Quincunx

Eight

Things keep getting better.

"Dav," Curromo greeted me. "Hi," signaled Bemnie.

"Hi," I greeted them back.

"Is there cofftea in the pot?" asked Bemnie as they walked over.

"No, it's probably stewed by now, this is my second cup."

Curromo sat on my left hand while Xentha sat opposite, flashing me a nice smile. Bemnie walked on over and busied herself making a fresh cup.

"So where've you been to night," I asked as they settled themselves.

"The Bull. They had Kiria playing there," answered Curromo.

"Kenval was in earlier looking for you," I told them, then raising my voice."Bem, did you hear me?"

"Yes," came the reply. "Grepp told me earlier."

I turned back to them. "So, how good was Kiria tonight?"

I had no real interest but they were probably going to talk about it anyway so what the heck.

"She wasn't as good as last time," Curromo commented.

"I thought she was alright," Xentha put in.

She looked to the side of me. "Are you still wearing your sword?"

"What sword?" asked Curromo.

"He looked like one of those young merchant boys you see around," Xen said. "Sword dangling from his belt."

"It's in my room," I said.

"Can I see it?" asked Bem.

"It's on top of the panniers, against the wall at the bottom of the bed."

"Careful, it's quite sharp, especially the tip," I warned her as she walked across to my door.

She was inside for a short while.

"Dav," she said emerging with my sword in one hand and one of my panniers in the other. "You've got a bag full of aravig!"

"There's two, that was my main reason for visiting Bravermouth. It's for my father's nightcap."

She looked at the other two girls. "Don't you remember..., it was in potions?"

"Aravig," exclaimed Xen. "That herb that men take." Her hand flying to her mouth as she said it.

"Well come on, I don't remember," Curromo said almost simultaneously.

"It gives them four hour erections, an' he's got bags of it."

"How does it work?" asked Curromo.

"You boil it in a little water or wine and then he drinks it, in ten minutes he's as hard as a rock for four hours." Bemnie explained.

"That's a bit long," chipped in Xentha. "Is there a half strength?"

"I don't think so, I don't remember anything about one." Answered Bemnie.

I was listening with amazement as Bemnie carried it over and dropped it in the middle of the table. My father, the old goat, I wondered how often he used it, he was past twice my age and still going strong. No wonder mother and he still had a good relationship.

"Dav?" Bemnie asked. "Could you spare me twenty leaves?"

"Who're you going to prod?" asked Curromo.

"Grepp, I'm going to sneak it into his wine." She replied with a laugh. "Let him be magnificent for real for once."

"Oh, can I have some to get Kenval with as well, I'm going to leave him wanting more." Begged Curromo

Xentha laughed when she heard that, rolling back into her seat.

"Oh, the cofftea," Bemnie exclaimed and rushed off to rescue it.

Curromo leaned forward and pulled the panier to her, dipping her hand in to fish out the top package. She laid it on the table and opened it out.

"Not here," Xentha interrupted. "They may come in and see."

"Ah," she said scrunching it closed again. "I'll do it in Bem's room."

She got up and walked off. I stood and picked up the pannier and with a glance from Xentha took it back to my room. By the time I came back Bemnie had the cofftea on the table. I was still thinking of my foxy father as I resumed my seat.

I was sipping my drink when Curromo reappeared and quickly gave me back the refolded packet. I tucked it inside my jerkin

"Thanks," she said as she leant in a little with a big smile on her face.

She turned to Bemnie. "I've put both lots in the drawer of the bedside locker."

"Okay, thanks." Bemnie replied with a grin on her face as well.

I lay back in my seat and looked at the sword still on the table, it was mine in all but name, my father had 'lent' it to me for my first solo trip and I'd kept it since. I'd put in some time practicing with it before starting out.

Bemnie burst out with a chuckle. "We'll make it up tomorrow, catch the pair of them, you got any wine?"

"No, we'll have to get some." Curromo replied.

"I've got a bottle in my room if you want." I interrupted.

"Oh have you, that would be kind," Curromo said turning to me.

I stood and collected it from my bedroom, putting it on the table alongside my sword.

"Put it on," urged Xentha as my glance lingered on it.

"No, I should put it away again, you've all seen it now."

I sat back down and stretched to pick my cup. I took a sip of the barely warm fluid and set it back down again.

