PREDATORS
by Chimera Bloom
Part 11
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Elila studied the layout of the room trying to find the most unobtrusive place to sit. The table to the right of the center was normally considered the next best place to be. These were the women and warriors who were socially brilliant, but they continued to fall one or two chairs short of making the cut. So instead, they were shoved off to the inside. As the heron glanced them over, she could tell that every single one of them was plotting and conniving a way to spend next year's banquet at the dead center of this all important event.
The heron knew that she had no place amongst their socially ambitious kind. So, that left the table to the near left. These were the people who had been scorned by the tribe for one reason or another. Mostly, it was because they opposed her alpha on one of Thash's many controversial rulings. A large majority of these people were former warriors who had had their honor stripped by her alpha. Without honor, they were cast aside like some sort of worn-out husk. And Elila knew with complete certainty that she would certainly not be welcomed amongst them.
Briefly, she wished that she had talked Yamina into staying. The set-up for this banquet was very explicit and very formal. The seating arrangement always alternated between the women and the warriors. There was no room for an odd number or an uneven amount.
With Yamina present Elila would have at least been in a couple. Even though it was often seen as unorthodox and a tad bit sad. At least when they were together, they created an even number and had no trouble finding a table to sit at.
But now she would make any table uneven and cause a potential social problem for any warrior and her woman. As much as she would like to do so, Elila couldn't just scoot into the nearest available chair. She would have to wait until all the couples sat down and began their respective dates. She would have to hope for an empty chair that wouldn't make her a strange and unwanted third wheel.
As she glanced at the very end of the room, she realized she had one last option. There was a fourth table off to the very far left of the room. This was where the socially recluse convened. Elila knew that these people had most likely purchased their invitation to the Gallion with hordes of shameless money.
She looked them over spotting the rather elderly but still quite feisty, Ilanau. Ilanau had never really been much of a warrior. She had always preferred to gamble then fight for the honor of the tribe. But apparently, the cards had been quite good to her. Elila could easily spot the fine and expensive material that went into her clothes. And if the heron wasn't mistaken, there were three very high-priced concubines hanging on Ilanau's every word.
Right next to Ilanau was Vemari, the tribe's former schoolmaster. Vemari had been publicly shamed for committing indecent acts with countless young and naïve girls. Elila could only wonder how Vemari had managed to afford such a high priced event like the Gallion.
She looked around the rest of the table seeing faces that she recognized but had never formerly met. At the far end of the table, she saw Lineva. Lineva was a reclusive and odd warrior that preferred to be alone then deal with her fellow champions. She was talented, strong and an amazing marksman. But it was only her pure skill that her kept her reputation as well as her honor in tact. Her strange eccentricities and peculiarities and made her something of a social pariah. And if she wasn't so much older, Elila imagined that they might have formed a common bond.
Deciding that this would probably be the best place for her, Elila wandered over to the table taking a seat between Lineva and one of Ilanau's concubines. The concubine smiled at her warmly and Elila was relived to see that she hadn't caused a problem. Unlike Zelsi, this woman had nothing to fear from her. Because of her social status Elila would only ever be permitted to marry one of the finest warriors. And although she was very wealthy, Ilanau didn't qualify socially.
Lineva seemed to have not noticed that she had even sat down. She just stared at the blue tablecloth draped out in front of her. Elila glanced down wondering what she had found so terribly intriguing. All she could see were the two very tightly clenched fists of a rather perturbed warrior. And the heron had to stop herself from laughing aloud. It would visibly appear that she wasn't the only one who would rather not be in attendance.
Figuring that she would have some time before the banquet officially began, Elila tried to find some way to amuse herself. But her mind was tired and the silence around her was slowly lulling her body into a dire need for sleep. She tried to stay focused and alert. She intently studied the roses running like wild vines all through the room. They were on the tables, the floor, and some were even delicately hanging from the ceiling. She looked at the soft delicate petals of the nearest red rose trying to trace its form with her eyes.
