Ferus : Book 6 of the Heku Series

by T. M. Nielsen

  Once the audience was gone, Quinn spoke, “Now for the introduction… this is the current Council of the Equites…”

  “It’s disturbing though… and confusing…” Camber said.

  Quinn stopped and turned to him, “What is?”

  “Quid nōmen tibi est?” Camber asked Emily.

  “She doesn’t speak Native,” Chevalier said, a slight irritation in his voice.

  “I’ve never seen a heku that small,” Camber said, and then frowned. “Nor one that hides behind another.”

  “She is not a heku,” Zohn said. “We will explain it…”

  “No… has the Equites fallen to having a mortal on the Council?” Camber asked angrily.

  Emily felt her heart skip a beat. His voice was malevolent and threatening.

  Zohn’s voice was calm and steady, “Let us explain… She is a member because she is bonded with an Elder.”

  “It doesn’t matter who stooped to marrying a mortal. She shouldn’t be in the palace, shouldn’t be a member of the Council, and should not be here in front of me!” he roared.

  Emily gasped and started for the back doors, but Mark stopped her.

  “Brave too, I see… how embarrassing.”

  Chevalier lowered his hood and his eyes were furious, “Do not talk about her like that, and I didn’t stoop to anything.”

  “The great Equitis married a mortal?” Camber asked, shocked. “Maybe I should be talking to the Valle…”

  Camber gasped, his eyes wide, and he grasped his chest.

  “Emily…” Zohn said softly.

  The burning pain within him lasted no more than five seconds, and he stood up straight. The look on his face changed from hatred to confusion.

  Emily started for him, “Don’t talk badly about the Equites!”

  Mark reached out and took her shoulders to stop her from advancing.

  “What…” Camber said, watching her.

  “My wife,” Chevalier said, and put his hand out for Emily, “Is the last remaining Winchester.”

  Mark let her go, and she took Chevalier’s hand and lowered her hood to look Camber in the eye.

  “Mē miseret,” Camber said, and his usual angry expression returned. “No other faction has a Winchester?”

  “No,” Chevalier told him.

  “Fascinating… you found one.”

  Emily frowned, “Don’t talk about me like I’m a car.”

  “A what?” he asked, frowning again.

  “Never mind,” Quinn said. “But I suggest you show respect to this Council. Emily is quite passionate about loyalty to the Equites.”

  “Why don’t we let Emily go while we do the rest of the introductions,” Zohn suggested. “We can meet back up with her at the reception.”

  Mark nodded and held his hand out for her. Emily glanced again at Camber, and then took his hand as the Cavalry followed her out of the great hall.

  Camber grinned when she left, “Leave it to Chevalier to not only find a Winchester, but bond with her.”

  “What exactly do you mean by that?” Chevalier asked, frowning.

  “Nothing bad… I assure you. It’s just a shock to find that you’ve done what my life’s work could not accomplish.”

  Emily grumbled under her breath all the way to her room. She couldn’t believe the nerve of that heku, and she was ready to ash him and be rid of him. Mark and Silas walked into her room with her while the others stayed out by the door. She stopped just inside the door and frowned at the clothing covered bed and her tailor standing beside it.

  “I stayed to help,” he said, and smiled.

  “I’ve been getting dressed long enough I can do it alone,” she said, irritated.

  Mark chuckled, “Not like this you haven’t.”

  “It used to take two or three handmaids to get someone dressed,” the tailor explained. “You, my Dear, are stuck with me.”

  “Why do I get the feeling I’m going to regret this?” she asked, and turned to Mark.

  “Just go get the basics on in the bathroom, you’ll be covered enough to come out and get the rest on.”

  “The basics?” she asked, confused.

  “Here,” the tailor said, and handed her a stack of white cloth. “Come out when you are done.”

  Emily shook her head and took it into the bathroom. She laid out the three items of clothing and studied them. First, she slipped on the thigh high stockings, those were simple and something she’d seen before. The next was a simple, white, knee-length chemise that she easily slipped on. The last was obviously calf-length pants, but was also the light white linen with an elastic waist and elastic at the calf with a small ruffle at the bottom. She looked into the mirror and frowned at the odd clothing after putting them on.

