Heather the Necromancer

Heather wandered the forest near the ruins with Webster to keep her company. The previous day had been an experience, and now she needed time to think. Her wedding was in two days, and then her life would change forever, but that was just the first of many changes on her horizon. After the wedding, she had to come to terms with the fact that two other women wanted to share her love. Heather had once kissed another woman, but that was it. Could she open up to the others as Jaina did with her sisters?

“I suppose I can,” she said and looked at Webster. “But you're sleeping in your own room from now on.” He chirped, and she heard his reply in her head, causing her to blush. “I don't care that your just a spider. You are not going to sit there and watch.”

He chirped again, but she pushed him out of her thoughts and found a log beside a little stream to sit on. Webster curled beside her as she stroked his back and wondered how anyone could live a life like hers. Abducted into a fantasy world, tricked into playing a forbidden class with a bounty on her head. Now she was hunted and driven to hide while somehow building lasting friendships and perhaps even a family? She had a Queen for a mother and a royal title of her own. How could it possibly get any more strange?

“Looking to be alone?” Blackbast asked as she stepped from around a tree.

“Oh, um, I don’t know,” Heather admitted. “I don’t know anything anymore. How did you find me anyway?”

“I can feel your collar,” Blackbast admitted. “It tells me where you are.”

“A tracking device,” Heather said with a nod. “Why should I be surprised?”

“Perhaps we should discuss what you plan to do with the others,” Blackbast said as she sauntered over wearing a simple dress.

“Why are you clothed?” Heather asked. “I actually feel uncomfortable when you're not mostly naked.”

“Ha, you see, you get used to it after a while,” Blackbast said and sat on the log beside her. “Now, how did your discussion with Frank go?”

“Fine,” Heather said with a shrug. “We all know we love him and each other, so we are going to discuss having a relationship after the wedding.”

“I am proud of you,” Blackbast said and rubbed Heather’s back. “You have changed a great deal in just the little time I have known you.”

“All that changed was my desire to leave,” Heather replied and looked to Blackbast. “I want to stay because I want to be with Frank. Once I understood that all the little things I wasn't allowing myself to consider were open to negotiation.”

“I see,” Blackbast said and swished her tail. “But are you able to have such a relationship? Not everyone is cut out for such a thing.”

“It will be a simple poly relationship,” Heather said with a shrug. “Quinny and Breanne are experienced with other women. So I am the only one who needs to learn.”

“Heather,” Blackbast said firmly. “That isn’t something you can turn on or off. I have known many women who would be horrified by what you just said. They would never be able to bring themselves to embrace another woman, so are you sure you can do it?”

Heather wanted to reply by asking what choice did she have, but the question was childish. Blackbast was trying to help, so she sat down and honestly considered it. Could she make love to Quinny and Breanne, and how would she feel afterward?

“I am not against the idea,” Heather said after a pause. “But I am a more traditional person. I always assumed I would get married to a man one day, and we would start a family.”

“You never entertained the thought of loving a woman before?” Blackbast asked.

“Once,” Heather admitted and explained the kiss that went nowhere. “But I always wanted children, so I knew I would end up with a man.” Then, she stopped to think about where she was now and admitted that none of that mattered anymore. She couldn't have children in New Eden, so it didn't matter if she was married to a man or a woman. All that did matter was that she loved the other person, and they loved her. She knew that was the case with Frank, Quinny, and Breanne, so there was nothing to worry about.

“A very simplistic way of looking at it,” Blackbast agreed. “And I agree with your desire to marry Frank first, then worry about adding the others.”

“I am glad I did something right,” Heather laughed. “I feel like this might have happened weeks ago if my nonsense hadn’t blinded me to the truth.”

“The factors of your life here are not nonsense,” Blackbast insisted. “And you are under very real pressure, both as a necromancer and because of your connection to this Hathlisora. We wouldn't be here now if not for those elements driving your choices.”

Heather realized both of those things were true, and those issues only made her want to escape the world even more. Had neither of them happened, she might have settled sooner and discovered her place in the world. She looked at Blackbast with a smile of appreciation and took one of her hands for comfort.

