Chapter 11

He stepped back chuckling softly watching her recoil from his touch. M'lar shifted and stepped away from him and the door to allow him to open the door for Kait. Kait looked anxiously to M'lar and then to Morgan. "I am sorry, I just got back and your gowns are upstairs you can go get dressed."

M'lar looked at Kait and noticed she was wearing one of the three gowns she had intended to sport for the event and M'lar noted it was low wasted gown with bell sleeves and a cord that draped around her waist and hung from her hips. Very much Kaitlin in style and coloring as it was a deep dusky rose color that accented her fair complexion and blond hair that had been dressed in elaborate braids. She looked lovely and knew it.

M'lar had not had a chance to view the three gowns she had selected for her nor the color of the dresses, but knew if Kait had anything to do with it, they would cover her to the neck, and be the deep jewel tones she thought she should wear.

Moving out into the Dice followed by Morgan, M'lar noticed the fest hall and arena area was filling up fast and she knew most those that had come for the auction. Kait followed her up the stairs and as they went up the steps they could hear Trisska making the announcement about the first gown to be offer would be modeled by War, the Priestess of Sune.

The room became a series of shouts and wolf whistles and M'lar could imagine that War was beginning her walk down the runway and could hear various shouts of "Five Silvers." To "Five Gold" to the moans of some of the men that had come hoping to vie for the attention of the very delectable Head Priestess of Sune.

Kait shuttled M'lar into the bedroom and nodded to the dresses that now lay on the bed. One of which to M'lar's chagrin was a wedding dress of the purest white iridescent elven silk the gown was complete with a veil and train that was at least ten feet long.

M'lar rolled her eyes and moaned softly, "Oh by the Gods Kait! Why did you give this to me to model?" She lifted up the soft wispy material and sighed then looked at her sister.

"Because no one else would wear it and I figured you would at least do this for me."

M'lar looked at the other two gowns and noted that at least had some substance to them. One was high neckline that held to her throat with a choker clasp. However the back was cut away and plunged to the just below her waist line and offer a hint of the curve of her hips with the soft material in the deepest shade of midnight blue. "You mean you are going to let me wear this?'

Kait nodded and made a wry frown with her lips pursed. "I am going to let you wear it because with your shape and your coloring you will get the highest bids."

M'lar chuckled softly as she muttered softly, "Or the most proposition because you are pimping me off."

Kait's eyes flew wide open and she gasped and in shocked tones chastised, 'I am most certainly not pimping you off!"

M'lar laughed and looked at the third gown that had been laid on the bed and looked rather sad. It was simple and elegant, the yards of material that allowed for a full skirt and several petticoats that would go beneath it. The off the shoulder top was slightly puffed up sleeves and the tiny waistline was accented by a series of ribbons that laid in graceful folds down the front of the dress.

The top would allow a hint of cleavage but mold to her body to accent the size of her breasts as well as the tiny waistline and delicate flow of her arms out of the small bell sleeves. M'lar looked at the dressed and laughed, "I see what you were doing here my dear, you hope to preserve my virtue?"

She had to note of all the sensually sexy dresses that had been donated, the three that Kait had picked out for M'lar were designed to conceal and then hint at the charms that lay beneath the folds of the material.

Kait huffed and then snitted lightly, "There is nothing wrong with modesty. Just because you have it does not mean you have to show it. You just hint and give them a tease."

M'lar knew she was actually referencing War and the way she barely dressed and how she flaunted all she was and what she had for the love of her goddess and the sake of sex and love. "Well at least we shall be the demure ones this time around."

M'lar began to peal off the serviceable dress and laid it on the bed as War came in to change into her other dress. "They are waiting for you and Kait downstairs M'lar, you might want to hurry, the natives are getting restless and I have heard that there are at least ten men hoping to bid on your gowns."

Kait turned patted her hair into place pinched her cheeks then turning to M'lar she smiled, "I will go on down see you in two shakes."

War chuckled and watched her dance out the doorway and turned to look at the dress M'lar now wore, the low plunging back accented the golden brown of her body the top hugged her breasts like a second skin, the puffed shoulders that had tight fitting sleeves that fell away to the her tiny wrists just accented how delicate and tiny she looked and that she had a body that Sune would have been proud to call as one of her own.

War looked at her and then sighed, "You are not going to wear your hair like that with that dress are you? You will cover the back and no one will be able to appreciate the cut of the dress."

War hustled her to a vanity and pushed her down. Quickly she began to pull M'lar's hair up on top of her head and then wrapped the natural curls around her fingers so that she now had curls trailing down from the top of her head to lie with a tease on her shoulders and along her neck and the back of the dress was now displayed as it should be and the well toned and muscled back was a pleasing display to the eye.

