Chapter 15

From below, Kaitlin moved along the pathway of the park knowing she had seen her sister come this way earlier and now she heard the sweetest voice that had the most beautiful tonal quality and she paused and smiled. She followed the sound of the song and realized it was being sung in scro.

There she stopped and watched amazed as others in the park had stopped to listen to the song and they like Kait was struck by the song's words though not understood the tenderness with which it was being sang could not be denied, it was from the heart and it had been touched by some divine power that gave the song more than just a quality of love and devotion, it was heavenly.

Kait clapped as she finished her song, watching her lower her head and arms to stand silently in the soft light of what could only be termed as a god's glow. A light that now bathed her in the after glow of the love from her god.

M'lar turned her face aglow and the light of something new had filled her, "Oh sister!" She enthused, "You would not believe what has happened! I have a god, one I can feel and speaks to me. I have a god that believes in knowledge and wisdom and follows and protects the bards. Is it not wonderful?"

Kait felt her eyes prick with tears of joy as M'lar moved forward to hug he sister close. "It is a most wondrous feeling and look the young Paladin," She looked around for Korell and could not see him. "Now where did he go? He was just here! Well anyhow, he gave me this book and it speaks of my god and all the wonderful things he had done. Oh sister comes sit with me and share in my glory of my God Oghma."

Kait chewed her bottom lip and sighed, "What of your Dragon God?" M'lar smiled and it was a tender smile of divine knowledge, "Sister, Bahamut is the dragon form of what Oghma would be. He would not be jealous should I choose to follow Oghma too, he would be tolerant of me and grant me his love too. He knows I shall protect his dragons with my very life. But Bahamut did not speak to me personally as Oghma did on this very hill and I believe that Oghma would not be bothered that I carry an amulet that shows me a follower of the great wyrm god, if anything they compliment each other and are secure in their followers. I can do great good for them both and not over step either of their edicts to see my duties are performed."

Kait nodded her head slowly then took her sister's hand. "Come the sun has set and we are alone here in the park. I am not so secure as you are in sitting in the park at dusk when so much seems determined to destroy our happiness or lives."

M'lar stood reluctantly to leave the park and paused for a moment, "He asked me to build him a library and to dispel ignorance. That is what I will do but until I can find a place to offer my love and devotion, I will come here at dusk every day and do my prayers and then I know he will direct me and find a way for me to give him a library." Following slowly behind Kait she paused a couple of more times and looked back to the hilltop her manner one of wonder and her life now filled with grace.

Moving to the Hoch she paused as she looked up and saw a very upset and very sour Marstoq. "Mother, we must speak but not tonight. The business is demanding their favorite tenderess."

Kait paused and looked at the pensive look on M'lar's face and the controlled anger on Marstoq's face and began to hum as she passed them. "Son, I have the most wondrous news to tell you of, please do not be cross."

Marstoq took a deep breath and held it before expelling it. "Mother, we will discuss this later, you have a job." Marstoq did not give her any further recourse but to enter the tavern with a less exuberant look on her face and feeling a bit deflated until she entered the room. Entering the room the various regulars that had come to spend the night in conversation and some drink saw her enter.

"Malady! Welcome back and glad to see you safe and sound and returned to our presence."

M'lar was immediately renewed in spirit as she was hugged, kissed on the cheek and welcome back.

Kait sat by the fireplace softly humming as she worked on her needlepoint. Baloq took up position behind the bar and waited as M'lar worked the floor taking orders for the kitchen and taking orders for drinks.

The mood was light and happy as the evening wore on, M'lar kept letting her gaze shift to the book she had set on the table with Kait. A part of her wanted to run and pick up that book, to find some alone time to immerse herself into her book.

The night seemed to grow incredibly long and as the last patron left the premises, M'lar moved tiredly to the table and slumped down and let her fingers slide over the leather bound book. Kait smiled at her sister and then smiled brighter when the door opened and Orion moved in from getting off from patrol.

"MY lady's ride as arrived and is ready to take her home." Standing she moved to the bar and asked Baloq to put her basket of needlework behind the bar. "Baloq please put this behind the bar. Thank you." Baloq picked up the basket of thread and material with various needles in the cloth. "Sure Miss Kait."

M'lar sat tiredly at the table as she fingered the book and then picking it up she feared that she would not find the glorious feeling she had before when Korell had given her the book. Now, as she pulled the book into her lap the spellbinding light that was this god's touch once again surrounded her. She found herself totally engrossed in the book. So absorbed that she did not see nor hear the approach of another. It was one that had entered the bar prior to Baloq locking the door.

