Lucent hastened to join her. In a moment the next siege was upon them, and it differed from the others, but Symbol had trouble defining it. She wasn't disgusted or fearful or angry or passionate. Instead she felt an enormous wonder and joy. It was like love, but without sexuality or jealousy or possessiveness.
Lucent gazed at the apex of the cone looming almost above them. “My Lord!” she cried, stretching out her arms toward it.
Then Symbol recognized the emotion. It was agape, the selfless love of a person for her god. That was harmless, she thought. So she gave herself up to it, letting the revelation infuse her being.
They walked together toward the cone, lost in admiration for the source of Translucent magic. There seemed to be a halo of light around it, radiating delight. All seemed lovely beyond description.
And they were out of it. The emotion faded. “Observation,” Symbol said. “The cone doesn't care whether we adore it. We are mere bugs to it."
Lucent nodded. “But what a feeling! Is that how it is with the priests of the Chroma temples?"
"I wouldn't know, but it seems reasonable. It was divine while it lasted. I never before felt so clean."
"Endorsement."
They were now on the cone itself. There was a scintillating cave in sight. They walked to it, and entered it. There were no further sieges; it seemed that the cone or its attendant demons did not care for such effects within its own substance. But the seeming scintillation of intense magic remained; there was awesome power here, regardless of agape.
There was a squat altar within a chamber of the cave. It had eighteen buttons on the top. Symbol took hold of a button, and found it was a handle for a lid. She lifted the lid and found a small chamber beneath. It looked and felt empty. She tried the second, and the third. Empty. In the tenth she found a small translucent statuette of a fish. She considered putting it in a pocket, but wanted to be sure not to lose it, so she put it in her mouth. That was the standard way to carry a small but vital object.
"I have it,” she reported.
"What is it? I mean, what is it for?"
"I have no idea. Maybe it's an amulet of some sort. One of seven ikons Havoc needs to accomplish his purpose."
"Then it must be time to return."
"Time to return,” Symbol agreed. She dreaded parts of the trip she would have to make alone, but looked forward to delivering the ikon to Havoc. He would be pleased, and she wanted to please him. She could not marry him, but at least she could love him, and bring him this bit of satisfaction. That was almost the whole of her reason for existence, now.
"I will go with you,” Lucent said.
"But your home is here,” Symbol protested, surprised.
"Not any more, I think. Folk may not catch on to my part in my ex-husband's dismay, but even so, why should I remain? I can readily enough find work elsewhere."
"Surely so,” Symbol said. “But you have more than done your part in our association. I would not have you inconvenience yourself for me."
"I do it for myself, and for friendship.” She paused. “Truth: are we now friends?"
"We are friends,” Symbol agreed. “We started as no fault companions, but too much has occurred to leave that indifference viable."
"Agreement. Besides, you surely have other illusion shows I would like to see."
"I do,” Symbol agreed, relieved. She would not after all have to travel home alone. And she did like Lucent, who had proved to be a far more competent companion than expected.
Chapter 5—Dancer
Havoc and Stevia arrived back at Triumph City on schedule, their mission successful. But they were not completely satisfied. The blue merfolk had so thoroughly exhausted them sexually that they had not touched each other in the return trip. Not even to Flirt, to Peek, or to Kiss. They had agreed to become sexual, but had not made the slightest gesture thereof. Only on the last day were they beginning to recover faint sexual interest—too late.
"I had in mind doing you,” Stevia said candidly. “Especially considering your handsome nature and your royal position. I feel you owe me some sleepless nights."
"Agreement. You traveled well no fault, on little notice, and became intriguing. I will have another item to fetch; will you travel with me again?"
"I would like to, but am worn down. I want to retire for several days, seeing no one. I believe you will have a third mission soon; can we make it that one?"
"Agreement.” Havoc wouldn't have minded resting a few days himself, but he was on the Red Glamor's mission, and had to stay on it until all the ikons had been fetched. He wished he knew the purpose of the ikons, but could not doubt the validity of the mission.
