Kaeleer: SaDiablo Hall

As he watched the six young Blood ride away Saetan couldn't help but feel a twinge of worry. It was true that that they would most likely be safer in Amdarh than they would in their own Territories, but Saetan knew that if there was trouble to be found in Amdarh it would be found by one of these young Blood.

"Stop worrying SaDiablo, they'll be fine." Andulvar lazily spread his wings out beside Saetan. "If I were you, I'd enjoy this while you can. This will be the last rest you'll get this summer until the rest of the waif's friends go home, and that won't be for another two months."

Saetan turned and looked at his friend. "You're right, Andulvar, I should rest but  it won't be tonight. Sylvia is coming over later."

Andulvar smirked. "So there was an ulterior motive for sending the pups away?"

Saetan gave his best blank face as he replied. "Ulterior motive? I would never do that, no, this will be just a quiet get together with friends." He waited until he saw Andulvar relax and then he got in the killing thrust. "Titian is coming tonight. And I think I recall a mention of a chess game that never got finished?"

Andulvar lost as much color as a demon-dead could.

Saetan chuckled quietly as he went inside, Andulvar sputtering for words behind him.

*                                                            *                                                *

Khary let out a whoop of joy as he sped past Morton and Karla on his purebred Sceltian mare. He wheeled around sharply ahead and turned back to see Morghann, who was the same furious shade of red as her hair, trotting up alongside Morton.

"No fair!" she cried. "Khary, you left before Kalush said to go!"

Khary grinned. "I was only anticipating."

Behind the main group a thundering of hooves sounded as Kalush caught up. Even further behind a voice yelled. "Kalush! I'm sorry, I won't do it again if you don't want me to."

"What did Aaron do, Kalush?" asked Karla curiously.

Kalush sniffed. "He was trying to hold my hand and when I said to let go he called me his 'Queen', I'm not his Queen!"

"Not yet at least," muttered Morton under his breath.

"What was that?" said Kalush sharply.

Morton wisely said nothing.

"Hmmpp, boyos," huffed Kalush as she trotted ahead.

Karla and Morghann exchanged smiles. Kalush was sweet and all but she didn't have a clue as how to handle Aaron, who had been following her around like a lovesick puppy since the beginning of summer.

Aaron caught up. "Is she still mad?" he asked anxiously.

Morghann giggled on the inside to see a powerful Warlord Prince reduced to this. On the outside she said solemnly, "I think she might be ready to forgive you."

Hope brightened in Aaron's gray eyes. He sped ahead to rejoin Kalush.

The other four burst into laughter.

"Morghann, you are so bad," said Karla, wiping tears out of her eyes.

Morghann just smiled. Then she nudged Khary on the side. "You still owe me a fair race, boyo, to the landing area."

Khary smiled mischievously and said, "Gladly."

"On your mark, get set-" Morton was officiating.

Morghann set off, but as she got to Khary she gave him a push that knocked him out of his saddle and continued on to the landing areas for the Webs that was just visible over the next hill.

Karla watched Khary's flabbergasted face at being dumped on the ground and then it set in determination as he hauled himself back up and raced hell bent towards Morghann. She turned to Morton and remarked. "It's rather strange to be in a place where we're the most mature people around, isn't it?"

 Morton looked ahead to where Aaron was still trying to cajole Kalush to talk to him. He replied "Very strange." He then added more softly "I like it though. It's much better than in Glacia where we were scared all the time."

Karla glanced at him and then nodded slightly. Yes it was better.

Kaeleer: Amdarh, two days later.

"Are you sure you don't want any more books, Morghann?" said a talking pile of books as it came through the doorway of the Red Jewel Inn. Morghann ignored the voice and made her way over to the table where Karla, Morton, Kalush and Aaron were sitting. The voice continued "Because if you want, we can go back and get a couple more books, or maybe ten or twenty or maybe the rest of the bookstore if you want; of course I'll carry them all back for you-"

"You're the one who offered Khary, I just took you up on your offer, you should know by now how I shop."

Khary's head peeked out from the side of the stack "Yes, I should know better, but my back is killing me and I don't think I can face another walk up to your room."

