Every week, I’ll be posting a chapter from my book series: Solen Masters. This is a Paid Exclusive for a month in certain places until it’s posted here, before I release it to a Selection of Fiction Sharing sites, such as Scribblehub and Royal Road. Most Chapters for each book will at some point be mostly removed from almost all places.
If you spot a typo, please let me know, so I can correct it before the final release.
Also, Chapter 9 will be delayed by a week.
Sharise T’lenta pick up the 5 cards that she was just dealt. Her hand was a mess, the best she had was a 10 high. The small pile of copper coins in front of her had been wagered away over this rainy night. Sharise groaned slightly, Sharise was not going raise or call her opponents bet.
Sitting cross-legged on opposite end of the bed was Draylith, a girl that had horns but otherwise would pass as an elf. Her green hair was unnatrually dyed, but Sharise had seen elves with rainbows of colour dyed in their hair. A hint of a smile seem to appear soon after Sharise groaned. She had a large pile of copper coins that was Sharise’s earlier that evening. After all the losses Sharise could not work out what Draylith’s tell could be if she had one.
“Bet,” Draylith said.
“Fold,” Sharise sighed.
Draylith put down her cards, face up. A pair of Queens, she had the better hand.
“I win,” Draylith yawned.
“Tired?” asked Sharise.
“Your bets are way to easy to read. You’re betting small to start, and you don’t bet unless you have a decent hand. Your tail twitches in certain way when you have a good hand.. I don’t think cards is your game. But really why did you invite me here? Perhaps you’d like to bet my clothes off me?” Draylith smiled, before pulling her jacket off and placing in front of her.
“You know we’re not playing for keeps,” Sharise sighed.
“Neither am I. You’re not keeping that jacket. But the actual prize was under the jacket.” Draylith stroked her bare chest.
“Y-Y-You are an girl, right? Not a boy?” Sharise stammered.
Draylith looked down at her chest, “they do seem a little bit lacking, don’t they. I am the daughter of my clan’s leader.”
“You are an adult? It just that you look younger than Lady Acacia.”
Draylith smiled, “I passed the Rite of Passage almost a year ago, so as far my family concerned I’m an adult. Besides I think that is Lady Acacia’s Pure Elven blood makes her look so young, she was the first of us that took the Rite.”
Draylith was right. Acacia was only two years older than Sharise. While Acacia remained small and girl like, Sharise seemed to grow to tower over her and now most other women.
Sharise sighed, “Most people thought I’ve already completed the Rite of Passage until I told them that it was last month. At least, tonight is not going to be be a repeat of that night.”
“Why? What happened that night? I saw you for a few dances, but you disappeared after that.” Draylith asked.
“I got very drunk, stripped naked and woke up with a naked Ash in Lady Acacia’s bed,” Sharise said, “I don’t remember anything of that night. But I remember waking up and having my tail wrapped around Ash’s own tail.”
“Isn’t that Vedran for I love you?” Draylith asked, with sly smile.
Sharise groaned, “you could say that. But I am the second in line to be T’lenta Matriarch. I shouldn’t be acting like Prostitute and sleeping around, especially with someone like Ashley Lyndseytan T’lenta.”
“The Matriarch is your grandmother, right?” Draylith asked.
“Yes, Granny is in charge, followed by my mother, before me,” Sharise asked, “why you ask?”
“I saw Ash getting chewed out for something on the morning after that night. I couldn’t make out what the Matriarch was saying, before Lady Lana interrupted them to talk about getting help with something I don’t understand,” Draylith said.
Sharise started to shuffle the cards, “I could see Lady Lana Weiss asking Grandmother to help House Weiss. There’s a lot of history between both House Weiss and House T’lenta. My sword there was a gift to my house, as it is said that the cutting blade only appears for true blood members of both House T’lenta and Weiss,” Sharise nodded at the sword leaning on the bed, “so why are you here representing House Weiss?”
