Feldavian Nights Pt. 01

Thank you for following my stories. This is a 3 part series set in the same world as The Feldavian Rift. This story does not have any explicit sex, but nonetheless, content warnings for: Sexual content, Non-consent, Implied Drug Use/Intoxication, and Non-human participants.

***

"Investigations in the Old City never go well." Sansha muttered to herself, as she left the unhelpful Shopkeeper to his business. All morning spent questioning people on the street, and no useful information on the compromised Diplomat's activities. Sansha waved over her apprentice, a young constable by the name of Erik. "Ok, he didn't come out here to trade, so what else would an influential man be doing out here, Erik? No idea's a bad one right now."

Erik scratched his head as he walked over, astutely ignoring the quietly-hissed epithets from the locals as he passed. "Well, it's not the sort of place you come for an evening stroll. Perhaps he came looking for a smoking den, or a dice game?"

"Hmm, good suggestion, although not easy places to pull off a Rifter-Magic Ritual, too many suspicious eyes and ears" Sansa replied, kicking the dirt and sending a puff of dry sand downwind. "Or voyeurs" Erik added, one hand resting on his club handle as he watched a curtain being drawn back overhead. Erik sighed "Still, from what I hear of this ritual, it's not exactly hard to pull off, give it enough time and, uh, some willing volunteers, it wouldn't take that long to take over an entire smoking den."

Sansha smiled at the young apprentice "You've been reading I see, constable?" Erik shrugged "Just the basics, a little history here and there too." Sansha motioned for him to follow her, as she set off down one of the Old City's many claustrophobic alleyways "Well, when they say the ritual is simple, what they really mean is that the magical elements are simple. Easy enough for any first timer to learn from a book, given time, hence the need for our unit in the first place. But, drawing the ritual circle is only one half of the process. I take it you know the other half by now?"

"Yes ma'am, it's uh... well, it's an act of uh... passion."

Sansha stopped and turned to face him, noticing his nervous looks at the shuttered windows around them. "Not an act of passion Erik. Call it what it is, can't afford to be shy about it when you're hunting Rifter zealots."

Erik looked at her with a sheepish grin, "Ok fine, it's sex. You bring someone inside the prepared circle, it forges some sort of... influencing connection, and then having sex somehow, seals it?"

"Correct" Sansha nodded, continuing down a flight of stone steps, "The circle connects the victim's spirit with whoever prepared it. When the subordinate is brought to orgasm, however that might be, their spirit is bound, and they can be instructed to do almost anything. Which explains why a respected diplomat would suddenly take a knife to the head Wizard, and then himself".

"Ok so, what's your point though Boss?" Erik said, jumping the last two steps down to the shady under-level, sending a stray cat running. "The point..." Sansha said, turning the corner towards one of the better known smoking dens, "...The point is, it's not like you can have an elaborate ritual circle drawn out in the middle of a card game, and then have someone fucking in front of everyone. It's more likely that he met someone whilst down here, and they convinced him to go somewhere more secluded. My point is, without any real leads, don't expect that much to-"

Sansha stopped abruptly as a hand grabbed at her upper arm. She turned, drawing her baton with her free hand. A young woman had appeared as if from nowhere and was looking up at them both. "Forgive my interrupting, but I heard you was asking people in the market about that rich man walking down here two nights back?"

"That's right" Sansha replied, taking a cautious step back from the smaller woman. "Do you have any information that could help us, there's a sizable reward."

The young woman looked nervously between the two, pulling her cloak tighter around her face as she scanned the doorways and arches around them. Seeming satisfied with what she saw, the woman tugged at Sansha's arm, before ducking backwards through a pair of sandy curtains that blended in with the sandstone walls, disappearing into a doorway.

Sansha turned to Erik, gripping her baton tightly "Be ready for anything, we're not exactly welcome down here" then stepped through the doorway too.

The cool air hit like a wave crashing against the rocks. Under-Level housing was looked down upon, but it did have its advantages in the Summers. The room was small and dark, a simple table, stool, and two straw mattresses mostly filled the small space. Sansa's eyes adjusted as she scanned the corners for any looming attackers, relieved to see only the small woman leaning against the wall. Sansha lowered her hood, quickly tying her long blonde hair into a ponytail to make the most of the cold air. Erik followed closely behind, sighing in relief as he escaped the midday sun.

