#4003  Penthesilea

*Grins back* And that would be what, exactly?

#4005   Penthesilea

     *Giggles even as her heart begins to pound hard in her chest. His effect on her is so profound, it is all she can do to stay coherent.*  Of course I do, you idiot! I've wanted to marry you, or at least get you into my bed, since the night I met you! And if I hadn't been working under a considerable handicap, it would have been a done deal by now. That is hardly a fair test. Try again with the powers thing...

#4007   Penthesilea
     
     I am, am I? Aphrodite filled me in pretty thoroughly. I think I can handle it. But considering the fact that you've never even kissed me -- I've done all the kissing you'll recall -- perhaps we should take our time.

#4009  Penthesilea

*Penthesilea giggles as he begins to undress her....* Happy Yule, Beloved.

#4011   darklord_kodiak
     
*Lord Cujon accepts the message for the Lord Marshall. Starts to assemble the troops*

#4013   Penthesilea
     
The Keyholder's Bedroom In the dark...

*Penthesilea is giggling.*

Kodiak: What the hell are you doing?

Penthesilea: This!

Kodiak: Oh my god!

*More giggling!*

#4015  Penthesilea
     
*Shriek!!! Sounds of bodies hitting the floor. More giggling.....*

#4017  Penthesilea
     
     *The darkened room finally falls silent and Penthesilea's four felines come, cautiously, out of hiding....*

#4019  darklord_kodiak
     
Umm...Where are you going my dear?

#4021  darklord_kodiak
     
Can’t you do that in the morning? I was just getting started. You can’t leave a Demigod hanging.

#4023   Penthesilea
     
The Keyholder's Bedroom Later....

     It is hard to ignore twelve pounds of cat standing on your chest, especially when she wants your attention. Penthesilea woke up and scratched the War Queen's ears.* Yeah, I know, duty calls. *The cat didn't move.* If you want me up, you're going to have to move. *Grudgingly, she moved and Penthesilea began to climb out of bed. Kodiak snagged her back into his arms before she could escape and began kissing her while sending his hands roaming into all sorts of delightful places, making it very hard for Penthesilea to stay focused -- but stay focused she did. Pleasant as this is, beloved, *she inspoke to him,* have you forgotten our situation? *His hands stopped moving and his thoughts grew cold.

Kodiak: (inspeaking) I'll kill him.

Penthesilea: (inspeaking) A capital idea, my love, but not very practical at this point. He has allies who would come to avenge him and carve this place up like a Yule roast, superior technology notwithstanding.

Kodiak: (inspeaking) So you still have to be bait? *The tenor of his thoughts was becoming quite murderous. He had heard about the incident in the Game Room -- everyone had -- and it had taken all of his will not to hunt the man down the moment that he had heard. He knew, intellectually, that any man trying to force himself on Penthesilea would have the fight of his life on his hands. Penthesilea was an Amazon. She could defend herself. That did in no way lessen his conviction that he had been born to protect her! He let her go. If nothing else, he knew duty.* I need to get back to my Quarters and change.* He said aloud.

Penthesilea: And fill your brother in on what's been happening?

Kodiak: (grinning crookedly) Well, not all of it, my dear. He might decide to assassinate me and take my place.

Penthesilea: I seem to recall a spectacular demonstration of your immortality. I think he might have a problem. So, is your brother as much of a dog as you are? *That did it. He grabbed her and kissed her thoroughly.*

Kodiak: If you want to get to that Yule party, you'd better get me to my quarters now..... *Penthesilea laughed against his mouth and he disappeared....*

#4025  Penthesilea
     
The Lord Marshall's Quarters

*Cujon had been sitting quietly with his feet up, reading, when his brother suddenly appeared -- stark naked -- in the middle of the bed, overbalanced and fell face first into the mattress. He was followed immediately by his swords and other assorted weapons, a slashed and bloody shirt and the rest of his clothing. Then Kodiak rolled over onto his back and began to laugh. Cujon thought that he'd lost his mind. Once he was laughed out, Kodiak filled his brother in on the rather amazing events that had occurred since they had parted -- not the least of which was the new turn his relationship with Penthesilea had taken. Then he rolled off the bed and headed for the shower. Cujon leaned against the bathing room door and studied his brother.*

Cujon: You never cease to amaze, brother. *Kodiak stuck a soapy head out of the shower.*

Kodiak: That I'm a demigod?

Cujon: No. That a lady like Penthesilea would look at you twice. You're a damned lucky man. Don't blow it. *Kodiak rinsed off the soap and stepped out of the shower before he answered.*

Kodiak: I've already tried to get her to throw me out. If you had heard the things I said to her a few days ago, you'd have horsewhipped me. (Pause) I went to tell her that I'd made you Lord Marshall. I was going to tell her that I was leaving. And she was standing there, trying so hard not to cry 'cause she knows I can't stand it when she cries and she considers it an unfair advantage. I couldn't do it. I couldn't leave her. All my noble reasons -- the good of the Castle, her own good, that she deserved someone better than me -- didn't mean anything when I looked into her eyes.

Cujon: You have it bad, brother. *Kodiak laughed.*

Kodiak: That I do. And I've never been happier.

Cujon: What about the other woman in your life?  *For an instant it seemed to Kodiak that he had already told Jasmine that it was over but then he knew that he had not.*

Kodiak: I'll have to tell her and I'm not looking forward to it.

