Champion

Chapter 57

But I am an acolyte of Eros," Laurena exclaimed distraught. "When I become a full priestess I am supposed to keep the peace and defend the helpless; except my magic is too weak to even defend myself. I am useless," she finished, beginning to sob.

Realizing that there was no easy solution to this situation, David decided to improvise. "Both of you go to bed. I will set up an early warning system and join you shortly."

Giving him a hard look, Sapphire prepared to argue, but noted his significant glance at the acolyte and finally nodded her head in acceptance. She guided Laurena into the tent and poked her head back out a moment later, whispering fiercely "If you aren't in here soon I'm coming out there to drag you in."

Sighing David simply nodded, and set about his task. He conjured nearly three hundred meters of string and set up two separate trip-lines at shin height around the circumference of the camp, the first at ten meters from the tent and the second at thirty meters. Then he conjured small bells and attached them to the strings. Testing them he made sure he could clearly hear the sound from the entrance of the tent and then he made sure to leave a gap in the tent opening to help the sound carry inside. It was an imperfect solution, but he really didn't need Sapphire mad at him.

***

"I'm sorry," Laurena began, as soon as Sapphire returned to the tent.

"For what?" Sapphire asked.

"For your penance...," the acolyte replied, stunning Sapphire, "...and David's."

"What do mean?"

"When Astinus decided that both of you had committed crimes against Eros, I did not understand. I asked him 'How was David wrong for defending himself?'" Laurena explained. "He told me that David defending himself was not wrong, but David should have incapacitated the men, not killed them. I agreed with him then, because I simply did not know any better. But tonight, I saw what he did. David saved us, and if he had tried to act in any other way, we would probably be dead now.

"Those men were trying to kill us. Not rob us, or hurt us, or...rape...us, kill us. And there are more of them. At first I thought he was just being brutal and sadistic when he started to...hurt...that man; but then I heard what he said. There are nearly a hundred of them. What if they had tried to attack us again? How could we possibly survive that many? David was right to do what he did, because he needed to know how to protect us. That was when I realized Astinus was wrong, I was wrong, and you and David have had to suffer through being punished for being 'right' this whole time." With these words she began crying again.

Sapphire was dumbstruck. This was the last thing she expected to hear from the acolyte. Sure, this night had been dangerous, but she didn't think it had been dangerous enough to cause a total conversion for Laurena...except apparently it had. Still confused, Sapphire moved forward and comforted the other woman. She also conjured a large sleeping mat similar to the cushions in the temple, as well as pillows and a large blanket for the three of them. She wasn't sure she completely trusted Laurena's new found conversion, but she was certain that the woman was in bad shape tonight. She shouldn't have to sleep alone, and Sapphire was damn sure not going to sleep away from David. She could share with the acolyte tonight, especially if it brought some measure of comfort to the distraught woman.

She kicked off her boots, helped Laurena with hers, and then got them both tucked in. Sapphire lay next to Laurena and whispered words of comfort as she stroked the young woman's hair, while her mind drifted back to the events of the previous night. She thought about how nervous and jealous she had been at the beginning, and then how much she had enjoyed watching David with Laurena once they had started. Perhaps they could eventually share more than comfort between the three of them, if this newfound humility and understanding of Laurena's lasted.

***

Entering the tent, David noticed Sapphire had placed a large sleeping mat on the floor. Sapphire was lying near the middle, and whispering soothing words to Laurena. David stripped his equipment off and removed his boots, keeping his pants and shirt on. He had worked up quite a sweat under his armor during the fighting and flight to safety, and he began shivering. The nights had started to develop a chilling bite, and even the days were cooler. He decided tomorrow he would start wearing more layers.

Casting a spell of cleansing, he made sure he was dry and clean before climbing under the blanket next to Sapphire. Rolling over, she climbed over his body and pushed him to the middle, so that she was on one side and Laurena was on the other. David was a bit surprised by this move, but he chose not to argue. Laurena was having a lot of trouble with everything that had happened, and he figured that she needed reassurance from him as well as Sapphire.

Sapphire cuddled up to his side and laid her head on the right side of his chest. Her breathing steadied and deepened as she drifted off to sleep, David's hand rubbing soothingly up and down her back. He was slightly surprised when Laurena tentatively inched closer to him, but after seeing the look of worry on her face he lifted his arm around her and drew her into his left side, allowing her to mirror Sapphire's position. She was initially surprised by his actions, but looked up at him gratefully before lowering her head to his chest and drifting off to sleep as well.