Chapter 5
Jeck proceeded to poke his unwanted rude cold nose into M'lar's crotch and shouted. "MORE TUNA! Jeck like Tuna!"
M'lar jumped back and covered her crotch with her hands. "Shoo go away!" She waved her hands at him to go away. Jeck turned and looked over at the bar and noticed the food that was now spread out on the bar. "Hmm food! Jeck hungry you got cat?" Jeck like cat!"
He moved to the bar and proceeded to jump up on the bar and walk through the various platters of meats and cheeses pulling up and eating what looked interesting to him. M'lar moaned and now all eyes were on the obnoxious rodent that tromped through the food on the bar.
When he finally made his way to the last platter; Jeck decided to urinate on the platter which sent M'lar into fits . Advancing on the obnoxious rodent, Mlar was ready to toss him out. When she was preparing to rush forward to the bar her progress was delayed when she was snagged by Mars and he shook his head.
Leaning over he whispered in her ear. "Look at his arms mother. He wears the gold bracers of the Arena. He has fought 1000 death matches and won. He is now considered a champion."
M'lar frowned. "But he is ruining the food son and he is making a mess of your reception."
Mars patted her hand and smiled. "Then let others fight this battle, I love my mother too much to worry that she may not survive a battle with a Kobold especially one like Jeck."
M'lar was not sure she understood after all he looked like a large rat. "But son!"
He sighed. "Fel and I are leaving soon and maybe he will grow tired and leave too." M'lar felt horrid that this should happen on the night her son had reason to rejoice.
Just when she did not think it could get worse she came through the door. Another rat just like Jeck came in the door and rushed over to Jeck on the bar. Jeck looked down and studied the female Kobold. "Who you!"
He shouted and jumped down and watched the female as she ran in circles chasing her tail then stopped. "I am Jeckaline you wife!"
Jeck laughed, "Jeck no have wife. You not litter mate!"
The female ran in a circle again then flicked her tail and this seemed to signal a mating ritual between Kobolds. Jeck seeing her flick her tail set him off and he mounted her there in the bar and began to have carnal knowledge with her.
Kait and M'lar had seen enough. Orion taking Kait by the arm led her out of the bar and M'lar had slipped quietly out the back door of the bar and headed towards the park. Perhaps she would not be scared for life from witnessing such hijinks by two rodents that wanted to have sex on her son's bar.
Moving to the park bench she sat silently fuming over what had just happened in the bar. It had been a disgusting display of wanton sex. Even if it had been with a rat like creature it was still humiliating for her and those that were witness to this display and she was totally embarrassed for her son. She had worked so hard and many others had too. Now it was ruined by that barbaric display. People called her a barbarian and what did they call that?
As she sat and watched the lake she realized that a shadow had fallen over her and she glanced up to see Rahvin approaching her. M'lar's anger was complete and he was there to witness what she had seen. "You radiate despair, anger, and negativity my dear. You feed the elements from the plane of negativity with all that anger and hurt you hold inside."
M'lar felt angry and lashed out. "Am I not entitled to my grief and hurt? I lost a son. The man I thought would love me abandoned me and then I found myself pregnant and facing my life raising a child I have no idea on how to raise!"
He turned and shook his head. "And as long as you hold onto that pain and that anger you will only allow it to engulf you and take your life."
M'lar did not need a lecture from this pathetic man that had used too much magic and was now paying the price for his over use by coughing up blood because his body was beginning to fail him. "You have not lived my life until you have how can you say that!"
Kait had left Orion at the barracks and found that M'lar had gone to the park she stood back and watched as the heated argument between the two was growing. Stepping forward in a clam voice she spoke softly. "Perhaps you should not judge her so harshly she has been treated foully and now fights to bring herself back into the light. She is entitled to her time to grieve and her time to find her own resolve."
M'lar was never more proud of her sister than she was at that moment when she defended her. M'lar had given Kait a glimpse of what she had suffered at the hands of Tarin while she was in his temple and it had nearly crushed her.
"You do not know the nightmares that I suffer when I sleep at night and think the shadows move. You were not chained in a basement and tormented by vampires and ghasts as they taunted me only to have the shadows move forward and drain me of my life then to have Tarin bring back a portion of my life but always only enough to keep me pliable for his base desires and his perverse needs."
Rahvin was beginning to see she had been the mistress to one of his kind and he marveled she still could walk in the light and look pure as she was. He studied the beauty before him and he found that he was intrigued and he wanted her.
"Come, I wish to take you both to a place I call home."
