Daughter of Treason Ch. 06

"The Judge." He blinked. She spoke so firmly, he couldn't suppress a laugh. "What?" she asked.

"The Judge? You... you're sure." She nodded, with gravity. "It's just, uh..." He tried and failed to keep a straight face. "Isn't he a bit strict for your, uh, mysterious activities?"

"It was the Judge," she said, "who gave me the idea in the first place."

He blinked. "Huh." A smile began to form on his face. "Huh." A flash of doubt crossed it. "You're not pulling my leg, are you?" She shook her head, but he continued anyway, "Because if you ask a god you don't serve for help, you'll get nothing most of the time, and a good smiting if they're particularly offended."

"Noted." She said forcefully. "May we continue?"

He hesitated, but nodded. "Alright. First things first. Get into a comfortable position. Then, however feels right to you, let us pray."

Kei found the process, at first, to be similar to a meditation one of her tutors had taught her long ago; she sat cross-legged, her hands palm up on her knees, while Gerome spoke calmly in his deep bass, "Focus on your breathing."Feel it enter and leave. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Feel the floor under you. Feel how it bears your weight. Feel the air on your skin. Hear the sounds outside."

One by one, he drew her attention to stimuli around her and, one by one, he dismissed them. At the very end, he instructed, "Feel: what is left?" Cold. Unforgiving. Afraid. "Examine it. Feel its nature. Find its edge." The whole thing was an edge, a ragged sliver ready to break- What is that? "Do you feel it?" Nudging the border of your consciousness?"

She did. A drop of calm, a foreign thought. "Allow it in, enfold it in your being. Let it spread." Let it spread?! It's already spreading whether I want it to or...! Whether I... Whether... Absently, she felt the sense of calm envelope her. She knew she should panic, but couldn't bring herself to do so. The drop had spread, coloring her thoughts tranquil. She felt it probe here and there, gently pushing a memory to trigger a lazy cascade of images and sensations before moving on. Gerom'es voice rumbled on, but Kei paid it no attention. The foreign drop had almost completely surrounded her when one single lucid thought formed in her mind.

It's judging me.

She jerked back, recoiling physically and mentally, but in an instant the drop turned hard. It froze her thoughts, and all subtlety was abandoned. While before it had coaxed memories it, this time it ripped. She could not think, she could only experience as her life passed by in a flash. At the very end, as the drop's hold loosened, she felt the foreign thought, 'Yes.'

The hold relaxed, and Kei was left gasping in the attic, perspiration beading on her forehead, and her hear racing. Gerome sat across from her, gentle understanding on his face. "I know," he said gently. "I know. It's hard to stand naked before someone, utterly defenseless, and let them look. Standing before the Wild One was hard enough. I cannot imagine standing before the Judge."

Her breathing was ragged. She needed something familiar, anything.

"Miranda!"

The call came out harsher than she intended, and Miranda arrived quickly, stumbling in her haste. Before she had even finished her bow, Kei said, "Water."

As the blonde scampered off, Kei growled, "Why didn't you tell me he'd be in my head?"

Gerome looked surprised. "You... you're communing with your god! You invited the contact! You didn't know?"

She shook her head, still panting. "No. I didn't know I'd be inviting anyone inside, and I sure as hell didn't know he wouldn't leave when I asked him to."

The dark-skinned cleric blinked. "You... You pulled away?" She nodded. "Voice of the Tyrant, you never pull away!"

"How the hell was I supposed to know?!"

"Mistress?" The argument was interrupted by Miranda's tentative voice. "Your water."

The pale of water clutched in the blonde's hands was a godsend. Kei took it gratefully, took a deep drink and handed it back with a gasp. "Thank you, Miranda." She looked up into the taller woman's eyes. "Thank you."

Miranda beamed as she took the bucket, bowed deeply, and scampered off. Gerome seemed to not have noticed. "Oh gods. I didn't tell you." Kei, who had begun to recover her proverbial footing, observed his mounting guilt with amusement and vindictiveness. "I didn't tell you. It was my responsibility." He looked her in the eyes. "I'm so sorry. Oh gods, I'm so sorry." Now there's the personal accountability I was looking for, she thought wryly. "Maybe we should stop-"

"No!" He stared at her. "No," she repeated more calmly, "I need this."

He frowned, concern evident on his face. "Are you sure-?"

