“Alcmene and Clymene step forward and remove your clothes.”

They did not hesitate, they enjoyed the looks others gave when they were naked or near naked, it was a new pleasure in and of itself, being a freedom in direct contradiction of their Temple ways. As they stood naked Otonia, Dione and Astera dressed them in underclothe, their felt and then their pieces of leather armour, including the cloak. They looked exactly like their warrior-sisters. When completed all were overjoyed for them. Thyia was composed but tearing and she wish with all her heart it was her time as well. She just knew she needed more work and prove to Charis her loyalty and devotion.

“Thyia step forward and remove all your clothes, shed your past and embrace your future if you wish to swear an oath of loyalty to me and your warrior-sisters.” announced Charis.

Her face lit up in happiness, crying tears of joy, she would now truly, fully belong. She would protect them with her life if need be and they would do the same for her, she belonged. She removed her clothes a little less enthusiastically than the twins as only Dione knew her naked. All waited and appreciated the view before them.

At Charis’ instruction the twins dressed her in underclothe, felt and the pieces of leather armour including the cloak, there was some fumbling involved and no one really knew if it was all genuine! The twins took advantage of her nakedness to explore her body with many adjustments being required and this didn’t stop until they stepped away when the dressing was completed. Thyia blushed by the end of it, even Charis thought the twins enjoyed the honour way too much!

“Your oath Thyia.” called Charis.

“I swear to serve Charis as my Mistress and bind my life to hers. I swear to keep this oath and if ever broken to be returned to those I was rescued from.” There was a slight gasp at the real life consequence of breaking her oath.

“I accept your fealty to me and I promise in return to value your life and protect it as much as possible to the limits of my power and ability. Further I will never ask you to do anything that would dishonour you or me.” Charis then reached out and hugged her. She cried with joy once more and turned to be hugged by all the warrior-sisters.

“Now let us show you our modest accommodation. There is an entrance via the Leatherwork Shop, but this is to be used only in emergency and is to be kept barred at all times, especially if there is no one in residence. This shouldn’t occur too often as the elder has agreed to stay with us here. She has a small room next to the Leatherworker’s shop on the ground so she doesn’t have to climb stairs given her venerable age. It is through this room that we will enter and exit our accommodation. For now, follow me.”

Charis led them to the back of the shop and pulling a rope, a set of ladder like steps dropped down into place from the roof. She climbed these and opened a trap door at the top. She stepped through and then helped each of the warrior-sisters through. The twins lined up strategically behind warrior-sisters that they were yet to couple or triple with admiring them, sharing thoughts and assessments between them. More partners, more often, they were addicted to the reward.

The room was a storeroom of sorts, or could be if there was anything of note in it! They then passed through a door and entered a very large training area. There were some dummies and wooden targets, although fairly sparse to be truthful. They passed a middle door and went to the end of the training area to another door. This opened into a room with a circular set of stairs – they went down and they continued up to the roof. The trapdoor was double barred from the inside.

“Downstairs is the elder’s residence. Upstairs is the roof, which is plain at the moment, although it could be used as a watch place perhaps? They all then followed her into a long hallway that ran the length of the building. The middle door from the training room was on one side and seven doors to seven rooms were on the other.

“There warrior-sisters, are your rooms. One for each of you although one has been modified for the twins and mine is larger to hold meetings and the like. All rooms are plain, but I hope over time they can be yours to change and make your own.” she smiled as she finished.

As they each opened a door they found their room equipped with a bed and a locker at the end of the bed as well as a cupboard.

“The walls aren’t thick, so don’t expect too much privacy and one thing I didn’t mention was opposite the elder’s room is a bathhouse. We have a deal with a water carrier to change the water once a day and a washer woman who will wash any clothes she finds in a basket there. There are three tubs. There is also one rule that cannot be broken by anyone.” She paused to look at each of them in turn, “No-one not of our company except for the elder is permitted to be upstairs. No reason or excuse is sufficient, absolutely none and if necessary anyone here not of our company can be killed on sight. It will mean that we must fetch and carry after ourselves, eat our meals elsewhere and a number of other inconveniences, but our safety and privacy are most important.”

