Perilous Love

by J A Essen

  I flip her diminutive body over and force her knees under her. Grabbing her ass, I spread her cheeks and lick at her juncture; her sweetness is dripping down her thigh. Sucking at her lips, she tries to arch up, and I press my hand into the middle of her back, forcing her back down into the river bank. I take her into my mouth once more, then grabbing my begging length, I slide myself in between her tight folds and begin fucking her like a wild animal.

  Grabbing her around her midsection, I pull her body into mine, running my hands up her chest and grabbing her breasts roughly, pinching and tugging on her nipples. Edana’s hands are gripping my ass as she grinds on my cock, her body beginning to shimmer.

  I release her and let her fall back to all fours. She’s clawing at the ground as I pull on her hair, my thrusts racking her entire body, and I can suddenly feel her clamp down on me.

  “Oh YES!” she screams, and her entire body begins to glow.

  HOLY SHIT.

  I can feel her wetness squirting and running down both my legs. “Oh fuck, Edana!” I cry out.

  I can’t hold back any longer, and I pull out, fisting my cock and pumping it until I come in heavy bursts all over her back. My orgasm is so much more fulfilling than anything before. I collapse onto my back on the cool river bank.

  She’s still lying on her front, and she has her hands folded under her head. “That was amazing.”

  “Amazing doesn’t do that justice. You were an animal. Maybe you were the one who should have been gentle,” I laugh lightly, remembering the nails that I’m all but certain broke the skin on my back.

  Edana rolls over, mimicking my position, placing her hands under her head and I can hear her speaking under her breath, “Well, there is no going back now.”

  “What was that?”

  “Well, I’m not sure that I can go back now. We are Joined.”

  What?!

  Chapter 9

  Edana

  What have I done? How did I let myself get caught up in this situation?

  “When two elves mate for the first time, they are Joined and bound for life. I didn’t think it would, or even COULD happen with another race. The Uj…err, um, humans are looked upon as savages; inferior people by Elven standards.” I drop my eyes and flush with the last of my comment. “Obviously, this is not true as a whole.”

  “So what did you mean when you said you might not be able to return? That they may turn you away at the gate?” He smirks.

  “Yes. Exactly.”

  His expression goes flat, ‘Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…”

  “You had no idea.”

  We’ve walked back underneath the overhang of the waterfall and are sitting against the dark, sheer rock-face. He has redressed in his trousers and gave me his sturdy, leather tunic to cover up with. I’m thankful for Faudron’s height difference, as his tunic falls clear to my knees, providing me with ample concealment.

  “I don’t want you to think that I’m sorry for what happened. Not in the least. It was an amazing experience that I’m grateful for. I’m just confused and unsure right now. Nothing like this has ever happened before; at least not that has been recorded in the two-thousand years’ worth of Accords.”

  My eyes are starting to tear up and a chill washes over my body, causing me to shake. Faudron pulls me into his embrace, and I lay my head on his chest; a curious sensation to say the least. Elves have no body hair. This human has a thick covering of rich, brown hair across his chest and down his very firm abs. I nuzzle my face up and down, breathing in his scent and enjoying the sound of his steady breath.

  “The sun is nearly down,” he begins, “so we should probably be returning to the protection of the cave. Kindling is low, so we will need to procure more on the walk back.”

  He rises and then offers me his hand.

  Beginning our trek back, there are several downed trees from which we are able to acquire small limbs for me to carry, and larger logs for Faudron to haul.

  “This should be sufficient to see us through the night and the early morning tomorrow. Let’s make haste to cover now. The wind is picking up, so a storm is likely blowing in.” Faudron takes the lead.

  Our pace picks up and sure enough, as we round the edge of the mountain where it has split, there is a loud clap of thunder, and the skies open up. I rush ahead with my bundle of sticks into the safety of the cavern. Faudron is mere steps behind me and is laughing as he steps in and drops his collection of timber.

  “What could possibly be funny about this?”

  “’Wet’ seems to be the theme of the day.”

