Chapter 10

Reaching for his helm he lifted it and put it back on his head and stood slowly and peered down at the two boys that now huddled against each other. He could tell they truly were afraid of what he might do next. "After you have apologized, I will release you to your parents and you will then report to the Lady Gabrielle for punishment."

Marstoq spun around and moved to the cell door and paused. "One other thing boys, do not ever make me angry, I kind of get really mean when I am angry and I know you would not like it if I were really angry." He snapped that very penetrating gaze at both boys and he smiled and there was no humor in that smile.

"You both will be expected to clean the latrine and chamber pots before you leave." Then he thought a moment and turned with a mere thought he ~teleported~ from the room with a subtle pop creating a stunned silence between the two open mouthed youths. '

Shit he is a mind bender, damn we are so screwed." That was the oldest one, the other one sighed and looked down and shook his head.

"Yah and he was big and strong and my parents are going to be really pissed."

Marstoq moved into the room, "Mother, Feleena is going to model three gowns and I promised you I have Zak who said he would be happy to buy one date with you and two of my men said they would bid. I happen to know that Bart said he would bid on one of your gowns and that Brutus said he would bid. Then there was Seerik who said if he was back from patrol in time he would bid for a lunch with you."

M'lar gave her son an affectionate smile and sighed relieved. "So there we have it taken care of and we do not have to worry about my being there costing the orphans some really needed coins."

Marstoq moved to the bar and sat next to Kait. "Tell me how does this day find you my lady Kaitlin?" Kaitlin sighed deeply and looked at her half full glass of ruet bier.

"I suppose I am fine now I know my sister is not at deaths door as Orion's men had said she was which sent me into a such a tizzy that I was barely able to properly dress. To run from temple all the way here and realized I had not even combed my hair to make my appearance proper. It was most distressing Marstoq and I certainly hope those young ruffians get their little behinds tanned well by their parents. Really I was so incensed hearing the very idea of throwing rocks at her and calling her names. It just infuriates me to no end to know how much she had been put through."

M'lar rolled her eyes looked at her son and said softly, "You had to ask?"

"Does she ever breathe while speaking like that?" Mars leaned into his mother and whispered back.

Kait shut her mouth glared at them and snitted softly. "I can hear you, you know." Folding her arms over her breasts she muttered. "All because I was worried about my dear sister simply because I was told she was bleeding from a wound to her head. Of course I should have known that is the first place that is the most protected unlike me, who has such thin delicate bones that cannot take such treatment."

Mars frowned and he curled his hand into a small fist. "Well I had a nice little chat with the two young men in questions, and mother they will have to apologize to you, I am sure Lady Gabby will make them do that and then they will be sentenced."

M'lar looked down and studied her hands folded together and had grown quiet. A part of her realized that Gabby had a job to do in regards to the charges that had been brought against her, but Gabby had treated her as if she were guilty and had been rather harsh towards her.

M'lar had been terribly hurt by her actions and had withdrawn somewhat from Gabby and had been avoiding her since her acquittal. The other thing she had discovered since her release and acquittal was that Kyger was a member of the House of Shadows and had been spying on her for the head of the house.

M'lar knew that Shayla Calderon had been the head of the House for sometime and that for some reason Shayla had found M'lar to be a problem for her and did not like her much. M'lar was equally determined that she would turn Shayla's point of view if it was the last thing she did on Abeir Toril.

She was determined to show Shayla she was not her enemy and she greatly admired the lovely half-elven woman. Kait had seemed to have bridged that gap and found a way to forge a friendship, M'lar was equally as determined to do the same no matter what. Kait had made it a point to try and talk to Shayla about M'lar and found Shayla was unrelenting in regards to her opinion of M'lar.

"Marstoq I really do not wish to see the boys again, I also meted out my punishment when I sent them falling into the lake after their rock throwing incident with me. As for Gabby, I would rather not have any contact with her right now. I am still healing from my ordeal and well she is a bitter reminder of that time."

Marstoq leaned over and cupped her chin in his massive hand. "It is because you feel she had pre-judged you and found you guiltily before your trial?" She could not break the look her son she dropped her lashes to cover her eyes and hide the pain that was still evident.

"I feel she judged me without hearing my side and she is tied to the House." Mars frowned, "We know there are certain things we all must turn a blind eye to mother and we know that the House of Shadows is a necessary evil."

M'lar looked up as the door opened and the subject of their conversation entered the room. M'lar immediately grew silent and sullen and quietly left the room. Gabby could not help but notice her withdraw and frowned. Moving to Marstoq's side she looked from him and then offered a smile to Kait. Kait nodded to Gabby and she too stood up and followed her sister out of the room.

