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Matchmaker Chapter 7


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#1 Laufey

Posted 11 January 2003 - 07:32 PM

Chapter 7 – Enter The Alpha Bitch

Sometime later Edwin was once again following his teacher through the tall gates to the Odesseiron Mansion, feeling pleased with the latest development. Apart from getting kissed of course, but he had mostly managed to make himself forget that by now. “This’ll all be over soon, won’t it?” he asked. “There’s only one more of the Bad Ladies left.”

Dekaras nodded. “So it would seem,” he said. “But I’ll also need to take some steps to insure that Master Galen doesn’t drag any more of them home. I believe I’ll see to that as soon as I’ve seen you home.”

“My, my. Somebody seems eager to avoid me.” Lady Ylva Grauben stepped out from behind a tall tree, smiling faintly. There was something odd about her, Edwin thought. Something he hadn’t noticed before. Surely her face hadn’t been that elongated earlier? And there was something else as well…

“My dear lady,” Dekaras smoothly replied. “What a dreadful thing to suggest. You must excuse me for now, I believe your designated day doesn’t start until tomorrow.”

“Oh, but I am very eager. And you don’t seem to be too busy.” Lady Ylva’s face hardened a little. “Where is Laeyne Ravonar?”

“I haven’t the faintest idea.”

“No? But the estate guards said you left in her company. Where is she now?”

“I believe,” the assassin said in a dry voice, “the usual term is ‘off to seek her fortune’. She won’t be joining us.”

“She won’t be marrying you then, I suppose?” Lady Ylva toyed with the broad pearl collier around her throat, twisting it a little. In the falling twilight her face was obscured by shadows, but her eyes were glowing with a faint golden light.

“I think that’s extremely unlikely, since she seems to have fallen head over heels in love with a young pirate of my acquaintance.”

“A pirate?” Lady Ylva laughed heartily. “Oh, that’s priceless! That will really tick him off!”

“Him?” Edwin asked, fearing the worst. “Him who?”

“Why, my employer of course!” The blonde woman bared her teeth in a broad smile, and to Edwin’s eyes they were looking more like fangs by the moment. “Rory Ravonar. I believe you know him.” She winked at the assassin. “He doesn’t like you at all, you know.”

“I’m heartbroken,” Dekaras said. “What do you want?”

“Well, I’m the back-up plan, you see. My employer really would have preferred to see you saddled with his niece, he was sure you’d make each other quite miserable. But if that didn’t work, he’d be satisfied with your death instead.” By now her ears were definitely more pointy than before, and her eyes were glowing even more fiercely than before. “I did warn you about my currrrrrse, didn’t I? Preparrrrre to die!”

“I think you’re making a very bad mistake here. And I also think you would do well to look behind you.”

“Ha! I’m not falling forrrrr that old trrrick!” Bones twisted and snapped, fangs elongated, fur sprouted, and within seconds Lady Ylva had been replaced by a hairy, snarling werewolf. She crouched down, prepared to leap – and then she howled with pain as a beam of bright light struck her and her form dwindled away into nothing, leaving only a few motes of dust behind.

“That should teach you, you good-for-nothing tramp!” Elvira Odesseiron said triumphantly as she blew some smoke off her fingertip. “You won’t be sniffing around on my territory anymore. I don’t care if your family complains, that was self defense.” Then she gave Dekaras an accusing look. “And don’t you dare tell me that I shouldn’t have helped you out. I knew you could have taken her out, but suppose she’d managed to bite you? I wouldn’t want to have you howling and behaving like a wild beast.” She paused as if she’d thought of something. “At least not literally.”

“Thank you, My Mistress,” the assassin said, bowing. “I take it that also means you’ve decided not to try to leash me in the future?”

A wicked glint crept into the wizardess’ dark eyed. “I suppose so. If you think you can manage to behave…”

The following day Galen Odesseiron was feeling very confused. All of his potential brides seemed to have disappeared. He’d have to try to find some new ones. But where? They didn’t grow on trees. Hmmm…trees…maybe I should take up gardening? That seems very interesting…but I need to finish this matchmaking thing first. Plenty of girls out there…

His thoughts were interrupted by a loud knock on the door, and then his wife entered, Edwin trailing after her. “Galen,” she said without preamble. “I believe you will be happy to learn that Master Dekaras has found a prospective bride and will no longer be in need of your services.”

“He has? Golly, really? Who is she then? Anybody I know?”

Before the wizardess could answer the door swung open and Dekaras entered, looking utterly serious. A female figure was walking by his side, which wasn’t so remarkable in itself. The odd thing was that the woman only barely reached his thighs. She was a halfling, with a round and cheerful face, bouncing brown curls, red cheeks and mischievous eyes. The contrast to the tall and somber-looking assassin next to her made them a very odd pair indeed. “Hi!” the halfling chirped. “Pleased to meet ya! Gee, this sure is a big house! Say, how come you’ve never invited me here before, Dek…”

“Because,” Dekaras interjected, “I care for my sanity.” He nodded to Galen. “Master Galen, I would like to introduce Poppy to you. My…darling fiancée.” His mouth twitched a little as he said that. “She only just got home from a…job…and that is when we decided that we had loved each other all along.”

