The next morning broke with bright sunlight. No one would reckon Death Season to be virtually upon the land, perhaps Judge celebrated. Mud instead of dirt covered the fire pit after the torrent of rain and servants took to throwing seeds into it. They ignored the fact Birth Season was well and truly over, Growing Season waning, pointing to the blazing sun in the sky by way of explanation. When questioned they also reminded those asking, Plant Month was named Plant Month for a reason.

The fourteen stakes in the Keep Courtyard were strange fixtures left over from a more dangerous time as they held no purpose now. The effort to remove them would result in them remaining in place for at least the near future. The area now clean, the storm washing away the blood and filth of a couple of days. The servants avoided the Courtyard if they could and none willing to set foot within the staked area.

Charis and Helice untangled themselves from each other and their blankets. Their clothes reasonably dry, their armour was still in the process of drying as the fireplace burnt out during the night. Helice stoked the fireplace back into life.

“Is the elder awake and available?” Charis asked.

After a moment’s pause, “Yes Mistress, Clymene found her in her room still.”

Using Helice and Clymene to relay their conversations, Charis, and the elder discussed her recently gained night sight. Both satisfied that her night sight and the night sight they “borrowed” from the strangers, who could see in the dark, wasn’t similar, it was identical. The elder’s experience, although with the one eye, identical to Charis’ current sight.

Charis paced unknowingly in front of the fireplace, stopping when Helice embraced her from behind.

“Your lineage maybe shared Mistress; it doesn’t follow you will be cruel and heartless, you are honourable and loving. Otherwise why would we follow you?”

Charis and Helice cheek against cheek, Charis lent her head back slightly and stole a kiss, missing and feathering her lips on Helice’s nose. Helice released Charis from their embrace, used her hands to cup her Mistress’ face, and drew it to her for a full sensual kiss, which lingered.

“You will always be judged by your deeds Mistress.”

“Thank you, sometimes I doubt,” her lips trembled into a smile, “we must break our fast and start the day there is still danger. The High Priest still lives.”

Helice locked the door behind them as they exited the Seer’s Room in their woollen underclothes.

Charis and Helice strolled down the steps leading to the Main Hall attracted by the aromas of the morning fare. The Baron and his father the Castellan seated about to dine welcomed Charis and Helice to the table. A servant hurried to the Kitchen.

“The Courtyard is empty and the ground cleansed by rain. My servants refuse to approach the place,” the Baron said, studying Charis as she seated herself at the table.

Charis for her part continued sitting in one smooth motion as did Helice. She knew he would ask questions since the Magistrate acted without the grace of conferring with him first.

“Yes Lord Baron, the Courtyard has an evil ‘stink’ about it, although with the removal of the false knights and priests it should fade with time.”

“You avoided My Lord Baron’s question,” the Castellan said.

“Has the Magistrate not introduced himself as yet?”

“No!” the Baron growled.

The servant placed a trencher filled with stew in front of Charis and Helice, and smartly retreated to the Kitchen. The interruption allowed the Baron to recover his composure.

“He apparently berated one of my guards late last night to gain entry to the Keep and then one of my few servants still awake in the Keep to be shown to a Room. Yet to be seen he and his Inquisitors are, still to break their fast.”

“I apologise Baron, I acted upon the Magistrate’s request. He requested I hand the prisoners over to the Temple of Judge, him being its representative.”

“I concede they were your prisoners. They were still on my land, in fact in my Keep and I would expect a pleasantry between equals not amiss.”

Charis and Helice continued to eat, aware the atmosphere darkening somewhat with each bite. The Baroness arrived then. Those around the table stood while she seated herself in a careful well-mannered way, savouring the courtesy.

“Baron, the Daughters of the Duchess claim the goods and chattels of the fallen Priests and Knights as our prize and booty. Compensation for the protection and food supplied to date to the Barony and the yet to arrive food.” Charis thought to state their claim in full and quick.

