ã€ŠStarlight Over Oran Book Two - Hyperia Risingã€‹


 The Void

    There was nothing. An absence of all sensation, all breath. Complete darkness.

    I''m dead.

    With surging panic, her mind rebelled against the finality, that she was now nothing more than fractals of light spinning out to meet a chaotic void.

    Bonn!

    Our child!

    ILLYM!

    Had my cry been heard? She thought with a thudding return to her body. Breath seared through her lungs and with it, intense pain.

    I''m falling!

    She spun recklessly, not knowing which way was up nor down, no orientation of any kind, only sharp, biting pressure teasing the flesh from her bones.

    This is what it means to die.

    She tried moving her hands to her belly, to give comfort to the baby inside her, but the force of her fall was too strong. At last, she stopped fighting and surrendered to her fate and to Illym''s will.

    "Starlex!" Bonn''s voice echoed through the blackness.

    He''s here with me!

    She tried to shout his name, to let him know she was still alive, but the rushing, spinning gales, now fortified with shards of ice pellets slicing at her skin, sucked the sound from her lips.

    Blackness suddenly gave way to a thin layer of blue haze. The biting wind softened and warmed, as she penetrated, like a falling meteor, a deceptive cushion of pillowy white clouds opening up to bright blue skies and a burning sun.

    I''ve traveled through the God Gate to the Blue Planet and now I''m going to die.

    Her sister, Queen Hyperia, had pushed her through the God Gate, the portal that opened once every nine-hundred years. She recalled the riderless horse and chariot entering from the void, but no one ever passed through the other way. It was forbidden, punishable by death on her home planet, Ardelym. The God Gate, guarded by the meek yet treacherous sisterhood known as the Wols, made sure no one came near it, and yet here she was, flying, not flying, falling, towards the Blue Planet.

    Had her husband, Bonn Skaard, followed her? Or was it just her imagination? Wishful thinking. It was her lot in life, she assumed sadly as she plummeted toward certain death, that she would find love only to lose it.

    Our poor baby. A child conceived in the frozen land of Kadaar, where two lonely hearts found warmth and love in each other''s arms.

    The world she was entering took on more recognizable features. White sand or sea?

    Oh, Illym, Starlex prayed. If you can hear my words, please save me only so I may save my child. If somehow I am destined to give life to Ardelym''s next great ruler, then let me live long enough to fulfill your prophecy.

    There was a flash, a fractured beam of yellow light reflecting off the surface of the sun. It appeared to be a message. Or was she only holding onto hope? Illym is not god here. Why would he¡ª

    The harsh reality of gravity took over. Now she could move her arms and legs, but it was only to flail in the cruel, indifferent atmosphere as the ground rushed up to meet her and the scream in her throat released.

    "Bonn, I love you!"

    Her last thought, on impact, was of her husband and child, and gratitude that there was no pain.

    * * *

    La Gune and Jeune, the mother and daughter moons, had passed from silver crescents to full globes, glowing over the Crimson Sea, and still, the nightly revelry celebrating the marriage of the Queen of Oran and the Duke of Nazeer had not abated. Hyperia blamed it on those damned Nazeers who refused to leave Oran long after she and Nargos had exchanged their vows in a grand ceremony intended to unite all of Ardelym against the enemies locked tightly within Mynimium''s desert citadel.

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    Nargos had planned a strike against her daughter Tylla and nephew Rigel, but it was delayed because of the merriment that had stretched on for two moons. Even from the balcony of the queen''s chamber, Hyperia could hear their drunken jollity. She gripped the marble railing and steadied her breath, reminding herself this was part of her stratagems.

    When she married Nargos, she played the submissive role. With a man like Nargos it was required, and night after night, she submitted to this rough lovemaking, his stubby calloused fingers exploring her pale, smooth body until she had to bite down on her tongue, drawing blood, to keep from screaming. "Get off me, you swine!"

    Patience, she told herself. She turned, parted the silk curtains, and padded across the pink marble floor of her chamber. Pausing before her glass, she picked up an ebony comb. The flickering lantern light caught the gleam of the clove-scented oil she applied to her jet-black hair. She moved her head gently from side to side, admiring her crowning beauty''s shimmering lavender highlights.

    I''m still beautiful, she told her reflection.

    She parted her hair with the comb and then arranged it to conceal her small, pointed ears¡ªthe mark of a true Illymium.

    Since arriving at Oran as Scipio''s young bride many moons ago, Hyperia knew it was best to hide her feature that most Ardelymians viewed as a deformity, an indication of an inferior race from a more primitive time. Hyperia knew it wasn''t true. Those uncouth Nazeers with their insatiable appetites for food, drink, and riches proved it every day. Oran had opened her gates with generosity, and the greedy Nazeers will still holding up their empty cups crying, "More! More!"

    She heard Nargos'' key turn in the bolt and her heart sank. Running a slim finger between her eyes to erase the crease of annoyance, she turned toward the door with a bright smile.

    "My love," the squat Nazeer said, extending his chafed hands toward her. His ruddy complexion and lopsided prince''s crown atop his flaming red hair told the queen he was already well into his cups.

    Turning her nose away to avoid his fetid breath, she offered him her cheek.

    "No thanks," he said, gruffly dropping her hands so they fell limply by her sides. "I''ll hold out for something better."

    She smiled insipidly, imagining the shock on Nargos'' face when she jabbed her poisoned stiletto into his throat.

    Patience.

    Nargos poured himself a generous cup of wine and threw himself across her neatly-made bed. His boots, mud-stained from riding, soiled her clean silk sheets her maid and sprinkled with scented powder to temper the night''s heat.

    "Where did you go today?" she asked, opening her closet to select a gown for the evening supper.

    "Don''t worry, my dear," grunted Nargos. "I haven''t taken a new mistress. Not yet anyway." He took a swallow of wine. Some of it dripped down his chin. Hyperia turned her face to the open wardrobe to hide her disgust.

    She laughed and said, "I wasn''t thinking that at all. Only..."

    "Only what?"

    She turned, removed her dressing gown, and lay down next to him. She pressed her arms together to increase the swell of her white breasts. It was a trick she mastered while married to Scipio, practiced with much success during her brief affair with Dolceto Davadas, and now applied to her new husband, although he wasn''t as easy to fool as most men.

    "Darling, I hope you will ride out to Crytombe Crags and consult with our army before they march on Mynimium. You really should be leading them, you know." Her fingers played with the laces of his boots. Her delicate nose twitched as she smelled the manure on them.

    "Why should I when I have a perfectly good general in charge?"

    "Because, my darling, you are the greatest warlord in all of Ardelym. The men look up to you. You inspire them."

    "Hmmm," he grunted, his green eyes, usually sharp as cut glass, were blood-shot and filmy. "And do I inspire you, my dear?"

    "Of course, my darling, my stars, my¡ª"

    "Cut the malarkey!" He said, tossing the empty wine goblet to the floor. He grabbed her arms roughly and pulled her on top of him.

    She submitted to his rough kiss on her lips and said, "But we''ll be late for supper, my prince."

    "Your prince." Nargos'' lips curled like two purple worms over yellowed, broken teeth. "Why not your king?"

    "You know the dictates of Oran law, why¡ª"

    "And I could give two shits about Oran law."

    Hyperia''s cheeks flushed. Nargos'' moods, especially after he had been drinking, had become increasingly hateful, and her feminine wiles struggled to mitigate them.

    "You, the queen, could abdicate your power to me and make me king today."

    "But you know the people will never allow that."

    "The people!" he spat. "The people belong to us! They will do as I say." He pounded a fist against his chest for emphasis.

    Hyperia''s brain burned. She had played out this scene with her new husband many times since their strained courtship began. Shifting away from the submissive tack that had proved less than successful, still, she stiffened her spine and said with a queenly retort, "I''ll make you a king when Mynimium is mine and not before."

    "You''re as cold-hearted as an old whore," he growled.

    Her violet eyes locked on his, unrelenting. Something in him he was out-classed by this being from an ancient race. He laughed and rolled on top of her.

    As he drunkenly fumbled with her jeweled belt, tossing the priceless Illymium treasure to the floor, Hyperia trailed her eyes over the ceiling and submitted to his rough caresses. The artwork was designed to provoke frolicking gaiety, but the flickering lantern light gave the pale-skinned nymphs and the rapacious satyrs pawing at their flesh a sinister countenance.

    This is my battlefield, and I will fight to the death on it.

    She timed her sighs to coordinate with his pumping hips and foul-smelling gusts of breath, and when he was finished, and snoring heavily on top of her, she closed her eyes and willed herself to remain strong.

    This is only a battle. There''s still a war, and I will use this miserable fool to win it.

 White Sands

    Starlex awoke to a mouthful of sand and a disbelief that she could possibly still be alive.

    She clutched her belly searching for the warmth within. She rejoiced when her answer came in the form of a tiny kick.

    My child lives!

    She did a slow inventory of her body starting with her neck and moving down her spine, one vertebra at a time. Nothing was broken.

    Illym heard my prayers!

    Slowly she sat up and observed her surroundings. The color of the sky was different from the one she knew, bright blue without a hint of haze. Directly above her, the sun hovered like a gold shield, proud and punishing as a victorious warrior. Her skin was already feeling its burn. Beneath the sky, an endless carpet of wavy white sand extended in all directions.

    A sudden fear chilled her, despite the pounding heat.

    Could I perhaps be dead, and these are the Heavens Flenn Illymium often spoke of with reverence?

    No! Illym''s Heavens are a paradise of lush greenery and cool streams, where food grows abundantly on every tree, and the Illymatars twinkle in the night sky offering blessings to the souls residing there. It can''t a place more barren than the pink sands of Arki with a sun that siphons the very water from my flesh.

    No, I''m alive, and that means Bonn may be too.

    Galvanized by the hopeful thought, Starlex stood slowly on wobbly legs. The tan suede boots she wore had survived the zoid better than her tattered silk gown.

    Good, she thought. My feet won''t burn. But the rest of me certainly will. She had never in her life felt heat like this, not even during the time when the Great Vulcan exploded, releasing Quetzex, the dragon, from its fiery bowels.

    I survived the fall, but if I don''t reach some shelter soon, I will surely perish. Lifting her hand to shield her pale, violet eyes, she made a slow circle in the sand.

    The wavy geometric patterns stretched on and on, making Starlex dizzy if she stared at it for too long.

    A gush of despair enveloped her, but she thrust it from her thoughts.

    Recalling the lessons Flenn Illymium taught her in the Tower of Oran, she looked to the sun.

    Waiting, trying to steady her breath, she watched and waited for the sunlight to slowly shift. Like a sundial, her slim shadow began to elongate. She racked her brain, trying to recall what she had read about the Blue Planet from the ancient, leather-bound tomes in Flenn''s library. Were the cardinal directions the same as it was in Ardelym? Does it even matter?

    The sun blistered her skin as she watched her shadow slowly lengthen on the white sand. Wishing she could jump into the shade made from her own body, she tore off a piece of what was left of her skirt and draped it over her head, making a small tent to shade her face.

    According to Flenn''s teachings, the Blue Planet had only one moon. She swept her gaze over the vast panorama. Ever so distant, in the expanse of blue sky, there appeared a milky half-circle in the sky. Her heart rejoiced.

    Flenn always reminded her of her special qualities. The very thing Starlex despised most about herself, her over-sensitivity, Flenn insisted was her one true gift. The only problem, the ancient seer had assured her, was she had such little faith in herself that she failed to use her greatest strength.

    A tiny vibration stirred in her womb as if her child was sending her a message.

    I have had little faith in myself, she thought sadly. But all that changed when I met Bonn Skaard. He saw something in me I could never see in myself. I will use my special gift to save my life and my child''s , and if Illym''s reign extends to this world, I may be graced with meeting my love again.

    Starlex shut her eyes tightly and lifted her face to the gentle desert wind. She breathed deeply through her nostrils. At first, she smelled only the dry air, the intense heat, and nothing more. She tried again, and this time, she smelled something that fired up her entire being: water, so cool she could taste it!

    But is it real or only my imagination?

    She remembered when she was only a small child during the siege of Mynimium how the Nazeers breached the citadel gate to claim the ancient city as their own. To refuse capture, many Mynimium citizens climbed the walls and fled to the Arki desert. Starlex recalled watching from the window of the palace tower the fleeing men and women, some dragging their children behind them, slowly diminish to black dots on the pink sands.

    "Those fools think a shining new city awaits them when all they''re running towards is their own death!" quipped a teenage Hyperia to Starlex. "We will not flee our home city. We are Illymiums, modeled after Illym himself, and even though we may be now looked upon with scorn, we know who we are."

    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Although she was just a child, Starlex will never forget the way Hyperia squared her shoulders and announced, "If I have to marry that hideous fiend, Nargos Nazeer, I will. If he won''t have me for his wife, I will be his whore."

    "But, sister," Starlex cried, gazing up at her sister''s pale oval face framed by jet-black hair.

    "I will survive." Hyperia''s eyes glimmered like cut amethyst gems. "And so will you, Starlex Illymium."

    Starlex trudged through the sand. How right you were, dear sister. Even though you were the one who tried to take my life, I have survived.

    With her shadow leading the way, Starlex traveled across the dunes. It was all her legs could so to overcome the inertia of the burning sand, but still, she moved, and with each step, the scent of water grew stronger.

    A shadow passed across the sand, cooling her for an instant. She looked up with sudden hope.

    Could the purple-plumed Lila Bird have followed her all this way?

