In Days Of Olde Ch 02

Raven lay, quietly holding Charity, waiting for her to awaken. He thought of their journey the night before, silently moving through the forest, alert for every sound. They were careful to erase their trail, and it would be hard for anyone to discern where they had gone. When they felt that they had put enough distance behind them, after several hours of travel, they had scouted for a good place to rest. Hawk had located a small cave, the entrance covered over with low hanging bushes and vines, and he had quickly gathered leaves and supple branches to make a sleeping place for them to lie. As much as they hated to do so, they had gagged the girl, knowing she would be frightened when she awoke, and that she might call attention to them inadvertently. They could explain the matter to her in the morning. Both regretted that they had no clothing to offer her, but they would remedy that when they saw her safely home.

They had taken turns keeping watch at the mouth of the cave through the long night. Whichever young man was not on guard, lay with Charity, holding her close to keep her warm. Each could not help but be affected by her nearness and soft femininity as he held her, feeling the warm skin of her back pressing against his chest, and her silky hair sliding against his shoulder. Both were extremely careful not to take advantage of the situation, and kept their arms wrapped around her arms and waist, without touching any other part of her body. She slept deeply, completely exhausted from the events of the previous day, never stirring even when one slipped away and the other took his place. When the first light had come to the sky, Hawk had left the cave to find something for them to eat before they left for Charity's settlement.

Charity did not want to come to wakefulness, and she couldn't seem to remember why at first. Her body felt strange, aching and sticky, and then it all flooded back into her mind, and her eyes flew open. She was lying on the ground on a bed of soft leaves, in a cave that was well hidden beneath some low bushes, strong arms holding her tightly and a gag in her mouth. She began to struggle as best she could, fighting to get free, trying to cry out around the supple hide between her teeth, but the sounds were muffled. Her captor simply held her tightly, not harming her, but not allowing her any freedom of movement in the least, and finally she stopped, realizing the futility of her efforts. As soon as she became still, lips touched her ear gently, and a voice whispered, "All is well." Hearing her own tongue again, she relaxed, but only slightly, as she waited to see what would happen next. She suddenly realized that she was still without clothing, and that she could feel the warmth of this man's skin against her own. Still speaking scarcely above a whisper, he said, "I am going to release you now, but for your own safety, please do not run." She nodded, as she had little choice, having no idea where she was at the moment.

His arms slid from around her, and she felt him loosening the bit of deerskin in her mouth, until she could move her jaw again with ease. Charity sat up and turned to face the man that had been holding her. He was young, she saw, not much older than she herself she would guess, although there was a kind of ageless wisdom in his eyes. His hair was the color of night, and was braided down his back. She saw he wore only a loin cloth, as the natives did, but he appeared to be a white man, although deeply tanned. His dark eyes held her own, and she saw just how handsome he was. He was too polite to glance down at her nudity, but she could tell he was completely aware of that fact, as well as everything else about him, and she flushed with shame, and dropped her eyes. "Please, do not be troubled. You cannot help what has been done to you." His voice was calm and soothing, and she was able to meet his eyes again, although she placed her arms across her chest in a futile gesture to cover what he had already had ample opportunity to gaze upon.

"My companion has gone to get some breakfast for us, then we must move on. I am sorry we cannot provide you with clothing yet, but we will as soon as possible. I apologize for the gag as well. We feared you might cry out and alert the enemy to our hiding place."

"Who are you?"

"My name is Raven's Claw. My friend, Hawk's Flight, and I live with a friendly tribe not too far from your settlement. We were adopted by them as children, when our own was attacked and destroyed."

"You...speak English?"

"We have never forgotten the language of our birth, and our tribe speaks some English as well, as they trade with the settlers at times."

Charity took a deep breath. "My name is Charity Staunton. I thank you for rescuing me from....the others."

His gaze was steady, as he nodded. "You are welcome. I am sorry we were not able to come to your aid sooner."

Shocked, she gaped at him. "You....saw what happened then?"

"Unfortunately, yes. We were outnumbered and feared that you would be harmed if we had tried to stop the others."

"How did you find me?"

Raven paused, seeming to weigh his words before he spoke. "We.....were watching you. We have done so for quite some time, ever since we first caught sight of you." Seeing her expression, he hastened to add "We meant no harm to you, but only wished to protect you."

Charity was stunned by his words, and then anger surged forth. "You've been watching me. You watched while those....men.....did those terrible things. How could you do that?" Even as she said the words, she knew in her heart that he would have come to her aid sooner, had he felt that victory had been in his grasp. She watched as a muscle in his jaw clenched, the only betrayal of emotion that he was showing...until she looked into his eyes again. She saw sadness there, and knew that he was truly remorseful that he and his friend had not been able to save her the pain she had been through.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I know you would have helped me, if you had been able. I am very thankful to be free now." She offered him a trembling smile, which he slowly returned. Suddenly, she seemed to think of something. "The two of you....you left the bouquet, didn't you?" A slight flush crept over his tanned skin, as he nodded. Before either could say anything else, the bushes were parted, and Hawk slipped into the cave to join them. Charity turned her gaze to him, taking in his appearance. He was young and handsome also, only much lighter in coloring than that of his friend. She smiled at him and received a quick, warm one in return. Hawk seated himself, and offered the others the provisions he had brought back, and they ate quickly.

