Chapter 74

 Let us take our leave of Risha, Leorin and all their friends, for awhile.  In fact, let us take leave of the Eastern Continent altogether and instead return to Vinoli to spend some time with the male part of their parental unit.

After they had finished their meal, Jeraddin and Flora had returned home. There, the General had changed into civilian clothes and went out on town. 

"It's possible that I won't return until late" he had told his maid. "If so, I'll let myself in. You don't have to wait up for my sake."

"Understood, General. Have a nice walk."

As he walked down the streets of the capital, Jeraddin thought of his children; wondering where they were now and what they were doing? He also wondered if their paths have crossed? If so, he hoped that his daughter had told his son about their meeting in Guanaca. 

Jeraddin made a brief stop to gaze at the new arena, on which construction had begun shortly before he had left the capital. From the looks of it, it seemed as if the workers had come a long way already. Outside the construction site, there was a sign, upon which the following message had been written:

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this structure will be available for public use next year.

-Ursula (Royal Architect).

Leaving the arena behind, Jeraddin continued on his way. His wandering, done without a destination in mind, soon led him to the largest of the capital's three squares, the one which was dominated by a statue of the Queen, standing at a height of twelve meters (or, if you prefer, 39 feet and 4 inches).

As usual, the square at this time, was filled with people. At the base of the statue, a small group had gathered. They spoke casually, one of them had an unlit pipe in his mouth, which he sometimes removed to make a point. 

Jeraddin dropped a few coins into the hat of a nearby street musician, and proceeded to stroll among the stalls, where the street vendors were busy hawking their wares. At one of the stalls, a raccoon wearing a checkered coat was selling busts. As Jeraddin's eyes swept over the shelves, he caught his own likeness staring down at him.

"Ah, Sir" said the raccoon, in an accent made it clear that he came from Vinoli's southern regions. "I see that you are a person of person with an eye for the finer things, no? These are busts of the most highest qualities, depicting important Vinolian personages. Here, have a look at these one."

He took down one of the busts and placed it on the counter.

"Bust of famous General Jeraddin, only twenty-five bronze coins." The Raccoon paused in his sales-pitch and leaned forward, studying his potential customer inquisitively. 

"Sa-aay" he said, wagging his index-finger. "You look-a quite like these fella here, yes?"

"So I've been told" Jeraddin said, wryly, "but I have no need for a bust of my...of the General at the moment, I'm afraid."

"In that-a case, how about-a one of-a Her Majesty, instead?" Said the raccoon, gesturing towards one of the busts of Argath. Of course, its-a bit more expensive: Fifty bronze-coins."

Why does Argath's homely mug cost twice as much as mine? Jeraddin thought, somewhat piqued by this information. 

He was just about to tell the raccoon that he had no need for any busts, when an idea struck him.

"I'll take one of the Queen" he said and put the required sum down on the counter.

"An excellent choice!" Beamed the raccoon. "Would-a you like to have it delivered to your door?"

"No, I'll take it with me."

"As-a you wish. Have-a good day."

*****

When Jeraddin had first bought the bust, his intention had been to carry it down to the harbor and there, either smash it against the ground, or watch it disappear into the salty depths. 

Now that he had reached his destination though, he was beginning to have second thoughts. True, doing one of the above things would bring some satisfaction, but it would be fleeting. Instead, the lynx decided that he would remove the top of the bust and use it as a waste-basket, or an ashtray. Yes, that was more like it.

Besides, Jeraddin thought, filling its head with trash will make the bust's resemblance to its model even stronger.

It had been quite a long walk from the square to the harbor and Jeraddin was beginning to feel parched. To remedy this, he headed for one of the many taverns found in the area.

The Tavern was devoid of customers. Jeraddin went up to the bar, where a gorilla was busy polishing a glass. 

"Slow day?" He asked, putting the bust down on the counter.

"Somewhat, though most of my clientele don't show up until evening" replied the gorilla. "What's your poison?"

"Beer, dark."

"You're him, aren't you?" The Gorilla asked, while Jeraddin quenched his thirst. "The General?"

Jeraddin finished his beer.

"Afraid so" he said, wiping the lingering foam from his mouth with the back of his paw. 

"I met a girl once who looked a lot like you" said the gorilla, as he went back to polishing glass.

Jeraddin's ears perked up. He was just about to ask the gorilla to tell him more, when the  tavern doors swung open and a mastiff and a weasel, both dressed in the city-guard's uniform, stepped inside and marched authoritatively up to the bar.

"Welcome, officers" said the gorilla. "How can I be of service?"

"We've received information that the decor of this establishment does not comply with the standard law of patriotism" barked the mastiff, putting his thumbs in his belt.

"In other words" said the weasel, "there is no tribute to our beloved head of state anywhere in this place.

"Which means a fine of one gold and three silver. Or one-thousand, three-hundred bronze."

The Gorilla turned pale.

"O-one thousand, three-hundred" he stuttered. "What if I don't have that kind of money on me?"

"In that case, you would have to come with us, Sir" replied the mastiff. "Are we to assume that you can't pay the fine?"

Jeraddin had been listening to the words of the two guards with growing distaste. He decided that the time had come for him to intervene.

"If I were you officers, I would not be so hasty in carrying out my duty" he said, in a casual tone of voice.

For the first time since entering the tavern did the mastiff and the weasel become aware that there was another person in there. They both turned towards the speaker, the weasel looked as if he was about to tell him to mind his own business, but the mastiff stopped him by grabbing his elbow and giving him a cautionary look.

"What do you mean?" He asked gruffly. "General" he added, having recognized the person he was addressing.

