Chapter 13.

Kaleah lay on the bed, one arm wrapped loosely around her companion, feeling the solid, comforting weight of the young woman’s head resting on her chest. In truth, the numerous bruises across her body were starting to hurt, but she would have endured a thousand times worse pain just to feel this kind of peace.

Never before had Kaleah felt so protected, so loved. Never before had she trusted another person so completely that she could just let them be so near her. Always before, the barriers had slammed down to protect her from harm. But this, this simple, wonderful thing that had built between her and the young woman she held in her arms — this was something she could believe in. Something she wanted so badly that she would die before she let it go.

Kaleah had never known a person like Jessica, someone who could give so freely of herself and demand nothing in return. Someone who would let Kaleah be whoever she wanted to be, and would always support her. Jessica had shown her how empty her life had been — how empty her freedom had been — by showing her a life she had never known she was capable of living. The young woman had trusted Kaleah with her most treasured secret, invited her into her private, personal places, and had never asked for anything in return except the chance to be her friend.

Perhaps, she pondered, it was time to show the same faith in return.

"Jess?" she whispered, struggling to keep her voice from breaking. "Are you asleep?"

The young woman wriggled. "No . . . but you should be. You need to rest, Kaleah. Your body needs to heal-"

"I’ve been sleeping all day," Kaleah pointed out. "I’m really not tired. A-are you?"

Jessica yawned, but shook her head. "No, I’m alright. I’ll stay awake and keep you company, if you like."

Kaleah lay quietly, eyes open but unseeing. She knew she needed to do this, knew this obstacle had to be overcome before she could ever consider herself worthy of this young woman’s love. But for long moment’s, her throat closed up and refused to let any words form. Her mind tried desperately to shut down, to block out the memories that were filled with so much pain it still hurt, all these years later. But with an effort, the former slave slowly controlled herself, relaxing her muscles. Summoning a calm, detached tone that shielded her from her own words, Kaleah started to speak in a voice so quiet, it fell into the silence like raindrops falling on a lake.

"It’s funny, the things the mind chooses to remember. I remember the day the slavers came," she whispered, feeling Jessica tense against her. "I can’t remember how I felt. I can’t remember the faces of my family . . . I don’t even know if they were there. But I can remember that the sun was shining in the sky. I can remember the smell of the wildflowers that I’d tied into a chain and hung around my neck. And I can even remember that a moment before the men grabbed me, a hawk flying overhead gave a piercing cry. So many things that don’t really matter . . . but for some reason, I can remember them perfectly instead of the things I want to be able to."

Realizing where this was going, Jessica looked up, her eyes gentle and sad. "You don’t have to do this," she whispered.

"I know. But I need to." Kaleah struggled for a moment, wanting her friend to understand. "Do you remember when you showed me the secret passages through the castle? You let me see the places you keep hidden from everyone else. I told you that some day . . . I’d do the same for you."

"But there’s no hurry. If you’re not ready-"

"I am," she interrupted gently. "I want you to hear." She gave a little, sad smile. "My secrets aren’t as nice as yours are, I’m afraid. But I need to be able to show you . . . to show you that I trust you."

"Oh, Kaleah!" Jess reached out and stroked her face. "I know you trust me. You don’t need to prove yourself to me."

"I know that," Kaleah breathed. "But I need to prove it to myself." She looked deeply into the wet emerald gaze of her friend. "Do you understand?"

Jessica was silent a long moment, then nodded slowly and lay back on her friend. "I understand," she whispered.

"Thank you." Kaleah sighed and, after a moment to get comfortable, she looked up at the ceiling, her eyes not seeing the beauty of the mural above the bed, but instead looking back into a past she had tried hard to forget.

"I know I lived on the coast," she whispered, "because the slavers came from the sea. They had two ships . . . but I can’t remember much about them. I know they took others, but I didn’t know anybody else. They took me onto one of the ships, chained me in the galley, and left me.

"When I was finally allowed on the deck, we were already far out to sea. I couldn’t have escaped at that point if I’d tried. I was young. . . ten years old or so, at most. I couldn’t understand what was happening to me. Where were they taking me? Where were my parents? I guess I must have been terrified, but . . . but I can’t remember. The slavers spoke a language I didn’t understand, and it took a while for me to learn enough to get by. Since I was too young to be of any use at hard labor, they put me to work in the kitchens . . . cooking meals, cleaning up. The work never seemed to end. I was in a stupor . . . like everything around me wasn’t quite real. The only time I let myself feel anything was when they beat me. I couldn’t block out the pain of the lash, however hard I tried."

She was quiet again for a minute or two, just remembering. Then, breathing deeply, she continued. "I served on the ship for a long time. I guess I sort of got used to my life after a while. Compared to what came later, those years weren’t so bad, really. I was just a child, and they had little interest in the children as long as we worked hard, and did as we were told." She sighed. "But things had to change eventually. My body grew up . . . and after a while, the slavers decided the gold they could get from selling me on the stocks was worth more to them than my services as a kitchen-hand could ever be." Her voice was dead, her eyes vacant as they stared into a time long since past. "So they took me to a city . . . and they auctioned my innocence to the highest bidder."

Jessica listened in horror, her heart breaking at the lifeless tone in her friend’s voice. She tried to imagine what it must have been like for Kaleah; to be so young, and to have something so personal and intimate be regarded as little more than sales incentive. She couldn’t do it. Her mind just wouldn’t wrap itself around such a barbaric, hideous concept. Jessica knew she had lived a charmed life compared to her friend . . . she was only now starting to realize just how terrible Kaleah’s life had been.

She tried to think of a way to comfort the dark woman . . . to come up with a way she could make this pain go away. But she knew now as she had known all along that there was nothing she could say or do to erase the past. "I’m so sorry," she whispered, her voice strained with emotion. The words sounded so weak against the brutality of Kaleah’s story . . . but she felt she had to say something.

Kaleah gave her a sad smile, and shrugged a little. "I know."

Jessica saw the lost look in the dark woman’s face, and tears sprang from her eyes, flowing unchecked down her cheeks. On a deep, almost primitive level, she understood that this pain — Kaleah’s pain — was being made her pain as well. The love that bound her to this woman was helplessly seeking to take on the past’s heavy burden the only way it could . . . by making it a part of her. She wept silently, wanting to stop Kaleah’s story and the anguish it brought to them both, but knowing in her soul that she had to hear this. There was healing to be found in the sharing of suffering . . . she had leaned that herself on the battlefield.

"The . . . first time was . . . painful," Kaleah continued, her voice almost breaking. "I had no knowledge of sex . . . I was terrified by the experience. I felt . . . violated, in a way that nothing the slaver’s had done had ever made me feel. The next few weeks were very bad, but some of the other women my master owned tried to help me as best they could. They showed me how to take my mind away from the pain . . . how to cope with the humiliation. Eventually, I learned that if I was compliant, the ordeal would be over with sooner. A few months later, my master sold me to a man who owned a whore-house. I was . . . not as lucky as some others. Men considered me attractive because I had blue eyes with dark features. There were few women like me in that land, so I became the star of my new master’s business.

"Over time, I was trained further in how to pleasure my master’s clients. I was punished if I did not . . . perform, well." She spat the word out, still hating the taste of it. "Some beatings were worse than others . . . but I almost preferred the pain of a few bruises to some of the alternatives. I never got used to my life, but I learned how to make myself numb to what was happening to me. I pretended that none of it was real, that it was happening to some other person, and I was just observing. But at night . . ." Her voice cracked a little, and she cleared her throat. ". . .At night . . . I couldn’t stop it from hurting.

"Over the next few years, I was passed from one place to another . . . mostly whore-houses, but not all. Some of my owners were . . . very bad, but some of them were alright. Some actually treated me like a human being . . . simple things like being fed properly, being allowed to sleep in peace. But there weren’t many like that, and I was never with them for long."

"Didn’t you ever . . . you know . . . try to escape?" Jessica asked quietly.

Kaleah gave a short, sharp bark of laughter, her eyes flaring with sudden anger. "That’s what most people ask," she said bitterly, softening her words by stroking Jessica’s rumpled blonde hair. "’Why didn’t you get away?’ Most people think that’s what they’d do if anyone ever tried to make them into a slave." She snorted. "It’s not quite that simple," she whispered. "I was taught to believe I was worthless. It was beaten into my head until it seemed like the truth. But still, during those first six years or so, no matter how much they did to me . . . no matter how bad it got . . . there was always a part of me, deep down inside, that they could never touch. A part that wanted to be free."

"So . . . you did try to escape?"

Kaleah nodded, her eye vacant again. "I tried all the time," she remembered. "Everytime I changed hands, I’d always make an attempt to run for it . . . to escape."

"It never worked?" Jessica couldn’t believe someone as intelligent and resourceful as Kaleah couldn’t figure out a way to break free.

"Of course it never worked," Kaleah said harshly. "My masters weren’t stupid or foolish . . . they knew every trick there was, and they were ready for anything." She smiled coldly. "The smart ones would actually encourage new girls to try and escape, just so they could show them how impossible it was. And so they could teach them what would happen the next time. Once I’d been a slave for a while, I became more picky about my plans to get away. Still, they never worked. I was beaten and raped every time I tried . . . but despite the punishments, it wasn’t until after many years had gone by that I finally stopped trying to get away."

Jessica shuddered as she heard a subtle change in her companion’s voice . . . a coldness. She looked at the sharp, angular features of Kaleah’s face, and saw for the first time an ugliness there that frightened her. Almost afraid to know, but helpless to stop this, she asked in a voice so low she wondered if it were hers at all, "What happened?"

"There was a man," Kaleah said, her voice like ice with dead hatred. "He bought me and took me as a . . ." She struggled a moment. "I think the word is, ‘concubine?’"

Jessica nodded to show she understood.

"He was bad . . . far worse than any of the others." Kaleah’s face was hard and stony as the grave. "The things he did to me . . . and the things he made me do." Her body started to tremble. "He was not a man. He was something more evil than a man can be. I knew I would never escape him alive, knew he’d never let me go. And the thought of having to live out the rest of my life . . . as his slave . . . I couldn’t do it. I knew I would rather die, but when I sought to end my life, I found it harder than I had thought it would be. The guards were watchful, and we were never left alone. There was nothing sharp ever left with the slave girls, and nothing to tie a noose from. I soon realized that I would not even be allowed to escape into death.

"Then, one night, I had my chance. My master had left me on his bed — unconscious, or so he thought — and had gone to bathe in the next room. I was weak from . . ." Her voice cracked, then hardened. ". . .from what he’d done to me, but I regained my strength when I saw he’d left a dagger he’d been using on me on the table by the bed. I took the knife in my hands and was about to use it on myself, when suddenly I had a thought; if I was going to die . . . why not take my tormentor with me?"

Jessica gasped. Seeing something glacial and heartless burn suddenly in her friend’s eyes, she drew back slightly, uncomfortable and frightened by the person now laying so near her. The Kaleah she knew and loved was still there . . . but the animal fury she had only ever glimpsed fleetingly was in control. The young girl knew this primal darkness was a part of her friend’s soul . . . and she knew she had to accept it as such if they were going to continue along the road they were traveling.

