Of Course!

This was too good an opportunity to pass up, Marus realized. However, before he could really begin, he needed to see just how deep the paladin's secret perversions could go. To that end, he let the dream memory continue unaltered for the moment, eager to see what happened next.

That night, the troop made camp. Tomorrow they would reach the kingdom of the eastern centaurs and their advance messenger had returned to inform them that Hurk was prepared to receive them under a banner of negotiation. Said negotiations would require the paladins to be rested and at their brightest, so the four had retired for the night as the other soldiers stood guard.

Mira, now inside of her tent that was alongside those of the other female soldiers, had removed her armor and leather pants. Clad only in her tunic and undergarments, she prepared to crawl under the blankets when a shadow cast by the firelight outside fell over the flaps of her tent. The shadowy figure cleared its throat and called out, "Ho, Mira. I apologize for visiting so late but there is a matter that needs to be discussed."

Mira raised an eyebrow as she recognized the voice as Anders'. An amused grin formed on her lips as she replied, "It is an odd hour for visiting a woman's tent, is it not? Your mission must be important indeed. Come in."

She sat up, making sure that her tunic covered her lower garments while leaving her trim, long legs on display. She knew it would have been more proper for her to put on her pants but... she wanted to see his reaction to her current state.

Anders entered, clad in his own tunic and leather pants, his armor left behind at his own tent with only his sword by his side for protection. He opened his mouth to speak and then looked down at Mira, his jaw remaining open in shocked amazement as his eyes bulged and his face turned a deep crimson. "I-I-I'm sorry," he blurted out, turning to go, "I did not realize you--"

"I said you could come in," Mira said, cutting him off and causing him to stop in his tracks, "and I am confident you cannot see anything you should not. You would, of course, look away if I did... accidentally show something indecent, would you not, Anders?"

Anders nodded, though Mira could see his eyes struggling not to trace the length of her legs or how the need for her to pull her tunic down had tightened the material against her breasts. She indicated the space in front of her and said, "Sit. Speak."

He sat down as asked, wetting his lips for a moment before saying, "I was speaking with Sir Silar and Sir Paulus about the meeting tomorrow and they mentioned that I should speak with you about something involving... centaur etiquette?"

Mira suppressed a laugh. She knew what the matter would be about and was amused that the two older paladins had suggested this. They obviously knew about her teasing, despite her best efforts to make sure it only came when it would not disrupt anything important, and yet still trusted that that, despite her feelings, she would not take what needed to be done too far.

"Centaurs are very... unusual in their feelings about female warriors," Mira said, uncrossing and recrossing her legs, noting Anders' momentary glance down at her movements, though she said nothing about it for the moment, continuing her explanation, "They do not utterly object to them but do feel that a woman should only be a warrior if it is because the one she is bonded with is also a soldier as well. It is a sign they are together for everything, you see."

Anders nodded in understanding... and then started in shock as he realized the implication of what him being sent here meant, the redness on his face doubling in intensity. "S-So," he said, "the others want... you to... accompany me... as if we were... together?"

Mira nodded and said, "So it would seem."

She leaned forward suddenly, shifting onto her knees and reaching her hands out to rest them on the younger paladin's shoulders, "We would walk together," she continued, "Eat together. In public we would be expected to occasionally hold hands or hug. For our lodgings we would be given the same bed chambers to share."

Anders' expression was a storm of emotions. He was clearly nervous about such a prospect but she could see in his eyes that it held as much of a secret thrill for him as it did for her. "However," Mira added, "there is one thing I must correct you on, Anders."

Anders looked at her curiously... his nervousness doubling as she leaned in closer still, her face only inches from his. She took a moment to wet her own, full lips before saying, "I would not be accompanying you. YOU would be accompanying ME."

Mira enjoyed the way Anders took her pronouncement, looking down at the ground and nodding his acceptance. "If... if that is all," he said, preparing himself to stand up.

"No," Mira said sharply, pressing down on his shoulders again with her hands, "You must stay here tonight."

This was the moment, Marus realized. Looking ahead, he could see that Mira would be true to her faith, despite the lust boiling inside of her demanding otherwise. It would be a simple matter to change that though. Just a little push (and a surprisingly little one at that) and the paladin's dream self would confuse her fantasies for reality, causing her to make the most delightfully entertaining choices.

Anders breathing increased and he visibly swallowed as he met Mira's eyes. "But... why?" he asked.

"Centaurs have a very acute sense of smell," Mira explained, "If we are to convince them that we are truly bonded, we must account for that as well."

"I... I did not know that," Anders replied, "How... how would we do so?"

"Simple," Mira said, her smile growing slightly wicked, "your scent must be upon my body and mine on yours."

Of course, Mira knew this could simply be solved by the two of them sleeping in each others embrace, with nothing more than the embarrassment of the prolonged contact to deal with. However, as she looked Anders over, observing his continued, nervous reactions and the way his hips squirmed to hide the growing swell in his pants, new thoughts entered her mind. These thoughts, seeming to come from an outside source, whispered to her that perhaps the Sun Goddess knew of her wicked feelings... and had given her this opportunity to indulge some of them under the cover of being for the sake of the mission.