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Fervour of the Past III: Worm by Tegeli [NOTE: This story continues from 'Fervour of the Past I and II'.] CHAPTER 1 "One of the pumps was stabbed," the Roluan foreman said. "The bleeding was bad, but with a little luck, the beast might live." The small administrative tent was getting crowded. After the sabotages to our dig site began, the usually dismissive Roluan government had sent us a group of watchmen. That favour came with the frequent oversight of inspector Ansis from the Heva police. He was a tall willowy man of noticeably non-Roluan appearance. Additionally, the public attention back home had led to two separate teams of Roluan scholars joining us. They were competent in their fields of geology and archaeotechnology, so we allowed them to help without waiting them to flaunt their government mandate on us. Less luckily, the presence of genuine experts didn't deter amateurs from poking around and offering their 'services', all the while trying to carry off valuables. To little success, as I knew their tricks from personal experience. I had to admit that the old 'I need my equipment back home to analyse this' took courage with police so close by. Bemariq's fists were squeezed hard enough to turn his knuckles white. "At leat they didn't steal anything this time." "Associate," Ansis said. "Be assured that our men are doing their best looking into the whereabouts of the stolen equipment from earlier." "Most likely they are at the bottom of the river by now." Bemariq pushed air out through his teeth. A vein pulsed on his temple. I took my husband's hand and said: "We should call it for the day. Before the water is pumped out, we can do little." Bemariq turned to me. Frustration and rage burned in his eyes, but my best insisting-young-wife expression mellowed his anger. "Yes." He sighed. "You are right, Sirin. Let's call it for the day." Our little house was certainly personable. The original tent had sprouted a thick canopy, and the two-story extension grown by Roluans had walls of vivid keratin between its rib-like support structure. Connecting the two living systems had been a marvel of local craftsmanship, but in the end we got working water and honeydew piping on both sides of our home. As soon as we got inside, Bemariq collapsed on a chair. Even without the sabotage, herding a large team was talking its toll on my husband. I hurried to get him a galvanising drink, before he decided to try to sleep. He needed to relieve his tension to rest properly. In the last weeks, he had often woken up in the middle of night too agitated to lay down again. I went to change into a cute nightgown. When he had finished the liquid, I returned to kneel in front of him and presented him with a coil of silk rope. Bemariq frowned. "I don't want to hurt you." "You won't." While I was touched by the concern he had shown for me after our wedding, I certainly didn't want him to soften up. I said: "You know we both like your... strong administrations." After the drink, my husband couldn't pretend he was too tired. Bemariq fumbled a while tying my arms behind my back. He worried too much about my comfort, but at least he followed my instructions to bind me in a way, which wasn't easy for me to slip out of. I wiggled against the rope. "There's some slack, husband. If I dislocated my shoulder, this would be trivial to escape." "Don't you do it." My husband tightened the lose knot. My arms stretched pleasantly just to to the brim of discomfort. "I'll spank you, if you hurt yourself just to be cheeky." I smiled to myself. "I'll behave." Bemariq tied a cloth around my eyes, guided me to kneel on the couch. He pressed my upped half to the wide armrest, so my butt was propped up and exposed. Another rope tied my ankles to my arms. I could barely move. Pleasant shivers coursed through me. I too needed respite, from supervising the dig site and most importantly from making sure Bemariq didn't work too much. It was thrilling yet so utterly relaxing to let him take care of our mutual gratification. Bemariq took his time preparing my body. My lightless world was the gentle bite of the ropes and the touch of his fingers fondling and intruding my yielding flesh. As a panted with desire, I did my best not to sound too insisting, so my man wouldn't hurry. Yet his fire couldn't smoulder forever without roaring into action. His hands took a firm grip my my hips, and a lubricated member sunk deep into me. In the stretching was hot discomfort and maddening promise of pleasure. I imagined, how humiliating such penetration would have been, if I didn't love it. My pucker wasn't equal counterpart to his cock. A butt wasn't created to engulf dick; only Bemariq had given mine that purpose. I'd be sore afterwards, but that was alright. Had I been a mere carnal toy for my Bemariq, I would have accepted my lot to satisfy him. However, I didn't have to settle for such a sorry fate. Even now Bemariq was mine. He always made sure I too ended up satisfied, even when his thrusts were rough and forceful, like presently. I clenched my teeth to keep my moans from sounding pained. Bemariq had grown sensitive to overt signs of discomfort. The knot of my arousal built with agonising tardiness. Though my little nub twitched with the need for touch, my orgasm was completely at the mercy of Bemariq. The utter helplessness paradoxically pushed me closer to the brink. A few hard thrusts pushed into the most sensitive spot, and my member squirted its load. Not in a mellow false climax, but a proper inner one, which blanked my thoughts for a blissful blink. My whole body shuddered. How lucky I was to have such a messed up wiring in my brain, to thoroughly enjoy my butt being used by a man. Soon, the mental glow and warm soreness were joined the heated liquid of Bemariq's