Barbarian Quest - Cultistslayer 06

**********

The Palace, City of Yeledor

**********

Captain Aldon sat unmoving. He studied Prince Lareon for a long moment and shook his head. "No. You can't."

Lareon registered no reaction as he said, "Why?"

Aldon sighed. "Because it's too dangerous, and you've other responsibilities here. Out on the road, you're easier to get to." The captain rose from behind the table in Lareon's private quarters and crossed over. Gently placing his hand on the Prince's arm, he said, "I know your nature, Lareon. You hate sitting idly by while matters are moving to conclusion without you. I know you cannot abide the thought of Ayla's fate resting in hands other than your own, but in good conscience, and for your own safety, I cannot allow you to travel to Nyennas."

Lareon's expression remained clouded, as it had been since the assassination attempt the day before. But with the death of Crooked Duncan, his rage had fled, seeming to turn inwards, becoming cold detachment. Magister Rebus and Lord Sand's revelation of a possible source of knowledge existing in Nyennas had cleansed his mind of the initial madness. Now he had something to do, something that required clarity of judgement, the ability to think rationally, coolly, dispassionately. Fixing the captain of his royal guard with a penetrating look, he said, "I've been away for months, travelling abroad with you. As for my safety," he added, his voice rising in inflection, "we've all seen just how safe I am in my own palace." He fell into silence for a moment, then said, "I will go to Nyennas."

Girn the barbarian had been quietly sitting in the corner, observing the debate, listening closely to both. He leaned forward, the chair creaking under the weight of his muscled body. "Lareon, I've known you for maybe a tenday and I already know your moods as well as my own. Like myself, you think it impossible to leave vital matters to the care of others. I know it's hard to put that arrogance aside and let others that are better suited take care of things. I'm sure Magister Rebus can set pen to parchment with all the questions required. And there are those better suited to carry such messages quickly and without notice through the woods between here and Nyennas."

The Prince scowled. "Such as a certain barbarian I expect."

Girn gave a crooked smile. "Though large I may be, I was raised in the wilds. If this Kundokad has followers along the woodland trails, there is no one more likely to win past them than I."

Lareon cast his eyes heavenward. "I'll think about it. Now, everyone dismissed, I need some rest."

**********

Swan Tower, The Palace, City of Yeledor

**********

"Slowly, squire," Lady Piper whispered between her teeth. She threw her light hair across her left shoulder and gave a wink of encouragement over her right one.

Tip against the blonde's asshole, Connor gently leaned forward, meeting resistance to push the head of his cock inside Lady Piper. She was quietly whimpering, trying to contain her vocal enjoyment and concentrate on easing Connor's passage into her backdoor. She could have been yelling, "OOH FUCK YOU'RE STRETCHING ME SO WIDE," but that would've potentially put Connor off. With her hand moving between her legs, Lady Piper became wet quickly, reaching her wet fingers higher to rub her juices along Connor's shaft and helping the process of working him inside her asshole.

"Just relax," Piper said. "Breath in and slowly out." Whether this was meant for Connor or herself, wasn't clear.

With the horny blonde stretched tight around his tip, Connor pulled out. He slid his cock against her folds for more lubricant and popped back inside Lady Piper's backdoor. This second time went easier, her asshole already relaxing, not as tight as before on his tip. He pushed slowly further, pausing, back out and in, a little deeper, out again. A slow process at first, but now Connor was sliding half of his shaft in and out without problem.

Lady Piper groaned and bit her lip. "That feels so fucking good. Mmmh, I want more of your cock in my ass."

Connor took hold of her hips and carefully pushed as far as he could, an inch of his shaft still not embedded within her. Lady Piper cried out in ecstasy, her asshole clamping hard around his cock.

"Now fuck me hard, squire," Lady Piper quietly requested, voice trembling as her body quivered. "Fill up my ass with your cock."

Connor closed his eyes for a moment, feeling the warmth and tightness of Lady Piper around his cock, feeling her soft flesh in his hands, slender body shuddering, small yet pristine tits quivering. His balls churned and his cock throbbed inside Piper's asshole. With a grunt, he began bucking his hips, knowing fully well this wouldn't last long. With Lady Piper on all fours in front of him, he reached one arm around her waist and dug two fingers in her soaking pussy. His other hand grabbed her blonde hair and used it to pull her back whenever he thrust forward.

