Fursina's Balls

     It was a typical night at the Red Hound.  Gerok sat at the bar,
slurping his drink loudly and swearing good-naturedly at the patrons
who sat around him.  Tenkai sat behind the bar, dispensing beverages 
and the occasional meal.  Basil sat in the corner, and was glad that
her favored status as a bard made her choice of seating uncontested,
though corner booths, which commanded a view of the entire room and
provided shelter on two sides, were extemely coveted.  She sighed,
and wondered, not for the first time, why she frequented this place
more than any other.  She heard a brief commotion, and turned to see
two drunks quarreling.  The matter seemed about to come to blows, 
but when Maul, a tough that Tenkai employed to keep order, stepped
up, they either decided that the matter wasn't important, or that
it could be postponed.  Maul caught her looking, and gave her a
grin that showed all his teeth before returning to his post by the
door.  Maul was something of a mystery himself, at least to the 
Hound's other patrons.  From the neck down, he looked like an ogre,
his body seeming chiseled from living stone, and his limbs were
ape-like, long and hairy.  But his face was, if not handsome,
extremely human.  Basil knew his story, of course... she was a
bard, and could not have lived with herself is she'd let it go
undiscovered.  She would never tell his tale, of course, but that
wasn't really important.  That someone knew it, that it would be
remembered for as long as she lived... which is to say, forever,
if she had anything to say about it... that was the thing of real
importance.    
     She jumped out of her reverie as Gerok slammed his tankard down,
a gesture which rattled the bar.
     "Fursina's Balls, Tenkai, another of those!"  Tenkai threw an
irritated look at the dwarf, but since his credit was good--nobody
knew how the dwarf made his living, especially considering that all
he ever seemed to do was swill at the Hound, but he always paid his
tabs in full--she was quick enough to comply.  Something about the
dwarf's oath stuck in Basil's mind.  She tried to force herself to
let it go, but her curiosity, the restless need to know that set
her apart from other elves, wouldn't let the matter rest.  Sighing,
she gave up her comfortable position, and moved to sit near the
dwarf.
     "Your pardon, kind sir," She began, as she always did when 
on the track of a new tale, "But I couldn't help but overhear.  I've
heard people use that oath before, but I've never really thought
about it until now.  What does it mean?"  The dwarf snorted.  Which
was quite interesting, really, considering that his face was buried
in his mug.  Basil fancied she heard bubbles being blown in the ale.
     "Ah, Basil," The dwarf grinned, just drunk enough for his smile
to show a trace of lecherousness, "Come and sit a little closer.  I
have a much better tale to tell you than some yarn about a silly
theives' oath." 
     "That may be so," Basil said, staying out of his reach... not
that she really feared any impropriety from the dwarf, of course, but
she was on the trail, now, she had the scent of a tale, and she didn't
want to spoil it by having to injure him.  "But I asked about the
oath.  Your other tale will have to wait... for another time.  You know
how I am."  Gerok nodded.
     "Yeah, that curiosity of yours."  He grinned again, "Hey, did you
ever wonder... I mean, about what it would be like..."  Basil laughed.
     "Yes I did.  My curiosity about your race, in that respect, was
satisfied a long, long time ago.  I doubt that you could possibly live
up to the memory."  Basil made no effort to hide her disgust for the
dwarf, and made no secret of her habits of experimentation.  The dwarf
turned sullen.
     "Ah, go dunk your head, ya silly songbird.  It's just something
stupid the thieves say."
     The giggling laughter that erupted from nearby silenced every 
voice in the crowded tavern and sent a chill down every spine.  Every 
eye involuntarily turned to watch as Misha, the half-mad beggar and 
self-proclaimed priest, made his way to the center of the room, and 
sat on a table.  Tenkai looked angrily at Maul, who could only shrug.  
However the priest slipped in, it wasn't by going through the door.  
A part of Basil's brain, probably the same part that compelled her to 
constantly seek new experiences, new stories, woke, and began observing 
the scene in a new way.  Everything stood out now, every tiny detail 
recorded in her memory, second by crystalized, frozen second.  There 
was a rushing sensation, then, as time seemed to catch up, suddenly, 
and Basil once again found the world to be moving at its normal pace.  
The observing part of her brain was still active, though.  Still 
watching, and taking note of everything.
     "It is not just some 'stupid saying'," Misha proclaimed, "It
is an oath honoring our great patron."
     "But it doesn't make any sense," Basil objected, "Your diety
is female."  Misha nodded, as though he'd been expecting her comment,
and welcomed it.