    The bird''s caw sent a tingle of dread down her spine. It wasn''t Raki, but a buzzard, tracking her across the sand, awaiting her death.

    Terror spurring her on, she moved at a faster clip, until at last she spotted the oasis. Following its sweet perfume, her dry lips muttering prayers of thanks, she ran for the tall palms surrounding a cool green pond.

    Her heart pounded with hope, but also fear that like her Illymium brethren fleeing their home city, she ran toward an illusion that would only fade before her eyes the closer she came to it.

    * * *

    It took a week of wheedling and nightly teeth-gritting lovemaking sessions, for Hyperia to finally convince Nargos that his time would be better spent leading the Oran troops preparing an attack on Mynimium than lounging around the palace drinking wine.

    Nargos had insisted that laying claim on her former city was an easy operation now that Scipio was dead. They had the entire Oran army at their disposal, Nargos had reminded his new bride. It would take a day at the most to breach those pink-brick walls.

    "As I recall," Nargos had said, "You, my queen, were the one waiting to give the final word for my army to proceed."

    Nargos was correct. Her hesitation was because of Tylla. What would she do about a treasonous daughter who had not only betrayed her, but had stolen Corellas, her supposed son?

    All of Ardelym would be expecting her to execute a swift sentence. In her many fits of rage, she had sworn to hang all of the traitors from the tower, but in her heart, she knew she could not kill her only child. Yet if she showed the people weakness...

    "Please, my love," she had begged her husband. "Go to the front, lead your troops like the great man you are, capture my home city, and bring back the traitors as prisoners."

    "But the price for treason is death, my lady," Nargos reminded her with a wine-smeared smirk.

    "Didn''t Scipio Davadas spare your life when you laid siege on Mynimium? Win back my city for your queen, but do it with care. If you bring back Tylla alive, you will be crowned King."

    The following day, Nargos, clanging atop his horse in full armor, rode off along with three of his henchmen and ten palace guards. Like a doting wife, Hyperia waited by the Oran gates, waving a silk handkerchief in the cool morning air, until Nargos has his men disappeared on the misted hills of Pendulum Road.

    Her shoulders sagged as soon as she returned to the palace. She was exhausted from dealing with Nargos'' moods and demands, and she would like nothing better than to spend the next two days in bed. But there was work to do.

    Her slippered feet made quick light steps across the pink marble floor. Two servant women, red hair slipping from the edges of their white linen caps, giggled when Hyperia passed.

    The queen stopped in her tracks and turned on the women. They were new hires from Nazeera.

    "What are your names?" Hyperia demanded.

    The blush drained from both women''s cheeks. The older, and seemingly bolder one, stepped forward with head bowed. "I''m Ranee Nazeer, milady, and this here''s my sister, Demma Nazeer."

    "We don''t use the Nazeer name in this palace," Hyperia said, with narrowed eyes.

    "Yes, milady." Demma took fistfuls of her homespun skirt in each hand and performed a quick curtsy.

    Hyperia slid her cool violet gaze from one woman to the next. "Is it not your duty to clean this floor in the palace?"

    "Yes, milady," replied Ranee, a touch of Nazeer superiority easing its way into her attitude. "We were just about to start."

    "And what did you find so amusing that you burst into laughter when I passed?"

    "Nothing, milady," said Demma.

    "It was just a silly joke," said Ranee. Her green eyes gazed up at the queen with a sparkle of defiance.

    "A silly joke?" pressed the Queen. "Well, here''s another joke I hope you will both find amusing."

    Hyperia watched with satisfaction the lump rise in Demma''s throat. "The privies in the servant quarters need to be drained and sanitized," she said.

    Ranee neck stretched as she boldly met the queen''s gaze, "But we''re palace workers, milady. We don''t work in the servants'' quarters."

    Hyperia cocked an arched eyebrow. "Meaning?"

    "We don''t clean privies," snapped Ranee.

    Demma''s eyes drifted to the floor.

    "Who says you don''t?" the queen volleyed back, taking pleasure in the game.

    "Why Verndalsa says so, that''s who," rejoined Ranee, the courage in her eyes wavering.

    "Ah, Verndalsa," said the queen knowingly.

    Verndalsa Nazeer was a bent and aged crone who had put the first set of diapers on Nargos and had been doing the same for him, in one way or another, ever since. She had taken on the role of palace majordomo since before the royal wedding. Hyperia was already tired of her superior attitude.

    "I will explain the change to Verndalsa myself," cooed Hyperia. She waved her hand to the far end of the center hallway that led to the dimly-lit servant''s entrance. "Now gather up your pails and mops and do as I say."

    "Verndalsa won''t be happy about it," Ranee said with a barely concealed sneer. "Come on, Demma." Both women hoisted their pails over their shoulders and scurried off.

    "Oh, and one more thing," the queen called after them.

    The serving women stopped, trembling under her verdict. Hyperia noted, with satisfaction, that Demma had already crumpled into red-faced tears.

    "When you are finished with the privies, report to the lower depths."

    "The dungeon, milady?" cried Ranee.

    "Yes. It is filthy and filled with vermin. I''ll be down later this afternoon to inspect your work. Off with you now," she said, fluttering her fingers through the air.

    Let this be the first of many changes in my palace now that Nargos is away.

    She lifted her skirts to climb the stairs.

    Perhaps after my home city is liberated, Nargos will fall from his horse and break his neck. I may even be able to arrange it.

    With that hopeful thought dancing in her head, the queen retreated to her chamber and took to her bed for a much-needed rest.

 Deliverance

    Bonn Skaard called for Starlex, and the only answer he received was the rush of frozen wind in his ears. His hard, muscled skin was used to the rough winds of Kadaar, but the sound in his ears was so unbearable it threatened his very sanity so that when he, at last, entered the atmosphere and saw the blue sea beneath him, he almost welcomed the relief of sudden death.

    Quickly, he reviewed his life as he fell. It was a hard life, a life of pain and struggle. But he had been blessed too. He had known great happiness when he was with his wife, Klava Kadaar, and their young son Bo. But the Thrades had ripped away that joy from him and all that was left was the will to live, only to fight for his people and to exact revenge on his enemies.

    When the fight became too hard and his brethren''s loss too great, he humbled himself and asked for help from the mainland. But that experience only reinforced what he already knew to be true: the people of the mainland were not to be trusted. They worshipped a god who had long ago abandoned his kind. But then he met the violet-eyed Illyminum princess and discovered a new faith. And when he learned she carried his child, he allowed himself to believe¡ªif only for a moment¡ªthat perhaps there was more to life than the daily fight for survival.

    And yet here he was, passing from one world to the next. He didn''t think twice when he leaped through what the mainlanders called the God Gate. He followed his heart and for that, despite everything, he was glad.

    As the blue sea rushed toward him, he could make out more of this strange world he was entering, the so-called Blue Planet, to which no man from Ardelym had ever traveled. Whitecaps indicated rough waters, and floating pieces of wood that land was nearby. Plummeting toward the sea, he saw that those specks of wood were boats, long ones, not unlike the fishing boats he once built in Jotur. He thought suddenly of his friend Leiffen and smiled.

    By the time the sea yielded to the penetration of his falling body, he had made peace with himself and acknowledged, that despite everything, he had lived a good life.

    The impact had stunned him enough to knock his brain around inside his head but it hadn''t killed him. He didn''t fancy a drowning death but if this was his fate, he must accept it. As he plunged to the bottom of the sea he opened his eyes and spotted a school of small fish scurrying away as if he had disturbed them. He dropped like a stone into the dark depths, embraced by the cold arms of a watery death.

    "Be a shame to survive the fall, only to drown like an old sailor, wouldn''t it mate?" he almost heard Leiffen''s voice ask.

    His feet hit the seafloor, sending a shock through his body. A puff of black earth surrounding him. At what point, he wondered, do I breath in his cold fire. He thought of the family he''d lost and the love he had found, and wondered if the god who ruled this planet was as cruel as the old gods of Kadaar.

    With his last swallow of breath fighting for release, Bonn gazed up at the surface where a pool of yellow sunlight beckoned him with new freedom.

    It was now or never. He demanded his legs to make a low crouch, then he bounced off the seafloor, giving him just enough momentum to rise. His muscular arms cut through the water as he fought against his bursting lungs. With his eyes trained on the rippling circle of sunlight, he slowly let go of the air. He controlled the bubbles rippling from his mouth, the pain in his chest, and kept telling himself, "Rise! Rise!"

    He felt the scrape of a fish''s fin against his torso and watched his blood flower before his eyes. Ignoring the pain, he kept crawling toward the surface. Out of breath now. His instinct about to take over and force water into his lungs, he made one final push.

    His head popped up among rough waves.

    A fountain of saltwater spewed from his mouth followed by a great Skaard war cry. A wave fell on him from behind and knocked the breath clean out of him. That was followed by another wave, and then another. At last, he got his bearings and dove deep beneath the waves, surfacing on the other side.

    Bobbing in the far distance was the dark outline of a landmass. He swam toward it until he was crawling on his belly through the surf, and he didn''t stop moving until the lapping waves gave way to the hot sand.

    "Starlex," he whispered with tears of gratitude and wretchedness stinging his eyes as his legs crumbled beneath him. He embraced the sand as closely as he ever had his love. Gripping fistfuls of rough sand, he wept for Starlex, knowing she could have never survived the ordeal he had barely lived through.

    With that sad thought clouding his relief at being alive, Bonn clambered to his knees, pressed his palms together, and prayed. In his native Skaard tongue, he prayed to the old gods of the Jotur forest, and to Illym, and to whatever god or goddess ruled this new world in which he found himself, shaken but alive.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    * * *

    Starlex''s flesh instantly cooled once she crawled into the shade. The relief was so intense she wept. But her tears were dry. The muddy smell of damp earth egged her on as she dragged herself to the edge of an emerald pool and tumbled in head-first. The cool water jarred her from her stupor, and when she surfaced, she spewed out a mouthful of fresh water that she had gulped in so eagerly she nearly drowned.

    She ducked her head under again, resurfaced with a cry of pure joy then floated on her back from one end of the pond to the other. She gazed up at the tall palms sweeping their branches across the bright blue sky.

    Perhaps I am dead and I have at last arrived at the Heavens, she thought, her tears blending with the drops of water on her face. And if that is the case, then I am happy to stay in this place forever.

    Except, her thought continued, as her arms and legs made slow and steady strokes through the cool, green water, I would be terribly lonely.

    Her thirst sated at last and her skin cooled, her mind turned to another pressing need: hunger.

    She swam to the coolest end of the pond and stepped up a ladder formed from smooth rocks and settled beneath a large palm tree. She had seen similar trees in Mynimium''s interior gardens, but never one this large. In fact, the entire scale of this new world appeared to be near twice the size of her Ardelym.

    After resting on the bank for a while, Starlex slowly clambered to her feet in search of food. She had lost one suede boot in the pond. Deciding to retrieve it later if she could, she slipped off its mate and padded barefoot across the soft white sand. Her gown was in tatters now, the thin fabric barely covering her breasts. The Nazeer belt was clasped high on her waist above her bulging belly. She took a moment to cradle the child within, wondering if he or she was more comfortable now that her skin was cooled.

    One thing was certain, she reminded herself, mother and child must eat soon if they were to survive. Survival was all there was.

    Gingerly, she traversed her new environment. Among the tall palm trees were low, scrubby bushes. Her nasal passages now flushed clean, her keen sense of smell led her up a narrow path. Among the swaying palms, a single fig tree stood proudly.

    Starlex ran to it. Standing on top of a boulder that seemed to have been placed there for that express purpose, she jumped until she reached a lower branch. Then pulling it down to meet her, she picked several of the fruit which appeared the ripest. She sat beneath the tree in the shade and ate the slightly bitter-tasting figs until her stomach ached. Her appetite sated, at last, she gave in to exhaustion and curled into a ball in the shade.

    * * *

    A jangle of a horse''s harness awoke her. Starlex opened her violet eyes and gazed at a sky so bright with stars that for a moment she thought she was back in the void. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest. In the pool below her, she saw the reflection of the stars above. The intense beauty of the vision almost overshadowed the danger. Almost. For there were three horses drinking at the pool and two people, a man and a woman. Even in the low light, she saw that their faces and hands were dark in contrast to their white robes and head coverings. She would almost mistake them for Scipio Davadas'' kin except they were much taller and leaner and they spoke to each other in an odd tongue.

    She wondered what would be the better tack: speak up and risk being molested or killed, or remain silent and making this small oasis her home. How long could she live on water and figs? Her baby kicked within her, reminding her of its presence. Her decision was made, she must approach these people and pray they are friendly.

    Starlex, her pale skin shimmering beneath the starlight, emerged from the path. The woman gasped, dropped the horse''s reins, and ran back to the white sea of sand.

    Am I really that terrifying? Starlex thought, walking around the edge of the pool to where the flighty horses pawed the sand.

    "Shhh," she said, approaching a white mare that reminded her of Sola. The horse sniffed the air as she approached and calmed down as she showed she was not an enemy. She flattened her hand beneath the horse''s velvet-soft nose and let it sniff her palm, still sticky with the remnants of the figs she had eaten. As the horse licked her hand, the people who she now observed were a family, couple and a boy of about ten, approached her cautiously.

    "I am lost," she said in the Ardelymian common tongue. "Will you help me find my way to the nearest city?"