"My master was naked and unarmed," Kaleah continued in a detached monotone, but her body was thrumming with energy. "I went into the room where he was bathing . . . and I thrust the knife into his back. He screamed . . . and I did it again . . . and again." A cruel smile curved her lips, twisting the scar in a hideous way. "I was disappointed when he stopped screaming," she breathed, "but I kept stabbing him anyway until his guards broke the door down and dragged me away.

"I knew they would torture me to death. But I didn’t care." She grinned fully now, her teeth flashing bone-white in the dim light. "They couldn’t take away from me that sense of power I’d felt. They couldn’t make me their slave anymore. Even though I was going to die . . . I felt invincible. The man who had used me as a plaything for his perverse will was just as mortal as I was. His life was as frail as mine . . . and I — someone he had considered less than an animal — I had taken it from him." She breathed a sigh of pure bliss. "In that moment . . . I felt free for the first time in an eternity."

The dark woman glanced at her friend and suddenly saw the apprehension and fear in the emerald eyes staring back. The darkness conjured by these evil memories vanished instantly, and she reached out. "Hey . . . " she whispered soothingly. "It’s okay . . . I’m still here." She tried to give a smile, but couldn’t manage one. But Jessica saw the coldness let go her face, and drew nearer once more. "I’m sorry," Kaleah whispered as she held the young woman close. "It’s hard to remember these things."

Jessica snuffled a little and embraced her friend. "You scared me. For a minute there, you looked . . ."

"I know." Kaleah stroked the long blonde hair, as much to comfort herself as to comfort Jessica. She stared at nothing, feeling nauseous from the memories of that evil power. "It’s a scary thing," she breathed softly, "to know the darkest part of yourself. And to wish with all your heart you could know it better."

Jessica recovered her composure and gently pulled away from her companion. "Why didn’t the guards kill you? Did you get away?"

Kaleah shook her head. "No. I thought I’d be executed, but the guards knew that if they killed me . . . I would have gotten off lightly. They couldn’t let me win like that. So they took me to a room . . ." Her eyes became unfocused, slightly puzzled. "It was a room I’d never been to before, in a part of the house I’d never seen. They took me in there . . . and . . . and they . . ." Her words faded as her brows knit in apparent confusion.

Jessica leaned forward in dread anticipation. "What did they do?"

Kaleah’s eyes focused on her, and she shrugged with a helpless expression. "I don’t know."

Jessica sighed inwardly. "It’s alright," she said gently, letting her eyes drop away to the sheets. She couldn’t help but feel a little hurt that Kaleah didn’t trust her with this one secret. "You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to-"

Kaleah smiled a little and pulled her face back up to meet hers. "I would tell you if I could, Jessica. Believe me. But that’s the simple truth of it . . . I don’t know what happened to me in that room because I can’t remember."

Jessica eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean you can’t remember? How can you-"

Kaleah shrugged again. "I don’t know. But when I look back into that part of my mind . . . the memories just aren’t there anymore. It’s like there’s a hole in my past . . . when they took away from me the power and strength I’d just discovered." She sighed and lay back on the bed. "I don’t know how long I was in that room, but I can remember I spent many months in a cell recovering. My body was broken and twisted . . . but worse than that, they’d gone into my head and killed whatever will of my own I still possessed. It took me weeks to recover my sanity; to find myself again in all the pain." She rubbed at one of the bandages, the cloth itching her skin. "After that . . . I never tried to escape again," she concluded simply. "The desire just wasn’t there anymore."

Jessica looked searchingly into Kaleah’s eyes, overwhelmed with sorrow. She ran her finger along the vivid scar that crossed the woman’s oh-so-soft lips. "Is that when you got this?" she asked.

Kaleah shook her head, repressing the desire to take the exploring fingers into her mouth. "That came after. The guards who served with the man I killed knew they’d have to sell off the slave girls, including me. Damaging the face of a slave makes it harder to sell them into the sex market," the dark woman explained matter-of-factly. "After . . . whatever they did to me, things get kind of blurry in my head. I was sold to another man, and then to another. I was in a fog . . . unable to care about anything anymore. It took a few years for me to recover to the point where I could even think again. By that time, I had passed from one owner to another, and ended up with a man who ran a brothel using exotic girls from all over the world."

"Is that . . ." Jessica blushed a little. "Is that what most of your master’s . . . used you for?"

Kaleah nodded. "Mostly. As I said, I was considered beautiful, and they usually preferred to leave any physical labor to male slaves. Still," she smiled a little, "this man was much better than most. He wasn’t so much interested in his slaves as he was in the money they made him. A pure businessman; I’d learned they were the best masters to get. He didn’t believe in beating his slaves, because he knew it would cost him money while they recovered. He fed us all well, and he let us sleep as much as we needed too. As long as we were compliant, he pretty much left us alone . . . even going so far as to order his guards to protect us from any clients who got . . . carried away."

"So how did you get this scar?" Jessica asked, touching the mark.

Kaleah gave her a slightly amused look. "Are you sure you want to know?"

Jessica nodded. "You’ve told me so much already . . . might as well get it all out." She paused, wondering at the sudden almost playful look Kaleah was giving her. "Unless you don’t want to tell me, of course-"

"No, I’ll tell you." Kaleah let the darker memories fade away as she cast her mind back to the time that had marked the beginning of a better life for her. She grinned a little. "But remember . . . you wanted to hear it."

Settling back, she rested her splinted arm on her chest and wished for a moment her body didn’t hurt so much. Then, seeing Jessica waiting, she went on with her story.

"A woman came to the brothel my master owned," she said. "She was the wife of a wealthy merchant, a man who had more interest in profits than he had in satisfying the desires of his wife. Since her husband traveled so much, the woman figured she should seek pleasure in the arms of another; but she didn’t want to have an affair with anyone in the city who might report her infidelity to her husband. So, she sought the advice of a friend, who happened to be a client of my master’s and, furthermore, a client of mine." She grinned, watching Jessica’s reaction carefully. "Her friend recommended me and, being eager to explore all avenues of physical pleasure, the woman came to my master and requested my services."

The dark woman saw the slight blush on Jessica’s face, and could tell from her wide eyes the girl was hanging onto every word. "Anyway," she continued, still studying her friend’s reaction, "by this time I had been exposed to every sexual act possible . . . another woman was nothing new to me. I had been trained how to provide for anything a client might desire, so when the woman requested that I show her everything I knew . . ." She grinned dazzlingly and waggled her eyebrows at a gaping Jessica. ". . . I knew I’d be seeing a lot more of her."

Jessica suddenly realized her mouth was hanging open, and she snapped it shut with a slight cough of embarrassment. She knew she was blushing, but couldn’t help it. She just hoped Kaleah would interpret her reaction as stemming from her innocence . . . not from the images that were running rampant through her mind. "So, um . . ." She coughed again nervously, cool blue eyes regarding her with amusement. "So did you . . . prefer women even then, or-"

"Yes," Kaleah answered honestly. "At first, I was shocked by the idea of being intimate with another woman, but I soon realized that was only because I’d never considered the notion. When I got used to it, I realized I preferred providing service for a woman more than I did for a man. And not just because they tended to be . . . less rough with me, although that was more often the case." She frowned. "Not always, of course. Some of the worst times were with women . . . just because they knew my body enough to know exactly what would hurt the most. But generally speaking, women were less likely to beat me or hurt me then the men were. That wasn’t the only reason I preferred them, though." She smiled a quiet, reflective smile "I liked the way they sounded . . . the way they felt, and how they tasted. And I liked the way that sometimes — quite often, in fact — they would insist on returning the favor."

Jessica swallowed . . . hard. "You mean they . . ."

Kaleah nodded. "Every man who ever took me — ever raped me — never gave a thought to anything other than his own desires. I was just a body . . . and I doubt they even cared for anything beyond those few parts they needed. The first time I ever felt anything but pain during the act was when another woman pleasured me." Her smile widened. "It was a hell of a surprise for me, and something that I rarely got to experience. But there were women, from time to time, who took great satisfaction in making sure I enjoyed myself as much as they did. And while they didn’t come along too often, the comfort I found in the pleasure they gave me kept me sane in that hell when I thought I’d otherwise go mad."

Jessica digested this information slowly. "So . . . the merchant’s wife was someone you . . ."

"Enjoyed being with?"

Jess nodded.

"Yes." Kaleah grinned rakishly, her blue eyes glinting in the moonlight. "During the months her husband was gone, she proved to be a very . . . eager, student." She couldn’t help but laugh at the blush that tore across Jessica’s face. "Is it hot in here or something? You look a little flushed."

Jessica pouted and slapped her gently on one of the less bruised patches of skin. "Don’t tease," she growled, "or I’ll rough you up even worse than you already are."

Kaleah just chuckled and swatted her away. "Sorry. It’s just so easy, that’s all. And it’s fun, too."

"Hmph." Jessica assumed a very cross look and glared at her friend. "Just be careful it doesn’t come back and bite you on the arse someday," she threatened in a playful voice.

Kaleah’s eyes twinkled. "It can bite me anywhere it wants to," she said with a wink, pleased when Jessica’s flush deepened. "You want me to keep going with the story? Or will you go up in flames if you hear anymore?"

Jessica growled at her, but gestured for her to go on. "I can’t wait to hear how you managed to get cut. Did she get a little enthusiastic or something?"

"No." Kaleah wriggled deeper into the blankets, the night air turning cold. "She wasn’t the one who did it. She became what I suppose you’d call my lover for almost three months. As I said, I’d had very few experiences sexually where I can honestly say I was a willing participant. She was definitely one of them." Seeing the suddenly guarded mask drop over Jessica’s face, she quickly went on. "She provided a physical satisfaction and relief that I appreciated . . . but that’s really all it was: physical. We both understood there was nothing more to it. We each filled a void in the other’s life, if only for a moment." She regarded the green eyes that watched her with perfect openness. "I’ve never experienced the kind of . . . emotional, connection I feel with you," she admitted quietly.

Jessica smiled warmly. "Me neither . . . with you, I mean."

Kaleah nodded, and continued. "Of course, like everything else that was good in my life, the affair didn’t last long. Her husband returned from his trip and, within a few short days had heard rumors that his wife had been frequenting with a whore. He was outraged, and with his money and power behind him it wasn’t long before he found out exactly which whore his wife had been with.

"He came to the brothel when my master was away. He asked that I be brought before him, and the guards, not knowing any better, did as instructed. When I was kneeling on the ground in front of him, the merchant pulled a knife from his belt and went straight for my throat, seeking to avenge himself."

Jessica gasped. "How did you . . .? What happened?"

Kaleah shrugged. "The guards saw what he intended and they knocked him down. I tried to duck away from the blade, but it still slashed across my face," she touched her fingers across the white line that marred her lips, "cutting deep. I tasted blood. My master returned just then and was furious at the merchant. With my face disfigured — even so slightly — my value as a whore was severely reduced. He demanded . . . a fee, I suppose you’d call it. He said the word . . . ‘rest . . .restit-"

"Restitution?"

Kaleah nodded. "Yes. The merchant had to pay, or risk trouble with the law and public disgrace. Still my master decided I was useless to him, and he sold me as soon as he could."

Jessica was silent, trying to understand this harsh and cruel world her friend spoke of. "What . . . what happened with the woman?"

