I laughed with her for a moment before happily taking another sip. The wine was simply delightful, and I was looking forward to spending the evening with Broda and Venna.
“Bah,” Broda said, glancing askance at her still full glass. “I’m sure it’s a fine thing, but I’ve never acquired the taste. If it’s all the same to you, I’m going to go back down and have a few ales with Khorim.”
“I understand,” I told her.
I knew the trauma of Khorim’s death had been hard on Broda, and while she would have liked to spend time with us, the pain of his near loss still weighed heavily on her. I wasn’t going to keep her away from Khorim if that was where she truly wanted to be.
“Of course, Broda,” Venna added, clearly reaching the same conclusion I had.
“Alright then,” Broda said as she left. “Don’t stay up waiting for me. I had a good nap and I intend to drink that pitiful excuse for a dwarf under the table!”
I couldn’t help but laugh again as I heard her stomping off down the hallway; she was a good woman, who obviously loved her husband dearly, even if she did have a strange way of expressing it.
Venna let out a disgusted sigh, and I turned to see what was bothering her.
“I have got to get out of all of this,” she declared, gesturing at her filthy clothes and armor.
She stood up and tossed her pack on the floor before rummaging through it to pull out a simple nightdress, much like my own. I watched her as she began to remove her weapons and armor, piling them alongside her discarded pack. I tried to look away, to allow Venna some privacy as she began to strip off the padding beneath her armor, but I found myself transfixed.
The smooth skin of her lithe form was gradually revealed to me as she slowly stripped down to her small undergarments, but then I froze as I realized that she was aware of my admiring gaze. Not only had Venna noticed my stare, but she’d actually slowed her undressing just to allow me to watch her disrobe even more closely. Flushed with embarrassment, I tried to look away, but simply couldn’t pull my eyes from her slender perfection. Standing before me in just her small clothes, Venna turned to face me fully.
I had never before seen her in anything other than her full clothes and armor, barely glimpsing little more of her than her exposed face and neck. Now, as she stood boldly in front of me nearly naked, I could do nothing but stare at her perfect form.
She had the body of a graceful dancer—taut muscles formed the delicate curves of her calves and thighs while the seductive flare of her slight hips curved gracefully just below her narrow waist. Toned skin stretched across her smooth flat stomach before her body curved gently outward around her ribs. The soft mounds of Venna’s small but well-defined breasts formed perfect round circles, rising firmly above the smooth skin of her chest. Her hard nipples mirrored my own, as I felt them pressing forcefully against my own clothes. As I admired her flawless body, she stared down at me boldly with a sly grin on her face, never averting her gaze from my eyes.
Suddenly, her mouth turned up in the mischievous grin of hers that I had come to recognize. Without warning, she quickly slipped off her shorts and pulled her bra over her head. Then she simply stood there before me for a long moment, allowing me to take in the full beauty of her completely naked form.
I was nearly breathless when she finally moved, and with a quick motion, threw her nightdress over her head. Once dressed, she returned to the bed and refilled her glass. She sat down and took a deep sip of her wine, gazing at me the entire time. Pulling the glass away from her mouth, she licked her lips slowly, sucking in an errant drop of the red wine before speaking to me. Gazing at me intently over the rim of her glass, she uttered two simple words that froze my heart.
“Your turn.”
“Venna, I can’t—”
“You watched me. It’s only fair,” she interrupted.
“But Venna, I—”
“Dreya?” She cut me off once more.
“Yes, Venna?”
“You’re a smart girl, right?” She replied.
I cringed as I heard her turn my own words against me. She didn’t wait for me to speak before slamming the door on me.
“What does ‘your turn’ mean?”
I wasn’t overly self-conscious, but I wasn’t exactly an exhibitionist either. And while I found Venna incredibly attractive, anything more than friendship between us would be extremely complicated, if not impossible. Especially considering the fact that she was married to a man I considered one of my closest friends, and all of that was without factoring in my own issues with physical, and especially intimate contact.
I knew I was playing with fire—a fire that could very easily burn the two of us badly. Still, as soon as she spoke, I got up and walked across the room to where my own pack lay propped against the wall. Reaching inside, I pulled out my nightdress and raised it up for her to see. Her eyes never left mine as she took another sip of her wine and slowly nodded her approval.
Draping the light dress over a chair, I started to pull off my boots. I tossed them in the corner and began to undo the buttons of my shirt. My fingers started shaking nervously and I fumbled at the normally simple task. As I struggled to release the stubborn buttons, Venna was suddenly at my side, hands extended, offering a full glass of wine. I took the glass from her hands and gulped down a mouthful of the strong liquid. As the warmth of the wine began flowing through me, my hands became steady once more. I tried again, and this time the buttons of my blouse yielded easily, and I flipped the garment carelessly to the floor. A sudden feeling of awkwardness came over me, and I took another deep sip of the wine. The strong liquid did its work quickly, and I began to undo the clasps around my waist.
Peeling off my pants, I stood for a moment, reluctant to perform the final steps that Venna had taken so boldly. With a quick motion, I grabbed the wine glass and gulped down the remaining red liquid. I experienced a moment of lightheadedness and looked over at Venna.
