The Gems--Jade

Hold him, she did. She held him to her, felt the bones of his ribs as if there wasn't a heavy robe between her skin and his. She sighed quietly and shook her satiny head. "I don't understand such cruelty. My people would relish his strength and praise him for the fine warrior he is. Instead, his kind jails him and makes him live in squalor." She shook her head sadly, her chin rubbing against his back.

"Are you doing the impossible and actually growing a heart?" Jarvis burst out laughing when he saw her reaction to his barb. The gesture she gave him after that dissuaded him of the notions. "I do understand what you're saying, Jade. If they'd let someone like King Daxton roam around the castle, Cassianna would already be out on her plump white bottom.

"How do you know what her bottom looks like?"

This time Jarvis did a bit of squirming. "Hey, she's a female, I'm gonna look. Do I have to qualify my every look or word?" A small bit of anger escaped the firm control he usually had.

"So you are allowed to look at and fantasize about a woman's bottom, even a woman as horrid as Cassianna and I'm not allowed to feel a bit of sympathy for our dinner ticket?" She shook her head slowly and clicked her tongue. "It's a shame the double standards you place upon women in society, Jarvis, especially since you and I work together so often." She glanced down at what little she was wearing and then looked back at him. "You...You don't think...about me...like that?"

"Jade, did I ever tell you about what a royal bitch you can be?" His teeth ground as she burst out laughing. "That's it, I mean it. We aren't working together ever again!"

"Oh come on, Jarvis. You love me and you wouldn't stop working with me. I am the most fun you have in life." She shifted on the edge of the saddle when the King moved in his sleep and threw out his arm.

"No...No! Stop!" He began to moan, shake and move violently. He shouted more words, disjointed sentences that left Jade swearing as she finally caught what was going on in his sleep. She stopped her horse with a subtle move of her knees and slid down, bringing Dax with her. She caught him before he hit the ground and slowly lowered him.

"Highness! Highness, wake up. You're safe."

The cowl from his robe had fallen back, as did the mass of stringy matted hair that had protected his face from her sight. His eyes opened slowly and blinked even as he tried to pull away before he recognized her. "Wha..."

"You were dreaming, highness. You're safe now." She looked up as booted feet came to a stop on Dax's other side. "Tell him, Jarvis."

Jarvis dropped down next to the couple, his hand reached out to touch the King's shoulder. "You are away, Dax. You are out from under Cassianna's thumb. You are safe."

Dax seemed to need to hear that and he reached out, grabbed Jarvis's hand and turned his face to his. His eyes opened and then fluttered closed before opening again. He was close to the end of his strength.

Jade glanced up at Jarvis. "Can we chance camping here?"

Jarvis shook his head. "Too accessible, Jade. We can't trust it. I know a place if we can get him back on your horse. You hold him for a while longer and then I'll get us someplace where he can rest."

Jade nodded. She bent a little closer to the King and whispered in his ear. "Just a bit longer, Dax. I'll put you on Storm and you can lean against me until we get there. Just use my strength and relax."

He nodded again and she felt his weight relax into her arms. If he hadn't been so emaciated by his time as Cassianna's guest, she wouldn't have been able to do what she did next. She took a deep breath and rose with him still in her arms.

Dax's eyes opened wide and he reached out to her with arms that were weak and shaking. "No...no, you can't!"

Jade smiled even as she slid him back into her saddle. "I can't, highness? Are you sure about that? I hate to say this, sire, but I don't think you are half the man you used to be." She slid her hand over his cheek, feeling the sharp thrust of the bone beneath the skin. "You aren't all that weighty sire." She kept him in the saddle with one hand and leapt up behind him. "Lead on, Jarvis."

Jarvis got on his own horse and glanced back at Jade as Storm, her half-wild pony whinnied and then tossed his head, dancing in his ire at the extra weight on his back. She got him under control before he had the chance to buck or show his displeasure. "Let's go, Jarvis."

Dax leaned back against her, his head tipping enough to turn into her throat. She could feel the heat of his breath, the long, slow rasp of it against her jaw. Her arms moved around his waist, holding him against her. She could feel a shiver shudder through her and forced herself to pay attention to the trail Jarvis was foraging in front of them.

About thirty minutes later, Jarvis pulled his horse to a halt and turned to glance back at Jade. "We should be far enough off the regular trail for us to remain undetected for the night."

She nodded. "You want to give me a hand with him?"

"Yes, of course." He slid off his horse, tossing his reins over a low hanging branch. Storm wasn't happy when Jarvis moved in front of the high-strung beast but he calmed with a single word from Jade. Dax barely opened his eyes when he was slid from the saddle and into Jarvis's arms. Jade was down a second later and let Storm's reins dangle into the dirt. The big animal didn't move a muscle until they'd carried Dax over to a cleared place between two big trees. Jade hurried back to Storm and pulled off his saddlebags and her bedroll.

