Candlelight

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Feeling a rush of air brush against her neck, Mavralyn turned around.  A single candle shed it's soft light on a table at the very back of the inn.  Rising from her own seat, she approached the table.  Moving closer she noticed a dagger pinned to the center holding down a piece of blood stained paper.  Mavralyn reached forward and removed the dagger.  She frowned as she read the few words written on the note.

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I have the information you seek.  I await you in the private room in back.

Crumpling the note in her hand, her frown deepened.  "Wael!  To think I would willingly walk into something so obviously a trap," she muttered quietly.  Moving back towards her own table, Mavralyn quickly wrote a note in response.

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If you wish to speak with me, then do so here in the main room.  I will decide whether to seek a private chamber or not.

A deep chuckle over her shoulder caused a shiver of excitement to ripple down her back.  "Vendui' Yathrin," Ryltarl spoke with humor in his voice as he bowed in greeting.  "I see you have learned not to take things at face value anymore."

Rising to face the Velgla Jabbuk, Mavralyn spoke huskily, "You have taught me much my gentle assassin.  One of those is never to enter a trap you know about, but seek the one that is hidden."  Her eyes traveled hungrily over his lean, muscular frame.  "It has been many days since last we met, Tarl.  Do your duties keep you so busy you find no more time for this yathrin?"

Again his chuckle sent heat through her veins as he replied, "I always find time for you my dark sweet.  What is it you require?  I am at your disposal for the evening."

Her eyes glowed like twin sapphires with promise as she stepped closer to him.  Lust flared in him as he felt the heat of her body.  "You know what I require Tarl, go to my room and await me there," she whispered in a sultry tone.   "A'dos quarth,"^*1 he replied and with another bow he slipped into the shadows and disappeared.

When Mavralyn entered her chambers, she smiled wickedly at the naked form standing before her.  "Xas, you do know what I want," she purred.

"Of course yathrin," he replied with a sly grin.

Murmuring a simple spell, unseen servants began undressing Mavralyn.  As the gown slowly revealed the dusky beauty, Ryltarl's eyes drank in the sight.  Her long hair fell down her back in waves of molten silver.  The full, firm breasts stood proudly as if asking to be kissed. 

His eyes traveled further downward, enjoying the lovely curves of the sight before him.  The flat stomach and tapered waist that flared at the hips made his hands clench with a desire to place them there.  The long shapely legs and silver triangle of hair beckoned to him with secret passions he knew so well.

Mavralyn stepped closer to the assassin, her body brushing against his.  At the contact, the flames of passion flared into a raging inferno.  Lips met in savage need and tongues danced with the hungers raging within.  As her arms wrapped around his neck, he lifted her into his strong arms and carried her to the bed.

---

Dark Dream

As Ryltarl falls deeper into slumber, Lloth sends him a dream.  .  .  .

Ryltarl finds himself standing before some steps that lead up to the squat shape of an ebony spider throne.  Within the regal chair, captured stars cast only enough light to reveal the small area around it.  With her legs tucked under her, a young human female sits at the base gazing up in adoration.  Her features shadowed by dim light, Tarl sees only the long blazing red hair.  Yet she seems familiar. A few feet away from her worshipful form, rests the dead body of the one known as Lord Theido.  Another knight lies near death, at her feet.

As Tarl's eyes slowly take all this in, a cold cruel voice hisses from the shadows of the throne.  "Vendui' assassin.  How do you like my little pawns?"

As he focuses on the form sitting on the throne, power crashes down on him.  Dropping to his knees from the force, the voice once again speaks,  "Much better waela jaluk^*2."  A cruel smile forms on the cold and beautiful features of a young drowess.  Surrounding her is the shadow of a large spider form.

With evil glee, she reaches down and pats the young girl on the head, "She has done so well... L'alurl faerbol zha'mrimm d'ssinss."^*3  Her stare pierces through Tarl's skull like knives as she asks,  "Do you not like this magic charm?"  Grabbing the girls head with both hands, the drowess he now knows is Lloth, turns the face towards him.

