Rayne and I had left Astu, the capital of the Vigeo Kingdom, a few hours ago. It was late afternoon by the time we had set off and our journey had been fairly silent so far. Rayne was riding her horse, Veho, a fair few feet in front of me as I followed on. Rayne had told me that the trip to the blacklands would take a while and be prepared for the worst. I had to stay determined that my sister, Luna, would be ok.
We rode in silence for a little longer before I hurried Polia quicker to ride along side her. Rayne didn’t even give me a sideways glance as I came up beside her.
“So how long will it take to get to my sister?” I asked, trying for small talk.
“Around three, maybe four days,” She simply replied.
We trotted along a little further. “If we are going to be traveling together for that long we could at least get to know each other?!” I offered.
“I’m not the sentimental type!”
“Well… I think you are?”
“What?” She growled turning to look at me.
“You say you aren’t the sentimental type and you have a couldn’t care less exterior but here you are helping me find my sister. There was a clear reaction when I talked about your sister as well!”
I could see her grit her teeth as she didn’t say anything. I waited for a response but with none, I returned my focus to the road ahead.
“We never had a father growing up.” She finally broke the silence. “My mother did her best but she always had to help others, she had skills with herbs that could heal. This of course raised suspicions with many villagers who called her a witch. A few years ago she had just healed a man who was close to death when an angry mob came to our home and took her away. Cari was out in the forest gathering herbs which she did a lot and I was in the village gathering supplies. I watched my mother being burned alive. I was nineteen at the time, Cari had just turned eighteen. I knew they would come for my sister and I, so we ran. We moved around for about a year or so. It wasn’t easy. Eventually Cari couldn’t do it anymore. She felt she had a greater purpose in life to heal. We found an abandoned house in the valley of Opimae and we lived there for a few months together. Cari began helping and healing people, all be it small wounds. I feared that we would be hunted again so I decided that we should run. She disagreed and stood firm that she was staying. So I left alone.” Rayne fell silent. I was actually astonished that she would open up as much as she had just done. There was a small sense of regret and vulnerability in her voice as she talked about her sister and mother.
“I am sorry!” I said.
“It’s not your fault” she replied, the harshness in her voice when we first met had faded away.
“Look just tell me where to go and you can return to the capital?”
“Don’t be silly, you’ll get lost and probably end up dead” there was even a hint of a smile.
“And how do you know your way so well?”
“The reason Cari sent you to me was because we traveled a lot with mother and we know the lands quite well. I can also stand up for myself!” She grinned.
“Oh I know that!” I chuckled.
The awkward silence was gone and a more peaceful sense took over our trip. There was one thing that didn’t add up though.
“How did Cari know where I could find you?”
“I have visited my sister several times since I left, I always told her that if she wanted to find me then I would be in the tavern in the capital. Or if I wasn’t then I would be soon enough!”
“Huh” I shrugged. Fair enough I thought to myself.
We rode together a little bit further but it stared to get dark quick. Rayne led us a little north to a small village by the name of Amnis. She spoke with the village elder who offered us two small huts on the outskirts of the village. They weren’t anything more than shelter but they would do. They were covered with hay at least. Permitted to have a small camp fire to keep us warm we sat in the separated huts and took in the warmth and glow of the fire.
“You know you can’t keep that shield and armour” Rayne said as she roasted some rabbit over the fire.
“Why? It was a gift from the king!” I don’t know why but she angered me and I got defensive.
“Think you can walk into the blacklands wearing that?”
“Oh” dumb realisation took over. She did make a good point.
“If we are spotted you’ll be attacked on site and with that lion sigil then most likely tortured to death. Not saying we wouldn’t anyway but we would at least have a better chance!”
“I’m not loosing the sword!!”
“Nor should you or how will you defend yourself?” A small chuckle escaped her lips.
I turned to look at the chest plate sitting to the side next to my shield. She did make a good point. The leather armour I had, was still an ok protection. It’s not like I could take on the whole white wolf army just cause I had the breast plate.
“You’re right!” I said looking at the armour.
“I know!” She smirked. “Here eat this and then get some rest!”
“Thanks!” I smiled as I took the offered rabbits leg.