Soon, the blue velvet curtains behind her were drawn clear open causing her to gasp out in pain. She had once heard the rays of sunlight found here on the Inception were the brightest in the entire world. She had also heard that the sun always shined most brightly over the village of the Gallion. And as she sat there hunkered over the table, Elila had to believe that those were far from just rumors. Her body just wasn't accustomed to such excruciatingly bright light.
Even though the swamp rarely ever saw the sun, her people preferred to conduct their business and affairs under the sole light of the moon. Black Moon was covered in only the thickest canopy of trees and swamp fog that nature had ever created. With such a humid marshy atmosphere it was rare to see more then a dim light in the sky, even at high noon. And it was an environment that Elila sorely missed as she sat helpless under the unforgiving jungle sun.
"I'm going to have to get in touch with my runner but I think I've made a nice little profit. I can't be sure though. I'm not what happens since the dholes beat the coyotes." Elila listened to the voice of someone across the table address Ilanau.
"Well, what exact bet did you place?" Ilanau asked obviously trying to give advice.
"See, I doubled down on all mammalian matches. But since it was too mammalian tribes that fought in the fourth round, I don't know what they means for me." The hybrid confessed obviously very ignorant about the ins and outs of betting.
"Actually, I'm not sure what that means either. When can you get in touch with your runner?" Ilanau asked equally as confused by the complex system in place for betting on the Gallion.
"It means your bet carried over to the 8th round between the dholes and the komodo. And since the dholes won, you will have tripled your original bet." The words were out of Elila's mouth before she could even stop herself from speaking.
She hadn't meant to attract such attention to herself. It was just that for once, someone in her tribe was speaking about things that she knew. She looked up, a bit concerned by the sudden silence of her table. Everyone within earshot was openly staring at her and she felt a bit foolish for even attempting to communicate. Elila had learned a long time ago that when it came to conversing with her tribe mates, she always seemed to say just the wrong thing.
"Why would it triple?" The person asked her whose name continued to elude Elila.
"Because the 8th round is the final match of the second series. You said you only double downed which means you can only profit until the end of the second series. The dholes went further in the Gallion but you would have had to triple down on your bet to continue the profit." Elila answered quickly.
"I still don't understand. Wouldn't my bet just double?" The hybrid asked obviously interested in her explanation.
"No, the second series includes rounds four, six and eight. Since the dholes won all three of those matches you've tripled your bet." Elila answered wishing that she hadn't become the center of attention.
"But in the fourth round they were matched up against the coyotes?" The hybrid asked still unsure as to what had happened to her money.
"Yeah, it was two mammalian tribes…" Ilanau commented obviously interested in the discussion as well.
Elila took a deep breath trying to gather her thoughts. She was trying to come up with the easiest way to explain the concept of null and zero point matches within associated tribal lines. It was a complicated subject and not easily absorbed by people unaccustomed to the finer points of the betting wheel.
But just as Elila was about to start her explanation, she happened to glance over at the center table. She saw Narlene draped across Kellis' arm, which didn't really surprise her. She saw Zelsi splitting her attention between no less then three different warriors. And she saw Melaryn, openly staring at her. She watched at Melaryn whispered something to her wife and then Elila flushed as she realized they were both gawking at her.
A small frightened voice popped up in the back of her mind warning her about what would happen next. But when Melaryn pulled away from her wife and started to walk towards her, Elila desperately wished that she could somehow disappear. Because to the heron, it would seem that her day was about to become a whole lot worse.
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Melaryn rounded the center table stopping when she reached her designated seat. Elila tried to ignore the happening at the center of the room. She wanted nothing more then to remain unnoticed. The heron just wanted to stay right where she was.
So, she tried her best to ignore the blatant stare of disapproval that Melaryn was casting her. Elila really had no idea why the warrior would be angry with her for any reason. Melaryn was normally nothing but calm and logical.
After a few more moments of blatant angry glares, the warrior hurriedly motioned for her attention. Still Elila tried to ignore her, rushing through a description on the finer points of gambling. But eventually the heron realized that she couldn't remain at a safe distance any longer. Melaryn looked very annoyed and Elila knew she had used up what little patience the warrior had.