manly climax. I breathed deep like from physical exercise. Bemariq had learned my likes, and didn't release me immediately. Instead, me merely untied my ankles, so he could join me on the couch. Mighty arms wrapped around me and pulled me against the man's chest: a wide ocean of calm breath and salty smell. Blinded still, I let out two or three happy sobs, which Bemariq had learned to know weren't the sign of distress. Behind my back, his hands worked to untie the knots. Slowly, so circulation returned without pain. We washed ourselves, which took quite some time, as I wanted to sit on Bemariq's lap and be hugged in the warm water. Back in the bedroom, I put on a long gossamer gown, which I tied around my waist to emphasise my hips, while Bemariq hid his newly stirring erection into loose sleeping trousers. He prepared us dinner, while I cleaned up the results of our love. I was ready first, so I watched on as my husband cooked. He had been quite a catch, even if he was practically exiled from our home country and wasn't anywhere near as affluent as he pretended to be. Bemariq made being me a delight. "I love you," I whispered. "I love you too," he answered over his shoulder with the warm matter-of- factness, which made my stomach flutter. To him, I wasn't a mere short- term distraction to be discarded the moment the novelty run out. Bemariq was actually becoming a decent cook from preparing meals for someone else than himself, so I enjoyed the glazed heartfruit fillet, even if it was a bit burnt on one side. "How do you like it?" he asked. "It's delicious." I took another scoopful the smashed tubers of the local sour variety. "You are spoiling your wife with these meals." In a proper household without servants, the feminine partner would work the kitchen, but in ours nothing but a disaster would ensue from that. "Not at all. I wouldn't want my kept woman --let alone wife-- to look emaciated." He smirked. "Besides, your hips looks better with some meat on them, and that's a medical fact." I giggled, but I made a mental note to start watching my weight, before I grew plump in earnest. Not that weight loss was insurmountably difficult with proper tonics, but fasting would be a bother. Its need would reflect badly on my willpower. In the end, I preferred to be slim for most part, as long as I had soft spots, where my husband could sink his hands into. We spent the evening browsing through the pile of new Conglomerate scientific journals, the few which we had managed to get delivered all the way to Rolu. Most of it was incomprehensible to the uninitiated, not to mention dry, but opinion pieces were always entertaining. The claim that electric vehicles would soon outperform normal carriage beasts was notably funny. "Hey!" I yelped with enough energy to jolt my reading oculars down my nose. "Bemariq dear, you are mentioned here." I quickly read the indignant polemic. "Apparently you married a 'transient trollop', who you consult despite 'her feminine lack of higher --or any-- education', presumably due to 'believing in her purported skills in anthropomancy'." "Let me see that." Bemariq took the journal. His expression turned puzzled. "I have no idea, who this writer is. He does have clout to get to write this rubbish in the 'Ingest'." "Perhaps the quality of the 'Ingest' has dropped?" "That is possible." Bemariq smirked. "For one, I for one haven't been published in it for years." Our eyes locked. Because we might breach into the main underground complex any day now, I couldn't leave the talk of a certain subject for later. "Bem... You've been on the edge lately, for a good reason. I've also been thinking about what might lie down there. Thinking rather a lot, in fact." Bemariq shifted the journals aside and moved to sit closer to me. "Sirin..." I swallowed. The concept would have been intimidating, even if it hadn't involved unpredictable archaeotechnology. I said: "Bemariq, I want to have your children. Not just after they are done from a surrogate, but by the full and hard method. I find myself not caring, if the process is guaranteed safe. Nevertheless, I don't want you think you coerced me into it, if something happens to me." "You are perfect as you are." Bemariq placed a hand on my flank. My smile widened. "You have guaranteed that I enjoy being myself. But possibility has been gnawing my mind. Only a little, but I fear it might grow worse." Bemariq gave a crooked smile and nodded. "We'll do our best to make the vault's medical machinery safe and operational. Afterwards you can properly consider, what you want." "Don't get me wrong." I smirked. "I could never hate our life together." I pushed myself against my husband, and he wrapped his arms around me. Our lips connected to a surprisingly intense kiss. His tongue pushed into my mouth, but withdrew before I could bite it. That evening, we read no more. CHAPTER 2 Bemariq was still in the bed, when I woke up. In order to let Bemariq sleep longer, I got up early to prepare us breakfast. My skills were good enough for that. Enticed by the near-burnt bread, stiff and groggy Bemariq shuffled into the kitchen. He took a moment to gather himself, before he could say even 'good morning'. "I understand that you avoid placing blame," I said, when Bemariq seemed to have finally awaken. "Lest you raise counter-intuitive rumours. But who do think is trying to harm our operation?" Bemariq sighed and placed his cup on the table. "Someone who has a clear idea of how the dig works. There are scarcely any smaller deeds, which delay us so much. But the culprit can't be any of the workers, unless they all are in on it." That was also my own conclusion. The local workers were a trustworthy sort, even beyond the obvious financial benefit they'd get from our success. "Maybe it's inspector Ansis." Bemariq shook his head."I won't claim