Along the Path Yet Revealed

There was no hiding Althea’s displeasure as she stomped around their cottage helping her mother prepare it for their dinner guest. She’d done all she could to try and get out of the meal with Jameth. She had practically begged Dagda to find something, anything, for her to do on the night of the meal but he had refused.

“This matter has nothing to do with me,” He had replied flatly, never taking his eyes from the book in front of him.

I know, I know it doesn’t but you…you don’t understand what she’s trying to do…” Althea had groaned, collapsing into a chair and letting her head fall onto the table top, ebony tresses spilling across the polished wood.

“I understand that she’s trying to do what she thinks is best for her daughter.” Dagda continued.

But what she thinks is best and what actually is best are two very different things!” came her muffled reply. “Oh, he’s not the one for me…he’s just not…

“And in that case what, or should I say who is best…?”

At that Althea had sat up, mouth working but no sound coming out.
She’d walked away from Dagda’s that evening with a swirling mass of confusion buffeting the inside of her brain. Who was the one for her, if she was so certain it was not Jameth. Soren’s face popped unbidden into her mind’s eye and try as she might to banish it, it had lingered for the rest of the day. Whenever she found herself with nothing to do, that face would swim into her thoughts. And whenever it did, it worried her. It worried her so much. She couldn’t understand it.

“Careful, dear, if you break those what on earth will we eat off of…?” Her mother’s voice cut through her musings and returned her to the present, where she had put the pile of plates down on the table less than delicately.

Sorry, Mother,” Althea apologised, pausing to take a calming breath before laying out the plates in the places set for herself, her mother and their guest.

Her mother appeared at her side, wrapping an arm a little too tightly around her shoulders.

“I know, you’re just excited, and who wouldn’t be…why don’t you go and get yourself ready, I can finish things here,” Her mother’s face was positively beaming. Althea forced a weak smile onto her own lips before leaving her mother and heading to her room.

She sat on her bed, eyes fixed on the dress that her mother had carefully washed, letting it dry out in the fresh air and sunshine, ensuring it didn’t become too stiff and then taking even greater care to iron the few small pleats that adorned the neckline. It was a lovely dress, one of her favourites if she was truthful which is probably why it irked her so that she was to wear it for the enjoyment of one she had such little regard for. With a barely contained curse, Althea forced herself up from the bed and started brushing her hair. If it were up to her she wouldn’t bother at all, but her mother had put so much effort into preparing and planning this awful meal that Althea couldn’t let herself let her mother down. Soon, too soon for Althea’s liking, she was ready. The dress followed the natural curves of her figure, her hair was now partially pinned back from her face save for one or two gently curling tendrils around her cheeks. The soft blue of the dress augmented the green of her eyes. She looked every part the young woman trying to secure the eye of her heart’s desire. Shame she didn’t feel like it.

“You look lovely, so lovely, your father would have been proud,” Her mother gushed enthusiastically when she came back into the kitchen. Althea just smiled back, not trusting her voice not to betray her own feelings on the matter.

They were just lighting the candles on the table when there was a sharp rapping at the door. Smoothing her own dress, her mother crossed the room and after taking an unexpected pause, opened the door to reveal Jameth. An overly large bunch of flowers in one hand. Althea managed to somehow refrain from rolling her eyes when they spotted the blooms although she was pleasantly surprised when he presented the flowers to her mother.

“This, I brought for you,” Jameth moved closer as her mother left them muttering something about a vase and water. In his outstretched hand was a small bundle of dark blue silk.

You didn’t have to get anything for me,” Althea insisted, refusing for the time being to take the proffered gift.

“Nonsense, I got it because I wanted to…” His fingers moved the silk and nestled inside was a fine silver chain upon which dangled a small silver filigree leaf. It was tiny and delicate, beautiful and no doubt expensive. Althea was unable to respond for a few moments. No one had ever bought anything like it for her in her entire life. Before she realised it she felt fingers moving her hair from the back of her neck, they grazed her skin and made her gasp. “I hope you don’t mind me taking the liberty, I couldn’t resist.” His voice was quiet and closer to her ear than she expected. Althea wanted to tell him to move away, to say she could do it herself. But to her total bewilderment she heard the words.

No, not at all…” Leaving her lips. The necklace was so fine she could barely feel it against her skin, were it not for the relatively weightier addition of the leaf, she doubter she’d know there was anything there at all. “It’s beautiful, thank you…” She murmured, giving in to the sudden urge to finger the jewellery before looking back over her shoulder to meet his eyes. “Thank you very much.

The meal passed with surprising ease. Jameth was witty and confident, charming her mother and amusing Althea with tales of merchants and vendors he had encountered on his travels with his father. Althea had to admit, as she sipped her wine, that she might have judged him too quickly. This was not the same young man she had watched parade down the main road with his nose in the air, or arguing beyond the point of reason with sellers on the feast days that their wares were nowhere near worth the prices they were asking for them.

Her mother excused herself after the meal and left the two of them alone. Jameth asked about her interests and dreams, enquiring with what appeared to be genuine concern in his eyes whether she was truly recovered from what had to have been an awful ordeal in the woods. And when she walked him down the path to their gate and he drew her closer, a hand lightly resting on her waist, the other on her face, to press a chaste kiss to her cheek she felt an extremely unexpected pang of disappointment in her stomach that his lips had not made contact just a little lower.

After the meal, life returned almost to normal. Althea spent her days visiting Dagda, her mother’s excited comments about Jameth seeming to start at day break and continuing until night fall, her visits allowed her a brief respite. They also helped her force all thoughts of Soren from her mind. While their paths hadn’t crossed since their heated exchange in the forest, he kept creeping into her thoughts. More than once now, when the time to sleep had come, she had just been losing herself in silly, girlish, dreams about Jameth and the life she might lead as a merchant’s wife when Soren had somehow morphed into the scene. And what worried her the most was that when he did, when it was his face she could see, his arms, his hands she could feel near her…upon her, her mind made no attempt to replace him once more with Jameth.

Life in the village, though, seemed to be changing. Tension started to creep into the air. Neighbours seemed to be arguing over the smallest of things and the rumours started. Rumours that the river was going to run dry, that the fish had gone. Accusations of over fishing or of dirtying the waters hung in the air like clouds, darkening the moods and the minds of the villagers.

Dagda too, for the first since she had met him, seemed more strained than usual. His instructions were brief and his mind seemed occupied elsewhere. He left her lists of chores to be undertaken, herbs to be collected, oils to be made. She barely saw him at all during her visits. Until the day she arrived, a few weeks later, to find him surrounded by scrolls and an extremely serious expression.

“There are things we need to discuss,” He said enigmatically, gesturing for her to take a seat. “Tell me, Althea, what do you know of the River Spirit?”
 
The day after Fallin was drawn off by the problems with the River, Soren was back training with the bow. He finally got the feel of the weapon, and was starting to know how far to pull the string to get the right shot. The knowledge came so quickly and easily, he wondered if it was by some magic, rather than from observing and practicing.

"Soren!"

He released his shot before turning to see Fallin walking over to join him.

"Soren, gather up your arrows, bring the bow and come with me."

The young man dashed to gather all the arrows from the targets, putting them into the quiver and running to catch up with the older man. Together the two of them walked in silence. It was clear to Soren than Fallin knew where they were going, but he had no idea himself. They came to Dagda's house, Soren a pace behind Fallin as they walked in.

"Dagda! I'm here with Soren."

"Fallin, come in. Bring the young man with you."

Soren looked around the house of the well known recluse. He was a retired merchant, living out his final days in a quiet place. He had done well for himself, as the house was larger than any other in the village, and within were numerous items, scrolls and tomes. Soren was amazed at how all of those expensive items were scattered about the rooms they passed. How Dagda managed to find anything was beyond Soren's comprehension. The young man avoided touching anything as he walked by, in case the softest touch caused a teetering pile to fall.

Fallin brought Soren into the one room that defied the remainder of the house, the kitchen. Compared to the rest of the house, the kitchen was immaculate. Only a few utensils were out on the bench top, along with a few scraps of what looked like food from a meal recently prepared.

Soren looked at the old man, then turned back to look at the room he had last passed through. Althea's words echoed in his mind, as he looked at the numerous pieces of parchment, vellum and paper. Soren's eyes widened. "It's you. You're the Sindra!"

Fallin and Dagda both looked at Soren with nearly matching expressions of surprise. Soren knew that he said something wrong, but Fallin's reaction confused him.

Fallin turned back to Dagda, a sheepish smile crossing his face. "The lad is brighter than he looks."

"Indeed. She didn't mention my name, did she?"

"No, Sir. She never mentioned your name."

Dagda nodded sagely. "How did you know? Did she tell you?"

"Only after I confronted her about what she did."

"No one else knows?"

"No Sir. Well, with the exception of Elder Fallin just now."

Fallin shook his head, laughing. "We both managed to find the smart ones. Soren, I know about Althea too. Dagda told me as soon as he took her on. I helped to keep the belief that Dagda needed some help about the house so people didn't get suspicious."

"Because people will always think the worst of a situation when they can't see everything." Dagda appeared to by anything but the frail man he presented to the rest of the village. "Althea is a good pupil, if she can control herself enough not to run off before she is ready."

"I never had the chance to tell Soren not to go after them. By the time I have heard word, he was already gone. Bless the Fates that the two met up, otherwise both of them would have been dead, or worse."

"True, my old friend. But this problem will need both of them. More precisely, it will need Althea more than Soren. But the people will not understand that."

"I know. People are already asking when Soren's going to deal with the problem." Fallin eased himself into a chair at the table. "How are we going to get them out to deal with this, without raising too many questions and vicious rumours?"

"You know what is wrong?"

"Yes, Soren, we know what is causing the problems. But you are not skilled in the ways of fixing it. Althea and I have the skills. I can't go, because I am too old to go doing trivial tasks like this. Also, Althea would probably go anyway, even if I instructed her not to."

"Well, then send her with me." Soren waited for the shock to pass from the older men. "She healed me once before. This is more dangerous than mere bandits, so I will need her to make sure that I am not too badly hurt."

A genuine smile bloomed on Dagda's face. "I think that the lad may be right. Of course, we'll need to convince Althea to go along with this plan, at least outwardly. She will not get any of the glory for what will happen, even though she will be the one responsible for fixing things."
 
Althea looked up from Dagda’s kitchen table to see the old man enter from outside. She’d been waiting for what felt like a small eternity. He had summoned her, quizzed her on her understanding of the river spirit and then, apparently satisfied, disappeared telling her to wait. She’d spent the time tidying the kitchen, stocking up the woodpile and reading. She’d just selected another thick book from upon the shelf to read, this one backed in soft brown leather with fine gold print on the spine, when he returned. She stood up, almost guiltily, hoping he wouldn’t mind about the book.

“The problem in the woods is the River Spirit. Something has happened to upset the natural balance and if it isn’t righted…I can only imagine at the problems that will unfold.” He began ominously. “It needs a Sindra, this is not something that can be solved without magic.”

Althea, I want you to go and do what you can…” Dagda’s eyes met hers seriously.
Althea was torn between hugging him and bursting into tears. She settled for neither, smiling broadly and looking almost shyly at the floor.

Oh thank you Dagda, thank you so much, I won’t let you down I promise!” She insisted, looking up earnestly into his face.
There was a pause, a moment’s hesitation, before Dagda replied.