     "They did not belong to Her by birth, that is true.  But that
She has them cannot be denied.  Surely, the moths in their golden
tombs," Thus Misha always refered to those who worshiped Evan, the
god of Light, "Have tought you this much?"  Misha saw the blank looks
he expected.  "With your permission, tale-spinner, I will tell of
how these things came to be."  Basil nodded, and, with another insane
giggle, the priest began....
     
     It was a dark times in the realm of the gods.  Illia, consort of
Evan, the god of Light, had been seduced and abandoned by Nave, his dark
and spiteful twin.  Evan in his wrath struck his brother a near-deadly
blow, but found that he was, himself, injured by his efforts.  Nave fled
to his dark corners to nurse his wounds, leaving Evan in the care of his
three Daughters, Gaia, Shani, and Vasi.  
     Illia, too, left the home of the gods, fleeing her shame.  But with
her into her exile she took something unexpected.  She soon delivered a
child, in the strange manner of the gods, a daughter whom she named 
Fursina.  Illia was distured by this living embodiment of her infidelity,
but she was unable to hate the newborn goddess.  For in the moment she
looked up to her mother, Fursina revealed her future Aspect as a patron 
of thieves, and stole her mother's heart.  
     Illia raised Fursina in secrecy, fearing that the daughter of Nave
would be despised by the gods of Light after his treachery.  The moon
goddess taught her daughter all the secrets of the night and shadow, which
was as much a heritage from her father as from Illia.  The young goddess
was nimble and clever, and she learned the shadow-craft quickly.
     Even as isolated as they were, they could not escape knowledge of what
transpired in the home of the gods.  While Evan was recovering, Nave slipped
into the halls of the gods and appeared to Gaia.

     "Greetings, Neice."  Gaia stopped suddenly, and whirled around to 
face her uncle.
     "How dare you show your face here, after what you have done?" She
demanded.  Nave looked hurt and surprised.
     "I?  I have done nothing.  I merely sought to comfort Illia, who
was saddened by how little time my brother could spare for her.  It was
my brother, you will recall, you struck me, not the other way around.  It
is not my fault that he forgot that we are bound to each other."  Gaia
paused, confused.  Duplicity and deciet were still relatively new concepts
in the god plane, and her natural inclination was to accept this as true. 
     "You may be right.  Perhaps this has been nothing but an unpleasant
misunderstanding."  Nave nodded.
     "Exactly.  But I cannot approach my brother right now.  It would be
unwise, as I am certain you understand.  But perhaps you could help."
     "How?"  Nave smiled.
     "Come with me, and I will explain everything..."
     Fursina and Illia watched from their distant vantage point in the void,
as Nave led Gaia into the shadows, inticed her with clever words and half-
truths, intoxicated her with the Wine of Vitality, and had his way with
her.  Illia wept to see Gaia repeating her own mistakes, but would take no
action.  She was unwilling to risk the life of one daughter to prevent the
shame of the other.  Even so, she grieved.  
     Nave returned Gaia, drugged on the Wine of Vitality, to her own home
in the godplane.  Smiling a cold, wicked smile, he slithered away, in 
search of Shani.  
     To his surprise, he found Vasi instead, as she crossed his path on
the way to some errand.  His appearance startled the youngest daughter of
Evan, and he soon discovered why she was the patron of soldiers, as she
wrestled him quickly to the ground.  Nave, however, was a master of 
Darkness, and he knew ways to pervert all things to his own ends.  He 
reached into the goddess and tweaked the physical rush of fighting, causing
it to become sensual.  Then he merely struggled to prolong their contact,
not desiring to win or escape.  In time, their struggle changed, becoming
a passionate writhing.  Nave could barely restrain himself from laughing
in triumph as he spirited them back to his shadowy abode, and Vasi, now
eager, gulped down the Wine of Vitality.  When Nave had finished his dark
business, he carried the now-sleeping goddess away, and disposed of her 
closer to her Father's home, where she would eventually be found.  Nave
imagined his brother's rage when he realized what had happened, and this
time he could not keep himself from chuckling.  For Nave had immediately
realized his brother's weakness.  Evan, linked to his dark twin, could not
strike him, or he would face injure of equal magnitude.  
     "So let the fool rage," Nave laughed, "I am safe."
     "Are you certain of that, Uncle?"  Nave started, and realized that
Shani had come upon him without his awareness.  Nave smiled inwardly, for  
the goddess had saved him the trouble of searching for her.
