War of the Races Ch. 10

"And fucking me nearly every day as well," Sulabha growled, "Beatrix was in my room. Shit! Why didn't we take the mirror with us?" She asked with an accusing glare at Sinaan.

"It slipped my mind after finding out you are...well," Sinaan glanced at Forelain then back at Sulabha, "Who you were..."

"We must recover them," Forelain signed adamantly, "They are relics from the first age of man when gate travel and teleportation were commonplace methods of travel!"

Sinaan shook his head, "If it truly is that important then there will surely be guards posted at Sulabha's room now. The mirror may be the fastest escape route out of House Forelain, but it won't be the safest. Not now. I'm afraid we will have to abandon Beatrix and Sojourner for now. Besides, we must go make sure my mother is still alive..."

"Yes," Sulabha agreed with a nod, "There was an assassin sent to kill your mother as well. With you, your sisters, and your mother dead House Abendroth, House Faline's most hated enemy, especially by Hayden, Gunngrul, and Rweble, would be in complete shambles for years while your house searched for an adequate heir. In the meantime my brothers plan to kill mother and lead House Faline into a new patriarchy."

Forelain hissed angrily and shook her head adamantly as she signed, "Over my dead body!"

Sinaan and Sulahba both nodded while he answered sarcastically, "Yes, well, I do believe that was the idea!"

Forelain suddenly grabbed Sinaan's wrists and fell to her knees as she signed, "Please, please! Help me retake my House from my traitorous sons. If you do this for me, I will marry you, and swear fealty to your mother as a vassal house under her authority!"

Sinaan could see the desperation in her face, but he wasn't sure he could trust her. He had been raised most of his life hearing about how despicable House Faline was. That it was full of liars and swindlers, that nothing they uttered could be trusted.

"Careful," Sulabha advised as she stepped in close to him so that her breasts were pressing firmly against his arm.

Forelain heard her daughter, and she shot her an outraged wide-eyed glare as she retorted in aggressive, angry gestures, "Be careful?! How dare you caution him that my word is less than honorable! You were taken from me as a 'barn'. How could you know the woman I have strived to be my whole life?! I will educate you though, I am the High Seat of House Faline, and for six-hundred and forty-five years I have never sworn falsely, or so much as looked for a way out of my given word! When I say I will align with House Abendroth, I will! When I give my vow that I will marry this Abendroth 'barn' in order to do so, I will! I will do whatever it takes to save my House and avenge my sister's and foremother's deaths by Hayden and Gunngrul's hands!"

"Matron Forelain, High Seat of House Faline," Sinaan interrupted with a formal bow as he offered a hand to her. When she took it, he lifted her up from her knees restoring her to her honor, "I, Sinaan Abendroth, am the youngest 'barn' of Matron Hela Abendroth. I have neither title nor authority to answer your plea except to promise that I will do everything I can to keep you alive until we save my mother. Afterward, she will answer your proposal, and if she accepts then I will gladly marry you in an effort to unite our families."

Opening her seemingly bottomless bag, Forelain thrust her hand in and immediately withdrew it. Stepping forward, she caressed Sinaan's cheek in an almost motherly gesture, which reminded him that she was nearly three times older than his own mother and well into her middle years by Alfar standards. Her almost demure smile cracked and almost overtook her stalwart bearing as she patted his cloak. Running her fingers over the broach of House Abendroth, she withdrew only enough to pin her own broach of House Faline to his cloak beneath the Broach of House Abendroth signifying that Sinaan had authority over any member of House Faline. Then she tilted his head up so that her violet eyes met his pink gaze, she reached for and found his left hand and lifted it so that they could both watch as she took a platinum ring out of her bag with a large yellow cymophane mounted in it.

"With my broach I mark you as my liege," Forelain signed, "And, with this ring we are betrothed. Any member of my House that is still faithful to me will recognize you as my consort now."

Taking Forelain's hand he bowed to her and kissed her palm, the tips of each of her fingers and thumb, and each knuckle. Then he took out one of his daggers. The first dagger Aalyn ever gave him, and he placed it in Forelain's hand, "With this dagger I surrender my life to you, until such time as my mother usurps my vow, or my life ends defending you and Sulabha. Should I for any reason betray my vow, or neglect my duties as your liege or betrothed, to you or House Faline, then with this dagger you may sever our bond."

"You do know that means that she'll plunge it straight into your heart, right," Sulabha asked, her sarcasm dripping from her lips.

"The vows are given, and accepted, and witnessed," Forelain pronounced in strong definitive signs, "We are betrothed until such time as your mother, Hela, High Seat of House Abendroth rejects my proposal of marriage to you Sinaan Abendroth."

"The vows are given, and accepted, and witnessed," Sinaan confirmed.

"The vows are given, and accepted, and witnessed," Sulabha intoned grimly with heavy sighing.

They stood there in a moment of silence. Looking from Sinaan to Sulabha, Forelain nodded and took charge as she signed, "Surely the Guard has been notified and mustered. There is no telling what lies my son's have told them, and I no longer know who is loyal to me. We must tread carefully. Sinaan, cloak yourself in Invisibility, and lead the way. I will be a few lengths behind you and will give my Guardsmen a chance to show who they are aligned with, me, or my sons. Sulabha stay close to me and keep your shadows active, we may need Hrun'durgahl and Lumarra's battle prowess and healing to make it through the night."

"I had intended to," Sulabha grumbled discontentedly now that her mother was in charge instead of her.

"Alright then, let us move out," Forelain signed in commanding gestures.