Author's Note: Ok, here it is, ladies and gentlemen...my second attempt at writing fiction. I don't feel that this story contains the same emotional depth of my previous story, but of course we are all our own worst critics, yes? It is significant to me as it is my first attempt at a completely original work. I guess I will rely on my readers to give me feed back on what they think. I don't plan to be a prolithic writer as my muse is fickle. I am, however, ambitious enough to hope that when I do manage to complete a story, readers will say, "Oh goodie! Another Lisa Grey story." If you have any constructive criticisms, please let me know. If you liked it and want to tell me, then by all means, let me know. =)

Lisa (LisaGreyTG@aol.com)

Informational: This story contains harsh language and scenes of a frank sexual nature and is not suitable for younger readers. Also if you are offended by Transgendered, Gay, and Lesbian themes, please be gone...this is not the story for you (unless your morbid curiosity gets the better of you (*giggle*), but consider yourself warned).

 

Gemstone Guardians - Book 1

Beautiful Justice

by Lisa Grey

 

Part 1: The High Master

O++++{{=========> Chapter 1

Keelor walked through the idyllic wilderness, grief stricken. He had just left the village were he had grown up. It was decimated. The survivors had told of a new warlord of immense power that had come and laid waste to many of the villages in the surrounding area. He absently adjusted the hilt of his great bastard sword slung across his back, as if willing the evil warlord to appear before him that Keelor might cleave him limb from limb.

Keelor thought back to when last he had seen his homeland. He was but a lad, wide-eyed and innocent in the ways of the world. He had left his best friends, Anderpaul and Tesalynn to find his self in the world. He had invited his friends to accompany him, as they had had many great adventures in their youth, but the two had grown quite fond of each other and told him they were to be vow-tied in the spring. They wanted to settle down and make a family, not something that lends itself to the traveling life. They had persuaded Keelor to stay until after the ceremony.

Out in the world, Keelor had made a name for himself as a warrior. He had trained with many of the great masters, and had even learned to harness his energy, allowing him to perform seemingly superhuman feats. He was battle hardened and knew that few people could best him in combat. For all his strength, he was still kind hearted and just. If he had one fault, it was his confidence. It often crossed the line in to arrogance. He was in short a true hero.

His grief was compounded by the tale he had heard when he had asked of his friends left behind some ten cycles ago. He had been told about how when Anderpaul was out on the village supply run as a protector, ruffians had invaded the village. They had taken Tesalynn and killed their two children. They beat and raped Tesalynn, leaving her to die in the mud as they threw her into the street. The townsfolk had stood by paralyzed with fear and had done nothing.

When Anderpaul returned, he went insane with grief and rage. He had cursed them all and left the village and had not been heard from in five cycles.

Keelor visited the grave of Tesalynn and her children. He touched the sapphire power crystal that hung about his neck from a silver chain. It was a gift from her to him upon his leave taking. His other hand strayed to the dagger that Anderpaul had given him. He grieved for his friends and thought if he had only been here he could have prevented this.

So it was with righteous fury he set out to find this warlord. The man would feel the blade of justice, Keelor vowed.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 2

Keelor was aware of them for quite some time. He had heard them approach though they thought they were being stealthy. They had sat and watched as he had eaten his meal and stretched out his six-foot heavily-muscled frame on his bed roll and began to sleep, or so they thought.

They had crept up on him, eyeing his belongings hungrily. There were three of them. One had drawn a dagger and began to move it toward Keelor's neck.

As he did so, his intended victim seemed to blur and disappear. At the same moment there was a crack and one of his companions fell to the ground lifeless, his head twisted around facing backwards. The other let out a gurgling noise as he clutched his throat, trying in vain to stem the lifeblood that suddenly began to pour from it.

"By the gods, another one like the Commander," the remaining brigand said.

Keelor paused, seeming to materialize in front of the brigand, the tip of the huge bastard sword resting at the top of his breastbone.

"Speak quickly and you may yet live," Keelor growled. "Who is this other like me? This Commander of which you speak?"

"Please, Mi'lord, spare me. Not much is known of the Commander. He showed up in our camp a fortnight ago. Just waltzed in and challenged our leader for control of the band. He was dressed in a hooded cloak, and we could discern not a feature of him. He defeated our leader without even seeming to move. Just sort of blurred and disappeared only to reappear a moment later in the same spot as our leader fell dead from an unseen cut so deep it nearly severed his head," the brigand said with a shuddering glance at his fallen comrade who had met a very similar end.

"Where can I find this Commander," Keelor demanded.

"Mi'lord, you follow the path about two leagues, until it forks. You take the left fork for about another three leagues. There you'll see the palisades of the Commander's camp."

"Very well, Ruffian. You've been cooperative, but I can't very well let you loose while I must sleep. Can I," Keelor asked. The man grew visibly terrified at Keelor's words and began to tremble.

"Peace man. I won't kill you but I must bind you until morning."

Keelor suited actions to words, and soon the brigand was trussed firmly to a tree. Knowing the cutthroat was secure, Keelor settled in for some rest. Tomorrow he would meet this Commander character, and justice would be at hand.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 3

Keelor awoke and made preparations to break camp. He then cut the brigand free and warned him that if he should ever cross Keelor's path again, it would not go well for him. The brigand ran like a scared rabbit.

The High Master warrior then set off. He had some distance to travel and he was quite eager to administer some justice to this evil one calling himself the Commander. The scum would pay for what he had done to the villages.

As Keelor approached the fork in the path the brigand had spoke of, he noticed a hooded figure in a dove grey cloak leaning on a plain wooden staff at the apex of the fork. The figure shifted as the warrior approached addressing Keelor.

"Ho, Keelor. What are you about? You wouldn't be looking for the Commander would you?"

Keelor was a bit taken aback at this greeting. "Who are you that knows my name and what business is it of yours what I am about."

The figure took down the hood, revealing an old man with close-cropped grey hair and a mustache. He peered at Keelor with piercing green eyes that looked far too young in such a weathered face. Keelor's own slate grey eyes peered right back at the old man with an equal intensity from under his own mane of sandy brown hair.

"I am the wizard Ashrod," the old man said. "It has been given to me the knowledge that you are the only one that can stop the evil one you seek. However, you are not yet ready for what you will face if you continue."

Keelor chuckled. "With respect to you and your art, old one, I am ready to face whatever lies before me."

"Indeed, you're one of the most skilled warriors in the land, but the evil one is, if not your very equal, your better," Ashrod said. "I see, however, that you won't be dissuaded from this course. You're very stubborn, Keelor. It'll serve you well...if it doesn't kill you first."

Keelor smiled at the mage. "You're correct, Ashrod. I will not be dissuaded. How can I stand by and allow these atrocities to continue? I must be going. I cannot tarry any longer. Well met, my friend."

"Well met, Keelor. Good fortune to you. You'll need it," the mage said cryptically.

The sun was high in the clear azure sky when Keelor approached the palisades of the Commanders encampment. The crisp autumn air had given way to the smell of wood smoke and the stench of decay and human refuse. Keelor could sense the evil emanating from the encampment. It was almost palpable. He had seen many such places in his life as a warrior.

Keelor made his way to the gate where he was promptly challenged by the guard.

"Hold traveler! You have no business here. Be gone or die," the guard said.

"I seek the Commander," Keelor stated.

"Ah. Then you are the one. We were told a warrior would be coming to see the Commander today. Very well. Go to the cabin in the center of the camp and meet your fate," the guard said, grinning a predatory grin.

Keelor wondered just how this Commander knew of his coming. The brigand he turned loose could not possibly have beaten him here. He would have heard the man's rough passage, and he had run the opposite direction. He shrugged this off. It was of no consequence. Justice was at hand. Keelor proceeded to the Commander's cabin, noticing as he did the men begin to follow him. Apparently expecting a show.

Keelor entered the courtyard of the cabin as a large crowd gathered, cutting off any retreat. That was fine. Keelor did not intend to retreat, though he could have cut through the men like a scythe through grass had he wanted. He spied a dark cloaked figure conversing with a group of men at the far end of the courtyard. The figure looked up as Keelor strode toward them. Turning toward Keelor the figure made a sweeping motion with a gloved hand, and the group around him dispersed.

"Ah Keelor. You have come at last," the man said in a strangely familiar gravelly voice. Keelor couldn't quite place where he had heard it before.

"I see you don't recognize me old friend. Perhaps this will help," The cloaked man took down his hood.

"Anderpaul," Keelor gasped. "Surely you're not the one responsible for all this mayhem committed in our land."

"I am indeed," Anderpaul confirmed. "I am the Commander you seek."

"Why, old friend? Why have you done this," Keelor asked, in shock.

"Because I can," Anderpaul stated simply. "Because I'll take from those cowardly fools what they have allowed to be taken from me. They will pay for their affronts."

"You're mad. Stop this. I beseech you. Don't let this travesty continue," Keelor pleaded with his friend.

"And if I don't," Anderpaul asked with an arched eyebrow.

"Then I must stop you. Justice will be served," Keelor stated simply, his demeanor hardening.

"So be it," Anderpaul said, doffing his cloak.

Keelor tossed his pack off to the side. He removed his sword and coat tossing the coat on the pack and drawing his bastard sword from its scabbard before depositing the scabbard on the coat and pack.

The two warriors squared off against one another, one with white hair, cruel midnight blue eyes and wearing dark scale armor, the other with sandy brown hair and intense slate grey eyes wearing bright chain mail armor. The dark warrior had produced a huge battle-axe seemingly of the air.

"Last chance, Keelor. Leave this place and don't return," Anderpaul offered.

"I can't. I must not allow this to continue," Keelor rejected.

With that Anderpaul seemed to blur and disappear. A moment later sparks flew from Keelor's sword as it blocked a blow that would have decapitated a man without his training. Then Keelor to seemed to blur and disappear. To most of the gathered crowd, the battle was only witnessed as sparks flying from blocked blows and counter blows.

For an hour and a half the warriors strove against one another, neither able to gain an advantage on the other. They were perfectly matched in skill and endurance. Finally, the warriors reappeared. They were both breathing heavily, gasping air. They were both bleeding from unfelt scratches that seemed to be all the damage they could do one another.

"You have great skill, old friend," Keelor observed.

"As do you, Keelor, but I grow weary of our sport. Let us end this now!"

Anderpaul began to blur again, and Keelor concentrated on him, ready to block the next strike. Too late, he heard the dart as it whistled faintly through the air and embedded itself in the back of his neck.

"Treachery," Keelor cried as his knees buckled. He fell to the ground, his muscles refusing to obey his commands.

As the world began to go black, he heard Anderpaul say, "Do not worry old friend you will recover...far from here, but you will recover. Do not return to this place, or next time I will have no choice but to kill you."

With that the world went black.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 4

"Unngggg," Keelor groaned as he came to. His head hurt beyond all comprehension. He started to open his eyes but quickly changed his mind as the light spurred the pain to even more intensity threatening to cause him to go unconscious again.

"Master, he awakes," Keelor heard a female voice say.

"Peace, my friend, you're among friends," the female voice said addressing Keelor. A gentle hand was placed on his brow.

"Drink this," the female voice told him as a foul stench assaulted his nostrils. "It will make you feel better, though it won't taste very good."

Keelor took a sip of the fluid. As advertised, he gagged on it. The little he swallowed did, however, have an immediate effect on the pain in his head so he quaffed the rest down then fought down the urge to vomit it right back up. Soon the pain receded first to a manageable then to a non-existent level.

Keelor cautiously opened his eyes, fearing the pain might return. When it did not he began to take in his surroundings. He was in a warm bedchamber. There was a fireplace with a cheery fire burning in it. The female voice he had heard belonged to a pretty young woman in a grey robe. Her hair was ash blond and her eyes were a delicious chocolate brown.

"Where am I," Keelor asked her.

"You have the honor to be a guest in my home," Ashrod said as he strode into the room.

