Zosime reluctantly climbed down the circular stairs, wishing she could sleep on this level of the House and take advantage of the nearby convenience of her Mistress. Their recent passionate tryst fresh on her mind, erect hard nipples betraying her current aroused state.

Her long-fingered hands wiped themselves along her hips, a forced cleanse as her mind reluctantly drifted back to the present. Due to her student’s requirement for privacy and secrecy they would need to train in the Arena and therefore venture out into Death Season’s freezing wind and snow. Even in the middle of a walled town this required layers of clothes and furs and the sister who naturally hoarded furs slept across from Zosime’s current bunk in the White Room.

Early dawn and the White Room contained bunk upon bunk of sleeping and content warrior sisters. Zosime approached the bunk of the sister she needed, taking a knee beside her slowly breathing body. Zosime’ long pointed finger hovered over the prone body’s shoulder. Without prodding her warrior-sister woke, their eyes locked, Zoe alert immediately.

Zosime whispered, “Zoe, I need to borrow your furs as I need to complete a task outside.”

Zoe scanned the nakedness before her, abdominal muscles and erect nipples a confusing combination unless Zosime recently enjoyed or presently recalled intimate company. The House surely warm and snug enough to comfortably walk naked and avoid an obvious physical tell.

“Well you need something, you know you are naked, don’t you?” commented Zoe.

Zosime smirked. “Yes, but if I have your furs, I will dress differently than if I don’t.”

“Sorry, seeing you naked in front of me just reminds me of our Seer Circle entangling, which distracted me from thinking properly.” An embarrassing blush glowed upon her cheeks. “To answer your question, yes. Do you need some help?”

Zosime, brow furrowed, detected the eagerness in her sister’s words. Should another know Jocasta’s secret?

Then Zoe resorted to her secret weapon, the pleading voice. “Zosime … I need to escape these walls … experience the outside, please.”

Zosime’s fingers tapped her chin. ‘I am in charge.’ Zoe made doe eyes. “You will need to help, teach a skill I haven’t any expertise in, say archery.”

“Now you really have my interest! The trunks are in the Store Room, take what you need, and enough for the other, whoever she is. I will be ready in a few heartbeats.”

“Meet me and my student in the elder’s room,” confirmed Zosime.

---

Zosime entered the elder’s room. Jocasta’s eyes lit up in excitement, nervous energy pulsing through her body. Zosime lent back assessing her student. Jocasta’s rag dress covered by additional layers of, well cloth, to call them clothes would be an insult to clothes. Her footwear a challenge to discern, sandals, possibly wrapped multiple times in cloth?

“You need to make sure your feet are warm and dry, always, when it is Death Season with snow and snow melt about.”

“Yes, Mistress Zosime, I have asked Ismene to find me a pair, but she hasn’t read the request yet because she is yet to wake.” Her excitement settled, her eyes downcast. “This is what we wear on the streets, Mistress.”

Zosime tried to conceal her dumbfounded reaction, not certain if she succeeded fortunate her student's eyes were elsewhere.

“You and your gang must suffer, surely?”

Jocasta straightened life a blooming flower, catching Zosime eye to eye.

“We serve Mistress Charis, are safe when we sleep and are fed. Before … we would die.” A single tear streaked down Jocasta’s dirty cheek.

The pride and purpose with which Jocasta spoke impressed Zosime. Her dishevelled black hair, remarkably dirty, visibly so. How? Her white skin rarely revealed, either covered by cloth or grime. Her skinny trim body, taunt and proud.

“You need to decide. Are you Street Urchin or Warrior Sister in training? You will not able to keep the transition a secret, your body shape will need to change, how you move, baths?” Zosime raised an eyebrow.

“But …” Jocasta gulped.

“Let’s clothe you properly for now.”

Zosime hurried Jocasta to the Store Room. Once there Zosime lit a lantern, a pale light to assist Jocasta rummage through the trunks of furs and clothes as promised by Zoe. After choosing, checking and returning furs and clothes several times, Jocasta exited the Store Room enveloped in mostly oversized, although appropriate Death Season attire. Zosime and Jocasta then waited in the elder’s room.

“Better. I have asked another sister to help me and she may have some boots for you.”

“This was to be a secret! Three people already know and now I find a fourth knows!” Jocasta protested, indignation loud and clear.

“I warned you, you need to decide and for now you are my Student and I set the rules for the training or do you wish to find another to teach you?” replied Zosime.

“Sorry Mistress Zosime, but I don’t want to be revealed when only partially trained, I need to be excellent, as near to perfection I can be in four years.”