She sat there on the bed, watching me intently, much as I had been watching her a few moments ago. Her eyes met mine and I felt her encourage me, urging me on. But I also felt her craving; staring into her eyes, I saw not only a look of appreciation, but the intense fire of desire as well.
Despite the risk, I was too far gone to stop. I pulled my bra over my head slowly, letting Venna watch as I stretched languidly for her. Reaching my arms over my head slowly, I removed the thin garment, revealing myself to her almost entirely.
When my top was off, I stood still for a long moment, allowing Venna to watch me for a while longer before I tossed the flimsy piece of cloth aside. I was beginning to enjoy the display, and the look of yearning on Venna’s face made me want to prolong her pleasure even longer.
I placed my hands on my waist and slid them slowly along my skin down towards my hips before slipping my fingers inside my panties. The electric thrill of my own touch made the seductive gesture all the more exciting for me. Gliding my panties down, I slowly worked them off my legs before flipping them onto my pile of clothes. Then, just as Venna had done before, I stood still for a moment, posing for her, letting Venna take in my body with her eyes as I had absorbed hers.
When I finally felt that she had looked long enough, I picked up my night dress and flipped it on over my head. Grabbing my empty glass, I walked over to stand beside Venna and held it out for her to refill for me.
She stared at me dumbly for a moment before fumbling for the bottle. Spilling a few drops, she managed to fill my glass without making too much of a mess. I took a quick sip before sitting down on the bed across from her.
Venna sat silently for a while, taking a few delicate sips from her glass. I thought perhaps things had gone farther than she had intended, that she might now regret her earlier boldness. If that was the case, I wasn’t sure what to say to reassure her.
“You’re so beautiful,” she whispered softly.
“Thank you, Venna,” I replied cautiously. “Coming from someone as amazing as yourself, I
consider that a real compliment.”
“You think so?” She said hesitantly.
“Venna, you’re stunning!” I replied. “You’re absolutely perfect!”
“I thought I was pretty until I saw you just now,” she said. “Everything about you is just so incredibly beautiful.”
“Venna,” I said firmly. “You’re a smart girl, right?”
“Oh no, not this again,” she replied, as a hint of her usual self emerged.
“Venna,” I continued. “I said you were beautiful. What does beautiful mean?”
“I understand, but next to you I—”
“Venna!” I interrupted. “Smart girls know what beautiful means.”
She looked at me sideways, peering at me as she took another sip from her glass.
“I know what it means,” she muttered.
“I don’t think you do,” I said teasingly. “Either that, or you’re calling me a liar.”
Venna took another sip of wine, grumbling under her breath.
“Venna you are beautiful,” I said sincerely. “Looking at you standing in front of me before took my breath away. Were things different, if I didn’t experience physical contact like I do, if I didn’t inflict that experience on others, we would not be in this bed just talking right now.”
I looked into her eyes deeply, holding her gaze for several moments and letting her know the attraction she felt for me was truly shared before I spoke again.
“But I have found that this world will not let me lead a simple life—it won’t even allow me the comforts and pleasures that might make my difficult path just a little bit easier to follow.”
“I can’t be with you the way I think we both want, and it has nothing to do with you, Venna. I can’t be that way with anyone. Not only is it too overwhelming for me, but it’s dangerous as well.”
“Venna, that kiss, that single kiss, what you felt… that was nothing. I don’t know what would have happened to you if I had returned that kiss, let alone if I ever did anything more than that with you.”
“Is it really that bad for you?” She asked.
“Tell me how that one kiss felt. What did you experience?”
“It… I… I don’t know if I can,” she stuttered. “It was like fire, only good. Not burning, but it still consumed me completely.”
I would never have thought to describe my experiences in that way, but it certainly sounded familiar.
“Now imagine how much more intense that would feel if I touched you other places. Returned your affection with passion in my heart.”
Her eyes flew open as she began to comprehend.
“I don’t think I could take that. It would be too much,” Venna finally realized.
“Welcome to my world, sweet Venna.”
“So, you’re telling me this whole setup was a complete waste of time?” She replied flatly.
We stared at each other for just half a second before bursting out in a fit of uncontrollable giggling.
12
In the morning, we woke to the sound of Broda snoring loudly in the bed across from us. Looking over, I could see her lying face down in the bed, fully clothed and fast asleep. Apparently, she was still lying where she had drunkenly fallen into the bed after stumbling back to our room sometime in the night. Venna and I looked at each other in amusement before breaking out in another fit of giggles.
Suppressing our mirth as much as possible, we climbed out of bed carefully, trying not to wake the obviously hung over Broda. I let Venna slip out from under the covers first before joining her next to our jumbled piles of clothing. Although we had shared the bed, we had slept under separate blankets to avoid the consequences of any unintentional contact. As close as it had been the night before, we were both well aware that things could escalate quickly between us with only the slightest of provocations.