    As expected, the couple showed no sign of comprehending her words. Wary glances volleyed between the man and the woman. Starlex kept her distance from them, shielding herself, and her near-nakedness, with a wall of horseflesh.

    The man said something to the woman in a tongue that lacked the musical cadence she was used to. His words were the hard staccato beats of a battle dum.

    The woman nodded and approached the second horse, a gelding, nearly black in the moonlight. She removed a rolled up rug from behind the saddles and unfurled it on the ground. The man, his dark eyes never leaving Starlex''s, did the same with another rug. Then the woman pulled a bolt of silk from the pack.

    A ripple of fear traveled down Starlex''s back when she watched the man then produced a dagger from his belt. The wavy blade of the scimitar glinted in the moonlight. Her legs stiffened, readying themselves for a quick retreat. But he only used the blade to slice into the fabric. He put the knife back in his belt and ripped the silk the rest of the way. Then he tossed the ball of silk at Starlex with a curl of disgust on his lips nestled within his dark beard.

    Starlex wrapped the length of silk around her body, and then crouched in the sand. A cold wave of shame washed over her and she resisted the urge to cry.

    The man grunted orders at his family while they went about setting up their camp. When they had laid out their rugs on a bed of sand, the woman looked up at Starlex and motioned for her to sleep on the rug she had placed on the ground near where the horses were tied.

    So, I am to bed with the beasts? Starlex thought with pride. Still, she was grateful for the kindness and made herself comfortable on the rug. The man watched her with dark eyes glimmering through the moonlight, until at last, she could not longer fight the fatigue in her body. Trusting they would open again the following morning, she shut her eyes.

 A New World

    The aroma of grilling meat awoke Starlex with a start. Beyond the oasis, the sea of pink sand rippled with shadows as the sun rose over a massive dune. The woman crouched over a small fire cooking. The man and boy were some paces away packing up the horses where the shade feathered on the sand. The woman looked up and smiled at Starlex through the smoke and gestured for her to join them.

    Starlex''s mouth watered in anticipation of the food. As she slowly got to her feet, she noticed the piece of silk the family had given her the night before was a bright crimson color, a stark contrast to the dull blue linen shroud worn by the woman.

    Trying not to stare too much, Starlex noted the youth and beauty of the woman, whose eyes were a bright amber color set within smooth almond-colored skin. The man¡¯s complexion was darker as if baked by the sun. He had a thick black beard shot with gray and deep creases in his forehead. Starlex wondered if the woman were his daughter, but the way they interacted, particularly her submissive deference to him, convinced Starlex she was his wife. And then there was a child. His round face beamed with intelligence beneath straight black bangs and a striped linen toque on his head.

    Starlet took a moment to tighten the Nazeer belt over the loose silk to give it the appearance of a gown. After making sure she was modestly covered, she moved to the pond, leaned over, and gave her face and hands a quick wash.

    When the family had eaten their fill of whatever was in the pot, along with some flatbread and cheese, the woman passed a stoneware plate to Starlex. Her hunger overcoming whatever trepidation she had about what was in the bowl, Starlex thanked them in Ardelymian, hoping that her tone of voice and expression would convey her meaning.

    Man, woman, and child all gazed at her stone-faced as she took the first bite. The meal, a thick stew made from meat, root vegetables, and rice was spiced to perfection. Starlex finished it in a few bites. She nodded to the young woman her appreciation. Her mouth watered for more.

    Smiling, the woman took the bowl, refilled it, and handed it back to Starlex. The man passed her a piece of bread with a hunk of soft cheese on top of it. She consumed it with relish. Then the man picked up a leather pouch and poured wine into a wooden cup. He drank half of it, then passed it to his wife who took a sip before passing it to Starlex. The wine was sweet with a lemony bite.

    When the meal was over, the man threw sand on the fire, and the woman gathered the dishes to wash them in the pond. As the woman and the child padded off toward the pond, the man gestured for Starlex to stand. She did what he asked, anxiously cutting her eyes to the retreating figures of the woman and young boy.

    Tentatively the man approached her, his eyes narrowed. Starlex had caught her reflection in the wavy surface of the pond when she washed and knew she appeared disheveled. Her pale skin was sunburnt and her white-blond hair hung to her waist in tangled ropes.

    The man eyed her up and down in the same way we had seen Oran farmers inspect their cattle. She squirmed beneath his gaze, hoping the woman and boy would return soon.

    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    The man pointed at the white mare, and then gestured her toward it. Starlex understood that she wished for her to mount.When they reached the left side of the horse, the man interlocked his fingers, bending over slightly so she could mount.

    As he boosted her into the saddle, she thought, he touched me in the same way he touched the horse. Is that good or bad?

    She arranged the bright crimson silk to cover as much of her legs as possible and draped some of the fabric over her forehead to shield her from eye of fire already peeking over the distant dunes.

    Once the man had the woman and the boy settled on the back of his saddle, he swung himself onto the black gelding.

    They rode silently across the sand, toward the sun. The heat intensified as their shadows shortened then lengthened as the sun rose. The heat was nearly unbearable. Whatever water was left in Starlex¡¯s body had drained from her thighs into the saddle and horse¡¯s girth. The caravan of two rode slow to conserve the horses¡¯ energy. The man sat high in the saddle with a straight back. A white linen shroud shielded his head. The woman sat behind him, wrapped in her drab blue shroud, but the boy faced Starlex with quizzical eyes. At one point in their long, hot journey, he smiled at her shyly. Starlex returned the smile in kind, hoping the boy, in his simple innocence, would convey to his parents that she was friendly, that she meant no harm, and that she was grateful for their generosity.

    They rode further. And Starlex tried to stay alert despite the slow sway of the horse¡¯s girth beneath her and the wobbly lines on the horizon luring her into a trance. The sun pelted her her back through the light silk, and she was about to risk the man¡¯s wrath by calling out that she needed to drink, when they crested a large dune.

    On the other side was such a welcomed sight that Starlex almost cried out. Clusters of vegetation, brown mostly but with subtle shades of green, clung to the white sand in small islands.Starlex stood in the stirrup and shaded her eyes with her hand. Her heartbeat quickened. Here was more vegetation, growing more verdant and thick in the distance. Starlex¡¯s dry mouth rejoiced at the scent of water. When she squinted, she could just make out a blue river snaking through a grove of palm trees. And very far off, its proportions distorted through waves of heat, was a white-towered city. The size of its citadel wall was so expansive it would put Oran to shame.

    Starlex¡¯s heart raced with relief, but also fear.

    Would I, she silently wondered, have fared better entering this strange place alone than with this family?

    Instinctually she trusted the woman, but not the man. For a mad moment, she thought of digging her heels in the horse''s sides and making a headlong dash toward the city walls. But for all she knew, the penalty for horse theft would be death, the same as it was in Oran.

    No, she reminded herself, it¡¯s best to stay calm and see what transpires.

    The man made a sharp cry and his horse began a reluctant trot. The boy twisted in the saddle to grip his mother¡¯s waist. The white mare followed suit without any encouragement from Starlex, although she tightened her fingers on the reins. The wild sands gave way to a hardened mud road. The river murmured a greeting as they entered the valley. The air was noticeably cooler, and the sharp scent of mud and grass smelled, to Starlex¡¯s senses, sweeter than Mynimium''s finest perfume.

    So far, thought Starlex, the Blue Planet appears very much like Ardelym. She hoped, her fear mounting with each clop of the horses¡¯ hooves, that Illym was God of this world too and perhaps he was watching her now, and that she was under his protection.

 The Citadel

    Starlex rocked atop the white horse laboring under the weight of the family¡¯s belongings. They rode two astride now, the horses¡¯ hooves making loud clops against the worn-down brick road. Patches of greenery grew in abundance as they approached the metropolis. Again, she rose curiously in the saddle to observe the city rising majestically in the sand, its contours sharpening with each stride. The citadel¡¯s sun-bleached, crenelated walls jutted four stories in the air. Beyond the borders, a dreamy panorama of domes and spires pressed like an ardent lover against a blue sky.

    The tangy aroma of the river floated on a sudden light breeze, mitigating the hot air stealing the breath from her lungs. For a moment, the smell swept her back in time to when she was a tiny child and would play along the banks of the Sylvan River that once girded her Mynimium. The river turned to sand after its walls were violated. She, Hyperia, and her cousin, Rigel, were liberated from Nargos¡¯ clutches by Scipio Davadas, but in a way, they only had a more comfortable imprisonment within Oran palace.

    But how liberated am I now?

    She glanced about the riverbank at the fishermen casting nets and the women tending to rice crops on the far bank. As they approached the city gates, small markets appeared along the roadside. The aromas of food cooking made her stomach rumble. She slipped one hand between the folds of the red silk and rubbed her belly.

    We will be safe and fed soon, little one.

    But will she? She noticed the market people pausing in their chores and transactions to gape at her as she rode past. Words were uttered, then laughter. A mother pulled her child away from the road when he paused to point at her in his play.

    The Illymium princess, with her pale, iridescent skin, looked nothing like the people of the city she approached. Their bodies ranged from slim to stocky, but all of them were tall, even the women, with skin tones ranging from dark mahogany to smooth cream. She spied a few with honey-colored hair among the dark locks, but none possessed Starlex¡¯s unique coloring. The women dressed modestly in linen shrouds dyed in dull shades of blue, saffron, or henna. None wore anything as bright as the crimson silk Starlex wore.

    No wonder they¡¯re all staring at me. Why was I given this bright color to wear when the family has bolts of plain linen in their packs?

    Starlex cast a sidelong glance at her companions. The man sat proudly in his high-cantled saddle, a haughty smile twitching between his full beard and mustache. The woman clinging to his waist appeared placid, her lovely amber eyes directed ahead. The boy slept, open-mouthed, against her back.

    As they approached the open city gates, a band of young men crowded around them. Timid at first and following at a short distance, they became more vocal as their numbers grew. Starlex may not have understood their language, but she recognized the tone of jeers and abuse directed at her.

    A moment of panic seized her as the colossal city gate yawned open before them.

    Here is my chance to flee!

    She sat high in the saddle, perched to make her move when the man reached across her mount and roughly snatched the reins from her fingers. Starlex cast a desperate look at the woman. The woman¡¯s amber eyes met hers with a quick flash before darting away.

    Three laughing young men walked alongside her now. She flinched when one reached out and stroked her leg. The patriarch, now her captor, spoke roughly to them and pulled a short whip from his belt. The young men backed off.

    ¡°Where you are taking me?¡± Starlex said to the man in her tongue. She knew he didn¡¯t understand, but she had to speak if only to let him know she had a voice.

    He darted a smirking glance her way, then brought both horses to a slow trot, kicking up clouds of sands.

    The trot became a canter, and soon they were riding through the gate. A crowd followed them, and it appeared to Starlex that the man was trying to outrun them. But why?

    The exhausted white horse lathered under her thighs. She could see white foam dripping from its mouth. Despite her love for animals, she half-hoped the horse would drop dead in the street if only to give her a chance to escape on foot.

    The streets were made of packed-down sand and the surrounding buildings of sun-baked brick. Market stalls lined either side of the main road intercepted by narrower tributaries branching up curved, shadowed streets.

    Women poked their scarf-covered heads from windows above, and everywhere there was the buzz of the people¡¯s guttural language. They entered a low, shaded street that smelled of foul gases rising from ancient vents. Music hung in the air as scenes of men drinking and women dancing flashed by. The women all wore brightly colored shrouds, like the kind she wore.

    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    The man held the white horse¡¯s reins in his left hand aloft, proudly as if he were delivering a prize.

    And the prize is me.

    Somehow she guessed the kind of prize she was, a notion confirmed when the man slowed the horses to a walk and they entered a canopy of bright cloth, crimson like the color she wore, as well as rich greens and blues. The shade instantly cooled her skin, but her thirst ached.

    They¡¯ve taken me to a brothel!

    The man pulled the horses to a halt before a stall where two women sat on worn tapestry cushions. One was clearly older, her eyes hard like black diamonds. Her stoutness and confidence appeared to dominate the younger, meeker one. Both had creamy skin and garishly painted faces. Their dresses were bright, pulled loosely down from their shoulders to reveal the tops of their breasts. The younger one was thin, though, with little breast to show. Her hair framed her sad, thin face in a limp, honey-colored curtain.

    The air was thick with sweet perfume. Starlex cast pleading eyes at the wife who had shown her kindness in the desert, but the woman had covered her entire face with her shroud. The boy huddled under her arm.

    Her captor pulled a coin from a leather purse attached to his belt and tossed it at the older woman. She caught it and dropped it in the deep space between her breasts. She whispered something to the younger, meeker-looking woman who nodded and quickly hurried through a slit in the curtain behind them.

    The older woman sauntered with swaying hips to the right side of Starlex¡¯s mount. She carried a waterskin. Eyeing Starlex with a mix of fear and contempt, she handed it to Starlex. Starlex brought it to her lips and drank. The effect of the life-giving liquid on her body and mind was instantaneous. Starlex looked around for an escape route, but the man still gripped the reins tightly. Forlorn but refreshed, she handed the waterskin back to the woman with a nod. The woman huffed and placed the waterskin under her arm. She ran her dark eyes over Starlex¡¯s body, scanning her up and down, before reaching out boldly and touching Starlex¡¯s leg. Starlex flinched, and the woman cackled.