“I am glad we met you,” Heather said and looked through the trees. “A long way back, Quinny and Breanne tried to tell me that sex was popular in this world. They teased me for being so prudish and encouraged me to open my eyes and look around. Then Gwen told me the exact same thing, urging me to loosen up and see what was right in front of my face.”

“But you still couldn’t do it,” Blackabast interjected.

“No,” Heather admitted. “It wasn't so much that I couldn't do it; I didn't want to. I had made up my mind that I was getting out, and I didn't need the distraction. But then I met you, and you were exactly what somebody like me needed. You made it impossible to ignore the possibility that I could experience love.” Heather paused to smile at her silliness and went on. “Even with all that, I still fought against the idea of settling and enjoying the love that was all around me. I tried to keep myself busy with some silly task that I convinced myself was more important.”

“I noticed you liked to be preoccupied. So what changed?” Blackbast asked.

Heather looked over, her smile widening as she collected her thoughts. “Roric and Jaina did.”

Blackbast looked at her strangely, so Heather went on to explain that seeing how that relationship worked finally made her realize how happy somebody could be here. She was particularly impressed by Jaina, who saw no reason to even exist in this world if not to embrace happiness. Then Heather asked herself one simple question, why wasn’t she happy? She tried to tell herself it was because she was abducted and forced to be here, but that wasn't true. The simple answer was that she refused to be happy. In her very first days in New Eden, when Frank explained the nature of the world, Heather made up her mind she was never going to be happy here.

“And you stuck by that thought all this time,” Blackbast agreed with a nod.

“I know it sounds like I had a tantrum,” Heather admitted. “But discovering I was here sent me into a kind of shock.”

“I am certain it did,” Blackbast agreed. “By all accounts, you aren't even a gamer, and this world held no appeal to you.”

“No, it didn't,” Heather said as she looked away. “But I have come to understand that I am here now, and it's time my tantrum ended. As I said, the only reason I'm not happy is because I won't allow myself to be. Well, now that I met Roric and Jaina, I see what I am missing. I want to be happy, and I want there to be somebody who loves me.”

“I see where this is going,” Blackbast replied with a nod. “You are finally ready to embrace those around you that already love you.”

“I don't just want to embrace it. I want to be drowned in it,” Heather declared. “I want this world to feel like my home because here is where the people I love are. As soon as I had that thought, I looked at Frank, and I couldn't keep it at bay anymore. I love him, and I needed him to know it. I needed him to know I would stay because I wanted to be with him. Once we made love, my eyes opened even more, and I realized that Quinny and Breanne also loved me. They were every bit as supportive as Frank was, though in different ways. All three of them have been selflessly devoting their lives to chasing after my mad dreams because they love me.”

“I am glad you have finally seen it,” Blackbast said with an encouraging nod.

“I have seen all the people who have been selflessly helping me,” Heather said and paused to lick her lips. “Including you.”

“Me?” Blackbast replied as her ears went up. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, let’s see,” Heather began. “You offered us a safe refuge in your temple. Then you offered me your collar to help erase the necromancer class. Then you broke your own rules to help me speak to the woman in the crown. If that wasn't enough, you left your temple to guide us across the desert, helping a woman you barely knew when you had nothing to gain from it. Now that I met Roric, I understand just how important these collars are to you and the sacrifice you are making by letting us wear them. Tell me the truth, are you paying some kind of hidden cost by being away from your temple?”

“I do not think we should discuss this,” Blackbast said as her tail twitched nervously.

“Just answer the question,” Heather demanded. “What are you sacrificing to help me?”

“It is weakening me,” Blackbast admitted. “Every day I am away from my temple, I lose power. Of course, I will gain it back quickly once I return, but I am already well below my full potential.”

“Then why are you doing it?” Heather asked as she rubbed the woman's hand. “Why are you helping me?” Heather saw her swallow nervously, and it felt good to be the one making her nervous for a change. The woman's tail twitched as she considered her answer, so Heather decided to ratchet up the pressure. “Is there more going on here than you have let on?”

“I….” Blackbast began as she grabbed her twitching tail with her free hand. “I just wanted to help you. Your story was sad, and it touched my heart. I hadn't been away from the temple in years, and I saw the potential for a grand adventure at your side.”

