boost up. I'd do anything to save Lady Cythera."
Odo patted her warmly on the shoulder. "If you pull this off, Sefa, I think she'll let you call her Cyth."
"Good, Sefa," Galadria commended her. "Noemi, you and she sneak down along this line of trees. I don't think anyone will see you if you are careful."
So, clinging to every shadow, Sefa and her redhaeded escort found themselves at the foot of the aforementioned tree. "Up you go, Sefa," Noemi whispered. "Good luck."
She bent over and let the girl stand on her back. Sefa stepped up and peered in the window.
She immediately saw Cythera, bound and gagged and stuck in a corner. One of her sandalled feet was chained to a stake driven into the earth floor. No one else seemed to be around, so she slithered through the opening and dropped onto the floor.
Cythera saw her immediately and started writhing wildly, gesturing with her eyes at the open door. Sefa guessed that there was a sentry or some other guard. She hid in the shadow of a huge chest that dominated the room.
Not a minute too soon, for a bustle ouside the door announced a visitor. A barbarian shaman strode into the building. Hed knelt by his captive. "So, foreigner, you are awake." He ran hs fingers through Cythera's golden locks, now in disarray. She glared at him, furiously. "The time of the prophecy is come upon us, and you drop like an apple into our lap. The Great One calls for a sacrifice of one with hair like the sun. What a surprise when our raiding party told me that they had taken one such. What an honor it will be for you." He loosened the robe at Cythera's throat, pulled it open, and gazed lustfully at her breasts. "Too bad that soon, my knife will end all of this earthly beauty. Ah, how often I have seen, the knife go in, and heart sacrificed, and looked back at the poor body, the lips that you are yearning to rave at me with slack and dry, these rosy paps turned blue. The Great one will not resent me if I keep your corpse for a while as he ravishes your soul. But you will dwell with the Great One for eternity as his concubine." With a pinch of her nipple he rose and went on out. Sefa lost no time in getting to her friend.
First, she cut Cythera's bonds with Strike, and as Cythera indignantly pulled her gag off, she began to dig at the stake in the earth. It was hard packed and deep driven, but in little time the blade had unearthed it.
The little blonde gave her a grateful look, but held her finger to her lips. She immediately knelt down and cupped her hands, and Sefa, understanding, lost no time in putting her foot in the proffered stirrup and wriggling out the window. She dropped down next to Noemi, waiting by the tree, and they were quickly joined by a furious Cythera. The redhead gestured, and they rejoined their friends.
Odo had bee watching anxiously. When he saw Sefa slip out alone, his heart had sunk, but when his darling's blonde head had popped out through the window he had started dancing around like a great bear. When they arrived he had grasped her in his huge arms and pulled her off of her feet. "Cythera, darling, you're safe." He kissed her resoundingly.
With some effort, she disentangled herself from his embrace. She had been terrified but she was still annoyed at him for getting drunk the night before. "Unhand me, oaf," she flared. Odo's face fell and he released her.
"What's the matter, Cyth," he said, crestfallen. "I got here as fast as I could."
"Cyth," Galadria scolded, "Don't be mean to Odo. We wouldn't have found you without him."
The blonde mage looked at her husband and her heart was melted. I'm sorry, dearest," she said contritely," But Sefa will tell you that that bastard was just pawing at me and I guess I just wasn't in the mood to be touched. Forgive me?"
Intead of replying, Odo, his face darkened, asked, "What do you mean, 'pawed?' Sefa, what is she talking about?" Sefa quickly repeated what she had heard and seen. Odo exploded."This must be avenged. What, sacrifice you on a heathen altar? Fondling you as you lay bound? They will all die for this."
"Calm yourself, Odo," Galadria commanded. "All there are not equally responsible, but we must teach them a lesson without burning the villiage to the ground. I have a plan."
They went back to the inn, collected their horses, and returned. As they approached the villiage, Cythera, in a new, clean robe and after a bath she had insisted upon, noticed a stir around the temple where she had been held. She clutched her magical staff more tightly. They rode right in front of the temple.
They were quickly surrounded by muttering barbarian tribesmen. The women for the most part hung back, nervously, but Cythera noticed the one that had lured her to the tent front and center with the men, in a rude breastplate of leather and bearing a spear. They exchanged hostile glances. The blonde mage spoke. "As you see, I have returned. I do not allow myself to be befouled by the slime of your obscene god or his lewd priests. Let the shaman who used me so foully stand forth, or be branded forever a coward."
There was a stir in the crowd and the shaman stood before her. "Well, you have returned, pretty bird. Foolish, but fortunate for us. I will yet place my knife between your little paps and separate them forever. Take them, warriors, if ye be true worshippers of the Great One."
There was a roar as the fighters sprang forward, but they quickly stopped. Energy pulses shot from Cythera and Noemi, shattering the shaman and the warrior girl who had captured Cythera. Attalus and Odo mowed down every one that got close to the group, and last of all Galadria conjured a great comet that struck in thieir midst where they were thickest, killing many and knocking the rest off their feet. Attalus and Odo then galloped about, slaying any that rose to their feet, or else Cythera and Noemi blew them apart with magic. Finally, when everyone left alive was cowering on the ground in fear of their lives, Cythera rode forward, got off of her horse, and strode to the blackened corpse of the shaman. She bent over and picked up his wicked sacrificial knife and handed it to Odo, who broke it in half in his great gauntlets.
"There," she declaimed," your wicked god can ponder his impotence before the champion of Helm the Watcher. Know, that if we ever hear of these revolting rites being practised again, we will return, and not a one of you will be left alive."
With dignity, she remounted her horse and the party rode off. Later, they heard that a very active sect of Helm had been set up there.

