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Part 7 - The Hearth

With a loud, groaning yawn, Marien's eyes slowly slid open. Outside of her window she could see just the tiniest hint of the sun starting to rise above the eastern horizon.

Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, Marien stretched, testing her shoulders, her arms, legs and tail. As she did she felt just the slightest tingle in her lower belly and a subtle pulse of warmth. The pleasant sensation sent a shiver up her back and made her toes curl a little with nervous, fluttering energy.

"Almost time," her body seemed to saying. "Almost time."

Ignoring the sensations, Marien set about pulling on her tunic. For a moment she instinctively reached for her armour, before remembering that she had taken the day off. While she left her armour sitting on its rack, she did retrieve her sword belt and cape.

Before she turned to leave, Marien reached under her pillow and withdrew the small piece of fabric that Sieg had last given her. After sniffing it and smiling, she carefully folded it and placed it within her tunic.

Satisfied, Marien left her room and descended the wooden stairs leading from her room to the central living area.

The house in which Marien lived was occupied by three other females. Two of them were Hazel and Kaiya, whom Marien had known since her training days. The fourth, Palles, was a scout, and was often out on long missions, and as such was very rarely home. Even when she did return, Marien barely caught more than a fleeting glimpse of her.

Once out of training, Kaiya had taken a job escorting supply trains, and so she too would often be gone for long stretches. Most of the time, only Hazel and Marien occupied the house, which usually suited Marien just fine. However, just over a year ago, it had suddenly become more troublesome.

Marien sighed heavily as she walked into the dining area and noticed Hazel slumped over the table, several empty bottles piled around her.

Careful not to wake her friend, Marien tiptoed into the kitchen area and began preparing some tea, making certain to add extra peppermint leaves to Hazel's.

With two steaming cups in hand, Marien made her way back into the dining area. After shifting enough bottles to set the mug down, Marien gently shook Hazel's shoulder.

"Hazel? Haaaaaazel, come on, wake up." Marien shook Hazel a little harder. "Come on, time to get up, I made some tea."

"Kill me..." came a low, groggy reply.

"Come on, you can do it."

Slowly Hazel raised her head, blinking blearily at Marien. As she did, Marien could see that Hazel had been resting her head on a framed picture. It was a sketch of Hazel and her mate, Cander, at their wedding. Judging from the lines of matted fur beneath her eyes, Hazel had been crying.

"Come on, up and at 'em," Marien urged, sitting across from Hazel.

"You... You mentioned...tea... Where?"

"To your left."

Turning her head slowly, Hazel noticed the steaming cup.

"Oh... there."

"That's it. Be careful, it's hot."

Shakily, Hazel picked up the cup and took a sniff. The sharp scent of peppermint helped clear some of the cobwebs in her head.

"How much did you drink?" Marien asked, looking over the small sea of bottles.

"Just a few swigs," Hazel replied in a low grumble.

"You can't keep doing this, you know that."

"I...The hell I can't..." Hazel replied, setting down her tea and reaching for a half full bottle, I've got at least... four more bottles left."

Marien sighed and took the bottle before Hazel could grasp it, "I mean driving yourself to do this! Cander is-"

"-was the love of my life!" Hazel moaned, laying her head down on the table.

"-not worth this," Marien finished. "Haze, you are a beautiful woman, you should explore other options."

"If I'm so beautiful, why did he leave?"

"Well..."

"And for a Westerner... why did he leave me for a Westerner..."

"Because he was an idiot."

"Hey!" Hazel snapped, looking up sharply at Marien, "Don't talk about him like that."

Marien raised her hands, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry."

"That's right..." Hazel mumbled, laying her head down on the table and gently stroking the picture, "He's my special... he was my special..."

"Why don't you drink your tea?" Marien asked as Hazel's lip began to tremble.

"Not thirsty."

"Then why don't we get you up to bed and you can sleep, okay?"

"I... I wanna sleep here." Hazel shifted so that she was resting her head on her arm.

"No no no." Marien stood and helped Hazel to her feet. "Come on, let's get you to bed."

"I don't..."

"Come on, pillows and blankets, all that, it's soft and warm, come on."

"I... yeah, pillows sound nice."

"I still don't understand how you can afford all this," Marien grumbled, kicking over a bottle as she dragged her friend towards the stairs.

"Well..." Hazel looked guiltily down at her feet, "I'm going to be short on the rent this month."