that I can fully trust the man, but if the Roluans wanted to drive us out, they could do it without subterfuge." Because I didn't want to throw more baseless accusations, I turned the subject matter towards the increasingly late shipment of our new carriage. The city of Heva was too far to walk from the dig site, but travelling like the more well-to-do locals, by haphazardly balancing on the back of a huge barely controlled beast, was out of the question. It was unbecoming for a lady to ride on top. After dressing up properly, I went to poke around the warehouse, in which the digging and pumping machinery was stored. According to inspector Ansis, the weapon to stab the pump had been a thin tool or blade little longer a hand. As far as I could determine, the description matched the wound in the flank of the pump. The poor machine breathed laboriously, and I imagined a hint of a whine to the sound. "Lady Usinilim." The head mechanic tipped his funny little hat at me. "A fine morning to you." "Good morning." I nodded at the pump. "Poor beast. Is it in any agony?" "No. Though it has a rather squamous hide and respiratory organs, it's more of a plant than animal, actually." As far as I knew, even trees could experience a range of primal emotions, even if they didn't have means to convey them to humans. But universal sentience wasn't the subject I was curious about at the moment. "How long had the pump wait, before you could come to help it?" I asked. "Hard to say, lady Usinilim. But I was here right before midnight and then again only fours hours later." "Oh. Did you have trouble sleeping?" "Actually, I did sleep well. Remarkably well in fact. My family has always been light sleepers. A positive dominant familial trait; goes back to the Collapse, they say." The head mechanic excused himself to more important duties than entertaining the idle curiosity of the boss's wife. I looked around, but the only way inside were the heavy locked doors. And the windows, which were big enough allow a human but high up the sheer walls. The warehouse wasn't a proper building, but an inorganic framework with hard leather panels for walls. The smooth vertical sides wouldn't have been easy to climb, even with tools. On my way out, I inspected the locks, but found no traces of tampering. Perhaps Ansis wasn't lying about lack of traces from the culprit. However, nobody but Bemariq and the head mechanic had the key to the warehouse, and the mechanic could have sabotaged the pumps in a way that didn't so blatantly incriminate himself. I took a leisurely stroll around the warehouse. The workers frequently took their breaks in the area, so it was impossible to say which footprints might have belonged to an infiltrator. The warehouse didn't have any places to throw a sturdy grappling hook to, and the wall had no signs other climbing equipment. Deep in my thoughts, pondering why anyone would have gone through the trouble of breaking in just to merely harm the pump instead killing it, I bumped into the 'Lauded Researcher' ni Salng, the leader of the Roluan archaeotechnology detachment. Though he was an unquestionable expert in his field and a bit of a dandy with his appearance, he had the gravelly voice and sturdy frame of a whaler. I had long suspected that his main function was look out if we found any relics with ready military application. He spoke to me in Roluish, which I still didn't understand very well. But I guessed that he asked about my husband. I stumbled through the Roluish words to tell that Bemariq was still at our house. Ni Salng's frown mellowed into a faint smile. He congratulated me for improving my Roluish. Though he did use a rather patronising --not to mention sesquipedalian-- word for a 'girl', which had the approximate meaning of 'lovely young pretty clever, but still a little silly, married coquette'. I rarely had to question my initial conclusion f that Roluish was a strange language. I spend the morning talking to the recently hired labourers and watchmen. Any of them might be involved in the conspiracy against us, but I didn't want to insult their honour by implying they were suspects. Unfortunately acting the foolish damsel would have been a risky method for information gathering among Roluans. Most of them had little trouble accepting that a woman actually did academic work at the dig site. So I pretended to be concerned about the suspicions of the police, which might jeopardise the continued employment of those 'trusted workers'. By the time I couldn't put off my real duties, I had discovered nothing. Roluans made their taciturn politeness a shield, even if they didn't intend to. I would have hated to be a police detective or a confidence artist in Rolu. I lifted my gaze to the high crags, which dominated the view away from the sea. While the attacker likely had come either from the direction of Heva or from within the camp, someone who could climb the walls of the warehouse might have scaled those imposing cliffs. Because the hills were inhabited only by reclusive herders, finding clues there would have been down to dumb luck. I sighed to myself and went to check on the cataloguing efforts. In the main tent structure, I was greeted by the few workers, who had decided to come on their day off. I made sure to make a mental note of their names, so I could to praise them to my husband. The most prominent apparition in the tent was magnatess Sitolytta with her cadre of servants. As the effective Jaan ambassador, she had plenty of reason to be nosy about our project, but she had kept herself unobtrusive, most of the time. "Lady Usinilim!" the magnatess shouted. She glided to me inside her large and exquisite gown. Her delicate face showed no signs of age, and her luscious smile was friendly. Yet the stare of her huge eyes was ever disconcerting: the pupils were much