The autumn had become chillier. Winter was coming. But for now, Hugo was warm. He was in his hut, resting on the sleeping mat after waking up. Somebody had been in the hut while he slept, to renew the fire that had gone out during the night. Hugo was thankful for the warmth provided by the fire and his blanket.
While he had fallen asleep restful, now his mind went back to the reports of yesterday and beyond. Scouts from all over in the Grasslands and his contacts in Zexen had been telling the same thing. The beasts of the wilds were once again multiplying and becoming more agitated. Even magical beings had been sighted more often as of late. Was someone stirring up trouble, like during the last war?
Hugo thought back to the incident at Budehuc Castle, the sudden attack of zombies and the vampire Richard. That had been two months ago. He had been receiving more reports about monster activity since then, but he had also sent out more scouts and told them report to him more regularly. Yet even around the rebuilt Karaya Village, they could observe worrying signs in nature, beasts and spirits growing more restless. Was the attack at Budehuc somehow connected to this?
Budehuc had been peaceful since then. The mission he had sent there had been fruitful, with more merchants and visitors coming to the castle. The castle had once again become an oasis for travelers taking a break from hazardous travel in the wilderness, even more so with all kinds of creatures becoming more hostile. But why now?
Hugo considered that without further information, it was still idle speculation. Sometimes beasts of the wild grew more agitated, and nobody knew why. Sometimes strange and dangerous creatures like vampires attacked human dwellings, and none were the wiser. All the same, he had eventually told his scouts to also look out for rune-users or peculiar travelers, even as he wondered about Gremio and his young master. Were they still in the Grasslands somewhere? They had left so quickly after the bath, though Hugo partially understood why.
His mind wandered from the battle against Richard and the rune magic that ended it to the bath that followed. Of course, it had not gone without incident.
* * *
"Whoopee!" said Cecile and let her ample breasts fall down, splashing on the bathwater.
"Cecile!" exclaimed Thomas in some shock, even though he was away from the steaming hot water. "We have, um, guests!"
Thomas, Iku and Kathy were sitting close to the bath, around the food and tea that Sebastian had brought in.
"It's always the guarded ones," said Iku, smiling at Cecile, and gave an exaggerated sigh.
"Better us than them living dead!" said Kathy, and took a sip of her tea, then downed the whole cup.
Cecile straightened up, lifting her impressive bosom back up from the bath, and stepped out, her curvaceous form dripping hot water. With her face red, the stacked blonde looked amorously at the men in the bath, and then at Thomas. Then her features soured.
"That's... no fun, master Thomas!" she disapproved with a dull expression, and she blew him a raspberry. There was mischievousness on her flushed face.
Hugo followed the show from the bath, where Gremio and Tir also remained. That gave him an excellent vantage point to admire the three women, all naked save for Kathy's hat. Cecile had really grown into a beautiful woman, her breasts full and heavy and a very round curve to her ass. Yet Iku's abundant behind was even more of a sight to behold, catching Hugo's eye in a new way now that she was sitting on a bathstool. Kathy was also beautiful. With the cowgirl riding or tending to her horses all day, it kept her lean and fit. Her breasts were pert, and while she did not have the full figure to rival Iku or even Cecile's behind, her more modest curves still had a definite feminine shape, and Hugo found his eyes resting on her. But then Kathy caught him.
"Hey! Ya look like ya'll enjoying this more than us!"
She took three cups of the tea, and brought them to Hugo, Gremio and Tir, grinning broadly as she found all three men eyeing her nudity. Hugo and Gremio took their tea, but Tir just shook his head.
"Young master doesn't drink tea, he thinks it's too bitter," explained Gremio.
"Never met a man who didn't like tea! Well, more's for me!" she said, standing next to the bath, and held her cup up. Hugo and Gremio followed her, and when she emptied her cup, they did too.
The bath warmed their skin and the tea warmed their insides. Hugo hadn't had much time to notice it before, but it was obvious the bath had aged in the years since the war. He thought back to all the time he had spent here then in mixed company, and everything that had gone on in the baths.
"Look at my Thomas, oh no. Just drooping there, looking sad..."
"What?" said Thomas to Cecile. "I'm not drooping..." he continued, puzzled, then followed Cecile's gaze to his flaccid penis. "Oh."
With her eyes intent on Thomas' crotch, Cecile crawled on all fours to him.
Iku watched on with a smile. "Oh, Thomas. And Hugo! Did you not wear her down?" she said and giggled.
"I... Um, Cecile..." stuttered Thomas, as the busty guard caressed his soft, silky smooth dick. When she started licking it, his eyes and mouth just spread, but he could not say anything. He looked around at the other bathers, then down to Cecile.
"C'mon, Thomas. You never took part in the fun in those days," said Iku.
"I... Well, I certainly knew what was going on, but..."
"You're getting harder," said Cecile and continued licking him.
"Ooh! It's getting mighty steamy here!" said Kathy. "Mind if I take a seat here?" she said and stepped into the bath, hat still on, then waded straight over to Hugo.
"Uh, be my guest, or somebody's?" the Karaya chief said. She did just that, and sat straight into Hugo's lap, her butt pressing against his hard erection.
"Ooh, what's this?" asked Kathy, and brushed her ass against Hugo's hardness. "Ya sure were enjoying it!"
"Guess so," said Hugo and lifted his hands up to Kathy's shoulders, then slowly moved them down to her breasts. He fondled and caressed the modest mounds, playing with the soft flesh and her nipples, then he took his hands southward, caressing every inch of her lean frame under his fingers.
"Very hospitable, ain't ya?" she said and looked back at him. Then she looked at Gremio, and rose up, the water falling down her naked skin. "How about beardy?"