“That’s right!” Poppy said. “We’re like…like that!” She tightly embraced Dekaras’ leg, ignoring the assassin’s attempts to pry her off. “Isn’t he adorable? Isn’t he just the sweetest, cutest little snuggly-wuggly you’ve ever seen? I certainly think so, and I’ve known him since he was this tall!” She indicated a distance very close to the ground.

“Yes,” Dekaras said, his smile looking rather frozen in place. “Thank you so much for bringing that up, Poppy.” He turned to Galen again. “Anyway, I am sure you are aware that halflings come of age later than humans do. Alas, this forces us into a long engagement. Very long.”

“Er…how long?”

“Don’t worry, Master. I’ll let you know with a decade’s advance notice or so.”

Poppy was grinning broadly. “I thought little Eddie here could carry my flowers for me. And I’ll want a really pretty dress, remember that you owe me that.”

“Yes,” Dekaras said. “I know exactly what I owe you.”

“So, now that we’re engaged and all, aren’t you gonna sweep me off my feet and kiss me and carry me off in your strong embrace?” Poppy was almost laughing openly now. “That’s how it’s supposed to go, isn’t it?” Five seconds later she was being hauled out of the room, carried across her friend’s shoulder, waving cheerfully. “That’s more like it, Dekkie! We’ll save the kissing for later if you’re shy…”

“Right,” Galen said, feeling even more confused than before. “I suppose that settles that.”

“Yes,” Elvira answered him. “Except for one thing. I won my bet against Master Dekaras, you know. Which means he owes me an appearance in that pink suit…”

Late that evening Elvira Odesseiron entered her dark bedroom, humming softly to herself. Once more, everything was right with the world, and soon it was about to get even better. “Ready or not, here I come!” she called out, knowing that the Silencing Wards would allow her to do as she pleased this evening. Then she waved her hand letting a faint red light shimmer in the air. She turned her eyes towards the magnificent bed and felt her mouth drop open with surprise. Her lover had indeed put on the terrible pink suit. Except not all of it, and except it was no longer pink. Somehow he had managed to pick out the gold thread and dye it a deep black, which utterly altered its appearance. For one thing, he’d left the jacket open, and he obviously wasn’t wearing anything under it, leaving her with a tantalizing view of his chest. For another thing, now that the pants were black rather than pink it became very obvious just how snug they were. The assassin was sprawled across the bed, looking extremely relaxed and smugly pleased with her reaction. “Mistress,” he said, looking her straight in the eyes. “I am reporting to you as requested.” He shifted about a little, something that made the wizardess swallow heavily. “I hope you will forgive me for taking the liberty of applying a little black cloth dye in order to make myself more presentable while still honoring the spirit of our agreement.”

“Oh yes…” Elvira said, her voice hoarse. “Anything you say…” She let her robe slide from her shoulders and drop to the floor, and now it was her turn to take pride in the elicited response. She didn’t pause long to dwell on this however, but slid onto the bed instead, letting her carefully manicured hand glide along her lover’s chest in an eager caress. When he responded in kind she felt her entire skin tingle with fierce pleasure. Mine…all mine! And nothing is going to keep us apart!

A little while later it became necessary to take a break to breathe, and that’s when Elvira suddenly thought of something. “My Wolf?” she asked, pushing her heavy black hair back over her shoulder to cool herself.

“Hmmm?”

“What do you suppose we should do about Rory Ravonar? He did try to have you killed, or worse married off to that dreadful girl. He deserves a bloody vengeance for that.”

“Already dealt with that,” her lover said, and he sounded very amused. “You see, there is a real matchmaking agency in town. I simply made a forged request from him to have them send some promising candidates over. They’re very good, they can handle even the most exotic of requests. I thought it would be suitable to have the delivery arrive right when Ravonar is having his weekly meeting with the Tharchion, to discuss his orders, don’t you agree? And somehow I doubt that the appearance of ten tutu-wearing Glabrezu shouting ‘Who’s been a naughty boy?’ is going to improve Ravonar’s standing amongst the Red Wizards.”

Elvira laughed contentedly, nuzzling her lover’s neck. “Ah, my Wolf, I adore it when you’re being bad. It’s a good thing you love me as much as I love you, for I’m never letting you go.” Her smile turned feral. “I’ll deal with any other female who tries to claim you, that I swear. Remember, in any wolf pack there can only be one alpha bitch…and right now she’s of a mind to make you howl.”
Rogues do it from behind.




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