"I advise you to take a look at this" Jeraddin replied, indicating the bust. 

The Two guards stared at it and, although his face showed nothing, Jeraddin could not help but smile inwardly at how deflated they looked. As if their authority had just leaked out of them. The Mastiff was the first to gather his bearings.

"Our apologies" he muttered stiffly to the gorilla. "It seems as though we were misinformed. Good day." He touched the rim of his helmet. "General".

Once the two guards had left, with as much dignity as they could muster, the gorilla expressed his gratitude.

"You really saved my hide." He filled another tankard of ale and put it down in front of Jeraddin. "Here, this one's on the house."

"Tell me about this girl" said Jeraddin.

"She was in the company of two others; a boy and another girl. The Boy was a cat, with black-fur. Funny, I can't recall what the other girl looked like. Anyway, she asked me if I knew where they could find a ship that took passengers."

"And were you able to help them?" Jeraddin asked. Though he already knew the answer.

The Gorilla nodded. 

"There's this tiger, goes by the name Cerewan. He helps people who need to get out of Vinoli. One of his crew was here that day, so I introduced them to each other."

"This Cerewan, is he in town at the moment?"

"His ship's in the harbor, so I'd hazard a 'yes'."

"Are he and his crew regulars here?"

"They are regulars at every tavern in the harbor. They like to spread their money around."

"I see."

Jeraddin raised his second beer to his lips and drained it. 

"You wouldn't mind telling me the name of Cerewan's ship?" He asked casually, while twirling the empty tankard in his paws.

"I don't see what harm that could do. Its called 'the Maelstrom'."

"Thank you, you've been very helpful. Well, time for me to be on my way."

"Don't forget your thing, General" said the gorilla, pointing at the bust.

Jeraddin looked at his intended wastebasket/ashtray with disinterest.

"Keep it" he said, as he walked out the door. "It is evident that you have more need of it than I do."

******

As the sun began its descent, the denizens of the harbor flocked to its many taverns and brothels, with the Crew of the Maelstrom being no exception. Concealed in the shadows, Jeraddin watched them leave their ship. As they unknowingly passed him by, Jeraddin got his first look at Cerewan. So, this was the fiend who had robbed his little girl of her freedom. The Lynx's body tensed up and a low growl rose up from his throat. How he wanted to pounce on Cerewan and tear the out the tiger's throat with his teeth. 

No, calm yourself Jeraddin. Attacking Cerewan openly would only lead to trouble for you. There are other ways to bring an enemy down.

Forcing himself to relax, Jeraddin waited until the crew had entered one of the establishments. Then, he stealthily approached the ship.

Chapter 73

 "This is it?" Risha asked. "You are sure?"

Afternoon had just turned into evening, when she and Merees had left the theater. They had met up with Kyros and the aardvark, who had an empty burlap-sack tossed over one shoulder. At the moment, the four of them were standing in front of a wooden gate.

"Positive" Kyros said, in response to the lynx's question. "This is the address Fuchul gave me."

"Well, then" Merees said. "Let's head inside."

She opened the gate and having stepped through it, the four found themselves in an overgrown garden, surrounding a white house with a red roof. They began to make their way through grass that had not been cut for years, with Risha in the middle and the other two flanking her.

"Better check ourselves for ticks when we get back" the lynx observed. "I bet this place is crawling with the little buggers."

"Indeed", Kyros agreed. "Obviously, gardening was not high on Zevedo's list of priorities."

Risha turned to Merees.

"You've been awfully quiet. Something on your mind, hon?"

Merees stared up at the building they were headed towards.

"I spent five years of my life in that house" she said, in a pensive tone, as though she was speaking more to herself than to Risha. "And yet, this is the first time I  can remember actually seeing it."

"Are you going to be alright? If you don't want to go inside, just give me the keys. I'm sure I can convince 'your' servant that you trusted me with them."

Merees shook her head.

"Thanks, but I'll manage. Let's just get this over with."

Upon setting foot on the veranda, the trio found themselves faced with an obstacle none of them had foreseen:

"That's strange" Kyros muttered, his brow furrowed. "There's no door."

Indeed, in the place where a door would usually be found, there was nothing but a smooth wall.

"How is this possible?" Risha wondered, then a thought came to her. "Perhaps the wall isn't real? Maybe we can pass through it?"

"Let me try" Merees said.

She put her hand on the surface. As soon as she did, a voice could be heard inside her head:

"Identity confirmed. Welcome home, Master Zevedo. Is anyone else with you?"

It did not take long for the Princess to get over her initial surprise.

"Two guests" she said. "Allow them entrance, house."

"As you wish."

The Voice grew quiet. Where there had previously not been a door, one was now visible.

*****

After he had returned home, Rrelo the goblin had spent most of the day doing chores around the house. He was just about to sit down to a light dinner of hard cheese and bread, when he heard the door open. Immediately, Zevedo's servant left the kitchen and went out in the hallway.

"Welcome home, Master" he greeted Merees, rubbing his hands together. He then noticed the two males and gave the dragon a quizzical look.

"These are new business associates of mine" Merees explained, affecting a deliberately haughty tone. "They wish to take a look at my assets. Lead the way."

For a moment, Rrelo seemed to hesitate and Merees became anxious: Had he seen through her? It would be worse for him if he had. After all, she had no doubt that one of them alone would be enough to handle one goblin. Still, she would prefer to deal with this without having to resort to violence.

Behind Merees, Risha, Kyros and the aardvark all  reached for their blades. 

Before they could draw them though, Rrelo's face regained its usual sycophantic expression.

"Of course, Master. Follow me, honored guests."

