The Mage of Orlon: The beginning (30 page)

“
Nathan, he is the phoenix mage, he left me for, for, the elf princess!
”
Ileana wailed.

The phoenix mage and the elf princess both!
This was too perfect!
She could destroy one and watch the other suffer!
But first what to do with this broken woman in her arms?
The endless possibilities began to unfold in Tirana
’
s mind!
She could use the woman
’
s skill with a bow, the bow!
How could she be so stupid!
The bow probably wouldn
’
t work right.
She had healed Ileana, but the bow was designed for a blind woman!
Slowly she pushed Ileana away from her tear stained breasts.

“
Ileana you need to calm down for a moment.
I might have done more bad than good healing you.
”

“
Murna, what do you mean?
”
A sinking feeling began creeping into Ileana
’
s stomach.

“
Pick up your bow and tell me what you see?
”
Tirana said.

Panic filled Ileana.
Her bow was the only thing she saved from Santrose!
The last thing her father made her!
Slowly she picked up her bow.
Her eyes filled with a red glint.
Ileana screamed, and dropped her weapon.
She fell into a heap, crying once more.

Tirana already knew the answer before Ileana spoke it.

“
I can
’
t use my bow anymore, everything turned red.
There are no defining shapes. It is just a red blanket over my eyes!
”

“
I am so sorry Ileana
”
Tirana said. She really was sorry.
Without her bow the woman was just a woman.
Not that Tirana couldn
’
t find a few good uses for Ileana
’
s body.
A thin grin spilled across her face.

“
Maybe I can help you find a way to use your bow Ileana?
”

Ileana was relieved!
But why would this stranger help her?
She looked at the nude woman, and then away.
Why was she still nude?

Tirana noticed the look she had just got and slid down next to Ileana.

“
Does, me being naked bother you Ileana?
”

“
Yes, I am sorry.
Why haven
’
t you made a move to get your clothes Murna?
”

“
I am comfortable being naked. I was a slave to the Dark Queen.
She preferred me this way.
”

Ileana turned to look at Murna. She had a gorgeous body.
She seemed so confident and strong even without a stitch of cloth on her body.

“
I guess that was a hard existence.
”
Ileana said.

Tirana laughed,
“
You have no idea.
”

Her lips pressed on Ileana
’
s!
She felt hot and cold at the same time.
It was too bizarre!
When the kiss broke, Ileana looked into Murna
’
s brown eyes.
Ileana
’
s mind screamed Murna has blue eyes!
Sure enough Ileana looked down at her body, her breasts were far too large and her hair was golden yellow.
She realized that she was naked too!

Only she was the only one nude.
She began to back away, Murna had stolen her body!
She watched as her body pointed and laughed at her expression!

“
If you could only see the look on your
…
oh sorry, my face Ileana!
”
Tirana laughed.

“
Who are you Murna?
Who are you really?
”
Ileana asked fear slid into her stomach as she thought she knew the answer.

“
You can call me Tirana, the demon archer!
”

Ileana started to run away, the laughter followed her.
She had lost everything now!
Including her body!
She was naked and the weather seemed to be changing soon it would rain, what would she do?
She heard voices and ran towards them.
Ileana broke through the forest into the village.
A young man stopped cleaning the stable he was in, and stared at the beautiful woman before him.

“
Are you okay, miss?
”
He called.

Ileana was terrified.
She got her mouth to work after a few seconds.
“
Help me, please!
”
The man ran over to her with a blanket.
The blanket was itchy and stank of horse sweat, but to Ileana it might as well have been a robe made of gold!

Tirana looked at her latest body.
It was strong and sinewy, but what had gotten her excited was Ileana
’
s description of what she had seen!
Ileana had thought the bow would no longer work.
In reality the bow had to have the magic adjusted to the new eye sight she had!
After picking up the bow the red veil fell over Tirana
’
s vision.
After a minor adjustment the shapes became defined!

Ileana might make it back to the village, but that was okay.
Even if someone believed her she had the bow!
She could attack Lela or Nathan in the dark with arrows and they would never see it coming!.
Tirana
’
s brow furrowed, where were the arrows?
The body had no quiver, yet the legend said she could fire faster than any other archer.
Tirana pulled back the bow string to get a feel for the new weapon when an arrow appeared!
That was how she fired so fast, the bow made the arrows!
Tirana laughed.
All she had to do now is wait.