Kaleah turned her penetrating blue eyes on the young woman, wondering. Is that envy I detect, Jess? she mused. Or am I just hearing what my heart wants to hear?

"The merchant’s wife came to me the night after I was cut," she explained. "She wanted to say good-bye, I suppose, and share a final night of pleasure with me. Before she left, she tried to apologize for her husband’s actions, but I stopped her. I said that what he’d done was probably the kindest thing anyone had ever done for me since I became a slave."

Blonde brows furrowed in confusion. "But . . . he hurt you."

Kaleah smiled. "He made me less desirable as a whore. After that, I had a few more owners, and while they sometimes used my body for their own pleasures, I was never used as a sex slave again. Mostly, I was put to work in the kitchens and in the fields. Over time, I started to rediscover some of what had been taken from me. I could no longer hope that one day I might be free, but I started to come to life once more as I was exposed to less of the evil’s of the darker slave world. It was during that time that another slave introduced me to music by giving me a reed flute she had. I practiced a long time in secret, and found that music helped me to settle my mind. After a while, I was taken across the sea, and eventually was put up for auction in a new land I’d never been to. The man who bought me was a nobleman named Constantine De’Livier."

"The man who let you go?" Jessica smiled, liking him already.

The dark woman nodded. "I didn’t know it at the time, but De’Livier was unlike any master I’d ever had. He thought slavery was a cruel trade, and bought me because he knew my life would be safer in his hands than someone else’s. At first I was puzzled by the way he treated me; asking me my name, where I was from, how old I was. No-one had ever cared about such things before." She shrugged. "I’d forgotten everything about who I was . . . even my real name. De’Livier decided to call me by the name of some foreign queen he’d heard somewhere; Nerukaleah . . . Kaleah for short."

"So . . . Kaleah’s not your birth name?"

"No. De’Livier guessed I was probably about nineteen or twenty year old, but he had no idea where my accent came from; probably because I’d been traded across half the world, and had to learn bits and pieces of so many different languages. I’d never been to Spain before, but De’Livier spoke English, which was my strongest language . . . so we communicated with no problems. I didn’t expect him to be any different from any of my other masters, so I was very surprised by what he told me when we arrived at his home.

"De’Livier explained that he was a weaponsmith . . . one of the finest in the world. He forged blades for kings and generals, soldiers and mercenaries, and he had taught in the Spanish fighting schools during his youth. He told me straight out that he didn’t want a slave — what he needed was an apprentice. Someone to help him with the grueling and demanding work of the forges . . . someone who would learn the art quickly and be able to assist with things like finishing hilts and guards and pommels. He expected me to work hard . . . very hard. But in exchange for my labor, he would teach me an ancient and respected tradition that I could use in my life. He would give me good food, and a warm place to sleep in the hay-loft. He even said he would pay me money, and would allow me to sell anything of value I made, once I’d gained sufficient skill."

Kaleah grinned and chuckled a little. "I didn’t even understand what he was talking about at first," she mused. "I was a slave. I worked for nothing, and in exchange would not be beaten. That’s all I expected. I couldn’t grasp a concept like equal trade or mutual benefit. It took the poor man days to make me understand what he was offering, and when at last it sunk in . . ." She sighed, closing her eyes and just remembering the feeling. "I felt more human than I had in nearly ten years."

"He sounds very special," Jessica whispered.

"He was." She thought a moment, then chuckled. "Of course, when he told me the work would be hard, he meant it. For the first fortnight or so, I woke each morning with muscles in agony, and fell asleep each night the moment my head hit the hay. Working the forge fires made the labor I was used too seem like mild exercise. I sweat gallons and my hands were covered in blisters, but I was determined to stay with De’Livier, so I never complained. Eventually, my muscles grew stronger, and my hands toughened. I got used to the heat, and began to actually enjoy learning from a true master. De’Livier was well pleased with my efforts, and when he saw my skills rapidly increasing, he offered to teach me to fight. I was eager to learn anything I could by then, and agreed quickly.

"I took to the blade with ease, and learned the basics of swordsmanship in a matter of a few weeks. De’Livier was impressed, and started teaching me more advanced moves. Soon, my skills were growing rapidly from day to day." She grinned. "De’Livier was amazed."

"I’m not surprised," Jessica said. "You are amazing. You learn new moves in seconds. The way you fight . . . it’s like you were born with a sword in your hands."

"That’s pretty much what De’Livier said. And when he realized how great the changes in me had become, he knew he had no right to keep me. He decided to prepare me for freedom."

"I bet that came as a shock."

"Actually, he didn’t tell me his plans to release me for a long time," Kaleah said. "I’d been a slave almost my entire life; the concept of freedom was impossible for me to accept. De’Livier knew this, so he started out very slowly, at first just asking me questions like, what would I like to do tomorrow, what did I think about this or that — things that would get me to make up my own mind about what I thought, rather than just following instructions. Before long, he was wanting to know what my dreams were . . . what I wanted out of life. The questions confused me at first, but when I actually considered them, I started to . . . to change."

"In what ways?"

Kaleah thought back to that time and shrugged. "I started to get restless," she explained. "I hated to stand still for any length of time. I wanted to move, to go somewhere. I went for runs every morning, but I could feel amazing amounts of energy coursing through my blood. My fighting lessons became more heated as my temper became more edgy. De’Livier started taking me into social settings with him more often, trying to teach me how to interact with other people as equals. It was quite a change from what I was used to, and I never really liked being around others very much. When I had the choice, I would work alone at the forge, just enjoying the way I could shape and mould the metal to any form I chose. It gave me a sense of control and power I liked.

"Then, one day, De’Livier came to me and told me to design a weapon and a suit of armor for myself. I did so, and when I was finished we discussed the designs and made a few alterations. Then, De’Livier put me to work at the forge, making what I had drawn on paper into real life. It took me many weeks . . . months, even, but when I was finished I had crafted the armor and sword I still carry today. I was very proud of myself . . . but no moreso than De’Livier was. He told me the armor and weapon were mine to keep, and that he could teach me no more. I was dumbfounded when he told me I had served him well, and had earned my freedom."

Jessica smiled warmly at her friend. The story was terrible but at least it had something of a happy ending. "It must have been wonderful."

"It was," Kaleah breathed, returning the young woman’s expression. "I stayed a little while longer, learning something of the lands that lay near Spain so I would understand where I was better. When I left, I promised De’Livier I would never forget the kindness he had shown me. He told me it was enough of a reward just to know that he had helped someone to escape such a dreadful existence. I headed north, following the coast. I smuggled aboard a ship that carried me to this country, and just took to the woods for a long time. I avoided people, hunting for my food." She saw Jessica grin broadly at this.

"You must have gone hungry a lot," Jessica joked, poking her clearly defined ribcage. "You’re not exactly the greatest tracker I’ve ever seen."

Kaleah lowered her eyes. "I know. But I was used to going without food. I was fine . . . until the winter came, that is.

"I’d never experienced such weather before. The animals vanished, and I was forced to seek out others if I wanted to survive. I ate at taverns, or with bandit camps, using the coin De’Livier gave me to buy food and drink." She grinned. "The first night I discovered the effects of alcohol was an interesting one. Still, I never stayed in one place for too long; I moved always to the north. A few times, bandits tried to rob me, but my skills were more than enough to beat them back." Her expression fell into a frown. "I lived in caves, and avoided people unless I was desperate. I was starting to forget all the things De’Livier had taught me. I could feel myself becoming less and less human every day. Then, starving, I found the bandits camp where we first met." She smiled and sighed. "I guess you know how the story goes from there. I met a beautiful young girl who took me back to her father’s castle and showed me there was more to life than just being free. There were things like friendship and trust . . . and warm beds." She grinned. "You showed me all the things I never knew I could have . . . and you gave them to me."

Jessica’s face reddened with pleasure. "You’re very welcome," she said shyly. Laying back against her friend slowly, careful not to hurt her bruises, she rested her head on Kaleah’s chest and sighed. The dark woman’s scent flooded her senses, almost making her dizzy. "Thank you . . . for trusting me enough to tell me those things." She studied the dark woman’s face. "Do you feel any better?"

Kaleah thought for a minute. In truth, she realized, she did feel better . . . lighter, somehow. A slow smile brightened her face. "Yeah. I do, actually." She leaned down and placed a gentle, only slightly lingering kiss on the blonde’s forehead. "Thank you for listening," she breathed, missing the look of joy in her companion’s face. "I think maybe you were right . . . it does help to talk about things."

Jessica recovered from the feeling of Kaleah’s lips on her heated skin, tucking the sensations away to be revealed in later, when she was alone. "You’ve spent your whole life keeping everything bottled up, Kaleah. That’s not good for anyone. You need to let things out into the open, to share them with someone you can trust." She wrapped her arms lightly around the dark woman’s slender waist and nestled closer, pleased when Kaleah didn’t tense up. "I think I understand you a little better now," she whispered. "I thought I had a fairly good idea what you must have gone through . . . and maybe I did. But it’s so different to hear it all." Tears leaked from her eyes. "I really did handle you all wrong at first, didn’t I?"

"Yes," Kaleah’s voice replied. "But you did what you did because you cared, and good came of it eventually."

"Still, I’m sorry for the way I treated you when we first met." She yawned and let her eyes slip closed. "It’s pretty late," she observed. "Are you tired now?"

Kaleah shook her head. "No, but you go ahead and sleep if you want to." She stroked the blonde head soothingly, hearing a soft, happy moan escape the young woman. She was silent for several minutes, just thinking about the wonderful changes in her life since she had met her companion. "Jessica?"

"Hmmm?"

Silence. Then, "Don’t ever leave me."

Jessica’s eyes opened. She heard the naked vulnerability and quiet desperation in Kaleah’s voice, and again felt her anger rise at the cruel men who had done so much evil to the dark woman. She squeezed her arms tighter about Kaleah’s waist. "I’ll never leave you, Kaleah," she promised for the second time that day. She smiled a little. "After the effort I put into getting you here . . . you’d need a pry-bar to get rid of me."

There was a moment of silence, then she felt Kaleah’s body shake with a light chuckle. "Get some sleep, Jess."

"Mmmph." She snuggled deeper into the body of her companion, relaxing and letting her mind slip past the dark story of Kaleah’s life to the promise of a brighter tomorrow. As consciousness fell away, her last thought was a mild concern that with the object of her desires so near at hand, the dreams she had been encouraging of late might make her say something inappropriate in her sleep. But the thought was a fleeting one, and was quickly followed with a quiet reassurance from her mind that, if she was lucky, Kaleah wouldn’t mind one bit.

Chapter 14.

The next morning, Jessica woke late to find the woman she’d been using as a pillow now fast asleep, and looking to stay that way for some time. Rubbing her eyes and stretching, she studied the relaxed curves of the dark woman’s face curiously, a smile touching her lips at how young Kaleah looked without the stern lines that so characterized her features. The smile faded as she studied the nasty bruises and the split skin over Kaleah’s eyes. She wondered how late her friend had stayed up. From the looks of things, sharing the burdens of her past had eased Kaleah’s pain quite a bit. Jessica was happy she could be a part of that.

