"Nice of you to drop in on us like that," Benita smiled when Lena finally regained consciousness. "Rook told me of your adventures in the other land... That was rather gruesome," she looked somber. "So I suppose you are here to chase after your heart?" "How do you know all this, Benita?" Lena tried to…
Second Seed, 4E204 – A matter of the heart
"Being a vampire weighs heavily upon you," Scorpio looked at Lena sideways as they were strolling through the wooded countryside in Vermund. "You have not been your usual self since you drank the dragon blood from the patch in my side." He twitched as the scar on his abdomen gave him a painful pull. "That…
Second Seed, 4E204 – Sweet dreams are made of this
Lena sat on a rocky beach in Harve looking out to sea. With her mind's eye she saw in the haze before her every place she once called home. The shores of the Niben. The mists of Dementia. The banks of the Pontar. The beaches of Cassardis... Perhaps she should find a home in this…
Second Seed, 4E204 – A trail of shards
A scene of lovemaking met Lamond's eyes when he entered Lena's house in Bakbattahl. Perhaps he should have knocked. He shook his head and busied himself brewing coffee in the front room. "You have no shame, do you?" He grinned, passing Lena and Scorpio coffee once they were finished, as they didn't stop on his…
Second Seed, 4E204 – An Arisen and her pawn
"There she goes - the current Arisen and her pawn," people would say seeing Lena and Scorpio around town in Bakbattahl. Pawns had all but disappeared from the city streets to the delight of the locals, still mistrustful of them. People would watch her for a few moments, then return to their lives and their…
Rain’s Hand, 4E204 – Cold flame
"Enough of that!" A mage with a Godsway staff walked into the prison block of the excavation site. He slammed the end of his staff against the floor and every pawn collapsed in agony. "You found your poor pawn, I see," he turned to Lena. "Well, you are too late! There is no cure for…
Rain’s Hand, 4E204 – Showdown
"We are going to the excavation site," Lena turned to her pawns. "They keep pawns as slave labour there, they have Godsway all over the place, I shall try to shield you but cannot guarantee it. You will get headaches at best or you will fall under their control at worst. There is no telling…
Rain’s Hand, 4E204 – Brother
"The throne has got a new crowned head, but the sun is still the same," Lamond smiled when Lena sat next to him at the Volcanic Springs. "To your health, cos." He took a swig of the Newt Liqueur that she brought him. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" "Need to talk to you,…
Rain’s Hand, 4E204 – Grains of sand
"Forgive me, I didn't see you there..." Someone walked right into Lena in the middle of a road. The man's eyes were almost white. "Not a problem..." Lena steadied him as he seemed a bit shaky. "Where are you headed?" "That way..." He pointed forward absent-mindedly. "Or that... does it really matter?" "It depends where…
Rain’s Hand, 4E204 – The sword of sorrow
When Lena said that finding Lamond would be easy, she meant that she knew where to find him - at the Volcanic Springs spa in the South East of Battahl. Actually getting there was nothing like easy. They had to traverse the entire Battahli kingdom along its crescent-shaped valley with so many twists and turns,…
First Seed, 4E204 – The oracle
"Let's do the obvious thing first," Lena pointed South when they reached the border checkpoint with Battahl. "Although I am not sure it would be of use..." "Stop talking in riddles, we are no longer at the shrine of the Sphinx!" Mason scowled. "What obvious thing?" "The oracle," Lena shrugged. "She did say to find…
First Seed, 4E204 – The Sphinx
"Another challenger stands before me," the Sphinx flew into the shrine and landed in front of Lena. Rook and Mason took several steps back. "Are you here to temper your steel or do you choose a battle of wits?" She towered over Lena but her eyes were not unkind... if a bit mad... The shrine…
First Seed, 4E204 – Still here, Arisen?