"Ashrod! What happened how did I get here," Keelor asked. "The last thing I remember is being hit with that dart, launched by one of Anderpaul's henchmen. Such treachery. I would never have expected it from my old friend."

"That's why he beat you. His advantage lies in the fact that he is willing to use less than honorable methods when it suits him," Ashrod explained. "He is no longer the man you knew. He is now a Chosen of the Corruptor, Dagarot. Gods only know why he didn't kill you. He told his men to carry you to the river and cast you adrift on a raft, with all of your belongings if they wanted to live. You would have awakened far from here had I not persuaded them it would be far more healthy for them to give you to me."

"Dagarot! The god of corruption," exclaimed Keelor.

"Yes. Your friend's grief and anger were such that Dagarot was easily able to bring Anderpaul under his sway. Very soon he will go to become a Destroyer, one who is the Chosen of two or more gods, and is of Evil alignment. My guess is he will go to Alkor, god of mayhem. He will become unstoppable. Your only hope is to become a Guardian, the opposite of a Destroyer. I see you are a Chosen of Skyla now..." Ashrod was saying when Keelor interrupted him.

"No, my god is Kale," Keelor corrected.

"But you do not wear the diamond, the gem of Kale. You wear a sapphire, the gem of Skyla. Curious," wondered Ashrod.

"Were is my dagger," Keelor asked. The woman handed it to him from were it rested on the night table.

"See here, here is the gem of Kale," Keelor said, pointing to the diamond on the hilt of the dagger. "The sapphire was a gift from a friend many years ago."

"Ah, I see," said Ashrod. "But this could still be the answer we need. The fact the you were given the sapphire means that Skyla favors you. I think we should set out as soon as you regain your strength. We should go to Skyla's temple. I think that's our best hope. If you're favored by Skyla, perhaps she will be willing to confer guardian status on you."

So it was. Two days later Keelor found himself back on the road, in the company of Ashrod the mage, journeying to the temple of Skyla.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 5

Keelor and Ashrod had been traveling for three days. The trip so far had been uneventful, so it didn't surprise Keelor in the least when they came upon the scene of a horrible battle. There were six bodies here. Five were Anderpaul's brigands. One appeared to be a cleric of Gianna. Only one of the brigands was killed by the cleric's mace. The other four had one arrow each protruding from their chests.

It was then they heard the scream of rage. Keelor was off like a shot towards the sound, Ashrod hard on his heels. The came on the scene and saw four more brigands standing facing a ranger. The ranger was the archer, but his bow was discarded to the side, and he had pulled his long sword. He had managed to kill one other brigand, and was holding the rest at bay. He was getting tired though. It was only a matter of time before the brigands over came him.

So intent were they on the prey, the brigands didn't hear Keelor's approach.

"So what have we here? Four of you against one man, that hardly seems fair, now does it," Keelor chided.

Three of the brigands turned, one still keeping an eye on the ranger.

"Fercor, you keep the ranger busy. We will deal with theses others," one of the brigands said.

"Ah," said Keelor, "three of you against the two of us, that hardly seems fair either...to you."

"Yer smart mouth won't be so lively once we slit your throat, fool," the brigand said. The three of them charged Keelor and Ashrod.

The first to reach Keelor was unable to stop in time to avoid charging down the length of Keelor's sword that seemed to appear out of the air just before penetrating the brigands chest. The muscles of Keelor's arms bunched as they overcame the resistance of his sword passing though the brigand's leather armor and penetrating his chest. His momentum carried him nearly to the crossbar of Keelor's sword. The brigand looked down in surprise at the steel disappearing into his chest, and died.

Keelor dropped to a squat, ducking the second brigand's blow, causing him to over balance and charge right past Keelor. Keelor then pivoted and yanked his sword from the dead brigand's chest in one fluid movement, facing the second brigand as the man fought to stop his momentum.

The third had engaged Ashrod. Ashrod had side stepped his charge and connected smartly with his staff on the back of the brigand's head sending him sprawling. As the third Brigand got up, shaking his head to clear it, his compatriot lunged at Keelor.

Keelor casually defelected his blade and landed a resounding punch in the side of the brigand's head with his free hand.

"Surrender," Keelor growled.

"Never," the brigand cried lunging again.

He never saw Keelor's stroke. Such was the momentum of the huge bastard sword, that it cleanly severed the brigand's sword arm just below the shoulder before stopping several inches into his chest. Keelor withdrew his sword and the brigand hit the ground dying.

The third brigand saw this and looked at the two new comers.

"Fercor, you're on your own," he yelled and ran.

Fercor turned at the yell and the ranger, seeing the opening, cut him down.

"Thank you, my friends," said the ranger. "I'm the ranger Falcon. To whom do I have the honor of owing my life to?"

"I am the wizard Ashrod and this is the High Master Warrior, Keelor," Ashrod introduced.

"Well met my friends," Falcon said. "I owe you my life. May I travel with you, perhaps getting the opportunity to repay the debt?"

"Well met, Falcon. We journey to Stoneville to visit the temple of Skyla there. You're welcome to travel with us for as long as you wish," Keelor said with a smile.

A strange look passed across Ashrod's face ending with a mysterious knowing smile. When pressed about what it meant he would not say.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 6

As they traveled, Keelor studied their newest companion. Falcon was a competent man with reddish brown hair and ice blue eyes. He was a few inches shorter than Keelor at 5'9" but he was lean and well muscled. He moved with the trademark grace of ranger and seemed to be very alert, with a sharp eye. He had a great disposition and laughed frequently as they talked.

Keelor decided the Falcon would be a good man to have at ones back when things got dicey. As for Ashrod, well, he seemed to accept Falcon as a friend that had been with him for years. When Keelor thought about it, he sensed rightness about the three of them being together.

They had stopped to camp one last time before they reached Stoneville. Falcon had hunted them up a couple of rabbits, and Keelor had found some wild potatoes, some onions and some herbs. Ashrod was cooking them up in a stew when Keelor and Falcon gave each other a meaningful look, and Falcon faded into the woods.

Minutes later a man wandered into their camp. He was a slight man with long blonde hair that he wore pulled back and tied. His attire was brightly colored and he had a mandolin slung across his back. He carried a short sword at his side and a sling attached to his belt. When he spoke it was in a melodious voice.

"Greetings, friends. Your stew smelled so divine and your fire looks warm and inviting," the man explained. "I was wondering if I might share your repast and company in return for a song or two?" The man gestured to his mandolin.

"Certainly you may, minstrel. Come join us," Ashrod said.

Keelor glanced sharply at Ashrod.

"Oh relax, Keelor. If the man intended us harm he wouldn't have just walked up and asked to join us," Ashrod chided with another of his mysterious smiles. "Tell me my friend, what is your name?"

"I am the bard Jarrith," the bard Jarrith proclaimed. "Perhaps you have heard of me?"

"Alas, my friend Jarrith, I don't get out much so I haven't had the pleasure," Ashrod said smoothly, adding, "Oh for pity sake Falcon, quit slinking about in the shadows and join us. We have already established the man means no harm."

Falcon seemed to materialize out of the shadows next to Jarrith, returning the arrow to it's quiver, and rolling his eyes. Jarrith's face drained of color as he became aware of the ranger beside him.

"Well, friend Jarrith, I suppose I should make introductions," Ashrod said. "This slab of flesh with the massive sword is the High Master Warrior Keelor, and our stealthy friend there is the ranger Falcon. I am the Wizard Ashrod. Well met to you."

Jarrith regained his composure and clasped hands with each of them in turn before gracefully seating himself by the fire. As they waited for the stew to be ready, they talked. After eating and listening to Jarrith play a few songs, they grew silent getting ready for sleep. Jarrith broke the silence.

"So, my friends," he began, "you're all on a quest to stop this evil warlord Anderpaul, and you, Keelor, expect to become a Guardian." Keelor nodded. "It all sounds very romantic. Do you think I might tag along with you? I can see this might be a tale that needs telling. I am also handy with my blade and sling here, and will be willing to lend it to your cause if need be."

"I don't see where it would hurt," Falcon said. "How about it Keelor? Should we let him travel with us?"

"Very well," assented Keelor, "but understand, Jarrith, we are about serious and dangerous business here. Your life may be in jeopardy frequently."

"I understand, friend Keelor. I'm neither weak nor cowardly. I'll help out how ever I can," Jarrith said seriously.

With that they settled in for the night, leaving Falcon to take the first watch.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 7

Ashrod, who had the last watch, awoke everyone with the smell of spiced potatoes cooking. They each in turn disappeared in the wood and took care of their business. They ate quickly and broke camp. They were eager to reach Stoneville so they could have a tankard or two of ale, get cleaned up, and sleep in a warm soft bed for a change. They had all been traveling for the better part of a fortnight and the trail was wearing on them.

It was mid afternoon when they arrived in Stoneville and found the inn. By the time they had taken turns at the bath and sent their trail clothes out to be laundered, it was suppertime. They all met up in the inn's tavern and dined on steak, potatoes, and vegetables. They also had a rare treat, fresh bread with whipped sweet butter.

The party was basking in the afterglow of they meal. Keelor and Falcon seemed to be engaged in trying to drink each other under the table. Keelor seemed to have the upper hand. They didn't notice someone was watching them.

Natalia was a girl that knew what she wanted most of the time. Right at the moment she was a bit drunk and she was eyeing the large man with the huge sword. The man was handsome but the nose that had been broken too many times prevented him from being termed beautiful. He was dressed in leather breeches and a loose white shirt. His huge sword was leaning on the table at his side. He had a dagger on his belt and a full purse there also.

Being a thief and a woman, she was having a bit of an uncharacteristic inner conflict. She could not decide which she wanted more, the man or the fat purse he carried. Finally she decided she could have both. She could seduce him and after he pleasured her and passed out, as most men do, she could make off with the purse. Something inside her said this was a bad idea, that this man was not one to be trifled with, but the drink caused that something to go unheard.

Natalia made her way through the crowded tavern, casually avoiding the wandering hands of the male patrons, and gracefully sat down in the man's lap. She leaned down and whispered in his ear, asking him if he would like to dance.

Keelor did not know what to make of the beautiful woman that sat down so unexpectedly in his lap, but it had been a while since he had danced with a woman so he assented. She stood taking his hand as he got up.

"I'm sorry my friends, but I can't refuse the lady's request," Keelor said to his companions with a wink, and allowed himself be led to the open area in the room in front of the musicians where other couples were dancing. He didn't notice the mysterious grin once again on Ashrod's face. He was too busy looking at the girl in front of him. She had naturally curly dark chestnut colored hair pulled back into a bushy ponytail. She wore a tight one-piece black leather outfit that laced up each side, leaving a fascinating strip of exposed skin crisscrossed with the leather bindings of the outfit. Her moderate breasts were squeezed into a devastating display of cleavage. Her head barely came up to his chin he noticed as she turned to him and they began to dance.

Keelor was surprisingly light on his feet considering the amount of ale he had consumed. As they danced, they introduced themselves. They danced for a couple of songs until they became too warm then returned to the table, Natalia once again sitting in Keelor's lap.

Keelor introduced Natalia to the others and they all talked companionably for a while. Ashrod made a production of yawning and stretching before he stood.

"Remember we go to the temple tomorrow," he cautioned. "Don't stay up too late." With that, Ashrod headed up to his room. Keelor wasn't sure, but he could have sworn the old man winked at him before taking his leave.

Once again, Natalia leaned down and whispered in Keelor's ear.

"I hope you don't think me to forward, but I would love to share your bed tonight," she said seductively, nibbling playfully at his ear.

"Not at all. I would like that," Keelor smiled.

"Well, gentlemen," Keelor said to his companions, "Ashrod is right. The morrow comes swiftly, and we should get some rest."

He stood Natalia up and then stood his self, collecting his sword. Keelor headed for his room with Natalia hot on his heels. When they reached the stairs, she looked over her shoulder and gave a little wave to Falcon and Jarrith. The two looked at each other with knowing eyes, and burst out laughing.