  I blush knowing full well what he’s implying and stooping, I grab a rock and heave it at him. “Not funny.”

  He dodges and it pops harmlessly against the wall of our dwelling.

  “Good aim, Edana, but I’m much too quick for you.” He winks playfully at me. “I don’t know about you, but I’m famished.”

  He fishes more bread and dried meat out of his satchel, and a small, beaten metal bowl falls out as well. I pick it up, “Do you mind if I use this?”

  “Not at all. What did you have in mind for it?”

  Gracefully, I stand and walk to the entrance of the cave, holding the bowl out into the rainy night. Once I have filled it about half full, I return to the fire and using a sturdy branch that has not been applied, pull a small amount of burning ember out and set the bowl on it.

  Faudron is chewing on a mouthful of bread as he watches me stretch upwards on my tip-toes to reach moss that is clinging to the ceiling near the back of the cave.

  “Mm, that certainly is a beautiful sight.”

  With my hand full, I snatch it away and come back to a flat-footed stance. Turning, I cut my eyes at him, “Thanks for the help hero.”

  “You seemed to be doing fine on your own, my lady. I didn’t want to impede on your self-sufficiency.” His grin is smart and obnoxious.

  Walking back, I pass behind him and pop him in the back of his head, “Oh, sorry sir.” I smirk and take a seat at my bowl of boiling water. “There is cave moss like this where I come from, and it has both healing and sedative properties.” I crumble the greens and apply them to the bowl, stirring it while it steeps. “I plan on being back to full capacity tomorrow morning.”

  “Excellent. I have actually been thinking a bit about tomorrow. Would you consider staying with me and starting out on a new adventure. I don’t have any plans on doing the whole ‘settle down and a raise a family’ thing, but if you’re interested in exploring new places, well...” Faudron rubs his head and waits anxiously for my response.

  “I don’t know. I’m not sure that a runaway princess…” I slap my hand over my mouth. Oh, no!

  His drooping eyes spring open fully and his mouth parts widely. “A princess? Whoa.”

  Pulling the metal bowl from the heat, I add a small amount of the dried meat and continue stirring. I don’t immediately respond and keep my head angled down, attempting to not make eye contact. Several moments of silence pass and I hope that he’s going to let it go… for now.

  “Ahem!” He clears his throat, not at all inconspicuously, and startles me.

  “Okay, yes I’m a princess, but it’s not a big deal.”

  “No big deal. Are you kidding me? It’s a huge deal. Surely they will have noticed that you have gone missing by now.”

  I hadn’t even thought about it. “How many days has it been now?”

  “Tomorrow morning will be day three since I brought you to the cave.”

  “So that will be the fourth day since I left the kingdom. If I don’t return by tomorrow evening, they most likely will be out looking for me.”

  I honestly have no interest in returning home. That witch of a stepmother that my father re-Joined with and their brat-spawn of a half-sister I now have, have given me no ‘longing for home’ desires. Maybe I SHOULD just run with Faudron. What reason DO I have to go back? The throne? I have no interest in one day becoming Queen just so some power hungry man ca
n sit on our family’s throne.

  “I don’t know that I can go with you. We have some amazing trackers, and they wouldn’t give up easily. That is, assuming you still want me to go with you now that you know the truth about me.”

  “Of course, I still want you. More than anything I have ever desired.”

  I take a long sip of the brew I have made and then offer it to Faudron.

  “Sedative, huh?”

  “Not overly powerful, but yes, it will help you sleep soundly.”

  He takes a mouthful and swallows it, scowling as he does. “It tastes awful.”

  “Don’t be a baby. It’s not that bad.” I laugh as he crinkles his nose, the taste obviously still lingering on his tongue.

  Rising, he gathers the largest logs and applies them to the fire, stoking it so they will catch. “Guess we should rest then and see what the new day brings us.”

