Karlo went to the rest and dining area meant for the servants and staff as soon as he returned, he knew exactly what to do. The recent guest had servants walking with a spring in their every step, such was the eagerness that they had to perform their duties well. The wealth she cast about like it was nothing, the rumors of enormous tips left for servants, which were dispelled as not just rumors quite quickly, it had all his colleagues more anxious than ever for time at work and a chance to shine.

He, unfortunately, drew envious, even hateful looks from them at his unique personal access to the wealthy woman, but these were buried each time when the chance came to ask him questions. Now though? Now he had his own as he flopped himself into a chair in their rest area and set a gold coin next to him at the table.

He didn’t have to wait long. “Hi Kara.” He said as he began playing with the coin on the table. Kara saw him and buried her frown immediately.

“Hi Karlo, I didn’t think I’d see you for a few hours, not out spending money today?” She dug at him a little, then reached up and brushed her dark hair back with her left hand. It fell far back down to her waist, and most of the time, he found her beautiful. With her petite rounded face and almond shaped dark eyes common to the dark elves from farther East, her long tan ears twitched with annoyance when she saw the gold.

“Funny. No, she’s gone off for a bit and won’t be back for awhile, I’m working with her slaves somewhat, but… listen…” He took the coin in hand and began to ‘walk it’ end over end through his fingertips, “She’s been very generous, especially about knowing the goings on in this city.”

“Rubbing it in? I always thought that was beneath you, Karlo.” Kara said unhappily. “We all got decent money, but now you’re getting more and…”

Karlo flipped the gold coin into the air and caught it with a snatch of his hand, grabbing it out of the air. “Listen Kara, I don’t think I’m better than any of you, and ‘believe me’ when I say I’m not ‘better off’ for this, money aside. But, this is just how things happened, it could have just as easily been you as me in this position. But I need your help.”

“Help?” Kara asked, her dark eyes coming up to his, inquisitive, curious… exotic and entrancing, he now felt none of that as he pressed on.

“Yes.” Karlo said and put the gold coin into her hand. “First, I think she plans to stay here, and so she’s asked me to find out everything that goes on. Even people who aren’t guests, come for the food, and you’re… well you’ve always got your ear to the ground, working over in the dining area as you do. Come to me with anything, rumors, new guests, everything filthy or clean. I’ll pay you for everything you bring me. Understand?”

Kara looked down into her palm at the gold coin and back up to Karlo’s waiting face. ‘It’s funny, for a guy with such a baby face, I never thought he’d have a side like this to him. Guess you never know.’ Kara pondered, and closed her hand over the coin. “Fine, if I hear any rumors or suspicious talk, anything from a disgusting fetish to a back room deal, I’ll come to you.”

“Good, and get your friends in on this, trust me… I can’t say anything more on this but…” He leaned in close, and whispered into the dark tanned ears he’d often lain awake at night aching to nibble upon and whisper lustful nothings into, “whatever wealth everyone ‘thinks’ she has… they’re underrating it by the length of a dozen bowshots. I can’t tell you more, but play this right, play along, whisper secrets only to me, and one day you could…”

“Own my own inn.” She finished the words for him.

He could feel her smile without a touch.

“Two of em.” He said with one last whisper before he drew himself back.

Her dark eyes sparkled as she put away the coin. “You’re such a good friend, Karlo, I never should have doubted you.” She said and gave him a small hug before she stepped away, suddenly seemingly finding she had no interest in taking a break.

‘There we go, Kara is such a social butterfly that I should have no problem gathering whatever I need, to keep the monsters happy, and to keep Lady Kaiji safe. They may or may not hurt me if I fail, but… it's easier for the mistress to just hurt Lady Kaiji to punish me. She could do that publicly if she wanted, and who would say a word, then what could I do? Stars damn them…” He said as he clenched his fists and brought his hand up to his face. “Calm down, the mistress and her pet monster are gone, so at least Lady Kaiji is safe for now, and all you have to do is what they want, and the Lady will stay as she is, free from harm.” He muttered, and then thought, ‘I should go see them… no harm in that, I even have a reason, telling her what I’ve learned today, that should be worth plenty!’

“So three idiots managed to oversleep, doesn’t matter. Losing three idiots is an object lesson for the rest. If you’re going to stay up all night raping some village whore, who cares, but if you miss our departure time, you’re on your own. I’m not missing out on a prize like the Prince of Komestra because of three hardons that won’t go down.” Bracer said as he dismissed the remarks of his second.

