A Paladin's Journey

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CHAPTER TEN: A Bath

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*Author's note: Hey readers, I've been working on the Sunblade Chronicles a fair bit, but here is the first draft of Chapter 10! No shortage of steamy bits here, so go nuts!*

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***ARAN SUNBLADE: Emerin Chapel, Ekistair***

Aran sat by his bed and watched Elaina sleep peacefully. The warm morning sun caught her shoulder-length golden hair and bathed her beautiful face in a soft glow. Luckily, one of the Rostiners -- Edlin was his name, an older fellow with wizened features and a sparse ring of grey hair -- had a steady hand and experience as a field surgeon. Edlin had patched up Kedron, Smythe and Elaina, all of whom were now resting in separate rooms.

Aran was in the armchair next to the bed, leaning forward with his elbow on his knees, his chin and lips resting on steepled fingers as he relived the previous day's battle. The Heralds would soon retaliate, of that he was sure. The presence of Maharad's touch had been a surprise, to say the least, but it made sense. Aran had long suspected a darker driving force behind the Heralds, and now he knew.

It was another surprise in itself that Aran even recognised the dark god. Aran Sunblade the twenty-year old man had never heard of Maharad, but the knowledge had come to him from somewhere else, passed down through the omniscience of the vala.

Maharad. A god of lies and chaos. Polar opposite to Aros. What did his presence among the Heralds mean? Nothing that couldn't be stopped. Aran's new knowledge told him Maharad appeared in times of great strife and planted his seeds in the cracks, sowing disorder.

Amina would need to know as quickly as he could get word to her. She would also be very interested in the other events of the day. The woman with the knife, a lost soul who had given her body over to Maharad completely, becoming a vessel for his power. The knife was old, forged in a time long past. Aran had taken the weapon from the field and secured it deep in the Chapel's vault.

That knife was dangerous; it drained the vala of an Arohim once it pierced their skin, rendering them unable to access their healing power.

Aran thought maybe that if he had not lent some of his own vala to the others, they may not have survived the battle.

In addition, the knife wounds in Smythe and Elaina were not healing as rapidly as they should, while their other cuts and bruises were already all but gone. Time would tell as to whether they would heal completely or not. The assassin had not gotten Kedron, but the arrow to the par'vala's chest had punctured his lung. He would recover, but it would take time.

Smythe had the worst of it. The Nameless had stabbed him three times; once in the back, once in the gut and one between the ribs. Eldin maintained the tainted blade missed his heart by less than an inch. The big Paladin was in the next room over and was doing fine, though he would be the last one out of bed.

Another significant aspect of yesterday was that Aros had spoken to Aran directly. The very thought still sent chills through him. He felt different since that experience. His vala was stronger even than before, but the wild, raging maelstrom of power was gone. Now it was a calm, tranquil presence that could flow gently like a slow-moving river, or if required, surge like a flood, carrying away all those in its path.

It had to have something to do with his sense of purpose. He felt clearer, now. More solid. Less concerned with failure and more focused on what needed to be done.

Then there was Berrigan, taking his own life in a moment of clarity granted to him by Aran. Maharad had not possessed Berrigan the same way as the assassin, but his touch was still there. It was worse, in a way; it meant Berrigan's deeds were driven more by himself than the deity.

Aran had ordered Berrigan's body left where it was until Kedron awoke. It would be Kedron's decision what to do with it.

Using his vala, Aran felt for Elaina's wound. The knife had gone in to her right side, just below the ribs. There was no change since he'd checked an hour ago, for better or worse. Her vala, however, seemed to be replenishing slowly. Where it was a guttering flame yesterday, it was now a dim glow, weak but steady.

"You will be well, my love," he whispered, squeezing her hand firmly before leaning back in the chair. He checked on the rest of the Chapel without moving. It was that easy for him, now. He could feel it all without even having to concentrate.

The Elves had moved into the Chapel, choosing the safety of the walls over the forest outside. The villagers were tending their wounded, cooking, cleaning, taking excellent care of the place. Ari was chivvying people about here and there, making sure everyone had what they needed. He would make an excellent arondur, that man.

The Chapel was more alive than it had been for over a thousand years, probably. The cook fires were roaring in the kitchen. Every room was being used for something. Aran noted with a grin that more than one room was occupied by a couple making love. Having four Arohim in the vicinity was affecting the other denizens to a positive end.