Charis observed the Baron place his hand on the Baroness’ arm, gently, lightly, followed by a glance. The Baroness poised to argue, instead, a vein in her neck throbbed, and her face shaded a light red.

“A share of the booty as you say would be valuable and tremendous benefit to our small Barony therefore with great reluctance I concede this boon to your Order. Although, I must insist you empty the room the High Priest occupied. Again my servants sense its evil stink and refuse to enter it.”

Helice glanced at Charis quickly reassured, as Charis remained neutral, ignoring the small smirk the Baroness cast her way. The Magistrate and his two Inquisitors then joined the table, sitting on Charis’ side of the table.

“My Lord Baron, I owe you an apology for my lack of manners last night. I hope you can forgive me, Judge does not rest, or wait for men when evil is uncovered. While I requested the prisoners, I expected the answer to be yes. I didn’t allow the Daughters of the Duchess much freedom in this due to the urgency.”

A servant reappeared and then disappeared leaving behind a meal for the Magistrate and his two Inquisitors.

“Eat Magistrate, I accept your apology and bow to the will of Judge as do all God faring men,” the Baron said.

The Magistrate bowed his head slightly. Charis didn’t comprehend how the Baron, rather easily forgave the slight, the Baroness equally sedate and accepting, more surprisingly.

“Yes, Magistrate please accept our hospitality as we accept your protection from evil,” the Baroness followed up politely.

Charis patted Helice’s leg to calm her as she tensed. Those still living in the Keep knew where the food part of the hospitality came from, no point stating the obvious.

“Magistrate, I need to ask a favour if I could,” Charis asked.

He raised an eyebrow as his head snaked politely toward Charis.

“The fallen High Priest has a room in the Keep and the servants sense the evil within. I would beg a favour. Would you please bless the room in the name of Judge and perhaps cleanse it?”

“Are there valuables or stolen goods in the room perhaps?”

“I am afraid I need to be crass. The Daughters claim all of their goods and chattels as booty. Please all acknowledge the credit raised to provide succour to the Keep used the Duchess’ good name and we need to repay that debt. I would of course pay a tithe to Judge for your services and would further commission you to bless the Keep’s Courtyard as it was the Daughters who used the ground to imprison the evil and it is proper and right we restore it.”

“Most honourable Mistress Charis,” the Castellan hollered.

Charis secretly smiled, somehow the old Baron became her ally, in small ways, although important ways.

“Would I be able to peruse and if there is value there compensate you Mistress Charis,” the Magistrate asked.

The Castellan whooped long and loud, face red. He settled once satisfied all gaped at him, now the centre of attention.

“They carried false relics and trinkets, the aim being to trap the innocent into evil. As we broke our fast one last time with them, their bravado overcame their good sense and they revealed more of their purpose. The room contains instruments to consecrate this Keep for evil. Given the false knights and priests enthralled to him I trust the High Priest in this.”

“How will you handle this evil Mistress Charis?” the Magistrate asked.

“With your blessing we will be able to remove them from the Keep, and then I intend to burn or melt any contents cleansing it with fire. This will destroy the value of some items, those well-crafted in particular; still it is a small price to save our souls.”

The Magistrate pushed back the wooden plate his trencher arrived on and lent back in his chair. The Baron sipped his goblet of water, waiting.

“I will perform the blessing as you request although I wouldn’t be a servant of Judge if I didn’t keep a close eye upon you in the coming days in case you are seduced by this evil.”

“I welcome your protection Magistrate,” Charis responded.

Charis lent into him, feigning to hug him and show relief.

“I carry this risk because I fear the High Priest’s skill worked best against the most devote, please, I beg you, take care when you bless the room. I would be distraught if you fell also,” Charis whispered.

To his credit, he didn’t react in any obvious way outwardly. Charis knew though, he perspired immediately and his heartbeat strummed loudly and rapidly.