too lively. I nodded, returned the smile and said in Jaanish: "Magnatess Sitolytta. Good morning." Her laughter trilled. "You still can't pronounce my name! How delightful. Anyhow, I have a gift for you." She nodded to a footman, who handed me a sheer grey shawl filled with intricate osmium embroidery. It must have been expensive. Immediately I felt guilty for disliking her vibrant and lively eyes. "Thank you." I wrapped the wispy shawl around my shoulders. "I... I don't have anything to reciprocate with." "You think it was a bribe?" Sitolytta laughed. "You may repay me by telling, where that handsome husband of yours is." "Ah... Last I saw him, my husband was still in our house." "He wasn't there when I arrived. I guess I'll have to find him. Goodbye, lady Usinilim." The foolish young wife in me wanted to follow the magnatess. She was beautiful, decently charming and recently widowed after all, so not something my husband should be exposed to. I did my best to banish the thoughts of jealousy. If Bemariq cared for flings with loose noblewomen, he wouldn't have married me. Classifying the bony remnants of unknown tools wasn't keeping my attention. But then again, it was an off-day, so I didn't have to work. I went out to search for Bemariq. If he was with Sitolytta, it didn't matter. She was pleasant company. It was silly to expect my husband to avoid all attractive unmarried women. The melodious loud voice of the magnatess guided me to the old auxiliary storage. Bemariq was standing close to Sitolytta. Too close. He had her hand in his. I froze in place. For long moments my husband held the hand of the woman, before he kissed it. That was just courtesy, even if extravagant. But I knew that pleased look in Bemariq's eyes. It wasn't mere politeness. That tender loving gaze should have been reserved for me. I hid behind corner of a tent and tried to control my breathing. Bemariq liked her. More than he should have liked a gaudy shrill odd-looking slut. But she was so classy and assured, with those exotic large eyes, graceful movements and elegant physique of the grandest Jaan pedigree. Bemariq's frustration must have been because of this. He regretted marrying me. Perhaps his nightly forays out weren't just to catch fresh air. The upper district of Heva wasn't so far that Jaan carriage couldn't have crossed the distance in full gallop. My breath got stuck in my throat. "You dumb girl," I muttered to myself. "There's no proof, just the fancies conjured up by your silly heart." I glanced around the corner. Sitolytta was gone. I hurried to Bemariq. "Hello, my dear!" I forced a smile. "Oh, hi." Bemariq gave me an odd look. "Where did you get that mantle?" My mouth hung open like a fly-trap. "Sitolytta gave it to me." "I see. I too just met her." Bemariq chuckled. "She had heard of our troubles, and offered Jaan funding for the necessary replacements." "You refused?" "Yes, of course. Even one master is too much. I couldn't serve two. And besides, the insurance will pay for our damages." I had to show marrying me wasn't a mistake. I bit my lip and cocked my hips. "You know, my husband. I'm a bit bored. We could have some 'fun'." Bemariq shook his head. "The paperwork keeps on piling. This day is as good as any for dealing with that." "Well... I could accompany you." I swallowed. "Under the table, perhaps?" He guffawed. "I wouldn't be able to handle such a distraction. In case you have nothing to do, why don't you go visit Heva? If you don't want to ride both ways, you could stay the night in the spa and take the workers' omnibus in the morning." He was sending me away. Dismissing me. I cleared my throat. "No, I haven't anything to do in town." "Alright. You did say, you needed your hair done, so I assumed--" "You assumed wrong. Anyhow, I'll go for a walk." "Very well. Don't catch a cold." His smile was deviously amiable. "See you at lunch." A stride over the rocky terrain did little to clear my brooding thoughts. It did rouse a hunger, so instead of going through my initial plan of walking until my legs were filed into stumps, I returned home. Bemariq didn't validate my fears with his behaviour. He was just as nice as always. "Are you ill?" he asked. "What? How so?" "You seem a bit languid and taciturn. And you haven't eaten much." Why did he want me to become fat, when the magnatess he liked was so thin? "I'm not hungry, that's all." Bemariq frowned. "You shouldn't traipse around the hills in such a chilly weather." Not only did he want me to eat more than my fill, he'd have me stop physical exertion. I bit my teeth together. Obviously Bemariq was just concerned about my health. I was stoking fire into my own temper, for no other reason than to justify my baseless suspicions. With sigh I reigned in my flaring anger. "You are right," I said. "I might have chilled myself." Bemariq smirked in a warm way. "After the meal, you'll go straight between the blankets, young lady." My husband's mollycoddling did wonders to mellow my foul mood. Fortunately I had managed to keep my silliness inside my head. The evening turned into night, and I found myself cosily between sheets with my husband. The shift of the bed woke me. It was too dark to be anything but the middle of night, yet Bemariq was getting up. "Bem?" "I need some fresh air." His voice was hollow, as if he couldn't be bothered to sound kind. "Go back to sleep." I held my tongue, as I watched my husband leave. When I heard the front door open and close, I jumped up and donned my house robe, which I had picked for its night-blue colour. Though lights in sky offered little illumination, I could see well enough to move without a lamp. Maybe I had chanced to inherit pre- Collapse upgrades to my sight, as I had rarely found any darkness unpierceable. Walking on my toes, I followed Bemariq out. The yellow-green lantern made