“They have safely arrived in Serai.” Roric told his co-conspirators with the displeasure he felt about that clear in his posture and voice. “Your pirates, Lord Jentis, failed miserably.”

Jentis, a representative, though covert, from Cardasia and the only one in the room who wasn’t afraid of the man, glowered at Roric. “You neglected to warn us about the cannon, My Lord, and my government is NOT pleased about thatThe ferocity that crew defended both their ship and the lady with was also unexpected.”

“Don’t try to hide your failure to perform a simple boarding, grab, and retreat with excuses.” Roric glowered at the man who remained obstinately unfazed.

“With the coming of the Lady Deirdre, and Lord Garret’s already high esteem from the people of this nation in general,” Jentis quietly answered. “it seems that we have ‘been backing the wrong horse’ in this particular race. My government has ordered me to withdraw our support for your bid at taking Jhalmar’s throne.”

“You DARE tell me that in my own stronghold?” Roric turned several interesting shades of red while staring daggers at the Cardasian.

“Need I remind you, lord Roric?” Jentis ignored the blush of rage Roric’s face was displaying as he said. “Killing me, or even injuring me, or any of my people would result in repercussions that could not be blamed on Cardasia, but would nevertheless be quite – uncomfortable if not fatal for you.”

“I can at least count on your discretion in all of this?” Roric softened his approach and forced a smile.

“Of course, my lord.” Jentis nodded with a thin smile. “It wouldn’t do at all for Cardasia’s purported complicity in either the attempted kidnapping or murder of the woman who will quite likely become Queen of Jhalmar to be intimated at all. Do continue with your efforts. We will neither help nor hinder.”

The gathering watched the man turn his back on them and arrogantly walk towards the door.

Just as he reached the door, Jentis turned with a wicked smile to address the gathering one last time. “Don’t worry, we won’t send warning to Cedric, Lamont, or anyone else. If you succeed you will have Cardasia’s friendship. But to receive that, you must be successful. Backing a losing candidate in even a shadow succession war is not something that would be considered at all wise by my government and it appears now that you have little chance of winning this.”

“In other words,” Roric grated out. “we’re on our own.”

“Precisely. I bid you good day, gentlemen.” Jentis answered before turning to walk out the door.

“The servants are in kind of awe of you.” Garret told Deirdre as they made their way to dinner.

“Why, because I deigned to actually wash some pots?” She shot back with a little moue of her mouth that was both priceless and captivating.

“Partially.” The knight nodded with a grin. “But also because you showed them in no uncertain terms that you had standards that you were quite willing to do yourself, with or without them. You are a lady who isn’t afraid of work the commons have to do.”

“Oh, come on.” She snorted. “Not too long ago I was one of the commons and counted myself lucky if I got a few coppers for washing some pots.”

“Exactly my point.” Garret said with a tiny smirk. “The servants now know that you were once in their place and won’t accept laziness or shoddy work. That can’t be a bad thing, my love.”

“Would you please stop with that ‘MY love’ stuff?” She asked in an almost plaintive tone of voice. “I’m having enough trouble getting my head and spirit around the fact that you even think of me that way, let alone actually being there.”

“Just think of it as my own special reinforcement for who and what you are now.”

“I still have that mace, you know.” She gave him a dark look, then relented and laughed. “Oh, I don’t know why it is, but you’re good for me, Garret.”

“Could it be because you love me?” He questioned innocently.

“Love alone isn’t enough.” She countered with a little frown that made her face all the more lovely even if she didn’t realize that. “I have to know that this is right for both of us and not some errant strand of an idiotic prophecy that I’m constrained to obey.”

“Then allow me to show you something.” He answered, then took her in his arms and put a gentle, but insistent kiss on her lips.

Deirdre struggled for all of a few seconds, then melted into him, pushing her body against his and opening her mouth in welcome to his kiss.

Garret responded with a gentle entry into her mouth with his tongue, then started playing with her upper palate and gums with his tongue.

When he withdrew, Deirdre did the same thing for him, with results that were electrifying for both of them. Garret pulled away while adjusting himself into something that didn’t look like he was wearing a codpiece, and Deirdre fanned herself before breathlessly saying. “Well. That was – interesting.”

