Moonlit Passions

Chapter 4

Intimate Secrets

After receiving the honour of the King's commendation, Kirder had no desire to receive the scrutiny of the nobility or even to rush to tell Ithric. He was perfectly happy celebrating with afternoon tea with Cassie in her quarters at the top of the tower. For some reason she had invited Walter and Artie. Kirder gazed at Walter across the round silver table. The sunlight glinted off his dark hair. Certainly the blue cadet uniform suited him. It complimented his lush hair well and reflected his eyes. Kirder wondered whether tighter trousers would suit him better.

"Do tell us more of your life in military training, dears," said Cassie, smiling at their guests. Yes, they had two guests. Artie was here as well. But in all honesty, Kirder hadn't given Artie much thought. He had marked him down as a timid, introvert young boy.

"We both arrived at the training complex the same day," said Walter, "my mother kissed me good bye – she had been tearful to see me go and father offered me words of sound advice. To strive to do good and make him proud."

Kirder refrained from rolling his eyes. But he was not sure how much goody-goody two shoes talk he would have tolerated from a boy who was not devastatingly handsome.

"Artie arrived the same day and sadly got into the hands of a few bad fellows. They had made him tell him of his home life so that they would have material for coarse jeers and ridicule for weeks. They were yelling cruel things and pushing him around in the common room…"

"They called me a mother's boy and a milk sop," piped Artie, "and other things not fit for a lady's ears. But Walter stood up for me from the first."

"I say again, that Artie reminds me of my favourite brother," said Walter, smiling reminiscently. What pearly teeth he had…

"Ah, do you have many brothers? Any older than yourself?" asked Kirder.

"No Kirder, I am the eldest," said Walter, "I have two younger brothers and four sisters."

"Yes yes," said Kirder, uninterested in the younger siblings, "and to be a success in the kingdom's guard, a boy must be strong and manly." Of course, they could not all be as attractive as Walter.

"They must also take care of their own," said Walter, "and I had to be firm against some of the bigger fellows who attempted to force Artie to break the rules."

"They tried to force me to smuggle in ruby fruit for them," said Artie, "but Walter advised me to refuse."

"And rightly!" said Cassie, "if they want to intoxicate themselves, let them get their own drugs."

"Then they threatened to frighten me…" said Arty.

"Well I nipped that in the bud," said Walter, "subtlety was never their strong point. I caught them dressing up as the infernal Sschlangg's minions in the middle of the night and soundly thrashed Harpour – the ringleader. After that they left Arty alone."

Arty looked up at Walter, his blue eyes shining with adoration. "Walter was so good to be my friend. The time he became a hero on a training expedition in the mountains to the northeast of the kingdom, everyone was praising him to be skies and I knew they thought me special too, because of his friendship."

Honestly, could Artie fawn over him any more? Still Walter did look an engaging enough boy… Kirder supposed that Artie's thoughts must be running on parallel lines to his own.

Cassie smiled, her brown eyes twinkling. "Do tell us about the expedition, Walter."

Walter ran his fingers pensively through his thick dark hair. "It was in midwinter. Those of us who wish to progress to gold level in our training must cross Appenfell, the greatest of the mountains near the training complex. We are sent in pairs or trios. I was sent with two great friends of mine. But on the way back, a wintry mist descended on the mountain and we could not risk going back down the slope, for there are abandoned mine shafts there. Furthermore, there would have been no way to survive exposure overnight on the mountains. The only recourse left to us was for me to cross the ridge to the Bardlyn mountain – a hill of much lower elevation – and bring help back to my friends. The ridge was barely wide enough to admit me and the seething mist pressed in on me from all sides, like a spectral army."

Cassie leaned forwards, her eyes wide. Artie was gazing up at his friend, similarly enthralled. Certainly Walter knew how to tell a story.

"When I reached the Bardlyn slopes, I made straight for the nearest cottage and was instructed to call on a brave shepherd who had crossed the ridge many times. We returned equipped with a rope for safety. We discovered that my friends had been taking desperate measures to keep warm while they waited. We have often been told how the crotch is the warmest part of a human body and that if we are in a terrain where frostbite is a risk we should resort to warming our vulnerable parts on one another's crotches. Well my friends were doing just that. They had snuggled together and were warming their faces just in this fashion. That was quite a surprise. Then we all had to cross the ridge…"

"Walter dear, your friends, describe them a little please." Cassie was gazing at him intently, her green face showing avid attention to the story. Kirder wondered if he would allow any cadet to warm his face against his own crotch.

