Leo finally had discovered the story of his daughter's adventures but had been stopped expressing his displeasure to Piper in the face of Glock's gracious acceptance of his thank you.  Only Leo missed the twinkle in Glock's yellow eyes as he said it. Piper did not. She was well aware that Glock had stopped Leo haranguing her.

Piper and Leo had then bickered about whether she would go to a meeting of San Francisco Club owners association. "There will be women there" Leo pointed out.

"And I'll be one of them" Piper smirked.

"I don't like it" insisted Leo.

"Deal with it" Piper said heading into Cole and Phoebe's room to use their shower. "And fix the bathroom" she added.

In Piper's absence Leo had had a very harassed afternoon. He tried taking the kids to the park and Melinda screamed so badly for chocolate he had to bring her home. Then even with an offer of some help from Glock to provide extra muscle, he had not been able to completely fix the bathroom. And Melinda had continued to make his afternoon hell running away to find chocolate and Wyatt had added to the pain by screaming for attention and Pasty in trying to help fix the bathroom had broken his finger trying to screw something in magically.

Piper arrived home just in time to find Mark healing Patsy's finger as Leo thanked him profusely.

"Professional courtesy" Mark grinned to a clearly distressed Leo.

"I don't want to get you in trouble with the Elders" Leo told Mark gratefully "But if Piper finds out, I'll never be able to reason with her about the kids again."

"Piper knows." Piper said standing in the hallway her arms crossed and as she glared at both Mark and Leo. Glock who had snuck into the garden to smoke had slipped closer enough to observe the battle.

Mark not intimidated smiled gently and said "Piper I need to talk to you."

"What about?" she asked not giving ground. "You shouldn't be going out where other women are," Mark said softly "Elder's are getting concerned and I think they have a point."

"Ha" said Piper shifting her weight to a more assertive stance.

"Listen to Mark" said Leo.

"What exactly are you saying?" Piper demanded.

"I'm saying "Leo said crossing his arms and matching her mood 'that going to a meeting with women was plain stupid?"

"Why?" demanded Piper her tone dangerous.

"Because there were women there "Leo said, his voice straining to be reasonable "and you're contagious. You got caught in that spite dance yesterday and ever since you've been acting crazy."

"Phoebe and Paige are out there now and were out there yesterday." She said bluntly "Talk to them."

"I will to talk to them" Mark said, his voice very quiet. "But you're the sensible one. I thought you may help them see reason."

"I'm over it "said Piper "I had a small attack yesterday and it's gone."

"That's unlikely Piper "said Mark softly as he sat on the edge of the dining room table, knowing full well that Piper not telling him to get off was an indication of where her head was. "Unless something has happened to make you have a massive dose of reality."

Piper spun on him "There is nothing wrong with me" she insisted '"Look at Glock. Ask him.'

"Ask him what?" said Mark mildly.

"Whether he's been attacked, or harassed or in anyway violated when he was in the house alone with me." Piper snarled.

"No "said Glock moving closer before either Mark or Leo could say anything "I was not molested in any way whilst alone" and his trunk like nose twitched "I was as unviolated a s a guest could be."

Leo pursed his lips as he saw the soft wide eyed smile Piper flashed in Glock's direction.

"See" said Piper "I am not a magic typhoid Mary so stop acting like I am. And you can tell the Elder's that." she added

"If you read history, Typhoid Mary was not affected herself," Mark pointed out. "She merely infected everyone else."

"I hate history" said Piper recrossing her arms "and prove it."

"I know you hate history" Mark nodded refusing to be pushed "But history says spite midsummer magic is highly contagious and it looks like it's repeating itself."

"I think its just males confusing normal female sexuality with their fantasies" Piper insisted tapping her foot. "It frightens the hell out of you; that women have a sexual identity that does not depend on you," she added.

Leo and Mark exchanged glances.

"The Elders are right" Mark said softly "Another whitelighter, a female spoke to Noni last night and then visited a charge in Hobart Australia straight afterward"

"So" said Piper.