Charis released the Magistrate and asked her leave from the Baron. Charis and Helice strode from the Great Hall to leave the Baron and the Magistrate to talk without the commoner overhearing. She didn’t accept for an instant, the Baron would apparently forgive the Magistrate quickly and easily. Charis was also sure if there was any advantage on offer the Baroness would be keen to realise it.

---

Dione was safely in the Stables when the rainstorm hit, hence by morning she was armoured, armed, and ready for duty, Dione having relieved Otonia. She broke her fast and then began her duty.

Thyia was off duty and asleep when the rainstorm hit therefore she was armoured and armed and on duty at the barracks. Astera, Dirce, and Drosis were not fortunate, assigned to the barracks they assisted with the burning of the knights and caught in the storm. Their armour and clothes were dry though as Thyia kept up the wood to the barracks stove overnight. She smiled warmly when she saw Astera, like a mother hen, arm wrapped around each of the initiates, sharing blankets and warmth. She also made sure no Keep’s Guard strayed into the Daughters’ Barracks and kept to their own.

Dione ran to the Gate with a sinking feeling. She halted her rush sharply relieved, the Gate to the Keep standing securely closed and barred. She climbed the stairs of the Gatehouse relieved to greet Thyia leaning on a crenels surveying beyond the Keep walls.

Charis and Helice immediately hastened to the Gate and started to climb the stairs of the Gatehouse.

“Morning Mistress and Helice, I haven’t seen any wagons so what do your sisters tell you of their progress?” Thyia asked, once they climbed to the top of the Gatehouse.

“They are underway, although the mud on the trail slows them, they don’t know when they will be here, still they are hopeful before dusk,” Helice answered.

“I also notice our prisoners are gone, so what of them?” Dione asked.

“Apelles arrived on dusk and his God passed Judgement on them and now they are burnt bones in the same pit as their slain,” Charis answered.

“I would say the Judgement just; they felt unnerving to be around. I was glad we were not standing as near to them as the Keep’s guards were.” Dione answered, taking a bite of an apple.

“How thoroughly did we search them for items, particularly the High Priest?” Charis asked.

“As well as we could with the number of them and the time available. We needed to be concerned about the wounds left behind, they needed to appear like plausible wounds where we could,” Helice replied.

“Where are the Keep’s Guards now?”

“I haven’t seen them break their fast as yet, so they should be in their barracks?” Thyia replied.

“Thanks Thyia and Dione, Helice with me, we need to check on them,” Charis commanded.

They leapt from the last stone step and were out of the Gatehouse in a hurry; Charis felt the urgency and regretted her banter when breaking her fast.

They were approaching the Keep’s Guards Barracks when yelling and violence reached their ears from the Daughter’s Barracks. They hurried past the first barracks and entered the second through the open door and saw a naked Astera with shield high, fending off three of the Keep’s Guards, trying to keep them away from Dirce and Drosis on the floor, not moving and probably wounded or worse.

Charis and Helice charged, the thought of being without armour discarded as they both depended upon surprise, never hesitating striking the two nearest to them with dual daggers each. Helice, a blooded assassin, two kills and skilful enough for many more, her target collapsed covered in his own blood. Charis managed to wound and distract her target and as his attention fixated on her, Astera struck him in the back of the head to defend her and lay her target low.

The third distracted, glancing at the fall of his comrades and Charis and Helice charging him yelling, with blooded daggers held high. As a smile dressed his lips, savouring the easy kills, Astera shield bashed him. Slowly recovering he dragged and stumbled to attack again, undeterred his accomplices were stunned or dead, determined. Astera prepared to defend again and then he fell into her shield. A small knife erupted from his ear.

Astera glanced over and saw Helice satisfied, her throwing arm raised, readying for a second throw if required. Astera surveyed the scene, the fight was over, leaving the dying moaning in pain to disturb the new peace. With her shield at rest by her side, Astera magnificently displayed her naked glory, feint sheen of sweat covering her completely tanned body. Helice couldn’t resist admiring her and wondering when she found the time to sun herself. Helice balked at the thought, “sun herself”, this is battle is it not, did she have time for such questions.

