For the second day in a row, Layne woke up in a barn, and for the second day, her first thought was that she needed a bath. After fleeing the village without accomplishing their goals of obtaining either money or disguises, Layne and Selene had ridden through the night in an effort to stay ahead of the patrolmen chasing them on behalf of the magistrate who had charged them with their crimes. In the hours just past midnight, they had found a farmhouse and offered to help out the owners the next day in exchange for a bed in the hayloft.
While Layne had to admit the barn was much cleaner than the abandoned one of two nights ago, she also thought ruefully that two nights of debauchery without a proper bathing had not left her in her best state. She felt itchy in some awkward places and sticky in worse ones. Still, she had to allow herself a laugh at how far she had fallen (or risen, as she supposed Selene would think) over the last two weeks. Not to mention, for once she had woken up before Selene.
Selene lay on the hay not too far from Layne. In sleep, she appeared much less cool and intimidating than during her waking hours. Her small breasts rose and fell softly, and her hair was a tousled mess. Layne reflected that it made the elf seem much more accessible, and she conceded, more attractive. After the chaos of the last two days, she felt a bit less uncomfortable at the memory of how she and Selene had passed their time in the abandoned barn. She also couldn't deny a certain kinship for the elf after everything they had been through.
Layne's musings came to a close as the mistress of the house, Freya Naudain, came into the barn. While her hair was pulled into a gray, no-nonsense bun and her dress was plain linen, Layne could imagine the darling girl she had been in her youth. Her eyes had a soft kindness that reminded Layne of her own mother, and her mouth had wrinkles at the corners that could only have come from smiling often. "Oh good, one of you is up," Freya said, the wrinkles becoming a part of a smile. "Breakfast is ready, and we have quite the day ahead of us."
"Thank ya, ma'am," Layne responded, her own rural upbringing making a surprise appearance. "I will wake Selene and we will be at the house in five."
"Sounds good. I will make sure to save you girls some food. My husband does not believe in waiting for guests." Mrs. Naudain bustled back in the direction of the house, whistling to herself. Layne shook Selene until the elf came awake with a startled gasp and looked at her, eyes bleary.
"C'mon. We have to get up," Layne tutted.
Selene yawned widely as a cat and responded grouchily, "One of us steered a horse all night, and the other got to have sex and then hold my waist and relax." Despite the attitude, the elf got up and dressed in her characteristic man's breeches and blouse, nearly before Layne had a chance to respond. Reflecting that she would never stop being surprised by the elf's quick movements, Layne dressed and followed her.
Breakfast was typical farm fare, which is to say homemade sausage and roasted vegetables from a small plot outside the house. As the girls ate, the family patriarch, Abel, sized them up. "Layne, I think you may be best suited to helping Freya around the house today. Selene, if what I have heard of elves is true, you would be comfortable joining me for a day of hunting?"
Selene nodded her assent, and then a voice cut in. "Father, I will be joining you. If Selene can go, I can go. She's just as much woman as I am." Selene and Layne both turned and saw a young woman in the doorway that led deeper into the farmhouse, to where Layne supposed the family's bedrooms were.
The young woman was tall for her age, with a relatively lean figure. In contrast to the graying hair and brown eyes of the Naudain parents, she had blonde hair that had been cut short and choppy to just above her shoulders. Her gown bore the visible hillocks of breasts that lay somewhere between Selene's boyish-looking chest (though Layne now thought differently), and Layne's cleavage that most women were quite jealous of. Similarly, her skirts showed the outline of buttocks that did not measure up to Layne's voluptuous mounds but would probably attract more men than Selene's firm, muscular behind.
All in all, Layne's first thought was of stories of warrior maidens such as Lyn of Astorford. The girl would have looked quite fitting in leather armor, riding in to save a town or rescue a male hero. Where Layne's eyes were a deep blue, the girl's eyes were a blue so clear it looked like ice. Her second thought was aimed at the way the girl stared at Selene, eyes tracing the slimness of the elf's figure. A quick glance at Selene confirmed the elf had noticed it too.
Abel responded wearily "Delilah, we have talked about this. A woman does herself no favors in finding a husband if she cannot keep up a household."
Delilah snorted. "Father, you speak of being a proper woman and take in a woman and an elf who rode in on a horse in the middle of the night, and invite one of them to go hunting. You don't think that sets a poor example in the virtues of women?"
Abel sighed. "Alright. As usual, you make me look like a fool after disagreeing with me. If Selene consents, you may join us. Maybe she can teach you the ways elvish women find their men."
Delilah grinned triumphantly, ice blue eyes passing over Selene one more time. "I will change and we can go."
Layne couldn't help the small smile that curved her lips before adding, "Freya, I am happy to help you today. All that I would ask in return is a bath at the end of the day. I hope that is not too greedy after you have housed us for the night."
"Of course not," Freya said, smiling warmly back at Layne. "We have a large tub. You and Selene and Delilah can all wash together once you young women finish the day's work."
Once breakfast was cleaned, Abel and Selene and Delilah prepared to hunt. Abel was kind enough to let Selene borrow a bow, once she explained that she was traveling without one since elvish bows were fairly...recognizable. He asked that she let Delilah follow her for the day, so that Selene might teach her. Selene suspected the real reason was that Abel was just a touch too traditional to feel comfortable teaching his daughter what he considered to be a male trade.
As Selene and Delilah walked into the woods, she could feel Delilah's eyes on her backside. While she knew Layne thought her out of touch with human mannerisms, even she had noticed the way the young woman had gawked at her during breakfast. She was contemplating how to address it when Delilah spoke. "How come elvish women hunt?"
Selene paused before answering. "There are...many things that elves do differently from humans. One of those things is that women may do anything a man does. Similarly, a man may do anything a woman does. Women hunt, men sew clothing. Women can be smiths and men can rear children at home. It is simply our way."
Selene could see the young woman turning the thought over in her mind, digesting the thought. Then her jaw stiffened and she jutted her chin out before asking "Are you and Layne lovers?"
Selene's eyes widened in surprise and then she chuckled softly. "No, we are not lovers. We are traveling together. Any reason you ask?"
Delilah's shoulders loosened and her gaze hit the floor. "Well...I...I hear rumors about elves. Stories. From merchants or peddlers. I hear that your women make love to women and men to men. I hear elves worship strange gods and pleasure themselves. I hear of strange rituals and feasts, where you dance wildly and drink to honor spirits."
Selene couldn't help smirking, and Delilah blushed and looked at the ground again. She softly reached out and tilted Delilah's chin so that their eyes met. "Layne and I are not lovers, and not all of what you hear is true. However, it is not all false either. I do make love to both women and men, and I have spent much time with both. I also masturbate, that is to say, pleasure myself, as close to daily as circumstances allow."
Delilah's eyes widened and she couldn't help staring at Selene. Then her eyes turned fierce and all her words came out in a rush. "My parents bother me about marriage all the time. They say I'm not a proper woman and I do not know the skills necessary to attract a husband. But I love women and you are beautiful and I want you to make love to me."