"I thought I would find you here, Arisen! And it appears that I was right!" "I knew you'd still be lingering here, Arisen!" "As ever, I am yours to command, master!" "Arisen! You need my help." As Lena and Rook set off on their long journey to the Kingdom of Battahl, they were being stopped…
Sun’s Dawn, 4E204 – Pawns
"That's enough, this cargo is worth more than your lives taken together!" A sorcerer with an unusual staff barked at the guards beating up prisoners. "Count them and load them into the cart! And if any of them is seriously injured... I'll have your heads!" A dozen or so prisoners were manhandled into a covered…
Sun’s Dawn, 4E204 – A grain of sand in a desert
"This is like finding a grain of sand in a desert!" Sven shook his head when Lena told him they had to look for clues in Battahl. "How to tell which one is the right one? We have a stack of letters from Battahl, intimate and otherwise, signed and unsigned, old and new... Which one…
Sun’s Dawn, 4E204 – Strands in a web
It took many weeks collecting every little piece of information they could find - both about Battahl and Queen Regent's past and present connections there, and about anyone with designs to remove Her Majesty's personal guard, that is, Scorpio. Between Lena, Rook and Sven they figured out that it was all connected, but were still…
4 Morning Star, 4E204 – Engagement
"Word is - Her Majesty the Sovran and Regentkin Sven are engaged to be married!" "No!" "Yes!" "I heard others say the same!" "Happy days!" The rumours spread like wildfire, and within a day or two of Lena's outing to The Rose, the town was talking about her being engaged to Regentkin Sven. Which made…
2 Morning Star, 4E204 – Never thought I’d meet you here
"Your companion for tonight is here," Madam Wilhemina ushered Rook into the room Lena was in. "This room is yours for twenty four hours, or longer if you wish it," she smiled. "We do not skimp on time. Do ring for room service for refreshments." She left, with a glance of encouragement towards Rook. He…
1 Morning Star, 4E204 – A new year, a new perspective
"A new day, a new perspective" was what Scorpio used to say rounding up their party ready to set off again after a night's rest. It was the duty of the Main Pawn to keep an eye on the other pawns in the group and make sure they didn't try to idle, shirk combat or…
Evening Star, 4E203 – Strike where it hurts most
"That was a brilliant plan, congratulations!" Someone was gazing into a crystal ball. "Look - now she went and killed the dragon! And ended up right where she began! Genius!" "You wanted her out of the picture," another voice replied. "We've so far been trying to get her removed - killed, teleported, transformed - but…
Evening Star, 4E203 – Coronation
Lena killed the dragon and became the Sovran of Vermund, but she didn't get her heart back. The day of the coronation was all a haze to her. The best royal beauticians spent hours reducing the puffiness under her eyes and the inflamed redness of her face as she had spent the night crying. "I…
Hearthfire, 4E203 – Life is not meant to make any sense
Lena was once again waist deep in politics of the world she was in, regardless of how much she disliked to be mixed up in politics. She was being called upon to perform all sorts of "duties" to the "people of such and such kingdom" from thwarting regicide to abating rebellion to thwarting said rebellion...…
Last Seed, 4E203 – Glimpses of the past
"Let's just get to Gran Soren and be done with it," Lena and her companions stood on top of a cliff overlooking much of the land before them. "There - you can see the city in all its splendour." "It isn't Gran Soren," Scorpio said quietly. "This is Vernworth, the capital of Vermund. We are…
Last Seed, 4E203 – On the road
"What do you mean - I cannot have both daggers and a bow?" Lena was glaring at the sergeant on the encampment. "I am an assassin, I need both." "Assassin is not a vocation, it's a state of mind," the sergeant shook his head. "Choose between an Archer and a Thief." "A Thief?!" Lena couldn't…
Last Seed, 4E203 – Falling
Lena returned to Cheydinhal after her trip to Castle Volkihar. She was happy to be back home, to finally hold her newborn son in her arms without the fear of frightening him with her vampirism. Lucien was there too, having delegated any and all jobs to Ocheeva and Vicente during Lena's absence. Everything was peaceful…
Masser and Secunda 