Eyes, burning, fiery eyes, watched me from the darkness. I floated before them in the cold blackness of the void, naked and exposed. The eyes bore a hole into my soul. I could feel their judgement, Solaris’s judgement. I had sinned. I had forsaken my oaths and my training. The eyes knew. They had seen everything, my yearning, my temptation, my surrender. 

I floated closer to them, as if drawn in by an invisible, inexorable force. As the blazing gaze drew closer, sweat began to bead across my exposed skin. The cold of the abyss gave way, first to a gentle warmth and then to a stifling inferno. The heat clawed at me, suffocating me like the guilt I carried for my choices. The fire consumed my  vision then, as blinding as the sun. I couldn’t see. I couldn’t breathe. I could only feel the fire burning, burning everything, burning me.

 As the flames engulfed me, I returned to nothing. 

Then I woke up, shooting from my cot with a breathless scream. I saw no vision of divine judgement, merely the first rays of the morning sun. Mas . . . Errol, remained asleep. Liana, however, was already awake and packing up our camp. She turned towards me. “Holy knight, you startled me. Are you alright?”  

“I asked you not to call me that.” Anger blazed behind my voice. But seeing the fear in her eyes, I caught myself and took a breath, trying to shake the nightmare from my mind. “I’m only Mira now. Any holiness I carried burned away back in that accursed cave. Please just call me Mira.”

She considered for a moment and then crouched down beside me. “Ok, Mira. Are you alright?”

The concern in her voice touched me. I nearly broke down and cried, almost vented everything I had felt over the last few days. But instead, I just said “It was simply a nightmare. That was all. I’m quite alright.” 

She smiled at that. “Good. Master depends on you, you know.” 

The relief evaporated. She only cared about me because of Errol, of course. No one actually cared about me. I cast my eyes to the earth. “Yes, I’ll be quite up to whatever inane tasks our Master has slated for the day.”

The hand on my shoulder caught me by surprise. She looked at me with genuine warmth. “I’m glad you’re ok, and it's not just because of Master.”

“You don’t mean that.” 

“Sure I do.” She leaned in so close, I could feel her breath tickle my ear. “I may belong to Master, but I didn’t forget how you made me feel. I could never.” She laid a tender kiss on my cheek. Her lips felt soft and warm. 

My eyes widened in shock and I raised my hand, gently caressing my own face. I had never been kissed before, not even on the cheek. “I . . . I thought you might hate me,” I stammered. 

She laughed a sweet, lyrical laugh. “Because of the rabbits?” I was angry about that, but Master said it was ok. So no sweat.” 

“No, not because of the shadowing rabbits,” I muttered, looking away. “Because I failed you. I had a duty to save you and I let you down.”

When I finally worked up the courage to look in her direction again, I saw a lopsided grin. “You know, I’ve cum more in the last two days than I have in my whole life.”

I started, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Just, I’m happy. That’s all,” she said, cheerily. 

I groaned. “But you’re not really happy. You’ve been brainwashed. Can’t you see that your desires have been twisted by Errol’s magic?”

Liana answered with a shrug. “Maybe so, but I don’t see how it matters. I feel what I feel.”

I balked at the maddening simplicity of her logic. “But . . . But . . .” 

The gentle touch on my breast derailed my already fragmented thoughts. “That feels good right?”

“Um . . .well . . . yes.” I flinched at the unexpected intimacy, although I didn’t move away. 

“And I’m making you feel good. Is that wrong? Are your feelings less real because I’m making you feel them?” She easily found my nipple as it strained against my linen undershirt. 

“I . . . I . . . Suppose not.” I bit my lip, trying to contain a mewl of pleasure. I could still see the burning suns of judgement in the back of my mind, but with every affectionate stroke of the barmaid’s fingers, they receded further into the distance. 

Liana traced a single finger down the line of my stomach, tantalizingly slowly. “Do you want it to stop?” 

I knew I should say ‘yes’. I should refuse her sinful advances, but the part of me that had looked enviously on Liana writhing in pleasure would never allow that. Maybe it wasn’t the mind-bending pleasure Errol had unleashed upon this poor girl, but midnight if her hands didn’t feel wonderful. “Don’t stop.”

