Welcome back!
This is my 50th publication here on Literotica! Woot!
Some Femdom in this one, not really my thing but it fit the character, so I rolled with it.
It's curious, I saw some vids of FemDom porn a while back (researching art references for Ikuno) and in all of them I would have told these tall, muscular women to go fuck themselves with a sand-coated dildo if they treated me like that. However, when I wrote the part in this chapter I don't have that same reaction and I don't understand why. As I said... curious.
For those of you reading The Runesmith Chronicles for the first time I recommend going back and starting with the first book The Runesmith Chronicles (it's actually Oni and the Farmer but it's too late to change it here :P). Mostly so you have a better understanding of how things like the magic system works and what's going on as I often reference earlier chapters.
I update my profile with news and current projects each time I submit a new chapter.
As always, don't forget to vote and don't forget to leave a comment! I may not respond to every one but I read them all and they are greatly appreciated!
Enjoy!
Blu
-
Edited/Proofread by - oldfart and 2muchdiggity
-
Chapter 21
Kal was thankful for the woman's heads-up yesterday about clergy views on sex, or else he wouldn't have been prepared for Priestess Elden in the slightest.
A young man appearing to be barely of age escorted him into her office. More than a half an hour passed before the mage heard her enter and turned in his chair to see who he was dealing with. Kal immediately understood the older priest's need for some relief after speaking about the woman. With her toned body, chiseled features, full red lips, and hair as black as night, the priestess was stunning. Her robes showed nearly as much skin as they covered, being open on the sides and draping over her breasts until the white fabric tucked into a wide, polished belt. Her lower robes were split up the side all the way to her thigh. The mage figured that she must have some means of keeping the fabric against her legs, magical or not, or a stiff wind would show the world her sex and bottom.
The girl at the other cathedral didn't mince words when describing the woman's attitude. Before he could even take in her beauty, the first thing he noticed was her look of disdain as she glared at him. Kal didn't like her one bit.
He sat quietly for another half hour, patiently waiting for her to acknowledge his existence. She busied herself about her office instead; looking through various books, making notes and sending out memos with her assistant, who acted completely terrified of her. In that time, he discovered that the undergarment she wore was a skin-tight strip of material that barely covered her beneath her robes. After the first glance, Kal kept his eyes securely on the priestess's face. She seemed to be keeping an unusually keen eye on where his gaze was directed. Every time he caught a glimpse of whatever treasures her robes might cover, he jerked his eyes away and found something else to look at. His willpower was really challenged when she leaned over to get a book from the bottom shelf of her personal library. The top of her robes fell away from her chest, taunting him to look at the light pink spot at the bottom side of his vision. No sooner did the opportunity presented itself than she turned and locked eyes with him.
Kal took a little bit of solace in the twin bumps now poking through the white fabric. He didn't know what aroused her, but it made him feel a little better.
She sat down and began penning another memo, giving him an excellent view of her cleavage. He wanted to look, but her eyes kept flicking from the paper to his face. She suddenly dropped her quill back into its well. "You're trying my patience," she sneered.
"I imagine that isn't difficult." The mage mentally raged at his own pride and foolishness, snarky comments like that were not going to get him the map he needed.
"Get out."
"The priest in charge of the southern cathedral sent me here. He said I might be able to help you in return for a map of the Death Plains."
"The Lantaran Plains," she corrected. "What made him think you might be of use to me?"
"He took a keen interest in my trappings as an adventurer before making his recommendation."
Her eyes narrowed, "I see nothing of the sort."
"I have a bag of holding, my gear is stored there."
A looked of surprise crossed the priestess's face before reverting back to a contemptuous snarl. Bags of holding weren't rare, but were still useful enough only those with power, money or extremely good luck had one. If some tragic incident befell the owner...
She sat back, her face softening slightly. "During our autumn sweep of the plain's inner perimeter, a regiment of cavalry went missing, as did the two priests later sent to find them. A week ago, a shredded and bloodied piece of their robes was found by one of the outposts along the wall. You can join me and the two other adventurers I'm taking to investigate tomorrow morning."
"In return for my help, you will give me a map of the plains?"
Her nod was nearly imperceptible. "I will give you the opportunity to speak with the cartographersβ"
Kal stood quickly, interrupting her. "Thank you for your time, Revered Mother. You said that a regiment of cavalry and two magic-users have been killed. I won't put my life on the line for mere 'opportunities.' If you cannot guarantee I will get the map I need then I believe our business is concluded."
"As you wish," she said with a dismissive wave. "A whelp such as you would hardly make any difference." Picking up her quill, she went back to writing.
"Of course I wouldn't make a difference, you're looking for fodder to feed whatever has been killing your people, so you can observe it."
The woman's head snapped up, suspicion written across her face. "Who told you such things?"
"You did. You are gathering adventurers from outside the city instead of using soldiers or more clerics. You need people who are expendable."
"You knew this and are still willing to join me?"
"I was willing," he corrected her. "Without the map, I have no reason to assist you. I won't risk my life for nothing. I canhonestly say that if your expedition goes sideways, I would be very useful to have along"
The priestess rolled her eyes. "Big talk, but you hardly have more than a few summers experience. I doubt you are as indispensable as you make yourself out to be."
Kal looked down at a box identical to the one possessed by the priest from yesterday resting on her desk. "Open that."
The priestess did as asked then hesitated for a moment, realizing what she had done. Glaring up at him, her expression showed her ire at obeying his command.
"I took down an underground slave trade in a city east of here. I also bested its leader who was in possession of enchanted armor and weapons."
The woman's eyes flicked to the box, her surprise quickly turning into a scowl. "How much help did you have?"
"One other, and she was there to keep the girls we rescued calm." Kal waited until she checked the box again before continuing. "I'm not totally certain how your hierarchy works, but you must be able to use the spell where a huge column of flame pours down on your enemy."
"Flame strike, yes I know it."
He leaned over. "I've stood in the middle of that spell and walked away without singeing a hair on my head. Ask yourself if someone who can do that will increase your chances of coming home safely if things go wrong." When she didn't react Kal stood up straight again. "I'm staying at the Gilded Sword Inn by the southern entrance if you change your mind," he said before stepping around his chair and making his way toward the door.
If he were older, she might think he was a mage. Since that was impossible, he must have some artifact that protected him from one of the clergy's most powerful offensive spells. If she could get her hands on whatever that item was along with the bag of holding...
"Be at the western gate an hour after sunrise. You will need a horse and provisions for four days," she called out as her assistant opened the door for him.
The man turned and bowed. "Thank you, Revered Mother. Please have an employment contract drawn up for me to sign in the morning. Have a wonderful day," he said before stepping out the door.
Elden ground her teeth together in anger after the door closed behind him. The glow from the box indicating that he actually waned her to have a good day only aggravated her even more. Her pride as a priestess demanded that she be in control of situations concerning those lower than her, yet somehow that man managed to put her in a position of weakness. She thought to use the map he needed against him, but his quick refusal to accompany her group caught her off guard. She never really gained the upper hand afterward. The realization that he left without being dismissed only made things worse.
Her jaw was beginning to hurt from being clenched for so long. She needed to calm down, she needed to think. The priestess slammed the lid of the box down and pushed her chair back from her desk.