[Kaltia]

Muahahaha...great! Wuv it, wuv ya! Ialso seem to have a pwoblem with my "w"s...Life of Bwian comes to mind...

[Attalus]

"Blessed are the ...cheesemakers?" "No, I think that he meant the whole dairy-products industry..." LOL. Gal, I haven't read a lot of that before. You haven't been monkeying with the ending, have you?

[Galadria]

Yes, I have, sweetie-ooghums. [img]tongue.gif[/img] But just added to it, not changed the whole thing. That would be WAY too hard. Some more:

The next day, they left the inn early and continued on the road southward. Cythera seeing Noemi riding alone looking pensive, drew by her side. "Em, she asked quietly,"can I talk to you about something rather private?"
The little redhead started, but quickly turned to her. "Of course, Cyth. Have I done something to offend you?" she answered in a worried tone.
"Of course not, silly," the blonde mage replied. I just wanted to ask you about how you are feeling. I think I have a better idea of what you went through after ...yesterday. That shaman was telling me what he planned to do to me and to my body after he had sacrificed me to that hellish god of his. It made me feel...I don't know, like a loaf of bread that he had just bought and was deciding on what piece to eat first. It was a ghastly experience, but I'm sure it was nothing to what you went through. So, I just wanted you to know that, while I've loved you as one of my best friends for a long time, I now respect you even more for going through that all that time and retaining your sanity. I'm sure I wouldn't have. I was frightened out of my mind., even in that short period."
Noemi smiled at her friend. "Thank you, Cyth, you're awfully sweet." she said. "I don't think I did anything special. I just never allowed myself to doubt that Gal would be back to get me. Smaractus told me, several times that she was dead, or several other disgusting things, like she was his mistress and was watching while he tortured me, but I never believed him. I just knew, somehow, that she was alive and trying to get to me. And one day, there she was, and you with her. I'm glad we were able to rescue you. Sefa told me, last night, about the things he was saying to you. I've read about people like him, having sex with the dead. It makes me feel dirty all over just to think of it. In love with death itself, I guess." She shuddered. "I'm glad you killed him."
The blonde woman looked down as she rode. "I dreamed about it last night," she whispered, "I dreamed I was dead, just hovering there, powerless, while he raped my poor body. I woke up crying out for him to stop, all in a cold sweat. That's when I thought of you . The nightmares you said you have. Do you still have them? Do you think I'll get over it? I haven't even told Odo."
"No," Noemi replied with a little shake of her head, "I don't think you ever get over it, in the sense of forgetting about it. At least, I don't brood about it any more. I haven't dreamed about it for a while, now. I dream about.." she smiled "...other things, now, but I'm sure you're not interested in them. Remember what Gal said to me, that day in the boat? 'It's over. We won'. Don't forget, that shaman's probably explaining right now to whatever devil he worshipped about how he managed to get killed by his would-be victim, and why the little demon is short one concubine." She gave her an encouraging grin.
Cythera laughed, reluctantly. "That's true," she admitted. "That little talk that Gal gave you helped you a lot, didn't it? Ever since then you seemed to have dealt with it better."
The redhead's smile changed, becoming a secret, rueful look. "Yes" she said enigmatically, "that night changed everything. I'm okay , now. I know what I'm going to do with my life. I'm not going to agonize over the past, and I'm not going to chase after men any more. I'm just going to live with Gal and Attalus. It's always fun, and we have each other. What more could I want?"
"Well," Cythera said with raised eyebrows, "it's fine for now, but don't you think that after a while, you'll want a place of your own? Don't you think you'll ever want children? What if some handsome young lad comes along? You might change your mind."
One side of Noemi's mouth went up, and she replied, "Well, Cyth, you never know. But it would take something really special to send me to a place where I couldn't see Gal every day. I don't think I could face that. You and Odo can live in the country, but I'll take the city and my sister. As for kids, I don't see any in my future, but I'll babysit yours and Gal's. That'd be fun.".
Cythera just shook her head. Noemi laughed and dug her heels into her horse's sides and, with a wave of farewell, shot up the line to where Galadria was.