Before they left Lengwin's office, Gersius requested a suit of armor to wear for the event. Lengwin was sure they had something in the armory that would fit him and would help convey the prestige of the Dragon Knight. Gersius made arrangements to return later, and they set off.

They made their way across the city to the far walls. Here the land rolled down in a gentle slope, and the houses were built in steps. The temple of Ulustrah was right outside the wall with a prominent position along the cobble road. It was a large structure made mostly of stone but so overgrown with plants and greenery that it was hard to tell what was the temple and what was the garden. It had a paved circular yard before it with the familiar basin of water that all her Temples had. The yards around it had low stone walls that were brimming with flowers.

Lilly took an interest in one of the flowers and bent down to stare at it with wonder. It was a large flower with delicate pink petals. One petal was prominent, and it jutted out of the flower and curled downwards. It had two black spots on the curled surface, almost as if it had eyes.

“Ooh,” she said as she bent down to look at it. “This flower is beautiful, maybe I could be named after this one?”

Thayle burst out laughing and had to cover her face as tears came to her eyes.

“What is so funny?” Lilly asked Gersius as he struggled not to join Thayle.

“I think perhaps you would not like to be named pig snout,” he told her.

“Pig snout?” Lilly repeated as she looked at the strange flower.

There were no priests in the yard, so they walked through the open doors into a worship room much like Thayles temple in Pinehollow. It was a little wider but perhaps three times as long. Two dozen wooden benches lined the central aisle way. The floor was flagstone except right down the middle where a green rug with golden vines ran from the doorway to an alter. The alter itself was a white stone carved to look like a tree stump with vines and flowers all around it. Real flowers were planted in small pots and tucked around it, giving it an image of being alive with growth.

There was a water shrine on both the right and left walls. Each was a silver basin with the familiar sunbeam coming through a hole in the roof. They could see the roots of plants hanging down from above and heard the water as it dripped into the bowl below.

Three women and one man all in full armor and each with shield and staff in hand were busily talking near the alter.

“Greetings servants of Ulustrah,” Thayle called out as they approached.

All of them looked up at her with surprise. One of them a thin woman with white hair as short as Gersius’s stepped forward. She had the face of a woman who was used to making decisions, and she wore the golden vines and leaves of head priestess on her armors shoulder plate.

“Greetings priestess,” the woman said in a firm but aged voice. She looked at Thayle with interest noting the same golden vines and leaves on her robe. Her gaze fell on Gersius who wore the colors of Ulustrah but no insignia of rank. When she looked at Lilly in her blue dress, holding a basket of bread, one of which she even now nibbled on the woman's jaw fell open.

“Be at peace priestess. We are here to make a request for aid,” Thayle said.

The woman's gaze came back to Thayle, and as sour look came to her face.

“What request does a priestess with a mark of shame have to make in my temple?” the woman said, her voice stern.

Thayle felt her blood boil at the foolish remark. She had encountered one member of her order since receiving the mark, and already she had been poorly treated.

“First of all, I would like to deliver you a letter. It comes from High Priest Lengwin of the order of Astikar,” Thayle said, handing the woman the letter.

The woman took it with a snap of her hands. “No doubt he wishes us to hand over the temple,” she said angrily. She scanned the document and looked up at Thayle with dubious eyes. “This is a trick?” the woman said.

“For Ulustrah's sake, woman! Just use the aura sight and ask me if it is true or not,” Thayle replied.

The woman scowled at her. “This letter says he refuses to follow the orders of his Father Abbot. It also says so long as he is the head of Astikar in this region no temple will take action against Ulustrah. He assures me you are his friend and a trusted ally. So all of this is true?” the woman asked.

“Yes, every word of it, he penned it himself not an hour ago,” Thayle replied.

The woman seemed to relax a little as the truth was revealed in Thayles aura.

“Well, that is better news than we were expecting. Our scryer has been in contact with Eastgate. There was a great deal of trouble there.”

