Light Wrapped in Darkness
(Magicman's PCs minus Zarra are all locked up in a dungeon, looking terrified, miserable, and unhappy. Falkar is playing the harmonica.)
Folken: I always knew she was going to be the one to kill me. I lived through Sarevok, Irenicus, the Five, and Melissan and now I'm going to die at the hand of a teenaged psychopathic violence junkie! I am so glad that Aerie isn't here to see me now.
Gemini: *on his knees praying* Oh Lathander guide me through this time of darkness to your welcoming embrace.
Daevan: The demon has finally got me! I've escaped from her time and time again, but she has me now! It is the worst of fates!
Li: Oh don't worry. I think she's bluffing.
(Blood curdling screams come from Smokegirl's private room, where she dragged Zarra. The praying, ranting, and harmonica playing all stop. There is only silence.)
Li: Then again...maybe she's not.
Magicman: Lets leave these suckers alone for a while, shall we?
***
The journey back to Athkatla had been pleasantly uneventful. There had been no attacks by monsters, no slavers or bandits, and no bounty hunters out for Taurus' head. In fact, if it weren't for one moment it could have been boring.
The moment occurred when the party had stopped by at the keep to check up on things.
***
Aerie was lying on her bed, thinking. It was obvious whom she was thinking about, because it was making her blush brightly.
In fact, she was considering all the close moments she'd shared with Taurus and what they meant to her. She thought about how they'd first met in the spellbound circus and he'd made her laugh, despite the life or death situation they had been in. She'd known he had been special to her then and he'd only grown more so.
He'd always been so kind and so sweet to her, he'd put up with her pathetic whining and complaining. Just by being there for her, he'd given her life again. He'd made her fall in love with him just by virtue of him being him.
'And what now?' she asked herself, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. 'I've never loved someone this way before. Do I tell him? What if I scare him away?'
"On the other hand" she spoke aloud, listening to the sound of her voice. "On the other hand, if I don't tell him I'll never know how he feels about me back."
'He probably does share those feelings for me. He wouldn't have kissed me otherwise.' She blushed wildly as she remembered his warm lips on hers.
"Do I even have the right to dump all these feelings on him? He's got enough troubles, what with his friend and getting the money. He's too busy to have to deal with this."
'Can I even take him saying he doesn't feel the same way? I'm just a weak little girl.'
"Can I take not knowing?"
'Maybe.'
Aerie blinked suddenly. Had she been talking to herself? She sighed. She was such an idiot. 'Taurus wouldn't say so' she persisted. 'He'd say that you're smarter than he is. He'd call you a sweetie and give you a hug, and then you'd feel so much better just being near to him.'
"That's it!" The elf maid sat up on her bed suddenly, sending her hair in several directions. "I just can't live with this suspense anymore!" She hopped off her bed and started through the open door.
'I just have to tell him. And then let the fates fall where they may.'
***
Viconia was obsessing over something. She had turned it over and over in her mind since that day in the other universe and she still couldn't put her finger on it.
Why, oh WHY, did she love Taurus Halfbreed?
He was no drow, theoretically the only race worthy of a drow priestess. Even worse, he was a half-breed. Had he been born in the Underdark he would have been strangled at birth. Those features that rivvin found so alarming would not have been confused with any house's features under the surface. He was insolent and presumptuous! He had no concern for personal glory, a puzzling desire to help others, and he persisted in calling her that irritating pet name, Vicky!
None of which explained why she had fallen for him like an overripe peach!
Viconia knew she was not weak, and refused to let herself depend upon some male. Though to be fair Taurus had never tried to make her depend on him. With him it was always playful teasing or raw passion. It was surprising how well he knew to deal with her.
A simple fact was that Drow were not loveless creatures like so many rumours attested to. Viconia had been sought after quite a bit by young drow males seeking her favour. She had dabbled with them, but the average drow male became boring very quickly. Maybe she was just after a new thrill.
Viconia shook her head. No, that wasn't it. If all she wanted was sex, she could get it in much easier ways.