“But sir, don’t we need every sword we can use for this?” A large bear of a man said from beside his right hand, his hands gestured imploringly, fingers curling and uncurling, in Bracer’s mind, it was an aggressive sort of body language for a mild verbal pitch.

A laugh escaped Bracer’s lips, “No, Beren, no. We need ‘my’ sword, the rest of you are along for the trip because you make it marginally easier to move the stock and carry the plunder. I especially don’t need three idiots whose only stamina lies between their legs. They’ll either catch up on their own, or wander off, or stay there in that burnt out husk using their plaything until we come back this way and pick them up. No matter what, it just doesn’t matter.”

“Sir… well can I at least suggest we go a little bit slower, the men are tired, it won’t do any good to get there and then be too exhausted to fight.” Beren said in his bear like voice.

“They’re lazy.” Bracer said dismissively, “A little work will do them some good, we’re not going to be fighting peasants with pitchforks and kitchen knives this time. We’re going to be taking on a real military unit. They’d better be strong enough to handle it, this is nothing.”

“Then can we at least raid a village along the way? Give them a little sport before the big fight, you know.” Beren implored, and after a moment’s quiet, Bracer sighed, exasperated.

“Fine.” Bracer raised his finger, “One village, but after everybody’s done, no survivors, get off a few times in whatever you want, but then kill them, nobody oversleeps the next day because they stayed up all night playing with their toys.”

Beren sighed with relief and clapped his hands together, bowing his head, “Thank you, boss!” He seemed almost visibly moved, with his eyes watering and all.

Bracer shrugged it off and snorted, ‘You could almost forget that he’s grateful because of his preference for boys and he didn’t find any that could survive him last time. Don’t break your toys every time, idiot, and you won’t have this problem!’ When he had this thought, Bracer looked over each of his shoulder to the crude, large sacks he now kept his toys tied up in. Their once lustrous long white hair was now tangled and bedraggled, hanging outside the bags slung over both sides of his saddle.

Their hate filled eyes glared at him. But when he held out bread by hand, they bit at it. They would chew, and swallow. But the glare of hatred never left their eyes. All he could see was their heads, their wrists and ankles were tied, and their bodies thrust into large sacks which were then secured around their necks creating a full body, miniature prison. All he had to do then was tie the two sacks together and put the rope over the back of his saddle, and they’d just ride there, in reach whenever he wanted to touch or taunt them.

“Who wants to fight for their sister tonight?” He asked with an evil grin, and both said a defiant ‘Me.’

“Fine, both of you, then neither gets a pass when you lose.” He chuckled, and to that they had no answer but the ongoing glare of hate.

“OK yes that would count as dangerous.” Prince Rasgen replied when Ulmin informed him of Ander’s information. The Prince’s face didn’t waver in the slightest, though Sobella looked at her Prince as if his cock had just fallen off.

“My dear… did you not hear him properly? He said that the woman can steal years with a touch. This is cause for great concern, we can’t let her come within reach of you again!” Sobella exclaimed and thrust her hand onto her mate’s arm.

The Prince looked at the door as if willing there to be no one on the other side of the council room.

“My heart…” Prince Rasgen said, covering the hands she’d laid on his arm, and leaning closer to her, “I realize that is dangerous as powers go, but remember… she kept her gloves on the whole time. Assuming that what Anders said is true, and we can’t necessarily credit that… Captain Aiwenor seems to take precautions to keep this at bay.

“Kill her.” General Leaman groused. “Find something to charge her with, even if it’s not liking her hair, and kill her.”

Prince Rasgen closed his eyes and sighed. “Your zeal is appreciated, General. But your suggestion is, for the present, rejected. Besides, I do like her hair.” He smirked at Sobella, and drew a broader smile to her face to replace her previous anxiety.

“My Prince, your bravery is commendable, but Prince Sado was brave too. Reckless courage is no virtue.” Sobella remarked and leaning to one side, she rubbed the far side of her horn against his head affectionately.

“I’m more concerned about the currency issue, after the letter I got this morning from the treasury house, they don’t have enough currency on hand to change the coins she’s spending. I’m honestly at a loss for what to do here.” He swallowed, hard, and the Prince fixed him with a hard look.

“You’re not telling me everything… are you? Come on man! I’ve never punished any of you for giving me bad news!” Rasgen urged and leaned forward anxiously.

“Sire, we can manage for now, but if she continues using those liberally, eventually more and more people will turn them in, in exchange for local currency. What happens when we run ‘out’ or when people ‘think’ we have run out?” Ulmin said with a stark tone and intense look, his withered old hands were gripping the table to the point where his knuckles turned white.