The dress hugged her body with a tenderness that even War envied. "You look stunning my dear, now go on and make your entrance and give the men something to dream about tonight." M'lar flushes and turned on her satin shoes and stepped to the door, the front of the dress had a modest slit up to her thigh to allow her to move with grace and sensuality that she had no idea she possessed.

Exiting the room upstairs she stepped to the top of the stairs and then realized that the room below had grown silent. Having mostly watched where she was placing her feet and not to tangle them into the gown's hem she had only just looked up noticing the silence below and realized that all eyes were trained on her.

With grave and unconscious seduction in her movements she let her fingertips trail over the bannister as she stepped down and noted that each man who had stood in her way was parting her way. They stepped aside to allow her passage to the runway and the arena.

She was suddenly self-conscious and embarrassed. For an inexplicable reason she was beginning to feel shy knowing it appeared that all the eyes on her. The room had fallen on a silent hush and M'lar was waiting for the explosion or omen of ill fate to fall. Slowly she made her way to the steps that lead to the runway.

The next words brought out another soft spatter of admiring whispers when she stepped along the runway; Trisska had been speaking of her and the dress and had opened the bidding at ten silvers and nothing. M'lar felt her stomach knot and knew that she was about to die of shear embarrassment.

"Gentlemen, look upon the Lady M'lar. Is she not the most enchanting creature you have ever seen? Now come on a bid of five silvers? One Gold?" Nothing the room was silent and M'lar wanted the runway to open up and swallow her so she did not have to stand there on display with no one wanting to bid, then it came from the back of the room.

"100 platinum."

The voice was a familiar one and M'lar let out a sigh of relief, stunned relief but relief as Zaralyn Windsong the silver elf of Evermeet's courts and a handsome ancient elf spoke out softly. Zaralyn smiled watching his friend from where he stood in his blue robes with runic symbols in gold glittered.

His long blue hair held an unearthly glow with wisps of flames that accented his body and set him apart from other silver elves. He was a handsome elf that appeared to not care about much. M'lar knew he had carried in his pocket a small box that held a tiny green dragon he had reduced in size. The magic was used to punish the small dragon. Though M'lar knew she should be upset with a green dragon. She could not dislike this dragon because he was so tiny and sweet when they had first met.

Then another voice called out that would not brook any argument and the amount was incredible.

"5,000 platinum."

With a bid like that the other hopefuls in the room made an inward moan of frustration. Morgan Manshak had just raised the bar on the bids and it was for a woman that had been arrested for wanting to have him killed.

The resentment was being contained while in polite company but there were several males in the room that would have gladly throw Morgan off the nearest cliff if it meant they could spend one night with this woman that now captivated the island's male populace and made the other women look on with envy and jealousy.

Trisska snorted softly as Morgan stepped forward commanding and demanding as he spoke again, "I said 5000 Platinum." M'lar closed her eyes and prayed that he would not win the bid and waited anxiously and then Zaralyn from the back of the room spoke again, "10,000 platinum."

Morgan had been challenged and he was not happy. Holding a cordial and impassive look he turned and nodded to the Silver elf. He knew that Zaralyn was an arch mage and a knight of the court. Morgan also knew that he was one of the few nobles that tolerated M'lar.

There had been rumors that this silver elf had at one time put a gias on M'lar because she had used some caustic remarks about him being a rude rude blue dude with an attitude. Morgan had chuckled hearing the rumor so aptly described. It had sounded like something she would say to get the ire of a silver mage elf up. Apparently, their friendship was more than rumor with a bid like that.

That remark had bought M'lar a friendship she now cherished and appreciated. Without missing a beat Morgan smiled and turned back to the auctioneer, who was Trisska, "I bid 25,000 Platinum."

After upping the bid he turned to look to Zaralyn, this was now a matter of honor as far as Morgan was concerned. Zaralyn bowed to Morgan and smiled, 'Too rich for my tastes Doctor the right to claim is yours."

Trisska felt a tightness that most Crimson Lizards did not feel when it came with dealing with other than his species. That tightness was sympathy for his friend. Even though there was a moan that went through out the room, they knew that Morgan had staked his first claim on M'lar.

They knew there were other dresses and other models but they waited to see what would happen when M'lar appeared on the runway again. So far she had been the highest bid for the whole of New Damara, and with what Morgan offered to pay for a dinner with the woman that would have fed the entire island for ten years.

Looking none to pleased Trisska began to count down the bid watching M'lar turn and sigh resigned to the fact she would have to spend one night with Morgan. That her date with Morgan would be in pleasant surroundings under conditions that it was to be a dinner date.

She looked over to Katon and saw that Katon was worried. M'lar knew that Katon had more information about Morgan than she had been willing to admit or say. Now she stood silent her gown having gone to Zak for 10 gold which had brought about a smattering of clapping as one of the higher paid dresses.