M'lar looked to Kait then to Rahvin as he held out his hand and extracted a key. Opening the dimensional door he entreated them to enter. M'lar took his hand and turned to Kait and reached for her hand.
She had been so exhausted and the latest outburst of anger had drained her but she was curious to find out where he lived and where he hoped to take them. They entered the door to come out on the other side to a long hallway that was surrounded by clear glass like tunnel that looked out on the vastness that was the Prime Material Plane of Negativity.
Outside the area there were the horrid sounds of screams and wailings and the occasional floating apparition that tried to tear at the occupants in the tunnel. The tunnel went on for a distance and they came to a large wooden door with metal bracings. Rahvin took a key from his robe and opened the door and waited for them to enter.
M'lar went first curious to see the inside of the building was much like a castle and from the huge view port area of the common room they were now led to she could see it sat upon a vast rock that had been torn away and was now adrift in the prime material plane of negativity.
"Those souls out there would shred you both were you to go outside. So I caution you to never leave the castle unless you use the causeway we just walked across."
He moved to the center of the room and they both noticed that there were a set of double sofas that faced each other and two chairs that sat by a huge fireplace. Upon the walls were tapestries that depicted stories of people's lives and M'lar noticed that the man was very much like Rahvin. "My wife, my children."
They were certainly pretty children and to M'lar it appeared at one time he had been perhaps the king or leader of his world. "Your wife is she here?" She glanced around looking for the attractive blond that was depicted in the tapestries.
Rahvin sat on the sofa and snorted softly, "No I killed her and her lover."
She frowned. "I see, and your children?"
He said in a dead panned sort of voice. "Dead. When she could not kill me her lover destroyed my daughter and son."
M'lar frowned and looked down sadden by such news. "I am sorry."
His voice was harsh as he spoke. "Don't be it was for the best. I killed her and her lover they now reside outside these walls."
Kait began to hum softly as she sat on the edge of the sofa. "I am sorry for your loss. Why did you bring us here?"
Rahvin studied her and smiled. "You intrigue me M'lar, your life is filled with such stress and sadness that it seemed appropriate you might look upon what you may face one day if you ever go to the grey wastes and have to wander the planes searching for peace. Those souls out there will never know peace."
M'lar stood and moved to the window and looked out at the vastness that was the darkness of despair of the prime material plane of negativity. The tortured souls flung their ethereal bodies at the window reaching out attempting to claw at her figure standing and watching them. She had spoken softly as she watched the horrors that were before her.
"I will not end up here. I am stronger than those out there."
M'lar frowned, "You have not walked in my shoes do not judge me you do not have that right."
Rahvin sat back and studied her and the more he watched her the more he realized how alone he had been. Waving his hand over her he spoke a power word, "Sleep" and Kait jumped watched M'lar crumple to a graceful heap in the floor.
"M'lar!" She moved ot her sisters' side and held her head in her lap. Looking over to Rahvin she asked, "What did you do to her?"
He smiled, "She was fatigued she needed to rest."
In that moment M'lar was once again plunged into the nightmare world of terror of being in Tarin's temple and she began to twitch and moan softly her whimpers sad and filled with fear.
Rahvin sighed softly and moved to lift her in his arms. Though those arms looked frail he held surprising strength in them. "Come you both should rest before returning to your own world. I will give you chambers to rest in and awaken you on the morrow. Then I will see you returned."
Rahvin carried M'lar to the bedchambers he promised and nodded to a closet filled with sleeping attire. "For your comfort you may find something that fits. You are more the size of my deceased wife."
Gently he laid M'lar on the large bed and stood back then frowned as he noticed how she twitched and struggled in her sleep. Bending he placed his fingertips on her forehead and spoke softly, "Suggestion." Rahvin using his ~esp~ looked into her mind and saw the hatred she held for Morgan and frowned.
"Sleep and forget for now M'lar rest you need to rest, your battle is just beginning." Kait was not happy with how high handed he had become and was trying to usurp her sister's will. Moving to stand protectively next to her sister she glared at Rahvin. "I will leave you now. You both should rest."
Bowing to Kait he moved from the room. Kait rushed to the door to close it and slide the bolt across the door and lean to it. "This is not a good thing M'lar." Moving back to the bedside she peered down at her sister and frowned. Though she seemed at peace, Kait knew it was an unnatural sleep and wondered at what suggestion he had implanted in her mind.
From that first visit to Rahvin's, M'lar had made it a point to try and avoid him until late one night while in the park she had met with a group of her friends on how they were going to bring Morgan to justice.