“Only interesting?” He asked.

“Okay, fun, too.” She admitted.

“My room is that way.” He gestured with a smile.

“We aren’t married yet, dear one.” Deirdre replied with a little regret in her tone of voice. “I won’t have people counting the days and months when our first child decides to show up.”

“Then you accept my proposal?” He questioned.

“Not yet!” She retorted then flashed a mischievous little grin. “You are my one true love, Garret, no matter how much I try to ignore that. Of course I’m going to marry you! But don’t get too complacent here. I still have some kicking, screaming, and revenge to get through. And you’re going to work for it, bucko.”

“As if I haven’t been doing that.” He muttered with a little sigh. “What will it take to get you to accept the idea of being a wife – my wife?”

“The judge is still out and considering that one.” Deirdre shrugged with a quick wink. “But I understand she’s leaning towards a decision in your favor. That is providing, of course, that you maintain such a gentlemanly and considerate approach to things here. No more spankings allowed without mutual consent, okay?”

“So long as you will end up as my wife.” He grinned. “I’ll even let you spank me in return for what I did to you.”

“Can I use a paddle?” She grinned. “Or the flat of a sword?”

“Oh the abuse I’m letting myself in for.” He sighed. “But yes, whatever it takes. I love you, Deirdre, and want us to spend the rest of our lives together.”

“Oh, that’s sweet.” She smiled and touched his cheek with one hand. “Just one thing, let’s not tell your parents I’m considering capitulation so easily. I think they’d be very disappointed if we did.”

“Probably so.” He agreed with a chuckle. “Though mother is convinced that you’d already agreed but are just too stubborn to admit the fact to anyone.”

“I am.” She smirked. “After all, I can’t let people think I just caved in or anything so simple, now can I?”

“Gods forbid!” Garret put on a shocked expression. “You? Giving in to anything at all? That would cause major storms, earthquakes, tidal waves, things like that all over the world.”

“You’re making fun of me now.” She pouted.

“I love you. You love me. If I can’t make fun of you – at least in private, well we should be able to have fun with each other in our relationship shouldn’t we, dear one?” He responded with a grin.

“Remind me to make you pay for that one.” Deirdre grumbled then grinned up at him. “But not right away. I want another kiss.”

Garret was all too happy to oblige her.

“Gonna be hard grabbing that one when she’s always escorted like that.” Grindle commented from the cover of a stand of trees jutting out from the main forest near Serai.

Sable, a small, lithe man who moved in sudden flashes of motion replied to his bigger companion. “Patience, Grindle my friend, in time someone will slip up. All we need do is watch and strike when the opportunity presents itself.”

“We could die of old age with the waiting.” Hess, the third member of the group grumbled. “She is the future Duchess of Chalmnessa, and possibly the next Queen, I don’t think anyone is going to get lax in their watching over her.”

“Ahh, think positive here, my friend.” Sable lightly clapped the man on the shoulder. “Think of all the wonderful gold we’ll get for our perseverance on this.”

“Gold is only good if you have it in your hands or purse.” Hess countered. “There are other profitable things we could be doing right now instead of this senseless, constant waiting for someone to slip up with the little bitch’s escorts.”

“With what I hear about the Lady,” Sable shrugged, “she’ll slip her leash soon enough.”

“You and Garret seem to be having more pleasant time together lately.” Mina observed with a knowing smirk as she and Deirdre rode through the countryside – accompanied by ten armed and armored horsemen Lamont had insisted on.

“I suppose we are.” The one-time boy shrugged then let herself show a small grin. “I guess I’m getting used to this girl stuff and am starting to not panic over the woman stuff that leads to.”

“I think that is wise.” Mina grinned back with a twinkle in her eyes. “But don’t worry about it, every girl panics at one time or another when considering what it means, really means, to be a woman. Especially when there’s a man involved.”

“Thanks. I think.” Deirdre snorted with a grumbled, “I was a boy, B – O – Y, less than a year ago so is it any surprise at all that I’d panic when considering what it means to be a woman with a man!”

