I'm a Trans Girl Reincarnated in Another World??

[ScottishMongol]

Spoiler: Author's Note

A new quest begins, and we're back to lore-heavy chapters. The Church of the Lady of Light is your generic good-guy fantasy religion, but I wanted to give it some depth and daily reality. People tend to genuinely believe in their religion!

It was a hot day in early summer when Iris was summoned to Lord Harcourt's solar.

Alessa was there at the council table along with her parents, and advising them were Pippin the steward and Father Clovis – even the old drunk Jean-Ambrose had dragged himself down from his wizard tower to give the lord counsel. Iris sat uneasily at the end of the table. Servants had laid out bread and cheese and poured them wine.

"What can I do for you, my lord?"

"Lady Iris. We've just received word of something that calls for service," Lord Harcourt said, flicking his fingers at a half-unfurled scroll sitting on the table in front of him. "It seems a band of pilgrims is attempting to uncover an old site holy to the Lady of Light, located in the Forest of Dern."

"It was abandoned during the Great Plague," Father Clovis said. "Evidently they mean to uncover the ruins, sanctify it, and restore it to its old purpose."

Iris looked between them.

"I see. And is that on the Harcourt lands?"

"No, but it's close enough that it concerns us," Lord Harcourt said. "The King declared the forest a frontier, open for settlement. Given its position, were it to be restored it would bring more traffic to the area, more trade."

"So, you want to make sure it gets done, and that the pilgrims are amenable to you," Iris guessed.

"This could be a chance for the Lady Iris Penny to show her quality," said Lady Harcourt. She even smiled when she said it.

"The pilgrims by their own account have it well in hand, but there's no reason not to make sure they're protected – there are goblins in that forest, and bandits," Lord Harcourt continued. "And of course Alessa will be there to represent the family directly."

"We should take Father Clovis with us to advise us on religious matters," Alessa said, "And Bors and Charles and my squires…and Chiri."

Iris nodded. It took only a moment's thought to accept the challenge - this was her chance to prove herself and cement her place.

"Very well. My Lord Harcourt, I won't dishonor you."

The next few days were busy with preparations. Iris had her armor and weapons checked to make sure they were in good condition, packed her gear, and said goodbye to the friends she'd made at Doncaster.

Iris and Alessa spent the night before they were to depart together. Tired from their lovemaking, Iris sprawled naked on the bed, Alessa curled against her side. Iris confessed that she was worried.

"There's kind of this pressure, you know?"

Alessa rested her head against Iris' shoulder.

"You'll succeed. I know what you're capable of, we just need to show my parents."

"Yeah, I guess. Hey…are things going to be different once we leave?"

"I'm not sure how many chances we'll have to be alone in the field, if that's what you mean."

"Oh. Okay," she said, then immediately chided herself. Alessa raised her head to look into her eyes.

"Iris, you know I love you, right? I'm sorry I can't show you that more."

She kissed Iris, and Iris wrapped her arms around Alessa's waist.

"Oh, Alessa, you know you don't have to show me. I just wish we didn't have to keep up appearances like this."

"It won't last forever. Just enjoy the time we can get, okay?"

They departed the next morning, as the summer sun cast its light over Doncaster's battlements. It was a small party – Alessa and those who had accompanied her on her first quest, plus Father Clovis mounted on a donkey, and a cart full of supplies and goblin-made construction tools to offer the pilgrims. The cart was driven by a bushy-bearded man named Joseph-Pierre, who spent most of his time hunched over the reins, mumbling a response to every question.

"Good morning, Lady Iris," Father Clovis said, "I thought we could greet the Lady and ask her blessings on our quest."

Iris had only been mildly observant during her time at Doncaster; she attended weekly services held by Father Clovis, but that was largely to fit in. It wasn't that she didn't believe in the gods, she just wasn't sure how much the Lady could help her when she had a whole other goddess in her head.

"As you say, Father," Iris said. Alessa and the others truly believed in the Lady, and were convinced that she protected and guided them every day of their lives. It sometimes unnerved Iris, who had never had a strong attraction to faith.

"Lady of Light, thank you for sending your light down on us," the priest intoned. "Illuminate our path as we set forth on our journey. Keep us safe from hurt and want, drive away all harms and comfort us in our labors. We go to sanctify a place sacred to you, that we may do you honor and remember your blessings, so if that be your will, then grant us success."

Iris felt…something. Perhaps it was no more than the summer sun on her face, but she felt her anticipation lift. She mounted Stormcloud.

Father Clovis gave Chiri a mild look. She had been silent during the prayer, but that wasn't unusual. If he had any reservations about a catfolk coming to a holy site of the Lady, he had said nothing. Personally, Iris was a little worried for her girlfriend. The first night out, when they stayed in a roadside inn, Iris voiced her concerns to Chiri and Alessa as they settled down in their shared room. Iris and Chiri sat on the single bed while Alessa sat across from them in an armchair.

"Father Clovis instructed me in the faith, he's a good man," Alessa said. "Actually, Iris, this may be your chance to learn more about the Lady."

Chiri seemed reserved, even sulky.

"He's been polite to me whenever we met in the library," she admitted. "But Iris, I came on this quest for your sake, because I love you. Not because of the Lady of Light."

Alessa leaned forward.

"Chiri, the…the Church says your people are to be protected."

"You don't know what my people have dealt with, do you?" Chiri spat.

"You-" Alessa cut herself off, and Iris saw her think for a moment. "You're right. I don't know." She knelt in front of Chiri and took her hand. "But I promise, if it's between you and those who wish to do you harm, I'll choose you, whatever their loyalties."

Chiri let out a surprised mewl, her eyes wide as she looked down at Alessa.

"Alright Alessa, let's not get carried away," she said, quickly glancing at Iris. Iris felt herself grinning.

It wasn't long before they left the Harcourt lands and passed into the dense Forest of Dern. This was true, old-growth forest, with trees that grew hundreds of feet above the dense undergrowth, a tangle of fallen, decaying old trunks and eager new growth. The road was straight and clear through the trees, one of the highways maintained by the King's Men.

"So, this ruin is important to the Lady, or something?" Iris asked as they rode.

"Oh! I've read about it," Chiri said, "Back when the Lady of Light's worship was suppressed, this was a great refuge for her worshipers. They created an underground temple and hideout. In later years as her worship was more accepted, it was expanded into a major holy site, only to be supplanted by more important centers of the faith."

"Like Lantilla, where the High Priesthood is located," Father Clovis said.

Alessa gave Iris a meaningful look, and Iris cleared her throat.

"Father Clovis, forgive me my ignorance, but I confess I am a stranger to this land, and to the Lady," she said.

Father Clovis brushed his lank grey hair out of his eyes, and was silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts.

"The Lady…hers is the light of the sun itself, and the stars are her one million siblings. She sustains all life and gives us light and warmth to help us through the darkness. While we do not deny the existence of other gods, we know that she is the most good and most powerful."

"Yeah? What makes her so good?"

"Her teachings are the foundation of justice. She teaches us love, compassion, charity, and grace."

"With respect Father, mortals do not always hold to what they're taught," Iris said, trying to keep her voice even.

Father Clovis was silent again.

"Indeed, mortals often fail to live up to her laws. The mortal world is not perfect, but the Lady's light represents a beacon that we strive towards. For those who try to do good, the Lady of Light forgives, and for those who do not, the judgment is hers."

Father Clovis was, as Alessa had said, a patient teacher, willing to listen to Iris' questions no matter how impertinent or skeptical, and his responses were usually reasonable and measured.

Iris had to admit, as far as religions went, the Church of the Lady of Light wasn't that bad. It established the equality of the sexes, for one thing; for another, its tenets extended to prohibitions against slavery, murder, and rape, but also concepts similar to medical consent and even a theory of just war.

The Church also had cleanliness laws such as Iris had heard about, and strict definitions of marriage that forbade arranged and forced marriage and stressed the need for consent.

If the Lady of Light was trying to build a just society, it wasn't a bad way to go about it. Of course, Iris wondered just how much humans followed the laws set down by the Lady.

 

[ScottishMongol]

That first part of the journey was easy – the road was broad and level, with a grassy verge cut on either side by the King's Men. The cart trundled along on the verge, the flagstones of the road being too bumpy for cart wheels. The land fell away slowly, descending from the highlands of the Harcourt domains to the wide river valleys and forests of the lowlands. It was a well-traveled road, especially in this season, with merchants, craftsmen, pilgrims, King's Men, and knights traveling between the Harcourt lands and the rest of the Kingdom on all sorts of business. They often stopped to exchange words with the party – a catfolk wool merchant would speak with Chiri about affairs in some distant city, a knight on errantry would give Alessa the latest noble gossip. Many pilgrims seemed interested in news of the sanctuary, though none followed them.

Iris was back to eating hardtack and salt biscuits, but she warmed herself with the memory of the feasts at Doncaster. It was hot during the day, and Iris sweated in her armor, but the nights were perfect, and they slept beneath the eaves of the forest. Fireflies danced in the night air, as numerous as the stars above them.

One night around the fire, as Father Clovis was instructing Iris on matters of the faith, Iris asked about the afterlife.

"Death is one of the great questions," Father Clovis said. "The debate over it actually caused a fistfight at the Second Council of Lantilla."

Bors tossed another log onto the fire.

"Some believe that when we die, we're reborn on other worlds, on and on forever," he said.

"Many believe that, but the Church rejected the idea at the Second Council of Lantilla – perhaps because its chief proponent was knocked unconscious by Saint Simon the Pugilist," Father Clovis said. "It persists as a folk belief in some quarters, though. The Church's belief is that the Lady of Light gathers the souls of the faithful to her to preserve them. If you believe the Prophecies of the Oracle of Angelo – and those are very old prophecies indeed, and doubted by some – then one day the Lady of Light will remake this world, without pain, without fear, and the dead will be brought back to enjoy eternal life along with the living."

"So…you're telling me you don't know," Iris said. She had been staring into the fire, thinking about death. She had died, of course, even if she couldn't remember it, and that troubled her. She didn't know what happened after death, but she didn't expect a second chance. Deep down she knew that if she died in this world, she would never return to it.

"The Lady of Light is more concerned with this world," Alessa said. "All we need to know is that for those who follow her, our souls are safeguarded after death, and shall be gathered together."

"Well, that's nice. I want to keep living in this world."

Chiri, who had been sitting in silence with her hat pulled down low over her face, stood up suddenly.

"Forgive me, friends, but I grow tired. Good night!"

"Good night, Chiri," Alessa murmured. Iris raised her hand to brush it against Chiri's as she passed. Chiri gave her hand a quick squeeze.

Father Clovis rose as well, brushing off his cassock.

"I believe I should retire as well. May the Lady bless your sleep."

After a moment of quiet, Iris dared to ask a question.

"So, have any of you felt the Lady's power? Cause I get the impression she doesn't show herself or speak to mortals much."

"It's not something that most people experience," Bors admitted, "But personally, I take all the help I can get. And I'm still here, so I guess she hasn't forsaken me yet."

He pulled out his string of magic charms and kissed the silver icon of the Lady.

"I think Bors has the right of it," Alessa said, "I've always felt like the Lady was at my side, watching over me. It comforts me. In a way she's…she's like my oldest friend. When I was a little girl, I used to play at being a holy warrior, who spoke to her directly...maybe that was my juvenile pride."

Alessa smiled, and Iris thought she noted a faint blush on Alessa's cheeks.

Charles sighed and tossed a handful of sticks onto the fire.

"I was born just at the end of the Great Plague. Had my parents not baptized me in the light of the Lady, I may very well have died. Many who were born in that time feel that they owe the Lady their lives."

