Charis and Helice recovered their horses from the Lord and his men to leave and appreciated the care and attention to both the horses and tack. They led them from the city, on the other side of the City Gates mounted them, and followed the signed paved road to the town of Bircharbor. While the trail from Bircharbor to the Lonely Keep was not marked, Charis needed to honour a duty as well as attune the Shrine of Saph there. She also wanted news on Needlepine if any existed after the brigands stopped visiting. The road to Bircharbor was paved with stone from Gate to Gate, unlike the road to Hillperch; the pace they could travel on it would make up for the unknown trail between Bircharbor and Lonely Keep.

The Daughters and the betrothed managed to make each stop along the road to Bircharbor be it Village Inn or Roadside Inn, as dusk fell, as the riding skills of the promised bride were not as sure as the bride herself first promised. Dione spent the four days providing the promised bride with riding lessons, convincing her, a Lady would be need to be an expert to perform her courtly duties. Charis always reserved two rooms, Dione, and her in one room, while Helice and the promise bride in the other. The risk was the bronze loops, and crowding four to a room was asking for trouble. Her bronze loop in particular. Luckily or not the betrothed was enamoured by her promised betrothal to a future Baron and the elevation in social standing it would provide her.

Charis didn’t have the heart to reveal the Barony was struggling to feed everyone when she was there and now the grief they were enduring, it would be worse. Therefore, the betrothed would need to be strong, tough, and positive to realise her true social standing. Helice made the mistake of trying to suggest and then show, the promised bride some dagger skills, it definitely wasn’t something she was interested in, and as a Baron’s wife, she would call on men at arms for that sort of brutish thing she sniffed.

The paved road assisted the betrothed to keep up a healthy pace and enabled them to reach Bircharbor in four days. Charis was disappointed as she wanted to reach the Lonely Keep as quickly as possible as she knew some time needed to be spent in Bircharbor regardless. Travel time the opportunity to make up time. The urgency was her own imposition even so she couldn’t shake the sense every day counted. Dione took the betrothed with her to organise an Inn and the stabling of their horses. The Gate Guards inspected their weapons, although they could keep them. Charis and Helice left them at the Inn to find the Shrine of Saph although no time would be lost searching for the Shrine, as Helice knew where in the town it rested.

“I have some news from our Seer-sisters, Mistress.” At Charis’ glance she continued.

“The Town Council is forcing those businesses producing unpleasant smells to relocate to the outer town; shortly our tenant and income will be lost.” Charis nodded, it could be dealt with later and she was in a daydream of her own.

Charis enjoyed listening to Helice’s voice; the well spoken soft tones probably a result of her Seer training of course. Then silence as they continued sauntering side by side. At Charis’ slight shake of her head, Helice laughed. She stopped as people on the street gawked, wondering what the joke could be.

“I tried to talk to you Mistress,” she winked, “which is what you felt. I could have lent into you and contacted our heads, but I wanted to try across some distance, both of us walking, with plenty of noises and distractions. Also others may have wondered what we were doing walking glued to each other!” Helice explained.

Charis tried to push back and initiate; contact Helice’s mind. She could sense it, or sense her presence, nothing else.

Charis felt a hand on her arm, following it back to the owner; Helice giggled, her face painted with eyes wide, and mouth open then quickly closed.

“Mistress I felt your presence!” Her body tensed and Charis knew Helice wanted to be nearer, intimate to develop this contact further. Both knew this wasn’t the time or place. Helice turned away from her desire. Instead, she chose to update her Mistress with the news, while her Seer-sisters chatted to her in the background about what happened.

“The Leatherworker’s shop is being visited by various hopefuls to become warrior-sisters, although Astera is testing them, asking those with some potential to stay at the Inn, and turning away others. No one seems sure what the testing is Mistress.”

“Astera has my confidence, I am sure it will be effective.” Charis was determined to reply with her mind, although until she could, she would reply with her voice and try the other at every opportunity.

“I sense your frustration Mistress, but I felt you strongly, another step forward,” Helice acknowledged her Mistress’ progress.

“Tell Mistress her mind is awakening, she approaches breakthrough,” Alcmene and Clymene added separately although at the same time. Helice passed on their words to Charis including their intent; sultry, full of anticipation and plainly obvious in their desire and lust!

“Mistress!” they faked shock and although Helice stood alone beside their Mistress; Alcmene and Clymene sensed Charis’ desire burn within her as they exploited Helice’s connection with them.

“Helice, I forgot something at the Inn we need to go back.”

Helice didn’t smile; she and her sisters were savouring the building desire and lust in their Mistress. Although Helice walked along side of Charis, the emotional wash of desire from her Mistress enveloped her, the three Seers considered it another favourable sign. They didn’t reveal this to Charis, as they didn’t want to break what was about to happen with any distraction.

When Charis and three Seers finished with their distraction, their first stop was a bathhouse. They also realised as they left the Inn, their Inn, Dione and the betrothed weren’t there as there wasn’t a second room available for them.

Next priority was to reach the Shrine quickly, since this was the second attempt to find it, the first attempt distracted by desire. As it should be, Temple Street led them straight to it, Helice easily finding Temple Street.

