It was a real ball gown and her first, deep teal green, sleeveless and almost backless, with a boned silk bodice embroidered with crystals that fitted like glue to her waist and then broke into a silk chiffon skirt littered with more crystals that floated as she walked winking in the light. She pulled her hair up in an elegant French twist. There were diamonds in her ears and around her throat.

She finished dressing before Marc did and took over tying his tie and then settled the tails of his coat. She ran a hand over his shoulders smoothing the coat flat. “Perfect,” she said finally, running an appreciative eye over him. “Just remember, when the women are fighting over you,” she went on, “I’m taking you into supper. And anywhere else you’ll let me.” She kissed him softly, lingering over it.  "I can't thank you enough for today, for everything.  And I've never just said it, but I want to now because I want you to have the words.  I love you."  She kissed him again before he could say anything.

He opened his mouth to say something but she closed it with a kiss.  "Are we ready?"

He eyed her from stem to stern and then patted her butt. "Tell Carmine that part of your anatomy is off limits to him."

"And Kevvie too." she promised, taking his arm.

They were seated apart during dinner.  She had Christophal KerCelon on her left and Dominic d'Brazos, her trustee on her right.  d'Brazos begged some time with her in the morning and then devoted himself to the lady on his right, leaving Dinah to sustain a monologue from KerCelon on the responsibilities now hers as the foundress of the new house.  She confined herself to polite nothings, added the tedium to Malec's account and enjoyed her dinner.

Marc, seated across and down from her had, it would appear, fared better.  He had the wives of two ministers for his dinner partners and looked to be picking their brains clean. Networking, it appeared, was something else he shared with Carmine.

The ladies excused themselves not a moment too soon for Dinah, leaving the gentlemen to cigars and port while they repaired themselves for the ball. Twenty minutes later to the stroke of the clock they were reunited.  She danced the first dance, sedately, with a stiff and uncomfortable Malec, followed by a less stiff and uncomfortable Malachi.  Her duty done for the moment she went looking for Marc.

Marc was speaking with several men, chomping on a cigar and looking for all the world just like one of the local boys, who tended to act alike everywhere. He noticed her looking and sent her a mental probe. She grinned when he sent with it a picture showing how bored he was talking to them.  He might be good at the networking but he didn't find it much to his taste.

She tucked her arm into his and withdrew him smoothly from the group leaving the local boys happily panting after her.  "Before I get down to enjoying myself I thought I'd find out if there was business to accomplish first," she told him, smiling brightly at a couple who wanted them to stop, leaving them satisfied without missing a beat as they moved on.

"You're getting better at this," Marc observed. "I'll retire and let you handle it for the Refuge as well."

"Then I'd never be home in bed when you want me there.  But if that's your wish, I'll be happy to comply," she said, proving his point by adroitly avoiding another group.

"I'll be the gigolo, and wait for you, living off your sudden wealth and power. It sort of appeals to me. I like the idea of a sugar mama.  Will you make me stay in bed alone, dying of a broken heart, while you go off to dance with Carmine and Kevin alone."

"Well, the truth is, I like dancing with Carmie and Kevvie these days, as much as I do, because you like watching me do it as much as you do.  So it'd have to be home in bed, waiting...don't you think...if I'm doing the Refuge stuff?  Cola will comfort you though, I'm sure."

"Hmmm. I suppose. I'm sorry I don't dance. You look so lovely dancing. So, who are we going to talk to?"

"I was thinking it was time we had a heart to heart with Kevvie on the gaps in the last heart to heart I had with him, don't you?"  Dinah said smiling luminously at him, steering him in that direction.

"Ah, before or after you dance with him?"

"Well, he's promised three, so perhaps in between.  I'm told the gentlemen he's chatting with are the heads of the Warders and Sentinel's guilds whom you might like to meet.  But it's really up to you, since it's for you, not him, I'll be dancing."

He laughed, making her smile. "All right. You wring Kevvies neck while dancing and I'll get to know the Warders and Sentinels.  Surely they're more interesting than the rest of Kevin's colleagues."