As she considered the possibilities further, the more it began to irritate her. Why did she have these feelings? It was becoming an intolerable situation for her, and she did not see why she did not act on them. In fact, that was a good idea.
Viconia stopped her incessant pacing just short of tearing a hole in the floor, then turned a flung open the door, nearly crushing a hapless maid who had been passing by. Without even a passing glance to the surfacer, she stalked down the hall, a tigress on the hunt.
It was time to bring the prey out into the open once and for all.
***
Through forces unknown on Faerun, both Aerie and Viconia had decided to talk to their crintri sweetheart at the same time. Even more ironically, they were both walking at such paces as to compensate for their rooms' comparative distance from his. As such, they both arrived at approximately the same time.
Both women, absorbed in their thoughts, suddenly noticed the presence of the other and halted not three feet from each other, Taurus' door looming in the middle. They eyed each other warily for a second. Then they each realized why the other was there, and the eyeing turned into a furious staring contest.
Viconia gripped her mace tightly, a prayer to Shar on her lips while Aerie's right hand, her power hand, her spell casting hand, twitched.
The Gods alone knew how long that moment might have lasted, and there definitely would have been some discussion amongst them as to how it would end. However, the forces that had sent the two women into this situation in the first place were still at work. Just when things were starting to look ugly they intervened once more. It turned out that Taurus had been relaxing in his room after the majordomo of the keep had brought a couple of local problems to his attention. After dealing with them, he had retired to his room to brood. The trip back from the Umar Hills was telling on him as his various factors started pulling even further toward his two loves. This was beginning to tear him in half! He couldn't get any rest and he couldn't see any way to fix his problem, so he decided to go for a walk. Maybe that would calm him a little. But the second he opened his door, he saw both objects of his affection standing outside it, staring each other down.
Taurus blinked, not really wanting to know what was going on. Then he sighed. He really was sick of all the dissembling and hiding his feelings. It might hurt some people he cared about but he couldn't go on.
"Hey girls" he said, his voice unusually quiet and devoid of joviality. It startled the two women from the brink of violence. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Viconia had never seen Taurus like this before, not even after Tazok had killed Branwen. She only nodded. Aerie licked her lips before following the two into Taurus' room.
Taurus' room had once belonged to lord De'Arnise, Nalia's father. As such it was the best room in the keep with a fireplace, a bookshelf, and a huge bed. It had everything the lord of the keep would need, including a desk one which to write things. When he moved in though, Taurus had removed the unnecessary fancy art and such. He gave it to Nalia's aunt in an effort to reduce her animosity towards him. It didn't work.
The room also contained two chairs. At Taurus' gesture, the two elves sat down on them. Taurus just stood, looking weary. He sighed. "It's about time we all had a talk, wouldn't you say?"
The women glanced at each other, but looked away quickly when they saw the other looking back. Taurus smiled briefly. Then he was all seriousness again.
"Viconia, I love you." He turned and faced Aerie. "Aerie, I love you."
Silence echoed throughout the room for an endless three seconds before the crintri could continue. "I love each of you equally and I couldn't possibly let one of you go. I don't have any answers and I don't know what to do. All I know is that...well, I said it before, but I love you two. With all my heart and soul."
Taurus sighed again and knuckled his forehead. "I'll just go now. You probably want to be alone now to think. I know I do." Tired, he left the room to wander the Keep. It was out of his hands now.
***
Long after Taurus had left the room, the two women continued to sit. The only sound was their breathing as they absorbed what Taurus had told them.
Aerie glanced at Viconia again. The drow woman was clasping her hands together so tightly her tendons were sticking out. Her eyes stared ahead at a fixed with a furious intensity. It seemed to the avariel that she trembled with anger.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance" Viconia bit out.
"W-what?" The sheer fury lacing Viconia's voice had caught Aerie by surprise. She knew that the drow woman despised her, but she had no idea her hatred was so intense.