    A man, bald and middle-aged with leathery skin, parted the curtains, followed by the younger woman, who now crouched behind him, her bare feet twisting nervously beneath her skirt. The bald man wore a linen tunic, deep red and stained with sweat. A wide leather belt supported a rotund belly above rumpled linen trousers and suede boots laced to his knees. He crossed to the right side of the horse, shooing the older woman away with a slap on her buttocks. Gaping at Starlex with a twisted smile, he reached out to touch her thigh, stroking her skin with the back of his rough hand.

    He spat some words at Starlex¡¯s captor. The man reached between the mounts and ripped the crimson shroud from Starlex¡¯s head. Her white hair spilled to her waist.

    The bald man gasped and stepped back. His hooded eyes reminded Starlex of Quetzex, the dragon, and she shuddered with fear.

    More rapid words volleyed between the two men while the brothel women hovered in the silky shade.

    Starlex didn¡¯t need to know their tongue to understand that there was a wager going on and that she was on the auction block. Her heart sank. How could she pass from one harsh world only to find herself in one much worse?

    Her thoughts flew back to flying her skiff over the choppy waters of the Crimson Sea with her friends as they sailed to Quartz Island to romp and play. How free she was then. Then she thought of Bonn and what her warrior husband would do to these men who haggled over her flesh. She imagined Bonn¡¯s ax splitting the bald head of the crude procurer, and her courage rose.

    I must stay strong for Bonn and our baby.

    The men haggled a bit more until a price was decided. The bald man tossed a leather pouch at the man and barked an order at the two women. They immediately hopped to their feet. When Starlex saw that they intended to pull her from the saddle, she heeled the horse in an attempt to flee. But the procurer grabbed the reins as the horse reared up, and suddenly, she was toppling off the back of the animal. Her hip landed painfully on the dusty brick, followed by a tangle of exhausted limbs lacking the energy to flee or fight. A moan of despair escaped her lips.

    Lifting her cheek from the dirt, Starlex watched the family disappear in a cloud of dust. She didn¡¯t blame the woman or the boy, but she would happily murder the man if she had a chance. She was imagining slicing his throat beneath his haughty beard when she was hoisted to her feet by the brothel women and pushed through the curtains.

    They entered a building through an arched doorway where bright, gaudy murals depicting naked nymphs and their satyric lovers decorated the walls. The two women made her stand before an oval pool, handling her with as much regard as they would selecting a ripe piece of fruit from a market stall. The water within the pool smelled of sulfur; it was far from clean.

    The bald man entered the room and gestured to the brothel women to step aside. They obeyed submissively, bowing their heads. He approached Starlex slowly as if savoring his new purchase. His crude mouth reminded Starlex of Nargos Nazeer, the way he¡¯d looked at her the night she almost wed his son. Placing a finger as thick as a sausage beneath her chin, he tilted her head up, forcing her to look at him.

    ¡°Pefirikka,¡± he whispered with both reverence and contempt.

    What does that mean?

    She panted with fear as his rough hands traveled to her Nazeer wedding belt. Crudely encrusted with emeralds, it was the only tangible object connecting her to Ardelym.

    With rough fingers, he undid the belt, scrutinized it, and tossed it at the older woman, who caught it with a gleeful gasp.

    Starlex knew what was coming next, and she braced for it.

    Grabbing fistfuls of the crimson silk, the man ripped her silk shroud from neck to waist. Starlex shivered as it slowly fluttered to the floor. Her hands clamped instinctively over her breasts and pubic area as the man laughed crudely and made a slow promenade around her.

    ¡°Wallana!¡± he barked.

    Starlex assumed that was the older woman¡¯s name because she hopped to attention. The two exchanged words, and before Starlex could comprehend what was happening, Wallana rushed her through an arched doorway into a small room. Rough hands tossed her inside. Starlex landed on a low bed covered with tapestried cushions. Dust motes stirred in the light streaming from the one window placed high on the ceiling and tilting skyward.

    Stunned, Starlex heard footsteps hurrying from the room, then the door slammed, and a metal bolt slid with a clang of grim finality.

 Mynimium

    Tylla paced the length of the imperial balcony cradling little Corelllas in her arms. The baby, nineteen moons old with creamy brown skin, a cap of black curls, and inquisitive Davadas eyes, squirmed and whimpered as if he could sense the tension within her slender body. Her eyes were trained beyond Arki''s pink sands to the Crags, fiery red mountains jutting high into the hazy skies.

    Suddenly, a rider appeared on the crest of a dune. Kicking up clouds of sand, the rider headed straight for the citadel gate. Tylla lifted her hand to shade her eyes from the blinding white sands. Her heart thrilled at the sight of Carmelle riding hard and leaning over Sola''s mane. Carmelle''s hair, grown out several inches since she''d fled the Wols, was a fiery halo surrounding her pale face. The leather trousers and loose linen shirt she wore gave her the appearance of a handsome young man.

    When impatience had led Tylla to send out a scout to assess the situation, Carmelle was the first to volunteer. Tylla was against risking the life of her lover, but when Carmelle reminded her that she was the best rider among them, the princess relented.

    Tylla had witnessed the phases of four mother and daughter moons since the Davadas princess and her companions, Rigel, Carmelle, and Leiffen arrived at Mymimium with parched throats and lathering mounts. By defying her mother, Tylla put herself in direct opposition to the queen. And now, an army from her own city fortified by Nazeer troops was assembling within the Crags.

    But when will they attack?

    Tylla''s anxious fingers clutched the Illymium pearl, diamond, and star sapphire necklace she had received as a wedding gift from her mother.

    "Your name might be Davadas," Hyperia had said to her when she placed the necklace around her throat, but never forget you are also an Illymium with light in your heart and stars in your eyes.

    Back then, Tylla had thought it was all foolishness, and yet something caused her act at the God Gate, to defy her mother so completely. It was a declaration of that fiery spirit Hyperia had referred to, but also of war.

    And now I must see it through. She turned with a sweep of her skirts and headed down the stairs. Two servants, crones of her grandparents¡¯ reign, curtsied with creaking joints as Tylla passed.

    The taste of freedom she experienced when released from her mother''s yoke had given way to worry and anxiety. Despite the thick, high walls and crenelated battlements, Mynimium was not prepared for battle.

    "So, we''ll have to use magic," Rigel had insisted.

    Since arriving at Mynimium, Rigel and Leiffen Skaard¡ªboth Illymiums by birth¡ªhad been hard at work in the city''s ancient libraries gathering the materials they needed to protect her. One cracked leather tome gave them a glimmer of hope, not by way of magic, but something far more practical. It was a war manual with detailed military strategies and illustrations depicting ancient warfare, including an elaborate and bloody naval battle on Lake Ara.

    "Take a look at these things, will you?" Rigel said to Leiffen, pointing at an illustration of an elaborate catapult war machine twice the size of the depicted soldier standing next to it. "Hornets, they''re called."

    Leiffen whistled a tune, then sang, "Beware the lure fine ladies bring. Within their rosebuds hide a sting."

    "Think we might find one of these fine ladies lying about?" asked Rigel.

    "Wouldn''t hurt to take another look," said Leiffen.

    Rigel closed the book and returned it to the dusty shelf.

    Examining the armory had been the refugee''s first task when they arrived at Mynimium after several days'' journey through the Weir and around Lake Ara. They had found nothing but a few rusted swords. Scipio Davadas had carried off the rest as booty along with the princesses Hyperia and Starlex after his great victory against Nargos Nazeer.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Still, the adventure distracted the men from the endless waiting for Oran''s army to strike. After an hour or so of searching through the sandy corridors, they found a store of four Hornets concealed beneath dust-encrusted rugs in the armory''s cellar.

    "How''d we miss these before?" Rigel asked Leiffen.

    "We didn''t go down this far into the bowels. Heavens! This city is old."

    "I''ll say. Why do you think Scipio left these machines behind?"

    "Probably too cumbersome to haul out of here. Let''s see what we can do?"

    With what manpower they were able to assemble among the sparse, mostly elderly, citizenry, they heaved the apparatuses to the city courtyard over several days, and what tinkers remained got to work oiling the Hornets gears and replacing the ropes.

    Then, using an elaborate pulley system Leiffen had developed, the entire citizenry hoisted the machines to the top of the wall and erected one in each corner of the citadel. Then they went about gathering stones to use as projectiles. According to the war manual, the stones should be coated with an incendiary oil known as Star Fire. The oil was created under great secrecy by the wisest sages of Mynimium, but unfortunately, every one of them had died without passing on their secrets. Rigel made it his mission to search through every library shelf and empty study until he gained knowledge of the deadly brew.

    For many moons, they had waited, and not an arrow came from the Oran camp. At night, only the army''s campfires, blending with the red soot hovering over the Crags, signaled their presence.

    "Open the gates!¡± Tylla commanded the two old sentries, who were languishing in the shade. The men draped the ropes across their backs, and feet digging into the pink sand for purchase, Mynimium''s colossal gates creaked open.

    Tylla glanced at Rigel who had suddenly appeared by her side. "Where have you been?"

    "In the library," he said, panting. "I may be able to make something close to Star Fire on my own." His brow knit as he considered something. "It may take a while to make enough of it, though."

    "Hmm," Tylla muttered.

    "Those Hornets were used against the Thrades'' attempt to siege Oran two Zars before Davadas rule," he said excitedly. "There may be some bottles of the sting hidden in the catacombs. Ah, here''s our scout." Rigel shifted his attention to Carmelle, who trotted toward the open gates.

    "Well?" said Tylla, as the sentries closed the ancient doors behind her.

    Carmelle raised a finger as Rigel handed her a water jug. Some splashed on his hand.

    "Don''t waste the water," scolded Tylla.

    "We have plenty in reserve," said Rigel, helping Carmelle dismount.

    "Perhaps we do now," Tylla countered with an anxious gaze at the stone trough, "but in three more moons in this standoff, we won''t."

    "She''s right," said Lieffen, who had jogged up to greet hem.

    Carmelle led Sola to the trough to drink then dunked in her entire head up to her shoulders. She came up shaking like a dog until her hair shot up in short red spikes.

    "Good idea, love," said Leiffen. Following Carmelle¡¯s lead, he made a comical dive head-first into the trough.

    Tylla huffed impatiently, waiting for Leiffen to finish splashing. Rigel giggled despite the hard sidelong glance his cousin gave him.

    Carmelle slid down the stone wall and sat, exhausted, on the sandy dirt. "I climbed the first crag and was able to spy on them. This helped..." she said, tossing the Illymium spyglass that had once belonged to Starlex to Rigel.

    "Careful with that, please," said Rigel, catching the spyglass and attaching it to his belt.

    "So, what did you see?" Tylla asked.

    "Nargos has joined them with several of his henchmen," Carmelle said.

    "That''s not good," said Leiffen, who emerged from the trough after submerging himself completely. He pushed his long black hair from his face then removed his sweat-soaked linen shirt, dipped it in the trough, and used it to mop his chest.

    Rigel made a quick intake of breath at the sight of the handsome Illymium''s slim and chiseled torso riddled with tattoos and a few battle scars. From his high cheekbones slicing the hot air to the twinkle in his dark eyes, Leiffen Skaard made a pretty picture. And the more time Rigel spent with him, the more he liked him.

    "So, Nargos is here," said Tylla. "What does that mean?"

    "It means he got tired of rutting your mother," said Rigel.

    Leiffen and Carmelle laughed at Rigel''s crass joke.

    "Can''t any of you be serious?" said Tylla. She pointed to the gates. "How long do you think we can hold out against an attack?"

    "Longer than we think," said Rigel. "They may have an army, but these walls are impenetrable. That gate will hold till the next Zar."

    Tylla doubted it. After all, her father, King Scipio, had breached it during the Nazeer''s siege and had taken her mother as a spoil.

    Carmelle caught Tylla''s eye and smiled. "We''ll think of something."

    Tylla nodded. "Let''s go inside and dine," she said. But even as she and her friends retired to the palace dining hall to be waiting on by the few remaining palace servants, she wondered how long their fantasy of starting their own pleasure-palace utopia would last. She tried to focus on the now and not the lingering fear of how she and her friends would one day make a foolhardy footnote in Ardelym''s historical records.

 Mudè°©rah

    Bonn fought against his heavy eyelids. He wanted to get up and move, to explore this new world, find Starlex. Maybe she survived after all, maybe¡­

    The sunlight baked his skin, worn rough from the surf, but he couldn¡¯t move his head to escape its punishing rays, so he submitted instead. His fingers relaxed around the fistfuls of sand, and he found himself gently cradled by a new world. He slowly drifted off. His sleep was peaceful at first as if he were floating on the sea that had delivered him to this strange place. But then the landscape changed to a dark, snow-filled forest. He was riding into his village on the shores of Kadaar to find it burning, his wife and son dead. From the clouds of black smoke rose a dreaded Thrade with red eyes glowing.

    Bonn awoke with a start and gazed out to sea. A fishing boat bobbed on the horizon against a blazing sunset. His stomach growled, and he wondered what he could trade for some food. He peered down at his tattered clothes. The sea had swallowed his boots and his fur-lined cape. His trousers and jerkin were dry but in tatters. Still, he thought, I can work for my supper. He clambered to his feet and waited by the shore for the boat to come in.

    At first, the men, sun-shellacked, wiry fellows who looked so similar Bonn assumed they had to be related, were wary, even scared, as Bonn approached them as they dragged their boat to shore. It took several attempts at awkward sign language for Bonn to communicate to the fishermen that he had no intention of robbing them. He would help them haul in their catch in exchange for something to eat. One look at Bonn¡¯s muscular arms and the older man agreed.