Easing away from the bruised woman gently, careful not to wake her, Jessica yawned and scratched her midrift absently. A rather loud rumbling from her stomach alerted to the fact that she was hungry, so she called for a servant and asked for some breakfast. As an afterthought, she asked the serving girl to find Eric Grace and ask if he had any more of the medicine Kaleah had been given yesterday. Jess knew her friend needed rest, even if she didn’t necessarily want it.

When the food arrived, Kaleah was quickly roused by the smell of fried bacon and oatmeal, and the two sat happily on the bed eating until they were full.

"What’s this?" Kaleah asked, picking up the small leather pouch that had arrived with their breakfast.

"Just some herbs and stuff I asked for," the blonde replied. "Medicine to help you get better."

Kaleah’s eyes narrowed as she opened the drawstring pouch and took a suspicious sniff. "You want me to eat these?"

Jessica nodded. "They’ll help to take the swelling down in your bruises," she explained. "Believe me, they make a big difference. I’ve had to take them everytime I got hurt. They’re not so bad, really."

The dark woman licked a finger and dipped it into the pouch, regarding the flakes of brown and green dried herb that clung to her saliva dubiously. "Is this the same stuff Grace gave me yesterday?"

"Aye, pretty much." Jessica saw Kaleah’s face harden, and quickly continued. "Look, Kaleah, I know you don’t want to take it, but please-"

"This’ll make me sleep, won’t it?" the dark woman interrupted.

Jessica sighed, but gave a little nod. "I know you hate having to stay still . . . really, I do. But you need to get better." She reached out and patted the woman’s arm. "I’ll stay with you, I promise. We can just hang out in here." She smiled a little. "Let’s face it, Kaleah, it’s not like you could really do a whole lot today anyway, is it? You’re hurting-"

"It’s not that bad."

"Oh really?" Jessica regarded her friend sternly.

"I’ve had far worse."

Jess sighed. "But you’re not a slave anymore, Kaleah," she said softly. "You don’t have to hide from the pain . . . you can accept it, and let me help you get better. Please?"

Kaleah scowled at the pouch, then looked up at her friend’s imploring gaze. There wasn’t anything she could do against the onslaught of those caring green eyes. "Alright," she conceded grumpily, trying to ignore the smile that lit Jessica’s face. "But tomorrow, I’m getting up whether you like it or not."

"Of course." Jessica didn’t bother arguing further. "I’ll get you some water to take those with."

"Thanks." Kaleah tipped the dry herbs into her mouth, chewed them a few times then swallowed with a grimace. They were bitter-tasting, and she gladly chased them down with the mug of water her companion held out for her. Then she wriggled into the soft mattress and patted the empty space next to her in invitation for Jessica to join her. The young woman happily did so.

As the herbs started to take effect, Kaleah listened as Jessica told her another story; some ancient legend about the old Gods this land once worshiped. The gentle lilt of the young woman’s accent was very soothing, and she let her eyes fall shut as the words eased her mind away from the pain of her injuries. Before long, she was sleeping peacefully, her lips forming a soft smile of utter peace.

Jessica stayed as she was long after Kaleah passed out. With one hand, she smoothed the long, midnight-black hair away from the woman’s face, smiling when Kaleah moaned a little and wriggled closer to her. Her heart ached with the unbearable strength of her love, and she swallowed a little as she remembered the feel of Kaleah’s soft lips against her forehead. Warmth flared in her blood, and she instantly recognized desire stirring.

"Don’t even think about it," she growled quietly to herself, knowing her imagination was just about to start a nice little picture show.

Oh, come on, her mind argued. She’s out like a light . . . no harm in just thinking about these things.

"Not . . . now!" she rumbled low in her throat.

Why not? It’s not like she’s gonna care, is it? Her mind gave her a metaphysical grin. Last night wasn’t exactly what you had in mind for your first night together in the same bed, but it certainly brought you closer together. She knows the relationship is still getting stronger . . . maybe she wants the same thing you do afterall.

"Maybe," Jess conceded.

So where’s the harm in thinking about her this way? I mean, she said it herself, she’s an . . . experienced, lover. Just imagine what she could do with those lips-

"That’s enough!" Jessica wasn’t going to let her libido get out of hand, not while Kaleah was so near to her and in such a vulnerable state. "You can think about it latter, when you’re alone. Now’s really not a good time."

But can’t you just-

The semi-conversation was interrupted — thankfully, Jessica thought — by a firm, bold knock at the door. Jessica instantly recognized it wasn’t one of the servants, who tended to knock softly and almost hesitantly. Gently easing herself away from Kaleah’s embrace, she wandered over and opened the door. Her eyes widened in surprise when she found Sir Richard standing in the hallway outside.

"Father?"

"Mornin’ Jess," the lord knight greeted her somewhat awkwardly. "I was, uh, hoping I might have a word with you, if that’s alright."

"Of course." Jessica opened the door wider and gestured for him to enter. "C-come in." She looked around the room and briefly wished she didn’t keep it in quite so chaotic a state, refusing to let the servants clean it. "I’m, uh, sorry about the mess. It’s usually much neater," she lied.

Sir Richard was a man who led his men into battle fearlessly and with dauntless courage, but he entered his daughter’s bedroom with a hesitancy no bravery could deny. Da’Gran may have been Jessica’s home, but this room was where she really lived. Almost every hour not spent in training or being schooled by either Eric or the Lady Rose, Jessica would spend alone in here. This room — in fact this whole section of the castle, pretty much — was Jessica’s domain; her sanctuary. He may have been her father, and the ruler of Da’Gran, but this was an invasion, nonetheless.

It had been some years since Richard had last come here, and that had only been because his young girl had been badly injured during a battle many years ago. That had been a very different time, when Jessica had been struggling to adjust to the changes adolescence was causing in her growing body. He remembered the room then still bore the last marks of a child — a child determined to grow up fast. Awkward but curious, he looked around the disorderly room now with mild amusement.

Jessica kicked a pair of undergarments beneath the bed quickly. "I’ve uh, been a-a little busy lately," she stammered. "It’s hard to find time to clean up."

He smiled slightly, the expression showing as little more than a twitching of his mustaches. "You should ask the servants to do it," he said gruffly. "That’s what we pay them for."

Jess nodded agreeably. "I-I’ll be sure to do that," she promised obediently.

Sir Richard grunted. Independent and head-strong, he knew Jessica would never expect someone else to do her dirty-work for her. The damned girl insisted she could do everything herself. Knowing not to push the issue, however, Richard went back to studying his daughter’s habitat.

The room had changed quite a bit since the last time he’d seen it. There was a new maturity that had not been present some years ago. Peasant clothes were scattered about alongside fancy silk dresses, neither preference given any more care or interest than the other. Swords and pieces of armor the young woman was cleaning or just playing with were cluttered all over the place, some serving as weights to hold down sheaf’s of paper with detailed and not-so-detailed scribbles all over them. The air smelled of steel and leather and polish, but also carried the vanilla scent of perfume and silk and lace. The contrast was a little disorienting, but overall bore Jessica’s personal stamp clearly. The lord knight’s eyes widened only slightly when they fell on the slumbering figure resting on the rumpled blankets and cushions of the bed.

Jessica closed the door and turned, catching her father’s curious look at Kaleah. "She, uh . . . she was hurt, so I thought it might be best if she stayed in my room," she explained quickly. "She didn’t want to be alone last night."

Sir Richard’s lips drew firm into a slight smile and he put his hands behind his back. "I see."

Jessica stood awkwardly for a moment, thrown off balance by her father’s presence in her room. Then she remembered her manners. "Um . . . would you like to sit down? I can just . . . move some of this stuff . . . " She gathered a pile of maps and drawings off the largest table and, after looking helplessly around for somewhere suitable to put them, decided there wasn’t anywhere and just dumped them on another — already crowded — table nearby.

Sir Richard smiled at his daughter’s nervousness, glad he wasn’t the only one. While he was perfectly comfortable around his beloved child whenever they were together at any other time, he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable intruding into Jessica’s private sanctuary; just as he knew Jessica would have felt if she were asked to come into his. But he needed to talk with her, and while he could have just sent someone to bring her to the great hall, he knew she wouldn’t come. He could see Jessica would never leave Kaleah’s side, even while the dark woman slept.

Taking a seat at the table, coughing to clear his throat, he folded his hands in front of him as Jessica sat down opposite.

"So," the young woman asked curiously, "what brings you all the way into this part of the castle?"

He smiled gruffly at his daughter’s bluntness, and cast grey eyes back at Kaleah’s slumbering form. "Actually, I came because of your dark-haired friend over there," he answered quietly, not wanting to rouse the resting woman. "Charles and Grace have both informed me of the unfortunate injuries she suffered. I thought I should come and discuss it with you."

"I see." Jessica considered this, knowing her father would not have come here if he wasn’t truly concerned about something. It seemed a little odd that Kaleah’s beating would warrant that kind of attention, but then again . . . "How much did they tell you?"

"Only that the young woman had sustained some serious bruises while she was on the night-watch," he replied. "Grace gave me his medical opinion that the injuries were deliberate." His eyes narrowed. "That Kaleah was beaten. Charles was reluctant to discuss the matter, but he concurred with that assessment." An eyebrow raised questioningly. "Is that what happened?"

Jessica nodded. "A group of men attacked her from behind . . . like cowards. She told me there were three of them, and she never saw them coming. All were masked, and she couldn’t recognize them again — or so she says."

"You don’t believe her?"

Jessica shrugged. "She’s holding something back, I can tell. Maybe she doesn’t want to worry me." She sighed. "She didn’t even have a chance to fight back. If she had’ve got her sword free, it might have been a different story."

"I see." Sir Richard sat back and frowned, studying his daughter. "Do you have any idea why they attacked her?"

She shook her head. "She’s done nothing to warrant such a beating. She’s with me almost all the time, and she hardly ever talks to anyone else — except Sutton."

"That’s what I thought." Sir Richard stroked his fingers through his thick beard absently. "That being the case, I don’t need to tell you how serious this is," he said tensely. "Someone beat Kaleah . . . someone living in this castle. And you know what that could mean, right?"

Jessica suddenly realized what her father was getting at, and she scolded herself for not thinking of this sooner. "We could have disloyalty among the soldiers . . . maybe even a traitor," she wondered aloud. Frowning, she shook her head. "But that makes no sense. Why would they attack Kaleah?"

"Perhaps she wasn’t the real target," Sir Richard explained gently. "Maybe whoever attacked her did so in order to hurt you."

"Me!?"

"Calm down, Jess," he said firmly. "Just think about it for a moment, okay. Kaleah has no enemies, but you’ve managed to piss off more people in the last five years or so than most people manage too in their whole lives. There are plenty of people out there who would pay dearly to make you suffer."

Jessica settled down and considered her father’s words. With a sigh, she realized he was absolutely correct. In addition to the dozens of men she had defeated and captured in battle, there were others in more powerful positions who disliked her for her hard-won skills and for the popularity she had among the commoners. "It’s not my fault I’m good at what I do," she said angrily.

"I know that, Jess. But we have to consider the possibility that whoever attacked Kaleah did it because it was the easiest way to hurt you. You’ve made no secret of how much you care for her."

Jessica felt her blood start to rise in anger. "So . . . she might have been hurt because of me?"

"It would explain why she’d be a target." He spread his hands. "Whatever the case, this incident has serious ramifications. I can’t afford to have dissention among the men, not at a time like this, with Sir William arriving in just a few days."