They separated once they were in the city proper, and Havoc went up to the palace. There was his oath friend and secretary Ennui, flinging herself into his embrace at the palace entrance. “I felt you coming, Havoc!” she exclaimed. “I missed you."
"I never thought of you,” he said honestly. “But now I realize I missed you too. You keep me in order.” Their acquaintance had been chance, their oath convenience, but now he needed her in his life. “What of Throe?"
"He hasn't returned. You are the first one back. How was it?"
"First time in my life I had more sex than I wanted."
She laughed. “With Throe, it's the first time in my life I really wanted any of that."
"Love does that,” he agreed. “I just want to rest and clear my mind until the others return. Is there anything else that demands my attention first?"
"Havoc, you weren't even missed. Berm and Spanky have things under control. The bureaucracy pretty much runs itself. Meanwhile the Lady Aspect has a private bath and bed set up for you."
"Lead me to her.” Havoc did not want to take over from the couple emulating him and Gale; it would be easier to complete the missions before resuming his role as king.
The Lady Aspect appeared. “Havoc! May I?” Seeing his acquiescence, she approached and kissed him on the mouth. She was not in love with him, but she cared for him somewhat in the manner of a mother for a son. Then she led him to her own suite, and to a fine hot bath there.
"What, no bath girls?” he asked in mock surprise.
"They must tend to the emulation king. I will tend you myself.” She began to remove his clothing.
"Lady, this is beneath you,” he protested. “I did not make you a bath girl. You are the former queen, and widow of King Deal."
She shook her head. “Today all that I am is by your courtesy. Bijou will join you in bed when she gets free. Meanwhile, let me help you in the way I am able."
He yielded. “If this is your true desire."
"Confirmation, Havoc.” She stripped him, let him get into the bath, then took a cloth and washed him as he soaked. His nakedness had no meaning for her. Her touch was careful and competent. “When my husband died, I thought I would disappear into my grief. The idea of a barbarian stripling assuming his place as king annoyed me. But you, Havoc, are something else, and not just because you treated me courteously and generously. You could have banished me, or made a mistress of me, or a bath girl or garbage woman; instead you granted me continuing status. It is hard for me to convey to you my gratitude for that. But it is more. In my fashion, I cherish you."
"I feel that feeling, and value it. Lady, I trust you."
"You may do so with safety. I will never betray your interest. But it is still more than that. You are much like Deal."
"I am another changeling,” he said. “It seems we have a strong family resemblance."
"You do, and so do the changeling women. Gale could readily emulate Symbol, if she chose. It is more than appearance; all of you have similar powers of intellect and conscience, though Symbol curbed hers. She is nevertheless a remarkable woman."
"I never have quite gotten used to the idea of you being friends with your husband's mistress."
"You are from the village culture. This is the royal culture. I was born understanding it, though I was not royal
as a child."
"And you are my guide to it. Enlisting your service was one of my smarter moves."
"And you are very smart,” she agreed.
"It is just common sense to seek the advice of knowledgeable people."
"Kings are seldom known for common sense.” She inspected his body. “You're clean; get up."
He stood, and she toweled him off, then put him into a nightrobe. “I will bring you some food."
"If you eat with me, Lady."
She smiled. “You probably don't appreciate how naively endearing that is."
"Lady, I like your company. I feel socially safe.” Just as he felt personally safe with Ennui. Lady Aspect made sure he never seriously violated royal etiquette unless he intended to, and Ennui saw that he never ruffled the feelings of subordinates unless he meant to. As a recent village boy he needed both types of guidance.
She caught his hand and squeezed it. This gesture, for her, had more meaning than the full sexual act had for some. Then she brought him to a table and served him a small wholesome meal, the kind a mother encouraged a child to eat. She did eat with him, demonstrating the nuances of court dining etiquette. He emulated her, zeroing in on them, in this manner refining his minor graces. What he had said was true: she made him feel apt without embarrassing him. He really was a barbarian when it came to manners, but he was learning.
