A Dream of Empire Ch. 013

"Hah!" Alanna laughed. She playfully nudged her leg against Tatiana's, then traced her fingers slowly up her arm to gently tug on a lock of her black hair. "You hear that, Tatiana? Sounds like Talos would care more for us if we were blondes."

"Um... yeah. It sure does," Tatiana sheepishly replied, just ever-so-subtly leaning towards Alanna's hand. The enchantress briefly scratched a non-existent itch behind her ear, garnering light giggles from a smiling and obviously-tipsy Tatiana.

"Don't go thinking I don't appreciate you as you are," Talos smirked. "gods know I couldn't have that on my conscious."

"You know, I was almost a blonde," Alanna mused, sticking out her tongue as she continued to play with Tatiana's hair.

"I'm, uh, not sure that's how it works honey," the man shrugged. Both sorceresses laughed at that.

"Is it not? I am not a natural auburn, after all, nor is our dear Tatiana a natural raven."

Talos chewed on that fact for a moment, as if a torch had illuminated in his consciousness. He glanced towards Tatiana in discovery, then back to Alanna. "Never knew you mages made such pervasive changes. You've tricked me for long enough."

"Well, it goes far beyond that," the enchantress teased, briefly puckering her lips. "My lips. My eyes..." she cooed, running a finger along her perfectly-arched eyebrows, "bone structure... wrinkles... all repaired for your pleasure."

"Huh," Talos smirked, taking another quick gulp of mead. "So you were born ugly. Who'd've guessed?"

"Excuse me, mister magically-perfected manhood?" Alanna rebuffed after a high-pitched gasp. "I wager you had a tiny worm there before you found a sorceress willing to repair it. Besides, you've seen my sister. I was like her."

"How dare you insult my past manhood," Talos chortled with pointed finger, failing to play a convincing part in their pretend argument. "But, you do have a point regarding your sister. Do all sorceresses change that much?" he asked with a quick glance towards Tatiana. Tatiana figured he wouldn't ask her directly, of course, to be polite.

"I... I can't think of one thing I haven't modified," Tatiana answered anyway, blushing from the sudden admission. She lifted an arm in realization, "oh, my eye color. But, you've seen my sisters, too!" she hastily added, hoping he didn't think her naturally ugly.

"And Cass was no stranger to it as well," Alanna continued with a reminiscent smile. "Her tan that persisted through winter... her soft, red lips. Her..." she glanced towards Talos, and immediately lost her smile. "Sorry," she said abruptly.

"It's okay, Alanna," Talos said, lifting his mug. "Now is not the time for sorrow. I have the Oracle's prophecy, and a damned good idea of where to find Cass. I'm in great company, and with good mead on a festive night. Lyrasa!" he cheered, drinking.

"Lyrasa!" Alanna and Tatiana joined in, taking a drink themselves. Tatiana was pleased to see Talos in such high spirits and, truthfully, finally felt hopeful of finding Casiama as well. She would never have wagered in favor of the elf's safety before today, but the Oracle's assurances had thoroughly convinced her.

Tatiana's train of thought was interrupted by one intoxicated Alanna, swimming gaily in the air beside her. She was now turned towards her, playing with her hair and brushing her distracting breasts against her shoulder.

"So, Tatiana," she giggled, twisting a raven lock around her finger. "Going to venture out and find a one-night mate?"

"I, um... no. I wasn't planning to," she murmured, glancing towards Talos.

"I could help you find one," Alanna teased. "Men are all the same in the end; give attention to one, and he'll be over you alll night. They're simple-minded, really, and doubly so on Lyrasa."

"Hey," Talos groaned.

"Except you, dear."

"Mm."

"I'm! I'm okay. Here. Talking to you guys. Unless I'm intruding, or something," Tatiana breathlessly said.

"Nonsense," Alanna giggled, leaning against her further. "We want your company. But let's play a game of drink at least. 'Never have I ever'?"

"No way," Talos smirked, waving a hand dismissively. "All you do is cheat at that game. How about 'would you rather', without telepathy."

Alanna smiled, while Tatiana tilted her head. "H-how do you play?"

"It's easy. I ask a question of you both, giving you a choice between two hypotheticals. If you two choose different answers, you both drink. If you pick the same, I drink," Talos explained.

"Okay. Simple enough."

He nodded then rose to his feet, only to seat himself on the wooden floor between his chair and the couch where the sorceresses were seated. The two girls joined him on the floor a moment later, sitting in a haphazard triangle. Alanna sat cross-legged, while Tatiana smoothed out her dress and let her legs drape to a side.