"Please, excuse me. It seems that my presence is required." Elila whispered trying to excuse herself from the table.
"Of course… If you get a chance later I would love to learn more about the betting. I'm afraid I'm not as good with numbers as you are." The hybrid from the other side of the table called out.
"Sure, I'd be happy to help." Elila answered. The concubine next to her gave her a polite smile and nod. And even the absurdly wealthy Ilanau cast her a friendly wave.
But now, Elila had to leave the few people at the banquet whose company she could actually tolerate. Slowly, the heron walked to the center table noticing the scorned glances that both Narlene and Zelsi shot in her direction. At the moment, they weren't her concern. Because without discussion or preamble, Melaryn quickly and forcibly escorted her right into a seat.
Melaryn watched as the heron sulked in clear annoyance. Though, she was pleased to see that at least Elila had enough sense not to speak her grievances aloud. Honestly, she had no idea what had gotten into the girl. Normally, Elila was the perfect picture of quiet obedience.
But today had certainly brought out a different side of the girl. Melaryn could hardly believe her own eyes when she saw the heron walk right into the awards ceremony with a tall looming shark following quietly behind. And if that wasn't bad enough, Melaryn knew all about the girl's disappearing act from the night before.
And if she hadn't stepped in, it looked like Elila had every intention of spending the banquet in the company of the tribe's undesirables. The heron knew full well that as the alpha's daughter it simply wasn't proper for her to associate with people like that. But as her wife had graciously pointed out, Yamina was missing from the banquet all together.
But even with her friend gone, Melaryn knew that that didn't give Elila an excuse to go associate with those types of people. The heron had a duty to her tribe. Her presence was expected and required at this banquet.
The ever so slight ringing of the bell brought everyone's attention back to the matter at hand. The bell only meant one thing, the banquet was about to begin. And Elila watched on as everyone hurried to find a seat.
The heron was far from surprised when Narlene quickly sat down next to Kellis at the head of the table. But Elila didn't mistake the golden warrior's annoyance when Melaryn's wife Neisha sat down on her other side. Elila could only assume that Kellis had been expecting to enjoy the company of Zelsi as well.
"Where's your friend?" Elila looked up to see that Zelsi had taken the seat across from her own. The concubine was seated between two warriors that the heron barely knew.
"Oh…uhm Yamina wasn't feeling very well. She went back to the Lodge." Elila answered noticing that their brief exchange of words seemed to have attracted an unwarranted amount of attention.
"Not her, the shark… Who was that?" Zelsi asked obviously very interested in the heron's earlier companion.
Elila stared at her for a moment easily reading the unspoken question in her eyes. And as she looked at the surrounding faces she could see that they were all quite interested. Even Narlene seemed to be staring at her in rapt fascination.
"Her name is Zeranna." Elila answered knowing that wasn't giving them the information that they all apparently wanted.
She could see it when Zelsi pursed her lips as if to silently repeat the shark's name. They wanted to know where she had met the shark. They wanted to know why she had brought the shark to the ceremony. But most important, they all wanted to know just how well she knew the shark.
"So are you close?" Zelsi asked obviously trying to instigate some sort of fight.
Elila looked at the concubine wondering what she should say. It was certainly true that in some regards she was very close with Zeranna. After all, the shark had saved her life.
But Elila knew that that wasn't what Zelsi really wanted to know. She wanted to know if Elila had been close to the shark physically. And as the heron glanced down towards the end of the table she couldn't help but notice that Kellis was staring at her with a focused interest that she couldn't help but find a bit frightening.
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"Zelsi, this is not appropriate conversation." Melaryn hissed out in a low warning.
The concubine seemed shocked and a bit taken aback that anyone would dare take that tone of voice with her. She shot Melaryn a look of contempt and of dire anger. But it would seem that the warrior had no intention of backing down.
"I was only trying to figure out if she would be putting an extra chair at the table. I mean, will the shark be joining us here as well?" Zelsi asked obviously trying to turn Melaryn's anger onto the heron.
"Maybe later… I'm afraid sharks don't really enjoy jungle cat cuisine." Elila answered knowing full well that she was saying all the wrong words.
