Mail Order: Chapter 17

MAIL ORDER


Chapter Seventeen

When Ceraline and Laurewen came through the portal into the Hall of Speakers from the Plane of Air, they both looked around with a smile. It was good to finally be home. Lilyglade followed a couple seconds later, and although she didn’t think of Sigil the same way her friends did, she was also glad to be back. The City of Doors might be dank and wet and smell bad, but at least it wasn’t boring.
    The Boundless Blue had proven to be incredibly dull. Apart from the one elemental pocket from the Quasielemental Plane of Lightning and the citadel belonging to Dis Blak, they’d encountered virtually nothing at all in the month they’d spent in the Blue. Plenty of fluffy clouds and as much fresh air as you could want, but that was it. Not one single monster or interesting event. Not even any more elemental pockets. If it hadn’t been for the crew to interact with, they would’ve gone mental from boredom.
    “I can’t wait to get home and take a proper bath,” said Ceraline, rubbing her face. “And then maybe over to the Sunken Treasure for a nice dinner.”
    ”I hear that,” Laurewen concurred heartily.
    “And I’ve missed Gar and Shilling. I hope they’re home.”
    “Think they’ll be out-of-town?” Lilyglade asked as they made their way along the corridor toward the Hall’s exit.
    “It’s certainly possible,” Laurewen replied. “I mean, Gar’s not going to sit around on his ass for a month waiting for us.”
    Ceraline frowned. “I hope he hasn’t had any amazing adventures without me.”
    Laurewen laughed and put her arm around her. “Hey, don’t be like that. Just because our job was dull as a modron, that’s no reason to wish the same on him.”
    “I wasn’t,” said Ceraline. “It’s just, you know…”
    “I know. If he’s having an adventure then you want to share it. I feel the same way. But it has been a month and we can’t expect him to be a homebody.”
    Ceraline sighed. “Fair enough.”
    “Maybe he’s found a girl,” Lilyglade speculated mischievously.
    “Some pillow time with a pretty girl could only do him some good,” said Laurewen with a smile. “Gods know he deserves some.”
    “He certainly does,” Ceraline agreed. Apart from his one night with Laurewen, he hadn’t slept with a woman in decades. Not out of personal choice, mind you. It was simply that women refused to see him in a romantic light. Friends was evidently fine, but anything more seemed out of the question. She thought it beyond unfair.
    When they left the Hall of Speakers, they quickly found and hired one of the Tea Street Transit’s pony cabs to take them home. Lilyglade could have easily flown back under her own steam in minutes, but that would have been insufferably rude. You don’t abandon your mates for the sake of convenience.
    When the cab rolled to a stop in front of Chameleon House and they stepped out, Laurewen’s sharp hearing immediately heard the inside bell start ringing. Which meant Garadun had to be home, because Chameleon House wouldn’t ring the bell on its own for no reason. She paid the cabbie and followed Ceraline and Lilyglade inside; and was immediately filled with a sense of it’s-all-rightness. Their intelligent house was glad to have them home again.
    They heard Shilling miaowing excitedly before they saw her come scampering down the stairs, and she was quickly followed by Garadun.
    “Hello there, little one.” Ceraline scooped up the purring, miaowing kitten in her arms and hugged and kissed her. “I’ve missed you, too.”
    Garadun smiled and gave Laurewen a hug. “Welcome back. How was the Blue?”
    “Boring as Mechanus,” Lilyglade told him when he let Laurewen go to give her a very gentle hug of her own. “Let me tell you: Air is dull.”
    “Really. I heard it can get exciting. Elementals and stuff.”
    “Not this trip.” Ceraline passed Shilling to Laurewen and embraced Garadun. “We were expecting lots of adventure, too. It wasn’t as advertised.”
    “The town of Signpost was interesting, though,” said Laurewen. “I know you’d like it, Gar. That place is fun. But the rest of the Blue? Boring.”
