Sarithiya, Foom, Nibiru, Leyara

Nibiru awoke at dawn to the roosters crowing, a smile creeping onto her face and the knowledge that she was one of the Master's chosen few. She climbed down from her bunk over Leyara's bed and stole into her master's rich and luxurious chamber, where he was slumbering peacefully.

A tiny rivulet of drool trickled down his chin and Nibiru smiled fondly as she wiped it with the sleeve of her nightgown. Changeman snorted in his sleep and rolled over, snuggling into his gold-trimmed pillow.

Nibiru immediately began her daily chores. She changed from her modest nightgown into her uniform-crimson silk harem pants and halter top. She was a vision of curves and sensuous skin. She then mopped the floors until they gleamed. She removed the trash that had blown into the front yard overnight, and gracefully battled a master assassin hiding by the doorstep as she worked. Nibiru was nearly finished with the tasks at hand, when she heard several creaks and the groan of a man waking up from a good night's sleep. Her Master had arisen! With that, she bounded happily into his chamber and knelt at the foot of his bed, along with two of her fellow harem girls, Foom and Leyara.

"Good morning, Master," the Harem chanted in unison. "We are thrilled and honored to spend another day in service to you. How may we be of assistance this morn?"

"Good morning, my beautiful dolls. Is my breakfast ready?" Changeman stretched and wiggled his toes. Suddenly he had disappeared into the shadows of the room.

"Yes, Master," said Foom as she fetched him his velvet slippers, glancing over her shoulder at the empty room. She knew he was watching her with his piercing eyes. She looked straight ahead dutifully, for a moment, and then exclaimed, "I have been slaving over a hot stove since before the sun arose preparing you a delectable meal fit for a Noble!"

Changeman smacked his lips and stepped out of the shadows. Nibiru hurried to help him with his robe, and covered him in plush material, rubbing his chest and fawning over his muscles. He glanced at her and smiled approvingly, then allowed her to finish slipping on the robe. With a final tug, she tied the robe's soft belt. The sound of a pot hitting something hollow came from the kitchen, followed by a muffled Firian scream (one can tell a Firian scream by its resemblance to a high pitched whine). Changeman inhaled and strode into the kitchen while Foom threw rose petals in his path and Leyara followed closely behind with a broom and dustpan, sweeping up the crushed petals.

Sarithiya, ever a wicked girl, was dressed in her slick blood-red alligator skin trousers that hugged her form and her barely-there alligator skin top. She was standing before the table that she had set for him with the finest plates hand-painted with gold, and sparkling crystal and silverware. She had placed a beautiful scented candle on the table, and had lit it with a flick of her black-painted fingertip. The candle glowed and flickered in the early morning dimness. The first sounds of morning drifted through the window.

With a smile, Sarithiya slid Changeman's finely polished mahogany chair out from the table and beckoned him to sit. This was done with the utmost attention to her own gracefulness so as to please him with her feminine movements. He smiled at her and cackled slightly before he took his seat. She bent down and whispered in his ear and her words were barely audible. I folded the napkins just so, Master, the way you like them, and with the embroidery up. He smiled at her and patted her somewhere affectionately. She blushed and moved away so that Foom could serve his breakfast.

There was a sudden rush of cool air coming from one of the corners of the room. Who else was more fitting for this job than Oakleaf, that dubious, obsessed, revengeful Fir Elf who was at present sprawled on the floor with a large palm frond in each hand, waving them up and down and from side to side with a mean frown upon his face. For breakfast this morning he was gagged and his feet chained to the floor. Nibiru reached out and held one of his palm fronds so that he could not wave it.

Foom slinked toward the table where Changeman sat like a king, admiring himself in the reflection of the silverware. She carried a steaming set of plates filled with foods, some exotic, upon a silver platter. As she approached Changeman, he studied her thoroughly, slowly nodding with approval, his eyes lingering on her hips. He flashed a devilish little smile, and adjusted his napkin.

Foom stopped momentarily beside Oakleaf, and while balancing the dishes on one hand, she gave him a good, strong kick with her boot. He groaned and coughed, his spittle flying up and landing back on his own face. "Faster, you #$%^& Fir!" she yelled. The other girls smirked and exclaimed, "More to the right, Oaklaugh!"