Walter gazed back at her, clearly a little puzzled. "My friends are Heinrich and Kraft. Heinrich is a red headed fellow, with a bold, freckled face, mingled fire and refinement in that face that speaks of a fiery and impetuous nature and a good heart. Kraft has dark hair and eyes and olive skin. He is of aristocratic stock too, lady. His fine features show a noble lineage, as do your own."

Kirder thought how much scorn he would show if Horstman begged on his knees to warm his face to ward off frostbite. He would never allow such a thing! It was fine that Heinrich and Kraft trusted each other so, but most likely, one so effeminate as Horstman would want to such at his manly parts till they became engorged…

"What lovely boys," said Cassie when their guests had left.

"Oh yes, that Walter is a fine, strong and handsome boy…" said Kirder absently.

Cassie's shining silvery instrument glowed.

"Another guest – one gracious in defeat," said Cassie peering into her silver globe so that its light shimmered on her smooth green face.

The guest was Wilhelmijn. Kirder stood and bowed as she entered. She smiled and bowed in return and then knelt and kissed Cassie's hand.

"Lady Bellatores," she said in her best formal tone, "my conscience directs me here. It is regarding today's combat." She turned to Kirder, her cheeks flushing slightly pink. "Sorry Kirder, it concerns you, but I cannot keep between us."

Cassie narrowed her eyes. Kirder was simply puzzled.

"It has to do with the shadow spell I used in the arena. The one that causes the target's self-doubts to become apparitions."

"Oh yes. Well they were not what I call fearsome."

"The last one would have been, if it had manifested," said the mage softly. "I preferred to lose the tournament than to put you at risk."

"What risk?" asked Cassie. Why was she so tense? Kirder put his arm around her shoulder.

"The apparition was taking the form of the great enemy – the spiteful shadow from the underworld – Sschlangg."

How dramatic Wilhelmijn sounded. She could be an actress as well as a mage.

Cassie turned her green face to his. Why did she gaze at him in reproach?

"You did not tell me this, Kirder?"

"I did not realise. I suppose Wilhelmijn banished it. But it is a dream of mine. To bring the foul fiend down for all he has done. Who says it is not in my stars? Maybe the goddess of the Moon has a special purpose for me? No one can tell me nay."

"A great shadow is a great ill omen – that is a mage saying." Wilhelmijn looked grave as she said this. No doubt mages had a great many peculiar sayings.

When the lesser mage had left, Cassie plumped down on the silvery cushions of the sofa. She was rubbing her green cheek in the way that meant she was troubled. He sat beside her. The light of her magical orb gleamed off her ruddy hair and bright, silky-smooth skin. How well she had chosen that dress of variegated midnight blues for this evening… Kirder thought that the other ladies did not choose their dresses with such astuteness, even though the other ladies need not worry that their complexions would clash with their attire.

"My dear… if I am to help you we must trust each other fully."

"Cassie – I do trust you with everything I know. With my life."

She gave a wry smile. "I am to blame. I – I keep certain things close. But now we must begin to share secrets."

"Anything you are comfortable with."

She snuggled against him. "Poor sweet one… this will not be a comforting subject. But you must understand me. My story will begin one day when I was at the Capital Port. Quite by chance, a young delinquent who had escaped from the jail complex ran up to me and begged on his hands and knees for me to save him from his tormentor and to look into his heart and see the truth. I did not want to look in anyone's mind without great need – such a thing is highly intrusive. But he threatened to throw himself into the water otherwise so I stared into his eyes and saw the truth."

Cassie rubbed her temples. "I was so upset at the time, but now such things won't make me lose composure. What does that say about me now I wonder?"

"I suppose it says you are strong willed and determined to do the right thing despite adversity," said Kirder."

She chuckled, putting her arms around him. "Oh Kirder… there is such a sweetness in you despite everything… I almost wish I need not tell you these things. It was so vile… Warden Schlockwurm of the Capital juvenile facility had r***d the poor boy … and others. He had gloated that no one would believe 'a contemptible low life no better than a worm'… and when his deputy accidentally witnessed his depravity he did nothing, reinforcing the idea that no one cared…" Cassie's bottom lip trembled and tears came to her brown eyes. Evidently it did affect her to talk about this despite the steely composure she had claimed. He hugged her close to him and gently stroked her back as her body shook with sobs. She sniffed and gazed up at him. Weeping never makes anyone look lovelier, but Cassie could actually weather it well. Her shining tears did flow down her cheeks, but her skin could not go blotchy or anything so unsightly as that. "That is the part that still really gets to me. How hopeless he must have felt when the deputy proved there was no help."

He cupped her face in his hands. Her brown eyes shimmered with her tears. In this moment she seemed like a young girl, distressed and in need of reassurance. "You did care. You showed that the King has at least some subjects who have integrity."