"I can handle it."

"If you're sure..." She nodded once, curtly. "Alright. Let's start small, with a simple Light spell. But first, a background on theory."

If he had erred on the side of too little information before, he erred on the side of too much now. Fortunately, what she remembered of lessons long ago proved an adequate foundation; the pieces of information, and connections between them, were already in place; all she needed was to be reminded. Her fluency in Draconic also proved to be invaluable; she didn't have to memorize prayers, simply know how to construct them. Before long, she was ready to cast her first spell.

"Alright," said Gerome, handing her a small pebble, "Now hold the stone, remember what I've taught you, and repeat after me."

"Oh Judge, He who Watches," they intoned in Draconic, "grant this stone light."

Nothing happened. Kei stared at it, puzzled, but Gerome looked at her. "I don't understand." she said. "I did everything right."

"You opened your mind to Him?" She lowered her gaze, though her face could be read like a book. "Gods," he said dryly, "do not take lip service. Try again."

But she couldn't. Try as she might, every time she felt the Judge in her head, the memory of him seizing her mind provoked a reflex of pulling away, shutting him out. "Oh come on!" groaned Gerome after nearly an hour of failed attempts, "What are you afraid of? He's a god; if he wanted to hurt you, you'd be begging for mercy already."

"It's my mind!" she hissed. "And it's not like I can control it!"

Gerome frowned. "You felt him. You obviously have the capability-" she snorted; he dutifully ignored her. "but apparently, not the wisdom to bow before the inevitable."

"Now see here-!"

"You are in my garden, now," he said firmly, shooting her a look, "and unlike last time, I'm the one who knows what he's talking about, or else you wouldn't need my help." She harrumphed and crossed her arms, but otherwise reminded silent, determined not to give him the satisfaction of behaving like a petulant schoolchild. "As I was saying," he said, pushing his luck in her mind, "you lack the wisdom or," he added as she opened her mouth again, "perhaps simply the motivation."

"I'm trying!"

"Of course you are, but it's not a question of effort or even desire, it's a question of what you'd be willing to give to your god for the powers he grants you, how much energy you'd give back in exchange. There is a reason," he said, sagely, "why magic is draining."

She gave a discontented grunt, but couldn't contest the point. Mercifully, she was saved from argument by a cheerful voice in the doorway. "Yeah, but even worse is a day and a half of solid labor, let me tell you."

Kei's eyes widened. "Shino!" He had entered sometime when she had been distracted, and it seems, had been watching with amusement; the corners of his eyes crinkled up with his smile. She leaped up and threw her arms around him. her enthusiasm hit him hard enough to make him stumble, but the moment he regained his footing, he tentatively wrapped his arms around her. She nuzzled him in encouragement, enjoying the feel of her breasts pressed against his chest. After several seconds, Shino asked, "Are you okay?"

Abruptly, she remembered Gerome's presence. Drawing away, she ignored the elf's concerned look and turned to Gerome who had a gentle smile on his face. She cleared her throat, regaining a modicum of balance and dignity, and said, "Well, I think we're done for the day."

He raised an eyebrow. "The day?"

She nodded. "Yes. If you've no objections, I should like to continue the lessons, in two days preferably."

He blinked, the grinned. "You're really determined to learn magic, aren't you?"

"You're learning spellcraft?" asked Shino, excited.

"No," said Gerome more easily, saving her from the task of letting him down easy, "just basic divine spellcasting."

"Oh." He considered this for a moment, then smiled again. "Still, good for you!"

"It's not going that well," she muttered, but Gerome's deep voice drowned it out.

"Well, I suppose I'll head out, now. See you in two days?" She nodded. "See you in two days." He rose, armor clinking, squeezed by Kei and Shino, and hit his head on the door frame. "Ow, damn it!"

"Are you alright?" Shino asked, concerned.

"Yeah, fine, just..." He glared up at the door frame, well overhead for Kei and Shino, but about forehead height or the huge Miasian. "Maybe we can use the basement next time? I'd rather not have to waste a cure spell on my face just because your attic has low ceilings."

She did a quick mental review of her plans. "You may wish," she said carefully, "to bring a helmet."

"Wha...? Oh." He shrugged. "Well, I'll see you later." He began descending the stairs, and Kei had just enough time to wonder if she should warn him about the low beam at the end of the flight before another loud thunk! issued forth from below. "DAMN!"