"Let us go, my friend. My bed is calling to me as well," Falcon laughed. The two drunken men stood unsteadily and helped each other up the stairs before each retired to his own rooms.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 8

Natalia lay next to Keelor as he, as predicted, dozed. Her head rested on his shoulder and her lithe athletic body was pressed up against his. She was basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. He had taken her to highs of pleasure and passion she never thought possible. She was debating with her self again. Should she stay here and snuggle with him a little while longer or should she take his purse and make good her escape? She reached out and caressed the purse where it sat on the night table.

"That would not be a good idea at all," Keelor said.

To her credit she didn't jump or snatch her hand back guiltily. She just slowly moved her hand back to his chest and began lightly teasing the hair with her fingers.

"I thought you were asleep," she said softly.

"I sleep very lightly were my purse is concerned," he said with a chuckle.

"So why are you all going to the temple," she asked changing the subject.

Keelor told her of their quest. About how he must become a Guardian to stop his old friend from enslaving the region and causing so much suffering. He told her how it was originally just Ashrod and himself, and about how his party had grown.

"That is serious stuff," Natalia commented.

"Umm hmm," he confirmed.

"Hey," she said sitting up suddenly, "do you think I could join your quest?"

"What and have to constantly worry about my purse," he laughed.

"Hey," she said reaching down and playfully pinching his side, starting a gentle tussle until the person in the neighboring room pounded on the wall.

"Seriously though, I am a trained fighter as well as being experienced at opening locks and locating traps. What do you say? I promise your purse will be safe," she expectantly.

"Besides, there are certain fringe benefits to having me around," she said running her hands down her chest, cupping her breasts after he didn't say any thing.

"Ok, ok, no need to break out the heavy weapons," Keelor said laughing at his own joke while she looked at him darkly before breaking into a huge grin herself.

"Great," she enthused, "you won't be sorry."

"Come on let's get some rest," Keelor said.

She snuggled back up to him, and they both drifted off to sleep smiling.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 9

The next morning as the companions gathered for breakfast, Keelor told them of their new addition. Everyone warmly welcomed Natalia to the party. Natalia actually blushed at being so well received. She was sitting close to Keelor holding his hand, having expected there to be more resistance to her joining the group.

"You two must have had fun last night," Falcon commented smiling.

"Only one left," Ashrod said cryptically.

"Ok, old man, talk. You keep getting these curious smiles every time someone joins the party, then, infuriatingly I might add, you refuse to tell anyone why. I want explanations," Keelor demanded.

"Very well," Ashrod said holding up his hands in surrender. "The divination I cast said there was to be six party members. A warrior, a mage, a ranger, a bard, a thief, and a cleric. I suspect we will be collecting the cleric later today. There is one perplexing bit though. While the divination spell has proved accurate in all other respects, it did say there was to be three men and three women. According to my count, even if our cleric turns out to be female, we are slightly behind in the count."

"Well men," Jarrith said jokingly, "that must mean one of us is gonna get turned into a female."

The men all looked at each other uncomfortably until Falcon said, "I sure hope it's not Ash. He'd make a hideous woman."

The table dissolved in laughter.

"Come. We must be going," prodded Ashrod. "There is no telling how long this will take."

It was a two-hour walk from the inn but the sun was still low in the sky when they arrived at the temple. They entered the temple and were confronted by a statue of Skyla standing in the center of a large round room. The companions marveled at the statue, because it seemed that no matter where you were in the room, Skyla always faced you.

An old priest took notice of the group as they walked around the room gaping in awe at the statue. He got up gingerly from his knees where he had finished his praying, and made his way to the party.

"Welcome to the temple of Skyla, friends," he said congenially. "May I assist you?"

"I have come to be made a Chosen of Skyla, should she deem me worthy," Keelor told the priest.

"But you already wear the gem of a chosen of Skyla," the priest said eyeing him suspiciously.

"Indeed I do, but..." Keelor explained how he came by the sapphire pendant.

"You wish to become a Guardian?" the priest gasped in question.

"He must to fulfill his destiny," Ashrod said.

"Guardians have not walked the land for a hundred years," the priest said in amazement. "Wait right here. I must talk to the high priestess."

Soon the old priest returned followed by an elderly woman, obviously the high priestess. She was remarkably well preserved and must have been a raving beauty in her day.

"Sarl has told me what you wish. Understand this though; you will be submitting yourself to Skyla for Her approval. If She does not approve, She could do anything. As little as nothing could happen or She could strike you down in a horrific fashion. Since you are submitting yourself to Her of your own volition, Kale will not be able to assist you directly. It is all dependant on what sort of relations the two of Them have at the moment," the high priestess explained.

"I understand," Keelor said.

"And you still wish to do it?" the high priest asked.

"Absolutely," Keelor confirmed.

"So be it," the high priestess said. "The ceremony will be at sunset tonight. You must meditate until then. This is Talynnda. She will instruct you on how the ceremony will go, and guide you in your meditations." A young cleric approached at the high priestess's signal while she was speaking.

"Please come with me," the girl called Talynnda said. "Sarl will see to your companions."

Talynnda lead Keelor off to a side chamber down a short hallway off the statue room. She gave him a plain white robe and told him to remove all his clothing and put the robe on. He did as instructed piling his clothes and weapons neatly on the floor by the wall. He then went over to where Talynnda was kneeling on a cushion and she gestured to a matching one directly before her. Keelor knelt down on the cushion, facing Talynnda.

"When we enter the judgment chamber, the high priestess will ask High Master Warrior Keelor to step forward. You will step forward onto a raised dais. There you will find two pedestals on which there will be two bowls containing sapphires. These are the sapphires of judgment. Do you understand so far," Talynnda asked.

Keelor nodded and she continued, "The high priestess will then ask your purpose. You will say you are here to be judged by Skyla. The high priestess will then instruct you to remove the robe and step between the bowls. She will then tell you to place your hands on the sapphires of judgment. You will place one hand in each bowl. Then the high priestess will turn and approach the altar. There she will await the sound of the first bell. This bell indicates that the sun has touched the horizon. She will then pray to Skyla asking her to judge you. At this point anything can happen, but remember you must keep your hands on the sapphires at all times. We will wait until we hear the second bell, indicating the sun has dropped below the horizon. If this bell rings and nothing has happened Skyla has found you unworthy and has decided to ignore you, which I suppose is better than being struck down. Do you understand what you must do?"

Keelor again nodded.

"Are you familiar with meditation?" She asked him.

"I am," Keelor said.

"Then we must meditate together until its time for us to go to the Chamber of Judgment," Talynnda told him.

They both dropped into meditation.

Some hours later, they were roused by a priest, telling them if was almost time. Keelor stood in one graceful movement, as did Talynnda. He became aware of his need to empty his bladder and said so. He was directed to the chamber pot, and he promptly used it.

Feeling much relieved, Keelor was led by Talynnda to the Chamber of Judgment. Once there he saw all his companions standing off to the side as well as a handful of clerics that had come to observe the event. As soon as Keelor arrived, the high priestess took her place on the dais.

The ceremony went exactly as he was instructed and soon he was standing naked with his hands stretched out to the sides, each in a bowl of sapphires. He didn't wait for long before hearing the first of the bells. He would never hear the second one.

The high priestess completed her prayer. At first nothing seemed to happen, but then the sapphires in the blows began to glow, steadily increasing in intensity. The spectators saw Keelor throw his head back. Then they heard him begin to scream. It was a terrifying lung ripping scream that seemed to rise in pitch, as the light grew more intense. Soon the light was too bright to look at and everyone had to look away. As the scream seemed to reach an impossibly high pitch it stopped and the light slowly faded. Everyone looked back toward the dais just in time to see a figure slump to the ground.

The companions rushed to the dais. The high priestess had gotten there first and rolled the prone figure over just as the companions arrived. As they stood there with there mouths agape in dismay, the high priestess addressed the room.

"High Master Keelor has been judged," she said in a booming voice, "Ladies and gentlemen, it seems we have a new Guardian. He has been found worthy. Praise be to Skyla."

"Praise be," the clerics intoned as the companions looked from Keelor's prone form to each other in horror.

 

 

Part 2: The Guardian

O++++{{=========> Chapter 10

Keelor came to in a warm comfortable bed. He felt like he had been crushed by a huge slab of stone. He was getting really tired of waking up this way. The last thing he remembered was hearing the bell ring at the Judgment.

He heard voices approaching, and he wasn't quite ready to deal with anyone yet so he feigned unconsciousness. The voices belonged to his companions and seemed to be in some sort of heated debate, so he listened.

"How can we be sure that is him," Falcon was saying.

"It's him," Ashrod said firmly, adding, "Think about it, it makes sense."

"Not in my book it doesn't," Falcon maintained stubbornly.

"Guys, please," Natalia said, "I know its him."

"How can you be so sure," Falcon demanded.

There was a pause before Natalia said, "The tattoo. It is still there."

"What tattoo," the men chorused.

"Exactly," Natalia said as if winning the point.

"What," Falcon yelled in exasperation.

"My point is, you all have been with him longer than I have and none of you have noticed the tattoo. I discovered it during our...um...exertions the night before we went to the temple," Natalia explained.

Keelor felt the covers being pulled back gently. He could tell he was still naked due to the cool air on his bare skin.

"See it," Natalia said triumphantly, "The diamond transposed over the crossed swords, just below the navel."

"Ok, ok, I believe you," Falcon accepted. "Now cover him up. It gives me the creeps looking at him like this. It doesn't look anything like him, that's for sure, and, anyway, I am sure Keelor wouldn't want us all gawking at his naked body."

Keelor didn't know what to make of all this. He must have been changed into some hideous monster, if his body was giving Falcon the creeps. What did that mean. He felt the cover go back over him, as he was coming to the conclusion the Skyla had rejected him. After all she was the goddess of beauty. She would not have made him a hideous monster if she had approved of him. He must have groaned out loud, because Natalia spoke quickly.

"Shhh, everyone. He is coming around. Remember don't let on until we know he can handle it."

He felt someone sit on the side of the bed and a hand stroke his hair.

"Keelor, sweetie, how do you feel," Natalia asked.

"Dead," he croaked, further convincing himself he was a hideous monster.

Cautiously, his eyes fluttered open. The pain he had expected was not there, so he looked up at Natalia, who was leaning over, looking at him with her eyes full of compassion. He thought about attempting a reassuring smile for her but wasn't too sure that it wouldn't look like something horrible in his present state. Instead, he looked around the dimly lit room. Noting that each of his companions was here. They all seemed to be wearing a cautious, but sad look.

"I take it from the looks you all have, Skyla rejected me by way of transforming me into a hideous monster," Keelor remarked, trying to at least put his friends at easy about how he would take his new appearance.

"Quite the contrary," Ashrod said with an amused look. "You are now a Guardian, and are surpassingly beautiful."

"Yeah right," Keelor said, smiling weakly at Ashrod's attempt to lighten the mood.

Everyone looked at each other, unsure on how to proceed. Keelor put his hand to his face to rub a tickle on his cheek. He felt a tuft of hair that seemed quite a bit longer than it used to be. He took hold of the offending tuft and pulled it around where he could look at it. The first thing he noticed was that it was jet black. The second thing he noticed was it was indeed quite a bit longer than it used to be. Next he noticed his hand. It was smallish and had slender delicate fingers, but definitely not hideous.

It was then that all the clues he had been ignoring fell into place. The sound of his voice, his hair, his delicate hand, the odd sensations of his body, they all made perfect sense.

"Oh my god," Keelor said in understanding. He sat bolt upright in the bed, casting aside the covers, and began laughing hysterically. His laugh wasn't a pleasant warm laugh, but that of someone who had gone stark raving mad.

Natalia threw the covers around him while the men turned from his nakedness, causing Keelor to laugh harder. Natalia put her arms around him and held him tightly, until the maniacal laughter began to subside into tears.