She slid her hand effortlessly under the blanket and began to rub my womanhood over my undergarments. “Yes, Mira,” came her dutiful response. 

Her words sent a wave of pleasure through me. My breath hitched in my chest. No one had ever touched me like this before. I had always imagined some valiant knight being the first to do so, but as I stared into the crystal blue of Liana’s eyes, I couldn’t picture anything better than her touch. Already my fears of divine retribution were evaporating like morning mist and being replaced by a warm dew of arousal. “Mmmmm,” I whimpered. 

Liana whispered conspiratorially in my ear. “You think any part of me would rather bring assholes their drinks, when I can feel like this all the time? I have a purpose now, Mira, and my purpose is pleasure.”

Pleasure was her purpose. Maybe it could be mine too. Without my oaths, I had nothing to bind me, nothing to guide me. I could be like her, happy and horny, eager to please and oh sunbeams, I needed more. “Liana, go underneath . . . please,”

“Yes, Mira.” Without a second's hesitation, she dove beneath my simple undergarments and found her way to my entrance, before tracing lazy circles around it. She settled onto my clit, gently teasing me. I squirmed on the ground. “I love it when you tell me what to do.”

“Go inside,” I blurted out before I could even consider my words. She obeyed instantly, sliding effortlessly between my folds. 

Watching her comply was doing something to me, far beyond the pleasures of the flesh. Something deep and primal within me longed to command her. Her obedience felt right. 

In my nightmares, the fire had come from without, burning me for my betrayal, but Liana’s tender touch stoked a different kind of fire. This one welled up from deep within me, filling every fiber of my being as I clenched around her. Every thrust of her fingers was more kindling for the blaze within me. I felt it longing to break free, surging beyond what my mortal shell could hold. “Liana, I feel . . . I feel strange.” 

Her smile grew, stretching across her face, like the morning sun sweeping across the horizon. “You’re getting close. I can feel your body tensing. Don’t fight it, just let go. Cum for me.”

This time I was the one obeyed. The heat poured out of me. I couldn’t help but remember Liana’s expression of tortured ecstasy as I bucked against her hand. Did I look like that now? The primal part of me tried to scream, but I squeezed my lips together to muffle the sound. The result was a series of wailing whimpers that only delighted the serving girl more. 

As my breathing slowed to ragged gasps, Liana withdrew her heavenly fingers. “Think of that as a little thank you for what you did for me at the cave,” she said, before sucking her fingers clean. 

I stared transfixed as her lips wrapped themselves around the glistening digits. I had failed completely at my mission. I had abandoned everything I knew and broken the girl I’d been sent to save, and here she was thanking me, in such a spectacular fashion no less. I really didn’t understand anything. However, one thing was certain: this morning’s nightmare had faded to a hazy recollection, and the burning orbs of judgement had been replaced in my imagination by two soothing pools of blue. 

“Now, I’m going to go wake Master. Get yourself cleaned up,” she said cheerfully before hopping to her feet.  

“Yes, Liana,” I answered automatically. I used some of our water to wash away the evidence of my indulgence, before putting on my armor. I had never packed up a camp with so much joy before. My heavy plate felt as light as the finest silks. 

The afterglow stayed with me even as we traveled. We walked on as the underbrush yielded to the worn dirt of the  familiar road to Strathmore. We followed the path until the sun reached its zenith, when we approached a roadside tavern.

Finally, we had reached civilization–well, if a pub by the side of the road constituted civilization. The humble structure emerged from the trees like a curious animal, hunched forward to examine the human travelers. Its wooden construction conveyed a homely charm. A faded sign announced the building as, “The Speckled Hen Inn and Tavern.”

Liana, studied the sign with a nostalgic smile. This had been her home until a few days ago after all. 

Errol clapped his hands together. “It’s finally show time, girls. I expect a good performance from you both.”

“You know you can count on me, Master,” Liana said, gleefully. 

I simply said, “Yes, Master.” I was still riding high from my morning activities. Not even Errol’s condescending attitude could bring me down after that. “So, what exactly are we doing here, Master?” 

He cocked his head to the side. “Isn’t it obvious? We’re returning Liana.” 