“Can you tell me what happened?” Thayle asked.

“I will not,” The woman said scowling back at Thayle. “You have delivered your message now go.”

Gersius looked at Thayle with concerned eyes.

Thayle practically glowed with anger.

“I have not made my request yet,” Thayle said, folding her arms over her chest.

“You may not make it at all. You are marked, do not defile our temple with your presence,” the older woman barked.

Gersius felt Lilly’s anger spike, and she put her hands over his and squeezed tightly.

“You arrogant child! The mark is a sign of forgiveness, not exile. I am still a worshiper of Ulustrah, and I, arrogant Priestess, outrank you!” Thayle delivered with a commanding voice.

The woman sputtered waving her hand in Thayles direction as if to dismiss her words.

“Your rank is meaningless here. I am the head priestess of this temple. You stand inside my commission. Only the Prime or a grand priestess can overrule me!”

“Then I suggest you start to ask for forgiveness,” Gersius said his voice dripping with disapproval.

The woman turned to him with a scowl of distaste. “And who are you? You have no mark of rank, no designation of order. Who are you to be addressing me?”

Gersius felt something terrible in his mind and looked at Lilly whose eyes burned with blue murder.

“You had better learn to speak to my husband and wife with more respect!” Lilly barked in her dual voice.

The sound of the voice made the woman jump back, and all eyes in the room suddenly turned to Lilly, noting the fire that burned in them.

“You address your betters as if they were beneath you! You address a grand priestess of your order, and you address the next Emperor of the dragon empire!”

The woman went pale as Lilly’s aura pulsed with the light of truth.

“Who are you people?” she said, taking a step back.

“I am Grand Priestess Thayle, Governess commander of the third company,” Thayle said boldly. “This is Gersius, former Knight-Captain of the order of Astikar, now the High Dragon Knight.”

The woman went pale at the mention of his name, and a look of horror passed over her.

“And this,” Thayle said, walking past Gersius and the now frazzled woman who still backed away slowly. “This is the Lady Lilly,” she said, reaching Lilly and taking her free hand in her own. She leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss, then turned to face the woman who was practically halfway back across the room.

“Out of all of us here, Lilly is by far the most deadly. I do not recommend you upset her again,” Thayle pointed out.

“What do you want of us?” The woman practically begged.

“I want to know if you have a private house or estate outside the city. We need a place to stay for a few days.”

“We have a small country estate. It is only a few acres of land with some vegetable gardens,” the woman said.

“Good, we will be taking your best room at the estate,” Thayle said.

“Of course Grand Priestess. I will arrange rooms for your friends as well,” the woman said.

“You didn’t listen to me. We require only one room,” Thayle said again.

The woman's eyes narrowed as she studied their auras.

“Did you not listen to the lady Lilly either? He is her husband, and I am her wife,” Thayle added.

The woman's face twitched, and she struggled to look strong and proud.

“Very well,” the woman said, her voice and her face struggling to hide her shock.

Thayle walked toward her and locked her eyes.

“I have two more commands to give you priestess,” she said as she stalked in. “One, none of you will talk about this meeting until afternoon tomorrow, and even then, you will never mention Lilly to anyone! She paused a moment to let that sink in. “Two, you and every member of Ulustrahs staff will gather in the city square at noon for a proclamation. You will all be their Priestess, as will the priests of Astikar!”

The woman looked as if she was going to faint with rage as her face flushed red.

“Now, find somebody to take us to our room. We have been traveling a long time I require a bath and a bed,” Thayle added with a toss of her hair.

The woman turned and spoke to the male of their order sending him to escort them to the estate.

“Well that was not what I expected,” Gersius said as they left the temple behind.

“Did you think arrogance and bad manners were a trait unique to Astikars followers?” Thayle said, still annoyed.

Gersius saw Lilly take her hand as they walked and she leaned into her a little. “I am sorry that woman said those mean things to you,” Lilly said softly.