  Next, she turned to her hair and put it in a simple bun at the nape of her neck. She’d seen hair similar to that in old movies and thought it would be the easiest.

  Emily stepped out and gasped at Mark and Silas. They were each in waistcoats that were tightly cinched at the waist, and tall hats with white ruffled collared shirts and long pleated pants. Mark had a cloak tied around his neck, but Silas had on a dark cravat instead.

  “Nice,” she said, and couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Don’t even go there… wait til you get in yours,” Mark said, and leaned back against the wall.

  “Dear…” the tailor said nervously. “Remove the brassier.”

  Emily blushed and disappeared into the bathroom and came back out shortly.

  “Ok,” the tailor said, and held up a whale boned corset.

  Emily gasped, “I have to wear that?”

  She turned and glared when Mark started to chuckle.

  “Come on, I’ll put it on you,” the tailor said.

  Emily sighed. She’d already agreed to go to the reception, so she went over to the tailor. He wrapped it around her and then began to fasten the ties.

  “Ok, hold onto the bed,” he told her.

  “Do what?” Emily asked, and turned around.

  “That bed won’t hold,” Silas said, and walked up. “Hold onto me.”

  For the next thirty minutes, Emily held tightly to Silas as the tailor tightened the whalebone corset. She felt like he was breaking ribs as he tightened it so tight that Silas had to hold onto her so she didn’t fall. By the time he got to her waist, she felt like she could no longer breathe.

  “You, Dear, will be the only one at the reception with a waist,” the tailor said, and she felt him tighten another strap.

  Emily tried to talk, but no noise came out. She just held tightly to Silas as another strap tightened.

  “There, that part’s done,” the tailor said, and moved to the bed.

  “I… can’t… breathe,” she managed to say.

  “That’s why women used to faint all the time,” Chevalier said from behind her. Emily turned to find him in period clothing already. His waistcoat had a high stiff collar and was also cinched at the waist, and fit snugly against his massive shoulders. He had on a black cravat and a knee length black cloak.

  “I don’t… want to… faint,” she said, still trying to breath.

  Chevalier grinned, “Then take small breaths.”

  “We have a long way to go,” the tailor said, and held up the first of many stiff, ruffled petticoats.

  “What… is that…” she gasped when Silas came toward her with what looked like a belt with a pillow attached.

  “This goes over your butt,” Silas said, amused.

  “Why?”

  “I have no idea,” he told her, and tied the thin belt around her waist. The small pillow rested just over her butt.

  “That’s… stupid…” she gasped. She was getting mad at the amount of laughing coming from Mark and Chevalier by the wall.

  Silas returned to the bed and came back with a 6-boned hoop skirt. She carefully stepped into it, and he tied it at her waist. Next, the tailor began to tie on the first of six thick, ruffled petticoats.

  E
mily was finding it a tad easier to breathe, “Why do I have on bloomers when no one can see under all of these skirts?”

  “It was proper,” the tailor told her, and finished off the skirts.

  “I’ll show them proper. Get me out of this and hand me my jeans.” She turned and glared at Chevalier and Mark when their laughter grew louder, “Stop it.”

  “Sorry, Em,” Mark said, stilling grinning.

  “Time for the frock,” the tailor said, and picked up the black and green dress.

  Emily lifted her arms and he slid the thick dress over her. The heavy dress was cut low and the neck was wide, showing more cleavage than she was comfortable with, while the dropped shoulder fell to puffed elbow-length sleeves. The bodice was black with dark green overlay, and the skirt was floor-length and black with what she could only describe as dark green curtains. As the tailor tied the thick green belt, she looked in the mirror and wrinkled her nose.

  She sighed and turned slightly in the mirror, “I look insane.”

  Chevalier moved to her and kissed her shoulder softly, “Southern bells would have killed for your figure.”