The shadow obscured her view of the passages forcing her to looked into the very piercing gaze of Morgan Manshak. He held a look at her with an intensity that seemed to be all his own. To her it was an unsettling and creepy. Feeling at a disadvantage having him tower over her, she stood up and dropped the book and gasped in dismay watching it fall and feared it would land on its binding and bend or harm the book.

Morgan's reflexes were amazing, he snatched the book in mid fall and brought it up to read the title. "Oghma? My, my dear, it seems my sources were correct you were approached by the God Oghma?"

M'lar looked at the coveted book and then to him and she slowly nodded, "Yes, he called me on the hill over looking the park. He asked me to build him a library."

Morgan flashed that so well practiced smile and sighed dramatically, "Well how fortunate for me that I now have someone I can give over my old books and as it would seem, I just happen to have the deed to Katon's old temple to Lovitar. How appropriate that it should be given over to Oghma and his very beautiful priestess."

M'lar looked suspiciously at Morgan watching him pull out a scroll and a key. "I shall have the books delivered to the temple, they are very old and very rare and very valuable so I am sure with this offering you will make your god happy."

M'lar did not know what to say or for that matter think. "What do you want in return?"

Morgan smiled and there it was again, that smile that did not reach the coldness of the eyes to warm them with a sparkle. Instead she saw a smile that was contrived and well practice to be charming but very deceiving. "Let us just say that it's my contribution to the betterment of this island. And if it puts me in a better light in your eyes mores the better."

M'lar looked at the book in his hand and then to the scroll and the key. "I thank you Morgan, it seems I owe you more than just my life."

Morgan giggled and it was that giggled that irritated and annoyed M'lar to no end. It was so girlish and not at all what one would expect to hear from a perceived killer and assassin. His manner was so soft and his actions the epitome of nobility and the contrivance of a gentlemen all hidden in a pretty package.

He was a male that was lean, compact not too tall but dressed to perfection in black. From his long riding coat, black poet's shirt of the finest Elvin silk, to his leather pants and high top boots. When he wore a hat it was a round top black felt hat with a wide brim.

The hint of his southern qualities that must have come from the southern regions lent a twang to his vocal tones with exaggerated ahh's and aa's in the formation of some of his words. When he got agitated or he was working out something he would betray his feelings with the insertion of these inflections to his words and she was beginning to read him like one of his books.

Feeling isolated and a bit nervous with him there she shifted from one foot to another and then again pointedly looked at the items he held so negligently in his hands. "Now, would you like to go and see the temple?"

M'lar nodded but then looked to the outside, "Would it not be better to go and look at it in the daylight?"

Morgan pretended to be remise in his observation of the night time sighed, "Of course it would my apologies." He laid the scroll and the key on the table by her side making sure that he accidently touched her hip when he slide his arm past her.

Noting that she immediately flinched and pulled away and once again was hard pressed not to giggle at her reaction. She was entertaining and to the point he felt she deserved his special attention. "Oh my pardon, I hope it did not offend you?"

M'lar stepped aside and shook he head, "No it did not offend." She found that now she had Oghma in her life she could no longer avoid the truth or tell a lie. "I was just reacting to the unexpected touch."

Morgan did giggle then and she could feel her skin crawl with that high-pitched girlish giggle. "Oh my dear, are you afraid of men? I could help you with that fear you know."

M'lar bristled and frowned, "No Morgan I am not afraid of men, I am afraid of you."

This somewhat surprised him but he hid it well, "Really, why would you be afraid of me? What have I done to warrant such fear or discomfort? I have been nothing but kind to you."

M'lar nodded slowly, "True you have never outwardly shown me harm or expressed anything but polite conversation or a suggestion for a tryst, but at no time have you been anything but a gentleman."

Morgan put a hand to his heart in mock surprise. "A tryst? Why would you think I would want a tryst with you and not have a simple conversation?"

M'lar moved to the bar and behind it and looked below for a bottle of Benden Red wine. " Because with you nothing is simple. Would you care for a drink?" He was going to refuse then stopped seeing she held a bottle of wine worth ten thousand gold. "If you insist."

She nodded, "I do." She poured them both a glass of wine and keeping the bar between them, pushed his to him and then stood back. "To you Morgan and a thank you for your generous gift."

Morgan lifted his glass in a salute, "So then tomorrow around noon would you like for me to send my carriage and meet me at the temple?"

M'lar nodded and sipped the very fine tasting wine and sighed, Mars was going to be pissed because she opened another bottle of expensive wine. She was going to have to come up with a lot of tips to make up for this bottle of wine. But in the long run it was worth it and besides Morgan was the only one that ever drank the wine.