Charis swore, they discovered the Shrine poorly maintained and needed to clean it themselves or hire others. Charis decided to hire others, as she needed to attend to a promised duty. Being a native of Bircharbor, Charis asked Helice to hire and supervise some labourers, while she visited the Temple of Saph.

Helice accepted her duty with enthusiasm to avoid visiting or otherwise interacting with the Temple of Saph. She parted ways with the Temple some time ago considering their treatment of her, the lack of sympathy and information about her Seer-Twin’s death. Her oath of fealty to Charis absolute and she didn’t see any reason to revisit the past.

Charis hastened to the Temple of Saph, approached the Temple Guards, and asked for an audience with the Seer Raisa. A young girl or perhaps Seer in Training, eight or nine years dressed in a plain white shift and bare feet, once called hurried off into the depths of the Temple proper.

The Guards led Charis to a small anteroom lined with benches of white stone joining others in their wait. She attracted attention, as the others were plain town folk, certainly none wore armour and weapons. Raisa appeared at the temple side entrance to the anteroom in her Seer Robe, soft sandals and hair pinned up. Charis stared, knew she stared, and couldn’t stop herself, before her stood Rhea with no scars, no pain, smiling freely and openly. Charis also noticed as did a few in the anteroom how Raisa’s gaze drank in and devoured Charis’ presence.

Raisa lent against the room entrance one leg slightly crossed over the other, one hand high holding onto the door jam, the fingers on the other playing with her chin.

“Follow me please. As quiet as you can manage as many Seers are studying to further their understanding of the Goddess, which requires quiet to attain the required level of concentration and self-reflection.” Raisa said.

Charis didn’t say anything. She didn’t want Raisa to speak again, her voice heavy with anticipation and lust so obvious some in the anteroom paid them too much attention. Charis quickly agreed and followed.

The Seer led Charis in an unseemly haste, deep within the Temple and she became concerned as the stairs continued to descend. Charis didn’t appreciate until now, most of the Temple was below ground, the portion above was purely functional, a façade for guests. As they descended, the silence was such Charis thought she was hearing her own armour as loud as a rockslide. Eventually Rhea directed her into a room, she confidently wandered in first, and Raisa quickly secured the door behind her with a crossbar. Charis wasn’t sure what to expect.

Charis stepped out of the Temple late in the afternoon, finally released from Raisa insisting she walk out alone not trusting Raisa to hold back any urges. She proceeded to the Shrine of Saph and to her relief Helice approached her.

“I am glad you are here, I must be very drunk even though I was drinking slowly much to the Innkeeper’s disgust. I didn’t think you were ever returning from the Temple. I assume Rhea’s sister delayed you?”

“Yes, she needed to be persuaded, to release her joy, shall we say, to her sister.”

“You slapped her!”

“Yes I needed a result and I am pressed for time. Have you attuned the Shrine?”

“Yes Mistress, I hope that was acceptable.”

“Certainly, I am the one who failed in the city. I am the one that will be holding us in this town longer then we need to.” With that, she made her way to the Shrine; late afternoon, approaching dusk, not an ideal time to make an attempt.

As the Mistress plodded towards her, Helice knew they would need to return.

Dusk was approaching as they found the Inn and Dione. Dione left the original Inn, with only one room vacant to find another and this was her third check to find Charis and Helice to let them know of the change.

“Apparently Mistress we did use the room in the first Inn as the Innkeeper chased me for payment.”

“Apologies Dione, blame Helice, she left something behind and needed to return to get it.”

Helice gaped shocked at the lie, then realised the game, and shook her head from side to side in denial.

“Mistress, it seems Helice is not in agreement with you.”

“I challenge that! Helice, you, and your Seer-sisters were responsible for a certain itch, were you not?”

“Well in that case, I suppose we should accept responsibility,” Helice said. A cheeky laugh escaped and she gathered Charis and Dione in a hug.

“What about our betrothed?” Charis asked, as she thought about the loose end and their mission.

“She is taking a bath, I assume that will take her some time, as it will need to last another five or more days in cross country travel.” The three Daughters of the Duchess laughed, huge belly, stress-relieving laughs, which prompted more than a few passing by to glance in their direction.

The sister-warrior cloaks and armour proved interesting to some, the Daughter of the Duchess pins proved the greater interest. The new coat of arms confused some, piqued the interest of others who raced to find out who the owning Lord could be. The Daughter’s formed a wall of arms on shoulders as they marched to their new Inn. Dione being shorter than Charis, Helice taller than Charis, in line as one, striding as one.

Charis realised she needed to eat and hoped the Innkeeper would provide edible fare at least. Helice instead used the moment to mention a group of three showed up at the Leatherworker’s Shop thinking the warrior-sisters trained threes for the Town Contest and turned away. While there was a brief thought of coin, the sisters needed to train themselves first. What training could they offer as fair trade to a potential Three, given their Three was so unique?

The Inn served fine fare and Charis, famished, devoured her fill; the betrothed was with them her bath well and truly finished her water wrinkled fingers proof. They retired to their rooms, Helice and Dione in one, Charis and the betrothed in the other.

