Still standing at the window, Aughir continued to watch the sky, following the butterfly's flight pattern until it was well out of sight. He hoped Evore and her friends intercepted those two spies who infiltrated the resistance band currently stationed at Amarah's castle. Oh yes, he knew of Globbock, the king's longtime expert in espionage, and that spy often employed his own band of helpers.
The latest was a local Chalouian fellow named Iacho who managed to worm his way into the rebel cell, claiming to be Benutian by birth. That was a lie as Syrin, the chief of the Inamor cell, while holed up in Amarah's castle, asked Iacho a few pointed questions in the guise of pleasant small talk.
Immediately Syrin concluded Iacho was a plant, and the spy had reported his findings to Globbock via messenger pigeon. Thank young Ary who shot down bird with a well-aimed poisoned dart. As of now, according to Syrin's last message, both Globbock and Iacho were en route to Pinemoor courtesy of Hanon, a Benutian purveyor of transportation. Aughir learned, via Syrin, that the 'ride', which the spies believed would get them to Pinemoor in time to catch the express to Tyq – thus arriving in time to warn the king of the phony phérium bombs – was a trap. Hanon told the spies he had one more stop to make along the coast; he had two more passengers to pick up. This was partially true, although Syrin wouldn't elaborate.
The message's last lines read: "Thank Lan for intervening at our most delicate time. He alerted Hanon who, in turn, gladly transported those men to their destination – their final destination. Globbock and Iacho will no longer be a problem. Do what you want in Tyq; we'll go ahead with our plans on this end."
Hmm, thought Aughir, so Evore's lover, Lan, aided in ridding us of those spies. Now, if only we can do the same for Banes. No, let him believe his nefarious plot to oust Vlaric is successful. Once he discovers those bombs, and the missile aimed a Benut, are harmless fakes, it will be too late to save the land he so desperately wanted to rule for himself.
Oh, but wait! What about the two others, Banes' partners in the scheme? At this moment, Princess Jolende was in Lemrac, capital of Koror Province. Sadius is dead...No he is not, for word had yet to come from Gar and Bliss. Perhaps his 'body' had yet to wash up, but it has to since Sadius is the loose cannon in that trio. Banes and Jolende could keep their part of the scheme secret; but Sadius, once he learned that he would be 'disposed of', once Banes is firmly ensconced as Eldonia's sole ruler...
"More like dictator, far worse than what we've lived under all these years. With Benut Province levelled to dust, Chenek publicly and horribly executed, there will be no hope. Banes will rule this land with an iron fist, a cruelty unprecedented in these five-hundred years...Come on, Sadius! You're not dead, because I can feel it."
++++++
On the paddlewheel steamboat Dragon Princess, on the Etteyaf River, far away from the great railway bridge, the beautiful Lady Bliss awaited her lover's return. Bliss was what the mainstream Eldonians derisively called a "half-bred freak," not worthy of sitting in their social circles or at their dinner tables, a product of Brix, a minor Chalouian nobleman, and Dian, a lower-level Nemirian witch. From her mother, Bliss inherited no special powers other than the ability to communicate with various local animals and the fabulous Nemirian beasts.
What was more unusual about Bliss was her proclivity to fall in love with what the Eldonians deemed as freaks of nature. Her current lover, a serpent-man named Gar, years ago, spirited Bliss away from her home near the tiny Nemirian village of Caudix to his steamboat near the mouth of the Etteyaf River, where the borders of Koror, Chalou, and Nemir Provinces meet. They spent most time on the boat, travelling between Caudix and Verborma, the latter being Gar's home. This stretch of the river was usually avoided by the Eldonians what with the swampy coast and expanse of worthless wetlands.
"Stupid people," muttered Bliss, "they don't know the wetlands serve as buffer from the ocean storms, and are the main source for our fresh water. So be it. That's more water for ourselves. Besides, Gar and I have privacy unrivalled."
What is taking so long? Gar left late morning, and now it was nearly sunset. They had stayed in bed all morning, enjoying their special brand of lovemaking, when an urgent message arrived via the gryphon Aten. Something had gone down last night in Tyq, and two spies who had infiltrated the rebel cell in Benut were presently transported to an as yet unknown location. There was a third part of that message, something about a possible murder victim. Said victim may not be dead after all, and, if necessary, he should be spirited away to Faelyn with all deliberate speed. The victim's recovery was needed as only he could positively identify his partners in crime.