“It is alright, Lilly. I knew there would be some who would see the mark and react poorly,” Thayle said.

“I wanted to kill that woman,” Lilly said her voice going low.

“I know you did sweetheart, I felt it across the bind.”

The man before them stumbled as he heard their words.

“You there, what is your name?” Thayle asked.

The man looked over his shoulder at them as they walked down the earthen road.

“I am Malvin, sub priest to priestess Rachel,” he said in a pleasant voice.

He was tall and thin with short brown hair much like Gersius's, but it was more neatly trimmed and styled with a firm part. He wore simple silver mail with green plate shoulders and a tunic of green and gold with the familiar plow and bundle of grain.

“Is your priestess always so disagreeable?” Thayle asked.

“She is very stressed at the moment. We have more acolytes than actual priests. She is not sure how to protect all those that need protecting. Your letter should do much to soothe her worries.”

“That does not excuse her mistreating Thayle over the mark,” Gersius said his tone sour.

“To be honest, I have never seen a mark before,” the man said. “I doubt she has either.”

“Just because she has not seen one before does not excuse her behavior,” Gersius said.

“I think she has too much to worry about, and she was using the mark as an excuse not to add you to her list of concerns,” he replied.

“She has that much to worry about?” Thayle asked.

“She wants to protect the temple, and the acolytes all while still serving the people. She has only five full priests counting herself that she can put under arms. The local temple of Astikar has at least twenty. Not to mention that we are not trained heavily for battle, we are all priests. None of us, well besides you, are soldiers. I saw her aura twitch when you introduced your husband as Gersius. We all know that name well. He is who they were looking for at Eastgate.”

“What happened at Eastgate?” Thayle asked.

“The priests of Astikar searched it for you him, but found nothing. They left in a great deal of anger and with many threats. Later assassins slipped into the temple from a cliff side garden. Governess Commander Alayse intercepted several of them and raised the alarm. From what we understand, they had already killed several women and in the fighting that followed killed several more.”

“We should never have gone there,” Gersius said.

Thayle took his arm and tried to steady him as Malvin continued.

“From what we have been told, one of the assassins was interrogated. They were looking for you,” he said, turning to glance at Thayle. “Governess Commander Alayse beat the information out of one of them before killing her.”

“Why are they looking for me?” Thayle asked.

Malvin glanced at her again. “They think you can lead them to Gersius. They knew he wasn't in the temple, but they thought you might still be there.”

“Ulustrah protect,” Thayle whispered.

“Prime Arlin has denounced the order of Astikar publicly for their treachery. There have been reprisals in at least a dozen different locations, the worst one being Calathen. They burned the temple and publicly executed the Priestess's on duty there. They have outlawed the worship of Ulustrah in all lands that will cooperate with them.”

“That is an open declaration of war!” Gersius stated.

“How can that man be so cruel?” Thayle gasped.

“He will not hold his position much longer,” Gersius said as he put his arm around her and hugged her to himself.

Malvin looked over his shoulder at Gersius when he heard his words.

“If you pardon my being so bold, but what is it you three are actually doing?” he asked.

Thayle looked up at Gersius and then at Lilly.

“Go ahead and tell him,” Lilly said. “After tomorrow it won’t be a secret anyway.”

Gersius looked up at the man as they began to descend a gentle hill.

“I am going to take a dragon with me to Calathen. I am going to claim the title of dragon knight and unite the kingdoms to recreate the dragon empire and end the war with the Doan.”

Malvin was quiet a moment, and then he asked the obvious question.

“Wouldn’t you need a dragon to do that?”

Thayle laughed a bit as Lilly commented about how she still couldn’t believe nobody knew.

“Did I say something funny?” Malvin asked.

“Did you happen to look at Lady Lilly's aura?” Gersius asked.

“No, I have not taken a very good look at any of you,” he replied. “I doubt any of them saw your auras besides head priestess Rachel.”