“You don’t honestly expect me to believe that’s it?” Heather asked as she leaned in closer. “You don't run off with a stranger and her strange friends when it will cost you dearly. Are you sure there isn't something more you wanted from me, or maybe Frank?” She batted her eyes as she smiled, trying to entice the woman to open up.

“Why are you suddenly teasing me like this?” Blackbast asked nervously. “You do not understand how cruel what you’re doing is.”

Heather leaned back to hear the pain in the woman's voice. She tried to think of why her flirting would be cruel as Blackbast pulled her hand away and stood up. The cat woman took a few steps away, holding her hand as her shoulders slumped and she started to cry.

“Blackbast!” Heather nearly shouted and ran to her side. “What did I say that was so upsetting?”

“It isn’t what you said,” Blackbast replied and looked down as tears began to fall. “It is what you offered.”

“Offered?” Heather repeated as she was lost in the dark. “I hate to say this, but I don't understand how I hurt you.”

“I told you long ago that I love my class,” Blackbast said. “But it comes with a burden that is hard to overcome.”

“What kind of burden?” Heather asked as she dared to rub at the woman’s shoulders. She tried to remember what might have been said but was drawing a blank.

“I have trouble forming loving relationships,” Blackbast sniffed. “Oh, I can have plenty of sex, but there are never any true relationships. Who wants to fall in love with a woman who is effectively a whore?”

“I never thought of you as a whore,” Heather insisted.

“I know,” Blackbast replied. “None of you did, which is why I have treasured my time at your side. But the truth is, no man will call me his wife when I cannot stay faithful to him. My class requires me to run my temple and offer my comforts to those who come seeking them. I would need a man like Roric who finds pleasure in knowing his women are living out their fantasies, but men like him are so very rare.”

“Oh, you want a committed relationship,” Heather said as it started to come clear. “But you can’t find one because of what you are.”

“And I will never have one,” Blackbast replied and looked back with pain in her eyes. “Which is why teasing me about your relationship is cruel. I would do anything to be a part of what you have.”

Heather was stunned to hear the woman say that and had to take a step back to consider her reaction. She remembered that Blackbast had mentioned this before when they were still at her temple. Blackbast seemed to laugh it off, but now that Heather thought back, she wondered if it was more of a cry for help. Blackbast was lonely and searching for somebody to love her like Frank loved Heather. This whole journey was probably her way of running away from it all. That was why she was helping because she desperately wanted to escape the loneliness of her temple.

“All those visitors and, yet you feel alone,” Heather said.

“The visitors are not all that common,” Blackbast replied. “And though I may enjoy sex, I crave having it with someone who loves me. I didn't think I would feel this way when I picked my class, but over time I have started to long for someone to love.”

“How long have you felt like this?” Heather dared to ask.

“Five years,” Blackbast said without looking up. “I know I play a good game, but I have begun to wonder if perhaps I should remove all my homes and reset.”

“No,” Heather urged and wrapped her in a hug. “There has to be a better answer.”

“I told you, nobody is going to love me knowing what I have to do,” Blackbast said.

Heather heard the conflict in the woman's voice and began to wonder if Roric would take her. They had a lot in common as slave masters and were already having sex. But, Blackbast must have already considered that option and rejected it. That meant that either Roric wouldn't take her, or there was somewhere else the woman would rather be. She thought about all the ways Blackbast had guided her steps, set goals, and given her the strength to go on. She was more than a friend. She was almost a mother, yet she always pushed to bring her and Frank together. Now in hindsight, she saw all the little ways Blackbast worked to open Heather's eyes to Frank, culminating in the figurine. She had given up a rare magical item that was invaluable to her class just so Heather and Frank could be happy.

“It’s me you want, isn’t it?” Heather asked and listened to Blackbast take a deep breath.

“I do not have the right to want such a thing,” Blackbast replied.

“But you do want it,” Heather stated. “And just like Frank, you hid your feelings while sacrificing yourself. You worked to put me in the arms of another because you loved me so much you wanted me to be happy, even if it was with somebody else.”