Bemariq trivially easy to follow. He wasn't just walking about, but heading straight towards the main road to Heva. My heart jerked, when the light revealed a carriage and a womanly silhouette. I moved closer while keeping the shadows of a building behind me. I couldn't understand the words, but the soft murmur was Sitolytta's voice. The ground between me and them was too open for me to get any closer without detection. My husband and the woman spoke in low voices. With abruptness, which made me jolt, Bemariq grabbed the magnatess and kissed her. The embrace was frantic, desperate even. Tears clouded my vision, and my jaw trembled. Yet I had to keep quiet. I had too see, what they'd do. Sitolytta drew back from Bemariq. The lantern revealed a wide grin on her shadowed face. She patted Bemariq's cheek and spun back to her carriage. The carriage beast staggered to its feet and galloped into the darkness. Bemariq turned on his heels. Instead of striding towards me and our home, Bemariq walked off towards the dig site. A rising puzzlement drowned my grief. Bemariq's hurried stride wasn't that of a man returning from an illicit night-time fling. In fact, it was too stiff to be normal for any occasion. He might have been wrecked by sudden pout of regret, but that didn't seem likely. Bemariq had never been prone to the sort of impulsiveness characterised by immediate remorse. I followed after him, though I had to jog to keep up with his rapid walk. Bemariq stopped at the equipment storage, unlocked the door and went inside. Eventually, I would have to talk to him. Might as well do it immediately, and figure out, what was so important enough to stumble in the dark of the night for. I placed myself at the door to the storage and waited. Bemariq appeared with a parcel under one arm and axe in other. "Bemariq?" My eyes blew wide open. The parcel was a box of mining volatiles. "Sirin?" The box slipped from his hand. I leaped to the ground and caught the parcel as gently as I could. Blood roared in my ears, which was a relief: I hadn't turned into corroded mush. With excessive care, I got up and took the volatiles back to their reinforced safe. I turned to Bemariq, who had followed me like a dog. He was dazed speechless. "What were you doing?" My voice wavered. "Why did you have that acid gas?" Bemariq asked. With a confused expression, he looked at his axe and placed it in the rack. Bemariq wasn't in his right mind. Even if it sounded like a tale from the pages of a chip dreadful, the bitch might have drugged and hypnotised my Bem. "Can you tell me, why you are walking about in the dark of night?" I spoke as calmly as I could. "Can you? You are wearing a house robe, for heaven's sake!" He placed his hand on his neck and let out a gurgle. "I can't... I'm-- My throat hurts." I frowned and tried not to panic. "Give me the keys." He obeyed me. I guided him out, locked the storage and took him back to our house. Every step he took was less sure, and before we reached our hill, Bemariq had to lean on his wife. His confused questions turned into a slur of nonsense. I struggled to get him out of his boots and into the bed. Bemariq sunk into fitful unconsciousness. He needed a physician. I ran out, found one of watchmen and asked him to take a word to Heva. By the time the physician arrived, sun was up and Bemariq was steadily asleep. "What is wrong with him?" the physician asked. Her oculars gave a rather academic impression. I rubbed my weary eyes. "He was delirious and passed out." The physician nodded and begun her work. The moment she touched Bemariq, he was startled awake. "What's this?" my husband croaked. "Your wife called--" I lifted my hand. "Would you give me a moment with husband? There's hot water for infusions in the kitchen." The physician sighed, but gave me a nod. "Don't take too long." I sat on the bed next Bemariq. "Could you explain?" Bemariq's smirk was pleasant and dizzily lopsided. A lump formed in my throat. "I know..." My mouth twitched. "I know about your cheating." Bemariq frowned and looked up in the ceiling. After a moment he said: "I'm sorry. I admit that I met the magnatess at her townhouse last week. I should have asked you, if you were alright with it, considering her reputation. But I figured presenting myself as vaguely available would facilitate keeping good relationship with a dignitary like her." He looked me in the eyes and smiled. "Though I had to excuse myself in some hurry, after her suggestions threatened to leave mere subtext." My eyes flew open. Bemariq was lying to me. "But you kissed her last night!" I screeched. "No-- What?" Bemariq squinted his eyes and rubbed his throat. "You aren't making an abstract joke." I shook my head. Bemariq wasn't well, and screaming at him did no good. Slowly, I explained, what I had seen. Beyond coughing, Bemariq stared at me dumbstruck. He took my hands and squeezed hard. "I don't remember any of that. It's absolutely not what I would ever do. Sirin, you believe me, right?" "I saw-- I don't know, what I saw." If Bemariq was faithless, he had little reason to make poor lies to cover it. I nodded. "I believe you." Bemariq sighed with relief. "Why would I have married you, if I would care about some licentious dame?" He swallowed with great difficulty. "Sirin, I'm sorry. This is no joking matter. We need to--" He gagged, and his hands shot to his throat. "Physician!" I shouted. The woman came to the room, glanced at Bemariq and opened her satchel. With unfaltering hands she loaded an injector and stabbed Bemariq's chest with it. "Muscle relaxant," the physician said. Bemariq wheezed a breath. "My throat..." The physician's frown tempered into a determined gaze. She grabbed Bemariq's neck and rubbed it with both thumbs. I said: "Will he be alrig--" The physician yelped and jerked back. Bemariq let out a