———
The next morning I was awoken by Rayne stamping out the last of the glowing fire. It was just down to some burning embers.
“Let’s get ready!” As she gathered her things and readied her horse.
With a large stretch I got up and followed suit. I fastened my armour back on and after thanking the village elder we set off.
The days traveling was much more enjoyable than yesterday. There was more pleasant talk between us and even found Rayne laughing more. Turns out she earned a living as a bounty hunter. The King would offer good rewards out on criminals that were wanted for various crimes. Rayne grew up hunting and tracking animals so just used her skills to do the same with humans. Some criminals were tougher than others and she didn’t always manage to collect.
Rayne had pointed out that for the last while we had been passing the southern edges of the Forest of Arbor.
“My village is the other side of it!” I told her.
“That would be at least half a day away” she replied. “Very thick forest!”
“I grew up hunting in that forest, with my father!” The sentimental feeling overwhelmed me a little.
“You must have been close with your father?” She softly asked.
“Very” I nodded “he really did teach my everything.”
I spent the next little while telling stories of my childhood and of my father before our enjoyable trip was turned upside down as the heavens opened. We were caught in a thunder storm as rain poured down. Rayne led us away from the main road and we made our way into a small range of cliffs and alcoves that bordered the Hills of Petram, to the south. We managed to find a small cave that had been formed under a hanging over ledge. There was a small shelter to the side of the cave that was maybe just enough to cover the horses. We managed to make a small fire out of the limited dry wood that was scattered around.
“I am soaked through, this armour is so heavy.” I said as I unfastened the chest plate and stripped the rest of my armour off and placing it down to the side. The sky lit up as lighting cracked and loud rumbles of thunder filled the air. My normal clothes were still sodden.
“Take it all off! Then put it next to the fire.” Rayne simply said as she stripped of her own light armour and then continued to strip off her clothes until all she had on was a small piece of fabric covering her most private part. Her womanly mounds were exposed to the world and to me. Even though the air was warm I could still see her pink nipples extended out. Rayne’s chest looked slightly smaller but more rounded than her sisters.
“Can I help you?” She shouted at me, her hands on her hips. “Never seen a woman’s chest before?”
“Um no sorry” I turned to face away from her as I stripped off the rest of my clothing as well. All that was left was my damp pants. I sat down and hugged my legs to me. The warmth from the fire felt nice against my bare skin. Rayne sat near me as she sat crossed leg, clearly not ashamed of her beautiful female figure. Her flat torso and her long muscular legs. Her arms were muscular as well but not big like a mans. I noticed some scars scattered around her body, not unlike mine.
“Here!” She said offering me a piece of bread. “The fire will help dry our clothing, should we have stayed in the wet clothes it would have caused more harm to our body than us sitting here without them!”
“Ok” I simply replied, I wasn’t sure of that but she seemed to know what she was doing and I trusted her.
“I’ve checked the furs and they are ok enough to use but we are going to have to share them!” She said nonchalantly.
“Share?” I said nervously.
“Yes share. unless you want to die of a chill. We will sleep on one and use the other to cover us.” She said plainly eating her bread and looking at the fire.
“Well I don’t want to die!” I grumbled.
“Good!” Rayne rose and lay out the first piece of fur, positioning it close to the fire and laying down. “Well come one then!”
I practically crawled over to her and lay down on my back beside her. Rayne pulled the other fur roll over us but it didn’t quite cover us all.
“You are going to have to lay on your side against me” she stated as she turned away from me and edged back a little. Her soft warm flesh sent a tingle through me. I did as she said and turned on my side, my chest against her back. I deliberately kept my hips away from her as I didn’t trust myself. The feeling of her body against mine, already sent waves through me. I could feel my crotch twitch and if I pressed my hips against her my cock would most certainly get between us.
I managed to lay like that for a while before her hand grabbed mine and pulled it across her torso. My hand on her flat stomach stayed completely still. I feared moving it, as I wouldn’t have stopped it roaming her slender, muscular body. Then suddenly she moved her hips back and her ass pressed against my crotch. She moaned slightly at the feeling.