“No, dear, it wouldn’t be.” Mina answered equably. “But consider this. You could have done a whole lot worse than getting Garret to worry about in that respect.”

“True.” Deirdre answered while thinking, And not much better if every god in existence worked to arrange the match.

“So have you kissed him yet?” The maid/bodyguard teased, and widened her eyes as her charge blushed. “You have! Tell me about it!”

Eel watched his hirelings arguing about the profitability of continuing their watch on Deirdre with a long sigh of exasperation. Possibly, he’d need to give the trio a little more incentive to get the snatch done. Like a not so subtle threat aimed at their personal welfare. Those three idiots were good at kidnapping, but not so great at collecting and keeping the ransoms, and were very considerate of their own well being.

If it went that far, he knew he could present them with a non-fatal, if painful example of what failure would get them. It might be a good idea to become a bit more hands on in this affair just to make certain it worked out as planned. Besides, that bitch who was always with the target had some payback coming. With those thoughts, and the decision he’d made about them the assassin chuckled and faded back into the forest.

“You know I’m not good with things like this, Garret!” Deirdre hissed through clenched teeth that may have looked like a smile if someone was very nearsighted or not paying attention. Giving the mob of merchant princes and their wives, minor lords and ladies, military leaders – with wives or mistresses, and political functionaries schmoozing in the great hall, she actually ground her teeth for a moment before her future husband (provisionally) gave her arm a bit less than gentle squeeze.

“You told me you’d charm all of these people, too, on the day of your welcoming.” He answered while offering non-committal smiles to those worthies who were working to catch his attention. “Now is the time to do that.”

“Me and my big mouth.” She muttered then nodded with a heavy sigh. “All right, but I don’t have to do more than pretend to enjoy this do I?”

“Oh, you might actually like a few of these people.” Garret lifted his eyebrows. “Not all of them are your conventional hangers on or courtiers.”

“Oh, don’t worry.” Blue eyes flashing with a mix of amusement and annoyance, she responded with a mischief filled wink and grin. “I’ll knock their hose off, or whatever some of that stuff they’re wearing is.”

“All I ask is that you remember who gave you what at the original greeting.” Garret soothed. “And that you thank them for the wonderful gifts.”

“I’m sure you or some functionary will remind me if I forget one, gods forbid.” She said with a chuckle. I have the list memorized, dear. Now stop looking so worried, and let’s go charm these people.”

“Your wish is my command, dear lady.” Garret intoned.

“Stop that!” Slapping his shoulder lightly, she laughed in her clear bell-like tones, starting her captivation, not to mention conquest, of Chalmnessa’s gentry.

“That girl is amazing.” Grace observed as she and Lamont watched their son and his intended move from one small group to another. “She smiles, says something, and people simply fall in love with her.”

“Even when some of her responses are more than a bit acerbic?” Lamont chuckled. “But I agree. A rose is lovely bloom, with a heady scent and gives pleasure in more than one way. Yet it comes with thorns that people accept for the joy the flower gives them. Our future daughter-in-law is that way no matter how much she may protest the fact when it’s brought up.”

“Too true.” Grace agreed taking her husband’s arm. “Now it’s our turn to go ‘charm the gentry’ again.”

“A bit more enthusiasm might help there, darling.” Lamont pointed out.

“I’ll be enthusiastic when I have to be.” She retorted with a little grin. “Not before.”

“Gods, you’d think Deirdre was your daughter, the way you two are.”

“Quit complaining, Lamont.” Grace laughed. “You’ve been conquered too. Admit it.”

“Twice now, my love.” He agreed with a chuckle of his own.

“I’ll reward you for that answer later.” Looking at him through lowered lashes and grinning, Grace kissed him on the cheek. “There’s a down payment on the promise.”

“This, Garret introduced a young man who looked a lot like him. “Is my little brother, Brent.”

“Brent, it’s good to finally see you.” Deirdre smiled while allowing the young man to kiss the palm of her hand. “If I were to say that Garret has talked constantly about you, I’d be lying through my teeth, but I’m glad to finally have the opportunity to meet the other sibling in Garret’s family.”

