Chapter 53

Jabbit opened the bedroom door and went inside. It wasn’t dawn yet and the pale moonlight shining through the window was the only light in the room. He heard Rhaseris breathing but couldn’t see her in the dark. He held his hand into the cone of light and it adjusted to illuminate the bed. Rhaseris lay on her side, her head propped up on her palm, watching him as he looked at her.

“I watch the light bending to your will and don’t know whether I should feel awe or horror,” she pondered.

“I guess I should have lit a candle to spare you the doubt.”

“You, my Lord, spending time to consider my feelings?” She marveled. “Now that would’ve been a true miracle.”

“You are still angry at me,” Jabbit deduced. “Do you want me to apologize?”

“No, my Lord,” she objected. “You are my god and I am your priestess. As your priestess, I don’t have any right to question you. I’m obligated to worship you and not to be angry at you. You can do no wrong, which means my anger towards you is a great failing on my part; it’s a sin, even.”

“Couldn’t we make an allowance for you to be angry at me because I’m not really a god yet?”

“That’s very generous of you, my Lord, but I know myself. If you’re lenient with me, I’ll behave even worse.”

“So an apology is out of the question and I have to punish you for your failings?”

“Absolutely, my Lord. Otherwise, I’ll never learn my lesson.”

“Is there a special way you need to be punished?”

“The nature and severity of the punishment should be commensurate with the extent and nature of the sin, my Lord,” Rhaseris answered and folded back her blanket, displaying her naked body beneath.

“I think I understand,” Jabbit said and stepped toward the bed.

“You are my Lord; of course, you understand,” she replied and lay back.

Jabbit crawled between her widespread thighs. “I hope this lesson will help with your uppity attitude,” he remarked before his tongue swept along her pussy.

Some time later, the morning sun shone through the bedroom window on Rhaseris’ sweaty body.

“You can stop now,” she panted.

Jabbit licked his lips. “Are you sure?”

“Yes, I’m sure,” she answered, still shivering from her latest climax. “I’ve thoroughly atoned for my sins and no longer feel any anger towards you.”

“I’m proud of you,” he praised. “All through your punishment you’ve proven to be very humble and staunch in your remorse.”

“Thank you, my Lord,” Rhaseris replied. “And I’m glad you didn’t apologize since we both know you don’t feel sorry for anything you do.”

“You are a very good priestess,” Jabbit confirmed.

Onessa Ghala’Dansha knocked on the door of Inandrey Danjala’s chamber within the Citadel bowers and was called inside.

“Good morning, Nessa,” Inandrey greeted. “I’m sorry I didn’t open the door for you but I’m almost done dressing for breakfast. I’m hungry as a bear waking after winter sleep.”

Onessa watched her friend tying the string of the corset embedded in her dress, which accentuated her slim waist and a generous bosom. “You appear very cheerful this morning. Does it mean your meeting with the Nameless Son was a success?”

Inandrey regarded her with a smile. “Yes. Jabbit was very open to the suggestion of staying in the background. He told me he never intended anything else. For that matter, I don’t think he is interested in ruling Aloria or any country at all. He seems much more interested in personal relationships. And please, Nessa, call him Jabbit. I very much doubt he is the prophesied Nameless Son.”

The Lady of the Whisperers strode through the small room. Reaching Inandrey, she grabbed her chin and held it steady while she studied her friend’s face. “Ina, what has he done to you?”

Inandrey shook off Onessa’s hand and stepped away from her. “What he has done to me?” She asked defiantly. “I don’t know what you mean. Jabbit hasn’t done anything to me.”

“I’ve known you long enough to recognize when you are lying, Ina,” Onessa declared. “At first I thought you just had a good night rest but you’re not just refreshed and in a good mood; you look younger. You’ve always been careful to cover the tiny wrinkles at the corners of your eyes and mouth. You don’t need to anymore; they are gone.”

Inandrey giggled. “Jabbit is a very special young man. I have to say our nightly encounter was very intense and probably has had a rejuvenating effect on me.”

Onessa’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t even remember the last time I heard you giggling. You don’t just look younger.”

“Gods, you make it sound like I’m a frump. I had fun last night and feel good this morning. That’s all the mystery. No devious scheme or trickery is involved - and for damn sure Jabbit hasn’t abused me. So you can quit looking at me with worry. I am the same person I always was.”

“I kept Evanis busy until late into the night. She actually fell asleep while I rambled on about politics and alliances of the countries along the Ewu. Anseyla, accompanied by Sybelien, returned to the Citadel very late as well. However, Rhaseris knows where and with whom Jabbit spent the night. If she tells it to your daughters and they see the silly grin on your face, you’ll be in deep trouble.”