"What about you?" Iris asked their carter. He had been silent, as he usually was, his hood pulled low as he warmed himself by the fire. The man peered at them from under his hood.

"My family have been carters on the Harcourt lands since the Goblin Wars," he said, "The Harcourts were converted under Lady Alessa's grandfather, Joseph the Pious. My father was baptized in the light of the Lady alongside him. He remembered the time before – when they worshiped the Mountain King. Used to be every hunt they dedicated the heart and liver to him, and there were nights when the peasants did strange rites out on the moors."

Iris shuddered with an unexpected chill; the forest around them seemed dark and wild, and every rustle seemed to hide a footstep or a heavy breath. She looked around; the others seemed no less disquieted.

"The priests put a stop to some of those, changed others, brought them out into the daylight…but you can still find the stone circles out on the downs."

"Lady of Light," Alessa whispered.

Iris met the carter's eyes. There was a twinkle in them.

"You're fucking with us," she said suddenly.

"Am I?" he asked. He slapped his knee and stood up suddenly. "Well, believe it or not, I must be off to bed now. Goodnight, my lady – friends."

He strode away from the campfire, whistling a jaunty tune.

Iris laughed nervously.

"Scary stories around the campfire," she said, "Right?"

Alessa and Bors shared a look.

"The days when the heathen gods were worshiped isn't that far off," Bors said darkly, "The priests of the Lady of Light put an end to many strange things."

"The priests. Like Father Clovis?" Iris asked.

"No, he came later to Lord Harcourt's service," Bors said, frowning. "I'm actually not sure he's spoken of his past."

Charles stood up and stretched.

"You should sleep, my lady. I believe I shall take the first watch," he said. Iris sighed and got to her feet.

"Iris, will…will you walk with me?" Alessa whispered. She took Iris' hand as they walked into the dark.

"You're not really scared, are you, Alessa? You've fought actual monsters," Iris said as they walked to their sleeping spot. They had chosen a hollow between two trees, out of view of the campfire.

"There you are!" Chiri hissed. Alessa practically jumped out of her skin, cutting off a shriek. Iris would have laughed, but Chiri grabbed her and pulled her down, pushing her against the trunk of a tree. "I've been waiting for you."

"Really, Chiri, now?" Iris asked. Her hands instinctively found Chiri's hips as the catgirl climbed into her lap and straddled her. She tried to ask another question, but the words were muffled as Chiri kissed her. "Mph. Alessa's right there!"

"Don't worry about me," Alessa yawned, "I'll just-"

"Watch?" Chiri asked. Iris could hear the playfulness in her voice.

"I'll be trying to rest," Alessa said curtly. "So, try not to make too much noise."

Chiri smirked and started to grind her hips against Iris' lap.

"No promises~"

***

"What about goblins?" Iris asked the next day as they rode. "Do any of them worship the Lady of Light?"

"The Lady teaches us that goblins have no need for worship as humans do," Father Clovis answered, "Though goblins do acknowledge the existence of the gods, they give them different names and faces. To them, the gods are heroes of living, breathing stories, not beings to venerate or worship."

"Oh! I know some of these stories," Alessa said. She cleared her throat and drew herself up in the manner she used when reciting a story. "Goblins are creatures of the night and the underground, and have no great love of the sun. But even goblins need light to see by in the blackest caves, and they use fire for many things. So, they tell stories of Sister Firestealer, who plucked fire from the heavens and gave it to mortals..."

The conversation made Iris think of Lillywick. She wondered, not for the last time, where the goblin girl was, and if they would ever meet again.

That night, as Iris sat by the campfire and thought over all she learned, she looked to Chiri.

"Don't the catfolk have a different god?"

The catgirl's ears twitched.

"Yes, but we don't permit their name to be spelt or spoken."

She seemed almost apologetic, but Iris squeezed her hand.

"Oh. Well, hey, don't worry about it, then."

"Sorry, Iris, it's just…important, and personal."

Iris kissed her cheek.

"I understand."

Chiri thought for a minute, then stood up.

"Come with me."

They walked a short way down the road, out of earshot of the others, then Chiri bid Iris to sit down.

"What's going on?" Iris asked as Chiri sat across from her, legs folded.

"I want to teach you how to sense magic. I suspect you have an aptitude for it."

Iris raised an eyebrow, but she mirrored Chiri's position and allowed the catgirl to take her hands.

"Tell me what to do," she whispered.

"Magic is all around us. Most of us can sense it passively, especially in environments that have been saturated with it. Consciously sensing magic, though, is difficult, it requires both a natural aptitude and training. You need to open all your senses to the world. Tell me everything you feel."

"Um…I see you, and the road and the trees, and the sky…it's twilight, the sky is dark blue except for in the east, and the brightest stars are out." She closed her eyes. "I hear…insects and the wind in the branches, and…birdsong. And the camp, horses and someone cutting wood. I think it's Alessa. I smell damp earth and rotting wood and green leaves and rainwater. I feel a breeze on my face."

"What else? Tell me everything."

"I feel myself. My clothes, my own scent, my voice and my breathing. And yours. I feel your hands…"

She gasped. Everything clicked into place, all the things around her resolving into the whole. The forest was one giant entity, a living, breathing superorganism of wood and growth and decay, animals and plants and water and sunlight, feeding into each other in an endless cycle. As evening fell a shift was coming over the forest, as some animals went to sleep and others awoke, as plants reacted to the disappearance of the sun, changing their growing patterns. The combined energy of the sky and the forest swirled around her in a deep and powerful vortex.

"Open your eyes," Chiri whispered. Iris did. She couldn't see anything differently, but the magic underlying everything was still there, albeit faded.

Then she looked into Chiri's eyes.

"Woah."

She could see into her girlfriend's soul. Chiri had described Iris' aura in terms of colors, and Chiri's was a deep navy blue. It roiled and leapt, high-strung and always curious, seeking new information about the world around it.

"What do you see?" Chiri asked.

"Chiri…You are so beautiful," Iris whispered.

Chiri leaned in and kissed her, and for a minute, it felt like Iris was touching her soul.

 

[ScottishMongol]

The next day as they rode, Bors suddenly threw up his hand.

"Someone's coming!" he shouted, bringing his horse around. "From behind us!"

The party erupted into a flurry of activity, the warriors riding to the back as Charles drove the remounts forward alongside the cart. The squires stayed back to protect the cart, but Father Clovis joined Iris and her companions in the rearguard. Iris put on her helmet, but Alessa kept her head bare as she rode to the fore.

A party of mounted men was riding down the King's Road, dressed in black. There couldn't have been more than a dozen; as they came in hailing distance of the party, they slowed to a halt, their leader riding forward to meet Alessa.

"Hail and well met, brothers and sisters," he said. He was a tall, dour-looking man, clean-shaven with shoulder-length blond hair falling from under a wide-brimmed black hat. He and his companions were all dressed in blacks, greys, or whites. All were armed; their leader had a longsword belted at his side.

"Hail," Alessa said. "I am Madame Alessa Harcourt, and these are my companions and retainers. Name yourself."

The man swept his hat off and bowed in the saddle.

"I am Brother Ezekiel Fall-by-the-Sword Stewart, of the Purified Church of the Lady." He raised his eyes, and they fell on Chiri. "I see you travel in the company of one of the catfolk, Madame."

Chiri hissed, and Alessa's hand crept towards the hilt of her sword. Iris wasn't sure who these men were, but she instantly disliked them, and moved to put herself between Chiri and the strangers.

"As I said, these are my friends and companions. What is your errand…Brother?"

Brother Ezekiel returned his hat to his head.

"We are on pilgrimage to the Lady's Sanctuary in the Forest of Dern, Madame," he said, smiling amiably.

"Then we are on the same errand," Alessa said, although she didn't sound pleased by the fact.

"Hm. Perhaps, then, it is the Lady's will that we travel together?"

"Permit me a word with my companions," Alessa said. She rode back to the others, and they joined her in a close huddle.

"Father Clovis, who the fuck are these guys?" Iris asked.

"Purifiers," the priest said. His expression was cold. "After the Great Plague, many flocked to the protection of the Church. Perhaps it was the madness of those times, but many strange sects emerged claiming to do the will of the Lady. One of them was the Purifiers. They believed that the plague was a punishment, and that sickness was a moral failing. There is nothing they hate more than the incomplete body – the sick, the infirm, the deviant..."

"And the catfolk," Chiri muttered. The catgirl was on edge, her fur standing up.

"Indeed, and much evil was done at their hand during the Plague Years."

"Oh, so these guys suck," Iris said, glancing back at the Purifiers over her shoulder.

Bors nodded in agreement.

"In all honesty, Lady Iris, I would prefer the Flagellants, and they're complete nutters."

"Indeed," Father Clovis said.

"So, what, are they heretics?" Iris asked.

"Unfortunately, it's not so simple," Father Clovis continued, "The Church was not very unified after the Great Plague. It had expanded too quickly. At the Second Council of Lantilla the fringe sects such as the Purifiers and Flagellants were declared in communion with the rest of the faith…and, despite controversy, they have remained as such ever since."

"Many in the Church called it a devil's bargain," Alessa said. She had been silent during the conversation, lost in thought. "At the very least it put a stop to them burning people at the stake."

"At least where people could see," Chiri spat.

Alessa drummed her fingers on the hilt of her sword.

"I'm afraid we have no reason not to travel with them," she said finally, "But they won't harm you as long as you're my companion."

"…very well, Madame Alessa," Chiri muttered, pulling the brim of her hat down. Iris put a hand on her shoulder to try and comfort her.

"It'll be fine, Chiri, promise," she murmured.

Alessa turned to the other pilgrims.

"Very well, Brother Ezekiel, you and your men shall travel with us. Tell me what supplies you have, perhaps we can share…"

They left the main road, heading deeper into the forest. The pilgrims who had gone ahead of them had cut a track through the trees, wide enough for their cart. In some places they had felled trees or broken up fallen logs to clear the way, in other places they had merely cleared the undergrowth. It was difficult going, with the trail little more than a muddy track, and tangling tree roots and hanging branches frequently got in their way. At several points the cart got stuck and they had to wrestle it free.

Brother Ezekiel and his men kept to themselves, sitting around their own campfire at night and barely speaking to the rest of the party during travels. The Purifier preacher didn't even insist on joining them in prayers, instead only addressing his own men.

Iris didn't like the looks they sent Chiri…or to her. She didn't really need a lesson on history or theology to recognize small-minded bigots who hated anyone that was different; she'd been dealing with them all her life.

"I'd just like them to try something," Iris snarled, her hand on the hilt of her sword. She was sitting around a campfire with her girlfriends, watching the Purifiers conclude their evening prayers and sit down for dinner a short distance away.

"No, you don't," Alessa said, "We're outnumbered, and they're all armed. I wouldn't like our odds in a fight."

"She's right, Iris," Chiri said, pushing back the brim of her hat, "The best thing to do is try not to provoke them."

Iris spat into the fire.

"These are violent fanatics," Alessa said, "We should part ways as soon as possible."

"If you'll permit me," Father Clovis said, appearing behind them and joining them at their fire, "They may not be beyond saving yet. Some of these young men were probably raised in a Purifier Church and have little exposure to the outside world. Perhaps if I were to talk to them, they could be turned onto a different path."

None of the three women said anything at first.

"If you'd like to try it, Father, be my guest," Iris finally said. "I'm staying here."

"I wouldn't have asked you to do otherwise."

***

One night in the woods, Iris dreamt of the wolf-goddess.