"Well I suppose I deserve that?" She looked to Marstoq, She is still upset with me?"

Mars shrugged, "Can you blame her Gabby, you were very rough on her."

Gabby frowned, "I had to be it was my job."

Marstoq shook his head and moved towards the stairs that led up to the second floor. "No Gabby, your job was to take the facts and order her arrest. All she expected from you was to have an open mind. We all know that from the moment you got the information you had her convicted and on the way to the gallows."

It was Marstoq's turn to stand in judgment and he now found her wanting. " So I cannot say as I blame her being upset with your shortcomings. That my dear Madam Justice is the crux of this problem and one you must figure out how to fix."

With that said, Marstoq left Gabby with Baloq looking at her in the same way she had looked at M'lar the day she was arrested. "Don't feel good does it?" Gabby threw her hands up in the air, uttered some words and shape shifted into the white wolf she frequented while in animal form. Knowing that it did hurt she ran from the building feeling the sting of the words and headed to find Kane.

M'lar had sat pensively on the edge of the bed. The other women had dressed and they had never looked lovelier or more alluring than when they had dressed in their gowns that were the subject of the auction. War as a Priestess of Sune had worn a very seductive gown of the deepest shade of red. The cut of the gown low to show her cleavage down to her naval, the slit of the exposed the long leg line and hinted at the treasure pot that was her trade as the Priestess of Sune.

Her golden tresses were draped over her shoulders and curled seductively around her breasts. War knew how to move to attract attention and M'lar was sure with the male populace in the Dice tonight she would receive the highest bids.

As a Priestess of Sune War had been given the natural attributes of an undeniable beauty. Sune always graced her priests and priestesses with the right curves, the right muscle tone, the right coloring of hair and eyes and then there of course was the ability to use their bodies to calm, incite, arouse, or distract.

War sold sex with the blessing of her goddess. Sune was known to enhance the beauty of her followers by giving them an advantage with an aura of beauty and sensuality. In this case watching War move about the room, M'lar could see her Goddess' blessings with each sensually alluring move she made.

Katon Stormbringer moved across the room with a soft pout on her full lips. She like War had chosen a gown that had a plunging neckline, but not as severely plunging as War's neckline. The dress had accent cut outs to show off her slender waist and also hinted at her charms that were cleverly hidden behind the dress' design.

It fell to the floor with a graceful fold of satin and the color of deepest sea green only complimented the honey brown of her hair and the sun kissed color of her skin. The color of the dress had by designed accented the color of her eyes and were it not for the fact she would be there without Joe; the frown more of a soft pout marred her features. M'lar noted that by comparison Katon was as stunning as War.

Finnlaya moved into the room wearing the dress made from the material that M'lar had brought from her home world. Finn had worried that because of her red hair there was little she could wear that would not clash with such a vibrant color as her bright red hair that she wore very attractively down over her shoulders.

The material that M'lar had found on the airship had been material that was used to line the armor that the soldiers wore in battle. It just so happened this material was very durable, lightweight allowed for the wicking away of body sweat. On its own the material was shimmering iridescent colors of green, silvers, deepest blue, and black.

It caught the light and reflected back a magical quality of translucence with the right amount of density to hide the body but hint at the shape beneath it. The cut of the dress had been to drape from the shoulder down the back to lie in soft folds that fell to the floor and moved along the floor with grace and ease of movement.

The material clung to the body to accent each curve and elicit desire from those that looked upon the woman whose temptress gaze gave promise of passions untold. Finnlaya was a beauty all her own and had caught the attention of Morgan Manshak enough he had asked her to manage his fest hall. She would arrange spars for Morgan when he was on the premises.

The door opened to admit another one of the contestants and it was Feleena. She stomped more than glided into the room and looked a bit sullen as she threw the gown that Kait had given her earlier. She snorted and sighed. "I am not going to wear that stupid thing. It will trip me up!"

Catlindra walked over and looked down at the form fitting dress that had skirt requiring the wearer to move with small steps. Cat could understand the feelings that were being displayed and sighed then got a brilliant idea. "Fel put it on, I can fix it!"

Fel looked dubious to her friend Catlindra. The other fiery red head in the room stood in a leather gaucho style pair of pants that looked like a skirt when she stood legs together but separated into a long flowing pain of silken pants that moved about her legs as she moved. The matching top was a pleated halter top with accents of a small gathered peplum around her waist that accented her waist and fell gracefully over the top of the pant skirt.

Without preamble Fel stripped down out of her leathers and wiggled into the tight dress and sighed. "Now what can you do to fix this?" Cat, withdrew a delicate and very sharp looking stiletto knife from her thigh strap. Stooping down Cat ran the sharp edge up the dress so that it now had a huge slit up the side.

