Chapter 5

Early the next morning found the group of six riding away from the castle as they hurried to the Kingdom of Patella to speak with the Queen and see what was going on in that land.

As the rode down the road, Dusty started talking about something that was on his mind.

"Was it really wise to leave Marie alone with Seth?" asked Dusty to everyone as they rode their borrowed horses towards the Kingdom of Patella. He waited until they were well away from the capital city before he asked so no one would over hear.

"Why? Are you worried that Marie will take advantage of him and then leave him pregnant as she runs off into the sunset? I've made sure to have that conversation with her before we left about the birds and the bees.

"Of course I needed to explain to Marie the right time to get off of him to prevent his pregnancy, but I really feel confident she listened. Don't worry honey, our little girl is really starting to grow up on us and won't leave any wayward children behind," said Suzan with a smirk.

"Ha, ha, very funny. You know what I mean," said Dusty with a smile.

Laughing Mark said "Trust me if anything we need to worry about Seth. Marie is a force of nature when she wants to be, just like my little lady here" Lori smiled at him when he said that, "and as such she will be fine. Anyone who underestimates her will be hosed if they are not careful."

"Sir, the young miss is safe in my Captain's hands. He's one of the most respected men in our Kingdom. No one will harm her while she's there," said the young soldier.

"I guess I'm worried for nothing," said Dusty with a smile as they started to discuss with their guide what to expect in Patella.

"You may have a hard time getting an audience with the Queen. It's rare for her to directly see anyone. Not to mention it's almost time for the festival of the Queen's Champion," said the young soldier.

"What is that?" asked Rachel as she sat forward a little on her horse to hear his response.

"It is where all of the best fighters in the Kingdom gather to try for prizes from the reigning King or Queen. Depending who's reigning at the time it's either called the festival of King or Queen.

"Those of low born stature are able to compete and if they have a really good showing they can often rise above their station. There was one rumor of a surf who eventually be came a Knight many many seasons ago during that time. It would have been in my great great grandfather's time. The second place victor is also awarded a simpler prize of his choice, but it is still better than not winning. If a low born wins that he can be granted at least land of his own.

"But that may be impossible now. The current Queen's champion is such a beast of a fighter that no one can come close to him. He's so powerful a fighter that everyone is now just fighting for second place and below because of him. He's a Knight from a family of a long line of Knights," said the soldier with a touch of awe.

"Hmm, I wonder what he's like," said Suzan. "Someone that powerful has to be that way for a reason."

"Well we'll soon find out once we get there," said Dusty with a smile.

As they rode on they continued to ask the young soldier questions.

Having seen the others off earlier in the morning, Marie really didn't have anywhere to be and Seth still had some paper work to do before they met with the King later that day.

Various men had offered to show her around the castle but Marie refused every offer to instead wait it out in Seth's office. While Seth couldn't protest the men offering to escort such a pretty lady around, he was secretly pleased she wanted to spend her time with him.

While she was waiting Seth explained to her that the reason that he put up with all the nobles and their antics was because he often met in private audience with the King and they hashed out any problems.

Currently as he worked Marie was waiting for him as she sat in the corner in a chair, but was secretly watching Seth through her bangs as she did.

She had taken off her breast plate, and it and her staff were leaning together in the opposite corner. She was sitting in her chair in just a plain light brown tunic top that was belted into her loose dark brown pants. But the top, with her breast size and its cut, seemed to give the appearance that her breasts were doing their level best to struggle free of the confines of her shirt.

Marie sat and softly hummed and pretended that she was reading a book she borrowed from Seth, but as she did she was leaning forward with her elbows on her knees giving him a good shot down her shirt. She casually squeezed them together between her arms as she pretended to read.

Seth was only human, and with such an attractive lady, who already said he was hers and that he was not going anywhere, was finding it hard to concentrate on anything on the desk in front of him as he snuck a few glances her way, and of course down her shirt.

Marie was fully aware of what she was doing and kept her head down so Seth wouldn't see her smiling.

Suddenly there was a light knocking and then the door quickly opened and a pretty brunette woman with long flowing hair, which was held in place by a silver barrette, and snug a flowing red dress entered before Seth could say anything. As she entered Seth suddenly stood.

"Seth, I just heard from one of the guards what happened on your last patrol and came right over. He said you were hurt very badly. How are you doing and do you have anything else wrong?" asked the woman as she came around Seth's desk and flew into his arms.

"Uh, Alana. I'm fine, thanks for asking. There were some pretty impressive people who came up on the scene and they made sure to take good care of me," said Seth as she looked down at her.

"Well I'm glad you are safe. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you, you know. You are kind of special and it would be a shame if anything ever happened to you that you couldn't recover from," said Alana softly as she looked up at Seth and slowly batted her eyes.

Sensing it more than seeing, Seth looked up to see Marie standing in front of her chair with an amused smile on her face as she watched what was going on in the room with her. Suddenly Seth felt embarrassed and ashamed as if he was caught doing something wrong.

Releasing Alana and stepping back from her to keep her at arms length Seth then said "Alana I'd like you to uhhh, meet one of the people who came to my aid. This is Marie Stevens, she uhm was in on the rescue efforts, and uhhh, Marie this is Alana Phillips. Her father is uhh, Master Phillips, one of our uhh cities leading merchants." stammered Seth.

Alana looked at Seth strangely for a moment before she slowly turned to see who was behind her that was causing Seth to react like he was.

When she did her breath caught.

Standing before her was a very attractive woman with a long ponytail tied high on her head with a single bang covering her soft blue eyes. While Marie did nothing but smile casually at Alana, Alana could feel the implied threat coming from her to made her feel that Marie wanted her to step away from Seth.

