Callum and his three friends watched as Casavir picked Avera up and trudged off into the hall.

"I am not sure what either of them would do if they lost the other." Callum fidgeted with his mug.

Nevalle snorted, "At least Avera would not be short on suitors."

"Are you offering your services for her like that consort?" Grayson sneered, "Such an unsavory thing."

"Maybe." The sandy haired man glanced over at Bishop who was glaring at them now. He realized the ranger could hear their conversation, "She could probably make a man's life quite interesting."

Darmon nodded, "That she likely could. You have not seen her dance!"

"Dance?" Callum put his mug down and raised an eyebrow, "She just danced with all of us. Pretty darn good on her feet, she is!"

"Not that kind of dance!" The dark haired one of the nine looked about as if he were telling some secret, "She dances erotically. Better than any at the Moonstone Mask. You saw how that ranger danced with her? She did a dance much more stirring for myself and my troops the one night I was here and she also danced like that around Casavir another night. It was ... enticing."

"What do you mean? Enticing?" Nevalle was becoming more and more interested.

"As a child she had wanted to be a professional dancer and had also learned gymnastics. Think about how sensual that would be."

"I do not think that you should be encouraging my squire to dance ... enticingly."

Darmon laughed, "See! Even Grayson understands what I mean!"

Callum sat with a hand to his forehead, rubbing out the stress.

Nevalle thought it over, "Maybe we should stick around until later and see if she is up to another ... performance then."

"Right you are!" Darmon lifted his mug in a toast.

"I need a stiffer drink." Callum announced and left the table.

Nnn

Avera sat on the mattress where he had placed her. Her mind was in turmoil from everything that had happened. She knew that Lorne had come a hair's breadth from chopping her heart out. If that wasn't bad enough, now she was reacting towards other men. All of this sudden interest that was being piled on her by admiring males was messing with her mind.

For so long no one took notice of her but now that she found him … why? And how could her body react to them like that? Did the blow to her head from the scimitar do something to her?

Casavir walked about the room. He locked the door, took off his armor and put it all on their stands then strode over to her and sat behind her. He put his chin on her head, "You need to sleep."

"I can't." She didn't even notice him removing her clothing. Her mind was too messed up.

"Yes … you can."

Avera swung around to look up at him. His hand gently caressed her face. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing would come out.

"Hush dear one."

"But … I …"

He turned her around and held her gently while pulling up the covers, "It's ok."

His lips brushed her neck. A little whimper slipped out as he kissed her cheek and forehead. His voice was low as he spoke. She could not make out the words but they sounded calming. Before she knew it she was asleep.

He leaned back while continuing to hold her. A hand played with the tendrils of her hair as the other put down the now useless sleep scroll. It had not been difficult to do this. She needed her rest and he knew that without the help of a spell it would have taken hours to get her to rest.

It wasn't surprising to him that all the attention she was getting from other men was confusing her. That was something the little woman had never known. Now all of a sudden she had a lover and at least three other men making advances on her.

It was hard to think of other men being interested in her. Khelgar told him about when the guard had been over with Darmon but she had not taken much notice of any of the guard because it was clear to her that they thought of her as a trophy. But now that there were men who did not want her for a trophy, it scared her.

He knew she only wanted him. There was no longer any question in his mind about that. He just had to reassure her that he knew it. His hand lingered on her throat as he examined it then kissed it gently.

That jealous temper of his had flared when the others had even gone near her. Not with Callum, Khelgar or Sand. They were just friends and Grayson was close to a non-entity to her. But Darmon, Nevalle and Bishop made him steam. Nevalle had been teasing but Casavir knew that part of that teasing was not in jest. The other two were problems. If they could they would try to get between himself and his lady.

Tarn was different all together. That actually amused him. His poor lady. He thought she was going to fall over when the young man grabbed her like that. It had made him upset. He did not like the fact that he kissed her but this fellow was no rival. That did not mean he'd let him get close enough to do it again.

He trailed a finger down her chest to the new scar from Lorne. He checked it a bit closer to make sure that all was well in it's healing. It was hard to look at that line where he had been able to see her ribs cut apart. It had almost made him loose her. There would have been nothing he could have done to prevent that.