"Yes, I think they might be, since they go every where and hear everything and most folks think they're invisible."  Then she smiled serenely, delivered the guilds into Marc's hands and led Kevin off to the slaughter.

The dance just beginning was a waltz, slow and romantic.  She let Kevin show off with her for the entire number as she made small talk.  The second was a fox trot and she gave them time to revolve once before opening her campaign.  "I wanted to thank you for all the help you were the other day in your office, Kevin.  The ritual this morning was much simpler because of it."

"I'm glad."

"Just one thing though I wish you'd have mentioned, so I'd have been better prepared."

"Oh," he asked, moving her expertly through a tight turn that swirled her skirts and showcased the line of her back.  "What was that? I thought it all went very smoothly.  Not a hitch as they say."

"I daresay you might of, since I stunned into paralysis by the unexpected gene surgery occurring right there in front of god and his great aunt Trudy."  She felt him jerk and knew he'd thought she'd known.  When he almost stopped moving she told him brightly, "No Kevin, don't stop, it'll disrupt the flow.  Just tell me why you didn't even mention it?"

"Because Malec should have told you, damn it, he was duty bound to tell you everything before he made you a part of the Sere'Ster."

"Well perhaps he guessed it wouldn't take and thought that absolved him from telling?" she suggested.

"Don't know how he would have, not unless he'd studied your genes before hand and he couldn't do that without your consent." Kevin explained.

"He told me nothing.  About anything."

Kevin drew her smoothly to a halt as the dance ended.  "I can, I think, arrange for him to a more forthcoming if you'd like me too."

"Now?  On what subject?" she asked as he led her back to Marc and the guilds.

"It is his duty to explain to you and make sure you know how to use and manage the power the Maelcom left you, that you were invested with today, for one thing.  If he hasn't or won't, he's been grossly negligent."  He added, as they reached the group they'd left, "Dinah, Mach was one of the most power mages we knew of.   That kind of power is incredibly dangerous uncontrolled, to you and everything around you.  I can't believe he didn't explain."

"Who didn't explain what?" Marc asked, coming up behind them and swirling Dinah around into his arms.

"Malec," Kevin said.

"Yes, I nearly killed him for it." And he whirled off with Dinah, doing a fairly passable job of dancing to a rather simple slow tune.

"Azael and Michael are here.  They're outside getting sloshed with Julian."

"Ah, good.  Another item on my agenda.  Kevin however was referring to something else our host hasn't shared.  The details of the power Mac had, as a mage, that are, apparently, mine now.  After this afternoon, I'm thinking that Kevin's offer to make him 'fess up' might be one to accept.  I never felt like that in my life, I mean it wasn't just temper, Marc, it was something else, something that terrified me."

"You're right. It was power. I'd meant to talk to you about it myself. Although I'm not entirely sure I'd trust anything Malec would say. Perhaps you could have Julian with you when you do. Surely he'd know if Malec was lying to you, or otherwise deceiving you.  Shall I turn you back over to Kevvie, who looks rather lost standing there staring after you."

"No, not yet."  She hesitated.  "Are you saying that what I put you through this afternoon, that was power?  That that thing in my head, that creeping feeling of violence, the unbearable tension of it needing to get loose...that's what that was?"

"Can you show it to me?" he asked, "without having it begin to consume you again?"

"I think so." She opened her mind to him, showing him.

She felt him enter her mind. He wrapped the memory with his own unique mental power and studied it. Then he withdrew as carefully as he had entered. "Well, it looks to be Mac's so at least that comment seems true. It has his signature about it. And somehow it is related to the genetics you received from him. As for what it is and how it works, we'll have to approach the mages."

"Would you mind if we asked Julian, now I mean, before we talk to Kevin again?  He may know how to control it, too." That she was afraid of it couldn't have been clearer.

He squeezed her hand reassuringly and then led her off the dance floor and out onto the balcony where Julian, Michael and Azael were drinking shooters. Carmine, looking slightly amused, was leaning against the garden wall watching them.