Zoe interrupted stepping out of a shadowed corner of the elder's room. “Well, I now know the student slightly better and I applaud her ambition. It will be my honour to help train someone so dedicated and your secret is safe with those of us who know, although I doubt it will remain a secret for four years.” Zoe handed Jocasta a pair of fur lined travelling boots.

Jocasta chewed her lip and decided she would need to train double. The “secret” part of the arrangement not working as planned.

Zoe ensured all three were properly prepared and equipped to face the snow and wind chill of Death Season before they left the House using the elder’s door. It was a slow lonely walk to the Arena, most sane people in town weren’t even awake yet, let alone outside. Gusts of snow laden wind trying to find ways past each layer and failing.

Zosime fiddled with the lock on the Arena door and apologised for taking so long, stiff cold fingers not assisting. Answering Jocasta before she asked, yes lockpicking will be one of the skills she will be taught. Behind Jocasta, Zoe raised her fur encased arm and hand also, which Zosime answered with an agreeable nod.

Zosime cracked open the stubborn door and its lock, inviting Zoe and Jocasta inside a hallway which ran down the centre of six Team Rooms, three doors to the left and three doors to the right. Zosime quickly returned the bulwark of wood into position, separating them from harsh outside. The three sisters shook like dogs, flicking the snow and wet from their cocoon of fur.

“We will start with the weapon skills, double daggers, garrotte, throwing points and then some of the other skills, climbing, lock picking, stealth and Zoe will teach you bow, especially if I am absent on other duties so your time is always spent busy learning. I suspect Zoe will also be able to teach you stealth, hunting, skinning and preparing a beast to cook, which would be useful if you are alone in the wild one day.”

Jocasta stood attentive, soaking in every word satisfied her training would be well rounded and complete, solemnly nodding when Zosime finished speaking.

“Yes, Mistress Zosime. When will I start learning the skills of a Seer, I will need to be able to communicate to the Mistress if I am to be her assassin-seer body guard?”

Zoe made herself busy, preparing one of the Team Rooms to avoid witnessing Jocasta’s inevitable disappointment although easily within earshot given the silence.

“Well.” Zosime paced a couple of steps. “The twins have a natural affinity to be a Seer as their minds are one from birth to think and be naturally in step with each other, which the Temples of Saph then try to refine and build upon to make the Seer Twins more dependable, reliable and stronger.” These words, the easy logical ones, common knowledge to most in the Dukedom.

Jocasta’s enthusiasm didn’t diminish.

“Charis guided by Clymene, Alcmene and Helice proved without being a twin they could join her to the Seer Circle. Charis though is special in ways she doesn’t understand or know, she leads the Seer Circle effortlessly, which amazes Temple trained Seers, like me.”

Jocasta was waiting for the; for you this will be near impossible, but we will try a few things speech.

“For you Jocasta, this is going to be very difficult to attain, perhaps insurmountable, but Charis did it, so I won’t give up if you don’t give up and we have four years. I must tell you though Charis accepted a certain … closeness with Clymene, Alcmene and Helice. You know what I speak of?”

“Yes, Mistress Zosime, we need to sex. Yes?” Jocasta aware, how could she not be.

“I know of no other way and for someone so young and myself, shall we say, so much older than you, it could be seen by many as improper, you understand?” Zosime wrapped her arms around herself, looking away. This difficult conversation needed to happen and Zosime, the adult, needed to ensure her student comprehended.

“Yes, but I will be thirteen after this Death Season,” reasoned Jocasta.

“And I will also be one year older, we will always have many years between us Jocasta, so this will be another reason why this needs to be well considered as I don’t know the reaction of our sisters if we commit to this learning. I trust Zoe though for a number of reasons, but even so the Seer Training, whatever, whenever will start last, after this Death Season at least or perhaps a future Death Season, because I need to accept that I can do this to you, and I am not there yet.”

Zosime cast her eyes away from Jocasta as she spoke, fixing on Zoe trying to assess her reaction to the discussion. Zoe’s head down, fussing over meaningless equipment pretending to be busy, provided her with an answer of sorts.

“Thank you, Mistress, for treating me as an equal, so I will not rant about how vital this part of the training is to me, I will wait for you to decide when and I assume Zoe is here as much as a witness for me as for you.”

“Yes, you are indeed insightful, Charis said as much,” said Zosime.

Zosime considered her next words carefully, forcing herself to directly address her student, while Jocasta patiently waited.

“If we decide to attempt Seer Training, we need to ensure our decision is well considered and understood, able to be defended because of our care of you and your emotions to get there. Even so, others may not accept the situation.” Zosime planned, she will need to strengthen her Seer Skill to hide this secret from the rest of the Seer Circle, in case the thought of the training leaked from her mind, let alone any memories after.

