The Branchalite Legionnaires

Chapter 14: The Aghar's means and ends.

Michelle was relaxing in the bath that the Aghar had somehow prepared for their heroes. Now that the chambers below were clear, they were already planning on exploring more. Michelle had the rather unnerving impression that the bodies in the sarcophagi were about to be displaced by Aghar seeking warmer beds. She sighed and closed her eyes soaking in the luxurious warm water, with that bubble bath she had saved since last she shopped in Alsip. Steam rose about her and off to one side, someone had lit a taper of some flavored incense – it smelled like peppermint to Michelle. Lady Gilleana had already taken her bath and the Aghar had assured Michelle that no males would be permitted to enter this antechamber off of the large meeting chamber. Michelle didn't plan on moving for thirty minutes at least.

Fandy wandered in gawping about and grinned at Michelle. "Fandy found you!"

"Yes you did," Michelle said, trying to determine why the lady gully dwarf was there.

"Michelle ask Fandy and Sarah investigate stuff below. We find what Seston want. We think. Need to get David to confirm though. It bag. Full of animals. And more. A new cloak for Fandy. Some jewelry for Michelle. And some paper-spoken tricks. Michelle want them now?"

Michelle looked at the bubbly water, scented with lavender and mint, and then back to Fandy. "Perhaps later?"

Fandy nodded and reached over to hug Michelle in the bath. Then she giggled and wandered back out. Michelle exhaled and started to use a sponge and some soap. Sarah walked in, giving her a grin. "Did Fandy find you?"

"Yes, and now you have. Am I to have no peace for my bathing this evening?"

"I'd say not," Sarah said with a grin, actually pulling over a chair. "You soak and scrub, and I'll chat."

Michelle nodded and said, "Fandy said something about some jewelry for me?"

"Not really jewelry," Sarah said, turning serious for the moment. "David confirmed – they are protective devices that you wear on your forearms. Supposedly they give you force armor as good as your studded leather armor. You won't have an excuse to put on that horrible armor any more."

Michelle lowered her head, ostensibly to start sponging some hot water into her hair, but also to hide her expression. "That's good then, I suppose?"

"Yeah. And the cloak. Fandy was very excited about that. Something about helping her get more tricks in a day." Sarah glanced around and then back to Michelle, a sly smile making its way onto her features. "Did you want to see Stanley's latest poem to me?"

"Oh sure, I'll live vicariously through my sister's illicit and tawdry affair with an Ergothian sea captain," Michelle said in a dry tone. Then she laughed and nodded. "I need some cheering up today – go ahead." The nation of Ergoth was famous for its sailors, many of them dark skinned and weathered from all the hours out under the sun.

Sarah pulled out the tiny piece of paper the raven had carried for her and smoothed it out over the sleeve of her dress. "Well, there's the usual preliminaries and then.. well, he gets quite naughty in this one. I don't want you to think that we've done anything that he writes about."

Michelle exhaled. "You've probably done worse," she said with a grin. "Are you going to read it, or is it going to get wet when I snatch it up and read it for myself?"

"Patience, patience, you're only jealous as we both well know." Sarah grinned and then carried on, this time reading from the piece of paper.

"She shines like the sun over the blue sea,

Alluring and charming with smiles for free,

Radiant, laughing, her heart full of glee,

All for Branchala, save what's left for me!