Chapter 11

Morgan and I returned to the van. Sitting out in the sun with Stone’s gore spread across the seats had not improved it any. Of course, my own baked vomit, stale urine, and fear sweat perfume was unlikely to be a fashion sensation either.

“What now?” he asked.

“I need to call Oak Leaf and warn them that they are entering a hostile situation. Food, showering and possibly some clothes would be greatly valued.”

“We want to avoid Passion Mill discovering that Stone has been killed and that I’m not on the way to Brenhaven.”

“True. Any village will be a risk. Our electronics factory probably communicates with Passion Mill multiple times a day. How would you feel about the Cow and Crown?”

“I’ve never stayed at the Crown, but an inn might be a good choice. There’s some risk of course, but we could quickly get out of the way. Presumably you’d appreciate someone familiar like Dolphin Frolicking Unchecked.”

“I would, if you think it makes sense.”

“I think the risk is no worse than anything else, and better than some.”

He pulled onto the road and turned around. I directed him so as to arrive at the Cow and Crown from the Three Rivers Confluence road.

I relaxed slightly as I approached the massive walnut door of the Cow and Crown. The weathered door, like the inn itself, withstood the test of time, standing as a bastion of safety for many a traveler. My hand closed on the familiar metal knob and I pulled the door open.

The musk of the lobby welcomed me. I felt a brief tingle from the web. I squatted to offer, relaxing into the embrace of the web as I muttered the inn’s long name under my breath. Morgan offered beside me, presumably valuing any connection he could find after our morning.

I stepped into the lobby proper. Approaching the desk would be awkward and embarrassing: while the Cow and Crown catered to all classes, custom demanded entering with the full dignity of your station, whatever that might be. Ladies simply did not arrive at the Cow And Crown naked, unkempt, impecunious. I glanced toward the desk. Eager Rabbit sat in his familiar charcoal suit, by all appearances unruffled by our entrance. Facing Rabbit would be easier than an unfamiliar clerk.

Before I approached the desk, Dolphin rushed into the room, disheveled and bleary-eyed. When Rabbit saw her he said, “Dolphin, we have a red three-five-two when you have a moment.”

“Thanks Rabbit.”

Rabbit gulped. Once again, I found myself on the wrong end of a gun in expert hands. This time, Morgan was also a target. As Dolphin finished speaking, a man and woman standing unobtrusively behind the desk, dressed in servants’ uniforms had drawn and covered us both.

“My lord and lady, slowly raise your hands, keeping them at all times away from your weapons,” Dolphin said. We complied. “Rabbit, I think I’ll take that briefing now.”

“Passion Mill was taken by a coup today a couple of hours after you retired. Local leaders joined with a Brenhaven lord; the lord and lady out of Oak Leaf have not been seen.”

Dolphin signed to her security. The woman covering me shifted her aim slightly, although I had no doubt that she still had a rapid shot available.

“Dolphin, we escaped. Lord Morgan and I were hoping for a chance to call Oak Leaf and to clean up, and possibly recover a bit before we face Passion Mill.”

“I see. And yet, he clearly wears the scroll on door. I find myself here pulled from a sound sleep as someone fresh from force and trauma strokes our web by its long name.”

Fuck, I had not considered what I must feel like in a web by this point. No wonder Dolphin charged the lobby ready for action. It wouldn’t hurt the web, but any defense manager worth her title would investigate feelings as strong as mine brushing against their web.

Dolphin continued, “Lord Morgan, would you cooperate and give me an opportunity to debrief Ashley alone, away from any potential for coercion?”

“Yes.”

“Rabbit, can I have your pistol?” Dolphin said. He offered it to her. She step past the desk, gun held expertly.

“Lord Morgan, I’m truly sorry if in all the confusion, our security staff failed to realize your nobility. Certainly the Cow and Crown would never restrain or hinder a lord. We’d appreciate the opportunity to make it up to you; we would like to offer you a free bondage scene while I go speak with Ashley. Our house staff is very accomplished at meeting the desires of our guests.” While Dolphin was speaking, the security officer covering Morgan shifted his aim. Even so, while Dolphin was not directly covering Morgan, I would take any odds that she stood at condition red, prepared to drop him in an instant.

“It’s no trouble; I totally understand the pressure your staff is under. Truly, I would not be able to appreciate your talent this morning.”

“Please at least give us the opportunity. It’s quite important.”

I burst out laughing. I finally figured out what Dolphin wanted. “Morgan, she’s trying to find some pretense for restraining you while she’s busy with me. She doesn’t want to put her staff at risk of Brenhaven’s justice for getting in a noble’s way.”

“O! I should have seen that. I would be honored to accept the inn’s offer.”

“Ashley I’m thinking Playful Porpoise would do well.” I translated: I’m sending him off with my daughter; if you have a warning to give, find a way to give it now.

“I’m sure she’s up to any task no matter how difficult, but we’ve both had a hard day; she might want to go relatively easy on him.”

“Security, I think we can relax a bit; condition orange, please.” Guns were still out, but all the staff breathed a little easier.