     Illia cursed the day that Nave was born, and wept and wailed and cried.
Fursina tried to console her mother, but it was no use.  They could both 
see that Nave had carefully planned his approach to each goddess, and that
Shani was certain to fall to his wiles just as her sisters had.
     Just so, for at that moment, Shani was arguing furiously with her Uncle.
But this was just what Nave had expected.  As he had done with Vasi's 
love of combat, so did he do now with Shani's anger.  He argued back, almost
violently, enciting Shani to new and dangerous hights of rage.  But Nave
knew, from his own heart, that extreme hatred can easily become an attraction,
and so it was that he manipulated the young goddess, arguing, weaving a web
of lies, half-truths, and misrepresentations to catch her with.  All the
while they argued, he led her, almost without her realizing it, back to his
shadowy home.  
     "Would you care for something to drink?" He asked, when the goddess
paused for a moment to catch her breath before launching into another 
tirade.  Shani was so startled by the civility of this, following the 
viciousness of their argument, that she nodded, and drank deeply of the
Wine of Vitality, for she was, indeed, in need of refreshment.  She soon
found herself feeling strange, as though she were sleepy but energetic at
the same time.  She began arguing again, but her words became confused, and
she couldn't seem to keep to her line of reasoning.  After starting over
for the third time, she was starting to have trouble remembering what they'd
been arguing over.  Shani shrugged.  It must have been important, she knew,
but she couldn't think of it.  She drained her cup (which Nave had refilled
when she wasn't looking), and looked fondly over at her Uncle, who seemed
quite attractive when seen through the haze of the Wine.  Illia's voice
broke, and became an unpleasant screech as she watched Nave seduce yet
another of her Daughters.
     Wounded beyond understanding, Illia turned away from the godplane,
and cast herself into the Void.  Fursina watched in horror as her mother
faded away, diminishing in the distance.  On the terrestrial plane, mortals
looked up in amazement as a new object appeared in the sky, and the night
was for the first time illuminated by the light of the Moon.  
     Weeping now herself, angry and alone, Fursina turned back to watch as
Nave finished his seemingly endless act of corruption with the goddess of
Nature.  But this time, something seemed different.  The goddess was swelling
and changing even in the midst of their abhorrent act, and Nave looked
frightened.  He was unable to stop, however, and they continued until finally,
there was what seemed to be an explosion, and Nave was cast back, screaming
in pain.  Through the link that he shared with his opposite, Evan felt that
pain, and was brought sharply to wakefullness.  
     When Nave could open his eyes again, he found that he had been
successful.  He had finally sired a child, as he had long been intending.
However, this was not as he had intended.  The newborn goddess seemed already
to be older than either of her parents.  And where her eyes should have been,
there was a blankness.  The blind goddess spoke.
     "I am Sheridan, and my Aspect shall be Justice.  On you, Father, I will
place this Judgement: Your crime shall return to punish you, and no boon
will come to you from your evil."  With that, the goddess turned and lifted
her unconcious mother, and left to return her to the halls of the gods. 
Nave was left alone, to curse the fate that would let him sire such an
ungrateful child.
     Fursina watched all this, feeling cold and detached, as though her
sorrow had hollowed her out.  Soon, however, her anger returned, and she
swore that she would take her revenge.  
     So it was that Fursina left her place of hiding, and entered into the
godplane.  She used the craft which her mother had taught her, and fashioned
clothing from the shadows themselves, and gathered starlight to make her
shimmer.  Using part of her own Aspect, she changed her appearance, stealing
part of her mother's beauty to present as her own.  When she was satisfied
with her charms, she made her way into the shadows of the godplane.  Darkness
pressed in around her on all sides, and though she was a child of darkness,
and it held no mystery for her, she allowed herself to seem frightened.  She
called out for help, as though lost.  It did not take long for Nave to find
her.
     "Who are you, and why do you intrude into my domain?" He demanded as 
soon as he saw her.
     "Oh, my lord, I did not mean to intrude!" Fursina said, allowing her
face to show just the right amount of fear and vulnerability, "I was
wandering this plane, and I lost my way."
     "But who are you?  I know all of the gods, even those pale immitations
that Orial spawned.  But you are not of their kind.  You... seem familiar."
And well she should, for many of her features belonged to Illia.  
