Dione, Alcmene and Zoe rode through the farmgate, pre-dawn, saddle bags packed and prepared the night before by lamp light. They rode three in a line while on the trail to Oxrest, Dione and Alcmene activating their borrow gems, with Zoe riding between them to guide her in the early morning dark. Zoe didn’t question how her warrior sisters followed the trail easily in the dark, accepting it as fact for now.

“Farewell seer sisters, especially our newest, Niobe. Perhaps you should offer to reward Nysa for her heroic actions?” sent Alcmene.

“I would need to be so forward, wake her perhaps?” sent Niobe to Alcmene. Alcmene sharing her contact with Niobe to Clymene and Helice.

“All sisters can say no dear Niobe,” sent Clymene.

“Perhaps a favour given will be returned,” sent Helice, Niobe sensing an eagerness and anticipation.

“I will try sisters, I liked playing the word games more,” Niobe swallowed, “I enjoyed the suggestion and their invitation.”

---

As Alcmene’s contact faded, Niobe considered the prompting and advice of her seer sisters. Propped up in her bunk, Niobe now awake in the pre-dawn spied upon her warrior sisters still asleep on their own bunks in the White Room. She scrunched the edge of her top sheet in nervous hands, peeking over at the warrior sister with the mountainous frame, lying on her side, her broad shoulders dominating the profile under her gaze. The one warrior sister suggested by her seer sisters, she should approach, the one warrior sister sleeping in the bunk across the walkway.

Niobe recalled those strong hands upon her buttocks as Nysa easily and confidently lifted her off her feet to devour her breasts in an enthusiastic, if novice way, until Kyra arrived and instructed them both. A warmth grew within her and the possibility of that warmth being satisfied propelled her out of her bunk, top sheet still in her grasp, her bare petite feet padding quietly across the hallway.

Niobe knelt on her comforting sheet staring at the object of her desire. She inwardly giggled at Nysa’s wild locks, dark brown hair strands flowing over her narrow face, her nose parting them usefully. Niobe, without thought or hesitation traced her finger over Nysa’s rosebud lips and once done leant in to kiss them.

“Aren’t you supposed to ask first and not steal?” rasped Nysa’s sleepy voice.

Niobe froze, realising her mistake, embarrassment crushing her bravado. As the mountain of her desire stretched out her limbs, Niobe, eyes wide, biting her bottom lip leapt to her retreat, releasing her sheet as she did. A firm, immovable grasp captured and cradled her head. This irresistible force drew her head near, fingers worming their way into her long black hair.

“I am sorry, I made a mistake,” her eyes pleading, “I shouldn’t be here.”

“You must have a reason to be so brave?” Nysa’s strong fingers massaging the skull under them instead of the iron like grip usually reserved for a sword.

“I … well … you saved the Mistress and I thought …”

“to reward me,” finished Nysa, kissing Niobe on the tip of her nose, causing her cheeks to warm.

“Yes, but you are right, I should have asked …” Her words stolen as Nysa’s lips captured hers. Nysa then rolled onto her back dragging Niobe’s body upon her own. Nysa using her right hand to steady Niobe upon her body grasping Niobe’s buttocks firmly. Niobe gasped, breaking their kiss.

“While I welcome the reward, my pleasuring of you would be more beneficial to you I believe?” whispered Nysa.

Niobe lowered her eyes, “I would use your pleasuring of me to strengthen my Seer Gift, I didn’t realise this was known to many.”

“Can I assist in strengthening your Seer Gift sister?” murmured Kyra.

Niobe started in response and then gulped. Her eyes lured in the direction of the speaker, drinking in the tall athletic body offering to pleasure her. Remembering their tag team effort, she shivered in excitement.

---

Niobe kissed Nysa and then Kyra as dawn broke, thanking them for assisting with her training. She readied herself for the day as did they and as she reached out to Clymene and Helice with her Seer Gift the effort required diminished compared to past efforts. She knew she needed to improve to ensure she could maintain the link over time, over distance and to each seer sister at once.

“I am leaving the house now sisters,” Niobe sent to Clymene and Helice. Alcmene too far away for casual connection, too arduous on Niobe’s body without further training and no magic.

Niobe hurried into the elder’s room exiting the House through the elder’s door at dawn without breaking her fast, late from pre-dawn training. A skip in her step revealing her happiness as she raced to the Master Leatherworker’s Shop to be fitted for her armour. Excited and nervous, with a twinge of guilt realising being a Seer assisted in her promotion. She, Niobe a warrior-sister, she couldn’t believe it!

