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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Emperor Valerian" data-source="post: 1464240" data-attributes="member: 15043">This is the very start of the next session. The rest will come online this week as I get time to post them...Tess’ Goodbyes and FarewellsTess watched with a pregnant tear glistening as the carriage carrying her four friends left the shaded veradanas of the Imperial palace and cantered off towards the private villa Alexander had set aside for the couples... as a public snub to his sister.  Their benefactor stood beside her, his face gaunt and stoic, even as his eyes betrayed his own emotions.As the noises of the horses’ canters faded, Tess suddenly and quickly began gathering her harp and other materials.“What is it?  Leaving us so soon?  Is my company that boorish and uncivilized?” Alexander asked, his eyes flashing a bit of concern.“No!” Tess laughed.  “Its more... I just remembered something I need to do.  And in all honesty, Your Highness... I... I’m a little too wired to stay cooped up in the palace.”  Alexander nodded... knowing the feeling well. “Well... if you have nervous energy you need to divest from yourself, I hear you are an excellent musician, and I know that while my sister might be an incompetent, I would certainly appreciate some good music being sung to the troops to cheer their hearts.”  Tess smiled distantly.“Yes... yes, I think that would be excellent,” she said, packing up her heart.  “In the meantime, Highness... do you happen to know which army Lady Stodiana Sipner will be serving in?  I am guessing the new Countess of Holstean would appreciate...”“My sister’s... the main army,” Alexander answered her unfinished question.  “She’s been assigned to the left flank... if that means anything right now,” he shrugged.  “Can’t say after this rigmarole is done where she’ll be.”“Its ok,” Tess said, “You’ve done more than enough, Alex... Oh... ‘scuse me... Highness,” she blushed as Lucius’ familiar term accidentally slipped out of her mouth.  Alexander gave her a large grin.“’Tis nothing.  I’d prefer if you and those in your group referred to me as Alex... you’re close enough allies now I think formalities in private can be ignored.”  His hand slid to the middle of her back, and gently forced her forward, “No go.  There are thousands of scared and lonely men and women that need to hear your voice.”Tess decided to try and help Lucius as best she could, and headed towards the camps east of the city, where Lucius’ army, designated the Army of the Inerman, was quartered.  Her first targets for encouragement were the Imperial troops in his regiments... the ones that likely had only vaguely heard of him.  To them she sang songs of his bravery, such as Saving Mephys, and songs of his abilities to fight demons.Quickly she drew a large crowd, and soon the soldiers were engaged in rousing cheering.  She was not sure, however, if the cheers were because of new respect for Luke, because of her music, or simply because a gorgeous woman was in camp and needing catcalls.  The noise was loud enough that soon officers had gathered as well, and by her fourth song, one dressed especially resplendently stepped forward.“Excellent music, milady,” he held his hands out.  His face held what appeared to be a warm smile, though Tess easily could tell through his eyes that his soul held cold indifference.  “Thank you, sir.  I would be able to thank you properly if I knew your name,” she said warmly, leaning over towards his shorter frame.  He’s undoubtedly an Imperial general... and doesn’t like me.  I need to get in a little happier temperament...  His eyes didn’t change.  “I am General Peitrius Diogenes, madam... Tesseron, I presume?”   Tess nodded, now used to the fact that her reputation as a musician usually preceded her.“Excellent... it is so good to see the troops in good humor... even if they are being led by a beardless boy,” Diogenes said, the insult wrapped in a large, cold smile.What!? Tess’ mind froze at the comment. “Um.. pardon?”“Well, everyone knows that Lucius Caladron, for all of his glorious riding around and noble rank, is nothing but a beardless boy with no real combat experience,” Diogenes repeated.He’s testing me... as well as Luke, Tess’ mind managed to hold back her fury, and she coolly replied, “I have ridden in battle with Lord Lucius.  Let me inform you indeed that he is an excellent fighter that has saved my life and the lives of others many a time.”“You have seen... I have not.” Diogenes said.  “For all of your enthusiasm, Lady Tesseron, you are not a combat soldier.  I am... and I trust none that I have not seen in comba...”“Have you ever fought a demon, General?” Tess interrupted him, her hackles rising higher as he shook his head no.  “Well then... I have, and so has Lucius.  We’ve fought and defeated demons... some of the same demons you are going to face.”  Diogenes’ eyes went wider as she spoke.“Do not,” Tess continued, the icy formality of politeness now gone, “question his combat experience.  He has lost too much blood for that to be questioned by you.”  Tess then turned, and quietly, but forcefully, left a shocked Diogenes standing in the middle of his camp.Tess’ fury had indeed been riled, and she noticed that the camp next door included some familiar faces... many of whom began to loudly shout as she rode in.“The Woman on the Wall!” their voices rang, “The One Whose Harp Kills Our Foes!”Tess blushed slightly, as several held her horse and helped her dismount.  Once on the ground, she beamed brightly at the soldiers from the former village of Mephys that clamored around her.  She raised her hand, and they died down... allowing her to call if they wanted her to play a song.“Aye!” came the resounding cry, as nearly every one of the 600 in the Mephys contingent now had her surrounded.  With a grin, her skillful fingers dashed across the strings of her harp, as The Defense of Mephys, its notes haunting, rose high and clear into the air.As the chorus rang through the air, hundreds of voices... young and old, talented and no, began to thunder through it, shields slamming into the ground in ragged harmony... enough of a racket that Tess could see, from the place they had vaulted her to on their shoulders, that other units were looking on.As the last lines of the final chorus slowly dissipated in the air, a loud, booming voice rumbled above the cheering... clearly Santac’s.