Fel smiled, "Genius! She moved about the room with more ease and a lot happier. "Marstoq better enjoy this and the other men enjoy the show because it is not going to happen again." Beau moved into the room and shot a murderous glance to Katon then turned throwing her gown on the bed.

"Well all I got to say is Zach better buy my time for wearing this crap." The dress was delicate and moved with just the hint of wind. The soft elven silk gown of deepest gold shimmered in a bare nothing pool of sensuality as it lay awaiting its owner to put it on. Beau unbound her hair and then moved to the dress and in a short amount of time, she too was divested of her leathers and now slipped on the gown.

M'lar's breath was taken away as she looked at the lovely blond with long golden tresses that now seemed to blend to the dress that she wore. It lay in layers down her body to pool around her feet and enhanced her coloring and her hair, the material gave the appearance of moving on its own with each movement made by Beau.

Ungracefully she flopped down on the bed next to M'lar and frowned. "Why aren't you dressed?" M'lar looked down at the very serviceable dress she now wore and spoke softly, "Kait has not brought my gown, she says that we all have three but mine was not quiet done and she has the seamstress finishing the alternations "

Beau nodded, "Yah we had our done a long time ago and she sent them home with us."

M'lar cleared her throat and looked down, "Yes, well I was otherwise occupied. "The room had grown uncomfortable remembering she had been in prison.

The door opened and Gabby moved in holding two dresses in her arms. "I hope Kait appreciates the amount of discomfort I am having being here in the close confines of this building and there are a lot of people showing up downstairs."

All eyes turned to Gabby and M'lar sighed and stood nodding to the others she moved towards the door. "Excuse me I am going to see if Kait has my gowns ready." She nodded politely to Gabby as she passed her.

Gabby shot her hand out to capture M'lar's arm. "You know you don't have to leave on my account."

M'lar looked at the hand on her arm then with a subtle shift of her eyes she looked up and spoke softly. "As I said Gabby, I am going to find Kait to get my gowns. Now excuse me."

The other women in the room noted the tension between the two women as they exchanged their polite comments then M'lar tugged her arm away from Gaby's grasp and moved out of the door.

As M'lar closed the door she over heard Gaby's comment. "Talk about being sensitive, she had not gotten over the fact I issued a warrant for her arrest."

Then she heard Beau, "I don't think that is the issue Gaby, I thinks is the fact you made it known you thought she was guilty of the charges before she even had a chance to defend herself. I must say had it been me, I would be challenging you now and I doubt you would be walking away without major damage."

Gaby wanted to retort but knew she needed to get dressed. "Well the council felt there were grounds to bring the warrant against her how could I not think with her history that she was guilty?"

This struck M'lar hard and she stifled a gasp of pain and shock. Then it was Fel that defended, "Perhaps you should have considered the source of whom the intended victim was and the considered the one that was being accused. Are you so quick to judge because you have never done something out of the passion of your beliefs?"

Gaby began to undress and redress in the simple gown of Grecian design. The material caught over one shoulder to hug against her body and fall in graceful folds to the floor and lay in a subtle pool of shimmering iridescent coloring that accented her golden brown hair and hinted at the subtle form that was her body.

War had chosen to take a neutral stand and remain quiet. "I was disappointed in her and it appalled me that she would go after Morgan that way."

Cat was now the voice of reason as she spoke to Gaby, "Gaby what if you thought that Morgan was responsible for the death of one of your children. How would you feel? What would you do?"

Gaby was beginning to feel she was arguing a lost cause. "Well I would not plot his death." Which comment resulted in a spontaneous attack of "She did not plot his death, she was a victim as much as Morgan. The difference is that M'lar does not have the ability to fight a mind attack like Morgan does."

This was stated by non other than Beau. Gaby finished dressing sliding on the golden arm bracelet that accented the slender fall of her arms from the dress. The overall affect was one of graceful woodsy beauty with a hint of the feral in her eyes.

"Maybe you need to think about this Gaby, no one condones the deliberate plotting of someone's death, but we are talking about M'lar. She would rather die than allow another to be killed, she is driven by a strong desire for justice and she is a loving mother that was grieving the brutal death of her own son."

M'lar walked away from the door and headed down the stairs, she was about to leave and not even participate when she saw the object of her angst as he stood against his bar and watched her with a degree of curiosity.

"Leaving Priestess?" M'lar hesitated with her hand lightly held to the door's latch.

"Yes."

She did not look back at him and continued to study the doorknob as if it had grown a head and was looking back at her accusingly.