Jessica understood that. If Lancaster saw any hint of weakness in her father or his men, he would never agree to a treaty. Da’Gran had stood strong for so long in this harsh land because of unity, common purpose. Under the strong leadership of Sir Richard and his father before him, the castle had withstood siege and assault many times because the men were loyal and proud of their rulers. Desention meant unrest, and she had read tales of many great rulers brought down from within because they had failed to hear the warning bells of an uprising.

"What do you plan to do?" she asked. "We don’t know who attacked Kaleah, or if there are more than just those three. And we have no idea who’s behind the attack."

Sir Richard frowned and stood up, indicating he was about to leave. "I’ll have Sir Miles look into it," he said thoughtfully. "Maybe someone overheard something about the incident, or maybe someone wasn’t on duty when they should have been. In the mean time, I think you should keep an eye out, just in case." He looked at Kaleah’s slumbering figure. "And not just for your friend there, Jess. Until we know more, you watch out for yourself as well."

"I will, Father," she promised, giving him an awkward hug. "Let me know if you find anything, alright?"

"Of course." The lord knight opened the door and was about to leave when another thought occurred to him. He turned back. "Oh, and Jess?’

"Hmmm?"

"Why don’t you bring Kaleah to the welcoming dinner on Monday? I’m sure you could use another friend at the table."

Jessica looked at the dark woman, then back to her father. "You want Kaleah there? Are you sure?"

"Certainly."

Green eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Sir Richard shrugged gruffly. "Why not? She makes quite an impression when she enters a room, don’t you think? I’m sure Sir William won’t know what to make of her." He studied the sleeping woman. "She has a presence about her that really captures the attention."

Jessica relaxed and smiled, looking at Kaleah as well. "I know what you mean," she agreed softly. "She’s like a bolt of lightening that doesn’t just flash and die away, but stays there and continues burning. She has that kind of raw, elemental power . . . and she barely even knows about it." She frowned. "Maybe that’s why someone targeted her," she mused aloud, "because she stands out so much against everyone else, because she doesn’t really fit in here."

Sir Richard considered that, and admitted it might be true. "Perhaps," he said. "Regardless, she’d be more than welcome to attend the dinner, if only to keep you company."

"Alright . . . I’ll ask her if she wants to come."

"Fine. I’ll see you at Church on Sunday?" A question, she noted, not a statement.

She nodded. "Sure. I missed it last week what with being so sick. I’ll be there."

Sir Richard grunted his acceptance and left, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Alone with Kaleah again, Jessica returned to the bed and resumed her position carefully, not wanting to disrupt her friend’s rest. Releasing a tense breath, she thought about what her father had suggested . . . and she didn’t much like her conclusions.

It was indeed possible the attack on Kaleah had been aimed at her, not the dark woman. Jessica had earned quite a reputation as a fighter in the last few years. She was sure there were many who would revel in her suffering. Maybe the common bandits she had taken down over the years weren’t so subtle as to orchestrate such a plan, but there were plenty who were. And the thought that Kaleah had been hurt because of the friendship they had formed . . . well, the cold, empty feeling it brought to her heart hurt with a dull ache.

Suddenly, as she considered this new possibility, something else occurred to her. There was one person in Da’Gran who hated Kaleah, she realized. One person with enough power to direct such an attack, no matter the loyalty of the men. But surely . . .

"She wouldn’t be that foolish," Jessica thought, green fire starting to burn in her eyes as she wondered. She looked at Kaleah’s battered face and scowled. "She’d never sink to something so base . . . would she?"

Sighing, letting her anger wash away, Jessica lay back and relaxed. She had a lot to think about while her friend slept, and while her thoughts weren’t very pleasant ones, at least they kept her mind away from other considerations . . . things she promised her sulking mind she would examine in greater detail later.

Her mind reluctantly agreed not to push the issue.

Friday came and went peacefully, with Kaleah sleeping through most of the day, holding drowsy conversation with her constant companion when she was awake. Charles stopped by to see how the injured woman was doing, and stayed a while talking about the attack with Jessica. He had considered briefly the possibility that his own men might have been responsible, but a quick check had assured him such a thing was impossible. The troops who made up his escort had been celebrating the hunt that night . . . all had been accounted for by more than three others at the time the assault took place. Although Jessica wanted to question Kaleah further on the attack, her hesitant queries were met with defensive silence. It was clear Kaleah didn’t want to discuss things yet, so Jessica reluctantly let it go.

The next day, Kaleah woke feeling much better. The swelling had gone down considerably, her own innate healing powers helped along by the medicinal herbs. After so much time spent lying still, the former slave insisted she was healthy enough to have the bandages removed and to move around. Her energy was reaching a dangerous level, and she needed to do something to burn it off.

Unwrapping the bandages, Jessica was surprised and relieved to find some of the bruises already faded away, while the more severe had turned from an aggressive dark blue to a lighter purple tone. The splint was no longer required, and Kaleah groaned in relief when it was removed, stretching her arm thankfully. Inspecting everything thoroughly, Jessica smiled. It seemed her friend would be as good as new in another few days.

"You heal awful fast," she remarked as she examined the healing gash over Kaleah’s eye.

The dark woman winced as her companion prodded the area with firm but gently fingers. "I’ve always been like that," she said. "Broken bones take me a while, but anything on the surface goes away real quick." She scratched at one of the scars on her arm. "They usually leave a bit of a mark, though."

Jessica finished her inspection by spreading a clear liquid salve over the wound. "Do you think this will scar?" she asked.

"Probably not," Kaleah replied, shooing her away when she’d finished. "It’s not that deep m. . . and with all the stuff you’re putting on it, I’d be surprised if it’s still visible in another week."

Jessica chuckled and backed off, letting the dark woman stand up. She couldn’t help but stare in admiration as Kaleah stretched long and hard, waking her dormant muscles. Standing behind her friend, the young blonde’s eyes feasted on the image of rippling, tight sinew under bronzed skin revealed all-too-well by the loose-fitting shift. Her eyes widened as they stored the image away in the back of her mind . . . which was starting to get a little crowded by now.

"What should we do today?"

Kaleah’s question snapped Jessica out of her lustful appraisal just as the dark woman turned around. The blonde assumed an air of casual indifference and shrugged. "I’m not picky . . . as long as it’s not too strenuous," she said. "You still need to take it easy."

Kaleah gave an exaggerated groan and rolled her eyes. "Fine . . . how about we go for a bit of a walk out to the monastery." She had found the ancient ruins strangely fascinating when Jessica had taken her there last week.

"Okay, but are you sure you want to walk all that way? I mean, the spring thaw’s started . . . everything’s pretty damn muddy."

Kaleah grinned. "So I’ll take a bath when we get back instead of before we leave."

Jess couldn’t argue against that . . . she’d watched the dark woman bathe several times since last week. The fact that Kaleah seemed to like being clean had provided a great deal of inspiration for the young blonde’s strengthening desire. "Alright," she agreed. "But if you get too sore, we’re turning back."

"Okay. Wait here, I have to get changed into something warmer." Kaleah headed for the door to her own bedroom, trying not to think about the fact that she probably wouldn’t be sleeping with Jessica anymore after last night. Afterall, there wasn’t any reason now that she was feeling better. Sighing as she slipped into the emptiness of her bedroom, she decided to just enjoy the day.

The two decided to ask Charles to come along with them, and he happily agreed.

"I should go get Damon," he said as they were about to head out, but Jessica waved the suggestion away.

"Oh, come on, Charles," she said, laughing. "We’re only going to the abbey . . . what bandit’s gonna set up camp that close to the castle? Besides," she patted the rapier at her side, "if anything does happen, Kaleah and I can protect you."

Charles gave her a look of mock insult. "Are you saying I’m not man enough to protect myself?" he demanded with a playfully lofty air.

Jess grinned and arched a blonde eyebrow cheekily. "No . . . are you?"

Charles was unable to help himself from rising to challenge. "Of course not," he grumbled, relaxing. He wondered briefly how come whenever he visited Da’Gran, Jessica always managed to lure him into some kind of trouble.

Jess clapped and linked arms with her two friends. "Alright then. Let’s go."

"Just remember, Jess, if we get into any trouble because of this, I’m gonna say it was all your fault and I was just trying to make sure you were safe."

The young blonde snorted inelegantly. "Yeah . . . like anyone’d believe that." Nevertheless, she decided it would be for the best if they used the side entrance . . . just in case anyone was watching.

Kaleah flopped down on Jessica’s bed and gave a long, guttural sigh of absolute bliss. Closing her eyes, she savored the warm ache in her muscles from the long day of exploring in the woods and basked in the simple pleasure of being clean again after tracking through the mud of spring thaw.

"Mmmm," she moaned, opening her eyes to find Jessica smiling down at her. "You know, I think I love that bathing pool more everytime I go in there. If I had to choose a favorite room in this whole castle, that’d be it."

Jess joined the dark woman on the bed, leaning back against the headboard. "I definitely agree," she said. "It’s one luxury of being high-born that I truly wonder if I could live without." And, she added silently, it had become doubly attractive now that Kaleah was here. Her body was still aflame with desire from watching her companion wash up.

Kaleah rolled over and ran fingers through her still-wet hair. "I had a lot of fun today," she said. "Charles is great. I, uh . . . I haven’t met too many people I feel that comfortable with so quickly."

Jess smiled, genuinely pleased. "I’m glad you like him. And it was a good day, wasn’t it? You didn’t get sore or anything, did you?"

"Are you kidding? After spending so long lying down, I could have run the whole way and thought nothing of it. I really needed to get rid of some of that energy." She rubbed gently at the wound on her eye. It was starting to itch.

"Hey! Don’t pick at that, or it will leave a scar."

"It itches."

"I don’t care. You don’t need any more marks on your face, so leave it alone." The young blonde swatted Kaleah’s hands away from her face. Kaleah growled playfully. Jess raised an eyebrow threateningly. "Keep it up, Miss Difficult and I’ll make you eat those sleeping herbs again."

"Try it and see how far you get," Kaleah returned, her eyes sparkling.

Jessica just laughed and sat back again. She loved it when Kaleah relaxed so completely like this . . . when she let herself be playful and fun. It was happening more and more often, especially when they were alone, and she found herself trying harder to bring a smile to the former slave’s face.

Watching as the dark woman ran long, elegant fingers through her tangled wet hair, gently sorting through the knots until it was even and neat, Jessica decided maybe now was a good time to bring up the welcoming dinner on Monday.

"Kaleah?"

"Hmmm?" Blue eyes looked up and regarded her openly.

"My father was wondering if . . . maybe you’d like to come along to the formal dinner we’re having for Sir William on Monday." She saw the surprise in Kaleah’s face and went on. "I-I was kind of hoping you’d say yes . . . I mean, it’d be nice to have some company there. I have to go, and you’d be alone anyway so, if you don’t mind putting up with people looking at you, I’d really like it if-"

"I’ll come."

Jessica trailed off and stared at Kaleah. "You will?"

"Sure." Kaleah went back to unravelling her hair. She glanced up at her friend. "If you want me there, of course I’ll come."

The words were spoken in a casual, off-hand manner, but they sent shivers down Jessica’s spine. "Thank you," she said, watching the older woman smile at her and turn away. She giggled nervously. "You know, I didn’t think it’d be quite that easy to convince you," she admitted.