Blackbast replied with a pain-filled sob, wiping her eyes as her body shook. It was all the answer Heather needed, and she wrapped the cat woman in a warm hug. She closed her eyes and rocked gently while trying to understand why so many people were hurting. This world was full of magic and wonder, but like so many things, they came at a cost. Blackbast was trapped in a world of meaningless sex that had long since lost its luster. Now she desperately wanted an honest-to-goodness relationship with somebody she could love, and of course, she wanted Heather.

“What about Frank? Heather asked. “How do you feel about him?”

“He is the kindest and bravest man I have ever met in this world,” Blackbast whispered. “But he belongs to you, and I would never dare touch him.”

Heather respected that answer as it reminded her of what Breanne said about how she would never risk damaging Heather’s relationship with Frank. They all saw Frank as hers but wanted to be a part of it, desperately hoping Heather would understand.

“I do understand,” Heather said.

“You what?” Blackbast replied as she wiped at her eyes again.

“Nothing,” Heather whispered. “But after Frank and I are married, I would like you to consider being our girlfriend.”

“You want me to be your girlfriend?” Blackbast asked.

“Just to give Frank some time to come to terms with things,” Heather replied. “I feel like I am overburdening him as it is, and I don't want to drop any more surprises on him. If we date and give it time to grow, it may blossom into something more.”

“No,” Blackbast said and turned in her arms. “You are very kind, but Frank will never be able to accept what I do. I will not enter into a relationship with him knowing my service at the temple is causing him harm.”

“He already knows what you do,” Heather insisted. “So it's out in the open, and we are all aware of the circumstances. Let him decide if he can tolerate the terms.”

“I do not think this is a good idea,” Blackbast stammered. “You haven’t even married yet, and then you have to build a relationship with Quinny and Breanne.”

“Which you will help Frank, and I do, every step of the way,” Heather said as Blackbast nodded. “Then, when we have it all sorted, we will start going on our dates and try to build something more.”

“You really don’t care that I will be going to the arms of others?” Blackbast asked.

“Even a week ago, I would have said yes, absolutely I care, but I don't anymore,” Heather admitted. “I am slowly becoming aware that the social rules from the real world don't apply here. If I am going to make a go of loving two other women, what's the harm in loving one more?”

“You have changed so much in so little time,” Blackbast said and ran a hand down Heather’s cheek.

“I want to belong here,” Heather replied with a smile. “And I want to be surrounded by the people who love me. All of them.”

Blackbast nodded, and Heather stepped back to consider what to do next. The world was changing moment to moment as she came to understand just how strong her relationships were. Blackbast was a dear friend, but maybe Heather and the others could give her what she was missing. She tried to reason out what that would mean, then gave up when it became too complex.

“You know what. Why don’t we do something fun together,” Heather suggested.

“I do not think that’s wise until we have dated for a little bit at least,” Blackbast replied.

Heather laughed out loud as she realized Blackbast was referring to sex. She shook her head and suggested they go to Gwen's city and check in on the wedding preparations. Just the two of them together to see how things were getting along. Blackbast looked well and truly embarrassed but agreed to go and see how things were progressing.

They quickly headed through the magic door and into the garden outside Heather's tower. Heather removed her collar and crown, taking the form of Princess Hannah before taking Blackbast's hand and stepping through the final portal. They arrived in the caves under the gardens her mother named after her and quickly went up. They stepped into the sun's golden light, and Heather froze to see the changes.

“Oh, my,” Blackbast said and cleared her throat before looking nervously at Heather. “It is a very good likeness.”

Heather gazed at yet another statue of herself, planted squarely in the garden. It was a towering edifice of white marble that showed her in a dancing pose, the only covering a slip of silk trailing from her hand. It wrapped around her body in a few places but left a breast and most of her rear exposed. Around it and along the walls were white banners with bouquets of flowers, pinching the fabric in longbows.

“I will kill her,” Heather growled as she squeezed Blackbast’s hand and towed her through the garden.

“You are preparing to marry a man and then several women,” Blackbast reminded her. “Are you sure this is something you can’t tolerate?”