“I know you won’t, Althea, you’ll do what you need to do and…” He took in a deep breath and the words that followed it, whilst being softly spoken, almost knocked her from her feet. “I know that should Soren need your assistance on the voyage, you’ll do all that he requires…”

Althea fell backward, a step then another, a corner of the bookcase finally jabbing her in the back and halting her motion.

Soren?” Her voice was barely above a cracked whisper, her tone unmistakably confused. “But I thought…you just said it needed a Sindra…why…?

Dagda turned away from her and walked towards the fire burning merrily in the fire place, poking it idly with the poker.

“The townspeople believe he can help as he helped before, with the bandits, and as you were of such great assistance to him last time they…they think you should go with him…”

Althea for the second time in as many minutes felt like crying but these tears were very different.

And what do you think…?

“I think you will do all that is needed of you…” Dagda crossed the space between them and laid a wrinkled hand on her forearm. “…and I know that you are the only person that can do what is needed…” He smiled weakly, squeezing her arm briefly. “I believe in you, Althea, please trust in that. Now, off you go. I’m sure your mother would appreciate a little warning this time before you disappear on a hero’s adventure.”

She opened her mouth to interrupt but he continued.

“The village elders have asked that you go and so your mother, I’m sure, will not mind.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*​

“Mind? Mind?! Of course I mind!” Althea’s mother didn’t yell often and when she did, it was always impressive. “How can you even consider going galavanting off into the woods with that, that, farmer, especially when you have made such a good friend in Jameth. Oh what will the neighbours say…” Her hands flew to her hair, massaging her scalp, eyes and mouth wide in despair.

It’s the neighbours that want me to go…” Althea grumbled under her breath before clearing her throat and moving closer to try and calm her mother speaking through slightly gritted teeth. “Mama, please, don’t worry so. The village Elders believe that Soren will be able to solve the problems with the river and I am only going in case he injures himself. I won’t be in any danger, I’m quite sure of that.

“It’s not the danger I’m worried about,” Her mother gathered her hands within her own. “It’s the rumours!”
Althea’s brow creased in confusion.

“A young, unmarried, woman going into the woods with a stranger, a young man, for goodness knows how long. You can just imagine how people will talk.”

But Mama, I don’t think of Soren like that!” Althea insisted, although for a moment she wasn’t sure who she was trying to convince. “Nothing’s going to happen between us. I can assure you. Nothing.

“Oh Althea, it doesn’t matter what you think, it’s the rest of the village that worries me!” Her mother released her hands and cupped a palm to her cheek. “Not to mention how Jameth will react. Don’t you realise how this could affect you, affect us…”

Mother I’m sure you’re just over-” Althea began but never finished as a brusque knock on the door interrupted them. Frowning, she moved to open it and felt her heart sink as a less than happy looking Jameth stood in the doorway.

“Is it true? Is it true what they’re saying? My father heard it from the Elders, you’re going into the woods with that farmer?!” His voice was far from level and his eyes sparkled with what looked to be a combination of trepidation and frustration.

Mama, we’re going to go for a walk…” Althea said quickly, pulling her shawl from the peg and heading out of the door, Jameth’s hand held tightly in hers. They walked away from the main road a little into a nearby meadow. “Now, before you get all over excited, let me try to explain…

“What’s to explain? You haven’t denied it so it must be true.” Jameth wasn’t exactly pouting but he looked anything but happy.
Althea sighed heavily.

Yes, I’m going to the woods. Yes, Soren will be with me. No, nothing is going on between us. I helped him before and that is the only reason I have been told to go with him.” Althea stepped closer and tried to catch his eyes. “Please believe me, I want to help the village. If I can do that in any way then I want to do it….” She paused before adding softly “…And I will do it.

Jameth’s expression grew a little shocked, though whether by her intentions or her determination she couldn’t say for sure.

Your friendship matters to me, it really does,” Her fingers touched the delicate necklace that hadn’t left her neck since the evening he put it there. “Who knows, we might one day be more than friends…” She smiled mischievously then finished a little more seriously, “But that will never happen if you don’t trust me…do you trust me?

Jameth’s answer was short but it more than satisfied Althea’s question. He smiled, leant down and kissed her this time lower than her cheek.
 
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Soren kept a low profile while he got ready for the task the Elders assigned him. To the rest of the village, he was being sent to deal with the problem concerning the river. In reality, he was was merely a reason for Althea to go and actually deal with the spirit. From what the two older men of the village said, he would not be of much use. But none of the village knew what Althea was capable of, and no one would let her go off alone even if they did.

Even keeping out of sight of the village, it was impossible to not hear the words spoken about him, Althea and their task. He was appalled to hear the accusations about what he would do with her once they were alone. Yet he walked back with four women not so long ago who were barely covered. Given how they thought of him, he could have done with them what people thought he was going to do with Althea. Besides, why would he do that with her? She didn't like him, no matter how appealing she may look.

In the eyes of many, he was still just a farmer. Never mind that he fought bandits, and rescued women who would have been taken away from their families. All they saw was a young farmer who was going to take advantage of a village girl the moment they were out of sight of the villagers. There was no talk of his helping them, or how Althea was going to help him. Even his mother thought the worst of him.

"Soren," her soft voice carried long enough to catch his attention the night before. "I know the elders have decided that you will need Althea's help. You're a young man, with a good appetite for what nature intends for you. But being alone with Althea will present you with some temptations that you will have to resist. Now, she is not as yet pledged to anyone, but that will not permit you to dally with her in ways that would be wrong." Soren blushed bright red, shocked that his mother would talk to him about these things. "Now, you will do the right thing by everyone, and not do anything with that young woman. Because if I find out that you did, I am going to give you such a thrashing, young man, that you won't be able to sit for a week."

So when the time actually came for the two of them to head off, the villagers and many of the outlying farmers had gathered. Soren could see a number of unhappy faces, more than a few looking at him with undisguised disgust and hatred. He successfully ignored Althea standing near him, as he was worried that if he showed her any concern, even interest, it would be viewed in the worst possible way.

Fallin stood before the pair, staring hard at the villagers. His thick arms were crossed in front of his chest, and Soren could feel the stern wash of the older man's presence.

"Listen up!" The crowd fell silent, the low whispers no longer filling the air about them. "You have come to us complaining about the river. We, the Elders, have decided that Soren can deal with this problem. But this problem is greater than the Bandits, and he is likely to be hurt completing it. Since Althea helped him last time, THE ELDERS decided that she will assist him once more. Since this young man proved himself returning four women that he could have easily done worse with, THE ELDERS know he will not do anything with Althea.

"If there is anyone here who has doubts, speak now. If there are doubts, then we will not send these two to help save our village, and try to find some other way. Of course, in the mean time, it will get worse, but then the safety of the young woman when accompanied by a trustworthy young man is obviously more important to you.

"So, if you have doubts speak now while you have the chance to make the village suffer longer for no valid reason."

Soren looked to the backpack on the ground at his feet. In it were two tents, one for each of them. He also had some food to last them three or four days. If all went well, they would be back in one day, two at most. He was acutely aware of every piece of armour and weapon he carried. He felt like a warrior setting out to defend his people, but it was hard to fight the overwhelming feeling that they didn't see him the same. He felt proud that the Elders wanted him to help, even if this time Althea would be the one who would be their saviour. He wasn't sure what he thought of the fact that Althea was going to use her talents to somehow appease the Water Spirit.

"Fine. Your faith in the Elders has been noted. The two will now go and bring back life to the village."

A few brave souls closed to speak to Soren and Althea. Their parents came to each of their children, giving them hugs and words of encouragement. The respective parents looked at each other, offering their strength and support to each other before moving away. As the pair turned, one younger man ran up to them, stopping near Althea.

"Take care, Althea." Jameth's voice was thick with concern, which turned to something uglier when he faced Soren. Even looking up at the much taller northman took nothing away from his voice. "If she is harmed in any way, farmer, you'll regret it."

Soren simply turned and continued to walk down the path that ran beside the river. He listened for Althea's footsteps behind him. He focused on the path, and looking for dangers. He kept to himself until he thought they were far enough away from the rest of the village.

"I guess you must be happy with the way the village thinks of me now. I am no longer a hero, someone that all the village woman dote over. No, I am the one that is going to treat you in a way that is not right. Not respect you at all. That all I will be interested in is enjoying your body."

He glanced back over his shoulder to check that she was following him, and he was not just talking to the air.

"Of course, it is you that will be saving the village this time. Not me. But then, the village will never believe that, thinking that I am the one that will save them again, when I am not dallying with you, of course. Don't be afraid, Althea, I am not going to let it go to my head, and think that I did it all alone. I will remember that it will be all of your doing."

He moved smaller branches out of the way, clearing the path so Althea could move a little more easily.

"I don't care what the villagers think, I know how you feel about me. And I am not stupid enough to get in the way of you and Jameth either. All I am here to do is protect you for the mundane problems, and make sure you get to deal with the River Spirit or whatever it is." He paused and turned to look at Althea. He noticed that she was an attractive looking woman, but she had been clear in her opinion of him. He broke eye contact for a moment, then looked back at her. "I will work with you to get this done. I'll respect you, if you will respect me."

He looked at her, waiting for her reply.
 
Althea felt anything but ready.

Even the weeks spent with Dagda had done little to quell her nerves. Long days and evenings of memorising chants, perfecting rituals, reading and hearing about various myths and legends, added to which the fact that Dagda seemed slightly unsure of what the River Spirit would require to appease it didn’t help matters. Her mother’s mood hadn’t improved, although her anger at the whole situation seemed to now be directed towards the Elders and Soren and less towards Althea herself.

Regardless of whether she felt prepared enough, all too soon she found herself stood beside Soren with the Elders explaining what lay ahead with what felt like the population of the entire village before them. All the time that Master Fallin was speaking, Althea was making a pointed effort not to look at the tall farmer with whom she would spend at least the next day and night. Their paths hadn’t crossed since their conversation in the wood that had left her on her rear, thoroughly embarrassed, confused and angry. She knew Jameth was stood in the crowd, although she tried not to look at him either, she could feel as his eyes moving from Fallin to her and back again at fairly regular intervals. Her stomach was a tight ball of nerves.

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she only realised Fallin’s speech was over when she felt her mother move forward to embrace her. She promised to take care of herself and not to put herself into harm’s way. Swallowing noisily, Althea picked up her own small bag packed full of herbs, candles, charms and other paraphernalia that Dagda believed she should have with her. She’d only taken a couple of steps when footsteps approached and Jameth was by her side.

"Take care, Althea." Before Althea could hug him, try to reassure him, his voice changed and his attention shifted to Soren. "If she is harmed in any way, farmer, you'll regret it."

Without a word, Soren walked away, leaving the two of them alone.

I’ll be fine…I promise not to do anything brave and get myself into trouble,” Althea teased, glancing around to see that almost everyone had already left the road, heading back to their own homes. She quickly stepped closer and hugged him tightly, arms around his torso. “And Soren is a good man, he wouldn’t do anything to hurt me…of that I am certain…

Within minutes, Althea had caught up with Soren and they walked in silence. Following the river as it wound deeper into the woods and away from their homes. The river was fairly wide and relatively calm, reeds grew close to the sandy banks. It was peaceful, it was relaxing and its mood was a polar opposite of the one hanging over Soren and Althea as they walked.