All of a sudden the room felt different. Something strange seemed to be happening. His eyes roamed the room to find out what was going on. Then he noticed Kala's pelt. No wonder Avera and Karnwyr got along so well! She would have felt like the animal companion was a younger brother.

Casavir watched the skin of the dire wolf sensing a tingling energy around it. He squinted as a golden glow generated from behind the empty eye sockets. A feathery snort sounded from beside himself and the hobbit then he could see Avera's bangs move as if by the wind.

He kept his composure as he could feel breath near his face even though no living thing was there.

"Hello Kala." He figured it would only be polite to acknowledge her presence as she had seen fit to allow him to know she was there. He watched as the hobbit's hair was ruffled as if it was being licked, "I wish we had been able to meet while you were alive."

He felt his hair being snuffled, "Do not worry. I will help her lay you to rest. You stayed for her, did you not?"

A light bark rang in his mind as he felt a tongue on his cheek. He touched the spot on his cheek and brought his fingers away damp.

He thought back to when they had been in Duskwood. That other dire wolf? Keza. Was he related? He would have to find out.

There was a slight breeze in the room, even though the window was closed. Instead of holding her, he moved his lady down to the mattress and laid her head on her favorite pillow. The blankets came up next as he wrapped himself around her to fall asleep. He needed the rest as well. He had not slept for two nights either.

Nnn

The party was still going strong. Everyone who was anyone had decided to show up. Some people were upset that Avera was not there to visit with them but Duncan pointed out that she needed her rest. It was hardly easy to say much about it with some of the patrons laughing about the word "rest" as that was not what they figured she was doing with the paladin.

Karnwyr sat up and sniffed the air. Bishop caught his movement out of the side of his eyes. He got a weird image from the companion. It was the image of two pups, a very small red headed teenage girl and a mother wolf. Then he felt hot breath over his shoulder. He stayed still. There was something there and his animal companion wasn't concerned but he was. Something about it was not right to him. It was like being hunted, and tested.

Sand and Qara turned from a verbal match of wits to look over at the ranger. Most people did not notice a thing but a few stopped what they were doing to either look around or to look directly at Bishop and Karnwyr.

Karnwyr made a whining noise like a pup. Bishop turned his head slowly to watch what looked like his animal companion's fur being licked. He heard a growl then felt a snuffling at his ear. An image jumped into his head of himself and Karnwyr playing and he felt fur by his face. Images of former thoughts concerning Avera were pulled from his mind and flashed past his mental eye. There was a vicious snarling in his head as the images formed then the sound changed to a light bark at an image of him treating Karnwyr well.

Then it was gone.

Bishop turned to Karnwyr who had his tongue lolled out. He got up and left the building.

nnn

He was not in bed. She noticed some clean regular clothing left beside her on the floor but he wasn't there. His armor was gone too. Ok ok stop worrying. Casavir would not leave you because Bishop messed up your senses. He did bring you to bed. Yeh, but he didn't do anything else. No, he did what anyone who cared would do. He made sure you got some sleep instead of satisfying any carnal interests. We can get carnal some other time.

She chewed on her thumb for a moment then put on the clothes Casavir had left for her. There was a funny smell in the room that she could not identify. With a shrug, she got up and petted Kala's head. Tears started to form as they always did when she thought of her wolf mother.

With a step back, she turned and walked over to the window.

"Are you up?" Came a call from outside her room. The door cracked open to show Elanee's face, "I wanted to see how you were doing."

The door slammed open as Neeshka swung past the druid, "Actually, all us girls were wondering how you were."

"Why are you dragging me around." Qara snapped as Shandra pushed her into the room.

"We are her friends. We need to keep her company." Shandra opened the window and took a deep breath of the fresh air, "With her man out somewhere else for the moment we can get the low and dirty."

"Shandra! You've been hanging out with Neeshka too much!"

Neeshka curled her tail around the hobbit's waist, "Is that so bad?"

