-1MAIDEN SACRIFICE

BY Niteskye

Pandora couldn't believe it. She really couldn't. She was tied to a stake out in the middle of a meadow in the cold, wet Britain weather. The village had decided that she was the most suitable candidate to feed to the dragon that lived in the old Saxon castle that the invading Normans had utterly destroyed twenty years ago. Except, she highly doubted the dragon wanted her. Apparently, it had a taste for beef and mead.

She believed in dragons alright. She was a witch like her mother before her, and it was the eleventh century. It was common knowledge that dragons existed and loved beautiful maidens. Pandora of course didn't have any illusions about a knight coming to her rescue. She was lucky she was only being feed to the dragon; otherwise she would be burned at the stake. Secondly, she had seen knights up close, and she'd rather not be that close again.

As the young woman patiently worked at the ropes that bound her, she thought of where she could go. The nearby villages were out of the question; maybe she could go to Londontown and find a place there? Maybe the neighboring earls would have a need of a castle healer or witch. Her mother had told Pandora of the household she had lived in, and been educated in. The earl had wanted her mother as a witch, but then had taken her as his mistress. When her mother had become pregnant, the earl had kicked her out. That made Pandora reluctant to go to a lord. She had been told many a time that she was a beauty, and she was half amazed that she had lived to be eighteen and still a virgin.

Pandora heard the snap of a twig. Something was coming, and it was coming up behind her. She knew a moment of fear for it sounded big, and she was afraid that the dragon really was coming for her. She panicked and began to work at the ropes furiously. She screamed when she felt something cold touch her shoulder.

"What do we have here?" a masculine voice asked.

Pandora wrenched herself around to see a man wearing a strange armor looking down at her curiously. He was blond, and his eyes were piercing amber. They reminded her of cat's eyes, or maybe even a dragon's. The miller had said that he'd seen the eyes of a dragon.

"Would you be the one who's stealing food from the village?" she asked calmly, more calmly then she felt.

The man grinned. "And what if I am?"

"Well, then you're the reason I'm sitting out here in the cold with nothing but a shift on!" she snapped. And that was true; the villagers had stripped her down to nothing but her shift. Pandora was sitting out in nothing more then her underwear. The man noticed that too, and gave her a thorough looking over. Pandora grew angrier. "So are you going to leave me out here or are you going to help me? It's your fault I'm in the predicament in the first place!"

He glared at her. "How is it my fault? These were once my family's lands; can't a man take something that was once meant to be his?"

She was taken aback. "You're the son of the former lord?"

"Yes. My name is Rhadamanthys by the way."

"I see your parents must have shared a love of myth like my own mother. My name is Pandora."

Rhadamanthys shook his head. "My father was rather uneducated. I was actually born with another name, but I took up this one as I was destined to be in Lord Hades' service."

She frowned but shook her head. "Never mind. Can you help me here?"

Rhadamanthys knelt down and untied her. Pandora stood without his help and rubbed her wrists. Now, she had to decide what to do. It was either go to London, find a lord to serve, or go back and die. She was leaning toward one of the first two when she realized that her knight errant was using one of his armor's strange wings to shield her from the now heavy rain. "Come," he said, "You can take shelter with me."

She knew that she had no choice. As she looked down at herself, she realized that her shift was now almost transparent. She needed clothes, something to eat, and money if she was going anywhere except to be executed. The society she had grown up in was a little hypocritical when it came to witches. The villagers had accepted her mother and Pandora until the cattle had taken sick and the dragon had appeared. Pandora's mother had died the year before, so the village had turned it's ire on Pandora.

The two trudged up to the ruins. She was unsure of how it would help to inhabit the remnants of the castle, but as he led her past the crumbling wall, she realized that the keep was almost untouched. By the looks of it, most of the lower floors were in habitable condition. He pushed open the door, and Pandora found that the castle was actually in good repair on the inside. She followed Rhadamanthys up to the master bedchamber, the only room that looked like someone lived there. There was a chest with clothes in it and a sack that held food. He started a fire, and then rummaged through the chest until he found a fur robe.

He gave it to her and Pandora wrapped herself up. The fur warmed her chilled body, and she was glad that she was not longer for all intents and purposes naked. "Thank you." she said.

"It was nothing my lady." he said. He was slicing some cheese and bread. He handed her the food. "I know this isn't exactly the usual fare of a castle, but I do believe its better then nothing."

Pandora ripped off a piece of bread. "It's food to fill my empty stomach. Good enough." She took a bite, and enjoyed the taste of good bread. Her mother and she had been very poor, and the only flour they could afford was the very cheap kind. This bread had been made with fine flour, and Pandora savored it.

"So, Pandora, they decided to appease me by feeding me a beautiful maiden?" Rhadamanthys asked with a crooked grin.

"Yes, and they so graciously decided that the village witch who had been blighting the cows was the best choice for the sacrifice."

"You're a witch?"

"Yes, my mother taught me. And I wanted to ask before; you said that you served Hades. Is that true?"

"Yes." he answered. "I serve Hades. I am one of his judges."

She frowned. "Then what are you doing here?"

"He gives us a few months off every so often. I came here to see how my birthplace was doing after those Norman dogs destroyed it." As if that reminded him that he still wore it, he willed away his strange armor. It assembled across the room in the shape of a dragon. He now stood in the normal clothing of the day.

"What is that?" she asked, more curious then afraid.