They weren't in the usual featureless black void. Instead, they were in a deep, primal forest, dense trees covered in moss, trees as old, so it seemed, as the world itself. There was water dripping from the leaves high above to land in puddles, ripples breaking up images of a dark, inverted forest. Shadows lay dense beneath the eaves. It was like the forest they had traveled through, but…more. Iris didn't even bother asking where they were, or if this was real; she knew the wolf-goddess well enough that she didn't expect a clear answer.

Her personal goddess in question was crouched on the forest floor, gutting a sheep with her bare hands.

"Ah, Iris, there you are. Want the liver? It's very nutritious."

Arms red to the elbows with blood, she offered Iris a glistening lump of flesh.

Iris blinked.

"Uh. No thanks."

"Suit yourself. Also good for divination." She peered at the liver closely. Whatever she saw there, she didn't share. "Anyway, I wanted to warn you, you're going into a place of the Lady of Light's power. I won't be able to assist you once you're there."

"I'll keep that in mind," Iris muttered, "I actually wanted to ask you about the Lady. You know, since you're both goddesses, I thought you'd know something about her."

"Well, I know that she used to be a lot more fun."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ha! Only that in ages past we battled side-by-side against evil gods and Archdevils to make the world safe for mortals. Those were the days, when blood stained the stars and there was war in Heaven! Oh, but then she wanted to settle down and raise a church. I guess you could say we had…hm, different priorities."

"Oh, do not tell me you and the Lady of Light are exes."

The wolf-goddess bared her fangs.

"Look, if you see her, just tell her I said hello."

 

[ScottishMongol]

By the time they arrived at the Sanctuary, Iris was ready to see the back of the whole affair.

They were stopped on the trail by two men with axes. Peasants in roughspun, they seemed unprepared for a whole party of mounted men and women, many of them heavily armed and armored.

"Who's in charge here?" Iris asked.

"Uh. That would be Elder Julia. Right this way."

The pilgrimage site was pure chaos. The pilgrims had felled many trees to clear the ground around the ruins, and the ground was a mess of deadwood and mud and tracks, and aside from a few log cabins, most people were living in tents or wooden lean-tos. There were dogs, and goats, and milk cows, many of them roaming free in the camp. The central feature of the whole affair was a huge crane that had been raised over the ruins, that the pilgrims were using to haul away massive boulders and blocks of stone to clear the entrance to the Sanctuary.

'Elder' Julia proved to be a surprisingly young woman – perhaps in her mid-twenties – with close-cropped dark hair. She grinned as she saw the party approach, turning from her observation post overlooking the sunken area around the Sanctuary's entrance.

"Greetings, friends!" she said brightly, planting her hands on her hips, "I trust you have come to partake in our great pilgrimage!"

"We have come to lend our services, yes," Alessa said, "We come bringing supplies, and the service of a lady knight and her retainers, including a priest."

"Well, you're very welcome. And who are these?" Julia asked, looking past Alessa at the Purifier band.

Brother Ezekiel swept his hat off and bowed in the saddle, introducing himself as he had to Iris and her friends. Elder Julia's grin wavered.

"We only come to partake in the pilgrimage and, Lady permitting, assist in the sanctification of the Sanctuary."

"We'll find something to do for you, I suppose. Gerhard! Find these goodly folk some accommodations and see to their supplies!"

Iris cleared her throat.

"Uh, Miss Julia, no offense, but how does a young lady like yourself come to lead such a sizable expedition?"

Julia's grin returned.

"Oh, I received a vision from the Lady of Light telling me to leave my husband and go on pilgrimage! She showed me the site of this Sanctuary and told me how to uncover it. All of these humble folk who follow me are simply those who believe in my vision!"

Iris turned to Alessa and raised an eyebrow. Alessa just shrugged.

"She's here, isn't she?" she replied.

The pilgrims were a mix of farmers and tradesmen, kept together by Elder Julia's mad charisma. Iris had to admit the effort expended was impressive. Julia had led hundreds of people deep into the wilderness and somehow managed to keep them fed. The addition of the sacks of grain and vegetables Iris' party had brought was welcome, and while in the camp Iris was fed every day with a bowl of porridge and a bowl of stew made from vegetables and wild game. The stewpot was massive and had been left to simmer constantly for days as pilgrims threw in whatever they had, producing a flavor not quite like anything Iris had ever tasted before.

"Right, Brother Ezekiel and his Purifiers are assisting with guard duty. Bors, you and I will join them, so play nice," Alessa said once she had conferred with Elder Julia.

"I'll try, my lady," the old soldier grumbled.

"Father Clovis, you'll see to their spiritual needs," Alessa continued, "They only have lay parishioners here. I suspect you'll be busy."

"I will do as the Lady wills, Madame Alessa," Father Clovis said.

Alessa turned to Chiri and Iris.

"You two…"

"I think I should talk to Elder Julia," Iris said.

Alessa nodded.

"Good idea. Chiri, you stick close to her."

"My magic may be of some use around the camp, perhaps I should ask Elder Julia how I can be of assistance," Chiri said. Alessa nodded again, hesitantly this time.

"If she welcomes your help, then yes." She glanced briefly at the sun to gauge its position. "Father Clovis, how long until Midsommer's Day?"

"Three days. Seems we arrived just in time."

"…how auspicious. Alright, everyone else, watch the camp."

***

Iris and Chiri found Elder Julia overseeing the removal of a massive stone block.

"You know, I really am glad you arrived," Julia said without turning to greet them. Iris checked her pace, but quickly joined Julia at her observation post while Chiri hanged back.

"Why's that?" Iris asked.

"I had hoped to have the entrance to the Sanctuary cleared before the Lady's Day. I thought we might run out of supplies, but your arrival gave us just enough to make it, and once we sanctify the ruins, others will come, bringing wealth so that we can sustain ourselves here. I almost doubted we would make it, but I see now that the Lady will provide."

Julia was clearly possessed of a manic energy, to say nothing of her complete faith in the Lady. Then again, everything was working out for her so far, and Iris wondered if her presence truly was the hand of the Lady at work.

"Sorry, the Lady's Day?"

Julia looked at Iris like she'd just asked what color the sky was.

"Midsommer's Day. The Lady's Day. The longest and holiest day of the year."

"Oh, o-of course."

"Actually, that's the other reason I'm glad you arrived, Lady Iris. I'm only a layperson myself, I don't think I could sanctify the ruins, and I fear that vermin may have crept into the Sanctuary in the many years since they were abandoned. Your sword arm may be needed yet."

"My companions and I would be happy to clear the ruins for you."

Chiri cleared her throat.

"Um, Elder Julia? I'm a witch and a medical alchemist of…some skill, is there any way I could be of service?"

Julia turned to look at the catgirl, her eyes tracing up and down.

"You're a healer?"

"Yes."

"Then the Lady has blessed us. I fear sickness in the camp, please, come with me."

Iris shadowed the two as Julia led Chiri on a tour of the camp, inspecting the sick and testing the water. Chiri conferred with Bors and decided that the latrines had been improperly dug, contaminating the camp's drinking water. Bors also suggested the animals in the camp be separated out from the people. Julia gave some quick orders, and dozens of able bodies were put at Bors' disposal to completely rework the camp while Chiri handed out medicine to those who had been afflicted. Bors moved the latrines further downhill, while Chiri purified their supply of drinking water with some powder from her kit, and Father Clovis ended up having to give the pilgrims some strict reminders on purity laws.

Iris smiled as she watched a group of children swarm around Chiri. It was likely none of them had seen one of the catfolk before, but Chiri's easy bedside manner gave her vast reserves of patience and an air of approachability. One of the children made a grab for Chiri's tail, but Julia pulled the young boy back.

"It's not nice to grab people like that, you could hurt them," she whispered sternly.

Julia shooed the young boy off and turned to Iris.

"The Lady blesses us, indeed," she said. "Lady Iris, there is a place for you here, we have need of strength and knowledge." She took Iris' hand; her own hands were calloused from the life of a peasant, but warm for all that. She smiled and looked into Iris' eyes.

Chiri turned and noticed them.

"Iris? Can you give me a hand over here?"

Iris slipped away from Julia.

"Sorry. I'm flattered, really, but I'm kinda – with someone."

Julia's brows furrowed in confusion as Iris ran off to join Chiri.

 

[ScottishMongol]

The pace of work doubled as Midsommer approached. Julia was eager to open the ruins by Midsommer's Day, and her followers urged themselves to greater effort. A few people were injured in the work, and Chiri had to see to their injuries – skinned flesh and broken limbs. Iris assisted her, bringing Chiri supplies as she cleaned and dressed wounds.

"Fanatics," Chiri said, shaking her head, "They don't even need someone to force them to do it."

Chiri was even called on to help deliver a baby, and she roped Iris into it as well. Iris couldn't imagine the kind of devotion that would drive a woman, almost nine months pregnant, to travel into the wilderness, but thankfully for her Chiri was also a trained midwife.

Iris found herself in a log cabin with a dirt floor, a haggard-looking peasant woman screaming in pain from a mattress laid on the floor. Chiri knelt by the birthing bed and started muttering spells, until the air around her and the mother seemed to positively crackle with ambient magic. Iris watched, fascinated, until Chiri snapped her out of it with a series of sharp, no-nonsense commands, and Iris became her orderly.

Several messy hours followed. It was maybe the last thing Iris would have expected to find herself doing on her adventures.

"Well, you should have a healthy baby girl," Chiri said after inspecting the newborn. "Congratulations, Caroline."

The woman, tired from her labor, her face and body slick with sweat, held her child and smiled.

"Praise the Lady," she said.

"What will you name her?" Iris asked. Chiri gave her a glance.

"We'll name her at her christening, on Midsommer's Day," Caroline said. "It's not our custom to select a name until then."

Iris cleaned up while Chiri gave the woman a series of instructions. Iris waited outside the lean-to until Chiri joined her.

"Childbirth can be really dangerous for mother and child," Chiri said quietly. She was silent for a moment. "I don't want to imagine what it would be like without magic. The Church's purity laws help as well, I have to admit."

Iris chewed on her lip. She was thankful again that she lived in a world of magic – and she was thankful for Chiri.

There was only one time when Iris had a confrontation with the Purifiers. The day before Midsommer's Eve, Julia was giving her and Alessa a tour of the camp when they came upon Brother Ezekiel and his men. The Purifier minister was speaking to a small group of pilgrims, mostly men.

"I believe the sickness in the camp was a warning against your impurities. It has abated by the grace of the Lady, and yet the woman persists in-"

As if sensing the presence of others, he stopped speaking and turned around to face them.

"Persists in what, Brother?" Julia asked. A hush fell over the assembly. Others in the camp stopped what they were doing, noticing their leader speaking to the Purifiers.

"Elder," the minister said, nodding stiffly, "I feel that I must speak out regarding the spiritual health of this camp. Your followers have told me of the recent sickness and it is clear to me that you have been lax in your duties; you have not enforced the purity of the camp."

"The problem has been solved," Julia said, flicking her hand dismissively, "The Lady watches out for us, as none have been harmed."

"The Lady has sent you a warning," Brother Ezekiel continued, "Correct your ways or it shall return tenfold."

"Elder Julia is the one who led us here!" one of the pilgrims yelled, "Her visions come directly from the Lady!"

"Even a prophet may err when they speak with their own voice and not the Lady's," Brother Ezekiel said. Iris recognized the line from one of the Church's holy books.

"Disease spreads from unsanitary conditions, not the Lady's will," Iris said. Some of the pilgrims shook their heads in disagreement, and even Elder Julia seemed unsure.