"I guess you must be happy with the way the village thinks of me now. I am no longer a hero, someone that all the village woman dote over. No, I am the one that is going to treat you in a way that is not right. Not respect you at all. That all I will be interested in is enjoying your body."

At first Althea, didn’t know how to respond. She felt embarrassment jostle with sympathy before it was momentarily over taken by anger at his assumption.

I’m happy to get the chance to help the village,” She replied in tight tones, managing with all her might to hold back the fury that was threatening to rise up inside her. Her voice softened as she added. “And I’m sorry that people have decided to think of you in such a way. I know you would never do anything like that to me.

"Of course, it is you that will be saving the village this time. Not me. But then, the village will never believe that, thinking that I am the one that will save them again, when I am not dallying with you, of course. Don't be afraid, Althea, I am not going to let it go to my head, and think that I did it all alone. I will remember that it will be all of your doing."

Althea sighed, stepping over a large stone and ducking to avoid the branches Soren was moving aside.

"I don't care what the villagers think, I know how you feel about me. And I am not stupid enough to get in the way of you and Jameth either. All I am here to do is protect you for the mundane problems, and make sure you get to deal with the River Spirit or whatever it is."

Althea was so engrossed in trying not to respond to his words, to point out that he obviously did care what the villagers thought, that she only noticed he had stopped walking at the very last moment. She halted just before colliding with his tall frame, chin tilted skyward to meet his eyes.

"I will work with you to get this done. I'll respect you, if you will respect me."

Believe it or not, I didn’t ask for the villagers to form the opinion they have of you.” Her tone was softer than it had been previously, she even went so far as to reach out to pat his arm but she stopped herself. “I want to do what I can to help, and I can’t do it without your help.” She groaned, moving away and sitting on a fallen tree trunk beside the river. “You know as well as I do that no one would have let me come alone, whether they knew what I might be capable of or not. And you don’t know how I feel about you, not really.

I…I would like for us to be friends…” She looked back towards Soren.
Yes, the River Spirit is something for me to deal with, but without your help I won’t get there. You know that as well as I…I’d be lost without you…” Althea found herself smiling, ever so slightly, as she pushed herself up and walked back to Soren, holding her hand out. “I do respect you. Please, will you help me do what I need to do?

Her tone faltered as she added quietly.

This is important, really important and I’m scared that I’m going to let everyone down…I need a friend with me, Soren.

She raised her eyes until they met his and felt her cheeks growing warm as memories of his skin, his warmth filled her mind. She forced herself to look away. Something inside her reminding her that Soren couldn’t possibly know how she felt about him…she barely understood it herself.
 
Standing in the small clearing, listening to Althea responding to him, Soren felt confused. He had no idea how he felt about everything that was going on in his life. The villagers liked him, then didn't. Althea appeared to be even more fickle; her moods seemed to change with direction of the wind. Even there, in that clearing, he felt her anger then a more friendly feel form her.

He wasn't a virgin, but knowing the ways of the female thoughts and feelings were a mystery. Being on a farm, he had seen the farm animals rutting, and when he was old enough, there was the fun of watching the older farm hands, and then practicing what was seen with others his own age. All he knew was that when a woman was ready, she would let the man know. He could try and persuade her, but she had the final word.

He briefly wondered what it would be like with Althea. She had a nice shape to her, and her face was pretty too. What little he had seen of her had been very pleasing, and his mother was right; he did have a healthy appetite. He knew that if she ever offered, he wouldn't be able to say no. But then, she would never make that offer in the first place, so the matter was moot as far as he was concerned.

“This is important, really important and I’m scared that I’m going to let everyone down…I need a friend with me, Soren.”

He took a few deep breaths, removing the thoughts he had of Althea that were not helpful, and returning to the task they had been given. He looked out into the woods, letting himself relax a little. He was tense, more so than when he raced out to help the captured farm women.

"I'm scared too, Althea. The last time, I just raced out without thinking about what could go wrong." He looked back at her. "This time, I have had time to think. The village knows what we are trying to do. I know how much the village needs this to work." He started to walk toward the edge of the small clearing. "The sooner we can do this, the sooner we can get back. I would not like the village thinking anything bad was happening to you."

Soren kept his place in the lead, cautious of any threats that might have lurked in the woods. After a couple of hours of walking, the quality of the air changed. It carried a stench that made Soren's nose try to shut. He cast a questioning look at Althea, his question to her clear on his face. What is that smell?

He kept moving forward, desperately trying not to gag. Ahead of them, he heard the sounds of a woman crying. The more he listened, the more her crying sounding like she was in pain. Without any thought, he dashed forward towards the source of the noise. When he broke the clearing, the crying stopped.

"Befouler!! Monster!!" Soren was struck on the chest by a large clod of mud that splashed his face. "Get away from here before you make it worse." Soren ducked the clod what would have smacked into his face. "Haven't you done enough already?!?"

Soren looked over to see what looked like a young woman standing in a pool formed from an ox bow in the river. But the pool was full of slickly green slime and dying reeds. Her faint blue skin was covered with pustular sores and flaking sheets of lime coloured skin. Her deep blue hair was lank, and appeared to have lost patches from her scalp.

"Get out! Get out before I drag you in here and let you taste the filth you have left in here." Her voice reached a pitch like nails down a blackboard as she pushed herself through the thick mire to reach her intended victim.

Soren draw his sword and fumbled to get his shield ready. "Althea! There is something here you may know more about than me." Soren wished he had the time to empty his bladder before meeting the woman that caused it to empty just then.
 
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"I'm scared too, Althea. The last time, I just raced out without thinking about what could go wrong…This time, I have had time to think. The village knows what we are trying to do. I know how much the village needs this to work…The sooner we can do this, the sooner we can get back. I would not like the village thinking anything bad was happening to you."

Althea followed, deciding enough had been said on the subject, there were far more important things to worry about. The air grew moist as they worked their way through the trees, it could almost be considered humid were it not for a chill in the air. Soon Althea could smell dampness, and decay, a musty unpleasant scent growing stronger with every footstep. Whatever was wrong with the river, they were heading straight towards it. She met Soren’s unspoken question about the stench with a shrug of her shoulders. The sounds of the river began to grow in volume until the constant rush of water was close by. That’s when the other sound hit their ears. Crying. Wailing.

Althea had just opened her mouth to tell Soren she thought they should proceed carefully when he dashed off through the trees. With a roll of her eyes, she followed him.
Men…” She grumbled, fingers working to undo the fastening on her pouch. If the noise was coming from where she thought it was she would need its contents and fast.

"Befouler!! Monster!! Get away from here before you make it worse. Haven't you done enough already?!?"
The screeched words drifted on the breeze back to Althea. Her stomach formed a tight ball of dread, skin crawling with gooseflesh at the pain and anguish in the voice. She forced herself to stop running, focusing instead on her bag. Sinking to her knees, Althea began rifling through the contents, looking for the small pouch of herbs she was almost certain she would need. Just as her fingers closed around the leather of the pouch she heard that dreadful voice again.

"Get out! Get out before I drag you in here and let you taste the filth you have left in here."
Conversations with Dagda ran through her head at break neck speed, discussions of all the possible problems and solutions. The words being hurled at Soren somewhere up ahead gave her enough of a clue as to the problem and it’s solution.
"Althea! There is something here you may know more about than me."

Coming! I’m coming! Get out of the water…get out of the…!
She broke through the tree line just in time to see Soren struggling with his shield as a blue toned creature drew closer, her words abruptly ending as her eyes fell on the source of the cries. Running forward she grabbed the back of Soren’s tunic and hauled him backwards and out of the boggy mess that had once been clean water.

Stay out of the water…no matter what happens, you’ve got to stay out…!” Althea hissed, pressing the pouch into his hand as her hands worked to unfasten her dress. Shrugging out of the heavy fabric and standing only in her slip, she took back the pouch and offered him a weak smile before taking a deep breath and walking towards the woman who, for the time being, had stopped. The thin white fabric of her shift was soon sodden and far from its original colour. Stagnant, muddy water staining the material as she walked deeper into it. Soon the water was around her waist and it was only then, when the woman was barely more than an arm’s length away, that Althea stopped.

I am here to help…” Althea said softly, pity in her voice as she looked on the sickly creature before her.
“Unclean,” Whined the woman, wringing her hands and causing more flesh to rupture, a thick, navy blue, liquid to ooze from inside her. “Decay and death…they have brought…unpure, vile creatures…”
I know…and I am sorry…” Althea took another step closer. “I am here to help, to purify what has been spoiled…
“Only one who is pure can undo what has been done…”
A slight tinge of colour rose to Althea’s cheeks, hoping her answer would not reach Soren’s ears.
I am pure, of heart and of body. And I bring…

Althea didn’t get to finish. The creature lunged forward, taking hold of Althea by the scruff of the neck and hauling her into the stinking waters. Her survival instinct urged her to fight, to struggle, but she tried to ignore it. The waters were dark and the world soon vanished from sight. She felt the hand on her neck tighten as another roamed her body, pressing urgently between her thighs then deeper, inside her. Althea gasped at the intrusion, taking in a mouthful of the disgusting water before the probing finger was swiftly withdrawn, the proof of her innocence having been ascertained.

All at once the water began to swirl around them both. The pouch splitting open and its contents floating into the maelstrom. Sage, salt, eucalyptus, herbs of purification all entering the water. Althea’s lungs were beginning to burn, she would need to breathe and breathe soon. Now she fought against the water, although the woman seemed to have vanished. Arms and legs kicking and pulling at the water, trying not to be sucked down, sucked deeper. Filth was rushing past her along with the cause of the problem, the decaying carcasses of animals. Althea understood what had happened. Hunters, poachers, had been dumping the unwanted, unusable parts of their kills into the river and the current had brought them to this point. Their flesh had fouled the water and so poisoned the Water Spirit. All manner of debris was being washed away, leaves, sticks. A particularly large branch rushed passed, the end of which caught the side of Althea's head, splitting the skin on her forehead and sending a bolt of pain slicing through her head.

Her eyes widened as the Water Spirit appeared before her in what had suddenly become crystal clear waters but she looked very different to how she had above the surface. Her skin, her hair, was radiant. There was no other word for it. For a moment, Althea suspected this was an angel of some kind, a being come to take her to the other side. The woman positively glowed and her mouth curved in a smile as hands reached for Althea’s and began to lead her to the surface. Althea felt her throbbing head started to grow light, Soren’s face entering her mind for a fleeting moment, and just before they broke the surface she was sure the woman murmured,
“Thank you…”

Althea broke the surface with a loud gasp, taking in a much needed lungful of air, and a fair amount of water too.
Soren…!” She cried out, a thin rivulet of blood seeping down her face, before limbs exhausted from their struggles failed her and she began to sink back into the river, darkness smothering her.
 
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Soren barely heard Althea's voice over the screams of the thing in the water. He was slowly moving backwards, placing his feet carefully while keeping his eyes on whatever it was before him.

“Coming! I’m coming! Get out of the water…get out of the…!”

He felt himself moving backward as if he had been pushed by some invisible force. His bladder was nowhere near as empty as he first thought as it emptied once more. Visions of the blue skinned creature tearing him apart with mystic forces flooded his mind until he realized it was Althea dragging him back by his clothing. He felt glad, and slightly embarrassed when he figured it out.