  He fastened a beautiful platinum necklace around her neck with teardrop diamond and emerald embellishments. He looked at her in the mirror and grinned, “I like it.”

  “How am I supposed to go to the bathroom?” she asked, and then turned to the tailor, who was looking at her in admiration.

  His eyes grew wide, “Do you?”

  “Well… no… but I will at some point.”

  “Well then, we get to start over,” he told her.

  Emily frowned, “I’ll hold it.”

  The tailor knelt down with her shoes and started pulling up skirts, “Last part… I promise.”

  “Why have shoes? No one can see my feet.”

  “In case you accidentally show your feet. Bare would be worse than shoes.”

  Mark chuckled, “Yes, make sure you don’t show your feet.”

  “I have miles of cleavage, but can’t show my feet?” Emily asked, confused.

  “That’s about right,” Chevalier told her, and held out his arm. “Ready?”

  “If I fall down the stairs, can I change into jeans?” she asked, and took his arm.

  “Nope,” he told her, and started for the door. “Mark and Silas are your guards tonight. I think 2 will be enough.”

  “Good, I’ll need them to catch me when I pass out.”

  Chevalier helped her walk down the stairs, and it helped when Mark showed her how to successfully pick up all of the layers of skirts so she could walk easier, but reminded her that after the stairs, she couldn’t show her feet. They walked up to the reception hall, and she saw the entire Council standing in a line with the Elders at the back.

  “Beautiful,” Quinn said, and smiled, bowing slightly to her.

  Emily just blushed and stood beside Chevalier, “Why are we in line?”

  “We walk in last,” Zohn told her, and couldn’t help but run his eyes down her.

  “Peachy, a parade,” she said, and tried to pull her top up further, but it didn’t budge.

  “Stop fidgeting, you look fine,” Dustin said, irritated.

  “Bite me, pup,” Emily growled.

  “Not tonight, you two,” Quinn said sternly.

  Emily sighed and held Chevalier’s arm as they were paraded past the coven dignitaries. The Council lined up at the end of the room and turned to face the others. Emily was relieved that all of the women were dressed similar to her, though she wondered briefly if they had pillows on their butts, too.

  Mark and Silas stood behind her through the night, and she wished she could hear what they kept whispering about. Chevalier explained that they had to greet the dignitaries before Camber would enter and begin his new life as a coven leader of the Equites. A coven was established for his use, and already had over 120 members.

  The night drew on as the dignitaries filed past them. Most took her hand and kissed it softly, while others just bowed and moved on. The few that hadn’t met her before, seemed to hold their breath around her, and moved quickly to the next council member beside her. The room became warmer and several times she felt like she would actually pass out as she’d joked about earlier. No one else seemed to notice the heat, and she kept willing herself to stay focused.

  When the dignitaries were done with the greetings, she heard the doors open again and then the murmur of greetings to Camber. She couldn’t see him over the tall heku, but knew he was moving closer by the sound of the heku talking to him.

  Camber finally made his way to the Council’s line and started with Dustin on the end. They spoke briefly, and he moved on. When he came to Chevalier, the greeting was tense and brief. He moved to Emily and kissed her hand softly. Before he stood back up, she heard him inhale and then he stood suddenly and his eyes fell to her neck. Emily was pushed quickly behind Silas and Mark as they joined Chevalier to block Camber’s way to her.

  Emily heard a hiss, followed by Chevalier’s angry voice, “Control… Camber…”

  She could see his face between their shoulders, and saw his eyes roll slightly before he shut his them and sighed, “My God…”

  Quinn appeared beside Camber and put a hand on his shoulder, “Enough.”

  “Mmm, for just one taste,” he said, and opened his eyes to look at Emily again.

  As if on cue, Lord Thukil arrived and put his hand out, “May I have this first dance, Commander?”

  Emily nodded and took his hand, anything to get further away from the thirsty heku. As Lord Thukil swept her out onto the dance floor, others began to join in, and Mark and Silas stayed close to Camber. The former Elder’s eyes never left Emily as she danced and tried to ignore him.