In their native tongue, Raven asked him if there had been signs of pursuit yet. The answer was negative, which was a relief, but did not mean that they were safe by any means. He quickly filled Hawk in on the brief conversation he and Charity had shared, and then, they prepared to leave. She had listened in silence to their almost musical language, enjoying the sound of the words. She did not fear what they might be saying, as she found herself trusting the two of them fairly easily. As they prepared to leave, Charity asked, "I don't suppose there's anywhere I might clean myself up a bit before we travel on? I feel...less than clean."

Sympathetically, Raven said, "I'm certain you do, but for the moment, we must ask you to refrain. We need to get you home as quickly as possible, for your own safety. If we find a safe place for you to so, you may wash then."

With a small sigh, Charity nodded in understanding. She could endure the feeling for a bit longer, since she was in no immediate danger any longer. Soon enough, she would be clean and dressed again. Raven took the lead through the woods, the girl following, and Hawk behind her. He couldn't help but watch the gentle sway of her hips and bottom as they moved silently through the forest, and his thoughts strayed to the sights of the night before, even as he remained alert for any trouble. He kept remembering the way she had felt in his arms the night before, so soft and tender. He longed to love her physically, and to share her with Raven. He wanted her to know that not all men were like those that had taken her prisoner. Sighing to himself, he followed them onward towards Charity's home.

Meanwhile, Panther had awakened a few hours before, immediately knowing something was not right. He left his tent, and automatically glanced over to the tree where their pretty captive was tied. She was no longer there. He blinked, and blinked again, making certain his eyes were not playing tricks on him, then saw the body on the ground. A fierce scowl clouded his face, and he let out a roar of anger, that caused the others to immediately appear. They moved over to stand beside him, watching their leader. He kicked the prone body lying on the ground, and turned his furious eyes to the others. "She is gone," he snarled. "Our pretty little bitch is gone, and this piece of filth could not even be trusted to stop her." He spat on the dead man, who would now be considered a disgrace to the tribe. When the men returned, the chief would be informed of what had happened, and his family would pay dearly. His wife and sister, the only family that he had, would now become sexual slaves to the other men. They would have all sorts of horrors forced upon them, simply because the brave had been killed while standing guard. "Leave him for the wild things to feast on. We must find out where our plaything has gone to." The brave was tossed into the woods without ceremony, and then they began searching for a trail. When they found nothing, Panther knew that she must have had help in escaping.

Thoughtfully, he tapped a finger against his cheek, then a wicked gleam came into his eyes. "We will return to where we found the girl. She must live nearby, and most certainly will be heading for her home. We will pay them a visit first and see what we find." The men laughed, their blood racing with the idea of more murder and rape. It was what they lived for, and would bring them even more praise when they returned to their home. With wild cries, they mounted their horses and rode back the way they had come.

Charity was growing more and more weary as they moved on. Raven and Hawk tried to set a pace that was not too uncomfortable for her, but they knew it was best to keep moving as much as possible. They stopped and ate again at midday, and found a hidden stream where the girl was finally able to wash herself, and at least feel a bit fresher for the moment. Although the water was chilled, she didn't care, as glad as she was to wash away the scents and essences from the previous day. She even dipped her head under and rinsed her hair clean, then stood in a patch of sunlight to dry off, unaware of what a picture she made, standing in the forest, nude beneath the trees, her coppery hair blowing in the breeze as it dried. The young men could not help but gaze at her out of the corner of their eyes, wishing things were different, and that she lived in their tribe. They allowed her to rest as long as they felt was safe, and then Raven urged them onward.

At last, dusk fell, and Raven decided that they would have to find a place to camp for the night, and continue in the morning. They were fortunate enough to find another cave near a streambed, and they quickly prepared it for sleep, and crawled in. Charity was shivering, and Raven apologized for not being able to light a fire, but she understood completely. "Last night, we slept beside you to keep you warm, Charity," he told her. "With your permission, we will do the same tonight. One will stand guard, while the other lies with you. I promise, no harm will come to you."

Too weary to care much, the girl simply nodded, and slid into the soft pile of leaves. Raven took first watch, so Hawk slipped in behind her, and in a moment she felt his strong arms pull her close. At first, it felt odd, but then she began to relax, feeling protected and warm. It was nice to have a muscular chest pressed against her back, and if she glanced over to the dim light of the cave's entrance, she could see Raven's silhouette, outlined against the sun's dying rays. Comforted, she slipped into sleep, not knowing how her very presence affected these two young men. Hawk pressed his nose gently against the crown of her head as soon as her breathing became even, and he knew she was asleep. She smelled of sunshine and freshness, and he held her even more closely, knowing that she would be home all too soon.