I couldn’t hold it back now. My cock grew bigger and bigger. It slid up between us and was nestled in between her firm ass cheeks. The tip was actually sticking out of the top of my pants.
Rayne didn’t say anything, I only heard soft moans as I could feel her ass slowly move up and down and press a little harder against me. My hand still on her stomach, I could feel her breathing become deeper. Her hand still rested on mine but not moving.
I did everything I could from not returning the favour and moving my crotch to meet hers. It was feeling so good though and this was by far way better than getting a chill.
Her hand now guided mine up towards her round chest. A groan of my own escaped as I found her right breast, her hard nipple pressed against the palm of my hand. Her hand remained on top of mine and held me there as I softly caressed her flesh beneath my hand.
Her hips were still grinding into me and I couldn’t resist any longer. I began to match her grinds with movements of my own. Her chest heaved up and down in my hand as she moaned louder.
“Take if off” she whispered. I reluctantly pulled my hand from her body and tugged down at my pants. I managed to get them half way down my thighs but my cock was free at least. This time I traced my hand back up her leg and back across her stomach.
I felt her shift in front of me as the last barrier between our naked flesh was removed.
“Slide it in” she whispered more harshly. I used my free hand to guide my throbbing member between her legs and pressed forward. My shaft was met with the same warm wetness that I had experienced with Cari. As I slid my cock backwards and forwards it became slicker with her juices. After a few thrusts I could feel her legs part slightly and her fingers taking the head of my cock. As I slid forward again she pushed my cock up and I slid straight into her sex.
Rayne gave out a low groan as my cock filled her wanting body. She didn’t feel as tight as her sister but from the angle I was at and how her legs hugged my shaft it felt just as good. I slowly began to thrust in and out. My hand rested on her hip as I held her in position. Her hand grabbing my arm and holding tight.
We lay there for some time as we enjoyed the feel of each other’s bodies. My cock felt like it was expanding inside of her. As I quickened my pace, Rayne’s body tensed and she gave out a low long almost like scream. I could feel the inner walls of her tighten around me and the tell tale feeling in me rushed from the base of my shaft. I grunted loudly as I thrusted deep into her as I filled her with my own orgasm. I thrusted a few hard times more as more escaped me before I deflated down and breathed heavy.
Rayne wordlessly took my hand and held it against her front. Her legs curled up beneath her as sleep consumed us both.
———
I awoke the next morning alone.
I turned to see Rayne already dressed and geared up ready to move.
“You need to get ready!” She said to me, with a harsh tone, similar to what she had when we first met.
I simply nodded and got myself up and dressed. Thankfully our armour and clothing was dry. The thunder storm had died out last night and the sun shone bright against the grey mossy rocks.
We wordlessly walked back to the main road and set off on the horses.
A silent hour had passed before she spoke.
“Look last night shouldn’t have happened. I lost control and was a moment of weakness. It won’t happen again! We have a task we need to keep track on!”
I wanted to call her out about how good it felt and that she instigated it but I thought better of it. She was right I needed to focus on getting my sister back regardless of how good last night felt. I nodded and said “agreed!”
An other silent hour passed as Rayne pulled Veho to a halt.
“Listen Ragnar. We are now on the borders of the kingdom. We are about to pass into the Land of Palus. There is miles of marshland and outlaws often roam these lands. We can’t go south through the Hills of Petram as the range is impossible to navigate. Then beyond this land is the blacklands. The journey has been easy so far but it won’t be from here. Are you sure you want to go on?”
Her words almost angered me, regardless of any danger I had to save my sister. Without saying a word or looking to Rayne, I ordered Polia forward. I couldn’t leave my sister to her fate without at least trying.
Rayne soon followed on.
It was around noon when we settled for a break to let the horses rest a minute and take on some water. We were sat beside a small stream when the sound of a few branches snapping caught our attention.
“And what is a lovely couple doing out all alone in my land?” The gruff voice came as a small round man approached us with a club resting against his shoulder.
“We are just passing through!” Rayne stated not looking up.
“Ah then you must pay the toll!” He moved closer and I was soon aware he wasn’t alone. “Mmmm let’s say about one hundred gold pieces for safe passage?”
