“
Aardgar had earned himself an early pension from me and had started a new family working the rich soils of that district. I had supplied him with some servants to help him get on his feet. He will be sorely missed, his wife too, she had been a maid here, a beautiful soul without a bad bone in her body. They had two children. Tell me Wollfen, did you give them a decent burial?”
“
We were only able to give them burial using rocks to cover their bodies. The ground is too hard to dig. We didn’t have any proper implements.” Again the Earl sighed.
“
Very well, I will send some men out near the spring thaw to deal with it.”
They both sat there in silence each mulling over the news; it was the Earl who broke it.
“
Damn those orcs! A year ago it was unheard of to find orcs this far south. Now it is becoming commonplace. I thought that group we killed would have been the furthest south they would have traveled. I am proved wrong.”
Wollfen was thinking the same thing. They were a scourge that had ruined the lives of so many people. But this news of orcs right across that land had him troubled. Were the orcs changing?
“
Why do you suppose Night hadn’t told me all these years? Or why she didn’t tell me after it happened?”
Wollfen looked up in surprise, it was a big change of subject.
“
What Night went through would have been a highly traumatic experience. She has blamed herself and felt very guilty for what happened even though she was not at fault.”
He watched the Earl gauging his emotional state. The man might not be showing it but he was obviously still very upset.
“
She is very lucky to have you Wollfen, you seem to be a very understanding husband.”
Wollfen almost had to pick himself up after that one.
“
I uh, well, I think you have the wrong impression. Night and I are not together, we don’t share anything like that.”
“
Oh, I’m sorry I was under the impression when you were introduced that, oh, I don’t know, I was so excited to see her.” Wollfen figured he had better tell him the truth.
“
I think you need to hear some more. Nightwing is with no man at all. In fact she wouldn’t be for she has never had a man since that fateful day.” The Earl was slow to pick up.
“
She has been celibate all her adult life?” Wollfen shook his head.
Obviously he would have to spell it out.
“
No, she has only ever had a female lover.” Now it dawned on the man.
“
Oh, I understand now, oh my, um.”
The Earl wasn’t sure how to take it. This was something he would never have considered.
“
So that means that Darkling is her partner right?”
Wollfen closed his eyes and then he looked the Earl straight in the eye.
“
Nightwing has a partner by the name of Loranda. She is presently in Port Volarus in the south recuperating from a knife attack. It was that incident that triggered part of what is happening here. It has simply been awhile to bring this to fruition. Darkling is my partner but Night and her are very close friends.”
Wollfen watched him for a bit then decided he needed some time alone.
“
I will leave you to your thoughts for now Earl Gerlach. You have much to digest I think and that is something you need to do alone.” The Earl looked up at him as Wollfen arose.
“
Yes you are right. I thank you for your time. We shall speak again soon.” Wollfen bowed before he left out the door.
Out in the hall Wollfen asked the attendant for directions to the room that Night was using and moved off to it. In front of the door Wollfen knocked on it lightly and Dark’s voice came out.
“
Who is it?”
“
Wollfen my dear.”
“
Come in.”
He entered to find Night sitting in a steaming bath with her back to him and Dark rubbing her down. She got up and came to him.
“
How is she?” he asked quietly.
“
She is still very upset. I gave her a hot bath thinking the shivering might have something to do with the cold, but it is more than that, although I think it is helping a bit.”
“
Mm,” Wollfen got to thinking.
“
She may need some sort of release,” he stared off into the room for a bit before focusing on Dark again. “She needs to be held and shown affection my love. Lay down with her and hold her for awhile.” Dark looked up in surprise.
“
Where will you be?”
“
I intend on going for a walk. I have much to think about. Right now Night won’t want any male near her, not even me.” Dark looked at him for a minute.
“
You are not threatened?” he shook his head.
“
I love you both and I have total faith in your love for me. I am not threatened.”
Dark nodded in understanding, she reached up and gave him a soft warm kiss on the lips.
“
Take care of yourself.”
After Wollfen left Dark went back to Night who was hopping out of the bath. Dark helped her to dry and got her between the sheets.
“
Lay here my darling, I shall be with you in a minute.”
Night nodded and closed her eyes. Dark then went over to the tub and stripped off. She slid into the hot water and gave a small gasp of pleasure, after a week in the cold this was a very welcome relief. She spent a few minutes bathing and cleaning off then she too hopped out and dried. She threw a nightshirt on and slipping into bed next to Night pressed against her. Night reacted with a questioning look.
“
It is okay, whatever you need, it is fine.”
Night looked into Dark’s eyes and then simply gave a small nod. She wrapped her arms and legs around Dark who responded in kind and lay there in each others arms. Night gave a small shuddering sigh and Dark could feel the tension leaving her body. It was having a positive affect.
Dark lay there thinking about all sorts of things, her mind was racing. But for Night, it had the opposite affect, all the tension and stress of the last few days was leaving. She had come over a huge hurdle and now she lay there, her breathing slowed and before long she was in a deep sleep.