Cassie nodded and swallowed. "Oh Kirder, what will you think of me when you know all…? I immediately went to the King and begged his Majesty to remove the vile man from his post and make him stand trial. But his Majesty decreed this be handled discreetly. He made me an offer. That I should be the one to eliminate the warden and in return I must take on the duties of an assassin! One who would secretly remove the most evil of his delinquent subjects. I – I agreed. I kill for his Majesty." Her dark green bottom lip quivered again.

He held her to him and gently rocked her. It was comfort she wanted, clearly. "What else could you have done," he said as he tenderly stroked her long red hair. "You would never have let that beast of a man carry on his depredations. You have an indomitable spirit."

The light of the setting sun shone off her green nose and cheeks and glinted off her fiery hair. The expression in her brown eyes was unfathomable. "I had to do things I would have once thought questionable. To gather evidence against the old monster I had to probe the minds of different juvenile inmates to record memories to show his Majesty. They consented, but what choice did they have? And some of the memories really sickened me. Schlockwurm pawing at them with his swollen sausage shaped fingers and then violating them…" She choked and he held her tightly to him.

"Only confide in me what you feel comfortable in sharing," he said smoothly.

"Well the comforting part is the end of Schlockwurm's tale. In the end I got to put the curse of scorpions on him. They materialised in his quarters and stung him mercilessly. He died in agony. His deputy was sacked and the men currently running the facility know why and they know what awaits them if they ever abuse power. And now I am duty bound to kill in secret as his Majesty requires. But I am thankful that we have a compassionate king who will not remove anyone unless there is no other way. Kirder… I would understand if you do not wish for our essences to join. But I believe I could help with your worthy aspiration. To end the menace of Sschlangg forever."

"Why would I condemn you?" said Kirder, "really, men like that deputy who was willing to turn a blind eye to scum like that Schlockwurm are the ones who are beneath us both. We cannot take for granted the standards our kingdom has built up over centuries. If we were to let depraved men r**e or otherwise torment the weak, then we would be no better than the horrors of the desert. You are the kind of subject his Majesty sorely needs."

"I do love you, Kirder" said Cassie softly as she hugged him. "I knew my secrets would be safe with you. We must begin your training, but we must start at the beginning. First you must know a little bit about the terrible desert."

Cassie quickly gathered a map of the desert and laid it out on the marble table. They sat opposite one another and Cassie pointed out the different regions of the desert.

"Immediately to the west of our Kingdom is the realm of the cruel hobgoblins. Like all of the most primitive people in our world, they live their lives on rigid patrilineal lines. Their women must be swaddled in slave wrappings the entire time, remain hidden and receive no education. At one time the hobgoblins were advanced and constructed architectural marvels, but now perhaps their conformity to evil and arcane dogma is holding back progress. Their northern realm is lost to them and its greatest structures have been overtaken by dragons.

Cassie pointed to the north of the hobgoblin territory. The dragons are magically powerful beasts. I have experimented with dragon parts on myself to increase my powers. She gave a wry smile and stroked her green cheek. You can see evidence of the magic in me. I wear the colour of all magical creatures.

She pointed further west, where a mountain range was depicted. "High in the mountains live the harpies. They are also magical creatures and very dangerous. They resemble human women as vividly green as I am – but with mighty wings and fearsome claws. They can fly to great heights." Cassie touched his hand and spoke softly, "this may come as a shock, but they have been known to swoop down on young men, seeking to r**e them."

Rape? By a female creature? That sounded so absurd that Kirder smiled. "Any man should push a harpy off if she tried anything of that kind. He shouldn't come to any harm."

He was taken aback by the intensity of Cassie's glare. "Never make light of such things!" Her brown eyes glinted in anger and she breathed heavily through her nose. "For your information, injury is perfectly possible for any man being r***d by a female attacker. The male thing is of course hard and inflexible when erect and could be seriously hurt if moved the wrong way and the female pelvis is a strong body part. And then there is the trauma, just as with man on man cases. Never refer to r**e by a harpy as a joke. It is no game. Rather it is brutal ravishing by a twisted thing that was once a woman."

"Sorry, I wasn't thinking," he stammered, "I mean, probably most of us in the kingdom are not educated enough to realise..." He felt somewhat queasy over the details and wished he had not been so crass.

Her expression softened. "Well now you know. However unusual attacks by harpies may be, compassion is not a limited resource. Compassion for victims should never be limited."

She pointed to the westernmost reaches of the map, beyond the mountains. "And here are the lava fields. Rumoured to open out onto the underworld. Sschlangg cannot return from them as yet, but his banishment was not permanent. He will rise again."

"And I will be waiting," said Kirder grimly.