Sharise was referencing the ceremony that they both attended earlier that day. It was more of a ribbon cutting ceremony than any serious negotiations.
“We’re really short handed at the moment. There no Vedran from House Weiss on the continent. Even most of Clan Blanc are gone. Megumi was supposed to be here. Lukas, her husband is the in charge of the Lanta Forest project. But she over estimated her strength especially when she thinks a baby is due in a few weeks time,” Draylith explained.
Sharise was taken aback, “No Vedran… Clan Blanc gone.. that is some thing serious. I know House Weiss always had very few Vedran in it, but to have them gone with Clan Blanc. It’s almost unheard of, Clan Blanc is quite large, and is often compared other Vedran houses such as House T’lenta. So where have they gone?”
“The Kingdom of Reachal for some thing serious. I haven’t been told much about it, outside who is part of it. My mother and father are stationed near the capital, and Lady Lana has even gotten Ash T’lenta to assist one of our newer members. A priestess, about our age, straight from The Holy City. Lady Lana even had someone to prepare the priestess before she left The Holy City. I heard that they’re planning to dress Ash to be some assistant. I couldn’t really stay and chat, as I had a job to do. I didn’t see them off..” Draylith said.
Sharise dealt the cards. Draylith peaked at her cards, and Sharise could not work out if she smiling or frowning.. Sharise cards on the otherhand had 3 Queens and a pair of Kings. This hand was a winning hand, but was the prize not.
Draylith stayed still for a few seconds before commanding, “Flip.”
As expected Draylith’s hand was the loser of the two of to them. She had a 8 high at best.
“Your win!” Draylith jumped off the bed. Her pants seemed not stop moving and landed on the floor in a pile, quite quickly.
“You’re sure about this? I’m not keen on letting you get in bed.” Sharise said.
“I could always sleep with the boy..” Draylith teased. She was looking at the person in the other bed.
“No you don’t,” Sharise hissed, “he’s 12, and his mother is a priestess.”
“He looks younger,” Draylith said.
“Half elf, half Vedran. The Elven blood slows down how quick they grow. Most Elves think I’m a few years older than what I’m really am. I think that’s why they thought I had been through the Rite of Passage already.”
“Still a hatchling… I don’t think he’s ready for a night with the daughter of ***. He certainly not ready for snu snu…” Draylith said.
“Snu Snu? What is that?” Sharise asked.
Draylith appeared to glide back to Sharise’s bed, and started to pack up the cards and coins. “It’s a old Ork traditional ritual between two or more consenting naked people. It’s usually done with a male and a female, but I’ve seen all male and all female groups before. Most of the other races have similar rituals with different names.”
“Really? Including Vedran?”
“Including Vedran. I have seen Lana and Erika performing the ritual. I don’t think they saw me watching them. Besides I don’t think you are in the mood to perform the ritual tonight,” Draylith sighed.
“Why?” Sharise asked.
“After listening you talk about Ash, I don’t think you’d want to perform it with me. Besides I don’t need anyone to perform Snu Snu with me tonight,” Draylith yawned, “but I’d sleep alot better if you held me.”
“You like the big girl to spoon you. Sure, I’ll be keeping the underwear on,” Sharise yawned.
Within a few moments, both girls were in the bed, and Draylith seemed to very comfortable using Sharise’s arm as pillow.
Sharise noticed something on Draylith’s back, “Draylith, Is this a Bat Wing tattoo on your back?”
Draylith sleepliy replied “Yeah, but it’s a Pair of Dragon wings. You could say that my parents give me that one, as part of the Passage.. Want one?”
Sharise chuckled to herself, “No, there’s no point. My Vedran Fur will cover it. Seen a few tattoos on the Elves and humans. Vedrans often go for a Dye for some kind of Body art. Too bad that my Dark fur limits my options.”
“I tried a dye that to turn her hair white.. But I have green hair now.”
“Oof! I can’t stand the smell of that stuff,” Sharise said.
“Same here.. “