Zevedo's study did not differ greatly from any other of its kind. It had a desk, a chair for visitors and a bookcase. It also had a tall, gray safe, standing in a corner. Merees took out the key and, remembering what Rrelo had told her, turned the handle of the safe upward, before turning the key. Its trap disarmed, the door to the safe swung open, revealing four shelves, each one containing neatly stacked piles of gold, pouches bulging with coins of several different values and precious stones.

"Holy shit!" Risha exclaimed in an awed tone. 

"You can say that again" Kyros agreed.

"It's like a dream come true" salivated the aardvark.

Even Merees was impressed. In all her life, she could not recall having seen a private fortune such as this. She wondered how Zevedo had managed to amass it? Probably not by honest means. Suddenly, found herself relieved that she was standing with her back turned to Rrelo, making it impossible for the goblin to see her face. Had he been able to, he would doubtless have seen through her subterfuge. After all, it was unlikely that Zevedo gazed on his wealth with the same dumbstruck expression.

Gathering herself together, the dragon turned to Kyros and the aardvaark

"Help yourselves" she said, stepping out of the way.

While Kyros and the aardvark began to transfer as much as the safe's content into the sack as they could, Merees gave instructions to Rrelo:

"Go find that Captain of yours. Tell him, I'm willing to offer twice what he wants, if he's got room for three dozen more passengers on his ship."

Rrelo nodded and was just about to leave, when Merees called out to him to hold on.

"Yes, Master? Anything else?"

"Tomorrow? You are not coming with us."

Rrelo's expression was that of a child who had just come down on Christmas, only to find that there were no presents under the tree.

"I need you to remain here for the time being" she said. "Don't worry, once I've secured my foothold, I will send for you."

"Master, that could take forever."

"Well, you just have to be patient. Now, run along."

Swallowing his disappointment, Rrelo left the house.

"You know" Risha said, once the goblin was gone. "You could have just let him go."

"You think so? Risha, I don't know what Zevedo did to make his servant so slavishly devoted to him, but I'm pretty sure that if I had told him that I had no further need for his services, he would have tried to rip my throat out."

"He'd be dead before that could happen and frankly, I'm not sure if that wouldn't have been the more merciful thing to do."

"Than letting him live?"

"Than letting him live with false hope, because there's no way you're going to send for him later on, is there?"

Merees said nothing. Not that she had to; Risha could see the answer written on her face.

"Let's help the guys finish and then get out of here" the dragon said, after a moment's silence. "This place makes my skin crawl."

*****

Those who happened to be in the harbor the next day, could not fail but notice that a rather sizable group of people had gathered at pier 43. If a curious passerby moved closer, they would notice that in that crowd, there were several members of the foreign acting-troupe that had come to town recently.

"We'll see each other again, won't we, sis?"

"Of course, Leo." Smiling reassuringly, Risha put a paw on her brother's shoulder. "Until then, you and Sara keep honing your craft. I'm looking forward to many new plays from the two of you."

"You can count on us on looking after young Leorin" said Eramus, who had stepped forward.

"I know and you have my thanks."

"Both our thanks" Merees said.

At this point, a sea-lion, whose headwear immediately identified him as the supreme commander of the vessel came up from the hold. 

"All aboard!" The Captain called out in a hoarse voice. "We have a schedule to keep! Hoist the anchor! All hands on deck!"

The Siblings embraced one last time and the passengers climbed aboard. As the ship began its long journey, Risha and Merees stood on deck, one arm around each other's waists, the other waving to the people on the pier.

Chapter 72

 "That goblin who just came in..." Merees began.

"I see him" Risha said. "What about him?"

"I swear he's looking at us."

The Lynx shrugged. "Well, its not like there's a law against looking at people. Anyway, if he comes over, we can just politely tell him to take a hike."

"You tell him, I do believe  he is coming over."

Indeed, the olive-green stranger was making his way across the inn's newly cleaned floor. Finally stopping at the table Risha and Merees were sitting at. 

"Listen, pal" Risha said. "No offense, but we'd like some privacy, so why don't you...."

She stopped, realizing that the goblin was not paying the least bit attention to her. Instead, he was staring at Merees, with a look of relief and worship on his face. 

"Master" he said, kneeling down in front of the dragon. "At last I've found you."

At that moment, both women shared the same thought: Who is this guy and what is he talking about?

"You didn't return home for your meeting, Master" the goblin continued. "Your faithful Rrelo was really worried that something happened at the meeting you went to. I've been out looking for you."

Risha and Merees exchanged looks. So, that's how it was.

Rrelo fell silent. Evidently, he was waiting for his 'Master' to say something. However, Merees had no idea how to respond to what the goblin had just said.

"I'm sorry for making you worry" she muttered awkwardly.

Hearing this, the goblin frowned. 

Shit! Merees thought. She and Risha both bit their tongues in unison. That was obviously not what he had expected to hear. What if he begins to suspect something? 

She cleared her throat and looked at the goblin through half-closed eyelids. 

"I mean" she said, smiling contemptuously. "That I'm sorry to hear that you have such a lack of faith in your Master. Personally, I find it...troubling."

Rrelo held up his hands and shook his head vigorously.

"No, no, Master. Rrelo meant no offense. Please, forgive your poor servant."

"Very well. Oh, and stand up, will you?"

Rrelo immediately got to his feet.

"Master, I have good news to tell you."

"Oh? What is it?"

"I've found a ship, whose captain is willing to take us to one of the places you wish to go, Master. So that we can begin working on your plan."

"And what kind of plan is that, exactly?" Risha asked.

Rrelo looked at the lynx, as if he had only noticed her just now. He turned back to Merees and whispered something in her ear. 