"It's ok, Sweetheart, we are here for you. We will help you get through this," Natalia told him soothingly.

"I was thinking," Keelor said between giggles and sniffles, "that I had become a hideous beast. I don't know which would have been worse."

"Hey," Natalia said, "Half the population bears up under this, are you telling me a big strong warrior like you can't?"

"But I am not a big strong warrior any more, am I," Keelor through the tears. "I am a woman." He then began laughing again, as if he had just made a joke. In truth it was a sort of joke that Skyla had played on him. She had made him a Guardian, but at the price of being a woman.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 11

Keelor discovered that he had been out for two days following the Judgment. A member of the local gentry that was a devout worshipper of the temple had given the party the use of a large manor house outside of town. This was done to afford them some privacy. People had heard that a Guardian now walked among them and had thronged the temple to see. The companions had to smuggle Keelor out of the temple so that he would have a chance to recover quietly.

Talynnda had accompanied them to the manor. She had told them she had been instructed to accompany them when they were prepared to resume their journeys. She was quite polite if somewhat distant. She appeared to be a competent cleric, and that would be a great benefit to the party.

Keelor slowly recovered his...umm...her strength. She was in her room sulking, looking down between her breasts at the sapphire pendant the hung there. It to had changed. It was now set in a ring of diamonds, reflecting her new Guardian status.

She heard a gentle knock at her door.

"What is it," she said sourly.

"May I come in," Falcon asked poking his head in the door.

"Would it make any difference if I said no," Keelor said acidly.

"Of course it would. A gentleman does not enter a lady's bed chamber with out an invitation," Falcon said with a straight face, but he could not keep from laughing when Keelor cast him a look that would have killed him instantly, if looks could kill that is.

Falcon entered the room since she had not told him to bugger off. She had gone back to staring out the window. She was sitting in a chair by the window with her knees pulled up to her breasts, one elbow propped up on her knee with her head in her hand. The other arm was hugged around her knees. Her raven hair contrasted with the white robes she wore and the paleness of her skin. She was the very picture of feminine beauty as the bright sunlight backlit her profile. Falcon thought of telling her so, before remembering who she was and thought better of it having no desire to have her dagger between his ribs today.

Falcon moved over and sat on the bed. He looked at her for a few moments longer.

"Keelor, you have almost recovered your strength. You need to get out of this room, maybe go outside and get some air. How about we go outside and spar for a bit," Falcon asked.

Keelor's face lit up at the suggestion, but then turned sour again.

"What a lovely suggestion, sir, but I haven't a thing to wear," Keelor said sarcastically plucking at the silken feminine robes she wore. "This is hardly appropriate for sparring, is it?"

"I will make you a deal," Falcon bargained. "If I find you something more appropriate to wear do I have your word you will come down and work out with me?"

"I guess so," Keelor said without enthusiasm.

"Great," Falcon said happily heading for the door. "I will send Natalia up with the stuff. See you down in the courtyard." It was then that Keelor realized she had been played.

"Falcon," she called to him.

"Yes," Falcon paused, barely stopping himself for saying "dear" or "honey".

"Bring my sword. I am gonna kick your tail."

Falcon just smiled and disappeared.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 12

Soon Natalia was knocking at Keelor's door. She entered without waiting from a reply carrying a big bundle of clothes.

"Good morning, Love," she said brightly. Keelor ignored her.

"Keelor," she said coming over to her and taking her hands. "I know this is hard for you, but you must get over it. People need you. The longer we sit here doing nothing the more people lose everything to Anderpaul and his murderers."

"Easy for you to say," Keelor snapped. "You are not the one that has been stripped of everything you once were and dropped into a weak defenseless body in which you are expected to do battle with the one of the strongest warriors alive. No, Natalia, you don't know squat."

"Oh, so that's how it is huh," Natalia needled. "You are now a poor defenseless little girl, fit only for looking pretty and warming her man's bed. Is that it? Ok, well if that's the way you feel then start acting like it."

Natalia gathered up the clothes she had deposited on the bed.

"I will go see if I can find you some skirts and corsets, so you can begin your life as a delicate flower. Then we will see about getting you married off to some man, so you can begin squeezing out his children."

"Natalia, wait," Keelor said.

"Unless of course," Natalia said pausing. "There still beats the heart of a warrior under those prefect pretty breasts of yours. You are disgusting, you know that? Anyone would love to be as beautiful and desirable as you are, yet all you do is feel sorry for yourself about it."

"Enough," Keelor screamed. "Put the damn clothes down. You are right for gods' sakes. Now quit being a drama queen and help me get dressed."

Natalie's mouth dropped open in disbelief. Did Keelor just call her a drama queen? The irony of it caused her to double over in laughter. Keelor, the very picture of a drama queen had just called her one.

When Natalia quit laughing, which was sometime since every time she thought she had it under control, Keelor was standing there tapping her tiny foot with her arms crossed under her breasts, looking at her imperiously, she began to instruct the new girl how to dress.

"This will hold your breasts tightly and keep them from getting in your way so much. It will also keep them from bouncing around, which, trust me, can be painful by the end of the day," Natalia explained to her as she handed Keelor a leather halter with padded silk lined breast cups.

Keelor stood there holding the contraption with a look of confusion. Natalia saw the look of confusion and instructed her on how to put it on.

"You just stick your arms through here and it laces up the front," Natalia explained.

Keelor felt her breasts being mashed firmly against her chest as she laced up the halter. It did feel better not to have them jiggling and bobbing around every time she moved. She didn't feel so alien anymore. The halter was a must if one had to have breasts, she decided.

"I saw how much you liked that outfit I had on when we met, so guess what," Natalia said mischievously.

"You didn't," Keelor said in horror.

"Well not exactly," Natalia laughed. "I got you a pair of breeches along the same lines."

Natalia tossed Keelor a pair of black leather breeches. After Keelor pulled them up over her hips and got them buttoned, Natalia showed her how to lace them up the sides. As the laces were pulled tight the leather seem to form fit to Keelor's new curves.

"One thing Natalia," Keelor said perplexed, "my...um...bottom is still bare."

"That is so that the men can have easy access," Natalia said in a deadpan tone. She kept a straight face for a whole two minutes through sheer act of will, and the fact she wasn't looking at Keelor while the girl stood there looking horrified. Then she looked at Keelor's expression and burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry Keelor, I could not resist," she said finally. "These breeches were made for the adventuring woman. That flap of leather hanging there in the front with the long laces hanging from the lower edge, you pull it up between your legs and bring the laces back around in front of you and tie them off. There you see. Now if you need to answer nature's call you just untie the laces and pull the flap up and all the appropriate equipment is exposed and ready for action. When the flap in position it conceals everything. See not a patch of skin showing."

"Fascinating," Keelor said, "I was thinking that by the time I got all this rigging loose and taken down I would have wet myself. Handy."

"Now for your top," Natalia handed her a loose white shirt.

Keelor put it on and was absolutely swimming in it.

"Where did you get this thing, it's huge," she griped.

"You don't recognize it," Natalia asked, surprised. "It was the one you were wearing the night we met. Here this will help."

She wrapped a belt around Keelor's waist. Keelor noticed her dagger was already on the belt. She adjusted over to her left hip where she normally wore it. Then Natalia helped her lace up the cuffs of the shirt. They came three quarters of the way up her forearms. Keelor knew she was smaller than before but she didn't think she was that much smaller. She mentioned it and Natalia told her that they had altered the cuffs as the sleeves where much too long anyway. She explained that the new cuffs had boning in them holding them snuggly in place while the sleeves were loose and flowing from the elbows up allowing for freedom of movement while not interfering with her weapons.

"Now for the coup de gras," Natalia said handing Keelor a pair of cotton socks and a pair of new black leather boots, which Keelor needed no help to put on for a change. The boots fit perfectly and came up to her mid calf.

Natalia pulled her over to the full-length mirror that Keelor had been avoiding thus far. Natalia stood her in front of it and Keelor looked at herself in awe. The breeches fit to her legs like a second skin displaying her well-formed legs to perfection. The belt sucked the loose shirt in displaying her tiny waist and the flare of her hips. The bottom of the shirt hung down to a little above her mid thigh kind of like a skirt. The v-neck of the shirt teasingly displayed the top of her halter and the generous cleavage it formed with her firmly held breasts. The pendant hung just above the cleavage from its silver chain. Her raven hair spilled across her shoulders completing the vision of beauty.

"You know," Keelor said, "A week ago I would have been falling all over myself to possess this woman. Well I guess I got her now, don't I?"

"Yes," Natalia agreed, "Skyla is not the goddess of beauty for nothing, I suppose."

"One thing though," Keelor said thoughtfully, "The hair has to go. I can't fight if I have to keep pushing it out of my face."

"You will not touch those beautiful raven tresses with a blade," Natalia said horrified. "Do you know how long it takes to grow hair like that?"

"Natalia, I don't care how long it takes to grow it. It's my hair and it won't be growing at all if I am dead."

"You're right it is your hair, but let me show you something first before you do anything rash. If you don't think this works, then we'll see about shortening it," Natalia coaxed. "Come sit on the bed."

The girls sat on the bed and Natalia began to fuss with Keelor's hair. As she worked she explained what she was doing. She also brought up something else too.

"You know," Natalia began carefully, "Keelor is not really a proper name for a woman."

Keelor stiffened. She knew this was coming sooner or later.

"Well what do you suggest," Keelor said, "You name me. I want you to have the honor since you are teaching me all the things a mother would have."

"You are sure you want me to do that," Natalia asked.

"You might as well, if you don't mind," Keelor confirmed.

Natalia fell silent as she worked. She finally finished braiding the raven hair, and showed it to Keelor. It was beautiful. Natalia had woven a thick length of snow white silk into the braid, accenting the black hair marvelously. Keelor was impressed as she tossed her head from side to side noting that no hair got in her eyes. She smiled happily for perhaps the first time since she had awoke after her judgment.

"I've got it," Natalia said after seeing her smile.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense. Who am I to be known as now," Keelor said expectantly.

"You will be called Keelicia," Natalia said with mock formality, "But your friends will call you Keeli. Come on. Falcon is waiting and he is probably gonna tease you about how long it takes women to get dressed."

Keeli smiled at her new name and the girls headed down stairs to join Falcon in the courtyard.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter13

When they arrived at the door to the courtyard they saw that the other two companions and Talynnda had joined Falcon. Natalia grinned mischievously.

"Wait here. I will announce you with your new name," she said still grinning.

Natalia entered the courtyard stopping at the bottom of the short flight of steps, and clearing her throat.

"Presenting," She called loudly, "Lady Keelicia, Guardian Warrior of Beautiful Justice, formerly High Master Warrior Keelor." Natalia's voice dropped down to a normal level, "But her friends just call her Keeli."

"Well its about time," Falcon began, " I swear you women take forever to get duh..."

His voice died on his lips as Keeli left the darkness of the building and entered the courtyard. She walked confidently with her head held high, looking very regal. She stopped at the bottom of the steps and looked at the companions as if surveying her subjects.

"Natalia, dear, what was that scruffy little man over there saying," Keeli ask in a haughty tone.

"I have no idea, Mi'lady, your beauty seems to have struck him dumb," Natalia said half seriously.

"I see," Keeli said in the same haughty tone as she approached Falcon. She stood before him with one arm crossed below her breasts and a slender finger on her chin. She pursed her lips, head still inclined regally.

"Well, my beauty must indeed be miraculous to strike such a cretin dumb. He looks the sort that has something to say about everything," Keeli said adding a small smile when the others guffawed.

"I believe I saw a pitcher of juice over there by the others, and I find I am a bit thirsty," Keeli continued playing the haughty regal role to the hilt. "Please join us, Falcon, dear, when you find your tongue. I believe if you look down you will find it lying there on the ground at your feet." Keeli then turned and glided regally over to the others before breaking down giggling herself.

