My first year of blogging Finnrick’s story kicked off Valentines day.   So I suppose that Tillesia’s should Hi-jack February as well.  PG-13  alert here.  (Like any of the content in my blog)

 

Part 4 — The Dark Magician Yulos

The long walk out of Prost left Tillesia feeling empty and helpless.   Finnrick’s ideals may have been twisted, but it had been contained better than any of the Order could hope.   None of the inhabitants of Prost made any move to stop her.  They bustled about, operating as any city recovering from war would.

The commoners turned shadow beasts worked together to repair damage caused by the battle.   They worked with calm aplomb, showing no complaint with tossing remnant corpses of the Usurper’s fallen soldiers onto burning pyres.  Others watched the armored men burn, staring into it like a mummers play.

Tillesia saw no torment on their faces, but neither did she see joy.   The creatures of shadow went about their duties content and calm, with no taskmasters to oversee them.  The children, like her drummer Hagie, behaved as children would, fiddling with wooden toys and running about.   Their faces, however, were masks of indifference contradicting their play.

Prost had become an autonomous city of the dead, and it would only be a matter of time before these harmless citizens would take up arms as the greatest army the world had ever seen.  No conflict, no dissent, and no humanity.

The entry gate of Prost came sooner than she expected, open and inviting.   But what do I tell the Bishop?   Everything is going as he suspected it would.  Yulos waited for her, just beyond the gate, glaring in the way only she could.

The Dark Magician Yulos always took Tillie’s breath away.   Her long silver hair, tickled the top of her shapely buttocks, which her coal black garments did little to hide.   She turned and walked into the nearby forest, beckoning Tillesia to follow.  She dangled a set of charred priestess vestments on one finger, making a show of dropping it to the ground a safe distance form Prost.

Tillesai glanced back the shadow imps and hurried out of the gate, running to meet her.  “You’re unharmed?”

“I can’t say the same about your rags,” Yulos said, grinding a heeled boot on the vestments.  “Your boyfriend destroyed them with a flaming stone.  Lucky for me he has bad aim.”

“If he wanted to hit you he would have.”  Tillesia wrapped her arms around Yulos and squeezed.

“Your armor is making this no fun.” Yulos said, rolling her eyes.

“My armor is necessary.”

“Yeah, yeah.”  Yulos slipped away from Tillesia, looking her over.  “You’re not covered in blood, but you lost all your followers?”

“They… defected.”

Yulos let out a guffaw.  “That’s rich.  Members of a Holy Order or not, the call of darkness is strong.  But my Tillesia remains stalwart, how like you.”

“You sound disappointed.”

“I am.   Perhaps if a bit more corruption seeped into you.  I could get you in one of these.” Yulos tugged at the strap of her channeling robes.   To all them ‘robes’ would be a stretch.   The garment left nothing to the imagination, showing more pale skin than covering it, and that took in consideration that her hands and arms up to the bicep were covered by soft black gloves.  Stitched velvet adorned with crow feathers and onyx contained her curvaceous form, leaving her in a perpetual risk of having a wardrobe malfunction.   Her greatest spell seemed to be her ability to keep from spilling out of it.  Yulos had softened somewhat since Tillesia last saw her, showing no sign of muscle without creeping into the realms of flabby.

“Keep dreaming.   If I took you back to the camp dressed like that, they’d set up a pyre.  You’ve grown lax, Yulos.  Some discipline would serve you well.”

“Only if you hold the whip, dear, and I don’t get special non witch burning privileges for being the Golden Lady’s bed warmer?”

She glanced away, frowning.  “Golden Queen now.”

Yulos’ eyes lit with mischief.   “Oh, ho?   They’re dumping this mess in your lap are they?   More reason you could march in there and demand I be treated with respect.   After all I am the only reason this plague—”

“That’s not true.   Finnrick is willing to cooperate with us.”

Yulos scowled.  “And his first act of peace was stealing away your honor guard.   You’re being naïve Tillesia.”

“My soldiers, my drummer even, were lured by promises of peace.   I think Finnrick has a firm hold on his powers.    He wanted you to go to his side.”

Yulos’ smiled returned, sly and twisted.  “Can you blame the boy?  I am quite the catch.  The answer is no of course, I’m not into men.   You’re the only one for me Tillesia.”

Tillesia blushed, struggling to contain her wandering eyes.  “I didn’t mean like that.”   He wants you to help him control the corruption of shadow.”

“He tried to kill me,” Yulos said.  “Not to mention he dispelled my containment spell at the same time.”

“He didn’t try to kill you.   He wants you to work with him, not against him.”

“My answer is no.”

“I figured as much.”

“You sound disappointed.” Yulos said, drawing closer.   She slid her slender fingers across her armored abdomen.   “Why don’t we work out a plan in a more relaxed position?”

Tillesia pushed her away gently.  “We don’t have time.  If you don’t want to work with Fennrick we will work with the Bishop.   We’ll organize a decisive strike as soon as we have the personnel.”

Yulos rolled her eyes.  “You’re no fun.  How about I march in there, kill the boy, and take the power for myself?   I always wanted a city full of thralls.”

Tillesia narrowed her eyes.

“I’m kidding— the thrall part, I mean.  We dress you up in something sexy, or even just that little number you wore when you were with him before.   Get his blood boiling, then I’ll rip—”

“No,” Tillesia said.  “The power will go to your head and then I’ll have to kill you next.   My heart couldn’t bear it.  Please, Yulos.   Let’s do a real compromise.   Speak with Finnrick, see what he wants from you.”

“I told you, I don’t like boys.”

“Damn it all, I want you to find a middle ground not bed him.”

“Jealous?” Yulos smirked.  “I may do so just to get a rise out of you.   You make love best when you’re angry.”

Tillesia stormed over to her, grabbed her by the shoulders, and kissed her.  Yulos didn’t resist, letting Tillesia’s strong hands pull her close, and deepened the embrace.

Tillesia pulled away breathless and frustrated.   “Of course I’m jealous.  How could you not be angry over my time with him?”

“See that’s where you and I differ.   I don’t see Finnrick as a threat.   Why would you settle for a boy like him when you have me?”

“We don’t have time for this,” Tillesia said.

Yulos started the task of unbuckling Tillesia’s armor. “You’re the Golden Queen.  Make time.”

“We’ll just make up time afterwards by running to the camp.  Understood?”

Yulos chuckled.  “Me?   Run?   Fat chance, you will carry me.”

“That can be arranged.”  Tillesia’s armor fell away and the two lovers made up for lost time.