- Chapter 12 -

Raven slept for two days solid, without signs of stirring. Someone was at her bedside almost constantly - the Prince included - and Ashyra was there when the girl moaned, stretched, and opened her eyes.

"Hiya, sweet thing", beamed the Shaelin dancer. "How are you?"

"Tired", Raven replied weakly. "What happened...?"

"Depends. How much do you remember?"

"Everything - until those men piled on top of me, and I threw them off."

"You fainted after that", Ashyra told her. "The Prince beat Ikurlahaen - the pirate woman - and claimed her as his property. Yasil's now training her to be a dancer - now that should be fun!"

"The others...?"

"All safe and well", assured the elfin girl. "Skylla nearly didn't make it - you should have seen her, diving in with two swords! She killed two of them - then one nearly got her, while she was watching the fight. I saved her."

"We're full of surprises, aren't we?", said Raven with a smile. For Ashyra, that smile was the most uplifting thing she had ever seen.

Once she was convinced to get out of bed, Raven was treated to a "thank you" party by the other Phantasia girls. Chal'Shi was a bit wary of Raven to begin with, but once she saw that Raven was herself again, the dancers were friends once more.

The girls ate, drank, talked and joked as though nothing unusual had taken place, but towards the end of the evening, Raven called them together to hear what she had to say.

"I'm not at all sure what happened to me", she said, "but I know that wasn't the last of it. Something inside me has woken up, and it's as much part of me as my hand, my leg - or my heart. I can't say when it'll emerge again, but I hope you'll understand, and support me. Whatever I look like on the outside, I'm still your Raven inside."

Raven was guest of honour for the remainder of their engagement, taking a seat with the Prince as her friends danced for him. It was at just such a performance that the Prince decided to share a secret with her.

"I brought you girls aboard to trap Ikurlahaen", he admitted, in an interlude between dances. "Dancers and beautiful women are much prized - both in one are even more highly valued. She knew that, and through her spy, I managed to convince her we - or should I say you - were ripe for the taking."

"So what happened to Roskaat, and the other pirates?", Raven asked.

"Roskaat the human is surely dead", the Prince replied, sadly. "The Dyal, however - well, let's just say that Yasil has a new pet now. As for Ikurlahaen's crew - most of them were killed or captured, but some got back to their ship and made their escape. I doubt they'll have the spirit in them to threaten anyone in the near future."

Raven did not need to ask about Ikurlahaen herself, for the fallen pirate queen lay only a short distance away, at the feet of Yasil. The white-tressed woman now wore only one of her high glossy boots - the left - and a padlocked collar with a chain that led back to the half-Shr'Ganti's wrist, and if she ever failed to do exactly what Yasil wanted, or talked back, Ikurlahaen was dragged by her collar up onto the giantess's lap, where she was soundly and humiliatingly spanked.

The Dyal Raven never saw, but she fully expected something equally degrading was his punishment - or maybe even worse, for whilst Yasil had always wanted a pet Dyal, as Raven later learned, the giantess had set her heart on a female...

The last stop on the royal tour was, with a single exception, quite uneventful, much to the relief of all concerned. The Royal Yacht did receive a hero's welcome as it pulled into port, and the Sapphire Cluster Trading Alliance made quite a show of presenting the many rewards to the new chief guardsman. The warrior quietly accepted the money on behalf of the fallen, and avoided the attentions of any who might question him about the "death" of Ikurlahaen.

The Phantasia girls - Raven included - danced for the Prince one final time that night. Raven felt a new sense of sisterhood between them, especially where Skylla was concerned, and the girl felt she could finally count the First Dancer as a real friend. "We feast at my mansion on our return", Skylla announced afterwards, even though it would not be her turn to host dinner. "Fate allows us to live on, so let us celebrate that gift!"

The next morning, the time came to part. A small pleasure cruiser, bearing the Sapphire Cluster colours, arrived to take the girls back to Freeport, by way of Korlassan, and the Prince personally bid the performers farewell, presenting each with a large purse of the finest and rarest jewels. Skylla also accepted a second pouch on behalf of The Phantasia, whilst Raven received an additional, personal reward from the Prince, during a quiet moment.

"Before, I said that I would grant your every desire whilst you were in my company", he said, referring to his promise from the night of Raven's solo dance. "After all you've done, I can say but this: whatever you need, whatever you desire, ask me, and it shall be yours, now, and for always."

Raven was flattered, but could only think of one thing. "There is something I would ask of you", she said. "A question..."

"And the question is...?"

The dancer took a deep breath before giving voice to what had been lying in the back of her mind ever since Chal'Shi mentioned it. "Are...are you Lord Serpentine...?"

The Prince raised his eyebrows in surprise, then chuckled to himself. "So that old story is still going around?", he said, almost laughing. "No, my dear Raven - I am not some manifestation of the Creator-Lord. I am quite unusual, that much is true, as you yourself have sensed, but I hold no claim to godhood."

"I certainly hope he will watch over you, in any case, and keep you safe", she said. "I think I will not be needing his protection any more, given what lies within me."

"Rest assured, he will continue to watch over you, whatever happens", replied the Prince. "You bring a special light to his world. You are the brightest jewel in his kingdom, and Lord Serpentine takes special care of his jewels."

"I hope I continue to shine to his satisfaction", she said, and smiled.

As the ship carrying the dancers home eased away from the dock, and slid out from under the shadow of the Royal Yacht, Raven could not stop a tear from creeping from the corner of her eye. She hoped no-one saw it, and no-one would come to console her...

"If anyone should be crying, it's me", snorted Sshraada, appearing beside her. "The four of you have tested my patience almost to its limits. I am hired to protect you, and do my best, but you do not make it easy. It is your duty to stay out of trouble..."

Sshraada had not spoken to the girls since the pirate attack. She had killed nearly thirty of Ikurlahaen's raiders, mopping up much of what got past Yasil and the guardsmen, and had received one of the Sapphire Cluster's highest honours in recognition for her valour. She also bore a fair number of wounds, ranging from mere scratches to a deep gash in her right shoulder, but she got no sympathy from Raven.

"Oh, shut up Sshraada", the dancer snapped, and she walked away, anger drying the tear on her cheek. She felt something stir, next to her heart, but she willed it back into her inner depths. Until she knew the power within her better, she was unwilling to let it come forth.

Only when I need it, she told herself. Only when I need it...

That night, the Prince returned to his bed-chamber after watching Yasil's attempts to spank the fight out of Ikurlahaen to find a guest waiting for him. "I really must stop somewhere and pick up another brigade of guards", he joked as strolled over to sit next to the tiny female in the hooded robe, standing at the foot of his bed. "Not that it would stop you, my dear Fayreen."

The Ershalin woman pushed back her hood, and allowed herself a little smile. "She likes you", she said. "And you her."

"Indeed", said the Prince. "Who wouldn't?"

Fayreen became deadly serious all of a sudden. "Someone who knows the truth about her. Someone who knows what she is."

The Prince was undaunted. "And that someone is you?"

Fayreen nodded. "I know enough to know that her parentage is the least of our worries. Whatever source her powers come from, we will soon be needing them."

A shudder ran through the Prince's body. "The Dreamslayers...?", he enquired anxiously.

The Ershalin nodded again. "We must prepare."

This page hosted by - Get your own Free Home Page