"Ok, we're off the street, none of the neighbours will see you talking to us, what's the big secret" Sansha blurted out. She pulled out two silver pieces and held them up for emphasis. The young woman watched the coins with intent, her green eyes reflecting the harsh sunlight outside the door. She seemed to pause for a moment, gulping down the cool air, before speaking in a hushed tone. "There's a place, further down, the Blue Orchid Temple."

Sansha raised an eyebrow, "Really? Down here, a Temple?" The young woman nodded, "That's what they call it, but really it's a private funhouse for the sorcerer they call Sapphire, and their richer guests."

"Who's Sapphire?" Erik interrupted. Sansha shrugged, "She's not on our list of suspects, could be from out of town." The woman nodded, "They are. Sapphire moved in a few months back. The local gangs tried to run them out of town, but... well it clearly didn't work. Sapphire's goons take people from the street, late at night, and we never see them again. Some people hear screaming, others say its just wild animals. But, I think, if your rich person went missing down here, Sapphire probably had something to do with it."

Sansha looked at Erik, "well, not exactly what we were looking for, but a sorcerer in the abduction business might know their competition. Worth a look Constable?"

"Gee, sure. Screaming at night, mysterious kidnappings? What more could we want?" he quipped.

Sansha turned to the woman, whose face was several shades whiter than before. "Thanks, if the place is like you say, I'll leave the reward inside your door on our way back."

The woman nodded nervously, "Please, just one more thing..." picking up a small lead ring from behind a table leg, "if you find my husband, can you get him out of there? He was wearing a ring like this." Sansha held her rough hand out, catching the crudely hammered ring and pocketing it. "If we find him, I'll see what I can do. What's his name?" The woman paused, her head bowed, "Alfond, Miss. Thank you."

***

The Blue Orchid temple wasn't hard to find. A large wooden door, with ornately painted flowers across it, was sure to stand out in a place like this. The barely disguised guards outside with clubs in hand didn't exactly scream "secret" either. Sansha stood flat against the rough wall, pretending not to have noticed the two men in dusty cloaks, before muttering to Erik around the corner "Two guards, weapons, no other movement. I want to take a look inside first, without alerting the head of the house, think you can handle a sleep spell?"

She heard the excitement in Erik's voice, "Enchantment in public, huh? Riftwatchers really are allowed to play with the big stuff."

Sansha hissed back "Can you do it?"

Erik replied, more seriously "Yes ma'am, I can, one moment."

Sansha tried to look inconspicuous as Erik's low chanting began to build. Just as he reached the crescendo, she ducked, watching as Erik stepped around the corner, pointed his outstretched palm towards the doorway. The sound of two heavy weights dropping to the floor reverberated around the corner.

"Good work" Sansha whispered as she rushed over to pull the two men behind a nearby rubbish heap. "Check inside, don't go in" she hissed to Erik.

Erik's voice came back, shaking, "uh, two more um, guards? Sansha, one's a morph."

"Fuck." Sansha hissed "What kind?"

"Rat I think? Nearly 6ft, muscular, male. No weapon at least"

"How the fuck did they sneak a rat-morph into the middle of the godsdamned city?"

"Couldn't guess at that Sansha, do you still want to go in? I don't fancy getting bitten by some corrupted creature like that."

"Erik, that's a person, don't forget that. Don't call them creatures like they don't have a name. At the very least you'll end up underestimating them."

"Ok right, I never got trained on wilderness patrols, what's the deal with Rat-morphs?"

Sansha sighed, checking the street around them for any passers-by, "Athletic, sociable, intelligent, and can see in the dark, nothing too much to worry about on their own, but in the wild they travel in packs."

"Ok, we can handle that one, right?" Erik said, peeking through the keyhole again, "Actually, looks like they're patrolling. We've got an entrance chamber, then three corridors going off from it, Rat-morph went left, human woman with a metallic-covered book went through the far end. Take a chance on the right?"

"Good call Constable, lead the way" Sansha whispered, tapping the tattooed rune on her left wrist to activate a silent alarm on the main door.

Cool air with a faint perfume hung in the air. The building was lush. Ornate candles, hanging curtains, and piles of deep cushions. A small table held polished dishes with sweet-looking treats. Erik was already pushing ahead to the righthand doorway as Sasha's eyes adjusted to the dim light. She followed closely as Erik picked his way confidently into the corridors ahead.