“Jabbit didn’t spend the night with me,” Inandrey corrected. “I don’t know exactly at what time he left but it was before the morning.”

“Why don’t you know when he left?”

Inandrey turned her back on Onessa before she answered rather quietly, “Because I was asleep when he left.”

“What? You just told me how much you enjoyed your encounter and now you tell me you fell asleep?”

“I was very tired,” Inandrey replied.

“Stop mumbling and look at me!” Onessa demanded. “Do you want to tell me that your tryst with Jabbit drained you so much that you exhaustedly fell asleep? You, Inandrey Danjala?”

Inandrey spun around and glared at Onessa. “I’m sorry I’ve disappointed you,” she huffed but then she lowered her gaze. “I know I’m called the Queen of Whores but Jabbit is a god. He did things ... things I’ve never felt before.”

“By the gods,” Onessa gasped. “You are blushing! Now I definitely know he did something magical. He changed you.”

Inandrey looked up again and now she was smiling. “He changes everything but I’m not afraid anymore.”

Onessa threw back her head and groaned. “We sent the Queen of Whores to seduce him and she returns as a blushing maiden with a crush.”

“Don’t say that,” Inandrey whined, blushing even more. “I don’t have a crush.”

Onessa shook her head, exasperated. “Let’s go for breakfast. The others need to know what happened.”

“But don’t tell them I have a crush,” Inandrey demanded. “I don’t have a crush.”

“Whatever you say, girlie,” Onessa sighed as she opened the door.

The gathering at the breakfast table in one of the Citadel’s dining halls was almost complete. Almost. One face was missing.

“Does anyone know if our sublime deity is going to attend our joint breakfast?” King Dharos asked.

“Yes, I do,” Rhaseris answered. “My Lord decided to respect your wishes; he will stay in the background. So he won’t join us for breakfast. He’s left the White Citadel and I doubt he’ll return here.”

Rhaseris’ announcement caught everyone’s attention. Most attendees appeared surprised.

“Oh shit,” Anseyla cursed under her breath.

“What does ‘God Jabbit will stay in the background’ mean?” The little Queen of Ibanee asked.

“It means most people here at the table don’t want anyone to know you have a bunny shrine in your room and pray to God Jabbit,” Evanis dryly answered.

“Maybe it’s for the best that he’s gone,” Jorsha Sammon opined.

“You’re an idiot, Jorsha,” Lady Onessa hissed. “He isn’t gone; he’s going to show us what happens when we anger a god.” Then she turned to Inandrey sitting next to her. “Tell us, girlie, what do you think?”

“Me?” Inandrey asked, wide-eyed. “I didn’t ask Jabbit to stay away from me.”

Anseyla sat on the other side of her mother. “You did not ask him to stay away from you?” She queried with a frown that rapidly deepened. “When did you even talk to him and what did you ask?”

“We ... we talked yesterday ... in the evening ... and I ... I just asked him about ... about the things we had discussed before - without him,” Inandrey stammered.

“And why do you blush like a bride questioned about her wedding night?” Evanis, sitting across from her mother, joined the interrogation.

“Ease up on your mom,” Anjatta var Dosha intervened. “I think it’s quite obvious what happened. The merry conspirators chose your mom to negotiate with Jabbit on their behalf. They chose Inandrey because they hoped her special talents would influence the outcome in their favor. Unsurprisingly for anyone who spent some time in Jabbit’s company, their plan has failed.”

“No!” Inandrey objected. “That’s not what happened. We only very briefly talked about Jabbit’s role in Sybelien’s upcoming coronation. Then we talked about ... something totally unrelated and then... , “ she trailed off.

“Oh no! How could you be so daft, mom?” Anseyla asked, sounding rather sympathetic than accusing.

“Don’t worry about her,” Evanis snorted. “I’m sure she had a lot of fun with ‘something totally unrelated‘. She’s glowing like a freshly fu--.”

Irja var Dosha noisily cleared her throat.

“ ... polished gemstone,” Evanis finished awkwardly.

“I still don’t see what’s so bad about him leaving,” Jorsha Sammon repeated his point of view.

“I don’t know either,” Evanis agreed with a sneer. “I’m sure he’ll come running just as soon as you need him again.”

“Why would we need... , “ Jorsha started.

“The Yorak will come to Katerra.”

Sybelien’s calm statement silenced the Moppets’ Warlord and everyone stared at her.

“How do you know that,” King Dharos questioned almost as calmly.

“When I pledged my life to Jabbit I asked to take revenge against the murderers of my family,” Sybelien answered. “That’s why I know.”

“But even if a god granted your wish, we don’t know--,” Thar’Haghanosh countered.

Rhaseris cut him off. “There are no ifs, buts, or maybes. Our god accepted Sybelien’s pledge and he granted her plea.”