The Tattooed Woman Pt. 39

"Oh, you can just shut up," turning back to the cook, she raised a placating hand, "'tis sorry I am, Maggie, you're right enough. I promise I'll see to her bath as soon as we're done. But she was anxious to see you, and I thought it would do no harm if I brought her here first."

The cook made grumbling noises, but the broad smile of delight on her face made mockery of any pretence of being truly disgruntled, and she pulled Cassie into another hug, "Well, that's fair enough, I suppose. I can't rightly begrudge you for bringing my wee Cassie back to me."

After a long moment, Maggie released her again and took a half step back, "I could hug ye all day, lass, but ye'd best go see Mistress Narissa, for she'll doubtless have a few words for ye."

Cassie swallowed nervously, "Um, where is she?"

Picking up her ladle, the cook pointed off towards a cell door, the only one that looked to be shut and nodded, "Over yonder, but" she held out an arm to stop Cassie from rushing over immediately, "might be best if ye give me a minute to peek through the hatch first."

"Why?"

Maggie's face coloured, and she mumbled something under her breath.

"What?"

"I said she's been right testy lately, and Iris has been spending some time with her, trying to lighten her mood. When the door is closed like that, it generally means she's, um... making a special effort, if you catch my drift."

Cassie frowned, "Huh? Oh, OH!"

Hildegard chuckled, "Does it work?"

"Well, from all the noise they sometimes make, I'd say it doesn't appear to be doing any harm."

Garrow chuckled as Cassie turned an alarming shade of red. She snorted as she brushed the crumbs from her tunic and waved a chicken leg at the cell door, "Here, save your blushes. I'll go look. I doubt there's anything those two could get up to that would shock the likes of me."

Arching a brow, Hildegard gave her a mischievous smile, "Searching for tips?"

Unperturbed, Garrow turned to her, "Always! You offering to teach me a few?"

"You should be so lucky! Save it for that poor lad at the door."

...

Narissa was lying under the blankets and watching the delicious sight of Iris slipping her dress back over her shoulders. The barmaid was enticingly shapely, and the delightful shimmy she did to cause the dress to slide down over her hips had brought a lascivious smile to the lips of the Dark Elf. She looked up as the cell door opened. Her languid arousal vanished abruptly, however, when she saw Hildegard standing in the doorway, with her hulking bodyguard lurking just behind her.

"What do you want?"

Staying in the doorway, Hildegard smiled pleasantly to Iris before looking back at the glowering Dark Elf. Nodding at the long chain running from where it was securely bolted to the wall to the collar fixed around Narissa's neck, she sighed, "Matriarch Aventine wonders if you've had enough of this mummer's farce yet? She says you have but to give your parole to be immediately free of such restraints. What say you?"

Narissa sat up, and her eyes flashed, "You tell that arrogant bitch that as soon as I get out of this, I'm going to cut her fucking throa-"

"Oh, and you have a visitor."

Giving the door a push, she stepped aside to reveal the figure standing at her side.

The look of shocked delight that appeared on the face of the intransigent Dark Elf was totally worth it.

The chainlinks rattled as Narissa leapt to her feet, "Cassie! Oh, thank fuck!"

The little human blushed at the reaction and then further and deeper at the uncaring display when the blanket covering Narissa was left forgotten and discarded at her feet as the naked Dark Elf lunged forward to wrap her arms around her.

Hildegard chuckled as she stepped forward and gracefully bent to recover the bedspread before gently draping it over the woman's shoulders, "There now, does this finally improve your temper?"

"You found her?"

Shaking her head, the handmaiden smiled, "I wish I could take credit, truly, but she was delivered to our door by her own means. Still, it brings me joy to see you reunited."

Narissa swallowed, "Thank you, Hildegard."

"Honestly, it was my pleasure."

Stepping back, the Dark Elf peered into Cassie's face, and her brow furrowed at what her sidhe eyes saw, "You've had adventures for sure," reaching up, she gently traced her fingers along the girl's cheek, "and you've not escaped unscathed, I see it in your eyes, girl."

Cassie swallowed, "Things... happened."

"Were you hurt?"

Remembering the pain and the terror of the last few days, the fire and the screams, the cracked bones and broken limbs, the girl winced. Then, drawing a deep breath, she looked up and met Narissa's gaze without flinching, "It's in the past. I'm well enough now."

"But not unchanged, methinks."

The girl shrugged.

Narissa engulfed her in another long embrace, squeezing her tight before finally releasing her with a long sigh. Stepping back, she pursed her lips, and her voice was surprisingly firm, "Good. I'm glad you are well because when all this is done and dusted, my belt and your arse are going to have a very serious discussion."

Cassie paled, and suddenly, the little scullery maid was back, "What?! Why?"

"Because you scared the shit out of me! You vanished in the middle of the night without so much as a word or by your leave! You didn't even take clothes! I feared you'd been snatched, kidnapped, or stolen away by some nefarious agency. I ran about like a mad woman for days searching for you! I spoke to every ruffian and rapscallion I could lay my hands on in the hopes of some shred of enlightenment and-"

From the side, Iris chuckled, "Many of those louts did not enjoy the interrogation. Mistress Narissa was quite... agitated, and some fingers were um... lost."

Garrow grinned, "Nice."

Swallowing, Cassie lowered her eyes, "I... I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry as you're going to be."

Looking about desperately, she cast her eyes at the nearby cook, "Maggie?"

The big woman folded her arms, "Oh, don't look at me, lass. I lost ten years of my life worrying about you, and them's years I can't afford at my age. If Narissa wants, she can borrow my wooden spoon."

...

Atop the mighty bastions of Miosgan Meadhba, the Grand Matriarch of that city paused in her discussion with Callista, her Battlemage, as the clarion sounds of many brazen horns split the air. From beyond the battlements came the jingle of heavy armour, the baleful roaring of ogres, the wild howling of Firbolg, the wretched dirgelike moaning of uncountable undead Druagre, and the ominous crunching of tens of thousands of marching feet, as the vast horde that had besieged her city for so long began to move at last. Knowing what was to come, she lowered her head with a sigh.

Down on the battlements, Kasa-Dur looked to the Orc by her side and grinned, "Well, here it comes."

Yellow eyes gleaming with a hungry feral light, the scarred old warrior hefted his battleaxe and spat over the wall before turning to her, "Let them come."

...

Quintus had set up his apparatus in the tent and was readying enchantments for the battle to come when the air in front of him simply tore apart, and a tall, twisted figure stepped through the vortex. The magus hissed in surprise, but the hard tutelage of the Dark Elves had taught him many lessons, and at his swift gesture, a fulminating circle of brilliant flame surrounded the intruder.

Undeterred, the creature stepped forward, crushing the warding underfoot and shaking off the flame with barely a shrug.

Demeritus eyed the grovelling insect before him, "I have come for thee, Wizard. Your new Master awaits. Where is thy familiar?"

"Familiar? What familiar?"

From the mouth of the tent, Adair snorted, "I suspect he means me."

Turning, the Dragon's glower congealed, and his burning eyes went wide as he stepped back, "You! But... I saw you fall!"

The woman moved into the tent and her dread smile widened.

"And yet, here I stand."