  He lies down on the ground-covering, the light of the flames dancing off his skin and casting shadows in the dips of his muscles, amplifying their intensity. It isn’t two minutes before his breathing levels out, and I can hear the slight rumblings or snoring. Apparently, humans have less of a tolerance for Lumbule. I smirk.

  I take one more sip and then toss the rest toward the back of the cave. Walking again to the entrance, I rinse the bowl in the rain that is letting up, and then return it to his bag. Faudron is on his back, right arm across his chest and the other splayed out across the cover.

  I lie down on my side beside him and place my head on his strong arm. Even completely asleep, It’s almost as if there is some great force of attraction at work as he rolls and conforms his body to mine, his right arm possessing me and keeping me from harm. The feeling of security is like no other; I. Am. Safe.

  *****

  “Mother, what have I done? How have I let this situation take over so powerfully? How can I go on?”

  “There, there ‘little fire,’ be calm. Your life is merely taking a new direction. Your sir-kuile may not be taking you in the direction you envisaged, but it’s never wrong. Everything happens for a reason, even if we are unsure what that reason may be.”

  “But Mother, he’s not an elf.”

  “The Great Elder wouldn’t have sent you down this path without a purpose. See it through, Edana.”

  “What does that mean Mother...? Mother?”

  I startle awake; Faudron’s arm still cast over me protectively. The light of day has still not broken through the shadows of the night, so I close my eyes once again and rest, peacefully.

  Chapter 10

  Faudron

  “Good morning, beautiful.”

  I brush the hair back from Edana’s face and kiss her lightly on the forehead.

  “Uh-uh, too early,” she mumbles as she rolls over and puts her face down and in between her crossed arms.

  My tunic has ridden up her backside, and her bare ass is poking out, so I give it a healthy smack. “Oh come on, it’s a beautiful day. Just look.”

  She rolls her head toward the entrance where the beams of light are streaming in like, well, rays of sunshine.

  I hop up and add another log to the fire to cut the bite of chill in the air. “I think I’ve had enough dry meat and bread for a while. Perhaps we should hunt for something fresh this morning. What do you think?”

  Edana sits up and crosses her legs, putting her hands out toward the licking flames to warm them. “How about some fish?”

  “I think that can be arranged.” Grabbing my bag, I reach in and grab out my old riding gear and giving it a good pop, hand it to her. “I can’t believe I forgot that I had these in the bag before we went to sleep last night.” I smile sheepishly.

  “How convenient.” Edana raises one eyebrow and simpers.

  “Can’t imagine what would have made me forget.” I’m goading her on now.

  “Hmpf. Bet I can take a guess.”

  She turns around and grabbing the bottom of the tunic, slowly pulls it up and over her head. Whirling her head back over her shoulder to glance at me, she toys, “See anything that might have interfered with your memory last night?”

  Playful minx.

  I start to approach, and she stops me with her second ‘uh-uh’ of the day.

  “Nope. Not until I get fed.”

  Oh, I will feed you something alright.

  Grabbing the new garb, she puts it on and rolls the bottom of the trousers up; her cute little bare feet are sticking out, toes toying in the loose dirt. The tunic hangs baggily, so I retrieve a length of cording from the bag and tie it around her waist, nearly creating a short dress from it.

  “Ready to go then?” I inquire.

  She nods her head, so I grab my bow and quiver, and off we go.

  There is water snaking its way down the sides of the mountain from high above, pooling at the base and flowing down in the direction of the river. I stop and cup my hands against the rock face, gathering the fresh rainwater and drinking greedily. I have an amazing thirst this morning.

  “Side effects of the Lumbule,” Edana cuts in, “often include an almost insatiable thirst the next morning. Sorry.”

  “Nothing to worry about. It’s not like there’s a shortage of water.” I chortle, waving my hands in all directions.

  “True.”

  Her smile is so easy and innocent. The way it lights up her already sparkling, light-blue eyes is mesmerizing. I don’t know what I did to deserve finding her, but I’m certainly glad that I did.