    “So you do anything interesting while we were gone?” Lilyglade asked. “How was the trip with Emma to the Palace of Judgement? Anything fun happen?”
    “Oh, I’ve been busy, no doubt about that,” he said, smirking, and Ceraline pouted in jealousy. “Got a lot of stories to tell. Don’t we Shilling?”
    Shilling miaowed loudly in happy agreement.
    “Oh, that’s not fair,” said Ceraline. “We get bored mental for a month and you two get to have a bunch of adventures.”
    “Any pretty girls?” Laurewen asked, hopefully.
    “Several,” Garadun replied and held up his hand. “But no romance. Look, we can go to the Treasure once you’ve settled in, and talk over a nice long dinner. But before that, I have some news for you, Cera.”
    Ceraline saw his expression and felt a sense of apprehension. “What is it?”
    Garadun took a breath and let it out. “I know who your father is.”
    You could have heard a pin drop in the silence that followed.
    “My... father?” said Ceraline, stunned. “How?”
    “Simple. I got fed up and went and asked your mother. Demanded, actually. Told her you had a right to know who he was. Got up in her face about it.”
    Laurewen grinned wickedly. “I just bet you did. Good for you, love.”
    “Who... who is he?” Ceraline asked softly.
    Garadun took her hand. “His name is Corvin Ravencroft and he lives on the Prime Material world of Eberron. When your mom last saw him, he was living in a town called Moonwatch in a country called Breland. Mind you, that was like twenty years ago. So who knows where he is now.”
    “Corvin Ravencroft.” Ceraline said the name in wonder. “My father.”
    “So, can I assume you wanna go look for him, Cera?” Garadun asked, staring at her. Ceraline met his stare in shock.
    “Could we actually do that?”
    Garadun held up his carnelian cube. “With this, yes.”
    “What is it?” Laurewen eyed the cube with interest.
    “It’s called a cubic gate. It allows you to travel to each of the six planes designated on its sides,” he explained, passing it over in exchange for his cat. “One of them is the Prime Material. While you three have been away, me and Shilling have been using it to go all over the place. Bloody handy, lemme tell you.”
    “I forgot you had that,” said Lilyglade.
    “So what do you say, Cera?” he asked with an adventurous glint in his eye and a slight smile on his lips. “Wanna go on a quest to find your father? Ready to leave Sigil and its smog behind to try and find your dad?”
    Ceraline stared at him, and then a big smile blossomed on her beautiful face. “You bet I do! A chance to finally meet my father after all this time? You better believe it!” She whooped in joy and threw her arms around him; and immediately pulled back when Shilling mrowed loudly in protest, the kitten still being his arms.
    “Sorry, sweetheart, I didn’t mean it,” Ceraline told her apologetically.
    Shilling gave her a forgiving miaow.
    Laurewen eyed her friend knowingly. “I bet you’ve got a plan, haven’t you?”
    Garadun chuckled. “Course I do. I wouldn’t be me otherwise.”
    “That figures.” Laurewen gave him a kiss on the lips, and not the friends-only kind. “Well, it looks like we have a genuine quest on our hands. But before that, I want a long shower and a change of clothes and a big meal at the Treasure.”
    “Got that right,” said Ceraline. “I’ll start a bath.”
    “I could use one, too,” said Lilyglade and buzzed off upstairs.
    “So can I use your shower, love?” Laurewen asked.
    “All yours,” said Garadun affably with a wave of his hand.
    Ceraline looked at her lover. “You don’t want a bath?”
    “I’m in the mood for a shower,” Laurewen explained, meeting Ceraline’s eyes. It took a moment, but then Ceraline understood the unspoken message.
    “Okay, tub’s all mine then,” she said cheerfully. “We’ll meet back here in an hour or so, then off to the Sunken Treasure for a nice meal.”
    Ceraline went up the stairs, sharing a knowing look with Laurewen.