Risha could not hear what was said, but she could see Merees' face darkening. Standing up, the dragon slapped Rrelo in the face, with such force that the goblin staggered backwards.

"Never" Merees growled, grabbing Rrelo collar, "let me hear you talk about her that way, again. Understood?"

"Y-yes, Master" Zevedo's servant replied, not having expected this type of reaction.

"You will accord her the same respect as you do me" Merees continued. "Is that clear, thrall?"

Rrelo's head bobbed up and down. 

"Good." Merees relaxed her grip, letting him go. Rubbing his cheek, the goblin turned to Risha.

"A thousand pardons my Lady" he begged, in a nasally whine. "I had no idea that you and the Master were so...close."

"That's...fine" Risha said, completely taken aback. "Apology accepted." She gave Merees a look of what the Hell was that about?

"Now then" Merees said. "Why don't you answer the Lady's question? Tell her about the plan."

"Your plan, Master" Rrelo replied. "Of course,your wish is my command."

And so, the goblin told Risha and Merees about Zevedo's plan, the nature of which is already known to you, dear reader (should your memory fail, you can always go back a few chapters). The Lynx and the dragon both listened with interest, though that of the latter was greater than the former's.

Once Rrelo had finished, Merees asked him about where the ship was located and when it would depart.

"At pier 43, Master" the goblin replied. "It leaves at noon, tomorrow, but the captain will need an answer at least one hour before that.

"I see. Thank you."

Rrelo looked as if he had just won the lottery.

"One more thing" said Merees. "My silver-key, you know which one I'm talking about, don't you?"

"The One that opens up your safe, Master?"

"Exactly. I can't recall where I saw it last. Do you have any idea?"

"You took it with you when you went out, Master. As usual. You didn't lose it, did you, Master? Not that it matters, only the two of us know that you need to turn the handle upwards in order to deactive the trap inside the safe."

"Of course" Merees said, with studied nonchalance. She made a show out of patting her clothes. "Ah, here it is."

"Master,  do you have any further need for your servant?"

"Not as of now. Why don't you return home and wait for us there."

Rrelo bowed and was just about to leave, when he made halt and looked at Merees with a beseeching expression.

"Master?" 

"What is it now?"

"When Vinoli is yours, you won't forget my reward? Right, Master?"

"Of course not. Now, off you go."

Merees waved her hand dismissively and Rrelo, satisfied with the answer, left the tavern.  Once the goblin was gone, Risha voiced her opinion of his character:

"What a sycophant" she said, rolling her eyes. "By the way, what did he say that caused you to lose your temper like that?"

"Nothing worth repeating, I can assure you. Why don't we talk about the plan instead?"

"Fine by me. Mer, you do realize that this plan will lead to a lot of people dying, right?"

"Of course I do", Merees replied. "Believe me, I don't like it anymore than you do, but I can't see any other way to bring Argath to justice."

Risha did not say anything, but one of her eyebrows moved to a more elevated position on her brow.

"That's right" Merees continued, her voice sharp. "I said justice, not vengeance and believe me, I do know the difference. I want my si...Argath on her knees. I want her to confess to the murder of my father and all the other crimes she may have committed and then, I want her tried according to Vinolian laws. As for those I have to sacrifice to make that happen? If there's an afterlife, I will ask for their forgiveness and accept whatever punishment is in store for me, once I get there." 

As she spoke, the Princess' face turned into a storm-cloud, while her eyes flashed like lightning. It was a terrible sight, but Risha did not flinch. She faced it placidly, waiting for Merees to calm down.

Which did not take long. Suddenly, Merees felt embarrassed of her outburst. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself to relax.

"I'm sorry, Risha" she sighed, trying to keep her voice steady. "We just got reunited and suddenly this whole thing is dropped on us. Part of me wants to ignore it all: Forget about the plan, forget about what happened, but I can't. Not while she remains unpunished."

Reaching out over the table, Risha took Merees' hands in her paws. As she held them, she could sense them trembling slightly.

"You don't have to carry the burden of responsibility yourself, you know" she said, mild reproach mixed with kindness in her voice. "I'm with you, all the way. We'll take that bitch down, together."

"Thanks, Risha" Merees said, a smile illuminating her countenance. "You are the best."

"Thank you. I already knew I was the best, but its nice to hear you say it."

"Modest too. That's another quality of yours that I've missed."

At that moment, the sound of someone clearing their throat close to their ears, caused the two women to look up. Another member of the party, an aardvark, had appeared at the table.

"Hate to interrupt you lovebirds" the aardvark said, "but the Boss just showed up. He's about to hand out everyone's share of the reward we got from that red panda and its only you we're waiting for."

Both Risha and Merees looked towards the long table where the rest of the party had gathered. Indeed, Kyros was standing at the head of it, with two pouches filled with coin placed in front of him.

"Well, time to get what's coming to me" Risha said. 

She and Merees left their own table and went to join the others. One by one, Kyros called out the names of those present and they all went up and received their share.

"I'm curious; how is the money you earn divided between you?" Merees asked in a whisper.

"It's based on how long you've been with the party", Risha explained. "Kyros is the founder, so he gets the biggest cut."

"That makes sense, I suppose. Wouldn't be any point being the leader if you didn't get any perks. So, that would mean that your share...."

"Is the smallest, correct."

Merees was about to ask Risha if this was something that bothered her, when it became the lynx's turn. 

"Good job, Risha" Kyros complimented her. "Here's your share."

He gave her a pawful of coins, Risha looked at them in surprise.

"This seems bigger than my usual share" she observed. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Something extra with compliments from our latest employer" the mountain-lion said, with a wink. "He thought you deserved it, since it was your plan that rid him of nemesis."