Lady Piper squealed from the double penetration and came hard on Connor's fingers and cock. This added pressure made his cock spasm and his orgasm was not to be stopped. Pulling out with a grunt, Connor directed Lady Piper off the bed and to her knees. "Finish me," he said and the blonde eagerly began stroking his cock.

Long ropes of cum shot out, glazing Lady Piper's face and petite breasts. Another load well spent, thought Connor as Piper cleaned his cock thoroughly with her tongue. The sensation it sent through Connor's body was incredible.

Smiling naughtily at the squire whose cum she had on her face, Lady Piper said, "You fucking my ass was so hot and felt so good. When can we do it again?"

The door was slammed open and Prince Lareon barged in. "Get dressed, squire Connor." He turned and inclined his head to Lady Piper who blushed underneath the sticky layer of Connor's cum. "Good evening, my lady. Excuse me for taking squire Connor with me."

"Sorry, I've tried to stop him," Captain Aldon said from the doorway. Both him and the Prince were dressed like mercenaries. Thick woollen tunic, stained and frayed at the edges as if from years of travel and combat. Over this, they wore piecemeal armour - leather pauldrons and vambraces - pieces seemingly scavenged from fallen enemies. They also had a mercenary's cloak, a dark, muted colour, tattered at the edges and already stained from mud, rain, and possibly blood. They gave off a mysterious and menacing air.

"What's the matter?" Connor asked, struggling to get his trousers on in such a rush. "Playing dress-up?"

Lareon met his gaze with an intense stare. "I need you to get me out of the palace. Unseen."

**********

The Palace, City of Yeledor

**********

Connor showed them to a low hidden door in the wall, and they entered. Through the ancient tunnels of the palace Connor moved quickly, down to a level deeper than even the damp dungeon. Lareon and Aldon kept quiet, though the captain was given to an occasional silent oath when something he stepped on scampered away or squished. He was pleased at the lack of good light.

Suddenly they were moving up rough stone steps. At the top landing, Connor pushed upwards against a protesting section of seemingly blank stone ceiling. It moved slightly and Connor said, "It's a tight squeeze." He wiggled through and took their belongings as they passed them along. The base of an outer stone wall had been cleverly counterweighted to swing from one side, but age and disuse had made it stubborn.

Lareon and Aldon managed to wriggle through. The Prince said, "Where are we?"

"Behind a hedge in the royal park. The postern gate to the palace is about a hundred and fifty yards off that way," answered Connor. He indicated a direction. "Follow me." He led them through thick shrubbery and into a stand of trees, in which three horses waited.

Lareon said to his captain, "I asked for two mounts."

"I thought that squire Con--"

"Never mind, I've no patience for this, we need to move quickly. You may not come, Connor."

Connor moved towards one of the mounts and nimbly jumped up into the saddle. "I don't take orders from nameless adventurers and unemployed bravos. I'm the Prince of Yeledor's squire."

Lareon looked at Aldon, who said, "Better bring him along where we can watch him. He'll only follow behind if we don't at this point." The Prince seemed about to protest when Aldon said, "We can't call the palace guards to have him arrested. The news of our escape will spread like wildfire."

Lareon mounted, obviously not pleased. Without further conversation, they turned their horses and rode away from the park. Down darkened alleys and narrow streets they moved, riding at a moderate pace so as not to attract undue attention.

Connor said, "This way lies the eastern gate. I assumed we would leave by the north."

Lareon said, "We'll be heading north soon enough. Should anyone see me leave the city, I'd just as soon have word passed I've gone east."

"Who's going to see us?" said Connor lightly, knowing full well that anyone seen riding through the gate at this hour would be noticed.

At the eastern gate two soldiers watched from the gatehouse to see who passed, but as there was neither curfew in effect nor alarm being sounded they barely stirred to watch the three riders pass. Beyond the walls they were in the outer city, erected when the ancient walls could no longer contain the population. Leaving the main eastern roadway, they moved between darkened buildings towards the north.