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "Welll . . . there’ll be a lot of people around, you know. Everything very formal. And let’s face it Kaleah, you’re not really much of a one for socializing, are you."

Kaleah turned those amazing eyes on her and added a dazzling smile to it. "I don’t care so much about that stuff anymore," she said softly. "It doesn’t matter how many people are around . . . as long as I’m with you."

Jessica wanted to wave the comment away, but was captured by the look in Kaleah’s eyes. She swallowed the lump that suddenly leapt into her throat. Her body was still thrumming with sexual heat from watching Kaleah bathe, and it took a physical effort to stop herself from just . . leaning forward and . . . and . . . Well, from doing something that she wasn’t entirely sure she knew how to do. She smiled shyly and looked away, wondering if Kaleah had noticed how much she seemed to be blushing lately.

Seeing the young woman’s nervousness, Kaleah gave a little chuckle. "So," she continued, turning away to give Jessica a chance to regain her composure, "what should I wear to the dinner? I don’t suppose I can get away with just wearing my armor?"

Jessica cleared her throat, trying to get rid of the large lump in it she suspected was her heart. "Um . . . no. It’s formal. We’re trying to really impress Sir William . . . it’s one of those stupid little games we nobles have to play all the time." She rolled her eyes. "A polite demonstration of how civilized and well-bred we are here in Da’Gran, so we can show Lancaster how much better off he’d be if he made a formal alliance with us." She regarded Kaleah who was now lying flat on her stomach. "I think you should probably wear a dress," she said thoughtfully. "I’m sure I can rummage up something really nice for you . . . maybe blue silk, to match your . . .eyes . . ." She trailed off, seeing the guarded look in Kaleah’s expressive blue eyes. "Is something wrong?"

"I, uh . . . I don’t like dresses," Kaleah explained shyly.

Jessica looked puzzled. "I’m sure we can arrange something nice," she said, confused by her friend’s reaction. "I don’t like them all that much myself, but they’re not so bad . . ." She remembered the dark woman had preferred men’s clothes the last time she’d suggested something more feminine. What was so bad about wearing a dress?

"Can’t I just wear trousers?" Kaleah pleaded. "Dresses just . . . make me uncomfortable."

Jessica could see Kaleah was genuinely unnerved by the idea of having to wear a dress. "Why?" she asked softly.

"They just . . ." Kaleah felt the gentle concern in Jessica’s eyes, and decided it would be best if she just explained. Afterall, she had already told the young woman her basic life story . . . she’d understand.

"When I was a slave," she explained quietly, "the clothes I was given would always tell me what I’d be doing for a new master. If I was to be a worker, I’d be given trousers and a shirt. A dress always meant I was going to be a whore." She cast her eyes to the bedsheets, still feeling the shame of that life. "Dresses gave . . . easier access," she finished in a whisper.

Jessica absorbed this, understanding. "Oh. I see." She was silent a moment, then reached out to pat Kaleah’s shoulder, offering what comfort she could. "I didn’t. . . I didn’t understand. But you know Kaleah, you don’t have to do anything that makes you uncomfortable. I’d never want to make you feel that way." She smiled as the dark woman raised her head hopefully. "I’m sure I can find some silk trousers . . . if I look for them."

Kaleah nodded gratefully. "Thank you. I’d really prefer that, if it’s okay."

"Sure." Jessica sat back and gave the tall woman a quick perusal. "It’s a shame though," she mused, knawing on her lower lip.

"What is?"

"Well . . . I was kinda looking forward to seeing you all dressed up." Jessica grinned rakishly, unable to stop the image forming in her mind. "I bet you’d look really beautiful in a full-length dress . . . something that showed off your figure, you know?"

Kaleah blushed and studied herself critically. "Y-you really think so?"

"Oh yeah." Jess nodded enthusiastically. "I’d kill to have a body like yours." Her mind almost made a sarcastic comment, but she anticipated it and silently ordered it to shut up. "You’d be stunning."

"Well . . . maybe."

Jessica couldn’t help but smile broadly at the thoughtful expression on Kaleah’s face as the dark woman headed off to her own room later that night. And it came as no surprise when the former slave brought the subject up again the next morning when she returned from the service in the castle chapel. Kaleah said she’d thought about it, and decided a dress probably would be a good idea, afterall. At least it couldn’t hurt to give it a try . . . could it?

Chapter 15.

Monday morning, Jessica and Kaleah watched from the south-west parapet as a large contingent of men approached Da’Gran slowly. The day was clear and almost warm, with spring thaw well under way. What few patches of snow and ice still remained would likely be gone in a day or so, which meant that everything would be very muddy until the new grass began to shoot. Sunlight glinted off armor and steel in the distance as Kaleah squinted to make out the group of dim figures more clearly. The warning horn was still sounding from the central look-out, summoning Sir Richard to greet the arrival of Sir William.

The former slave saw there were a lot more men in this escort than Charles had brought with him . . . maybe three times as many, in fact. The troops rode in disciplined lines around a covered wagon, and despite having to keep formation they managed to move quite quickly. The knights were mostly armed with lance and sword, and all carried heavy shields. As they got closer, Kaleah studied the brightly colored banners which depicted two crossed arrows in red over a white field. Jessica had been teaching her a bit about heraldry, and she knew this was the design used by Lancaster.

"There are a lot of them, huh?" she said.

Jessica frowned, but nodded. "Aye."

"I-is that normal?"

"More or less. Sir William is a lord knight . . . and my father has been his enemy for a long time. Meeting like this to discuss a treaty, I suppose he’d want to bring a fair amount of muscle just in case we decided to be less-than-honorable about it." The young woman squinted to make out details. "A contingent of guards that large would need some pretty heavy support . . . squires, cooks, that sort of thing."

Kaleah studied the group, but saw only mounted knights. "So where are they?"

"I don’t know." Kaleah heard a faint suspicious tone in her friend’s voice. "Maybe they left them at a camp in the woods. But wherever they are, the fact that Lancaster didn’t bring them with him means he doesn’t intend to stay long . . . probably just tonight."

"And what does that mean?"

Jessica shrugged. "If you were serious about a peace treaty — even a temporary one — how much time would you give to discussing it with your enemy?"

Kaleah considered that and realized what the young woman was driving at. "You think maybe Lancaster has no real intention of signing a treaty? But . . . why would he go to all this trouble?"

Jessica’s brow furrowed. "I don’t know," she whispered. "Maybe it’s nothing . . . Lancaster might just want to get everything out of the way as quick as he can. That makes sense too; he can’t be comfortable about meeting on enemy ground. But still . . ." She frowned as the men hailed the guards at the gate, stating their business. "Something about this whole thing doesn’t feel right."

Sir Richard arrived in the courtyard, dressed in full ceremonial armor with Sir Miles and Charles flanking him. A score of other knights fell into step behind as honor guard, and they marched with stiff dignity to the gates just as they were opened to admit the visitors.

"Should we go down there?" Kaleah asked, watching Sir Richard clasp hands formally with a large, similarly armored man; apparently Sir William.

Jessica laughed. "Dressed like this? Are you kidding?" She held out her arms, displaying the simple, rumpled tunic and trousers.

"Not appropriate, huh?" Kaleah smiled, thinking the young woman would look beautiful if she was wearing torn rags and mud.

"My father would kill me if I presented myself like this before an enemy lord during a formal peace meeting." Jessica laughed again. "This whole thing is all about show," she explained. "We have to present a strong, civilized face or else Sir William will be at an advantage."

Kaleah gave her a blank look. "But if you already are strong, why does it matter? Surely Sir William knows it’s all just an act."

"Of course he knows. And he’ll know tonight at the dinner that, no matter how fancy I may have dressed up, I usually dress like a man and wave a sword around my head." She grinned, and added, "And I’ll know that underneath all his shiny armor, he’s still just a brutal, treacherous bastard."

Kaleah shook her head. "I don’t get it. Why the whole performance if you both know none of it’s real?"

Jessica sighed, wondering how to explain something she didn’t fully understand herself. "It’s what most nobles do," she said after a moment. "We try to look nice, and speak politely to one another . . . but underneath, we have all the same faults as anyone else. It’s all just a big game . . . like chess. And like in chess, the best way to play it is with subtlety. If you make a mistake . . . a word out of place, an incorrect gesture . . . you give your enemy the upper hand. And while it may look more civilized, believe me, these games can be just as bloody and violent as a real life battle."

Kaleah turned back to watch Sir Richard greet his guest, noting now the stiff and practiced way he held himself, the considered actions. "Are you sure I should be attending this dinner then?" she asked. "I don’t know anything about such things."

Jessica patted her on the shoulder and chuckled. "That won’t matter, Kaleah. Believe me."

Blue eyes looked at her in question. "Oh?"

Jessica took the taller woman’s arm and led her back down the stairs, ignoring the curious, amused looks the soldiers gave them. "My father knows you have no training in court intrigue, but he wants you at the dinner anyway," she told her friend.

"Why?"

"Because Sir William won’t know what to make of you," she said, grinning. Seeing the blank look on Kaleah’s face, she continued. "You have a powerful presence Kaleah, whether you realize it or not. Sir William will notice you immediately . . . and your presence at such an important function will tell him you’re an important part of Da’Gran. You’ll become an important game-piece . . . someone he doesn’t know and therefore can’t predict."

"But I don’t have anything to do with any of this stuff!" Kaleah argued, not much liking the idea of being treated like some pawn.

"That doesn’t matter," Jessica assured her. "Sir William doesn’t know that. But you’ll be a force my father can use to his advantage simply by including you in the dinner. That’s a big part of court negotiations . . . knowing how to gain something from nothing, and making the most of what you have available."

Kaleah suddenly jerked away from her, her eyes flashing angrily. "I don’t like being made into a puppet!" she growled.

Jessica’s smile disappeared when she realized how Kaleah had taken this explanation. "Hey . . ." she said soothingly. "It’s not like that." She reached out, but Kaleah drew back. She sighed. "My father would never force you to attend the dinner Kaleah. You’re a free agent in this castle . . . not one of his subjects. But if you do come, you’d be an asset to him, that’s all." She smiled tentatively, seeing her friend relax a little. "If it’s any consolation, I’m no different."

"You’re not?"

She shook her head. "My father will put me on display because he knows I’m one of his strongest game-pieces. And unlike you, I have no choice about attending." She smiled a little more. "He’ll present me as his daughter all wrapped in lace and perfume . . . all the while knowing Sir William can see the steel underneath." When she reached out again, Kaleah did not pull away. "I want you with me," she said, linking their arms once more. "You’re my friend . . . and if you don’t mind me saying so, I’m quite looking forward to showing you off."

Kaleah let go her sudden anger easily, letting the warmth of the young woman’s touch melt it away. She grinned down at the proud look on Jessica’s face and snorted. "Not much to show off, I’m afraid," she said. "Unless you think they’ll be impressed by a foreign barbarian."

Jessica returned the grin mischievously and patted her hand over Kaleah’s arm. "We’ll see," she said mysteriously. "I think you might be surprised." Grinning ear to ear, she led them back to their rooms. There was a lot to do before the dinner that night.