"That's great, hon" Merees said, while Risha undid the strings to her own purse and let the coins disappear into it. 

"May I ask what the two of you are going to do now that you are together again?" Kyros inquired. "Of course, both of you are welcome to remain with us,  as long as you wish."

"Actually, there's something we'd like to discuss with you" Risha said. She looked around the crowded tavern. "Preferably between six eyes."

*****

"So, what do you think?" Risha asked Kyros. "Are you in?"

The Three of them were standing in a back-alley, outside the tavern. Merees had just finished informing Kyros about their plans for the foreseeable future. 

"Well, you have my interest" replied the mountain-lion, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "I will have to discuss it with the others though."

"Really? Merees raised an eyebrow. "I thought you made all the decisions?"

"When it comes to ordinary jobs, such as protecting caravans and what we have done here, yes. However, this is not an ordinary job, I would say. Incidentally, much as I like both of you, I am not running a charity. How do you intend to pay us?"

In response, Merees took out the silver-key.

"Oh, we won't be paying you" Risha explained, to Kyros' wondering expression. "Zevedo will."

Chapter 71

 After they had bid Leorin and the others good-night, Risha and Merees went back to the hotel the latter was staying at. Having retrieved the key from the front-desk (the night-manager raised an eyebrow upon seeing the two women come in, but said nothing), Risha unlocked the door and the two of them went inside. 

One thing's for sure, the Princess thought to herself. Whoever designed this place did not take dragons into account. I can barely stand up straight and I'm short for my species. Oh well, its not like I was planning to spend much time in this room on my feet.

"I know" Risha said. "Its not much. Not like the place we were staying at the last time we were together."

"Risha" Merees replied. "I could sleep in a tent, or even under the bare sky, as long as I get to wake up next to you."

As she said this, the female dragon reached up and caressed her girlfriend's cheek.

"Oh, Mer" Risha gasped, Merees' touch causing her to purr. "I can't wait a moment longer."

"You will not have to, my sweet. Let's get out of these clothes."

A matter no sooner said than done. As they undressed, an object fell out of Merees' clothes and landed on the floor. Wondering what it was, she bent down and picked it up: It turned out to be a key, made out of silver.

"How strange" she muttered.

"It must have belonged to Zevedo" Risha said. "Better hold on to it. I bet it goes to something important."

"I will, but for now, I'm more interested in having a bit of fun."

Merees put the key down on top of her clothes and she and Risha climbed into bed, where they soon were completely busy reacquainting themselves with each other's bodies: Kissing and nibbling, caressing and licking. 

Risha was the first to reach climax; the lynx's body shook and she screamed out in ecstasy, as she came in her lover's eager mouth, before she collapsed onto the straw-mattress.

"I...I haven't felt like that since..." she gasped, waiting for her heartbeat to slow down.

"Since last time we were together?" Merees, who had moved up from her position between Risha's legs and were now lying next to her, asked.

"Mmmm."

"I'm glad to hear it. So, are you ready to make me feel good now?"

In response, Risha wrapped her arms around Merees and kissed her passionately on the mouth. And so, they continued making love, the bed shaking with the force of their passion. Until, fully sated, they fell asleep in each other's arms.

****

Upon entering the tavern, Risha and Merees immediately found themselves the center of attention from the rest of Kyros' party. As they made their way up to the counter, various ribald comments were thrown at them. Feeling herself blush, Merees dug her claws into the palm of her hand. She glanced at Risha; to her surprise, the lynx seemed completely unaffected by this rude treatment, even firing off a few retorts at some of the men, causing them to laugh uproariously and slap their knees.

"We'd like breakfast" Risha said to the panda who was standing behind the counter, polishing a glass. "What have you got."

"Green tea and rice porridge" came the answer. "Take it or leave it."

"Is that OK with you?" Risha asked.

"I'm not really hungry."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

"Suit yourself: Breakfast for one, please."

Risha paid and the two of them sat down at a corner table, where they could have some privacy. 

"What a bunch of ill-mannered louts" Merees said, lowering her voice, something which was quite unnecessary due to all the noise in the establishment. "Are they always like this?"

"Almost".

Merees sighed in exasperation.

"Frankly, I don't know how you can stand it." 

"I suppose I've gotten used to it", Risha shrugged. "Besides, they aren't so bad. After all, they helped to bring us together again."

Merees had to concede that this was true.

Soon, Risha's breakfast arrived and the lynx immediately sampled some of the porridge.

"Not bad" was the lynx's verdict of the meal. "Could use a bit more salt, but I've had worse fare."

Her appetite roused, she proceeded to dig into the bowl, washing each spoonful down with some the tea. Merees watched her.

"So, how long have you and they been travelling together?" She asked.

"Since I left that place. Let me think, it must be five, maybe sixth months?"

Risha did not mention the name of the country where she had been enslaved, but she did not have to: Merees already knew. Last night, during their lovemaking, she had spotted a mark in Risha's armpit. She had only seen it for a brief second, not letting her eyes linger on it, but Merees' education had allowed her to identify it as a Guanacan letter. A 'B' to be more specific.

Whatever hardships Risha had gone through during the past five years, it was obvious that she wanted to leave that period of her life behind her and Merees intended to respect that and not pry into the past. Still, she wondered how exactly Risha had managed to free herself and if the people she had been travelling with had something to do with that.

If so, that's another thing I owe them my gratitude for, she thought, taking a sip of her tea. No doubt I'm being uncharitable, but I can't say that I cherish the thought of being indebted to these people.

"Risha, there's something I wonder...."

