A/N: Silvar, and the persons introduced in the previous two chapters, belong to Jeff Vogel and Spiderweb Software, and will be put back unharmed when I'm done with my fun here.
The room was a small one, made smaller by the bookshelves stuffed with scrolls, so small that six people were inevitably knocking into one another as they tried to examine the shelves for the hinted at "useful" item. Still, Ansel had somehow managed to worm his way next to Jynx, and she was quite certain that the contact was less than accidental.
"Look," said Jynx, her tone exasperated, "it's too crowded in here. Why don't you guys go over and get us a room at the inn, and save us a seat for dinner, and Rudel and I will finish up here."
"Why Rudel?" said Ansel.
"Because I'm more sure he'd recognize something worthwhile," replied Jynx tartly, moving Ansel's hand from the small of her back again.
Brynja said, "Sounds like a good idea to me--it's damn stuffy in here."
"Fine, three walls, three people stay," said Ansel.
"Fine," said Rudel, sounding unperturbed. "Who would've thought there'd be this much paperwork down here, anyhow?"
"Almost like we never left home," said Duncan, and with that, he opened the door to leave. "Well, you enjoy--I'm going to have an ale."
Brynja said, "I'm with you. C'mon, Brother Theo."
With that, the number in the room thinned down, and Ansel could no longer collide with Jynx and make it look accidental. Perhaps an hour had passed, when Rudel found a ratty-looking scroll, and let out a low whistle when he saw its contents.
"What is it, Rudel?" asked Jynx.
"Scroll has a magic spell on it," said Rudel, rolling it back up to put it into his pack. "I'm going to go to the inn and study this--if we can both learn it, I'll pass it to you when I'm done."
"Sure, thanks," said Jynx, absentmindedly.
A few minutes of looking after Rudel's departure, and Ansel said, "You mad or something?"
"Why would you think that?" said Jynx, noting Rudel's absence. "Damn, he did run off, didn't he?"
"Yeah, but we still got a couple shelves to look at," said Ansel, moving next to Jynx, just close enough for her to feel the heat from his body, though they were not yet in contact.
"It'd be a sight easier without you breathing on me," said Jynx.
"You are mad at me," said Ansel.
"No," said Jynx, "I'm not--didn't Warrick satisfy you?"
She knew then what she had suspected, that it had been Ansel's voice in the dark--she'd been near certain of it, but Ansel said, "I'm sorry. Didn't think it'd upset anyone."
"I don't care," said Jynx, turning to look at Ansel. 'Mistake,' she thought, as her pulse quickened. "I just . . . didn't like waking up and hearing it--made me feel like I was peeping or something."
"I'd rather it was you come over anyhow," said Ansel, now that Jynx was facing him, imprisoned by a bookshelf behind her, and his arm on one side, as he reached up to cup her breast with the other hand, thumb lazily running across the surface.
The thin fabric had never felt thinner, Jynx thought, as her nipple made an undeniable response to Ansel's attention, and she flushed, as she said, "Wouldn't have occurred to me to do that."
"Why not?" said Ansel, as he started loosening the laces of her bodice, until the garment loosened enough for one shoulder to slide down Jynx's arm, and then his hand returned to her breast--this time without the interposing fabric.
"Because I . . ." Jynx began, and tears filled her eyes, "I . . . the last . . ."
"Damn, Jynx, I'm sorry," said Ansel, taking his hand away from her breast moving to brush away the first tear that trickled down. "What?"
"The last time . . . it's how I bought exile instead of the axe," said Jynx, her words spilling in a rush before the tears came.
"Shit, I'm sorry," said Ansel, and he pulled the sleeve of her gown back into place. "I wouldn't think less of you for it."
"It's not that," said Jynx, "just . . . I know my body responds, but I . . . I don't like being touched so much."
"I could try to make you forget that," said Ansel, her face cupped in his hands, and then his thumbs swiped across to snare the tears.
"Mayor probably wants us to get out of here," said Jynx, desperate to change the subject, her hands trembling as she worked to re-tie the laces of her gown.
"I don't think he cares," said Ansel, his hand nudging hers away from the ties, as he bent his head to kiss Jynx.
Even with the volume of fabric that still separated them, Jynx could feel how aroused Ansel was, as his kisses pressed her into the low bookcase that divided the room in the middle. Ansel had tugged at the laces again, and the now-gaping neckline of her gown slipped off Jynx's shoulders, catching at her elbows as Ansel lifted her onto the top of the bookcase.