"Anyone want a fresh cup?" I asked, looking around the three faces, they each shook their heads.

I pushed myself to my feet and gathered in the cups. I rinsed them out after setting the pot to boil again. I was still idling there when Grepp strode in.

"Dav, making cofftea. I'll have one as well."

He greeted the girls and sat down, taking my chair between Bem and Curr. He started nattering on about Milova's performance at the Lamb's Pen. With the drinks poured I walked them back over, putting his in front of him and going around to pull up a chair next to Xentha.

Xentha's booted foot crept over next to mine, giving it a quick stroke through my sock. I turned and smiled at her, she smiling back as she let it rest next to mine. I felt flattered again that such a nice girl should like me so much, I got a quick thrill as I thought about our tryst tomorrow.

"Whose sword is that? Yours I presume," he said looking over at me.

"Yes, I collected it earlier; I was just letting the girls see."

"I used to be pretty good with a sword before I came here. My father stopped my practice when I got my third elemental."

He leant forward and grasped the hilt, pulling the blade from the scabbard.

"It's a good weight," he commented as he tested the balance.

I was a bit worried, it would be a bit impolite to tell him to be careful. He didn't look drunk but he had the two girls sitting beside him, I hoped he didn't intend giving us a demonstration.

"Nice weapon," he remarked as he leant forward again and re-sheathed it.

I sat back in my chair took a grateful sip. Xentha leant forward and put her cup down, then bent further to remove her boots. Her foot slid slowly back to mine as Curromo announced her departure.

"Well, I'm off to bed, I'll see you all tomorrow," she said, looking over at Bemnie and giving a nod to the bottle. "We can sort out the wine in the morning."

She called back 'Night' as she went through the door.

"I might as well be off as well," said Bemnie as the silence descended.

She gave me a knowing smile as she retrieved the bottle and then was gone with a 'Goodnight all' from her door.

"Is there cofftea left?" Xentha asked. "I think I will have another cup."

I nodded my head to her and she got up and poured one, cupping it in her two hands as she walked back. Her foot came back across and this time rested on mine. I glanced over at her as she pressed down a little, she mouthed the word 'Wait' behind her cup.

I gave a slight nod, wondering what it was about, my prodder twitched at the thought that it might be more sex. Grepp was laying back with his eyes fluttering, no doubt Kenval would wake him when he got home. I turned to Xentha and put my finger to my lips.

Strangely she gave a giggle and caressed my foot with hers. I waited a while longer until his eyes closed, then I bounced my foot under hers. As she raised her eyebrows at me I flicked my head in the direction of my door.

I stood up carefully as I rose with her, she scooped her boots up and started for the door. I followed and eased it open as she slipped through.

"Dav," she whispered to me as she took my hand and led me to the bed. "Bem knows about our lovemaking this morning. She thinks I stayed the night with you."

Her hand clasped mine tighter as we sat.

"She says she'll keep it a secret but I don't know, it's a juicy bit of gossip that will shock some and make others laugh." She gave a sardonic laugh. ""I'm willing to sleep with you if you want me to. I'll be gone in a few days and rarely see anyone again, so it doesn't matter does it?"

My plonker was doing flip flops, twitching in my pants as her words came out and stiffening to tent my trousers.

"Oh, yes please," I whispered hoarsely, turning and taking her in my arms. We hugged together as she sighed over my shoulder.

"Have you ever kissed a girl?" she asked

"Yes of course," I replied, thinking of Rash.

"What's it like? Things are different where you come from, we don't kiss until we are engaged."

I eased us back to lie on the bed. 'A bit like kissing a furrie',' was my first thought.

"It's soft and nice, it makes a connection between you, kissing before or after sex is much better than sex alone." I said with a new awareness of the fact.

"Will you kiss me?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Gladly my sweet," I replied, pulling us together, my hard prodder pushing against her thigh.

"Wait!" she hissed. "Let's get undressed first, I want to feel your body on mine."

I levered myself up as we untangled, standing and starting to undress. I watched as she stripped, her lithe body and breasts revealed as her vest came off, her soft white skin tanned by the candle light. She watched me as I dropped my pants and long-johns, my prodder springing free, then pushed her short knickers down.