"Of course you are," Marien sighed. It had been almost a year since Cander had left Hazel and defected to the Western Alliance. Within a few weeks Hazel had been demoted, removed from her post, and dishonourably discharged. From time to time she had managed to clean up and find a job, but after a week or two she would inevitably slide back into depression and alcohol.

With a great deal of effort, Marien was able to guide Hazel up to her room and drop her into her bed.

"Now make sure you sleep on your side," Marine said, tucking Hazel in and propping a pillow behind her back.

"Why did he leave..." Hazel sniffed, "I don't understand... why."

"Hey, hey... it's okay," Marien said, pulling Hazel into a hug as she buried her face in her hands and started to sob. "I know, I know it hurts."

"You don't know," Hazel moaned, "Sieg would never leave you. You're both so... so bloody... perfect."

"Hey!" Marien grabbed Hazel's cheeks and looked her in the eye, "It will all be okay."

"It will?"

Marien nodded, "It will. Look, we'll go out, maybe down to the beach, alright?"

"Cander liked the beach."

"Then we'll go for a walk in the forest, maybe we can go camping. Whatever you want Hazel."

"We could go get a drink."

Marien opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it. "Sure," she said, gently stroking Hazel's head, "We'll go grab a drink."

"Good." Hazel's eyes started to drift closed. "Drinks are good..."

Satisfied that her friend was asleep, Marien quietly got to her feet. As quietly as she could she tiptoed out of Hazel's room, down the stairs, through the maze of bottles, and out of the front door.

===

The city streets were just starting to come to life as Marien made her way along the wall separating the male and female quarters. Even in the early morning stillness there was a buzzing excitement in the air. The mating week was just one day away.

Of course no one would say anything, but there was a tangible sense of build up and excitement, not least of which from the vendors who sold flowers and little gifts. The week past and the week to come was their busiest time of the year, and as such they were out in force, with flowers of every colour and knick knacks from every corner of the Basitin Isles and beyond. Many of the more exotic vendors bore the symbol of a gold coin marked with the letters 'MMTC', the sigil of the Magpie Mobile Trading Company.

For Marien however, the excitement came with a great sense of nervousness. This was her opportunity, this was the cycle, this time she and Sieg would finally conceive their child. But she had to be sure, and for that, she had finally gathered up the courage to seek outside help.

===

It had been nighttime and it had been raining, the kind of rain that only came two or three times a year. It was the kind of rain that drenched anything caught in it within moments. The few streetlamps that the town guards had managed to ignite sputtered and spat as droplets of rain found their way inside.

Sheets upon sheets of water poured from the sky as Marien had made her way up the front path of a large house on the outskirts of the city. Marien felt a chill piercing down to her very bones; her oilskin coat had held back the water for mere moments before it was soaked through.

Reaching the front stoop, Marien hesitated for a moment, before knocking on the door.

As the door cracked open, Marien bowed her head, "Good evening Mrs. Kolvest."

The surprise on Kara's face was obvious as she peered into the dark. "Marien? What are you doing here?"

"I'd like to talk. May I enter?"

"Yes yes, of course dear!" Kara opened the door wide and hustled Marien inside.

"What are you doing out there in a storm like this?" Kara asked, helping Marien out of her cloak, "I'm surprised you didn't drown."

"Me too," Marien replied, trying to hide her nervousness.

"Well come in. My goodness girl, you are freezing! I'll get you some fresh clothes and you go and sit by the fire."

Within moments Marien had been seated in a high backed armchair beside a roaring fire, dressed in a pair of pajamas and a thick fuzzy robe. In her right hand she held a steaming cup of tea, and in her left hand a small plate bearing a buttered scone.

"There we are," Kara said, draping a woolen blanket over Marien's shoulders before dropping into a chair across from her. "Are you comfortable? Do you need anything?"

"No ma'am, thank you," Marien bowed her head.

"Call me Kara dear, we are family after all."

Marien shifted uncomfortably, "Thank you very much for your hospitality. I must admit... I didn't expect this warm a reception."

Kara sighed, "I suppose I can understand that. Please understand dear, my concerns about you and my son were never intended to hurt you." Her ears drooped, "Though I suppose that is cold comfort at best."

"No, I... I understand that. You want what's best for Sieg." Marien smiled and shrugged, "That's something that we share."

"You're a sweet girl. As for Conrad... well he does have a way of making people feel... on edge."