There was a knock on her room door and Charis started to answer it, the betrothed faster. Too tired and too slow thought Charis as she lowered her head and sighed. The door opened without any caution and the betrothed stepped backwards in awe. A Seer of Saph, in her Seer Robe, head held high, eyes glaring down her narrow nose at the one who opened the door following her in.

“Go to the other room and ask Dione to this room, now go girl!” Charis commanded.

She kept her distance from the Seer as she skirted around her to make the door and scamper away.

The Seer dropped her robe’s hood back to reveal Raisa in full delight. Dione entered and bolted the door.

“I am unsatisfied.” Raisa dropped her robe to the floor to be naked in an instant.

Charis took a double check, yet sure Raisa’s posture confirmed her arousal. Slumped on the bed, Charis’ eye line restricted to viewing Raisa’s womanhood slowly approach as she sauntered towards her closing the distance between them.

“Rhea and I have agreed we can both love you as we are one now.”

To her credit she didn’t leap upon Charis, she oozed over her, embracing her and kissing her passionately. Dione barred the door, with a questioning look on her face. Charis grabbed Raisa to lift her off and lay her beside Charis on the bed, positioning her bronze loop as far away as possible. Charis needed to be careful to ensure it wouldn’t influence Raisa and drive her mad or any variation of mad.

Charis asked Raisa to lay on her back on the bed, which she did with an eager smile in her naked glory. Charis asked Dione over and then commanded Raisa to caress and suck their toes. Both Dione and Charis then tended to Raisa suggesting they were friends, occasional lovers; this was pleasant, not maddening. Pleasant, delightful and joyful, with gentle caressing and light kissing it took time and patience from Charis and Dione, both concentrating on their bronze loops to influence their subject.

Charis and Dione consumed the night to ensure their bronze loops could influence their subject, sleeping and waking throughout in turns. The last thing she needed was a love sick Seer running away from her Temple trying to follow her. Charis couldn’t predict the consequences if Raisa did, and therefore put every effort into making sure it couldn’t happen. Charis and Dione were tired, although they managed to convince Raisa to enrobe and leave at first light. Charis wasn’t sure what any observers would make of a Seer leaving an Inn at that time, although she was sure a mystical answer provided by Raisa to whom ever asked would suffice.

They were about to sleep in until late morning at least when the betrothed rushed in to their room, as it wasn’t barred after the Seer left.

“What have you done?”

Helice followed her in and bolted the door.

“Sorry Mistress she woke before I did and ran for the door.”

“The Seer was in here all night and I heard sounds, sounds of pleasure, even I know they shouldn’t be made by a Seer!”

“What would a chaste woman, a betrothed like yourself know about those sounds?” Charis asked.

The betrothed looked down, thinking up a response. Charis winked at Helice.

“Where would a chaste woman, a betrothed like yourself find out about such things?” Helice asked.

“I, I, well, with the Lord, his men would say things …” she stammered.

“Isn’t it impolite to eavesdrop?” Dione asked. The betrothed stared at each of her accusers in turn lost to provide a dignified answer.

Charis approached the betrothed. Charis placed her finger in the betrothed’s mouth, and dragged it across the inside of her cheek.

“What was that? What did you do then? It tastes awful, it tastes odd.”

Dione and Helice caught her as she slowly collapsed.

“What was that?” Helice asked.

“An ointment given to me by the elder, it tends to put people to the sleep. I wasn’t sure we could talk this one out of making too much noise and I am just too tired to try. Helice would you stay awake, keep an eye on her and wake Dione and myself up just before middle of the day?”

At her nod, Charis fell back into her bed with enough consciousness to guide her and was instantly asleep. Some of the ointment as well as no restful sleep combined to send her into a deep sleep. Dione helped Helice to carry the betrothed to the other room and then followed Charis to sleep, although certainly not as deep as Charis.

Helice, ever vigilant now, felt some guilt in allowing the betrothed’s escape, although she was certainly quiet now, the ointment effective in putting people to sleep. The concern now was to determine if Charis could wake up. On the sixth bell Helice visited the other room and woke Dione first as she would need her assistance to wake Charis. Dione was awake and reasonably alert, checked the bride was still asleep and then struggled alongside Helice to wake Charis.

They made a few attempts and then stopped to pack and prepare to leave. They attempted to wake Charis again without success. They returned to the other room, packed it away, and carried the betrothed back to Charis’ room. On the next attempt Charis woke up, still dazed. Treating her as a newborn baby, they dressed her in her under armour cloth and walked her around in the room until she could stand by herself.

“Thank you, water please.” she asked.

After water, she glanced around and grinned at both Dione and Helice, they were ready to leave. Helice and Dione marched the betrothed between them. With their packs on their shoulders, they visited the stables and claimed their horses. They then proceeded to the Gate to walk their horses through it, trying to grip the bride between them and walk naturally. Then they waited.

Charis paid the Innkeeper and then strode directly to the Shrine of Saph. The sun was above her, she wore no armour with her two daggers strapped to her waist. She visited a vendor to purchase a sweetmeat to chew on to assist her to wake up and remember the ritual.