    Bonn made himself serviceable, helping the men haul the nets filled with fish from the boat and loading it onto a wagon. After they completed their labor, the men built a fire on the shore and made their supper from the day¡¯s catch, adding spiced rice to the meal.

    Bonn waited patiently until one of the men cautiously pushed a plate toward him. He thanked the fishermen in the Ardelymian common tongue. There is nothing like physical labor or warfare to bond men together, and soon they exchanged names and shy smiles around the campfire. The Skaard¡¯s new friends were brothers: Pal¨®, the older, and Miku, the younger. Both had the hard, lean muscles of men who work hard every day.

    After eating his fill, Bonn settled back on the rug the fishermen provided for him. He gazed at the sky with wonder. Only one moon, large and nearly, graced the Heavens. His eyes searched for the familiar constellations he knew since he was a boy: the dragon Quetzex with her long, curved tail or Illym¡¯s maiden, Shylah, but found neither.

    As the food settled in his stomach, Bonn closed his eyes and mouthed a silent prayer to the new Heavens, whose canopy he now slept beneath.

    Perhaps I¡¯m becoming a religious man, after all, he thought before sleep overtook him.

    For thirty nights, Bonn watched the night sky slowly shift. Each day, he worked hard with Pal¨® and Miku, who seemed more than happy to have the muscular Skaard on board to hoist the fish-laden nets from the sea.

    They labored hard from dawn till dusk, alternately fishing and selling their catch at the city market.

    The citizens of Mud¨¢rah stared with wild wonder at the man with the ice-blue eyes and golden hair, but Bonn shook off their curiosity and focused on his work. Within a few days, he had picked up on the language, and he was speaking it fluently within weeks.

    With the coin he earned selling fish, he purchased a new set of clothing from one of the stalls where a shy woman giggled at him from behind her veil. In his white linen shirt, hennaed britches, and sandals, Bonn Skaard drew fewer stares. He tamed his long hair with a piece of leather twine and even allowed Pal¨®¡¯s wife to trim his beard. He grew close to his new family, who graciously gave him a cot to sleep on in the small stable where they housed their only horse. They knew Bonn would fight to the death anyone who tried to steal it.

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    Each evening, after the day¡¯s catch was cleaned and prepped for market, he bid farewell to Pal¨® and Miko to walk every street and alleyway in the city searching for his white-hair Illymium princess. And, although it shamed him to trespass their perfumed dens, Bonn visited the local brothels. He knew how vultures targeted lone women, especially as young and beautiful as Starlex. He was relieved to find no women fitting her description and proud of himself for resisting the temptation of the brothels¡¯ sensual wares. He vowed forthwith to save himself for his one love.

    One evening, after trawling the winding streets of Mud¨¢rah, the city that had become his new home, Bonn rested on a low wall that separated the sea from the main thoroughfare. As he listened to the surf lapping against the sea wall below, he gazed up at a white-domed palace rearing over the city. Bonn regarded the structure with trepidation. He had learned from his new friends that a king resided there.

    I¡¯ve never had much use for kings or queens for that matter¡­

    His thoughts floated to Hyperia Davadas, his lady wife¡¯s lustful sister who tried her best to seduce him within the lower depths of Oran Palace.

    He gulped in the sea air, letting it clear his mind of the foul image.

    A sudden gust of perfumed wind replaced the tang of salty air. Bonn observed a stately carriage dripping with bright silks pulled by a team of two robust black horses approach.

    A female voice floated from the wagon. The driver, sitting high on an ornately-painted box, halted at the sudden command. A delicate hand parted a lavender silk curtain, and the face of a young woman appeared within the dark cleft. Bonn could not help but stare at the oval face with skin the color of dark sand and green slanted eyes the color of emeralds surrounded by thick, black lashes.

    Bonn understood at once that she was a lady of some rank, but still, he did not bow. The Skaard warrior would not bend to any man or woman in this world nor any other. The woman¡¯s red lips curled at his silent show of disobedience.

    Bonn noticed the two heavily armed riders in the rear of the lady¡¯s wagon for the first time. Bonn flinched, his hands instinctually reaching for the ax and long sword on his belt and gripping only air.

    ¡°Tie this one to the back of my wagon,¡± the green-eyed lady said to the men.

    Bonn shifted his eyes over the wall. He could jump, but the shoreline was rocky. Still, he had survived the fall through the God Gate. Anything was possible. He was about to hurl himself over the side when the first man struck with a lash of a whip across Bonn¡¯s shoulder.

    Grimacing at the searing pain, Bonn turned, grabbed the whip, and pulled the rider from the saddle. The man¡¯s armor clattered as he hit the cobblestones. The other guard, now dismounted, flew at Bonn, gladius waving over his head. Bonn knew the move well and acted accordingly, striking the man¡¯s gut with sidewinding kick and knocking him to the ground.

    ¡°Stop!¡± hissed the lady. The two guards clambered unsteadily to their feet.

    The lady¡¯s green eyes narrowed into jeweled slits as she looked Bonn up and down. ¡°Who are you?¡± Her voice was like rustling silk.

    ¡°Bonn Skaard of Kadaar,¡± Bonn said breathlessly.

    It¡¯s best not to lie in these situations.

    The lady flung back the silk and alighted swayingly from the carriage. A gold-sandaled foot stepped lightly on the gray cobblestones. Her gown of sheer green silk barely concealed the soft curves underneath. Despite her obvious beauty, it was the thing she held in her hands that pulled Bonn¡¯s attention: a bright, yellow snake coiling around her upper arm like a gold bracelet.

    ¡°Do not be afraid,¡± said the lady. Bonn looked around and noticed a crowd had gathered. He spotted Pal¨® and Miko standing next to their veiled wives. From their concerned expressions, he understood that his situation was not good.

    Again, Bonn stole a glance over the wall. He decided to jump, and he had just shifted his weight to his palms when the lady cried out a word he didn¡¯t understand.

    He felt the fire of the snakebite on the back of his neck and his legs folded under him. The next thing he knew, his head and hands were trapped within a wooden yoke, and he was being whipped from behind, forced to walk behind the lady¡¯s carriage.

    The citizens of Mud¨¢rah, including some of Bonn¡¯s new friends from the market, watched cautiously from both sides of the road as the Skaard was forced up a steep, cobblestone road toward the white-domed palace.

 Krego

    It didn¡¯t take long for Starlex to realize she had been sold to a brothel. She knew those places existed near Oran¡¯s harbors, but she had never gotten close enough to smell the cheap perfume. But here, it permeated the air with thick, pungent clouds that did little to mask the other bodily smells that turned Starlex¡¯s stomach. The brothel was filthy.

    On her first day in her new captivity, she was acclimated to her new role by being forced to bathe in the slimy, green pool. Then the older woman, whom Starlex had learned was Wallana, the younger one Jem, tossed Starlex a sheer gown of garish purple, the fabric cheap and scratchy. After Starlex pulled the gown over her head to cover her nakedness, Jem combed Starlex¡¯s long, white-blond hair, wove it into two tight braids, and then used a bit of rouge from a tiny jade pot to color Starlex¡¯s lips and cheeks.

    ¡°Jem, please listen,¡± Starlex said, resting a hand on the young woman¡¯s arm. ¡°I am an Illymium princess from Ardelym. I come from a family of great wealth and esteem. I¡­¡±

    The young woman¡¯s dark eyes narrowed. Of course, Jem didn¡¯t understand. She brushed Starlex¡¯s hand away and left the dreary room.

    Starlex¡¯s heart sank as she confronted her fate. She cupped her growing belly beneath the gown¡¯s scratchy fabric and felt her baby stir as if her child understood the danger.

    Through the window located high on the wall in her cell, she watched the sun¡¯s progress across the sky, racking her brain for some way to escape. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought of having a strange man using her to sate his lust, perhaps harm her child. And what would happen to her when her pregnancy was discovered? Like the brothels in Oran, she had also heard about places women could go to resolve unwanted pregnancies. Sometimes the mistresses of powerful men were forced to abort their children, and the women often didn¡¯t survive. The thought of losing her last possible connection to Bonn was unspeakable.

    ¡°No!¡± she thought, pacing her tiny cell. There has to be a way out.

    As if reading her mind, the bald whoremonger called Krego kicked open her door. He smiled at her lasciviously, eyeing her up and down. She backed up to escape his foul odor and horrible looks, but he stomped quickly toward her and roughly grabbed her by the arm. Knowing it would be futile, Starlex did not resist. She would have to use cunning to escape this situation, not might.

    Krego led her from the cell through the silk-draped corridor to a large room with walls painted with fading murals of debauchery. Fading sunlight streamed in through ceiling skylights. The smoking censers in each corner did little to mask the foul odor. Five women were seated on worn tapestried floor pillows, including Jem, ranging in ages from nearly a child to one older woman with hennaed hair making a bright cloud around a round face marred by heavy jowls and garish make-up. Her tired eyes scanned Starlex and then she laughed with a huff.

    So this is the routine, thought Starlex. We all sit on these woven pillows and wait for the men to come and choose¡­

    Fear gripped her as Krego plopped her down on a tapestried cushion next to Jem.

    Jem, whom Starlex guessed was supposed to be her guide, stroked Starlex arm as if to calm her.

    Krego left, and the women erupted in animated conversation. Starlex did not understand their words, but she could tell from their lingering, suspicious gazes that they were talking about her. The women exploded with derisive laughter when Jem lifted Starlex¡¯s braid to reveal her pointed ears.

    Starlex bristled at their ridicule but kept calm, praying her so-called ¡°deformities¡± would keep any customers away.

    The older woman with the bright red hair, perhaps feeling pity for Starlex, offered her a cup of wine. Starlex thanked her in the Ardelymian common tongue, for she knew no other. The wine tasted bitter, but she drank it down slowly. When the light within the chamber dimmed, Jem and one of the younger girls stood and began lighting candles. Starlex knew the men would be coming soon. She fought against a wave of nausea brought on by the wine and her frazzled nerves. There had to be some way out.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    Think! she commanded her muddled brain. Use your Illymium powers the way Flenn had always advised you.

    She would give anything for the wise sage¡¯s instruction now, but Flenn Illymium was far away, a star with the Oran galaxy that could not be observed through the small window pointed at an indifferent sky.

    Jem walked by her to offer her more wine. Starlex declined but made a gesture toward her belly. Jem chuckled as if she understood and pointed toward a bright lavender curtain. Starlex expected to find a coarse privy pot behind it, but she was surprised to discover a narrow hallway. Quietly, she padded away from the women¡¯s low chatter. She recognized with a growing horror the small rooms, three on each side, curtained off with low cushions on the floor, where the women would serve their customers.

    Her ears pricked up at the sounds coming from the chamber. She heard a man¡¯s gruff voice. The customers were arriving. She would have to act quickly. She found the privy at the end of the hall and went inside. The door closed but didn¡¯t lock. She picked up the one flickering candle and looked around. There were nothing but four filthy walls and a terrible stench that forced her out. With no route for escape, she dragged herself back to the chamber to greet her grim fate.

    A man in leather brushed past her, dragging the youngest girl behind him. They disappeared behind a curtain. Starlex heard the man¡¯s belt drop to the floor, followed by the girl¡¯s muffled groans. She moved away quickly, not wanting to listen to anymore. When she returned to the chamber, she saw two more men lounging on pillows on either side of Jem. Jem¡¯s gown was loosened front so that her small were exposed as she leaned over to pour wine for them. One man reached out with dirty fingers to fondle them.

    Starlex winced. She tried to hide behind a column, but Krego spotted her and grabbed her arm. He showed her to the men proudly, leading her a wide circle. While Krego babbled, all the time holding Starlex¡¯s forearm in a punishing grip, the men looked Starlex up and down with mounting confusion until both of them shook their heads in disgust and turned their attention back to Jem.

    Krego shoved Starlex away, and she sank with relief onto a pillow. Men came and went throughout the night. Starlex endured their crude gazes running up and down her body like she was a piece of meat hanging in the market, but none chose her.

    The brothel stayed open until the first light of dawn pressed through the skylights. By then, the women were exhausted, especially the flame-hair woman, whom Starlex overheard was called Charlet. She lay back on the cushion, snoring loudly, her painted face melted to a garish mask. Starlex noticed how the youngest girl gripped her knees tightly to her chest. Her light hair hung limply over her face, and her dull blue eyes stared at the wall. Starlex wondered sadly if this was her first night. She counted herself lucky to be so hideous that no man had desired her.

    Krego came in at dawn and loudly woke them by banging a wine goblet against the door frame. The women gathered their disheveled and soiled gowns around them, climbed unsteadily to their feet, and filed past Krego, producing any tip they had received into his open palm.

    Starlex was last in line, and when she tried to move past him quickly, he shoved her back in the chamber and kicked the door closed.

    Starlex stepped back in horror as Krego removed his belt.

    He means to make me his whore.

    Her eyes cast desperately around the room. She picked up a discarded wine goblet. It felt heavy in her hand. Her attempt to defend herself appeared only to enflame the whoremonger¡¯s lust. He moved toward her, and the goblet released from her grip as if her thoughts alone gave it trajectory and aim.

    It struck Krego square in his forehead, and he tripped over his britches pooling around his ankles. He fell forward with a groan, hitting his forehead on the floor with a heavy thud. Starlex bent over Krego and retrieved the ring of keys from his belt with trembling fingers. Krego¡¯s eyes rolled as he regained consciousness. He made a weak grab for her as she bolted toward the door.