Cujon: I don't envy you that. *Looks at the clock.* Better get dressed. It's almost time.

#4027   Penthesilea
     
     Actually, things were going pretty well, considering. When Penthesilea had left the Tower she had gone to her Seat in the Great Hall instead of going into the Dining Hall. Then, she had called for the Lord Marshall. There were stunned gasps when Kodiak and his nearly identical brother had appeared. Followed by still more stunned gasps when Cujon was introduced as the new Lord Marshall following his brother's resignation. Explanations -- at least as much explanation of the true facts as anyone was going to get! -- were made and she confirmed Cujon in his new post. Then she had swept everyone into the Dining Hall for the feast. The buzz of conversation had continued unabated through the meal and continued after the feast was over and the party spilled out of the Dining Hall, through the Great Hall and into the Ballroom. The dancing started and for once in a long while, Penthesilea didn't dread it. She danced with Lord Kennicott, more often than she liked, and with her knights and local nobility from Crowhaven. Finally, the new Lord Marshall claimed her for a dance. Penthesilea cast a tiny spell so they could not be eavesdropped on and smiled.

Penthesilea: You look considerably older than you did the last time I saw you. Since combat ages a man -- but not that fast -- I assume that you were using a glamour.

Lord Cujon: Yes, my Lady. *Penthesilea made a mental note to have him call her by name when in private and smiled.*

Penthesilea: I can't for the life of me figure out what advantage you got from pretending to be a teenager. Unless Kodiak wanted everyone to believe that he is older than he appears.

Lord Cujon: We discovered that there was a certain strategic advantage to be had when the enemy thought the opposing force was commanded by someone so young. *He grinned. Penthesilea grinned back and nodded.*

Penthesilea: The same thing happens when a woman is in command. The opposing commanders assume that they have an advantage and plan, or not, accordingly. By the time they realize that you know your stuff, you have them.

Lord Cujon: Exactly, my Lady! *They laughed as they swept around the floor.*

     Elsewhere in the Ballroom, Kodiak was attempting to relax. Seeing Penthesilea in the arms of other men was driving him crazy. His brother was safe enough and he supposed that her knights were as well -- he had never doubted their devotion to her -- but the Crowhaven nobility and the hangers on from Lord Kennicott's retinue and the vermin himself were making his hackles rise. Every time one of them partnered her, he wanted to storm onto the floor and claim her. And, of course, that was precisely what he could not do! His future plans called for him to be, at best, indifferent to Penthesilea and her fate. He'd had a considerable reputation as a mercenary and he intended to use that reputation to gain the trust of those who would harm her. So he stood with a glass of whiskey in his hand and seethed, pausing only to eye a passing serving girl when he remembered to. It occurred to him that giving out the story that he had left Penthesilea's service because she had refused his bed might be both plausible and useful. Men understood that kind of grudge and the lengths a man would go to to satisfy it. He was thinking these and other dark thoughts of slow torture and lingering death while watching Penthesilea dance with Lord Kennicott of the roaming hands when one of Kennicott's flunkies came up and tried to start a conversation. The man's inane babbling quickly got on Kodiak's none too extensive nerves. He pinned the man with a black eyed glare and snapped.* Go away! *The man had stopped in mid-word and, looking stunned, had then wandered back off into the crowd. That got Kodiak's attention! He remembered what Penthesilea had said about the special gift that came with demigodhood -- that was going to take some getting used to -- and he wondered if this was the first manifestation of his gift. Several experiments later, he was convinced that it was. He had to look someone in the eyes and he had more luck with those with weak wills but he was definitely sure than some sort of mind control was his Divine Gift. He thought about some things that he would like to order Kennicott to do and smiled his first genuine smile since the dancing had begun.

     As dawn approached, those still awake went out to greet the rising sun -- except Penthesilea, who headed for the top of her Tower to sing her morning song to Apollo. Kodiak followed her, making sure that he wasn't seen and that no one else was following her. She heard him grumbling through the inspeaking and teleported him to the rooftop, handing him one of his own cloaks when he arrived. He put it on and then snatched her into his arms for a much needed and long delayed kiss. Then, he released her to her song. He had heard her sing her morning song, as it tended to drift out over the Castle grounds but he had never been present when she sang it. He watched as the sun appeared over the horizon and she began to sing. It was the most beautiful sound that he had ever heard. There was such joy in it that there were no words to describe it. It was no wonder that Apollo wished to hear it!*
     “Thank you.” *A male voice, not Ares, came into his head over the inspeaking. *I am Apollo. *The voice continued.* I have never seen her so happy. She is Olympus' favorite daughter and we are in your debt for bringing her this happiness. *The voice faded from his mind and he stood there stunned. Gods were grateful to him! Something else to get used to. Her song ended and she turned to him, the dawn's light setting her hair aflame and her eyes shining. She came to him and they embraced and for once, the Darklord did not mind the sun at all. They retired to her room and as soon as they entered, Penthesilea saw a small unopened box on the floor by her bed. She picked it up and turned to him.

Penthesilea: You haven't opened your Yule present! * He gently took the box from her hand and set it on the nearest flat surface and pulled her into his arms.*

Kodiak: (inspeaking) I got a better one, my Lady. *He said as he kissed her and began to reach for the fastenings on her gown.*

Penthesilea: (inspeaking) So did I, Beloved, so did I...