Then darkness.

Clymene and Helice maintained a tether, an awareness to Niobe since she couldn’t maintain a constant shared link. As darkness enveloped Niobe their tether severed, and they knew instantly. Clymene and Helice refrained from telling Alcmene, that Niobe was unconscious or worse and left the preparation of the meal immediately to wake Charis. They didn’t need to; she climbed naked down the circular steps towards them, with her underclothe in her arms. She paused upon meeting them, blood drained from their faces and wringing their hands.

“Niobe has gone. We cannot reach her. She is either dead or knocked out Mistress!” Clymene announced, her steady voice disintegrating at the final shout.

“We will not know where she is until she wakes, so we must be ready when she is. Helice break your fast, ensure Kyra and Nysa have also and form a Three. Patrol between the Gate, Stable, Leatherworkers Shop and the House and as soon as she wakes try to get her to see where she is, so she can lead you to her. Pace yourselves as it could take many bells. Clymene stay to your duties until we learn more.”

“Mistress?”

Charis followed Jocasta’s voice. Charis’ face then reddening, embarrassed in front of the child and roughly covered herself with her underclothe.

“Yes Jocasta?”

“I will ask my friends to see what they know also. Niobe would have been a nice pickpocket mark, so she may have already been watched.”

Helice grabbed Jocasta and lifted her off the floor in a huge hug.

“The Gods favour you child, you will want for nothing from us Seers if you can help!”

“We are warrior sisters, when you attack one of us you attack all of us. I have already taken some food, so I will be out and about, I just need to open the hatch and roll around in some dirt!”

She ran off and no sooner gone, she returned.

“Mistress, I dug a little hole under the House that I can slip thorough, at least until my titties get too plump. Just so you know.” Then she ran off again. Charis wasn’t sure what that meant, another time perhaps.

Charis headed to the Bath Room to fetch her armour. Clymene, slowly, begrudgingly returned to the Kitchen. The Kitchen and Training Room were full of sisters needing to break their fast to start their day.

As Charis entered the Bath Room, Dirce and Drosis were ready to attend her.

“Do you wish to use our chest armour Mistress?” asked Dirce.

“Perhaps, for now, I would rather those who are most likely to do battle be fully equipped.”

“Yes Mistress.”

---

Charis left the Bath Room and confirmed with Clymene, Niobe was still a mystery. Charis then spoke to those in the Training Room and the Kitchen.

“Be careful and watchful, assassins could be here. Niobe has gone missing, so don’t travel anywhere alone, always in Three or more.”

“What is being done to find her Mistress?” asked Agape, concerned.

“We have plans in place, but these will be more complicated if others disappear, so be careful. Dirce and Drosis can provide escort, so there is no need to go anywhere alone.”

“Yes Mistress.”

“Those going to the farm will travel together there and return. Dirce and Drosis please escort Thais and Alexa to the Master Carpenter. Astera and Thyia, try to remain in the House as apart from Clymene and I there are no others to defend it.”

The warrior sisters prepared and left the House as their duties required. Charis paced the length of the Training Room, glancing at Clymene occasionally. Late morning Clymene reported Niobe alive and awake and in contact, although her head did hurt.

The room clearly underground; a basement perhaps as there were no windows, a dirt floor, with one set of ladder steps out. There were some boxed goods with sacks of other stuff, so it wasn’t a prison by design, a positive sign. Niobe wasn’t blindfolded, which usually meant the she was expendable, Charis held that fact to herself. No visitors yet.

When told, Charis reasoned the building wasn’t a cottage as most didn’t include a basement or anything underground. If the Knight’s Rest Inn was any example most of the buildings inside the Old Wall which included a basement, were finished with a wooden or stone floor. So, the most likely location was beyond the Old Wall and something more substantial than a new cottage.

Helice with Nysa and Kyra commenced searching for any buildings which matched the description and without seeming too obvious trying to inspect as many as possible. There wasn’t many, although unfortunately not enough were shops or workshops, some were new residences larger than cottages. There was nothing suspicious when they pretended to shop and visit, which left residences, possibly. Helice decided to stay at an Inn in the hope Niobe would reveal something else.