"I'm pretty good at this. I'll start," Talos offered, glancing towards them both with a smile. "Would you rather lie in a bed filled with harmless spiders for two minutes, or fight one bear-sized spider that is trying to kill you?"

"Oh gods," Tatiana exhaled. "Can I choose neither?"

"Nope," Talos grinned.

"The... hmm... I hate spiders. Can I use magics?"

"Sure."

"I'll fight the big spider, then," Tatiana nodded. "I think."

"Eww! Could you imagine?! I'll choose the harmless spiders, then take a two-day bath," Alanna answered. Talos lifted his mug and pursed his lips, signaling it was their turn to drink. The girls giggled and did so.

"Okay, my turn," Alanna offered with a smile. "Would you rather... um... spend a week with your family, but they're all naked, or walk through Redstone once in your small clothes?"

"Redstone, then demand Tatiana ports me to safety," Talos answered immediately. Tatiana was blushing, dreaming of Talos' theoretical, almost-nude form. Both pairs of eyes were on her, awaiting her answer.

"I, um... well, I couldn't be in my small clothes," she meekly answered. She took a swig of her drink with Talos, who was laughing at her reply.

"You're too easy, Tatiana," Alanna bubbly chided her. "Go ahead."

Tatiana placed a forefinger and thumb on her chin, taking a moment to think of a good question. "Okay... would you rather... hm... when you die, would you rather go to heaven, or live your same life again?"

Talos chuckled, pointing a finger her way. "Now that's a good one. I pick the copied life."

"Mine's the same," Alanna agreed, leaning over to pinch Talos' arm. "Talos will be such a man-whore in heaven. I don't know how I'll manage there."

"What?" he rebuked with a shrug. She giggled.

"Well, you get to see everyone you've ever loved in heaven, right? So for you, that's like... a thousand thousand girls!"

"Ah, but is base fornication even love?" he retorted, as wise as three meads would allow him to be.

"It's called 'making love', Talos," Alanna giggled, glancing towards an awe-struck Tatiana. "I wager I will barely get to see him in heaven."

"I'll make time for you on my busy schedule," he smirked.

"You better! Drink, Tatiana."

"Oh! Right," she nodded with a smile, taking a long chug of her mead. She neared the end of her mug, and lifted herself from her butt to find more. "Continue! Just grabbing the drink!" she said to them.

"Alright," Talos said. Tatiana did not realize that his gaze remained fixed on her toned ass as she walked about the room, framed delicately by her flowing silken skirt. Fleeting, alluring shapes and movements could be seen under the garment as she moved, only making the sight more fascinating. Alanna noticed his gaze, of course, but only smiled as Tatiana poured her mead, then turned to rejoin them with pitcher in hand.

"Would you rather make love with a dozen handsome men all at once, or one average commoner a half-dozen times?" Talos asked, his friendly gaze still fixed on Tatiana.

"Psh," the enchantress snorted. "Is that even a choice?"

Talos nodded towards Tatiana, whose face was red as roses as she rejoined her companions on the floor. She placed the pitcher of mead between them.

"I... um... a dozen?"

"Yep."

"How does that work?" Tatiana asked inquisitively, hiding her face behind her drink.

Alanna giggled and leaned in towards the center of the triangle to place her hand on the pitcher of mead, and cast the gentlest spell of ice into it. The pitcher fogged up then frosted over, small flakes of ice growing on its base.

"However you wish it to, as long as they're all in the room simultaneously," Talos smirked.

"Um... the peasant. Er, commoner, I mean. Yes."

Talos produced quite the smug grin. "See, Alanna? Drink."

"Hey, hold on. You said no telepathy," Tatiana pouted.

"Nor did I use it. But, I know undeniably that Alanna would always choose the dozen."

"He speaks true," Alanna agreed before taking a drink. "And it would be quite the night, I'd say."

"Oh... goodness," Tatiana giggled fiendishly, but remained quiet on the subject as her mind fluttered on to the mentioned erotica. She did not know how to keep twelve men pleased, never mind them seeing her naked! She nervously rubbed her thighs together just thinking about it.

Alanna was apparently quite distracted herself, as she suddenly had lost taste for their game. "Talos, I wanna..." she said, or perhaps whined to her lover. Tatiana cocked a brow, noticing that the enchantress had purposefully left her sentence incomplete. She had no idea of what Alanna meant.

Talos replied after a few seconds, with an open palm. "Sure, honey."