Aaron got up to help Khary; when they got back they settled in and listened as the Queens discussed the purchases they had made that day. After about ten minutes of this Karla changed the subject. "So have you girls finished all of your shopping?"

Morghann and Kalush both nodded. "What about you boyos?" Karla turned a wicked smile towards Morton, Aaron and Khary. They rapidly assured Karla that they were quite tired of shopping.

*And of being packhorses,* Khary sent on a private spear thread to Morton and Aaron. They sent sympathetic answers in response.

"Well then," said Karla excitedly, "I think it is time to turn to our next plan. Uncle Saetan knows that all of us are here having fun shopping, and since he hasn't sent anyone to check up on us I assume that means he trusts us. So I think that we should go ahead and head to Little Terreille."

"I thought that we found that there is no way to get there. It's closed isn't it, except for residents and special guests?" asked Aaron puzzled.

Karla motioned to a black haired yellow-jeweled Warlord sitting a couple tables away; he stood up and made his way over to their table. "This is Lord Rafel, he's a native of Little Terreille, lives right outside of Goth," Karla introduced. "Lord Rafel may I present Lord Khardeen, Lady Morghann, Prince Aaron, Lady Kalush and I believe you have already met Lord Morton."

The young Warlord smiled as he bowed. "My Ladies, my Lords."

Morghann looked at Rafel dubiously. "You live in Little Terreille?"

"My Lady, I do," came the answer.

"And you'll help us get to Goth?"

"I would be honored if Lady Karla and her friends would come home with me."

"We would stay at your estate?" asked Morton cautiously. He had met Rafel earlier in the day and Karla had seemed quite acquainted with him so Morton wasn't really worried. Still, he felt a faint sense of unease. It was just, he told himself, a feeling of jealousy, he had had Karla all to himself for so long that he was uneasy when another male started to show interest in her.

"Alas, no," said Rafel smoothly. "I have family arriving from the realm of Terreille and I'm afraid it would be quite tight quarters if you all stayed as well. But I can arrange some rooms at an inn I frequent often when I travel to Goth."

"That is very kind of you to go to all the trouble," said Kalush huskily.

 Rafel picked up her hand and kissed it gently. "No trouble at all, my Lady. If I understand correctly you are hoping to surprise a friend of yours who is visiting in Little Terreille?"

"That's correct," said Aaron shortly, not at all liking the kiss that Rafel had given Kalush, especially her wide-eyed reaction to it.

Rafel ignored Aaron and directed his next comment to Karla. "Well, perhaps after you surprise your friend you could stay a couple days in Goth and I could show you the city. There will be a large Fair going on and it is something that not many Kaeleerians get to see."

*How about it? Do we want to go to Goth and surprise Jaenelle or do we stay here and be good little Queens and Warlords?*

*Let's go!* came the responses. Only Morton had something to add. *Maybe we should send a letter to Uncle Saetan telling him where we're going. You know, in case we need any he-*

*Oh, don't be such a hearthwitch Morton, we'll be fine. We'll be in and out of Little Terreille before he knows we're gone.* Karla said. Morton decided that he had said enough.

"We accept your invitation and would be grateful for any assistance you could grant us in getting to Little Terreille," said Karla grandly.

Rafel smiled. "What kind of host would I be if I didn't provide transportation? I will meet you outside tomorrow at eight-o-clock in my Web coach."

"Agreed," smiled Karla back.

"Until tomorrow then, my Lords, my Ladies," Rafel bowed again and walked out of the room.

"Kiss-kiss."

"He seems a little stiff but overall I like him," announced Morghann once he had had left. Kalush and Khary agreed.

"I don't,"said Aaron, "but if he gets us to Jaenelle then I don't care."

"Morton?"

"He's fine," said Morton, not meeting Karla's eyes.

"Anyway, by tomorrow we'll be in Little Terreille and with Jaenelle," said Karla as she raised her glass of wine.

Everyone one joined her in the toast, Morton included, but he felt the same uneasy feeling he had felt before. Then he shrugged it off. Whatever happened in Little Terreille he would protect Karla with his life and she would do the same for him. She wouldn't let anything bad happen to them.