by Gerard Bond
It was fully night by the time Dark got back to the quarters. She was so pissed off she wasn’t aware that Night and Loranda were sitting in the room. She began pacing back and forth, her boots beating a steady rhythm on the floorboards. Night and Loranda looked on and kept quiet. They could see Dark was working off a deep anger and they knew better than to interrupt.
It hadn’t gone well at all Night thought to herself. She saw the anger abate to a low level and then she felt it safe to speak up. Clearing her throat Dark started at the noise and stopped.
“I have a hot bath waiting for you.”
Dark looked at her and replied slowly,
“I’m sorry, Keera is pissing me off no end.”
“Shitting you to tears appears a more apt description.” Night commented.
Dark smiled and nodded.
“Yes, so, you poured a bath for me?”
Night got up looking at Loranda who nodded at her. She took hold of Dark’s hand and led her into the next room. It had a large wooden tub in the middle of it and there was a wisp of steam coming off the surface of the water.
“Now get undressed and hop in my dear.”
Dark did as she was instructed, stripping naked and sliding in. Night went over to the fire burning with a large pot hanging over it and took it over to the tub, she poured in a bit of hot water to warm the bath up some more.
“That’s enough thanks.”
Dark lay slowly back and relaxed. Night came over and sat on a stool beside the tub and looked at Dark lying there. Dark was aware of Night’s eyes looking over her but she didn’t mind. She was appreciating Dark’s form. For a woman ten years her senior she was in good shape. Grabbing a sponge Dark began to rub her arms down, trying to relax.
“So tell me about Keera.”
Dark was still simmering on that subject.
“Oh she is reverting to the bitch we knew a year ago, sleeping about and drinking heavily, you remember how she was.”
“Yes, that seems such a long time ago.”
“Mm, it’s like now that Wolf is away she is turning back into what she was.”
“That I think is exactly what is happening and to tell the truth, I’m not sure what we can do about it. I don’t know why it is so.”
Dark leaned forward hugging her knees for Night to do her back.
“Well we will have the week to think about it. Hopefully something will come out of it eh?” Night nodded.
“I have a nightslip for you to wear when you are ready.”
“Thank you,” acknowledged Dark, “I need you and Loranda’s support more than ever. If Keera can't be relied on it's not going to be good.”
Night understood perfectly what she meant, the next year was going to be hard on Dark the most.
“Yes, the next year without Wollfen will test us all.”
After the bath Dark sat and ate quietly with the other two. They didn’t need to talk to understand what each was feeling, their bond was based on mutual experiences and feelings.
“Time for bed.”
The three of them made their way to the bedroom. On entering Dark saw that two large beds were pushed together, looking to the other two they smiled and Loranda gave an explanation,
“We thought you would like it if we slept in the same bed for company.” Dark nodded.
“Yes, I haven’t had Wollfen beside me in almost a month.”
They all slid under the sheets with Dark to one side and they drifted off to sleep. Dark was the last to drop off. She lay awake for a while, thoughts of Wollfen crowding her mind.
Wollfen was also lying awake that night. He had spent the day conversing with Madeira, sharing his thoughts on humanity and its ways in different parts of the world he had traveled. For Madeira it was an eye opener, the trip to the kingdom was her first and was looking at it from a conqueror’s perspective, sizing up the enemy against her own men. But now she was seeing other things too, the way people related to each other and how they carried themselves on a day to day basis. The more she learned the more she realized that the basics of each society were the same. All wished peace and safety, even if they each went a different way about it.
Some thoughts troubled her. Hers was a harsh environment and she had started to question the necessity of that harshness especially in the different communities she had come to recognize. Nothing was as absolute as she had learned in Isogorr. Wollfen had taught her that simply having more of anything even if it was a good thing wasn’t necessarily better. There was such a thing as having enough. She thought about that a lot. She had seen it in the opulence of the halls of the Castle in Port Cholandra, total excess beyond any reason. There was validity to things Wollfen was showing her.
For Wollfen it was a little thing, he was working away at her, nibbling at the edges of her beliefs, bringing her around slowly at a pace that allowed Madeira to make her own mind up. It was good because then it came from within herself and not shoved down her throat by Wollfen. This subject was an easy one to talk to her about. Since the sorc clique lived a rather spartan life anyway, she could relate to what he was saying. The bigger test would come later when he started talking to her of concepts totally alien to her--mercy and compassion, belief in the equality of all peoples. They would be big ideas and they could wait.
The wind outside was strong tonight and there was rain too. It wasn’t long before there was lightning as well. Thunder crashed overhead and the ship began rolling on the seas as the waves grew. Madeira came into his cot and snuggled up against him under the blanket. He didn’t really believe she was afraid.
She had been more affectionate since the night of the mental wave he had sent out. While she was a little more physical with him now, she never went far at all. She had her ingrained teachings holding her back and also she didn’t know what else to do. At times like this Wollfen would become hard and sometimes her thigh would press against his manhood. He knew she was aware of it, but he didn’t say anything and neither did she. Sometimes he thought the next five months were going to be very, very difficult indeed. He slid a hand into her hair and caressed her scalp. She snuggled in a bit more.