But Elila just couldn't help it. This was the very last place that she wanted to be. And her mealtime companions were certainly doing their very best to make her feel unwelcome.
"Elila…" Melaryn hissed out in a low threatening voice.
The heron looked at the warrior with a visible expression of disdain. She knew that now was the time for her to cower. Her presence here was only a formality. At the moment, all that was expected of her was a shut mouth and a friendly face. But today, Elila was far too tired to deal with such menial tribal obligations.
"What?" The heron snapped using a tone of voice with the warrior that could only carry grave consequences.
It was such an arcane and yet still popular rule amongst the jungle cats. Women were always to be pleasant, docile, and kind when they choose their words. They weren't permitted to speak to a warrior in any manner that could be construed as disrespectful, angry, or even annoyed. To do so would show that the woman had no class or breeding. Such verbal rudeness would only show that the woman's family had no honor. And it would show a blatant disregard for the warrior's honor.
It was a rule that Elila personally hated and despised. In the swamp there were no such prescribed manners for social etiquette. There weren't even any laws. The heron had grown accustomed to speaking her mind and talking to people openly and honestly. But in the jungle such as thing wasn't permitted, not for the women anyways.
But that one word had come flying out of her mouth before she could stop it. One minute, Elila had been content to simply remain quiet and unnoticed. And the next, she was blatantly disregarding any authority that Melaryn's position afforded.
And Elila was well aware of the fact that Melaryn really had no true power over her. It was certainly considered good manners and appropriate social graces for Elila to treat all hybrids with a certain amount of respect. And normally, the heron did just that.
But she was also the alpha's daughter. Essentially, all of the tribe's warriors were here solely to protect the throne. And since one day Elila would inherit the tribe, the warriors all here to protect her needs.
Elila was well aware of the fact that such things were just manners of sheer technicalities. In her tribe, the warriors held all the real power. The women were little more then wives, mothers, and concubines. The heron knew that her sole purpose was to marry so that a warrior could inherit the throne and lead the tribe.
Thinking of her marital obligations to the tribe made Elila search the long table with her eyes for the golden warrior. It was easy to spot Kellis proudly seated at the head of the banquet. And it was abundantly clear that Narlene was enjoying her prized position as Kellis' date.
But as she glanced at the warrior, Elila could tell that Kellis wasn't even paying attention to the blonde at her side. The heron knew that she alone was the sole focus of the jungle cat's attention. Kellis had heard her brief slip in decorum. And her blue eyes were raging in fury.
For the moment, Elila had totally forgotten that Kellis had been assigned as her guardian for this trip to the Gallion. Kellis was responsible for her. And considering everything that the heron had recently been through, Elila certainly felt that the warrior was doing a less then stellar job.
And now, after a night of drunken cavorting with Zelsi it would appear that Kellis suddenly cared about her behavior. In fact, it seemed that Kellis was quite angry that she had dared to take such a tone with Melaryn. And for the briefest of seconds, the heron actually thought that Kellis might try to do something about it.
But the thought of Kellis trying to control or reprimand her anyway nearly caused her to laugh aloud. Elila had spent the night running from a cobra. After she had survived a near certain death at the sharp fangs of a snake, she had spent the remainder of the evening staring right into the eyes of her former attacker. Elila didn't think that there was anything left that could possibly frighten her.
And just when the heron was eagerly awaiting whatever comments Kellis would direct her way, the wait staff appeared to bring the banquet underway. Suddenly, everyone's attention was on their arriving food. And thankfully, it would appear that her brief altercation with Melaryn was about to be forgotten.
A brimming plate of field greens was placed in front of her. And if Elila wasn't so tired she imagined that the site of all the food would have excited her. Instead, it only reminded her with a painful bout of nausea that it had been days since her body had slept.
"So, Elila…does the Alpha no about your little fishy friend?" Zelsi asked trying to threaten the heron.
"That's it… Not one more word Zelsi." Melaryn snarled. And Elila heard the familiar sounds of a full-throated growl coming from the warrior's throat.
"Actually, the Alpha knows all about my relationship with the Midali warriors." Elila answered telling the complete truth.