"There have been reports of orgies in the main city park" said Mark "She visited another charge in Amsterdam and the same thing. Orgy in a canal boat, and it's barely even 24 hours.'"

"Its Amsterdam and summer" said Piper scornfully "how can you tell it isn't normal?"

"It's the middle of winter in Hobart and it’s the most southern part of Australia" Mark said quietly.

"See Piper" Leo insisted his irritation with her showing. "Mark's right. The three of you have been out there all day and look at the damage.'

"Oh for god's sake "snarled Piper. "A few women act like they enjoy sex in San Francisco and every male throws up his hands and starts screaming, evil plot, we can't keep the hussies under control." She glared at them. "Go on Leo tell me, you took the kids to the park. Were you attacked by over sexed mothers? Did Old Mrs James up the road rush out and try and haul you into her house and have her wicked way when you came up the street?" She smiled knowing she had won.

Leo and Mark exchanged exasperated glances but before Piper could gloat, the front door slammed and Cole his tie lose and crooked, his hair on end, threw his brief case as hard as he could on the floor.

"Bloody crazy women" he roared. "They're insane."

"Why if I may ask?'' said Glock when it became apparent after several seconds no-one else was going to ask.

"I went into Downtown Toys on the way home" Cole said, his voice only slightly short of hysteria.

"I told you, the kids want to see you not get toys" Leo said sanctimoniously.

Cole just glared at him. "You know the dumpy little shop assistant who always gives Melinda candy" he said.

"The little Chinese one who always says she wants ten kids of her own?"  Piper asked.

"She's Vietnamese" Cole informed them.

"Are you sure?" Piper asked "Leo swore she was speaking Mandarin last time we were there."

"She told me she was Vietnamese" Cole said his voice getting angrier as Piper smiled. "As she was trying to rip my pants off, with the intention of me being the father of the first of her ten kids."

Leo and Mark and Piper just stared, Mark trying not to smile.

"Is this normal female behaviour here?" Glock asked. "I just wondered after last night" he said as Piper flushed.

"No" snapped Cole "the damned female. She locked the door" he said "if I hadn't been magic I' wouldn't have gotten away. I lost my best belt," he added

"See" said Leo turning to Piper.

"It proves nothing. He probably led her on, flirted a bit to get extra service" said Piper scornfully "and she probably batted her eyes at him and he imagined the rest. Men do that.  There is no female fantasy plague going on," she insisted.

"Yeah" said Cole "Sure." He pulled his jacket apart. No belt. "And if nothing is happening why did that big butch looking woman at the gas station down the corner of the main road ask me to marry her when I filled up the car?"

'"She asked a man to marry her?" said Mark quietly, incredulous.

"I told her I was already married" Cole said still pissed.

"Good" said Leo

"And she said she had contacts who could fix that." Cole told them wringing his hands.'

'"She was probably joking" Piper said.

"Yeah "said Cole. "Joking like the two female cops who pulled me over for speeding when I wasn't and offered to let me off the two hundred bucks if I hopped into the back seat with them."

"When?" said Leo seriously concerned.

"When, just then" Cole screamed at him. "It going to cost me a two hundred dollar speeding ticket and they followed me home."

"Where are they?" Mark asked

"Sitting out the front?" said Cole still furious.

Leo went into the parlour and glanced out the window. "Still there "he said "How come Cole's getting attacked and I'm not?" he asked.

Piper drew a deep breath and avoided looking at the paunch Leo was developing from all her cooking "Downtown women are more aggressive" she said "And anyway I don't believe it. Cole's fantasising. Just like a man."

Mark smiled gently "It's unlikely Piper" he said.

"He's just being a man. Probably got nasty on the cops and they wanted to give him a scare." Piper insisted

Cole started to open his mouth when Marly the witch baby sitter who was in the Manorn to do her regular ironing shift came through carrying a pile of ironing.

Marly, an incredibly shy low level witch in her late forties, had always been terrified of any man even Leo,  but after the magic eclipse something had clearly happened to her and that something was to do with Cole. Now she could never look at him without going completely crimson and licking her lips before she ran away from any room he was in.