Falcon just stood there for a minute, his jaw working but the connection between his brain and vocal cords still preventing him from making a come back. Finally he just shrugged and joined the others where they all were hugging Keeli.

"Cretin, huh," Jarrith said eyeing Falcon, while Keeli sipped her juice.

"Well, he deserved it after the way he tricked me this morning," Keeli said with a smile.

"Hey, that was for your own good," Falcon said having found his voice. "Look at you. You are smiling and joking now where as this morning you were a reclusive sour puss."

"Well in truth I do feel almost human again after Natalia finished trussing me up. Gods, I am trussed up everywhere, my hair, my legs, my arms, my...well...you know," Keeli finished with a blush.

"Well we are all glad to see our old friend is starting to return even if in a different form now," Ashrod said sincerely. "We were getting quite worried about you, you know."

Keeli looked down ashamed. "I know," she said, "I am sorry, I was being selfish and feeling sorry for myself. Natalia made me realize that."

"Well, new body or no we still love you, Keeli," Natalia said.

"Besides," Falcon chimed in from where he was sitting examining Keelor's huge bastard sword, "she is much nicer to look at than Keelor was."

"We'll see how nice I am to look at with your eyes swollen shut, Cretin," Keeli said darkly, then brightened, "Hey, my sword! May I?"

"I was thinking," Falcon began carefully, "I think you should get a new sword. This thing is just too big for you now."

"Nonsense," Keeli dismissed. "Let me see it."

Falcon offered her the sword hilt first, holding the scabbard. Keeli reached out and grasped the hilt pulling it smoothly from the scabbard with one hand. She had intended to do a showy flourish, but when it cleared the sheath, the tip dropped immediately to the stone pavers of the courtyard with a clank. She grasped the hilt with both hands, looking around sheepishly. With both hands, she heaved the great sword up holding it out in front of her. The tip bobbed and weaved unsteadily. After making a few experimental slashes, it was obvious to Keeli and everyone else that the sword was controlling her far more than she was controlling the sword.

"I will let you borrow one of mine if you want, Keeli," Natalia offered.

"Actually I think we should start with something simpler," Falcon suggested.

"What did you have in mind," Keeli inquired.

"How about we start with a little hand to hand," said Falcon.

"You're on, cretin. Prepare to be pounded by a girl. Hope your ego can take it," Keeli said rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

"We'll see who gets pounded, little girl. I hope your ego can take it," Falcon said with a feral grin.

The other companions winced at Falcon's retort, though Keeli just returned his feral grin as they squared off against one another. She fully intended to pound the tar out of him, taking out a little angst about her condition. Falcon for his part didn't know quite what to expect. He knew Keelor was a high master warrior, which meant he was highly skilled in unarmed combat, so Falcon was wary. On the other hand, Keeli was about 3 inches shorter than him and he had at least fifty pounds on her. Add to that Falcon was quite skilled in unarmed combat, and he would normally not have considered someone Keeli's size a threat.

It turned out it was a mixture. She was very fast, even without using her super speed, and she could almost land a blow at will. The trouble was, while some of her blows had hurt (he was going to have a black eye to prove it) they lacked the power to do any real damage. On the other side, she was very hard to hit. Her blocks combined with her speed kept him from doing any real damage to her. Grappling though was a different story. He dominated her when they grappled. It was after the fifth of these grapples that she landed skidding on her butt. She pounded the stones and screamed in frustration.

"Let's take a break," he told her, offering her a hand up.

She looked up at him, sweat running down her face, and narrowed her slate grey eyes, the one feature she had retained from her former body. She slapped his hand away and levered herself up and stalked off toward the table. He smiled at her toughness as he watched her for a moment before following.

"Would you like some advice," Falcon asked her.

She looked at him for a moment, studying his face for any trace of patronizing then, not seeing any, said, "Sure, I guess I could use some."

"Two things I noticed. One, you attack like you expect to have more power. You seem to forget you have lost, what, 70 or 80 pounds of muscle. You are simply not as physically powerful anymore. You simply can't grapple with me and expect to overpower me. Two, your technique is horrible. No offense, but, in short, you hit like a girl. This is not really surprising, since I have been watching you for some time, and you seem to have a lot of female mannerisms that came along with the body. You need to go back to the beginning and practice your technique. Do you remember the forms?"

"Yeah sure. I was an instructor too," Keeli said.

"Good," Falcon continued, "You seem to have the knowledge but the body doesn't know how to use it. Maybe we can all learn from you as you teach yourself."

"Hey that's a great idea," Jarrith interjected.

"I am in," Natalia agreed, as did Talynnda.

"A couple of points of interest," Falcon said. "You are very fast. Faster, I think, than you were before. Also, I suspect you are more flexible than you were, maybe even more acrobatic, you know, like handstands and flips, though you didn't seem to use it."

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 14

After lunch, Ashrod asked Keeli if they might go for a walk. Keeli agreed, feeling a bit cooped up in spite of the manor house's size. So it was that Ashrod and Keeli toured the grounds of the manor. They looked for all the world like a grandfather out for a stroll with his beautiful young granddaughter. This wasn't lost on Keeli, but she was enjoying the brisk Fall air too much to let it bother her.

"How do you feel, Keeli," Ashrod asked.

"Like I got the crap beat out of me," Keeli replied smiling and unconsciously rubbing her sore butt.

"That will pass," Ashrod said, chuckling, "but that is not what I meant."

"I know, Ashrod. Ok, you want to know how I feel, fine. I feel overwhelmed. I feel weak and ineffective. I feel like the butt of a joke, perpetrated by Skyla. I feel like time is running out, and I am nowhere near ready to face Anderpaul again. Yet the longer we linger, the more people are hurt by him."

"Physically, I feel better than I ever have. I no longer hurt from old injuries when I get up in the morning. I tend to notice finer details more, like the texture of cloth and colors. I suppose that's part of being female, but it goes beyond that. Before I was very aware of my environment. Now I feel in tune with it, if you understand what I mean. Before I could sense things, objects, men, animals, and so forth. Now it seems I can sense their energy too. I can also read their affiliations. For instance, your energy is purple meaning you are affiliated with Arcana, god of magic. Falcon's energy was green for Gianna, goddess of nature."

"Also that is why he had such a hard time hitting me. I could see his energy build up in his arm or leg right before he launched an attack. I might very well be faster than I was, but the reason he couldn't hit me was I could see it coming before it ever started."

"Those are all passive aspects of your Guardian powers," Ashrod explained. "Have you discovered any of the active aspects yet?"

"Active aspects?" Keeli asked perplexed.

"Yes, for instance, according to my research, Guardians had the ability to move objects with out touching them. Try moving that pine cone over there," Ashrod suggested.

"How," Keeli asked.

"Focus your energy then reach out with it. Envelope the pinecone within it, then picture what you want the pinecone to do."

Keeli gathered her energy, focusing it. It was, she noticed, much more plentiful and intense than it was before. She raised her hand toward the pinecone, extending her energy toward it. Slowly, the energy began to stretch forth. It extended about a foot from her hand and stopped.

"I can't," Keeli said after a minute.

"Nonsense. Concentrate," Ashrod coached.

Keeli redoubled her efforts. The tendril of energy extended out to about a foot and a half and again stalled. It was no use. She couldn't get it any further than it was.

"I can't," she said the frustration evident in her voice.

"It's ok," Ashrod said, "It will come with practice. How about we try something that you might feel is more useful. Might even make you feel better about yourself."

"And what might that be," Keeli asked.

"Well, your super speed, can you still do that," Ashrod asked.

Keeli blurred and disappeared, reappearing on the other side of Ashrod.

"I guess so," She said causing Ashrod to start and wheel about. "So what."

"Well, in the same way you focused your energy to amplify your speed, you can use it to amplify your strength," Ashrod explained and Keeli's face lit up.

She walked of and picked up a stick about one inch in diameter. She tried as hard as she could to break it normally, but to no avail. Then she focused her energy and slowly began putting pressure on the stick. Soon it gave with a snap.

Keeli jumped up and down excitedly, saying, "Yes, yes, yes!" She looked around for a bigger stick. She found one about as big around as her wrist. It snapped as easily as the smaller one had.

"Look out, Falcon. My blows won't be so ineffective now," she said.

"Be careful," Ashrod cautioned, "you could really hurt him badly with that."

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 15

Keeli spent her mornings training in combat with Falcon, Natalia, Jarrith, and Talynnda. Her afternoons she spent exploring her Guardian powers with Ashrod. She made progress with extending her energy but could only get it out to about three feet so far. Her combat training was a different matter though.

Keeli had perfected her technique. It wasn't up to it's former level yet but this body learned fast. They had taken to sparring again. Keeli decided she would surprise Falcon, having not told anyone of her newfound ability to boost her strength.

She and Falcon squared off, as the others, less skilled than Falcon and her, sparred amongst themselves. Keeli began, not using her power, letting Falcon think he was up against more of the same, him having a very difficult time hitting her and her landing blows almost at will, but lacking the power to do any damage. They did this for a while until he grew tried of striking air and went to grab her to grapple. She caught his hands and their fingers interlocked. He smiled at her as they began to play mercy. She let him force her wrists back, letting him think he had the upper hand, for a minute. Her face contorted in real pain.

"Do you yield," he asked her.

"You wish," she told him through her grimace of pain.

He continued to apply force until he heard her wrists creak. He didn't want to break her wrists, and he wondered if she was stubborn enough to allow them to be broken. Yes, he thought, she just might be. He decided to change tactics. He hooked his leg around hers and pushed, trying to put her down.

She knew what he was doing and focused her energy. He might as well have tried to push over a tree. A look of surprise crossed his face as he tried to push harder to no avail. Keeli then began to slowly straighten her wrists. Again a surprised look appeared on his face. As their wrists straightened, beads of sweat began popping out on his forehead. She continued, bending his wrists back. She smiled at him, as his face became a mask of pain.

"Do you yield," She asked him.

He said nothing, redoubling his efforts. Soon she felt his wrists creak, stressed to the maximum. Still he said nothing so she used the same maneuver he had tried on her. She easily pushed him off balance and eased him gently to the ground, before she released his hands. He laid there a minute rubbing his wrists, and she offer him a hand up.

He smiled at her and slapped her hand away, jumping up and assuming a combat stance. Falcon kicked at her head but she side stepped outside of it and landed a crushing blow to his kidney. She was rewarded with an 'unnfff' of pain from him, but he recovered quickly, spinning around with a powerful punch. Which she also stepped outside of leaving his mid section wide open for the blow she landed in his belly. He 'whuffed' and doubled over falling to the ground. At first she was afraid she had hit him too hard but it turned out she had just knocked the wind out of him. Nevertheless he had had enough for the day.

"Gods, you got strong all of a sudden. What gives," he demanded.

"So how does it feel to be pounded by a little girl," Keeli razzed him. "Maybe I am not getting stronger, maybe you are turning into a weak little girl yourself."

"I will show you weak little girl," he said and grabbed her and kissed her full on the lips.

He felt her hands move up to his chest and in the next instant he felt himself slam into the wall thirty feet away from where Keeli was standing. Falcon watched Keeli stalk over to where he had landed in a heap at the base of the wall. He saw the murderous fury in her slate grey eyes as she approached him, and he would have tried to get away but he was hurt too badly. All he could do was just lay there impassively until she reached down, grabbed a handful of the front of his shirt and once again picked him up against the wall. He felt himself losing consciousness as she moved her face very close to his. With their noses a hairs breadth apart, and her smoldering grey eyes starring pitilessly in to his, he could feel her breath on his lips as she spoke.

"If you ever," she began with a tone that would have frozen molten iron instantly, "do that again, they will be prying your bones out of this wall, because that will be all that is left of you to send home to Mommy for your burial. Am I making myself perfectly clear?" Without waiting for an answer she dropped him back into a heap and wheeled on her heel and left the courtyard. As he once again slumped to the ground he passed out.