Now the priestess was glaring full on at Aerie and her eyes were like flaming coals. "If I had killed you when we first met" she snarled, "Taurus would have hated me. He would have forced me from the party! I would never have had to fall for him and I would never be tearing myself apart over him!"
Aerie suddenly realised that Viconia wasn't angry with her. She was angry with herself. She was also confused and she didn't know what to do but take it out on someone.
"Well" she said slowly, "It's too late for that now. What we're going to have to decide is what to do for Taurus' sake."
Viconia raised an eyebrow. "If I had told any drow woman what I just told you, she would have challenged me to the death then and there, and you just change the subject. I really shouldn't be surprised anymore at how spineless you are."
Aerie bristled. "Why are you always doing that? I do so have a backbone! I've stood up to you often enough!"
"I'm nothing. I'm you're travelling companion. With everyone we meet, you exude a sense of", here the drow pitched her voice in mockery of Aerie's, "'Hello! I'm so sweet and innocent!' Bah! It makes me sick!"
"Well so what if I'm nice to people?!" Aerie was fuming now. "At least I'm not a chronic bitch!"
Viconia raised the other eyebrow. "Such language!"
"Shut up! That's what I'm talking about! Whenever someone is talking, you take it as an excuse to insult them. Try and show just a little kindness and maybe people wouldn't always want to tie you to a stake and burn you alive! Maybe Taurus would like you better than me then!"
Viconia was on her feet, mace in hand and eyes glimmering dangerously. "Don't you dare lecture me on Taurus!"
Aerie sprung to her feet to, her small delicate hands clenched into fists. "Try and stop me."
For a few seconds, the air crackled with hostility.
Then Viconia suddenly laughed. She laughed and sat back in her chair, leaving Aerie confused and rather flustered.
"Perhaps" the drow woman said, in between laughs, "Just perhaps, you may be good for Taurus after all. I would not want him to love a weakling after all." Viconia gestured. "Now that that's out of the way, lets move on to real business, hmm?"
Aerie sat down rather awkwardly. "So, um, about Taurus?"
"Yesss" Viconia drew the word out slowly. "What are we to do about Taurus?" She stretched. "I'll say right now that I have no intention of leaving Taurus. I've gone through too much with him to go now."
"Point taken and returned." Aerie frowned with a sudden thought. Viconia sat up and watched her expression keenly.
"You have an idea, don't you?"
"I just may."
***
Taurus walked halfway around the keep in five-degree weather before he realised that leaving the two elves alone together was likely a mistake. He swore horribly to himself, then turned and raced back toward his room.
Past random maids and butlers he went, not slowing down once. He nearly killed himself, hurling down a flight of stairs, and nearly broke a leg flying up another flight. When he finally arrived at his room, he stopped and panted, his hands resting on his knees as he gasped for breath. He had a feeling he'd need it.
The door opened and Aerie peered out. Her eyes focussed on Taurus and she smiled. "There you are! We were just talking to you. Come on in."
Taurus frowned as soon as he caught his breath. They'd been talking about him? Obviously he'd missed something. Cautiously he followed Aerie through the door, expecting to see his room torn to pieces. But the only difference from when he'd left was the addition of a pot of tea and two cups on the table between the women's two chairs. Viconia was sipping some tea as she watched Taurus thoughtfully. Aerie joined her.
"Taurus" the drow woman said as the crintri cautiously closed the door behind him, "We have made certain decisions regarding us and you."
Aerie nodded in agreement. "Both of us love you. I think that's fairly obvious. And you also love both of us." She spread her hands. "We don't see any reason why this shouldn't all work out for the best."
Taurus cocked his head slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Taurus" Viconia said as she stood up. "We're willing to...share you with each other. But with no other! Two is company, three is getting erotic, but four is definitely a crowd."
Aerie rolled her eyes at her new friend. "We've discussed this at length and it seems to be the best possible solution." She smiled slightly. "As you would say, we don't want to see you hurt."