Trisska shouted, "Now Cap'n 25,000 plat going once, going twice, sold to Doctor Manshak." M'lar moved as quickly as she could to move off the stage and rushed up to the bedroom to get ready and dressed for the next auction. This dress was the more sedate demure one that called for M'lar to put on two crinolines that would make the dress appeared like a bell. The slips forced the dress' material to be held out and move with a sway as she moved. Kaitlin had set a fan and gloves with the dress as accessories. M'lar felt over dressed and very self conscious.

Unlike the other dresses that were being offered, this one made her look and feel like a gigantic package to be unwrapped for winter solstice. Looking every bit a southern coast belle of the ball, she moved to the door and shoved the large volumes of the skirt was hard to get through the door and stepped out to look to the top of the stairs wondering how she was going to get to the casino below.

Though she did manage to get the large dress and the many skirts through the door, she had to pause to look to the casino below. Once again as she appeared the room grew quiet while she slowly made her way down the stairs to be met by Brutus Ironhand. "I suppose it would be pretty worthless to try and bid for a dinner with you?"

M'lar smiled and shook her head. "Never for you my friend even if you don't win the bid, I would dearly love to dine with you some night."

Brutus bent and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek and bowed and then cleared the way for her to make her way to the runway. Then as before as she stood on the runway she waited as Trisska began to explain about the dress and why it was designed the way it was when from Morgan's table he shouted. "20,000 Plat! After all she is representin' muh heritage wearin' such a dress!" This comment caused a few chuckles from those that were known to brown nose the good Doctor and was considered a part of his camp.

M'lar moaned the man was insufferable and she suppose it was worth the coin he was laying down. She knew it was to watch her squirm and wiggle like a worm on a hook. She also knew he made his point with his bids. Once again there was a soft moan that filtered around the room because most the men in the room could never compete with Morgan over his bids.

Finn was beginning to grow angry and glared dangerously at M'lar. The most she had gotten which was from Ramsey Douglas was a month's wages for her gown. That was generous and kind and she knew he really could not afford it on a guard's salary. She also knew he wanted to take her out and he figured this was the only way he could get her attention. He knew he had no chance with M'lar he had already tried to declare his feelings for her and she flat out turned him down.

She had explained that it had nothing to do with him personally it was that she had no other feelings other than friendship for him. He wanted more and she was not prepared to offer more. So licking his wounds he had found himself in the Dice that night after she had rejected him and he was getting really drunk.

That was when he noticed the fiery redhead and she looked good. She looked real good. A quick friendship and a hint at more had been hinted at and today Ramsey was there to see if he could take it to the next step. She was after all the very lovely and delightful Finn. Though he suspected she had fallen in love with Morgan.

He knew Morgan did not return the favor. Now she was watching a woman she should hate because she knew that most the island had thought had tried to have Morgan killed. To add insult to injury for this situation he was bidding on her like some love struck schoolboy.

Ramsey rather enjoyed watching the man make a fool of him self over a woman that positively loathed him. Again, the room fell silent and Trisska counted it down, "20 thousand plat going once, going twice, Sold to the good Doctor again."

Morgan lifted his expensive glass of Benden red and saluted the now stony faced scowling M'lar as he turned back to the gaming tables and watched the play of the wheel. M'lar rushed one more time from the runway and dashed up the stairs passing Fel on her way.

"Morgan is bidding on you?"

M'lar nodded and trying not to break out in tears she moved on to the bedroom and she was glad that at least he would not want to bid on her in a wedding dress, that would implicate that he had intentions of seeing her wear that dress for him.

She knew he had been engaged to Katon but that was never going to happen, that Katon had moved out of his house and had moved back into the Silver Fiend Inn with her adopted father Glithcalis. Which for Katon, M'lar was happy for her being out from under the watchful eye of Morgan and his influence.

Striping the heavy gown of southern comfort and gentility off she looked up as Kait came in and shook her head, "My goodness M'lar you are killing the auction with the bids from Morgan. We won't need to worry about the orphanage for the next ten years if you keep this up."

M'lar moved to the wedding dress and looked down at the beauty and simplicity of the gown. It was demure and figure hugging. The material drifted down in graceful folds to the floor to pool around her ankles.

"You had better enjoy this today Kait, because I can assure you that I will never wear this dress again nor will I ever get married."

Kait looked at her sister and coined one of M'lar's phrases "Oh pish posh, ever is a terribly long time my dear. Now, come here and lets fix your hair with the veil and get you ready this is the last dress to be worn on the runway and I have it on good authority that Morgan is not going to bid on this one."

M'lar clinched her hands and then sat down as Kait curled her hair up and pinned it in place with diamonds and pearls, then she set the crown with the long veil over her hair and head and stood back.

"Oh my M'lar you are so beautiful in that dress any man seeing you as a bride would want to take you and pay court to you right then and there. When they see you in this dress they will want to propose."