When Keeli had began move to Falcon after he had slammed into the wall, Jarrith and Talynnda had moved to stop her fearing she would kill him out right. Natalia stepped in front of them and told them, "Don't."

They had all looked on as the last bit took place. After they watched her go they rushed over to Falcon. He was in bad shape. He had several broken ribs and a broken collarbone. One of his lungs was punctured and he had fractured his skull when he hit the wall. He was dying. It was fortunate that Talynnda was there. She set to work patching him up. She quickly exhausted all of her healing spells to stabilize him. He still had the broken ribs and collar bone that would have to wait for Talynnda to rest before they could be healed, but he would live.

Just as Jarrith was going to go find a litter to carry Falcon inside with, Ashrod burst into the courtyard.

"What in the name of Arcana is going on here," He demanded. "I just passed Keeli in the hall and she told me to get out of her way unless I wanted to end up like Falcon." About then he saw Falcon lying on the ground unmoving. "What happened?"

"I don't know, Ash," Natalia said. "I mean I know what started it. He kissed her. They had just finished sparring and she had got the best of him displaying that new strength of hers. They were razzing each other and he all of a sudden grabbed her and kissed her. I am not sure what happened next. She just put her hands on his chest while he kissed her and suddenly he was flying through the air and slammed into the wall thirty feet away, but it wasn't like she threw him. She hardly moved, but she damn near killed him. We thought she was going to finish the job but she picked him up, said something to him, dropped him and left."

"Damn," said Ashrod, wincing.

"Look," said Natalia, "You all get Falcon up stairs. I will go find her."

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 16

Natalia found Keeli kneeling by a tree. She had one arm on the tree for support as she retched and cried. She didn't seem to take note of Natalia's presence. Natalia just stood there for a while until Keeli was doing more crying than retching and then she spoke.

"You killed him, you know," Natalia said conversationally.

Keeli jumped, and then said, "The bastard deserved it. He...kissed me." She said that as if she were saying, "He rubbed my face in dog feces."

"Yes, he did. However, if every time a man kissed a woman she killed him, our species would quickly become extinct," Natalia remarked.

"I am not a woman," Keeli turned and screamed at her.

"The hell you aren't," Natalia retorted. "Look at yourself. I don't just mean the way you look. Look at the way you act, your mannerisms and even the way you speak. I don't care what you were last month, you are every bit a woman now. Speaking of which, you are due for the real treat of femininity here real soon. I wanna see you argue with me about whether you are a woman or not once the cramps and bleeding start."

Keeli's eyes got round and she gasped. It was apparent she had never thought of this. She put her face in her hands and started sobbing again. Natalia came over to her and knelt down before Keeli and hugged the sobbing girl to her. Natalia just held her and let her sob it out. When the sobbing subsided to sniffles, Natalia spoke again.

"He is going to live, in case you are interested. He was hurt real bad but Talynnda stabilized him. He is going to be hurting for a while though. At least until Talynnda's healing powers are restored," Natalia said softly, feeling Keeli nod against her chest.

"Come. Let's get back," Natalia said pulling out a handkerchief and cleaning up Keeli's face. "I am sure everyone is dying to know how you slammed a 200 pound man in to a wall thirty feet away with out seeming to move."

Natalia helped Keeli up and steered her toward the house, with her arm around Keeli's waist.

"So was he a good kisser," Natalia asked as the walked to the house.

Keeli glared at her.

"Ok, ok, gods you can be ill-humored sometimes," Natalia groused.

They walked the rest of the way to the house in silence. Right before they entered, Keeli said quietly, "yes," with a little half smile.

It took Natalia a moment to make the connection, but then she rolled her eyes and smiled as they entered the house.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 17

The girls found their three uninjured companions in the common room. When Keeli entered, she saw disappointment, disgust, and fear pass over their faces. She lowered her eyes in shame. Natalia steered her toward the couch, and sat down beside her.

"How is he?" Keeli asked softly.

"He'll live," Ashrod said after a pregnant pause.

"No thanks to you," Jarrith said bitterly. "I hope you are not planning on finishing the job."

Keeli stiffened at this remark, and a little of the fire returned.

"As long as he keeps his lecherous paws off me, he has nothing to fear from me," She said icily.

"Look," Keeli said more calmly after a moment, "I feel bad about what happened. I apologize to you all. That was no way to treat a friend. He caught me off guard. I never expected or wanted him to do what he did. I was a man for the love of Sabri. How did he think I was gonna take it. Surely he didn't expect me to like it. Maybe I overreacted, but he had no right to do what he did."

They sat in silence for a while longer, before Ashrod finally spoke.

"So how did you do it," he asked.

"I am not sure. I intended just to focus my energy to push him away. I was just thinking 'get away from me'. Somehow the energy did something else. It just sort of burst forth and carried him with it," Keeli explained.

"I see," said Ashrod. "Could you do it again?"

"I don't know. Maybe," Keeli said picking up a cup off the table.

She looked at the cup intently. Suddenly it flew from her hand, across the room shattering against the back of the fireplace. Ashrod smiled and everyone else looked at one another.

"That was amazing," Talynnda said.

"Yes, well, while you people are down here entertaining yourselves with her parlor tricks, I am going to check on Falcon," Jarrith said in disgust.

Everyone just sat looking at each other in surprised silence for a moment as Jarrith stalked out of the room.

"Gods, it seems I have really upset him," Keeli said perplexed.

"Well," Natalia commented, "I think he might be 'that way', if you understand my meaning."

Keeli looked confused for a moment, then her eyes widened in understanding.

"You mean..." she said her voice trailing off.

"Yes," Talynnda said. "It seems we have quite a little ring of unrequited love going on here. Jarrith wants Falcon, Falcon wants you, Keeli, and you want Natalia."

Keeli blushed but did not deny it. Natalia looked at her in mild surprise.

"Unrequited hell," Natalia laughed, throwing her arms around Keeli and hugging her possessively.

"I thought I gave him the creeps," Keeli said referring to Falcon's comments after the Judgment.

"You heard that, huh," Natalia said surprised. "You little sneak."

"I don't think it was you that was giving him the creeps," Talynnda explained. "I think it was his attraction to you as a woman. He was having trouble reconciling the attraction with who you were before. He has put that behind him for some time now. He is quite taken with you, you know."

"Really," Keeli drawled. "Ya think? But seriously, I had no idea until he...um...did what he did."

"You mean you haven't seen him looking at you. When you are around he barely notices anything else," Natalia said. "I really thought he would have more self control though."

"I saw him watching me. I thought it he was just waiting for me to sprout a third arm or a second head or something," Keeli told them.

"The boy wants you very badly," Talynnda observed.

"Isn't that just too bad," Natalia said. "She is all mine. Do you hear? Mine."

They all started laughing.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 18

When Falcon came to, he saw that Jarrith and Talynnda were in the room with him. His internal injuries and collarbone and fractured skull had been healed but his ribs where still broken. When he groaned the companions took notice of his consciousness.

"How do you feel," Talynnda asked him.

"I feel like I have been trampled by a herd of wild horses," Falcon groaned.

"Here. Drink this. It tastes bad but it will deaden the pain," Talynnda instructed him.

"That witch really did a number on you," Jarrith commented. He had seen the massive bruising as the covers had fallen back when he and Talynnda helped the injured Falcon to sit up

"How is she," Falcon asked quietly.

"She is chained in the cellar, in case she takes a notion to finish you," Jarrith said.

Falcon's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open.

"Stop it, Jarrith," Talynnda admonished him, then turned to Falcon. "We've done nothing of the sort to her. She feels bad about what happened."

"Well we should have," Jarrith quipped, "And she doesn't feel half bad enough."

"At any rate," Talynnda remarked, "I doubt that would stop her anyway, if she really wanted to beat on our ranger friend here some more."

"Hey, lay off her, Jarrith," Falcon told him. "It was totally my fault, and I deserved it."

Jarrith threw up his hands in exasperation saying, "Why is everyone babying her so?"

"Because that is what she is right now," Talynnda explained. "She may look all grown up, and she may have an adult mind, but it's a male adult mind. She knows nothing of the role Skyla has put her in. She is learning now what all girls learn over a period of years. Unfortunately, she must learn very fast, because she knows that the longer it takes, the more people are hurt. So she is pushing herself. Pushing very hard, and there will be times when she will lose control."

"We must be there to bolster her and help her through those times. She has a lot of pressure on her small shoulders. We need to not lose sight of that."

"She chose this though," Jarrith retorted.

"Did she really," Falcon asked. "Or did the gods thrust her into this position. Sure Keelor chose to undergo the Judgment, but keep in mind that he could well have ended up dead or worse had Skyla not approved. All that aside, do you think for one moment, Keelor, the very masculine High Master Warrior would have chosen to be a tiny delicate girl. With respect to Talynnda, that was a cruel price Skyla exacted for giving him the abilities he needed to stop Anderpaul. He has never done any of this for himself. He has only done it because fate has thrust him into a position of being the only one to stop the suffering. Besides all this, I owe him my life. If she sees fit to take it then it is hers."

"You know," Jarrith said thoughtfully, "I had forgotten all that. I just saw her running around here like a little princess, everybody kowtowing to her, falling all over themselves to fulfill her every whim. I just didn't think about the strain she is under. It still doesn't excuse her nearly killing you, but if you are not going to hold it against her, I don't see how I can."

"Just keep in mind what she is going through," Falcon said, "and consider cutting her some slack."

"Words of wisdom, Falcon," Talynnda said. "You may want to heed them yourself the next time you get the urge to kiss her. So tell me, was the kiss worth it?"

Falcon leaned back and closed his eyes remembering the feeling of Keeli's prefect body pressed against his, and her wonderful woman scent as he pressed his lips to her warm soft ones. He smiled distantly as he relived the moment, holding it in his mind, trying to memorize every detail.

"Absolutely," he said finally. "That and then some."

Jarrith rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in exasperation again, muttering something about lovesick fools. Talynnda just laughed amusedly.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 19

Keeli padded softly toward the kitchen. If was dark in the house and most everyone had gone to bed. She was dressed in her nightgown and was going to bed herself when she decided she was thirsty. She noticed that the light was still burning in the kitchen, thankfully.

When she entered the kitchen she saw Jarrith. She paused for a moment, then seemed to make up her mind and walked on in.

"Hi," She said tentatively, testing the waters, as she poured herself some juice.

"Hi," He said in the same tone.

"Look, I know you have a thing for Falcon," she began, watching as his back stiffened. "I know how frustrating it must be for you that he has the foolish thing for me."

She stopped because she saw his shoulders shaking. She thought he was crying, but soon it became apparent he was laughing when he turned to her. She looked at him questioningly.

"It's ridiculous, isn't it," he explained. "I want someone that could never want me, and that someone wants someone who could never want him. How pathetic are we, wanting what we can't have? The trouble is, I am the only one that knows it. I think he believes he will have you eventually, but you have Natalia. She loves you and you seem to love her too. You and Natalia..."

"Let me tell you a little secret," Keeli smiled. "There is no 'Me and Natalia'. At least that is not since that first night. Sure I love her, and I think she loves me too, but I don't think she is entirely comfortable with the idea of being with a woman. No matter what brave face she puts on it. So right now we are like best friends or sisters. Maybe it will become more, maybe it won't. Time will tell."

"About what happened..."

"You don't owe me an explanation," Jarrith said.

"Your right, I don't, but I know you are angry with me about it, and I just want you to understand," Keeli told him. "All my life I have been a warrior, even as a child I knew that is what I was meant to be. So my life was spent honing my instincts and reactions to that of a warrior's. I was good at it. I was strong and powerful. I could intimidate people into making way for me just by my presence alone. Add to that I was a man and found the idea of being with a man repugnant. I don't judge anyone for that, it's just not my way."