This time, however when she saw him, she did not run. She stared at him and stoped cold. She went bright crimson and licked her lips but instead of running away she sighed loudly and murmured "So beautiful."

'"What is beautiful Marly?" Mark asked.

Marly had known Mark in his mortal life and he had been one of the few men who left her unintimidated enough to actually talk. She had finally got over the shock of seeing him at the manor as a whitelighter and whispered confidentially to him "Hair" she said. "Hair is beautiful."

"Hair" asked Mark surprised as unconsciously ran his hand through his receding sandy hair.

"'Down there" she sighed flicking a finger toward Cole's crutch.

Cole flushed red to the roots of his hair, as red as Marly's intense passionate face while Piper giggled and Glock bemused and amused watched the shy little witch.

Marly with a little whimper stepped toward Cole, and he, unconsciously, backed away and crashed into the doorway, stepping on a plastic truck that Pasty had left in the doorway. It smashed with a scrunch and Cole jumped and swore making Piper giggle more.

The doorbell rang while Marly singing 'All I have to do is dream' to herself, a dreamy expression on her face and her eyes bright lost in a fantasy world, meandered up the stairs with the ironing.

"I guess we have a problem," Piper finally conceded as the door bell rang.

"I'll get it" Cole said backing into the hallway away from the stairs as fast as he could.

Piper glanced at her watch "Cole" she started to say.

But he was already at the door.

'"He's going to regret that" Piper told Glock who quizzically put his head on the side.

Cole was regretting it before he opened the door. He recognised from the shadows, Leslie and Fern, the two witch daughters of a witch called Jade who had been lost in the fight with the warlock king Willem some months ago.

Jade's three witch daughters, and indeed her two sons had become a regular fixture at the manor since there mother's death. Paige had made an impulsive and rash promise to be there for Jade's daughters if anything happened to their mother never dreaming she would really be called upon.

When Jade was lost Paige kept her promise and was very glad she could because she was sorely needed. Jade's husband was not dealing well with his wife's loss and trying to keep his pressured job and raise 5 children on his own.

In a teary boozy session he had told Leo how he had always known it was a matter of time before Jade was lost, and yet he was totally unprepared to deal with it and in his depression he was having hard time being there for his children.

Crying in his beer, he had said he never realised how much Jade who did not have a job, had done to keep the family afloat, to get the kids to activities, keep the house and still fight evil. Miserably he had cried to Leo how he had sometimes resented that Jade did not have to go to work and had it easy at home. If only he had known.

Piper when Leo relayed this to her had been inclined to snort that men never realised that was exactly what it was raising a family; hard work and no eight hour days.

So the 5 children as well as dealing with the loss of their mother, were dealing with a distraught and depressed father and the changes in their lives and the insecurity of it.

Paige acted as big sister, being very careful on Phoebe's advice, not to play mother. She took over all the taxi runs, basketball matches for the two older girls, practice after school, and games on weekends, as well as gymnastics for the younger girl Charlie and also went on the car pool so both boys could hold their heads up, for football and baseball.

Paige was becoming quite the sporting big sister and quite often went to cheer the boys at baseball even when their father could take them or she was not the rostered driver for the car pool.

Phoebe gave her a great deal of advice about stage parents and winning through children which Paige mostly ignored when she yelled encouragement to the boys.

Apart from taking on taxi duties and allowing the children to feel they weren't poor orphans but were normal group who but held their share of the rosters, Paige was also finding she had to struggle with some real life or death issues with the three witch daughters. All three girls had some of their family's power to burn evil, with their eyes or in Leslie's case call on psychic connection to burst flame with her hand. The youngest daughter Charlie was showing signs of being the most powerful. Jade's coven was one often called on to aggressively fight warlocks.

In the last few years as Tempus had nearly lost control of the underworld, and the lower level demons ran amuck both Jade's mother an her sister and two nieces, all who had the power to destroy with fire had been lost. They were sorely missed in battle and the coven was looking to Jade's daughter to take their relatives' place.