“I don't mind my partners seeing me naked, but the whole city?” Heather stammered as they passed through a gate to see white banners and flowers on every building, down every street. The whole city was decorated for the wedding, and the streets were never more crowded. Hundreds of people from every possible race and class were bustling about in their finest garments.

“This is very touching,” Blackbast said. “People have obviously traveled to be here for your wedding.”

“Maybe we should use the castle door in the garden,” Heather suggested as she stepped back and pointed to a life-size tapestry of her hanging from a building. “I don't' want to be recognized.”

“I don’t think you will have much choice,” Blackbast said as they retreated into the gardens. “Everyone in the city must know who you are now.”

“Is that her?” a woman called as Heather looked to the left to see a dozen people look in her direction.

“Let’s run,” Heather suggested and took off, dragging a laughing Blackbast with her. She headed for the wall where the garden met the outer castle and quickly asked the guards to let them pass.

“Of course, Princess Hannah,” the men said with a bow and opened the door. Heather darted inside with Blackbast and took a moment to gaze at how resplendent the castle was decorated. Bouquets of white roses were everywhere, with splashes of red and gold thrown in for extra charm. The halls all had red carpets, and artwork of both Heather and Frank in his human form hung on the walls.

“She has gone nuts,” Heather groaned as she turned around to take it all in. “She's like a crazy mother trying to make her daughter's wedding the event of a lifetime.”

“I believe that is exactly what she is doing,” Blackbast replied as they started to walk. “I think she actually considers you her daughter.”

“I know for a fact she does,” Heather groaned. “And I encouraged it. I hope I don’t live to regret this.”

“Ha,” Blackbast laughed as they rounded a corner and were greeted by a dozen finely dressed people. “I believe you will begin regretting it right now.”

“Princess Hannah,” a man with long black hair said before tipping his head a slight bow. “We had wondered if we would run into you.”

“Ah, yeah,” Heather stammered as she squeezed Blackbast’s hand for comfort. “I am sorry, I don’t know who any of you are.”

“Your mother has been keeping you out of the way for far too long,” A woman with very serpent-like features said as she fanned her face with a lace fan. “I suppose you can't be expected to know people you have never met.”

“Thank you for understanding,” Heather said with a nod.

“I am lady Lastrain,” the woman said as she stalked closer. “First captain of the red scale knights. We are all fellow officers or leaders of the various knightly orders.”

“Knightly orders of what?” Heather dared to ask, not sure if that would be an insult.

“Why we are the ones who keep the order,” Lady Lastrain said. “We fight for the one great ruler of the land, King Kevin, the dragon slayer.”

Heather tried not to react to that name other than to nod politely. She hadn’t considered that members of Kevin’s court might come to attend her wedding. Now she wondered if Kevin himself were here and what danger that might put them all in. The woman in the crown warned her that meeting Kevin would end in disaster, and Heather wasn't interested in testing the veracity of that claim.

“So you are marrying a regular player?” one of the men asked. “A nobody by all accounts.”

“Frank is not a nobody,” Heather growled, her fears suddenly replaced by anger. “He is the nicest and most dedicated person I have yet to meet in this world.”

“I meant no offense, of course,” the man replied with a curt smile. “It just none of us have ever heard of a princess marrying anyone who isn’t at least titled.”

“Well, you have now,” Heather said in a firm tone as Blackbast squeezed her hand back to caution her.

“I hear there will be goblins in attendance,” a woman with four arms and a smooth tail said. “How odd that goblins would be so friendly to Gwen.”

“The goblins are my friends,” Heather snapped. “I have met two goblin players who are both very nice people. I invited them to my wedding even though mother wasn't so keen on the idea.”

“Ah,” Lady Lastrain said with a nod. “You see, all our silly concerns are put at ease.”

“What silly concerns?” Heather pressed. Lady Lastrain smiled and explained the rumors of necromancers in the south and the goblins massing again. She even let slip that Gwen’s land had once been under scrutiny by Kevin because some enemies of the server were hiding here. Heather knew exactly who the woman was referring to but bit her tongue and said nothing. She was so tense to be talking to these people that she almost forgot Blackbast was standing beside her.

“And who is this?” Lady Lastrain asked as she smiled at the cat woman. “Such a simple dress.”