Taurus had no idea what he was feeling now, but he knew it was warm, fuzzy, and was driving him to kiss his loves like anything. "If you're done debating, I'd like to hug you now."
"Please do."
Taurus stepped forward and caught both women up in one big hug. He held them tightly to him, relishing the feel of their soft hair and the sound of their breathing. "I don't have any words for how happy this makes me feel right now," he murmured.
Aerie beamed up at him. "Then show us."
Taurus kissed first Aerie and then Viconia with love and passion, pent up from days of silent contemplation.
Viconia smiled into the kiss. She knew she'd get Taurus one day. True, she hadn't imagined an Avariel as part of the equation, but that was life.
When the kissing and hugging had stopped, Viconia smiled seductively at Taurus. "Now my new seriso, I have things I'd like to discuss with you in private. That is of course, if the time is right?"
Guiltily, Taurus looked over at Aerie who just smiled. "Just go" she said. "We discussed this too. I don't feel ready for...well, that." She blushed wildly and seemed relieved but happy to escape the room.
Alone, Viconia continued to smile under half-closed eyelids. Taurus raised an eyebrow of his own at her. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Immensely." She pressed her ample frame against Taurus, her lips just barely brushing against his. "But" she murmured, "Not as much as I think I'm going to. I once asked you what you think of me in the dark hours of the night when I lie near you. You never did answer."
Taurus smirked and traced a thumb across her lips. "You set me on fire."
Viconia gasped as Taurus' lips found her throat. "I thought as much" she managed. Then for long time she was incapable of coherent speech.
***
Folken: PLEASE let us out of here!
Daevan: Do you want demons to tear out our entrails?!
Magicman: What's in it for me?
Li: I have an ultra-rare Mirror Force card.
Magicman: WHOO HOO! Deal.
(Magicman lets the PCs out and theya ll scatter.
Magicman: So there you have it. We have a happy little ménage trois with Taurus, Viconia, and Aerie. How sweet. Bet you didn't see THAT coming. Or maybe you did. *shrugs* Ah well. See you next time.
(Magicman's PCs minus Zarra are all locked up in a dungeon, looking terrified, miserable, and unhappy. Falkar is playing the harmonica.)
Folken: I always knew she was going to be the one to kill me. I lived through Sarevok, Irenicus, the Five, and Melissan and now I'm going to die at the hand of a teenaged psychopathic violence junkie! I am so glad that Aerie isn't here to see me now.
Gemini: *on his knees praying* Oh Lathander guide me through this time of darkness to your welcoming embrace.
Daevan: The demon has finally got me! I've escaped from her time and time again, but she has me now! It is the worst of fates!
Li: Oh don't worry. I think she's bluffing.
(Blood curdling screams come from Smokegirl's private room, where she dragged Zarra. The praying, ranting, and harmonica playing all stop. There is only silence.)
Li: Then again...maybe she's not.
Magicman: Lets leave these suckers alone for a while, shall we?
***
The journey back to Athkatla had been pleasantly uneventful. There had been no attacks by monsters, no slavers or bandits, and no bounty hunters out for Taurus' head. In fact, if it weren't for one moment it could have been boring.
The moment occurred when the party had stopped by at the keep to check up on things.
***
Aerie was lying on her bed, thinking. It was obvious whom she was thinking about, because it was making her blush brightly.
In fact, she was considering all the close moments she'd shared with Taurus and what they meant to her. She thought about how they'd first met in the spellbound circus and he'd made her laugh, despite the life or death situation they had been in. She'd known he had been special to her then and he'd only grown more so.
He'd always been so kind and so sweet to her, he'd put up with her pathetic whining and complaining. Just by being there for her, he'd given her life again. He'd made her fall in love with him just by virtue of him being him.
'And what now?' she asked herself, staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. 'I've never loved someone this way before. Do I tell him? What if I scare him away?'
"On the other hand" she spoke aloud, listening to the sound of her voice. "On the other hand, if I don't tell him I'll never know how he feels about me back."