Leslie simply did not want to fight and Paige was being very supportive, to help her find her own path. Charlie, on the other hand, could hardly wait to go to battle, she practised destroying everything she could with a spin from her eyes and read everything she could on lore and it took considerable effort from Paige and often all three Charmed Ones to dissuade her from actively seeking evil. She was handful and clever and had an over-developed sense of her destiny and her power.

Fern at 15 was fairly matter of fact about her destiny, but confessed to Paige she was frightened of facing warlocks and when she thought what had had happened to her family and was unsure she had the courage to fight and live as her mother had.

When she was not worrying about whether she wanted to be a witch, Fern was also a boy mad, anything in pants chaser and flirted of with every male she met, in an innocent and sweet way. She drooled over pop stars, TV stars, baseball players, snuck out to get autographs and was always falling on love with any boy in school who was more than a foot taller than her 5 feet.

However the crush of her crushes was Cole. From the time Phoebe had stopped her calling him Mr Turner, firmly saying his name was Cole, Fern was in love. She flushed, drooled and sighed over him, which made him just as uncomfortable as did Marly's besottedness.

Phoebe told Cole firmly that he had a responsibility to look after Fern, to help her and not embarrass her or make her feel foolish. It was perfectly natural, Phoebe told him for girls, to get crushes on men who were old enough to be their fathers especially in circumstances where things were so emotional after her mother's death and her own father was having trouble coping.

"I'm not just old enough to be her father" Cole moaned ''I'm old enough to be her great, great, great grandfather.'"

"She doesn't know that" Phoebe told him and warned him that the way he dealt with her crush, would affect her whole future relationships with men. Phoebe told Cole he must gently support Fern without letting her down, and without letting her do anything that would make her feel so foolish she would never recover from it, Cole held Fern's comfort with her own sexuality in his hands. Phoebe informed him.

"Thanks" he muttered "that helps."

"You don't believe me" Phoebe said "Look at Marly. I bet when she was a teenager some bastard hurt her, destroyed her self esteem so much, she has never been able to feel safe and trysting with a man. FOR THE REST OF HER LIFE. Do you want to do that to Fern?" she demanded.

"No" said Cole and manfully uncomfortable made an effort trying to keep it together in the face of Ferm's crush, no matter how she drooled, preened, flirted or tested her self with him."

As Fern and Leslie came into the Manor, Cole holding the door open and stepping back as far as he could so Fern could not touch him, muttered under his breath "OMG."

"Where's Paige?" asked Piper.

"She had to go to pick up some magazines" Leslie explained.

"OMG" said Mark softly.

"How was the game?"  Piper asked "Paige took the girl's to their basketball match." Piper explained to the assembled males.

"Girl's basketball?" asked Leo.

Piper nodded.

"OMG" said Leo.

"Game was okay "said Leslie "Just realised how cool the coach for the Pearls is." she said, her eyes glazing over. "He's dreamy, sort of soft yet tough and he has the most beautiful hands. I just LOVE him to death." She sighed, a besotted dreamy expression on her face. "I want to be a Pearl" she told them.

"Pearl's never win" said Fern.

"Who cares" said Leslie dreamily.

"OMG" said Leo.

Cole leaving the door still open in his anxiety to get away, backed toward the living room as Fern drifting from the conversation stared at him, then like her sister, her eyes glazed over. She suddenly launched herself at Cole and he found himself being half strangled as she caught her arms around his neck and clutched her legs around his bum.

He tried to pull her arms free as Fern with her face in his muttered how much she loved him.

Mark and Leo and Piper and Glock watched the scene with various expressions of amusement, sympathy and irritation.

Finally in his best Source voice Cole roared at her "Get down. Right. This. Instant.

There was no mistaking his tone, even to a besotted teenager. Fern let go of him and slide to the floor, shrinking away in an embarrassed awkward ball, her face crumpling in tears "I hate you" she declared at Cole in between sobs. "Do you understand how much I hate you?"

Cole took a deep breath but before he could say anything, Phoebe, from the front door roared at him "You thoughtless miserable bastard."

"Phoebe" said Cole

She swept past him and caught Fern by the arm dragging her into the kitchen and Piper caught Leslie and followed.