"Suddenly, I find myself playing for the other team. Instead of being a big strong intimidating man, I am this frail tiny girl. Men think they can take liberties with me now that they would have never thought of trying with Keelor, because I am no longer big and intimidating. And in truth, until I learned to amplify my strength, they could have, and I could do nothing about it. Do you understand how humiliating this could be? Well that is just what Falcon did to me. He took advantage of me thinking I am a frail little girl, and would just accept what he did because I was supposed to. I reacted to that the way any warrior would, aggressively. I never intended to do what I did. Gods, I didn't even know I could, but once it happened I was too angry and humiliated to regret it right away. I had to calm down before I fully realized what I had done."

"I don't expect you to fully understand this because you are neither a warrior trained to respond aggressively, or a man who has been forced suddenly and completely in to the body of a woman. All I can ask of you is that you at least try. Fair enough?"

"I think I understand more than you know," Jarrith said with a distant sadness in his eyes. "Keeli, for what it's worth, I am sorry I have been so harsh with you. I have been acting like a fool. I still don't think what you did was right or justified, but I suppose we are all allowed our mistakes. You more so than any of us, I can only imagine the pressure you must feel and we should make allowances. It seems I am the only one who hasn't. I am sorry for that."

"Think nothing of it," Keeli said. "We are all under a strain here. So how is Falcon?"

"He hurts," Jarrith told her. "He is worried about you, if you can believe it. He is beating himself up about crossing the line with you. He says he deserved what you did to him and then some. I don't think he could bear it if you didn't forgive him."

"You know," Jarrith said getting an idea, "I was going to take this juice and tea up to him. The tea will help him sleep. Would you like to take it up to him?"

"Sure," Keeli said, taking the tray.

She paused at the kitchen door looking over her shoulder.

"Jarrith, just between you and me, I'll let you in on a little secret," she said, "You know what the scariest part about the whole incident was?" He looked in askance. "It was the kiss...I think I...I think I liked it," she said and quickly left the room without looking at him.

Jarrith found himself alone, smiling and shaking his head. "Keelor," he thought out loud, "this person you have become is truly an enigma."

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 20

Keeli padded up to Falcon's room. The door was open and he was lying on the bad staring at the ceiling. She balanced the tray on her hand and used the other to knock softly on the doorframe.

"Can I come in," she asked as if afraid he would tell her to bugger off.

Those fears were dispelled when his face brightened at the sight of her.

"Please do," he told her smiling broadly.

"I brought you some juice...and this horrible smelling tea that is supposed to help you sleep," she told him brightly.

"You're a lifesaver," he told her accepting the tea.

"My god," she said looking at his bruises, "Can you ever forgive me for this?"

"Forgive you?" He asked incredulously. "I am the one who should be asking forgiveness. I deserved everything I received."

"Nonsense," Keeli dismissed. "What you did was stupid and impertinent, but it certainly didn't warrant the response I had. They told me if it had not been for Talynnda, you would have died from the injuries I caused you."

"What I did was humiliate and degrade a beloved friend. What I did, under the circumstances, was the same as rape," he told her, "I deserved whatever response you desired. I violated your person and your trust. I wouldn't blame you if you never forgave me."

"Oh, stop being so melodramatic," she laughed. "You succumbed to your feelings is all, as did I, with my response. We both had a lapse in judgment and followed our emotions. I tell you what. If you can forgive me, I am pretty sure I can find it in my heart to forgive you. What do you say?"

"Done," he said. "Well, I guess the cat is rather dramatically out of the bag that I find you irresistible. How do you feel about that?"

"I don't know," she answered. "A large part of me finds it repulsive. A smaller part is telling me it's natural. That part seems to be growing as time goes by, but I am nowhere near ready to say I find men attractive. I suppose all of me finds it flattering, but don't take that as any kind of encouragement. I guess what I am trying to say is we are friends, let's keep it that way. If that part of me ever takes over completely, you will be the first to know, but don't hold your breath."

"Fair enough," he said.

"Finish your tea and drink your juice," she told him. "It's time for sleep. You realize, of course, that I am going to tease you to distraction, right?"

"You couldn't," he said. "You wouldn't."

He was noticing the mischievous glint in her gray eyes. Then she stood and leaned over him, and giving him a nice view of her cleavage, she kissed him on the forehead.

"Good night, Falcon," she said sweetly, and then smiled seductively.

"Pleasant dreams," she said.

"She can and she did," Falcon muttered to himself. "Where the hell did she learn how to do that?"

Back in her bedroom, Keeli laid down in her bed after putting out the candles, leaving the room lit by the soft flickering light from the fireplace. She was almost asleep when she heard her door quietly open and a figure padded across the room. She knew it was Natalia from her scent. The smaller woman crawled into bed with Keeli, snuggling up to her. She put an arm around Keeli and their hands found each other and linked fingers. Keeli drifted off to sleep with a small happy smile on her face.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 21

Keeli awoke to a gentle kiss on the back of her neck. The two girls were still lying in the spoon position they had fallen asleep in. She purred for a moment, before turning her head to look at Natalia in the predawn light. Natalia picked her head up and kissed Keeli on the tip of her nose.

"Get up sleepy head," Natalia whispered and threw the covers back.

Keeli made a noise of protest and tried to pull the covers back up, but Natalia was having none of it. She began to tickle Keeli. Keeli squealed and tried to fend her off, but Natalia was relentless. Soon Keeli, giggling, had to jump out of bed to get away from Natalia's onslaught.

"Good, now that you are up, my raven haired beauty, would you be good enough to throw a log on the fire and get it stoked up," Natalia said as she stretched languidly on the bed.

"Hmmph," Keeli complained. "I'll stoke your fire alright."

She went over to the fireplace and poked the fire back to life then added more wood. Moving back to the bed, Keeli crawled sensuously up the bed from the foot, straddling Natalia's stretched out body. She stopped when her face was directly above Natalia's. Slate grey eyes stared into emerald green ones.

"Love, you always stoke my fire," Natalia purred, and then smiled teasingly. "Even if you don't have a log to throw anymore."

With that, Keeli sat down abruptly, pinning the smaller girl to the bed and began tickling her. Natalia squealed and laughed as she tried to buck her assailant off of her, finally managing it when she launched a counter assault. Keeli rolled off of her to get away, but Natalia stayed with her until she was on top looking into Keeli's eyes. She dipped her head down and kissed the raven-haired girl. The kiss became more passionate and intense than either of them had intended. Natalia who was still between Keeli's thighs began to grind her pelvis against Keeli's. Then she opened a second front as she began kneading Keeli's breasts through her nightgown. The hem of both girls' nightgowns had ridden up allowing skin-to-skin contact.

Keeli felt her nipples respond to Natalia's touch and become erect, even while the smaller girl's pubic hair was causing electric sensations as it slid over hers. She instinctively pulled her legs up wrapped them around her lover as she felt the pleasure build up inside her. Abruptly, Natalia began to shake, her back arching as she pressed her pubic mound firmly against Keeli's.

"Amazing," Natalia gasped in disbelief as she relaxed and rolled off the dark haired girl. She looked over at Keeli and saw that she had one hand on her breast and the other had found it's way down to her mound.

Natalia shooed the hand away from Keeli's pubic area and replaced it with her own. She gently traced the outer folds of Keeli's opening with teasing fingers. She moved her hand up and placed it flat on Keeli's belly over the tattoo there, then moved it down pressing firmly on the furry mound. Keeli pulled her knees up spreading her thighs wide to provide Natalia better access as her fingers cupped over the Keeli's mound. Natalia's middle finger dipped into the warm wetness as it split between Keeli's tender folds. The finger began a return journey back up the slit until it came to rest on the hard little knot located at the top. Keeli twitched when the finger brushed against her pleasure center. Natalia repositioned herself and slowly eased a finger in to Keeli's slick opening. Using her other hand she began to rub the little nub with her thumb. She began to slide her finger in and out of Keeli while the thumb on the other hand rubbed the knot. Soon she had two fingers in side Keeli and began to move faster.

Keeli, who had been fondling her own breasts, felt the pleasure build inside her once again. She started to moan and squirm as Natalia's wonderful hand brought her to a crescendo. She pulled a pillow over her face and screamed a muffled scream as her first orgasm ripped through her. As her arched back collapsed back down on the bed, Natalia's hands stopped and she moved back up beside Keeli. She removed the pillow from over Keeli's face and looked at the warm flush on the angelic face she found there. Keeli's grey eyes fluttered open and she smiled a content smile. Her arms snaked up around Natalia's neck and the smaller girl's head dipped down kissing her.

"Good morning," Keeli said as they broke the kiss. "Can you wake me up like this every morning?"

Natalia laughed and got up off the bed.

"Come on let's get cleaned up and dressed. I have something I want us to do," Natalia said.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 22

"Hey, your getting pretty good at that," said Natalia displaying her voyeuristic streak as she watched Keeli get dressed.

"I had a good teacher," Keeli replied hamming it up subtly for her audience.

When she finished dressing, Natalia told her to go down and get them a pitcher of juice and a pair of cups and meet her on the sunrise balcony. She nodded her acknowledgement and headed down stairs to the kitchen. Nobody else seemed to be up yet.

She arrived on the balcony with the tray containing the pitcher of juice and cups. It was still a little dark but she didn't bother lighting the torches in the wall sconces since the sun would clear the horizon shortly.

Keeli had just sat down and poured herself a cup of juice when Natalia arrived carrying her twin katanas and some other gear. She glided over to the table putting the stuff down and pouring a glass of juice for herself. Natalia drank her cup down quickly and began strapping some sort of apparatus to her wrists.

"What's up," Keeli asked.

"I thought we would do a little exercising," Natalia said handing Keeli one of the katanas.

"Great," Keeli said, "Do I get a set of those?"

She was talking about the weighted bracers that she had finally realized was what Natalia had put on her wrists.

"Not quite yet," Natalia said. "I know you have that super strength and all but I want you to do this with out using any of that stuff, ok?"

"Umm, sure ok," Keeli agreed.

"Let's stretch out a bit first," Natalia suggested.

As the girls stretched, Keeli noticed she was indeed much more flexible than she used to be. She could now stand with her feet together and touch her forehead to her shins. When they finished their stretching, Natalia asked Keeli if she was familiar with the slow sword forms. Keeli told her she had seen them but had never been impressed enough with it as an exercise to try it. She had thought though it was beautiful to watch it was more a form of dance than a combat exercise. Natalia chuckled at this and told her that she was due for a shock.

"Ok, let's begin. Try to follow my movements," Natalia instructed.

Keeli positioned herself where she could watch Natalia as they moved. At first she was clumsy and halting with the forms, but as they worked she began to be more and more gracefully. By the time they finished the first set of forms Keeli was sweating. She and Natalia continued until Keeli began to get shaky from her exhausted muscles. It was about three hours after they had started and the sun had risen well above the horizon. Both girls were perspiring freely in spite of the cool temperature.

"So what did you think," Natalia asked Keeli with a smile.

"Wow, I didn't think it would be that intense, but every muscle in my body is on fire," Keeli said quaffing down juice.

"Every morning from now on, we will do this as the sun rises," Natalia told her. "The forms we did are called the Sunrise Forms. This evening we will meet on the other balcony and I will teach you the Sunset Forms. We will do those every sunset."

"As long as you wake me every morning like you did today," Keeli said grinning.

"We'll see about that you raven haired pervert," Natalia said affectionately.

They picked up their stuff and went in the house to clean up. When they arrived at the dining room for breakfast, the others, less Falcon, were gathered at the table completing their meal.

"Hey, there you two are," said Jarrith. "We were just about to eat everything and not save you any."

"That," Natalia said sweetly, "would have been a bad idea, my friend"

It was half convincing since Natalia had worn her katanas today, a hilt sticking up above each shoulder. And the way Keeli was eyeing the pancakes with sweet butter and fresh fruit said there would have been hell to pay if they hadn't saved her any. Ashrod had the most amazing culinary abilities.

