Impressive Maneuvers

With the inquisitors riding off into the distance you're finally free to turn your attention to Lady Emira, Laura and whatever they have planned for Sir Galren. You didn't get a chance to listen in on the quiet meeting you set up between the lady and Laura, so the plan is going to be as much a surprise for you as for the young knight. Sandra comes skipping through the door, having just fed the few remaining captives. Without a pregnancy to weigh her down she really does have too much energy.

"Did I miss anything?" she asks, seeing the scrying portal open and hovering above the table.

"No, Sir Galren is just sitting quietly with Laura."

"Hmmm, she looks awfully happy. Bet she's got some of his seed filling her loins."

"Probably... Ah, here comes Lady Emira," you say as you detect footsteps through the roots that curl beneath the hall floorboards.

There's a quick knock and the startled couple on the couch split up before Sir Galren calls out "Come in".

Lady Emira glides into the room looking very nice indeed. Every hair is tucked away, every bit of makeup done perfectly. Even the buttons on her dress are polished to a mirror finish. "If I could have a word?" she asks him.

"Should I go?" asks Laura.

"No, please stay," replies Lady Emira. That's enough for Sir Galren's brow to furrow. There's no good reason for the lady to want to speak with him and Laura, is there?

Lady Emira takes a seat opposite the knight and folds her hands in her lap. "Sir Galren, there is much I have been **** to deal with over the last year and one of the results is that my powers of observation have greatly improved."

That just causes him further confusion, which is probably part of the plan.

After a pause she continues. "These are assumptions, please correct me if I have erred. Generally a young knight joins the inquisition out of a desire to prove himself and to aid in exposing wrongdoers. I assume that like most knights you are landless and so there is an additional, secondary, incentive. To acquire wealth as a result of capturing important heretics and traitors. Sufficient wealth to allow your purchase of lands, to provide for a wife and family. Would that describe your situation accurately?"

"Ah, ahem." He thinks about it for a moment. Then he says, "Yes, bluntly, that sums it up".

"Good." Lady Emira stands up and paces back and forth slowly. "I do not think there is anything wrong with that situation. Some nobles look down on knights, I am not one of them." After a pregnant pause she continues, a little tiny tremor slipping into her voice. "When many people see you they would draw the same conclusions. I find myself in a quite similar position. The false marriage, being disowned, the fact that I wandered the country alone - without escort or chaperone - for over a year... there are many who will make certain assumptions about me as well."

She sits back down with a sigh. "What I am driving at, Sir Galren, is that you are uniquely suited to come to my aid, as I am uniquely suitable for you."

His brow can't really furrow any deeper, but to his credit Sir Galren takes his time and actually thinks over what the lady is saying before replying. A very good sign in a knight. "You are speaking of marriage?"

"Yes. Lord John has been most helpful. More gracious than any other man I have attempted to throw a dagger at. There is a deacon whom I will meet soon enough and the lord is convinced he will take up my case."

"Well a deacon is the right man for the job..."

"Yes, but he can only complete one portion of the work at hand. His position will allow me to prove the wedding was carried out falsely. That will remove the cursed man Lord Varnham from my own lands and, possibly, result in the **** or punishment of my uncle. It may even result in my sister being raised to take over his lands." She smiles and even through the scrying portal you can see the venom and fire dancing in her green irises.

"Once the matter is settled and the deacon leaves I will be on my own lands, alone and with little support. The gossips and ladies looking for husbands will find it convenient to spread every rumor of debauchery and ruinous behavior they can imagine. By the time these rumors slow to a trickle I will have been **** to accept a deeply unsuitable husband. That or I can become a spinster, or perhaps find the 'right' man but only once I am well past my prime."

"That is extremely unfair. I hadn't really considered..."

She nods. "There is more. I believe it is possible for a deacon to accept a knight's service, much as the inquisition do. It is uncommon, though I believe it is still permitted."

