The gods said, “The Witch has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. She must not be allowed to multiply across the lands, and live forever.”

So the gods blessed the princes of men and commanded, “Arise!”

Then the princes arose and battled her for forty days and nights.

And they overcame her, and cast lots to divide her possessions among themselves.

- Andanian Chronicles

“Laura?” Aryan mumbled drowsily, he had been far too anxious to sleep, but had finally drifted off just before the break of dawn. He stretched out searchingly across the bed, but quickly realized that he was its only occupant, “Laura!” Aryan exclaimed as he shot up and glanced worriedly about the room.

“Looking for someone?” A masked killer rasped as she rose and stalked towards Aryan from across the chamber. The features on her intricately painted wooden wolf mask, shifted with each hypnotic sway of her hips. And Aryan was mesmerized momentarily by the alternatingly snarling and smiling wolf gliding soundlessly towards him.

“Assassin!” Aryan yelled belatedly as she was almost upon him. The Prince blanched, rolled, and snatched at the saber resting beside his bed. Then he shot a glance towards the door and began edging subtly towards the exit.

The assassin jeered in response as she turned and began dashing towards the door, so as to cut off the prince’s escape. But Aryan had already anticipated her actions. In the fleeting moment her blind spot was exposed, he shifted his stance and leapt towards her, even as he slashed down simultaneously with his saber. When she twisted desperately to avoid the gleaming blade, Aryan whirled swiftly and kicked her solidly in the gut.

“Ooof.” The assassin yelped in surprise as she was thrust across the room and she landed clumsily in a tangled heap on the bed. Aryan dashed forward and stabbed desperately at her, but she managed to hurl herself to the side at the final moment. A blinding cloud of feathers billowed into the air as the prince’s sword tore into the mattress, and the assassin utilized his momental distraction to blast his saber across the room with a hastily gestured spell.

“Assassin and a mage!?” Aryan cursed in dismay as he was disarmed. But he adapted swiftly and leapt onto her to knee her in the lungs before she could cast another spell. The assassin bucked her hips in a valiant attempt to dislodge the prince, but he stunned her with a forceful blow to the head before seizing a dagger from the nightstand.

The loosened mask slid off the struggling assassin, even as Aryan prepared to bury his weapon deep into her heart. “Woof, Woof?” Laura giggled weakly as she coughed out a mouthful of blood, “You super got me. I surrender.” She moaned.

“Laura!” the prince gasped in horror as his dagger fell from his hands. Then he rolled off the princess and quickly began examining the extent of her injuries.

“Seven points. I guess you’ll be okay in a pinch?” Laura sighed with the barest hint of disappointment, “Why did you release me? You would have died if an assassin was just using an illusion to imitate my appearance.” Then Laura blushed shyly as she wiped at her bloodstained lips, “Are you really that desperate, mister Woof, Woof? Please stop peeking under my dress!”

“Why did you do that? You are badly wounded, I must have cracked several of your ribs when I hit you just now, I heard the bones snap when I connected. I’m calling for the physician this instant.” Aryan glowered furiously at the princess.

Laura sighed as she tottered to her feet and slipped out of her clothes, “Maybe I’ll give you another point.” She smiled ruefully as she examined the collection of bruises forming on her body, “You got two ribs, but I’ll survive.” She winced as she pressed a talisman against the worst of her injuries. “The mask I carved is a total success, since it managed to deceive even you!” she chuckled.

Aryan growled darkly, “Never do that again! I could have killed you!” He yelled furiously as he leapt to his feet and smacked Laura hard across the cheek.

Laura gasped from the blow as she fell back onto the bed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t think...” her shoulders shook with soft pained sobs as she curled away from him.

Aryan’s fuming anger was instantly replaced by an all-encompassing concern as he dashed up to gather up the weeping princess in his arms and cradled her gently onto his lap, “I’m sorry. I should have noticed…”

It was only then that the prince perceived the small gloating smile she had been hiding all along, “Idiot. Then what would be the point, if you actually noticed? Fufu… hehehe… you are just too funny! Oh, my poor broken sides…” Laura bent over with laughter and coughed weakly.