Mark said quietly "I suppose I better go drag Paige away from whoever she is infecting." His face, grey eyes thoughtful, showed exactly how much he wanted to do this. "So what if she hates me. So what if she never speaks to me again. It's my duty." he said.

"Partner hates you for trying to help. Join the club" Leo said bitterly and glanced slightly at Glock who was watching the exchanges with a certain amusement. "I better go rescue the kids." he said.

Glock and Cole were left watching each other.

"How was your day?" Cole asked awkwardly.

"Less amusing than yours" Glock said his yellow eyes bright. "You were mistaken. The females here are far, far more …..aggressive than those in Burvjara."

"This damn spite thing has sort of…. removed all control ".Cole explained.

"The war has done that for generations in Burvjara" Glock said dryly.

Cole was silent for a second recognising the truth of what Glock was saying. Finally he asked carefully "Piper behaved herself?"

"Piper was ... sweet" Glock answered just as carefully "And no she caused me no embarrassment or discomfort. The opposite." He said.  Then he took a deep breath "Sweeter than your mate" he added, his yellow eyes meeting Cole's gaze.

"Piper isn't sweet "Cole said with a certain suspicion in his voice "You're not seeing Phoebe at her best "he added apologetically.

"Good" said Glock, then determinedly asked. "About Burvjara?"

"Something changing" Cole said "Something on the spirit winds. For better or worse I do not know. "

"Because of my absence?" Glock asked

"I think "Cole answered keeping his eyes on Glock's face. We need to let whatever is happening happen."

"We?" asked Glock.

"We" said Cole firmly. He took a deep breath "I don't wait well" he said "patience is not something that comes easily to me."

"We have much in common" Glock said dryly his skin darkening to a deep orange slightly.

Cole was uncomfortably silent, as Glock watched him wordlessly. Then both jumped as Phoebe came to the hall door and roared "Cole."

"What?" Cole asked turning to her.

"Get in here and spend some time with your kids" she ordered "and be really nice to Fern."

Phoebe spun on her heel and went back to the kitchen.

Glock's nose twitched.

"You're not seeing her at her best "Cole explained.

"I'm glad" said Glock.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

In the great hall of the Geztalt the grey robed Faceless Ones sat in a not so relaxed circle around the Honoured One who remained ill at ease on the throne.

There was no large audience in the hall. The Geztalt were alone accept for guards, the odd servant cleaning and a few notaries and scribes in the far reaches of the hall, occupied in recording the deeds of the Geztalt in a manner which conveyed their importance and which would one day, the Geztalt believed, replace many of the entries of the Book of Deeds, the official record of the history of demondom, when the Geztalt finally controlled the source.

Several other minions were also occupied taking requests by demons for acceptance and audiences. Occasionally one of the Faceless Ones would glance at these as demons of all clans, hierarchies and genus overwhelmed by the authority of the hall and the glimpse of the Honoured One reverently and humbly asked for audience. The Faceless One would put its head on the side or flick a hand in a gesture of scorn.

Noticing the gesture, one of the scribes, a small monk like demon, hunched over the records and unnoticed scanned them to his own advantage. He wondered how much awe these demon minions would feel for the Geztalt be if they knew the impotency of the creature on the throne and or that the robes of  the Faceless Ones hide petty and cowardly creatures of small stature.

The Faceless Ones talked among themselves confident in the security and safety of their throne room. They believed the awe in which they were held by other beings of evil and the belief they had created in their minions of their supremacy, as well as their vindictiveness about betrayal, were security enough in their vast hall. They spoke with a confidence that there was no creature present with the power to disturb them.

Normally their confidence would have been justified, accept this time they were unaware one of the meek little scribe busying itself among the dark robed servants, happened to be a demon guardian possessed of powers about which that the Geztalt could only dream.

Safe in its misplaced confidence that no creature more powerful than the Geztalt were in the Hall, one of the Faceless Ones leaned forward and said with irritation "We need to control the magic pole  because once we control it we control how magic operates. And we need to control it soon."

"Because if we don't" said Another. "Good will control it."

