Greywolf - Return to Bukhara

The last three days had been the best ones I’d ever known.

Wysper and I were sharing a small tent set up in the noble ring of tents, near the river and away from the other tents. It was old, with patches held together with newer patches, and filled with ripped cushions and faded blankets, along with a dented brazier burning dried sheep dung for warmth.

With Wysper beside me it felt like home. Papa and Asena had been staying with the Black Dragon clan camp across the river, but sharing meals with us... which was pretty much the only time we'd left the tent. She was no stranger to carnal passion, admitting to being intimate with other priestesses, including when she'd been back in Britannia, but I was the first boy she'd ever kissed.

So I became her teacher. I'd learned a lot from the older women I'd made love to, over the years, and she was been an eager pupil. But a lot of the time we just talked. I listened to her stories and she listened to mine, except about the Daemo, which I never once mentioned. That was a chapter of my life I wanted ended for good, and she seemed to understand. Because she never brought it up.

It was dark inside the tent. Wysper's nude body was enfolded alongside mine as the tent flap rustled, and I looked up through slitted eyes. A boy's head and shoulders were sticking through the opening. "Greywolf, are you awake?"

"Go away, Paulus; I'm asleep."

"How can you be asleep if you are talking?"

"I'm talking in my sleep." Wysper stifled a giggle as I fully opened my eyes. "It's not even dawn. Wotan's blood, what's so important?"

"Az sent Fenris with a message. She wants the three of us and Castor to stay with her at the Dancing Direwolf while the funeral games are going on."

I sat up with the blanket at my waist. "Has something changed? Timur made it clear he doesn't want me setting foot in Bukhara."

A long hairy arm and hand grasped Paulus' shoulder. "Out, sprout. Go find Asena and tell her where we're going."

"Are you serious? She will bite my head off."

Castor entered the tent as he gave Paulus a wolfish grin. "Nah, she'll just rip out your heart and eat it in front of you. Go on." He shoved a wide-eyed Paulus out the door and knelt down. "Apologies for the early hour," he said as Wysper coaxed the brazier's slumbering coals into life, giving us some light, "but Fenris insists it's important. A merchant from the Empire of the East arrived last night, something to do with checking on Paulus, and closeted himself with Amazonia. Now she wants you to meet with him."

"Did she say why?" Castor shook his head no, and I added, "What about Timur banning us from Bukhara?"

"Evidently, he's suspended the ban until after the games are finished... though you're specifically prohibited from having either armor or a sword."

I shrugged. "Prince Varsena told me he'd have the new sword papa brought, and the armor, transmuted and fitted right after the games are over."

"Speaking of your father, has he left yet?"

I nodded. "Last night."

Wysper sat up with the blanket pressed against her chest. "He did say he would return as soon as he could. Castor, am I invited as well?"

He hesitated. "You are, but not by Az. The priestesses of Bukhara want to make you some kind of offer, though Fenris had no idea what it's about."

She traded a look with me before saying, "That sounds suspicious."

"Titan agrees, which is one reason he's coming along as well." Castor got to his feet. "Get dressed and meet us at the stabling pens. Today should be interesting if nothing else."

I gave him a sour look. "Papa says there's a Xian curse that goes: 'May you live in interesting times'." Castor chuckled and walked back outside.

The sun was close to its midday peak as we left Rocky and the two Warghorses in Bukhara's pens, and walked towards the white stone bridge where Fox and Troll were waiting. Titan was already striding towards them with Asena beside him, both in armor and carrying the blunted weapons they would use against each other in tomorrow's combat. Troll glared up at Asena. "By fukin Hel and her handmaidens, what're you doing here? No one invited you."

I lengthened my stride, the others hurrying after me as Asena stopped in front of Troll and laughed. "You gonna stop me, little man? Try it, and we'll see how well you walk with an iron sword shoved up your arse."

"Troll," Fox said in an exasperated voice, "Domina told you to behave. If there's a problem, then she'll sort it out."

As I reached them, I asked, "Do you have any idea why Az wants me to meet this merchant, or why the priestesses want Wysper?"

Fox shrugged. "We know as much as Fenris told you. However, as soon as you reach the 'Direwolf, we're all supposed to sit down in the private room and have a meeting with this merchant, including you, Titan." She looked up at him. "Domina won't say it, but she wants you to spend the night with her."