"Sieg said he was disowned."

Kara paused for a moment and looked down at her hands, "Yes well... Conrad can be quite rash sometimes, but he wants to protect his family. He worked so hard to climb the ranks, and when Renner..." Kara turned and stared into the flames, "Conrad changed after Renner passed. He became focussed, obsessed really, on the family name, and on cementing his legacy."

"Not sure that disowning his only son is a good way to do that," Marien scoffed.

Kara looked up at Marien, her smile fading, "My husband is a flawed man, but he is also a good one. In your house you may speak as you desire, but in this house I would ask that you speak of Conrad with respect."

"Not a courtesy he ever extended to me," Marien thought to herself, but resisted the urge to say it out loud.

"So, Marien, what made you decide to visit me this evening?"

Swallowing a lump in her throat, Marien nodded "Yes... Well... As you know, the time of joining is in ten days. Sieg will be getting out of the hospital the day it starts and..."

"Yes."

"Sieg and I..." Marien's face turned bright red, "Well... we..."

"Relax dear." Kara leaned forward and placed a hand on Marien's knee, "The servants have gone home for the night, it is just you and I here. There is no need to be embarrassed."

"Well we've... we've tried for two cycles to have a child, and it hasn't worked."

Kara nodded, "I see."

"We've done... everything, everything we could think of. I mean we... well... during the week we... you know... as many times as we could..."

"I understand dear."

After taking a sip of tea to wet her suddenly dry throat, Marien spoke again. "Last year, Sieg mentioned that... you and your husband... may have had... similar troubles."

Kara nodded slowly, "After Renner was born, Conrad and I went through five cycles trying to have another child, with no success."

"How did you... fix the issue?"

"Well, we spoke with the doctors."

"Sieg and I have tried that... nothing."

"There are medicines-"

"I've tried that, but it was no use! Please, if there is something else..."

An unreadable expression had come across Kara's face and she leaned back in her chair. For a long time Kara had simply sat and stared at Marien. Marien, for her part, tried her best to not allow her nervousness to show.

Finally, Kara spoke, "I had... help."

"What kind of help?"

"I know of some... people, people I was guided to by a friend when I had the same trouble that you are experiencing."

"That's wonderful! Who-" Marien paused as Kara held up a hand. She was taken aback by the sudden change in Kara. Her face had changed, gone was the motherly smile and warm eyes, replaced by a deadly serious gaze that seemed to bore into Marien's soul.

"These are people to whom I owe a great debt, a debt that you too will owe. They will protect themselves and their secrets, with violence if needed. Your rank, your position, they will not protect you."

Marien felt a chill run up her spine, "I... understand."

Reaching out, Kara took Marien's hands in hers, "You must be certain dear."

With a final breath, Marien met Kara's eyes and spoke as honestly as she could. "I want to have a child with Sieg, and I will do whatever it takes for that to happen."

After that, for another long moment Kara had sat quietly, her eyes pouring over every detail of Marien's face. Finally, a warm smile crossed her lips and she nodded. "Very well. I will make some arrangements."

Marien nodded, "Thank you."

"Bring something of Sieg's with you, it will be needed. And speak of this to absolutely no one. Not even Sieg."

Five days later, a note was slipped under Marien's door. The note had read simply: "Four days, Morning, Dauntless Market, Alone."

===

As Marien approached the well in the middle of Dauntless Market Square, she felt her heart beat fast and hard. The market was one of several in the female quarter, and was smaller than the others though no less busy. Carts of fresh produce and fish ringing the cobbled square, while merchants and tradeswomen of all kinds wandered about with smaller carts laden with goods. A few guards stood around, mostly talking with one another or watching the crowds with disinterest.

As Marien approached the stone well in the center of the square, suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. Spinning around, she raised her fists at the cloaked figure who had grabbed her, but froze when she saw that it was Kara, her face was mostly hidden behind a long brown cloak.

"You came alone?" Kara whispered.

"Yes."

"Good, then follow me."

Without another word, Kara turned and strode off. With a deep breath, Marien followed along behind her.

Moving quickly, Kara led Marien into a narrow side street. Ducking from shadow to shadow, Kara and Marien made their way into the darkened alleyways that wound through the city. Marien had the feeling that Kara had doubled back several times, and by the time they arrived at their destination, a narrow alley between two large storage warehouses, Marien was well and truly lost.