'He probably does share those feelings for me. He wouldn't have kissed me otherwise.' She blushed wildly as she remembered his warm lips on hers.
"Do I even have the right to dump all these feelings on him? He's got enough troubles, what with his friend and getting the money. He's too busy to have to deal with this."
'Can I even take him saying he doesn't feel the same way? I'm just a weak little girl.'
"Can I take not knowing?"
'Maybe.'
Aerie blinked suddenly. Had she been talking to herself? She sighed. She was such an idiot. 'Taurus wouldn't say so' she persisted. 'He'd say that you're smarter than he is. He'd call you a sweetie and give you a hug, and then you'd feel so much better just being near to him.'
"That's it!" The elf maid sat up on her bed suddenly, sending her hair in several directions. "I just can't live with this suspense anymore!" She hopped off her bed and started through the open door.
'I just have to tell him. And then let the fates fall where they may.'
***
Viconia was obsessing over something. She had turned it over and over in her mind since that day in the other universe and she still couldn't put her finger on it.
Why, oh WHY, did she love Taurus Halfbreed?
He was no drow, theoretically the only race worthy of a drow priestess. Even worse, he was a half-breed. Had he been born in the Underdark he would have been strangled at birth. Those features that rivvin found so alarming would not have been confused with any house's features under the surface. He was insolent and presumptuous! He had no concern for personal glory, a puzzling desire to help others, and he persisted in calling her that irritating pet name, Vicky!
None of which explained why she had fallen for him like an overripe peach!
Viconia knew she was not weak, and refused to let herself depend upon some male. Though to be fair Taurus had never tried to make her depend on him. With him it was always playful teasing or raw passion. It was surprising how well he knew to deal with her.
A simple fact was that Drow were not loveless creatures like so many rumours attested to. Viconia had been sought after quite a bit by young drow males seeking her favour. She had dabbled with them, but the average drow male became boring very quickly. Maybe she was just after a new thrill.
Viconia shook her head. No, that wasn't it. If all she wanted was sex, she could get it in much easier ways.
As she considered the possibilities further, the more it began to irritate her. Why did she have these feelings? It was becoming an intolerable situation for her, and she did not see why she did not act on them. In fact, that was a good idea.
Viconia stopped her incessant pacing just short of tearing a hole in the floor, then turned a flung open the door, nearly crushing a hapless maid who had been passing by. Without even a passing glance to the surfacer, she stalked down the hall, a tigress on the hunt.
It was time to bring the prey out into the open once and for all.
***
Through forces unknown on Faerun, both Aerie and Viconia had decided to talk to their crintri sweetheart at the same time. Even more ironically, they were both walking at such paces as to compensate for their rooms' comparative distance from his. As such, they both arrived at approximately the same time.
Both women, absorbed in their thoughts, suddenly noticed the presence of the other and halted not three feet from each other, Taurus' door looming in the middle. They eyed each other warily for a second. Then they each realized why the other was there, and the eyeing turned into a furious staring contest.
Viconia gripped her mace tightly, a prayer to Shar on her lips while Aerie's right hand, her power hand, her spell casting hand, twitched.
The Gods alone knew how long that moment might have lasted, and there definitely would have been some discussion amongst them as to how it would end. However, the forces that had sent the two women into this situation in the first place were still at work. Just when things were starting to look ugly they intervened once more. It turned out that Taurus had been relaxing in his room after the majordomo of the keep had brought a couple of local problems to his attention. After dealing with them, he had retired to his room to brood. The trip back from the Umar Hills was telling on him as his various factors started pulling even further toward his two loves. This was beginning to tear him in half! He couldn't get any rest and he couldn't see any way to fix his problem, so he decided to go for a walk. Maybe that would calm him a little. But the second he opened his door, he saw both objects of his affection standing outside it, staring each other down.
Taurus blinked, not really wanting to know what was going on. Then he sighed. He really was sick of all the dissembling and hiding his feelings. It might hurt some people he cared about but he couldn't go on.