“Ah, an honest woman!” Brent grinned as he rose from the bow that kissing her hand had him in. “I do appreciate that. Unfortunately, Garret and I seldom agree on much of anything. But this time I do find myself in hearty agreement with his choice of brides. You are lovely, obviously possess wit and the ability to use it, and don’t flinch from telling people the truth. I’m sure my brother has told you little or nothing about me.”

“An oversight I will correct, brother.” Garret chuckled then sighed. “The past while has been – rather busy – if you catch my meaning.”

“Oh, I do, Garret.” Brent nodded with a serious expression on his face. “I may argue with you about almost anything, but if you have need, you know I’ll be beside you.

I like to argue.” He confided not too softly to Deirdre. “It keeps my wits sharp and helps my dullard of a brother maintain his.”

“Stop lying to my betrothed.” Garret good naturedly retorted before warning Deirdre. “My brother could charm the scales off a viper then sell them back to the poor snake.”

“Oh, that’s an exaggeration.” Brent countered with an infectious smile. “I’d have to sell them to someone else then tell the snake where it could buy them back.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about your brother?” Deirdre whispered almost fiercely into Garret’s ear.

“As if I’ve had time to tell you about much of anything so far, dear.” He whispered back. “I’ve been too busy trying to keep you out of trouble and alive in case you hadn’t noticed.”

“Good point.” She admitted but gave him a mild glare. “Still, you should have told me you have a brother.”

“It kind of got lost in the shuffle of gentling you down to being a lady, then the poisoning, and that cat fight in the atrium and all…”

“The cat fight happened before that poisoning.” She pointed out then let out a little laugh. “But I’ll admit that you have had reason to be more than a little distracted lately.”

“No, really?” He questioned.

“Yes, so stop making excuses and tell me.” She went on. “Do you trust your brother?”

“Of course, I trust him.” Garret answered with a bit of offended sibling in the response. “I may not get along with him all the time, but brothers tend to fight, after all.”

“That’s all I wanted to hear.” Deirdre gave his hand a squeeze and let go to give Brent a hug. “Hello, future brother, it’s good to meet you. If you wish to have an argument, just come see me in the future. I’m sure I can give you one worthy of your expectations.”

“So I’ve heard, Lady.” Brent gave her a brilliant smile and a small bow of respect. “I’ll look forward to that.”

“Me, too.” Deirdre answered and gave the young man a quick peck to the cheek.

“I think I approve of my future sister-in-law, brother.” Brent grinned.

“You forgot to tell me you had a brother?!!” Deirdre scowled at Garret and took a stance that showed she was more than ready for a confrontation once Brent had taken his leave of the couple.

“It never came up.” That worthy responded weakly. “Brent is the black sheep of the family, always going against tradition and doing his best to embarrass us. I just didn’t think to tell you about him.”

“Embarrass…” Deirdre put on a thoughtful expression. “Is he a wastrel?”

“No.”

“A womanizer?”

“No.”

“Does he work with your enemies to undermine your family?”

“He would never do that!” Garret shot back. “Brent is one of the family. He just isn’t all that good at bowing to tradition or expectations.”

“Then what is the problem your family seems to have with him?”

“He doesn’t agree with anyone on anything.” Garret let out a heavy sigh. “Regardless of the topic, Brent always takes the opposing view.”

“So tell me why that’s a bad thing. I don’t suppose it’s occurred to anyone that he does that on purpose just to get people to rethink their positions?” She asked.

“Yes it has.” Garret nodded with a sigh. “But it’s still extremely annoying.”

“But does it work?”

“Does what work?” He asked in near exasperation.

“Do people rethink their positions once your brother has made his point?”

“Of course we do.” Garret shook his head. “We already know that, but it’s still very annoying, he could learn to use a bit of tact with his arguments, is all.”

“You know.” Deirdre grinned. “I think I could like this brother of yours.”

“You would.” He grumbled then chuckled..

“So you are the one who has finally captured my big brother’s interest.” Brent greeted Deirdre in the hall outside the dining room with a bow and an enigmatic smile. “I had been resigned to the idea of inheriting rule of Chalmnessa simply because Garret didn’t seem all the interested in women. You have my undying gratitude, Lady Dierdre.”