“Alright, boys!  We’ve got us a visitor!” his large frame pushed through the mass towards the front.  “Let’s say we treat Madam Tesseron with some hospitality!  Bring out the ale!”A loud roar of approval came from the men, as five large casks of ale were rolled in and the spirits began to flow freeing.  As the men indulged happily, Santac pushed through the mass, and grabbed Tess in a fierce bear hug.“Aye, by the gods, its good to see you safe, lass,” he laughed.  Despite the smell of sweat, and lack of a bath, the love and warmth that came from him made her happily return the hug.“And you too, Santac. You know Luke is your commander, right?” Tess asked, and the giant of a man nodded.“Aye... he be.  And I dare say, I think the young lard will do just fine,” Santac grinned, many of his front teeth missing.  “As for now, lassy, you’d best git a move on.  I can vouch for my boys when they’re sober... can’t so much after they’ve got a little fire in their belly.  I’ll keep in touch with ye.” He gave her another reassuring squeeze.  “And as much... thank ye for yer singin’.  The boys needed a break... by god they got a good one.”It was late in the day... the sun was starting to set... when Tess made her way back to her rooms in the Palace.  After staying with the Mephys troops a tad longer than she should have (she had to admit, the ale was good, and for a while, the attention was as well... though after about an hour it became odious), she galloped to her last destination of the day, the Sipner troop, where songs of Luke and Siabrey she hoped would build their resolve.  Most of the levies could remember the little copper skinned daughter of Stodiana, and now knowing she was the wife of an army commander did much to encourage them that they might be looked after.As she walked through the colonnades and halls of the Palace, their marble acted as a mirror, as her mind glanced back through the day; the day where her best friends were married, where the Empress had been publicly humiliated...  even as her eyes looked with dread towards tomorrow...As she rounded a corner towards her room, her feet sinking in the quicksand of plush carpet, she spotted a familiar, thin form pacing the hallway outside the party’s rooms... the same form that had officiated a wedding that morning.“Pellaron?” Tess drew up to him, “what’s going on?  What are you doing here?”“I... um... wanted to tell you some good news before... um... you all left.”  His face became red, and his eyes looked down.And Tess had to stifle a giggle.He still is after you, Tess, her mind laughed.  He’s trying not to show it...Glad to know I still have that effect on some men.  “Well... I’m... I’m a dragon rider, Tess!  Alexander loved Luke’s plan... so did the dragons, and Alisandra is taking me as her rider!”  His eyes lit up with pride and excitement, and Tess could tell he was bursting at the seams.Wow.... that’s impressive, she thought, Alisandra’s rider...  hmmm... I can congratulate him... and... why the hell not?  I can indulge him a little!  After all... after tomorrow...  her mind went into a dark place that she quickly pulled herself away from.“Wow, Pell,” she used Siabrey’s pet name for him, “That’s great!  I’m very impressed and jealous!” she leaned towards him with that statement, and his face flushed with giddiness and... something else?“I’m sure Alisandra will have no problem keeping you up... you’re a very good rider, I should imagine,” Tess said with a grin, watching his face go crimson.  This is my pleasure for the night... and it doesn’t help to give a soldier a fantasy to fight for... and help him survive the coming tests of battle...“Why... um... uh... thank you... Tess...” Pellaron stammered, before Tess tightened her verbal trap a little more.“I mean, you know how to mount well, Pell,” she flitted her eyes at him a bit, and made sure her hips were thrust out ever so slightly at him.  “You could probably teach me a thing or two about mounting... horses,” she grinned.  The paladin’s face went an even deeper shade of embarrassment, and she could tell that he was fighting hard within himself over where to admit that he liked her like that or not.“T...t..thank you,” he stammered out, his mouth more in an “o” from shock and confusion.“You still have that Sune book, don’t ya?” Tess was now very close to him, ostentatiously to check his pack.  She could feel how tense he was, with confusion, with trying to fight himself.  “You know Shaun and Elenya added a bunch of notes in the back of it?”“Yeah, I saw t....” he started, before his speech came to a crashing, embarrassing halt.  His face now displayed guilt as well as embarrassment.  I was bad... I read the book, it screamed.“You’re tense,” Tess observed the obvious, and gently kneaded a shoulder with her hand, her most open smile on her face.  “Relax, Pell.... relax,” her soft whisper slipped through the air, and she felt a slight relaxation in his shoulder.“Tess... if you keep this up, I think I shall need either a brothel or a very very cold bath,” Pellaron said quietly, his face beet red, and clearly expecting her to be insulted.  Instead, he found himself facing the sheer brilliance of her smile.“Pell... you know what?” she said, all hints of seductiveness gone from her voice, “you are a very good man.  A very good man... its too bad there aren’t more in the world like you.”  Shed leaned over, and gave him a gentle, quick kiss on the cheek... a decidedly chaste kiss.  Pellaron gave a sigh, and a smile.He’s glad he thinks he passed a test... in a way he did... Tess thought as she bid him goodbye and entered her room.  Now he’ll have a cause to fight for...  something to keep him going... a bit of hope.Tess, another voice in her mind asked quietly, What would you have done if Pell had kissed you back?  You led him on, after all...She pushed the question aside as she began preparing for bed, and the long day on the morrow.</blockquote>

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