As soon as they stopped, Kara reached into her cloak and withdrew a long strip of black material.

"A blindfold?" Marien asked, raising an eyebrow.

Kara shrugged, "I'm afraid it is non negotiable."

As Marien reached out to take the blindfold, Kara held up a hand. "This is your last chance to back out. If you turn away now, they demand only that you tell no one about this. But the moment you put on that blindfold... there will be no turning back."

"Will I regret this?"

A smile crossed Kara's face, "These people gave me Seig, and I've never regretted that."

Without another word, Marien took the blindfold and wrapped it around her eyes.

The moment the fabric obscured her vision, Marien heard movement all around her. Before she could react she felt her hands being pulled behind her back and bound with chains.

"Don't fight," Kara called out, "They will not hurt you if you don't resist."

Marien opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly one of her unseen assailants shoved a piece of cloth into her mouth. The cloth had a pungent aroma to it that made it hard for Marien to think straight. She felt a pair of hands remove her sword belt, while another set of strong hands forced onto her knees. A heavy metal collar was snapped into place around Marien's neck and finally, a hood of thick material was pulled over her head. The inside of the hood was lined with little bells that all but eliminated her ability to hear.

Bound and helpless, Marien could do nothing but wait and try to quiet the terror raging through her. She tested the shackles, but they were locked tight. Eventually, someone pulled on the chain attached to her collar, pulling her to her feet and guiding her forwards. Trying not to stumble, Marien slowly began walking.

"What if this is just a joke! Or a trick?!" Marien's mind raced, "What if this is Kara's way of making me unfit to be Sieg's wife! If someone saw me like this, I'd be tossed out of the army, I'd be banished!" A fresh wave of panic welled up inside Marien as she fought the mental image of being dragged out into the street, abandoned, stripped, and helpless.

Marien was so preoccupied with her fears that she barely noticed that she was being led down a set of stairs. Stumbling on a step, Marien felt several pairs of hands catch her and keep her from falling.

"Easy now," a strange male voice said, "Don't be frightened, but watch your footing. We're almost there."

After what felt like perhaps ten or fifteen minutes, the pull of the collar on Marien's neck stopped, and a voice called out, "We've arrived."

In a flurry, the bag was pulled from Marien's head, the collar was unlocked, the cloth removed from her mouth, and the shackles removed.

As Marien took a deep, shuddering breath to calm herself, another voice, this one female, spoke up, "You may remove your blindfold now."

As she pulled the blindfold off, Marien was greeted by a staggering sight. She was in a large underground chamber, a natural cavern that had been reinforced with ancient, stone pillars. Half a dozen small passages vanished into the darkness, some natural, others clearly carved out of the bedrock. In the center of the cavern was a crystal clear pool of water, so deep that Marien could not make out the bottom. The surface was disturbed only by the occasional drop of water from the ancient, massive stalactites hanging from the ceiling. Embedded in the largest stalactite was an ancient mana crystal that cast off a soft, warm glow.

But it wasn't the size or shape of the chamber that shocked Marien. The cavern was occupied by dozens of completely unclothed Basitins, both males and females, including half a dozen or so children of various ages. Some carried pots of water, others were busy preparing food, but most simply lounged in nests made from blankets, pillows and other soft furnishings. Some wore limited clothing, a loin cloth or shawl, but most had not a scrap of cloth upon them. A pair of Basitins to Marien's left were working on a handmade loom to create a wonderfully intricate scarf, while to her right, not twenty paces away, a young male and female lay in a nearby nest, casually making love.

"What is this place?" Marien breathed.

A voice behind Marien spoke, "We call it 'The Hearth'."

Marien spun around and found herself face to face with Kara, and beside her stood a tall, muscular female.

Kara bowed her head, "Marien Kolvest, please allow me to introduce Priestess Alwyn, Matriarch of the Hearth."

Alwyn was massive for a Basitin woman, tall and muscular, with fur a dark oaken brown marked with stripes of pale ivory. She was not quite as tall as King Adelaide, whom Marien had seen during a Royal visit to Basikal last fall, but she was in the same league. Her hair was snow white and cut at her shoulders, save for a single long braid that went down her back to her waist.

As with all the other Basitins in the cave, Alwyn wore no clothing, save for a colourful patterned scarf around her neck. Her body was marked with painted symbols and runes that looked to be western markings, but were somehow markedly different. A large pale scar ran from the side of her neck, across her chest and belly, all the way down to her right thigh. Marien shuddered to imagine the kind of wound that could cause that kind of scar.