“Perhaps you should take a look now,” Thayle said.

He stopped and turned around and looked with bright brown eyes at Lilly, eyes that suddenly grew wider by what he saw.

“What is that over her head?” he asked pointing.

“It is her true form. What you see here now is a disguise,” Thayle said.

“It is her true form?” he asked as he worked it out.

“Yes, Lilly is a dragon,” Gersius stated.

The man nearly fell over from the news, and he took a trembling step back.

“So that’s what you meant when you said she was the most dangerous,” he stammered.

Thayle nodded as he trembled before them.

He struggled to get his composure and then looked at them all again. “And what is this red chain that encloses you all?”

“That is a secret we do not wish to share yet,” Gersius said.

He looked at Gersius with concern. “So all this is a secret?”

“We intend to reveal most of it tomorrow at the proclamation. I would appreciate it if you kept it until after then,” Gersius said.

“On my honor,” Malvin said bowing slightly. His face suddenly scrunched up, and he tilted his head. “Didn't she say you were her husband and wife?”

“She did,” Gersius replied.

“So you are all married? All three of you?” he asked again.

You can see our auras,” Thayle sighed. “Don't we share light like lovers?”

“Of course, Grand Priestess. I do see it clearly, I just, I mean such a thing is unheard of.”

“Have you ever seen a dragon before?” Lilly asked.

“I, no, no, I have not,” he replied.

“Do you know anybody who has?” she asked again.

“I cannot say I know of anybody who has seen a dragon ever, and even the stories I know must be hundreds of years old by now.”

“Then how can you say what is or isn’t unheard of? We dragons are very rare, so it stands to reason you do not have any experience with our ways.”

“That is true. I have no experience, to be honest.”

“Then you will have to take me at my word when I say that I love Gersius and Thayle and that such a love is not unheard of, just very rare, like dragons are.”

“I understand, Lady Lilly,” he said.

“Good, I hate to repeat myself to you rodents,” she said teasingly and drawing a stare from both Gersius and Thayle.

“Rodents?” Malvin said.

He led them another mile outside the city to a large house with two levels in front, and a small three-story attached building in the rear. It had a walled-in courtyard that linked several smaller buildings together. The bulk of the structure looked to be made of wattle and daub with the rear building made of fired bricks. The wall around the perimeter was eight feet tall and covered over in plaster painted a shade of white that had gone green in many places with moss.

There was a single iron gate in the front where three women in brown dresses of similar make stood with nervous looks on their faces.

“Are those girls standing guard?” Gersius asked as they approached.

“I suspect they are,” Malvin said just before he reached them. “Greetings Acolytes Ulain, Herrian, and Kendra,” Malvin said with a smile. “Where is priest Kilgian?”

“He is dealing with the problem at the garden gate,” one of the women said, a short girl with reddish-brown hair that she wore in a tail from the back of her head.

“There is a problem with the garden gate?” Malvin asked.

“All three girls blushed at once, and the reddish haired girl spoke again. “Acolytes Deeries has an admirer who tried to sneak in through the gate to see her. Priest Kilgian was making sure he understood he was not welcome to come back.”

Thayle giggled and covered her own smile.

Malvin smiled as well and shook his head. “I suppose he can be forgiven. His attention was clearly needed elsewhere.”

As if on cue, a large man in full armor appeared across the yard driving a woman in a brown dress before him. She was pleading with the man, but he only pointed and told her to get inside the house.

“Ah here comes the good shepherd now,” Malvin said with a smile.

Lilly glanced at the man in his full green plate armor over silver mail just like Gersius was wearing. He looked strong with a thick head of curly back hair that was slightly longer than Gersius's and a beard that ringed his face. He had deeply troubled eyes, and he carried a sizable two-handed club that was ringed with spikes at one end.