Her eyes narrow, as the smile grows even crueler, "Lil waela lueth waela ragar brorna, lueth wund nind, kyorlin elghinn."^*4 A shock of recognition travel's through Tarl's body as he recognizes the human form of Mavralyn.  "Her purpose is almost complete."  Her evil laugh sends chills down his spine as she continues, "You will betray her, then you will kill her.  It is my wish."

Tarl looks again at this human he knows yet doesn't know.  Her face filled only with devotion of Lloth seems vapid and stupid.  Yet he sees what looks like a tear fall before she turns back, once again worshipping the goddess.  Lloth looks down at her and smiles wickedly.  "The betrayal will kill this little human, her last spark of humanity."  Still watching Tarl, she makes a small gesture and all goes dark.

Now a floating sensation fills him.  Looking down, Tarl can see the town of Triboar laid out below him.  Soon he is watching two figures battling in the arena.  A death-match!  As he flies closer, invisible to all below, he can see that one of the figures has fallen.  The female.  Now he can make out who is fighting.  It is himself and Mavralyn.

Tarl wakes up.

While traveling through the hills, heading toward Triboar to hunt, she encountered a young squire.  She observed him for several minutes, undetected as he battled a few hungry denizens of the area.  When he was finished, she allowed herself to be seen.  "Vendui' palamu", she spoke in a husky tone.  He looked up, startled to find he was no longer alone.  Feeling the bloodlust rising in her, she again spoke. "Would you care to spar little palamu", she laughed with evil intent.

Watching the drowess with wariness in his eyes, he asked, "And what would be the terms of this challenge?"

Laughing, preparing to speak, she paused as Lloth entered and spoke through her, "If I should win, I will exact a price."

"And what is this price?" He inquired.

"I will take your heart for sacrifice little palamu", she answered.  "I will not steal your mind, for I wish you aware, nor will I use poison to kill you, for I want you uncontaminated.  Do not fear death though, for know that you will be resurrected and unchanged if you agree.  Do you agree to these terms?" She asked him.

He considered for a moment then nodded, "Aye, I agree, but... what price do I extract from thee should I win?"  Throwing her head back, she laughed with evil glee, "Why little palamu, whatever you wish of course".  Upon uttering this last, the presence of the Evil divinity left Mav leaving behind a feeling of power.

As he drew his sword, he began to circle the Yathrin, casting protective spells as he went.  Mavralyn did not draw weapon, nor did she prepare to defend herself in anyway.  Instead, calling on the power still inside her, she cast a holding spell upon the young knight.  His protective spells did not save him and he was held immobile seconds after the sparring began.

He watched in horror, unable to move or speak, as she came closer.  With a wicked smile on her lips she pushed him over, and watched as he toppled to the ground like a statue.  Quickly, lest any other happen upon them, she removed his shirt laying bare his chest.  Then, taking a dagger from the folds of her cloak, she chanted, "Lloth tlu Malla!  Usstan xun elamshin!"^*5  Slicing deep into the flesh, fascinated at the gruesome sight, she reached into the chest cavity and ripped out his still beating heart.

After licking the blood off the dagger, she searched through her pack and found a jar.  Placing the now still heart within, and speaking a few arcane words, the heart began to beat again.  Carefully she replaced the jar back in her bag.  With this task completed, she turned towards the dead paladin.  Lloth again entered her chosen vessel.  Speaking great words of power, the knight's body disappeared at the same time as the presence within her did.  Looking about, checking the area, she continued towards Triboar without further incident.

*1. "At your command."
*2.  "Foolish male."
*3.  "The best magic item is a lover."
*4.  "The foolish and unwary find surprises, and among them, waiting death."
*5.  "Lloth be Praised!  I do Lloth's Will!"