Charis was pleased and decidedly happy. An inner joy sprang out as her sisters accepted their new home. Otonia and Dione followed her as Charis entered her own room.

They started unloading and unpacking the modest items they carried. Being on the road most of the time they travelled fairly light and realised their cupboard and trunk would remain largely empty. Even Charis found the same situation and felt slightly empty within herself as well as her room.

At a knock on her door, Charis turned.

“Enter.”

They closed the door behind them and they walked to Charis heads level and resolute.

“Charis, with the building have our plans changed?” asked Dione.

“We planned to go to the city, you to learn magic, Dione and me to learn something else or have these Letters been a burden for nothing?” added Otonia.

“I apologise for the surprise and the change of plans my sisters. I have been speaking with the elder and talked to her about the Lady in White. She was as upset as you that I have forgone going to the City and surprisingly it is one of the reasons she is with us now. So she can keep an eye upon us, apparently. I felt we needed to do as much as we could now and as we are. Now that we are seven, we wouldn’t be able to go to the city, even with Letters from the Magistrate. So I have decided to make Hillperch our home for now until fate moves us in another direction perhaps.”

Dione and Otonia said nothing; they just glared, digesting this new announcement.

“I sense you are upset with me and to be certain you have every right to be, although my choice is set. Neither of you have sworn fealty to me; we have a difference alliance, one of love and past experience, so I appeal to our love for forgiveness. I would never hold you to anything you don’t wish to be and so I would wish you well if you chose to leave and grant you anything that would assist you.”

Still silence. Charis was beginning to be concerned, did she hurt them so much and was she so disrespectful that they could not forgive her?

“We do not wish to leave, even though you have surprised us with this decision.” Dione responded first.

“We need to know where we are placed in the grand plan is all and would like to be there when changes are discussed,” added Otonia.

“I want you with me, always, but you are your own person, I do not bind you to my future so you can choose to stay or leave as your wish, but I have a responsibility to those that have sworn their fealty to me and I cannot take them to the city. I am a Leader to them, so I must command them. You my friends are different, you do not feel comfortable when I command you, yet at times I must. I make decisions, like this building and you wish to know. If you wish to go to the city you have my blessing although you don’t need it.”

“I owe a life debt to you Charis, which cannot be dismissed so easily. I cannot return to a travelling troupe, I have seen too much. I wish us to be simple. So Charis I swear to serve you as my Mistress and bind my life to yours until my death.” Otonia spoke softly, the weight of the decision upon her.

Before Charis could reply, Dione stepped forward.

“I owe a life debt to Otonia and where she goes I go, so Charis I also swear to serve you as my Mistress and bind my life to yours until my death.” Her voice resonated with strength and conviction.

“Are you both certain of this, you can stay here, as you are and I would still be happy in your company.”

They both knelt on one knee before her, heads bowed.

“I accept your fealty to me my loving sisters and I promise in return to value your lives and protect them as much as possible to the limits of my power and ability. Further I will never ask either of you to do anything that would dishonour you or me.” Charis shed tears as she finished and both Otonia and Dione rose and they hugged their Mistress.

“Follow me my warrior-sisters, we need to call our sisters to their first duty!”

So Charis knocked on each of their doors as she walked down the hallway, they were going to the training room to plan their next task.

Most were dressed down to their under cloth, their felt and armour resting in their rooms, given they were home and relaxed. The elder was not amongst them, she was in her room downstairs and making it her home. Her room was the only one with a stove and apart from being made from different materials and having a wooden floor it was an exact replica of her cottage, perhaps a little bigger. Even the loft bed was built in to the room, with blankets!

One corner of the Training Room was filled with a cast off collection of couches, chairs and low tables. The sisterhood quickly re-arranged them to suit their purpose of an impromptu meeting.

“My original idea on day one has perhaps not lived up to what I imagined. This place needs a bit of history and a few more homely touches perhaps. I did think to go to the Inn and celebrate as we are about to embark on a secret task tomorrow and it would be ill advised to make our presence known any more then it currently is.” There was sadness in her voice as she spoke. She thought their own building would be a perfect setup, but it takes them away from the excitement and coming and goings of an Inn and the people who regularly visit.