"The minister is right," she admitted, "I was lax in my care for my followers. This threat was the consequence of my…deficiency. But…" Her face brightened, "Thanks to you and your friends, we made changes! All is well, as I see it."

"All is not well. You persist in allowing the beastfolk in this holy place-"

"Woah, hold the fuck on," Iris said, baring her teeth. "She has a name."

"Chiri is the one who saved our children!" Julia said, "It is the Lady's will that she came here!"

"She is not one of us," Brother Ezekiel continued, "She should not be permitted-"

"Woah, where the Hell do you get off?" Iris hissed.

"Iris, calm down," Alessa whispered. Her hand was on Iris' sword arm, and Iris hissed as she forced herself to let go of the hilt that she now realized she had in a white-knuckle grip. It was probably seriously bad luck to spill holy man's blood on holy ground, even if the holy man was a prick.

Iris was surprised, just a bit, by how calm Alessa was…until she saw the cold look in her eyes, and the set of her jaw.

"Brother Ezekiel," Alessa said, slowly, "I remind you that Chiri is a maiden under my protection, and you will speak of her with courtesy. As a knight I am sworn to defend her honor."

The minister looked at her in surprise, and a look crossed his face, quick as the shadow of a cloud across the sun – it was fear.

But he mastered himself, and seemingly brushed off the threat.

"I suggest that, if we are to regain the Lady's favor, we should refrain from celebrations and instead engage in pious fasting and prayer," he said, coolly, "Those who listen to my words will be blessed by the Lady."

"I will not suspend the celebrations," Julia said, "These are common folk, their traditions are important to them."

Brother Ezekiel scoffed to show what he thought of that. However, he looked around at the crowd that had assembled to watch the debate, and he saw Bors coming up from behind to join Alessa. Realizing that the general mood was still inclined towards Julia, he bowed his head.

"Very well. Let judgment belong to the Lady," he said, which Iris thought was pretty rich for a guy who had done nothing but judge.

Brother Ezekiel looked at Iris and shook his head. He turned on his heel and left, his followers going with him. He paused to exchange a quick word with one of them. After a moment, he looked back over his shoulder at Iris and whispered something else. One of his followers laughed.

"Give me an excuse," Iris muttered under her breath. Julia shook her head.

"How dare he speak that way?"

Alessa sighed.

"Let him and his followers fume. They won't dare to cause trouble. Not here."

Iris wanted to disagree, but Alessa gave her a pointed look.

"Where's Chiri?" Iris asked.

"The infirmary," Julia said, "I should send someone to protect her."

"No," Iris said quickly, "I'll protect her myself."

As she strode through the camp, she crossed paths with Father Clovis.

"Lady Iris, I'm so sorry, I just heard what happened-"

Iris had no patience for holy men right now.

"Fuck off," she said, and shouldered past him.

 

[ScottishMongol]

Spoiler: Author's Note

CW: Explicit sexual content.

Iris, Alessa, and Chiri have a threesome on Midsommer's Eve.

There were no more incidents until Midsommer's Eve. Work drew to a halt early, as the camp prepared for one of the greatest celebrations in the Church's calendar.

A huge bonfire was prepared, a whole tree was dragged into the camp and propped upright to be decorated with banners and ribbons and lamps hanging from every branch, and Julia's quartermaster declared a double ration. Hunters brought in boar and deer and pheasant, and casks of wine, ale, and liquor were broached.

The Purifiers retreated to the edge of the camp for silent prayer and fasting. Iris guessed that about a dozen of Julia's followers joined them.

"Purifiers have no celebrations. They look on excess and merriment with suspicion, seeing it as a path to sin," said Father Clovis.

"They really don't have any fun, do they?" Iris muttered. She looked up at the priest. "Sorry about the other day," she added. She hadn't meant to lash out at him, after all he had always taken her side against the Purifiers.

"You did nothing that needs forgiveness," he said, sitting next to her. "I am sorry for the way you and Chiri have been treated. The Lady grieves at the Purifiers' ways, I am sure."

"Nah," Iris said, kicking over a piece of rotting wood. Grubs and woodlice scurried away from the sunlight. "From what I've seen, the Lady is alright. It's some of her followers I'm not so sure about."

"It is a shame that humans fall so short of her light," Father Clovis said, "But the Lady wants us to be better."

"Yeah. That does help," Iris said.

Chiri joined them, flopping down next to Iris.

"A party! Are you excited, Iris?" She didn't seem to be letting the mess with the Purifiers get her down, which Iris loved her for. "Obviously Midsommer's Eve isn't our day, but it's a party nevertheless! Back in Darford we'd shut down the shop and go out on the streets to join the festivities."

Iris smiled and took her hand, leaning over to kiss her. Father Clovis cleared his throat and stood up.

"If you'll excuse me, Elder Julia asked me to prepare some sermons for the holy days. I should go work on those."

As he left, Chiri leaned in and returned Iris' kiss.

"You know, Midsommer's Eve is a great night for lovemaking," she purred.

"You're really not letting them get you down, are you?"

Chiri's ears twitched.

"I don't know about you, Iris, but I've been dealing with people like them all my life. There are times when you have to push back, and times when you have to survive. And, you know, find love where you can."

Iris leaned in closer, nuzzling her face into the soft fur of Chiri's throat.

"Yeah. You're right."

"Speaking of love~" Chiri cooed as Alessa joined them.

"Hmm?" Alessa asked.

"Nothing," Chiri said, smiling mischievously, "Just looking forward to tonight."

It was a pretty good party, all things considered. There was a relaxed and jubilant atmosphere over the camp, as everyone rested from their labors and ate well. Iris sat on a log with Chiri and Alessa as Father Clovis gave a sermon in front of the assembled camp.

"Children of the Lady of Light, on this eve we gather to celebrate the greatest approach of the Lady to our world. The longest day of the year is when Our Lady's light shines most fully, but we would do well to remember that she is always with us, even in the dark of the night or the deepest winter. It is our purpose as her followers to strive ever for this light, to remember justice, charity, compassion, and most of all love. During the summer we gather in her light and nourish our souls with it, as her Sun nourishes the crops, so that we can sustain ourselves with that warmth when her presence wanes. Tonight, we celebrate, for that is the reason the Lady has given us prosperity; that we may be happy and content in these gentle times."

With that, Father Clovis lit the bonfire, and the party began.

The feast was probably not as great as Iris could've expected from the table of a great lord, but she enjoyed the porridge flavored with milk and honey, the rich, gamey stew, and of course the drink. The bonfire was a powerful blaze, with heat that was unbearable even from ten feet away. Father Clovis spent most of his time staring into the fire as if looking for something.

"There's a superstition that the Lady sometimes sends visions in the Midsommer's Eve bonfire," Alessa told her. "I didn't know Father Clovis believed in that stuff."

The women and children had spent the last few days weaving garlands of summer wildflowers. Alessa, Iris, and Chiri all found themselves presented with flower crowns, and while Iris also wore a necklace of flowers, it was clearly Chiri who was the favorite, finding herself with three garlands draped around her neck by mothers to thank her for her work in the camp.

There was lots of dancing – at first Iris didn't join, until Chiri grabbed her hand and pulled her to her feet, leading her in a swirling sort of jig. As they spun around each other Chiri suddenly let go of her hands, and she fell into Alessa's embrace, the knight clasping Iris close to her and twirling her around. Iris giggled and danced, switching between her two girlfriends, until she was dizzy and out of breath. She collapsed on a patch of grass and laughed as the stars seemed to spin overhead.

Alessa's squires danced with other teenagers, and Iris saw Alexa awkwardly holding hands with a boy near the bonfire. As the night drew on, Alessa let them each have a single, small cup of beer, and then sent them to bed.

The night continued; there was a sort of play, depicting the creation of the seasons as the Nightlord and his demons tried to wrestle the world (played by a young maiden) away from the Lady, their push and pull accounting for the varying length of the days. It ended with the Lady killing the Nightlord and wrapping the maiden in a "cloak of summer" woven from grass and wildflowers.

Bors and a bunch of pilgrims played a game that seemed to involve lots of drinking and throwing batons at a stone and seeing who could get the closest. Iris saw Charles go off somewhere with one of the pilgrims; there were a lot of couples pairing off and disappearing into the woods.

"Wanna find somewhere quiet?" Chiri whispered in her ear. Iris nodded and leapt to her feet, pulling Chiri towards the tree line.

Alessa suddenly appeared at her side, grabbing her other hand. She had a bottle of wine with her.

"C'mon," she said. Her face was flushed, though Iris couldn't tell whether it was from drink, or amorousness, or embarrassment, or even just from dancing – possibly some combination of them all.

They stumbled through the woods, guided by a lightstone in Chiri's hands, until they found a hidden hollow between two trees. Chiri threw the lightstone on the ground, illuminating the hollow, throwing shadows around. Iris had lost her flower crown at some point, but Chiri and Alessa still had theirs, and Chiri and Iris still had their garlands around their necks. Alessa pushed Iris against a tree and kissed her deeply. Iris giggled and returned the kiss, tasting wine and liquor on Alessa's tongue.

"Wow, hi there," Iris whispered as Alessa pulled away. Then, Alessa dropped to her knees and started undoing Iris' belt.

"Um. Wow. I'll just…keep watch," Chiri said, but she kept her eyes fixed on Alessa.

Alessa undid Iris' belt and yanked down her trousers. Iris' cock flopped out, and Alessa made a face.

"Ugh, when was the last time you bathed?" Alessa asked.

"Um…probably back at Doncaster," Iris admitted.

"Gross," Alessa said, then dragged her tongue over Iris' balls.

"Oh, fuck," Iris moaned. Alessa looked up at her as she pressed her lips against the base of Iris' cock, and Iris almost melted right there. Alessa grabbed her shaft and stroked it until Iris' cock grew to its full length. She drew back, eyebrows furrowed as she sized it up.

"Do you need some help?" Chiri asked playfully as Alessa's pause lengthened.

"Hush," Alessa said, "I can…figure it out…"

She finally leaned in and kissed the tip of Iris' cock, running her tongue over it.

"Yeah, like that," Iris said, her voice low and husky.

Alessa wrapped her lips around Iris' shaft and started working herself down, taking more of Iris' length into her mouth.

"That's so hot," Chiri moaned.

"Just like that babe," Iris groaned. Iris' hand went to the back of Alessa's head, where she hesitated. Alessa looked up at her and moaned, and Iris took that as an invitation. She pushed Alessa's head down on her cock until her girlfriend's lips were pressed against the base. Alessa started bobbing her head up and down, guided by Iris' hand.

Alessa's eyes were unfocused as she tried to take all of Iris in her mouth, and Iris noticed that Alessa had thrust a hand down her trousers, working it between her legs. Alessa moaned again, and Iris swore and grabbed onto her hair tight, messing up her hairdo and crumpling the flower crown even as she started thrusting her hips. Alessa made wet, messy noises as Iris fucked her mouth, drool spilling from her lips to drip onto Iris' balls.

Iris let out a final shuddering gasp and hilted herself between Alessa's lips. Her legs almost gave out from under her as her girlfriend milked her dry with her mouth, swallowing again and again.

She let go of Alessa's hair, and Alessa pulled back with a gasp, panting, her eyes focusing again. Drool and cum glistened on Iris' cock.

"Ugh," Alessa said, reaching for the wine bottle. She took a swig to clear her mouth, then pulled her hand from her trousers. Strings of arousal glistened between her fingers.

Iris glanced at Chiri, grinning. The catgirl's eyes were wide, her breathing shallow as she ran a hand over the front of her bodice. She'd tossed her flower garlands to the side, opened her jacket and undone her belt, seemingly touching herself through her clothes as she watched them.

