1??????????????Soul Bound


    1.2????????????Taking Control


    1.2.1??????????An Icy Welcome


    1.2.1.16???????Ship wreck


    Kafana: “I like what you’ve done with the new flavours. The note I sent you gave enough detail?”


    Columbina: “Yes, they are very good. But that isn’t what you really want to talk about, I think?”


    Kafana: “Tomsk. He impresses you; which shows you have good taste in men. And he is definitely a man, not a boy. But you wish to know how things stand between me and him before you go further. Am I right?”


    Columbina opened her fan and held it upwards in front of her then touched it gently over her heart.


    Columbina: “You are terribly direct. That is not how such conversations are carried out. It should take months, with neither of us ever saying exactly what we mean.”


    Kafana growled impatiently. “It is how I have such conversations. Now, do you want to know or not?”


    Columbina sighed, like someone who has been told it is time to pack the games away and stop playing. “Yes, I would very much like to know. Even at the cost of you knowing that I wish to know.”


    Kafana: “Tomsk will never betray you. He will give his life for you. He cares deeply, and will see the real you, not just the front. I’ve never seen him give into fear or shirk responsibility. I have never met anyone as skilled, when it comes to physical activities, and though he has been with many women I’m acquainted with, I have never heard any of them speak ill of him, which is near miraculous. You could do no better if you are looking for a companion in bed, about town or in a fight.”


    Columbina: “But you and he have never?”


    Kafana: “No.”


    Columbina: “Forgive me my curiosity, but having said this much you can’t stop or I will combust on the spot. Why not? Your heart beats faster when you are near him, and you snuggle in his arms like it is your natural home.”


    Kafana: “He falls in love with ease, and when we first met I could have fallen in love with him. Perhaps I did, a little. Certainly I would have gone to bed with him; I was young at the time.”


    Columbina: “But?”


    Kafana sighed. “But we are not looking for the same thing. His heart is such that he can fall in love with more than one person at the same time, and to him it is natural to sleep with everyone who loves him back in that way. So he doesn’t sleep with anyone who can’t truly accept that about him. He was wiser than me; he explained, very gently, that if the two of us did sleep together, it would end up breaking my heart and he was not the sort of person who would do such a thing. It took a while for me to understand, but he had me speak to one of his long term partners, and it finally clicked.”


    Columbina: “So the two of you do your best to pretend to yourselves that you feel nothing more for each other than a brother and a sister.”


    Kafana: “I do, and he does his best to let me pretend, because it makes it easier for me.”


    Columbina: “And it does not cause hurt to you, to see him with others?”


    Kafana: “No! What do you take me for? Love is wanting the other person to be happy. If the partner is good for him, makes him smile and doesn’t not abuse his good nature, that makes me happy for him. Not for anything would I risk becoming the sort of jealous hag who’d try to twist him into something that he is not. If that happened, I’d hate myself.”


    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Columbina: “And that is why you will never sleep with him.”


    Kafana: “And that is why I will never sleep with him.” she agreed.


    Columbina: “You did not owe me such a full explanation. And it is never comfortable baring such feelings. You are courageous beyond all sane measure, which I already knew, but even you would not say all this just to ease my fears. What else did you wish to say to me? Or perhaps hear from me?”


    Kafana put on her diadem with the stone of truth.


    Kafana: “What are your intentions towards Tomsk? Will you treat his heart as a toy, that is worth only what amusement it brings to you? Can you accept him for what he is without trying to change him? He will respect and appreciate you; will you do the same for him? Stand solidly at his side, unashamed, not stab him in the back? I have seen you with Harlequin, so I know you know what partnership means, but I don’t know you well enough yet to say what your standards are; where you draw the line between ally and friend versus acquaintance or mark. Will you match him, loyalty for loyalty? Will you make him smile?”


    Columbina looked shocked.


    {Sys, aura to max, friendly mode.}


    Kafana added: “I think I know. I think you are my friend and will be his. But this is Tomsk we’re talking about. I care for him deeply, and if I give my blessing or recommendation he’ll take it unquestioningly. I owe it to him, to be as sure as I can be. Reassure me.”


    Columbina gathered herself together and muttered: “This just isn’t how things are done. This is never how things are done.”


    Columbina: “Kafana, you are a good friend to him, and you are my Journeyman. But even were that not the case, while it is true I enjoy games, for me the hunting game ends when I choose to make clear I am beyond a huntsman or when I choose to allow myself to be caught. I do not take it into the bedroom. Beyond that door, different and equally interesting games take place.”


    The light from the gem stayed a steady mild green, indicating no falsehoods, but no deep truths either. Kafana waited for Columbina to continue, her face neutral.


    Columbina realised Kafana required more from her, and threw her hands up, in high drama.


    Columbina glared at her: “I will stab you if you tell him this.”


    Kafana nodded, but remained silent, waiting.


    Columbina: “Yes, I am attracted to him. Yes, I want to go to bed with him. No, I am not in love with him. No, he won’t ever be the one who is first in my thoughts. Yes, I very much hope to put a big smile on his face, and that he does the same for me. No, I won’t stand for him publicly humiliating me. Nor will I do more than tease him. His actual secrets are safe with me, and while I am with him, I will fight for him and by his side. I will see others, and I will be quite unphased if he does the same.”


    The diadem glowed a much stronger green. Kafana gave Columbina a big smile and put it back in her stash.


    Kafana: “Now let me make it up to you for being so direct. Firstly, I can confirm that Tomsk is equally interested in you. I think you might find asking to trade tips on knife fighting will work well. He knows an astonishing variety of combat styles, most of which you’ll never have even heard of, let alone seen. He’s not put off by a woman being competent or dangerous, so show him you can be serious and appreciate the worth of what he has striven hard to learn.”


    Now it was Columbina’s turn to nod and listen.


    Kafana: “And, secondly, bear in mind that the body you see belongs to two beings. The questing spirit, but also the original owner of the corporeal vessel. Even if the questing spirit is driving, the other is in there and will dream what happens. So get to know both of them, and explicitly discuss the issue with both of them, before you carry out any bedroom games.”


    Columbina looked surprised but not shocked, and a smile curled her lips: “My, my, how interesting.” she purred.


    Kafana mimed wiping sweat from her brows. “Thank you for not stabbing me. Sorry I didn’t have months to spare. And now, I think we should go back down and see what chaos has happened in our absence.”


    {Sys, aura off.}


    [Skill “Aura Of Power” cannot rise above 14 until you learn an appropriate profession.]


    [Skill “Bargaining” has reached level 6.]