"I understand," Titan rumbled as he motioned towards Bukhara. "Are any of the priestesses coming to escort Wysper?"

"As I understand it, what used to be the Sasnayam's women's quarters in the Temple District has been converted to the Temple of Ishtar, and she's supposed to go straight there." She looked at Wysper. "The streets are safe, now, so you'll be fine."

Wysper, who was wearing the warm clothing Prince Varsena's wife Sorocan gave her, said, "Was the Daemo Sybil the one who invited me?"

Fox shrugged. "Ishtar herself is supposed to be there, but more than that I don't know."

"Then I'll escort my new daughter there," Asena said. "I haven't seen Ishtar in ages."

"I'm sure she'll be happy to see you again."

Asena snorted. "If Ishtar was a viper, she'd likely spit in my eye. This is going to be fun." Wysper gave me a look that meant, 'What am I getting myself into', and I rolled my eyes. Asena added, "Titan, keep Greywolf from doing anything stupid."

I whirled on her. "I do just fine on my own, thank you very much."

Asena only snorted again as Titan smiled. "That will not be a problem. If possible, try not to kill anyone."

Asena gave him a broad wink as Wysper came into my arms for a brief kiss. "Whatever you decide," I said as I let her go, "I'll back you up."

She blinked. "You will?"

"Of course. Love you, Wysp."

She smiled. "Love you back... Woof."

Asena rolled her eyes. "Pet names for each other. Next, it'll be matching tunics. Well, let's go." Asena put an affectionate arm around Wysper and the two of them walked on, Wysper keeping pace with Asena as we kept pace with Fox.

As we got close to the gatehouse, I glanced up at the workers repairing the crumbling brick walls... hold on, they're moving in an odd, jerky way. "Fox, there's something wrong with your laborers. Are they sick?"

"You could say that," Troll replied before she could. I looked at him and he grinned. "Every one of them has a fatal disease that can't be treated."

Titan grabbed Troll by the shoulder and spun him around. "Timur dares to use the dead to rebuild his city?"

"And why not?" Troll hunched his shoulders the same way a real troll did. "It's free labor, they don't eat anything, and they sure don't complain."

"They would if they could," I snapped back.

Troll glared at me as Fox said in a soothing voice, "Using the Shamblers is helping the Bukharans rebuild their city better than it's ever been. The people were nervous at first, but they're used to manikins like the ones the mages use, and the Shamblers aren't much different." She shrugged. "Besides, there's nothing any of us can do about it, anyway."

"At the moment," Titan replied. "However, the day will come when Timur loses control of his necromancers, as Ba'al did, and I will be given an army to destroy him." He gave her a hard stare. "You had best pray the Rune sword shatters before then." Titan stalked ahead through the gate; the rest of us shared a troubled look, then hurried after him.

The sign for the Dancing Direwolf was gone, replaced by a pair of guards in leather armor with iron rings standing on either side of the door. They nodded at Troll as he led us through the door. "Domina," he called out, "we're home."

"We're in the private room," she said, and Troll walked through the beaded curtain, the bells jangling as the rest of us followed. Dressed like a man in a tunic and trousers, Az was sitting on a cushion with her back to the wall, beside a swarthy man with a long, grey beard and a turban around his head. He wore well made, but dusty robes of several colors. A long, low table in front of them held a tray with ceramic cups and a wine jug. "Greywolf," Az said with a broad smile, "you made it." Her gaze rested firmly on Titan, though, as she added, "This is Balthazar the merchant, who's actually an agent for the Imperial Emperor of the East."

"You honor me," the man replied, bowing from a sitting position with his hand pressed to his chest. "In truth I am one of many eyes and ears for the Imperial Spymaster who reports to his Augustus majesty himself, remaining in the shadows under the guise of a simple wine merchant."

"Who gifted me with several casks of northern Italia red wine. Everyone grab a cushion and gather round us while my new girl, Raye, pours."

A dark haired young woman with old bruises on her face, wearing a simple linen dress, began handing out ceramic cups to everyone, including the other Wardogs who came in from the common room as well.