    Desperately following splashes of early sunlight spilling through ceiling windows, Starlex ran through the maze of fluttering silks until she reached a solid wood door. The keys clanged from her unsteady hand to the floor. She picked them up and tried one large key in the lock. It fit, but wouldn¡¯t turn. She heard shouts followed by approaching footsteps as she tried the last key. It slid easily into the lock, and the metal latch turned.

    Starlex flung open the door and fled into the morning sunlight.

 Esmeralda

    Bonn awoke to the smell of jasmine and patchouli replacing the aroma of dry straw and horse manure.

    ¡°Unchain him,¡± a sultry voice, the texture of slubbed silk, commanded the boy servant.

    Cautiously, the boy, wearing a miniature version of the same white tunic and gold belted uniform as the guards, bent over Bonn and used a long key to unlock the shackles on his wrists and ankles. He then jumped back as if he expected Bonn to attack him.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Bojo,¡± Esmeralda said, patting the boy¡¯s glossy black hair. ¡°He won¡¯t harm you.¡±

    Esmeralda''s green eyes, even brighter in the soft morning light, bore into Bonn¡¯s with such intense heat he had to glance away. He sat up, rubbing his wrists until the blood flowed through them again.

    A slight smile twitched the corners of Esmeralda¡¯s full, pink lips. ¡°You must be hungry.¡± She nodded at the boy. Again, cautiously, he stepped forward on the flattened straw and set down a basket before the Skaard warrior.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Bonn said to Esmeralda.

    ¡°Leave us now,¡± she said to Bojo without shifting her gaze from the dirty Skaard warrior seated on the straw.

    The servant boy beat a hasty retreat through the stable door.

    ¡°Please,¡± Esmeralda said, gesturing toward the basket.

    Bonn grunted thanks and lifted the linen cloth draping the top of the basket. Fragrant steam floated to Bonn¡¯s nostrils and his empty stomach grumbled in anticipation.

    Esmeralda slid down the wall and sat cross-legged on the straw. Her peach-colored gown trimmed with gold stitching on the neckline and hem made a stark contrast to the rustic surroundings. Chestnut-colored hair poked out from the edge of the sheer white silk veil draped over her head and secured with a thin gold diadem. She seemed to take great delight in watching Bonn eat the soft cheese, flatbread, and fruit, washing it all down with a flagon of honeyed-tea flavored with tangy spices.

    He wiped his mouth on the linen cloth, stood, and stretched. He fed the remaining piece of fruit to the white stallion who was now alert and jangling its halter. Birdsong and fresh morning air floated in through the open window.

    ¡°Flame likes you,¡± Esmeralda said. Unfolding her legs with the grace of a trained dancer, she slowly stood. Her sandaled feet rustled the flattened straw as she approached Bonn.

    Her perfume reached Bonn¡¯s nostrils. The heady scent made his head swim for a moment.

    ¡°Flame?¡± he said, patting the horse¡¯s long nose.

    ¡°He¡¯s the fastest horse in all of Mud¨¢rah.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Bonn focused on the tall, white stallion in order to avoid Esmeralda¡¯s penetrating gaze. ¡°Where¡¯s your little friend?¡± he asked.

    She blinked her bright green eyes for a moment, then smiled slyly. ¡°You are referring to my snake? He is playing in the garden. I love to set him loose so he can scare all the servants.¡± Her laugh sounded like a tinkling bell.

    Bonn froze, not knowing how to interpret this alluring and strange creature standing so close to him.

    She reached out to pet the horse and the flesh of her forearm brushed against Bonn¡¯s tricep. Her skin was soft as silk.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you today how fast Flame is when we ride today,¡± she said.

    ¡°We¡¯re riding today?¡± Bonn asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, gently removing his hand from the horse¡¯s soft muzzle. Her small hand disappeared into Bonn''s large calloused one as she led him around the back of Flame¡¯s stall. Walking backward, her eyes trained on Bonn¡¯s, she pushed one shoulder against a slated door. It opened to a larger stable. A dirt walkway intercepted twenty-four stalls, twelve on each side. Each contained a horse. Some tall white stallions, some smaller geldings, and mares.

    Bonn whistled and said, ¡°That is some impressive horse meat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you approve Bonn Skaard,¡± cooed Esmeralda. ¡°Please choose your mount for this morning¡¯s ride.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Bonn trailed his hand along the rough-hewn wood railings. ¡°But did you not say yesterday that your servants will be suspicious of me and report to your brother, the king?¡±

    Esmeralda shaded the brilliance of her eyes with thick dark lashes. ¡°You remember well, Bonn Skaard. But do not underestimate me. I have plans for you.¡±

    Bonn stopped inspecting the horses and turned to meet her gaze. ¡°May I know what they are, my lady.¡±

    Esmeralda emitted a girlish giggle and lifted her eyes shyly. ¡°I let my household know I hired a new riding instructor. I¡¯m sure a falcon was already released from the tower to inform my brother.¡± She pouted prettily. ¡°He tried to control everything, but,¡± she smiled suddenly, revealing small, pearly-white teeth. ¡°I will fool him.¡±

    Bonn shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Riding instructor, eh?¡±

    ¡°You can ride, can¡¯t you?¡± she said, cocking her chin at him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve ridden,¡± he said.

    ¡°There¡¯s just one thing,¡± she said, pulling him along the walkway diving the stalls, keeping her eyes trained on his.

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that?¡±

    She stopped when they reached a large, watering trough.

    ¡°Remove your clothes, please.¡± She stood before him with her fists resting on the curve of her hips.

    Bonn blinked, trying to assess the situation. He found Esmeralda Saganah with the flashing green eyes a mystery, a rare and exotic animal defying easy classification. She was alluring, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he should pet her, poke her with a stick, run for the hills, or take her over his knee and give her a good spanking.

    Deciding it was best to play along, Bonn pulled the linen shirt, now lanced with pieces of straw, over his head.

    Esmeralda made a quick intake of breath at the sight of the shirtless Skaard. His muscular, battle-scarred chest, heaved as he dropped the shirt to the ground.

    ¡°The trousers and boots too,¡± she said, her tone of voice taking on the timbre of a scolding schoolmaster.

    Bonn sighed. ¡°If you insist.¡± He dropped the home-spun trousers and kicked off the suede boots he had purchased in the market stall. It seemed like such a long time ago now. He wondered what his friends Pal¨® and Miko were up to.

    ¡°What are you thinking about, Bonn Skaard?¡± asked Esmeralda with a coquettish toss of her head. A few of her chestnut curls escape from the confines of her veil to frame her oval face.

    ¡°Just that¡¯s it¡¯s a bit breezy in here,¡± he replied gruffly.

    Her chin pointed to the ceiling and she let go of a laugh.

    He now stood naked before the young woman, who looked all of eighteen, if that. Her thick lashes batted over her eyes shining like cut gems. While Bonn shifted uncomfortably under her penetrating gaze, Esmeralda slowly circled him, tracing a gold-tipped finger over his many scars.

    ¡°Please, do not nick me again, milady,¡± he said. "I do bleed rather easily."

    His attempt at gentle humor did not land well with the princess.She pulled a riding crop from the wall and lashed it lightly against his tight buttocks. ¡°I¡¯ll nick you and whip you as I see fit!¡±

    Bonn turned and grabbed the whip. They were so close now his nakedness brushed against her silk gown. He fought to keep himself from becoming aroused.

    Bonn locked his gaze on her and said, ¡°As your new riding instructor, I command you to stop this childishness.¡± It was a different tack, but it might work, he reasoned. He knew a spoiled brat when he saw one, and experience had taught him was what someone like Esmeralda really craved was discipline. He hoped so anyway. By the flash of her eyes he could just as well be immediately beheaded. At least he¡¯d go out with his pride intact, if not his trousers.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurting my arm,¡± she said with panting breath that smelled as sweet as her perfume.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop if you behave yourself,¡± he said with a cajoling tone of voice.

    ¡°All right,¡± she said with a pout. She loosened her grip on the riding crop, and Bonn tossed it across the barn.

    She made a quick intake of excited breath. Her cool hands rested lightly on his chest.

    It was all Bonn could do to tame his erection. She noticed and smiled sweetly.

    ¡°Well, if you are going to be my teacher then there is one thing that I insist upon,¡± she said.

    ¡°And what is that?¡± Bonn asked.

    ¡°I insist you have a bath!¡± Laughing wildly, she shoved his chest with her palms and he stumbled backward into the watering trough. As he fell, his hand became entangled in her dress and she tumbled in after him.

    When she emerged from the dunk, she was laughing and screaming at the same time. Bonn couldn¡¯t tell if she were ebullient or enraged, but he was concerned that her caterwauling would be heard by a member of the household. So, not having any other option available but to dunk her head under the water, and deciding against it, he clamped his mouth over hers.

    She immediately melted in his arms. Hidden beneath the water, her hand boldly searched for and found, his male member which she began to stroke with her gold-tipped nails.

    So, I am her snake now, Bonn thought, matching the girl stroke by stroke as he slipped his hand into her now soaking wet gown and ran his calloused fingers over the erect nipples topping her round young breasts.

    ¡°Oh, Bonn Skaard!¡± she cried and mounted him, her smooth young thighs gripping him like a vise.

    By that afternoon, Bonns was dressed in fine clothes his new lover had squirreled from the palace: trousers, and shirt made of finely-woven linen, a leather jerkin, and high suede boots. He rode with her along the wide white beach along the sea with a heaviness weighing down his heart.

    Feeling like less of man, he rode his mount, a chestnut gelding ten-hands tall, behind Esmeralda who rode like the wind on a white stallion, Flame.

    This girl needs no lessons riding a horse or riding a man, he thought as he dug in his heels to keep up with her. Following the fluttering red scarf on her riding costume, he acknowledged that he had chosen the best strategy, but it didn¡¯t make him feel any better about betraying his wife.

    Esmeralda¡¯s bright laughter floated on the wind as she brought her horse into a shaded cove tucked in between two high rock walls. Bonn followed. He barely had time to halt his horse when she dismounted and pulled him onto the sand for another session of lovemaking that would last until the sun dipped behind the rocks and a milky crescent moon appeared on the horizon.

 Escape

    Starlex skirted the shadows within the maze of narrow streets. She had no idea where she was running to. Her only thought was putting as much distance between her and Krego as possible. With one hand she cradled her round belly and tried to send comforting prayers to her baby.

    Don¡¯t fear, little one. We will find a way out of here. We will find a way back to your father. He will protect us both.

    But she found no strong Skaard warrior in the streets of this strange city. Only dust and heat. Somewhere a dog barked. A window opened and a matron''s head popped out.She curled her lip at Starlex and slammed the window shutters as if shutting out some evil.

    She thinks I''m a whore.

    Starlex looked down at her garish purple gown, the scratchy silk so thin she could see the dark outline of her own breasts through it. The sandals slapped against the mud bricks as she slowed her steps. It was still early morning. A creak of wheels behind her made her jump. She slipped into a shadowed doorway and waited for the merchant¡¯s cart to pass. A young boy sitting on the back of the cart caught her eye. He pointed at her and tugged his father¡¯s shirt.

    Starlex turned and quickly walked the other way, trying to remember the route the man who found her in the desert took when they entered the city. If she could pass through the city gates, she may be able to blend in among the country folk she had seen along the river banks.

    Still, I will draw too much attention dressed like this.

    Hugging herself to cover the exposure of her body through the thin gown, Starlex walked down a wide thoroughfare. It looked somewhat familiar from her ride into the city, but in truth, all the streets looked alike.

    She passed a small market booth where a man and woman, both dressed in dull linen shrouds of the common people, set up their wares. Starlex noticed bolts of plain linen on the table. Knowing she was taking a tremendous risk, she paused before the booth. Catching the woman¡¯s eye who gazed at her with incredulity mixed with fear, Starlex pointed at the linen and then her garish gown.

    ¡°Trade, please?¡± she asked in her best approximation of the common tongue she had picked up in the brothel.

    Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    The woman froze and the man stepped in front of her. He leaned back and spat in Starlex¡¯s face.

    Stunned, humiliated, Starlex retreated a few steps. Then, in a move of sudden desperation, Starlex leaped forward and grabbed the bolt of linen.

    The outraged shouts of the couple trailed her as she ran away. Her only thought was to hide within this shroud, hide the costume designating her a common whore, hide her white hair, pointed ears, and pale skin that shimmered in the bright sunlight.

    She heard voices pursuing her down the street, then the thud of horse hooves against the hard brick. A bell rang from a high tower.

    I¡¯ve made it worse now. I''ll be found and perhaps...hanged.

    Desperately, she ducked into a doorway where she was confronted by an ornately-carved wooden door. She shoved her shoulder against it. The door stuck.

    The shouts of the citizens were coming closer. It sounded like a mob had formed.

    "Please," she muttered as she slammed her full weight against the door. The hinges creaked as the door gave, opening to a walled garden. She stepped inside and closed the door behind her. Pressing her back against it, her ears attuned to the sounds of the crowd, she stood as still as a statue until the crowd passed.

    Flush with relief, she looked around. The garden walls contained a riot of brightly-colored plants with a central fountain shimmering in the morning sunlight. Several small birds, as bright as the surrounding flowers, hovered before the gargantuan blooms, their sweet music filling the warm air.She was immediately reminded of the walled garden of Oran palace. A feeling of homesickness overcame her suddenly.