She sighed, and re-corked the bottle and set it on the bar top. "Again, Morgan it was very generous of you to give me the books and the temple. I will never really be able to repay you."

Morgan looked at the bottle and then to M'lar, "Would you allow me to buy the rest of that bottle of wine to take with me? I would hate to see the blend of this quality and make go to waste or spoil."

M'lar shrugged and pushed the bottle to him. "Here my gift to you. Consider it as a form of a thank you for all you have done for me."

Morgan took the bottle and looked at the year and then looked at her, "I would hope that you would enjoy this bottle of wine with me."

M'lar took a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Sure, why not?" She moved around the bar and to the table that held the key and the scroll and then sat nervously as he took a seat across from her.

"You could relax you know, I won't bite too deeply." Again that round of girlish giggling that was beginning to wear on her nerves.

"Yes, well, tell me Doctor, how have you been doing? I have not seen you out or around much lately."

Morgan lifted the glass and looked at it through the light admiring the clarity. 'You know M'lar you are very much like this wine." He looked at her around the glass' edge and smiled, "Robust, full bodied, and wonderful to the taste and pleasing to the eye a beautiful color and something that must be appreciated in the right atmosphere and at the right time."

M'lar flushed as such an on rush of flowery words. "I wonder Morgan when was the last time you got your eyes check. I agree I am full bodied, and I can be robust but not pleasing to the eye or appreciated under a certain light or moment could be argued."

Morgan sighed dramatically, "My dear Mahlar, why do you persist in being so obtuse about a man's compliments, just accept the compliment and say thank you."

M'lar lowered her lashes and nodded "You are right that was unkind of me, thank you Morgan."

This elicited a very pleased smile. "You are very welcome, to you Priestess of Oghma may your life be filled with wisdom and knowledge.

M'lar stood pensively behind the bar, the closer it got for her to go to the newly acquired temple the more she began to feel ill. She had wrestled all night what did Morgan want? What did he have to gain from giving her this temple? Enlisting the company of Kait she waited for Kait to arrive and was afraid Morgan's carriage would arrive before her sister. Glancing up at the pressure change in the room she watched as a sleepy eyed Kaitlin moved into the Hoch.

"Oh thank the gods you got here before him." Kait yawned and straightened her gown. "You wanted me up at the crack of dawn you get what you get."

M'lar sighed, "It is not the crack of dawn Kait, its almost mid morning and I have been up since dawn, ran five miles and have the mid day meals ready to go."

Kait looked exhausted just hearing what all she had done. "Well that is you, not me."

M'lar looked on patiently at her sister, "You know if you got up to run with me you would feel better and greet the day with a more happy eye."

Kait snitted and mumbled "My eyes are happy at eight in the morning and just ecstatic at nine."

M'lar's hearing was just fine as she cocked an eye and looked at her, "What was that?"

Kait looked around "Nothing do you have some tea?"

M'lar poured her a cup of tea and slid it to her "Well what do you think?" M'lar slid to the stool next to hers folding her hands on top of the bar.

"I think it's too early to think." She yawned.

M'lar let out a long protracted sigh and looked to the chronometer on the wall "It is seven a.m. Kaitlin Ann, now tell me what do you think Morgan is up to?"

Kait sipped her tea and glanced bleary eyed to her sister, "I think he is up to five foot six inches and wants in your skirts." Then she set her cup down and looked primly to her sister "Which you should not let him in your skirts unless you are going to marry him."

M'lar dropped her head to the bar and banged it against the bar top, "Oh Kait, why would I let that cretin touch me let alone get I my skirts, besides I don't think my skirts would fit him, my waist is much smaller than his, and they would be far too short."

Kait giggled, "Yah you are probably right. I think he is trying to win you over M'lar to mend fences so to speak and make you like him."

M'lar rolled her head sideways and peered over at her sister, and banged her forehead again on the counter. "Don't do that it makes my head ache just watching you bang your head."

M'lar stopped banging her head sat up and took her sister's fingertips and pressed them to the extra think bone in her head. "Too hard headed to feel it, not much nerves there either."

Kait looked curious she had never really felt her sister's one trait that marked her scro side of her life. "Really you don't feel that banging?"

M'lar shook her head. "No, I don't scro use their heads for head butting. So we are designed not to feel the impact." Kait still felt the forehead and M'lar wiggled her eyes, "But we do get aroused when our foreheads are touched."

Kait went beat red and withdrew her fingers quickly as her eyes grew wide. "Really?"

M'lar sighed, "No, but it got your attention and woke you up."