“Priest Malvin!” the big man called out in a deep voice as he saw them at the gate. “Did you bring me some assistance? I can't watch both gates at once, and many of these girls have fools trying to sneak in to see them.”

Malvin walked through the gate and shook the man's hand. “I regret they are honored guests, and not here to help. They are here to rest, and they are to be given special privilege.”

“A pity,” the big man said as he reached the gates. “Off with you girls, the west garden still needs weeding,” he said dismissing the women who all scurried away in short order.

“Now who have you brought me?” he asked as he looked them over.

Malvin smiled and walked up to Thayle. “This is Grand Priestess Thayle, Governess commander of the third company.”

Kilgian snapped to attention and bowed to her gently.

Malvin then stood by Gersius. “this is Lord Gersius, of Astikar and friend of the temple of Ulustrah.”

Kilgian's eyes narrowed at the name, and his brow looked heavy.

Malvin went to Lilly and winked at her. “This is the lady Lilly, a mysterious secret of a woman and one you must never reveal anything about.”

Kilgian looked at all three of them and frowned. “If you wanted the acolytes to be out of harm's way, why did you send the eye of the storm to hide among them?” he said. “Forgive me, Grand Priestess Thayle, but I know you come from Eastgate and that you are being hunted. And you!” he said, turning to face Gersius. “Your name is one people only speak of in whispers or curses. You are a doom to everyone you pass.” Finally, he turned to Lilly. “You are the most unusual of them all, your aura radiates great power. I can see the head of a beast over you.”

Lilly glared back at him as he paced a few steps inside the yard.

“I can see all of you are all linked somehow, tied with red chains that bind you together. You share your light like a fire shares it's warmth, with a great outpouring of energy.”

“We do not want to bring any harm or trouble here,” Gersius said. “We only need a place to stay for a few days. Then we will have to march south and west.”

“South and west? You are heading for the frontier keeps?” Kilgian asked.

“We will eventually. I intend to lead an army over the serpentine and into the steppes,” Gersius said in a plain voice.

Kilgian looked at Malvin who only shrugged.

“What is it I do not understand?” the big man asked.

“You and your acolytes are to be in the city square by noon tomorrow for an important proclamation by high priest Lengwin of Astikar.”

“That would be suicide. The priests of Astikar are attacking us all across the kingdoms.” Kilgian said.

“We have received a letter of guarantee from Lengwin himself that neither he nor any member of his order will harm us,” Malvin replied. “He has vowed that so long as he is in command the order of Astikar will not raise a sword against us.”

Kilgian looked at them all trying to deduce the mystery.

“You will get all your questions answered there,” Gersius said.

The big man softened his scowl and looked directly at Gersius. “I do not welcome trouble here. I am but one man and from what I understand the trouble that follows you comes in great numbers. Please do not put my charges in danger.”

Gersius nodded. “You have a caring heart. We did not know your order was using this location to keep the acolytes safe when we asked for refuge. You have my word; we will stay only a few days, and we will do nothing to draw the trouble that follows me here.”

Kilgian nodded and looked at Malvin. “I assume you will need the guest suite for the priestess and some single rooms for her friends then.”

Malvin shook his head. “No, my friend, they will only be needing one bed.”

Kilgian looked back at Gersius with a sideways glance. “Just what these silly girls need, a bad example.”

Thayle laughed again as his words reminded her of her time as an acolyte.

Malvin took them inside and led them into the house. The building was clean with a central dining hall on the ground floor that featured two long tables with benches. In another room was a small library and a few plush chairs. There were doors into rooms they didn't get to see, but the bulk of the property was made up of small bedrooms that slept one or two people on simple cots. They wound their way to the back of the property where the brick building began. This space had larger rooms on the ground floor with three beds in each.

“This whole building was added for distinguished guests. The ground floor is for any servants they might bring.”

He led them up a flight of stairs and into another room that had a thick woven rug on the floor that had a pattern of vines and flowers that repeated over and over. Several chairs and tables were arranged around a small fireplace that sat in the rooms south wall. Tall full windows graced two of the walls and were hung with thick draperies.