Charis scrambled quickly to her Initiates, tearing cloth from her underclothe to bandage mainly arm and hand wounds, where they tried to shield themselves with their own flesh. Being nearly naked, it was easy to locate a sword thrust in the torso of Drosis, bleeding out although occasional consciousness gave hope everything important was missed and the other, Dirce slashed across her chest, equally bloody, although the underclothe she wore soaked up most of it.

Charis decided to heal both at the same time; she couldn’t chose between them and placed one hand on the most grievous wounds of each. She willed the magic from her gold ring, silver ring, and silver circle until she felt them exhausted of magic. It took exactly a bell of time for this to happen and no one left the barracks, in fact, they all gathered around their Mistress who became the total focus of their attention. Helice offered Astera another underclothe, slightly red faced when she did, which was unusual for a Seer and hugged Astera to cover her embarrassment. The second guard died in his own blood from neglect, the sisters being distracted.

The two initiates protected by Astera woke with a start, saw Charis, and hugged her.

“We dreamed we were attacked, wounded, covered in our own blood.”

“You are whole and healthy, check your bodies yourself.”

They stared at themselves, patting down their bodies and limbs in disbelief, skin healed, and no pain. Drosis stared at Dirce, who noticing the attention lifted her gaze. Eyes locked, widening as each moment passed.

“Drosis please check my back, my skin … my skin when I hugged the Mistress, what has happened?” she whimpered.

Drosis needed to tear away the remnants of Dirce’s underclothe, seeing her back naked for the first time.

“Dirce, your back is normal, no wounds, why are you concerned?”

“Mistress my back has been scarred since I was a young child; if they are no longer there you must ...” She burst into tears of joy and hugged Charis fiercely.

“Mistress you must be blessed by Ure herself! Never seen or heard of such healing, although I acknowledge I am not worldly. I offer my service to you, my life if necessary; I am yours to command always. You performed a true miracle!” Dirce pleaded, kissing Charis’ hands reverently and in awe.

Drosis added her oath and wrapped her arms around Charis and Dirce. Her life saved and she witnessed a miracle! The three tumbled over together.

Charis overwhelmed, with two sets of hands and lips ranging over her, the under cloth already flimsy from being used for bandages, now torn off her.

“Initiates, enough, kneel before your Mistress!” Astera commanded.

Dirce and Drosis didn’t hesitate; backing up, knees and legs folded under their torso, their arms outstretched, and their head resting in their hands face down. Charis was then able to stand and survey the situation. She appealed to Astera and Helice for support. She did not comprehend such adoration. Why did this happen, she hoped for the minimum, to seal their wounds and place their lives out of danger, now she performed this great healing miracle and there were witnesses and recipients. What of the Priests and Priestesses of Ure, would they consider her a threat?

“Astera and Helice will you make sure no one else enters the Barracks please?”

“Yes Mistress.”

Astera glanced at Helice confirming her thoughts. Mistress' skin, the same pale everywhere, there were no shades from sun exposure or lack of sun, her raven black hair a stark contrast.

Charis made sure she could observe her two worshippers at once, two heads of hair, light brown, and black respectively and two smooth skinned naked backs their spines proud, side-by-side together under her gaze.

“You will not speak to anyone or each other of what you endured today, as you may be overheard. I need your oath on this.”

“Yes Mistress, on my life I will never speak of this again.” Charis made each of them swear separately in front of her, forcefully placing her toes under their eyes each in turn.

“You must act as if this has never happened. Dirce, your childhood scars, who else knows about them?”

“Mistress, I swear only my mother who is now dead, killed by her husband and my father who beat me. Of my father, I don’t know where he is. While with this company only those around me now, know of my scars, although by your grace Mistress, never seen them, I always made sure I was the last to sleep. I would move from one employment to another when people became too friendly towards me, for fear they would discover my scars, and then treat me differently, pity, distain, tease it didn’t matter,” she wept.