Porpoise was called and soon had Lord Morgan Hobbled, arms tied back behind him. “I am honored by the challenge you present, my lord,” she said as she led him towards the stairs.

“Dolphin,” I said, “may I please shower while we talk? It has already been a long morning.

“Yes, of course. We can use my room.”

Dolphin maneuvered me into her shower and adjusted the water temperature. I kept my gun in the bathroom; the humidity was not ideal, but I would not be further from it than I could help. She stepped into the shower to join me. I smelled the sharp scent of her urine as she began to make water. The familiar scent of Dolphin and her room combined with warm water running down my back began to relax me.

“That’s better,” she said. “Of course, because it was an emergency, I woke with a full bladder and no time to do anything about it.”

“That was me yesterday,” I said. “Porpoise will be fine; as best I can tell Morgan is the proper lord.”

“He did not force you from Passion Mill?”

“That’s a little complicated. Had I known the full facts I would have eagerly cooperated.”

I began to tell her my tale. As I spoke, she soaped my body, her strong hands lathering calming circles across my flesh. I relaxed into her touch.

I noticed that I had been quiet for some time. Dolphin’s hands still moved across my body, kneading my muscles. By this point the soap had all been rinsed away. Her hands and the warm water lulled me.

“A long day you’ve had and it’s not even noon.”

“True that. I don’t know how I will be able to perform as a lover tonight.”

“Perhaps you won’t. No one’s safety, certainly no community’s safety should depend on the performance of a single slut, not even you.”

“I think it’ll take all we have.”

“Or perhaps all you have and then some. Or perhaps most of what you have. It will work or not. Things will become stable, or you’ll have to evacuate and suffer the risks of that. You do what you can; that is all.”

“You can’t possibly ... No, you probably understand as well as anyone can.”

“I’ve never been in a position as bad as Passion Mill, but yes, I think I can understand the desire to give more than I have to offer. No matter what, this week will be burned into your memory, full of things you wish you’d done differently along with all the little triumphs when something worked. Regardless of the outcome, this can form the grist for your growth into a strong defender. Grinding yourself through that growth will be no easy matter, but you’ve faced difficult growth before.”

I nodded, plastering myself against her, reveling in her touch.

“Will Lord Morgan make an issue of the incident in the lobby?” Dolphin asked. “We’re not going to stand to be used in assisting a kidnapping, so until we understood the situation we had to do something. Even so, if there is a price to pay, I’d rather it be me paying that price than the inn or our security staff.”

“No, he seems as practical as anyone. He might not mind an opportunity to return the favor and tie Playful Porpoise, but I cannot imagine that affecting his official response. Oak Leaf can take official notice of any justice between Brenhaven and the Cow and Crown or its staff if you like.”

“If that wouldn’t spark something, we’d appreciate it.”

“I’ll ask Lady Elizabeth; she has a good nose for such politics.”

“So, do you like him?” Dolphin asked.

“Who?”

“Lord Morgan.”

I blinked. “I’m not sure I had considered consciously. He called me his Ashley and I didn’t rip anything off.”

“Ah, you like him a lot.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Are you sure? Would even Lord Matthew get away with that?”

“Probably not. Brook, you and ram Standing Fast (Brook’s brother) could though. Ram might even say it.”

“O really? You think I’m too timid to claim my Ashley?”

“Perhaps not. She could use being claimed.”

“MMM, I’ll do that right now, then.” She did, holding me against her, her strong arms and full body claiming every inch of me with warmth and love. I didn’t even need to tell her that this once, being claimed sexually was not what I needed: her affection, her care, and her willingness to step past class and accept me as hers helped more than any orgasm could at that moment.

I pondered Dolphin’s question about Morgan. “I think if you’d asked me about him before the coup it would be easy to say that I like him. Now, when I think of him, I can’t think of anything but the smell of burned powder on his hand when he ... well, he had just killed Smooth-Tumbled Stone. Even so, he did save my life, and he is cute.”

“Do you want your own room for your nap?”

I pondered. “No, at least I don’t think so.”

“So, where is Morgan?”

“I think you’ll recognize it. Third-floor sex room; it’s assigned at my discretion and wasn’t used last night or this morning.”

I laughed. I had become an adult in that room; I was not likely to forget. “Let’s go save him from Porpoise. I assume I can call Oak Leaf from the inn’s office?”

“Of course.”

I crawled into the room. Morgan was trussed securely. Porpoise cuddled next to him, rubbing his back. I suspected this was one of the few times I’d ever see bondage used to facilitate cuddling.

“Lady Ashley, Dolphin. Have you decided he’s mostly harmless?” Porpoise asked.

“Of course,” Dolphin said. “would I leave you with someone dangerous?”

“You certainly would. Who else would you trust with a hard job?”

“She has a point, dolphin,” I said. “Porpoise, can I reclaim Morgan? It looks like he was beyond the lover’s art.”

“I’ll say. Give him to me to tie up and all he needs is a really big cuddle. Of course he needed that cuddle a lot.” She went to work releasing Morgan.