Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDuchess)

[DareToDream]

The demon stood on the street corner, watching the people walk up and down the street, lost in their thoughts. None knew he was there, cloaked as he was in magic, and if they had, they would not have known what he was. Alexan was a demon of the 3rd rank, one of the most powerful demons in Zendac, and as such, possessed the power to cloak himself. He was here for a very specific purpose – to conduct a kidnapping of a human woman – and he had found the one he wanted. She was a stunning creature, whose beauty surpassed any found on Zendac, and she would be his. Her auburn hair sparkled in the sunlight and her shapely figure sang its sensuality to the winds. Her eyes drew him in until he felt like he was falling into a bottomless well, never coming to rest. And her smile, oh her smile could melt glaciers, were there any on Zendac.

He’d been watching her for many days, shadowing her every movement and the time had come to claim her. He moved down the street, still cloaked, following close behind her. As she neared the mouth of the alley, he suddenly uncloaked (a move that was necessary in order to interact with the beings of this planet) and grabbed her, pulling her into the dark passage. As he did, he cast magic behind him, turning the eyes of the other passerbys away from what just happened. He clamped his humanoid hand over the woman’s mouth and dragged her down the alley, finally pushing her against a dirty brick wall. He stared into her eyes and smiled. Unlike the stories of demons found in her world, the demons of Zendac weren’t hideous and awful. Yes, they were different, but they were humanoids who looked essentially the same as the beings of this world, just more exotic. Small scales served as their skin and their heads lacked hair but their ears were similarly shaped, with a small point on top, and their eyes were also similar. And of course they contained all the anatomically correct parts, which was the entire reason he was here in the first place – to find a mate to take back to Zendac. “Do not be afraid little vixen” he said in her language, another perk of his magic. “I have come to take you to my home.” He held her then and uttered some arcane language that only he understood. When he completed the wording, a haze settled over the two of them and with a flash, they were gone.

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Susan went through day to day like any other day in her life, she was a student at the Academy of art her messenger bag always on her shoulder with her sketchbook and other materials, it was winter time and a new semester back at the school so she was bundled up in her grey pea coat and scarf as-well as knee high boots and thick pants , her hair was always down and curled back to lightly frame her face but today she had a black beret on to keep her head warm or just as a fashion accessory, she attended her classes and went home to work on her studies usually in front of her canvas with a paint brush and classical music, she was on her way home from class when he had grabbed her, she went wide eyed looking at the bald man with the pointed ears she struggled a good bit and was almost free before they disappeared.
(more pictures of her in this gallery)
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[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

The demon and his woman emerged out of the haze into complete chaos. Demons and other creatures were scurrying here and there, sidestepping them as they appeared out of thin air. Alexan wrapped his arms around the woman, protecting her, and cursed. “Damn it! I forgot what time it would be. Hold on, we’re leaping again”. More arcane words spilled from his mouth and soon they fazed out again, this time reappearing in a large room. He sighed this time and let the woman go, stepping back from her. A quick visual inspection assured him she was unharmed from their activities. “Welcome to Zendac” he said with a smile. “I am Alexan and you will be my consort now.”

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Gasped when they appeared in a chaotic town, her eyes swiveled about as he pulled her close keeping his arms around her in a protective manner, she closed her eyes when he said they were leaving again, when she felt his arm fall away from her she opened her eyes and looked around before looking at him seeing him look her over before speaking..... wait a moment Consort?..... she pondered that word for a moment before her eyes went wide and she got an angry look on her face before crossing her arms " I do not know you and i will not be your wife or mate or anything of yours, i demand you take me home now!" she hardly raised her voice because she was usually soft spoken, but her words produced that umpf that proved that she meant business while standing in her spot.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan smiled, enjoying the fire in her words and her stance. “Ah, my sweet, but that is not possible for once a mortal has entered the land of Zendac, they can not be allowed to leave. I am sorry but that is our law.” He glanced around the room, then back at her, letting his eyes roam over her body before coming back to her face. “Welcome to my home by the way” he said. “I am Alexan. A demon of the 3rd rank. You are safe here. Out there, not so much, at least right now.” He turned and walked into his kitchen, opening the refrigerator. “Please, make yourself at home. My house is your house now. I think you’ll find things here to be very similar to what you are used to back home. Zendac demons and humans are no so different as you might think.”