‘What? So what if they do? What’s it matter?’ Rasgen turned to Sobella, who looked at him with the same face of confusion he wore, the other old men around the table wore ever more worried expressions.

“Old man, give it to me, I don’t understand it.” Rasgen said and balled up a fist on his chair.

A swelling of pride ran through the breasts of the old men who watched him grow up. “The beginning of wisdom and knowing, is to say, ‘I know not’.” Minister Barsam said solemnly, folding one hand into the other and bowing his head.

It was faint, but genuine praise. And after he acknowledged the Minister of Faith, Ulmin explained. “My Prince, it could create a run on the treasury house, if people withdraw all their money, we won’t be able to make loans, no new loans, no new ventures. We won’t be able to pay our own people, and neither will anybody else. The merchants of all fields will hoard coin for themselves, prices will shoot higher than the tallest castle spire. If nobody buys, nobody produces, black markets will rise, and our tax revenues collapse. The wealthier nobles will… present company excluded, abandon the city, and then…” He took a coin of Nua’s and laid it on its side, and pushed it away. It rolled down the very tiny slope of the table, until it fell off the edge, and clattered to the floor where the faint echo of its wobbly spin continued until there was only silence when it stopped.

“You’re telling me she can topple us by… spending money. That’s what you’re telling me right now?” Prince Rasgen looked at his table of advisors with open mouthed awe.

“Yes, My Prince. That is exactly what I’m telling you. “She could do it entirely by accident, she seems to have no real awareness… yet, of just how much more valuable her coins are than ours.”

“She will.” Sobella said decisively, “We had dinner with her, she’s not an idiot, but she genuinely seems to care nothing for money, which means at least we won’t have her outraged at us for cheating her. I dislike this, but… My Prince, we really do have only two choices. We either kill her… her bodyguard… and it would probably be best to dispose of her slaves…”

“Or?” Prince Rasgen replied, feeling there was more to be said as she paused to let that sink in.

“Or we bring her into the fold. we need to keep these coins out of general circulation, and the best way to do that is to get her to put them into our hands.” Sobella’s deep red eyes narrowed, “And I know exactly how to do it…”

Nua woke up happy with the feeling of a burning sensation on her breast. Solution’s burning hand drew away when she sat up. “I’m going to do that every time you grab me in your sleep.” The cold blue eyes of the monster said she meant every word.

Nua began to dress in the privacy of their small tent and smiled back at the sadist. “Teacher, even pain from you is something of a comfort, like I’m paying the price ahead of the time, for all the things I’m about to do.”

“Do?” Solution cocked her head and stretched her mouth into her wide smile, her eyes widened and stared at the student who worshipped her.

Nua bent to pick up her armor, answering with the action, only for Solution to yank it out of reach. Nua, resigned, held her arms up and allowed Solution to dress her. “Yes, a fair number of people are going to die because of me, innocent people. I guess that is something I’m going to have to get used to, if I want to stand on top.” Nua stretched out when her armor and clothes were on. “Funny, as much as I hated that evil country for everything they did to me, I kind of… understand them a little better now.”

“That isn’t surprising, Student.” Solution said, and pressed herself intimately close, her smooth hands and arms were not burning Nua in that instant, it was an intimate caress with no space for air to pass between their breasts, and Solution’s wandering hands made their way to Nua’s cheeks. “You want him back… you’ll kill for that… and kill, and kill. Even when you don’t kill, some will die because of your choices. I trained you as an assassin, as Raymond did, in the ways of the Black. Assassins kill lone targets or small numbers. But you want ‘power’ over masses.” She whispered in a throaty voice into Nua’s ear, “Do all that you must do… and it ‘may’ be so. To command a city, a country, an empire… is to kill more with the stroke of a quill over breakfast, than the most skilled duelist or gladiator in a lifetime. Will you be that person… or break, I wonder.”

Nua savored the feel of the hot breath of the Teacher in her ear, and whispered with breath cold as death, “I told you, didn’t I, Teacher?” Nua brought her left hand up her teacher’s back, and caressed the soft throat with her magicine hand and the living gem that craved only death, “I will carve my kingdom and rule it, or I will dig my grave, and rule over that instead. You didn’t train me to be weak.”

They broke the intimate moment in the same breath, and Nua extended her hands, allowing Solution to finish her servant’s tasks, and exited the tent at the same time. The sun was not yet up, but blessedly it hadn’t rained that night, and so there was no squelching of mud beneath their feet.