Induin and Liaren were down there, looking after some of their wounded kin. As Aran's meldin, their souls glowed stronger in his mind than those around them. As if summoned, he felt them stop what they were doing and head for the stairs.

A few moments later the door opened softly and Induin's silver-haired head poked through hesitantly before she came all the way in, followed by her sister. They were dressed identically in tight forest-green breeches and shirts that molded their slim bodies in an appealing manner.

Liaren went to Elaina and gently touched the sleeping woman's hand, while Induin stood before Aran and eyed him critically. After a moment, Liaren joined her sister, her expression a mirror of her twin's.

"Elaina is healing well?" Induin asked, putting one hand on a cocked hip.

Aran nodded. "As well as she can, my heart. The bad wound is closing, but slowly. She needs time."

Both Elves looked to the sleeping Paladin. "She is strong," Liaren said. "I cannot imagine her staying down for long."

"I do not think she will," Aran agreed, smiling up at his near-identical loves.

"Good," Induin said decisively. "Then you are coming with us, Aran Sunblade, Lord of the arohim."

Aran chuckled at the ridiculous title. "Coming where? I really should stay with Elaina, for now."

"Nonsense," Liaren retorted, wrinkling her nose. "What you really should do is have a bath, and we're taking you now."

It sounded tempting. He glanced at his amatharn sleeping on the bed. "But Elaina-"

"Would not want to wake up and find you sitting there smelling like a troll's loincloth!" Induin interjected. Liaren smirked and bit her lip in poorly-suppressed amusement.

"I do not smell like a-!" He sniffed his armpit, and found it to be not half so bad as they said. "And how do you know what a troll's loincloth smells like?" He demanded, keeping his voice low so as not to wake Elaina.

"I don't," Induin replied haughtily. "But I could not imagine anything worse. That's how much your stench bothers me."

Aran wanted to grab the cheeky Elf and tickle her to within an inch of her life -- before making her come so many times she couldn't stand up! - but his duty to Elaina nagged at him. He opened his mouth to let his beautiful Elves down, but someone else spoke first.

"Go, stud," Elaina said softly from the bed.

Three pairs of eyes whipped to Elaina in delighted surprise. Aran was on his feet in a heartbeat and leaning over the bed, only a fraction faster than Induin and Liaren. His hand found Elaina's and she squeezed it weakly.

"Go with them," she repeated, her eyes coming open briefly before closing again. "You can't sit there all day and night."

"I was waiting for you, my love," he said gently, brushing her hair back with his other hand.

"I will be fine," she assured him breathily. "I just need time." After a moment, her lips quirked ever so slightly. "And space to breathe. You really do stink, you know."

Liaren and Induin burst into peals of laughter, and Aran found himself joining them. "Fine!" He announced. "I'll take a bath!"

"Wonderful," Elaina said. Her eyes opened again, but this time she looked at the Elves. "Don't wear him out, sisters. I want him all to myself when I'm better."

"We won't!" they replied in unison. Aran bent to brush Elaina's lips with a kiss. The twins did the same before they hustled him from the room like a sheep being herded.

*

The bath chamber was empty when they arrived. This early in the day, the fireplaces were both cold -- though the fires were already laid -- and the pool was empty. As Aran entered, he brushed the sunstones on the walls with his vala, bringing them to life.

The next few minutes was an impressive show of teamwork from Aran's lovers.

First, Induin was in his arms, kissing him deeply, her nimble fingers working on his shirt while Liaren started the fires. By the time Liaren was done, Induin had Aran's shirt off and was working on his breeches. Liaren came over behind her sister and put gentle pressure on her shoulders, pushing her down to her knees.

Liaren then took up the kissing duties while Induin busied herself with his boots, which came off one foot at a time as Aran's tongue thoroughly explored Liaren's mouth. He moaned when Induin began kissing his stomach while she addressed the buttons at the waist of his breeches.

With a growl, he hooked the fingers of both hands beneath the collar of Liaren's shirt and tore the dark green garment down the middle, exposing her pale, flat belly and her delicious apple-sized breasts.

"Oh!" Liaren remarked appreciatively. "I like it when you do that."

