* * *
Now Elric, I said to myself, you've trekked the width of a continent, seen countless sights of immeasurable complexity and exoticism, fought foes of a monstrous sort, but this very well be the most exotic being you've ever laid eyes upon. The being in question was, of course, a woman. But what a woman. Tall, at least my height, which is an impressive feat in and of itself. Even sitting at a table as she was, I could see the sultry beauty in her movement, the suppleness of her white flesh. Her raven hair cascaded down bare shoulders as clear blue eyes gazed back at me. Her crimson lips, coloured like fresh-spilled blood, were full and inviting, moistened by the tip of her tongue in the most sensual manner. She bore a tattoo on her chest, a delicate marking of a crescent moon. The tattoo sat almost in the hollow of her ample breasts, which themselves were barely contained by a scant bra-like garment made of leather and fur. Her midriff lay bare and a tiny garment of the same material was tied about her hips, a garment which served only to cover her most sensitive of female regions. The full, ivory expanse of her long, exquisitely shaped legs were exposed, unclad, and her delicate feet were protected by simple sandals that bound about her ankles. Her garb was like that of one of the feral women, and though she was lithe in build, she lacked the broad shoulders, raw musculature, and ferocious expression of one of these tribal folk.
I was no stranger to women myself, but had, in all honesty, never laid with one. My work as a mercenary afforded me myriad opportunity, but minimal time. Thus, when this vision of lustful temptation smiled in my direction and bid me come sit beside her, I leapt at the chance. Without an active contract, I was whiling away my time and money in this small-town tavern, and this woman appeared to be rather willing to occupy my downtime.
"Elric Ravinus." I said politely, situating my muscular frame onto the small wooden chair across from her at the isolated table.
"Aeryna," she said simply, "just Aeryna. You didn't come over to talk, did you, fighting man?"
At this point I felt her brush one of her sandaled feet against my leg under the table, moving it steadily higher until it rested between my thighs. She pressed lightly with her toes and my heart skipped a beat, my hands tensing up in anticipation.
"No, m'lady," I replied, "I assume you have no desire to converse, do you?"
"Not in the least," she responded with a wicked smirk, "but my home is not in town."
"I'll walk a continent and back if I must." I hastily stated.
"Oh you'll do nicely." purred Aeryna. "But the entrance to my home stands in a hollow, under a high hill east of town. Come to me tonight, Elric, and I will assure you a night of minimal rest."
Before I could reply, Aeryna rose and walked around the table, her every movement alive with a deliberate sensuality. Closer up, I could smell her sweet aroma, the honey-like fragrance of her flesh, her hair, like some intoxicating supernatural perfume that befuddled my mind with attraction. Aeryna fell upon me, wrapping her porcelain arms around my neck and covering my lips with her's. Her teeth scratched and bit at my lips whilst she pressed her body against me. Then the kiss was broken, and she was gone, walking away at a calm pace, her legs carrying her away with long, visually-gratifying strides.
I had to sit still for a moment and calm my heartbeat, wiping faint traces of blood from my lips. The woman kissed hard. My heart pounded like a war-drum and I had half a mind to charge after Aeryna and carry her away in my arms. But there was something ethereal about her, despite her startlingly, almost assertively real presence; I felt that if I chased after her, I would not find her in the streets, only in the location which she had specified. A house under a hill, I assumed built into the terrain itself, east of town. My objective was clear.
I paid my fee to the bartender and strode out into the quiet streets. The sun had only just set and the already sparse population of this forest-bordered town was now homeward bound for the night ahead. I had no home here and stayed regularly at an inn across the street from the tavern. But not tonight. I set my self to the east and began walking out of town, watching as the houses diminished in number and grew farther apart until the dirt road became a stone-strewn trail, which led into the thickly wooded area beyond the eastern border of the township.
The woods were dark and dense beyond compare, blotting out the dwindling light of the recently-set sun. But even in the encroaching darkness, I discerned the rise of the ground in a northeastward direction. Separating from the path, I began breaking through the brush, crashing through scrub and low-hanging branches, pushing thinner trees aside and crushing tall grass under my boots. The sound of forest creatures drifted to my keen ears, but I felt no concern, for the steel blade at my side could, rather easily, allow me to fell any animal who might fancy me a suitable prey.
The trees thinned only slightly as I came to a low hill and began to circle it, seeking a house. As I expected, I found a wooden door in the earthen slope, which yielded to my turning of the knob. Stone steps and thick stone walls greeted me. Who in Hel's name carved this place of stone?! The steps sloped sharply inward into dark depths, though a faint illumination hovered at the end of the dark passage. As I descended down into and below the hill, my means of entry swung closed by its own weight, a dull "thud" echoing down the steps.
The illumination grew brighter as I reached the bottom of the stone steps and walked across a tiled floor toward the only door, which stood partially ajar before me. Pushing this heavy oak door inward, I strode into a room illuminated by torches set in brackets near each of its four corners. Other doors exited this room, but all were closed, and the door behind me, heavy as it was, swung to as well. But I was not alarmed, for I was armed and my only possible aggressors would have to come from doors which were clearly visible. I would not be surprised.
The room was relatively unadorned, save for a high-backed wooden chair that sat against the wall opposite the door by which I'd entered. The chair had what appeared to be a soft cushion upon it, and on that chair sat a woman, red-haired and pale-skinned, as tall as Aeryna and sharing the other woman's radiant sexuality. But this woman wore only a tightly clinging black robe, cut low enough that I could see a crescent moon tattoo, like Aeryna's, identical in fact in placement and design. Her eyes met mine and the woman smiled invitingly.
"You are Aeryna's man, Elric the fighter, yes?" she asked in a stern yet quiet tone.
"And you are?" I returned.
"Kressa, friend of Aeryna, keeper of her sanctity." she answered.
"Keeper of--"
"Her sanctity," she repeated, "her well-being. And thus, approver of her... decisions."
This last word was pointedly directed at me. I did not quite know where to proceed from this point. Luckily, or perhaps unluckily, Kressa did.
"Kiss my feet." she ordered.
"I beg your pardon?" I demanded, drawing myself up in an intimidating and indignant manner.
"I withhold the right to send you away," she said firmly, her voice taking on a hard edge, "or to admit you into the chambers beyond... and Aeryna."