As they gathered in the secret place of the park she sat with Yielder, Marstoq, Rathferth, Sidon, and Zac all stated they agreed that Morgan was behind the murder of Joe, and that he needed to pay for his transgression and was a bane on the existence of those that lived on the island.
From the wood line a very beautiful black panther had crept up on the group and lay at M'lar's side. Enchanted with the creature, M'lar had scooped the creature head into her lap and had gently stroked his brow and spoke with the passion she had felt since Joe's death.
M'lar spoke with all her heart. "I hate him and he should pay for his deeds and justice should be brought down on him."
Rahvin had happened upon the group and smiled, "Then lets kill him." Everyone there would easily agree that Morgan did not deserve to live if he was as evil as they suspected, but M'lar was not so sure that was the solution.
"I think we need to bring him to justice and have him stand trial for his misdeeds." Rahvin sighed and looked with the utmost indulgence upon M'lar.
"He needs to die and you know it."
M'lar had shook her head. "No, I don't want him dead, I want him to be brought to justice."
Rahvin had waved his hand and shook his head. "It will be as it should be M'lar. Now I believe you owe me a walk in this magnificent park. I believe you have been avoiding me and well I would like the pleasure of your company."
The others had looked at the forceful male that now seemed to wish to manipulate M'lar. Not wishing her friends to be subjected to the necromancer's darker moods and powerful magic M'lar stood and waited for his arm so that she could lay her hand to the crook of his arm.
Marstoq frowned and looked at his mother. "You sure you wish to go mother."
M'lar nodded and looked back at Mars "I will be back later for Gillian. We will be staying at the Hoch tonight." He smiled and nodded and then watched suspiciously as the panther slunk off into the wood line. Mars watched her as she moved off to the pathway and then with a subtle flash of light Rahvin and M'lar were gone.
Rahvin had manipulated her to join him once again in his castle on the prime material plane of negativity. Leading her to the main living area he smiled. "You my dear will stay here tonight. I have brought your daughter here as well."
Leading her to the nursery he showed her that Gillian now slept peacefully in the crib that was a part of the nursery. M'lar was immediately concerned that he had been able to get her daughter from her room at the Hoch. The thought of how easily he had taken her was distressing. However she tried to hide her distress so as to not upset Rahvin. He really did frighten her.
"Rahvin, you really should not bring her here if it is so dangerous." He laughed and placed his fingertips to her forehead and stared into her eyes. Once again she felt that nudge in her mind as he exerted his power of ~esp~ and entered her mind.
With the success of entering her mind he was easily able to implant a suggestion. "You desire me M'lar and you trust me." M'lar felt her resistance to his actions fade as she smiled at him and allowed him to take her into his arms and kiss her deeply. "Come you need a nice hot bath and then some rest. You have been far too long away from me to allow yourself the proper rest."
M'lar sighed contentedly to be held in his arms and nodded. "Of course you are right."
He led her down a long hallway to a bathing chamber and drew a hot bath for her placing scented oils and bath salts in the water then he sprinkled some rose petals in the water for her. "Bath and here is the gown you should put on."
M'lar nodded and turned to wait for him to leave. As he left she slid into the hot water and felt totally relaxed. The soft scents were filling her with an intense desire to be with this man and to not leave him. Finishing her bath she dressed in the black gown that had been laid out and she found it depressing but said nothing.
Stepping from the bathing chambers, Rahvin swept her up into his arms and carried her to the large bed she had awoken in so long ago. The covers had been turned down and now Rahvin laid her in the bed and smiled down at the sight she made gracing his bed.
Brushing soft fingertips across her cheek he spoke ,"Sleep." M'lar felt her lashes flutter and she slipped into a deep sleep. Rahvin then removed his robes and slid into the bed next to her and gathered her close to his body. She felt wonderful curled into his body and snuggled close.
Gently he pressed his lips to her neck and then feathered small kisses up her neck to her mouth and he spoke, "Desire me." M'lar moved in her sleep trance and moaned softly as she put her arms around his neck and accepted his love making. He took great pleasure in enjoying the feel of her excitement and for the first time in over a hundred years he felt alive and he wanted to live. He had found his soul mate and he wanted to keep her all to himself.
He spent the next three hours exploring her passion and her body as he brought himself to his highs and drifted on a sea of ecstasy. When he had sated his needs he curled into her body and whispered softly. "Perhaps you will give me children again some day."
Then he allowed himself to sleep but not until he used one more spell and that was to make sure she did not awaken before him. So he cast a improved sleep spell on her so that she would sleep until he awaken her.
