Chapter VIII. "Dusk"

Nobody got much sleep after the harrowing the night before, so the next day everyone took it easy. The only task at hand was to clean up the carnage in the garden. At midday, they held a small ceremony for the interment of Mikhael and Boros’s bodies, along with an urn filled with Renoa’s vampiric ashes. The horse was the difficult part; Xadoran’s bold Yokudan charger was hundreds of pounds of muscle, and it took both of the Ash’abahs’ remaining horses and the family’s ox all tied together with the corpse to drag it away. Its torn belly left a thick trail of blood, glistening darkly in the sun, but by the late afternoon the soil had swallowed it all up.

Xadoran, Salim, and the swordswoman whose name turned out be Ithko all held council with the family to discuss the matters of the night before. Given the bite marks found covering Mikhael and Boros, they said it was fair to assume that Renoa had been feeding off of them the past few days, before raising them as undead servants in order to find more sustenance. She must have not found enough blood, however, and went into a feeding frenzy. It still left the question of the vampire that turned Renoa, however. Whoever they were, they could still very well be out there. Ah’zuli thanked them for their work and for saving the lives of her family, and in return for their bravery she assured them that they would always have a place at the Farúk estate. Xadoran thanked her, and vowed to defend the estate from any more of the vampiric plague that happened to lurk in the Dragon’s Tail. It was clear that they would be staying for some time longer, but they were more than welcome to.

“I should never had said the things I said.”

Shaniera walked at her side. It had taken a day of rest, followed by half a day of pumpkin pie preparation involving Leanne, Toren, Gro’shuba, Ella, Shaniera, and even Ah’zuli for Leanne to work up the courage to ask Shaniera for some time to speak in private. They set out with flour-caked hands through the garden, past the vines where the great big pumpkin now sat alone. The harvest festival had come and gone, and so, tragically, the pumpkin would never see the world beyond the garden and the manse. The pies that they did not eat would be kept on the fire salts for when the prince’s uncle came up with the rest of his entourage, some dozen men and women of the Sentinel royal guard, along with his eldest daughters. Why he had elected to bring them along was a mystery to Ah’zuli; she could only fathom that he would want a marriage for his own children, and she had no sons to offer. Nevertheless, they sent Hasan down to check on the status of his recovery, and prepared the manse in the meantime. The pies would be baked and the seeds roasted for a feast at home.

“No, you shouldn’t have,” Shaniera agreed.

“But if I hadn’t, would you have told me why you didn’t fight back?”

“Perhaps, but you could have asked, instead of accused.”

“You’re right. I was wrong.”

“Just a bit, yes.”

“I was a bitch.”

“Okay, you can stop. Leanne may not be perfect, but I love her very much, and won’t tolerate you speaking of her like that.” She stopped and turned to head to the pumpkin. Leanne followed, dumbstruck. Had she heard her right? Shaniera climbed atop the massive gourd, sitting down to face the north, to where the vast garden melded with the mountain forest. Leanne climbed up on uncertain feet to join her. Though not as high as the windows of Shaniera’s room, the pumpkin afforded a perch that overlooked the whole of the farm and most of the garden, a rolling sea of golds, reds, purples, blues, and greens, low-lying beds of poppies and tall sunflower stalks, fruit trees, aloe plants, the maze of hedges filled with berries and roses, and the ring of flowers around the well from which the garden and family all drank, a mass of marble and stone constructed after an Ayleid fashion.

“I forgive you, Leanne.” In the midday sun, the thick waves of Shaniera’s hair shone darkly, and the light caught in the brown of her eyes like souls in a gemstone, a sight both beautiful and haunting. Leanne ached, wanting nothing more than to kiss her.

“Shaniera, I...” Come on, say it. She said it just now, why can’t you?

Shaniera put a hand over Leanne’s. “It’s okay. I know.”

Leanne glanced to the side, saw how far they were from the manse, and couldn’t glimpse anyone standing close to the windows in the kitchen. She took the moment, held up Shaniera’s chin, and leaned in. The other girl didn’t hesitate to tilt her head and close her eyes. The kiss tasted of summer’s warmth, the songs of birds and the crackle of fire in the night. When it finally ended, they held each other’s gaze for a long time, to the point it got uncomfortable and they both broke out in laughter.

“You know, there’s something I didn’t quite finish saying before,” Shaniera started. “When I was trying to give Khara a chance, it didn’t just seem clear that I would never have affection for him as a wife should. I couldn’t imagine having such feelings for any man.”

Leanne wanted to quip, but having learned from before, she kept her silence to hear the point.

“Something I also realized afterwards was ... well...” Shani scratched her head, looking uncertain.

“You have feelings for Ella, too,” Leanne said. “So do I.”

Shani’s uncertainty vanished, baring a face of glee. “Yes, and if it’s possible to have affection for more than one person ... well, I hear the prince’s uncle has two daughters we may meet soon.”

Leanne pondered the idea. “It would be a long shot. Firstly, you’d be going down from marrying the King of Sentinel’s son to one of his nieces, and your mother would have to consent to that.”

“As well as a marriage where I cannot give her grandchildren. Don’t forget that.” Shaniera shrugged. “Though my mother is still young, and there may yet be a chance for her to have a son. You’d like a brother, wouldn’t you?”

Leanne didn’t understand at first, but it didn’t take long. “Shani!” She slapped her arm, then looked back at the manse. She could just barely make out the sight of her father through the kitchen window, with Shaniera’s mother standing beside him. “You don’t think...” she tried to sound somewhat in disbelief, but she could not deny the sense in the theory.