"I have some salve that might help those wounds. Can you start a fire?"

Jarvis nodded and left the small clearing to find wood for the smokeless fire he was an expert making..

Jade hurried over to Dax, stroking her hand over his brow. His eyes opened and blearily stared up at her as she spread her blankets over him. He opened his mouth to speak but Jade placed her fingers gently over his mouth. "You're safe, sire. Try not to speak. I am going to dress your wounds and then we'll get some tea into you. It will make you feel better."

Dax nodded. "Why?" His voice was a hoarse croak.

"Why?" She blinked, confused.

"Why are you..."

"Helping you?"

He nodded again.

"Well, I could say that I'm just a good Samaritan, but I don't think you'll believe me." She smiled down at him, her hand pushing his hair off his forehead. "I...well, I don't like it when someone throws her weight around and hurts innocent people. I was in a place to do something about it and I did. Oh, and it didn't hurt that I'm being paid a hefty fee to deliver you safely."

She turned and pulled out a plethora of the things she needed to brew her teas as well as mix up the salve that would keep his wounds from becoming infected. The tea she would brew for him was made from the bark of a jahura tree that grew only in the remote area southeast of her village. Well, it was southeast of the area where her village used to be.

A handful of small packets were in her hand. They were of different colors and the flaps were held down by ties that were tied in different ways with different style knots. Jade could tell what was in each packet with just a touch. She quickly sorted out which she needed and dropped the rest back into the saddlebag.

When Jarvis returned with an armful of wood, she helped him start a small, smoke-less fire. The flames were quickly dancing among the branches and she turned and grabbed a pot from Jarvis's bags and went to the small, gurgling stream to get water.

By the time the water was bubbling, she'd mixed her herbs into a small pot of animal fat. Then she mixed different herbs and put them into a small wooden cup. She poured some of the water into the cup and stirred it well before setting it to the side. Jarvis had gotten more water and had left a cloth next to Dax.

The injured king tried to sit up, to bathe himself but he was weak and his floundering movements were pulling open his wounds. He only calmed when Jade settled next to him, her hand stroking over his cheek.

"Allow me, highness?"

He nodded and sighed. "I shall never be able to repay you..."

"Nobody is asking you too." She dampened the cloth and stroked it slowly over his face, turning to rinse it. Little by little she cleaned him, moving the blankets just enough to reach his skin and replacing it when she was done. She only hesitated when she reached his loins and felt the hard brush of his cock against her hand. Her eyes flew to his face, but his were closed, his face grim.

"I'm sorry, highness." Her tawny cheeks were flushed with embarrassment and it ticked her off. She didn't get embarrassed, ever. So why was he having this effect on her? She jerked when she felt his hand brush against her thigh.

"I should apologize to you, lady. I haven't been around a lady of your beauty in a long while. I hope you will forgive me." He took her hand, his shaking as he tried to bring her fingers to his lips. She pulled her hand quickly away.

"No need." She picked up her cloth and wrung it out once more, cleaning the long line of his thigh and doing her best to ignore the heavy brush of his cock. It wasn't easy to do and it seemed to get bigger and thicker with every brush. She finally finished after washing his feet and swearing quietly to herself at the damage done to his soles. Her eyes flew to his face but his were closed and his face was relaxed. "How did you walk as far as you did today?" The words were whispered, meant only for him.

Jarvis was there when she finished with the cloth and water. He took it deep into the forest without a word to her. When he returned, she'd carefully plastered her salve over every exposed inch of him. She could do no more without rolling him to his stomach. But he seemed to sleep so she let him rest.

She rose without a word to Jarvis and jumped on Storm's back. Her little pony seemed to understand her mood and he quickly settled into a smooth gallop with Jade flattened out above him. She needed speed, needed it to wipe away the vision of those wounds and the knowledge that they'd been performed by a woman who was wicked and evil beyond anything she'd known before. She rode hard, zigzagging through the trees, leaping easily over small streams and fallen logs. She only reined Storm in when her breathing was a tortured hiss. She fell against Storm's neck, letting the tears fall to dampen his mane.

"Why? Why do you allow these things to happen to good people? He didn't deserve that, not any of it!" A sob shook her and she had to force her eyes open. When she closed them, she could see little but the degradation and pain she'd experienced at the hands of the man who'd betrayed his oath of friendship. He'd come into the encampment flying the white and green flag, their King's colors. Her father had opened the gates, standing before the men, his hands held out in welcome.