From outside the sound of a carriage pulling up could be heard. "Well looks like he is here, you ready?" Kait had noticed that M'lar was dressed in her cut off breeches since the day was beginning to show its heat. She wore a tank like top tucked neatly into the top of her pants, with her thong like leather shoes and she had pulled her hair up and fixed it with a leather tie on top of her head.

"Really M'lar you should put on some clothing you look indecent in that outfit."

M'lar sighed, "Kait its hotter than nine hells out there and I am going to be comfortable if I am to go inside of a building that belonged to an evil goddess. Sno is suppose to meet us there to see what will need to be done to make it more a temple of Oghma and less a temple of the Goddess of Pain and Misery. So hush and come along, I know he does not like to be kept waiting."

The door opened and a liveryman dressed in a tunic with Morgan's coat of arms appeared in the doorway. "Priestess M'lar?"

She rather liked the sounds of that, "Yes?" She stepped forward and was unaware of the look of appreciation by a glint in his eye as he watched her approach followed by the equally beautiful and discretely dressed Lady Kaitlin.

"Doctor Manshak said he would meet you there, if you are ready?"

M'lar turned and walked backwards looking to Kait, "Told you, she muttered and then spun around and followed the young man out the door followed by a mumbling Kait.

"Yes, you said he would not come here but would be at the temple probably making sure all his dirty secrets are gone."

M'lar smiled and hid her snicker behind a polite hand.

The trip was short from the Hoch, it was four blocks down the street towards the park and the left lane that lead into the wood line was then taken to another fork about one quarter of a mile. The carriage broke into the clearing through the woods, M'lar was hanging out the window of the carriage her eyes fixed with wonder and awe at the white structure that had carried such a horrible reputation.

Upon the singlewide door hung the emblem of Lovitar, the pale hand holding a cat of nine tails. M'lar shivered looking at the symbol and a part of her was repulsed, Kaitlin looked ill.

"I think I shall wait here for now M'lar, I am not feeling well."

M'lar nodded and patted Kait's hand. "Wait here, I will be fine." The sound of an approaching horseman arrived and she smiled looking up to see Sno Mountebank. "Hail and well met friend Sno, thank you for coming would you like to join me inside?"

Sno looked up at the symbol and shuddered. "I can see the first thing to go will be that." He nodded to the pale hand holding the cat of nine tails.

M'lar nodded and pulling out her key she stepped to the front four steps and to the stoop. Looking up at the recess door she saw it was cracked open. "It would appear someone else is here." She pushed the door open and sigh, seeing the inside was dark and depressing.

The large wide room displayed a stone rectangular alter upon a dais. Behind the alter area were two doors to the right and left. Facing the entry the door to the right was open and the sound of footsteps could be heard. Exiting the door was none other than Morgan stepping into the room wearing his trademark black riding cloak, white shirt with ruffled cuffs, a ruffled white cravat and black leather breeches.

M'lar directed her gaze back to the open area of the common room of the temple. "It must have a horrible history, its almost as if the walls scream out with the pain of those that came here to worship the mistress of pain."

Morgan oozed his charming snake smile and moved about the room rather comfortably and with a sense of well-being. He held a familiarity with the building that was much too familiar for M'lar's tastes. From the other door another individual exited that door and M'lar immediately recognized him as Korell.

"My lady, I will be happy to proclaim that Doctor Manshak made a large contribution to my church to have me come here and cleanse this temple. I fear I have not had time to cleanse the exterior of the building but the inside was cleaned out and there was a vampire that had taken up residence in here. He is now dead.'

M'lar looked around at the room and sighed happily that the temple had been cleaned and no longer held an evil essence and that Kait would feel more comfortable inside than out. "M'lord Sno, would you go escort the Lady Kaitlin into the building? She was feeling ill and I thought it might be this building. I think she would feel more comfortable in here than out in the front courtyard."

She glanced around the room. From her observations she noticed that the room appeared more of an open area and that along the walls that had slits for windows held shackles and leather bonds. Dark stains marred the wall, which led her to believe they were bloodstains from poor victims that had been brought her for the purpose of torture. A good coat of white wash and that would take care of those stains.

Morgan frowned hearing that Kait was in the carriage and not feeling well. "Perhaps I should send her back to the Inn to await us there and will be happy to teleport you to the inn once we have gone over the grounds and the building."

As loath as M'lar was to be alone with Morgan she nodded her appreciation. "Thank you that would be kind of you."

Sno had made it to the door and paused, "So you do not wish me to go and bring her in?"

M'lar shook her head. "No send her back to the Inn and let her know I shall be there shortly."