The heron knew that everyone at the table thought she was referring to Zeranna. But she wasn't. Elila was thinking of Pedryn. And the heron knew that there wasn't a single thing that happened in the water that her Alpha wasn't intimately aware of.
Thash had simply chosen not to do anything about it. Instead, Elila along with the others had been sworn to secrecy. Perhaps if the truth had been told the situation would have been different. But everything had been neatly hidden and concealed.
Elila realized for the first time that her experience in the water might actually work in her favor, at least for the time being. Her alpha's complete tribal deception gave her a lot of room to move in, especially were Pedryn was concerned. And as Elila looked at the golden warrior the fine beginnings of a plan started to nag at her mind. She couldn't help but feel that it was time to have Kellis removed as her guardian. And the heron was beginning to think that thanks to her Alpha's lies and a sudden encounter with Pedryn, it was only a matter of mere time.
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The banquet had officially begun and the tribe was in complete celebration. This year the Gallion had been particularly sweet to the jungle cats. Their victories had been hard earned but impressive nonetheless. And perhaps, most notable was the fact that Kellis had led the tribe to their greatest triumph.
Elila looked down the table daring to cast a fleeting gaze at the golden warrior. She knew that her alpha would be proud with their victory. But despite the triumph and the great deal of celebration that came with it, the heron knew that her mother would be sorely disappointed.
Elila knew all too well what her mother had been silently hoping for. She had even engineered a situation where the heron would have to share a suite with the tribe's premier warrior. But none of her mother's expectations had even come close to being realized.
In truth, Elila was a bit disappointed as well. She had set off on this trip carrying a veritable horde of romantic expectations. But they had all been quickly dashed, in one painful way or another.
And for the first time the heron found herself considering a life without Kellis. To most people, it had been a foregone conclusion that one day Kellis would change her unruly ways and settle down with Elila. The two were so close. And after all, there was no one else suitable to defend the throne.
But now the heron found herself struggling to think of another option. She was tired of waiting for the inevitable. She was tired of waiting for a future that she didn't really want. And most of all, she was tired of waiting for Kellis.
And in some ways, Elila knew that she was seeing things much clearer now. Somewhere between the near bite of Licara's fangs and the warm gaze of Pedryn's eyes, the heron knew that her focus had changed. Her world had become larger seemingly overnight. Despite her obvious obligations to her tribe, Elila found herself wanting more then a life in the Fasara Village.
She missed the swamp like the very air she breathed. She missed the easy camaraderie of a people that looked just like her. She missed her family. And most of all, she missed the freedom that she would only ever know in Black Moon.
Here, she was a slave to whatever rules the jungle cats had laid down centuries ago. She was a subject to the whim of her parents. And her well being was quickly tossed off on the first warrior that her alpha found approving.
As Elila looked around the table it was almost like she was seeing everything for the very first time. Kellis didn't look quite so enchanting as she used to. Instead, the golden warrior appeared to be drunk, disheveled, and quite clumsy. She had her arm carelessly wrapped around Narlene. And from the look of the subtle anguish crossing Narlene's normally perfect features, the heron could easily tell that Kellis wasn't being very cautious of her strength.
But besides her apparent discomfort, Narlene looked like she was floating in white billowy clouds of pure happiness. Her skin was flushed conveying a complete arousal to her close proximity to the warrior. Her laugh was loud and nearly hysterical as Kellis drooled several long battle stories into her ear. And from the complete disappearance of Narlene's hands from the tabletop, the heron knew that Kellis was receiving a far more then platonic date.
And the strange thing was that Elila found herself unbothered by the illicit intimacy being carried on at the far end of the table. For the first time, the heron realized she truly didn't care who Kellis plied with affection. Elila didn't know if it was caused by her fatigue, illness, or near-death experience. But something inside of her had snapped. And she found herself rather disinterested with all her tribe mates.
Glancing to the side, the heron noticed that Neisha and Melaryn seemed to be having a rather heated conversation. From Melaryn's furtive stares in Kellis' general direction, the heron knew that the golden warrior was doing a rather thorough job embarrassing herself. And it would appear that everyone's was well aware that there were erotic activities being performed right under the table.