"Hey!" Tatiana whined herself. "I thought you said no telepathy."

"I'll be right back," Alanna smiled to her, lifting herself from the floor. She stumbled once before standing upright, then wandered over to the attached bedroom with the world's most devious grin. Tatiana found herself getting nervous.

"Don't mind her. She has the most peculiar wants," Talos gruffly explained - or, rather, didn't explain.

Tatiana pointed at her own chest, and mouthed 'me?' to him.

"Nah," he answered, shaking his head. He found his own feet, then offered a hand to Tatiana to lift her as well. She was pulled upright by a powerful, yet nobly tender strength.

Alanna returned to the main room just two minutes later. She had changed.

Gone was the leather jacket, leather pants, and shirt, worn by several day's travels. She instead wore a short, eye-poppingly red dress, the hem of which rose halfway up her thighs. It was low-cut as well, showing plenty of the voluptuous sorceress's jiggling assets, while dainty white straps held the garment onto her shoulders. The dress was so thin that Tatiana could absolutely make out Alanna's hardened nipples under the fabric, and tight enough that the outline of her generous and bubbly cheeks were clearly defined on her seat. Other than her copper and ruby circlet on her forehead, she wore nothing else at the moment.

"I purchased this for tonight. What do you think?" she asked Tatiana specifically, striking a cute pose for a second before giggling maniacally.

"Y-you're... it's... something, Alanna. I've no words," she gasped. "I take it I'm... going to leave now?"

"No," Talos groaned, placing a rough hand on Tatiana's shoulder. "The enchantress in her demands she go out like this tonight. She drinks in stranger's compliments as if they're wine."

"It's Lyrasa. It's the best excuse to dress so bare," she cutely shrugged.

"And... with no shoes? And your hair like that?" Tatiana asked softly. Alanna had not only failed to groom her hair, but she had even ruffled it further, so she appeared as if she had just risen from slumber.

"Adds to the look," Alanna winked. "D'you want to join me? Find you a mate?"

"Um... no?" Tatiana squeaked, her face aflush. The words 'absolutely not' seemed more appropriate, but she couldn't muster them. Talos' wandering hand wandered further along Tatiana's shoulders, now hugging her with one arm.

"I'll watch over you from afar this time," he suggested to Alanna, pulling Tatiana closer to him. "Pretend I'm with Tatiana, so I don't scare off your would-be suitors again."

"Um... umm..." Tatiana stammered. She figured Talos' suggestion had to be crossing some sort of line... hadn't it? As she contemplated the implications of his actions, she also found she was unmistakably enjoying his warmth. She let her troubled thoughts go.

Oh... who cares?!

"Aw, you remembered," Alanna giggled, thrusting her tongue out at Talos.

A moment of smirking silence. Tatiana knew the pair was hiding another conversation from her; and, whether it was intentional or not, her exclusion always somewhat bothered her. After a moment, Alanna strut out of the room wearing the lewdest smile in Tardia, and possibly the lewdest dress as well.

-=-=-

Talos and Tatiana remained twenty paces behind Alanna as they made their way towards the town center. It seemed most of Selphyse was out in the streets this night, enjoying the holiday with mead and revelry to warm up from the cold. Alanna's hips swung obscenely and alluringly as she made her way, and Tatiana noticed Talos' gaze was solidly planted there; as was half the town's, if she were being honest.

Alanna eventually found her place within a crowd of carousers, and instantly received the carnal attentions she was looking for. Men bought her drinks, and women shot her looks of disgust and jealousy. Tatiana was stunned that Talos acted so casually about it.

"You... let her do this?" she asked him incredulously.

"I don't let her do anything. She makes her own choices," Talos chuckled. "Besides, it's all good training for her empathy. So long as it doesn't involve being pricked by another man's thorn, that is."

"So you admit to leveraging some degree of control," Tatiana chuckled, taking a drink of her mead. Her other arm had been repurposed for playing the part of Talos' woman, and was now wrapped around the man's strong and chiseled back. Not that she was paying attention to that, she thought to herself, as she felt and listened to the vibrations of his laugh.

"I suppose, except I know she wouldn't lay with another regardless. This is merely a game that she's played for years now," Talos replied. He nodded towards Alanna, who was now cutely playing with her hair as she conversed with an admirer. "So, what's keeping you from finding a mate tonight? Looks all too simple for her."

I'm already standing beside him, she sighed. "I find such ephemeral dalliances quite abhorrent, really. In my opinion, it's only one step away from prostitution."

"Hm. Strange words for a sorceress."