"That was…wow, Alessa," Iris panted as she slumped down, sitting at the base of the tree. Alessa stood up and sat on a tree stump across from Iris, facing her. Her breathing was heavy, and she was staring at the ground as if she was still processing what she'd done.

Before Iris could say anything else, Chiri was on top of her.

"Fuck, Iris," she mewled as she climbed into Iris' lap, facing Alessa. "That was so fucking hot…"

Iris grabbed onto Chiri's hips as the catgirl started to grind against her, pushing her trousers down so that Iris could feel her cock pressed against Chiri's wet slit.

"Wow, you're really excited," Iris murmured.

"Mmhm, fuck me, Iris, put on a show for her," Chiri moaned. Alessa's blush deepened, if that were possible, but Chiri opened her bodice, groping herself.

Chiri guided Iris inside her, then immediately started riding her. She whimpered and mewled as she bounced on Iris' cock, and Iris nuzzled into her neck as she slipped a hand between Chiri's legs to rub her clit.

She glanced at Alessa; she was watching them, eyes wide, a hand shoved down her own trousers as she watched Chiri bounce and writhe on Iris' cock. Chiri's legs were spread and she was playing with her breasts and making eye contact with Alessa.

Chiri gasped and froze in Iris' embrace, arching her back, and Iris knew her girlfriend well enough to tell when she was right on the edge. She furiously rubbed Chiri's clit, gasping as her girlfriend started bucking her hips, working Iris' shaft enough to push her over the edge as well–

Alessa covered her mouth to stifle her whimpers of arousal, screwing her eyes tight as if the sight was too much for her.

The summer night was full of the sounds of crickets and night birds and distant revelers. The three of them sat there, panting, sweaty, flushed with arousal. Chiri's breathing was heavy as she pulled herself off Iris' cock. She dressed quickly and efficiently. Alessa stumbled to her feet as well, took another swig from the wine bottle, and headed back towards the camp. Iris lingered in the hollow for a moment, enjoying the perfect night of the summer air on her skin.

 

[ScottishMongol]

Midsommer's Day came bright and early. Iris blinked in the morning sun as she emerged from her tent, her head throbbing. She actually couldn't remember how they'd gotten back to the camp from the woods, but she'd woken up in her tent next to Alessa.

"Ugh," Alessa muttered, shielding her eyes as she emerged behind Iris, "Is it a sin to be hungover on the Lady's Day?"

Chiri was already mostly dressed. She finished pulling on her boots and handed a small flask to Alessa.

"Here, drink this, it'll help. Come on, Julia wants to see us."

"Already?" Alessa groaned.

"Today's the day," Julia announced as they joined her at the platform overlooking the workings, "I can feel it."

Iris glanced at Alessa. If Alessa had any thoughts about what had happened the night before, she wasn't sharing them. In fact, Alessa was acting so normal that Iris almost wondered if Alessa even remembered the events of the previous night. She felt like the three of them had taken an important step in…whatever complicated arrangement they had together, but there wasn't time to talk about it.

The workers had discovered what they believed to be the main entrance, filled in by rubble and earth, and had cleared it away, piling up the tailings in great heaps. Only one obstacle remained.

When the Sanctuary had been abandoned, its keepers had placed a great block of stone over the entrance. The pilgrims swarmed around it, fastening great chains around it and hooking them up to the crane. Iris watched as the operator threw a wrought iron lever, slowly releasing the counterweight. The counterweight went down, and the stone began to rise. It tore away from the entrance, revealing a stone passage like a dark, open mouth. The operator shouted a signal, and dozens of workers threw themselves at a windlass that turned the whole crane on its base, swinging the heavy stone away. The operator pushed the lever back, and the stone dropped to the ground as the counterweight swung back up.

Iris watched the whole process with interest, her mind following the sweep of machinery, admiring the grasp of physics involved and the work that must have gone into building the crane out of the materials here in the wilderness. Evidently there were guildsmen among Julia's followers, skilled workers who knew their business.

"We're in!" Julia said. The pilgrims all broke into wild cheers, throwing caps into the air and dancing and praying. Julia turned to Iris and her companions. "This is where you come in."

Alessa and the others had donned their armor and armed themselves, and Chiri was weighed down with her traveling alchemist's kit. Even Father Clovis was present, a holy symbol and a flask of water hanging from his belt and a small pocket book of prayers in his hand.

"We'll try and get an idea of the general layout of the Sanctuary. If something's in there, we'll find it pretty quick."

"Or it'll find us," Chiri added.

"Mhm. If the coast seems clear, we can send in more armed parties until we've mapped the whole complex," Alessa continued.

"Not so fast!" came Brother Ezekiel's voice. Chiri hissed, and Iris turned once more with her hand on her sword hilt to face the Purifier as he approached. "I demand to be permitted to join you!"

"Absolutely not," Iris said, baring her teeth.

"Iris," Alessa said, her tone laden with warning. She looked at the Purifier. "I'm sorry, Brother, but can we even trust you enough to accept your help?"

"You have need of me. I will be able to assist your priest when it comes time to resanctify the space."

"Father Clovis, is he right?"

"…he may have a point," Father Clovis admitted. Alessa hummed thoughtfully.

"I will come alone. Truly, I will be at your mercy."

Alessa pulled Iris in close.

"Iris, it's your decision," she whispered, "Technically this is your quest."

Iris felt her breath coming fast. She tried to slow down and think.

"He won't dare spill our blood on holy ground. He's not a threat, just an asshole," she decided. "Can we tell him to fuck off anyway?"

Alessa shrugged.

"We could, but I don't think Julia could physically stop him from bringing his men in after us."

"Fuck. Alright, we'll deal with him alone."

Iris would still try and keep herself between the Purifier and Chiri, but they could all handle a bit of aggression. She turned back to the minister.

"Okay, Brother, you're in. But Chiri is coming with us. If you can't stomach that, you aren't coming along."

Brother Ezekiel stared at the catgirl for a moment. Chiri shifted uncomfortably, her fur standing on end, but she didn't break eye contact. Brother Ezekiel was first to blink, looking back at Iris.

"I accept the presence of your companion. My concern is only for the sanctity of this place."

"You know, I even believe you," Iris said. She drew Fang. "Alright everyone, gear up, we're going in. Uh, may the Lady be with us."

***

It was Alessa, Iris, Chiri, Father Clovis, and Brother Ezekiel who went into the Sanctuary. The second they stepped across the threshold, Chiri sniffed.

"There's definitely something not right about this place," she said. Everyone turned to look at her.

"What do you sense?" Alessa asked. Chiri stuck out her tongue, tasting the air.

"Something's in there. Something…wrong. A monster, probably."

"What would dare corrupt a holy place of the Lady?" Brother Ezekiel asked, radiating suspicion and fear.

Alessa drew her sword.

"I guess we'll have to find out."

Alessa went first, the two priests behind her, with Iris and Chiri bringing up the rear.

The whole structure was carved into the living rock, winding passages that followed the natural contours of the stone. In places tree roots trailed from the ceiling, and the floor was flagged with paving stones. Every so often they passed rooms leading off to the left or right, or staircases leading down. They didn't diverge; their goal was to inspect every level of the Sanctuary, from top to bottom.

"This refuge was meant to house many people in secret," Father Clovis said, holding up a lightstone to show what was once a dormitory, alcoves for sleeping carved into the walls. "It would have held dormitories, larders, common areas, even workshops...people would have lived, given birth, and died here."

Every so often there were niches in the walls, perhaps for holding lamps or lightstones, others holding small statues of the Lady. At first their priests stopped to brush the dust off them, but there were so many. There were murals as well, some showing Charlotte Van de Graf being burned at the stake, others showing the Lady battling demons and evil gods.

"Iris, you've gotta check this out," Chiri whispered. She was holding up a lightstone, inspecting a carved stone surface.

It was a relief of the Lady of Light in all her glory, sitting on a throne. On one side was a wolf, on the other a giant black cat.

"You've gotta be fucking kidding me," Iris said.

"The Mistress of Animals," Father Clovis mused as he peered over her shoulder, "This is a very old depiction."

He smiled at Iris and turned to follow the others. Iris watched him go.

"Do you think Father Clovis suspects that I'm an Outworlder?" Iris asked Chiri, her voice a whisper.

"Alessa's parents probably told him," she replied, "But honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if everyone in Doncaster knows at this point."

"Oh."

At first, they found no sign of life; like the Temple of the Wolf-Goddess, the Sanctuary of the Forest of Dern had been abandoned for decades, and had been in disuse for much longer than that. There was only dust on the floor, and some moldering belongings left behind by the last inhabitants. The larders they found had thin films of grime from decayed food long turned to dust, and they didn't even see evidence of vermin.

"I would have expected rats, at least," Alessa said, frowning as she inspected the shelves.

"Maybe something's been eating them," Chiri replied.

They descended, and the feeling of unease grew stronger. Iris could smell it too now, a musty odor, one that seemed familiar somehow. It set her on edge.

They found a chamber full of bones stacked ceiling-high, rows of skulls, vertebra and femurs all arranged in columns. Iris thought it was deeply macabre, but Father Clovis bowed his head and read a passage from his prayer book, and Brother Ezekiel even joined him.

"Alright, new plan," Alessa said, "We're going straight to the fane. I want to find out what's causing this, so we'll start at the center."

At the bottom of a long, spiraling staircase they found the fane. It was dominated by a massive statue of the Lady of Light, tall enough to support the vaulted ceiling. There were huge tunnels branching off in every direction.

The smell was overpowering.

"It's not just magic," Alessa said, crinkling her nose, "That's a monster."

"What kind?" Iris asked. She didn't need to ask, for it soon appeared.

The first signal of its coming was a susurration of noise, like something heavy being dragged or scraped across the stone floor.

"Oh, no," Alessa said, bringing up her shield as she adopted a fighting stance.

"Wyrm!" Chiri said as a reptilian head appeared from one of the tunnels. It was wedge-shaped, with a blunt nose and huge, luminous eyes. Tongues darted out, tasting the air. The head was followed by a writhing, serpentine body as thick around as a person's waist, more and more of it coiling and uncoiling as it spilled into the chamber, pushed along by stubby legs. It bunched up against one side of the room, staring at the intruders.

"I welcome thee, guests," it said, its voice wet and smooth, "I pray thou shalt tarry awhile yet."

When it opened its mouth, it revealed rows of retractable, needlelike teeth and a cluster of writhing tongues. How it spoke Common from that throat, Iris couldn't say.

"Foul wyrm! You desecrate the Sanctuary of the Lady!" Brother Ezekiel roared, drawing his sword and stepping forward.

"No, don't!" Chiri screamed. The wyrm reared back and laughed, a terrible leathery sound.

"Yes, listen to her. My very blood is poison – spill it, and thou shalt poison the ground here for a century. I deem thou shalt not risk it, holy man."

Brother Ezekiel paused, sword held high, hesitating – and that was enough. The wyrm struck, sinking its fangs into his leg. He screamed in pain and fell back, sword slipping from his hands as he tried to staunch the bleeding. The wyrm turned to face Alessa, who strode forward.

"Try me, wyrm. You will only break your teeth against my steel."

The wyrm paused, and it writhed and coiled. They were at an impasse; Alessa could not strike the wyrm, and it could not bite her.

"Oh, brave knight," it said cooly, relaxing as it realized Alessa would not attack, "Thy companion shalt die soon, for my poison is already in his veins. Why dost thou persist?"

"It is not for his sake, but the Lady's, that I stand before you," Alessa said firmly.

"Ah, yes. Thou art so noble, my lady knight. Tell me, is it thy parent's pride thou seekest, or the love of a fair maiden?"