M'lar rolled her eyes and sighed deeply, "They will thank the gods they do not have to marry me." Kait pulled the veil down over her face and stepped back.

"If you were my type sister I would propose to you right now you make this dress everything it is and more."

With the mass of hair now pinned up and in place with accents of diamonds and pearls, Kait sighed and pretended to swoon. "Oh my dearest M'lar you are the sun and the moon and the stars above which all pale to your great beauty!"

M'lar giggled at her sister. "Well my dear you are not wired right for me so I have to beg your pardon and refuse your request."

That is when Kait clutched her heart and sunk down to the floor in dramatic wounded to the core and heart pose. "Oh you break my heart my dear."

With such a over dramatic pose sent M'lar off into another round of giggles. "Oh get up and help me with this dress there is too much material and would hate to be the dead bride model because I fell down those steps and broke my neck!"

Kait hustled over to lift the skirt and the veil and then followed M'lar to the door and opened it, "Now stand back when you make your appearance this time, I want more than just silence in the room, I want a gasp of delight and surprise."

M'lar held back because Kait had asked. Pausing to arrange the dress around her and the train back behind her. Once she had finished she nodded. M'lar stepped forward and Kait got what she asked for when they were greeted by a sigh of delight and surprise.

The occupants of the room below stood stunned at the beauty that stood in her wedding gown and it gave vent to a lot of hopeful males in the room as they stared in awe. All were admiring the fit of the dress and the promise of what lay beneath. All of this was for a man's imagination for what he could expect on his wedding night with this woman.

Slowly and gracefully she moved down the stairs to once again take up her position to walk down the runway. M'lar noted that like before there was dead silence while they all waited to see who would bid for the bride.

Then the bidding in the room became brisk and normal much as it had for the other women. It started with one gold and was now up to over twenty gold and the bidding was brisk with the men from the guard and some of the hopeful swains that had hoped to capture her attention or have dinner with her.

Trisska had begun to announce the final bid of thirty gold. The very hopeful young business man was grinning from ear to ear watching the delighted smile on M'lar's face. "30 gold going once, going twice . . . " Trisska was about to close the bid when n from the back of the room once again Morgan smiled and he called out, "50,000 plat."

This time the roam did moan outwardly and many hopefuls shot a glance at Morgan that went unnoticed or cared about while he waited for Trisska to count off his bid. "We have another bid of 50 thousand Plat for the lovely wedding dress and councilwoman M'lar. The hopeful was crest fallen and M'lar sighed deeply Morgan had ruined this for all of them. They knew he had the funds and could not out bid him.

Before Trisska could count off the bid, M'lar spoke up. "For all you wonderful people that came today in the spirit of this auction, I wish to invite you for a dinner at the Hoch on me. I will have a band and will dance with each and every one of you for your wonderful contributions to this worthy cause." It was the one way she knew she would best Morgan at his own game.

"Well how about that my fine fellows, the lady wishes a date with all of you! Okay, we have $50,000 plat going one, going twice, sold to the good Doctor Morgan." Morgan smiled, he was pleased, she may have offered her services and a dinner to all these peasants but she would have to spend three nights alone with him and he could not wait to watch her squirm as she dined with him.

M'lar was deflated as she stood in the gown no longer a glowing expectant pretend bride but a prize that had been taken and bought for 50,000 plat. Moving with wooden feet from the runway to the casino floor she passed the others and looked sympathetically to them with a mouthed

"Come see me later at the Hoch."

To disappear up the stairs to the bed room to slump down at the vanity and lower her head to her arms and began to sob. From the darkness of the corner, a figure stepped out his gaunt features were beginning to take on a grey and dead look of a skeleton.

"Hello my love did you miss me?" The voice was Rahvin's his features were hidden behind the heavy robe but she could see he had already begun his transformation.

"Rahvin."

Her voice had grown soft and filled with fear. "I have come to warn you my love, I am going to destroy this island and all that reside on it. Now you can save yourself and Gillian by coming to me of your own free will. Otherwise, what I did to my last wife is nothing of what I will do with and to you."

"Rahvin, I did not do this to you! I tried to stop them from putting the blame on you."

She stepped back and away from the aura of fear that surrounded him. He was doing as he said he would, he was slowly turning himself into a shadow lord or demi lich. M'lar stepped back further from him pressing her back to the door.

She felt the door knob turn and then heard Kait's voice o the other side. "M'lar? Open the door and let me in."

Rahvin hidden behind his robe spoke softly, "Yes M'lar let your sister in NOW."

He raised his voice and Kait heard the voice and recognized to whom it belong. Turning from the door she moved to the stairs and then felt her body frozen unable to move as Rahvin appeared next to her holding M'lar's arm. He had used power word stun on Kait.