Giving the young man a long, careful look, she nodded then grinned. “I do think I’d rather have your gratitude than enmity, Sir.”

“Oh, you give me too much credit, Lady.” Brent grinned back with that twinkle in his deep green eyes that Garret possessed when making a joke or simply having fun. “I am nothing more than a second son who has been searching for a place to insure my continued comfort in life.”

“Then I might suggest that you go speak with a dance instructor named Vertigan in Jhalmar.” Deirdre answered with a quirk of her mouth that could have been either a grin or a painful joke – with Brent as the butt of it.

“Your words don’t say the same thing as your eyes, sister-to-be.” Brent chuckled. “I think I like you already. So many layers in you and none that are obvious have even come close to reaching the core of your being. Fascinating.”

“Should I be glad that you are so impressed?” She questioned and gave him her almost famous mischievous grin.

“No, m’lady.” Brent returned quite seriously. “I should be happy that you haven’t found me wanting. I get the impression that you do not suffer fools or laziness with even a hint of gladness.”

“My name is Deirdre.” She answered with a genuine smile. “Though I may protest the fact rather loudly at times, you and I will soon be related through marriage. And no, I find excuses to be quite tedious.”

“Good answer – Deirdre.” Brent grinned and kissed the palm of her hand that time. “I only wish I had found you before Garret did.”

“No you don’t.” She laughed. “Trust me on that one.”

Sham, the gatekeeper, a minor functionary in Serai, was frantic. His wife and six year old daughter had gone to the market to get a few things for a gathering of friends the next evening. It should have taken an hour, no more. But they had been gone for twelve. No one had seen them, or even had a reasonable guess as to where they were.

He had checked Aranis’, his wife’s family, and the pair hadn’t been there in days. Aranis’ friends, even acquaintances, hadn’t seen her or their child.

Just as he was getting ready to go to the guard to report them missing, or start using his connections to have even better searchers begin looking for them there was a short, sharp rap at the door of the small, but neatly kept apartment he and his family occupied.

There was a piece of parchment that had been pushed under the door when he reached it. Opening the door, he saw no one at all in the area. Given the time was well past dinner not noting someone in the area was troubling. Reaching down to pick up the parchment, he opened it as he was straightening his slender form.

The message he read almost undid him. But it was his wife and child in the balance.

He would be where it told him to be, at the appointed time, and do what the kidnappers demanded.

“I worry about you.” Garret told Deirdre as they shared a small bottle of very nice wine following the formal ball to welcome the bride to be of the Duchy’s heir.

“Why?” She asked in genuine curiosity. “I’ve behaved myself this time around, charming everyone you introduced me too, tonight.”

“Not about how you affect the people you meet.” He went on. “You tend to make yourself a bit too accessible to anyone at all.”

“Make up your mind, Garret.” She shot back while moving a thick lock of curling black hair away from her face as she gave him an irritated look. “Either I let the people approach me, or I let you lock me up in some tower. Now which option do you think I’d take?”

“Umm.” Garret answered. “I can’t see you as someone who would tolerate being locked safely away from anyting. Even if doing that might preserve your life!”

“Define safely, dearest.” Deirdre smirked.

“Oh, let me think.” He went on. “How about if you didn’t challenge everything that comes your way? Then we have people who are really, REALLY, trying to KILL you?”

“Each life has its problems, dear.” Dierdre answered with a mischievous grin.

“But why does yours have to have to so many complications?” He asked with real pain in the question.

“Garret, my love.” She answered. “I had complications when I was a boy. Why should those go away now? Some people, myself included, just seem to come with complications regardless of how anyone feels about it.”

“Good Point.” He answered.

Sham was a gatekeeper, so no one questioned his moving from gate to gate, even at that time of night as he carefully kept track of the hourly bells to make sure the gate he needed to be at would come to his ‘attention’ at precisely the right time. It wouldn’t do to be noticed loitering too long in any one spot on this night, people who saw him might think, rightly, that he was waiting for someone. That was something he couldn’t afford at all.