Kei couldn't help it; she laughed. Gerome called up, "I'm fine, thanks for asking!" and proceeded to the exit, mumbling discontentment the whole way. The door closed, but Kei kept laughing. Shino gave her an odd look, and she tried to stop, but failed. All the tension of the day was releasing itself, all the worry, all the frustration, vented in laughter. Eventually, she would down, and looked up into Shino's smiling face.

"You okay?"

She nodded, still grinning. "How'd it go? You seem to have taken your time."

"Yeah," Shino rubbed his head sheepishly at her playful jab. "I was pretty out of it, so they gave me a place to sleep after. I don't even remember most of it, but I got in!"

"That's great!" She hesitated, thought screw it, and hugged him again.

"You're feeling affectionate today," he mused.

"I was worried about you," she murmured into his chest.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Don't worry about it."

Seconds passed, each content with the presence of the other. Then Shino, struck by impulse, said, "Hey, you wanna see it?" At her raised eyebrow, he explained, "My hammer! It's really good!"

She smiled, more at his enthusiasm than the prospect of seeing a lump of metal, but he seemed so excited. "Sure."

He led her down to the first story where the hammer lay on the forge. Although she had glanced at the hammer earlier, Shino now took the time to go over it in detail. What Kei had taken to be a battle was, in fact, a slaughter. The people, who Kei had taken to be human, had pointed ears under their helmets, marking them as elves. About a third of the combatants held a wild look, their eyes' hollowness emphasized by the lack of pupils. The remaining warriors had mixed terror and confusion, some even pleading with their attackers. What Kei had first taken to be a sun was in fact an outline, so subtle that Shino had to point it out to her. The background, disguised to look like midday sky, held, if one looked closely, a great face. Above the nose, eyes crinkled in amusement.

"See here? Look at the faces! They have that hollow, golem-like look that accompanies Domination spells. I think the face in the background, the eefreeti, is controlling them, turning friend against friend."

The detail was indeed staggering, and worthy of praise, but Kei felt horrified by the negative light and association it put on his heritage. "It's gorgeous, but... why would you make this?"

He looked embarrassed. "Uh... To be honest, I have no idea where this came from. I had just planned to do a basic pattern with a few lines, something simple and easy. I don't even know what's going on in the scene!"

Kei's frown deepened. "Are you... suggesting that this is not your hammer?"

"Oh no! It has my style all over it. It's mine, I just.." He shrugged. "I was tired. Maybe I just was so focused on getting it done I don't remember?"

She pursed her lips, unconvinced, but unable to come up with an alternative explanation which didn't sound crazy. Instead, she opted for a distraction. "So, you're a craftsman now? How does it feel?"

He grinned. "It feels good. Really good." He gave a happy sigh, which turned into a yawn. "Still kind of tired, though."

"Didn't you say you rested?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Well, yeah, but that felt more like passing out. Got me able to walk again, but, well, it wasn't much like trancing."

"Trancing?"

"Yeah. Elves don't sleep." He blinked, surprised. "You didn't know?" She shook her head. "Oh, well, we don't."

"So you've been lying in bed eight hours a day because..?"

"Oh! Well, we learn to meditate at a young age. Helps to clear the mind, makes sense of the day while we rest our bodies. It usually takes a bit over four hours. It looks a lot like sleep, with us just lying there, but it's different from unconsciousness."

Kei suppressed the urge to comment that sleep was also different than unconsciousness, and instead asked about something more interesting. "So you only... meditate?"

"Trance."

"Trance for four hours. And yet you lie next to me for the whole night." He shifted his weight; she was on to something. As she applied more pressure, she smiled. "Why?"

"Well, ah, strictly speaking, most races only need eight hours of sleep, but often prefer more. It's the same with trancing. We only need four hours, but more brings a sense of energy, refreshment. That, and..." He gave a shy grin. "I just like being near you."

A warm feeling coursed through her, and acting on the impulse it brought, she gently cupped his cheek in her hand, drew him close, and kissed him.

It was, as the first couple of kisses tend to be, clumsy, but the smile on his face, catch in his breath, utterly relaxed muscles all screamed encouragement. Self-consciousness warred with that encouragement, resolving in her leaning in for a follow up kiss, which turned into another, then another before she broke away. We both need to practice that, she thought absently, but said only, "You're tired. Let's get you into bed." Silently, part of her shouted, Yes, let's! but she quashed it. He's tired. He needs sleep. I'll just put him to bed...She ignored the heat rising in her cheeks. Any maybe climb in next to him.