“How about I cut you into one hundred tiny pieces for safe passage?” Rayne threw back at the man with a small laugh.
He laughed out loud as he stood before us “now that just won’t do!”
Rayne whispered to me, her head down and eyeing my sword “you know how to use that thing?”
I looked down at my fathers swords and nodded.
“Good” she had a wicked grin on her face. “Ok how about a deal?” She said returning her attention to the man in front of us. “How about you walk away, we walk away and everyone gets safe passage?”
“That just doesn’t work for me!” He huffed, “there is more of us than you so just pay up!”
“Ok I’ll pay” Rayne said as she slowly rose, her hand reach down to her side and her nimble fingers wrapped around one of her small knives. As swift as a bird the knife flew from her side and struck the man in the chest.
He howled out in pain as he fell back clutching the knife in his chest.
Rayne drew her sword and long dagger as the men around us rushed in.
I quickly drew my sword and steadied myself, not having enough time to grab my shield. Two men came at me, one with a rusty wooden axe and the other with a mace. I easily defeated the one with the axe as my sword swiftly slashed across his torso. Easily cutting through his clothing. I had to block a wayward swing from the other guy as he brought the mace down towards my head. His wooden handle broke as he struck my sword. With a brief look of disbelief he charged at me swinging his fist. I quickly reacted and ran my sword through his gut. His dead body rested against mine as I had to kick him off.
I looked around as Rayne had slain three others as two were left stood beside us. They looked at each other and dropped their weapons and ran off.
The first man lay on the ground spurting blood from his mouth.
“Can we have safe passage now?” Rayne teased the man standing over him.
“Fuck you!” He spat as he coughed.
“No thanks” Rayne said as she pulled the knife from his chest and rammed it through the bottom of his head killing him instantly.
“Check them for anything!” She said as she knelt down and searched the dead guys body. I watched as she held up a small bag of gold coins.
“See if the rest have any?”
I checked the two that I had killed and only found a blunt knife on one of them.
“Nothing!” I called over to her.
“Nothing on these ones either. This one was clearly in charge.” She said as she stood over the fat one again.
“Let’s get going incase those two go and get more!”
We quickly got back onto the horses and set off again.
“Is that common around here?” I asked her.
“Yes, back in the kingdom the King has patrols of men around to stop things like that. Villages are normally safe from attacks because of the patrols!”
“Except mine.”
“I’m sorry for what happened to your village. Unfortunately in recent times it hasn’t been the only one as Lord Romulos pushes for expansion of his own land.
“But there wasn’t anything left of my village. Remus left none alive expect a handful of girls that he took away in cages including my sister!”
“I fear the fates of those poor girls!”
“As do I!” I feared a fate worse than death for my sister.
We travelled until night fall were we set up camp a top a small hill. Tonight was different from the rest as we couldn’t set up a fire and one of us would need to keep watch whilst the other got some rest.
———
The next morning we set off early and continued our journey. There was a couple of times a small number of outlaws attempted to rob us but we dispatched of them with ease.
It was afternoon when we approached the entrance to a valley. Rayne brought us to a halt. “This is the border to the blacklands.” She said gesturing forwards.
I looked on as I noticed a few spikes with skulls on them.
“A warning!” She indicated. “Now you have to loose the shield and armour. We have to loose the horses as well!”
“Why the horses?” I questioned.
“We have to travel on foot from here to reach the blacklands capital of Lupus! It will be easier to move through the trees and avoid the camps.” Rayne said dismounting from Veho, she moved to Veho’s front and held her face to the horses. Rayne whispered something that I could not hear.
I dismounted off Polia and moved to her front as well. “Thank you for carrying me so far on my journey! I owe you a great deal.” I unfastened the saddle from her back and removed the reigns. “Be free!” I said as I slapped her rear and she took off. Veho followed on as the two horses ran away into the distance.
“Over here!” Rayne called as she moved down a slope into a ditch. What we couldn’t carry we has to leave there.
“Including that!” She nodded at the lion embroidered chest plate.
I took it off and placed it on the ground next to my shield. We had to leave most of the supplies as it would be too much to carry. We took some food and set off.
“I’m coming Luna!”