She made a satisfied sound when Aran's lips found her neck, then her collarbone, and finally her breast, catching the petite pink nipple between his teeth and ravaging it with his tongue. Liaren's hands were tangled in his hair and she arched her back under his loving assault of her sensitive flesh.

Aran's breeches came down under insistent tugging from Induin, and he felt her hand encircle his aching cock. He pulled her up before she could take him in her mouth, however.

He now had one sister in each arm and he held them tightly against him, savouring the moment. How long had it been since they'd all been together? Two weeks? More?

Two large, brilliant pairs of eyes gazed at him, one clearest jade, the other pure sapphire. As with all Elves, a soft light seemed to shine behind their eyes at times, giving them something of an angelic cast.

"Now that I am naked," he began, stepping back from them reluctantly. "It is your turn." When they grinned and went to strip, he forestalled them with a raised hand. "Not like that. I want to do it. Over there, hands on the wall." He pointed to the stone wall to the right of the arch that led back into the Chapel.

The twins shared an excited look. "I like him like this!" Induin purred as she sauntered to the wall and placed her palms on it. She stood with legs straight and shoulder-width apart, and she pushed her pert ass out at a maddeningly sexy angle.

Liaren copied her sister, and Aran was presented with two devastatingly attractive Elves patiently awaiting him to render them nude. He started with Liaren, standing close behind her and running his hands from her slim hips and up over her waist. She pushed her ass back so his cock butted against her breeches, and she wiggled back and forth as his hands traveled up her back.

When he reached the neck of her shirt, he ripped it open forcefully, tearing the now completely ruined garment off her slender frame and tossing it carelessly to the floor.

"That was hot!" Induin said enviously. "Do me!"

Liaren's ass ground against him more insistently, but Aran took his time, running his hands all over her silky skin, from her hips, over her belly, to her soft tits. He squeezed them possessively before sliding his fingers back down to her waist, where he deftly shredded her breeches in the same way as her shirt. At the same time, he used his vala to give her a stiff jolt of pleasure, making her hips buck in answer.

"Mmmm!" she groaned as Aran knelt to remove her boots and the last vestiges of her pants. Her creamy bottom was directly at eye level, and he kissed each cheek hungrily before lightly nipping her with his teeth. Her smooth pussy beckoned him, the pink inner lips already slightly open and glistening with her wetness.

Aran gave Liaren another shot of pleasure, and her arms gave out as she hit a gentle climax, her tight body shuddering as her face pressed up against the stone.

"Don't move," he ordered Liaren as he moved to the left and positioned himself behind Induin. He wanted to savour undressing her as he had Liaren, but he found himself moving more quickly this time, attacking her clothes almost fiercely in his eagerness.

While he was busy with a giggling Induin, Liaren temporarily vacated her position. Tottering over on unsteady legs, she opened the valves on the bath, and the sound of rushing water followed immediately. Billowing steam quickly began to fill the chamber.

Liaren then returned to her place against the wall to their right. She resumed the same stance, this time covering her sister's hand with her own where it rested on the wall. She watched hungrily as Aran bent his body over a now-naked Induin, his cock nestled along the hot folds of her sex as he ravaged her neck and shoulders with kisses and gentle bites.

"I love watching you two together," the green-eyed beauty confessed. "I can feel everything you're doing to her, and what she's doing to you! It's almost too much!"

Aran shared a smile with Liaren before continuing his passionate march on Induin's lithe body. The warmth of the fires combined with the hot, steamy water quickly covered the three lovers with a sheen of sweat, and Aran loved the way the girls glistened damply, their hair slicked to their pale skin.

Induin was moaning more intensely now, and grinding her ass back, trying to angle her pussy so she could push herself onto his cock. Aran kept her wanting for the moment.

Not forgetting Liaren, he settled a steady, pulsing wave of pleasure over her, one that would build slowly over time, a fire that would grow gradually hotter.

"Fuck me, Aran," Induin purred hotly, writhing in anticipation. "Wherever you want, any way you want. Just fuck me!"

Aran had been meaning to wait until they were in the water, but he found himself lifting his upper body and grasping her waist. He pulled his hips back until the head of his rampant erection was nestled against her slick lower lips. Sensing the change, Induin surged backwards, impaling herself quite thoroughly. Her head flew back and she screamed as her body exploded in pleasure. Hot fluid splashed against Aran's balls as she came hard, and her pussy clamped down on him firmly.