Hearing Zelsi hiss in disgust, the heron searched out the concubine with her eyes. The woman was clearly annoyed with Kellis and her apparent activities with Narlene. It was also quite clear that the concubine was less then impressed with the company of her dates.
Elila tried to stop the laugh threatening to erupt from her throat. She really didn't want to cause a scene. But she doubted that anything she did could possibly begin to compare with the golden warrior's less then proper activities.
Instead, the heron tried to focus on the food in front of her. Tentatively, she chewed on some lettuce and sipped her tea. Despite her apparent hunger, Elila knew her stomach wasn't ready for such a hearty meal. She was still too nauseated for real nutrition.
But aside from her rather lackluster company, the heron had to admit that the banquet was going off quite beautifully. Each course was being served in perfect time. The small blue tapered candles adorning the long tables never once went out. The music was soft, relaxing, and perfect for such a meal. And the rose decorations were nothing short of exquisite.
"I said NO." Zelsi screamed causing everyone at the table to face her.
But the concubine seemed not to care that she had caused such a fuss. Elila looked at the warrior seated to the right of Zelsi and could easily read the signs of humiliation. The heron could only guess what the warrior had asked for.
Apparently, the concubine was in no mood for any type of physical antics. Elila really couldn't understand Zelsi's sour mood. Elila had been to the Lodge, she had seen her hotel room. And she knew what had gone on during her absence. She could only assume that Zelsi was upset that her affections had been so easily replaced with those of Narlene.
"What are you staring at?" Zelsi snapped noticing that the heron seemed rather focused on her.
Elila only shrugged her shoulders truly not wanting to engage in conversation with the concubine. She knew that such discourse would only prove futile and ill tempered. The heron just didn't have the energy or patience to deal with the whore this early in the day.
"You know, you shouldn't even be looking at me! I'm not the cause of your problems. THAT is!" Zelsi said in a voice that very closely resembled a scream. As if to make her point she leaned out of her chair vigorously pointing at Narlene.
Her outraged voice instantly got the unwanted attention of all the warriors assembled at the table. Elila glanced at Melaryn knowing full well that the concubine had used up what little patience had been afforded to her. But for once, the heron wasn't interested in seeing those around her rush to her rescue. She didn't need anyone's help in dealing with Zelsi. To Elila, the concubine had suddenly become at best inconsequential.
"You're mistaken Zelsi. I don't have a problem." Elila answered with pure ice running through her veins.
It was apparent that everyone else had heard her rather determined tone as well. Without saying the words she let every single person in attendance know that she truly didn't care. And as Melaryn found the heron's eyes she could see that Elila firmly meant her words.
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The banquet was drawing to a close and Elila couldn't be more pleased. The hot jungle sun was just beginning to set. The air in the room was humid and stale after all the many hours of dining. And most people in attendance had clearly reached their rollen limit.
Even though the last course had been served a near hour ago, Elila knew it would still be a long while before she was allowed to leave. It was considered poor manners to leave a celebration of any kind before the moon had completely risen. Not only that, but as the Alpha's daughter Elila was expected to remain until the very end. Her tribal station would allow no less.
But as she watched her tribe mates gather in different areas of the room, the heron felt no desire to join them. She was one of the only people left sitting at a dinning table. Everyone else had got up to mingle in small groups and dance in couples.
She could easily see Melaryn and Neisha locked in each other's arms sweeping majestically across the dance floor. They really were a beautiful couple and very much in love. They were the type of couple that gave you hope of eternal romance and a happy ever after. Neisha must have caught the heron's wistful gaze because she pleasantly waved at Elila obviously wanting her to feel more comfortable.
She saw Kellis and Narlene sneak out onto the patio obviously wanting some alone time. Even Zelsi seemed to be enjoying herself. She was seated right in the middle of a circle of warriors all very interested in enjoying her affections for the evening.