Then Prince Lareon pulled up his horse and ordered Connor and Captain Aldon to do likewise. Coming around the corner were seven riders dressed in heavy black cloaks. Connor's sword was out instantly, the chance of two groups of travellers innocently happening across one another on this minor street at this hour being very slight. Aldon began to draw his also, but Lareon simply said, "Put away your weapons." When the riders closed, Connor and Aldon exchanged questioning looks.

"Well met," said Lord Sand as he turned his horse to come alongside his Prince. "All is ready."

"Good," said Lareon. Studying the largest of the other riders, he said, "You can remove the cloak if you want, barbarian."

The figure identified as Girn struggled with the expanse of fabric on his back and threw the cloak into the mud. "Fucking cloaks," he rumbled.

"The other five?" asked Captain Aldon.

Lord Sand's good-natured chuckle could be heard in the gloom. "Davro here is your youngest guardsman, and should any attempt pursuit, from a distance he will resemble squire Connor." He waved at the other riders and explained how each of them resembled one of their company. "The barbarian and myself were the most difficult to find replacements for but I think Marus and Petrus will do." The two big guardsmen nodded their heads. Lord Sand waved the five riders along and they headed back down the street towards the eastern road.

"The guards at the gate seemed to pay scant attention," said Lareon.

"Have no fears on that account, Highness. They're the two biggest gossips in the night watch. Should word of your departure leak from the palace, within hours the entire city will know you were seen riding east. Those five riders will continue on until they reach the next town, if they are not troubled before then. If I may suggest we'd best be leaving at once."

The Prince, the Captain, the Lord, the barbarian, and the squire spurred their mounts and resumed their ride and within minutes were through the outer city, heading north towards Nyennas.

**********

North of the City of Yeledor

**********

A band of horsemen appeared on the horizon. Black figures stood outlined against the reddish sky of late afternoon. Girn sighted them first, and Lareon ordered a halt. Since they had left Yeledor, this was the first band of travellers they had encountered that were obviously not traders.

Girn squinted. "I can't see much at this distance, but I think them armed. Mercenaries perhaps?"

"Or outlaws," Lord Sand said.

"Or something else," Lareon added. "Girn, you're the most travelled among us. Is there another way?"

Girn looked about, getting his bearings. Pointing towards the forest on the other side of a narrow strip of farmland, he said, "To the east, about an hour's ride from here, is an old trail that leads up into the Ferrus Mountains. It was used by miners once, but it's little travelled now. It will lead us to the inland road."

Connor said, "Then we should make for that trail at once. It seems those others have tired of waiting for us to come to them."

Lareon saw the riders on the horizon start in their direction. "Lead the way, Girn." They left the road, heading for a series of low stone walls that marked the farms boundaries.

"Look," shouted Connor.

Lareon's companions saw the other band had reacted by spurring their mounts into a gallop. In the orange glow of the late afternoon, they were black figures out-lined against a grey-green hillside. Lareon and the others took the first low stone wall in a smooth jump, but Connor was nearly thrown. He managed to right himself without losing too much ground on the others. He said nothing but wished fervently there weren't three more walls between himself and the forest. Somehow he managed to keep seated and still not be too far behind when Lareon's company entered the woods.

The others were waiting for him and he reined in. Girn pointed. "They can't overtake us, so they parallel us, hoping to intercept us north of here." Then he laughed. "This trail is north-east bound, so our nameless friends will have to travel an additional mile of brush-clogged woodlands to cut our trail. We'll be long past them when they do. If they can find the trail."

Lareon said, "We still must hurry. We've little light, and the woods are not safe at the best of times. How long to this road?"

"We should be there two hours after sunset, maybe a little sooner."

Lareon motioned for him to lead the way. Girn turned his horse and they all moved deeper into the rapidly darkening forest. Dark boles bulked on both sides. In the gloom, with scant illumination from middle and large moons glittering down through high branches, the woods seemed a surrounding solid.

Throughout the night they had been picking their way along what Girn insisted was a trail, some ethereal thing that suddenly appeared a few feet before Girn's horse and just as quickly vanished a few feet behind Connor's. To Connor one patch of ground looked much like another, except that the meandering way Girn chose seemed to have slightly less debris cluttering it. The thief-turned-squire constantly looked back over his shoulder, seeking signs of pursuit.

Lareon ordered a halt. "We've seen no signs of being followed. Perhaps we've shaken them."