"Why?"

M'lar sighed, straightened her back, drug her gaze from the doorknob that now seemed to mock her and then move and she stepped out of the way as two more men entering the Dice and smiled at M'lar bowing slightly to her and moving into the room.

"I suppose it's because I really don't feel I belong here and you make me uncomfortable."

Morgan moved to stand next to her and this made her skin crawl he smiled his most charming smile and gently placing his soft hands on her shoulder to guide her from the entrance of the doorway. The touch was gentle and persuasively turning her away from the exit.

This was done for two reasons, the first being he loved to watch that look of disgust and revulsion come over her as he touched her and the door happened to opened again and she seemed to be in danger of being run over by more males eager to try and vie for a luncheon date with the participants of the fashion show.

The excited buzz was out and they were just being men and hearing of a fashion show at the Dice they had scoffed as such a silly thing. What a concept, a charity showing for the orphanage in a gambling fest hall. The ladies of the evening that plied their trade in the Dice had been given the night off. Something Morgan knew they deserved and would allow the other woman not to feel so uncomfortable around his girls.

"Kaitlin says that you are to wear three of the major gowns that are being featured by the new seamstress this evening. Why would you disappoint these gentlemen or your sister by running out on her."

M'lar felt her shoulder tense and then recoil from his touch while he led her to the side of the doorway and nodded to the men. They in turned nodded politely to M'lar and went to the area of their excitement. Usually that room held a sparing ring where men would duel each other for sport.

Today it had been altered somewhat to allow a make shift walkway from the ring to the seating area. It was a way to allow the spectators to admire the participants and see what they were bidding on up close.

The ladies were to walk down an extended runway that had been erected. Then they paused in front of one particular table. It was the owner's table where Morgan usually sat like an over lord of his place of business. The rehearsal had the participants move down this walkway, pause at that table and turn slowly then moved back to the ring to stand next to the eight foot tall Trisska a crimson saurian lizard.

The fact that Trisska was also a member of the town guard and a dear friend of M'lar's made it easier for M'lar to accept the idea of being one of the participants being paraded in the ring. Trisska was intimidating by his shear size so there would be no unruly pandering allowed or any of the participants to be manhandled with the large saurian standing guard.

Magnus Wolfe stood in the door way and greeted each new arrival seeing old friends he had not seen for a while and making them welcome and finding a place for them to sit and making sure that they got a drink.

Morgan moved with M'lar towards his office and opened the door. She had never been in his inner sanctum and being alone with him like this was unnerving to say the least. He smiled his snake like charm coming to play as he sat her one of the chairs in front of his desk.

Moving to the door, he locked it and moved to the chair next to hers and sat. "Now my dear why not confess, you are feeling guilty because you and that necromancer wanted me dead."

M'lar stood in anger her face flaming with her outrage. "I beg to differ. I think death for you would have been too good. No I wanted you in prison! I wanted you to stand trail for the heinous way you treated Joe and had him removed as any type of competition for Katon."

Morgan sat back and studied her, by the gods she was magnificent in her self-righteous anger and she was a handful for sure. He just wanted one time to try and tame that passion or ignite it to its fullest extent.

"Sit down dear, you are not going to leave until I have my say."

M'lar leaned her back to the door and tucked her chin. "I would prefer to stand." Morgan frowned concentrated and pushed his talent towards her mind and then thought better of it. "Then stand, I will stand with you."

He watched her as she crossed her arms under her breasts which only serve to push them up and the fullness of those eye catching breasts were now more pronounced as ever before. M'lar sighed as she waited for his chastisement and condemnation.

"You think you are so clever that you could use your womanly charms to get your male suitors to kill me off?" She stood silent and let him have his say as she waited for this to be over and she could leave.

"I can tell you now my dear, I could have easily ended your life as quickly as whatever god deemed you would be here. With that same God's notice to the Elven nation that Gruumsh was not done with Corellon's blood."

He was curious that she had not tried to stop him, so he continued. "I found your efforts laughable at the least and I will not take exception to your misguided intentions, but I put you on notice my dear, try something like that again and I will not be so forgiving. Now, you will go out there and go back upstairs and wait for Kait to bring your gowns, and you will participate in the charitable event."

M'lar heard and felt the vibration of an insistent knock on the door and then heard Kait's voice. "Doctor? M'lar? " She wanted to step aside but that would put her uncomfortably close and touching him. He had just insulted her and called her a liar and then he had threatened her.

Morgan leaned forward close enough that they could have touched if she moved only the slightest bit, and he smiled into her angry filled gaze. When he moved to open the door his hand briefly brushed against her hip. "After you my dear."