Elila sat all alone at a table that now seemed close to gigantic. It's not that she felt particularly lonely, she was just aware of how conspicuous her solitary presence was. And if she wasn't aware of it then Narlene's friends were more then ready to tell her. Most them were huddled in a large group eagerly waiting for their friend to return with Kellis. And in the interim, they seemed more then content to stare and snicker at the heron.
Taking the very last sip of fluid from her glass, Elila looked around the room. She knew that it was well past time to get up. Normally with Yamina present the ending of these ceremonies posed no such uncomfortable dilemmas. She would simply find a quiet dark corner to sit in and enjoy the company of her friend.
But now, Yamina was gone. And Elila was going to have to find something to do with herself. She looked in the far corner of the room noticing that a small group of people had gathered around the tiny makeshift bar. Instantly she recognized Ilanau, Vemari, and the others from before. She wondered if it might not be time to get to know these people a bit better.
So, much to the disdained looks of Neisha and Melaryn the heron crossed the room eagerly joining the tribe's less then desirable. At first, none of them seemed to even notice her presence. She quietly made her way up to the bar asking for another herbal drink. It's not that Elila was totally opposed to rollen-based beverages. It was just that her heron's metabolism couldn't seem to withstand the effects of intoxication.
"ELILA!" Ilanua called out noticing her silent form.
The heron was taken aback at the sudden excited call directed her way. She had assumed that they all knew who she was. But she had never expected such a friendly greeting. And before she knew it, Elila was caught up in somewhat vigorous and drunken embrace.
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It felt like the very walls of her mind were beginning to break down. She had never experienced such a dire and excruciating pain. But she knew she couldn't complain. It was really all her fault.
Kellis knew she had absolutely no business even sampling the juice of a rollen berry after last night. But after her previous drinking binge she had gone right back and done it again. And now, she was completely convinced that this time her body might not ever recover.
"So? You want to go back to my suite?" Narlene whispered trying to get the drunken warrior to agree to leave.
"Can't…" Kellis managed to gasp out.
"Yes, you can. Don't you want to?" Narlene asked adding a little kiss to the end of her question.
She had been doing her very best to get the warrior into a compromising position. She had even gone so far as to add a 'special blend' to the warrior's beverage. It wasn't just rollen juice that had Kellis in such a state of intoxication. Narlene had spent the afternoon dropping hidden spoonfuls of jolari spice into the warrior's waiting glass.
Narlene knew all the effects of the jolari root. She had studied them time and time again. She was only looking for an opportunity to put her knowledge into use. And much to her utter delight, the Gallion was giving her just that.
The root of the jolari tree was known for its aphrodisiac qualities. It could make any woman or hybrid quake with the needs of passion. But the sexual stirring was only a side effect of its more sublime purpose. It caused memory loss and hypnotic effects in anyone who ingested it.
The effects weren't permanent; Narlene would never have risked using them if they were. She liked Kellis far too much to consider permanently altering her mind. No, this was nothing more then a little temporary magic to let Narlene create the scenario of her choosing.
"CAN'T!" Kellis screamed more violently. This time she tried to push the girl away. But under the rather intoxicating effects of the rollen juice and jolari spice, the warrior could barely control the limbs of her own body.
"Kellis, I need you… You know this is what you want." Narlene said hoping to convince the warrior to give into temptation.
"Sick… nno." Kellis whimpered out.
Narlene looked at the warrior and felt her anger boiling. After months of careful planning it would appear that she had miscalculated the appropriate dosage. She had given Kellis far too much and it appeared that the warrior was about to become totally useless to her.
But Narlene wasn't going to give up this easily. Besides her motivation, she had no idea when another opportunity would arise. No, it would be far better to salvage what was left of this situation.
"You don't feel good do you? You want to go lie down? I'll take you back to the Lodge and you can rest." Narlene said trying a different approach.
"Sleep…" Kellis managed to whisper, letting Narlene assist her across the patio.
The warrior was heavy in her arms and Narlene nearly let her drop on more then one occasion. But she wouldn't give up. Not until she had got exactly what she needed. Gently shushing the warrior, they walked far from the banquet hall and into the darkness of the falling night.
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CONTINUED...