I sat across from Az as Titan engulfed two cushions as he sat beside me, Castor taking a seat on my other side. Paulus took his place beside Az as the Reaver Knight said, "Before we begin, Prince Timur wants no one in this room to talk about his plans for the upcoming campaign."

"You are moving against the Sasnayam empire in the spring," Balthazar said, "which is all we need to know. Details are unnecessary." The young woman finished handing out cups and began pouring red wine as he continued. "As I was telling Amazonia earlier, while the Sasnayams now know their schemes have been foiled, Eurax is unaware of how, shall we say, radically his designs have been altered. As far as he knows, everything is going according to plan."

Titan rumbled, "How can you know that for certain?"

Balthazar gave the Ogri a sly smile. "Because Eurax's spy has been eliminated."

Several voices spoke at once. "Spy?" "What Spy?" "Has the mission been compromised?"

Az leaned back against the stone wall with a satisfied smile as Balthazar held up his hands for quiet. "Peace, my friends; all is well. As an agent myself, I am suspicious by nature, so when a strange merchant named Moloch hurried to join our caravan, I warned my guards to be wary. I also pay them well. So, when Moloch tried bribing them, they pretended to accept before informing me of what he had done."

Titan said, "What did you do?"

The young woman filled my cup and smiled as I thanked her, while Balthazar made an open gesture with his hands. "Invited Moloch and his guards to drink with the rest of us in the fortified caravansary we were staying at. As the wine flowed, an unaltered Daemo in my employ used a cloth soaked with an infusion of Black Lotus petals to overwhelm the lone guard watching over Moloch's room. The Daemo then riffled through the man's belongings and found this."

From under his robes, Balthazar pulled out a sheet of parchment with strange writing on it, and handed it to Titan. The Ogri glanced over the parchment and his eyebrows raised. "Ancient Babylonian? This script has been dead for over a thousand years."

"What language better to write out, shall we say, incriminating instructions? My Daemo copied the sheet before putting everything back exactly as it had been found, then placed a mostly empty skin of wine beside the guard to explain his stupor. The Daemo was alive when Babylonia was in its flower, and translated the document for me. After I had read the translation, I immediately burned the copy and arranged for Moloch to have, shall we say, a most unfortunate accident while we were on the road."

Titan had been reading the sheet as Balthazar was talking, and a dark look came over his face. "Am I reading this correctly? Eurax wanted Little Paulus taken captive and crucified?"

Paulus gasped, and Az put a protective arm around the boy as Balthazar sighed. "Eurax is, shall we say, a monster. I questioned Moloch's personal slave after his master's death, and he filled in the gaps the parchment leaves out. Eurax knew he was taking an incredible gamble betraying the Empire of the East, and when the emperor gave custody of Little Paulus to you, he became suspicious."

"But why does he want to kill me?" Paulus asked. "I'm not a threat to him."

Balthazar's face grew sympathetic. "Eurax had, shall we say, quite detailed plans for you, but now those plans have been thwarted. What he cannot have, he would destroy in as painful a method as possible."

"That's never going to happen," Az said in a voice like cold iron. "Nomads," both brothers straightening as she looked at them, "from now on you are both to guard Little Paulus at all times. Are we clear?"

They said in unison, "Yes, Domina."

Paulus wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her. "I love you, Az."

For a long moment, she rested her scarred head on his. "I'm glad someone does." Then she straightened, and he let go as she gave him a stern look. "From now on, you'll listen sharp to what they say, and no more practical jokes."

Paulus got a sheepish look on his face as he nodded, the other Wardogs laughing except for Troll, who scowled. "It wasn't that funny."

"You really should've seen your face," Dancer replied.

I opened my mouth to ask Dancer for the story, but shut it again as Titan looked up from the parchment. "Eurax wanted Greywolf taken captive as well, and brought to his estate?"

I jerked back, almost splashing my wine. "What? How could he know anything about me? I mean, Muzen didn't even know I existed until I jumped in with both feet."

"That puzzled me as well until I questioned Moloch's slave," Balthazar replied. "Eurax knows nothing about Shadow-walkers except for old legends… but he does know of a silvery-grey haired Celt who entertained merchants by cavorting with Daemo females in a, shall we say, enthusiastic manner."