---

Helice shared Niobe’s nervousness as one of her captors approached her swaggering. She appeared handling several knives in a display of skill and intimidation. No questions were asked as she sliced both sides of her face. Niobe screamed, from a deep place of terror unable to struggle, each limb tied to stakes in the ground, spreading her, helpless and vulnerable.

Alcmene, Clymene and Helice calmed themselves as Niobe’s panic severed their link with her, leaving her alone and frightened. They needed Niobe to open to them.

The knives were at work again cutting away her armour, such as it was and then her clothes. They weren’t removed, they were sliced and peeled away and left to fall off her. Niobe slammed her eyes shut horrified.

“Open your eyes or I will stab them since you demonstrate no use for them.” Niobe responded by opening them and shedding tears. As she opened her eyes, she opened her mind grappling and grasping for her seer sisters and their comfort. They answered flooding in as one. Alcmene, Clymene and Helice drew on their magic to ensure they forced themselves into Niobe’s mind to maintain the link, realising once connected the torture their seer sister endured.

“Well you are no fun, are you?” Niobe then felt a knife slice between her breasts down to her loin hair. Niobe screamed again. As she screamed, her seer sisters screamed with her and together they shared the shock and the recovery.

“That is music to my ears dear. I will now ask a question. If the answer is truthful then my knife will be restrained, if the answer is untruthful then I will need to draw on your body some more, you understand?”

Niobe desperately nodded in fear.

“What is your name and role in the Daughters of the Duchess?”

Clymene coached her answer with advice from Charis, they both hoped it believable, Helice and Alcmene added their wills to the response, the four Seers were one and although her body was in danger the love of her sisters fortified her. Niobe’s mind fully bare and open to her seer sisters fortified her resilience from further pain as she was no longer alone as none of her seer sisters were letting go.

“I am Niobe, a single Seer from the Temple in Bridgeward, I gained release and joined the Daughters as a scribe and message rider.”

“What were you going to attend to this morning, you seemed so happy!”

“I was going to the Leatherworker to collect armour for the Daughters and a cloak for me as a reward, the Mistress noticed my skills in coin keeping.”

“So how much coin do the Daughters have?”

“I don’t know how much exactly.” Then she felt a knife press against her breast.

“It would be a shame to lose a breast or perhaps just a scar to surprise your lover with.”

“I am a Seer we don’t rut like animals,” she sniffed.

“How much coin, exactly how much coin?” The point pressed until blood was drawn.

“Seventeen thousand, six hundred and eighty-two coins the last time I counted, although the armour and my cloak would need to be paid for.”

Her captor flopped down on her bottom and whistled. Niobe thought the whistle was appreciation, instead she summoned two more.

“Look to the trap door, Niobe,” was the thought entering strongly into her mind.

The room above contained windows and clearly a residence; the wall under the window wasn’t finished. They lowered the trapdoor behind them as they descended into the basement.

“Helice, how many residences would you need to search though?”

“At least ten, maybe more as some are large enough, but would they have a basement?”

“Find them, bust the window and check if the wall below it is finished or not on the inside of the residence,” ordered Charis.

A moment of hesitation, bust the windows?

“We will repair them after, bust them Helice, no more delay!”

“Yes Mistress.”

“Helice, it is the newest one near the New Gate!” yelled Jocasta. She appeared through the Training Room trap door, her rag dress filthy with dirt and perhaps animal faeces if the odour a possible hint. Her body matched her rag dress in filth.

“Jocasta you don’t need to yell, I will pass on your news,” Clymene said.

“Yes sister. Sorry sister.” Jocasta left them for the Bath Room.

“Sisters,” called Niobe through her mind’s eye.

The two who joined were in simple, plain clothes; they were to handle visitors perhaps. She noticed they liked knives as well.

“Seventeen thousand, six hundred and eighty-two coins, sisters. Do you want to retire?” the assassin wheeled to gloat at them both and they returned her smile and laughed.

“So little one, where is this fortune? Details, we need details otherwise you may be drawn on again.”

“It is held in the Mistress’ room, large chest, her room is the corner one above the Leatherworker Shop.”

“That was too easy, I suspect you lie, and I have an urge to see my dagger draw again.”

“No!” Niobe screamed. “It is the truth, I tell you because you will never make it in and out alive, the room is at the opposite end of the stairs to the floor and those stairs are near the sleeping cots of the warrior sisters, there are only three of you, you will never fight your way through,” she finished bravely.

“We wouldn’t go that way, my little morsel.”