"What is it?"

"Its a sensitive subject. I don't wish to upset you."

Risha pushed the now empty bowl aside and leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table.

"Let me guess" she began. "You want to ask if I, when travelling alone with all these strange males, if I one of them molested me, am I correct?"

At first, Merees was caught off guard by the bluntness of the lynx's answer and so, for a moment, all she could do was stare. Then, she nodded slowly.

"When I joined the party, the leader introduced me to the others. He said: 'This is Risha, she'll be travelling with us from now on. Now, I know that we haven't had any female members before and that some of you may find her presence in our midst, a source of temptation. I must warn you that if any of you succumbs to this temptation, will answer to me and believe me, you will find that the brief pleasure you may have gained from committing such a vile act against one of your comrades, will not be worth the punishment that awaits you.'

I had no doubt that the leader would execute his threats, but that did not make me feel at ease. Some males are completely ruled by what's between their legs, even if obeying it would be detrimental to themselves in the long run and I saw no reason to doubt that some representatives for that type of male would be among my soon-to-be travelling-companions. Thus, whenever I did not have the watch, I'd sleep with one eye open and with my blade close, like a security blanket. Waiting for what I thought was the inevitable."

Risha paused in her recollections and clasped her paws together. Seeing that they were shaking, Merees put her hand on them.

"You don't have to go on" she said in a soothing voice.

"I'm fine. Anyway, despite my fears,nothing happened, fortunately. Early on, some of the men tried to proposition me for sex, but I always turned them down as gently as I could and eventually they left me alone. Every once in a while, we'd happen upon a town or village that had a brothel, to which my fellow travelers immediately went to gain some relief. At first, they invited me to join them..."

"They had figured out that you are a lesbian by then? Or did you tell them?"

"No, I believe they came to that conclusion themselves. Something to the effect off: 'well, this chick isn't into any of us; The Gods' gifts to women. There can only be one reason: She must be of the sapphic persuasion.' Which, to be fair, is actually the correct answer."

"So, did you ever take them up on their offer?"

"Never, though I must admit there were times when I was sorely tempted."

"Did you decline for my sake? Hon, if I discovered that you had slept with someone else while we were separated, I wouldn't have held it against you. After all, there was no way for you to know whether or not I was still alive."

"True, but I had to believe that you were and that I would find you. There were times when that belief was the only thing that kept me going.

Besides, Risha continued, her face lit up by a bright smile. "My belief was not misplaced, for here we are: Together again."

"Yes" Merees said, returning the smile. "Together again. And this time, nothing and no-one will tear us apart."

Almost immediately after she said that, a groaning noise escaped from the Princess's stomach. 

"So, I guess that means you've changed your mind about breakfast?" 

*****

"Thanks for paying for me too, Risha" Merees said, after she had finished her meal. 

"No need to thank me. What's mine is yours. Besides, I remember that you used to pay for me and Leorin when the three of us together."

"By the way, I think you were wrong about the porridge: It did not need any more salt than it already had."

"You think so? Well, we're just going to have to disagree on that one."

"You mentioned something about Leorin being a playwright now. I take it that's why the Troupe is here?"

"Yes, they're giving a performance of a play he and Sara wrote. Do you remember her?"

"Of course, she's the porcupine-girl, right. So, how is their play?"

"The Kids definitely have talent. Than again, I am the sister of one of them, so perhaps I'm biased in their favor."

"I should like to see it, if there's a time."

"Oh, I'm sure we can find some."

"The Mountain-Lion I met briefly last night. What was his name again?"

"Kyros."

"He's the leader, isn't he?"

"That's right."

"Tell me about him. He seemed...different from the others."

"Oh, he definitely is" Risha agreed. "Kyros is a man of class and culture."

"Has he told you anything about himself?"

"No and I haven't asked, but I suspect that he is of gentle birth, maybe even royalty."

That would make two of us, Merees thought.

"I didn't see when we came in." She said.

"Come to think of it, neither did I".

The Lynx frowned, momentarily puzzled by Kyros' absence. She then realized that he must still be at  Fuchul's place. 

"You'll see" she said to Merees, having informed the dragon about this. "I bet he'll come in through those doors, any moment now."

As if on cue, the tavern-doors swung open. However, it was not Kyros who entered, but a goblin. The Goblin stood in the doorway, throwing his eyes around the room, before landing on one specific table. 

"Masster" the goblin whispered to himself and made his way towards the table in question.

Chapter 70

 Night had begun to fall when the royal caravan made halt. Under the watchful eyes of the caravan-leader (who answered only to the Queen), and his assistants,  tents were erected and food was prepared. 

Seated by one of the camp-fires, Nasari finished her bowl of stew and gazed into the flames. 

"Are you thinking about Jeraddin?" A voice asked. It was Miranda, who, as usual could be found close to Nasari.

"A little" the black cat admitted. "Mostly I'm thinking about my children. I can't help but worry about them, especially the youngest."

"I guess that's natural, when you're a parent" the raccoon said. "I'm sure both Risha and Leorin are doing fine, though. From what you've told me, they are both smart kids."

"They are" Nasari agreed, smiling wistfully at the thought of her babies. Of course, one of them was an adult and had been for quite some time. Not that age matter; a child is always a child to its parents.

"Thank you" she said, giving Miranda a peck on the cheek. "You always know what to say to put me at ease."

"Same to you. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to be back in Vinoli again. Staying in Guanaca was fine, I guess, but all this sand really isn't my thing."