Wollfen had made a cold decision awhile ago to get this woman to bond with him for his end purposes, get her to come around to suit his goals. But now, she would lay here from time to time pressed up against him and he couldn’t help but feel something for her. Sometimes it was sorrow, she had never felt the affectionate touch of another person before and even now what little she got was so much more than she had ever experienced. He wondered how whole generations could live out their lives in Isogorr never touching another human being with tenderness. It made him sad to know that whole lives were being corrupted to the point that their souls were permanently scarred even into the afterlife.
He looked down at her, smooth white skin, black hair shining in the flashes of lightning. He caressed down her arm, touching her skin and giving her shivers, running fingertips lightly up and down again. Madeira opened her eyes and looked at him, raised her lips to his cheek and gave him a light kiss. He had never kissed her back, she wouldn’t know what it was like to trade a kiss on the lips. He leaned down to her lips, placing his against hers. He kissed now, lightly sliding his against hers, then pressing a little more firmly, lingered a little. Then he sucked her upper lip a bit into his mouth. He lightly ran his tongue across it, feeling it move and respond to his touch. She opened her mouth a little and their tongues touched, tentatively at first then reaching forward more and more. Their exploring tongues and lips ending up sliding over each others in a dance of pleasure. Madeira’s hand slid up and down Wollfen’s bare chest feeling him. She was gyrating against his hip now, losing herself in the passion of this embrace. She had never felt like this before and she was lost in the sensations of discovery.
Wollfen’s hand cupped her breast and squeezed, then her nipple too and it was exquisite. She couldn’t fathom the pleasure flowing through her body. It was something like that night she was pinne
d against the wall but this was much more primal. Reaching down she grabbed his hard rod and squeezed. Wollfen let out a moan of pleasure and responded in kind. His hand felt down between her legs and found her wetness. She couldn’t believe how good it felt, his fingers exploring and touching, she moaned out loud.
And then, without thinking warning bells went off in her head, NO! She half fell half jumped out of his cot and quickly retreated to her side of the cabin, covering herself she curled up in a ball with her back to him. What had she almost done? Oh no, she had almost lost everything. Her head was spinning. She was still in the grips of pleasure, her groin a center of delicious aching heat. Skin tingling and lightheaded, she was feeling every part of her body like never before.
Wollfen on the other hand was lying back in his cot, half glad and half frustrated she had moved off. Getting up now, he threw his robe on and moved outside into the driving rain. It soaked him within seconds and he was grateful. The cold brought him back to earth. Eyes closed and head tilted to the heavens. He felt the rain on his face and took satisfaction in it, a different sort of pleasure but satisfying. He felt a hand clasp his upper arm.
Looking around it was Madeira standing beside him just as soaked. She needed it too. Madeira looked up at his face as he looked out over the blackness of the ocean. There was nothing to see but she could see he was deep in thought. Face set in a stern manner and lips pressed together tightly. Obviously he too was considering how he must have come so close to losing the power himself, she thought.
Wollfen was actually thinking more of how he almost lost his own self-respect. He had allowed his passion to rise beyond what he should have, allowed his feelings of desire and compassion too, to take hold. He promised himself he would not do that again. After about ten minutes in the rain they returned to their cabin and did not talk. Both of them left things unspoken and each retired for the night to their cots.
The next morning saw a brilliant sun rise on a cloudless day. The night before but a memory now, pushed to the backs of their minds. Wollfen went out on deck and seeing some sailors mending a sail went over to sit with them. Taking up a needle to help with the sewing, the sailors hastily made room for him, they weren’t really sure what to do. Well he wasn’t making their lives a misery like Madeira would so that was a consolation. After some time on the boat it had occurred to Wollfen that it was a wise move to bond with the sailors too and so made a decision to put aside some time each day with them.
“So tell me, any of you men have families at home you long to see?”
None of them replied. They were already struck dumb by a sorc, a male sorc at that, sitting and doing menial chores with them. Wollfen decided he would leave talking to them at a later date, maybe in a couple of days.
The morning passed swiftly. It was good to do something different for a change, four weeks on the water without anything to do but think, it had been getting to him he realized.
I wonder if the captain would mind a chat? Wollfen looked to him at the helm, proud of his ship but grudgingly escorting the two of them back to Isogorr. He could see the man would have preferred something more exciting. Wollfen was sure that at some stage of this war he would get his wishes.
He thought about Dark and what she might be doing, hoping one of the others would be able to keep her busy. Knowing Dark, she was sure to try and come after him if the right circumstances came about. He could only hope that it didn’t eventuate. It saddened him to think about how long it would be before he saw her again. There was no doubt that as time went on the feelings wouldn’t subside. He knew deep down he loved her totally.