He'd been the first to die. She could still remember the horror of watching that blade slide into her father's body so incredibly easily. The scream was still caught in her throat when she looked behind her, her sisters gathered together, excited and giggling. She'd grabbed what little she could, a loaf of bread and the rest of the roast from dinner, as well as all the coins she could gather together quickly. Then she pressed them quickly into Garnet's hands, urging her to take their sisters and run, to run and not look back.

She'd stood there, watching until the last sight of Garnet's bright hair was out of sight. Then she lifted her sword and turned toward the front door of their little cottage. She didn't have to wait long.

He'd been tall and blonde, his beard flowing behind him as he stalked into the room. His sword was drawn and his stature wary until he saw her. He saw Jade standing in front of him, sword in hand and threw back his head and laughed.

"Little one, you should put that sword down, you could hurt yourself."

"The only person my blade will hurt will be... You!" She threw herself at him, eager to show him that she wasn't just a little girl.

He didn't even draw his sword. Instead, he grabbed her blade between his raised palms and twisted his hands, easily taking it from her. He laughed harder when she flew at him, her small hands curled into fists. "I like a woman with spunk, little one." Then he grabbed both her hands in one of his and tugged her closer, taking one of his ribbons from off his beard and tying it around her crossed wrists. "This claims you as mine, little one. Be glad I have done such, otherwise any of my men could rut between these sweet thighs. Unless you'd prefer many cocks and not just one?"

Jade screamed and struggled as he wrapped a hand around her thigh and lifted her from the ground. She screamed again when he rubbed her against the hardness in the front of his pants. "No! I could never want you. My father is high chief of this village. You will not disrespect me this way!"

He stopped moving her but didn't let her leg go. "Your father is now little more than a blood stain upon the rocks. Your virtue's blood will stain my sheets tonight, little one. Get used to the thought, it will go easier on you if you do."

But Jade hadn't been able to let anything be easier, and she wouldn't be able to start now. Not with this bounder who'd just killed her father. She knew who he was, of course. No one wouldn't recognize the blonde hair, the scar next to his intense brown eye. He was Calder and he had taken their village with ease. "I would rather be dead."

Her growled words incited more laughter and he threw her sword off to the side and then brought her out to where his men were, tugging on her bound hands to keep her moving. Half of the men in the courtyard held struggling women. "This one is mine!" He bellowed. "Finish off the wounded and then round up the women and small children. Any boy past his fifteenth season gets the blade! You know the drill!"

Jade screamed again, this time in horror. "No! You can't! Please!" She fell to her knees, her legs too weak to hold her anymore. "They are just children!"

"They are boys old enough to remember the slaughter of their fathers. I will not have one of them come after me when he is grown. Now rise, little one. Unless you'd like to..." He didn't wait for her to catch his meaning. Instead his hand wrapped around the back of her head and held her motionless while he rubbed his hard cock over her face. "It wouldn't be the first time I've taken a woman in front of my men." He held her still, not allowing her a chance to reply. When his other hand began to loosen the ties on the front of his pants, she began struggling..

"Open your mouth, slave. Show your devotion to your new master." He grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled her back so that his cock slapped against her face when it came loose from his pants. He rubbed the tip against her lips and then forced it beyond.

Jade struggled harder and tried to pull away. "No!" The word was muffled and cut short as he slammed his cock into her mouth.

Calder moaned, her soft wet mouth felt amazing. His adrenaline was pumping from the fight and this girl would get the brunt of it. "Bite me and I'll break your jaw and I will still fuck your mouth, understand?" His fingers went to her chin, tipping it up just enough for her to look up at him. There was something just so stimulating in seeing her eyes, red rimmed from crying, scared and humiliated and the way her lips were stretched around the girth of his cock.

He began pulling on her hair, pulling her back and then slamming back into her mouth. He could feel the back of her throat and the way she was swallowing and struggling. She was making panicked gurgling sounds until he relented and pulled her back once more, giving her scant seconds to catch her breath. "You like this don't you?"

She struggled harder and tried to push the intruder out of her mouth with her tongue. But that just increased his enjoyment and he moaned again, thrusting against her face. "Gods! Yes!" He jerked and groaned, then threw back his head and howled his release.

* * * *

Jade threw herself off of Storm's back and fell to the ground. She rolled to her back, staring up at the bright stars that lit the night sky. She hadn't thought of Calder, of the abuse that she'd suffered at his hands in quite some time. But then again, she hadn't dealt with anyone who'd been tortured and abused as she'd been.

She heaved a heavy sigh and started to sit up. She jumped up to grab her sword when she felt the vibrations of horses' hooves beneath her. She spun with her sword drawn and stood, ready to greet the unknown riders.

"You!"