    “So no romance, huh?” said Laurewen, slinging her arm through Garadun’s as they started up the stairs. “That’s not fair. Not fair at all.”
    “Life seldom is,” Garadun replied with a shrug. “But I got Shilling, so that evens things out. And we’ve had our share of adventures.”
    “Such as?”
    “Well, one of them involved fighting a big, smelly troll,” he told her with a grin. “Killed the bastard, of course.”
    “Well of course you did.”
    “And it had a hoard,” he added, his grin widening. Laurewen stared. “Straight up, no kidding. Ton of gold, gems, jewellery; a real fortune. The only downside was cleaning the damned stuff. Lemme tell you: troll stink lingers.”
    Laurewen kissed him on the cheek and they entered his quarters. “Good for you, Gar! And you, Shilling. Is any of the jewellery, uh, you know…”
    “Suitable for beautiful young women I know to wear?” Garadun laughed. “Yes. I’ve had everything professionally appraised, too.”
    “Valuable?”
    Garadun put Shilling down and she went and scampered after one of her plush toys, wrestling with it. “Like you wouldn’t believe.”
    “Well done.” Laurewen strolled into the washroom and partly closed the door. While she was busy, Garadun opened the old battered chest next to his dresser. It had once belonged to an evil hag they’d put in the dead-book, and he used it to store personal items and bits of treasure he came across. Inside were three new jewellery cases; they held the torque and necklaces he’d found in the troll’s hoard. He took them out and set them on the main table while Shilling continued to play with her basilisk plushie.
    Laurewen called, “Gar, can you get me some fresh soap, please?”
    Garadun sighed and made his way over. He stepped into the bathroom and saw Laurewen was already in the shower stall. “There’re new bars in the cabinet.”
    “Well, be a gentleman and get me one,” she told him playfully.
    Garadun opened the teak cabinet and grabbed one; they were the best in the city, individually wrapped in wax paper. He took off the paper and turned to hand it over the stall, only to find Laurewen standing beside him, wet and nude. She threw an arm over his shoulder and kissed him passionately.
    He managed to break off the kiss. “Laurie, what–“
    “Make love to me, dummy,” she said and kicked the bathroom door closed.
    “But Cera–”
    Laurewen kissed him again, now pulling at his shirt. “You think she doesn’t know I’m going to have you?” Another hungry kiss. “The other women out there may be fools, but I’m not.” She yanked his shirt off and unbuckled his belt, giving his bare chest a kiss. “I happen to love you as much as Cera does, you know.”
    “Laurie...”
    She pulled his pants off, then his shorts and socks. He was very hard for her, as she knew he would be. She fondled him gently, making him gasp.
    “Cera and I share girls in our bed, you know that,” she told him between kisses. “Not often these days, but we do. I still like men. You, specifically. You’re my friend and I love you. Why shouldn’t we make love?”
    Put like that, he couldn’t think why not. Laurewen drew him into the shower stall and wrapped her arms around him, kissing hungrily. All his pent-up feelings for her flooded out and seconds later he had her in his arms, her back to the wall and her legs hooked around his waist as he gripped her fabulous rear with their hips grinding away. Gods, she felt so good. Laurewen gasped and moaned and told him not to stop.
    It seemed to go on forever, as intense sex sometimes does when lovers are lost in the moment; but eventually Garadun could hold back no longer and climaxed. Laurewen was an exceptionally talented lover and had been able to match her rhythm to his, especially since they’d been lovers before. His climax triggered hers and her orgasm was a thing of toe-curling bliss.
    Gasping and spent, he still held her in his arms as the grip of her legs eased off. She let her feet slide down to the floor, but kept him inside her where he belonged, their hips still slowly thrusting and pumping together.
    “That was long overdue,” she said between kisses.
    “I was in love with you and Cera for so long,” he confessed, touching his forehead to hers as the water cascaded over them.
