In the Name of Love
By Jason Halstead
©2003

Chapter 1

Gannon came to his senses somewhat slowly. He looked about and felt the warmth of familiarity as he recognized his spell casting room. He sat in his favorite chair, which he wondered briefly how it had been moved from his study into there. Then it came back to him, he had ordered it moved there so that he might have a comfortable place to conduct his experiment.
But what experiment?  He glanced about, trying desperately to figure it out, and began to wonder at his sanity. The magical sundial on the wall showed that it was late in the day, yet he knew that was not uncommon for him, for he often stayed up until the wee hours of the morning studying new magic, meeting with friends and allies (and occasionally rivals), and otherwise conducting his business affairs.
Scowling at the blank spot in his mind, he stood up and felt the unfamiliar weight on his chest. Glancing down, he noticed that he wore a sapphire pendant on a simple chain of silver. Upon closer examination he realized that the sapphire glowed dimly with an inner light. Alarmed at the possible connotations of that, he wondered if perhaps he had been taken over by some outside force and only recently regained control of himself. In a rush, he hurried to his library and began to pore through several of the books within it searching for an answer. Out of fear of the unknown jewelry, he left it hanging from his neck.
Several frantic hours later Gannon leaned back from his studying and wondered what could have caused him to cast such a spell upon himself. What he had created was a memory charm. Not the sort that sharpened a man’s memory and helped him to recall obscure knowledge. No, this was the sort of charm that took a memory within his mind and pulled it free of him, trapping it within the gem. Not only the specific memory, but every other memory related to it. A very dire course of action; not to be entered into lightly.
Gannon also knew he was not the type of man to commit to something such as that without due reasons. He trusted his judgment more then he trusted his curiosity, however, and decided that he must have done what was best. Probably for his own protection, for what else could possibly drive a man to be so desperate as to forgot something about his past?
And so Gannon put his books back away with a wave of his hand and wandered off towards his bedroom. At least he remembered where that was!  He idly wondered as he levitated up the staircase whether or not he had a comely wench waiting in his bed for him. For the briefest of moments he had a flash of a beautiful young woman, but it was gone almost before it entered into his mind unbidden. He paused before shrugging it away. He suspected the thought might have been leftover from the memory charm, and therefore clearly something he had best not dwell upon. He slipped the pendant off from around his neck, now that he knew its purpose, and slipped it into one of the pockets of his robe.