"And where's MY dance," Julian said the moment he saw them. "I want one each."

"Julian," Marc said.

That one word, or rather the tone and inflection it it sobered the Greek mage immediately. "What. Tell me."

They told him and he agreed to take a look at it.  When Julian entered her mind it was in an entirely different way than Marc. She could barely sense the mage's entry, his was so subtle, and in some way different from how Marc's mind worked. Perhaps, she wondered, it was Marc's coercive ability, even tamped down it was always there.

Whereas Marc had only looked, Dinah felt Julian doing something with the thing in her mind. Then he withdrew and she felt it, but it was as if it were in a locked cabinet or drawer.

Julian grinned. "Yup. It's way too easily triggered, that thing. It doesn't belong in there that way. We'll need to alter it a bit, but it won't be a quick fix. So, I've locked it up, and I don't want you letting it loose unless you want to start or end a war or something, right?"

When she nodded he said, "Let me show you."  And he whispered a word into her mind. "When you want it loose, say that."

Dinah, wide-eyed, nodded. Then Marc asked her mentally if he could see and she agreed. He entered again and looked at what Julian had done.

"Ah, I see," Marc said when he backed out of Dinah's mind. "Quite elegant, master mage."

"Does that mean I get a dance now, master mister?"

"Go ahead," Dinah told Marc, grinning.  I want a word with Azael.  Just make sure you lead, that's all."

"But..." Marc said as Julian towed him away, making Azael and Michael crack up.

"It better be an interesting word. Watching Julian turn Marc into jelly is too funny to miss even for the joy of chitchatting with you." But Azael was grinning. Dinah noted he'd positioned himself so he could watch the dance floor over her shoulder.

"Actually, it's two words I think, but the first is for you alone."  Then she explained about Asher and Celie.  "I haven't asked them yet, since I didn't know if you'd be willing.  And if we do it we'll need to go carefully, getting them to agree, but I think the dragons will help there.  So do you think you could arrange it?"

Azael had forgotten about the dance and was giving Dinah his full attention. "Yes, I can arrange it. And what if they decide to go the whole way and monk out on you? Will that be all right with you?  Young people sometimes find great inner strength and a calling when they devote themselves to something as disciplined as this would require. And you'd be undoing everything if you didn't let them choose their own way after it is over."

She gave him the smile she saved for special occasions, full strength.  "What I want for them is that they be free to choose whatever life they want.  Right now they can't.  Every choice they make now is out of fear and the horror of the past.  So if they choose to be warrior monks or beekeepers or shoe shiners, I couldn't care less as long as they have the freedom, so far as is possible for anyone, to decide on the basis of wanting, not running away or because they're trapped by the past."

"I'll arrange it then, when you tell me they so desire it. I'll see about them learning with Miles and Molly too.  Nothing like a youngling dogging your every step to make you feel wanted and needed."

Dinah gave him an impulsive hug and kissed his cheek.  "Thank you.  You have a lifetime of free rooms at my place whenever you want."

"Even if we take out a wall or two," he asked grinning.

"Even then," she agreed.  "But you deal with Mabel and Jeeves on the repairs.  Now, did Julian speak you, any of you," she added, drawing Michael and Carmine into the conversation, "about our other little problem?  About Mac and the orders and money?" The last was directed to Carmine.

"Si, signorina.  He mentioned something with regard to it, that you might wish some help dealing with the legal intricacies of this society. I would be glad to offer a tutorial, on that or on any other subject," Carmine offered with a half smile on his face.

"Thank you, Carmine.  I've a bunch of documents that Mac gave the dragons to hold for me that I'm hoping you can help me with.  As for the orders, Mac studied with your monks Azael, and Malachi is there now.  It's a long shot, but..."

"But?" Azael asked.

"Mac planned this for a long time, I'm thinking, putting pieces in place over a lot longer than the few months he knew me.  He had to have, from the things Kalie's told me.  She's made it plain he 'saw' this or something related to it unfolding.  So I want to know about his life, everything I can find out.  He spent years with your guys, studying and the Father General of the order is my trustee.  I meet with him in the morning."  She had a sudden thought.  "You want to join us?"