Bijou arrived. “Havoc!” she cried, flinging herself onto his lap and kissing him. She was barely seventeen, with brown curly hair and very fine features and form. She had emulated Gale, when Gale needed to go on a secret mission, and they had traveled no fault. He liked her very well.
"I think it is time for bed,” the Lady Aspect remarked. “Brush your teeth first.” She stood and cleared the table, warning Bijou off with the merest glance. Ordinarily a bath girl would never stand aside while a Lady did household chores, but they had other roles to play.
Havoc did brush his teeth. The directive had been less for his health than to ensure that he was fully appealing for a mistress, another civilized nuance. Soon he found himself naked in bed with Bijou. “How do you want me?” she asked eagerly.
"I wish I had the Lady Aspect's gift of expression."
"Straight-out barbarian will do."
"I had to have the help of a blue mermaid, a guirl. She—"
"Oh, no! You're not yet recovered."
"Not quite yet,” he agreed.
"I understand it's like rape. It takes time to be able to face sex again."
"It takes time,” he agreed. “I think in two or three more days—"
"You'll be gone again tomorrow."
"Agreement."
"So I can't have you, this time."
"Bijou, I like you, and want you to be satisfied. I will make the effort if you wish."
"Confession: it is not mere sex that attracts me to you, Havoc. I can take it or leave it. It's the closeness. Is it all right if I—"
"Granted."
She rolled onto him, spreading her bare body the length of his. She kissed him passionately. She moved against him, and set his hands on key portions of her flesh. “I love you, Havoc,” she whispered into his ear.
"If I were not committed elsewhere—"
"I know, I know. And I'd marry you in an instant, and not because you are King. But it is not to be. Now I will let you sleep."
"Talk to me instead."
"Gladly!” She shifted position, lying beside him and drawing his head into her resilient bosom. “Tell me all about your trip. Is it true you traveled with a Gray Chroma woman?"
"Stevia.” He went on to tell her all about the trip. It relaxed him to tell someone. But before he finished, he fell asleep, lulled by her steady heartbeat.
He woke to find his face still cushioned by her bare breasts, her arms holding his head there. He was about to protest that this could not be comfortable for her, but lapsed back into sleep before getting the words out. It was her business to ensure his comfort in bed, and she would have been hurt if he had not allowed her to do that.
In the morning he knew she was asleep, for his head had slid off her bosom and not been replaced. He considered a moment, then carefully put his head back against her breasts, and stirred as if waking. She woke, not realizing that she had ever let him loose. That was the kind of spot courtesy Ennui had taught him. It had certainly been a pleasant pillow.
The Lady Aspect appeared. “Gale has returned."
Havoc almost leaped out of the bed. The Lady Aspect held out a robe for him to step into, otherwise ignoring his nakedness. “Patience, Havoc! There is something you should know. Bijou will get you groomed while I explain."
While Bijou, still naked, washed his face, combed his hair and straightened out his details, the Lady Aspect explained: “Gale traveled no fault with a husky but shy cartographer named Dour. She educated him sexually. Then he learned who she is. That appalled him. She had posed as a village girl. So it may be awkward when you meet him."
"She brought him here?"
"It seems that her dragon seed guided her to do that. In addition, she traveled with a baby caravan, and made a no fault baby adoption. A magic amulet enabled her to nurse it. Such temporary bonding is meaningful to a woman, and no more forgotten than is a brief sexual conquest for a man, despite the no fault rule. So if she mentions this, you must take it in stride.” She paused, delivering a firm glance. “In no event should you condemn or belittle this. Ignorant male sympathy is in order."
Havoc realized that Gale had had experiences equivalent to his own, that would have left their marks on her. “How should I handle this encounter with the cartographer?"
"Formally. Keep Bijou by your side, garbed for sexual appeal. Evince no jealousy of the cartographer; he feels awkward enough as it is. Make no unkind remarks about babies; he helped her care for it."