“So we will prepare for our journey tomorrow. I am sorry the celebration isn't as grand as it could be my sisters.”

The twins approached her and dropped their under cloth. They were naked; they didn’t bother with loin cloth. They each took a hand and led Charis to a huge thick rug and drew her down to it.

“We all appreciate what you have done for us and beg leave to attend to you.”

They kissed where they knew she liked to be kissed.

“There is no reason to be sad, you are amongst trusted sisters and we are all responsible for each other.”

They touched and massaged her where they knew she liked to be touched and massaged.

“We have a freedom that we have not known before and we owe that to you.”

They bit and sucked her where they knew she enjoyed those attentions.

“We are happy to pay to you any debt you levy upon us.”

They pleasured her directly on those parts particularly sensitive to an enlighten woman.

“If you don’t ask for payment we are so grateful that we will determine our own price and pay it and more.”

Then they repeated any and all of what was done before but in tandem as a perfect rhythm their Seer Minds linked effortlessly, such was their skill now.

“Your pleasure is as much a priority as our pleasure.”

When she responded and was about to climax they held her there but didn’t let her release.

“We have sworn service to you; we will never question any service you request as we know you value honour and trust above all, we have learnt that lesson well.”

By this time all of the warrior-sisters were following the lead the twins provided. Charis screamed in pleasure. This was repeated a number of times before Charis felt spent. The twins then turned their attentions to others that were still active and willing. By the time they were spent they were satisfied that all of their warrior-sisters, either now or previously, were well known to them, what they liked, what they loved, what peaked them to ecstasy and the twins were happy they could serve. The twins also ensured their sisters were well educated on their pleasurable preferences as they needed to strengthen their seer link to ensure they could honour their oath to their Mistress.

They knew that they were presently as strong as most, if not all of the Seers in their Temple, but also stronger in a difference sense, they were able to maintain their connection while moving, while busy do other things and they were beginning to explore another skill, if stilled, to borrow their sister’s senses, just as Dione was able to with her horse. While it wasn’t a competition they were Seers, they needed to excel beyond those around them. They were not the laughed at or forgotten anymore and they would work to ensure they could serve their Mistress, their saviour to the best of their ability and nothing less.

They looked at the naked bodies of their exhausted sisters with love and affection, in particular their Mistress and laid their heads down and went to sleep themselves fully satisifed with the day's learnings.

+++

They woke where they went to sleep the night before with many a tangled beauty lying naked on a thick comfortable rug. As one moved they all moved. They kissed and hugged each other awake to welcome the morning. Thyia was the only one who was embarrassed and her red face just attracted more attention such that everyone said to her it was alright and she only turned a brighter shade of red.

“Thank-you my sisters, I will never doubt our love again. Now gear up we must leave before we get distracted again. We will not break our fast here, we will do so at the inn at the foot of the perch.” Charis commanded.

With their armour and their cloaks they looked alike, only their height differences hinted they were different people. The Twins were deliberately placed so they were near warrior-sisters of similar height. They all created a bit of a stir as they walked down Gate Road together and it didn’t stop when they arrived at the stable. Charis needed to pay a repair bill. Apparently Dione’s horse went berserk last night when it tried to mount a mare in the Stable!

They picked up their weapons at the Gatehouse, Charis bid the Gate Captain farewell and they mounted and rode down the winding road to the bottom of the perch. Dione dropped back to Charis and whispered to her. Charis signalled a change of direction and they headed to a certain farmhouse instead. Astera was nervous about returning home, she wondered if her family would recognise her and if they did, would they approve. She was determined to face this trial, she was a sworn warrior-sister of Charis this was not life or death, just her other family.

Charis approached the farmhouse alone and was met with hesitation until she introduced herself. The farmer amazed at her transformation, the armour especially. Soon all his family joined him to meet these formidable and confident women as Charis signalled to her sisters to join her. Charis asked to break their fast at the farm and was met with a bigger welcome and a happy hustle and bustle as the family organised a meal worthy of their guests.