Azael  bowed. "I will be there. But I may not be able to share as much as you'd like me to. If I don't, please remember that Mac was my friend and colleague. I will not go against his wishes in this."

Dinah frowned.  "His wishes?  He shared them with you?  God, he must have loved you a lot."  Then she flushed.  "I'm sorry Azael.  I'm frustrated is all and shouldn't take it out on you."

Azael put a hand on her shoulder. "Dinah, it all began long before he actually met and got to know you. When he did, things changed. Plans changed. But he did not have the time he thought he would. Please remember that."

"Si, cara. Do not doubt that he loved you. Or that he meant to share with you his plans," Carmine added.

"I know.  It's just..." She let it trail off.  "Any information is helpful and I'm grateful.  I'll try not to push your loyalties or make the commitments you made to him hard to keep."  Then, hearing the music end, she changed the subject.  "Carmine, what are your thoughts on Fred Astaire and this Grace Kelly dress of mine?"

"I believe, signorina, that both you and it should be shown off as only a dance floor can do. Will you allow me the honor of dancing with the foundress of House Siol'Ster?"

She grinned.  "I was hoping you'd ask.  I have a plan..." She slipped her arm through his as she spoke, drawing him off from the others.  "I wanna give Marc a show, if you'll help...a real Fred Astaire, Grace Kelly number, just for him.  You up for that?"

"You have no idea how much I envy that man," Carmine replied with a grin. "It will be my great honor to do so."

"You have a woman, and a damn fine one, I'm told." she pointed out cheerfully.

"Si, all true. Alas, we seldom have time to see one another. Russia is a large country to run."  He walked her out to the dance floor on his arm.

Marc was doing shooters with Julian, apparently to recover from their dance. Nimue was giggling with them.  Marc looked around and saw her on Carmine's arm and sent her a reminder about her butt.

Dinah laughed and whispered in Carmine's ear explaining the rest of her plan, and about her butt.

He grinned and agreed with alacrity.

"I promise to do all my olive oil business with you in the future, wherever I may need olive oil." she told him, taking a position on his arm putting them in an opened, slightly vee'ed position.

Carmine's smile faded and his attention was focused on her and the music. At the first note he swung her into his arms.

Dinah opened her mind to Marc, drawing him in, adapting his perspective and his perceptions so that it was he who was dancing with her as she floated into Carmine's arms, perfectly attuned to him leading her, and the music.  It was a slow, sensual piece at first, that had them gliding across the floor, finding room to move as the crowd fell back.

Carmine arched her back, leaning over her and then they were twirling slowly, before he drew her up and spun her out, keeping her next to him, letting her almost free and then slowly drawing her back to him .  Then as the music picked up a beat and added an undertone of rhythmic counterpoint Dinah began her seduction of Marc, all sensual promise and temptation.

Carmine felt the connection through his own abilities, and played to it, deepening the sensuality of his moves, and the way his hands glided over her willing body.

Marc was mesmerized and appreciative. Although he complained bitterly about being in public and having to watch his reactions.

Dinah sent him a promise of a different sort as she danced, lithe and erotically fluid across the floor.  Carmine lifted her high, spinning her, then slid her down against his chest, setting her feet back on the floor, while keeping her close.  He swept her across the floor in flying revolutions as the music picked up the tempo again.  Then she was free and luring him back to her, wanton promise in the line of her back and the tilt of her head, in her outstretched hands and beckoning fingers, dancing around him as he watched.

Carmine encouraged her and focused attention on her, restricting his own movements only to those that enhanced hers. He let her lead him on, responding to her sensual and sexual leads. giving Marc full measure of Dinah's sexual power.

The music moved to its crescendo, resolving itself as Dinah drew Carmine closer. They were together then, sexual and heated, giving and taking through a series of flying, revolving steps, that slowed and merged into waltzing turns as the music moved from resolved promise to sensual completion, ending with a final lifting arch of surrender.