Sansha focused on the layout, memorising every turn, as Erik silently checked each archway and corner. Sansha inspected one of the doors set into these archways. Heavy Oak, no obvious alarms, but locked from the outside with a bolt. A carved brass plate was affixed to the door at chest height, the elaborately carved lettering spelling out 'Amber - 3'. Sansha continued down the corridor, towards Erik who had stopped at the corner of another junction, before waving her onwards. They continued like this, corner to corner, and down a single staircase for several minutes. The building was bigger than it had any right to be. Each corridor spanned off into at least two more, and each one with the same rows of arched doors with abrupt labels, and metal latches. It was starting to hit Sansha now, this was more like a maze than a temple.

Erik held his hand up, palm flat, signalling Sansha to stop. She paused, holding her breath, until she heard it too. Footsteps, approaching from the branch on the left. Sansha backed away, only to see the shadow of a statuesque figure approaching the corner behind them.

She took a deep breath, and lifted the latch from the nearest door, swinging it quietly open and pulling Erik inside. As she slipped the door shut, she caught a glance of the carved plate. 'Nightingale - 2'.

***

Erik and Sansha both drew their weapons cautiously as they took in their surroundings. The square room before them was small, barely 10ft to a side, with a high ceiling and a deep-set stone fireplace. The thick rugs across the floor, and a shaggy rug hung in the corner, were lit softly by the flickering light of an orange fire, softening Erik's footsteps as he moved away from the door.

Sansha pressed her ear up against the door, holding her palm up flat towards Erik. He paused, holding his breath as he heard the footsteps thudding ponderously on the other side of the door. A few moments passed, before Sasha lowered her hand, letting out a gentle sigh of relief. Erik relaxed, finally taking in the rest of the room. There were only a handful of furnishings, a single cabinet covered with small bottles of perfumes and strange medicinal equipment, a tall mirror resting in one corner, and the one rug hung in the corner. Sansha hissed at Erik, "I can still hear it down the hall, any hidden exits?"

Erik shrugged, sheathing his thin wooden club and examining the cabinet on the floor. It had two large drawers, and among the numerous perfume bottles he noted a set of tweezers, and a pile of colourful feathers in rich shades of blues, reds and oranges. Erik took a knee, looking beneath the dresser, then lifting the corner of the rugs in the middle of the room. No trapdoors, solid stone flooring underneath. He carefully pried the giant mirror away from the wall, grunting softly with the effort. The wall behind it was solid stone, almost as if it was carved out by water.

Erik turned to the corner with the hanging rug, admiring the deep golden shadows cast across it by the fire. Perhaps this was some sort of dressing room? Drying room? A guest room? Erik nudged the hanging rug, and was surprised to find it was feathered, unlike the animal furs that covered the floor. He softly stroked the material with the back of his hand, before gently nudging his arm against it to move it out of the way. The rug seemed to have some sort of bracing or structure, and it remained surprisingly rigid as he gently swung it to one side, fumbling to find some seam or handle on the stone wall behind.

He heard Sansha yawn behind him, and scowled back at her. Except, Sansha didn't look tired, she looked alarmed, stood with her back to the door, staring towards Erik with her weapon drawn again. Erik frowned, "Sansha, what's wrong?"

She raised her weapon, pointing at something. Erik felt his stomach drop as he realised what it was. He felt it before he saw it, a shudder of movement against his arm. A hundred fibrous muscles stirring suddenly to life right next to him, the feathers rippling against his arm. He panicked, diving back into the centre of the room, gasping out "It's alive!"

A lilting voice answered back "And awake, I'm sure there's a good reason for that?" Erik clambered to his feet as he watched the shape expand, unfurling as two large wings caught the light. He heard Sansha gasp behind him, "Shit, another morph, get away from it."

Erik circled away, as the creature raised itself towards the ceiling, snapping back "Ouch, 'it'? I'm not an 'it'!" Before they could respond the creature flipped acrobatically down, clawed feet plunging into the deep rugs. Erik could see now the creature was more human than they first seemed. Despite two vanes of feathers beneath each arm, and the covering of rich coloured feathers over it's back, chest and sides, this was clearly a person. The creature bowed it's head before them, sweeping one arm across it's narrow, feathered chest, "The name's Nightingale, pleased to meet you. Where we going?" It chirped brightly from an all-too familiar human face, before offering a feather-backed hand out to Erik.