M'lar slept a dreamless sleep and floated on a sea of blissful nothingness. Her life was never so content s it was in this magically induced sleep. Rahvin had made his claim and he was going to make sure nothing would stop him from claiming what was his.
In his dreams he saw this Morgan and he knew that for her he would kill this man so he would never cause her harm or distress again. So, Rahvin made his plans and he would see the end of these plans no matter what.
In his mind he knew that for here and for her he would kill this man, and mentally speaking to himself he promised, " I will then claim her as wife and together with her daughter we could live our lives very happily here". On that note he then fell asleep making his plans and happily blissfully unaware that a traitor had been in their group while they made their plans and their whole worlds would end soon.
M'lar was alone in the bar that day, upstairs were Marstoq's twins and recently born son and her daughter all being kept by Jodi, Baloq's daughter. Then he came in, in his brash and self-assured way pressuring her to run with him.
"Come on you gotta leave they are coming to arrest you!"
M'lar was so confused by what was happening that she went with the slender well muscled man that was John Doe, the husband to Prin Doe. M'lar had suspected John was a paid assassins with Ninja kills and he certainly displayed it when he lifted her from her feet and ran out of the bar with her. John pulled her along to a building down the street and long abandoned by the previous owners as he watched out the door.
M'lar sat looking at him still confused and afraid. "What is going on?"
John looked over at her. "You have been a bad girl, they know you plotted to kill the head of the council."
M'lar stood up indignant. "I most certainly did not plot to kill anyone. This is ridiculous. Take me back I want to get this cleared up right this minute."
John looked over her and then shook his head. "Gotta say you got moxie. Come on."
John had led her back to the Hoch and as she entered she saw Erick the King standing there looking at her in open disgust, then a guard stepped forward and looked at M'lar.
"Malady M'lar, I place you under arrest by order of the King's council and the King for high treason."
M'lar felt her head begin to buzz and she shook her head. "But I did not commit treason! I am innocent. Whom did I threaten to kill?"
Eric turned his back and Prin stepped forward next to John. "M'lar you are under arrest for threatening to kill Morgan Manshak and an act of treason."
Her head began to buzz and she felt her world beginning to collapse in on top of her. "No! I just sought justice not kill him!" The guard looked apologetically to her and handed her the order and writ for her arrest.
Feeling her body go numb she lifted her chin and then collapsed to the floor going unconscious. John rolled his eyes and then bent to lift her and throw her over his shoulder. "Go collect the brats and we will put her up at the NAT for now and then turn her over to the guard and get word to Marstoq that she has been arrested."
Prin a lovely woman of some beauty and grace shook her head. "I don't know John this stinks of a set up."
John looked at his wife and winked, "She can't afford me dear. Come on we have to move before Manshak sends his henchmen."
Prin dashed upstairs and collected Jodi with the children and with John's help moved the mall to the John and Prin's house that they referred to the NAT, which was short for Not A Tower. John not so delicately laid her down on the small bed in the spare room and smacked her face. "Hey you in there?"
M'lar opened her eyes and sat up with a start. John had arranged a small table with a white towel and sharp blade." If you want to save face and kill yourself here."
M'lar looked at the ceremonial offering and shook her head. "No I will face my accusers and will take whatever judgment is handed down."
Prin stood in the doorway and looked upon a woman she had come to call a friend as she cradled her daughter close. "M'lar you realize that you very well may be beheaded?"
M'lar nodded and sighed deeply, "I am prepared to face whatever is decided Prin. But know this I only sought justice not his death. I hate Morgan, I do not think he deserves to live but I would not plot to murder him. That was and never had been my intent."
Prin shook her head. "We wrote those laws together M'lar."
She smiled up at her friend. "I plan to be tried by those laws and if those law determine I committed treason then so be it. I die a martyr and Morgan will not win on this Prin. You know as well as I do he is behind this as well as Joe's death."
Prin moved to her friend's side and sat down on the small bed. "M'lar do not let your grief blind you to make mistakes you will regret."
M'lar had looked at Prin and sighed, "And I swear to you upon my oath that I did not plot his death I only sought to bring him to justice for Joe's death."
Prin stood and moved to the door and turned. "Tomorrow you will be transported to the prison where you will wait to stand trial."
M'lar nodded and hugged her daughter close and felt the tears choke her as she allowed her fear to envelope her and drive her into one of the deepest depressions she had ever experienced.
It was that same depression she now sat with and refused to eat and only take small sips of water as she allowed her body to begin to fail her with strength. It had been three weeks since she last had eaten and now she lay awaiting death or the end to this confinement.