Oh, shite. I groaned, and his face became sympathetic again. "These shows have become quite legendary along the caravan routes, and news of them reached Eurax's ears. He told Moloch to search for you as he gathered information about the scheme and looked for Little Paulus, and if you were found, to entice you back to Konstanopolis."

"Or take you prisoner if that failed," Titan rumbled.

"Wotan's blood, I'm a Shadow-walker. The only substance I can't walk through or escape from is stone."

Balthazar chuckled. "Had he known, Eurax would have given different instructions." He held up a warning finger. "But make no mistake: Eurax will not give up, not when he can bring, shall we say, such an exotic character such as yourself into his 'menagerie of carnal delights', as the slave described it."

Castor growled, "You're making Greywolf sound like an animal."

Balthazar drained his wine cup and held it up for a refill. "That is exactly how Eurax sees the people he has control over."

"Maybe so," I replied, "but he's not getting control of me. That chapter of my life's over for good."

"Only if I win the fight tomorrow," Titan rumbled. "I have confidence in my abilities, yet if she prevails, I fear she will fall back into her old habits."

Shite, he's not the only one worried about that. I felt eyes upon me and glanced up at a leering Troll, who said, "Now you've really got my interest. What kind of carnal cavorting are we talking about?"

I gave him a dark look. "I'd bet silver you'd enjoy hearing about them, and gold that you're not."

"At least, not from you," Fox said. "Domina, do you remember the Daemo merchant staying at the same inn we were, when we passed through the city of Akhau?"

Az was nodding. "She bought you wine and the two of you spent the evening talking. Was she...?"

"She knows Greywolf and Asena well. For his sake, I will not go into details, except to explain the real reason she paid Asena gold and charged the other merchants the same to watch. Every Daemo changed into a female form has the deep desire to wake up bruised and exhausted from being brought to climax so many times that she loses count. To come close to the edge of death, flirting with it like a lover, before drawing away again."

I blurted out, "I never went that far."

Fox turned her wide-eyed, innocent looking gaze on me. "I know you didn't. The Daemo is a merchant, who seeks wealth because it brings her protection, and who has no qualms about her actions. She told you what words she would use among her pleading that would mean to go slower, or to become more savage. To the other merchants, the episode would've seemed wild and out of control, with most of them expecting the Daemo to die and melt away before their eyes. Yet in truth, the episode was as coordinated as a dance." She cocked her head. "Am I right?"

I drained the cup and continued staring at it as I shrugged. "Pretty much."

Balthazar said to Fox, "Apologies if I sound blunt, but it seems you speak from experience."

"Before I became Domina's Chaldean, I was Lady Jhadra's slave. Among the Daemo, such episodes are considered normal behavior, with elements of it incorporated into the many festivals of the Temple of the Dragon Queen."

"Corrupting the morals of its worshipers."

Fox looked at Titan. "Human morals, not ours. After the festival was over, I was the one who made sure my mistress and the other Daemo females of her circle were bathed and put to bed." Balthazar was frowning, and Fox gave him a sly smile. "I know what you are thinking: why wasn't the slave the one left naked and quivering on the floor, instead of her mistress? You humans will never understand us."

"The Ogri understand you just fine," Titan rumbled. "A Daemo can never love or be trusted."

"You see through eyes forged during the Prince's War," Fox replied as she rose to her feet. "Even without the tattoo, Domina will always be able to trust me for as long as I'm under her protection, as it was with Lady Jhadra. The slave collar was only a formality." She turned towards Az. "Domina, would you like for me to begin preparing the midday meal?"

"If you would," Az replied.

Fox started towards the kitchen as Troll called out, "What about love? Surely you feel something for me in that cold little heart of yours."

"Of course she does," Dancer replied. "Fox has the same love for you as you do for a haunch of roast beast."

All the other Wardogs laughed, including Troll, while Fox stopped and turned around with a solemn expression on her face. "The closest thing to love that a Daemo feels, is the intense passion we get when we find a person we can really, and truly, trust. A person who will dance us to the edge of death's abyss, again and again, before bringing us back safe and washed out."

Fox turned towards me. "Passion for that person will fill our hearts forever, leaving no room for anyone else to take their place... even if that person will never love us back." The room went silent as she held my gaze.

Then Fox turned and walked away.