Jessica spoke with a servant as soon as they arrived back in the familiar part of the castle that housed their chambers. Though Kaleah had her doubts about all this, she couldn’t deny that she enjoyed the excitement her young friend was displaying. If Jessica wanted to see her all dressed up in fancy clothes, she wouldn’t deny her such a simple pleasure . . . no matter if it made her uncomfortable.

The two sat and talked a few minutes before there was a knock at the door. Jessica opened it and waved in the group of women standing in the hallway. She gestured to her friend and made introductions.

"Kaleah, this is June." She indicated a tall, heavy-set woman of advancing years who stepped forward with a beaming smile. Kaleah bobbed her head uncertainly. "She’s my mother’s seamstress and general hand-maiden."

"Ach, get on with ye, child!" the elderly woman laughed, smacking Jessica lightly. "I’m many years past bein’ called a maiden!" She turned clear, intelligent eyes to Kaleah, studying her curiously. "So, yer the one what’s been causin’ my lady so much heat?" She grinned and nodded, as though pleased, then nudged Jessica slyly. "Ye mother’s none too pleased with ye ‘bout this affair, Jess."

The young woman returned her grin and shrugged. "Since when has that stopped me?"

"Aye, well . . ." She looked Kaleah up and down. "We’ll see if we can’t surprise her tonight, shall we?"

Jessica nodded while Kaleah gave her a puzzled, slightly wary look. She saw the dark woman’s trepidation and reassured her quickly. "Kaleah, I asked June here to find something for you to wear at the dinner. She’s going to fix you up so you look as much like a true noble-woman as my own mother."

June bit her lip as her eyes fell on Kaleah’s bruises and the scar across her lips. "Gonna be tough to hide those marks, Jess."

"Just do what you can for the bruises," Jessica told her. "Forget the scars. We don’t want to mask them."

"If ye say so." June did not appear convinced, but she smiled at Kaleah reassuringly. "My, girl, but don’t you just have the prettiest eyes. And hair like midnight . . ." She reached out to touch the raven tresses, but Kaleah pulled back. The old woman nodded as if she’d expected it, and drew her hand away. "Touchy as I’ve heard, too."

Jessica stepped up and took Kaleah by the hands. "It’s alright, Kaleah. June won’t hurt you, she just wants to measure your body so she can fit the dress to you right. Then later on, she’ll fix your hair and stuff like that."

Kaleah swallowed nervously. "I-I thought . . . you’d be doing all that for me," she whispered hopefully.

Jessica shook her head sadly. "I can’t. I don’t know how. She’ll be doing the same thing for me when you’re finished though, and she’s really very gentle. You’ll be fine."

"I don’t like to be touched." Kaleah’s voice was strained and so low only Jessica could hear her.

The blonde gave her a warm hug then smiled. "I know," she replied softly. "But I’ll be here while they measure you . . . and it’ll only take a few minutes to get your hair fixed up. Please Kaleah?" She gazed imploringly into deep blue eyes. "Could you do this for me?"

Feeling those glowing wet emeralds burning into her soul, Kaleah could only swallow and nod. "Okay," she choked. She knew she would do anything Jessica asked at that moment. "But that look’s gonna start loosing it’s effect if you use it too often." She offered a shaky grin and Jessica returned it, planting a soft kiss on the back of her wrist as they separated. Kaleah suppressed an involuntary groan. The friendly kiss burned her skin like liquid fire.

For the next half-hour, Kaleah posed as June directed her while the other women took measurements that she didn’t understand. It took a great deal of effort for the former slave to keep her body still as so many hands invaded her personal space. Her blood felt like lightening was coursing through it, and she felt suffocated and desperate for the ordeal to be done with. The only thing that kept her from simply shoving the women away was the calm young woman standing next to her, occasionally reaching out to pat her arm whenever it felt like things were getting too much. Jessica’s presence distracted Kaleah from the measuring. Her touch soothed her fevered spirit like nothing else ever had.

Eventually, after what seemed like forever, the women had collected whatever information it was they wanted and departed. June promised the dress would be ready by that afternoon, and she would return to prepare the two of them a few hours before the dinner was due to start.

Kaleah sighed as the door closed and she was alone again with her friend. She sat down on the bed, her muscles uncoiling slowly. "I didn’t like that," she said quietly.

"I know. But you did really good Kaleah. Really good. When you first came to Da’Gran, you wouldn’t have been able to sit still like that. But now you can."

"Because of you." The dark woman’s blue eyes shyly gazed up at the young blonde. "You won’t be with me when they do . . . whatever it is they’ll do to me tonight, will you?"

Jessica shook her head. "But it won’t take long," she promised. "And June is very gentle. You can trust her not to hurt you."

Kaleah sighed and flopped back onto the stuffed mattress, resting an arm over her face. She closed her eyes. "I guess I’ll be okay," she said. An eye cracked open and turned to Jessica. "You hungry?"

"Sure. My father and Charles will both be busy with Sir William for the rest of the day. I’ll get someone to bring us some food."

"I don’t suppose we’ll be doing any training today, huh?"

"Not likely," Jessica agreed. "We’d best keep a low profile with Lancaster’s men about." The young woman summoned a servant who went to fetch them some late breakfast. Then she joined her friend on the bed. "Tonight should be fun. We should aim to arrive a little late . . . I want to make a good entrance."

Kaleah smiled, noticing the heightened flush in Jessica’s face, and the sparkle of excitement in her eyes. "You really enjoy this stuff, don’t you?"

Jessica gave her a roguish grin. "You should see me right before a battle," she said with a wink. "This is the first time we’ve had a real formal dinner in a long time. I may like to dress and behave like a warrior most of the time . . . but that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to be a lady when the occasion calls for it."

"I know. Your whole body changes when you slip into that role. Even your voice sounds different."

Jessica waved her hands and blew a bit of hair out of her face. "I usually only do that when my mother’s around. The people in Da’Gran are used to me looking a mess . . . and you along with me. But tonight," Kaleah could hear the smile in her voice, "tonight . . . we get the chance to show everyone just how civilized we barbarian’s can be."

With a slight sigh, Jessica turned her back on the door to Kaleah’s room and studied herself in the mirror for the tenth time in as many minutes. The servants had completed their work on her some time ago, and now she was waiting for June to finish up with her friend in the next room.

It was some time since Kaleah had returned from her bath (which Jessica had watched once more, reveling in the delightful ache her voyeurism generated in her loins), only to be led away by a very gentle June for her preparations. The young blonde knew Kaleah must be getting flighty by now. The urge to go in there and rescue her was strong, but she knew June wouldn’t stand for her barging in. So she sat as calmly as she could and studied her reflected appearance while trying not to dart anxious glances at the door behind her.

A slight smile touched Jessica’s lips as she admitted to herself the women had done a very good job. Her hair — usually wild and free — had been tamed with gentle persistence into a series of intricate braids, which had then been curled into an elaborate coif design that rather suited the soft lines of her face. Her eyes had been very lightly accented with dyed coal, as had her full lips. The dress she wore clung to her muscular figure, and she couldn’t help but blush a little at the low neckline which revealed more cleavage than she might have liked.

Still, she assessed critically, she certainly had nothing to be embarrassed about. Her body was attractive; firm and toned from hours of training, unlike most women of the nobility who tended towards slender lines with narrow legs and arms. Her breasts were full and firm, and she filled out the soft green dress very nicely. But still . . . she wasn’t accustomed to displaying herself in quite so feminine a manner. The elegant silver necklace that hung at her throat felt constricting, and she kept rubbing at the rings and bracelets that adorned her fingers and wrists. Despite the discomfort, she couldn’t help but grin a little as she wondered if Kaleah would like the way she looked.

She hoped so.

At last, the door to Kaleah’s room creaked open and Jessica stood up, turning to greet her friend. Her excited smile vanished, however, when her jaw dropped at the sight before her.

Jessica had thought Kaleah’s exotic features attractive before, but she found the vision of her now to be almost overwhelming. The dark woman was dressed in a full-length, royal blue dress which displayed her slender, athletic body even better than her armor did. Delicate shoes adorned her feet, and though Jessica knew her friend didn’t like jewelry, June had somehow managed to convince her to wear a simple, elegant silver pendant about her neck. Kaleah’s long, sable tresses had been braided with pieces of colorful string, then gathered back into an incredibly intricate coif that highlighted her sweeping, angular features. The bruises that still marred her face were almost indistinguishable, but June had left the slashing scar across the dark woman’s sensuous lips alone. As Jessica had suspected, the vivid white scar stood out in stark contrast against the red of her lips, drawing the eye and highlighting the perfection of Kaleah’s face, not detracting from it.

Jessica eyes widened further and her heart almost stopped when she at last met her friend’s shy gaze. June had highlighted Kaleah’s most striking feature with dark lines of finely-ground coal dust, making the dazzling orbs seem amazingly bright and intense. The lines drew out to the very tips of her eye-brows in a style Jessica knew would be thought of as scandalous among the nobility. But the overall effect was stunning, and the young blonde understood and applauded what June had set out to achieve.

Kaleah could never blend in with the other attendees. The primal aura surrounding her was simply too powerful . . . she would stand out no matter how she dressed. So rather than try to hide Kaleah’s features, the talented hand-maiden had decided instead to flaunt them. The dark woman looked like some kind of barbarian Goddess; exotic and radiant, with an untamable strength that seemed to flow from her in sensuous waves of energy.

Jessica eventually managed to get her jaw off the ground and back into working order, noting with relief that Kaleah was too busy staring at her to notice her reaction. She smiled when the dark woman finished looking and gave her a shy smile of her own.

"You look amazing," the young blonde breathed, stepping closer and reaching out a hand to touch the braided hair.

Kaleah flushed and shuffled her feet nervously "You, too."

June entered the room, closing the door behind her. She beamed at Jessica’s awe-struck reaction. "She scrubbed up real nice," she said proudly, giving Jess a once over and nodding in approval. "Ye’ll knock ‘em dead, ye will. I wish I could be there to see the look on yer mother’s face when you walk into that hall!"

Jess grinned. "Thank you, Rose. You did a wonderful job."

"Aye, well, it’s easy when I’ve got something so nice to work with," the old woman said warmly, patting Kaleah on the arm gently. The former slave only tensed slightly, but submitted to the affectionate gesture. "I’ve got to go finish with my lady now, Jess." She gave the young blonde a quick hug. "I’ll see ye later, okay?"

"Fine."

The two companions stood awkwardly a few moments after June left, just letting their eyes roam over the other slowly. When their eyes met, they both laughed a little at the expression in the other’s eyes.

"I can’t believe how beautiful you look," Jessica said, shaking her head in amazement. "I mean . . . wow!"

Kaleah lowered her head, pleased at the response but shy. "Thanks." She looked at herself in a nearby mirror and smiled a little. It was hard to reconcile the image of her reflection with what she was accustomed to. "I never thought I could look like this," she whispered almost to herself. Her fingers rose to play with the pendant about her neck.

"Do you like it?"

Kaleah nodded. "It’s just so . . . unexpected. I mean, I’ve lived my whole life hating the fact that men found me attractive. My beauty was a curse. But now . . ." She gazed into Jessica’s verdant eyes, feeling her stomach flip-flop as she felt herself falling. "You’re the first person who really made me want to be beautiful," she whispered.