"Or the Brotherhood may find a way" said Another.

"We should have already had the pole in our control" said Another peevishly while the Honoured One wriggled with boredom on his throne.

"What went wrong?" One demanded "We had the most powerful parties in our control and the soul of that damned fool leader, we were assured he had sold it."

"If we had that soul and he is dead, why isn't he rotting on the mores of hell awaiting our pleasure" snarled Another.

"Because he clearly betrayed us and reneged on our deal" said another wringing its hands in impotency that the lowly, uncivilised leader of warring tribal clan in Burvjara could have escaped the power of the Geztalt

"What was his name?" asked Another

"Glock" snarled One

"Satan spawn" muttered One "How did we come to ally with such a betrayer?"

"He was noted for his contempt of Good" said Another "and his discontent with their philosophy and their actions was well known. He fought those allied with Good on many occasions.'

"It was also noted" said Another "that he had the courage to act on his belief. But we only just discovered this."

"Why did we not know this, he was courageous?" demanded a Faceless One.

"Those who failed to inform us have been punished" said Another snorting. It shrugged "This Glock showed a reluctance to engage, "it explained "This Glock showed a resistance to war and a reluctance to kill or allow his followers kill that was easily interpreted as a lack…. of courage."

"And it was not?" asked Another.

"No. It was morality." snorted One. "A pure belief in justification and integrity." It spat the words out, while all the Faceless Ones shuddered.

"And he expected to win a war that way?" asked One in disbelief. "Why bother fighting if burdened by such stupidity?'

None of the Geztalt had an answer and the Honoured One on the throne examined his nails with interest.

"What does it matter he sold his soul to Good and they have it." snarled One.

"It has not encouraged the Burvjarians to fall into the hands of Good" smirked one "So that the scum's betrayal did no… good.""

The Faceless Ones shrugged.

"They seem undecided about fighting at all. It seems all the combatants are …. merged in …. grief for that shit Glock."

All the Faceless Ones snorted in disgust

"What did this Glock have they should mourn him?"  asked One.

'"Guts" said Another scornfully "and perfidy."

"So no one has won, neither Good nor Evil?" asked One "Was it the Ogres interfering?" it asked.

"Ogres don't exist" smirked a Faceless One." If a power greater than all evil existed, we would know it. We would see it. It would rule us.'"

"Maybe it doesn't want to rule" said the Honoured One "It just wants to be more powerful."

The Faceless Ones ignored him as the scribbling scribe in the hall stopped writing for a second and looked up.

"The Burvjarians seem convinced the ogres came according to those demons who survived the massacre and it was certainly a great power" said Faceless One.

One of the Faceless Ones stopped and turned and called to the small scribe busily writing his lists  " Scribe tell me " he called  to the small scribe he noticed looking up" Tell me of the Ogres."

'The ogres are the great secret" said the small scribe carefully.

"Are you trying to tell me they exist?" demanded the Faceless One

The small scribe shrank smaller falling back on skills learned from generations of telling unpalatable news. "The myth of these greater powers has always been one of the ways of the great powers to control the minions " he said. " The existence or not of these is a secret known to the Great Powers and only they can tell us whether the myth or legend exists or not.  Such knowledge is often the demonstration of the power and greatness."

The Faceless Ones were awkwardly silent and then turned from the scribe

"Then this thing that interfered is a minion of Good and a powerful one?" said a Faceless One finally.

"It sent Good away" said One

"A minion of the Brotherhood?" suggested Another.

"They aren't that powerful" sniffed Another

"We need to ensure we are more powerful, than either Good or the Brotherhood" said another. "And finish these battles quickly so we can rule."

"Damn it" said One "Why don't we just wipe out the cursed Burvjarians and control the thing ourselves?"

"When we rule, we will find a way to eliminate needing Burvjarians to access the magic' said Another.

"We need to" said Another "They are a cursed impossible race to manage?"

"You can conclude the inactivity in Burvjara will be sending Good into open confrontation" said One. "It makes sense to do it. After all they are sure to interpret the inactivity as consolidation with Evil rather than rejection of their assistance. It is their nature to assume those who are not with them are against them."