She wasn't particularly tired, but twenty minutes later as she slid into bed beside him, she found that, although sleep proved elusive, she didn't much mind it. She contented herself to lay there, feeling her bare chest pressed pleasantly against his, listening to the slow, shallow breath of sleep- trance, she reminder herself, -and his slow, steady heartbeat. Had she not slept in, she would have found it to be the perfect lullaby to summon dreams.

As it was, she merely spent several hours contemplating how nice it felt to, for once, just be. Hitherto, she'd been perpetually in motion, trying to stay ahead of her assailants, the law, financial woes, anything which threatened her. Now, for once, she didn't have to move; she was safe, warm, and with Shino. What's more, with his job, they could live comfortably enough for quite some time. She found herself at a loss for any goals to pursue now that her immediate needs were satisfied. Her nocturnal activities would continue, of course. She did not even consider the alternative. But what to do, then, with her days? She briefly toyed with the idea of amassing wealth but dismissed it as unimportant. After considering the pursuits of wealth, power, and influence, and dismissing each one in turn, she began to think of distraction. As sleep finally began to take hold, she decided that it was time to invest in books.

<<<<<Malefactum malefactoribus beneficiumque bonis face>>>> >

She awoke, as she was getting used to, to the feel of Shino's dick pressed against her. She had shifted in the night, and flung her leg over his but had shifted to have her head laying against his chest. Her breasts were sandwiched between them, applying a pleasant pressure, and her sex was nestled against his thigh. He was squirming, which in addition to sliding his hardness against her hip, also had the effect of rubbing his thigh against her.

She gave a contented hum, and he froze. Unseen, she rolled her eyes. Yes, I'm awake. Gods, will this boy ever get that I want it too? Taking matters into her own hands, so to speak, she shifted to straddle his hips. As she settled her weight, she gasped at the pressure his shaft exerted on her clit. Oh yes, she thought, I could get used to this. And, judging by the gasp, he could too.

A she woke up and warmed up, she found herself getting worked up. She flushed, and her by now engorged lips moistened considerably. The rubbing grew more pleasurable, and Kei planted her hands on his chest and began to rock faster.

Shino's eyes were wide, and he made a few strangled gasps each time she reached the end of her slide. Oh, so the tip's sensitive then, is it? Grinning, she shifted her weight forward. As her efforts were focused on the head of his manhood, he grabbed her arms with a strangled grunt. His whole body tensed, which included a sharp thrust which pressed the head of his penis against her clit. That, and the surprise from the almost painful grip, elicited a gasp from her.

She half expected Shino to freeze and ask if she was okay, but rather than concern, his eyes held a focus, a single-mindedness bordering on desperation. He wants me. The thought sent a shiver of pleasure down her spine, which did very pleasant things when it reached her hips. Well, she thought as she lifted her hips and lined his head up with her lips, best not disappoint.

'Knock, knock!'

Damn it. As the knocking continued, she muttered. "Why can they never be polite visitors? Or better yet, timid ones?"

Shino just groaned as she swung her leg back over and hopped out of bed. She cursed as she stumbled upon a prone figure at the foot of the bed, before she remembered who it was. "Miranda, kindly see who it is and tell them I'll be down shortly."

The tall woman, blinking sleep out of her eyes, nodded and complied. Forgetting to take off Kei's cloak the only testament to the blond's grogginess. Kei wandered over and put on the first garment she could reach while Shino shook his head and voiced a thought parallel to her own. "Ten more minutes. Voice of the Tyrant, only ten more minutes."

She moved over to him, clad only in a bra, cupped his cheek in her hand and said, "I know." His glance darted down, first to her impressive cleavage and then lower to her bare sex. "Later," she said with a smile. "Wait for me."

"View like that, I'd walk into a fire if you asked." She laughed, a full-throated sound which brought a huge grin to his face. As she pulled away, he captured her hand and said simply, but with earnest sincerity, "You're beautiful."

Such a little thing, and yet it made her breath catch and heart flutter. How does he do that? flashed through her mind, shortly followed by, What's happening to me?