“What?” two voices cried out in unison. 

He seemed honestly surprised at our surprise. “You can’t be serious,” I said. “You went through all this to enslave her, and now you’re going to throw her back, like some fish you plucked from a stream for sport?” Anger welled in my chest. 

Errol glanced between me and the barmaid. “I wasn’t aware you’d become so attached to her.”

“I . . . it’s just,” I stammered. I couldn’t exactly tell him the truth. “It seems like a waste is all, um . . Master.” A waste of her talented fingers, and her beautiful voice, and her calming eyes. 

Liana for her part said nothing. She just stared at the ground.

“Calm down. I do this all the time. I have women like her scattered across Elysia, seemingly normal, but living and breathing only to serve me. I visit them when I pass through.”

I raged in silence. He had shattered this girl’s sense of self and rebuilt it in a temple to his whims. And he would just send her back to her old life, waiting in the hopes that he should happen to travel through this part of Elysia again. If Liana were my slave, I would never let her go. The thought leapt unbidden to my mind. 

“If that’s what you want, I’ll obey,” she said in the smallest, meekest voice I had heard from her. 

Errol placed a finger under Liana’s chin and brought her gaze to meet his. “Don’t look so sad, my pet. This is a very important job.”

“It is?”

“Yes. For my newly devised plan to succeed, people need to believe that Mira vanquished me. That story isn’t very believable if you’re following me around. So you have to act like she defeated me. I’m trusting you.”

“I’ll do my best!” she answered, a few fledgling traces of joy returning to her cadence. That little speech did all of nothing for my spirits, however. 

“That goes for you too, Mira. As soon as we step inside, you’re the conquering hero and I’m your helpless captive. You have to sell it,” he said, staring me down. 

What was I supposed to say to that? Wasn’t it punishment enough to become his slave? Now I had to act like I had won and say goodbye to Liana? I didn’t know if I could do either, but still I just mumbled, “I understand.” 

He clapped me on the back. “There’s that renowned confidence of the Knights of The Dawn Brigner. Maybe take it up a few notches, huh?” 

“Yes, Master,” I practically hissed.

“Exactly like that! Really act like you can’t stand me.”

“I think I can manage that.” With that, I rummaged in my bag until I found the manacles I’d originally brought to restrain Errol. Holding them only reminded me of my failure, but I clasped them around his wrists all the same. The braggart made a great show of demonstrating that he could unlock them magically whenever he chose.

Typical. 

Then I led the two of them to the door, dragging Errol by a chain attached to his wrists. At least I got to do that. 

The air smelled of stale booze and unwashed men. Low timber beams ran across the space with rows of iron lanterns hanging below, like glowing metal fruits. The cramped, wooden tables huddled together, each providing a short respite for some group of weary travelers, many of whom turned to face us as we entered. Knights of The Dawn Bringer were hardly common in humble taverns, much less ones with a prisoner in toe. Their inquisitive stares probed and prodded at our little group. 

Behind me, Errol had adopted a cartoonish melancholy, hanging his head low and walking with a hunch. Liana did her utmost to appear cheerful, but I could see the sorrow hidden just behind that smile. For my part, I walked with my head high, trying desperately to suppress the voices calling me a hypocrite. 

“Liana, you’re back! Thank the Dawn Bringer,” a low voice shouted from behind the bar. A few moments later, a portly silhouette made its way towards us.

“I certainly am,” she replied, with forced cheer. 

I had only met Tarl briefly at the Abbey, but already his thinning hair and seemingly constant sheen of sweat were familiar to me. He took my hand and shook it vigorously. “Excellent work, Holy Knight. And this must be the scoundrel that stole my best worker away.” He turned to Errol and spat in his face.

Errol let out a weary sigh, never unbowing his head. “Indeed. I was no match for her. She’s remarkably skilled.” I was surprised. I had never expected him to just tolerate this kind of abuse, even as part of roleplay. 

“Please tell me everything. How did you defeat the mage? I want to hear every detail of how you punished him,” Tarl gloated. 