Nasari too, could not wait to return home. Though she did not share her lover's opinion on Guanaca. During her stay in the palace, she had come to despise this place, where her daughter had spent so many years in slavery. Though she was loath to admit it, the black cat had felt almost grateful when the Queen had decided that it was time to bid Guanaca good-bye. The Vinolian palace was a prison, this was true, but at least it was not a prison for any of her own flesh and blood.

"Something tells me that our new King-Consort does not feel the same way" she said.

"I think you're right." Miranda lowered her voice slightly, as she spoke. "I've heard that he's been sulking ever since we left Guanaca. I guess he would have preferred to stay behind and govern his own Kingdom, rather than leaving it in the hands of someone else. Can't blame him for that, I suppose. It can't be easy having regained your kingdom, only to be obliged to leave it in the hands of somebody else and that someone not even being one of your own."

"No, I suppose not" Nasari replied, her eyes turning towards the large tent that stood in the center of the camp. 

****

Inside the tent, Argath, having finished the last of her stuffed quails, put down the utensils and wiped her mouth with a silk napkin. As the Queen did this, her eyes fell upon King Faljan. The Fennec had barely touched his food, but he was on his third goblet of chilled wine.

"Come now, husband" Argath said, cheerfully. "Don't be so glum. I know you wanted to stay in Guanaca, but surely, the people of Vinoli have a right to welcome their new King. After all, We came to your kingdom, did We not?"

This got a reaction: Faljan abruptly rose from his chair, causing it to tip over. He stared at Argath and, if looks, could kill, Faljan would have found himself a widower. For a moment, the young Monarch only stood there, his shoulders trembling.

"You...you" he said. He would have liked to say more, but the words were stuck in his throat and refused to come out. Instead, he turned and stormed out of the tent, with as much dignity as he could muster.

Argath watched him leave.

Pathetic, she thought, shaking her head contemptuously. 

Not that Argath minded, but she hoped that her future child would take after her rather than its father.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty. Shall I remove the King's plate?" Inquired the servant.

Argath glanced disinterestedly at the almost-full plate.

"Ye..." She began, only to immediately change her mind. "No, leave it here."

There was no use letting perfectly good food go to waste and besides, she was eating for two now, after all. 

Fine. Two and a half.

****

Outside, Faljan had walked around to the backside of the tent, where he gave vent to his frustrations by stomping around and muttering curse-words to himself. He recalled the marriage-contract that Argath had drawn up, on the day he had first appeared at the Vinolian court. In the contract it had said that their marriage would be of a purely political nature and, that once Guanaca and Vinoli were united, the two of them would rule as equals, but each would have the final decision in matters concerning their own kingdoms.

This had all sounded perfectly reasonable to Faljan and so, he had signed the contract and had joined the army, which under the command of General Jeraddin was to take his throne back from his treacherous cousin. 

Looking back, he should have realized that something was not quite right, when during their wedding ceremony, Argath had snatched the crown which he was to place on her head and had done so herself. At the time though, he had merely chalked it up to female vanity and wounded pride.

But then, Argath had appointed that iguana, Felix, to govern Guanaca in the name of the newlyweds. This had been too much for Faljan; with his blood boiling he had confronted Argath and asked her if she remembered the marriage contract?

"We had a deal!" He had said, his voice rising a pitch. "Remember?!"

"Yes" the Queen had replied, her voice perfectly calm. "We remember and We intend to honor the first part of said deal. As for the second. Well, let's just say that We have made some modifications to it."

"You can't do this!" Faljan had protested hotly. Only to realize immediately that, no, she could. After all, what nation did the soldiers currently patrolling the streets of Guanaca belong too? That's right, Vinoli.

"Felix is a man of great integrity" Argath had said, addressing her husband in the way that a parent would an unreasonable child. "He will not abuse his position. You can have the same confidence in him as We have."

And  its not like I have a choice in the matter, Faljan had thought bitterly, before he had left the room, with the Queen's laughter following him.

The Memory of this scene caused tears of anger, shame and self-pity to start streaming down Faljan's cheeks and he collapsed into his knees in the sand, hiding his face in his paws. 

All he had wanted was to get back what was his, by birthright. Was that so wrong? 

What a fool I've been, he thought. How could I have trusted that woman?

A thought then occurred to the King, one that caused the hair on his body to stand on edge: Now that Argath had control over Guanaca, what did she need him for? At this point, he did not doubt that his spouse was capable of murder. In fact, if anyone had told him that Argath had killed her own father, the fennec would have believed them without hesitation.

Faljan swallowed, he could already feel the noose tightening around his neck. 

No! He would not let that happen! If that bitch thought he could get rid of Faljan of Guanaca that easily, she had another thing coming. He would strike first! 

Faljan dried his tears and looked around. Save for a few guards, patrolling the perimeter of the camp, he was the only outside. Everyone else had retired to their tents. With newfound determination, the fennec headed back to the largest tent and stepped inside. He could hear the sound of Argath snoring, knocked out cold by that potion she took to help her sleep every night. With his heart beating in his ears, Faljan grabbed a convenient knife from the table and went over to the Queen's side of the tent.

She lied on her travelling-bed, spread-eagle with her eyes open. For a moment, Faljan was worried that she was awake, but then he heard the snoring and remember that this was simply the way Argath slept. She was not alone in the bed; one of her maids, the racoon was curled up by her feet, sleeping soundly.

Good, Faljan thought. She'll make an ideal scape-goat. I'm sorry, whatever your name is, but I have no other choice.

He raised the knife, ready to plunge into one of Argath's eyes and then, he suddenly stopped: His gaze travelled downward, to the Queen's stomach. In there, the fruit of his loins, the heir to his throne waited to enter the World. Killing Argath would mean taking the life of that child as well and Faljan knew he could not do that.