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Flared up and watched him, while he disappeared into the kitchen she moved away quietly and headed for the door , she looked back to make sure he wasn't following her, she wasn't going to stay here another minute , she opened the door and stepped out and moved across the lawn looking back at the house before stopping and looking around, she went wide eyed looking at everything around her turning her head this way and that before she made her way down the pathway trying to figure out a way to get out of here.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

He heard the door open and close and knew she had left the house. He figured that would happen. In all his time watching her, he’d seen that she was head strong and had to experience things for herself before she could believe what she was told. He expected this to be no different. If she wanted to learn the hard way, he wouldn't stop her. The magic tracer he'd placed on her when he brought her here would let him know if she got into any harm. And that was a distinct possibility for Zendac was not a peaceful world. The main planet inhabitants were demons, each level more powerful than the next. There were 20 levels of demons altogether and Alexan was a level 3 demon, third highest in power. The two levels above her were scary even to him – they could harm you with a simple thought and took great pleasure in causing exquisite pain. They tended to stick together and had colonized specific areas of the planet early on and tended not to mix with other demons but when they did, the results were always bloody and chaotic. Demon levels 8 to 3 were close in power and mingled together the most, then levels 9 to 15 and 15 to 20 stuck together. If she found trouble outside, it would most likely come from any of the demon ranks below him. Plus, there were other creatures that roamed the land and air. Great winged beasts that gobbled up unsuspecting inhabitants at will – all demons were scared of them even though they hunted infrequently. There were other bipedal and quadpedal creatures also – furry ones and bald ones, scaly ones and crispy ones. All manners of strength and personality fit those creatures and they were usually nuisances at the very least, enemies at the worst. Then add in the hazards of the land itself, volcanic eruptions, lava flows, areas of quicksand, plants that ate demons and other creatures, poisonous snakes, and others, and he had no doubt she’d be in danger. But she had to learn how to live on Zendac and a first person taste might be just the thing to get her to work with him. To keep an eye on her though, he pulled out a scrying bowl, filled it with water, and uttered in the incantation that would allow him to follow her every movement through the mirrored surface. Done, he sat back to watch.

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Wondered through the unknown place with a scared look on her face, she bit her lips and continued on the path tightening her gloved hands up before removing them and placed them in the pocket of her jacket and removed her hat and placed it in her bag letting her hair fly freely now, she looked around frowning before seeing a shadow fly overhead, she looked up and moved quickly placing herself lightly against a tree and peeked out from her hiding place to see one of the flying predators, she gaped at how big the thing was, she stayed there for a moment longer before continuing to walk, she moved out of the way of a few lower level demons and frowned slightly before they turned around to look at her which made her a bit more scared and kept walking, she felt them following her and that made her completely uneasy, she walked faster and then broke out into a run, she felt herself jerk backward by the strap of her bag and felt the demons snicker and talk in that language that Alexan had spoken in, she snatched her bag away and clutched it tight to her feeling one at the back of her neck sniffing her hair and the others trying to sneak a peak under her long coat, she moved away running into the one behind her before she was shoved to the other, this went on for a few moments before she fell to the ground, she closed her eyes and held her bag close before trying to get up feeling arms around her now she was hoisted up to her feet and a hand started to go up her jacket, she froze and turned her head sharply to see one bent down behind her, she screamed and hit him with her bag before she was pushed up against the tree her bag snatched away from her and thrown to the ground her sketches and other materials flew out and laid there helplessly, she gasped and grabbed the arm of the one that held her and tried to tug it away before feeling the other two come up and start to undo her jacket reveling the thick mid-thigh high dress she wore that was long sleeved, she had on black leggings that were now ripped at the knees and boots that weren't to high but high enough on her legs to complement her easily, she started to cry silently still trying to break free of the men in-front of her.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan saw the moment his woman encountered trouble, caught in the clutches of three level 5 demons. Up to that point, he’d been impressed by how she had handled herself after leaving his home. Noticing the flying predator before it noticed her was very smart and hiding even smarter. She had a head on her shoulders, that was clear and he smiled; he liked his women intelligent. And she recognized the danger presented by the small gang of demons and tried to evade them, though that ultimately failed. He didn’t fault her for that though. Demons rarely traveled in packs so to stumble across three sticking together was rare. When she clobbered one of them with her bag, he almost cheered, caught up in the bravado she displayed. He shook his head though as she was quickly overpowered and shoved against the tree. His breath caught in his throat when they undid her jacket and he got his first look at her outfit, a sexy little mid thigh dress with tight leggings that left everything up to the imagination. And he had a good imagination. Oh yes, a very good one.