horrible groan. His eyes were frantic. I took his hands and murmured nonsense in an attempt to calm him down. "I'm alri-- It hurts," my husband rasped. "Like burning liquor in my throat." "Can't you give him a sedative?" I asked the physician. She nodded, refilled her injector and said to Bemariq: "This will make you sleep, while we figure out, what we can do for you. Is that alright?" Bemariq's answer was a dry wheeze. He twisted his mouth but nodded. "Lady Usinilim," the physician said, after Bemariq had fallen asleep. "Something moved inside your husband's throat. I must insist that you explain all the details you have hitherto omitted." I explained everything I knew to her. "While it befits me not to entertain suspicions about dignitaries such as the Jaan widow," the physician said. "We must work with what we have. It seems possible magnatess Sitolytta has asserted influence over associate Bemariq with a living tool. Such devices usually work through chemicals or pain, which leaves the victim susceptible, but not enough to enact complex orders so obliviously. I fear we are dealing with artistry of the distant past. Such an intruder might even be connected to your husband's brainstem." The memory of the carapace suit stabbing me in the back of my neck flared, and I rubbed the spot. "Can't we do anything?" The physician checked that Bemariq was soundly asleep and breathing properly. "The good thing is that the device would be very poor for its purpose, if it killed its target. Autopsy would reveal it, and afterwards blame would easy enough to place. Not many have access to this sort of technology." "Can it be removed? With surgery perhaps?" "No." She frowned. "Even if the operation was miraculous success, your husband would be likely crippled." My hands trembled. "The magnatess must have a way to remove it." "That is possible. But I can be no help in acquiring that." "I understand. Could you still do me a favour? Tarry here, for a while. Perhaps make impromptu checks on the health of the workers here. We'll of course pay for your trouble." "Very well, lady Usinilim. I can do that." We had hidden the primordial carapace suit in one of our side rooms. I dashed there and undressed with all haste. The suit yawned open as a reminder of the rather unpleasant first experience. Lacking anything to coerce Sitolytta with, I had no choice put place myself into the husk. The suit's embrace was cramped but far from uncomfortable. If I had gained any weight, the suit immediately adjusted to it. This time, I knew to press the neck piece to stop the helmet from covering my head. Though as thin as few layers of satin --outside the flexible plates protecting torso, legs and elbows--, the carapace suit was strong and quick. I needed that might, but I also needed to surprise the witch, who enthralled my husband. I put on my gown, gloves and a pair of oversized riding boots. My neck was hidden by a wide choker and the shawl, which Sitolytta herself had given me. I put a small needlegun in an ankle-holster and into my sleeve, and strode out. "Proximity to main facilities detected," the suit chirped. "End sound feedback," I said and pressed down the spot Bemariq had suspected to be the main override. The suit fell silent. The workers' omnibus hadn't yet left back to Heva. I paid its operator handsomely to be my personal driver for the day. Even in the ancient protective suit, I found the ride unnerving. The omnibus was a rickety wheeled cart pulled by a pair of repurposed local riding beasts. To say the going was bumpy would have been an understatement. Yet despite my perturbation, I reached Heva's high class district intact. During the ride I had forced out tears, and my pocket mirror revealed that I had managed to ruin my makeup. The dark eyeliner had bled all over my cheeks. I affected sobs, as I walked to the front door of the magnatess's huge house. Just as I knocked, the door opened. "Is the magnatess here?" I asked the valet. He was a threateningly tall man, who didn't bother hiding his military posture and rudely evaluating gaze. He nodded and took me inside. The decor was stylish and coherent, in spite of the plethora of valuable articles from distant places. If I hadn't been on a more important job, I would have picked up a souvenir or two, even if the footmen leering in the corner would have made pilfering difficult. Sitolytta slid into the room. She saw me, gasped and hurried to me. "Oh, dear. What happened?" I swallowed. "Another attack on us, magnatess." My mouth twitched. "With acid--" I cried out and hugged Sitolytta. "Bem... He was... horribly burned." The magnatess patted my back. "That is awful!" "Yes..." I sniffed. "The property damage was too. The buildings weren't insured, so now we can't afford both Bemariq's medical attention and repairs. Magnatess, you have been so kind to us, so I'd presume to ask for loan." "No talk about loans! Whatever you need will be my gift to you." Sitolytta pushed me to the stairs, and we climbed to her office. "Could you lock the doors?" I asked. "Financial business makes me beyond embarrassed. Handling money not something decent Conglomerate women partake in. I would die of shame, if someone was to see us." Sitolytta's smile was warm. "Certainly, dear." The lock clacked shut. The moment the magnatess --with her sweet smile-- turned towards me, my arm shot out to wrap my hand over Sitolytta's mouth. "One squeak," I snarled. "And I'll crush your face out of sheer fright." I slid the gun out of my sleeve and removed my hand. "I'll give you a moment to explain yourself." Sitolytta's smile remained. "As you wish. I confess everything: me and Bemariq are passionate and frequent lovers." I ripped my other glove to show my carapace. "You aren't the only one with access to fancy artefacts, magnatess. Now, tell me what you did you my