Oakleaf cursed something unintelligible, while Nibiru slowly and inconspicuously let go of the palm frond. Once it was released, he waved it furiously in the background as Foom set the first delicious plate of gourmet food carefully before Changeman. Changeman relished the cool breeze, and then said "Foom, you haven't poisoned my delicious breakfast have you?" All the girls snickered and laughed at this.

"Of course not, Master" said Foom. "I think you will find your breakfast quite......"

::dramatic pause::

"Satisfying".

Sarithiya smirked and said to Changeman, "We have no desire to poison you, Master. After all, Tygerlili isn't here to scream our names".

With that, Changeman relaxed and stuffed his fancy fork deep into a thick ham, cheese, and crab omelet, spearing a soft succulent piece of meat before sliding it slowly into his mouth. He chewed it slowly, obviously savoring his luscious bite. Foom stood near him anxiously. He looked her way and said, "Absolutely delicious. But not as half as charming and delicious as you". Foom grinned, and humbly nodded.

With a deep throated purr, Leyara suddenly tossed the broom and dustpan aside, scattering flower petals all over the immaculate floors and Oakleaf's face. Ignoring the others, she made herself comfortable in her Master's lap. Her long silky tail slowly curled about first one of his legs, and then the other. She played with his thick black hair, mussing and fussing with it till, unbeknownst to him, a perfect set of two little horns had sprouted up, one on each side of his head. Perfectly fitting to say the least.

Sighing dreamily, Leyara was brought back to the present when the Master grunted. She rose up from his lap and removed the empty bowl, then stepped back. With a wink, she sashayed into the other room while Sarithiya, Foom, and Nibiru snickered together, all eyes on his devilish little horns.

Once finished with all the delectable food he could eat, the table was hurriedly cleared and the Fabulous Four quickly returned to stand almost meekly by his side.

"My beautiful dolls..!" The master exclaimed "What say we go down to the jail and harass the guards as they go by? Or Rylek, or Kraggon, or perhaps even Bags as he wanders by?!"

"Ohhhhhh!" Sarithiya, Leyara, Nibiru, and Foom happily cried in unison.

"But only if we get to throw ourselves in front of you in defense if blades are drawn, dear Master," said Nibiru.

"But only if we get to fight off every foe you may encounter while you stand and watch!" Leyara blurted.

"Only if we get to then burn their bodies into little piles of ash and hide all signs of mischief," Sarithiya said with a scheming little nod.

"Or even frame some unsuspecting ninny of the dastardly deed just so we can permanently wreck someone's life!" Foom said this excitedly as she danced around the table stomping on flower petals, and laughing wildly.

Nibiru helped Changeman from his seat just as rapid footfalls sounded from outside the window. Not wasting any time, they all crowded around just in time to see a dark figure run by, paper bag planted firmly down over their head. Once the figure was out of sight, they again turned their eyes back down the alley. Another person approached, running quickly towards them.

The new arrival was a panting Hithual of grave countenance, his noble face made only slightly ridiculous by the stubby body that supported it.

"Sir Bags!" cried Changeman warmly, ushering the Hithual into the house, and the four girls of his harem echoed the greeting in silken tones. "What brings you to visit me? And who was that with the bag on his head?"

Sir Bags scowled at all five of them, and glanced at Oakleaf with a furrowed brow. He then eyed each harem girl with a lascivious glaze over his eyes. He peeled himself away from each of them only to become transfixed with another...curve.

"Sir Bags! Some time today!" said the girls. They moved around him with their eyes full of devilry. He coughed deeply and regained his composure, with a bit of a struggle.

"Eh..hum! Aye, what was I saying? Oh yes, that, as ye should well know, since it was ye who reduced the lad to such a pitiable state. He was Spur's best knight, Sir Rylek," said Sir Bags.

"Best?" said Foom softly, in the insinuating tone so familiar to TSC denizens. The Fabulous Four smirked in unison. But Changeman glanced at them in mild reproach, and with a puzzled gesture bade the noble Hith continue.