With the wyrm distracted, the rest of the party leapt into action.

"Help me," Father Clovis said as he rushed forward. He grabbed Brother Ezekiel's cassock and dragged him backwards into a nearby tunnel. Chiri, remarkably, joined him, dropping her alchemist kit at the minister's side and opening it. Iris, Fang in hand, stood over them. Brother Ezekiel's face was pale and slick with sweat, and his cassock was torn. Blood soaked it and glistened red on his ragged thigh, along with oozing green pus, and a noxious smell arose from it.

"Wyrm poison," Chiri muttered, "Great. I'll need an antidote before I can dress that wound, better hope it didn't tear an artery."

Chiri started packing herbs into a mortar and pestle and muddled them. She put another wad of herbs in her mouth and chewed them before spitting them into the mixture as well. A sprinkle of some powder completed the mixture, which went into a wide-mouth beaker.

Father Clovis leaned over the minister, his prayer book open.

"Brother Ezekiel, do you desire absolution for your sins in this life?" he asked. Brother Ezekiel muttered something incoherent.

"Father, may I use your holy water?" Chiri cut in, "In this place its healing properties will be multiplied."

"Of course," Father Clovis said, taking the heavy flask from his belt and handing it to her.

"Will that even work?" Iris asked. Chiri ignored her.

"I need a bandage," she continued. Without hesitation, Father Clovis tore the sleeve from his cassock and handed it to Chiri.

"Will this do?"

As Chiri began to apply the compress, Iris was only fixated on Father Clovis' arm – and the scars there. Thin, white scars, all along the length of his arm.

Brother Ezekiel noticed too, his eyes focusing through the fever.

"You're…a Flagellant…"

"I was, long ago," Father Clovis said, "Before coming to the True Church."

"Stop talking before I sedate you," Chiri hissed.

Iris looked back at the wyrm. It was creeping forward, stretching out its coils. Iris realized that it was trying to get in between Alessa and the rest of the party, either to attack them or to corner Alessa – it couldn't bite her, but Iris guessed that it could at least ensnare her in its coils.

She narrowed her eyes. How do you kill a creature without spilling its blood?

"Chiri, you got this?" Iris said, "I'm gonna help Alessa."

"You got an idea of how to beat that thing?"

Iris nodded.

"Then go ahead, love. Father, I want you to put pressure on this and, I don't know, pray."

Iris strode out into the fane, sword in hand. The wyrm turned, whipping its head around to face her. Its body was flat against the ground, ready to strike. Its many tongues flickered out and tasted the air.

"There you are, girl! Hmm, I thought there was a strange scent about thee. Outworlder, I deem thee."

Iris was shocked. She suddenly felt exposed, afraid. She saw herself reflected in the luminous yellow eye of the monster, in the black void of its slitted pupil. She checked her step – but only for a moment. She moved within striking distance.

"Iris, do you have a plan?" Alessa asked.

"Yep. Follow my lead," Iris said through gritted teeth as she brought her sword up. The wyrm laughed at her.

"So, thou wilt try thy hand at dragonslaying? Perhaps save thy lady love?"

Iris punched it in the eye.

The wyrm shrieked, a noise more animal than human, and reared back.

"Vermin! Arrogant flith! Thou shalt die slowly for that!"

"Run!" Iris screamed as she sprinted for the stairs that led back to the surface. Alessa followed her, reaching the stairs at about the same time as Iris. Iris looked back only once, to see the wyrm crawling after them. The eye that she had struck was bloodshot and weeping pus.

"Vile…weak…" the wyrm's voice rasped.

Iris shuddered in fear as she and Alessa started up the stairs. She was actually afraid, and she realized now that without the Wolf-Goddess she had to rely on her own strength and will – and she wasn't sure how much of those she had. She ran, boots pounding on the stone steps, driven more by fear. The wyrm wasn't fast, except over short distances, and it slithered up the steps behind them at a distance, the rest of the party completely forgotten in its rage.

They reached a landing, and Alessa leaned against the wall to catch her breath.

"What do we do…when we reach the surface…?" Alessa asked between gasps for air.

"Get to the crane. We'll-"

She stopped as the wyrm slithered into the passage behind them, its body following.

"So, you run and abandon thy comrades? Coward! Turn and face me, rather than hiding, or do you fear death?"

Iris gritted her teeth and turned, raising her sword, but Alessa put a hand against her chest to check her.

"Its words are magic, they play on your emotions," Alessa said, "Don't do what it wants."

Iris reluctantly put up her sword and ran. She tried to remember the way back to the surface, up those stairs and then to the right and then up again here...

She turned to see if the wyrm was still following them. It was, at a leisurely pace.

"Shall I tell thee secrets, girl? Thou art not aware what the Mother of Serpents has in store for thee."

Its voice was calm, now, smooth as silk. Iris realized that Alessa was right, she couldn't ignore the wyrm's taunts, if anything she couldn't stop herself from thinking about them. How could the wyrm know about that? She shook her head to try and clear her mind.

"Creature of lies," she spat, racing up the final flight of stairs to the surface.

Alessa had gone ahead of her and was shouting orders to the assembled pilgrims.

"Everyone get away! Clear the entrance, now!" she barked. She was a noble, and the pilgrims were conditioned to listen to her. They scattered, even Bors and the Purifier men who had been lingering at the surface to serve as a rearguard. Alessa vaulted onto the crane, looking over its controls. Iris could only hope that Alessa had guessed her plan.

Iris turned, looking around. The chains still dangled from the crane's arm, hanging loose and trailing across the dirt in front of the entrance. She picked up a length of chain by the hooked anchor fastened to the end, and faced the wyrm as it came slithering into the daylight.

She didn't have her Wolf-Goddess to give her strength. She only had herself, but she knew she couldn't run. If she didn't stop this monster, it would probably kill a lot of innocent people, and even if her friends took it down then its blood would poison this place for generations.

Really, she had no choice but to face it.

"I'm right here, bitch," she spat as she raced forward. The wyrm lunged, and Iris dropped under its striking head – she had a sudden, absurd memory of playing baseball as a kid, sliding into home. She dragged the rattling chain behind her, under the arch of its neck, and she leapt up. The wyrm reared back, and Iris threw herself across its body, grabbing the length of chain she had dragged behind her, fastening the hook to it to make a loop around the wyrm's neck.

"What-?" the wyrm started to say, but Iris tugged hard, choking it.

"Alessa, now!" she screamed.

The wyrm started to thrash and wriggle, and it probably would have thrown Iris off, or crushed her under its writhing bulk, but Alessa threw the lever, dropping the counterweight. The chains rattled as they were drawn upwards far faster than they were meant to, taking the wyrm – and Iris – with it. Iris yelled as she was yanked into the air, clinging tightly to the chains, her legs locked tight around the wyrm's body.

The wyrm was suspended twenty or more feet about the ground, its tail lashing as it dangled there by its neck. Its stubby legs scraped at the air uselessly, its eyes bulging. Its jaw was open, retractable teeth working back and forth and tongues writhing as it tried and failed to breathe. After a while, its movements grew feeble, and it went limp, its eyes glazing over.

Iris had watched it die, fascinated, unable to look away. She was clutching the chains so tightly it hurt, her knuckles white as the metal links dug into her skin, and her heart was pounding. In fact, she started to realize that her whole body was trembling. She forced herself to relax her grip, and carefully took stock. She was unharmed. There was Alessa, standing at the controls, her visor pushed back as she grinned at Iris.

Iris heard the cheering. The whole camp had seen her, and from the noise it was like they'd just witnessed a genuine miracle.

She glanced up. It was, in fact, high noon.

 

[ScottishMongol]

Of course, they had to go back into the Sanctuary. Bors insisted on going back in with them, but Alessa was able to convince everyone else to stay on the surface until they were absolutely sure it was clear.

Brother Ezekiel was alive, and barely able to walk by leaning on his sword. His face was pale and clammy, but he brushed off any attempt to help him, so the party let him hobble along behind them.

They started by checking the tunnel the wyrm had emerged from, to see if it had left any family behind. According to Chiri, wyrms gave birth parthenogenetically, and to live young.

Thankfully, it wasn't a nest. It was a treasure hoard.

Not a big one, just a pile of gold, gems, and other treasures about as high as Iris' knee. The Sanctuary must have not been very rich by the time it was abandoned, or else this was just what the inhabitants had left behind.

"Iris, take a look. Use your magic sense," Chiri said.

Iris tried to focus. Instantly, she felt revulsion.

"Ugh," she said. She could only compare it to a black miasma, curdling the air around the treasure and warping reality, almost like it created its own gravity that wanted to drag them all in with it.

"You see what I'm seeing?" Chiri asked. She turned to the rest of the party. "It's cursed. If we were to take anything from this before dispelling the curse, it'd ruin us. Or we'd all end up killing each other over it."

Brother Ezekiel sighed.

"This is what I was brought here for, I suppose. Father, will you help me sanctify the treasure?"

"Of course."

As the two prayed over the treasure hoard, Iris saw the curse dissipate.

"We should leave this for Julia and the pilgrims," Alessa said, "They can use it to fix this place up, buy more supplies."

The rest of the day was spent checking every room and passage, and when they declared it clear, Julia and her pilgrims flooded into the Sanctuary. Father Clovis arranged an elaborate ritual in the thane – it was the Lady's Day, after all, and there could not have been a more auspicious day to rededicate the Sanctuary to her.

Iris was given pride of place at the ceremony, to honor her role in defeating the wyrm, but she didn't believe it was necessary. She wasn't even a worshiper of the Lady.

There was an inner sanctum as well, hidden behind a huge stone door that pivoted artfully on a hinge. In most of the older temples of the Lady, the inner sanctum would have held important icons and relics, but the ones that would have been housed in the Sanctuary had been removed to Lantilla long ago. After the rededication, as the pilgrims split up to begin the long process of cleaning the years of accumulated grime and making the Sanctuary livable, Iris found herself alone, checking the inner sanctum.

There was someone else in there with her.

She had the horns and hooves of a bull, and suspended between the tips of her horns was a fiery circle, like a halo – or a solar disk. Her skin glowed like heated bronze; her streaming hair was an aurora. She was wrapped in a gown of purest light and her eyes blazed like distant stars.

"She has a lot of nerve sending you to this place," the Lady said.

"I sent myself," Iris replied.

"Hm."

"…she says hi, by the way."

"Oh, really now?"

"Yeah, I think she…misses the old days?"

"Well, that's on her," the Lady of Light said dismissively.

The last thing Iris wanted to do was wade into a rivalry between two goddesses. There was, however, something that had been bothering her, and now she finally got the chance to vent.

"Listen, lady, your followers have been getting up to some shit," she said bitterly. "These Purifiers? The way they've been treating my friend?"

"Those who do evil in my name are no servants of mine, and justice will be served in the fullness of time," the Lady said. Her voice was stern as heated metal.

"So, you're really not going to do anything about them?"

"Trust me, you would prefer this to my direct control of mortal affairs. Are there any cities I should smite for you? Any plagues I should send as punishment for the iniquities of a ruler? The village of your birth, with its small-minded and cruel people, should it have been wiped off the face of the Earth, taking you with it?"

"…you could tell them to knock it off."

"Why would I reveal myself to those who do not listen to me?" The goddess rolled her eyes, eyes that shimmered like molten gold. "I tire of your impudence, Iris Penny. I thank you for freeing my refuge of its corruption, but do not tarry here."

Iris opened her mouth to get in the final word, then thought better of it. Without a backwards glance, she left the inner sanctum, closing the door behind her.