At the prearranged signal he’d both been dreading and waiting for, Sham opened the small postern to admit three figures clothed in dark garments. One of them nodded to him with a flash of teeth that could have been a smile. “Well done, gate keeper. Do you have the rest of what we asked for?”

“More like demanded.” Sham returned quietly while handing over directions to a certain lady’s apartments. “Now where is my family?”

“You’ll be with them soon enough.” Grindle promised. “Providing you told no one we were coming.”

“I swear to you, I haven’t done that.” The gatekeeper answered.

“Good.” Grindle smiled, “Then by all means, join your little family with our blessings.”

The flash of a blade told Sham he had been cruelly used just before a heavy hand covered his mouth to prevent any warnings being shouted and the dagger ripped into his vitals.

“Hide that.” Grindle wiped his dagger while dispassionately watching the body of their dupe. “Somewhere it won’t be found anytime soon. I’ll wait for you here then we have a job to do, my friends.”

The fourth of the group, who had watched the others work up to that point added in a hissed whisper. “Don’t attract any attention, or you’ll be sharing what the outer guards and our friend there suffered.”

“No problem, boss.” One of the pair moving the body answered quietly, but fervently. There was no way any of the three thugs were going to risk anything to arouse the ire of that one.

Mina awakened from her usual light sleep with the feeling that something was wrong. Very wrong. Quietly getting out of her bed which was in a smaller chamber next to Deirdre’s, she cautiously cracked open the door between the two. To be met with a fist almost as large as her head.

Rolling with the punch, but stunned enough that she couldn’t even shout out a warning, the one-time assassin leaped to her feet and automatically went into an attack stance, only to have her breath again knocked out of her lungs by a hard kick to the side. Still, she launched herself at the assailant, drawing a small but deadly needle pointed dagger to do what damage she could.

A frighteningly familiar voice quietly spoke to her as another kick numbed the hand grasping the dagger. “Ahh, so good to see you again, Mina, my dear.” Eel smiled as he delivered another blow to the woman’s midsection.

“I know, I know.” He soothed while drawing out a blade of his own. “You thought I was dead. Should have made sure of me in Jhalmar, woman. You’re slipping.

A compatriot and a bag full of healing draughts can work wonders, even on someone in the shape you left me in, dear.” The man smiled thinly as his blade slipped between her ribs. “I won’t make the same mistake you did, I fear. Good bye, Mina.

Deirdre awakened to a quiet, but unusual sound in her bedchamber, sat up quickly, only to find a heavy, calloused hand clapped over her mouth and a heavy arm wrapped around her throat before she could so much as question who was in her room. She did manage to kick the rest of the light covers off her legs before another pair of hands grabbed her ankles.

She did three things at that point. Bit down hard on the hand over her mouth, tasting a gratifying saltiness of blood once she had, and worked her teeth in even further while tearing at the hand she’d bitten. She also kicked wildly, feeling pain in her toes as her bare foot connected solidly with what she thought was a man’s midsection. Then the young woman reached up with her hands to claw at the arm around her throat with her nails.

Those acts were answered with muffled curses and quiet qrunts of pain. Unfortunately, the arm around her throat tightened, cutting off any hope of her shouting or screaming for help. And, incidentally, cutting off her air until her head swam from lack of breathing.

“Don’t choke her to death!” A harsh whisper gave her an aiming point and she lashed out with a heel. That connected with a click of teeth being snapped together and the feel of a chin or something equally hard bouncing away from that heel.

She kept struggling, giving and receiving a few more blows, until she found herself trussed up gagged, and wrapped like a mummy in her own bedding. Helpless to do much else by that time, she glared into the darkness and still struggled against her bonds.

“Damn, who’d have thought a pair of women could put up that much of a fight!” A panting voice rasped as hard hands picked her up and negligently tossed her over a heavily muscled shoulder.

As she was carried out of her room, she caught sight of a huddled form that turned out to be Mina. Mina lying in a spreading pool of blood.

Bruised, battered, and sinking into a dark pool of despair and grief, Deirdre finally lost consciousness. The deep, unthinking, unfeeling darkness was almost comforting.