     "Oh, mighty lord, I humbly beg your forgiveness." Fursina said, keeping
her tone just shy of snivelling, "But I have no name, for I came into this
plane only a short time ago..."  Nave's eyes seemed to burn into her, 
prying into her heart.  But Fursina knew the art of the shadows as well,
and he learned nothing.  "Oh!" She cried out, and stumbled, managing to 
fall toward the dark god, who reflexively caught her.  She looked up at him,
and made herself blush.  "Forgive me, my lord, I did not mean to..."
     "It is... forvigen." Nave said, sounding magnanimous, "Come with me.
You seem weary, and I would not be able to forgive myself if I allowed you
to travel on without resting."  He led her back to his lair, where he tried
to ply her with wine.  She refused, with such grace and abject humility
that Nave was unable to take offense.  "Ah, but you are chilled!" He said,
when he saw that she would not drink, "I have long grown used to the cold,
but you must be quite nearly frozen.  Allow me to find you a warm drape."
Nave quickly wove a thick, warm blanket from the shadows that surrounded
him.  He slid over to where Fursina sat, and draped it over her, placing
himself close behind her as he did so.  The surprise, however, was his,
when the goddess leaned back against him.
     "Oh, my lord, you have been so kind to me.  How can I ever hope to
repay you?"  She leaned against his body with obvious pleasure.  This was
something new to Nave.  He'd never had a goddess act willing toward him--
at least, not without being drugged with the Wine of Vitality--and he found
himself unsure of how to act.  Fursina, however, knew exactly what she was
doing.  "May I have the honor of serving my lord?"  Nave, still stunned
and uncertain, merely nodded.  Fursina rose, and abased herself at his feet.
"Would my Master like to be seated?" She asked.  Upon hearing himself called
'master', Nave succumbed to her ministrations, and sat while she busied
herself seeing to his comfort.  She brought him food, and covered him in the
wrap that he had formed for her.  Nave sank, heedless, into the luxury of her
care.  "You cup, Master, if it pleases you?"  Nave nodded, and drank deeply,
unthinkingly, from the Wine of Vitality.  
     The warmth and intoxication of the Wine robbed him of what little 
caution remained to him, and when Fursina offered herself to him, he eagerly
flung himself onto her.  Nave found his pleasure immesurably increased, 
though wether that was an effect of the Wine or merely the fact that this
goddess offered herself freely to him was uncertain.  And, for the moment,
completely unimportant.  Nave closed his eyes and let the moment take him,
in a way he'd never dared to before.  With his eyes closed, he did not see
the smile of triumph that flashed on Fursina's face.  
     Forming the shadow-blade was simplicity itself.  She poised herself to
strike, but something in her manner reached Nave even through the pleasure
and intoxication.  His eyes opened, and he pulled away from her, his eyes
wide in horror.
     "No!" He screamed, and flung his hands up to protect himself.  Fursina's
smile widened to an idiot-grin, and she made a clean slice with her blade.

     "So you see, it was as Sheridan had predicted.  Nave's crime returned,
and dealt him a punishment befitting his actions." Misha concluded.  His
audience, sensing that he was caught up in his story, had dwindled slowly,
until only four remained.  Tenkai was fuming at her lost patrons, and Maul
was doing his best to avoid her notice.  Gerok had managed to drink himself
into a stupor, as he often did by this time of night, and was slumped 
against the bar, unconcious.  Only Basil was still paying attention.
     "So what happened to Nave?  Fursina really cut off His..." Misha
nodded.  Basil looked puzzled, "But I thought Nave and Evan were linked?"
     "So they are."
     "But wouldn't that mean...?"  Misha nodded again.
     "That's something the Moths won't tell you."
     "But what happened to Fursina?  What with Her mother gone, and Her
Father maimed by Her hand, I wouldn't think there would be much room in
the heavens for Her."
     "Ah, but do not forget that She had disguised herself.  Nave never
did learn the truth about the mysterious goddess who had maimed Him.  As 
for her place in the heavens, She is not our patron for nothing.  But She
eventually made Her peace with the Daughters of Evan, as well as with Her
Father.  She is Neutral, and thus, She spends much of Her time here in the
mortal realm."  Basil stood, stretched, and smiled.
     "Thank you, Misha, for satisfying my curiosity.  You know that I cannot
offer much in the way of payment..."
     "If, one day, you tell this tale, then that will be payment enough.  I
need nothing that you can offer."  Misha looked her up and down, considering.
"Well, actually, there are a few things you could offer..."  Basil smiled.
     "Maul?"  The burly bouncer lifted the mad priest as though he were a
sack of flour, and tossed him unceremoniously out into the street.
     "Thanks, Maul." Maul grinned.
     "Believe me, it was my pleasure."