“This is exactly what I hate about you Laura. Why do you care so little for your own personal safety? It’s all just a game to you, isn’t it? Everything you do is just an act for your own amusement. Which part of you is actually the real you?” Aryan snarled as he shook the laughing princess roughly.

Laura sighed and met his angered hazel eyes with her flashing crystal blue, “You shouldn’t grow too attached to me Aryan,” she retorted defiantly. “I will probably be forced to make some difficult choices when I battle Xerxes, and I don’t want to leave any regrets behind. I’m just some princess from a backwater island kingdom, you’ll be better off if you found another…” Then her eyes widened with surprise.

Aryan cut her off with a desperate hungry kiss. Then he flipped her onto the bed and pinned her down beneath him, “Don’t even think about it,” he growled as he forced himself into her. “I am a prince of Vaishya, and you are mine! We will face Xerxes in battle together, or I will summon all the diviners and enchantresses in Calcutta and have you bound in dimeritium until this entire war is over.”

“Stupid puppy…” Laura grumbled softly as she moved her hips to meet his thrusts. But Aryan silenced her with another passionate kiss before she could continue her half-hearted protest and Laura gasped as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her body. And then the princess howled with pleasure as the puppy woofed with joy.

…

“Happy now?” Laura winced as she clung tightly against the tanned muscular boy.

“What time is it? I must have dozed off again…” Aryan muttered as he gazed blearily out of the window and spied the noonday sun baking its rays onto the palace below. Then he finally remembered as he gazed at the grimacing princess, “Damnit! How did it ever slip my mind, you need immediate medical attention!” He yelled as he leapt to his feet and scooped Laura into his arms.

“Fufu… are you going to abscond naked through the palace’s corridors with me? That sounds scandalously fun…” Laura eyes twinkled mischievously. The prince swore and laid her gently on the bed, before struggling into the nearest pair of trousers and flinging on a shirt. Laura stood up and stretched tentatively as she ran her hands gingerly down her sides.

“You shouldn’t be moving!” Aryan hissed in horror as he dashed back to the princess.

“You’re such a worrywart, Aryan.” Laura replied with a small smile, “I set the bones while you were sleeping, it was a piece of cake. I’ll be as good as new in a day or two.”

“Are you delirious? Your ribs were broken, that takes weeks to recover from, if ever.” Aryan muttered in disbelief as he rested his hand on her forehead to see if she had a fever, before running his hands down her sides to examine her injuries.

“Hey it tickles!” Laura blushed as she flinched away from Aryan’s searching touch.

“I know that hurt,” Aryan growled, “stop fooling around Laura.”

Laura shrugged, “It was good practice, and I’m sure my fixing magic will come in handy soon. Besides, I’ve experienced far worse, one or two ribs is nothing.” She giggled impishly, “You should have seen the last real fight I had with my sister, when we were only six. Her magic leveled half the palace before she finally caught me. Then she cracked my skull, snapped my spine, along with every bone in the lower half of my body. I only managed to elude her wrath by shoving her into a well and crawling into the sea before she emerged.”

Aryan’s mouth gaped open in wordless shock.

Laura chuckled as a tear trickled from her misty eyes, “I miss Lily so, the cowardly Saadians must have murdered her while she was still unconscious. There’s just no way anyone could have defeated her if she had been really serious.” She mumbled as she buried her face against Aryan’s chest.

“Did you not say that you were the most Talented witch? How is your sister even stronger?” Aryan stammered.

Laura bit her lip as her eyes crinkled, “Do I sense some buyer’s remorse somewhere?” she giggled. Then she sighed, “Lily liked you a lot more than I did, and she was a really kind and patient sister to me. You would have found a better match with her.”

“I wasn’t thinking about that!” Aryan protested sheepishly as he failed to meet her playful gaze.

“You are such a tease Aryan!” Laura chortled, “C’mon. Let’s stop moping about, it’s already past noon and I’m totally famished after all that exercise! Let’s grab some lunch and then maybe you can show me the sights of Calcutta!”