"It is my Surplice. I'm the Specter of Wyvern."

"Specter? Surplice?" she asked.

"A Specter is a warrior of Hades. Our armors are called Surplices." he explained.

"Ahh." After that, there wasn't much conversation. They just sat together in silence. Pandora didn't really know what to say or do. She just sat on the bed, watching the fire. Then, it came to her. "Rhadamanthys, is there any way I could become a servant of Hades?"

He frowned. "What?"

"Look, I have nothing left here. My mother's dead, and the villagers will kill me. I don't have any money or clothes, and I'm defenseless. I won't get far down the road to London when a band of brigands will find me and most likely take turns raping me. If I do miraculously get to London or to a lord's keep, I will most likely end up working on my back to be quite frank. The way I figure, working for Hades is better then that." she explained, the desperation showing through.

Rhadamanthys looked pensive. "Well, I could ask my lord. I'm sure he could use a witch in his service. Do you know anything of the healing arts?"

Pandora brightened at the thought of Hades even considering it. "Yes! I know plenty!"

Rhadamanthys, being the pessimist he was, had to ask, "And what if Hades refuses to let you work for him? What will you do then?"

Pandora wilted at the thought. She bit her lip and thought fast. What would she do? Then she looked back up at him. Rhadamanthys was fair in face and form, and so far he had been very kind to her. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad to . . . "If Hades refuses, then I . . . I would ask to be your woman." she blurted.

The look on his face was priceless. "What?"

"Your woman. You know, your lover, concubine, paramour, mistress -" Rhadamanthys clamped a hand over her mouth.

"I know what you meant by 'my woman'! I was more asking where that came from!" he hissed.

Pandora giggled. Rhadamanthys' face was bright red. He loosened his hand so that she could answer. "I thought about it, and you struck me as an honorable man. I'd rather take my chances with you then with some high and mighty lord who would possibly beat me or throw me out if I become pregnant."

He nodded. "Better the devil you know then the one you don't, hunh?"

"Yes. If Hades doesn't accept me into his service would you . . ."

He gave her a kind smile and touched her cheek gently. "Even if you are accepted, I would pursue you my lovely Pandora." It was now her turn to blush. "And I am sure he will. We Specters need a healer among us. The closest we've got is the Alarune Specter, and his skills in healing leave much to be desired."

Pandora gave him a huge smile. He returned it. "Would you like to go see him now?"

"What?" she asked, dumbly.

"Would you like to go see Hades now?" Rhadamanthys repeated.

"I . . . I . . . I guess." she answered.

Rhadamanthys willed his armor back on, and held out his hand. Pandora took it, and he pulled her close. In the blink on an eye, they were in the throne room of Guidecca. The dark and forbidding palace unnerved Pandora, but Rhadamanthys' steady hand on the small of her back kept her calm.

He stepped forward and knelt. "My lord Hades, I have a petitioner here to ask to become one of your servants."

"A petitioner?" came a masculine voice from the other side of the sheer curtain.

Rhadamanthys motioned for Pandora to come forward. She did so and lowered into the best curtsy she could pull off in while still holding the robe closed. "My name is Pandora my lord. I wish to ask to become your healer."

"My healer? Do you know of the healing arts?"

"Yes. My mother taught me well. I am a witch my lord."

"Ahh." Hades said. Pandora could discern affection now in his tone. "A follower of Hecate. How refreshing. Pandora is it?"

"Yes my lord."

"Then consider yourself my new handmaiden Pandora." Hades said.

Pandora was taken aback. "Hand-hand-handmaiden?"

"Yes. I need a good servant, and who better then a witch? Does this displease you?"

"No! No. I am honored greatly my lord." she answered.

She saw the shadowy nod. "You've done well to find her Rhadamanthys." There was a wealth of double meaning in that.

Rhadamanthys grinned. "I am well aware my lord." he said, sliding a look to her. She blushed.

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Pandora strummed lightly on the harp. She was glad that Hades had taught her this skill so long ago. She'd become more then his handmaiden in the centuries that she had served him. She glanced up at the other occupant of the room.

She'd also become more to Rhadamanthys then some woman he'd found on a cold and rainy night. He smiled at her, and walked over. "Well my lady, are you happy in your position, you cheeky little thing?"

Pandora smiled at his endearment. He was the only one who remembered how cheeky and frank she used to be. Now, she was quieter, but he was still the only one to hear her at her most frank. He always asked her if she was happy in her position. "How could I not be?" she answered like she always did. "I got rescued by a knight in shining armor."

Rhadamanthys placed a kiss on her cheek. "I thought you got devoured by the dragon?"

She laughed softly, and there was a sparkle in her eye. "That too." She patted him on the head. "But it's a good thing that I tamed my little wyvern."

Neither noticed Hades leaning against the doorjamb. "Ahh. I love being sneaky."

Hypnos raised an eyebrow. "Sneaky?"

Hades grinned. "I did tell Rhady to go back to his home right then." The god's grin got even bigger. "And who'd you think pulled the strings to have those cattle blighted?"

Thanatos chuckled. "So you set them up?"

"Oh yeah." Hades answered. He glanced back at his big sister/handmaiden and his Judge. They were still too busy kissing each other to notice.

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Hee. This was one that just came to me, and also came due to AE's wanting more of the suggested pairings, you know, the ones actually hinted at in the series. I decided to go ahead and do one. Hee.

Please review.