Chapter 2

Alexandra was miserable. She sat lonely and unfulfilled within her room, staring out a window. The ground lay a mere 20 feet below her, and her window faced the rising sun just now clearing the tallest trees of the Giantwood forest to the east. Unbidden, she somehow knew that it promised to be a hot day.
She was more then simply lonely, she was lost. She had latched on to the one person who she knew and who made her feel complete, her Master and her Lord, Gannon. He was a powerful wizard, this much she knew, but beyond that she knew little more. She knew that she felt an intense longing for his approval, and she also knew shame, for he had sent her from him over a week ago and demanded she not return to him until he bade her to do so.
She had been so upset with herself when he had done this that, even though she did not know what she had done to displease him, she sought to punish herself for her actions. Taking a knife from her dinner tray that one of Gannon’s magical servants had brought to her, she sought to plunge it into her bosom, such was her unhappiness.
The thrust had hurt a great deal, burning as it entered and spearing through her unmarred and perfect flesh. She had tried to gasp in pain, but air would not come to her. Then she fell to her knees, her hands falling free from the knife and covered in blood. Such pain rivaled that which her heart had felt when Gannon had banished her, and in spite of the certain knowledge that she was soon to die, it comforted her.
But she did not die. The dagger slid from her wound and fell to the now blood stained rug. In a moment the gasp she had tried to take only moments before took place. Her body sucked in the air and she shuddered as a fresh wave of pain tore through her chest. Then it too, was gone. She reached up to her chest and felt about, feeling a little tenderness at first and then nothing.
Alexandra had ripped her flimsy bodice off then, shredding the robe with such ease that it seemed as though it were made of paper. She stared down at her chest, which was once again flawless and perfect. Wet blood still glistened on the skin of her left breast, a few droplets running down from where they had been dropping off of her nipple. She smeared the blood about with her hands, searching for the impossibly healed wound.
With a gasp of renewed anguish, she collapses to the ground and curled up in a fetal position, great sobs racking her body. She was cursed, she knew it!  Not only could she not serve her Master in a way that pleased him, but she had done such wrong that she could not even end her own miserable existence.
And so now she sat brooding as she stared out the window at the distant Giantwood forest and the sun rising into the sky. She wondered idly how it would feel to be there, running through the woods and feeling the slap of the branches and leaves against her skin. She idly traced the edge of the knife along her palm, not realizing right away that she had begun pushing harder and blood now ran freely down her hand to drip onto her lap. She glanced down at last and realized what she was doing. With a angry curse she threw the knife from her and clenched her left fist. When she opened it again it was made whole, looking untouched save for the blood that made her fingers stick together.
Her skirts had been stained by the blood, however, and that alone raised her from her melancholy. She knew that if that day was the day Gannon decided to give her another chance she did not want him to see her wearing ruined and stained clothing. She rushed to her wardrobe, tearing the dress she had been wearing off of her with no regard to the laces or buttons.
A gasp from behind her brought her about, a new dress clutched in her hand and half hiding her naked body. Blood rushed to her cheeks as she realized that it had to be Gannon. Other then the two of them, she had yet to find anybody else living within the great house. She had seen others visiting often enough, including a part of men and women the night before, but they always left that same night or the next morning.
“My Lord!” Alexandra said, dropping quickly to her knees and discarding the dress. She was thrilled to see him on one hand, and terrified on the other that her nudity would disgust him.
Gannon stared at the creature in front of him, all but prostrating herself on the floor before him. He knew that he knew her somehow, for there was a nagging sense of the familiar about her. Though he had only seen her briefly before she fell to her knees, he had at least seen her from behind. The vision he had seen was one of pure and utter beauty. He had not seen anything as pleasing to the eye since… well, since he had taken a wife in his impetuous youth. Joslyn had caught many an eye, to be sure, but she had chosen him among all her potential suitors. Gannon believed it to be true, for that had been what Joslyn’s father had told him during one of their many business meetings. Truly it was a pity that Joslyn had died a few years later. Gannon struggled to remember what it was that had taken her from him. Some disease or sickness, before he had grown powerful enough to protect her from such things.
But this beautiful creature in front of him was not Joslyn. Joslyn had been dark haired and petite, whereas this person seemed tall, taller even then Gannon perhaps, though he stood only nine inches over feet tall. And she was not petite nor tiny, but rather wonderfully filled out and curvaceous. Gannon felt his blood stirring as he gazed upon her, seeing the curve of her back and the slight ridges of her ribs along her side. The way her blond hair fell about her bowed head and obscured her face and chest.
“Rise, girl, and tell me who you are,” Gannon said, bothered anew at his lack of memory. He wondered if perhaps this divine creature had something to do with it.