It was a love like he had ever only felt once before. Wollfen thought back to all those years ago. It was like another lifetime when he had been that deeply in love. And when she had died, it had cut him deep. The pain had helped to drive him away from humanity. He had entered the wilderness and wandered for so many years, the pain an ever-constant reminder of how hollow he really was without her. She had been a spirited woman too, full of energy and wonderment, not given to a life of frivolities. They had shared in all that they had done, all of it being just that more special for being with each other. Dark was the same, they had only been together a year but he knew he had found the one, his soul mate, how lucky was he? Most people went through their lives never finding the perfect partner, he was blessed indeed.
Loranda stood in her saddle looking out over the cliff face. It was a long way down and there was nothing to catch anything falling over that edge. It would be a pretty hard thump at the bottom she thought to herself. Sitting back she looked across at the others. Night and Dark were talking about defenses or some such thing. Vaughn was simply sitting in his saddle, not really paying attention. He really doesn’t talk too much at all. She had tried to chat to him over the last four days to no avail. Maybe he needs to be shocked into opening up? She thought cheekily. Oh she did like to tease and men were so easy to bait too. Vaughn would be no different.
What was he looking at? Loranda followed his gaze. She could see him looking up the mountain range ahead. They had come to the base of the mountains and would be turning around soon to go back, but what was so interesting up there? She gave her horse a nudge in the ribs and got it to draw level with his.
“So what are you finding so interesting?” Vaughn didn’t look.
“Shh, listen.”
Loranda sat still and focused on hearing, not what was going on around them but further out. A snap of a twig, a rustle of underbrush, yes she could hear it too. It was still a little ways off.
“What do you suppose it is?”
“I have no idea.”
As if on cue a flight of arrows shot in an arc from long range fell towards them. Loranda cried out at the top of her voice,
“To arms!”
Dark and Night responded immediately. They had already decided a couple of nights before that if they ran into something, anything, they were to take flight. The two of them launched into a full gallop back in the direction they came, directly away from the mountains along the ridge. Both Vaughn and Loranda were immediately behind, the arrows finding vacant ground where they had been standing only an instant before. Vaughn was looking over his shoulder as he rode next to Loranda.
“Who are they?”
Loranda shook her head.
“Not who, what, those arrows, their color and markings are of one race only, orcs.”
“Orcs?”
Vaughn was surprised. He had never seen an orc and by the looks of things he was going to miss out again. He needn’t have worried. They weren’t stupid creatures and a small band of them had moved parallel to the ridge further down as the four of them careered along. Those orcs raced out from the undergrowth to block their path. Dark and Night had prepared though raising their crossbows and firing at them standing in the open. Two orcs went down in shrieks and spouts of black blood. Vaughn looked on, too amazed and shocked to load his own crossbow. He had never been inland in his life.
Loranda on the other hand had her sword out and ready. None of them slowed at the blockade. Dark and Night both ran down an orc each as they hit the line at full speed. The orcs hadn’t a chance to react, there was more cries and wails of pain as the four crashed through.
It was over in an instant. One moment they were in the middle of them with the sound of impact and pain, then the forest was silent again but for the sound of the fast riding horses.
Vaughn looked back,
“So that’s an orc huh?”
“No, I was wrong.”
Vaughn looked at Loranda with a questioning look.
“They were just Keera’s drinking buddies.” She quipped.
Vaughn laughed out loud.
“Oh, I see.”
Dark turned in her saddle and added her bit,
“Just make sure you keep away from her. I would hate to see you turn out like that!”
They all laughed as they galloped along. It wouldn't be long before they got back to P
ort Volarus.
CHAPTER FIVE
SETBACK
Underlord Thanos stood at the helm of his ship, the Nevacles. It was a cruiser type ship more heavily armed than a Man O War and larger, carrying 150 men though not as quick. He had three in his flotilla and another five Man O Wars. He had a good unit with good men, all battle hardened and tested. This raid they were going on wouldn’t really be much of a test at all, hit some fishing village in a shallow port and return with whatever booty they could get their hands on. Simple enough and he would carry his orders out to the letter, leave no villager alive and burn the town.
They had seen the occasional fishing vessel along the two-day journey, the boats had retreated very quickly and he didn’t think much of it. Port Valderus would know they were coming but it wouldn’t make much difference. Valderus had no real defenses and no way of hurting them so he wasn’t particularly worried. He could see the town now, approximately a mile ahead. A single jetty jutting out into the bay.
“Instruct the first mate to start the taking of soundings. I want to know if we can sail right in.”
Thanos could see the tide was in and while under normal circumstances larger ships like his own wouldn’t enter the bay, he was hoping it was deep enough while the tide was high for them to dock against the jetty. They would have to be no more than a couple of hours or risk having their ships stranded at low tide. The first mate returned with news.
“Depth is 80 feet and getting shallow rapidly.” Thanos nodded.
“Tell me at each ten foot interval.”
The first mate turned and shouted out to the man holding a large plumb bob over the edge of the deck, working out the angle of the rope to how many knots in the rope as he pulled it in. Dragging the weight and just letting it touch the seabed allowed them a good idea of their depth. The man shouted out a sounding at intervals,