Elanee glanced at Qara, "If you don't want to be here then maybe you should go."

"Thanks!" Qara snapped not meaning her words at all. She turned on her heel and left as Elanee swung the door shut.

Neeshka pushed all their gems into a bag and handed it to Shandra to put over by the box spring then grabbed Avera and placed her on the table, "Now, what was it like dancing with all those gorgeous men?"

Shandra pulled the bench over with her so that she and Elanee could sit on it. Neeshka grabbed the chair at the desk, pushed it out of the way of the other women and sat on it's edge.

"What?"

"Darmon, Grayson, Nevalle and Bishop." Shandra chuckled, "My Nevalle was forward!"

"Now you know how we feel about the ranger but that was … well, we never expected him to get you into a dance like that!" The tiefling was overjoyed, "That must have gotten your juices flowing!"

Elanee blushed, "And that Tarn!"

"Oh my!" Neeshka fanned herself, "I thought your paladin would either fall over or just smite him!"

Avera looked down at the table, "You … I … what's wrong with me?" She put her hands over her face.

The other women gave each other quick looks then turned back to their friend.

"What do you mean?" Elanee asked.

"They … how can they do that to me?"

Neeshka put a hand on her knee, "Do what?"

"You saw! You saw how they were able to make me feel! How could I? That's just wrong!"

"What's wrong?" Shandra got down from her spot on the bench and tried to look up into Avera's face, "Why are you upset?"

"I don't want them! I want Casavir! Why were they able to … able to," She bit back a sob, "Make me feel that way!"

"Whoa whoa! Are you upset that you reacted to their advances?" Neeshka couldn't believe this.

The hobbit looked out from behind her hands, "I shouldn't feel that way towards other men. I have the man I want."

Neeshka laughed and Shandra punched the tiefling in the arm, "But Avera … you're a woman. Of course you will react towards a good looking man. We all do. Just because you are with Casavir doesn't mean your system stops noticing other men."

"It doesn't mean I'm some harlot?" She sniffed.

"Of course not!" Shandra got up and pushed Avera's bangs back, "It is normal to feel attracted. What makes you a harlot is if you act on those feelings and break your vows to the person you are with."

"Unless you have an open relationship. Then it is fair game!" Neeshka waggled her eyebrows and licked her lips.

"Really?"

"Really." Shandra reassured her, "Attraction is a funny thing. Why did you think it was bad to be attracted to them?"

She turned her head, "Well with animals it's just … you attract and mate. I never … never … knew or saw what it was like for people."

Neeshka shook her head, "Geez! I'm less messed up than you and you had a parent! Did he even teach you about relationships? Wait, no he wasn't there a lot and what you did learn probably came from Kala."

"The cubs told me stuff too." She peeked out from under her lashes.

"It still confuses me how you could have been a virgin at twenty five! When was your first kiss? At least you had that!" Neeshka stood with hands on her hips.

Avera blushed, "There was only one guy who I was attracted to when I was younger and … well, that never went anywhere. We never even kissed."

Elanee cocked her head to the side, "So what happened with this boy?"

"We were friends for years." Avera breathed in deep trying to avoid the feelings the memory called up, "Really good friends. When we were able to we would get together and spend time throwing rocks into streams, fishing, getting apples and the like. But ... we grew up." She looked towards the ceiling, "I became attracted to him. I thought he was attracted to me as well. So one day I told him."

"And?" Shandra encouraged her smaller friend.

"He laughed at me. He laughed in my face then went telling everyone in West Harbor how the stupid little hobbit had a crush on him."

"Then you got teased." Neeshka sighed, "That is why you were afraid to make a move on Casavir."

"It isn't like I didn't want to." Avera chuckled, "Not that I didn't get a good peek at him showering when he thought I was in camp."

Shandra gasped, "You didn't? Not with everyone else around?"

Neeshka sat back on her chair, "Oh she did."

Avera turned towards the tiefling, "What?"

"You are surprised at me watching over you when you just say you peeked on Casavir? You took more than a good peek the first night we camped out going after the Orcs! That was the only time I caught you at it but we all knew why you would disappear whenever he went off towards a water source!"