Alwyn's large amber coloured eyes narrowed slightly as she stared down at Marien, "You are the one Kara spoke of."

"Y-yes, yes ma'am," Marien stuttered

"You are a soldier."

Marien nodded, "Yes... I am."

"So, do you come to make war upon us?"

"N-no."

"Then what do you come for, little soldier?"

"I... I uh..."

"She came to seek your help Priestess," Kara spoke up, "She is-"

Kara fell silent as Alwyn raised a hand, "I will hear it from her."

Forcing herself to meet the massive Basitins gaze, Marien drew upon her training and courage. Squaring her shoulders and straightening her back, she spoke loudly and clearly, "I have come because I was told you could help. My mate and I desire a child."

"And the spirits have yet to grant one to you."

"The spirits?"

A look of genuine sadness crossed Alwyn's face for a moment, but was swiftly replaced by her hard gaze. "Tell me, Marien Kolvest, what do you think of our sanctuary?"

"It's..." Marien looked around, "It's certainly interesting."

"You do not approve."

Marien paused, "Well..." After a moment's pause she looked back up at Alwyn. "Frankly, no, I'm not certain I do."

A small smile crossed Alwyns face, "Oh? And why do you not approve, little soldier."

"Well, everything else aside, you have children here and you are exposing them to..." Marien's face turned red as she gestured at the couple still making love a short distance away and then at Alwyn's body, "To all of this."

Alwyn placed her hands on her hips, "Tell me, little soldier, what is shameful about this body? The body is precious and sacred, it grants us life and allows us to create life. It should not be hidden away and treated with scorn."

"But it's indecent."

"If there were a people that considered hands indecent, would you allow them to force you to wear mittens for the rest of your life?"

"I suppose not, no," Marien answered hesitantly.

"We cover our ankles, while Kiedran do not, are all Kiedran indecent?"

"By our standards, yes, I suppose so."

"So covering our hands to comfort another you would not accept, but you would call Kiedran indecent for refusing to cover their ankles."

Marien paused for a moment, "I'm... not sure, but there is a difference. I don't know how I know it, but I do."

"Indeed... perhaps you 'know' it in the same way as those who look upon you and your Western traits, and 'know' that you are the enemy and should be treated as such?"

Alwyn's words struck Marien like a hammer blow.

Alwyn gestured around the cavern, "You speak of our children. We protect them by refusing to teach them meaningless and shallow shame. They are taught to respect their bodies, and the bodies of others, to embrace them with pride and hold them as sacred."

Marien found herself flustered and frustrated, "I can see your point, but it doesn't change the fact that all this is illegal! If this place were ever discovered, all of you, even the children, would be banished at the very least. Is any belief worth that kind of sacrifice?"

"You're not wrong. But tell me, do you approve of the human empire taking slaves? It is legal, after all, and they would even say that it is moral."

"That's different."

Alwyn raised an eyebrow, "Again, you say it is different, and again I ask: How so? Everything you see here was once not only allowed, but encouraged. Our people used to be sensuous, exploring one another as we explored the land, allowing life to run through us like a river."

After taking a moment to think, Marien spoke again, "It's not that I don't understand what you are saying, and there is logic there. But you can't deny that this way of life is self indulgent, and it doesn't make our people stronger."

Alwyn folded her hands behind her back and began walking around Marien, studying her, "Are you claiming that, without the individuals here, Basidian may fall? Is your need for warriors that great?"

"If everyone thought that way and acted like this there would be no soldiers."

"If everyone acted like us there would be no war."

"Not against the West maybe, but what about the humans? Or the Keidran?"

In a motion that was so fast Marien could barely even see it, Alwyn drew a knife from a sheath on her forearm and placed the blade against Marien's throat.

"I believe you are mistaking 'peaceful' for 'defenseless', little soldier."

Marien met Alwyn's gaze steadily despite the blade against her throat. "So much for your pacifism. I don't accept your way of life so you threaten me?

"What are you, little soldier, if not the living embodiment of this knife, pressed to the throats of our Western brothers and sisters?"

"Are you trying to convert me? Is that why I am here?" Marien demanded. "You asked what I thought, I told you. You don't need me to approve of you, and I certainly don't need YOU to approve of ME."