No one moved or said anything for several beats as the two dancers stood frozen. Then, with a flourish and a smile, Carmine presented her and the place began clapping. Fianna looked miserable, what with being pregnant and unable to dance. Kessa's eyes shown. Kalket, far too self-conscious given his height to dance, was smiling and shouting 'slonshal!'

Marc sent her privately his appreciation and a promise to follow up the first chance he got.  She send him a very personal reply.

Dinah grinned and thanked Carmine for the the dance, the help and being mindful of the butt restriction as he led her over to Marc and surrendered her to him.    Carmine slapped her butt just before he walked away.

Absolutely unoffended, Dinah dissolved into laughter, shaking her head.  When she got her breath back she said to Marc, "One more chore before I'm free to devote myself exclusively to catering to you.  Kevin's sending me unmistakable signs he wants my attention and he's got Malec with him.  Do you wanna do this or put it off 'til tomorrow?"

"Oh by all means finish the job. I'll just ...suffer."

"Anticipation is a heady thing, my dear, just keep that in mind." she advised.  "Julian, I think you should join us too, if you wouldn't mind, just to keep things honest."

"Oh delighted," he said, eyeing Marc. "Can you walk, old fellow?"

Marc remembered his dignity and ignored Julian quite regally.  They approached Malec and Kevin C'Tal.

Malec watched both Dinah and Marc warily. He didn't appreciate the power of the mage who came with them. To Malec Julian was too much a clown.

Dinah, nodding to Kevin and Malec considered their surroundings and bowed to the dictates of courtesy.  "Perhaps," she suggested, it would be best if discussed things in less public surroundings?"

Malec, after a moments hesitation agreed and led them to his study.  He unbent as they settled in and offered them brandy, then took a seat himself.

C'Tal took a drink and set his snifter aside.  "As I promised, Dinah, I spoke with Malec and he, uhm, has something he'd like to say, I think."

"I am not a man of words, Lady. I have no ability to try to turn your head with flattery or convince you with a beautifully told tale of how all the right is with House Sere. I hoped, and prayed, that you might notice how your Mach was regarded here, and that we were doing as he wished. I feared you would not agree to do as he wished, so I.... " he shrugged. "I hoped that C'Tal might have ... I was wrong."

Dinah regarded him calmly, suddenly acutely aware of a number of things, not the least of which was how much she'd changed in the last week.  "If that's an apology, I accept it.  If it's a bid for my trust, well, it isn't as easy as that."

"I have no illusions on that regard. I sacrificed any hope for a relationship with you willingly.  I do regret that."

"Well, certainly any hope of a deeply personal and meaningful one for now anyway...though redemption is possible for everyone, or so I'm told.  On the other hand, I am reasonably certain that Mac's machinations, no pun intended, didn't begin with, nor were they confined to me.  That does tend to mitigate a few things."

"And now where would you go from here? I should tell you that I do not know all of Mach's plans. Never did."  Malec said it matter-of-factly.

"I doubt anyone did." she said dryly.  "As for where to now, I think full disclosure of what you do know is your best tack.  Tomorrow I meet with d'Brazos and the next day, as you know, I'm returning home.  What happens after that will be largely decided by what happens here and now."  She eyed him for a moment, obviously considering something.  "In fairness, and perhaps to prime the pump, I should share with you a few things first, however.  One is that I've already had an extended conversation with Calum'McCoun on a number of points.  The other is that Kevin C'Tal and I have known each other since I was a child."

"I am aware of your conversation with Calum. The C'Tal's involvement however I did not know. Thank you for that. I do hope," Malec said looking over at Kevin, "you'll be able to explain your preferential treatment regarding House Siol'Ster. We've enough turmoil within the ranks of the Ministers already."

C'Tal studied his fingers for a moment.  "I am somewhat at a loss as to the treatment you refer to.  Until this morning there was no such House."