    “I know,” she told him with a gentle smile. “You have a wonderful heart, Gar. It’s why I love you. It’s why I made love to you way back when and why now. You’re my friend and I love you. It’s as simple as that. I’m the exception, remember?”
    Garadun couldn’t help but grin. “Yeah, you are.”
    “Then say it.”
    “I love you, Laurie,” he told her sincerely. “It drove me crazy for a while, but I’m okay now. I’m not in love anymore, not exactly, but I still love you.”
    “I love you too.” They kissed tenderly. “And until some dollymop finally sees you for who you are, I’m always here for you if you need me.”
    Garadun smiled, then picked up the soap and washcloth. Laurewen kissed him and gave him her back. He started washing her and it was another form of lovemaking. He kissed and rubbed and stroked and fondled her, and she loved every touch. She gave him the same in return, and by then they were ready for more intercourse.
    But she wanted a plush place for their loveplay. They towelled themselves dry and left the bathroom. Shilling was curled up at the head of the bed, fast asleep. So Garadun closed the chamber door and they settled down on the giant sable pelt. Laurewen moaned as the thick, soft fur enveloped her body; she adored furs. They made love in earnest and wrapped themselves in the huge fur as they loved each other; it felt so incredible. Time passed and they forgot about dinner at the Sunken Treasure. All that mattered was their lovemaking. It went on for hours, and when they were finally drained they fell asleep in each other’s arms, wrapped warmly in sable fur.

                                                                          *****

Garadun woke up when Shilling batted him in the face with her paw. He opened his eyes and saw her looking at him. She let out a quizzical trill and looked at Laurewen who was asleep beside him, and then looked at him again. He could sense her confusion. Shilling knew Laurewen, had lived with her in Chameleon House; but she’d never seen him snuggled up with her like this. Laurewen shared Ceraline’s room, not theirs. She’d felt strange feelings from him the night before, so she’d gone to sleep to make the feelings go away. Now it was morning and she didn’t understand what was going on.
    It quickly dawned on him what his poor cat must be feeling, and focusing on their empathic link he got a genuine sense of those emotions. How could he possibly explain to her? He couldn’t, that was obvious. Not really, not make her understand. She was only a kitten after all. Then the realisation of what must have been transmitted to her the night before hit him and he felt tremendously guilty.
    “I’m sorry, Shilling, I’m sorry.” He sat up and took her in his arms, and she mewed and licked his chin. “I’m really sorry, sweetie, for last night. I should’ve closed myself to you. I just forgot in all the… Gods, I’m so sorry.”
    Shilling felt his sorrow and guilt and didn’t understand why he was feeling that way. She knew in her heart that he would never ever hurt her. She pawed him and rubbed her head against his face; he stroked and petted her tenderly. There was no love more pure and simple than that of a cat, and he was deeply grateful for hers. He was also a bit ashamed of himself, not to mention pissed off.
    “Never again,” he muttered. ”That stuff stays inside me.”
    Shilling mewed and he felt her hunger.
    “Right, breakfast.” He got up and set her on the bed before pulling on some clothes. He covered the still-sleeping Laurewen with the sable pelt and then carried his kitten down to the kitchen to make her some breakfast. As an apology he made her bacon and sausage, along with a bowl of fresh milk. Shilling ate cheerfully, all badness forgotten in the face of her favourite foods and her daddy’s love.
    Garadun sat at the counter and pondered his newest revelations. The first was that, despite his efforts, he still loved Laurewen. Not exactly dyed-in-the-wool in love with her, but more than the love of friendship. Something he’d never known at any rate. And she loved him the same way. He had no doubts about her feelings, not anymore. What they had was unusual (which actually came as no big surprise) but he was sure they’d be able to make it work, whatever the relationship was. Ceraline was the love of her life, no question about it. But she was willing to share herself with him as well.