“Stay out of the water…no matter what happens, you’ve got to stay out…!”

He felt the anger in her voice, and was going to tell her off when she pressed a pouch into his hand. He looked on, stunned by everything that had happened, including seeing Althea work to take off her dress. What she was left in was more dangerous that the torn outfits of the villagers he had saved from the bandits. He felt the pouch leave his hand, and he could only stand and watch as she walked into the water. He wanted to scream to her to stop, to wait for him to protect her. But all he did was imitate a statue. Althea stood close to the blue skinned one, and they spoke in hushed tones that he could not hear. Without warning, the creature lunged at Althea. Her words to him stopped him when he got the muck half way to his knees. He was torn between helping her as he knew was the right thing, or listening to her as she knew more of those matters than he did.

The murky water thrashed and splashed violently before it started to swirl about. He urge to move was stopped that time by the changes he saw in the water. It was clearing up; the vile green and brown that clogged the water seemed to be slowly fading. He watched in awe as Althea's magic worked to clean the blight. All the stories he heard of such people took on a different light. No longer were they tales of wondrous fiction, but there was a truth to them. Mighty wizards and great all conquering heroes who battled evils that threatened the world. They could very well turn out to be just like them; mighty -

“Soren…!”

Althea emerged from the water, aided by the creature that had attacked him. She was different. Lovely, transparent as the water she stood in, cradling Althea like a mother did a young child. He sensed the creature looked at him, before letting go of Althea. Soren saw the blood just before she collapsed into the water.

He tossed his shield and sword aside and strode into the water. When he finally saw where Althea had sank to, the water was at the bottom of his chest. He took a deep breath and reached down to get her. His hand found her hair floating in the water, and he grabbed a handful and got her closer to the surface. He hooked his hands under her armpits, and hauled her head out of the water. Wasting no time, he got her back to the shore, laying her down on her stomach.

"I'm not letting you die, Althea." He pushed her ribs hard, feeling and hearing them creak under the pressure. Water gushed from her mouth, followed by a wracking cough and shuddered breaths. He looked around for somewhere for them to make camp. He saw a good spot a little further up the gentle slope of the shoreline. He lifted Althea carefully, and carried her to the place. It had been used recently, as the fire pit was still there, the ashes of the last fire still looked fresh. Areas had been cleared for tents. He laid Althea down, and went back to grab their gear.

He got a fire going, then covered Althea with a blanket while he pitched a tent. He stopped beside her, again gently lifting her and carrying her to the tent. He was well aware of how she felt against him. His arms could feel the way her body was shaped. What he had been able to see the last time was confirmed more by the touch of her through the sodden film of fabric. He laid her down with the same care he used to lift her.

"Ummm... I need to do this, Althea. It will help you." He lifted her hips off the part of the blanket she lay on, rolling up the soaked slip until it was over her stomach. Through a series of rolls he moved the slip up enough to remove it from her totally. He fought hard to ignore the nakedness as he covered her up again. She was not the first naked woman he had seen, but she effected him more than any other he had seen. He quickly exited the tent.

"Remember... being a gentleman. She is ill, and needs help. She is cold and needs to be warmed up quickly." His face went bright red when he took the next step mentally. "Well, I can wear something, and we'll be under another blanket so... nothing will happen." He stripped off his armour until he had minimal clothing on. He grabbed the other blanket, and went back into the confines of the tent. He laid the other blanket on Althea, then flattened the one that had been wrapped around her. He slid in under the blanket, and got close to Althea as he could.

Where her bare skin touched his, he felt like he was burning from the contact. Even though her skin felt cool, it made his feel like it was being burnt. It took several attempts to find a comfortable place to put his arm around her. He shied away from her breasts, all the while wanting to see how they felt. He couldn't leave his hand on her hip, due to the proximity of other places, so his finally managed to rest it on her belly. He was finally settling when a simple adjustment of position reminded him that he was rather erect, and it was pressing against Althea's back. Mixed emotions flooded his mind about that, and nothing he could do was changing the state of that part of his body.

'Gods above. I hope that she is sleeping at can't feel that.' The excitement, terror and the aftermath of what had happened finally caught up with the young farmer. His body took full advantage of the position they were in, and he fell asleep cradling his companion in adventure.
 
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Dreams of swimming in dark waters, feeling the pressure trying to crush her ribs and force her to expel the breath she was holding. The water was cold, so cold. Somewhere in the darkness she could feel warmth and so she swam towards it. The warmth grew stronger, enveloping her, surrounding her, calming her racing heart and easing the tension in her chest.

Althea’s eyes flickered open, the world into view slowly. She frowned as she saw light dancing over glowing fabric before her eyes, moving her head ever so slightly she quickly discovered it was the wall of a tent and it was doubtlessly firelight illuminating it from the other side. She hissed as an attempt to raise her head sent pain slicing through it, radiating from her forehead.

It was only then she became aware of warmth coming from behind her, of the solid pressure of something around her waist. Gritting her teeth against the throbbing that was growing in her head, Althea rolled herself slightly to look back over her shoulder. Her eyes widened when she found herself looking into the sleeping features of Soren. It was his body against hers, keeping her warm, his arm resting so easily against her skin.
Wait…her skin…?

Frowning Althea quickly glanced under the blanket and her cheeks flushed to see she was naked beneath the woollen covering. She replayed fuzzy memories. Surely they hadn’t…

She remembered calling his name and sinking beneath the waters. She had vague memories of being moved, of being lifted, of being cold…so cold...
“…I need to do this, Althea. It will help you…” Words filtered into her memories.

They hadn’t. She was sure they hadn’t. She couldn’t believe Soren was the type to take advantage like that. Besides, given his attitude towards her, he didn’t even like her.

Althea lowered her head and closed her eyes. It was comfortable, and warm, lying as they were. She found herself leaning back against him slightly. Feeling the solidity of his chest against her back was reassuring. Somewhere between sleeping and waking her hand found its way on top of Soren’s. Slender fingers slipping between his, holding his hand gently, as they slept.

~*~*~*~*~*~​

Althea didn’t know how long she had slept but it was still dark when she awoke with a start. Her head was pounding and in her dreams the filthy water had been drowning her, closing in, blocking out the light. Soren’s voice had been trying to reach her but every time she had parted her lips to call for him, the rank water had poured into her mouth. She was shaking, trembling, and try as she might to calm the panic inside her she couldn’t. She found herself turning beneath the blanket, rolling over so that she could move closer to Soren, hoping his warmth would help drive the lingering chill of the watery nightmare away.

She was nestling against his chest when a rumble in his chest made her look up to find sleepy eyes looking at her.
Sorry. Did…did I wake you?” She whispered apologetically. “I had a nightmare…” Althea finished, with a tremor in her voice. Suddenly aware of how she was staring into his eyes, the firelight beyond the tent making them shine in the comparative gloom, aware of how warm she suddenly felt, aware of how close they were.
 
Soren slept well, the terror and excitement of the day draining him of most of his energy. But in the darkness that sleep brought, images slowly crept out of the gloom. All of them involving Althea. He knew that she was within the circle of his arm, and her body pressed tightly against his, and she was completely naked beneath the blanket. So, his mind painted many pictures of them together. Memories served as the basis for the imagery, with his original partner swapped out for Althea. Through it, he felt the deep ache of frustration at not living out the desire so brightly shown in his mind's eye.

Althea's movements brought him from the dream, which he was grateful for, mostly. His eyes slowly opened to find that Althea had rolled over, and was looking up at him as he gathered consciousness.

“Sorry. Did…did I wake you? I had a nightmare…” He soft voice ended with a hint of the effects of the nightmare she spoke of. Soren could easily imagine what could have made up such a horrible dream. Attacked by some disgusting looking hag that dragged her under the water and everything else, coming close to drowning.

He was about to speak, when he saw how she looked at him. It was completely different to all the ways she looked at him previously. Those times he was aware of, anyway. Something about the way she was looking at him was, to him at that time, rather alarming to him. It was a look similar to those women who were interested in him as a potential husband. Hot on the heels of that thought was her current position relative to him, as well as her current state of undress. It took every ounce of self control he had not to bolt out of the tent to ensure he remained safe.

Instead he lifted his arm from the middle of her back to the back of her head. He cradled her head while bringing it forward slowly. He bent forward slightly bringing his lips to touch her forehead. He laid a soft, tender kiss there, silently taking the time to smell her hair.

"It's all right, Althea. You've done it. The water is clear, and hopefully it will mean that the fish will return, and the river will be fine again." He kissed her forehead again, feeling a warmth spread through him bringing a wave of desire to kiss her properly.

"Uhh... since you're feeling better, I'll go and get some food ready for you. You... you just stay here and rest... please. I'll go and check that your... clothing has dried out while I am at it."

As he clambered out, the blanket rode down Althea's body enough to grant him with an unparalleled view of the tops of her breasts, and the delightful cleavage they formed. Soren couldn't stop himself from looking and admiring what he saw. He soon figured out what was happening, and he continued his departure with a more scarlet shaded face.

He stopped outside to gather his wits, only to blush harder when he realized that he was dressed in clothing that left little to the imagination of anyone looking at him. Neither did it hide certain physical reactions he was having to the proximity of Althea.

In the rush, he forgot to deal with her clothing. Her dress still lay where she took it off, and the slip was still slightly wet, and still coated in muck. He grabbed his trousers, pulling them on as he put more wood on the fire and gathering Althea's clothing. He hung her dress over a tree branch, and took the dirty slip to the water's edge.

"Well, I don't have to get it perfectly clean, but clean enough." He plunged the fabric into the water, and gave it a vigorous thrashing in the water. There was a cloud of darkness around his hand, but it vanished quickly. He jumped back, pulling the clean slip out of the water. He back pedaled a few steps, bring his hand up to make the sign of a warding against evil. He stopped himself in time, and simply walked away from the water. "That... that was not right. Maybe Sindra are not the good people the tales make them out to be."

He hung up the clean slip to dry, and rather mechanically made food for them both. He was trying to blot out mixed images of what had happened, along with the fertile imagination of a young man. His stomach started to growl when the aromas of the food kept reaching his nose. "All right. There'll be food soon. Be patient." His stomach growled even louder, almost causing Soren to laugh out loud. As the food got nearer to being ready, all of his thoughts turned to appeasing his unhappy stomach.

He piled the food onto two plates, and took them both into the tent. He sat down, his mind focused on the food he desperately needed, absently handing Althea her plate.

"There, Althea. It will help get your strength back. I hope it tastes OK." Without pausing, he took a bite out of the warmed up trail bread.
 
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For a moment Althea wondered if perhaps she had slipped back into dreaming as Soren moved closer, eradicating the distance between them and placing a gentle kiss upon her forehead. It was only when the contact was made that she realised she was awake, his hand supporting her head and his lips hovering just before her face.

"It's all right, Althea. You've done it. The water is clear, and hopefully it will mean that the fish will return, and the river will be fine again." His voice was calming, reassuring.
As he leant closer once more Althea had to stop herself closing her eyes and lifting her mouth towards his. The kiss was over almost as soon as it started and as Soren pulled back his tone had changed noticably.
"Uhh... since you're feeling better, I'll go and get some food ready for you. You... you just stay here and rest... please. I'll go and check that your... clothing has dried out while I am at it."