For her part, Alexandra felt as though a rope had been cast to her within her sea of despair. Her Master had spoke to her!  He was testing her, more certainly, to ask her such questions. She was to be given another chance to serve him.
“Master, I am your servant!” She said, daring to glance up at him. “Your slave, My Lord, I beg to do anything you would have of me!”
Gannon raised an eyebrow in thought. To have such a girl to serve him as she claimed she would be willing to intrigued him more then a little. Intrigued and excited. “What is your name, girl?”
“You may call me as you see fit, Master,” she replied, feeling a great swelling of joy within her. “In the past you have called me Alexandra.”
Something about the name Alexandra just seemed to fit her right, Gannon decided. “Very well, Alexandra, you may have that name. Tell me, how did you come to be here and in my service?”
If Gannon was surprised at how easily she accepted his questions, he hid it well. He had learned long ago how to hide his emotions, it had served him well in the royal intrigues he regularly got caught up within.
“I… I am not sure, My Lord,” Alexandra said, desperate for something better to say to keep him talking to her. To keep him happy with her. “You told me that a man brought me to you, hurt and dying, and that you healed me with your magic. You mended my body made me strong, then you taught me a great many things.  You shared with me your books and your maps, learning me everything that I know.  In return I swore my service to you, promising to serve you as no one else could forever.”
Gannon nodded.  What she said sounded right to him.  His well trained mind found several holes in the story, but given the recent discovery of the memory charm, he was certain this had something to do with it.  He muttered a few arcane words and examined her carefully.  Sure enough, there was some strong magic about her.  Or at least the residual aura of powerful spells that had been used on her.  There was also a chain between them, which Gannon understood almost immediately explained her devotion to him.  In the work of restoring her to health, clearly a bond had been formed between them and she expressed this bond by vowing to submit to his demands.
“Excellent, Alexandra, you remember well.  I chose wisely, it seems,” Gannon said, not knowing what he was saying but certain it would sound good to her and reinforce her belief in his greatness.  “Come, lass, walk with me please.”
Gannon turned to leave when he heard Alexandra nervously clear her throat and say in a quiet voice, “Would you like me to dress first, Master?  You told me before that clothes were the sign of nobility.”
Gannon looked back at her.  “Stand up for me, Alexandra.”
She did so, climbing to her feet gracefully but keeping her head bowed subserviently.
“Raise your head.”
Gannon admired her form more clearly now.  Without her hair in the way he could see all of her.  She was, as he had earlier suspected, beautiful.  Perfect, to his eyes.  Breasts that were firm and resilient, with their rosy tips pointing not straight out but rather just slightly upwards.  A flat stomach and sides that showed no signs of unnecessary fat, but rather a smooth and well maintained diet of food and exercise.  Her hips were rounded in such a way as to cause a man madness merely by staring at them.  And the curly wisps of blond hair between her legs hid what he was certain was equally beautiful.  Speaking of her legs, Gannon noticed that they seemed to go on forever.
“Turn around.  Slowly.”
Alexandra did, arms at her sides.  She blushed, not at her nakedness, but at how she felt herself enjoying his attention even though, on some level hidden deep within her what she was doing seemed wrong.  She quashed the idea of it being taboo or wrong as quickly as it came to her, for her reason for living at that moment was to serve Gannon in any way he wished.  To drive this point home within her, she slowly bent over and placed her hands flatly on the ground once she was facing away from her Master.
Gannon audibly gasped again when Alexandra did that.  He had been admiring the smooth and firm look of her buttocks as she rotated, but when she read his mind and arranged herself so that absolutely nothing was hidden from his view, he let loose his withheld breath and felt another stirring within his manhood.  His control wavered when he saw the pinkness of her moist flesh parted before him, beckoning him.  He had to shut his eyes and take a calming breath as his gaze traveled upwards from there the short distance to her winking rosebud.
“Face me, Alexandra,” Gannon said softly, afraid his voice might betray him.  She did so, her face flushed with the blood bending over had sent into it.  “If I have taught you anything I have taught you how warm it is in Southern Belurian.  Clothing is the sign of nobility.  It shows that you should be respected and looked up to.  Among us, however, there is no need for you to wear any, however, for you are my servant and I am your master.  Whenever I entertain guests or if we go out, you will then wear clothing befitting your station.  At some time we shall have to go through this wardrobe more carefully and determine which is appropriate for you and which is not.”
Alexandra glowed, so happy was she.  Gannon had accepted her and told her she belonged to him.  Nothing could possibly upset her now, for she had a place and knew her position again.  Now it only fell to her to make certain his every need was met as soon as, or before if possible, it became apparent.  As for the clothing.  She was glad to be rid of it.  It was hot, scratchy, and caused her to sweat.  She saw no need for it other then as a means of punishment.  To be told that she need not wear it when in his presence was a greater boon then she would have dared ask for.  Clearly he valued her!