With my socks still on I pealed back the cover and sat on the edge as she finished and then crawled to the far side. I wrapped the covers around us and took her in my arms, drawing her close to me. As her head closed in on mine she whispered. "We don't need the light, do we?"

Darkness descended as our lips met. I let her tentatively press her lips to mine. Her hand slipped up to cradle my head, her fingers brushing through my hair. As I held her head I twisted my lips against hers, letting my tongue slip out and brush over her still sealed lips.

She opened and I darted in, rolling my lips on hers as my tongue fenced with hers. She responded willingly, bringing one hand to my cheek as the passion increased. I broke the kiss then peppered her with small kisses around her mouth and on her nose, then joined our lips to kiss her passionately again.

We lasted till she broke to gasp for air.

"Kissing's fun, your good at that too."

I gave out a small laugh. "You bring out the best in me."

"You are the best," she giggled back.

She nestled her head into my shoulder.

"Did Cal come here tonight?"

"Yes, she went home nearly an hour ago."

"So did she enjoy herself?"

"I think so, we did it twice."

I was uneasy still with their free discussion of sex, not that I hadn't joked and boasted about it with my friends, but that was a man thing, she was another lover in my arms.

"I'm glad she chose you, I can't believe how good it is with you. You should give lessons to the boys here."

"Oh come on Xen, I can't be that special, it's my big prodder that really counts."

"No you have a gentle way, you're kind and you share the pleasure with your partner, do you know I've never had a proper orgasm till my time with you last night, I never screamed before or felt my insides turn to jelly."

She had drawn herself away from me and I could imagine her looking at me in the dark, her green eyes appraising me, her hair tumbling over her shoulders. I drew her back to me and hugged her, my hands caressing her back as my prodder twitched against her thigh

She gave another giggle, her hand slipping down and around to grasp it.

"I thought twice with Cal would have finished you," she said giving it a squeeze. "But it feels like you're ready for another."

She bent her head in and started to kiss me, lips parted and her tongue slipping into my mouth. I held her tighter, my hands coming to the back of her head as the tingle of our contact triggered another twitch of my shaft.

"Oh," she said. "It feels like it wants to play."

She slid her leg over me without letting go and pulled herself on top of me. Her hand lifted my prodder and I felt the head brush up the smooth skin of her furrie. She held it firm as she pushed down to impale herself, my throbbing head squeezing into her tight hunny hole.

She slid down jerkily, exciting me even more. When she'd taken most she pushed herself up and let the last little bit sink in as she sat on me. Though my head felt a little raw I lay back with eyes closed and just enjoyed the sensations.

She leant forward with her hands on my ribs and started to bob on my shaft. My excitement tingled through me in the warm darkness, the rhythmic pressure of her prodding me became the all in my shrunken world as her small sighs and groans filled the void.

As her first orgasm came she sped up only to come to a shuddering halt as she slammed down on me and clenched her knees tight to my waist. I could hear her muffled cries as her body jerked, her hunny hole squeezing on my shaft as the surge of pleasure coursed through her.

Her hands fell to my stomach as her panting had her breath rasping in her throat, then she started again, her hands slipping back up onto my chest. I put my hands up and felt the sheen of perspiration on her sides as my fingers reached around for her breasts.

I took her nipples and twirled and teased them as they jiggled with her bouncing, her hands shifted till she could grasp and play with mine, the heels of her hand pressed in while her fingers caressed over my soft nipples.

A minute or so more saw her breathing grow ragged as she continued to prod me, I could feel my own load building as the thrilling sensations grew in intensity, my magical sight flipped on unbidden and I could see the glow of her aura.

She filled my heart with longing as I saw the beauty behind the light, her nubile body above mine with her breasts in my hands. I wanted these moments to last forever as the excitement bubbled up in me and sent a special tingle through me.

"Oh," I cried out as the dam burst and an ecstatic feeling flooded my body, I saw her hand go to her mouth as she pushed herself down on me, her own cry stifled as she threw her head back and pulled her breasts from my hands.

My seed spurted deep inside her shuddering body, her nails dragged down my body as she arched up still with her fist in her mouth. I reach out as she rocked forward, taking her breasts again, my hands like shadows with the light of her body.

My hands took her weight as she dived at me, throwing her arms around my neck. I let my hands slip around her back and pulled her to me my lips seeking hers. We kissed, my lips rolling on hers as she twisted her head and our tongues entwined.