Althea blushed a little on his behalf as Soren extricated himself from their simple bedding, revealing he had shed some of his own clothing before joining her in the tent. She tried not to stare but it seemed she wasn't the only one having trouble controlling their gaze. It seemed Soren was too preoccupied with something himself to notice her glances. She dropped her eyes to see the blanket was a fraction of an inch away from revealing her upper body in its entirety. With a tight grip she pulled the fabric back around herself, tucking some hair shyly behind her ear as Soren finally made it out of the tent. Trying to convince herself she hadn't seen anything she shouldn't have on his way out.

Waiting for him to return, Althea tried to arrange the blanket around herself in a manner that might provide them both a little dignity. Happy that moving wouldn't immediately embarrass them both, Althea reached up to run her fingers through her hair. She winced and hissed quietly as her palm brushed her forehead. There was a pretty firm bump there and she remembered the pain she'd felt in the river. A little more careful investigation with her fingertips led to the conclusion she would have a pretty colourful bruise there by the next day as well as a healing cut if the dried blood was anything to go by. She ran her fingers around her face checking there were no other injuries, around her cheeks, down over her chin, and then they came to the chain still hanging around her neck. Her gift from Jameth.

Jameth. Althea chided herself. Jameth was the one who seemed interested in her, not Soren. There were times, more often than not, that Althea wondered if the farmer even liked her at all. He certainly hadn't shown any interest in her, not that way.
Aside from when you woke just now, in his arms...those kisses were pretty friendly...
Her mind reminded her wickedly.
"No!" She blurted out before reining in her voice.
It didn't matter anyway, she didn't like him. She didn't. Slender fingers toyed with the filigree leaf as she sat crossed legged in the blanket and tried to convince herself.
Jameth was the one. Wasn't he?

After a little while the flaps that acted as an entrance parted and Soren made his way back into the tent. Two plates filled with steaming food balanced carefully in his hands but with no sign of her clothing though so she presumed it must still be wet.
"There, Althea. It will help get your strength back. I hope it tastes OK."
"I'm sure it will," She replied quietly. It smelt delicious but her head was starting to ache a little more and she felt a little queasy. Tentatively she nibbled on the bread. It was simple but satisfying and after the first few mouthfuls stayed in her stomach, she started to eat the rest of the food Soren had prepared. "This is lovely, thank you..." She murmured in between mouthfuls.

"So, what happened? I remember going into the river but then things get a little hazy. I hit my head, I know that much, but after that I'm not sure which of my memories are real and which are imagined." She smiled, putting down the half cleared plate and shifted her position slightly so she was leaning on one hip, nibbling at the remains of her bread as she spoke. "I mean, I don't even know if it's the same day or tomorrow night or what?" She laughed before the action hurt her head and made her frown.

"Soren," Her voice was a little tight when she said his name. "Can you do something for me? When you've finished your food, would you mind bringing me my bag? My head is starting to hurt quite a lot and I…I brought some herbs along that might help. If that's ok...?"
 
Soren sat quietly, eating while trying to figure out what he should be doing next. Althea's clothing was still wet, so she was sitting underneath the blanket completely naked. He was courteous enough to not suggest she do anything that would risk her modesty. With that thought, he had images of when he found her after her encounter with one of the brigands. The view of her leg through the tear in the fabric, as well as the almost scandalous display of cleavage and of other parts of her body. He found himself very interested to see those parts of her again. He shifted his focus to his food, as well as plans for getting them home the following day.

"This is lovely, thank you..."

Soren smiled, nodded and made a noise in reply without looking at her. He knew that she had a suitor know, the merchant's son Jameth. Jameth made it clear exactly how he felt about Althea, and what he thought of Soren being alone with her. Soren would feel exactly the same way if he was Althea's suitor and she was off with someone else. He kind of felt that way about Jameth.

"So, what happened? I remember going into the river but then things get a little hazy. I hit my head, I know that much, but after that I'm not sure which of my memories are real and which are imagined."

He turned his head to look at her as she leaned over slightly, nibbling on her bread between her words. The blanket hung over her body, shielding her from his eyes, which he was both glad and hurt by at the same time. That turmoil confused him but he tried to push it aside as he thought of how he would answer her question.

"I mean, I don't even know if it's the same day or tomorrow night or what?"

Her calming, soothing laugh was cut short by a frown that marred the nice looking face that was there only moments before.

"Soren, can you do something for me? When you've finished your food, would you mind bringing me my bag? My head is starting to hurt quite a lot and I…I brought some herbs along that might help. If that's ok...?"

He clearly heard the strain in her voice, and he put down he partially empty plate as he shuffled himself outside to get the bag she requested. It took little time for him to find it, and he took it straight back to her. He handed it over without saying a word, looking at her waiting for any further instructions.

"Well, it's now late in the day, I would guess of the same day we left. As for what happened, you walked out toward the thing in the water. She pulled you under which scared me greatly. I tried to head out for you, then the water started to move and change. I stopped, afraid of what was happening. Then you broke the surface, called my name, then passed out. I ran over dragged you out of the water, set up camp, got you inside the tent. I had to take the wet clothing off you." Soren blushed and looked somewhat embarrassed. "I saw somethings that I'm not supposed to, but it was in passing and I was careful not to look."

He made a move to pick up his plate again. "I think we should stay here tonight, the return home at first light. I'll go pitch the other tent when I'm finished eating."
 
"Well, it's now late in the day, I would guess of the same day we left. As for what happened, you walked out toward the thing in the water. She pulled you under which scared me greatly. I tried to head out for you, then the water started to move and change. I stopped, afraid of what was happening. Then you broke the surface, called my name, then passed out. I ran over dragged you out of the water, set up camp, got you inside the tent. I had to take the wet clothing off you…I saw somethings that I'm not supposed to, but it was in passing and I was careful not to look."

Althea listened to Soren’s explanation, fingers that were trembling slightly, worked to open the pouch and find the salve she was looking for. It should ease the pain in her head enough to let her rest, applying a little with her fingertips she worked the cream into her temples. When he spoke of removing her clothes she made sure her eyes were fixed on the herbs in her lap, certain from his tone that hers were not the only cheeks that had grown pinker in the passing moments.

Well, I am glad you went into the river to get me. Without you I have little doubt that I would not be alive.,” She looked up cautiously. “You saved my life, Soren, and for that I am grateful. Moreso than I can say.” A small but genuine smile curved her lips before she quickly looked back down. The next part would be easier to say when their eyes were not meeting. “And you simply did what you had to, I understand, really I do. You had to get me warm and dry. I’m sure I would have done the same to you.” The last sentence was added quietly, almost as an afterthought, an afterthought that worried her a great deal.

"I think we should stay here tonight, the return home at first light. I'll go pitch the other tent when I'm finished eating."
Must you…?” The words came too quickly to be stopped and caused the colour to rapidly filter back onto Althea’s cheeks. “I mean, you don’t have to. I mean, I think would feel safer, calmer, if I knew you were close by…” She looked away. What must he think of her. Proper young women did not ask, almost beg, young men to share tents with them in the woods. “You don’t have to, not on my account. You don’t have to go through the trouble of putting up another tent.” She was trying to make things better, to explain herself. She wasn’t doing very well.
Althea looked up and her eyes met his, as they did the words found their way out of her mouth.

Please, Soren, stay with me tonight. Don’t leave me on my own.
She licked her lips hesitantly before clearing her throat and trying to continue.
It’s just, I feel safer when you’re around and I think that in this tent alone I’d be too nervous to sleep and then I’d only be a burden to you tomorrow when we returned home. At least, more of a burden than I usually am!” She joked lightly, hoping to dispel the awkwardness hanging around them. “We’re both adults, we can both control ourselves, can’t we? I just…I just want to know you’re near…in case, well, in case I need you…” Her smile was hopeful. A combination of the hope that he would stay with her, her head was pounding and she still felt an odd sense of unease whenever she thought of the river just outside, and the hope that he wouldn’t misunderstand her meaning, that he’d understand her motivation for asking. Even if she didn’t entirely understand it herself.
 
“Must you…?”

Soren almost jumped at her reply. He looked over at her, unsure of what was going on. He saw her face brighten a little. He had little idea of what that meant.

“I mean, you don’t have to. I mean, I think would feel safer, calmer, if I knew you were close by… You don’t have to, not on my account. You don’t have to go through the trouble of putting up another tent.”

She looked straight into his eyes. Soren got the feeling she was trying to tell him something just through her eyes alone. He was confused by Althea's reactions, and his own as well. He was reacting to her presence as any young man would react to those of a pretty woman. Especially a naked one. Images of her body free of clothing came clearly to his mind, only making him feel more uncomfortable. He knew she didn't like him. He saw the chain she wore. He could only assume that Jameth had given it to her. Soren had nothing like that to give to her, so he stood no chance if he tried to win her away from him. Plus, there was nothing he could offer her that could match what Jameth could.

“Please, Soren, stay with me tonight. Don’t leave me on my own. It’s just, I feel safer when you’re around and I think that in this tent alone I’d be too nervous to sleep and then I’d only be a burden to you tomorrow when we returned home. At least, more of a burden than I usually am! We’re both adults, we can both control ourselves, can’t we? I just…I just want to know you’re near…in case, well, in case I need you…”

Soren held her gaze for a few moments longer before looking down at the ground. Her words were wise. He had seen what happened to her, and he could not imaging what she had seen and experienced first hand. Plus, they had slept together without doing anything dishonourable. Her joke about being a burden did help lighten his mood a little, making what she asked for easier to accept.

But Soren was afraid. He had growing feelings, urges towards Althea. He had visions of doing something in his sleep, or half wakened state that would offend her honour. She had saved their village, and none but he and the Elders would really know that. Everyone else was going to think that he did it. And if he did something to hurt her or offend her, she would think that he didn't care about the truth, that he only cared about himself.

"Ok," he nodded listlessly. "I will stay in this tent with you tonight, Althea. You have saved us, and it is the least I can do for you. Oh, don't forget, mighty Sindra, you have saved my life too. It's only fair to do the same for you."

Soren picked up the remainder of his meal, wondering if he had made the right decision staying with Althea that night. He would only know in the morning.
 
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"Ok...I will stay in this tent with you tonight, Althea. You have saved us, and it is the least I can do for you. Oh, don't forget, mighty Sindra, you have saved my life too. It's only fair to do the same for you."
Althea felt a little of the tension behind her brow lessen as Soren agree to her request.
"Thank you, Soren, really. That means a lot..." She replied quietly before trying to finish the rest of her own food. It wouldn't do her any good not to eat, she needed to recover from what had happened in the river and they had a long walk home ahead of them the next day. Making sure she had the energy for the trip would be of prime importance.
Slowly, but surely, she cleared her plate.

The tent was quiet, save for the crackling and popping of the fire beyond the fabric walls.
Althea felt like she should speak, should break the slightly awkward silence, but she hadn't the faintest idea what to say so she chewed on her lower lip and sipped at some water from one of their pouches.

Deciding one of them had to do something she wrapped the blanket tighter around her and Althea made to get up.
“You made dinner, it’s only right that I should clean up.” She held out her hand to take Soren’s empty plate. “You can have a little time to relax in the meantime…” Easing by him, she stepped out into the cool night air and took a deep breath. She could smell the earthy scents of the woodlands, the dirt and the leaves, the cool smell of the clean water rushing by, the smoky perfume of the fire. Her head felt a little better the more she breathed so she stood still for a few long moments just outside the tent. Eyes closed, plates in one hand, the other holding firmly onto her ‘blanket-dress’, just breathing slowly and deeply.