Shandra and Elanee broke up in giggles.

"Sorry Avera but you weren't as discreet as you thought." Elanee chided.

"So says the stalker."

Elanee stuck out her tongue, "I did so due to concern from my circle. Why did you do so?"

Avera squared her shoulders, "Out of concern for his safety."

The other three women fell over in squeals of delight, "Oh that one is good!" Neeshka sat back on her chair, "But you were alone with him for about a week to bring that stuff back here. I bet you were thinking of making a move on him then. The two of you, all alone in the wilderness …"

Her shoulders slumped, "Casavir doesn't want me sharing our private life."

"Maybe not but that isn't real and you didn't even make a move! So it isn't your private life with him! It's your dream life so you can share! You said he seemed to think of making a move but didn't. Was that when he first kissed you?"

The hobbit looked away from the tiefling, "He … he wasn't my first kiss."

The other three gasped in outright surprise.

"Who was?" Elanee quested.

"Was it Darmon?" Shandra grinned.

"No." Her head drooped.

Neeshka tapped a foot while thinking it all over, "Please don't tell me it was Khelgar!"

"NO!" Avera almost fell off the table, "He's like a brother! I'd never think of …"

"What if he wasn't like a brother?"

"Neeshka!"

The tiefling shrugged, "Just wondering if you had a thing for dwarves. It isn't like someone like Callum wouldn't get a thrill out of you being interested."

Shandra choked, "Oh my."

"Not … not," Everyone turned to Elanee, "Grobnar?"

"NO!"

"Sand?" Shandra put in.

"NO!"

"Well, that pretty much leaves Nevalle who you had little time around. Grayson who drives you corny with all his honor talk," Neeshka tapped her finger on her chin.

"Being interested in Grayson would be like trying to get it on with a log." Elanee snorted then threw a hand over her mouth, "Oops that was my outside voice."

The others laughed heartily.

"That only leaves …" Shandra gasped in amazement and they all looked directly at the little woman, "Bishop?"

The hobbit licked her lips and stared out the window.

"It was Bishop?" Yelped the three women in unison.

"Yeh."

Neeshka slapped her leg, "When did this happen?"

"You and Elanee weren't there."

Shandra's eyes brightened with realization, "Not when you saved me from the githyanki?"

"Well, not then. Casavir would have killed him if he'd tried anything. That ranger is just lucky looks can't kill." The hobbit sat back, "It happened when we went hunting after I tried to save the rabbit."

"But he said you threw up?"

Avera shrugged at the farm girl, "He set up a spot beside a hillock and ambushed me. I guess he was testing my reflexes. I had been wondering why he had gotten into some mint before I got there. Then he grabbed me and pulled me in tight."

Elanee snorted in amusement, "Why didn't he … try anything else?"

"I kind of … threw up."

Shandra put a hand over her mouth, "He gave you a … was it passionate?" Avera nodded at the question, "A passionate kiss and you threw up on him?"

"Well not on him! I backed up and threw up over the hillock."

"Oh right. I didn't see anything on him when he brought you back to the camp."

"So that is why he's so upset with Casavir being with you. He missed his chance." Elanee stood and stretched, "Not that I feel sorry for him. He had a lot of time to realize your potential before he was forced to help save Shandra. You would think the man would listen to his animal companion for once!"

"If he listened to Karnwyr more he probably wouldn't be as grumpy as he is" Neeshka agreed.

Avera shrugged, "You don't always converse well with your companion. Sometimes they show you confusing images and it is hard to sort out."

"Karnwyr probably told him about you."

"And he may not have understood what he was saying."

Shandra raised an eyebrow, "You are defending the ranger."

"Am not."

"That isn't important anyway." Neeshka grinned, "What is important is what you would have done if your goody boy didn't make a move. It isn't like that dance you did for him wasn't a hint."

"A hint!" Shandra theatrically swooned, "My goodness that was a downright, 'Come get me!' I was amazed! Well, it was also a hint for me to back off or else but it was still the most … exotic thing I ever saw. And he just let you move him about."