Most of the warrior-sisters kept their cloak hoods lowered over their faces. Some of the children tried to look under them the youngest ones tried the most although no harm was done, it was all playful fun. Astera continued with the disguise and maintained her silence like her warrior-sisters. Charis was discussing any recent news or events with the farmer. Who asked about his daughter and Charis told him she was before him now, but she commanded them all to keep unknown and mysterious. He shed a small tear, not because he couldn’t talk to his daughter, but because she was so effortlessly one of the warrior-sisters he couldn’t recognise her, his own daughter, she was truly one of them, she earnt her place and he was proud.

As soon as they were finished, Charis thanked the farmer and her offer of coin was refused as she knew it would be. Charis decided to take the sisters around the back of the perch, asking Dione to run across the scree, as close as possible to cut down the travel time. By middle of the day they were passing the mine entrance. No more work looked to be happening as weeds and grass thrived and claimed the dirt spill that was thrown from the mine. They continued on. Near dusk Dione was riding back to them.

“The trail between Maplethorn and Farstay is just ahead. Somewhere here would probably be a good place to camp Mistress.”

“Why did we bypass the Inn Mistress?” asked Astera

“Dione spotted the coat of arms of the Lord that was looking for us in Bearwatch, which Otonia and I have confirmed belonging to the Lord of the Northern Watch, so we are either in big trouble or big reward. I don’t think big reward; I don’t think our reputation is that well known. So that leaves big trouble.”

+++

The morning started normally, breaking their fast, then they mounted and rode across the trail and headed what they thought was west. Without a trail to follow they were out in the wilderness looking over their shoulder at the rising sun, resting middle of the day and following the sinking sun into the west. They eventually found a farmhouse. Charis approached alone as seven armoured mounted riders visiting could pre-empt a certain amount of panic.

The farm cottage was modest, although well maintained. Charis called from her horse and no one answered immediately. An elderly woman eventually opened the door slightly and called out.

“What do you want from an old lady farmer?”

“The way to the town of Bircharbor please?”

“Don’t know Bircharbor, but Needlepines is over yonder, just keep following the paddocks along that direction and you should be able to see the Church soon enough. Is that all?” she asked.

“Yes thank you, most appreciated.” replied Charis. The elderly woman shuffled back into her modest cottage.

Charis signalled to her warrior-sisters and they followed her. The woman was correct; with still some daylight left they should be able to reach the village before dusk. They rode hard to make sure they would make it.

As they rode down the middle of the village, they didn’t notice too much different from any other village. The main businesses being either on one side of the trail or the other; separated by the occasional cottage. Like every Innkeeper they met he or she was delighted by the business they meant to his or her establishment. This Innkeeper was no exception, he was very much skinnier than most but he was happy enough and kicked the Inn into action to stable their horses and prepare a couple of rooms for them. He then organised the evening meal.

They retired to their rooms early, as the twins were going to one room Charis stopped Alcmene and pointed to the other room. She was confused but complied. Thyia and Astera followed her. Charis, Otonia and Dione escorted Clymene into the room the twins were originally going into.

The twins were treated to the attentions of their warrior-sisters and they transferred their ecstasy and passion freely and easily between them to reach a level of climax that caused their entire bodies, in turn, to convulse in pleasure. Together they shed tears of lust and asked again. Their warrior-sisters were equally willing to agree, stopping only when they were all exhausted falling asleep.

+++

Dione was startled awake by a rush of panic from her horse. Strangers were in the stables, armed strangers and they were moving to the Inn just as dawn was breaking. Dione woke Charis and explained quickly. Charis, Otonia, Dione and Clymene were armouring up.

“They are ready also Mistress.” said Clymene. The Twin’s link was strong, even distracted with armouring and preparing Clymene was able to force her sister awake and alert them. Tell them to be ready.

Their rooms were on the ground floor so they agreed via the twins to escape via the window in each room. The intruders would be entering the Inn from the front or the back or both. Dione could only confirm they were definitely entering from the front, her horse settled. They heard the worried voices of the Innkeeper and his wife. Next the stable hand rounded the corner of the Inn and ran into Charis who caught him. He was in a panic and fleeing; there would be no making sense of him for a while. She handed him off to Otonia to try and get some information from him, she didn’t try for long as he was making too much noise and she released him.