When she started to feel the chill permeating her skin she moved to wash the plates in the river, smiling to see how clear the waters now were, even in the relative darkness. She set a small pot of the water to boil over the flames while she retrieved her slip and, after finding a suitably bushy plant, she let the blanket drop to the ground and pulled the thin garment onto her body. Glancing down she almost wished she’d kept the blanket instead. At least that was thicker and hid the attributes of her figure. Her slip was thin and clung around her bosom. The rest was looser and concealed her curves but standing near the fire’s light she knew there would be little left to the imagination should anyone stumble upon her.

The water she’d put over the fire was soon steaming and she quickly made two mugs of tea. The herbs would bring them both restful sleep, something she thought they would both be needing. The day had been stressful, and she could tell Soren wasn’t completely at ease with the idea of sharing the tent with her. No doubt thanks to his opinion of her. She winced as she remembered the words they exchanged in the trees that day near the village.
Shaking the blanket free of any leaves or dirt it may have picked up when she let it drop, she picked up the mugs carefully and headed back to the tent.

Taking a deep breath, she nudged the flaps apart and stepped inside.
I thought we could both use a cup of tea…” She offered a mug to Soren with what she hoped was a friendly smile. “There’s some camomile and a little passionflower…although don’t worry, they both bring sleep…not, well, not anything else…” Her cheeks pinked as she realised how it might have sounded. The last thing she wanted was for him to think this some plan on her part. Asking him to stay with her and then ‘drugging’ him with tea…before no doubt having her wicked way with him. Her cheeks colour grew darker as she moved beyond him to sit where she had been before, draping the blanket over her lap and sipping her own tea. “I probably should have added some honey, I hope it’s not too bitter for you?
 
Soren ate in silence. Althea didn't wish to speak further while she ate, so he was not going to break the silence either. The fact they would be returning in the morning would be a source of concern to the village, especially Althea's mother and Jameth. Even if he did nothing to her at all, there would be those that would believe the worst of him. There might even be those who believed that she tempted him. Soren almost snorted at that thought, but caught himself before it escaped.

“You made dinner, it’s only right that I should clean up. You can have a little time to relax in the meantime…”

He looked up to see Althea with her hand out to take his plate. He saw that she had wrapped the blanket around her body, which concealed it nicely. He handed his plate to her with a smile, partially watching her as she left the tent. Taking her suggestions, he laid down and closed his eyes. Twice now they had been thrown together to help out others. Neither time did they seek the other's aid, but both times they were there to help the other when needed.

Both times, he had seen parts of Althea's body that only her husband should see. His mind brought back how she looked when he peeled her filmy undergarment off after she came out of the water. She had a body to be proud of, one that he would certainly enjoy looking at again if given a chance. But that was not likely, given that Jameth had given her gifts. Expensive gifts too. He saw how they were before leaving. Jameth was very protective of her, and Althea was soothed him in a way that spoke of her feeling to him.

"Do I like her?" His voice was a whisper, fearful that Althea would hear him talking his thoughts aloud. "She is just another arrogant villager who thinks all farmers are as smart as the animals they tend, and as interesting as the soil they plow. She won't listen to reason, because she thinks she knows best. Oh, why am I even bothering with this question? She has Jameth. She likes him enough to accept his gifts and his attentions. I'm just a large, hulking Northman with little prospects for a woman who is not desperate for a husband."

He lay still, allowing the turmoil in his mind to run its course and leave him with enough peace to allow him to sleep. The sooner he got back to the village, the sooner he could put the entire event behind him.

He heard movement outside the tent, followed by silence. Soren opened his eyes, looking at the entrance to the tent. He frowned as he decided on his course of action, but Althea made that irrelevant by finally entering.

He couldn't stop himself from looking at her in her undergarment. He forgot just how thin it was, and how little it protected her from other people's eyes. He was definitely not going to tell anyone of this part of what happened. No one needed to know that Althea walked about practically nude the night after she saved the village. It took every ounce of his self control to focus on the mugs she carried in with her, and not the impressive chest behind them.

When she offered him one of the mugs, he took it with a smile and a nod of thanks.

“I thought we could both use a cup of tea… There’s some camomile and a little passionflower…although don’t worry, they both bring sleep…not, well, not anything else…”

Soren caught how she blushed. He was confused by that. She made them a drink to help them sleep, yet she blushed. Then Soren thought of the ingredient, Passionflower, and she thought he might have thought it was meant to. The he blushed a little too. He took a quick drink of the tea, letting the warmth of the drink cover the colour in his own cheeks.

“I probably should have added some honey, I hope it’s not too bitter for you?”

"No. My father doesn't like his tea sweet, so the rest of the family has grown to like it as is. Thank you for making this. It was a good idea to have something to help us get a good night's sleep. By the morning, the village will see the results of your work. They will be very happy to see us back." He continued to drink the tea, wanting to get to sleep, and return home so he could get this time behind them. It was causing him too much trouble, even ignoring the thoughts of the village.

"I am going to try and get some sleep now, Althea. I promise I will behave honourably through the night." He placed the mug in a safe place, then started to get his sleeping area ready for the night. As he did, he was acutely aware of Althea's presence and state of dress.
 
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"No. My father doesn't like his tea sweet, so the rest of the family has grown to like it as is. Thank you for making this. It was a good idea to have something to help us get a good night's sleep. By the morning, the village will see the results of your work. They will be very happy to see us back."
"One can only hope..." Althea smiled over her mug before focusing on drinking the contents before it got too cool.

"I am going to try and get some sleep now, Althea. I promise I will behave honourably through the night."
"I don't doubt that you will..." She replied softly, watching as he began to organise his blankets ready to sleep.
Not wanting to disturb him once he'd settled she finished her own tea, in a rather too large mouthful and set about arranging her own 'bed' for the evening.

She laid out her blanket, folding it in half lengthwise, intending to lay between the bottom and top layers. She put her leather pouch at one end and under the blanket to form a cushion of sorts. She sat back on her heels for a moment or two, trying to decide if she'd forgotten anything. Coming to the conclusion that she hadn't, she slid between the two layers of wool and rolled onto her side. Across the tent, with a rather obvious gap between them, she could see Soren settling himself.

"Good night, Soren..." She whispered before adding, "Pleasant dreams." before rolling to herself onto her other side and trying to sleep. The flames flickered outside the tent, illuminating the canvas and casting strange shadows across it. Althea was tired, so very tired, but try as she might to drift into dreaming, sleep eluded her. She tossed and turned beneath the blanket, screwing her eyes up and attempting to force herself to sleep. The deep, regular breathing of Soren didn’t help.

She needed fresh air, needed to sit in the open air for a little while. Wrapping the blanket around her shoulders, she crept towards the entrance.
"I'll try not to make too much noise when I come back in..." She whispered as quietly as she could, in case Soren was in fact still awake and not wanting to disturb him more than she probably already had. Holding her breath she carefully stepped over where he lay across the threshold and out into the night air.

It was cooler outside, the trees were still. Althea sighed as she moved to sit upon the stump of a fallen tree beside the fire. Adding a few branches to the flames she pulled the blanket a little tighter and let herself relax. It had been quite the day. She felt a small sense of pride that she had managed to do what the Elders and Dagda had hoped she would. For a moment she wondered how her mother would feel, and Jameth. There was a stirring of guilt in her stomach that he hadn’t crossed her mind as much as she’d expected he would. Whereas Soren…

Frowning Althea picked up a long stick and poked at the ashes. Soren had, on the other hand, been in her thoughts far more than she ever thought he would be. She remembered saying his name and not Jameth’s when she had been in trouble. True, Soren had been the one there, the one who could help her. But still…

Her mind wondered back to the soft kisses Soren had pressed to her forehead, to how closely they had been laid. How comfortable his arm had felt around her waist. Blushing Althea tried to stop thinking of her fellow adventurer in anyway. Instead trying to stop the whirring of her mind enough to allow sleep to come, she began to recite herbs and their meanings very softly to herself. She had reached hazel when a long yawn made her pause.

Adding another large log to the fire to keep it burning until the dawn, she headed back to the tent. She rubbed at her eyes, all of a sudden feeling very heavy, as she fumbled with the tent flaps. She had just stepped inside when she realised she had wound her foot into the bottom of the blanket draped around her. She realised too late to stop her falling so she tried to shrug off the blanket and turn back towards the outside in the hope the momentum would let her fall back outside. She was wrong.

With a groan she landed heavily on top of Soren. eyes wide in shock and surprise as she looked down into his equally confused face, the motion leaving her slip flipped up around her thighs and her chest hovering near his chin.
Sorry, I…I fell…” She replied sheepishly. “…I’ll let you get back to sleep…” Althea whispered before starting to figure out how to get off him without embarrassing them both any further.
 
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Soren finally got everything as ready as it ever was going to be for him to go to sleep. He laid down, turning away from Althea. Not that he felt angry at her, or bad about her, but by not looking at her, he had a better chance of getting her out of his mind and allowing himself to go to sleep. The last thing he wanted to do was wander back into the village looking like he had been awake all night. That would lead to only one thought in their minds.

He closed his eyes, focusing on the boiling sea of feelings within him. Althea made him feel like no other woman had before. He hardly knew her, and she was the most fickle woman he had met. Highly opinionated, easily angered, rarely listened to anything that didn't agree with her own thoughts, she was stubborn, willful, arrogant - a typical villager. But she was brave, skilled enough to save his life and save the village too.

The drink Althea made started to help his efforts to get him to sleep. He was vaguely aware of Althea saying something, then he was in the blissful darkness of sleep.


He awoke to the feeling of something falling on him. Whatever it was it was very soft and warm. In that moment, he was fully awake to the sight of two large bits of flesh pressed against his chest, with a narrow valley between.

'Althea's cleavage almost looks like that.'

“Sorry, I…I fell… I’ll let you get back to sleep…”

He looked up further to see Althea's face a little above his, realizing he had been looking at her... He blushed lightly. This time, he was looking intently at her lips. For some reason they fascinated him. They looked so soft, and inviting. He moved without thinking, bring his lips closer to hers until they touched.

There was a moment's hesitation with the initial contact, but then Soren pressed forward that little more. He let his lips come into full contact with hers. He had no idea of what to do next, or how long to keep his lips there, so after a short while, he slowly let his lips peel away from hers and returned his head to his 'bed'.

"I - I just wanted to know if... ah... if they were as soft as they looked." He never felt so nervous in his life. Not even the bandits and the Water Spirit got to him like that just had. "Umm... they are... they are soft. Thank you."

He wanted her to move and he wanted her to stay where she was, and he couldn't tell which was the better option.
 
The kiss was barely a kiss, a pressing of lips against lips. Soft flesh against soft flesh. But for those all too brief seconds Althea was sure she didn’t breathe. She was surprised but she was also more excited than she knew how to express.
"I - I just wanted to know if... ah... if they were as soft as they looked."
And were they…?” Althea heard herself ask, genuinely curious as to what he thought, caring about it.
"Umm... they are... they are soft. Thank you."