How I punished him? Solaris did have a bizarre sense of humor indeed. Strangely, I realized I was more furious at Errol for returning Liana than I had been at him for abducting her. Back then, rescuing her had just been a job, a duty. But after this morning, the thought of journeying on without her seemed cruel. 

Then it occurred to me: perhaps I could punish my Master right now. “Yes, of course, good sir. Naturally, I came across the brigand deep in his cups. With his impaired sensibilities, he was ill equipped to counter my martial prowess. So, it was a simple matter to step within his guard.” I yanked the chain of his manacles, making him stumble towards me. 

“Then, I brought my steel boot down on his foot to keep him off balance.” I repeated my supposed stomp, crushing his foot for real. He let out a pained grunt. Tarl clapped, delighting in Errol’s suffering almost as much as I was. 

“While he was vulnerable, I delivered a mighty blow to his chest, like so.” I dug my gauntlet into his stomach. 

He released another pained gasp. From under his breath I heard him whisper, “Too much.”

I had been planning to elbow him in the back, but figured I’d pushed my luck far enough. So I settled for another pull on his chain. “In any case, you’ll have nothing to fear from this one again.”

Tarl chuckled. “I had my doubts when I paid the obscene bounty to that Matron of yours. But you’ve been worth the last farthing. Besides, this little beauty will earn it all back,” he said, gesturing toward Liana. 

Of course, Tarl only wanted her for money. Errol just saw her as a tool for his pleasure, to be discarded when he got bored. Was I the only one who cared about Liana for her own sake, for her calming eyes and her gentle touch? I realized I'd been lost in thought and everyone was waiting for me to speak. “Yes, well, she’s quite the charmer.”

“Indeed.” He turned to the blonde. “That reminds me, it’s about time you got back to work.” 

“A-already?” Liana stammered. 

“Of course. You’ve been gone for days. That’s quite the debt of hours you owe. I had to wait tables myself. Me, running about like some barmaid. Can you imagine that?” he said, with another hearty laugh.

“Yes, it’s hard to picture you working. I’m so sorry my abduction was inconvenient for you,” Liana said, with a thin veneer of friendliness. 

“It was dreadful. Do try to be more careful. Though you’ll have plenty of chances to make it up to me. You’re going to work double shifts till you earn back the time you lost, along with the fee for this little vixen,” Tarl said, pointing towards me. 

“I,” Liana said, looking pleadingly between myself and Errol. “Yes, of course, sir.” 

“Well, what are you standing around for? Get to it,” he barked, with a snap of his fingers. 

“Yes, sir,” she sighed. Those beautiful, blue eyes gave me one last look of kindness before she shuffled off towards the sea of tables. Tarl gave her ass a slap as she passed him. I had half a mind to cut that hand off, not that Oathbreaker would oblige that particular desire. 

I felt a tug on my hand and then followed the length of chain to see Errol pulling on his bindings. I hadn’t even noticed that my hand had moved to the hilt of my blade or how tightly I was gripping it. He gave a subtle shake of his head and I released the weapon.

“Yes, well, we must be off,” Errol interrupted. “After all, I’m a dangerous criminal who needs to be locked away. Can’t have me running around free.”

“Serves you right, cur! I hope you rot in a hole for what you did to my profits,” Tarl spat. 

There was that hand gripping Oathbreaker again. One good slice and I could make this greedy innkeeper dance to a different tune. But I restrained myself, barely. “Yes, my shortsighted captive is correct. We must be going.” With that, we turned to go. Liana’s eyes watching us was the last thing I saw as the wooden door swung closed. 

As soon as we were outside, I grabbed Errol’s arm and turned him to face me. “Midnight, Errol. We can’t leave her there. Tarl is an ass! She’ll be miserable.”

Errol’s manacles popped themselves free and fell to the ground. He immediately began rubbing his stomach. “She’ll be fine.”

“Fine? Fine? That’s all you have to say?” I growled. 

“Mira, if I let every girl I’ve enchanted over the years follow me around, we’d be traveling in a caravan right now. Liana was great for a few nights of fun, but ultimately she was just that. Besides, the real prize is you and the sisters of your order. How would you explain to them why she’s travelling with us instead of back home?”

 “I would-I would figure something out,” I said, confidence beginning to shake. 