"Hey girls" he said, his voice unusually quiet and devoid of joviality. It startled the two women from the brink of violence. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Viconia had never seen Taurus like this before, not even after Tazok had killed Branwen. She only nodded. Aerie licked her lips before following the two into Taurus' room.
Taurus' room had once belonged to lord De'Arnise, Nalia's father. As such it was the best room in the keep with a fireplace, a bookshelf, and a huge bed. It had everything the lord of the keep would need, including a desk one which to write things. When he moved in though, Taurus had removed the unnecessary fancy art and such. He gave it to Nalia's aunt in an effort to reduce her animosity towards him. It didn't work.
The room also contained two chairs. At Taurus' gesture, the two elves sat down on them. Taurus just stood, looking weary. He sighed. "It's about time we all had a talk, wouldn't you say?"
The women glanced at each other, but looked away quickly when they saw the other looking back. Taurus smiled briefly. Then he was all seriousness again.
"Viconia, I love you." He turned and faced Aerie. "Aerie, I love you."
Silence echoed throughout the room for an endless three seconds before the crintri could continue. "I love each of you equally and I couldn't possibly let one of you go. I don't have any answers and I don't know what to do. All I know is that...well, I said it before, but I love you two. With all my heart and soul."
Taurus sighed again and knuckled his forehead. "I'll just go now. You probably want to be alone now to think. I know I do." Tired, he left the room to wander the Keep. It was out of his hands now.
***
Long after Taurus had left the room, the two women continued to sit. The only sound was their breathing as they absorbed what Taurus had told them.
Aerie glanced at Viconia again. The drow woman was clasping her hands together so tightly her tendons were sticking out. Her eyes stared ahead at a fixed with a furious intensity. It seemed to the avariel that she trembled with anger.
"I should have killed you when I had the chance" Viconia bit out.
"W-what?" The sheer fury lacing Viconia's voice had caught Aerie by surprise. She knew that the drow woman despised her, but she had no idea her hatred was so intense.
Now the priestess was glaring full on at Aerie and her eyes were like flaming coals. "If I had killed you when we first met" she snarled, "Taurus would have hated me. He would have forced me from the party! I would never have had to fall for him and I would never be tearing myself apart over him!"
Aerie suddenly realised that Viconia wasn't angry with her. She was angry with herself. She was also confused and she didn't know what to do but take it out on someone.
"Well" she said slowly, "It's too late for that now. What we're going to have to decide is what to do for Taurus' sake."
Viconia raised an eyebrow. "If I had told any drow woman what I just told you, she would have challenged me to the death then and there, and you just change the subject. I really shouldn't be surprised anymore at how spineless you are."
Aerie bristled. "Why are you always doing that? I do so have a backbone! I've stood up to you often enough!"
"I'm nothing. I'm you're travelling companion. With everyone we meet, you exude a sense of", here the drow pitched her voice in mockery of Aerie's, "'Hello! I'm so sweet and innocent!' Bah! It makes me sick!"
"Well so what if I'm nice to people?!" Aerie was fuming now. "At least I'm not a chronic bitch!"
Viconia raised the other eyebrow. "Such language!"
"Shut up! That's what I'm talking about! Whenever someone is talking, you take it as an excuse to insult them. Try and show just a little kindness and maybe people wouldn't always want to tie you to a stake and burn you alive! Maybe Taurus would like you better than me then!"
Viconia was on her feet, mace in hand and eyes glimmering dangerously. "Don't you dare lecture me on Taurus!"
Aerie sprung to her feet to, her small delicate hands clenched into fists. "Try and stop me."
For a few seconds, the air crackled with hostility.
Then Viconia suddenly laughed. She laughed and sat back in her chair, leaving Aerie confused and rather flustered.
"Perhaps" the drow woman said, in between laughs, "Just perhaps, you may be good for Taurus after all. I would not want him to love a weakling after all." Viconia gestured. "Now that that's out of the way, lets move on to real business, hmm?"
Aerie sat down rather awkwardly. "So, um, about Taurus?"