Lost in that thought for a moment, he missed when she began to cry but when he noticed it, rage boiled through him. A lesson was one thing but now the demons had crossed the line. With a though, Alexan disappeared from his house and reappeared in front of her, facing the three demons. They screeched in surprise and jumped back from him, then seemed to regain their bravado. Gathering together, they faced him. “Step away Demon” one of them sneered. “The mortal woman is ours. We will rape her again and again before we claim her as our own.” Alexan simply stared at them, then shook his head. “Nay, I think not” he said, sounding utterly confident when he really wasn’t. Level 5’s weren’t that much weaker than 3’s and though he could take one easily and two with a little difficult, three might be too much. “The woman is mine, brought here from Earth. I let her have a taste of Zendac on her own and now I will reclaim her.” He moved to shield her body with his own. “You will leave us now” he said. He knew he could simply teleport them back out of there but a demonstration was necessary to send the message that his woman was off limits and, truth be told, he also wanted to impress her with his prowess. With a screech, the three level 5’s charged him and he laughed, surprised that they didn’t use magic. With a sweep of his hand, he sent one flying through the air, caught by a blast of wind so strong it sent him flying hundred’s of yards. A second he reached out and grabbed by the head and with a mighty wrench snapped its neck, then dropped it on the ground. The third demon sputtered to a stop and stared at him, his jaw gaping wide. “Leave now” Alexan said “and you shall leave to see another day. Your choice.” The demon didn’t hesitate, turning and fleeing immediately. Alexan shook his head, amazed at how easy that had been. Now he knew why they had traveled in a pack; they were too stupid to survive on their own. He turned to the woman and gently reached out and stroked the tears from her cheeks. “I am sorry you had to witness that” he said. “Let us gather your things and get you home so we can talk.” He quickly gathered up her belongings and placed them back in her bag, then held onto her and sent them home.

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

She thought she was going to be left to the mercy of the three demons before he appeared in front of her, she breathed softly and watched them and bit her lips, she wasn't impressed by the power that the demon showed, she was only grateful that he did get her out of that situation, she watched the remaining demon run away and turned her glossed over eyes to him watching him walk to her and wipe her tears away, she didn't speak she just stood there with her jacket open thankful that the other demons hadn't torn her dress away and also that she had worn this one since it didn't show her figure that well, she followed him with her eyes as he picked up her belongings and came back to her teleporting them back to the same room they had started in she pulled away from him and reached for her bag and held it close to her before sitting down in a chair and turning her eyes away from him and pulling her coat closed to hide herself from him pulling her knees together and keeping her ankles apart as she sat there pushing her hair our of her face.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan watched how his woman sat down and pulled her coat around her, forcing her knees together and her ankles apart, being sure to look away from him. He took it all in and smiled knowingly. She was still worried for her safety though she need not be. He would not hurt her, now or ever. While other Demons might operate like that, it was not his way. He wanted a mate and a friend not a forced concubine who would hate his guts for eternity. He left her there, going into the kitchen and filling a glass of water for her, then returned and knelt down in front of her. Holding out the water to her, smiled and spoke. “You have nothing to fear from, me fair maiden. I promise you that. Please, take this water and drink.” He set it on the edge of her chair, allowing her to decide if she wanted it or not, then rocked back on his heels. “My name is Alexan, my sweet, and I have chosen you of all Earth women I saw, to be my mate and friend. I know I took you against your will but it was necessary. You see, Zendac does not have many women left. A disease swept through our female population, killing all but a lucky few and those few have been claimed by higher demons. In order to have a mate, we must take them from your world. Now that you are here, it is my hope that you will come to love me. Until that day, please trust me to keep you safe.”