"Like us "said the Honoured one but was ignored.

"Have we the allies to fight full scale war with Good?" asked a Faceless One "as well as the Brotherhood.

"When we control the poll, we will control all magic" said One.

"Even if we can defeat Good in open battle the losses will be enormous." said one. "Will the minions be wiling to fight that much?"

"There are always more minions" shrugged ones "Flatter a few leaders, have  a dinner, let "and it indicated the Honoured One sitting bored on the throne "call them friend, add some blackmail to the mix and we have all the minions we need to fight."

"Dinner, the word friend and blackmail, "smirked Another, "has never in the history of the eons, failed to provide allies to die for the Geztalt."

All the Faceless Ones laughed.

"And we know Good is never willing to sacrifice all its minions," said One

"Just enough of them for Good to get its own way" said Another.

"It will be bloody" said One'

"Good" laughed Another.

The small scribe sucked his breath as he listened and silently cursed Belthezor for his intervention.

"So if we will defeat Good and control the pole very soon, do we need to bother about the economic institutions in the other realms?" asked One "If we have the pole, is there any point in fighting there too and wasting all these resources on the Charmed Ones?"

"It matters about the control of major institutions in the central realms" said One "because the Brotherhood will gain control if we don't and you know Tempus obsession with economic and financial influence. If we control the pole but cannot control the places where Tempus seeks to promote evil then we risk the Brotherhood gaining so much influence that they are the ones who profit by out efforts in Burvjara not us."  

"We are mindful of this" said a Faceless One irritated, "And we take precautions."

"The only precaution we need to take is get rid of the accursed Charmed Ones" snarled Another.

The small scribe busy with his books and stoped scribbling and this time not bothering to hide his interest.

"It nearly worked the other night, letting the Charmed Ones fight the Brotherhood" shrugged one.

"We should have got rid of both. Charmed Ones pushed the Brotherhood out of the institution, Brotherhood killed the Charmed Ones" muttered One viciously. "That was a good plan."

"Are we certain of the power of the Brotherhood when they cannot even defeat witches weakened to the point of impotence?" asked One

"Would have" said One "if that Cursed witch who plays on her Belthezor legend connections, had been as badly affected by the spites dance as they claimed."

"She should have been impotent," said Another. "Helpless, useless, killed by those damned Brotherhood bastards."

"The Brotherhood are more concerned about their own skins, than killing witches" said Another scornfully.

"That is what happens when you are stupid enough to confront the enemy yourself" said Another. "You become afraid to fight and destroy. You worry you will be killed and it makes you lose. If you don't care how many die in battle, then you continue to fight, regardless of the cost. If the Brotherhood had used Minions who could fight those accursed witches, one of our problems would have been solved."

'"The witches stopped them controlling that taxation system" said One.

"Like they did us" snarled Another 'But not at the cost of their own destruction."

"We've fixed that" said Another. "We will render that bitch, Belthezor's witch  is that what they call her, totally impotent by her own fantasies and destroy her and her accursed sisters."

"I hate the way that bitch plays on legends to strike fear into minions" said Another. "Because if you think of it she is such a damned weak witch, and yet she survives and causes us pain."

"Maybe there is something in the legend?" said the Honoured One showing interest.

"And we will use the legend and her well known fancies to destroy her" said One.

"Tempus does not want vendettas on the Charmed Ones" said Another carefully. "And we are not yet strong enough to openly confront the anointed Source.

"We will destroy her legend and with luck she may accidentally fall but either way the Charmed Ones will be of no more concern and the pole will give us the power to control the institutions so the Brotherhood loses power," said One

"The bitch will die with her legend" smirked Another.

The Faceless Ones all laughed in satisfaction while The Honoured One on the throne, shifted uncomfortably and wriggled a foot as if trying to restore circulation.

In the Great Hall, hidden by the anonymous minions of the Faceless Ones, the small scribe listening suddenly snapped his quill in two and stood up. Barely bothering to bow to all the greater demons of the hierarchy, he fled the hall.

....................................................................