Author's Notes:
Β© Copyright Darkniciad. If this story appears anywhere except Literotica.com with this note attached, it is posted without my permission and is likely incomplete/improperly formatted. Please go to Literotica and search for Darkniciad to find the real, authorized version of this tale.
This tale takes place in my fantasy world, and centers upon characters you might recognize from "Queen Alicia" and "King Thakkorias." There isn't much sex in this story, and most of the heat comes in the later chapters.
Much as "Casting Off Convention," this story details early adventures in the life of my characters, long before the 'present day'.
β ΞΞΞβ₯ΞΞΞβ
Alicia awakened with the sun, as she had the day before. This time, however, she felt rested. While the dirt floor was a far cry from her feather-stuffed mattress, it was a great improvement over sleeping on sticks and pine cones.
With only a little food remaining, and not enough knowledge to live off the land, she knew that she had to move on. She could only hope that she was moving away from her kidnappers, and not walking right into their arms. After a quiet prayer to the gods to that effect, and another that she might find civilization, Alicia gathered up her meager belongings.
She barely stepped into the doorway, and then almost immediately darted back inside with a gasp. The man standing near the edge of the woods was obviously looking for something β or someone β and his manner of dress looked all too familiar to Alicia. Unwilling to risk another look, she huddled into a shadowed corner and prayed he wouldn't notice the turf house, which blended into its surroundings to some degree. Her hand found her dagger and pulled it from its sheathe, the naked steel in her hand giving her a small measure of comfort.
For long, agonizing minutes, Alicia sat in silence, her heart pounding in her ears. Eventually, her nerves got the better of her, and she risked a look outside. Her brief, darting glance revealed no sign of the man, but she couldn't summon up the courage to take a second, longer look just yet.
The minutes dragged on, and Alicia relaxed a little. She smoothed back her blonde tresses, dislodging a few stray strands that had stuck to her sweat-dampened skin. Her heart ceased to pound, and she decided to look outside once again.
Just as she leaned toward the door, someone appeared in the open portal and blocked the bright summer sun. She couldn't see his face, but she recognized his voice.
"Well, here you are, Pretty."
Alicia screamed.
β ΞΞΞβ₯ΞΞΞβ
All three men in the camp perked up their ears when they heard the scream, and turned in the direction from which it emerged. Two shrugged their shoulders and returned to their breakfast, but the third stood. "Did you hear that?"
"Yeah. Hope he's gettin' as good as he's givin' β lucky bastard. I haven't got my dick wet in weeks."
"I hear that," the other man muttered between bites.
Thakkor grunted, scowling at his two companions on the road. The more time he spent with them, the less he liked them, regardless of their reputation and the work that brought to him. "That scream was terror, and you know it."
The first man shrugged. "Yeah β so what? None of our business."
"None of our business?" Thakkor asked incredulously, stepping toward the two men.
"None of our business," he replied, stressing each word in a tone that bordered on a veiled threat.
"You go running off playing the noble knight again, and you can just keep running. We're tired of it," the second man added, gesturing with the dagger he was using to carve his meal for emphasis.
Thakkor drew his sword and growled, "To hell with the both of you."
As he turned his back on them and jogged in the direction from which the scream had emerged, the two men just looked at each other and shook their heads.
β ΞΞΞβ₯ΞΞΞβ
"Put it down, Pretty. I owe you for stealing that, and for bustin' up my nose, and for losing me my pay. I'm the one to drag you back, and maybe the boss'll at least give me my coin. You don't put that down, and I'm going to make sure you regret it."
Alicia backed away, her dagger held before her in a surprisingly steady hand. She could sense the wall behind her, and turned slightly to move toward the center of the tiny interior of the crude house. She knew she was running out of room, and options.
He lunged at her to grab her wrist, but Alicia reacted instinctively. Her lessons in the Baron's courtyard took control of her, moving the dagger in a deft slash that opened the man's arm.
He screamed, "Ah!
You fucking whore
!" Clutching the bleeding cut, he growled in low, ominous tones, "Maybe I'll just have some fun with you, then cut your throat, and cut my losses."
Alicia glanced toward the doorway for a fraction of a second, the open portal calling to her. Though she knew that she had little hope of reaching it, she prepared to try anyway. Just as her muscles tensed and she tried to plant her feet to sprint, she stumbled over a bit of broken crockery on the floor.
He was upon her in an instant, his eyes full of malevolent triumph. He grasped her wrist, but she managed to jerk one away before he could grip it firmly. He continued forward, slamming them both into the wall and causing dirt to rain down from above. Alicia's eyes closed from the pain, and she cried out.
When she opened her eyes, she saw surprise in his. He opened his mouth and let out a coughing wheeze, a bubble of blood emerging to spatter her face. He leaned away slowly, and Alicia felt a tug on her right hand. She looked down to see a spreading dark stain on his chest, and the dagger she held dripping blood.
He fell to his knees, continuing to wheeze as his eyes glazed over. Alicia stood paralyzed as he collapsed into an unmoving heap upon the hard-packed earth, a crimson puddle spreading slowly from beneath him.
Alicia's senses returned to her in a rush, a sobbing gasp bursting from her. She quickly walked away from the man in the floor, gathering up her bag, gourds, and blanket again. Now, more than ever, she knew she had to leave this place, as fast as her legs could carry her.
Once again, someone appeared in the doorway just as she tried to exit. As before, she screamed, but this time she lashed out with her bloodstained dagger as well.
"Shit!" Thakkor cursed as he put his shield between him and the flashing blade. He backed away, holding his sword out wide in what he hoped was an unthreatening gesture, but wisely keeping his shield between him and the wild-eyed blonde woman. "Peace!"
Alicia stared at him nervously, not knowing what to do. He lowered his shield and cautiously sheathed his sword, looking into her eyes and repeating, "Peace." He was dressed well, if a bit dirty from the road. His dark hair and beard were well trimmed, and he certainly looked nothing like any of those she'd seen in the camp of kidnappers. Her white-knuckled grip on the hilt of the dagger softened slightly as she tried to decide what to make of the man.