"Did you see his eyes? He was mesmerized." Neeshka added.

"If I were him I'd be mesmerized to!" Elanee pointed out, "And so would you! We are not men and we were all stunned! Yet Casavir was the center of your dance. Poor Casavir. Poor guys!"

"Then you had to come save me. I ruined your chances that night." Shandra sighed regretfully.

"And I had to throw that nice oil into a gith's face."

The trio turned on the hobbit, "Oil?"

"I had a bottle of massage oil that I threw at a gith to distract it when they attacked the Flagon. I was in the middle of getting dressed and it was all I had to throw."

"Wait. Who gave you that?"

"It … it was left on my pillow."

The other women gave each other knowing looks.

"So what would have you done?" Neeshka grilled.

Avera curled her arms around her legs, "He'll be upset at me."

"No he won't." Shandra smiled winningly.

"Even if he was I'd have to whack him one because it never happened. How can he get upset about you telling us about something that did not happen?" Neeshka announced.

The hobbit sighed, "I was going to … well …" The women huddled in closer, "I knew he'd come to see me … so I wanted to just … cripes, I wouldn't have done anything."

"Like in the tent after he operated?"

Avera gasped in shock, "What?"

Shandra shrunk under the others' eyes, "I had to go pee but you just woke from the operation and … well, I didn't want to interrupt anything. So I held it until after you ran off on him."

Both of the hobbit's hands flung to her face in embarrassment, "Ok. Something like that. I was going to talk to him about that. I was hoping that some … gentle persuasion … would make him come around. And ... maybe… a private dance."

A crash could be heard just outside the door. It sounded ominously like platemail and had all four women at the door looking out at a paladin flopped over in the hall.

"Well, well if we don't have a snoop!" Neeshka called lazily as she grabbed a foot and Shandra grabbed the other. They dragged him into the bedroom and Elanee closed the door.

"I was not snooping! I was coming back to our room to get Avera."

"For what?" Shandra pulled on one of his boots.

"It is none of your business." He looked to Avera.

"Leave him be, gals."

"Oh but you have to punish him for snooping!" Neeshka whined.

"It is not like she never snooped on me before." Casavir's eyes went wide and he shut his mouth with a loud snap.

Elanee looked at the paladin in shock, "You have been listening in on us!"

"So you know that she watched you shower and bathe." Neeshka got an evil grin on her face, "Did you ever do that to her?"

"Do what to her?"

Shandra took great pleasure in the stout look on the paladin's face, "Watch Avera bathe. Before you two did anything."

Casavir sat up and pushed himself back from the women, "That is none of your concern."

"Which in paladin terms means, 'yes.'" Neeshka cooed.

Casavir remained silent.

Neeshka turned to the others, "But you gals know that I noticed him posing a lot for Avera as well. He'd be standing there in some trews, no shirt, drying himself off and standing where he knew full well she had a good view of him and flex while drying."

His mouth dropped in a silent 'o' as he tried to figure out how to counter that.

Elanee nodded, "Yes, even Khelgar mentioned about that."

"I never … I wouldn't think …"

"You didn't think. You just did instinctively." Elanee was having too much fun.

"Ok. I told you to leave him alone and …" She heard children playing outside and ran to the window, "Hey! Is that the murder ball I gave you guys?"

"Sure is!"

"Are you done with it?"

"We were going to play jacks so yes!" Wolf ran to the window.

She smiled at the boy and ran over to Casavir, "Do we have a couple of hours before whatever you planned?"

"We do."

"Good!" She started to remove his armor, "Get into some old clothes gals and grab whoever you can. We're going to play murder ball."

"Murder what?" Neeshka shook her head as Shandra corralled her out of the room.

"A game with a ball now scoot!" She pulled Casavir down to his knees as their door closed.

"What are you up to?"

"Saving you from their questioning." She pulled forward to kiss him on the lips. They revelled in the contact until she pulled herself away, "Even though I don't know why I should since you let them interrogate me and listened in!"

He blushed, "I did not want to disturb you."

She rolled her eyes, "Well you didn't. Now get this armor off!"