She looked down at his face, moving her eyes across him in the shadows, taking in the features so close to her own before slowly lowering her own lips back towards his. The desire to kiss him rose up inside her too quickly to really register, too quickly to do anything but obey it. His were warm, almost hot, and they seemed to fit against her own so perfectly. Her kiss was light and delicate, aimed first at his upper lip, then the lower then both in unison when he didn’t appear to push her away. Her hands moved from where they lay on either side of his head to rest upon his broad shoulders. Her body relaxing on top of his slightly, laying more fully against him.

After the kiss had run its course she allowed her body to slip from upon his, falling smoothly to lay beside him, one leg still slightly hitched over his as she rested on her hip, one arm curved across his stomach.
I…I’m sorry, I …I just had to do that…
She was so confused. She felt things she didn’t understand, things she’d never felt before. The urges racing through her brain were new and foreign. Things she’d never thought of, never considered. She wanted to touch Soren, have him touch her. She pulled back a little more. Drawing her arm slowly across his waist, fingers dragging against the fabric of his tunic and gathering the fabric, letting the tips graze the warm flesh beneath.

Althea felt her cheeks grow warm as she remembered what she had seen when he had been wounded. The large expanse of his chest and stomach that she’d been inches from. She wanted to see it again.
We should probably go to sleep…we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow…” Her voice was halting and trembling. What she said was true, it was sensible. It was precisely what they should be doing. So why couldn’t she bring herself to move away? Why was her leg still looped over his?
There was an odd atmosphere in the tent, hanging over them, around them.
Well then…” Althea gave a smile before leaning closer. “Goodnight Soren…

She pressed her lips to his forehead, the kiss soft and light, but her lips were trembling. All of her was trembling. She breathed in, she could smell him. He smelt like earth and the outdoors, fresh and inviting. She pulled away from the kiss and moved her face until it was level with his. There was a pause. It was time to move away, to go to bed and try to pretend this strange exchange had never happened. That wasn’t what happened.

Soren…I…” Althea didn’t finish. Her lips met his and she kissed him. Slowly and firmly, her mouth obeying instincts she couldn’t begin to understand. Her body following instructions she was certain she didn't issue. Her back arching slightly to push her front closer to his side, her leg hooking a little more definitely over his. All she knew was , if nothing else, she had to kiss him, she had to.

And so she did.
 
Soren laid still, watching Althea as her eyes flickered about. He felt worried that his kissing her had upset her, made her angry. That she was right then marshaling her thoughts before telling him off yet again for being a stupid farmer.

But her lips found his. Soft delicate brushes that felt delightful, even more than when he kissed her the first time. She seemed to know what she wanted from the kiss, and Soren was too shocked, too awed to do anything to interfere. He let her taste him, enjoying the feel of her lips against his, her body against his. She was so soft in the right places, firm in the right places and she was making him feel so wonderful. Slowly everything else faded from his mind until there was only their kiss. Soren never thought a kiss could be so great, compared to what else a man and woman could do, but Althea was proving him very, very wrong.

Then, her lips were gone, and he opened his eyes to see Althea slowly easing herself off to one side. One leg was resting on his, and her arm was draped across his stomach. He found himself longing for that living blanket to be returned; her arm and leg were not enough for him.

“I…I’m sorry, I …I just had to do that…”

Her words just added to the confusion running rampant in his mind. The way she made him feel, a woman that angered him, frustrated him, at times humiliated him, was wrong. Yet, it didn't feel wrong, if anything it felt extremely right. She apologized to him for giving him something that fantastic? Plus, she and Jameth were seeing each other. He couldn't interfere with that. No matter how good she looked, how wonderful she felt pressed against him, how amazing she smelt so close.

Her arm moved, drawing the cloth away from his body, letting her fingers slowly graze his skin. He bit his lip to stop the moan from escaping. Where her fingers passed left a trail of fire and ice in their wake that he wanted to feel again. His stomach muscles didn't know if they were to escape or to close on the source of the sensations inflicting him.

“We should probably go to sleep…we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow… Well then…Goodnight Soren…”

There was something about her voice that was telling Soren something. He couldn't figure it out, as he was focused on her words, and her body and where all the parts of it were pressing against him. The confusion was there. He knew he had to do something. She was right. Sleep would be a good idea. They needed it for the return trip and the response from the villagers.

"Yes... we do need the sleep. Good night to you too, Althea." His voice rocked and trembled too, and like her, he remained still waiting for her to move. He felt her lips press against his forehead. He felt the tremble as she made contact. He sighed through the kiss, liking the tenderness that came through it. When she pulled away, he turned his head slightly to thank her. But he was greeted with her face again, incredibly and dangerously close to his own.

“Soren…I…”

He melted into the kiss. It was more deliberate, knowing. He followed, responding without thought, giving back to her what he knew was right. He didn't just take, he gave too. He pressed his own lips back against hers, engaging in the kiss she so clearly wanted. One he discovered he really wanted too.

Instinct took over, and Soren found himself over Althea, resting between her legs, his weight held off her by his elbows and knees. His lips never left hers the entire time. He took his pace from Althea, responding to her, speeding up when he felt that what she needed, slowing down when he knew it was right.

As the kiss continued, he started becoming more aware of himself and his surrounds. The first thing he became aware of was how he was located with respect to Althea. He had been in such a position once before, and there was no clothing involved and other activities taking place. Which led him to the other realization that he was very, noticeably erect, and there was nothing that was hiding the fact from Althea. With the awareness of both, he was about to prepare himself to carry through with the desires his body was screaming out to him. But he caught himself in time.

He broke off for air, looking down at Althea with what he knew was a clear display of lust. He quickly resumed kissing her, focusing his full attention on that one act, slowly winding himself down, and the kiss as well. When he finally broke off the kiss, he moved back to his side of the tent, lying down facing Althea. He had seen enough of the couples in the farm to know that some kind of nice touching was required, so he stroked the side of her face while he looked at her, wondering what happened, and where it was going.

"Thank you, again... Althea. That was truly... wonderful. I never... never had that happen before. I hope... you liked... it too. Shall we, uh, try and get some sleep now, or...?"

Soren was drifting into familiar territory again, wondering how Althea was going to explode over this.
 
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He kissed her back and Althea felt her doubts about what she was doing, her concerns melting away. Not once in her life had she felt like she did in those moments. It was thrilling and terrifying all at the same time. She didn’t even think Soren liked her, they weren’t exactly friendly towards each other a lot of the time and yet he was kissing her back. And his kisses felt wonderful.
Jameth passed through her mind but he didn’t linger there for long. His kiss had been sweet and gentle, lovely. But it had been nothing like this. This was…she didn’t know what it was but it felt amazing. Her body seemed to fit perfectly alongside Soren’s, her curves against the stronger, firmer lines of his.

She took a slightly deeper breath as their bodies rolled, stopping when her back was upon the blankets and his body above hers. She should stop it, stop it at that moment. She could sense what might happen, what parts of her mind and body wanted to happen. But she didn’t.
Her mouth was following some instinct that was buried deep inside, something that both frightened and excited her as she suckled and drew his lips between hers, relaxing as he did the same to hers. Tongue stroking, tasting, dancing with his, back and forth between their mouths.

The next part of her body to surprise her was her hands, rising to rest first on his shoulders and then to move higher and slip into his hair. Fingertips massaging his scalp as they curled into the blonde lengths, almost using it to pull him closer, keep him closer.

Her eyes were closed, she was lost in the passion of the situation when she felt something, a sense of heat, of firmness, between her legs. She tensed for a split second as she realised what it was. It seemed she wasn’t the only one affected by what was happening. The tenseness passed quickly as she realised that as terrifying a prospect as it should have been, it didn’t scare her. It excited her.

The kiss stopped and her eyes flew open. Had he somehow read her thoughts, she assumed him more experienced than her but then she was certain that wouldn’t be difficult, was he horrified, was he thinking the same. Their eyes met and all she saw shining down at her was the same desire she felt pulsing deep inside her. She opened her mouth to speak, no idea what she was going to say, but his lips reclaimed hers and rendered her mute. She felt her back arch up from the ground below, pushing their chest closer, tilting her hips beneath his.

Then the kiss began to change. It was slowing, it was no less lovely but it was slowing. The pressure between their mouths was easing and it was easier to catch her breath. Althea felt a pang of disappointment as she realised what was happening, a feeling that caused her cheeks to colour with embarrassment.

Soren finished the kiss and moved from above her, shifting to lie facing her, a large hand running fingers around her face. She felt breathless and excited, she felt frightened and upset, she was horrified by her own behaviour.

"Thank you, again... Althea. That was truly... wonderful. I never... never had that happen before. I hope... you liked... it too. Shall we, uh, try and get some sleep now, or...?"
Althea felt herself smile shyly. The compliment was unexpected and taken to heart.

I liked it too…very much…thank you…” Her words were quiet. She had no idea how to answer his unspoken question. If she was honest she wanted to kiss him again, and again. Her inexperienced body was overloaded with feelings it had no way of understanding. All she knew was kissing him felt fantastic and she wanted to feel that way again. But then she moved slightly and felt the leaf pendant around her neck shifting reminding her of the real world, the world outside the tent. Her life in the village, their lives. Hers and Soren’s.

She knew what she wanted but she knew it was something that could not, should not, happen.
Forcing herself to try and forget how her lips were tingling and throbbing from the kisses they had just shared she shifted a little closer and rolled so her back was against his front, taking the hand that had been upon her face and laying it around her, leaving his palm just below her breasts. She wanted to be close to him, very close, but this would have to do. She was certain they would both had regrets if they let their hearts and other parts lead their actions.

We should try to sleep…” She made herself reply. Closing her eyes as she cushioned her head against her arm, trying to think of anything other than how warm and strong he felt behind her, how much she wanted to move his hand again, to see how it felt against her chest, to see how her breast would feel upon his palm. “Goodnight Soren…sweet dreams...
 
Soren felt a huge weight lift from his body when Althea smiled at his words. He knew himself not to be gifted with speaking like Sarthi. He heard many occasions when Sarthi spoke to and of the woman he would eventually marry. Even when Soren practiced such terms, they sounded wrong to his ear. Not the light prance of a fine riding horse, but the heavy plod of the plow horse. He decided long ago, true words straight from his heart would do. If the woman didn't like them, then they were not for him.

“I liked it too…very much…thank you…”

She confused him. Before, she was full of venom, fast words that would burrow deep and hurt him for days. Now, she was different. It was as if she liked him. The way they kissed certainly felt like she liked him a lot, and he was starting to admit that he was seeing more to like in her the more he saw her. He blushed slightly at the way that sounded in his head, which was not the way he meant, but the damage had been done as his mind recalled various times when Althea displayed more than was right for a honest woman.

Althea then put the matter beyond question as she rolled over putting her back to him. There was a great sense of relief and a sharp pang of regret at her move. He would honour her choice to sleep. It would make one less problem for him to deal with upon their return, no matter how delightful the thought was to go with his desires, and suffer the wrath of the village. But when she pressed her back to him, his carefully cobbled together calm fell apart. Her smaller, lush warm body was pressed against his, reviving the thoughts he had so valiantly sought to banish. Soren didn't resist her pulling his hand over her, letting him hold her. He felt the occasional brush of her breasts against his arm and wrist. It would be so simple to turn his hand slightly, and capture one of her soft mounds in his hand. He longed to explore it, seek out that spot where the soft, smooth skin was anything but.