Malec snorted and poured himself more brandy offering everyone else a refill. Julian was the only one who took him up on the offer. "So, Lady. What may I do for you, now?"  Malec asked.

"Full disclosure.  It's now or never.  Everything you know about Mac, his plans, whatever and everything you know about the powers I was endowed with."

"It will have to be, to my great regret, never. I am not at liberty to share all of my brother's secrets with anyone. I will however, tell you all I know of  your powers. Which, I should point out, is less than everything."

Dinah felt her jaw drop and shut it with a snap.  "Then do the universe a favor and educate yourself."  She made no attempt to disguise her irritation.   "Just stop playing games.  Just, for god sakes, tell me what you can, or I swear to you I'm out of here and you can go to perdition your own way."

"You know," Julian drawled, from where he was slumped in a comfortable chair, "maybe if you get all of them in one room, Dinah, you could find it all out. Hold the buggers hostage until they finally spill."

Marc, who'd been silent throughout, looked over at Julian and regarded him thoughtfully.   "He's right Dinah."

"You really up for that?" Dinah asked them both mentally.

"You got a week?" Marc replied, a trace of humor in his tone. "Let's just let Malec here give us his piece and we can collect the rest later."

Dinah, who'd been visited by a sudden blinding insight, just nodded.  "Fine." she said and looked back over at Malec, waiting.

"Sere'Ster was founded on secrets. It's survived on secrets. It did well until we forgot one basic way to protect those secrets. We stopped trusting one another.  When we were boys, Mach, myself, Malachi, we swore we'd find a way to heal our family. Our larger family. Mach thought he found a way.  He travelled the universe seeking knowledge that would enable us to implement that plan. I stayed here, attempting to hold Sere together. Malachi sought knowledge in his own way.  Mach met you and believed you, and your Awakened genetics, would be the key to changing the status quo. He was, as I see, correct."

"By larger family I deduce you mean the split between your branch of the family and that of Kenget'Ster?" Dinah asked.

"Indeed. I misunderstood what he'd meant to do. I thought he sought a marriage between the houses, when what he clearly meant was a third house to arise.  He gave you abilities neither I nor House Kenget has. I believed the only way to truly enable his plans was to give you all that we had as well.  How they interact with your own unique abilities," he shrugged. "New territory. Wonderful, and terrifying."

"I see.  And that's all you can tell me?"

"I know he left some papers. I do not have them."

She smiled.  "Well, given the current situation, what is it you want from me?"

"I ask only that you do not blame House Sere for my own errors and mistakes. It is a good house."

"Believe me, Malec, you are in no danger there," she assured him.

"Then I thank you, Lady. If you like, after you meet with the trustees and finish the other official requirements, I would be honored to talk to you in private about Mach."

"It would be my pleasure," she promised, standing up and extending her hand.

Malec took it, and bowed to her formally.

With a look shared, Dinah and Marc exited with Julian trailing languidly behind them

Once they were well away Julian offered, "For what it's worth, I think he's telling the truth. What I sensed in your mind, Dinah, isn't something he's familiar with. He doesn't have the right sort of aura."

"Thanks Julian.  I'm appreciate it and I'm sorry for making you waste good partying time on that mainly useless exercise."

"Hardly useless," Julian replied. "Besides, that's the only way I got the good brandy.  You better get this man to bed, though. He's liable to burst otherwise.  Ta," Julian called as he slouched off toward the partiers on the patio.

Dinah grinned.  "He read my mind.  My only plan from now until I meet with d'Brazos is to cater to your every whim and desire.  Where shall I start?"

"Make your nice good nights, and I'll be waiting for you in bed," Marc suggested. "Being as you're the one with the responsibilities here, I can slack off and skate."

"Just give me ten minutes." she said and whisked herself off.

It took her not much longer than that to make her rounds and zap herself to their room, appearing at the foot of the bed naked and glowing.  "Your wish," she assured him, "is my command.  What are you wishing?"

"You in my arms, naked and ready."

She flew into them, already naked and ready.

He kissed her eyes and he kissed her lips and he kissed her again.