Zosime woke from her planning with a start, she became fixated on the steps, not considering the morality and the deceit. Her assassin training, taking hold, her automatic response to a mission overriding her new situation, a Warrior Sister. How could she consider this deception? The Seer Circle welcomed and empowered, joining each sister in truth as well as power. Her doubt about committing this act of secrecy revealing the wrongness and betrayal.

“I understand Mistress Zosime, the other training will keep me busy for now. Can we begin?”

Jocasta’s eager voice forced Zosime to turn around and face her. Zosime not registering her own straying steps while searching her soul and loyalties, the teacher returning to her student and the immediate concerns.

“First you must understand that you need to eat, you need to eat more meat for a start as you are not far from skin and bone. You need to be fit and healthy or no amount of training will benefit you.”

“Yes, Mistress Zosime, my titties will get larger sooner and I won’t be able to run the streets if I look too well fed, but I am on a new path, so it needs to be done. I have already warned the urchins that I will need to pass the leadership on, so it will be a little sooner.” Jocasta decided at that exact moment, Warrior Sister in Training.

Zosime looked at Zoe and they kept their looks serious for as long as possible.

“Your titties, Jocasta?” asked Zoe.

“I know you are laughing at me and I don’t care. I made a gap in the wall under the House, so I could sneak in and out and I don’t want to make it larger because it stops adults getting in and my head fits sideways, but my titties are starting to get me stuck, so when they get larger I won’t be able to lead the urchins out on the streets and the leader needs to lead.”

“Your head is normally larger than the rest of you when you are young, so I am not sure, even looking at you now, how your titties would get in the way? “

“The head part of the hole is a bit wider silly and then the rest on either side is smaller, just in case a midget tries to squeeze through.”

“Oh!” said Zoe.

“Well that makes sense then,” offered Zosime.

“Must be an older person thing, because I needed to explain it to Mistress as well before she would accept it and not demand I repair it.”

---

Given her lack of strength and probably health Zosime started Jocasta’s training with weapons holding and combat stances. As her pupil tired, Zosime pushed her a little and then called training done for the day, ignoring Jocasta’s protests, explaining to her the importance of proper rest and eating meat. Instructing her to imagine the grips and stances in her mind when resting.

While indignant at being escorted to the House, Jocasta accepted the situation. Zosime and Zoe then pushed through the snow and sleet to the New Gate in silence so they could keep their faces covered. No guard patrolled the wall or tower, although within each tower a warm ember glow emanated.

Zoe bashed upon the tower door and needed to add screaming and yelling to her next attempt before it cracked open a finger width.

“We need to talk to the Gate Captain, Charis sent us,” screamed Zosime.

The door opened enough to let them pass and then quickly slammed shut behind them. A brazier glowed bright in one corner, although the five or six guardsmen eyed the two newcomers intently. The one nearest, reaching out and rubbing the fur lining of Zoe’s overcoat.

“That fur be as warm as it looks?”

Another waved them through and into the Captain’s office, closing the door as he returned to the warmth of the tower barracks such as it was.

“Charis sent you and how do I know the truth of your words?”

Zosime and Zoe flicked their fur lined hoods back to reveal their faces by way of explanation.

“Yes, pretty. What else can you show me?”

Zoe’s eyes narrowed until the Captain smiled cheerfully and she realised what he meant. She needed to remove her whole of hands gloves and fished out her Daughters of the Duchess pin and presented the bauble to the Captain for inspection.

“I assume you have a request?” He lent forward and returned the pin to Zoe.

“Yes Sir, we wish to use the Arena to train during Death Season if permissible,” said Zosime.

He opened his mouth, closed it, scrunched his face a little before composing himself.

“We wish to use the Team Rooms if that helps, not the arena, we aren’t that mad,” offered Zoe.

He reached for a key from the board behind him and dropped it into Zoe’s hand.

“Be sure to lock it, I don’t want to find a hoard of urchins sheltering there after Death Season.”

“Yes Captain,” Zoe confirmed. He then waved them away.

Leaving the room, he called out to them.

“How many silvers for a set of furs?”

Zoe looked at Zosime and then the Captain. “We haven’t enough for ourselves sorry Captain, although if you visit and plead your case with Charis, I am sure she would listen,” answered Zoe.

With that they left, hurried on by the grumbling voices of the guardsmen as cold air snuck in upon the opening and closing of the Tower’s door.