    Fighting the urge to fall to the soft green grass in a fit of weeping, Starlex clung to the shadow of the high garden wall and quickly unfurled the linen. She was wrapping it around her body in an attempt to conceal the purple gown when a dark shadow cooled her.

    She looked up with wide, frightened eyes to find herself trapped in the gaze of a very tall man dressed in a long white shroud. White hair escaping from the brim of his large white hat fell to his shoulders. His long beard was white long, giving him the appearance of age, but his tan skin was without a wrinkle and his eyes, dark and intense, shone with the keenness of youth.

    A sound outside the door snatched the man''s attention. Starlex followed his gaze and heard the crowd returning, only now the crowd sounded more riled up than before. Murderous.

    They''ll kill me!

    The man''s eyes flicked back to hers. She didn''t breathe. Her fate was in the stranger''s hands. In the street beyond the gate, the sound of the stampede grew louder. She heard angry voices crying. She imagined what they were saying. "Thief! Witch! Whore!"

    "Help me!" Starlex pleaded in her Ardelymian tongue.

    Recognition flickered in the man''s intelligent brown eyes. He took a deep breath and then lifted his arm and draped the long white sleeve around Starlex''s shoulder. As the crowd raged outside the man quickly ushered Starlex through the garden and toward the house.

 Seduction

    Bonn awoke to the smell of jasmine and patchouli replacing the aroma of dry straw and horse manure.

    ¡°Unchain him,¡± a sultry voice, the texture of slubbed silk, commanded the boy servant.

    Cautiously, the boy, wearing a miniature version of the same white tunic and gold belted uniform as the guards, bent over Bonn and used a long key to unlock the shackles on his wrists and ankles. He then jumped back as if he expected Bonn to attack him.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, Bojo,¡± Esmeralda said, patting the boy¡¯s glossy black hair. ¡°He won¡¯t harm you.¡±

    Esmeralda''s green eyes, even brighter in the soft morning light, bore into Bonn¡¯s with such intense heat he had to glance away. He sat up, rubbing his wrists until the blood flowed through them again.

    A slight smile twitched the corners of Esmeralda¡¯s full, pink lips. ¡°You must be hungry.¡± She nodded at the boy. Again, cautiously, he stepped forward on the flattened straw and set down a basket before the Skaard warrior.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± Bonn said to Esmeralda.

    ¡°Leave us now,¡± she said to Bojo without shifting her gaze from the dirty Skaard warrior seated on the straw.

    The servant boy beat a hasty retreat through the stable door.

    ¡°Please,¡± Esmeralda said, gesturing toward the basket.

    Bonn grunted thanks and lifted the linen cloth draping the top of the basket. Fragrant steam floated to Bonn¡¯s nostrils and his empty stomach grumbled in anticipation.

    Esmeralda slid down the wall and sat cross-legged on the straw. Her peach-colored gown trimmed with gold stitching on the neckline and hem made a stark contrast to the rustic surroundings. Chestnut-colored hair poked out from the edge of the sheer white silk veil draped over her head and secured with a thin gold diadem. She seemed to take great delight in watching Bonn eat the soft cheese, flatbread, and fruit, washing it all down with a flagon of honeyed-tea flavored with tangy spices.

    He wiped his mouth on the linen cloth, stood, and stretched. He fed the remaining piece of fruit to the white stallion who was now alert and jangling its halter. Birdsong and fresh morning air floated in through the open window.

    ¡°Flame likes you,¡± Esmeralda said. Unfolding her legs with the grace of a trained dancer, she slowly stood. Her sandaled feet rustled the flattened straw as she approached Bonn.

    Her perfume reached Bonn¡¯s nostrils. The heady scent made his head swim for a moment.

    ¡°Flame?¡± he said, patting the horse¡¯s long nose.

    ¡°He¡¯s the fastest horse in all of Mud¨¢rah.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡± Bonn focused on the tall, white stallion in order to avoid Esmeralda¡¯s penetrating gaze. ¡°Where¡¯s your little friend?¡± he asked.

    She blinked her bright green eyes for a moment, then smiled slyly. ¡°You are referring to my snake? He is playing in the garden. I love to set him loose so he can scare all the servants.¡± Her laugh sounded like a tinkling bell.

    Bonn froze, not knowing how to interpret this alluring and strange creature standing so close to him.

    She reached out to pet the horse and the flesh of her forearm brushed against Bonn¡¯s tricep. Her skin was soft as silk.

    ¡°I¡¯ll show you today how fast Flame is when we ride today,¡± she said.

    ¡°We¡¯re riding today?¡± Bonn asked.

    ¡°Yes,¡± she said, gently removing his hand from the horse¡¯s soft muzzle. Her small hand disappeared into Bonn''s large calloused one as she led him around the back of Flame¡¯s stall. Walking backward, her eyes trained on Bonn¡¯s, she pushed one shoulder against a slated door. It opened to a larger stable. A dirt walkway intercepted twenty-four stalls, twelve on each side. Each contained a horse. Some tall white stallions, some smaller geldings, and mares.

    Bonn whistled and said, ¡°That is some impressive horse meat.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you approve Bonn Skaard,¡± cooed Esmeralda. ¡°Please choose your mount for this morning¡¯s ride.¡±

    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    Bonn trailed his hand along the rough-hewn wood railings. ¡°But did you not say yesterday that your servants will be suspicious of me and report to your brother, the king?¡±

    Esmeralda shaded the brilliance of her eyes with thick dark lashes. ¡°You remember well, Bonn Skaard. But do not underestimate me. I have plans for you.¡±

    Bonn stopped inspecting the horses and turned to meet her gaze. ¡°May I know what they are, my lady.¡±

    Esmeralda emitted a girlish giggle and lifted her eyes shyly. ¡°I let my household know I hired a new riding instructor. I¡¯m sure a falcon was already released from the tower to inform my brother.¡± She pouted prettily. ¡°He tried to control everything, but,¡± she smiled suddenly, revealing small, pearly-white teeth. ¡°I will fool him.¡±

    Bonn shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Riding instructor, eh?¡±

    ¡°You can ride, can¡¯t you?¡± she said, cocking her chin at him.

    ¡°I¡¯ve ridden,¡± he said.

    ¡°There¡¯s just one thing,¡± she said, pulling him along the walkway diving the stalls, keeping her eyes trained on his.

    ¡°Oh, what¡¯s that?¡±

    She stopped when they reached a large, watering trough.

    ¡°Remove your clothes, please.¡± She stood before him with her fists resting on the curve of her hips.

    Bonn blinked, trying to assess the situation. He found Esmeralda Saganah with the flashing green eyes a mystery, a rare and exotic animal defying easy classification. She was alluring, but he wasn¡¯t sure if he should pet her, poke her with a stick, run for the hills, or take her over his knee and give her a good spanking.

    Deciding it was best to play along, Bonn pulled the linen shirt, now lanced with pieces of straw, over his head.

    Esmeralda made a quick intake of breath at the sight of the shirtless Skaard. His muscular, battle-scarred chest, heaved as he dropped the shirt to the ground.

    ¡°The trousers and boots too,¡± she said, her tone of voice taking on the timbre of a scolding schoolmaster.

    Bonn sighed. ¡°If you insist.¡± He dropped the home-spun trousers and kicked off the suede boots he had purchased in the market stall. It seemed like such a long time ago now. He wondered what his friends Pal¨® and Miko were up to.

    ¡°What are you thinking about, Bonn Skaard?¡± asked Esmeralda with a coquettish toss of her head. A few of her chestnut curls escape from the confines of her veil to frame her oval face.

    ¡°Just that¡¯s it¡¯s a bit breezy in here,¡± he replied gruffly.

    Her chin pointed to the ceiling and she let go of a laugh.

    He now stood naked before the young woman, who looked all of eighteen, if that. Her thick lashes batted over her eyes shining like cut gems. While Bonn shifted uncomfortably under her penetrating gaze, Esmeralda slowly circled him, tracing a gold-tipped finger over his many scars.

    ¡°Please, do not nick me again, milady,¡± he said. "I do bleed rather easily."

    His attempt at gentle humor did not land well with the princess.She pulled a riding crop from the wall and lashed it lightly against his tight buttocks. ¡°I¡¯ll nick you and whip you as I see fit!¡±

    Bonn turned and grabbed the whip. They were so close now his nakedness brushed against her silk gown. He fought to keep himself from becoming aroused.

    Bonn locked his gaze on her and said, ¡°As your new riding instructor, I command you to stop this childishness.¡± It was a different tack, but it might work, he reasoned. He knew a spoiled brat when he saw one, and experience had taught him was what someone like Esmeralda really craved was discipline. He hoped so anyway. By the flash of her eyes he could just as well be immediately beheaded. At least he¡¯d go out with his pride intact, if not his trousers.

    ¡°You¡¯re hurting my arm,¡± she said with panting breath that smelled as sweet as her perfume.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stop if you behave yourself,¡± he said with a cajoling tone of voice.

    ¡°All right,¡± she said with a pout. She loosened her grip on the riding crop, and Bonn tossed it across the barn.

    She made a quick intake of excited breath. Her cool hands rested lightly on his chest.

    It was all Bonn could do to tame his erection. She noticed and smiled sweetly.

    ¡°Well, if you are going to be my teacher then there is one thing that I insist upon,¡± she said.

    ¡°And what is that?¡± Bonn asked.

    ¡°I insist you have a bath!¡± Laughing wildly, she shoved his chest with her palms and he stumbled backward into the watering trough. As he fell, his hand became entangled in her dress and she tumbled in after him.

    When she emerged from the dunk, she was laughing and screaming at the same time. Bonn couldn¡¯t tell if she were ebullient or enraged, but he was concerned that her caterwauling would be heard by a member of the household. So, not having any other option available but to dunk her head under the water, and deciding against it, he clamped his mouth over hers.

    She immediately melted in his arms. Hidden beneath the water, her hand boldly searched for and found, his male member which she began to stroke with her gold-tipped nails.

    So, I am her snake now, Bonn thought, matching the girl stroke by stroke as he slipped his hand into her now soaking wet gown and ran his calloused fingers over the erect nipples topping her round young breasts.

    ¡°Oh, Bonn Skaard!¡± she cried and mounted him, her smooth young thighs gripping him like a vise.

    By that afternoon, Bonns was dressed in fine clothes his new lover had squirreled from the palace: trousers, and shirt made of finely-woven linen, a leather jerkin, and high suede boots. He rode with her along the wide white beach along the sea with a heaviness weighing down his heart.

    Feeling like less of man, he rode his mount, a chestnut gelding ten-hands tall, behind Esmeralda who rode like the wind on a white stallion, Flame.

    This girl needs no lessons riding a horse or riding a man, he thought as he dug in his heels to keep up with her. Following the fluttering red scarf on her riding costume, he acknowledged that he had chosen the best strategy, but it didn¡¯t make him feel any better about betraying his wife.

    Esmeralda¡¯s bright laughter floated on the wind as she brought her horse into a shaded cove tucked in between two high rock walls. Bonn followed. He barely had time to halt his horse when she dismounted and pulled him onto the sand for another session of lovemaking that would last until the sun dipped behind the rocks and a milky crescent moon appeared on the horizon.

 Thelios and Starlex

    From her new room in Thelios Arakna¡¯s stately home, Starlex had watched the single moon go through its monthly cycle as she felt the child within her grow. For now, her slender frame and loose gowns Thelios had generously bought her, hid the truth of her condition. But she would not be able to hide it for long.

    Each day, as she and Thelios became closer, and he showed her more of his world, from the special herbs he grew in his garden to treat almost any ailment, to the books and scrolls in his large private library, Starlex absorbed all of it with the thirst of a pupil.

    ¡°I want to know more about you,¡± Thelios said.

    ¡°But I¡¯ve told you everything,¡± Starlex said, sipping the tea made of spicy cloves and saffron. Her gaze shifted to the carpet with its geometric patterns woven with colorful silk threads.

    Thelios stared at her until she was forced to meet his dark gaze. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me about the child you are carrying.¡±

    Starlex¡¯s felt the color rise in her cheeks.

    ¡°Do not be ashamed,¡± Thelios said with a sigh. ¡°You are not responsible for what happened to you in that infernal brothel. I am sorry if this is the result, my dear.¡± His cool large hand folded over hers in a gesture of pity. ¡°I do have herbs that will take care of it.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand,¡± Starlex said with a sudden surge of pride. ¡°No one violated me in that brothel. I am fortunate that every man who entered there found me repulsive.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± said Thelios. His dark eyes bore into her with skepticism. ¡°Go on.¡±

    ¡°This child,¡± she said, cradling her belly though the pleats in her linen gown, ¡°is mine and Bonn Skaard¡¯s.¡±

    Thelios arched a white eyebrow. ¡°And who is Bonn Skaard?¡±

    Starlex sighed sadly. ¡°My husband.¡± She stood and walked across the library to a brass spyglass and absently rotated it on its pedestal. ¡°I heard him call my name as I passed through the God Gate. I know he has to be here on the Blue Planet.¡±

    ¡°Blue Planet?¡± laughed Thelios. ¡°Is that what they call it in Ardelym?¡±

    ¡°Yes, why? What do you call it?¡±

    He sighed and placed down the empty cup. Moving slowly toward her, his white robes trailing on the tiled floor, he said, ¡°We call it the world because we know no other, especially the citizens of H¨¦pnisha, most of whom never traveled beyond her gates. Ignorance is a comfort, Starlex.¡± He was behind her now. She felt the heat from his body, but no lust which gave her comfort. ¡°You are a very special lady,¡± he said. ¡°But most, if not all, of the citizens of this world will not see you in that light. And I...¡± Holding her by the shoulders, he turned her to face him. ¡°I can¡¯t protect you forever. Eventually, they will come for you,¡± his gaze ran down her body and then returned to her face, ¡°and your child.¡±

    She made a quick intake of breath. ¡°I know that,¡± she said, nodding. ¡°But there has to be some way.¡± Her hand found his forearm and gripped tightly. ¡°Please help me find my husband. Together he and I will leave this city, eke out some existence in the wilderness if that¡¯s possible. I know I can¡¯t make it alone, but with him¡ª¡°

    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    Thelios sighed. ¡°When I first saw you standing in my garden, I thought now there is a woman I could fall in love with. And I didn¡¯t think I could ever feel that way again. But I now see you could never love me.¡±

    ¡°Please,¡± she whispered.