"Aye, ye may well play the innocent," grumbled Sir Bags. "I suppose ye'll claim ye had nothing to do with THIS?" He angrily shook a copy of the Tribune in Changeman's face, with this bold headline splashed across its front page:

RYLEK AND CALLIK: "JUST GOOD FRIENDS"???

A slight chuckle escaped Changeman's lips as he read the paper. "Really, how shocking. Of course, I'd always suspected about Callik... but Rylek! Indeed, this is a great surprise", he said with a quizzical look of amusement spreading over his face.

Sir Bags glared up at the suave San Elf. "Poor Rylek will never be the same again--he's half mad with shame. And ye have the effrontery to claim that this is not your doing? Everyone in Spur knows that ye control the Tribune, that Leyara and Sarithiya print only what ye tell the...eh, ladies."

Leyara bristled, the soft fur along her spine standing up in menacing spikes. "Nonsense! The Tribune is completely independent. And who are you to question our integrity? We stand by our story!" She glared at Sir Bags with her fiery eyes, as her tail twitched menacingly.

"That's right!" Sarithiya glared at Sir Bags with murderous Sanene intensity. "We stand by our liar--er, sources!" Sarithiya furrowed her brow and murmured something beneath her breath about having written a disclaimer already anyway. She suddenly threw a dagger at Sir Bags and it went whizzing by his head. "Hrmph," she retorted at the near miss. Nibiru snickered, and Sarithiya turned to glare at her.

The Hithual, with remarkable sang froid, ignored the two angry females and addressed Changeman. "It has to stop. I don't care if ye're an exile, I can't have ye ridiculing and harassing prominent Spurians wif no care in the world. I demand that ye put a stop to this. If ye don't, I will. I could have the paper shut down, you know, just like that." He snapped his fingers, and said, "Me conscience won't allow it."

"Well, I see your point." Changeman shrugged, glancing over at Leyara and Sarithiya. "Perhaps it's time to curtail--"

"Perhaps it's time that Spur knew where Bags was on the night of the 3rd day, 2nd month, in the year of 312!, and with whom," said Leyara, her eyes glowing maliciously.

"Oh?" Changeman raised an eyebrow.

Sir Bags blanched.

"In the honeymoon suite of the Silver Mountain Inn in Rathan, with a well-known young Hithual, a mountain goat, and Kag--"

The girls snickered wildly and Changeman raised an eyebrow. The Hithual covered Leyara's mouth with his hand, instantly muffling her words, and glanced wildly around him. "Hush, child! That must never--"

"Must it not?" Leyara removed his hand, smiling wickedly. "Then perhaps you'll cease with your threats?"

Sir Bags gazed at her in confusion, babbled momentarily in Hithual, and then hurried away as fast as his diminutive legs could carry him.

"Well, that's settled then!" Changeman said merrily. "Let's see, where were we?"

But the day's excitement was not yet ended. As he spoke, a soft twang came from the woods nearby, and a long steel-barbed arrow hissed toward Changeman's chest. Foom, Leyara and Nibiru instantly hurled themselves in its path, but there was no need. With a casual snap of her fingers, Sarithiya shot a thick stream of flame out into the air, meeting the arrow in mid-flight. When the smoke cleared, all that was left of the arrow was a few cinders drifting on the air, and a melted arrowhead that dropped harmlessly at Foom's feet. A loud Firian curse came from the woods whence the arrow had issued.

Sarithiya snapped her fingers again, and the woods burst instantaneously into flame.

More Firian cursing, a loud and desperate invocation of the Catfish, and then silence.

"Why, thank you, Sari dear." Changeman ruffled the runemage's pitch-black hair. "Very efficient of you. Shall we go and look for the remains?"

"What remains?" Sarithiya's black eyes sparkled gleefully.

"Ah, quite." Changeman's eyes clouded with blissful feeling. "Well, then, I think we may say we've concluded our morning's business successfully. Anyone care to join me in a midday nap?"

"Yes, Master," said all four girls in unison, and away they all went with Changeman, who, as he nodded off to sleep a little later, was heard to mutter something about ordering a larger bed from Treehaven.