Not wanting to wait out in the dank air, Bliss returned inside, to her quarters aboard the boat. She sat before the dressing table mirror, studying her reflection. To be sure, Bliss was a pretty woman: dark-haired, brown-eyed, tall and lithely built, good looks inherited from her Nemirian mother. She was just as beautiful inside as out; her natural compassion and ready wit attracted Gar most.
Bliss knew about the rebel alliance and all efforts to oust the oppressors, and she and Gar wholeheartedly joined in the resistance movement, serving as transport for those threatened with capture by Vlaric's forces. Oh yes, both Bliss and Gar knew about the bomb and missile switch, and now they learned of Vlaric's assassination as well as the co-conspirator's fate. Still, Bliss didn't know her and Gar's role in the rebellion efforts would become so crucial, and the immediate events leading to that were about to unfold now.
She heard voices outside her cabin. Looking out the window, she could make out Gar's unmistakable slithering movements up the gangplank. He was a sight to behold. To the Eldonians his appearance was deemed as extremely hideous; to Bliss, he was a most beautiful man.
Gar was just two years older than Bliss, in his mid-twenties. From the waist up he was all handsome, well-built man – Thick, glossy black hair reaching just to the shoulders, keen dark brown eyes, boyish good looks, a youthfully muscular physique. Below the waist was nearly six feet of writhing, glistening, scaly black serpent. Gar was a one of the Sineten, a race of serpent-people who had long resided in Nemir. Far from evil, the Sineten were revered by the Nemirians and Benutians for their great beauty, deep wisdom, and playfully humorous nature. There was one characteristic that set the Sineten apart from other fabulous creatures: They were notoriously sexual beings, given to lustful relations with others unlike them, most often with humans. It was not unusual to see human women pared with Sineten males, and vice versa. At first, when Bliss met Gar, she was rendered utterly breathless from his relentlessly insatiable libido. Now she couldn't imagine life without him. She loved the freedom to move about, travelling up and down the river at a whim. Of course, she wholly loved the way he loved her, body and soul.
"Eldor," he called out to his chief boatman, coiling himself around a nearby post to rest, thoroughly exhausted, "fetch Rico to help you bring this up. I've dragged this damned bag as far as I could. There's a badly wounded man inside, and he'll need medical attention. Come, bring him to the rear cabin."
Now Bliss wished she hadn't changed into that sexy red satin dress, the one that molded to her body like a wet washcloth. She had hoped Gar, upon his return, would indulge her in some vigorous lovemaking. Normally, just seeing him sinuously writhing up the gangplank, relishing his beauty and every sensual wriggle, would send Bliss into fits of frenzied lust. However, this was not the case; and Gar, in his present mood, had more pressing matters on his mind.
Within seconds, she stripped off the dress then changed into more utilitarian attire of old brown pants and red T-shirt. She dashed out the cabin, then down the stairs to the lower deck.
"Gar," she called out, "what's happened? I overheard something about a man in a bag."
Once she approached, Gar embraced her then planted a sound kiss to her lips. He said breathlessly and half-amusedly, "This is one time I wished for legs."
Then, more seriously, he added, "Darling, that message this morning was from Aughir. I spent all day searching up and down the river, in the vicinity of the rail bridge. Luckily I found the bag, and its contents...Bliss, it's Sadius. He's not dead but badly wounded. We have to leave for Faelyn at once."
Bliss still didn't understand all, saying, "Isn't Sadius governor of Koror Province? Why are we giving the likes of him shelter?"
Coiling himself around Bliss in a sound embrace, his hands holding her face, Gar, finally catching his breath, looked into his lover's brown eyes, saying before kissing her again, "Sadius has information of this conspiracy pact. He has been working with Banes and Jolende, and obviously had a role in Vlaric's murder. My dear, according to Aughir, this place is no longer safe for us. Within days, Koror Province, in its entirety, will be levelled to dust, and that I'm not at liberty to elaborate. In Nemir we'll be safe; and Sadius, if he survives, may be able to reveal what Banes has been up to all these years."
"And that is?"
"To take over Eldonia for himself. Yet Banes does not know the true fruits of his folly. Come, my love, we must be on our way...And I trust you will see to our passenger during the journey to Faelyn..."
Copyright©2006 by P.R. Parker. All rights reserved.