“Armour up and disguises we leave for the Leatherworker Shop, especially the corner room!”

“What about her?” asked new assassin one.

“I don’t think she is going anywhere, and I suspect when we tell them where she is they will armour up and run to her rescue. With the Shop near empty, we will be richer sooner.”

“For the amount of coin we will need a hand cart, so perhaps we should be peddlers!” asked new assassin two.

“Hold Helice, let them leave, then rescue Niobe and we will ambush them at the House.” Clymene relayed the message and while she knew it was a clever tactic, she also sensed Helice struggle to accept the command.

“Tell the Mistress we will wait,” Helice sent, mentally gritting her teeth, honouring her Mistress’ will.

---

Mid-afternoon the assassins finished preparations and left the residence. Helice asked Kyra to stand guard while with Nysa they found the trapdoor. With Nysa standing at the trapdoor, Helice rushed to Niobe’s side. Her bonds were cut swiftly and once free they embraced. Helice wrapped her cloak around her naked body as none of her clothes or armour could be rescued. The blood on her still weeping in places, the cuts stinging. Helice felt her pain and took some of it from her as did Alcmene and Clymene, this allowed the wrapping of her torture slashes as best they could, so they were able to get away freely.

Charis ordered them to wander the backways and stay at the Inn of the Knight’s Rest and stay ready to be called to the House. Helice removed her armour and then gave Niobe her under cloth so she could leave clothed. She re-armoured and with Niobe being escorted between Nysa and Kyra they causally ambled to the Inn. Niobe drew the hood over her head to hide her cuts. Helice felt her pain and continued to reassure her. Helice arranged a room with the Innkeeper so Niobe could be taken up immediately.

Helice noticed how tenderly Nysa and Kyra tended her seer sister, changing her bandages often however futile. The head bandage criss-crossing above and below her nose to wrap the wounds on her cheeks using her ears to hold it in place. The cut down the length of her body started as a wrap around her neck and then down to her groin with supporting bandages across her body. Neither were ideal or particularly effective and her wounds seeped, the effort though one of morale and comfort.

Helice conveyed her concern and comfort directly to Niobe; Nysa and Kyra demonstrated the same with words of encouragement and petting. Nysa attentive and awkward at the same time, seeking guidance from and following Kyra’s lead. Although, Nysa surprised them by picking up Niobe, briefly and rocking her like a babe in her arms when Niobe sobbed, after she appeared settled.

---

Before dusk the Daughters returned from the farm or the Master Carpenter unaware of what happened that day.

Thais handed a note to Charis.

Once you did me a service, so I now repay it. One of the Daughters of the Duchess is being held in the last house near the New Gate. I am not sure how many are guarding her but at least three, possibly more. Good luck.

“Was this handed to you?” Charis asked.

“Yes, an old man said he was repaying a debt,” replied Thais.

Charis explained the situation to the Daughters, including the fact they rescued Niobe. She then shared the plan and prepared with alerts as best she could. They needed to send out enough warrior sisters to be convincing, while retaining plenty for an ambush and Charis felt the assassins would be more skilful, she hoped they, like others, would exploit the roof to access the House.

---

The assassins did some business before dusk selling a pot to a woman in an emergency. They waited for proper dark and while they couldn’t see in the dark they carried tiny lanterns. They were strapped between their breasts and rested on thick leather to prevent the heat becoming unbearable. They could enclose the entire lamp within their cloaks and the light, while not strong, enabled them to slowly operate in the dark.

They wheeled their cart near the House to the correct corner, one stood on the shoulders of the first and then another stood on her shoulders. Able to reach for the roof she found the unfamiliar shelf on the side of the building useful to gain a platform to stand on and boost herself onto the roof proper. Once on the roof she started to remove tiles as quietly as she could and once she found a support beam she tied the rope she carried to it and threw it over the edge of the roof. Her two sisters used the rope to climb up themselves.

With the three assassins on the roof the hole expanded quickly and silently.

Clymene contacted Helice to fetch Astera and Thyia and work around the opposite outside of the House to find the rope the assassins used to climb onto the roof and prevent any escape.

Two of the assassins carefully lowered themselves to the ceiling supports and took out a wood drill each and started to drill a hole to allow them a glimpse into the room, before breaking through. After some time, they stopped and quietly whispered to each other.

“Why is this ceiling so thick?”