“Everybody up!” Nua shouted, the sentries whirled around in alarm, and the sound of scrambling in many tents as the men and women struggled to obey and put on their clothing and equipment. Chaos ruled the little camp for the short span of time it took to make ready.

Clambering limbs and struggling bodies grabbed at this and that to get themselves ready and fall into position in front of where Nua and Solution stood. Finally Sergeant Vargas stammered out, “Ah, Captain Aiwenor, we’re ready.”

Nua raised a dubious eyebrow. “No, no you definitely are not ready, but we haven’t time for more. I’m going to spend a ‘lot’ of time drilling you lumps of slave meat into something worthy of the equipment you’re now wearing. Do you have any idea what you’re carrying?”

Blank expressions met her. “You’re wearing a blend of orichalcum and adamantite metal enchanted against slashing damage. Your weapons are seventy percent adamantite… ah, that means seven out of every ten pieces used to make it, were adamantite. Your arrows are platinum tipped and your bows enchanted for range. You could know nothing about how to fight, and come out unscathed… unless you felt like slamming your nose against an iron bar again.” Nua turned a look to Vargas… who blushed in embarrassment before they began to look at the fortune they now wore.

“Right. And you’re acting like a trash militia. Sergeant Vargas, when we camp tonight, you are going to be the last other than the sentries, to rest. You ensure every one of your soldiers has all their equipment laid out exactly the same way in their own space. Also, the last sentry on shift will wake the camp when the sun starts to crest the horizon. Questions?”

Mute stares were her answer, and it was more than enough.

“Good, break down the tents and ensure you’ve pocketed your field rations. You’re eating on the march today. We’ll stop long enough to check the next village, but after that we’re not stopping till we reach our destination.” Nua barked the last of her orders and walked away with Solution at her side to mount their horses and wait for her slaves to finish breaking down the camp.

When they were ready, the march went forward in earnest, Nua rode beside Solution, and so savored the feel of the outdoors, the gentle breeze, the slowly rising sun in the distance. Every breath was deep and happy, and as if compelled to do so, she began to sing again.

“Sky above and earth below”

“No one says where I can go…”

“These hands of mine and what they make”

“None near or far can ever take…”

She sang a song of liberation, written by a bard after the fall of the land of her bondage, one of many songs of her people far away expressing the same sentiment.

And she chuckled a bit when the slaves behind her caught her off guard with mild applause. “Heh, I forget I have an audience in times like this.” She said with a fair amount of amusement, and embarrassment for herself.

“Oh, do the one about the Death of Gilcrest!” Solution grinned.

“Teacher, you surprise me again, first I learn that you can sing incredibly well, now that you enjoy music just like, well, me, or anyone else.” Nua looked over at her Teacher in surprise.

Solution raised her nose into the air, “I’ll have you know that my creator designed me to be not only beautiful to look at, but also to be competent in many other areas.”

“Alright fair enough.” Nua said, then tugged off her right glove and checked her palm. “Just a moment though.” She said and swiftly drew her knife and sliced the palm open again. She then wiped the knife clean and sheathed it, and held the glove out for Solution to put back on her again.

Desiring to prevent the same response from the slaves back at the hotel, Nua turned her head over her shoulder and said, “I vowed to bear a wound there until my goal was achieved. That is all you need to know.”

It cut off all questions immediately, and she began to sing of the battle of Commonton and the defeat of King Astraka’s army by a handful of demihumans, humans, and undead soldiers.

The reaction at the end, was shock. “Undead?!” Jumped from most of their lips before they could still their speech.

“Yes, undead.” Nua said calmly, “In my religion, the undead are tools, it’s very common for a dearly loved family member to bequeath his body to ‘The Turning’ and be raised as a skeleton so he can continue to work the land he loved in life, or help his family by serving them after death. Some poor have made a quick profit by doing the same in return for payment in life. The Dark Savior developed the temple structure so that our temples could provide rental of controlled undead in exchange for payments. In this way our temples can heal anyone for free. Far better than the old system that charged for it.”

“To us, who serve the one god, unlife is nothing to fear. Largely I think because our god himself is undead. And he is… truly… truly amazing. I met him twice… no Prince or King or Emperor could ever compare.”

Silence greeted her.

She looked back over her shoulder, “Was it something I said?” She asked, but before an answer could come, she felt Solution’s hand on her shoulder. She turned back to face the front again, and she saw where Solution was pointing. A fading plume of smoke was rising into the air.