"But not unexpected, surely?"

"Not from you," Talos smirked, wrapping his arm around her. Tatiana leaned into him as he did, enjoying his pleasant... everything. Her pulse started to race when she felt his strong muscles envelop her, and her mind instantly clouded over with a plethora of illicit scenes with the man. She had suddenly become so distracted by Talos' warmth that she had forgotten to reply.

Alanna was now leaning towards the man... no, men that she was conversing with, a seductive pose which only amplified her voluptuous cleavage. If that weren't enough, she was also bouncing on her heels before them, causing her tits to heave obscenely. Talos shifted uncomfortably at the sight, leaning away from Tatiana; she knowingly leaned with him, to prevent his arm's escape.

"I suppose it's all the better that you choose wisely," Talos continued on when she didn't reply. "I do the same, you see. Sorceresses only," he smirked, casually flicking a hand.

The sorceress in his arm giggled. "I may be near half past drunk, but I believe I just witnessed you boast."

"Surprising, I know," Talos said dryly. "Just wait 'til I show you my scars."

He is definitely flirting with me! How do I...

"That would be swell," she gasped. "I mean... you know. To see them. I-I noticed them before. You have... many."

"Sure. Next time we find ourselves swimming?" Talos replied.

"O-okay. With the stories to go with them?"

"Of course," he softly said.

This could be it. Tatiana glanced towards Alanna again, her cheeks aflush with anxiety. The enchantress was now running a hand down the chest of a blond man, and giggling maniacally to some jest or another.

This was it.

"I missed you, Talos. While you were away," Tatiana sheepishly admitted, squeezing his side with her hand. "Your son brightens my days, though. I just adore him, as do my sisters."

"Good to hear. Seems a common gift for him," Talos shrugged. "I personally don't get it. He'll only be amusing to me when he can talk back."

"You're terrible," Tatiana giggled. "First you despoil the Oracle, and now you despise your own son."

"Whoa, hey, I didn't say I despised him," Talos quickly corrected.

"I know," she teased. "But yeah. I missed you. Missed our... daily walk, if you will. I'm sure you were fine, though. Sleeping with the Oracle, and everything..."

Talos cleared his throat, but didn't respond for a moment. Tatiana glanced his way, and watched his lips as he spoke. "I wanted you to come with us, Tatiana, but I wasn't going to twist your arm and force you up a mountain with me. Finding the Oracle didn't change that want."

"Hm. So did you... miss me, too?" Tatiana murmured, blushing. She brushed her leg against his, and snuggled into him further. Talos made no move to distance himself.

"Yeah. I did."

"Oh, I'm a fool for staying behind," she pouted. "Truthfully, the mountains didn't scare me away. I-I only thought you wanted your privacy with Alanna. I know I... don't give you two much time alone. In Redstone."

"Well, now you know, right? Besides, you wouldn't've learned all those things about Cass if you'd gone with. And the Oracle's prophecy has guaranteed us plenty more adventure together, anyway."

"Which I promise to remain at your side throughout. Well..."

"... after the long voyage to Solais," Talos smirked, finishing her sentence. "I wouldn't put you through that, anyway."

She giggled. "I wonder if you'd tire of me. O-on the boat. After a whole month in close confines, you know?"

He chuckled, "seems unlikely."

"I think... I think the same," she softly agreed, then bit her lip. Talos squeezed her shoulder, and they stood silently together for some time, but in the end, he distanced himself from her grasp. Tatiana hesitantly let him go.

"Well, time for me to go leverage some of that control," Talos groaned, nodding towards Alanna. The curvy sorceress was now seated atop a table with her legs crossed, to display the maximum amount of skin to her half-dozen admirers. Tatiana only smiled politely, and looked on him as he trudged off, hoping he knew that she would never act as whorish as Alanna.

-=-=-

The trio had retired to their room soon after Talos' cancellation of Alanna's game of seduction. Surprisingly, or, perhaps because Tatiana was there, Talos and Alanna didn't make love to one another on Lyrasa, even though it appeared that the enchantress intensely desired it. Tatiana was most thankful, primarily because they all had to share the same bed that night.

Talos was eager to return to Redstone the following day. Tatiana knew she had enough stored will to port them all to Redstone immediately, but she lied to him again, and told him she wasn't ready. Fortunately, Tatiana just had to research something in the nearby dwarven ruins of Dhar'zon, or so she told her companions, and that the hike there would give her just enough time to recharge. Talos mentioned that he'd never seen Dhar'zon, much to Tatiana's delight.