Erik glanced at Sasha, who just shook her head sharply, "No, don't touch it. This door was latched from the outside for a reason."

Nightingale sighed as she pulled her hand back and strode swiftly across to the cabinet, entering the light properly for the first time, "You're too rude to be one of the guests. So you must be... intruders?" she watched the two officers with a smirk as she played with the perfume bottles.

Erik nodded, "Are you being kept prisoner here, Uh, Nightingale?"

The creature pivoted to smile warmly at Erik, "How kind of you to show concern for me! But no, I'm not a prisoner as such. I'm... an experiment? An employee? A servant I think?"

Erik smiled nervously back, trying to maintain an even composure as he took in Nightingale's form more carefully. He failed to suppress a frown of confusion as he realised Nightingale's shorts were made of downy feathers as well.

His focus was broken as Nightingale coughed pointedly, "If you're trying to work out what I have down there, I'd be happy to give you a closer look my brave rescuer." Erik stammered, "No, no I mean, sorry I was just, uh... Sansha?"

"Nightingale! Hey, no funny business ok. Yes, we're intruders, but we're with the Riftwatchers' Order. If you help us, we can help you out too, find you somewhere safe to go, outside the city."

The creature smiled again, a hint of surprise on their face as they picked up a perfume bottle and played with it idly. "Help me out? AWFULLY kind of you to offer, but I like being here, everyone likes being here. I get whatever I want brought to me, and all I need to do is keep my feathers shiny for Mistress."

Sansha and Erik shot a confused glance at each other. "Why? Like, what's the point of keeping you here?"

Nightingale sighed, and threw the perfume bottle lightly to Erik, "Perfumes darling, they aren't made from thin air. I'm the source, their golden goose, so to speak."

Sansha narrowed her eyes, studying Nightingale's face. "Erik, put the bottle down, something doesn't smell right in here, and it's not the perfume." Nightingale shrugged, "You don't need to trust me, but I've no reason to lie."

Erik gently set the crystalline bottle down as Sansha winced in pain behind him. "The Alarm spell Erik, someone's been through the front door, they'll know the guards are missing."

Erik watched Sansha with concern as she gained her composure, "Ok, they don't know where we are yet, we've probably got a few minutes to make a move, need me to knock her out?" he offered, turning to Nightingale who rocked back and forth on their claws expectantly. Sansha winced again, not answering his question, "Fuck, they've read the spell, they must know we're inside."

Nightingale took a step towards Sansha, bouncing excitedly, "You're such a lucky pair to even make it this far in! Mistress has guards walking the halls ALL night, but she only lets the really obedient ones out alone. All of them will be looking for you! Even more if they pull some of us from our rooms to help."

"Ok fine, so how do we get out of here?" Sansha snapped, angrily.

Nightingale smirked at her, "Ooh such a feisty girl! You'd make a fine playmate for someone. But you're right, you'd have to get out of here first..."

"And?" Sansha prompted.

"Well, now they know someone's down here, you won't be able to slip past her pets, the only way out..." they giggled, batting Erik's shoulder playfully, "is through."

Erik collected himself and stepped around Nightingale, making sure they weren't between him and the door before speaking up, "I don't know if you've ever been in a real fight, but it's not exactly a quiet affair. If there's as many guards as you say, we'd probably have 10 seconds before someone else comes running, and it only gets worse from there".

Nightingale spun around in place, feathers drifting behind their outstretched arms, "Oh but that's not how they're trained to fight! They don't want to shout for help, to shaaaare you. We're trained..." they turned to face Erik, taking a step forward "...to keep our captives...," their arms wide, showing off the rich plumage as Erik struggled to take in the suddenly vivid display of colours "...all to ourselves." Erik gasped as Nightingale dashed forward wrapping their arms and wings around him.

Erik spluttered as his face was buried firmly into Nightingale's Chest, the sound of Sansha's voice suddenly muffled and distant. It took Erik a moment to react, grasping at Nightingale's hips and pushing as hard as he could. They barely budged, he realised, as he felt one taut leg wrapping around behind his calves and pulling him tighter against the creature's muscular midriff, one of their arms wrapping tighter around his neck. Nightingale purred in his ear "Relaaax little pet, doesn't it feel so nice, so warm, and safe?"