"Yesss" Viconia drew the word out slowly. "What are we to do about Taurus?" She stretched. "I'll say right now that I have no intention of leaving Taurus. I've gone through too much with him to go now."
"Point taken and returned." Aerie frowned with a sudden thought. Viconia sat up and watched her expression keenly.
"You have an idea, don't you?"
"I just may."
***
Taurus walked halfway around the keep in five-degree weather before he realised that leaving the two elves alone together was likely a mistake. He swore horribly to himself, then turned and raced back toward his room.
Past random maids and butlers he went, not slowing down once. He nearly killed himself, hurling down a flight of stairs, and nearly broke a leg flying up another flight. When he finally arrived at his room, he stopped and panted, his hands resting on his knees as he gasped for breath. He had a feeling he'd need it.
The door opened and Aerie peered out. Her eyes focussed on Taurus and she smiled. "There you are! We were just talking to you. Come on in."
Taurus frowned as soon as he caught his breath. They'd been talking about him? Obviously he'd missed something. Cautiously he followed Aerie through the door, expecting to see his room torn to pieces. But the only difference from when he'd left was the addition of a pot of tea and two cups on the table between the women's two chairs. Viconia was sipping some tea as she watched Taurus thoughtfully. Aerie joined her.
"Taurus" the drow woman said as the crintri cautiously closed the door behind him, "We have made certain decisions regarding us and you."
Aerie nodded in agreement. "Both of us love you. I think that's fairly obvious. And you also love both of us." She spread her hands. "We don't see any reason why this shouldn't all work out for the best."
Taurus cocked his head slightly. "What do you mean?"
"Taurus" Viconia said as she stood up. "We're willing to...share you with each other. But with no other! Two is company, three is getting erotic, but four is definitely a crowd."
Aerie rolled her eyes at her new friend. "We've discussed this at length and it seems to be the best possible solution." She smiled slightly. "As you would say, we don't want to see you hurt."
Taurus had no idea what he was feeling now, but he knew it was warm, fuzzy, and was driving him to kiss his loves like anything. "If you're done debating, I'd like to hug you now."
"Please do."
Taurus stepped forward and caught both women up in one big hug. He held them tightly to him, relishing the feel of their soft hair and the sound of their breathing. "I don't have any words for how happy this makes me feel right now," he murmured.
Aerie beamed up at him. "Then show us."
Taurus kissed first Aerie and then Viconia with love and passion, pent up from days of silent contemplation.
Viconia smiled into the kiss. She knew she'd get Taurus one day. True, she hadn't imagined an Avariel as part of the equation, but that was life.
When the kissing and hugging had stopped, Viconia smiled seductively at Taurus. "Now my new seriso, I have things I'd like to discuss with you in private. That is of course, if the time is right?"
Guiltily, Taurus looked over at Aerie who just smiled. "Just go" she said. "We discussed this too. I don't feel ready for...well, that." She blushed wildly and seemed relieved but happy to escape the room.
Alone, Viconia continued to smile under half-closed eyelids. Taurus raised an eyebrow of his own at her. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you?"
"Immensely." She pressed her ample frame against Taurus, her lips just barely brushing against his. "But" she murmured, "Not as much as I think I'm going to. I once asked you what you think of me in the dark hours of the night when I lie near you. You never did answer."
Taurus smirked and traced a thumb across her lips. "You set me on fire."
Viconia gasped as Taurus' lips found her throat. "I thought as much" she managed. Then for long time she was incapable of coherent speech.
***
Folken: PLEASE let us out of here!
Daevan: Do you want demons to tear out our entrails?!
Magicman: What's in it for me?
Li: I have an ultra-rare Mirror Force card.
Magicman: WHOO HOO! Deal.
(Magicman lets the PCs out and theya ll scatter.
Magicman: So there you have it. We have a happy little ménage trois with Taurus, Viconia, and Aerie. How sweet. Bet you didn't see THAT coming. Or maybe you did. *shrugs* Ah well. See you next time.