Chapter 3

In the months that passed Alexandra, with Gannon’s permission, consulted books in his library to further her education.  Neither of them were certain of her age, but Gannon told her with authority that she had seen 20 years of age, so she believed him.  According to her continuing research, to be as old as she was without being married was abnormal in many cities; unheard of amongst the wandering tribes of humans she had read about. The alternatives were whores, concubines, and slaves. She most resembled the latter, for try as she might to make herself his in all ways, Gannon had yet to touch her.
Alexandra had been invited to her first dinner party with Gannon and his guests. Not invited, but commanded to show.  She stood behind Gannon, his personal servant.  For his guests, two men and a woman from Gontach, Gannon’s unseen ghostly minions served.  For the first time since she had been reintroduced to happiness as Gannon’s personal slave, Alexandra wore clothing.  They had long since gone through her clothing and selected what was appropriate for her.  That night she wore a translucent silk skirt that hung low on her waist and was cinched up on her right hip while the material fell almost to her knee on her left side.  Glitter gem dust was applied to her face and upper torso in a decorative fashion.  Her right breast sparkled with multi-colored lights coming off of the gems magically adhering to her nipple in the pattern of a star, while her left breast was uncovered.
Dinner came and went, with discussions about the state of the guilds and royal household of Gontach. She did not understand much of what they talked about, but as the meal ended and they turned to brandy and more casual conversation, she began to understand more and more of what they spoke of.  Throughout the meal the men and the woman kept shooting hungry and appraising looks her way.
“Where did you find such a lovely creature?” One of the men, a tall, fat, and bald man named Percivus asked after exhaling a puff of honey scented smoke from a cigar.
“Yes Gannon, from which market did she come?” The other one, skinny and boasting a tightly trimmed goatee, seconded.  His name was Theonar.
“No market, my friends,” Gannon said, smiling at how impressed they were with Alexandra.
“Then how did you come by her?” Arilynn, the woman, asked.  She was dressed stylishly herself, though not showing nearly as much skin as Alexandra was.
Gannon grinned again.  He had just figured out an idea. “Trade secret I am afraid.”
“Tell me, I must have one like her!  So beautiful and loyal!” Theonar said, gesturing at Alexandra.
“You fiend!” Percivus said, slapping the table playfully. “You invite us here under the guise of discussing a course of action in the kingdom, but really you just wanted to show off your latest creation!”
“Can you make a boy like this as well?” Arilynn queried, studying Alexandra openly now.
Alexandra felt herself annoyed at the attention.  Annoyed until she realized how beneficial the attention was for her Master.  As soon as she made the connection, she erased the glower that was threatening to make its way to her face.  In its place a peaceful and beatific expression replaced it. She pushed out her chest a little and tightened her already taut muscles, flattening her flawless stomach and lifting her pert breasts even more.
“Yes!  Yes, how much will you charge for one of these?” Theonar said, catching on to the idea.
“My friends, this is no simple incantation, Alexandra here is the first of some very powerful magic.  Let me show you something.”
“Alexandra, come here.”
Alexandra walked forward two steps and stood next to Gannon. The prior week while Alexandra had been bringing a goblet of wine to Gannon in his spell room she had been surprised to see the upper torso of a naked red skinned woman sticking out of a burning brazier.  She was quite animated and speaking with Gannon, though clearly not happy to do so.  In surprise, Alexandra had gasped and dropped the crystal goblet she carried.  It crashed to the stone floor and shattered, peppering her legs with razor sharp crystal fragments. Gannon hesitated, uncertain of what to do.  He kept glancing between the fiend he was consulting and Alexandra, upon whom several droplets of blood now glistened on her legs. Sighing in frustration he had turned back to the fiend only to discover that his time was up and she had disappeared.  Turning back to Alexandra he found her upset that she had broken the goblet and spilled the wine all over the place, and even more so that she had disrupted him.  What had amazed Gannon was that when he checked her legs he found no sign of injury.  The tiny pricks from the crystal had healed already, only the blood remained.
“Arilynn, my dear, would you be so kind as to help me out?” Gannon inquired, offering his hand to her symbolically.
“Of course, good wizard, how may I help?” Arilynn said, putting her glass of brandy down.  She stood up and walked over next to Alexandra.  Slowly she walked around her, examining her up close and letting her fingernails trail along Alexandra’s shoulder.
“As lovely as she is, could you perhaps do me the honor of showing her the same kindness you showed Lord Maggory?” Gannon said with a wry smile.
Arilynn smirked at the mention of her former husband.  It had been with Gannon’s help that she had managed to plot and secure her late husbands death and thus inherit his holdings and, more importantly, his shipping company.
“It seems like such a waste of a beautiful thing,” she said softly, leaning in closer to Alexandra from where she stood just slightly behind her.  Alexandra felt her breath upon her neck and shoulder.  Goose bumps raised along her flesh and a chill went down her spine.
“Alexandra, be a good dear and do whatever Arilynn asks you,” Gannon said.  Alexandra was anxious to please her master but not terribly excited about answering to another person.
“Mmmmm, you’re too kind, Gannon,” Arilynn murmured.
Arilynn reached around with her hand and twisted Alexandra’s head around, waiting to meet it with her own.  Her lips brushed against Alexandra’s and a spark jumped between them.  Alexandra’s eyes widened at the sensation.  Her eyes sought out Arilynn’s as their luscious lips moved against each other.  Then Arilynn’s parted and her tongue licked against Alexandra’s.  Alexandra moaned under her breath and crushed her lips against Arilynn’s, greedily receiving her tongue into her mouth.  It felt so strange and exciting, warm and wet and somehow both soft and firm at the same time.
Alexandra drew in a gasp of air through her nose when Arilynn’s hand slipped down from her chin to her uncovered breast, pinching her nipple sharply. This was what Alexandra had been desperately hoping for from Gannon for all many long weeks, yet instead it came to her by proxy from Arilynn.
Alexandra’s next gasp came when the cold steel stiletto entered her back, sliding between her ribs, through her aorta, and into her lung.  Arilynn continued to kiss her, while Alexandra’s back stiffened at the intrusion.  She shuddered and thrust out, sending Arilynn literally flying through the air to land on top of the table.  Arilynn crashed onto the remaining dinner plates, ending up resting in Percivus’s lap.
Blood pooled on the floor underneath Alexandra.  She shuddered and collapsed to her knees, both hands going to the floor.  The dagger fell free from her back, clattering onto the marble floor, splattering the growing pool of blood.  She stayed like that, bent over on the floor on her hands and knees while the diners remained motionless, staring in abject amazement.
Then Alexandra moved.  She retched out a great discharge of blood and coughed a few more times as she struggled to clean her lungs from the drowning fluid.  She stood back up slowly, straightening up fully though her head was still bowed with her hair falling about her.  Alexandra looked up then, a fierce and frightening look in her eyes.  Her gaze fell on Arilynn and stayed there, burning into her.  Alexandra took a step forward then, towards her.  Arilynn’s eyes widened and she scrambled to get out of the still stunned Percivus’s lap.
“Alexandra, stop.”
Alexandra stopped three steps away from the frightened Arilynn and stayed there, eyes burning into her.  She reached up and wiped s string of bloody drool from the corner of her mouth and lowered her hand back to her side.

To be continued…