At that you and Sandra look at one another and you whisper, "I didn't know they could still do that." She just grins at how this plan of Lady Emira is unfolding.

After another pause Lady Emira presses on, acting like she is getting more and more uncomfortable as she does. "So you see, there are several advantages for you. Not only would you marry a lady who possesses land of her own but in addition you would be able to claim fees from the lords who 'witnessed' my marriage, giving us a useful sum to restore my lands and my keep. Of course we have not had time enough to get to know each other, but I believe I have solutions there too."

"Ah..." he says, stopping in his tracks as Laura gently touches his arm and gives him a pitiful look.

Lady Emira speaks again, and from her tone you can tell she's about to spring her trap. "First, let me assure you that despite my adventures I am 'pure' as the church would say. So that is no concern for our marriage. Also, my time away from the nobility has increased not only my powers of observation but also my practicality. All noblewomen have different reactions to the indiscretions of their husbands. Many do not allow it, particularly if they are born of a higher bloodline."

She looks pointedly at Laura and says, "My attitudes are far more flexible." With that she gets up and walks over to where Sir Galren is sitting. She sits down next to him, which catches him off guard as most noblewomen would never do something so familiar with a man. At least not in front of someone else. Then she reaches past him and gently takes Laura's hand in hers.

"I believe we both find these catgirls of Lord John most intriguing."

"Yes, they are amazing."

By now Lady Emira and Laura are smiling deviously at each other. The lady asks Laura, almost innocently, "So... how is he?"

That gets a gasp from Sir Galren, but before he can respond Laura giggles and says, "Oh he's really good. And he's got a pretty good poker face too."

"Wait, what?" asks Sir Galren.

"Sorry," says Laura. "We couldn't resist. Lady Emira spotted you in the hallway earlier with a lot of white fur covering certain parts of your clothes. And when she saw me coming out of a nearby room afterwards we got to talking."

"You set me up," he says, sounding more shocked than offended.

"Can you forgive me?" she asks, snuggling against him.

"Yes, please forgive her," says Lady Emira. "After all, the two of us get along so well. Just imagine the possibilities. My lonely keep sometimes gets cold in the winter."

"You want to..." he looks back and forth.

"So many ladies complain and complain about their husband keeping a mistress, yet they never take the practical step of choosing the correct mistress for him."

"Mmmm," says Laura. "Mistress Laura has a ring to it. Do you think anyone would say anything if Lady Emira brought home a bunch of catgirls? There must be all kinds of jobs we could do around the house."

"Yes, indeed," Lady Emira replies, "and there are surely many who worked for Lord Varnham whom I will have removed. Catgirls might draw attention, but I think that attention will be welcome after more than a year in hiding."

"So mistresses get to sleep with a man, how is that different from a wife?" asks Laura.

"Officially men are not supposed to have mistresses, nor women lovers. Just husband and wife. As I said, I have become far more flexible than I once was, and at this point a little variety interests me." With that she gives Laura a good, solid kiss which Laura seems to enjoy and which Sir Galren seems to enjoy watching.

Lady Emira then stands up, gives the flabbergasted knight a perfect curtsy and a naughty wink, then leaves the room.

After she's gone he looks at Laura. "I just realized - What about your friends?"

"Oh, they're your friends too, now that you gave them such a fun time last night. Anyway, it's no problem - we just tell her. She'll figure it out anyway."

"Yes, yes, but she's a noblewoman. One mistress she likes is one thing, but..."

Laura puts her finger on his lips. "Nonsense. I'm very convincing. And I'm willing to bet she'll like all my friends just as much as you do."

You let the scrying window fade as Laura gives him a kiss. Sandra leans back and lets out a hearty laugh. "She sure moved fast. No beating around the bush, straight to the prize!"

"It was a bit risky," you say.

"Nah, not with Laura there to smooth things out. And he's sold - did you see the way his pants were tenting? I think a certain knight likes it when dangerous women get the better of him."