“That is why you held so many jobs!” Drosis said who quieted again regretting her outburst.

“Yes and it is the reason why I never embraced any friendships I discovered within the Daughters of the Duchess and never explored them further as I find myself … needing to Mistress.”

“I am sorry for your pain; you shouldn’t need to hide from your scars while in our Company. I am glad they are healed and I hope you can start afresh with us.”

“Yes Mistress, I am happy to start afresh, command me in anything, I am born anew.” Dirce eyes wide, her adoration obvious Charis felt trapped, uncertain of where this would lead.

“Now dress, find armour and clothes as appropriate, and return to your shifts.”

Charis stepped back and announced to all then.

“Helice and I will leave now. Astera, Dirce, and Drosis can remain until shift change-over or leave later in the day as they require.”

“Yes Mistress,” they responded, Astera and Helice answering with their Initiate sisters. Their awe of Charis growing, as an absolute and given the healing they witnessed, irrefutable and they were glad in their hearts.

Dirce passed Charis, her hands timidly out attempting to touch Charis and then she stopped, hesitating. Admiring Charis still, forcing her hands down to her sides, she gathered the courage to talk once again.

“Mistress … I must tell you,” tears streaming down her face, “when you healed, I felt no pain. I felt carried by a low cloud on a warm sunny day. I smelt the fresh flowers in the field, birds flying by their soft feathers caressing me and bees buzzing gathering nectar dribbling it over my wounds, old and new. Then I laid in a forest, welcoming and lush, the trees within it, tall and strong with deer on vigil over me through protective foliage. I don’t know if this was real Mistress, for me it was magical and as magnificent as the healing of me as my spirit felt calm.” Her voice held a light wispy wonder to it, her mind drifting back to her now special place while recalling it and her body warmed in spite of her skin goose bumping.

“In this we are united sister, my dream sleep was the same. I was gently carried away from the pain and hurt, resting in a calmer and safer place.” Tears rolled down Drosis’ face as Dirce embraced her.

Charis briefly embraced them, as it was plain only they knew enough about their shared experience to comfort each other. Charis distracted herself, trying to comprehend what occurred, what it could mean and drawing no worthwhile conclusions.

Charis then joined Astera and Helice who she sensed held a mutual admiration and yearning to distract each other! Again, Charis paused, how did such a strong and obvious attraction manifest? Could her healing magic go beyond healing flesh? Dirce mentioned her calm spirit and Drosis agreed. Astera and Helice affected, how did that occur or was their attraction already there?

“Helice with me, we need to explain to the Baron why he has three less guardsmen and warn the Magistrate, the newly captured High Priest may wield some unknown power or magic.”

"Mistress, you will need this," Astera said, offering a whole and unbloodied underclothe.

"Oh," Charis said her pale face soon a deep red.

---

Astera latched the door of the Barracks, disappointed Charis called Helice to escort her. She decided to armour up and ready herself for the day ahead. Eying her bunk to locate her armour, a naked Dirce and Drosis held a piece of armour each swaying seductively. Astera’s jaw dropped as both of the initiates, Dirce in particular, were typically reserved.

“We are not ourselves warrior-sister. Mistress’ healing has a legacy,” Drosis purred.

“More than a legacy sister, an afterglow, and an urge needing to be satisfied.” Dirce being more direct as her hand caressed Drosis’ firm, full breast, leering at Astera. The leering comical and unexpected, Astera needed to control her amusement least the moment be spoilt.

Astera understood Charis’ healing, herself subject to small touches, such as tired muscles renewed when worn-out from training, sore legs and buttocks from riding and each time there was an awaking and an arousal. Dirce and Drosis healed from grievous wound and extreme blood loss to healthy and glowing, supple skin and breasts firm, a renewal of flesh, soul, and mind. Astera giddy at the thought of what carnal need they required satisfied and their endurance, and wondering if her lap training around the arena was going to be equal to it.