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Watched him from the corner of her eyes and listened to him while she hugged her bag and continued to look away from him waiting for him to stop talking, she was a silent type by nature and wasn't one to speak first but she felt that maybe it was a good time to start, " you are right" he probably heard her voice a thousand times over when he was shadowing her with out her knowing, but it still held a certain pitch that he probably hadn't heard from her yet, it was a chimey voice, not a high pitch one but one that made a chill run up your spine when you heard it, she looked at him with that green eyes and watched him for a moment before starting again, " i do not know you, and i do not care to get to know somebody who just took me from everything i know and love, you say i can't leave? what about my family, my dreams and my hopes, i am never going to live those because of you" she said in a calm but scary way, before she stood quickly making him fall back a bit and she walked away from him looking for somewhere to get to where she could be alone, her eyes started to gloss again threatening to spill tears as she thought about everything she lost, she found a room that hadn't looked like it had been slept in and closed the door behind her locking it thinking that would keep him away from her, she sat on the bed carefully and rubbed her face gently closing her eyes and breathing softly trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall from her almond shaped eyes.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan fell back as the woman rose and spoke to him sharply. It was clear that emotion raged inside her, sadness for her loss and anger at him for causing it. Her beautiful green eyes blazed and their fire overwhelmed him, outside and in. His heart began to crumble at the knowledge of what he had done. He wanted nothing more in this world than to have a mate and a friend but he let his desire blind him to the right and wrong of things. Demonkind took what they thought was owed to them but Alexan had fought against that for years. It was the reason he was alone, would always be alone, and his actions with her shamed him. His eyes had befallen her beauty, her radiance, and in that moment he had thrown away everything that he stood for and had cherished for eons. He dropped his head in shame, unable to comprehend the travesty that he had brought to her.

After a few minutes, he raised his head, his decision made. He would right this wrong, fix what he had done, or try to at least. He owed this maiden that much at the very least. He stood and silently padded down the hallway, stopping before the door she had claimed as her own. He considered entering the room but decided not to; she deserved what privacy and peace she could find. Instead, he pitched his voice to be heard through the door. “You are right, my sweet. I have wronged you. I am not the man that you believe I am though I understand why you think that. My own actions shame me. I have longed for a mate and a friend for eons now and when I saw you, I knew I had found what I yearned for. Your beauty and your talent spoke to me in a way that a person has never spoken to me and I acted rashly. Tomorrow, we will go before the high court and I will ask permission to return you to your realm. I do not know if I will be successful, but it is the least I can do for you. Tonight, rest and be safe in my abode.” He turned and walked quietly away, thinking about what he would have to do tomorrow.