He placed a hand on my shoulder. “Mira, I understand. I’ll always remember my first. I was awake for your little rendezvous this morning, but I didn’t want to spoil your fun. Gods know you needed to loosen up a bit.” 

“I . . . you . . . you heard that?” 

“Look, it's quite alright. I traffic in human desires and control, Mira. You can’t go around getting so attached to everyone we enthrall. You’ll run out of room in your heart, and you’ll just end up getting hurt.” His eyes took on a distant quality for a moment, before he returned to himself. “I promise, it’ll get easier. Apathy will protect you.”

My jaw flapped wordlessly. How could he tell me not to care? 

“Now, let’s get going. We also need to talk about your improvisation skills. I don’t recall telling you it was acceptable to punch me.” 

I took one step forward, but couldn’t shake the image of Liana’s face from my mind. “Can I at least say goodbye, Master?” I asked in a small voice. 

Errol rolled his eyes. “Fine, but be quick about it.” 

“Yes, Master!” I said over my shoulder as I dashed back inside.

Tarl was still standing near the door, leering at Liana while she worked. “Holy Knight, I didn’t expect you back. Came for a drink? I’ll give you a farthing off your first round as a thanks.” 

I thought quickly. “Afraid I can’t stay for merriment. I just need to . . . um . . . give poor Liana a blessing to protect her from future enchantments.” 

“Ah, I see. Well, be quick about it. She’s on the clock.”

I nodded and then darted over to Liana. While she started in confusion, I could see her brighten at seeing me. “I nearly forgot, I need to give you a blessing to protect you with the Goddess’s light. Please come with me.” I dragged her over to a secluded corner of the bar. She gave an apologetic wave to the patrons at the table and trotted after me. 

“Mira, what are you still doing here?” she whispered. 

“Let us pray together in Solaris’s name,” I announced loudly, hoping for everyone to overhear just that. I clasped both her delicate hands in mine and brought them up between us. Then my voice fell to a hushed tone. “The Abbey of Solaris is on the tallest hill to the North of the city of Strathmore. Come find us there.” 

Her eyes widened in shock. “But Master told me to stay here, and I live to obey him.”

“No, that’s not what you said this morning. You live to please him,” the last words caught in my throat but I forced them out, “and me too. Don’t you?” 

“I . . . yes . . . I suppose so,” she mumbled. 

Sunbeams, there was that thrilling heat again. Part of me wanted to shove her against the wall and make her repeat that she lived to please me over and over, but I kept my focus. “And you can’t please him or me if you’re stuck here.” 

“I guess not.” 

“So in truth, your duty is to follow us. You have to. You know Errol. He can be so obtuse. You have to disobey him in order to please him. Besides, you’d be obeying me, and pleasing me,” I leaned in to whisper in her ear, then gave her a kiss on the cheek. 

She hesitated for a moment, blinking slowly. “Ok. Ok, I’ll do it!”

My face broke out into a joyous grin. “And may you always walk in the Goddess’s light,” I finished at full volume. I gave her hands a quick squeeze before turning to leave. 

But as I did, a strangely familiar voice found its way to my ears. It came from a shadowed booth tucked into the corner. Although he had escaped my notice at first, I saw him now, the square face, the spikey hair, the scarf. He sat with a group of other men, playing cards strewn across the table. 

“You wouldn’t believe it, lads. Honest to Gods, a woman bested me and my men easily. Should have sprung for better mercenaries. She had a magical sword that could bend men to its will. Can you imagine what you’d do with something like that?”

He was talking about me, and he was so into his story and his cards he hadn’t noticed me. I should have just left. But I wanted to hear this. 

“I thought we were done for. She had me under her spell and everything.” 

I smiled to myself, remembering that triumphant feeling and waiting for his gratitude at my incredible mercy. 

“Lucky for me the girl was as gullible as she was pretty.”

What!? 

“I gave her the old sob story routine. Told her all about how I’d turned to a life of crime to feed my poor family, and she fell for it. Can you picture that? Me of all people with a family. But you should have seen the look on her face,” he finished, taking a swig of ale while his companions broke into laughter. 

Before I could think, my hand was on his shoulder. “Hello, Finnick.”