Ileana was taken to the building for healing.
She sat quietly while she waited for the councilman to arrive.
It seemed strange, some of the fragrances smelled so familiar to her.
She saw the woman walk in, she was an elf!
Her hair was golden and her eyes were crystal blue.
She was attractive except for the bruise on her jaw.

Lela looked at the blond woman sitting on the table.
She had been found naked running out of the forest.
She laughed ruefully at that, lots of people seem to be running out of the forest lately!

“
What happened to you?
”
Lela asked.

That voice!
Ileana knew that voice.
She was scared of what would happen if she told her the truth.

“
I was at the pool and a snake scared me.
”
Ileana knew that lie wouldn
’
t fool the elf.

“
Did you get bit?
”
Lela asked.

“
I don
’
t know.
I was so scared.
”
Ileana had to know if this was Lela or not.

“
I don
’
t want to be rude, but what is your name?
”
Ileana asked.

“
Lela, I am the councilman here and doctor.
And who are you?
”
Lela asked.

“
Ile
…
Murna.
”
Why had she done that?
She was Ileana.
She had to warn them.
What if Tirana figured out how to fire her bow?
A sinking feeling hit her.
That was why she stole her body!
The bow wouldn
’
t work for anyone else!

“
Lela wait, my name isn
’
t Murna, its Ileana.
”
She said staring at her feet.

Lela turned back towards the patient,
“
Excuse me, what did you say your name was?
”

“
Ileana the Demon Archer of Santrose.
”
Ileana said.

“
That
’
s not funny, she died.
”
Lela said coldly.

“
No she didn
’
t, I didn
’
t.
You don
’
t have to believe me Lela.
But know this, Tirana stole my body and has my bow.
You are not safe here!
”
Ileana said.

“
You hated me!
You nearly killed me in the fortress and now you appear in a body I don
’
t recognize and tell me I am not safe here!
Why should I believe anything you say?
”
Lela said as she started to leave.

“
Because I once slipped you some sleeping root in your bread, I did it to get alone time with Nathan. But he chose you any way.
So it didn
’
t matter!
Nathan chose you, which means he is nearby somewhere.
She wants revenge on him too.
”
Ileana said.

Lela spun around, only Ezra and Nathan knew about the sleeping root.
They refused to tell anyone else in order to preserve Ileana
’
s memory.
Lela slowly approached the blond stranger.
Lela looked into her eyes.

“
Ileana?
”
Lela said quietly.

“
Nathan showed us his moving pictures with sound remember?
The little girl that screamed a lot her name was Maddy.
”
Ileana said quietly, as if saying anything to loud would shatter any progress she would have made.

Lela looked at her once comrade, turned enemy.
“
How did this happen to you?
”

“
Tirana was in this body, she healed my eyes, I thought my bow wouldn
’
t work, but, but
…”

“
Slow down Ileana.
We need to get Nathan in here to hear this.
I will go get him and, no better yet you are coming with me now!
”
Lela grabbed Ileana
’
s wrist.
Her grip was like iron.
Ileana winced at the crushing pressure Lela was exerting.
The two women wove their way through town into the house both Lela and Nathan shared.

“
You, live together now?
”
Ileana asked.
Tears threatened.

“
It is complicated.
We love each other Ileana, but with the spirit possessing me and then all the chaos afterwards.
We haven
’
t really had any alone time yet.
”
Lela said a little embarrassed.

“
Where is Nathan?
”

“
I don
’
t know.
Nathan, where are you?
”
Lela bellowed.

Nathan came bounding in, he was happy that Lela was back home.

“
Hi honey, how was the doctor call?
”
Nathan asked.

He stopped in the door way when he saw the blond haired woman beside Lela.
The look on Lela
’
s face said there was trouble.

“
What
’
s happened Lela?
”

“
You remember our good friend here don
’
t you Nathan?
”

Nathan looked at the blond woman.
He looked at her long and hard, but he had never seen her before.
He was sure she wasn
’
t a villager.
Shaking his head no, he spoke
“
Sorry I don
’
t recognize you Miss.
”

The woman smiled,
“
You wouldn
’
t know me by looking at me Nathan.
My body was stolen.
”