Venna pulled out a clean set of clothes, while I began dressing in my now-pristine garments. I couldn’t help but glance over at Venna as she dressed, still admiring her graceful, toned form. I blushed when she caught me looking, and we burst out in a fresh bout of giggles, realizing that the only reason I had been caught in the act was because she had been sneaking glances at me as well.
Somehow, amid repeated fits of giggles, we managed to finish getting ready and then snuck quietly out of our room. Venna knocked softly on the door to Stel and Khorim’s room, but there was no answer. The only reply was the soft sounds of snoring coming through the door. Shrugging her shoulders, Venna led us downstairs and we sat down to have breakfast together.
“Do we wait for them, or try and wake them up?” I asked.
“Neither,” Venna replied.
“While the Abbott invited me to bring everyone to our meeting this morning, he made it clear that their attendance was not required,” she explained.
“So, just us then?” I said.
“There’s nothing wrong with just us,” Venna replied with a smile. “In fact, I happen to like it when it’s just us.”
Venna and I had indeed been growing closer and closer recently, the bond between us had only increased as I’d begun confiding in her about my status as a Sintári. Not only were we developing a deep friendship, but there was also a strong sense of attraction between us. We knew better than to pursue those feelings, but there was no use in trying to deny them either. The situation was truly frustrating, but only served to draw us closer together.
“I do too,” I smiled back at her.
When we finished eating, we rose from the table together and left the Bard’s common room. Taking my hand, Venna led me through the streets to the building that housed her Order’s chapter in Oróna.
It was an impressive structure, constructed much like the rest of Oróna, with graceful arches and walls of smooth, polished stone that framed the outer doorway. An acolyte opened the portal for us, and we were immediately greeted by another attendant inside. The second acolyte escorted us to a meeting chamber where the Abbott was waiting for us.
“Welcome, Venna,” the Abbott offered in greeting. “I see you have brought one of your companions today.”
“Yes, Abbott,” Venna replied formally. “This is my friend, Dreya. She will be aiding me with my mission.”
“Good, very good,” he answered. “But your mission will be sending you off into dangerous lands., I trust there will be others as well?”
“Yes, of course Abbott,” Venna answered hastily. “My husband and two more friends will be accompanying us as well.”
“I see,” he replied. “That seems a bit better then.”
The Abbott rose from his chair and motioned for us to follow as he limped slowly across the room. He eventually brought us to a table upon which sat a large, ornate chest. Gesturing to the chest, he prompted Venna to open it. Venna quickly obliged, lifting the heavy lid to expose the contents held within.
A soft, white glow emanated from inside the open container. Peering over Venna’s shoulder, I could see many dozens of slender vials filled with a clear liquid. The vials were held upright, protected within a cleverly constructed grid of wooden squares. Each small square held and protected a single vial of the antidote, sheltering it within the large chest. But it was the object that was in the very center of the chest which was most impressive.
Secured in the middle of the grid of vials was the source of the faint glow that I had seen. The object appeared to be a small metal sculpture of a woman. The statue’s body was carved of precious Khelduin, and her hair appeared to be fashioned from impossibly thin strands of golden thread. The base of the figure featured a series of inscriptions I could not read, highlighted with small jewels worked in between the delicate lettering.
The statue alone was an incredible work of art, and the fact that it was the source of the soft light pulsing from inside the chest made me take a step back in awe.
“Lady Thassa!” Venna exclaimed softly.
“Yes,” the Abbott replied reverently. “I see you recognize the artifact.”
“I do, Abbott,” she replied cautiously. “But I do not understand why it is here with the cure.”
“We have little information on the plague I am sending you after,” the Abbott explained. “We only received a few reports before the messengers we sent out stopped returning.”
That didn’t sound too ominous.
“What little we were able to learn from the first few messages seemed to indicate that this plague is not likely of a natural origin,” the Abbot continued.
Nope, nothing ominous at all.
“The antidote I have made requires the infusion of The Light of Thassa for it to be effective. The vials must be exposed to The Light for them to have full potency.”
“Forgive the intrusion, Abbott, but for how long? How long do the vials need to be in The Light?” I inquired.
I hoped I had not overstepped my place by interrupting, but I felt it would be important to understand just how the process worked. I had a follow-up to this question in mind, and the Abbott’s answer would tell me if my thoughts were on the correct path.
“Venna, you have chosen your companion well,” the Abbott beamed. “She is an insightful one.”
Venna smiled at the compliment he had offered to both of us.
“Dreya, it was, right?” The Abbott replied. When I nodded in confirmation, he continued.
“The Light needs only a few moments to lend its power to the antidote,” he responded. “However, once removed from The Light, the vials will retain its power only for a short while. Perhaps an hour, but no longer than that.”
“Thank you, Abbott,” I replied, before cautiously continuing. “If I could ask just one more question?”
The Abbott seemed intrigued and nodded for me to proceed.
“The information available is so sparse and the reports seem so vague,” I ventured. “What if we need more of the antidote than we have here?”
“I have considered this, my child,” the Abbott replied remorsefully. “None with the skill to reproduce the formula are willing to take on the risk of this mission. I would go myself if I could, but both my position and my own physical limitations preclude me from doing so.”
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