With a chuckle, Alwyn stepped back and replaced the knife in its sheath, "I believe I like you, little soldier. You have a stout heart, and you speak honestly. We shall do what we can to help you."

Breathing an internal sigh of relief, Marien bowed her head, "Thank you."

Alwyn turned and started walking towards the rear of the cave. With a nod from Kara, Marien followed behind her.

As she walked, Alwyn started to speak. "We follow the old Basitin ways, the traditions and teachings of our ancestors before the great schism. We protect what others would see destroyed, and we will protect it with our lives if we must."

Alwyn paused to tussle the hair of a young boy as he ran past. As the boy ran off, she continued, "We have powerful friends and allies. If it should ever occur to you that you may use the knowledge of our existence to advance yourself, it will mean only your own death. On the other hand, now that you know of us, should the need arise we will do what we can to protect you."

"I wonder if General Alaric knew about these people..." Marien thought to herself, "There were all those rumours about him..."

"The traditions we maintain are ancient, and have survived centuries, despite countless efforts to destroy us by Kings and Generals alike. If this hearth falls, there are many others."

As Marien, Kara and Alwyn made their way past the pool, Marien noticed a pair of young girls push a small boat made out of folded parchment out into the water. With great speed the boat was pulled away from the shore and towards the center of the pool. The moment it reached the center, it was yanked below the surface and vanished into the depths in mere seconds, much to the giggling amusement of the girls.

"The current must go out into the ocean..." Marien thought, watching as the boat vanished into the dark. "Hidden entrances, fresh water, political allies, and an excellent way to get rid of waste. No wonder they've been able to stay so well hidden."

As they reached the rear wall of the cave, Alwyn led Kara and Marien to a thick red curtain decorated with painted markings and golden coloured beads. As they arrived, Marien noted that a small group of other females had joined their procession, but stood back at a respectful distance.

Alwyn stopped and turned, "The most important thing I want you to understand about us is simply this: what we do, we do for the good of the Basitin people in its entirety. When our work here is done and you return to the surface, we ask that you dedicate yourself to the same cause."

"What do you mean?" Marien asked.

"That you will use your life in the service of the Basitin people, of all Basitin people."

"But I'm a soldier, you said so yourself, and we're at war."

Alwyn paused for a moment and stepped forward, her chest less than a hand's width from Marien's. As Alwyn raised her hand, Marien braced herself for a strike.

"With our help, you are about to become something far more than a soldier," Alwyn said, gently stroking Marien's cheek. "You will be a mother. And if you can tell me truly, when you hold that small, precious little life in your arms, that your fondest desire for her will be to seize hold of a weapon, to fight and wound and main and kill and die, then nothing we do here will matter."

Marien tilted her head slightly, "Then what would you have me do?"

"Only what you can, little soldier." Alwyn smiled, "Only what you can."

Drawing back a thick red curtain, Alwyn revealed a small cave carved into the rock. Several coloured lanterns hung from the ceiling, as well as a huge variety of dried flowers and other plants, all tied with silk ribbons. Dozens of small cubby holes were cut into the walls of the cave, each filled to bursting with jars and bottles of all shapes and sizes.

In the center of the cave was a solid rock slab with a thick quilt nestled into an adult sized hollow carved into the stone. Around the hollow were dozens of candles and small bowls of metal and porcelain.

As Marien stared in wonder at the cave, the females that had been following stepped forward. Before Marien could react, they began pulling off her clothes.

"Hey!" Marien turned, "Hey wait!"

"We cannot help you if we cannot see you in your entirety," Alwyn said with an amused smile as one of the females grabbed hold of the top of Marien's tunic and pulled it over her head.

"But- Hey stop that! Wait, I!" Marien looked desperately over to Kara, "Help!"

"Relax," Kara replied. "Trust us."

Despite her complaints and resistance, within moments Marien was completely unclothed. Even her ankle wraps had been removed and whisked away. Her face burned red as she used her arms and tail to cover herself, drawing a few sympathetic smiles and chuckles from the surrounding crowd.

"Now," Alwyn gestured to the stone slab, "Lie down."

Still burning with embarrassment, Marien shuffled forwards and climbed up onto the slab. As she sat down in the hollow, Marien hesitated for a moment.

"It's alright." Alwyn put a hand on her shoulders and gently pushed her down, "Just relax." As Marien lay back, Alwyn guided her arms away from covering herself and placed them at her sides.