“This space was meant to be a parlor for the visiting guests. Meals can be served here if you wish. I will leave word with the kitchen staff to send someone to see to your needs,” Malvin added.

Finally, they reached the top level and a lavish bedroom. There were rugs over most of the floor, and curtains on the walls. A large desk with a mirror over in one corner. The windows were narrower, and they were hung with white lace that allowed the light in but obscured the view from the outside. There were some chairs, a table, a small bookcase with perhaps a dozen books, some paintings of fields of crops ready for harvest, but featured prominently in the center of the room was a huge canopied bed in green and gold that could sleep six people comfortably. It had massive dark reddish beams that held up a canopy made of green silk tied with golden cords. It was all carved to resemble trees and evoked a veritable forest. In front of it on the wall was another fireplace with a nook beside filled with split wood.

Malvin walked in and smiled. “This entire building will be your refuge for the next couple of days,” he said.

“This is better than my private quarters in Calathen,” Gersius said.

They all looked around the room, and Thayle decided to ask a question. “Is there perhaps someplace I could take a bath?”

Malvin smiled and walked the wall right beside the stairwell they had just come up. There on the wall was a large green curtain. He pulled it aside to reveal a small room tiled in white and green with a large copper tub tucked tightly in.

“There is a small bucket of stones to heat if you want them,” he said with a smile.

“How will we get the water up here?” Gersius asked. “We are three floors up.”

“Gersius we are servants of Ulustrah,” Malvin said, and he walked up to the tub. Next to it was a round basin with a hole in the bottom. He leaned over the basin and uttered a word of power, and water slowly began to fill the basin. The outer lip of the bowl hung over the tub at a slight angle so that when the water poured into the tub.

“Speak the word again to stop the flow. When you want to empty it, there is a drain in the bottom, just pull the leather plug out.”

Thayle listened to the water begin to fall into the tub with glee.

“I will leave you to your baths,” he said with a smile. “I will have the kitchen send somebody up in a couple of hours. They will ring a bell from the servants level, just keep an ear out.” With that, he left them alone.

Thayle walked to the tub and took a small stone from the bucket and blessed it, dropping it into the water as it rose in the copper tub.

“What are you doing?” Lilly asked.

Thayle smiled and looked at Lilly. “Sweet dragon, you are about to have a whole new experience in life, one you will wish you had done years ago,” she said as she dropped another heated stone into the water.

“I will go downstairs and wait while you two have your baths,” Gersius said, turning to walk to the stairs.

“Gersius,” Thayle called out as he reached the steps. “You should stay.”

“Thayle, we have spoken about this. You can have all the time you need. There is no rush.”

“Yes, and you have been a perfect gentleman, patient, kind, nurturing. You have made no demands of me at all, and yet you do not hesitate to call me your wife.”

“You are my wife,” he said.

She walked up to him and put a hand to his chest and looked up into his eyes. “I love hearing you call me your wife,” she said gently. “I am honored to be your wife, and I am flattered that you treat me with such great respect.”

“Of course, you do not deserve any less.”

“You and Lilly are my very heart, and I want to be open to both of you now,” she said.

“You are sure?” Gersius asked.

“I am sure,” Thayle said with a smile and planted a gentle kiss. “Now, your wives are going to take a bath together. You need to stay to wash our hair.”

“I think I can manage to do that,” he said, smiling.

She leaned forward and put a hand behind his head, cradling him. “Afterwards I suggest you take one yourself, you need it more than we do,” she said with a sniff.

Gersius smiled as Thayle filled the tub and then with a shy glance, cast her robe aside. The next few hours were some of the happiest moments of his life. Lilly loved the bath, and both women sighed as he rubbed their heads while washing their hair. When they were done, he took one after them and then settled in for a long night. As the sun set Thayle did indeed prove that she was ready.