Chapter 3: Prison

Escorting the lady down from the carriage was Sara, her lady in waiting. She wore and understated gown free from excessive embellishments. Valentine as a duchess heir had to wear an extravagant dress. Lace overlays, several layers on her bodice with expansive embroidery. Soft flat emerald made her dignified scarlet curls stand out. Iris was the only maid proper. a few knights had followed. Fanned out around the local area knights quickly disappeared into brush and foliage.

Officially they were still on the Lockheed estate. Its vast size meant that the main manor was a considerable distance away and still within the immense estate walls. The crystal blue lake that they were visiting today sparked with natural elegance. After Iris set up the small round table and chairs by the lake shore, and Sara filled the snack trays with delectable the two ladies sat in utter silence. Tortures minuets passed as Iris looked between the two from where she stood behind the pair in confusion.

"Go help Miles, Lady Sara." No time was wasted as the lady in waiting almost sprinted after the handsome knight that she was infatuated with. More silences. With Sara out of sight Iris felt the heir to be lonely at this point and wordlessly sat down in the vacated chair.

Don't you know your not suppose to sit down without my permission?! Valentine thought, beside herself internally. Iris bore no understanding of noble conventions, in her world strength was everything. The noble, was distantly related to succession and a duke family at that, held the greatest power from her status. From Iris's perspective It was the reverse; the weak women should have been begging be in the presents of such divine beauty.

However, since they were alone and Iris casualty slid her one of her favorite books, nothing was said.

Warm autumn sun filtered down and the two sat with no concerns. Iris idly watched the lake, sipping tea and eating cookies, while Valentine slowly turned the pages of her book. The sun had moved from morning to afternoon before Iris stood and stretched and disrobed.

It took a minute for the noble to look up, only to see the black skirt of her maid outfit flutter over the chair. Mute shock was all she accomplished; Girls did not strip outside…ever. Clad in soft white under shirt and bottoms her new maid strode towards the lake. Thoughts ran rampant as the noble tried to think of something to say. Why did you take your cloths of? What if the knights see you? Why is she so thin and pretty? What are you going to do in the lake?

Finding footholds on water would have been child's play but her cultivation was crippled. Calling her weapons, her essence fires or even her materialization was impossible. Nothing was broken instead completely depleted; however, she still had the body of the cultivator of in the ascendant realm. Indifferent, to the frigid lake waters as it lapped at her feet, Iris slowly walked out along the lose stone lakebed.

Still surprised, duchess apparent said nothing as the girl dove into the lake. Worry plagued her when her maid didn't resurface. She stood to get a better view of the lake, in hopes of spotting her wayward servant. She was just about to call the knights to her when the surface of the water broke.

Waving after spotting the duchess looking at her, Iris paddled to the shore. Standing up she wordlessly pressed a smooth stone into Valentine's hands.

Many things needed to be stated from Valentine, but instead she stared at the soaking wet women in front of her.

Water had made the white cloth transparent. Detailed lines of lithe defined muscles glistened, her long black hair stuck to her back. Where Valentine was more voluptuous and curvier, the clinging clothes reveled her modest slim figure. Vain efforts failed, preventing from looking away from her slim but perky bosoms. Iris was undaunted by her state of dress moved past the duchess. Sitting down after setting her clothes aside she examined the stone at the table.

"This stone is 57 million years old, yet its energy is remarkably low." Speaking aloud as the stone turned in her hands. "Its qi is of an unseen purity though. If most of your world's qi has collected like this, I should be able to refill my cultivation bases, without trouble." Setting the stone down she rung her shirt out. Valentine slowly returned to the table.

"Is this one also 57 million years old?" She asked the wet sage.

"Younger but it had a pretty pattern. All the local qi has collected into this one item, I didn't need it. I thought you might like it."

"Thank you" after a long pause, Valentine softly spoke.

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Duke Lockheed was not a stranger to bedroom matters having had two kids himself. Listen to his daughter wax about how sexy the wet Iris was, made him understandably uncomfortable. His current wife fanned herself a bit harder and blushed. Looking about his office, he had a large gimble locked globe. Rows of book formed the left wall, and decretive molding and paneling on the far wall. Odds and ends, antiques collected over time filled shelves nooks and crannies.

"People in general don't dive into lakes in fall, to be honest I can't believe she wasn't even shivering when she came out."

"Was she always so immodest?" Charlotte asked.

"There was another time not long after that just before you arrived, but for the most part she would just sit with me, unbothered by the cold or heat when I would read outside." Responding to her stepmother, she looked thoughtful as she considered.

"Never modest, as if she was the gods gift to this world. Lady Iris was an ascendant." Her father scoffed at her remark. What did he know? How could a mere mortal like her father understand the path that she had walked? That Iris had walked.

Without the distinct advantages valentine had gained, forming a foundation took most of adolescent. An orb formation could take a decade to several. Iris reached her deity realm at the age of 378. Reaching nascent realm before 40 was an earthshattering accomplishment. Only those with unique physiques, specialty cultivations roots, and heavens luck could even attempt the feat. The understanding just didn't exist in her birth realm.

"She must be something special. I never knew. What else did she do?" Charlotte asked her stepdaughter. The Duchess Heir begun to recount the encounter that took place just before she the Elis family arrived.