“You have many guests, so you must have much coin! Where is it, you need to pay for last month also. What rooms are your guests in; we will take their coin also! What rooms!”

“Do not um and ah old man, tell us now or your wife will suffer.” The words being shouted, to intimidate and demonstrate they owned this Inn and perhaps the village.

“Thank you. I knew you would understand.”

Hearing this Charis knew they didn’t have much time so she called for action.

“Dione and Clymene I need you to get a view on the stable but ensure no one in the Inn can see you, go!”

“With me, now.” ordered Charis. She led the rest of the sisters behind a nearby cottage.

“Otonia stay and if someone pokes their head out of a window throw a knife to kill”

They then worked around to another cottage until they could see the backdoor of the Inn and the stable. When the occupant was about to protest, Charis put her finger to her lips and handed them a silver coin.

“Alcmene, make contact with your sister and tell her to tell Dione to make her horse carry on and make as much noise as possible and when she sees intruders reach the stable tell her to stop.”

One of the intruders exited the back door of the Inn. Stopped to look each way and then started to head for the stable. Before he took another step an arrow sprouted from his leg. He went to ground and tried to crawl back into the Inn reaching for the door handle. When he couldn’t reach it he started to yell for help. Another intruder ran from the stable and tried to pick him up. An arrow sprouted from his leg and he fell to the ground with the other man and the arrows in both men dug in deeper.

Then they heard a scream and then silence.

“What is going on here!” a man yelled from inside the Inn.

“Tell me what is going on old man!” Then a female screamed.

“Dione says via her horse she can see an intruder with the Innkeeper, a knife to his throat.” said Alcmene.

Otonia joined them then.

“There was a man looking out of the window, he has a knife in his eye at the moment, as you heard he didn’t die silently.”

“Astera, go with Otonia to recover the knife and confirm the intruder is dead and meet us at the back door.” commanded Charis

“Where are you bastards! If you don’t show I will kill him!” yelled a desperate man.

Charis led Alcmene and Thyia towards the back door bow drawn on the prone men.

“Hit them behind the head please.”

Thyia took to the task with gusto and they were unconscious. She then tied them back to back.

Charis opened the back door and helped the Innkeeper’s wife out of the Inn.

“He is still out the front of the Inn, Charis.” Alcmene said.

“Otonia, Astera and Alcmene approach from the room side and see if you can surprise him, Alcmene ask Dione via your sister to distract him with her horse when you are in position and then shortly after settle her horse. Make a throw if you can cleanly. Thyia with me, we will go stable side but won’t take any action until Dione’s horse settles.”

Charis and Thyia heard Dione’s horse make a noise and then when they were half way along, her horse settled. As they rounded the corner the intruder was holding his throat, a knife was sticking out of it, the knife point out front. The Innkeeper was backing away from the dying man who was reaching behind him to remove the knife in his throat.

Charis approached the Innkeeper, still in a state of shock. She held him and led him back inside the Inn and poured him a drink from his own stock. She asked Astera and Thyia to check on the men tied up and let his wife know he was safe in his Inn having a drink. Dione and Clymene were called in by Alcmene. Otonia was assisting Charis with the Innkeeper trying to calm him down. As his wife entered the Common Room she ran to him, they were glad to be alive and hugged. Shortly after, the stable hand cautiously entered the common room.

“Who are those men?” asked Charis.

“There are more, there are always more. Different each time, they take a little from all the in the village. We are a poor village so occasionally they take food.”

“Where do they come from?” asked Charis.

“We don’t know, they come into the village from different directions, from where we don’t know. The village will pay for the deaths of these men. They will come for revenge and payment.”

“How long will it take for them to miss these men?” asked Charis.

“I am not sure, it has never happened before, I fear we are all going to die!”

Not yet we aren’t, thought Charis because maybe we could use the Innkeeper’s fear.

“Do we know if any of the prisoners are still alive?” asked Charis

They inspected the captives and one was dead. They cut him loose and added him to the pyre set for the other two. They stored the dead men’s arms and armour in the stable in case they were needed, although their quality was doubtful, unusual for successful bandits thought Charis.