  The rainfall last evening has turned the tranquil, direction changing waterfall into one large torrent of water this morning. The spray is so large that you can’t even tell that there is normally room to move behind it. “Well, we aren’t going to catch anything here. We are going to need to move downstream a ways where the water is not being disrupted so violently.”

  I head southerly to where the banks widen. The water is still moving quickly, but the fish are abundant, and bow hunting should be easy. Removing my shoes, I roll the bottoms of my trouser legs as far up to my knees as the leather will let me and wade into the cold waters. My body stiffens from the shock, and it takes me nearly a full minute before I can head any further out from the edge.

  Once I’m settled, I select a bolt from my quiver and lay it across my fingers, pulling it taught into the string. Standing stock-still for several moments, my arm is beginning to burn from the stress as I scan for my choice. There! I let the bow string pop and my arrow sinks into the muddy bottom of the river; a very large trout impaled through its center, flapping away wildly.

  Grabbing the shaft just above the fish, I earnestly yank it up and flash my prize for Edana to see.

  “That’s wonderful,” she claps, “but what are you going to eat?”

  I give her a look of amazement at the thought of her appetite being THAT large, and then she breaks and gives me a coy smile. Beginning my walk back in, Edana’s face goes flat, and she spins her body around. I break out in a full run, and I’m by her side quickly.

  “What is it Edana?”

  “I think I heard something in the woods. It sounded like voices.”

  Hastily, I set an arrow and start spanning the edge of the woods. Suddenly, I hear the creak of another bow being covertly drawn.

  “Edana, DOWN!”

  She drops to her hands and knees, and I hear the twang of the string as It’s released. The arrow sails wide left of us. Amateur.

  “Now!” I hear announce from the cover of darkness, and four men appear from the woods. King Nathair’s men. So I was followed after all. That bastard will get his!

  I lose my first arrow and have the second one set as the initial one hits its mark; square in the center of the chest of the nearest ambusher. The second arrow sails over the next assailant’s head as he ducks into a roll toward me. The speed he was charging with doesn’t allow me time for another arrow, so I drop the bow and grab my stinger.

  Coming up out of his roll, his sword is drawn and clinks with mine when they meet in a f
lash of polished metal. Pivoting here and there, I allow him to continue as aggressively as he wants, playing defense and learning his methods. After a short period, I see his pattern; and weakness. He swings widely on each cross body return, taking too much time before recovering and beginning his next sequence.

  Readying for my move, I wait and as he slashes down. I spin counter to him, coming up with an open window and drive the smooth, flat steel of my blade deep into his side, breaking multiple ribs in the process. His hand releases the hold of his blade as bright, crimson blood begins to gurgle from his mouth. I remove my blade quickly and toss it into the ground as I roll for my bow.

  “We must get word to the king.” I hear from one as I reach for my quiver of arrows.

  Too slow.

  I feel the piercing pain as an arrow slices through the shoulder of my leather tunic. Shock slows my response, and another pierces my leg. Fuck!

  Adrenaline is now coursing through my veins, pushing me forward. Quickly, I line up my shot and release. The arrow flies rapidly and true, burying itself in the third’s neck. Assailant number four has already spurred his horse and is well beyond my range. I collapse to the ground, and Edana is running wildly towards me.

  “No, no, no. No, this can’t be happening.”

  I break the arrows off from the front, “You are going to have to pull them through. Do it quickly.”

  Placing one of the shafts in between my teeth, I brace for the pain. The leg only makes me wince slightly, but the shoulder… I cry out through my gritted teeth as I can feel muscle tearing; the shaft splintered going in.

  Suddenly, it hits me. Those arrows were poisoned. I can feel my head getting dizzy and my vision starting to blur. “Edana. The arrows were dipped in poison.” I collapse back onto the cold, wet earth and can hear my heartbeat rising in my ears.

  I close my eyes and can hear her speaking, but can’t comprehend it.

  “Ambar aire anar nulla urwa wilma kelva tulk.”

  *****

  Edana

  “No, no, no. No, this can’t be happening.”