But he kept his hand exactly where it was placed. She was nestled against him, and he felt something strange. He felt as though Althea was his in some way. He felt protective of her. His arm about her was not for comfort but a symbol of what was his. He knew as well, that she was not his in anyway, but the feelings remained. The two seemed to exist beside each other and not touch.

“We should try to sleep. Goodnight Soren…sweet dreams...”

"Yes, sleep is good. Goodnight, Althea. Please have sweet dreams too."

Soren closed his eyes, starting to relax himself so he could sleep. The day caught up with him again, plus the closeness of Althea made it easy for him to quickly fall into a deep sleep.

Soren groggily rolled over. His brow furrowed just before his eyes creaked open. His normally bright blue eyes were paler than normal as he took in his bedding. He was lying on a large bed, soft but yet firm, covered with a light covering, like a blanket. He looked around, in time to see Althea climb up onto the bed beside him. She wore a light blue dress that made her look fabulous. Her smile was radiant as she closed on him.

She crawled between his legs, sharply pulling away the covers to reveal his fully naked torso. Soren found himself completely speechless and barely able to move as Althea silent cooed, tracing a fingernail from the base of his cock to the head. As her finger tip traveled up, the flesh underneath hardened fully. Thick coloured veins formed ridges along his length, and it was glowing with vibrancy as it rocked with his pulse.

Soren tried to call out to her, asking her what she was doing. His hands wouldn't lift from the mattress. All he could do was watch as her lips lowered on the tip of his manhood. The warmth of her lips sealing about his flesh threatened to overwhelm him. Nothing he had experienced compared to the flood of wondrous sensations that were drowning him. Her mouth and tongue worked some magic on him that turned his brain to mush. He watched slack jawed as she thrust her mouth along most of his length, one hand dealing with the rest. He found himself feeling like he was about to explode, or be torn asunder when the unthinkable happened. He erupted within her mouth, filling her with spurt after spurt of his cum in what felt like an never ending stream. He heard Althea's soft moans; happy, delighted sounds that fell between slurping swallows. He couldn't stop the rush, physical or emotional, of what was happening.

Althea lifted her head, smiling broadly with a look of what he thought was love on her face...


When he awoke, it was with a jolt. He moved himself enough to bring a hand down to check himself. Dry, completely dry. He sagged onto his back in relief. No dream had ever been so real in his life. He laid still, wide awake, wondering if women ever did that to men, and if it felt anywhere near as good in reality as it had in his dream.

'Even if Althea did like me that much, there would be no way of getting her to do that. What woman would want to do that for a man, even if they loved him?'
 
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"Yes, sleep is good. Goodnight, Althea. Please have sweet dreams too."
It didn’t take long for sleep to find her. Soon her breathing was slower and deeper. But while her appearance to an onlooker was one of peaceful dreaming, her mind couldn’t have been more active if it had tried.

Images of her, her and Soren, both clothed and unclothed filled her dreams. Touching, kissing, holding. Doing things she’d only heard whispers of. Doing others she wasn’t even sure were actually possible. Her personal experience of such romantic actions were limited to what had happened within the tent so there was a lot of kissing in her dreams. Slow and soft, hard and hungry. Lips traversing cheeks and jaws, dripping lower down necks to shoulders and lower. She sighed in her sleep as she imagined fingers lowering her clothing to allow unbelievably warm and soft lips to find a nipple.

Some part of her mind tried, it truly did, to replace the blonde farmer with Jameth but it did not work. In her imagination Althea almost felt as though she loved Soren, felt as if being with her were the way things were supposed to be. The feelings excited her as much as they confused and worried her.

When the sun had already begun to rise outside Althea was stirred from her strange night time visions by Soren moving behind her. His arm was still around her waist, his body still close to hers. She was still leaving her dreams behind when she though she felt his other hand moving between their bodies. She smiled shyly as she realised the area he was moving his hand to but refrained from revealing that she was awake until his hand had moved away.

Morning…” She said softly, turning to look back at him over her shoulder. His face still wore the soft look of sleep upon it and it made her smile grow a little wider. “I hope you slept well?” Althea turned, rolling over, so that she was facing him. His arm still resting over her waist.
For a split second she wanted to kiss him. To lean across and just kiss him. But she refrained. Somehow.
She lay there for a moment longer, just smiling before realising things might grow awkward if they lingered like that for too long. Sitting up she pulled her blanket around her shoulders and pulled it closer around her. In the brighter light the thinness of her slip was all too apparent.

So I suppose we should head home…?” Althea asked after a pause. “After all, our work here is done.

I’ll go and get dressed and then make us some breakfast? You made food for us last night, time for me to return the favour.
Gathering the blanket around her, she carefully made her way out of the tent. Holding gently onto Soren at one point to stop her falling.

Once outside she took a deep breath of the fresh morning air. It was beautiful. The woods were still and bar the rippling sound of the river and the odd call of birdsong, it was silent. Smiling softly she quickly moved to where her dress had been drying overnight and, shedding the blanket-shawl, pulled on her dress. She filled one of their small pots with river water, added a few more branches to the smouldering ashes and then set the pot over the flames which quickly began licking around the new fuel. She looked through the pack that Soren had carried, looking for something to make into breakfast. Soon the water for tea was bubbling and another was steaming with the various things she’d found in the pack.

Happy that breakfast was on the way, Althea settled on a log near the fire, pulled her hair over her shoulder and began to comb her fingers through its length. Working out tangles and kinks, the knots and snarls. She sighed as the smell of the food hit her nostrils. Soon they’d be eating. Soon they’d be packing up their meagre camp and heading home. Soon this adventure would be over. Soon Soren would go back to his farm and she would go back to the village. Back to Dagda and her mother. Back to Jameth.

Of all those things she was certain. What Althea didn’t yet know was if she would be able to hide what had happened between the two of them in the darkness. Or, what was worse, the fact that she wanted it to happen again.
 
“Morning…”

Soren was startled slightly by Althea's greeting, as he was so absorbed in checking that he had been dreaming the night before.

“I hope you slept well?”

"Well enough, thank you, Althea. I hope you slept well too."

His arm remained around her waist as she rolled over to face him. While he kept his eyes on her face, he was keenly aware of her body moving near his arm, in particular her breasts as they brushed his arm. But then, his focus was entirely on her face, and the lovely smile that greeted him. He truly saw that she was pretty when she smiled, and her face seemed to be one that favoured smiling.

He found his mind drifting back to the moments when they kissed, and wondered if that was something that they could do again. He had kissed other girls and women, even in the heat of passion, but none had felt like when he kissed Althea. But she was seeing Jameth. Althea would be kissing Jameth, not him. It hurt him a little, but it was enough to hold him back.

Althea then removed the temptation even further by sitting up. She pulled the blanket up, covering herself modestly. He found it a little funny, given that she stripped down to the very article of clothing she was in to deal with the water spirit while standing before him. But, it was a different day, and there was no pressing need for her to be moving about before him so brazenly.

“So I suppose we should head home…? After all, our work here is done.

“I’ll go and get dressed and then make us some breakfast? You made food for us last night, time for me to return the favour.”


"Yes. Thanks."

Soren was still trying to sort out his thoughts and feelings as Althea went past him, blanket shielding her virtue, out of the tent. He rolled onto his back with a soft groan, staring at the roof of the tent. All he could think of doing at that moment was walking out there and kissing her again. Feeling her lips pressed against his as he pulled her body hard against his own. There were stronger, darker feelings and desires lurking deeper underneath, but those were easier for him to control.

"No, get dressed, break camp, then back to the village. She is seeing someone else." Soren started to dress himself as best he could within the confines of the tent, covering himself enough to be decent before exiting the tent.

Althea was once more in her dress, and had the fire going and had two pots over the flames heating water in preparation for breakfast. She was sitting on a log, combing her hair with her fingers. He stood still, his sword belt half done up as he watched her groom herself not knowing he was watching. She seemed so relaxed and at ease, almost the complete opposite of how he felt. She had a future husband, one who would be able to provide for her well enough, while he had no real profession or anything to offer a woman to become a wife. There were many who were infatuated with the hero, but there was nothing he could do to support them.

He stopped watching her, and continued to get dressed in his armour. He was good at putting on the greaves and braces by himself, and the breastplate was still a little tricky, but that morning he couldn't get it to sit right so he could buckle it up properly.

"Althea, could you help me please? I need you to tighten the buckles on the breastplate while I hold it still. My hands don't seem to want to work properly this morning."
 
"Althea, could you help me please? I need you to tighten the buckles on the breastplate while I hold it still. My hands don't seem to want to work properly this morning."

Althea jumped slightly, Soren's voice cutting through her musings and causing her to look around quickly as if frightened her thoughts had been somehow heard by his ears. Cheeks colouring, she rose from beside the fire and moved to stand beside him. He had already started to put on his armour, another sign that this...whatever it was...was soon to be over. His legs wore their coverings below the knees and it was the layer that was to protect and cover his chest that was causing him difficulty.

"Of course I can, at least, I can try..." Slightly trembling fingers hooked dark hair behind her ears as she stood and waited for his direction. She could see that the leather fastenings that ran over his shoulders and held the front and back plates together were done up as were the buckles on one side. The other was hanging open and it was this she assumed needed closing.

Althea watched as his hands pushed the toughened pieces of leather against his body and brought the edges within reach of each other. Smiling more than a little shyly Althea took up the straps attached to each piece and started to feed the softer leather strap through the buckle. She had no idea how he did this alone, she found it almost impossible. That said, it was the feel of his breath on the back of her neck and the proximity of his body to hers that was affecting her ability to thread the brown strip through the metal fastening more than anything else. More than once she had to force herself to stop thinking about how warm and firm his chest had felt against her, about how that same chest was now a fraction of an inch from her fingertips.

Tugging, she tightened the strap and fed the remaining leather back through to hold it in place. She coughed, out of a need to try and prevent her voice from coming out as tremulous as it sounded in her head.
I, er, I hope that’s ok…never put a man’s armour on before…” She looked up from where she stood beside him. Fingers still hovering over the leather binding. “I mean, I hope we won’t run into a situation where you’ll need it but, better to be safe than sorry I suppose…” Her fingers slid down the plates before dropping away to her sides, glancing over his hip momentarily.

Her tongue moistened her lips, her feet suddenly being extremely uncooperative and refusing to carry her back to the fire.
I…I should probably check on breakfast…” Still she didn’t, couldn’t, move. “Got a long walk ahead of us and I’m sure we should try to set off sooner rather than later.” Althea forced herself with every ounce of her personal strength to turn and walk away. Ignoring the urge to say she’d rather stay there with him in the trees and kiss him again, hold him and have him hold her, touch her.

The water for tea was bubbling and the simple porridge she’d made for their breakfast was steaming. She poured the hot water into the two cups and over the leaves she’d placed inside them. The porridge was split between the two plates and left too cool.
I’ll see if I can find us some berries to go with this,” Althea allowed herself a quick smile at Soren before stepping away from the fire and towards the bushes that grew around the clearing they’d made into their camp. Fingers quickly finding and pulling dark round berries from between the leaves. The true intention behind what she did was to allow her a moment or two to do three things. To calm herself, to allow her cheeks to return to a paler shade of pink and to try and force the extremely confusing and inappropriate images from her mind. She turned back, showing palms full of berries.
As she sprinkled the fruit over the porridge and offered Soren his helping she could relax in knowing she’d at least managed two of those things.
 
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