Outside in the streets Wollfen was walking along to a district he was familiar with. He looked for a tavern tucked away in the poorer quarters. It was shabby and smelled a bit but he liked the food there and he knew of an old friend that visited often. Being winter the man was sure to be keeping warm within its walls.
It didn’t take Wollfen long to find it and he entered. The different smells hit him like an old memory. It brought him back to more peaceful times when he used to wander the lands of the north. He looked around the establishment and spotted his old friend Walerian sitting in the corner drinking a beer. Wollfen walked over to the man’s table and looked down at him.
“
What a pitiful sight, to see some old dried up sad excuse for a man drowning his sorrows in a stale beer.”
The man looked up not recognizing Wollfen at first and looked him over. Then it dawned on him.
“
Wollfen! You old bastard! Hey!”
He got up and shot his hand out. Wollfen shook it and gave him a slap on the shoulder.
“
How are you? I haven’t seen you in years?” Wollfen smiled at him.
“
I have been keeping busy, there’s a war on you know?”
“
You don’t say? Which country?” Wollfen shoved him back into his chair and proceeded to sit down too.
“
So have you been making any profits out of it you old crook?” Walerian shook his head,
“
No, no, I am done with those days. I’m a respectable man of the local town now.”
“
Bah! I have heard some tall ones in my time but that takes the cake!”
Wollfen wasn’t having a bar of it.
“
It's true, I even have a wife now and two kids.” Wollfen looked on in surprise.
“
You married? What about your harem? All those women?” Walerian shook his head.
“
I’m afraid they are all gone, moved on or found other partners, sad but true, I am almost reputable now.”
“
I just don’t believe it, that’s incredible.” Walerian looked harder at him.
“
And you? You look as young as the day I first met you, still playing havoc with the women then?” Now it was time for Wollfen to shake his head and plead respectability.
“
No I am with Darkling now. I count her as my partner, but no children I’m afraid, you are doing better than me.” Walerian chuckled at that.
“
So my old friend, what brings you to Windere after so long?” Wollfen leaned forward.
“
I’m just stopping by on my way to the enchanted lands.”
“
Ah back to your old friends for a few more years eh?” Wollfen had to reply in the negative.
“
I’m afraid not, it will only be a short stay over, remember the war I mentioned?”
“
Well of course. Do you suppose the siege will be broken anytime soon?”
“
I’m not sure, the Isogorreans have got a lot of men.” Walerian leaned forward and looked Wollfen in the eye.
“
You aren’t here to talk on old times are you?” Wollfen laughed.
“
You have me there, I always have some ulterior motive don’t I?”
It was Walerian’s turn to laugh and he let out a loud bellow. He was a jolly fellow. Walerian leaned forward again and begun whispering in conspiratorial tones.
“
So tell me my friend, how may I be of service to you?” Wollfen leaned towards Walerian in turn.
“
Are the twins still operating?”
“
Yes they are but I haven’t contacted them in years I wouldn’t know where to find them.”
“
Mm, well when you don’t find them please give them this message.”
Wollfen leaned forward close to the man’s ear and whispered very quietly. Walerian’s eyes widened and then as he pulled back,
“
Seriously?” Wollfen nodded, “It shall be done, mm, very interesting.” Walerian stared off for a bit,
“
Tell me, will you be going past Dark’s old village?”
“
I could?”
Wollfen could tell straight away something was going on in Walerian’s mind.
“
I would suggest you do stop in and when you do, go to the underground caverns. In particular the one that resides under Dark’s old abode. There you will have to dig in the embankment a bit next to the underground river. You will find something of yours you thought long lost. I managed to find it again and decided to put it there for safekeeping. I didn’t know when I would see you again.” Wollfen sat back, could it be?
“
Thank you Walerian, you are a true friend.” He waved his hand at Wollfen.
“
Think nothing of it! So, will you stay for a while? I’ll buy you a meal, and I know just the right one too,” He winked.
Wollfen nodded without hesitation.
“
It’s a done deal.”
Later that evening, Wollfen wandered back to his quarters thinking about his immediate plans. They would to move off in the morning sometime after another talk with the Earl. It was only a couple of days out of their way to go to Dark’s old village, no big deal. He hoped the Earl of Windere would give them ample supplies, it was going to be a big journey to the Enchanted lands.
He let himself quietly into the room to find Dark kneeling before the fire stoking it. She looked up and gave him a smile. Night was still in bed asleep.
“
She has been asleep all afternoon. I don’t know how she does it.” Wollfen looked at the still form under the covers.
“
I would say emotional exhaustion. She would have been under a lot of strain the last few days and it would have built with each day we got closer to Windere.” Dark nodded in response and Wollfen embraced her.
“
So how did it go?”
“
Oh once in bed she relaxed and fell asleep. I think she appreciated my close company.” He kissed her,
“
You are a good woman Dark. Oh by the way, guess who I ran into?” Dark shook her head with a questioning look. “Old Walerian, he lives here now.”
“
Oh really? He used to travel back and forth a bit I know, but he lives here?” He nodded.
“
Yup and he has a wife and two kids.”