As they shuffled from the Gate, Zoe pointed to the Sister’s Stables, Zosime nodded and they eventually opened the barn door and were greeted by the stench of horse! A wicked blend of horse fear, sweat, urine and faeces. No stable hand present they started mucking out the Stables, providing water and feed. While at first avoiding Dione’s Stallion, Zoe first and then Zosime treated his stall to the same treatment as the others.

Three bells sounded before they finished.

“You had another reason for visiting here?” asked Zosime.

“Yes, I applaud your precaution with Jocasta and sexing as she calls it. Know that in the mountains she would be considered ripe to be married if desired by one of the males.”

“Not now though, Charis changed all the old ways, didn’t she?”

“Yes, so I doubt she would bless them under her own house.”

“But ….” Zosime’s words trailed off. She could think of mutual agreement, required for Seer Training and the student insisting, reasons even if taken together not good enough. Then of course the secrecy, Zoe’s comments the final push her conscience needed. The Seer Circle would need to decide on Jocasta’s training path and perhaps it would end before it started.

“Jocasta isn’t a twin and while Charis is an exception, no other Seer is, so you would be treading unwelcome ground for an impossible chance of success and likely rejection by all.”

“Thank-you, I saw myself at twelve, the optimism, the joy of being a Seer, rudimentary mind conversations with my twin sister, the excitement. Jocasta will never be able to realise her dream.”

Zoe ran her long fingers through Zosime’s buzz cut. “Come we best go before we are missed!”

Zosime laughed, there wasn’t a chance they weren’t missed and they both knew it!

Zoe paused a moment in their preparation to leave.

“Why didn’t Dione know the stables were abandoned? Surely her stallion would have told her.”

“We can ask her when we see her,” said Zosime.

The stable door burst open. A short-hooded figure entered the stables immediately after, shaking snow from their clothes.

Dione’s unruly light brown hair escaping her woollen hood first, her lips blue, a shivering hand reaching back to the stable door slamming it shut.

Zosime and Zoe shuffled to her and embraced her, Zoe taking off her great fur coat and wrapping Dione in it, the body warmth it held providing Dione with instant relief. They then made use of the small office, Zoe firing up the pot belly stove, for warmth and to boil some hot water to brew tea.

The three sisters decided to share some flesh as well as furs and eventually settled warm and snug together beside the stove, sipping a mug of tea each.

“Why … are … you … here?” Dione said, between sips and shivering.

“We asked the Gate Captain if we could use the Arena to train and visited the stables on the way back to check them,” replied Zoe.

Zosime looked expectantly at Dione.

“Contact with my Stallion went quiet, is probably the best way I can describe it while in the House. As I pushed closer to the Stable the contact grew strong again and he told me about you two.”

“Well I hope he gave a good account of us! The stable hasn’t been attended today, so we will probably need to organise something as it seems our stable hand has retired!” said Zoe.

“I have wondered about your legendary link to your stallion, can I ask some questions?”

Dione leaned closer into Zosime, inviting her to wrap a warm arm about her.

“Certainly, in exchange for some warmth,” she chuckled.

“You were never a Seer, yet could form this bond due to a pair of items, one for you and a matching one for your stallion?”

“The stallion always possessed an item, I won mine from the Stallion’s former master. The link took time to develop though, although I have never been privy to a Seer’s link or such, ours is separate and since I don’t know what a Seer link is like, possibly different.”

Zosime cuddled Dione as promised. The warrior-sister not yet sixteen years, short, unkempt light brown hair and possibly Jocasta in three years’ time, yet she fully participated in Seer sexy stuff. Zosime chuckled to herself at Jocasta’s name for it. She sobered when she thought about the ten years difference between Dione and herself, significant yet only now testing Zosime’s morality. On the opposite side of Dione, Zoe offered her body warmth, sixteen years and a better match surely. Perhaps younger Seers would somehow be more appropriate for Jocasta? Wrong! She decided the Seer Circle would know and deliberate.

“I practiced some Seer Skill while training and thought, possibly incorrectly I was succeeding. Perhaps like your link with your Stallion my Seer link went quiet instead.”

Dione didn’t care, enjoying the attention, skin contact and shared heat and although very thawed out she didn’t mention the fact to either sister. Her Stallion agreeing wholeheartedly!

Zoe drifted back to memories of her family, her mother and half-sister. They would huddle to ward off the mountain cold in the same way, although a fire or brazier wasn’t always available. She also blessed Charis’ arrival, not only did her victory change life for the mountain woman, she slew her betrothed, meaning she would need to mourn for a year before another husband could be arranged, a welcome reprieve, followed by a permanent one.