"I wish I could just take Gale home to Trifle Village and marry her."
"She wishes the same. But you know you can not. So take advantage of the situation to keep your distance from each other."
Havoc was caught unaware by emotion. “Expletive! Frustration! Desperation!"
Then the Lady was holding him comfortingly, while Bijou stood helplessly aside, then went to dress herself. “Understanding, dear.” That was literal; she understood his situation and feelings, and did not condemn either. She would not gossip about his weakness, either. After a moment she wiped away his angry tears. “It was never destined to be easy, being king."
"Resignation,” he agreed grimly.
Bijou rejoined them, dressed like a courtesan, showing much breast. It was no effort for her to appear as his mistress; she loved both the appearance and the reality.
Ennui appeared. “I see the Lady has prepared you for the meeting. Go to the second interview chamber."
"I envy the Lady,” Bijou murmured as they went to the meeting chamber. “She can comfort you in a way I can't."
"I need both kinds,” he said, pausing to kiss her.
She melted. “Oh, Havoc!"
They met Gale and Cartographer Dour as if they were so many formal acquaintances. But before they could feel really awkward, Symbol arrived with an Amazon woman in tow. That broke it up into separate introductions and explanations.
"Lucent decided not to remain in her zone,” Symbol said. “I told her there might be something here for her. The truth is, I didn't want to pass through wasp territory alone."
"Wasp?” Gale asked.
"An insectoid predator,” the cartographer explained. “Normally it preys on animals, but on occasion it fixes on a human being. This is extremely ugly."
"You know about it!” the Amazon said.
"Affirmation. I would not care to travel alone in such a situation."
As Havoc heard about the wasp, he had to agree. He realized that there were horrors in Charm he had not yet dreamed of.
Then Throe arrived, with three invisible Air Chroma women. Ennui greeted him passionately, then eyed the heavily clothed trio. At le
ast two of them were quite shapely under their wrappings. “No fault?” she inquired with a bit of an edge.
Throe looked embarrassed. “It's complicated to explain."
"I suspect it is."
"You must be Ennui,” one of the three said. “The woman Throe loves. You're so lucky!"
That alleviated the tension somewhat. “He's a great lover,” another said, and the other two nodded. That brought it back.
The third looked at Gale. “She looks like Ino,” she murmured. “A changeling."
"Who is Ino?” Gale asked sharply.
"Our little sister, courtesy of the Temple. She got our man."
There did indeed seem to be more of a story there. But this was not the time for it. Havoc got down to business. “All missions were successful?"
In a moment he had a red statuette of a nude woman, an invisible millipede, and a translucent fish to add to his blue insect. Four down; three to go. It might make sense to send three parties out for them, but he had picked up enough of the complications already suffered to conclude that it would be safer to double up for the rest. “We'll go after two more now, as the Red Glamor directed,” he said. “Then we'll see about the last. We can dispense with traveling companions from outside, if we do it from this group. Who wants to travel with me?"
"I do,” Gale said.
"And we'd never come back here.” She nodded, as desperate for him as he was for her. “You'd better go with Symbol."
"Denial!” Symbol said. “Send me with a man this time."
"But you can't go with Throe, because—"
"So I'll go with you."
Gale, surprisingly, nodded. “I'll go with Throe. I won't run off with him.” There was a ripple of somewhat strained laughter.
Havoc glanced at Gale. She knew as well as he did that the question of no fault would come up, and Symbol loved him. If she was barred from traveling with Throe, because they had been sexual before he committed to Ennui, then what of this? Then he realized that Gale was deliberately letting Symbol have at him, while she protected Throe from further Invisible depredations. She was doing it as a favor to Ennui.
"Ennui, see to the welfare of our visitors,” Havoc said. “Symbol, draw coordinates. Throe, draw. We'll meet here again in another week. Swale will check the parties, as before, in case we need to coordinate."