Just outside of the cave, the other females sat down upon the ground and began to hum a low, soft tone. The humming filled the cavern, reverberating off the walls, notes crashing against one another and combining into a deeply textured echo. The humm penetrated deep into Marien's body, filling her with a feeling she couldn't quite describe.

"Did you bring an item of the male's?" Alwyn asked.

"I-in my tunic, it's a red cloth," Marien managed, her face still burning hot with embarrassment as she fought the urge to cover herself.

"Are you alright?" Kara asked, gently taking Marien's hand.

Marien nodded, "I... I think so."

As Alwyn bent down to recover the cloth, despite her embarrassment Marien found herself sinking into the quilt. The humming of the women, the softness of the quilt, along with the scents of the plants above her, made Marien feel safe and relaxed despite her mind screaming at her that she should be humiliated.

Recovering the cloth from Marien's tunic, Alwyn returned to Marine's side. "This is it?"

"Yes."

Reaching up to one of the bundles hanging from the ceiling, Alwyn picked a few small flowers. From a delicately carved glass bottle nestled into one of the walls, she withdrew a pinch of red powder. Crushing the flowers and the powder together into a bowl, Alwyn placed the bowl over one of the candles. As the concoction began to smoke, filling the cave with a spicy aroma, Alwyn withdrew a small knife from a sheath on her arm and sliced off a thin strip of the cloth and added it to the mixture. Immediately, bands of thick grey smoke began to roll lazily over the sides of the bowl.

Taking the bowl into her hands, Alwyn waved it over Marien's head.

"Breath long and deep, little soldier."

As a few small wisps of smoke drifted down towards her, Marien took a deep breath. Immediately she felt a powerful rush course through her body, her toes and fingers curled as her entire body tensed.

"The male is fertile," Alwyn announced, putting aside the bowl. "Then the problem must lie with the female." Raising a hand, Alwyn called out, "Seeta, Dawn, please come here."

Two of the humming females climbed to their feet and entered the cave.

"These two shall assist me," Alwyn said, looking down at Marien and gently putting a hand on her head. "You must lie as still as you can and trust us."

Still battling the rush running through her body, Marien nodded, "Okay..." Her breath felt hot as she spoke.

"Good. Then we shall begin."

For what felt like hours, Marien was poked, prodded, touched, and examined. With a tiny pair of silver scissors, the women cut small tufts of fur from all over her body, burning each sample with a different combination of herbs and powders. Small amounts of blood were taken and mixed with a fine sand, before being filtered and placed in small glass vials. All the while one of the women stood at the head of the altar and gently massaged Marien's ears.

Despite her embarrassment, something within Marien enjoyed the attention. The gentle stroking of her ears made it hard to focus on anything, and soon she found herself relaxing and simply allowing the women to touch her as they wished. She'd never felt this way before, she'd never felt quite so cared for, so fawned over, so female.

Alwyn, on the other hand, seemed to be growing concerned.

After sniffing the smoke rising off of one of the small bowls, her face twisted into a frown.

Stepping away from Marien and leaning close to Kara, Alwyn whispered, "I don't understand. Every test we have done says she is fertile."

"Could the problem be deeper?" Kara asked.

"No, we would see it in her blood. She is ready to bear children, and yet..." Alwyn glanced at Marien and back at Kara, "Could this be a trap?"

"She is no fool," Kara replied after a moment's thought. "She knows you spoke true in your warning. Besides, if there was any indication of our presence here, my husband would know it and would already have taken action."

"Perhaps."

"And even if they do know, why send her?"

"Perhaps with her western look they assumed we would be more likely to trust her."

Kara shook her head, "With all due respect Priestess, I have looked into her eyes. She loves my son, and she desperately wants a child. She is here for that and that alone, I swear it. Besides, if this was a trap there is no way she would allow things to go this far."

Alwyn sighed and crossed her arms, "Then perhaps... Perhaps we should simply empower what is already there."

Marien sighed contentedly as the woman standing behind her head continued to work her fingers on the edges of her ears.

As Alwyn approached, the woman massaging Marien's ears stopped and stepped away. Marien's eyes slowly slid open as Alwyn came up to her side, a strangely shaped bottle in her hands.

"We have something that should help you, little soldier."

Marien sat up as Alwyn placed the bottom of the bottle over one of the larger candles. Within moments the concoction began to smoke, filling the jar with thick blue vapour.