In the end, Julia insisted on at least letting them each take a reward from the treasure hoard, so they picked over the contents, helping Julia's most trusted followers transfer it into chests.

"Huh, that's interesting," Chiri said as she sorted through the coins, "These are all from before the Great Plague, but some of them go all the way back to the Diarchy."

She showed Iris a gold coin with the face of a different king on either side. In the end, Chiri took a collection of nineteen coins, for their historical value only. The rest, she said, would end up melted down for their gold and silver value. Bors took a single silver coin, punched a hole in it with an awl, and threaded it onto his necklace of amulets.

"Woah, look at this," Iris said, pulling out a diamond the size of her thumbnail. "Here, Chiri, you can have it," she said, tossing it to the catgirl. Chiri looked at the diamond, her eyes wide. Iris realized the rest of the party was staring at her, too.

"Do you realize what you just did?" Chiri asked. Iris suddenly felt hot.

"Um. No?"

"Diamonds have incredible magical properties…but only if they're freely given as gifts. If you buy them or steal them, you can't use them."

"Oh, well, that's cool," Iris said, scratching the side of her neck. Chiri smiled and dropped the diamond into a little satchel around her neck.

Alessa looked through the treasure disinterestedly…until she saw the hilt of a sword poking out of the pile. It was gilded and set with rubies, and when Alessa grabbed it and pulled it free, it was still in its decorated sheath. The blade was inlaid with golden letters.

"Sunbeam," Alessa read.

"Ohhh, wow," Chiri said as she inspected the sword, "This is really nice. Iris, take a look."

Iris shuddered. In her magical sense, the sword radiated the heat of the sun. This was a sword forged to drive away the darkness, to bring courage and hope and justice. It was meant for a true holy warrior.

"I…I don't know if I'm worthy to wield this blade," Alessa said, and she looked so torn that Iris' heart went out to her.

Father Clovis put a hand on Alessa's shoulder.

"You helped to cleanse her Sanctuary," he said, "I cannot see why the Lady would find you unworthy. And if you feel that you aren't, then you should use this blade as a reminder to strive to match her expectations for you."

Alessa swallowed, but she nodded and belted the sword at her side. She caressed the hilt reverently.

Iris just helped sort the treasure. Nothing really called to her...save one thing. At the bottom of the pile, she found a little metal statue. It was silver, designed to be a household ornament or perhaps a good luck charm. It was, of course, a wolf.

"Alright, I get it," Iris muttered. She pocketed it when no one was looking.

The priests took nothing.

Brother Ezekiel got shakily to his feet and faced Chiri.

"I see now that the Lady sent you to humble me. I thought in my pride that I alone could restore this Sanctuary, so she cut me low and delivered me into your hands."

"I'm a healer, Brother. I swore an oath to do no harm," she said, pushing the brim of her hat back and looking him in the eye.

"As you say," the Purifier muttered. He looked at the rest of the party. "My men and I will return to our homes, and be content with what we have."

With that, he hobbled away.

"…that didn't sound like an apology," Chiri muttered. Iris watched him go, but couldn't resist one final exchange.

"Brother Ezekiel?" she called. "If we meet again, you had best pray that it's not as enemies."

He looked over his shoulder at her, gave her a single nod, and left.

Father Clovis shook his head.

"It takes a lot for men like him to change their ways. I should know."

Iris found her gaze drawn to the priest's bare arm.

"Father, perhaps it's none of my business…"

Father Clovis looked down at his arm and raised an eyebrow.

"Ah. As I said once, in the madness of those days, many fringe sects claimed to do the will of the Lady. The Flagellants, like the Purifiers, said the Great Plague was a punishment for their sins. To those who lost everything, many felt…guilt, perhaps because they had lived where others had not, others whose sins were no less than theirs. Perhaps they felt that they deserved to suffer along with the innocent.

Really, the only difference between the two was that the Purifiers turned their violence outwards, and the Flagellants…inwards." He sighed and rubbed his wrist. "My journey to the Lady's light has been a long one. But she is patient, for which I thank her."

Iris cleared her throat and blinked.

"I'm…thankful that you're here today, Father," she said eventually. He smiled.

"As am I, Lady Iris."

***

When they returned to the surface, they found the wyrm still dangling from the crane, a macabre trophy. Chiri pushed the brim of her hat back and looked over it thoughtfully.

"You know…wyrms have a lot of really good magical components on them. If we could safely drain the corpse and butcher it…"

Julia gave Chiri whatever she needed, and for the next few days the catgirl oversaw the frankly gross task of deconstructing a thirty-foot wyrm carcass. She took only a few flasks of wyrm's blood and a few pounds of bone, intending to grind them down into powder, and she took a small chest full of wyrm's teeth. She left the rest of Julia, advising her to sell it and giving her a few pointers on fair prices.

Things started getting weird after that. The pilgrims now looked at Alessa and Iris like they were living saints. After all, they had purified the Sanctuary, killing a deadly and possibly demonic wyrm in the process, on the Lady's most holy day, no less. Caroline, the woman who had given birth, named her daughter after Iris, which really threw her. The two of them had to turn away people trying to ask for their blessings, with Alessa insisting she was just a knight and a loyal servant of the Lady, and not a holy warrior by any stretch, while Iris just stammered excuses and made herself scarce. By the time the pilgrims started to paint a large mural in the Sanctuary of Iris and Alessa slaying the wyrm as the Lady looked down on them, Alessa decided it was time to leave.

They rode back to Doncaster in high spirits, although Iris couldn't stop from thinking back on the fight against the wyrm. One night she confessed her worries to Chiri and Alessa.

"It's just, it said it knew what the serpent-goddess had in store for me. And I keep thinking, what if-"

"Iris," Chiri said, grabbing her hand, "Wyrms are incredibly tricky, they use lies and manipulations to confuse their prey. It didn't know anything worth hearing."

"Yeah, but…how did it know? It knew I was an Outworlder, too."

"Maybe it guessed. Maybe it sensed some magic on you. Maybe it had some way of telling that we don't. This is…a sort of defense mechanism wyrms have. Their words stay with you even after their deaths. They sow discord and unease, and if those that slay them aren't careful, they'll come to ruin despite their victory."

Iris was silent.

"…it was really scary," she whispered, "I've never had to fight without the wolf-goddess before."

Chiri hugged her.

"You were really brave and smart," she said, nuzzling against Iris. "I know you were scared, but you were so impressive."

Alessa smiled and held Iris, kissing her forehead.

"You do deserve the credit, it was your plan that killed the wyrm."

"Maybe not sainthood, though," Chiri giggled. Iris had to laugh with her, then sobbed, feeling the pinpricks of tears welling up. She let the emotions pass.

"Thanks, girls. I love you," she said finally, wiping her eyes.

 

[ScottishMongol]

Iris and her companions returned to Doncaster in triumph. Alessa's parents welcomed them in style, just as they had the last time Alessa had returned to her home. Iris realized that it wasn't just pageantry – Alessa's parents truly loved their daughter, and were beyond joy at her safe return.

Iris knelt in front of the lord and lady of Doncaster.

"Iris D'Moines, have you completed your quest?" Alessa's father asked.

"Yes, Lord Harcourt, I slew the wyrm that had made its nest in the Lady's Sanctuary, defiling that holy place, and we have made it pure again."

Iris caught the look of excitement on Lord Harcourt's face, and even Alessa's mother blinked in surprise.

"A wyrm? That is a tale worth telling, to be sure, and I pray we shall hear it from you tonight."

Lady Harcourt smiled.

"Iris Penny, you have proven your quality, and your service to our house. Your actions are those worthy of a knight. If you will take the vows, then I would name you a knight of Doncaster."

"I…would be honored, Lady Harcourt."

"Good. In that case, the ceremony shall be arranged – but that is for the morrow. Tonight, we feast, and you tell us of your escapades."

The feast was no less than Iris remembered the last one, although it felt strange that this was all mostly in her honor. Standing at the dais, she recounted the story of her adventure, giving attention to the slaying of the wyrm, stressing the help she had from Alessa and how truly it was Father Clovis who purified the Sanctuary. That didn't stop Lord Harcourt from raising a mug of beer and calling for a toast for "Madame Iris Penny," which was followed by half a dozen more toasts to "Lady Penny" "the Lady D'Moines" and even "Iris Wyrmslayer". Iris returned the favor by toasting Alessa and Chiri – "I would have failed thrice over without them!". Chiri bowed as the revelers hailed her, smiling contentedly. She would have toasted Father Clovis, but after saying a blessing over the proceedings the old priest had disappeared to the chapel.

Iris tried not to drink much, but new casks of beer were being broached and there were so many toasts. The food was rich – it was buttermaking season, and seemingly everything from the vegetables to the meat was cooked in masses of fresh butter.

As the feast was winding down, Lord Harcourt came to greet her personally, mug of beer in hand.

"Really, that business with the wyrm – such bravery! Such daring! Such cunning! That's what a knight should have! The sort of thing I would have dreamed of doing in my youth! Ha!"

He clapped her shoulder and laughed boisterously.

"Th-thank you, but as I've said many times, without Alessa-"

"No, none of that! No man fights a battle alone, this I know, but you, Madame, have the makings of a leader! A great commander of men, mark my words!"

He stomped off, calling for more beer. Lady Harcourt watched her husband go with a smile.

"I'm not sure you can tell, but my husband thinks much of you," she said dryly, "And I must say you have impressed me, as well."

"You honor me, Lady Harcourt."

"Hm. I think from now on, you may call us Joseph and Marie. You are a knight, after all – and my daughter's paramour."

Iris blushed into her mug as the lady – Marie – patted her shoulder and departed. Chiri and Alessa found her picking over the remains of a cake.

"Oh, my parents like you," Alessa said, "I just finished talking with them."

Chiri seemed pleased with herself as well.

"Lord Harcourt offered me a job as court physician. It seems old Jean-Ambrose is in semi-retirement, and his apprentices' skills don't quite run in the direction of healing magic."

Chiri didn't offer more information, instead boldly sitting down in Iris' lap.

"Chiri! There's like, a ton of people watching!" Iris hissed under her breath, but she couldn't bear to push her girlfriend away either as the catgirl nuzzled under her chin.

"I don't caaare," Chiri purred, "I love you and Alessa sooo much."

"She's drunk," Alessa said, "We need to get her to bed."

"Yes! Take me to bed, my dashing knights!" Chiri said, entirely too loudly. Iris laughed nervously and tried to get up, but the catgirl had gone limp in her embrace.

"Alright, fine," she said, scooping Chiri up in her arms. She'd been training nearly every day for months now, and it showed in her arms and shoulders – and the catgirl was fairly small and slight. She easily carried Chiri back to her bedroom, Alessa blushing and following after them.

"Did um – did you say you loved me?" Alessa asked. Chiri leaned her head back so far that she was looking at Alessa upside down.

"How many times have we saved each other's lives?" she asked. Alessa stammered.

"I – I don't keep track of those things, it's my duty to – to protect fair maidens."

"Wow, Alessa," Iris muttered, "You are something else."

She meant it with nothing but love.

"Mhm, mhm, that is why I love her," Chiri slurred, wrapping her arm around Iris' neck. "She's sooo…generous. Selfless. Isn't she, love?"

"She is," Iris said, smiling at Alessa, "She's a true knight. Any maiden would fall for her."

They reached Iris' room, and Alessa stopped short, rubbing the back of her neck.

"I should – I should get to bed. I bid you ladies good night," she said stiffly. She turned to go, paused, and darted in to kiss Chiri's forehead. "Sleep well, Chiri."

"Night night," Chiri yawned, nuzzling against Iris' shoulder.