While Charity and her rescuers were bedding down for the night, Stalking Panther and his men reached the settlement. They waited quietly until night fell, and then slipped into the village, moving about without a sound, searching for the girl they had lost. Panther moved through the unlocked door of the first cabin he came to, hearing soft snoring from inside. Smiling wickedly, he made his way through the small home, finding only two bedrooms, one containing a sleeping couple, and the other, a beautiful blond girl. He made short work of the couple, slitting their throats before they even opened their eyes, then moved into the bedroom of the young woman. He studied her face for several moments, guessing her to be about the same age as their lost dove. Moving closer, he drew the bedclothes off of her body, revealing her nightdress. It had ridden up slightly, exposing her legs a bit, and he felt himself grow hard at the sight.

She moved slightly in her sleep, apparently sensing something amiss, and he climbed onto the bed and straddled her. Her eyes opened slowly at the feel of his body atop hers, and then they went wide with terror and she opened her mouth to scream. He slapped a hand over her lips, and ripped the front of her gown with his free hand. Her breasts sprang into sight, her skin pale in the moonlight. Licking his lips, he leaned forward and took her entire right breast in his mouth, lapping at her nipple hungrily. She thrashed beneath him, which only served to fuel his hunger for her, and he moved his mouth to her other breast. She was clawing at him with her fingers, so he caught her wrists in his hand and held them above her head, never removing his mouth from her. He felt her nipple harden beneath his tongue, and he thrust against her. Now he heard screams from some of the other buildings, so he removed his hand from her mouth and moved it between their bodies, down to her crotch. Yanking at her underthings, he soon had them pulled down enough to expose her and he thrust his fingers into her, playing with her. She was shrieking in terror now, and he loved each sound. Sitting up, he looked down into her pale face. She was pleading with him not to hurt her, but he grunted and pushed aside his breechclout, revealing his erection to her sight. Smiling at the look on her face, he began to rub himself along her slit, teasing her. He felt the moisture ooze from her body even as she tried to resist him. Capturing a nipple again, sucking hard on it, he thrust his cock into her, taking her body with all his might. He thrust into her over and over, until he felt the seed leave his body, then he pulled out, leaving her weak and trembling. Grabbing her by the hair, he yanked her from the bed, and out into the common ground, where he tied her to a tree, and went back to searching for Charity.

The next morning, after they had eaten, the three companions started on their way. Raven knew they would reach the settlement today, and he would be happy to see Charity safe again. Now that she knew of them, perhaps they could visit openly, and remain friends. He didn't dare hope for more than that. They traveled more quickly this day, as Charity had become a bit more accustomed to the pace. Nevertheless, they still had to pause for rest fairly often, so it was later in the day as they began to walk through more familiar woods. As they moved closer to the settlement, Hawk caught the scent of smoke, heavy in the air, and a cold shiver of fear touched his spine. He could tell that Raven had scented it as well, for he stopped walking suddenly and glanced back at his friend. Both were thinking the same thing. Charity stopped as well, and asked, "What's wrong?" Suddenly, she caught the scent also, and said "What in the world..." then her face became deathly pale, and her hand flew to her lips. "Oh no...." she said softly.

"Wait here." Raven moved away from the others, a shadow in the forest again. He knew Hawk would take care of Charity for the moment, and he wanted to see if what they feared was true. After a short while, he came to the bushes where they had so often watched the girl go about her daily chores, and his heart sank. The village was in ruins. He could see some dead bodies lying about from where he was concealed, and some of the cabins were still burning, although the flames looked as if they would give up the ghost soon. There was not a sound from the cluster of cabins. Cautiously, he moved out further, and soon confirmed that nothing alive remained here. The hoofprints of the mounts and footprints leading off into the forest told the story. He wondered how many had been allowed to survive, not knowing exactly how many people had lived there.

With a heavy heart, he made his way back to where Charity and Hawk waited in the shadows. When he had relayed his news, he waited to see what her reaction would be. She seemed too stunned to make a sound at first, and then she raised her chin. "I have to see it for myself."

"Charity..."

"I have to. To know it's real...that I'm not dreaming."

Silently he led the two back to the ruins of Charity's home. She stood among the bushes for a moment, then moved forward. She seemed to forget everything else for the moment, as she moved about, looking into the faces of her neighbors and friends. She walked slowly around to all the cabins, then went to her own. Digging through the rubble, she managed to locate a dress that she had normally worn for cleaning, as it was old and patched. Everything else was gone. Without a word, she slipped the dress over her head and took one final look at her home, then turned to face the two men.

Her voice trembling slightly, unshed tears bright in her eyes, she said simply, "Now what?"