The kiss grew gentle and then stopped as she cuddled into me. It picked then to plop out.

"Oh," she sighed. "I hate that bit, it means it's finally all over."

It might be over but I was still wallowing in the afterglow, enjoying her lying on me and the feeling of her soft body in my arms.

"Dav?" she said softly. "If you took some of that aravig Would you let me sleep with you and have it in me?"

I puzzled for a quick second, the idea of taking it myself and prodding Xen felt exciting,

"We can give it a go." I replied dreamily.

"Oh, that something I've wanted, that intimate connection to last and last until I drifted off, when it slips out it's the end, in five minutes you'll be up and behaving normally again."

I felt a slight blush as I thought of my mother and father, did they sleep that way?

"And you shall have it, the more I think on it the more enjoyable it sounds."

"That's." She turned her head up. "Being nice to me." she planted a peck on my cheek. "Kind and considerate like I said." she kissed me again. "You have me wondering if all Skirian men were like you."

She worked her way to my mouth with the last words and gave me no chance to reply. Here my experience was only my own, I had only really had my few tumbles with Webbi and the talk of others in my company and we none of us talked about who, only when.

We kissed with tenderness rather than passion... that had been spent and satisfied, the urge now was psychological rather than physiological. Then she slipped to the side of me, her knees drawn up onto my thigh and wriggled her shoulder under my arm with her hand on my chest.

During the night I must have turned over and she cuddled up again, her arm over my waist. I woke up with a woody, it looked redder than usual and it felt sore and kinda ached, as I lay there and felt it soften only the slight soreness remain, I was getting too much of a good thing and paying the price.

Xen stirred by my side, I turned to face her as she awoke.

"How's my sleeping beauty then?" I asked as she stretched.

"Happy and satisfied," she replied.

She put her hands on my chest and began to rub and caress my body, as her hand worked its way down towards my crotch I lightly took it by the wrist.

"Ah ah, it feels a bit sore this morning, let's leave it till later," I said quietly. "What are your plans for today?"

"Staying in bed with you," she said half jokingly. "How is it sore, I've got healing hands."

I brought her hand up to kiss the palm. "That's alright, it just needs rest, you can practice healing it later."

"Oh...," she complained.

"Come on, let's get up and get some cofftea on, my mouth could do with freshening."

I rolled to the edge and sat up, she kneeled behind me and kissed me on the shoulder as she came and sat next to me.

"So, what are you doing later, I fancy breakfast in the market, those pancakes are worth the walk."

She stood and just slipped on her outer clothes, scooping up her underclothes.

"Give me five minutes, I'll come with you," she said as she gathered her boots. "Shall we have cofftea first?"

As she went to change I started the cofftea. I noticed the pair of locatheot cups, if it was open we could return those as well if it was open. Bemnie poked her head out of the door.

"Ah the farmer boy up bright and early, will the cofftea be long?"

"It's boiling now so another minute or two."

She came out in her nightgown and made for a chair.

"It's nice to have someone else make it."

She sat and waited as I made cups for each of us and brought it over, I'd barely sat down when Xentha breezed gaily out of her room.

"Good morning, cofftea made already." She observed.

"Yes," I answered back. "Can you take me to that pancake place, I'll bring my own maple syrup and you can taste how good it is."

"After cofftea if you want, yes." She replied coolly. "It looks like a nice day for a walk."

They talked chit chat, Bemnie was going to go to breakfast and then meet up with as couple of the others and see what happened, they'd probably go to an inn.

I faded back to thinking about something to work my magic on, somewhere quiet as well, my horse should be fit and raring and had I not made the dinnertime appointment I might have ridden to find some woods in the countryside.

We walked to the market, Xen walking so close at first she kept bumping into me. I walked her reluctantly past the Wizards House, she was surprised I had lifted a spell so old and pervasive. I explained to her that I didn't know who held the title deeds but I thought it a splendid house for Rash to use for her stay.

The addition of my brand of maple syrup went down well, we even ordered an extra plate between us. On the way back I decided to go and talk to Swapswisle, Xen said she'd head to the refectory and meet up there.

Even though it was a bit early I walked on down to the library, I could browse through the books till he turned up.