Lord Sand dismounted. "Not likely. If they have a skilled tracker among them, they've found our spoor. They'll be moving as slowly as we are, but they'll be keeping pace."

Dismounting, Lareon said, "We'll rest here for a while. Connor, break out the oats behind Captain Aldon's saddle."

Connor grumbled slightly as he began caring for the horses. He had learned after his first night on the road that, as squire, he was expected to care for his liege's horse - and everyone else's as well.

Girn slung his greataxe form his back and said, "I think I'll backtrack a ways and see if there's anyone close. I'll be back within the hour. Should anything happen, don't wait for me. I'll find you at Nyennas tomorrow night." He slipped off into the gloom.

**********

North of the City of Yeledor

**********

The thick canopy of trees loomed above, the moonlight casting long shadows across the dark forest floor. Every step the barbarian took was deliberate and soundless, his body moving with the practiced ease of a predator. He had left his company behind at their temporary camp, aware of the possibility they might be followed by the unknown riders. His instincts were honed by years of survival, and the forest spoke to him in whispers: a rustling here, the snap of a twig there, signs of a presence that did not belong.

Crouching low, his hand instinctively gripped the haft of his greataxe, but he didn't explode out of the bushes roaring for blood. Not yet. His padded silently across the forest floor, feeling the cool earth beneath him as his sharp eyes scanned the undergrowth. His broad, muscled body, blended into the shadows. He was the wolf, hunting unseen through the trees.

Then, something unusual caught his attention.

A soft, melodic sound drifted through the forest, like a breath of wind carrying an unearthly song. It wasn't the noise of animals or the rustling of leaves. It was a voice - so faint, so alluring - that he almost paused, captivated by its beauty. His heart quickened. The hairs on his neck stood on end, not from fear, but from something deeper, something primal.

He moved closer, his breath steady as he prowled through the thick foliage. The barbarian's sharp senses picked up the scent in the air - sweet and intoxicating, like wildflowers in full bloom after a rainstorm. But there was something else beneath it, something that tugged at him in a way that was unfamiliar and dangerous. His brow furrowed, but his body instinctively moved toward the scent, drawn to it like a moth to flame.

Peering through the leaves, his eyes landed on the source of the sound and the scent.

In a small clearing, bathed in slivers of moonlight that filtered through the treetops, stood a figure unlike any he had ever seen. A woman, but not quite human. Her skin shimmered with an ethereal glow, and her long, flowing hair seemed to shift with the breeze as if made of starlight itself. Her eyes - large, luminous, and unnaturally bright - fixed on something distant, but her presence was magnetic. She wore a gown of gossamer that clung to her slender form, its fabric sparkling like dewdrops under the night sky.

The barbarian's instincts screamed at him to be cautious, but something deep within him - an unfamiliar pull - kept him rooted in place, watching her. He took a step forward, carefully avoiding the snap of a twig, his body still low and poised to strike. But something gnawed at his thoughts, clouding them, turning his usual caution into something more reckless.

As he drew closer, realisation dawned upon him and he recognised the beautiful figure as a Hulder - a seductive forest spirit that lures men into the forest. She was a creature of magic, a being not of this world. Her movements were too graceful, her presence too intoxicating to be natural. His mind struggled to resist, but his body betrayed him. His muscles, usually tense and ready for combat, relaxed despite his efforts. The sweet, floral scent in the air was stronger now, filling his lungs, clouding his senses. He could feel his pulse quicken, not with the thrill of the hunt, but with something more dangerous - desire.

The creature turned slowly, as though she had known he was there all along. Her eyes locked onto his, glowing with a soft, alluring light. Her lips curved into a faint, knowing smile, and she took a step toward him. Her movements were slow, deliberate, and with every step, the scent grew stronger, weaving around him, binding him.

"You've come closer than I expected, warrior," she said, her voice like silk, wrapping around his thoughts. "You must be tired. Let me ease your mind."

Her voice resonated in his head, each word making it harder to think, harder to resist. He could feel the pull of her magic, subtle yet overwhelming, like invisible threads wrapping around his heart and mind. She moved with the grace of a predator, circling him, her eyes never leaving his. The barbarian's instincts screamed at him to fight, to break free, but his body refused to obey. His greataxe felt heavy in his hand, his limbs sluggish.