Whatever sensible part of her mind was left had fled, as Ansel's hand ran down her bare thigh, and then up the inner side of her leg, eliciting a soft moan from Jynx. Ansel continued to kiss her, his fingers entwined in the hair framing her nether mouth, while his other arm provided a support for Jynx to lean into so that she didn't fall from the bookcase. The rough fabric of his trousers chafed at her thighs, reminding Jynx that Ansel was still fully clothed, even if her gown was now almost fully bunched around her waist.
"Want me to stop?" whispered Ansel, pausing from kissing her neck as he neared her ear.
No words, Jynx reached around, finding the waist of Ansel's trousers, and followed them to the drawstring which held them in place, and with a quick tug, the string was untied, and she heard Ansel's sharp intake of breath as the cool air struck his bare skin, and then a moment later, he found his way inside her, eliciting a gasp from Jynx.
Ansel gave Jynx a hungry kiss, tongue seeking her tongue, although he gave a muffled chuckle when Jynx's legs wrapped tightly around his legs when he started to pull back. As he had promised, he drove the memory of the sleazy interrogator from Jynx's mind as he made love to her.
"Oh, damn, Jynx," he said, making no move to separate from her, "you're . . . gods--I'd settle here if you want to."
"No, I . . ." said Jynx.
"You ain't sorry, are you?" said Ansel, his voice tinged with concern.
"No, it's not that," replied Jynx. "Just--we've only been here for such a short time, and I don't know that I want to stay in Silvar."
"Glad of that," said Ansel, "cause I ain't sorry--wouldn't be sorry unless you was."
"You don't suppose anyone heard us?" asked Jynx, her fair skin taking on a definite shade of pink.
Ansel stepped back, pulling up his trousers, and said, "Don't think so." Then, he lifted her down from the bookcase, Jynx's skirts falling back into place as he did so.
"I'd just hate to get caught like this," she said, the pink deepening to a red.
"Ain't got nothing to be ashamed of," said Ansel, with another appreciative look at her breasts before he pulled her gown back onto her shoulders and began tightening the laces. "Come on, let's go get dinner."
Clothes reassembled, they left the library, to discover that the mayor was no longer sitting in his office, but one of the town guards was standing outside the building near the door.
"Find what you needed?" asked the guard.
"Yeah," said Ansel, his hand resting on Jynx's waist. "We need to lock up behind us?"
"No, mayor'll be back soon, and I'm on duty here until then," replied the guard. "Anyone else still in there?"
"Nope," said Ansel.
The guard nodded, seeming satisfied, and waved them off.
Inside the inn, they found their companions already eating dinner, and Duncan gave a broad wave, and said, "Bout time you two got here."
"That scroll was the only thing that I'd call useful," said Jynx. "What did you make of it, Rudel?"
"It's a one time use," said Rudel. "Will make a lovely ball of fire to catch several nasties, but only the once."
"You'll keep it, then?" said Jynx.
"If it's ok with you," said Rudel.
Jynx nodded, and then Ansel came over to the table, carrying dinner for himself and Jynx.
"I spent a little time . . . checking out a closed shop," said Brynja, with a gesture toward the scabbard she wore. "Nice little sword hidden back there. Place was full of dust, so I figure no one will miss it."
"Great, you gonna get us thrown out of the city," said Ansel, with a broad wink. "Just don't you get caught."
"I've never been caught for that," said Brynja, with an almost shame-faced expression.
Of course she wasn't--thieving is a capital crime, thought Jynx. Of course, thinking of that made Jynx more conscious of the stickiness between her legs, and a quick feeling of warmth came over her, which she tried to disguise by digging into her meal.
"So, you guys think about where we gonna go next?" said Ansel, thumping down his mug as he gestured for a refill.
"Thought you had a mind to find that bandit fort the fellow spoke of," said Brother Theo.
"Yeah--he didn't give too clear directions, though. Got any ideas where we'd look?" said Ansel.
"Well, it wouldn't be south--at least, I think," said Jynx. "Unless it's over the river--but that's not likely, because bridge traffic is surely watched."
"We could go up to that other fort that Thairl mentioned," said Duncan. "If they're north of here, that fort might have more trouble with 'em, and have a better idea."
"Then tomorrow, we go up to . . . what was that name again?" said Ansel.
"Duvno," replied Rudel. "Fort Duvno. Also get us on the way to Formello, so's we can try to earn that token."
"Then we're settled," said Ansel.