Jessica just smiled. "Well, I think you look beautiful no matter what you’re wearing," she said, noticing with interest the blush that her words inspired. "You’ll do fine tonight, Kaleah. I know you will."

"I hope so." The dark woman went back to regarding her reflection in amazement. "I may look a lot fancier . . . but I can’t pretend to sound cultured like you can. And I don’t know court manners like you do."

"That’s not important," Jess argued. "You have a power inside you that puts you on their level. Just remember; for people like my mother and Sir William, the nobility they have is just a veil to hide their weaknesses and true intentions. What you have inside is worth so much more . . . because it comes from the soul." The young blonde patted Kaleah on the shoulder and gave her a serious look. "If you want them to see and believe in the power you have within . . . all you have to do is believe in it yourself."

Kaleah nodded and swallowed a lump in her throat. Before Jessica had come along, she had believed herself to be strong; a life in chains killed those who were anything but. Now, having seen herself as she had been through more mature eyes, Kaleah knew she had not been as strong as she thought. She had made herself numb to her life . . . had let the pain and suffering beat her down to the level of dumb beast. Jessica had shown her how strong she could be . . . had become her source of hope and light. Kaleah had grown stronger than she had ever been before; strong enough to have a friend. Strong enough to fall in love.

Maybe, if she believed in the power of her love enough, she could make Jessica believe in it, too.

But not tonight, Kaleah reminded herself. Tonight, she had to curb her natural fears and focus on the task at hand. She was starting to admit to herself — albeit with great trepidation — that Jessica did indeed seem to be giving her signals of interest; but now was not the time to explore the subject more fully. Tonight was about pretending to be something she wasn’t, not about revealing the truths that were in her heart.

Drawing strength from the young woman still gazing up at her, Kaleah let her confidence grow as she saw the faith her friend had in her. "I can believe in myself Jess," she said softly, "because you do." She offered a slight, happy smile, her eyes twinkling against the dark of her make-up at the surprised look on the blonde’s face. She turned away and let the comment sink in. "Want to play a game of chess before the dinner starts? Might as well let me beat you again."

Jessica managed to hear the dark woman over the pounding of her heart, and nodded. "Sure," she said, coughing a little to clear away the lump in her throat. She grinned at Kaleah, who sat down at the chess table and began to arrange the pieces. "And I don’t let you beat me, my friend. You win fair and square." She rubbed her hands together and sat opposite the dark-haired woman. "Don’t think that’s gonna happen tonight though. I’ve figured out your strategy . . . you’re lucky streak is over."

Kaleah snorted. "Yeah, right. If you’re going to go easy on me, you should at least make it less obvious. Nobody’s stupid enough to make some of those moves you were making — Hey!"

Jessica slapped her playfully. "Don’t call my moves stupid then," she growled. "I was just testing to see what worked."

Kaleah rubbed her arm in an exaggerated way and gave the young woman a hurt look. "Well it was obvious they wouldn’t work," she said, moving a pawn forward. "And they were stupid," she muttered under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she said innocently. "Your move."

Several hours passed before Jessica decided it was time for them to head off. As they made their way with dignified grace to the audience hall, Jessica enjoyed the shocked reactions they received from the servants and guards they passed. She knew the people had seen her dressed up like this before, but Kaleah was a different story. Glancing to her side, Jess smiled proudly at her friend’s regal bearings and strong, confidant poise.

She knew Kaleah was nervous on the inside, but the former slave was covering her fears with this illusion of power. Walking up to the imposing doors of the audience hall, Jessica could feel the waves of animal energy radiating from the dark woman. She grinned a little as she wondered what kind of impact Kaleah would make.

The two guards stationed at the double doors could only stare at the two women for a long moment, before Jessica cleared her throat and gave them a playful wink. They immediately blushed and bowed at the waist in respect to the young noble-woman, before throwing open the great doors. A wave of heat, music and conversation engulfed them before one of the guards banged his halberd on the floor and announced their arrival to the already assembled guests.

The noise stopped as the gathered people rose from their seats to welcome the two women. Jessica stepped forward and held herself proudly under the eyes of so many people, accustomed to being put on display. While she had not been greatly interested in her mother’s lessons on etiquette, she had learned the social graces well despite her disinterest. She sensed Kaleah enter behind her, and saw everyone’s attention shift instantly to her captivating companion. The young woman didn’t need to glance backwards to know that Kaleah was uncomfortable with the attention, but from the low murmurings her appearance generated through the room, she could tell that the people were impressed by what they saw.

Glancing about quickly, Jessica took in the layout of the room. A dozen or so tables had been arranged in a large rectangle, with Sir Richard, Sir Miles and the members of Da’Gran’s court seated down one side, and Sir William and his most trusted men filling out the other. A small group of musicians played in the background, and several servants hovered about with jugs of mead or platters of food, ready to provide whatever was desired for the guests. Jessica also noticed a few figures holding back in the shadows, and recognized them as being Eric Grace and Damon Cook. No doubt the two were here to watch out for their respective lord.

Finishing her swift appraisal which lasted only a heartbeat, Jessica smiled radiantly and bowed a little to her father. She noticed Kaleah doing the same out the corner of her eye. "Forgive out lateness, father," she said, her voice clear and cultured. "Our preparations ran over-long."

That was obviously a lie, and the slight smile on Sir Richard’s face told her he knew it. Jessica had planned on their tardiness to make a better, more dramatic entrance. From the looks on the people’s faces, she had succeeded well.

Sir Richard nodded and gestured to the two empty places at his table. "Quite alright, Jessica," he rumbled. "Won’t you join us."

"Thank you, father."

The guests resumed their seats as Jessica led Kaleah around to their places. Her seat was to the right of Charles, as befitted their betrothed status, and he in turn was seated next to the Lady Rose. She gave him a mischievous smile when she saw his eyes drift to Kaleah in awe, before allowing a servant to assist her into her chair with refined dignity. Kaleah did the same, sitting with a controlled grace to her right.

The dark woman’s outward expression was calm and serene, but when their eyes met for a brief moment, Jessica could see the tension in Kaleah’s eyes. She gave her friend a reassuring smile, which was returned timidly. A plate of food was set before her, and another for Kaleah. The musicians started to play again, and after a moment, the conversation followed. Giving her father a quick grin, she signaled a servant to fill her mug and then cast her eyes to the opposite table to study their guests.

Sir William had changed little since the last time she’d seen him. Dressed in full ceremonial armor just like her father, the lord knight cut a pretty impressive figure. Short but muscular, Lancaster had thick dark hair just running to grey, and long, braided mustaches that gave him a perpetually frowning expression. His shrewd, calculating eyes were fixed on Kaleah, but they quickly snapped to her when he realized he was being watched. Jessica gave the enemy lord a slight nod and smile, then raised a mug in salute. He returned it, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.

Looking around the table, Jessica saw that many people were looking at her friend curiously, and not just their guests. While Kaleah may have become an accepted presence about the castle lately, no-one had seen her dressed like this before. Most of the men were looking at the former slave with simple amazement, while the women regarded her with expressions of jealously and trepidation. Glancing to the left, Jessica saw that none were more surprised by the dark woman’s appearance than her mother. The expression of shock on Lady Rose’s face gave Jessica a rather vicious sense of satisfaction.

Look at your barbarian peasant now, mother, she snarled silently. She may be a savage, but she can play the part of nobility just fine. And if I find out you had anything to do with her beating, I’ll make sure you learn firsthand just how savage I can be!

Jessica was distracted from her thoughts when Kaleah leaned closer to her and whispered, "I take it that’s Sir William?" nodding to where the knight was watching with interest.

She nodded. "That’s him, alright,"

Kaleah smiled a little and nodded to the man, who returned the gesture after a moment of confusion. "He’s paying a lot of attention to me, considering he’s never seen me before in his life."

"He’s trying to figure out who you are, just like I said he would," Jessica explained.

"But why should he care?"

Jessica smiled and delicately took a bite of food from her plate. "I told you," she whispered back, "you have a real presence, Kaleah. He can feel the power in you . . . and he wants to understand it. He’s unsure of your position in the castle. You could be a threat to him, or possibly an ally."

They watched the lord knight as he watched them, seeing his brow crease in thought. Apparently concluding that a direct approach would work best, Lancaster raised his voice and addressed Jessica’s father.

"Sir Richard, I see an unfamiliar face at the table." He smiled and nodded towards Kaleah. All eyes turned to regard the former slave curiously. "Might you not introduce me to this young woman keeping company with your charming daughter?"

Sir Richard smiled and nodded. "Of course, Sir William." He stood and gestured to Kaleah. "I would be delighted to introduce to you Kaleah . . . a young woman recently come to our castle from Spain. My daughter, Jessica, met her but a few months ago and the two found they shared much in common. She has been our guest since then, and they have become firm friends." He smiled fondly at Kaleah, who fought to maintain her calm and detached mask. "I am most grateful that my daughter has found such pleasant company."

The Lady Rose scowled. Jessica’s sharp eyes noticed, and again she wondered to what lengths her mother might go to break apart this friendship.

Sir William smiled pleasantly at Kaleah. "I am most pleased to make your acquaintance . . . Kaleah, is it?"

Kaleah nodded. "Yes . . . thank you, lordship," she said, not even trying to hide her accent. "The pleasure is surely mine."

"Of course." Sir William stroked his mustaches thoughtfully as he studied the two women. An eyebrow raised in question. "I am curious to know what common interests you have found with young Jessica here," he pondered aloud. He could feel a dangerous energy emanating from this strange woman, and recognized an unstable force when he saw one. He turned his attention to the vivacious blonde. "Perhaps your focus has shifted since last we met, Jessica?"

The young noble gave him a thin smile. "Not particularly, Sir William," she replied coolly. She could feel her father’s eyes on her, watching to see how she dealt with the situation. "My studies have merely advanced . . . not shifted. Kaleah has proven to be the perfect companion for me . . . she has been of great assistance to my education."

"Truly?" Sir William’s brow raised further as he assessed the dark woman in light of this. Clearly then, she was a warrior of some sort. Her features were barbaric, and her accent most peculiar. She seemed a strange companion for his rival’s daughter. He smiled at Jessica. "I still remember our last meeting," he said, his tone carefully polite but his eyes cold. "It was, if I recall correctly, one of the most interesting encounters I’ve ever had."

Jessica took a sip of her water and gave him a soft, coy smile. "Indeed?"

"Yes, very much so. In fact, I think you taught me better than anyone the folly of judging a person on appearances alone." Sir William raised his mug to her in a toast. "A valuable lesson, to be sure."

Jessica batted her eyelids in innocently. "One well learned, I trust?"

He nodded, grinning in an unpleasant way. "Oh, very well learned, I assure you."

Jessica smiled, and returned to her meal. Glancing serupticiously at her father, she saw a slight frown on his face which she simply returned with a shrug. What did you expect me to do? she asked silently. He was baiting me.

Kaleah was a little confused by this exchange. She took a few bites of food from her plate as elegantly as she could, though in truth her stomach was churning with stress. Only the calming presence of Jessica beside her kept her from making a hasty departure. She raised an eyebrow at her young friend, who leaned closer to explain.

"He wanted to find out if you’re a fighter like me," Jess explained quietly. "Did you notice the way he didn’t refer to me as a