"Congratulations" he whispered. "You get to live a while longer."

Silently, Faljan returned to his own bed, where he eventually fell asleep, clutching the knife tightly in his paw.

Chapter 69

 In the hall of his own home, Jeraddin unbuckled his travelling cloak. He was just about to announce his presence with a simple "I'm home!" (as though he had been out for a quick errand, rather than having spent many months across the sea, laying siege to a city that, until now, had been considered impenetrable), when his ears were suddenly filled by a crashing noise. 

Jeraddin did not hesitate: Tossing the cloak aside, he hurried towards the kitchen, where the sound had come from. Once there, he was met with a sight that caused his heart to skip a beat: 

Albert was lying unconscious on the floor, pieces of broken plates strewn around him. Flora, Jeraddin's housekeeper was kneeling next to the old servant, desperately trying to resuscitate him. When she heard Jeraddin entering, the hedgehog looked up.

"Sir" she said, her voice breaking. "It's Albert, we were cleaning the dishes and he...he just collapsed."

Jeraddin said nothing, but instead crouched down beside her and checked Albert's pulse.

"S-should I fetch a doctor, Sir?" Flora asked.

"I'm afraid it would make no difference to him" Jeraddin replied, wondering if his voice sounded as flat and unnatural to the young woman beside him, as it did to himself. "He has no need for a doctor, anymore."

****

The Funeral was held a week later. Albert had no living relatives and so, Jeraddin and Flora were the only two in attendance. Jeraddin listened with only half an ear to the droning voice of the cleric and the muffled sounds of his housekeeper, sobbing into her handkerchief. His thought was on the person, whose remains were inside the coffin being lowered into the ground. 

Albert had been a part of Jeraddin's life almost since the beginning. He had not only watched the lynx grow up, but his children as well. How strange to know that he was now gone forever. 

At least Albert had not suffered, that was something of a comfort. According to the female doctor, who had examined the body, death had been instantaneous; as if the Reaper had merely snapped his (or her) skeletal fingers.  The Lynx had always thought that the ideal way to go would be to simply drift away; surrounded by those who loved you and that was how Jeraddin wished to pass, if he could chose. 

However, he was also aware that no one mortal truly decided when their time had come or under which circumstances. With that in mind, a quick and painless death was maybe the best one could hope for? At the very least, it was infinitely preferable to the alternative.

Farewell, Albert, Jeraddin thought, saluting the coffin as tears streamed down his whiskers. If we meet in the afterlife, it won't  be as master and servant, that I promise you.

"When you were away, he sometimes complained about feeling dizzy" Flora told Jeraddin, once the funeral was over and the two of them were leaving the cemetery. "I told him to seek medical help, but he just brushed me off."

"Albert was stubborn that way. I think he viewed being sick as something shameful. I remember one time when he had the flu and my wife and I had to tie him to the bed so that he wouldn't get up  and do his chores, just to prove that he still could."

"Sir?"

"Yes, Flora?"

"What's going to happen now?"

"You're welcome to stay on as my housekeeper if you want. If not, I'll write up a good recommendation letter for you. You've earned it."

Flora thought about this for a moment.

"I'll stay on. You've been good to me, Sir. Ever since I served under you, in the army."

"Do you miss it?" Jeraddin asked. "Being a soldier?"

Flora shook her head.

"No, Sir. Though sometimes I can't help but wonder: Of all the people you could have given an employment in your household, why me?"

"Simple, I know that Albert was getting on in years and while I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, there need to be someone around to watch the house when I'm away. I knew that you were the right person for the job. Although, I did have one more reason for hiring you."

"What reason is that?"

"I have a daughter. Of course, you already know that, since you have seen her in the family-portrait that hangs in the living-room. It's an old picture, painted ten years ago. She's an adult now, only a couple of years younger than you. Anyway, you remind me of her."

"Oh" Flora said. "That's nice."

The Hedgehog was not sure if the General had caught the disappointment in her voice. His daughter? But, I don't want him to think of me that way, she thought to herself and blushed slightly.

"Now then" Jeraddin said. "I don't know about you, but I could use something to eat. I know a place, if you care to join me. My treat."

"Thank you, Sir. I would like that, very much."

The Hedgehog moved closer to Jeraddin and took the arm he offered her. 

Just wait, Jeraddin, she thought. One day, I'll make you see me in another light. Somehow.

A Brief Post On Senscritique

 I'm not sure how many of you are familiar with Senscritique. In case you're not, allow me to explain: 

Senscritique is a French-language website that allows its users to rate and review various pieces of media. Think of it as IMDB, except not limited to movies, shows and games.  Anyway, I've been a member of SC for many years now and I've never had any complaints about the site. Until now, that is. 

You see, yesterday the new improved'version of Senscritique was launched and to the surprise of absolutely no-one, its actually worse than the old one. Not only is the site clunkier to navigate (at least, that's my impression), but several features of the old site have disappeared. For example, you know how, on of these type of sides (IMDB, Letterboxd, etc), you are usually able to chose how you want to display the items you've rated? Whether in the form of a list, or on a grid? Well, that option is no longer available: It's the list format or nothing now, mes amis. Something which is quite annoying for those like me, who prefered the alternative.

Judging from some of the comments available here (note: article and comments are in French), I'm not the only person who isn't exactly happy with these changes. I sincerely hope that the staff of Senscritique pays attention to the feedback and restores some of the old functions. Because as it is, this has severely put a damper on my enjoyment of a site, that, up until now, was one of my favorite places on the Internet.

Update (05/10 -22): I just learned that the ancient site is still accessible at old.senscritique.com. Question is for how long?