    The second was the very clear understanding that he had to control his feelings a lot better, for Shilling’s sake. Especially when it came to sex. Their empathic link worked both ways and his complicated and screwed-up emotions were not hers to bear. They could so easily confuse and upset her, and that was unacceptable.
    Never again, he vowed to himself.
    He had cleaned the frying pan and was just starting on making the batter for pancakes when Laurewen wandered into the kitchen, clad in a black silk morning robe with sable cuffs and collar. She gave him a warm smile and embraced him from behind, wrapping her arms around his waist and kissing his cheek. He turned his head to kiss her on the lips and she kissed back ardently. Then she sat at the kitchen table.
    “So much for dinner last night, eh?” she said with a laugh in her voice.
    “I’ll say,” he said, looking at her. “You were wonderful. Thank you.”
    “Anytime, lover. You made me feel wonderful, too.”
    “Just need to be more careful,” he told her, stirring the batter. “My feelings, I mean. Shilling got a dose of ‘em last night and it messed her up a bit.” He glanced down at where she was drinking her milk. “Can’t have that again.”
    Laurewen put her hand over her mouth. “Oh Gar, I’m so sorry.”
    “Not your fault; mine. I have to close myself to her if I get… intimate again.”
    “I don’t know how the bond works, but I understand.”
    “So what would you like in your pancakes?”
    “Strawberries would be nice, thank you,” she said gratefully.
    Garadun nodded and went to the tall icebox that acted as a refrigerator; he took a bowl of strawberries and began cutting a few into small pieces. Shilling hopped up on her usual chair and settled down. Laurewen petted her a few times, feeling a bit guilty, and then left the kitchen to wake her housemates. Ten minutes later she returned with Ceraline and Lilyglade. They were also wearing morning robes. Garadun set a plate of strawberry pancakes in front of Laurewen’s usual place.
    “Morning, ladies.”
    “Morning, you,” said Ceraline with a big silly grin.
    “I assume you want coconut?” he said, trying to ignore her teasing expression.
    Ceraline glanced at Laurewen’s plate. “No, I’ll have strawberries too, please.”
    “Lilyglade?”
    “Um, do you have any blackberries?”
    “Of course,” he said and fetched some from the icebox. Every since Lilyglade had moved into Chameleon House he always tried to keep some in stock. He focused on making the pancakes and not listen to the hushed chatter of the girls. When they all had a stack in front of them he sighed and leaned against the counter.
    “Lilyglade: are you going to be coming with us?”
    The faerie swallowed a mouthful of pancake. “What do you mean?”
    “When we go to look for Cera’s dad,” he said, unusually serious. “We’re leaving for a Prime world none of us have been to before, and it’s very likely we’ll be gone for years. I don’t know about these two, but for me my home is now wherever we set up Chameleon House. If I don’t ever come back to the Great Ring, so be it.”
    Ceraline and Laurewen stopped eating and stared first at him and then at each other. They hadn’t considered the fact that they could be away so long.
    “You have your new house in Sylvania,” he went on. “Do you want to stay?”
    Lilyglade bit her lip. “I hadn’t even thought about it. I mean, it’s all so sudden.”
    “Fair enough. There’s no rush.”
    “Gods, he’s right.” Ceraline put her elbow on the table and rested her head in her palm. “It could take years to find my father.”
    “Well, where you go, I go,” Laurewen told her and ate another chunk of pancake. “I came here from the Flanaess. My case is wherever you are, Cera.”
    Ceraline looked at her adoringly and they kissed. “Thank you, my love.”
    “So you still want to go, Cera?” Garadun asked.
    “Yes, I do,” she said with a determined air. “I want to find my father, even if I only find his grave. I’m not turning back, even if we’re gone for years.”
    “Have you learned anything about, uh...” Laurewen asked.
    “Eberron,” Garadun replied, nodding. “Yeah, I’ve done my research, starting with the sage next door. I even managed to find and buy a map – although I have no clue as to how accurate it is. Eberron, as was described to me, is supposed to be a normal Prime world like your Oerth: blue sky, blue water, green trees, all that stuff. If the map’s any good, it’s got four major continents and numerous islands.”