"This is a strong medicine," Alwyn warned as Marien watched the smoke swirl and dance. "It will awaken powerful desires within you, and should make you as receptive as possible."

Marien raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"An ancient mixture, used by our ancestors. Once you inhale, you will fall into a deep sleep. When night falls we shall return you to your home."

"I live with another..."

Alwyn smiled, "We have lived in the shadows for many many years, and we have become very adept at moving through them. When you awaken tomorrow, you will experience feelings you have not felt before."

Removing the bottle from the flame, Alwyn brought it close to Marien's nose, "A word of warning, it will be hard for you to control your impulses."

Marien nodded again, "I understand."

"No, little soldier, you do not, but you will."

Popping the top off of the bottle, Alywn reached out and clamped her hand over Marien's mouth, while pushing the mouth of the bottle against Marien's nose. Instinctively Marien took a deep breath, inhaling most of the smoke all at once.

Marien hacked and coughed as Alwyn released her. "There you go,." Alwyn urged, rubbing Marien's back as she coughed. "Just breathe."

"What are you-" Marien paused as the world started to spin around her. Alwyns face bent and contorted as little bands of brightly coloured light danced at the edges of Marien's vision. Thin trails of brightly coloured vapor rose off of every surface, all of them twisting together in exoctic, almost lewd patterns. Deep within her body, from her very core, a warmth bubbled to the surface, like a geyser just waiting to erupt.

As Marien's eyes drifted closed, the last thing she heard was Kara's voice.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine..."

===

Jabarian watched impatiently, hands folded behind his back, as the Chariot family sloop, Tahl's Victory, emerged from the inky blackness of night. The ship was the pride and joy of the Chariot family, built by Lyon's grandfather, and a scourge upon any pirates foolish enough to venture close to Basidian waters. The crew up in the rigging worked feverishly to roll up the dark blue and red sails as the vessel drew nearer and nearer the lantern-lit dock.

Standing on the dock, spears in hand, were three dozen of the Chariot Family's House Guard in perfect formation. Their uniforms and cloaks were marked with the mark of a scarlet shield, the sigil of the Chariot family.

As the vessel pulled alongside the dock, the sailors began gathering up ropes to throw to the dock workers. Just before the first rope was cast, a cloaked figure leapt over the side of the ship, landing gracefully on the dock.

Jabarian bowed as the cloaked figure approached him. "Welcome home, Lady Shani."

Lowering the hood covering her face, Shani Chariot smiled and nodded, "Good evening Jabarian. You're looking even greyer than I remember."

Even in the half light of the torch lit docks, Shani's peach coloured fur seemed to shine. Her face was soft, her limbs narrow and fine, and her soft tan hair drawn into a ponytail. Though many were fooled by her diminutive appearance, Jabarain was not. He knew how much effort Shani put into looking as harmless as possible.

With a small sigh, Jabarian gestured to a waiting carriage, "If you will, my lady."

"Of course." Looking over her shoulder, Shani called out, "See to it that she is ready to sail again at a moment's notice, Captain!"

"Aye aye!" the Captain shouted back, waving his hat. "We'll be awaiting your orders."

"And how was your hunt?" Jabarian asked, walking alongside Shani, his hands folded behind his back.

"Four Western ships burned, two pirate vessels destroyed, and we captured a ship of escaped Keidran slaves and were able to sell them back to the Templar for a tidy profit." Noting Jabarian's raised eyebrow, Shani shrugged, "We sank their ship immediately afterwards, of course."

"How very ruthless of you, my lady."

With a grin, Shani clapped Jabarian on the back, "Oh Jabarian, you always know exactly what to say. Now, where is that brother of mine? I'm surprised he isn't here to meet his baby sister."

"I was told to tell you that he is away on assignment," Jabarian replied. "But in truth, he is at the mansion putting the finishing touches on your surprise party."

"Oh... how sweet of him."

"Indeed."

The driver opened the carriage door as Jabarian and Shani approached.

"And what of your assignment?" Shani asked, settling into her seat and leaning her head against her hand.

Jabrain grunted softly as he dropped into his own seat. "The information you provided on the Breakwell's proved most effective, though Amber failed in her assignment."

"Good."

Jabarian raised an eyebrow, "Good?"

Shani looked out of the carriage window as it started to move, "Yes... it should be much more fun this way."

End of Part 7