"How do you do it, Ash," Keeli asked between mouthfuls of the exquisite fruit pancakes, "I have been with you for sometime and I can't figure out how you get all these fresh ingredients, even when they are out of season."

"A mage never reveals his secrets," Ashrod said mysteriously and smiled.

"So Talynnda, when were you planning on completing Falcon's healing," Natalia asked.

"Some time this morning. Whenever he gets up. Why," she asked.

"I was thinking. We need to make a run into town and maybe get Keeli here a new sword. I thought he might like to go with," Natalia explained.

"I could do it now if you like, and you could ask him after you finish eating," Talynnda offered. "Besides I need to go to the temple for a bit to check up on some things."

"Great," Natalia said, adding, "You're a peach."

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 23

Once the clerical magic had done it's job, Falcon couldn't wait to get out of the house. He didn't particularly care for towns being a ranger and all, but everyone suspected he would happily go into a pit of vipers if he were following Keeli. Jarrith decided to stay at the house with Ashrod. Everyone suspected this was because his poets heart couldn't take seeing Falcon following Keeli like a lovesick puppy.

So it was that the four of them, Keeli, Natalia, Falcon, and Talynnda set out for town. It was a brisk two-hour walk, and Talynnda parted ways with them at the temple road. They had made arrangements with her to meet up on the way back later on, and the rest headed into town.

Their first stop was the weapons shop, where there was a surprise waiting for Keeli. They had sent her chain mail shirt in right after the judgment to have it altered. She tried it on. It fit perfectly, though it was more of a chain mail dress coming down to just above her mid thigh.

Keeli was browsing the swords, rejecting most everything Falcon or Natalia pointed out to her. Then she saw it. It was beautiful. It appeared to be some sort of hybrid, a katana except slightly less curved, with a conventional cross bar, and it had a matching wakizashi of the same design. The scabbards were a glossy slate grey color that looked ten feet deep. Falcon said later it looked just like her eyes. The hilts were done in some sort of smooth leathery skin dyed the same color grey as the scabbard, and were wrapped in a vivid blue thread in the pattern of a standard katana. It departed again from the standard katana by having a round ball of metal instead of a tassel. The crossbar was the same brushed finished metal as the pommel and oval shaped toward the hilt but tapered into a round blunt point of sorts about four inches either side of the hilt. It was also enchanted. She could see a glow of energy around it.

"Excuse me," Keeli called to the shop proprietor.

"How may I help you miss?" he asked as he trundled up.

"I would like to see that blue handled one with the grey scabbard," Keeli said sweetly.

"The lady has fine taste," the shopkeeper said as he turned and reached for the weapon.

"What are you doing?" Natalia hissed at her. "If we all put our money together, we still could not afford that sword. Hell, we could put you out on the street turning tricks and it would take even you a month to earn that much."

"Quiet," Keeli commanded. "Watch and learn."

"You know," the shopkeeper said as he returned with both of the swords, "I have had this set in here for about five years, since the sword smith that created them sold them to me. I paid a pretty penny for them too. Many have tried to buy them but they didn't want to pay even half of what they were worth so I held on to them."

Natalia groaned. Keeli had picked up the larger katana. It felt magnificent in her hand. She slowly withdrew it from its scabbard, feeling for any catches or binding. There were none. It felt as if it just flowed out of the scabbard. She examined the blade, starting from its point moving toward the hilt. It was flawless perfection right down to the fine wavy pattern in the metal that was formed from folding it hundreds of times. Keeli lightly ran her thumb down the edge a couple of inches. It parted her skin painlessly and effortlessly, yet when she bounced it on her hand with no lateral movement, it didn't even crease her skin. The balance of it was perfect she noticed as she continued examining the blade. When she got down toward the hilt she noticed an inscription on the blade.

She almost dropped the sword when she read the flowing script that had been etched into it. As it was, she gasped out loud.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Natalia demanded.

Keeli handed her the blade, smiling. She picked up the wakizashi and pulled it from the scabbard. It to seemed to flow from its casing. She had no doubt it was as perfect as its bigger counter part, so she looked and sure enough, it was inscribed too. Keeli read the inscription and laughed out loud. Natalia looked up in askance.

"Read the inscription," Keeli told her.

"By the gods," Natalia exclaimed, "What the bloody hell...this is too weird. Falcon look at this. Falcon?"

"Falcon," Natalia yelled and Keeli giggled.

"What is so funny! Where is Falcon?" Natalia demanded.

"He'll be alright," Keeli said nonchalantly. "He snuck out about ten minutes ago when we weren't looking."

"Ok, I will take your word for it," Natalia said in exasperation setting the katana down on the display case.

"If you think that is weird, look at this one," Keeli said handing the wakizashi to her.

Natalia gasped as she read it. She hastily put it down too. Keeli grinned a huge grin. The swords were meant for her. Somehow, five years ago, an unknown but very talented sword smith inscribed the katana with the words "Beautiful Justice" and the wakizashi was inscribed with the words "Raven Justice".

"How much?" Keeli asked the shopkeeper.

"Well, I will only sell them as a set, you understand," the shopkeeper said apologetically.

"I will only buy them as a set," Keeli dismissed. "How much?"

"6000 gold," the shopkeeper said.

"Galloping green gumdrops," Natalia exclaimed slapping her self on the forehead, "let's go Keeli."

"Natalia relax, please," Keeli told her, and then said, "Falcon, may I please have my sword."

Keeli was holding out her hand without looking behind her. Natalia had thought the strain must have finally become too great for her, and she went mad. So it was a great surprise when the huge bastard sword was placed in Keeli's out stretched hand. It was all Natalia could do to keep from screaming. As it was she jumped as if somebody had goosed her.

Keeli handed the huge sword to the shopkeeper and told him to examine it. While he was looking at it, she took off her hooded cloak and handed it to Falcon.

"So what do you think of that?" Keeli asked the shopkeeper.

"It is the bastard sword of a High Master Warrior, and a chosen of Kale. How, may I ask did you get it?" the shopkeeper asked.

Keeli leaned over and smiled sweetly at him, seemingly oblivious to the fact she was giving him a great view down her cleavage and also the diamond and sapphire pendant. She spoke in a conspiratorial tone.

"Can you keep a secret?" she asked him.

"Why sure, miss," he told her, probably more to keep his view of her cleavage than because he could.

"I was that warrior in another life," she told him with a winning smile.

He looked at her then at the sword and then back at her. He started to chuckle as if he thought she was making a joke. Then it all clicked into place for him. The sapphire and diamond pendant. The sword of the Chosen High Master Warrior of Kale. The rumors he had heard concerning the happenings at the temple. His eyes grew very wide.

"It's you," He said in awe, "You are the Guardian that everyone has been taking about. By the gods! It is an honor to have you in my humble shop, mi'lady."

"It is a pleasure to be here," she said standing back up right.

It must have reminded him of what he had been looking at because he blushed a deep crimson, causing Keeli to grin even broader.

"Now about those swords," she said, " you are holding a highly collectable and rare item in your hand there. I propose that I trade you 500 gold pieces and the bastard sword for these fine weapons. Before you answer read the inscriptions on them to me again."

The shopkeeper set down the bastard sword and picked up the katana and read the inscription out loud.

"It says 'Beautiful Justice'," he read then his eyes snapped back to her.

She was idly fingering the pendant hanging around her neck. Falcon, who had not been around for that discovery, gasped.

"Go on, read the other one," Keeli prompted him.

"No need, Mi'lady, I know it by heart. It says 'Raven Justice', and both match you perfectly," the shopkeeper said in awe.

"By the gods,' Falcon exclaimed.

Keeli was positively beaming. The shopkeeper, however, could not give in to her first offer without at least trying to wrangle a better price.

"1000 gold pieces and the bastard sword," he rejoined.

"Look, my friend," Keeli said still smiling sweetly at him, "you and I both know you would have taken the first 5000 gold pieces someone had offered you for those swords. I am giving you a rare collectable sword that belonged to the first Guardian to walk the earth in a hundred years. I will even give you a signed document of authenticity and witnessed by a priestess of Skyla. For that, you can name your price and someone will pay it, and I bet it doesn't take five years either."

The shopkeeper appeared to be thinking about it. Keeli smelled blood and went for the kill.

"Going once," she said.

He looked at her, then the bastard sword, then the katana, still thinking.

"Going twice," she said.

He picked up the bastard sword and appeared to examine it.

"Gone," Keeli said reaching for the bastard sword he held.

"No wait please," the shop keeper said slumping in defeat, "It's a deal. The swords are yours. By the way the set of them together is called 'Beautiful Raven Justice'. That is what the creator told me. He said someday their namesake would come for them. I thought he meant one of his people. I see now that beautiful raven justice has come for them."

Keeli blushed as she counted out five of her hundred gold piece bars.

"You are too kind, sir," she told him as she picked up the katana and slide it back into its scabbard.

"Sometimes I suspect I am," he told her as she ran her thumb lightly down the edge of the wakizashi, again painlessly drawing blood before sliding it back into it's scabbard. "But in this case, I state only the simple truth, Mi'lady. Well bargained."

"Thank you very much, good sir," Keeli acknowledged. "if you go to the temple this evening, the high priestess will have your document of authenticity."

"Very good, Mi'lady," the shopkeeper smiled.

"Oh, and by the way, please keep my presence here to yourself," Keeli said.

"As you wish, Mi'lady," he said.

 

O++++{{=========> Chapter 24

"Is everybody finished shopping?" Keeli asked.

"I am," Natalia said. "That experience at the weapons shop wore me out."

"I am too," Falcon said. "I got everything I came here to get."

"Very well, let's hightail it to the temple then, and maybe we can catch Talynnda before she leaves."

"Falcon, dear, may I have a word?" Keeli asked.

"Of course," he said, and they dropped back a few paces behind Natalia.

"Falcon," Keeli said in a low tone, "I just saw something I want to buy. To two go on ahead and I will catch up with you before the edge of town. Be careful with Natalia, she seems awfully skittish today. I don't think she will willingly let me out of her sight and I don't want the company, if you know what I mean."

"By your command," Falcon said with a smile. She smiled back at him and then blurred and disappeared.

Falcon caught back up to Natalia. She looked around and didn't see Keeli.

"Oh shit, where is Keeli?" she asked, the tension naked in her voice.

"Relax, Natalia, she had to buy one more thing. She said she would catch up to us at the edge of town," Falcon told her calmly.

"And you let her go? By herself?" Natalia asked like they were talking about a 6 year old.

"Natalia, please. Calm down. It's not as if she can't take care of herself," Falcon reasoned with her.

"Yes, but what if she gets attacked. She is not that good with those swords yet. She is a beautiful young woman and has no clue about the dangers she faces alone on the street. All sorts of criminals target girls like her. You know, pretty rich young women who are foolish enough to travel the streets alone with their fat purses hanging out for all to see. She is ten times more likely to get attacked than you are. A hundred times more likely to get attacked than she would have been in her old body. And she probably doesn't even realize it," Natalia said working herself up into a state.

"Natalia, calm down," Falcon said firmly. "In case you forgot, we are talking about someone who damn near killed me without even moving."

"Exactly my point, you moron," Natalia told him, "If she uses that ability on a ruffian, that story is going to spread like wild fire. We'll be lucky if Anderpaul himself doesn't come looking for her."

"Enough," Falcon said. "Nothing is going to happen."

"How can you be so flippant about this," Natalia said. "This could turn into a real disaster."

"What could turn into a real disaster," asked a voice from behind her.

Natalia wheeled a found the girl in question standing nonchalantly behind her holding a package.

"Oh thank the gods," Natalia said and threw her arms around Keeli, hugging her tight. "Don't you ever go off like that by yourself again."

"Yes mother," Keeli said sweetly.

"You people are gonna drive me mad," Natalia told them. "Let's just go."

They did indeed make it to the temple before Talynnda left. Keeli asked to speak to the high priestess and was escorted to her office. She explained what she needed and the high priest