    Laurewen gave Ceraline an encouraging smile. “It sounds nice.”
    “And to be perfectly honest,” Garadun remarked, “I’ll be glad to get out of Sigil. I’m tired of this place with its constant rain and foul air. Time for a change.”
    “Now that I understand,” said Lilyglade, who had had her little house in Sylvania constructed so she could get away from the Cage’s filth.
    Ceraline chewed her lip. “I’ve never lived on a Prime world before.”
    “Think Arborea but on a normal-sized scale,” Garadun suggested after a moment’s thought. “Blue sky, sun in the sky, stars at night. If Eberron is anything like the worlds that Laurie and I grew up on, I think you’ll like it.”
    “I know you will,” said Laurewen, putting her hand over Ceraline’s.
    “But I just got my new place!” Lilyglade suddenly cried. “What am I supposed to do with it? I spent all that money and everything.”
    Ceraline looked at her. “Does that mean you are coming with us?”
    “You’re the best friends I have,” the faerie replied, then looked down and said in a quieter tone, “The only real friends I’ve ever had. I can’t lose you.”
    Ceraline made a squeaky sound, tears suddenly in her eyes, and embraced the little faerie in a tight hug. Laurewen reached over and stroked the faerie’s hair. Shilling sat up and looked over the edge of the table, miaowing supportively.
    Garadun gave her a smile. “Well, maybe you can give your new house to Magnolia,” he suggested. “All she has is that tree hollow in the woods.”
    “Yeah, that’s a good idea,” Lilyglade agreed, looking up. “I’ll do that today.”
    Laurewen nodded. “I’m sure she’ll love it. It’s a great little treehouse.”
    “Jaalira,” said Ceraline with a gasp. “Oh gods, we have to tell her! Oh, I’m going to miss her and all the girls and the Sunken Treasure and everything!”
    “Sweet Sharess, that’s right,” said Laurewen, her turn to be hit with the realisation that she would be leaving everything behind, her home and all her friends.
    Garadun left the girls to work out the details over breakfast. With Shilling in tow he returned to his quarters to have a wash and change his clothes. While he got dressed he looked at his giant sable rug in amusement. It’d finally been properly christened. Gods, had it ever. He wasn’t really sure what it was exactly he and Laurewen had, but right now he couldn’t be bothered to try and figure it out. It just was.
    He took the map of Eberron from his bookcase and spread it on the table. He sat down to study it and Shilling joined him, walking across the large and somewhat worn piece of parchment. It was a full-colour drawing, not a simple sketch, with country names in red ink and even several towns marked on it as well. There were a few rips and stains and smudged bits – it was old and well-used.
    “Breland,” he told his kitten, putting his finger on the lower-middle portion of the map. “This is where we have to start.”
    Shilling cocked her head and mewed inquisitively.
    “We’re moving, sweetie.” He picked her up and took her to the window. “No more Sigil. We’re leaving it all behind to try and find Cera’s father. No more filth and foul thin air and oily rain.” He gave her a smirk. “And no more cranium rats.”
    Shilling miaowed loudly, and he could feel how glad she was to hear that.
    “We’ll go say goodbye to the lads in Svartalfheim,” he told her, looking back out the window. “And Sassafras and the others in Faunel, and Millani in Ecstasy. And of course Jaalira and Emma and all the girls at the Sunken Treasure. A lot of goodbyes.”
    Shilling mewed sadly.
    “I know, I’m gonna miss them, too,” he said, stroking her. “But it’s time for a change, and this quest to find Cera’s dad is as good a reason as any.”
    Garadun stared thoughtfully out the window for a time.
    “Well, to quote Bilbo: I need a holiday. A very long holiday. And I don’t expect I shall return. In fact I mean not to.”



THE END