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

She breathed softly and looked at the door quietly listening to him, she heard his sadness and felt a twinge of regret for him, she placed her books down and shredded her jacket laying it on the bed before walking to the door and opening it gently to see him walk away, she moved out a bit and looked at him before speaking up in a kinder voice " Thank you.... for earlier i mean" she said to him while she stood there in the doorway looking at him pushing her hair back which was now windswept from being outside earlier, she bit her lips softly and shifted a bit in her stance. "And.... my name is Susan"

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan stopped when he heard her voice, his body frozen where he stood. He’d heard it before of course but her voice never ceased to amaze him. He slowly turned around and look at her, seeing that she felt more relaxed now and had shed her coat. He tipped his head to her. “You are welcome” he said, eyes cast downward in shame. “I should not have let it happen in the first place. If it were not for me, you would not be here and would not have been in danger.” He shuffled his feet, somewhat nervous now that he was actually talking to her. He had followed her for weeks on Earth but always from a distance. Here, now, face to face, it unnerved him. When she said her name, his head snapped upward and their eyes locked. He smiled slowly, tentatively. “It is a pleasure to formally meet you, Susan” he said, bowing low. “I am Alexan…though I mentioned that earlier.” He mentally smacked himself on the head for adding those last words. He was never good around females, always saying the wrong thing. He tried to smile again. “Would you..” he hesitated, then tried again. “Would you like to join me for some dinner?” he asked, hoping for a yes but expecting a no.

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Watched him and almost smiled at how he acted when he looked at her, she swallowed slowly and now that he mentioned food her stomach growled louder than she would of liked it to, she placed her hand over her stomach and looked down at it before blushing gently, she wasn't sure if she should, but she was rather hungry, she had in fact been on her way to get lunch when he snagged her, and with all that had happened she was famished , she moved into the doorway a bit and reached for the door closing it gently and nodded quietly " i am...a bit hungry" she said and stood there far enough away from him before she started to walk towards him, she came closer to him and looked up at him waiting for him to continue on his way towards the kitchen .

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan’s lips quirked when her heard her stomach growl but he kept his face expressionless. He did not want to embarrass her further. When she agreed to dinner, his heart soared….until he smacked it back down hard. She would not be staying with him or even on Zendac so he could not get attached. No, no, no. Saying the words didn’t make them true though and he sighed to himself as he turned and headed for the kitchen. “I think you’ll find that food on Zendac is very similar to that on Earth” he said as he began to pull food items from the refrigerator. He looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. “Please take a seat and be wowed by my complete lack of cooking skills” he said, chuckling. He then concentrated on the food, whipping up a quick meal of …well, the Earth equivalent of pasta noodles and chicken with a salad on the side. He put the food on the table and turned back to the refrigerator, bringing out a pitcher of water and two glasses. He hesitated then, not sure what to do, and finally took a seat at the table across from her.

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Watched him and actually let a laugh slip from her as she watched him before walking over, cooking was the one thing she was good at other than her art, she loomed over him and found something in the cabinet and smelled it, she smiled slightly and looked at him " here try this on the chicken, it smells like Rosemary to me" she said and nodded to him before walking away from him and sitting at the table waiting patiently and took the time to look around where she sat, the home was simple but it was also obvious that it was nicer than her own apartment, she sighed softly and crossed her hands in her lap and crossed her ankles gently staying quiet.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan’s eyes had widened when she approached him and handed him something, telling him to use it on the chicken. He had sniffed the contents and then shrugged. He had no idea what it was. Cooking was definitely not his strength. He then quickly spread some of the mystery sauce on the meat and had finished their meal. Sitting across from her now, he was tongue tied, unsure of what to say.

He finally noticed her glance around the home and he smiled. “Do you like my home?” he asked. He had wanted to say “our” home but stopped himself at the last second. It was not her home. Her home was on Earth. He felt saddened again, shamed by his actions, but shook it off. He would rectify that tomorrow. “I don’t know much about decorating but I try” he said, shrugging.