“I usually wear much less,” Blackbast replied and snatched her hand out of Heather’s so she could fold her arms over her chest. “My name is Blackbast, Priestess of Bastet.”

“Blackbast,” the woman repeated with wide eyes. “So we are in the presence of two princesses, and both from kingdoms, once aligned with the necromancer kings. How interesting.”

“My lands were never aligned with the necromancers,” Blackbast countered. “We simply didn’t choose a side.”

“And where is your kingdom now?” Lady Lustrain asked. “Does even a stone of it remain?”

Heather saw Blackbast's ears twitch as her eyes narrowed to slits. Clearly, the woman's remarks had angered her, but Blackbast held her ground firmly.

“There you are,” came a voice that Heather was relieved to hear as Gwen swept around a corner wearing a fabulous silver dress. She noted the tense glares as her face took on a sour expression. “I am afraid I require my daughter and lady Blackbast's attention,” Gwen said to the group. “I do hope you understand.”

“Of course we do,” Lady Lustrain replied with a nod. “It was very informative to meet them.”

Gwen didn't seem to like that answer, but she plowed through the group as if they were an annoyance. She took Heather and Blackbast by the hand and hurried them away, her face a fixture of stone.

“What did you tell them?” Gwen asked when they were a minute down the hall.

“Hardly anything,” Heather replied. “I defended Frank and explained the goblins were my friends. Is something going on that I need to know about?”

“It is nothing I can’t handle,” Gwen replied. “But you must know I didn’t invite Kevin or the fanatical members of his court. They arrived of their own accord to put me under their boot heel. They are politely saying they will allow the wedding provided I demonstrate my loyalty to Kevin.”

“Demonstrate it how?” Blackbast asked.

“They want Hannah to join the order of growth,” Gwen replied as they entered a study, and she shut the door behind them.

“Alright, so what is this order of growth?” Heather asked.

Gwen looked angry as she paced the room, shaking her head. “It is a knightly order made up of druidic classes. They are dedicated to life, growth, and the pursuit of nature. Because you are a flower singer, they want you to join their ranks and thus prove my kingdom is loyal to Kevin.

“So, I join this stupid order, wear the pin or whatever comes with it, and we go on with our lives,” Heather suggested.

“It isn’t that easy,” Gwen replied and turned to stare at Heather. “The order of growth are notorious undead hunters. They consider the undead to be the antithesis of life and growth. As one of their number, you would be expected to slay the undead wherever you found them.”

“Oh, that’s a problem,” Heather agreed.

“Indeed,” Gwen grumbled. “They also expect you and Frank to live in the imperial city where they can use you as a means of control over me.

“And it keeps getting worse,” Heather groaned. “I should have known my wedding wouldn't be that easy.”

“Your wedding is going to be magically beautiful,” Gwen insisted. “As for these annoyances, I am planning to turn them down. I don't need Kevin's permission to run my kingdom, and they have no authority to prevent the wedding.”

“But denying them may cause great scrutiny on yourself and Heather,” Blackbast pointed out. “She might be found out, and then Kevin will tear your kingdom apart.”

“Let him try,” Gwen scoffed. “He isn’t the only one who can boast triple levels.

“I would rather my wedding wasn't a declaration of war,” Heather countered. “There must be some way we can turn this around.”

“If you mean by turning it around peacefully, I don’t see how,” Gwen stated.

Heather stopped to consider her options as the weight of these intruders bore down on her shoulders. It was clear Kevin saw a threat rising and wanted to use the wedding to get a noose around Gwen's neck. The trick was how they wanted to do it, and that gave Heather a wonderful idea.

“We tell the truth,” Heather said with a wicked smile. “In fact, we show them the truth.”

“Now you are talking crazy,” Blackbast said.

“No, hear me out,” Heather insisted. “They want me to join an order of undead hunters, so let’s introduce them to my carrion knight fiance and some of his undead minions. Let them realize that what they are asking of me is outright impossible and see what they do next.”

“Is this a good idea?” Gwen asked.

“I think it's time we hid in plain sight,” Heather said. “Go round them up while I get Frank. I want to ensure they understand that they aren't getting a thing from us.”