    He lifted a long finger and pressed it cooly against her lips. ¡°Do not worry. Despite my bruised pride, I will help you, only because you fascinate me. Perhaps, if we are unable to locate your husband, you will find a way to love me, but¡ª¡± he shrugged and turned away, ¡°that is an old fool¡¯s hope. But now,¡± his tone of voice shifted from romantic to analytical, ¡°we must come up with a plan.¡± He gently brushed past her to gaze step out on the balcony facing the garden. Chimes tinkled in the soft morning breeze; a perfumed cloud of herbs and florals wafted up to greet them. He leaned on the iron railing and gazed out at the sunny garden lost in thought.

    A ray of insight lit his forehead as he turned to her and said, ¡°Hiding you is a mistake.¡±

    Starlex stepped out of the shaded room to enter the warm sunlight. ¡°But you said the people will tear me apart if they have the chance.¡±

    ¡°The people, yes. The king, no.¡±

    ¡°The King?¡± she gasped. She had known enough rulers in her life to feel awe and fear. Her mind flashed instantly to his sister Hyperia and shuddered.

    ¡°You¡¯re not fond of royalty I assume?¡± asked Thelios with a raised eyebrow.

    ¡°Not exactly,¡± replied Starlex honestly. ¡°But why do you think the King would accept me?¡±

    ¡°Because King Sabium Saganuh is dying, frankly,¡± Thelios announced, blinking in the bright sunlight. ¡°As his personal magician, I¡¯ve been able to keep him alive for many years despite his incurable ailments. He¡¯s a difficult and eccentric man, and a desperate one I¡¯m afraid.

    ¡°What is wrong with him?¡± asked Starlex. She could only imagine rulers as healthy and strong as Scipio Davadas had been.

    ¡°An inherited illness, I¡¯m afraid. Royal family lines are particularly susceptible because they¡¯d had, throughout history, an unfortunate habit of marrying their sisters.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± Starlex said with a shudder. ¡°Is King Sabium married to his sister?¡±

    Thelios laughed and said, ¡°No. But she is another character.¡±

    ¡°The sister?¡±

    ¡°Yes, the beautiful Esmeralda Saganah. While her older brother falters, she remains the picture of health in her sister city, Mad¨¢rah. That¡¯s a fortnight''s journey away, but even at a distance, she is counting each of her brother¡¯s breaths. When he dies she will be the queen of what we call our world.¡± Thelios spread his arms wide so that the sleeves of his white robe appeared like wings. ¡°I think his hatred of her is the only thing keeping the king alive.¡±

    ¡°She sounds dreadful,¡± said Starlex, thinking suddenly of her own sister, Hyperia.

    ¡°Dreadful and very beautiful,¡± said Thelios. ¡°And also a very powerful witch.¡± He turned his back on the sunlight and his face darkened. ¡°I taught her everything she knows. And after I had shown all the mysteries I possessed she tried to have me murdered.¡±

    Starlex¡¯s violet eyes widened.

    ¡°The king protected me and here I am,¡± he smiled sadly.

    Starlex gazed at him intently. ¡°But there is more to the story. I think, if you forgive my boldness, I think you were in love with this Esmeralda.¡±

    Thelios sighed deeply. ¡°You guessed correctly, my intuitive Ardelymian princess. I couldn¡¯t resist that bountiful body nor those emerald eyes. I guess I have a weakness for beautiful witches.¡±

    He turned and took Starlex in his arms. His gesture was warm and fatherly.

    ¡°But I am no witch, sir,¡± Starlex said.

    ¡°Ah, but you only see yourself as a simple and kind, a loving being. Perhaps you will let me teach you that you are so much more.¡±

    Thelios reluctantly let Starlex''s silver strands slip through his fingers. The hem of his long robe cut the air as he turned and ducked into the library. He seemed renewed with a surge of energy suddenly. ¡°We¡¯ve been stuck inside for weeks. What do you say about going on an adventure today?¡±

    Starlex followed him inside the library. Her skin instantly cooled from the absence of sun and also fear. ¡°But won¡¯t the citizens want to kill me?¡±

    ¡°Perhaps,¡± he said, with a shrug, ¡°But I will hide you well. Your education is not complete and I must prepare you if you are to meet the king. Come along,¡± he said with a cold snap of his long fingers.

    Starlex felt she had no choice but to agree.

 The Ruins

    True to his word, Thelios concealed his new friend within a small, covered cart he kept in his small stable adjacent to the garden. To the sound of the horse''s hooves ricocheting off the city''s high walls, Starlex peeked through a slit in dark curtains covering the back of the carriage.

    From her relatively safe vantage, the city appeared less maze-like and threatening. Thelios deftly navigated the cart around each bend, stopping at times to let women carrying shopping baskets items to cross. When the street opened to a wider boulevard and Thelio''s horse increased its gait, Starlex peered through the cart''s small back window. She gasped at the sight of the behemoth white ziggurat casting its shadow across half the city. Green gardens spilled over the sides of each of its tall steps, increasing in size at each level. Its highest level was edged in gold so bright it competed with the sun.

    ¡°Is that the king¡¯s palace?¡± Starlex asked Thelios.

    ¡°Yes,¡± replied Thelios. ¡°You will meet him soon.¡±

    Starlex wasn¡¯t sure if she wanted to meet this monarch,but she held her tongue and observed the streets. The men appeared much like the citizens of Oran, but the women with their downcast eyes and their long shrouds limiting their movements seemed more heavily burdened than the women of Oran who rode astride their horses like the men and drove their own carriages. She reflected on her nightly rides through the Pale Forest on her horse, Sola. She couldn¡¯t imagine the price a woman in this city would pay for exhibiting such freedom. A billow of garish silks in a dark alley snatched her attention. She shuddered when she realized it was Krego¡¯s brothel she was observing and sank back into the darkness of the carriage.

    Thelios, seeming to sense her discomfort, flicked the whip with his wrist and the gray mare picked up the pace as they headed for the city gates.

    The market, shaded stalls selling foodstuff, linens, and spices running along both sides of the wide boulevard teemed with activity. From beyond Thelios¡¯s wide-brimmed hat, Starlex could see wavy pink mounds of desert sands in the distance.

    She pressed the flagon of water against her dry lips.

    ¡°It won¡¯t be much longer now, little one,¡± said Thelios over his shoulder.

    Cradling her belly, Starlex closed her eyes and gave into the slow rocking of the carriage. She had been only asleep for a moment and had the faintest glimmer of a dream where she was in Oran tower observing through Flenn Illymium¡¯s telescope a shower of night stars with the mother and daughter moons slipping quietly over the ice-capped peaks of Kadaar when the cart jolted to a halt.

    Thelios stretched his arms over his head with a groan and alighted from the carriage.

    ¡°Milady,¡± he said, offering Starlex his hand.

    She took it and stepped onto the warm sand, glad to see that Thelios had parked the horse and carriage in a shaded spot. While Thelios poured some water into a small bowl for the horse to drink from, Starlex saw that they were standing in what appeared to be the site of colossal ancient ruins.

    A crumbling citadel wall, as far as the eye could see, bordered a grassy savanna with scattered trees. Pillars of various heights poked jaggedly against a cloudless sky. The sun hung like a fireball over their heads.

    ¡°What is this place?¡± Starlex adjusted her veil to keep the glare from her eyes.

    ¡°This is what remains of the old city,¡± Thelios said, removing his hat to wipe a linen cloth over his face. He gazed admiringly at the ruins. ¡°Pralav¨ªa it is called." The name of the ancient city slipped off his tongue like notes from a song.

    "Come," he said, taking her hand in his and leading her through what was once the city gate. Now only half a looming wall remained to cast a long shadow over them. The other wall was composed of a pillar crumbling into a pile of sand.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡°A king ruled this city. This,¡± Thelios raised his arm and pointed admirably toward the base of an enormous pyramid some distance away, ¡°was his temple. Pralav¨ªa was cradled in the delta of two rivers which gave it life, but when the rivers dried up, the king thought that somehow he had angered his god, so he paid his people back for their labor by bringing their children right here.¡±

    Thelios stopped to pause before the pyramid¡¯s remains. ¡°They were sacrificed, sometimes thousands in one day. The king himself split their chests with his knife, pulled out their still-beating hearts, and held it up to sky god and cry for mercy, for the rain to feed the crops and fill the river.¡±

    ¡°Heavens,¡± Starlex whispered.

    Thelios¡¯ mouth made a grim, downward turn between his white beard and mustache. ¡°Those rocks still have the stain of children¡¯s blood on them.¡±

    He turned solemnly and walked toward the most preserved structure in the ruined city, two stories on one side degenerating into a crumbling mass of stone bricks on the other. Starlex trailed behind through the lengthening shadows of the pillars which once held up a roof that now lay in scattered shards, half-buried in the sand.

    Thelios waited for her at the threshold of an arched doorway. Starlex blinked into the sudden enveloping darkness. The cool, dry air had a salty tang to it. Although Starlex could barely see at all, Thelios appeared to know the way as they skirted along a wall and the floor changed from soft sand to rock.

    ¡°Watch your step, little one,¡± Thelios said, his voice an echo as he led her down a few worn stone steps leading to more darkness. A gust of cool air moaned through a chink in the wall, and for the first time, Starlex wondered if she had been wrong to trust Thelios so completely. His large hand that held hers gave no clues to his intention. Could he be leading her into a trap? A fate worst than Krego presented to her at the foul-smelling brothel?

    ¡°Where are we going?¡± she asked, hearing the alarm in her voice echo through the cavernous space.

    ¡°Patience,¡± Thelios droned.

    The wall they had been tracking along suddenly disappeared and a bright shaft of sunlight shot through an oculus in the ceiling hovering two stories above their heads.

    ¡°We¡¯ve reached the center of the pyramid, little one.¡± Thelios¡¯ tone was soft but reverential. He was panting a bit from their exertion. ¡°Rest here,¡± he said, pointing at a smooth stone slab.

    Starlex gratefully sat down. The weight of her baby pressed uncomfortably against her pelvis. She was suddenly very thirsty.

    Thelios stood in the center of the oval of light on the stone floor. He pulled a torch from a spent fire and dragged a small piece of slate along the stone slab where Starlex now sat. After three attempts, he managed to produce a spark. He lit the corner of a piece of linen cloth he kept tucked into his tooled leather belt and brought it to the torch, blowing his breath in small puffs until it flamed.

    He smiled in the yellow torchlight. He walked to the outside of the perimeter of sunlight and ran the torchlight along the wall. He gazed back at Starlex with a playful glint in his dark eyes. There on the smooth stone wall was a faded mural depicting the world she thought she had lost forever.

    ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± she said, standing slowly and walking toward the depiction of Oran Tower, pierced by bolts of lightning. The paint was faded but she could make it out plainly. She ran her fingers over the pock-marked wall.

    ¡°This mural once glistened with gold and jewels, but the thieves got to it many years ago.¡± Thelios cast his dark eyes over his shoulders. ¡°Is this your world, little one?¡±

    She trailed her fingers over the crimson sea, depicted with choppy waves and the Zetax, the sea dragon breaching from the depths, white fangs framing her gaping maw.

    Starlex stared at the mural with wide-eyed wonder, but when her fingers reached the peaks of Kadaar she sank to the stone floor and wept.

    Thelios¡¯ hand found her shoulder and pulled her softly to her feet.

    ¡°Little one, your tears have confirmed what I¡¯ve always hoped was true,¡± whispered Thelios as his gaze slid from one side to the mural to the other. ¡°Thousands of years ago the king of this city was overtaken by his people who had tolerated enough of his murderous way. One night, a group of men and women, all parents of the children he had sacrificed to his silent god, attacked his palace. There¡¯s a picture of the battle here.¡±

    Thelios swung the torchlight toward the opposite wall. ¡°The citizens only had crude tools to fight; the king¡¯s men rained down many arrows from the palace walls, but the people fought for three days and nights until the king¡¯s guards were slain one by one, and at last the king was dragged from his palace," the timbre of Thelios'' voice rose in the manner of a gifted storyteller. "They chained the king like a slave and brought him here, to the only time in nine-hundred-and-ninety-nine years when the sun is eclipsed by the moon in that location.¡± Thelios pointed dramatically to the oculus above their heads. ¡°The king was taken in chains, along with the last remaining members of his household who in the end turned on him, through that hole in the sky. He was never seen again.¡±

    Starlex tamed her beating heart enough to ask Thelios in a soft whisper, ¡°What was the king¡¯s name?¡±

    ¡°His name was Corellas Davadas the Third, the cruelest monarch who ever ruled this world.¡±