"My dear, did you know that adultery is illegal in Zandu?" The smirk on Calliope's face was not reflected in her voice.

"Nobody ever enforces..."

"I do. Especially when the infraction occurs in my own bedchamber."

The girl glanced accusingly at the hastily dressing Zandir next to the bed. "You never told me you were married, especially not to _her_."

"You never asked," he said, and looked accusingly at Calliope. "And you, dear wife, weren't supposed to be home for another two hours."

"This is my house, Zaranth. I suffer you to live here only because we're married." Calliope looked him straight in the eyes, and he looked down.

"Now, my little Batrean wannabe, leave this house immediatly, unless you want to suffer the weight of the Sultan's judgment."

The girl brushed past her, saying, "This isn't over, Calliope." Calliope smirked, "For you it is, my dear."

Zaranth looked appreciatively at her disappearing figure, and sighed heavily.

"That's 2000 more crescents you owe me, Zar." Calliope was smiling as she walked over to the side of the bed. Zaranth winced. "Being married to you is getting quite expensive. And why can't you call me something more pleasant, like 'Zandu's Greatest Lover.'" She laughed, "That title, husband, is the only thing in this world you have come by honestly. Calmorius didn't wager on that." She took off her outer robe and sat down on the bed nest to him. "By all rights you should be living the good life in the Sultan's dungeons."

"I was just trying to be close to the one I loved. Can you blame me for that? It's not my fault that she was the newest addition to the Sultan's harem."

"Zaranth, you fall in love at least twice a nightsky. I know love makes a man do stupid things, but impersonating a harem guard? And trying to kidnap, what was her name?"

Zaranth got a dreamy look in his eye. "Kitharii."

Calliope sneered, "Her face was seen all over Zandu before the Sultan grabbed her! You were bound to be discovered. I'd say you got off easy. It's just your luck that I prosecuted Calmorius' son, for adultery. He thought our marriage would be a punishment fitting to both our 'crimes.'"

"It was bad enough that I was caught, but to be forced to marry the strictist Causidian in the country! I thought this would be torture -- not that I don't mind a little torture every once in a while, but your reputation was formidable!"

"Calmorius was quite pleased, catching the man who had been stalking the Sultan's favorite harem girl. By all rights, you should have been castrated." Zaranth smiled up at her.

"I almost volunteered to be castrated, rather than be forced to marry the 'Caustic Causidian.' I love it when the joke's on them!"

Calliope smiled wearily back at him, "You know husband, having you around almost makes up for the day I've had..."

PC's:
--Zaranth, Zandir Charlatan, and fairly successful thief. Not on the best terms with the law, except for...
-- Calliope, Zandir Causidian. She is the creation of Dennis, I believe.
NPC's:-
- Unnamed, Zandir female. May or may not plot revenge on Calliope...
-- Calmorius, Pasha Molchiar, Second Chief Advisor to the Sultan, father of ...
-- Unnamed Zandir male, successfully prosecuted for adultery (an impossibly difficult charge to make stick in Zandu) by Calliope.
-- Kitharii, Sawila Spiritdancer (CHA +12!!), currently the favorite harem girl of the Sultan.

Next: Such a Friendly Host

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