Feeling the implied threat, and without intending to, she took a step backwards as she started to size up Marie.

While Marie was only standing there in her casual clothing, shirt and trousers, Alana who was far better dressed for seduction was taking in her physical appearance. With skills only another woman would have, Alana instinctively knew what Marie looked like under her clothing and it made her jealous instantly.

It wasn't hard for her to realize why Marie was here and what she was after. It was the same thing they all were after.

Not to mention that Marie looked like someone who worked with her hands long and hard, where as Alana had a soft look and feel about her that many men enjoyed looking at and feeling. Alana hoped this was enough to give her an edge.

Even though she felt she matched up well to her in terms of attractiveness Alana immediately was on guard.

Stepping forward with a smile Marie held out her hand as she offered a warm greeting as she was introduced.

Once Marie shook her hand it was with a strong firm grip that, while on the surface seemed casual, it was just firm enough to let Alana know she had more than good looks to go with her unspoken threat.

Alana equally warmly smiled at Marie as she said hello. But her smile gave Marie the impression she was being warned off.

Marie quietly stood by while Alana all but now ignored her and continued to ask Seth questions and feel spots where he was wounded, as if to make sure he was telling the truth that he was in fact ok. Seth appeared embarrassed as she did this, but he still answered all her questions and looked at Marie from time to time as he did.

Marie continued to do nothing but smile at him as she stood there and watched the display play out in front of her.

"Captain, excuse me, hello Alana nice to see you again, we need to see you for a moment," said Andre as he entered the room through the open door interrupting Alana.

"Marie, Alana I'll be right back," said Seth as he started for the door.

"Oh, I'll walk you out Seth. Be right there," said Alana as she turned and reached for Marie's hand.

Nodding, Seth disappeared out the door as he saw Alana shake Marie's hand.

"Bitch I won't let you have him. Too many of us here in the city have put in far more time with him than you and have a greater claim to him. We won't let some no class low bred country bumpkin newcomer suddenly appear and think that all she has to do is bat her eyes and take him away from us," said Alana softly as she saw Seth disappear.

Marie smiled a cold smile, and while still holding Alana's hand, she squeezed it harshly as she leaned in and she could see Alana's eye grow wide as she shrunk away from her as she did.

"Guess what Sweetie? I already have him. This low bred country bumpkin already knows this as fact, and soon it's going to become painfully clear to the rest of you that he's already accepted being mine as well. If you were paying attention just now you would have seen it in his eyes and heard it in his voice.

"I don't really care what you try to do to prove me wrong, so go ahead and knock yourselves out. But just so you know, you all can do what you need to over the next few months proving me right so that you can get it all out of your system.

"So good luck to you all in trying to get him back," said Marie equally as softly as she smiled savagely and released Alana's hand.

Rubbing her sore hand, Alana fled for the door where she looked back once, gave Marie a cold look, and left to catch up with Seth.

Marie smiled as she saw Alana leave.

Seth was already hers and she knew that even Seth could feel it. It was only a matter of time before they made if official to everyone else.

After two weeks of travel Dusty and his friends had ended up in the Kingdom of Patella.

The soldier was their guild had parted ways with them the week before at the border and decided to head back. He remembered his Captains words about being seen with them and making Dusty's job harder.

As they crossed over they could see the differences in the lands almost immediately.

While the people of the Kingdom of Trestenall appeared to be just as intent as the people of Patella to complete their daily work, the people of Trestenall seemed to laugh more and party. The citizens of Patella seemed to be more serious, intense and quiet.

At a few stops in Trestenall the barmaids and waitresses flirted with Dusty and Mark, and a few of the men tried to pick up their wives and Rachel. But in Patella everything was matter of fact. The waitresses took the orders and returned for their empties. Everyone was very quick and efficient, just not very sociable.

Dusty chalked it up to all the attacks that were happening around the border. He hoped he was right and they weren't normally this way. But he found it strange that there wasn't near as much devastation here as there was in Trestenall from the attacks.

He also noticed more of a presence of the army around as well, but he wasn't sure if they were here for protection by the way they acted. They seemed to be on constant alert but never seemed to be going out on search missions that he could see.

But the over the last week as they drew closer to the capital they saw a slight change. The people there, while still serious, the later the hour seemed to grow a little warmer and in one tavern started to sing a few songs the locals knew.

It never got out of hand, and everyone gave the feelings of close family and friends gathering, but it was a different change from the edges of the kingdom.

The other thing was how suspicious everyone was of them.

In Trestenall everyone treated them like what they were, paying customers they could make a few coins from. But in Patella everyone they ran across asked them where they were from, where they were going, why they wanted to go there, and if they were staying for the festival.

Finally they reached the Capital city of Patella and they decided to find lodgings and then go to the Castle in the morning and try to get an audience with the Queen.

They were surprised to find anything given that in the next few days the festival would start. They expected everything to be sold out. But they did pay a premium for taking one of the last few available rooms.

The group could tell the difference almost immediately between the outer lying towns and cities and the Capital city thanks to the festival. Everyone seemed to be having a good time and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. It felt far warmer and rambunctious then it did on their way here.

After securing three rooms they decided to walk around town and talk to various citizens around the city to get an idea of what they would find. They wanted to have a good idea of what the Queen was like, given how King William's court was, so they wouldn't be walking into it blind.

Dusty didn't want to agree to everyone split up and go off separately and seeking questions. Especially once Suzan changed out of her armor and sword for more casual clothing. With her figure it did nothing but make men stare, and when she spoke he just knew she'd have men following her back to their room.