!@# !@# !@#

While Lady Lockheed was recounting a story about their first duel cultivation and the start of her journey in cultivation, Iris started telling Lady Mary about her time in the quill sect. While it was intended to fill her in on how one could become strong, it was mostly just Iris spilling her life story out.

"The Quill Sect was my home for several years. It was part of the northern bay region of the Tangazin lands, above the Kun Lee mountains, resting on the Tangerang Bay. Since there was such a wide variety of local terrains with the central plains to the west. Grasslands to the north, woods to the south, it was a collection of martial sects and traditions." Iris explained attempting to impart the local geography into her future in law. Mary had been forced to gain a duchess education, excellent at looking like she understood even when she did not.

"This granny knows you understand that…Well it was varied, a lot of small sects under what was called the Beast clan Alliance. I didn't learn any formal martial arts, so I wandered around the region. There were regular marital bouts one could participate in so on that day…"

!@# !@# !@#

"Welcome Welcome, Welcome, All bets welcome here!"

"Fresh Meats on a stick!"

"Ham Hocks and Insider Info!"

"Assassination-no I mean...Hunting Request! Right, Hunting Commissions…Not Hits."

"Silks and fine chachkies!"

Vendors of all natures called and hocked their wares, loosely surrounding the raised hexagon brick platform. While the quarterly Beast Clan marital arts tournament was all about the local sects, it had become a festival. Streamers and banners flited about; Individuals wore Bright festive robes with belts sashes and scarves in the colors of the sects they supported.

"Fighters of the clan's report to the staging area!" Various Criers called out indicating it was time for sect representors to gather. A cordon with various clan standards and benches was set aside, next to a raised platform for the organizers and important guess. Shortly after the Beast Alliance representative, a cultivator at the Peak of the foundation realm Aura rank, gave a deadening speech. Shortly after the first bout and begun, while Iris was waiting her turn in the cordon.

"Water Fish Sect, mid foundation stage Ran Lee Vs Hunters pride sect mid foundation stage Kim Jong!"

Ran Lee had chest and arms so large, they could anchor a boat with his torso. Kim Jong was much faster, leaner, drawing a steel machete. He lurched forward, attempting to dodge inward of the trident his opponent carried. Slamming his gigantic trunk forwarding using the shaft of his trident to block the machete, Ran Lee body checked the hunter.

"I think his chest is bigger than mine." One of the other female contenders forlornly spoke from behind combatant Xin. It was hard to disagree, when pecs alone flung the lean Kim Jong from the hexagon platform. After announcing him the winner, the next match was far more exciting. Beast Slaw and Swift Sword sects faced off.

Lady swift sword expertly wielded a short sword and dagger to great effect, preventing the youth from the beast claw from landing a scratch. They danced back and forth both fighting with great energy. A low dive that swift sword step back from bristling her points to prevent the next attack. Slipping sideways Lady swung hard with the short sword aiming low at the crouched figured side. Leaping back like a dog, he gathered his strength for a moment before launching himself forward.

"Wolf Claw Fangs!"

Like a leaping wolf, a wisp of qi ran across his hands. The lady didn't have the agility or strength to block or dodge so she went all in. Bounding into her opened she grimaced as his hands raked across her shoulders. Quickly she punched upwards landing two blows on the flying wolf midsection. Landing poorly, he struggled to his feet. The match was called, winner Swift sword, knowing that she would have eviscerated rather than taping lightly had this not been a sparring match.

Iris was up next; she had managed to reach the mid rank of the foundation realm.

"Quill sect, mid rank foundation, Iris Xin! South Bay Sword Sect, mid rank foundation, Tang Mao!"

South Bay was a pretentious group who "stood against the might of the ocean". It was no surprised that Tang Mao looked down at her, despite the small reputation she had managed to build.

"Get quilled Mao!" She shouted brandishing her own sword with a quip she had spent weeks thinking up.

"Court death!" Tang replied with a lack of originality.

Tang Mao slammed his sword at Iris, using his reach and strength to his advantage. Iris was no stranger to fighting and had battled south bay disciples before. Their ridged adherence to form allowed her to parry flexibly. Breaking the clash the faced each other, Tang Mao switch to a faster overhead stance. Iris slowly closed looking to riposte the lunge from the taller man. She was half successful. Xin deflected his blade, but her counter lunge went wide. Since they were close Iris stepped in getting her blade between the two of them, aiming to leverage her smaller size by striking at awkward angles. Mao took several swings and a few scratches before he got his feet under him enough to force her back.

"Such a disgraceful woman." Tang Mao smirked, she couldn't overpower him, and she wasn't enough to match his glorious skills.

"At least I can get a date." She shot back, they were pretentious not dead and his expression darkened.

"You can't win this." Both were panting hoping to regain a bit of wind in the pause. It was unlikely that Iris could outlast him, and their rigid nature meant few mistakes, even when he was flagging.

"You underestimate this disgraceful lady." Taunting him back, goading him into taking the first swing. There wasn't much, she couldn't hope for him to make a fatal mistake before she did. Paring her options out, she ready for his assault. A fatal mistake might not happen, but a brief opening might just let her turn this around.

"Well, if you lose than I suppose ill just have to date you than" Rejoining the battle, Iris glared angrily as he slashed at her.

"Never!" She griped between blows." Even If you were the martial alliance leader!"

"Not even he would- "He lost focus for a small instant and she managed to poise herself just enough to take advantage of it.

"Eat this!" She cried out as she used her ace in the hole.