They stepped from the supports to the ceiling itself and found it supported their weight. Their eyes queried each other and while one stared at the other confused, blood flecked on her as an arrow sprouted from her assassin’s partners neck. Biting her lip prevented her from screaming as she observed her assassin partner gurgle on her own blood in front of her. She supported her partner gently down to the ceiling.

“Don’t run or you will join your sister,” a voice echoed from the dark.

The assassin on the roof caught the escape signal from her partner in the ceiling. They both covered their lanterns and from memory the assassin on the roof reached for the hands of the other to make their escape.

Charis merciless, released her arrow, satisfied when it penetrated behind the assassin’s ear and entered the brain. With the light extinguished she could aim perfectly as the sun escaping the night sky enabled her perfect night vision.

Charis pleased with her preparation, before dusk she and Clymene climbed onto the roof using the circular stairs. They opened the trapdoor to the viewing platform on the roof, with its low rail. Climbing over on the diagonally opposite side of the roof they removed some tiles to gain access to the roof cavity. Then they repositioned themselves across the ceiling to be in line with the ceiling section above Charis’ room and rested in the darkness and waited.

The third assassin quickly climbed down using the rope. As she hit the ground a weight hit her and knocked her out. Helice was waiting and she was fuming, so she possibly used too much force. Charis and Clymene pushed the bodies out of the roof cavity and onto the roof. Then using the rope, they tied and lowered each of the bodies. Both bodies retained their arrows, which were wrapped in bandages to prevent further blood seeping on the House’s new ceiling.

The bodies were quickly loaded into the hand cart conveniently supplied and placed. Astera and Thyia then wheeled the bodies over to the residence. Parking the cart in front of the door they opened it and carried the bodies over the threshold, secured the front door and left the cart. Astera thought she heard a noise and dismissed it, the urgency was to return not investigate.

Charis and Clymene climbed out of the ceiling cavity and descended the circular stairs closing the trapdoor to the landing behind them. Helice in the meanwhile, with some assistance carted the unconscious assassin into the House by the Storeroom loading bay doors.

Charis ordered the assassin stripped and spread tied using the floor rings. She then visited the Inn of the Knight’s Rest. It was still early evening, when she climbed the stairs to the room and knocked on the door. Nysa and Kyra were on guard and trying to comfort Niobe. As Charis entered they acknowledged her, and she dashed to embrace Niobe.

“I swore to protect you and while we did rescue you, you are not the same seer sister who left the House this morning and I apologise to you and will do my best to make things right.”

“It wasn’t your fault, I wasn’t careful, I was thinking of the future instead of the present. My scars will forever remind me of my folly and if Rhea can wear hers proudly then so can I.”

“Hush, no talk of scars, I know you were scared but otherwise you are well?”

“Yes Mistress, my seer-sisters were with me, and they gave me strength and hope, I love them dearly.”

“Do you trust me Niobe?”

“Yes Mistress, with my life.”

“Then do as I say. Remove your borrowed cloak and under cloth and reveal to me your wounds.”

Niobe hesitated yet realised she would need to get used to them, embrace them or be consumed by them.

They were much deeper than Charis thought they would be; she must be in such pain.

“Then lay down on the bed for me.”

“Yes Mistress.”

She reached out to her seer-sisters for assurance. Helice a witness to Charis’ healing power hoped it would be enough to heal Niobe. She didn’t “tell” Niobe as she didn’t want to offer her any false hope as it was Charis’ power and no one else knew its limits.

Charis climbed onto the bed and positioned herself beside Niobe and touched the wound on her stomach with one hand and the wound on her face with the other. After a bell passed Charis proclaimed success.

“The pain is gone, there is no scar on my body, my face? Is my face healed?” Both Nysa and Kyra could merely nod, they were stunned. She leapt upon Charis who quickly grasped the bed sheets to stay on the bed. Nysa and Kyra were still speechless; they were witness to a healing miracle.

“You now know why you are here and not sharing this tale with your sisters in the House. You were never injured Niobe, and all here will be bound by your oath to me to keep this secret, you will not discuss this between yourselves in case you are overheard. I can heal sparingly, so I don’t want to be judged by others who won’t accept I am purely able to use this gift because of my love for you and the trust and honour we share.”

“Yes Mistress. Is this how you saved us from poisoning?”

“An answer for another time, we must go. We killed two of your assassins Niobe, the third is currently knocked out so we can chat.”