husband, or I'll disassemble you, starting with your pretty overlong fingers. Believe me, your thugs will have their work cut out for them, should they try to stop me." "I always knew you were a crass undignified floozy. Bemariq deserves better." "Hey?" shouted a man's voice behind door. "Is everything alright, magnatess?" "No!" I shouted. "I'm about to rip your mistress's head off, if she doesn't start talking." "Magnatess?" "Keep out," Sitolytta commanded. "This madwoman is dangerous, but I can handle her." She turned to me. "You aren't going to get away with this." "I just want your thing out of my husband's throat." The magnatess laughed. "Let's arrange that then." She went to a cupboard, my tiny needler at the back of her skull, and took out a device, which my experienced glance identified as a pre-Collapse artefact. "This is the basic control device for the thrall-driver worm," she said. "Place it on Bemariq's throat. There's just one button, so you don't have to worry about duplicity." "Should anything happen to my husband, I know where you are," I growled. "Still with these threats!" Sitolytta handed me the device. "Now go." I might been able to get away with killing her, after lengthy scrutiny by the local police. But an associate's wife murdering the acting ambassador of Jaan on Roluan soil create a storm into the international relations. It was a pointless consideration. My stomach turned from the thought of someone's guts drenching my hands. "Why are you doing this?" I asked. "Well, for one, you are pointing a gun to my face." "No, you stupid--" I caught my tongue. "I mean, why attack us?" "Isn't it obvious?" Sitolytta cocked her head and widened her smirk. "I'm Jaan. If your findings are accurate, you are messing with our promised land." "That 'land' is just the distorted echo of an ancestral tale! The connection is little more than a historical curiosity." Sitolytta sighed through her smile. "Be that as it may, 'Jaan promised land' rings true as justification for great many things." She glanced at my revealed carapace glove. "Besides, who would want the Conglomerate to have access to combat suits like that?" "It's not-- This is fruitless. I'll be leaving now." "Oh, don't let me keep you. Till we meet again." After a moment of hesitation, I dropped the shawl on the floor. "You can have that back." Sitolytta's large footmen were waiting for me on the other side of the door. The carapace suit might have allowed me to push through, but brawls were always risky. Besides, the crunch of Luwud Duy's wrists in my grip still haunted in my mind. I walked to the window and opened it. We were in the third floor, but the street below was wet mud. I gulped and jumped out. The suit became rigid around me and shifted my body. My legs hit the ground, but gave in like springs. My whole body rolled forward with the momentum. A dizzying whirl, and I was standing again. Beyond the aching of my legs and being covered in mud, I was fine. I turned to the window and waved. CHAPTER 3 Cold sweat loosened dried mud on my face. I placed the control device on Bemariq's throat and squeezed the button. My husband retched awake, in a burst of gagging and gasps. Whirling tendrils poked out of his mouth, and a sleek worm of numerous segments pushed out. Rows of tiny legs covered it in three sides, but most peculiar feature were the lumps, which must have been the controls of the device. After the worm outed itself, I caught it in a translucent box. Bemariq coughed droplets of blood. "By heavens..." I offered him a cup with a relaxing drink spiced with mild sedatives. He grimaced, but after I insisted, he forced the liquid down. "My head..." Bemariq whined. "You need to rest." I pushed Bemariq back down to his bed. "Everything's fine." My husband couldn't look straight at me, but he smiled. "Alright." His voice was hoarse and weary. "Thank you, Sirin." The worm was dormant in its box, but I still placed it inside a sturdy locked casket. The control device I kept to myself. Outside, I met the physician. She told me she had inspected all of the workers for 'throat rot', with no symptoms found. I thanked her and paid the bill. Inspector Ansis arrived soon after I sent one of the watchmen for him. Bemariq was by then in good enough shape to join us in the table for hot drinks. I squeezed my husband's hand tight, while I explained everything --even the embarrassing details-- to the inspector. However, I did leave out any mention of the carapace suit, and chalked my performance up to gymnastic training. The removal of the worm had dislodged Bemariq's stuck memory, and he could affirm that his hands had worked all the sabotage. "Good work, lady Usinilim." Ansis chuckled. "Though I must admit I'm disappointed that my promising lines of inquiry are so thoroughly smashed. In one swoop, no less." Bemariq frowned. "You won't be able to arrest the magnatess." "That is true. If she was anyone else, the evidence would sustain a decent attempt at a case. But our government wants to 'play fair' with all of our foreigner guests. We won't directly get tangled in these affairs. On that note, I suggest we keep these new developments under wraps. It will save me from a handful of headaches. Not only that, but also if no culprit is found, I can justify keeping my watchmen here." "One thing, inspector," I said. "The magnatess spoke of the Jaan 'promised land' as a justification. The Jaan must have plans for Rolu." Ansis nodded. "I can inform my superiors, but then again, there's little I can do. The Jaan are mighty, while we are a small --if orderly and industrious-- nation." "I can't make any assurances on the behalf of the Conglomerate," Bemariq said. "If anything, our country is more covetous than the Jaan Directory. We just happen to be farther away." After the inspector was gone, I sit on Bemariq's lap and