Iris dumped Chiri on her bed, and the catgirl stretched out languidly, rolling over.

"…well, that was interesting," Iris said as she undressed, mostly to herself. She wondered what Alessa's feelings truly were.

"We need to talk to that girl," Chiri muttered. Iris was about to say something in reply, but Chiri was already asleep.

Iris sighed, turned out the lights and laid down next to her girlfriend. She stared at the ceiling for a while, thinking about her girlfriends. She loved them, and she wondered if she could be so lucky as to see them love each other as well.

***

The next morning Iris was summoned to the chapel for her knighting. Pippin the steward was waiting outside the door to give her a quick run-down of the ceremony, making sure she knew how to properly respond, and ushered her inside.

Waiting at the altar were Father Clovis, Alessa's parents, and Alessa herself. A small group of witnesses waited in the pews – Bors, Charles, the squires, and of course Chiri. She locked eyes with Alessa, who smiled at her, and Iris had the sudden, silly thought that this was all arranged almost like a wedding.

"Kneel, Lady Iris Penny," Marie Harcourt said, drawing a sword. It was elaborate, clearly ceremonial, the hilt decorated with sapphires. Iris knelt before the altar.

"Lady Iris," Father Clovis began, "The vows of a knight are a holy charge. Do you swear to defend the Church of Our Lady of Light, to defend the weak, to be truthful and generous?"

"I swear before the Lady," Iris said. She thought that would be alright – the wolf-goddess didn't seem to care about chivalry and vows, being a much wilder and more emotional sort of goddess. Besides, Iris liked to think she and the Lady of Light had a kind of rapport.

"Do you swear to never retreat before an enemy, to treat the defeated foe with mercy and respect, to uphold the charges of a hostage in the event you are captured?"

That meant not trying to escape or kill her captor. Iris wasn't sure about that, but the idea, as she saw it, was reciprocal – a hostage-taker would treat their captives gently and honorably, and the captive would in return never give a false surrender, and would wait to be ransomed for their freedom.

"I swear before the Lady," Iris said again. Marie Harcourt stepped forward, sword in hand.

"Do you swear to obey the commands of your liege lords, defend the House of Harcourt, and to commit no act that will dishonor us?"

That would make Iris, officially, a vassal of the Harcourts. She had no reason not to accept that – the Harcourts had done a lot for her, and Iris respected them. Again, it was in theory reciprocal – Iris would not take an action that would dishonor them, but they in turn would not order her to do anything dishonorable.

"I swear before the Lady," Iris said a third time.

"Then by my rank as a knight, and as Lady of the House of Harcourt, I knight you in turn – Madame Iris Penny, Lady D'Moines."

She touched the flat of the blade to both Iris' shoulders.

"Now, rise," Lord Harcourt said.

Iris did, smiling and facing her friends and companions, who cheered, "Hail, Madame Iris!"

Iris' face broke into a huge grin as they crowded in. Bors and Lord Joseph shook her hand and even Lady Marie Harcourt kissed both her cheeks. Chiri kissed her full on the lips.

"You know, as a knight, you have the privilege of choosing a sigil," Alessa said.

"A wolf," Iris said, grinning. She didn't even have to think about it.

 

[ScottishMongol]

Spoiler: Author's Note

CW: Explicit sexual content.

Iris, Alessa, and Chiri have a threesome.

They made a shield for her, painted with a stylized red wolf racing across a field of gold. Iris hung it on the wall of her room, looking at it proudly. She felt like she'd really accomplished something – at least, by the standards of this society, which was what mattered now. If hers was to be a life of chivalry and oaths and feudal service, she would strive to be a woman of honor.

She turned to face her girlfriends. Alessa was pouring three glasses of wine, and Chiri was looking at her meaningfully.

"Go on, ask her," Chiri whispered, elbowing her side.

Iris cleared her throat.

"Um, Alessa?"

Alessa turned, handing Iris a wine glass.

"Yes, Madame Iris Penny?"

Iris couldn't help but smile at that, but she shook her head and pressed on.

"Do you, um, remember Midsommer Night? You know, with the three of us?"

Alessa paused, sipped her wine, and nodded.

"I do. That was…I was drunk."

Iris winced.

"Does that mean you regret it? Because-"

"No! No, no, I didn't mean it like that," Alessa said quickly. She took a drink and shook her head. "I only meant…I was worried I'd overstepped."

"Oh, Alessa," Chiri sighed. She took the wine glass from Alessa's hand, placing it on the side table along with her own. She took both of Alessa's hands. "Have I ever given you the impression I'm shy about what I want?"

"No. I think I just…"

Iris could see Alessa fumbling for words, and she remembered what the serpent-goddess had said about her: so self-effacing.

"You're allowed to want her, Alessa," Iris said, "In fact…I want that for you."

Alessa shot Iris a grateful look.

"Alessa, I'm going to tell you again what I said before: I love you," Chiri said, staring into Alessa's eyes.

"I…I love you too," Alessa said, then leaned in to kiss her.

Iris smiled and walked up behind Chiri, putting her hands on the catgirl's hips.

"And what about Midsommer's Night?" she asked.

"I enjoyed it…so much," Alessa said. A blush crept across her cheeks, and she looked Chiri up and down.

"Why wouldn't you?" Iris asked, her voice low and husky, "I mean, Chiri is really hot…"

Chiri purred and arched her back, and Iris ran her hands over her girlfriend's curves, groping her breasts through the bodice of her lacy black dress.

"Yes," she sighed, "Oh, I wanted you to take me right there, Alessa."

Alessa's hands tentatively found the laces on Chiri's dress.

"I should have," Alessa groaned. The dress slipped from Chiri's shoulders, pooling on the ground, and soon the two of them had Chiri naked and pinned between them. Alessa captured Chiri's mouth in a deep kiss, and Iris smiled and watched as Alessa's hands roamed over the curves of the catgirl's body.

She stepped back, undressing and watching the show. Chiri moaned into the kiss, fumbling with Alessa's clothes.

"On the bed," Chiri gasped, "I've waited too long for you, Alessa, dear."

She was practically panting as she helped Alessa strip out of her tunic and leggings. They were soon naked in bed together, Chiri pushing Alessa back and climbing into her lap. They joined in another kiss, and Alessa's hands continued to roam over the catgirl's body, exploring all her curves. Iris sat at the foot of the bed, stroking her hardening cock.

"So hot…" she muttered. Chiri's ears flicked back, and she raised her tail and shook her hips. The offering was clear; Iris knelt behind her and ran a hand down Chiri's spine, groping her furry ass. It was plush, yielding under her firm hand. Her other hand slipped between Chiri's legs, finding her wet with arousal; she slid a finger back and forth across her slit, spreading her folds and seeking the sensitive bud at the top of her sex.

Chiri moved lower, kissing her way across Alessa's neck and collarbone and down to her breasts. As she did, she pushed her hips back towards Iris. Her tail whipped back and forth.

"My gorgeous knight," she whispered to Alessa. Alessa whimpered and stroked Chiri's ears as the catgirl licked at her nipples.

"Chiri," she groaned. She made eye contact with Iris, who grinned.

"I am so glad," Iris said, her voice hoarse with need. "Seeing you together is…"

Words failed her. She hadn't known how happy she would be.

Chiri was kissing her way down Alessa's abs, murmuring sweet nothings. Alessa looked down, her eyebrows furrowed.

"What are you – oh!"

Chiri laid down between Alessa's legs and shoved her head between them.

"Shhh," she murmured between licks, "I'm taking care of you."

At the same time, she pushed her hips into the air, lashing her tail. Iris took the cue, kneeling behind her and pressing the head of her cock against Chiri's lower lips.

"Okay," Alessa gasped, "Fuck, Chiri…"

Iris thrust into Chiri, burying her cock in the familiar tight, wet heat of her girlfriend's folds. Taking in the lithe curves of Chiri's body, she looked up at Alessa, meeting her soft blue eyes.

"How is she?" Iris asked, thrusting gently into Chiri.

"Mmh, she's so good," Alessa moaned. Chiri just purred as Alessa grabbed the back of her head, her powerful thighs tightening around her head. She squirmed, until Iris grabbed tightly to her waist. With every thrust her hips smacked into Chiri's ass.

"She's ours," Iris groaned, "Our good girl. How does that feel?"

"Amazing," Alessa said. Her cheeks were red and she was panting. She looked so gorgeous when she was like that, Iris thought. "And we're hers. Her knights."

"Yeah. Yeah, we are," Iris groaned, pumping her hips. Chiri moaned loudly, eagerly, moving her hips to take Iris deep. Alessa was moaning, covering her mouth to muffle her moans of pleasure as she was pushed towards her orgasm.

"Oh! O-oh yes!"

Chiri kept going, lapping at Alessa's clit. Alessa's thighs trembled, her back arched, and her blush crept down her chest to her tits as she stifled her scream.

"Wow," Iris gasped, her pace slowing.

Alessa panted, her eyes unfocused as Chiri pulled back from between her legs and licked her lips.

"I've been waiting to do that," she purred.

"Yeah? What a good girl," Iris said. She pulled out, her cock slick with Chiri's arousal. Chiri looked over her shoulder and let out an inquisitive purr.

Alessa grabbed onto Chiri and pulled her in close.

"Come here, I'm not done with you," Alessa growled. Chiri squirmed in her embrace, and Alessa nuzzled into the soft fur of her neck and traced the curves of Chiri's hips and waist.

"No, you're not," Chiri murmured, running her fingers lightly across Alessa's cheek. "Not at all."

Alessa hooked her hand under one of Chiri's thighs and lifted it until it was folded against her body. The pink folds of Chiri's sex glistened with arousal as Alessa forced her to spread her legs.

"Take me, Iris," she moaned. Iris conceded, kneeling between her legs. Chiri shuddered as Iris filled her up again, as Alessa started rubbing her clit. The two shared a glance as Chiri's furry body writhed between them. The thought that passed between them didn't need to be voiced.

Tonight was about Chiri.

About an hour later, Iris was lying naked in bed watching Chiri brush her fur. The catgirl had a whole grooming regimen that involved combing, brushing, oiling, and trimming her fur. She rarely did it in front of Iris.

As Alessa came padding, wet and naked from the bathroom and toweling out her hair, Chiri put down her brush and turned.

"You know, if we…if we love each other, then there's something I can do. Magically, I mean."

"What is it?" Alessa asked. Chiri glanced away.

"Well…it's really, really personal. You need to have a lot of trust in me…"

"Chiri?" Iris asked, sitting up. Alessa crossed the room and took Chiri's hand.

"I trust you completely," she said. Iris nodded in agreement.

"Okay. If you give me a lock of your hair, I can use it as a focus."

"I…wow," Alessa whispered.

"What can you do with that?" Iris asked. She wasn't sure why Alessa was so amazed by that, but she leaned forward.

"As long as I have the focus, I can locate you, wherever you are, just by sense. I can know exactly what state you're in, if you're hurt or sick or…anything. I can use it for spells with really strong effects on you." She fidgeted. "Like I said, if you don't trust me with that, I can-"

Alessa took Iris' knife from the top of her dresser and immediately cut a lock of damp white-blonde hair.

"Like I said, I trust you completely," she said. She smiled, and Chiri stared at the lock of hair for a moment before reaching for a handkerchief. She wrapped the lock up carefully and glanced at Iris. Alessa offered the knife to her, and she took it and trimmed her own black hair.

"I'm with Alessa," she said. "I've put my life in your hands before."

Chiri's eyes grew wide as she held the two bundled handkerchiefs in her hands.

"Thank you, girls. I really do love you."