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Watched him and tilted her head, he wasn't that good at hiding his emotions she could see right through it that he was a bit saddened, she was gently reached over the table in a respective manner and took one of the glasses gently and one of the plates " your home is lovely, defiantly better than my own home " she said quietly and nodded to him before placing her hands back in her lap and watching him, she realized that he was a bit lost as to what to do or to talk about so she broke the ice a little bit with somthing a bit random " I like the color Teal" she said softly and watched him, she decided that maybe she should start trying to be friends with him just incase that she wasn't able to go home, yes she had lost everything that she had worked for and had, but when you look at it in a different way, its not to bad to think that she would at least be in friendly hands in the very least.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan beamed at her compliment of his home. “Thank you” he said, dipping his head slightly in respect. He had never seen her home so he couldn’t compare the two. In all the time he followed her, he never breeched the privacy of her home. That was for her and her alone to enjoy. “Teal?” he asked, cocking his head and studying her. “You would look radiant in a lovely teal dress” he said. “It would draw out the green of your eyes.” As soon as he said it, he blushed. One might not think a demon could blush but Alexan could at least and he could feel the color flowing through his face now, turning his minute scales all sorts of embarrassing colors. How undemonly of him, he thought. Giving advice on clothing! But….he meant it. She had a lovely figure and brilliant green eyes. A teal dress would accent her curves and draw out the color of her eyes to a deeper shade. To hide his embarrassment, he glanced around the walls of his living room, realizing they were very barren. He looked back at her, a smile on his lips. “I have seen your artwork. The ones you have in your bag at least. They are beautiful. I think, perhaps, my walls would be less plain if some of your artwork graced them.”

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

It was her turn to Blush now at the mention of a teal dress, she had a champaign one back home, but she had never worn it before but it was for when she had her first art exhibit..... one of her dreams. she thought about it but shook it from her mind, she watched him for a moment before asking " can you go back to earth at anytime?" she asked and figured that if he really liked her art then maybe she could do a few pieces for him to hang on his walls and make his home a bit more lively. " Thank you tho, they aren't that good just sketches that i do when i'm alone or waiting on something" she said and nodded to him before serving herself now that the smell of the food hit her nose a bit more, she took a small portion, she didn't eat much and she didn't want to seem like a pig.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan smiled. “Yes, I can go back and forth at will. Not every demon can but…I seem to be good at it.” One of the few things he was good at, he thought, dropping his head for a second. Attracting a woman clearly wasn’t one of them. “If the High Council denies my request to return you, I can bring you anything from your apartment that you desire.” At her next words he shook his head vehemently. “Nay! They are very good. Yes, they are rough, but your work shows a passion that I have not seen in many artists. I think you will be famous one day, wherever you are.” He watched her serve herself, then took some of the food for himself. He took a bite and savored the taste. “Your choice of sauce was brilliant I think” he said with a nod of his head. “Please, eat. We will need our strength for the visit with the Council tomorrow.”

 

[TheDuchess]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Smiled and looked at him nodding slightly " we call it an Herb" she said and took a bite of the chicken with a little bit of the noodles and chewed slowly before looking to him again " where is this Council?" she asked and held her fork in the air slightly while watching him twirling her fork in her noddles idly as she awaits a reply, she figured that if things didn't work out here then maybe he could come to visit her, eventully when ever he was ether feeling alone or just wanted to stop by, she that would come later.

 

[DareToDream]

Re: Kidnapped to Zendac (DareToDream and TheDutchess)

Alexan chewed for a few seconds then put his fork down. “This Herb…it is a wonderful invention” he said, having no idea what an Herb was on Earth. He had the fleeting thought that he could learn so much from her cooking wise but dashed it immediately. Chewing some more, he finally paused. “The council is in the heart of the city. Five demons sit on it. Two level 3 demons – my equivalent – one level 4 demon, and one level 5 demon. It is by their decree that no human brought to Zendac can ever be returned. They fear knowledge of our realm getting out. If we have any hope of sending you home without my death involved, we must petition the council and ask for the right to return you.” He was not looking forward to tomorrow. Not because he didn’t want to return her, though he really didn’t, but because he had an enemy on the council. An enemy of equal strength who would no doubt do what he could to kill his request. None of this he told Susan though as he didn’t want to worry her.