What comes next is a surprise even to you

It's approaching dinner time. You decided it would give you the greatest number of opportunities if you offered another dinner. That way the army can leave in the morning with nothing but good memories. The soldiers who might not have been sure of the catgirls the first time they visited and remained skittish on their returns will have had time to meet your eager girls. Today there's an even bigger competition to see who gets to sit at dinner with the guests and who gets to deliver food to the troops. If they only knew how **** some of these catgirls are. You've even had two catgirls almost in tears that there isn't space in the kitchens for them to make something special.

For your own part you're preparing for a way to discuss matters with the baronet. You left him for last since his obvious interest in the catgirls and his different status in the inquisitorial army should make him the easiest target. Tomorrow is probably best. Perhaps late tonight you can catch one of the more skillful and better placed soldiers 'in flagrante delicto' and act less enraged and more generous than he would expect.

In all the hectic confusion you are suddenly grabbed from behind by Sandra. Normally that would be a playful and welcome thing, but right now she's looking worried. Perhaps it would be better to say that you can see she's worried. Everyone else is too busy with preparations. Your conspirator quickly gets you to a side room and once you're alone she lets out a big breath. She holds up two sealed letters which bear lady Emira's fine quill work.

The first has a single line on the outside, 'For later'. The other has the words, 'I have a plan'. You crack the small dollop of wax and read the latter letter quickly.

I remain your ally, but we must both pretend otherwise for a short time. I fully intend to continue our partnership and advance your goals, however I must seize this chance to reclaim my position and lands. It will be most useful for my purposes to return with a young nobleman wrapped around my finger and ready for marriage. For now, clear your mind, deny everything, propose I should stay as your guest and then offer to introduce me to this deacon you have mentioned who may prove helpful to my cause.

"What happened? When?" you ask Sandra, knowing that with a mind like lady Emira's at work there will be almost no time left for you to prepare.

"We were talking and then she told me she needed to use the facilities. On the way out of the room she said there were two letters for you on the end table and that I should take them to you when I finished my tea. It was odd enough that she got out of my sight."

"You didn't finish that tea, did you?"

"No, but she knows how curious I am, so..."

There's a definite impact on your wards. Someone is doing a bit more than politely knocking on the front door. "Out of time," you say and give Sandra a quick kiss for luck.

By the time you reach the entry hall the noise has attracted the attention lady Emira clearly desired. Several catgirls and a few members of the inquisition have taken note. You stride up and prepare to open the door. After another heavy thump you unlock it and open the doors magically from a safe distance.

Lady Emira is hefting what appears to be a hefty log, getting ready for another swing. Her clothes are those she came in, some tears around the edges even though you know she repaired it carefully after arriving. There's also a little blood near her elbow, some dirt and some grass stains. A careful observer would note that none of the scratches, stains or dirt detract from her beauty. Also, one of the tears is rather strategic and is putting a nice amount of leg on display. Behind her some of the soldiers have taken notice of the commotion as well, though they are still far enough behind that they won't be able to interfere with whatever she has planned.

When the doors open she drops the heavy log and point a accusing finger straight at you. Her eyes are like pools of emerald fire. "You! You filthy bastard." Then she pulls her knife and charges at you, lightning fast. Despite the fact that you're in no actual danger it does make your heart beat a little more quickly. With a spell you cause her legs to cramp and her right hand to grow numb. The old, simple tricks are usually best and the knife goes skittering across the carpet while the lady crumples and lets out a pained yelp.

She looks up, pretending to see the other people for the first time. "Help me! This mage had me kidnapped!"

That draws the inquisitors like a lightning rod. You have to admire her ability to create a scene. The high inquisitor comes barreling down the staircase and Lessia comes running from the sitting room. High inquisitor Melona takes things in and quickly says "My lady, you must promise you will do no harm to this man, though if what you say is true he will have to answer."

Lady Emira takes in Melona. Then she grimaces, nods and says "I swear I will not harm him for at least a day."

Before the inquisitor can order you to do anything you drop the spell. Lady Emira pulls herself to her feet and says to Melona "It's true. He hired mercenaries to kidnap myself and many others, including nuns and other noblewomen. Whatever fiendish plan he had I managed to escape one of his people not that long ago. So I made my way to his home. I saw your banners outside and I hoped and prayed that this very moment would come." She draws herself up and says "Inquisitor, I hereby accuse this mage of all these crimes."

High inquisitor Melona is straining, which means she's using her truth seeing powers. Then she focuses, clearly going over every detail in her head.

"This man of his that you escaped from, could you describe him?"

"Not a man, inquisitor. I was 'kept company' by a young redheaded woman, only slightly more than five feet tall. She did not seem to be a mercenary, she was... strange. But she seemed to take my captivity less and less seriously as time went on."

"The day upon which you were kidnapped?"

Lady Emira responds with the date she was picked up with by the mercenaries. Then she continues by adding when her group met with certain other prisoners.

"I see... could I have your name? I am high inquisitor Melona."

"Lady Emira Raneck. A pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise. I must ask that you hear me out, for what I am about to tell you is not likely what you wish to hear."

Lady Emira straightens herself up and nods.

"I believe that your **** was in fact orchestrated by count Velcorrin as a means of attacking Lord John..." Lady Emira does an excellent job of continuing to look furious but also more and more uncertain as the high inquisitor lays out the story as she knows it. She has probably had to lay out charges and facts succinctly in many dozens of cases before the inquisitorial courts to have reached the position of high inquisitor, so by the time she finishes lady Emira looks quite deflated.

Finally lady Emira says "It all sounds... so vindictive, so complex. But at the same time it has the ring of truth to it. I know count Velcorrin quite well. I had my own issue with him. The man falsely witnessed my wedding - a wedding for which I was not present."

That gets quite the stir from the crowd. It's scandalous enough for the soldiers and your catgirls, so the whispers begin. But even more importantly the high inquisitor probably heard the ring of truth in that statement. Which gives lady Emira a hell of an 'in' when it comes to dealing with the other nobles who tried to steal away her lands.

Time to play your part. You collect the lady's dagger and hand it to her. "I am sorry we got off on the wrong foot," you say with your most disarming smile. "Please, it sounds like you have been through a great deal. I am already holding a dinner tonight and I can provide you with a guest room."

"Yes, you should stay," says Lessia. "I would like to hear more about this false wedding."

"Oh... well that would be most kind of you. Particularly after I charged in here and... I accept. One little thing, could you tell me about these catgirls?"

"Ah yes," you say, smiling. As you go through the usual introduction to all matters catgirl related your mind is able to wander. Once the high inquisitor heads back upstairs, that is. You really have to hand it to lady Emira. She brilliantly found a way to speak no untruths before a high inquisitor - everything she said was true, but the inquisitor herself would discount the fact that she laid the blame at your feet. After all, the weakness of all such powers is that they can only detect if someone believes something they are saying is true.

She's found a way to catapult herself into the limelight and place herself in a situation where she is far more your equal. There again, having an ally who can move freely in far away circles is potentially quite handy. Risky too, which is probably exactly why lady Emira took the decision out of your hands and made it herself. If you weren't already married to such wonderful women you would be thinking about tying the knot with her. In fact thanks to your unusual marriage you are thinking about it, impossible though it may be.