  Quinn broke in for the next dance, and Emily was amazed how neither heku stepped on her billowing skirts while they spun her around the dance floor. She started to enjoy herself as the night drew on as dance after dance she was passed through most of the Council and some of the more well known dignitaries. Chevalier cut in often, mostly for the slow dances, and by midnight, she started to get tired.

  “You all seem quite smitten with the Winchester,” Camber said, watching Emily laugh as she danced with the Lord of Dell Coven. “It’s strange to see so many heku infatuated with a mortal.”

  “You just don’t know her. Stay on her good side, and she’ll do the same to you,” Quinn told him.

  “I intend to,” Camber said, and strode forward haughtily to cut into her dance. She glanced nervously at the Equites Elders as he wrapped a hand around her waist and took her hand. Anyone not dancing watched them closely, waiting for any sign of trouble. Each wanted to be the one to protect the Winchester and gain the favor of the Elders.

  “Your family, Child, caused quite the commotion in my day,” he said, and spun her suddenly, bringing her back against his chest.

  “So I’ve heard,” she said, not sure where this conversation was going.

  “For over a hundred years I did nothing but search for any female descendants of the Winchesters.”

  “Sounds like a waste of 100 years.”

  Camber grinned, “One might think… Then to find out that during my absence, another found you.”

  “Yeah, lucky him.”

  “You don’t like me, do you?”

  “I don’t know yet.”

  Camber dipped her and looked into her eyes, “You will.”

  She wasn’t aware how exposed her neck was until Chevalier broke in and lifted her, while Mark and Silas ushered Camber off to the side.

  Emily jumped when she felt a hand on her arm and calmed when she saw it was Zohn, “Come, I’ll help you to your room.”

  She nodded, taking the hint that her scent was too strong, and took Zohn’s arm as he led her though the dignitaries to the foyer. Once there, Zohn helped her control her skirts and she walked up the stairs. She was ready to get the dress off. Four hours in a corset was all she could stand, and she wanted nothing more than to take a deep b
reath.

  The tailor was in her room to help, and Zohn excused himself and returned to the reception. It took almost twenty minutes to get her layers of clothing off, and as soon as the tailor left, she stripped off the chemise and took a cold shower.

  Emily felt better when she got out. She could breathe and was no longer sweating. She crawled into the cool sheets and fell asleep to the sound of music and talking from below.

  The next morning, she could still hear the music and banter of the reception and was shocked that it was still going on. Not wanting to re-join them, she slipped on her bikini, tied her hair into a braid, and then grabbed a towel and threw it over her shoulder as she headed down the stairs, followed by four members of the Cavalry.

  “You’ll enjoy a lot of the changes over the last 200 years, and we’ll help walk you through them slowly. Your coven is outfitted for the latter part of the 1800’s and we’ve assigned Yishir to be your mentor, to help you understand things like cars and phones,” Quinn explained as the Elders walked Camber toward the stairs.

  “The biggest change will be clothing,” Chevalier explained. “Women no longer wear long…”

  The Elders stopped when they ran into Emily coming down the stairs. Camber’s eyes grew wide, and he turned away from her suddenly.

  Chevalier chuckled, “Did I mention that clothing would be a big change?”

  “Or lack thereof,” Camber said, obviously embarrassed.

  “I’m… I just wanted to swim,” Emily said, blushing at Camber’s reaction.

  “You may turn around, Camber. What she’s wearing is perfectly acceptable swim attire,” Zohn said, amused.

  Her blush deepened when the former Elder turned around and looked at her.

  Chevalier started to get uncomfortable and turned to her guards, “Check for Laythan before you let her past the south lawn… I don’t trust him.”

  “He better damn well hope I don’t see him,” Emily told him. “Or hear him for that matter. He’ll be ash before he can raise the bow.”

  “Just let them check,” he said as they headed out.

  Camber grinned, “She must be new to her abilities if she thinks she need only hear a heku… Winchesters must see their eyes.”