“Oh, I certainly do. But that’s something for another day. If we tried suggesting that she’s lying with a servant, she’ll sell me to the prince in a heartbeat out of spite.” She grinned. “But I’m sure if it’s a continued al-Farúk lineage she wants, she’ll think of that on her own.”

“Then, of course, we’d have to hope that at least one of Khara’s cousins prefers the company of women. And that the both of us actually like her, though I suppose anything is better than Khara.” Leanne laughed.

“And would accept the company of more than one woman as well,” Shaniera added. “But we’ll have two chances in a day or two, and if neither of them work out, I’m sure we’ll be able to find a Redguard family of some renown with a daughter that would suit us.”

“Look at us, planning our own future. How novel.” Leanne looked out onto the garden. All the destruction had happened behind them, leaving the scenery here untouched.

“By the way, I really like this,” Shaniera said, putting a hand on the back of Leanne’s neck and thumbing the shortened hair. “Did you do this yourself?”

“Ella did, actually. I’ve been waiting two days for you to say something.” It had been years since her hair had been this short, and she still found herself reaching up to feel hair that wasn’t there. It would take some getting used to, but she was happy with it.

“Speaking of waiting...” Shaniera’s eyes grew playfully mischievous. “My birthday is tomorrow.”

“I can tell you from experience, nineteen won’t feel much different than eighteen.”

“I appreciate the wisdom of your age, o sage of twenty years. What I’m really interested in is what you plan on giving me.”

Leanne tried to fight it, but she knew she must be blushing fiercely. “Well, I can’t spoil the surprise.” She certainly had an idea or two.

The next day, they walked together to the river. Shaniera had her father’s sword buckled at her side. Before she’d wielded it that terrifying night, she had never held the sword for longer than a few minutes at a time; now she walked with it as her own weapon. She had earned it. Her father would be proud, Leanne thought. I certainly am.

Two paces from where the trees ended, Leanne stopped them, pulling out a long strip of cloth.

“Hold still,” she bade Shaniera as she tied it around her head.

“You could just ask me to close my eyes,” Shaniera protested, but did not resist Leanne as she tied the blindfold.

“You would absolutely open them early. Now, don’t touch the blindfold until I say.” She took Shaniera’s hand and led her along the river bank, over a little knoll towards a lone tree looming over the water. The knoll was just high enough to obscure the tree’s base from where they had emerged, and as they ascended it, Leanne saw that Ella was already ready. “Okay, sit down here. Perfect. Now, no peaking!”

“Keep those hands in your lap,” Ella commanded. “I’ll be watching you.”

“Such secrecy,” Shaniera giggled, laying the sword down beside her. “I feel like I’ve been abducted.”

Leanne went over to the tree, where Ella handed off her part of the gift, then dashed quietly off to the side to change. They had spent the morning getting themselves ready, doing their business (they knew they would be out for a while) and then washing up. A lot of effort had been put in there; the servant girls had hair like royalty, and smelled of exotic flowers, aloe, and pumpkins. Leanne had the idea of grinding up a dried-up slice of one of the pumpkins to spice their hair with, and it was clear on the walk that Shani took notice. Her princess had also treated herself; for her birthday, she enjoyed her morning by an open window, soaking in a tub of warm water with flower petals floating on the surface. She had a whole bottle of that lovely shampoo all to herself, courtesy of Leanne, whom she thanked profusely for the birthday present. Leanne laughed it off, pointing out that she made it for her all the time, and promised that her actual present would be coming soon.

By the time she returned to take her place beside Ella, she was struggling to fight the giggles that were bubbling up inside of her. The whole thing felt just the slightest bit ridiculous, but she knew that however Shani reacted, this idea would pay off. If nothing happened, they would at least share a great laugh about it. But if Shaniera was in the mood to open her gifts now...

“Okay, you can look now.”

Shaniera lifted the blindfold from her eyes and froze as she took in the sight in front of her. Ella and Leanne were each propped up on an elbow, an arm draped over the side, and each wore nothing but strips of silk wrapped around their bodies. The silk was red on Leanne, gold on Ella, and covered just barely enough to pass as a shield for modesty, though the cloth wasn’t entirely opaque. Shani raised her hands to her face to shield her open mouth and blushing cheeks, and the girls burst out laughing.

“Happy Birthday!” Leanne barely managed to say the words, breathless.

“Would you care to open your presents now, princess?” Ella asked in a sultry voice. It was very clear that she was no stranger to this sort of play.

“By the divines, I most certainly would!” Shaniera approached, falling to her knees before them. “Such beautiful presents, wrapped so elegantly ... how could I resist?” Their scant costumes were held at points where the ribbons were tied into bows. Shaniera went for the bows at their necks, pulling the ribbons free and letting them unfurl from their shoulders, freeing their breasts. She gave Leanne a long, hungry kiss, then a peck at her neck and on a nipple, then moved her attention to Ella. Their kiss was slow and refined, and Ella looked wondrous as a marble statue when she leaned back to receive the kiss on her neck. Her breasts were smaller than Leanne’s, but a bit larger than Shani’s, and the princess cupped them as she laid her lips across the milky white flesh. She brought one hand over to Leanne, massaging her breasts, and looked between the both of them anxiously.

“I’m being spoiled,” she declared. “I hardly know where to keep my attention!”