kissed him long and deep. "Sirin..." Bemariq said. "My returned memories include other misdeeds than the ones here in the camp. Sitolytta had to kiss me to insert the device... And she didn't have to force me." I swallowed. While I had suspected as much, the revelation stung my heart. Yet, I had been so glad he was alright. I still was. "Can you forgive me?" Bemariq asked. Though my eyes were bleary, I said: "Yes. You got your punishment for wanton behaviour." Another lump appeared to my throat. "But if you feel... If you feel you need a r-real woman--" "No! No. It was not like that." Bemariq's arms crushed me against him. "She made herself enticing, and I foolishly assumed I was in control. That little peck didn't seem like anything at the moment." He brushed my hair. "You are the only girl for me." I pressed myself against him and breathed slowly, until I calmed down. "Bemariq. I will try to be as reasonable as I can. But you will have to patch this rent in my trust." I lifted my face to smile at him. "The wound is not deep." "Good." Bemariq stood up and lifted me with him. I giggled from the brief moment of weightlessness, and more importantly, from the strength holding me. My husband gave thorough massage to my backside. What he lacked in skill, he compensated with careful strength. Though my body crunched under his thumbs, I grew relaxed enough to turn drowsy. I was viscous liquid under his hands. Afterwards, he held me, while I half-napped. "I'm so glad you are alright," I murmured. "I can say the same of you." Bemariq petted my flank. "It's foolish of me, but I'm troubled by the carapace suit. Wearing it was risky. We didn't know, how it would behave this close to its home." "True. It did mention the facility, but I managed to mute it." "Glad to hear the override worked. Still, I'll check on it." His hand moved down to my thigh. "Do you have any requests?" I smiled wide. "As tempting as abusing your guilt would be, we do have a lot work to do." He sighed. "Unfortunately astute. However..." His hand moved to grasp my hair. While the grip didn't hurt, it was strong enough to jerk my head around if needed. I could have moved away and refused what we both wanted, but such pointless revenge melted from my mind. My crooked smile told him to prepare himself, while I turned on my back and propped myself up my shoulders large pillows. Already in his full readiness, Bemariq clambered back to the bed and found a position. Smoothly, he entered me. His thrusts were gentle but possessive, like the hand sinking into my breast. His other hand caressed my throat. If he had been cruel, he could have easily hurt me. I wrapped my hand around his wrist, just to feel his strength, not to resist it. With my eyes, I ate his finely cut body: the wide shoulders, the pragmatic musculature. I could believe that the witch of a magnatess had experienced genuine desire for the Associate of Usinilim. But Bemariq was all mine. My satisfaction must have been apparent on my face, as passion lit up in the man's gaze. He leaned down to kiss me. Though Bemariq managed to bend down, the position put uncomfortable weight on me. I let out a protesting moan. "Oh, sorry." Bemariq drew back and positioned his cock back to my butt. He smirked. "Wrap your legs around me." I did so, and he leaned down so I could wrap my hands around his neck. His honed arms lifted me up. The position was awkward, yet being in the air with him still inside me made me giddy. Even if his strength had faltered, there was no danger, with the bed below me. I let out a vacuous giggle, as Bemariq did his best to continue his thrusts into me. To his credit, Bemariq managed to satisfy himself before showing much fatigue. He lowered me back to the bed and lay next to me. Our lips found each other, all the while his hand fondled my eager nub. Soon enough, my wand spurted its meek sign of my pleasure. "If I could," I whispered. "I'd make you carry me all the time." Bemariq chuckled. Arms like spry tree trunks lifted me up, and my husband carried me to the bathroom. While we cleaned ourselves in the shower, warm water filled the bathtub. The tub was cramped, with the two of us sitting face to face. Our legs were interlocked, and our lower halves close. Above the water we were fully a dashing man and a presumably attractive woman. But under the surface, I wasn't all that I felt I was. My thoughts wandered back to the threat and promise, which the carapace suit had made. 'Reproductive reorganisation'. The easy contentment washed away from my heart. I must have frowned, because Bemariq asked: "Are you still upset with me?" "No. I mean, yes. Keep on being penitent." Bemariq rubbed my shin. A finger found a spot still stiff from the third-story fall. "Then what's wrong?" "I don't know. I'm just worried." I smirked to cover up the lie. "Call it 'feminine intuition'." My husband smiled warmly enough to dispel the worst unease. I harnessed whatever intuition I actually had and tried to pierce the mind behind the man's sharp eyes. Bemariq wouldn't have needed to kiss another woman, if his love for me had burned as bright as mine for him. But love me he did. Before I spoke to my husband about my swirling unclear misgivings, I had to figure out what I wanted to be and what I already was. "We should stop tarrying," I said. "And finally get back to our work." AUTHOR'S NOTES: The third instalment blew in size, so I decided to publish the first part now instead of when the whole thing is ready. Additionally, it's probably wise to keep these parts vaguely the same digestable size. This is also low-key gauging on how much effort I should put in finishing this story (I tend to get distracted, to apparently uninteresting results). Do leave a review. Next time: into the vault, I promise. Thanks for reading. All rights are waived on this text, CC0.