Gwen looked at Blackbast, who shrugged at what the outcome might be. She finally agreed to try, and Heather ran back to the magic doors with Blackbast. Less than twenty minutes later, she had Frank at her side in his ghoul form, flanked by two of his more powerful skeletal knights. She also brought Quinny for good measure and had her take the collar off so it would be obvious the girl was a zombie. Heather explained the plan to both of them as Frank sighed nervously but agreed to proceed.

They returned to the palace to find guards waiting in the caves to escort them through the tunnels to a hidden entrance into the castle. Minutes late, she threw open the doors of a grand hall and walked in, holding one of Frank's massive fingers. All of the people from the hall were gathered here with Gwen, who looked uncertain at Heather's plan. Every head turned in shock to see the procession as Heather boldly walked up to stand before them with Frank on her right and Quinny on her left.

“What is this?” Lady Lustrain asked in disgust.

“Oh, I wanted you to meet the man I am marrying,” Heather replied and tugged at Frank’s arm. “This is Frank, the carrion knight.”

“This is the man you are marrying?” the woman balked and then turned her gaze on Quinny. “And why is there a rotting corpse with him?”

“Hey!” Heather snapped and took one of Quinny's hands. “Quinny is my best friend, and if you insult her again, I will ban you from my wedding.”

“You willingly associate with undead players?” Lady Lustrain said in shock as others behind her made sounds of disgust.

“I willingly associate with kind and friendly players,” Heather replied. “You don't seem to fit into that category, and I am not so sure I want you as friends.”

“He has undead servants,” one of the group said in shock.

“I refuse to take her into my order,” an elf woman with blue hair said. “She is a mockery of our vows.”

“What order?” Heather said as if she hadn’t been told the news already.

Lady Lustrain looked as if she was smelling something foul as her face crinkled. She explained how they planned to honor Hannah by inviting her into one of the knightly orders. However, she scoffed at the two undead players and declared that there would be no treaty between Gwen's kingdom and Kevin so long as Hannah was a princess. She turned on Gwen and rebuked her for her careless choice of a daughter before Gwen went up like somebody had thrown a flare into an oil field.

“How dare you!” Gwen roared as red light burned over her body. “You miserable rats sat back and did nothing while I was trapped, and now you think you can come in here and threaten me! You left me to rot, and my daughter was the only one who would risk her life to save me. She is ten times the champion you lot will ever be, and it is Kevin who needs to be rebuked for his careless choices of leadership!”

“You can’t say that to us!” Lady Lustrain shouted.

“Get out of my kingdom!” Gwen snarled. “Or I will send you out by making you respawn!”

“Oh, this is going well,” Blackbast whispered as Heather felt genuine admiration for Gwen. The group left under threats that they were going to report this to Kevin. Gwen chased them out, yelling that they needed to tell Kevin to stay out of the Southlands altogether. She was the power down here, and if Kevin wanted a war, he would get one.

“An auspicious start to my married life,” Heather said as Gwen followed them out to ensure they left.

“What just happened?” Frank asked as they waited in the hall.

“I believe Gwen has declared her independence from Kevin and her willingness to protect the neighboring kingdoms as well,” Blackbast said.

“She was so angry she was glowing red,” Quinny said and turned to Heather. “Just like you glow blue.”

Heather went to respond when she had a thought and wondered if Gwen was somehow involved in the things that went on in her swamp. Could her red light have been the same kind of power Heather used? She claimed not to know much about Hathlisora, but she was over a hundred levels and must have known what was going on. What if Gwen received the same change Heather supposedly had? What if they both had essence pools, and hers glowed red? Now she wondered just who her mother was as Gwen stormed back into the room and took a stately pose.

“The wedding is proceeding,” Gwen said in a firm tone. “I refuse to let those fools sour what will be the happiest day of my life.”

“Shouldn’t it be my happiest day?” Heather asked.

“It will be yours as well,” Gwen agreed. “But how often does a mother get to marry away her daughter?”

Heather saw the smile cross Gwen’s face and knew the woman took pleasure in calling Heather her daughter. She ran up and wrapped Gwen in a hug, then whispered something the woman never expected to hear.

“I might be marrying a few more.”