Liaren echoed her sister's scream as the climax washed through the melda, and both girls fell forward onto their elbows as their bodies twitched in unison.

Aran relished the feeling of being buried inside Induin once again. He had been with no one since leaving the Temple, except for Elaina on the Plane. Sex in the flesh always beat sex on the Plane, however.

He began to stroke his cock in and out, much to Induin's whimpering delight, but he could tell through the melda that she was almost delirious with pleasure, so he backed off a little, giving her time to recover.

Reaching to his right, he squeezed Liaren's firm ass before delving downward with his fingers, finding her soaking lips and the stiff clit just below. Soon Liaren was wailing in high-pitched Elvish as Aran began manipulating her with his fingers, sensing just how she wanted to be touched.

Induin recovered quickly, and Aran was soon thrusting into her slick channel at a steady pace. The sound of wet flesh slapping filled the chamber, punctuated by grunts, moans and squeals. Aran lost himself in the act, putting all his attention on the needs of his lovers.

When Liaren's pussy clenched around Aran's probing digits for the fourth time, she began to sink to the floor, exhausted. He removed his fingers so she could, and she sat back against the wall, watching with heavily-lidded eyes as Aran and Induin soldiered on.

Induin's legs gave out then, and Aran held her up by the slender hips he was gripping. When he started to withdraw from her with the intention of letting her down, she shot him a blue-eyed glare over her shoulder.

"Do not dare stop, Aran Sunblade! Hold me up and keep going!"

The melda raged with hot desire from the Elf, whom was obviously not yet sated. Liaren, being meldir to Induin, was a mirror of her twin's emotions, and was now sitting with her slim legs wide apart, plunging two fingers in and out of her cunt while kneading a breast with the other hand.

Aran did as he was told and drove himself back inside his silver-haired lover with force, rocking her light body with the impact. She braced herself against the wall with both hands flat on the stone, her arms extended and elbows locked. Her heels hooked behind his thighs for purchase as Aran began to hammer home, giving her the fucking she wanted.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Induin cried in rapid bursts, each word punctuated by the slap of wet skin on wet skin. "Come in me! Put your child in me!"

Those words shocked Aran down to his toes. His thrusting slowed to a stop. "What?" He asked dumbly. She wanted his child? She mustn't be thinking right from all the sex; her pleasure levels were soaring right now.

"You heard me!" Induin replied insistently, pushing her ass back at him as she looked back over her shoulder. "If I'm going to have anyone's child, it's going to be yours. I want this, Aran."

"So do I!" Liaren chimed in, hopping to her feet and leaning in close to him. Her face was still flushed from arousal, but her gaze was steady and clear, now. "We were going to wait and tell you later, but now is as good a time as any."

Aran returned her gaze and felt her sincerity through the melda. At the same time, Induin put her feet on the floor and wriggled out of his grip. His shaft left the warm confines of her sex as she turned to face him.

"Do you not want us to bear your children?" she asked him softly, as if afraid of the answer.

Aran smiled and touched their faces tenderly. "I can think of nothing I want more, my loves."

"But?" Liaren asked.

"But what if I'm not here after all this?" he replied. "With the path that lies before me, I don't know if I will be around to see my children grow."

"All the more reason to have them," Induin said firmly. "In this time of uncertainty, it is wise to focus on the good things, no?"

"We didn't know we wanted to be mothers," Liaren explained. "But when we imagined having your children, and having them be a part of the Temple, of the Order, it felt right."

"Even if you're not here, one day," Induin added. There was a spike of sadness from her as she spoke those words. "To leave a part of yourself behind in your children would be special, would it not?"

Aran wanted to hope that he would be left standing after Aros was done with him, but he had accepted that that may not be the case some time ago. "You would do this anyway?" He asked them earnestly. "Raise them on your own if something happens to me?"

They chuckled in unison. "We would not be alone," Liaren answered. "We have the Temple, the Servants, our kin in Ildernass. These children will be surrounded by love!"

She had a point, Aran had to admit. When he finally nodded his assent, they flashed twin beaming smiles at him and tilted their heads in a way that allowed him to kiss them both at the same time. A moment later he was being pulled toward the bath by his cock, Induin's hand around the base, Liaren's around the head as they led him to the water's edge.