“We are sorry that we have killed these men, but they planned to steal and possibly kill us. We will take all the horses and leave you with one so you can let the last man go free and have a horse. We ask you to wait until tomorrow morning to give us a day head start. Is that alright?” asked Charis.

“So you kill these men and now you leave us to face the consequences!” The Innkeeper’s eyes wide in shock.

“You will be able to blame us and to prove you weren’t involved, as soon as you were able, you released their man. Now, company get ready to leave, make sure you take all the horses but one so the Innkeeper can use it to assist the captive. We will need to make a good head start if we are to have any chance.”

---

When they were well away from the village they stopped to make further plans away from any ears.

“Thank you for the trust sisters.” started Charis.

“It is a given Mistress.” responded Astera.

“Dione, please tell me your horse is already being used to carry the prisoner back to his friends!”

“How did you know?”

“The Innkeeper was scared, he would have released the prisoner the very heartbeat we left the village. I take it the prisoner isn’t riding towards us?”

“No he doesn’t ride to Bircharbor. He rides more northerly.”

“Well we best follow him and fast. Dione can you encourage your horse to jump something to cause the rider to fall so he is delayed a little?” Dione smiled.

They circled to the north of Needlepines so they could follow him, in parallel to his direction as they didn’t want to be directly behind him, neither did they want to meet him coming from a different direction in case he needed to turn on some pre-set course. Eventually he turned north-west so they needed to slow in case they crossed paths.

Dione was in constant contact with her horse now as he descended into a narrow valley, Otonia held the reins of the horse she rode and they all travelled a little slower. Her stallion wound its way around for a fair distance and then a man stepped out of cover. He recognised the man on the horse and signalled to another hidden across from him to help him. They continued deeper into the valley eventually ending in a patch of green with a small waterfall feeding a pond with four buildings around it.

“Were you followed?” growled their leader.

“No, the Innkeeper released me early; the ones who ambushed us left earlier, but asked the Innkeeper to not release me until the morning to give them a head start. He pleaded with me to say they didn’t know this was going to happen.”

“Well we can’t have three of us killed without some consequence and perhaps the Innkeeper knows more than he is saying. We will send four to the village tomorrow to ask him about what he knows.”

Dione’s horse was stabled with the rest. There were fifteen horses so Charis estimated that was the number of men they were facing. The Innkeeper said they arrived into the village from different directions so she expected the men would leave the valley and not ride directly to the village. She placed some alerts on possible paths and then situated her company in the middle so they could deploy to ambush them. They spent the rest of the day looking for ambush sites along their possible paths. In the end there were too many, the best place to ambush them was when they exited the valley. The problem with this was it would be easy for one of them to escape back to where they came from.

They rested in a hollow near the valley exit and were wakened when one of Charis’ alerts signalled to her. The sun was in the east just rising, so the bandits would be looking into it when they attacked.

Charis used the alerts as range markers so as they tripped she knew how close the riders were. When they were within close range she rose out of the hollow and aimed at the last in line. They were riding loosely together, two out front and then two in single file. She took her time and released. The arrow pierced the back of his neck and exploded out of his throat. He was choking on his own blood before he hit the ground. Charis released again and the second last rider was taken in the back and slumped forward onto the neck of his horse.

The first two stopped and looked around. Charis released again and as he looked at her the arrow pierced his eye and broke out of his skull. The other rider was targeted by everyone else. The twins missed completely their daggers going astray. Otonia and Dione both hit with their sling stones while Astera and Thyia were running around to block their escape if required. The last rider turned and kicked his horse to escape. Charis released again and he caught an arrow in the side. He also caught at least one sling stone and the twins managed to hit with one of their dagger throws and it struck his leg.

As the horse gathered speed Astera and Thyia charged and raised their shields and yelled. The horsed reared up and threw its rider to the ground. Dione quickly gathered the horses while Otonia checked to see if any lived; she used a horse to drag them into a pile at the far end of the hollow. Charis tried to cover any bloodstains and tracks so they could use the ambush site again if possible. One thing Charis noticed, for successful brigands they didn’t have very good arms or armour. The leather was very light and they carried axes, slings and no shields the same as the men killed at the Inn.